Otherwise, just to prove I'm not sitting on my thumbs, here's a selection of those that have made it some way off the bench so far...
An 'almost there' Alan Gibson J15 set to look,as it was running in early 1962 (aha! spot the deliberate mistake...). Not much to report beyond it being a straightforward, if rather dated, kit to build - but until Hornby started making wild promises this was all we had short of Stephen Poole/NuCast or a flailing fretsaw. The chassis are in the workshop cur
...never travelled over the Buntingford Branch (come on, please show me I am wrong...anybody??) but did ply their trade on the Hertford Branch. Thus it is no surprise that I saw the issues with the Hornby 31 as a chance to make some old LIMA 31s more presentable. After a little sweat and a few lower deck expressions, the first has emerged, though not yet primed even.
I thought I would share some photos as it really is that easy! All the bodywork detailing is shown up as brass on my 'LIMBY Sk
As an adjunct to my post on the subject of Brush Type 2/Class 31s I thought I would add some notes on how I 'butchered' the LIMA chassis to support the Hornby motor and bogies etc so here we go...
First off the LIMA chassis has to be stripped of all its gubbins - though keep it; I have heard that a 'double-motored' LIMA 31 is a beast to behold - I may yet try one! So too, the Hornby, which has probably shed a few bits along the way. Some those little 'baggies' come in handy making sure thing
Once again a perfunctory entry due to 'life, etc' but at least I can claim that all the forward boiler 'gubbins' is done, with the obvious exception of the handrail and lamp bracket at the top of the smokebox.
The smokebox door in the kit is the early GER 'dished' pattern, while I am modelling 106 as she appeared in 1927 with the post 1913/1915 (?) 'domed' pattern smokebox door. Currently it is fitted (fitted? 'Bunged in for effect' is more accurate) with a J15 'domed' door, bit it doe
By way of introducing this blog, my aim is to post occasional comments and observations on the process I am undertaking towards completing a model of Widford Station on the Buntingford branch of the GER/LNER/BR as it was between the years 1900 and 1964. This content will be aimed primarily at my efforts and, with a fair wind, successes in building 4mm scale models of the rolling stock, locomotives and infrastructure of Widford and traffic of the line between 1900 - seen as an arbitrary starting
After what seems an interminable interlude, I can justifiably claim that the F4 ‘build’ is complete, and have the photos to prove it! Where it languishes right now is in the pre-paint shop stage while it dries after a decent wash and cleanup. Then onwards to primer, paint and...lining. Yes, lining, as it will be appearing in its 1923 form as E106 (just like it says on the box).
In the mean time, some pictures of it in the raw to get a feel for what I have done and, if possible, how...
Fi
My apologies for taking so long to continue this; life keeps getting in the way. All I have to offer today is some pictures updating the construction so far, starting with the chassis, which is all but assembled and sitting nicely on both lateral and vertical springing: It does show some handling wear to the first coat of paint, but we'll come to that once it is completed. The bodywork has had one or two bits and pieces added; the condenser pipes took almost two days to get right. If there is
So, moving on we come to the chassis in more less its first stage of completion. In the photos that follow you may be able to see the two 'ponial' trucks - essentially 'pony trucks' pretending to be radial trucks. This has been achieved by making sure the pony truck assembly takes advantage of the whole CSB beam that runs the length of the chassis (the wheelbase being longer than a 9f for those who are concerned with such things) as well as separately sprung lateral control. So we have four spr
OK, easy stuff first - where does one find motive power typical of the GER, or rather, specific to the 'Bunt' in RTR form? Aha! if only Hornby produced a locomotive like the J15...but alas, the Alan Gibson kits will have to be the source on which to rely. But wait! No! Come late 2014 we are promised RTR J15s in LNER and BR forms, so we are saved. Instant GER branch line!
Well, in the intervening period I have salted away five J15s to give me a blue GER, a grey GER, an early 1930s LNER versi
So here it is, awaiting dirt, windows and wipers...
After much fretting over the exhausts...
There, that's better...
...and after I 'chucked the muck' at it...
Though at this stage we have just a basic coat of filth. Prototype photos show all kinds of shades and colours around the whole locomotive. The underframes particularly have the usual grease, oll and track dirt etc There is also some odd looking white substance that is present on the lower bodyside - deter
So, we have got to the point where we can pause awhile and admire our handiwork. Below is the chassis in more or less complete order; mainframes, wheels and so on. Onwards from the last entry was the addition of the cosmetic sideframe overlays that hide a multitude of slots and tabs as well as add an additional dimension in terms of bolt heads and so on, as well as a two-layered ashpan side representation.
Which all looks pretty good on the rudimentary body assembly from the Gibson kit:
With not much happening over the last few days I will try to be brief. I had originally planned to fit out the cab before moving forward, but I felt that getting the lines, boxes and circles working together to look like the outline shape of an F5 would contribute more. Building a beatifully fitted cab inside an anomaly seemed a waste of time.
So, onward toward the front of the loco. First, the tank tops. You may recall this project came, phoenix-like, from the remains of a previous attempt
Under the locomotive will be the chassis I have commissioned to save me the bother of cutting six identical frame sets and so on...
So, back from the etchers via Justin Hewitt who did most of the hard work, came these;
Which, after about five minutes of clipping from the fret and four bend later, becom this, an 'instant' fold-up P4 chassis;
After another ten minutes (I kid you not...) and the frame spacers are in place;
Those among you with better eyesight than mi
On from mere theory and some general muck I have tried to get somewhere close to 5510 in the above (or is it 'previous') entry.
I hope it 'makes the grade' as it has been a long time coming (and I plan another??), taking me away from Widford type things. Oh, well, it was fun! Just need to do a few bits and bobs - white on the cab handrails, window bars in engine compartment and fit P4 wheels...
And a wash and brush-up; dust everywhere and filthy windows. Prototypical...?
Be
This is a project intended to begin the process of adding at least half a dozen of these 'F' series locomotives to my roster for the Buntingford Branch. The basis of the models is the Gibson kit which has been around for a while. Falcon Brassworks list on on their site as unavailable, but it my be again soon. Who knows? I also understand NuCast is working with SE Finescale to revise their offering also.
My choice, like it or not, is the Gibson kit as that is the only one available right now.
So, having put together the basic chassis and body, time has come to unite them to make sure they are 'as one'. However, in doing so, those of you with a Gibson kit on your bench at this point will notice the huge void inside the cab - alas, the kit has no provision for much more than a rudimentary floor. Having its origins in the days of 'motor in the cab' (I suspect - please correct me) this is disappointing, but should not deter you from buying an otherwise nice kit.
Anyway, to the point.
Well, here we all are again...seemingly still stuck in the land of J15s...
At least this one:
Actually got finished and works perfectly. The others? In my haste to build them, I seem to have missed out on a number of small, but crucial details (the tender sides on 65460 are slightly different to others I have seen and to the Gibson kit; getting hold of Whitaker tablet apparatus has proven difficult, amd so on and so forth), the result being that the others that I finished have been
So, setting the scene, so to speak, I have embarked upon the grand scheme of building a model of Widford station in P4. So far, so good. However, current accommodation (apartment in Manhattan) simply does not have the space to actually lay it out as a baseboard, so I am directing my attention to building the rolling stock and motive power before I commit to baseboards. Those will go in the house in NJ, but that is about as finished as the baseboards right now, so don't hold your breath on that s
