garethashenden Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) I've decided to try a thread instead of a blog. I like the way threads flow more than individual blog entries. So we start out building wagon kits suitable for the Pre-Grouping option on Empire Mills. I'll plug our blog here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1534-the-empire-project/ On to the workbench: First up is a David Geen kit for a GWR three plank wagon with rather nice round ends. It went together quite quickly and well except for the axle guards, which were too far apart. I solved this with MJT's inside bearing thingys. They work quite well. Painted in Great Western Red, lettered with Pressfix transfers. Still need to paint the coupling hooks and put the number on the ends. Next up is a 8 ton private owner wagon. Built from a 7mm drawing photocopied from a long forgotten book. I modified it slightly by giving it two fixed ends instead of one, other than that it's as drawn. Built from 40 thou plasticard with Mainly Trains jewellery, aside from the brakes. The brakes themselves came out of a bag of bits, the V hanger and lever came from a Bill Bedford etch, coupling hooks are Brassmasters, wheels are Gibson and the W-Irons are 51L. Axleboxes and springs are MJT. I quite like how wagons look in the naked stage like this, so it may be a while before it gets paint. Last up for the moment is something I started last night, a North London Railway 2 plank ballast wagon. I don't have a great deal of information on the prototype. A few show up in the background of pictures of more interesting wagons. I know that it's a 16' underframe and a 9' wheelbase. That's enough to be going on with for the moment. NLR characteristic rounded headstocks: Axleboxes from London Road Models. They match photographs of axleboxes used on brakevans and coal wagons, so I think it's a safe assumption although I can't say for certain. More Later. Edited July 1, 2017 by garethashenden 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson Jackson Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 That is one excellent scratch built wagon, I like it a lot, the shot showing the underneath of the wagon is rather interesting and it's interesting to see how you put it all together, may I ask how did you do the strapping? They look very good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 That is one excellent scratch built wagon, I like it a lot, the shot showing the underneath of the wagon is rather interesting and it's interesting to see how you put it all together, may I ask how did you do the strapping? They look very good. Thanks! The strapping is from an etch from Mainly Trains. It come with four different spacing on the bolt heads. They're just superglued to the wagon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flymo748 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I just wanted to say that it's really nice to see some quality scratchbuilding taking place. As someone that also has pre-Grouping interests, I wish you all the best with it, and you can consider this topic "followed". Cheers Flymo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 More progress today although on the locomotive front. I have finally attached the boiler and tanks to my GWR 850PT. I then added some of the fittings, dome, chimney, tank fillers. The seams on the sides of the tanks are far too visible and need to be filled/sanded smooth. Lots more to do but it's coming together. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted November 24, 2014 Author Share Posted November 24, 2014 A Great Eastern Machinery truck AKA Lowmak. These were built in three batches around the turn of the 20th century. They passed to LNER who called them Lowmac K. By the time they reached British Railways they were in need of replacement, so BR built more to the same dimensions and with the same 14T capacity. This is the prototype for the Dapol Lowmac kit so I thought I'd have a go at backdating it. The planking runs along the length of the GER wagon where as it is crosswise on the BR and Dapol versions. Also, the buffers and axle boxes are different, as would be expected. The only GER axleboxes I have been able to get a hold of are ABS castings for W-irons with axleboxes. At first I tried carving away the axlebox on the kit and the w-iron on the casting and made quite a mess of both. In the end I decided to use the castings as is with new frames made from 40 thou plasticard. Not finished yet but here's the progress so far. It's going to work the way I want it to. Using the kit frames as a template: Making out where the casting will go: Superglued in place: W-iron filled in. Still needs sanding down. Thanks for looking! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 I found myself unexpectedly Saturday morning demonstrating at the South Hants exhibition in Portsmouth. I must not have done a very good job demonstrating as I was able to get quite a lot of work done on the 850. Two small fittings from the tanks and the door darts are missing and have to be sourced, otherwise the construction is done. At least I thought it was until a spring fell off... Oh and handrails on the cab, keep forgetting those. Plenty of clean up still needed. Excessive amounts of solder on the front buffer beam and cab sides and fiberglass bits everywhere. The cab roof and safety valve will be added after painting. The state of things: I got a crew for it as well, they'll need to be fitted too. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drduncan Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Keeping Gareth from modelling is far harder than you might imagine. It's like being King Canute and trying to hold back the inevitable....!!! He says demonstrating was unexpected, but without his help I'd have been chained to the demonstration table for the entire show. And he was clearly enjoying himself, especially the admiring looks and comments his scratchbuilt wagon and the csb split axle chassis of his 850 PT seen above were getting. drduncan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 Keeping Gareth from modelling is far harder than you might imagine. It's like being King Canute and trying to hold back the inevitable....!!! He says demonstrating was unexpected, but without his help I'd have been chained to the demonstration table for the entire show. And he was clearly enjoying himself, especially the admiring looks and comments his scratchbuilt wagon and the csb split axle chassis of his 850 PT seen above were getting. drduncan We won't get into the things I should be doing instead of modelling... