Jump to content
 
  • entries
    250
  • comments
    275
  • views
    85,149

About this blog

Modelling Diesels in P4: Stock for Wheal Imogen (China Clay in the late 80s and 90s) along with builds preparing for my next modern layout (set in either South Devon or Cornwall in 1998)


 

Entries in this blog

59004 - new chassis

A few weeks back at Scaleforum, I got into a conversation about Mendip operations, causing a bit of a spike in my interest in getting on with finishing a couple of my stone projects   59004 uses a lima 59/0 body on a Bachmann Class 66 chassis. The chassis has been modified with the lima sideframes (suitably modified to add the missing corner), modified Bachmann fuel tanks and scratch built air tanks / battery boxes. The chassis is now finished and painted (and converted to P4), which just l

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Blackcombe Redux

My big project for this winter (other than the forthcoming arrival of our baby girl) is to convert our garage to railway room. Phase 1 is to insulate the walls, seal the floor, insulate + improve the seal on the door and board in the ceiling, the second phase is adding a side door (and possibly a window as well.) fortunately have a couple of friends with the required expertise to work it all out...   Anyway what does that have to do with the old layout...   My original plan for the garage

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Rolling Stock for cheddar

Rather than doing any productive work on Cheddar, now that the Templot drawings are pretty much finalised I feel that I should be cracking on with 'useful work' on the layout (namely drawing up the 4 main buildings). I now have good photos of the station and goods shed, along with their external dimensions (taken from an online plans website and backed up with a calculation from an aerial photo). Decent images of the signal box are also sorted, although scaling this is proving more difficult.

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

73129 chassis, 33116 and Royal Mail TPOs

Finally got back home to Bristol for the weekend, and for a change actually managed to find some modelling time.   I ended up working on 3 main projects,   73129   I have finally got on and rebuilt the chassis, I have so far only used the Lima components, wire, plastic rod and lots of plasticard. though 3 air tanks still need to be added for which I haven't decided on a source yet. I have also fitted the new Gibson 13mm wheels which have also made a large impact. Buffer beams have also

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Class 73s, 33s and more

I am really starting to hate being away from home (I am currently half way through a six month placement with our corporate jet production business up in Broughton). Apart from being away from Helen & friends etc and the 3 and a half hour commute back to Bristol each weekend, it means I cant do any modelling when I want to!   So to at least feel like I am making some progress on the project I have been researching underframes, and shopping for components   I think I know know what I wan

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Class 73 Repower

Finally made a start on repowering my Lima Class 73s,   The first batch contains an EWS pair in NSE and Dutch that will always be ran as a double headed pair. along with a SWT rescue loco. The second batch will contain one loco in Pullman and one in Mainline that are intended for my VSOE rake.   Because the EWS pair will always run double headed, and the SWT will always run with other powered stock, I have decided that I will only power one bogie (both simplifying the design and reducing

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Botley (ish) - Layout planning

A bit more thinking on layout plans...   Back in 2010 I came up with a track plan for a station layout based on Botley, I have now revisited it as part of the planning for my next project.   The actual templot plan at the base of the attached track plan needs work (I am in the process of fully redrawing it using a planning portal drawing as a basis). The objective of this exercise is to see if the compression that is required to model Botley within the available space is acceptable.   As

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Gunnels - with photos!

A quick update to follow my previous blog post on Gunnels, finally got five minutes internet access so can upload the photos from my laptop.   I have now started the next couple of wagons, so should end up finishing a couple more soon...

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Gunnels

Having spent a couple of days modelling for a change, my gunnel conversions have seen more progress   In each case the work involves Removal of all moulded detail Fitting new hopper top from plasticard Gluing body to chassis Filling resulting gaps and holes from end detail Cutting 1 and a bit PGAs to make an ex salt hopper (leaving extra to build a second) Adding deep headstocks to 390520 Correcting procord boards (either romoval or relocating one side)   There is a long way to go a

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Musings - revitalising an old layout

Its been a rather long time since I have touched any modelling, Not since Scaleforum in fact. The move to my own place coupled with a few other bits has just left no time for it. However I have to move away from home for the next few months (6 months working in Broughton and driving back to Bristol at the weekends) The whole arrangement has left me rather cross, but on the plus side assuming I manage to find somewhere suitable to live it is going to mean I have more modelling time.   The th

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Gunnels and 47813

Having spent the weekend demonstrating modern modelling at Scaleforum, I have actually made some progress on a few projects this weekend.   First was 47813 in Great Western Trains, finally fitted with etched marker lights at one end and full GWT transfers (it does still need the yellow warning panels spraying which will be completed at Christmas.) Unfortunately didnt get a photo, but it was looking rather nice on Mike's mini Western Road test track. So much that it got me thinking how good W

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

More painting progress.... and GWT loco hauled

A small amount of further progress today, I have started to reassemble 37612, unfortunately the doors/side grills are elsewhere so I cant finish the job yet. it will also still require minor touchups to the blue paint and a coat of varnish to get a constant finish over the repairs (most annoyingly the can I have here has a blocked nozzle despite having only used it on 2 locos earlier in the year...) The other work which is still outstanding is all minor, with the lights needing black paint,

