'O' gauge ? first tentative steps. Corrugated goods shed part 3: Painting and weathering

[daifly]

For an understanding of (GWR) wagon brakes see:

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/nowagonbrakes.html

 

I suspect that much of the info will be relevant to other companies & BR

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[3 link]

lost wax castings which required quite a lot of fettling and have left dents in the blades of a set of otherwise durable Xuron cutters!

 

Just a quick tip David when removing the lost wax castings from the sprues, buy yourself a fret saw they are not expensive ( cheaper than some new Xuron cutters ) and will cut out the castings nice and neat and all in a couple of seconds .

 

ATB, Martyn.

[dikitriki]

I think you mean a piercing saw Martyn. And it's an invaluable tool anyway, not just for cutting parts from sprues.

 

Richard

[3 link]

I think you mean a piercing saw Martyn. And it's an invaluable tool anyway, not just for cutting parts from sprues.

 

Richard

 

Hi Richard,

 

Thank you for correcting me, my heads all over the place at the moment as I'm averaging 16 hour days at work and especially in my line of work it's a bit much .

 

All the best, Martyn.

[Debs.]

I'm averaging 16 hour days at work and especially in my line of work it's a bit much .

 

Be careful, don`t overdo things, Martyn!

[Donw]

I find a razor saw useful for jobs like that.

Don

[David Siddall]

Hey, thanks Guys...

 

Pete, cleanliness in my modelling must be a directly inverserse proportion of the tidyness of my work bench (I so had to clear up before taking those photos).

 

Martyn, I sypathise. I've reverted to relatively benign 12-hours days for the moment (though I doubt if it'll last). A piercing saw sounds like a good idea - 'if' I could get my vice to attach to my new modelling table (serious miscalculation in the second-hand furniture acquisition department)! Maybe I should get a fret-saw and take up fretwork? It'd probably be marginally less challenging than wagon brakegear and would certainly involve a lot less in the way of research and pleas for assistance.

 

Actually no. Next on my list, a Slater's LNER/BR Brake Van (and some baseboards!).

 

TTFN

 

David

[Phill Dyson (onslaught832)]

 

 

PS: To date my flush-glazing material of choice has been the boxes in which Lenz supply their decoders. Whether it'll be OK for screens this size remains to be seen but I'm still pondering the best way of replicating the distinctively radiused corners of Hymek windscreens (or if it's indeed worth trying to do so?). The Heljan apertures look a bit too squared off to my eyes when compared to prototype photos.

Not seen anyone do that yet David, but you are right the corners are more rounded..........perhaps an etch overlay ?

[David Siddall]

Not seen anyone do that yet David, but you are right the corners are more rounded..........perhaps an etch overlay ?

 

I was thinking of trying something I used back in the 1980s Phil when I used to re-shape the cab-front screens of Minitrix N Gauge Warships to create what I considered to be a better front-end representation of the prototype ...that dates me a bit doesn't it ;-/

 

The technique involves running a seriously thin plastic strip round the inside edge of the window aperture. As long as the strip is thin enough (and you dunk it in warm water first to elimiante any brittleness), it'll form a smooth corner radius and secure the tiny amounts of filler required.

 

I've found a couple of suitable head-on photos of the real thing and the next step I think will be to take a very similar shot of my model and lay one over the other using Photoshop with the model image made semi-opaque to compare any differences. Providing they're sufficiently marked I'll probably have a go.

 

D

 

PS: I'm not 100% certain Heljan have got the shape of the route indicator box right either and hopefully a photo composite will establish whether that's the case or I'm just imagining it?

[Phill Dyson (onslaught832)]

Interesting ideas David, I'm not sure about the headcode panel either.... as I say, I re-glazed the whole front which improves the look a great deal, but I am always open to new ideas & will watch with interest.

 

Cheers Phill

[David Siddall]

Here are the best 'front-end' shots of Hymeks I've found so far Phill.

 

http://www.geoffbannister.com/tod/modern_diesel/early_non_steam/d7017.jpg

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adogriff/5373928204/lightbox/

 

http://ccbrailpix.weebly.com/west-somerset-2009.html (two on this page)

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67680704@N08/6154719985/

 

I'll use them as a basis to draw the window and headcode box shapes using Illustrator and lay them over a photo of my model. That way I'll avoid breaching anyone's copyright and be able to show the results here...

 

David

[Phill Dyson (onslaught832)]

 

 

I'll use them as a basis to draw the window and headcode box shapes using Illustrator and lay them over a photo of my model. That way I'll avoid breaching anyone's copyright and be able to show the results here...

 

David

 

I will look forward to seeing that David :-)

[David Siddall]

OK... the object of this exercise is to investigate whether the cab screen and headcode box apertures as modelled by Heljan in their 7-mil rendition of the Hymek are accurate or not?

 

I started the process of finding out with this superb head-on shot http://ccbrailpix.we...365994_orig.jpg rotating it slightly using Photoshop so the loco no longer leans into the curve...