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 More progress on Jenny Lind. For those of you who missed it this was introduced in the last entry in my blog here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1571/entry-14822-jenny-lind-part-1/ 5&9 Models whitemetal kit of the LBSCR 2-2-2, built in 1846. Most of the painting and lining is now done, just got the "cab" sides to go and then a little touch up here and there. Then finish off the tender and footplate. The end is in sight! Let me know what you think. I like comments... 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 (edited) More progress on Jenny Lind today. Added the spasher, piping, footplate side, more and more lining... Edited December 7, 2014 by garethashenden 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I like the Jenny Lind very much indeed, always good to see an early prototype such as this in any scale. There surely can't be any overlap with the 850, especially in its pannier form? Are you going to paint or blacken those wheel rims? Cosetted though such early machines often were, they were cleaned rather than clean. The motorised tender is a good wheeze as well. I've occasionally been tempted by some of 5&9's wagons for my BR period internal user fleet - I quite fancy something with dumb buffers - but even for that eclectic collection I feel I'd be pushing my luck a bit! Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 I like the Jenny Lind very much indeed, always good to see an early prototype such as this in any scale. There surely can't be any overlap with the 850, especially in its pannier form? Are you going to paint or blacken those wheel rims? Cosetted though such early machines often were, they were cleaned rather than clean. The motorised tender is a good wheeze as well. I've occasionally been tempted by some of 5&9's wagons for my BR period internal user fleet - I quite fancy something with dumb buffers - but even for that eclectic collection I feel I'd be pushing my luck a bit! Adam Thanks Adam. I'm building Jenny Lind on commission, it won't see any service with the 850. The 850 is ever so slightly late for my period, not converted until 1911 while the layout is c.1905. I think I'll paint the wheels, I should have blackened them before now if I were to do that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 I have finished building Jenny Lind. Unfortunately it can barely pull itself and gets hung up on uneven trackwork. So I need to fix that still. But here are some pictures posed on Empire Mills. I have also completed a crane/digger for TC's Minories. Thanks for looking! 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Time for an Amphibian! GWR (God's Woeful Trainset) Diagram AA3 build from the Frogmore kit available from Dart Castings. I got this at Railex in May, and promptly started. Overall it went together well but some areas were fiddly. This wasn't helped by a faint printing of vague instructions. Anyway, I seem to have gotten there in the end, or somewhere at least. Oh dear, that G is a bit wonky... 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 57xx Posted February 7, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2015 I've got the Frogmore AA6 Permanent Way van and was also considering getting the AA3 so nice to see this build. Can you elaborate on the bits that were fiddly? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 The biggest problem is the vague instructions. The fit of most parts is good although I have a memory of having trouble with the vertical bits on the body and particularly the diagonals on the veranda. They get hung up on the rivets. I may build a second at some point, so it's not so horrible to have completely put me off. The paint hides most of my messy soldering... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 I may have lost the plot here. Way too many individual letters. For Repairs, Advise, Load, Tons, and Tare are ready made, everything else is individual letters. At least we can firmly plant the blame for this on Duncan. And no, I will not be doing the other side. Seems a shame to weather it now... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drduncan Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 A complete surprise, but extremely generous! drduncan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKPR Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 I may have lost the plot here. Way too many individual letters. For Repairs, Advise, Load, Tons, and Tare are ready made, everything else is individual letters. At least we can firmly plant the blame for this on Duncan. And no, I will not be doing the other side. Seems a shame to weather it now... Looks excellent and I'm glad I'm not the only one who only letters one side of my PO wagons ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) And no, I will not be doing the other side. Why not? You've done the hard bit. Now you've done it once the second side will always be easier. Edited to add; Magnificent work all round! Edited February 9, 2015 by mike morley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold nest Posted February 9, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2015 Good work Gareth. No one would blame you if you didn't do the other side... Nestor Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 Looks excellent and I'm glad I'm not the only one who only letters one side of my PO wagons ! Thank you! Why not? You've done the hard bit. Now you've done it once the second side will always be easier. Edited to add; Magnificent work all round! I'm out of "C"s. I may letter the other side at some point, but not before Ally Pally at the end of March which will be the wagon's first outing. Good work Gareth. No one would blame you if you didn't do the other side... Nestor Thanks Nestor! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Nile Posted February 10, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2015 Nice work Gareth. How about doing something different on the other side? Two for the price of one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Couple new projects to share. First up is an ex Cornish Mineral Railways china clay wagon. These were very small wagons built in the 1870s, inherited by the GWR and condemned during the First World War. Oddly they had iron bodies and wooden underframes. Next up is a bit of detail for Empire Mills. There was a empty bit in the middle that drew attention through its blandness, so I thought a grounded van would dress things up. As we are working towards GWR c.1911 I thought it would be nice to have something broad gauge. I ordered the broad gauge wagon kit offered by York Model Making. It's gone together well although I don't like the plastic. Still needs the roof, painting, and weathering. Last up for tonight is LBSC's Inspector. A whitemetal kit from 5&9 models. I've got most of the sub-assemblies together now, just need to stick it all together. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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