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

More painting

Making good use of a warm bank holiday Monday I have got on with some painting,   First up, my DRS Class 37 (Which will be 37612). Black roof was sprayed, masking removed (thankfully with no damage) all looking good. This just needs the light clusters painting black along with detail painting the grills (and cantrail stripes) + transfers & Shawplan windows and it will be finished. Most annoyingly I have now found out that its completely out of period for the layout. While '612 was in

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Fixing paint problems

This time last year I sprayed up a detailed Bachmann Class 37 into DRS Blue, unfortunately at the time the masking ripped off some large chunks of paint on one side ruining the finish. While ideally I;d have stripped the model back and started again, the fineness of some of the etched detail would almost certainly be wrecked.   Instead I am trying to fix the defects. Having read about a method for fixing stone chips in automotive paint where you basically fill the chip with lacquer before san

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Gunnels

Well I have finally made a decision as to what I will be working on at Scaleforum. Along with a couple more Vi Trains Class 47s which require a simple rewheeling job, the main project I am planning on bringing is the conversion of Lima PGAs into a rake of Gunnels.   This morning I have been focusing my efforts on completing the required research, Phil Eames' definitive series on PGA wagons in Demu's Update along with Jon Hall's Gunnel Thread on the DEMU forum have helped work out the work w

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Scaleforum

Not long left until Scaleforum.... I am going to be helping Mike Anson with the D&E Modelling demonstration at the show (I will be covering the post privatisation era).   I am rather limited as to what I can bring as for the next 4 months I will be renting a room while I wait for the construction on my new place to be finished. As a result there is no space for any model stuff, all the stuff I will be taking to Scaleforum must fit in a single sports bag out of the way (and small enough

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Bits and pieces

Managed a bit more work on a couple of projects yesterday, had a first attempt at adding the mortar to the first bridge on the layout. Need to refine the process but looks like it's working. Also primed the core of the ratio footbridge. This is proving 'interesting' to build with most parts painted before gluing into place.   The final bit of work was on my Wales and west 158. This has now had it's new snow ploughs painted ready for fitting tonight.

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Some modelling at last: Class 50, 37s, HST and GUVs

Finally found a couple of hours today watching the grand prix to do some modelling... (apologies for the naff photos, couldnt find the camera so they are all taken with the phone.)   Started off with some finishing work on 50031, this has now been fitted with the final few details and given a quick coat of grey primer. Still need to add the new lifting lugs (only remembered these once I had finished spraying...) The chassis has been fitted with a set of Ultrascales and a decoder to free up

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

July ramblings

Not a lot of modelling done over the past few months, the highlight begin the work on 50031. This has seen a little more progress with jon's cast side grills now fitted along with the new windscreens. Just need to drill out the new exhaust ports and it will be ready for painting in august.   The main event of the past month has been buying my first house (ok apartment), although it will not be finished being built until December it does mean that I know know how much space I have for a layou

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

More Class 50 detailing

The next step on my class 50 detailing project was to correct the exhaust ports at the no2 end, working from this photo by Keith Wright http://newimages.fotopic.net/?iid=y11i0f&noresize=1&nostamp=1&quality=70 which shows that the exhausts should be offset to the side of where Hornby put them. So thats the roof pretty much finished....         Again I removed the original detail using course wet & dry taped to some plasticard offcuts and glued the new etch into place, befo

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Class 50 Detailing

Finally made a start on detailing up my first Class 50, something of a test bed to decide what exactly I am going to do to the rest of them in the future.   So far:   Roof grill, replaced the Hornby grill with the Shawplan etch. Didnt get on too well with the etched baseplate and ended up scratch building my own. followed by fitting the etched fan.   Moving to the exhaust, I removed the Hornby detail first carving off the worst of it with a scalpel then tidying up with wet and dry glued

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

A day at Expo EM:

Having spent yesterday demonstrating with DEMU at Expo EM I have got on with a few projects:   Firstly I picked up some more South East Finecast embossed brick, so I can now get on with with designing and building the next bridge for the layout. The intention here is two fold, firstly to break down the brick bridge which is currently on Blackcombe, from this I will remove the main girder spans for reuse. This bridge will then be replaced with a new version which is more typical in design to

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

HST Rewheeling

Finally got round to making a start on re-wheeling my second pair of HST powercars.   The first step was the removal of the OO wheels, break gear and cutting off the huge lump which is the NEM coupling pocket, the break gear was all put away to be re attached once the powercars have been fully tested, however further modification will be required to reduce the width to something better matching the wheels....   Once that was out the way the next job was to bore out the axle boxes to accept

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Class 37 Weathering - A Second Attempt

A while back I had a play at weathering a BR Blue Class 37, mostly in order to cover up the difference in colour between the Bachmann blue and the Phoenix blue I had sprayed the new components with. The end effect just wasnt good enough, looking more like a thick coat of powder/hairspray mix than weathering!   So I've had another go.   I have started off by using a flat brush and lots of water to remove most of the powder mix, leaving sooty deposits around the exhaust and dirt build up in p

The Fatadder

The Fatadder

Dutch 33s and Regional 150

Not really managed to get as much modelling done this weekend as I had originally planned, went down with flu last week which really knocked me out so theres a lot of unfinished work on my workbench at the moment. That said I am hoping to get on and finish the window frames on my 150 this evening. The etches were painted (blue for the outer frame and black for the rubber surround) then are sanded back to clean any paint off the silver parts. This is taking a lot longer than I would like as i

The Fatadder

The Fatadder


×
×
  • Create New...