 

Next I imported the adjusted prototype photo into Adobe Illustrator and outlined the windscreens and the headcode box...

 

I then took a head-on shot of my 7mm Hymek, opened it in Photoshop, laid it over the prototype image and re-sized the model photo so it precisely overlaid the prototype image...

 

A little further work with both Illustrator and Photoshop resulted in the second and third images of the trio below:

 

 

1. When I first looked at my model, my feeling was that the screen apertures and headcode box didn't look quite as Wilkes & Asmore (the Hymek's designers) intended. The cracking in the corners of the glazing, by the way, wasn't down to me. I gather that some proprietary thinners can do this to Heljan's glazing material and this model was weathered before I bought it.

 

 

2. Actually... the only issue with the windscreen apertures I can see is the omission of the slight taper from top to bottom on the outer edges. Everything else in this department is where and as it should be. Even the corner radii are correctly scaled (though I still feel they look too tight to the naked eye!). The headcode box dimensions and corner radii are spot on - it's the method of moulding and fixing the model's glazing which make them 'look' wrong! In fact, one of the most rewarding things about this exercise was discovering just how accurately Heljan have reproduced the end-on profiles of the Hymek in model form - they match the prototype with extraordinary accuracy! My outlines of the prototype shapes are shown in red.

 

 

3. The final photo is a cheat. I haven't actually modelled the revisions... I've Photoshopped them!

 

 

To be honest... the changes to the windscreen apertures are so subtle that I doubt if I could model them effectively! My conclusion is that it's the glazing's un-prototypical moulded lip and the consequential prismatic effects which create the most significant visual discrepancies in this department - so the glazing's definitely going to be replaced.

 

To more accurately reproduce the look of the headcode box appears to require no more than disguising the retaining lip against which the glazing sits using a little black paint so that it'll match the blinds. Replacing Heljan's glazing will further improve matters by dispensing with the moulded retaining pips.

 

So in conclusion... the issues have barely anything to do with the bodyshell moulding at all! Heljan have (according to my evidence anyway) done a brilliant job! There are just a few other little details elsewhere (buffers, cab steps, cast numbers) which could do with enhancing, but there's not much else... :-)

 

BFN.... David

 

PS: Rats... I've just noticed that one of the headboard retaining clip loops has gone AWOL. The loco I propose to model (7056) still had these clips in 1968 so I'll need to find a way of making a replacement.

[David Siddall]

Back in the world of real modelling, my Slaters BR Standard 12-ton van has acquired its basic paintwork. Markings and weathering beckons...

 

 

D

[Warspite]

So in conclusion... the issues have barely anything to do with the bodyshell moulding at all! Heljan have (according to my evidence anyway) done a brilliant job! There are just a few other little details elsewhere (buffers, cab steps, cast numbers) which could do with enhancing, but there's not much else... :-)

 

 

David

 

What a brilliant piece of work and very reassuring for the Hymek owners amongst us. Thank you for using your professional skills for our benefit.

 

I always thought the Hymek was a good model!

 

Stephen

[Warspite]

Back in the world of real modelling, my Slaters BR Standard 12-ton van has acquired its basic paintwork. Markings and weathering beckons...

 

D

 

David

 

Very nice.

 

Have you decided on an era for your lettering - boxed or unboxed?

 

S

[Phill Dyson (onslaught832)]

Hi David,

 

Very interesting stuff David, good to know that Heljan have done such a good job. Your gazing plans will improve the front ends dramatically.............. wouldn't it be nice if laser glaze was available for the entire Heljan 7mm range.

 

A few other issues with the front view as supplied are the marker lights which should be red/clear & not red/red, also Heljan have fitted 'A' end bulkheads to both cabs (the detail in the cabs is quite basic too) & lastly those headcode blinds look pretty awful IMO with the white lines between the digits ...........easily sorted with a black felt tip pen.

 

Having said that though, these really are minor issues with what is an excellent model.

 

BTW Very nice job on the Slaters van.

 

Cheers Phill

[David Siddall]

Have you decided on an era for your lettering - boxed or unboxed?

 

Thank you Stephen, however I'm not sure the word of the moment is 'decided' ;-)

 

My understanding is that wagons repainted after 1957 would have featured the 'boxed' style, and since the era I've (finally) chosen is '57 - 67' I hope I'll be reasonably safe in going for that? I'm intrigued though by the photo Slaters use on the model's box lid and in their publicity. Several (!) hours of trawling the Web suggests that black panels behind the markings was the style for grey-painted unfitted wagons as white lettering showed up quite adequately on bauxite? 'Prototype for just about everything if you're prepared to look hard enough' syndrome again I suspect ;-)

 

D

 

PS: And thanks for the PM, it was greatly appreciated. Several other folks kindly got in touch to express a similar sentiment :-)

[David Siddall]

Very interesting stuff David, good to know that Heljan have done such a good job. Your gazing plans will improve the front ends dramatically.............. wouldn't it be nice if laser glaze was available for the entire Heljan 7mm range.

 

Cheers Phill... I've just bashed off an email to Shawplan asking if they have any plans in that direction. Would save an awful lot of trial-and-error filing (and probably a fair amount of profanity :-)

 

D

[Phill Dyson (onslaught832)]

Cheers Phill... I've just bashed off an email to Shawplan asking if they have any plans in that direction. Would save an awful lot of trial-and-error filing (and probably a fair amount of profanity :-)

 

D

 

Hi David

 

Could you send me Shawplans email ? as I find the 7mm stuff impossible to find on their present website

 

Cheers Phill

[David Siddall]

Could you send me Shawplans email ? as I find the 7mm stuff impossible to find on their present website

 

PM'd to you Phill...

 

D

[David Siddall]

Just gave myself permission for a (rare) lunchtime skive (nice thing about working for yourself) and started thinking 'buildings'. Spotted Lasercraft's delightful 'Llansantffraid Crossing Signal Box'... mmmmm, very, very, very nice but even this, I think, might be a bit palatial for the backwater I have in mind. Maybe more 'ground fame in a hut' is what I'm after.

 

Currently awaiting permission to gain access to, photograph and measure the former Raglan station building (4 miles down the road, still in remarkably original condition and currently part of a Monmouthshire County Council maintenance depot). I've been driving past it several times a week for years and only realised recently that it's the ideal size and style for my proposed country terminus (duh!).

 

As was in 1955... (...lovin' the pagoda goods shed), and as is... there have been rumours for a while that it's due to be transplanted to a museum site so I want to get all the detail just in case it actually happens and everything is reduced to a pile of numbered bricks and tagged timber.

 

D

 

PS: Who says blokes can't multi-task. I can when it comes to modelling anyway ;-)

[David Siddall]

Uh oh... once you really start exploring ramshackle country stations in search of prototype inspiration for a 'might have been' (...of the type generally referred to a 'bucolic'), in no time at all you're up to your knees in glorious modelling opportunities! Another one that just oozes potential, is (was) Monmouth May Hill - again on my doorstep and past the now barely extant remains of which I've walked and cycled obliviously countless times (Raglan's 4 miles west of here and Momouth's the same distance east).

 

Decisions, decisions... timber or brick?

 

D

[Phil Traxson]

Just gave myself permission for a (rare) lunchtime skive (nice thing about working for yourself) and started thinking 'buildings'. Spotted Lasercraft's delightful 'Llansantffraid Crossing Signal Box'... mmmmm, very, very, very nice but even this, I think, might be a bit palatial for the backwater I have in mind. Maybe more 'ground fame in a hut' is what I'm after.

 

Currently awaiting permission to gain access to, photograph and measure the former Raglan station building (4 miles down the road, still in remarkably original condition and currently part of a Monmouthshire County Council maintenance depot). I've been driving past it several times a week for years and only realised recently that it's the ideal size and style for my proposed country terminus (duh!).

 

As was in 1955... (...lovin' the pagoda goods shed), and as is... there have been rumours for a while that it's due to be transplanted to a museum site so I want to get all the detail just in case it actually happens and everything is reduced to a pile of numbered bricks and tagged timber.

 

D

 

PS: Who says blokes can't multi-task. I can when it comes to modelling anyway ;-)

 

Have a look at www.invertrain.com in their Highland castings range for a variety of signalboxes from small groundframe in a wriggly tin shelter to fair size GWR via Poppleton LNER, Highland Railway and G&SWR. Must admit to a connection here, I do his casting for him!

 

Phil T.

[Warspite]

Thank you Stephen, however I'm not sure the word of the moment is 'decided' ;-)

 

My understanding is that wagons repainted after 1957 would have featured the 'boxed' style, and since the era I've (finally) chosen is '57 - 67' I hope I'll be reasonably safe in going for that? I'm intrigued though by the photo Slaters use on the model's box lid and in their publicity. Several (!) hours of trawling the Web suggests that black panels behind the markings was the style for grey-painted unfitted wagons as white lettering showed up quite adequately on bauxite? 'Prototype for just about everything if you're prepared to look hard enough' syndrome again I suspect ;-)

 

D

 

PS: And thanks for the PM, it was greatly appreciated. Several other folks kindly got in touch to express a similar sentiment :-)

 

David

 

I had understood that the 'boxed' panels didn't come in until 1964 and, judging from Paul Bartlett's photographs, "pre-boxed wagons" could still be found well into the 1970s. Paul has a superb photograph of B767293 at Yeovil Pen Mill in 1975 looking in pretty original condition:

 

http://paulbartlett....af4f7#h293af4f7

 

Some would appear to have had the TOPs code applied without ever receiving the boxed panel - see the VVV stencilled on the left hand end:

 

http://paulbartlett....be1c3#h3e311174

 

But, as you say, we're certainly in the 'prototype for everything' with this one!

 

S