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Low-tech coach restoration (5)


Mikkel

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Well I finally got around to finishing my little restoration job on these old coaches.

 

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Got the painting done reasonably quickly, but then followed the usual issues: “Now for the glazing. Oh wait, I’m out of Testor's. Must order some more. Now where did I order it last time? Better google it. Ah there’s RMweb, well maybe just a couple of minutes on there then. Oh look, someone's discussing the cost of tea at exhibitions. Gotta follow that! Well that was a pleasant hour on RMweb. Wait, did I forget something? Oh well, tomorrow then.” Etc!

 

 

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But I got there in the end (click images if not sharp). Here's the 6-wheel Van to dia V13, converted from a W3 . I use a simplified version of the livery as it would have been seen around 1906 on my coaches. I did have a bit of trouble painting the panels on a couple of them, as my normal method works best on new and sharply defined panels.

 

 

 

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Here's the R1 All first. A big word of thanks to all who helped find the right running numbers for this diagram, both here and on the gwr e-list. The R1s were numbered 1-8 and I initially thought this was a great opportunity to have a coach numbered "1". I even applied the first transfer, but then found it simply looked odd! So I chose no. 7 instead.

 

 

 

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Here's the G20, a Third class saloon. The glazing has been fitted, I just like it clean. So much for the interior detailing, you can't really see any of it. Oh well. In case you're wondering, the Weasel is on the other side.

 

 

 

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Here's one I restored earlier, one of the little 4-wheel V2s. I have to say Colin had a great taste in coaches when he originally built these a long time ago.

 

 

 

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Another one from the first batch I restored, the U16 6-wheel compo, with the luggage windows now appropriately "blinded".

 

 

 

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And finally a line-up of the three newly done coaches, ready for service. As the header says, this is all very low-tech but it has been a nice project and I like the idea of giving Colin's old coaches a new lease on life. There's a message in there for all of us balding old farts, I think: It's never too late!

 

 

Edited by Mikkel

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Wonderful work again Mikkel, interesting to know about the problems of painting the panels as I have always used the same method too so I'd better be careful on anything not perfect.

 

A rake of coaches that I or anyone for that matter would be proud to have on their layout.

 

Jim

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Hi Jim, interesting that you are also using this method, I wasn't sure how many people still did. Yes I did have to do some touching up, which is always a bit tricky because you then have to rely on the human eye rather than letting the paint find the right lines.  

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Lovely stuff Mikkel, right up my street! I must have a go at a 7mm 6 wheeler, there's something about the proportions of them that I really like. I'm looking forward to seeing them running on Farthing.

 

Dave

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I've had a quick re-read of Parts 1 to 4, and would like to know what your glazing material is, Mikkel - looks extremely transparent!

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Hi Mikkel.

 

Great work as usual.

 

Would appear we modellers are prone to the same lapses.

 

Bestest,

 

Jonte

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Hi Mikkel,

 

Oh I like that song. Could be in anytime. Would contract those guys for the "George Inn"  in Farthing.

(Charles Dickens used The George Inn as the setting for a few the scenes in his novels, and apparently Shakespeare himself acted in the courtyard.)

 

By the way: lovely set of coaches. I like to see  a scene with them on in your station.

 

Regards,

Job

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Dave, yes agree about 6-wheelers being very pleasing coaches. Maybe it's the slightly antiquated look. I look forward to seeing one in 7 mm from you!

 

Miss P. The earlier ones were glazed with Evergreen sheets, but for the latest ones I used some PVC sheets from a local model shop which are indeed very transparent. They come as loose sheets in 32.8 x 47.5 cm and I have 0.25 and 0.4 mm thicknesses (I used 0.25 for these coaches).  Oddly they have two stickers on them with different names, but maybe one is the manufacturer and the other the distributor:

 

* "Raboesch Super Sheets", Netherlands, ref no. 652-02 (0.25 mm) and 652-03 (0.4 mm).

* "Aeronaut" (Germany?) ref no. 7858/32 (0.25 mm) and 7858/33 (0.4 mm) 

 

Edit: Here's a UK supplier, although the sheet sizes and hence ref. nos are different: http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/raboesch-602.html

 

Jonte, yes I think a lot of us have the same lapses. But that's what's nice about a hobby, it's allowed :-)

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Oh I like that song. Could be in anytime. Would contract those guys for the "George Inn"  in Farthing.

(Charles Dickens used The George Inn as the setting for a few the scenes in his novels, and apparently Shakespeare himself acted in the courtyard.)

 

Hi Job, it's one of those songs that stick once you get it on your mind. I've been singing it all day and my wife is less than amused :-)

 

Never knew about the George Inn but it sounds like just the right name for an inn in Farthing. I will keep it in mind if you're not using it yourself! 

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I use Testors clear-parts cement. The cement is fine, but my technique is not and I do struggle with it.

 

I lay the coach on the side and then position the glazing (over-size) inside. I then run the glue around the edges and let it creep in. Too often it creeps in too far and ruins the window. Any advice on how to do it better would be much appreciated.

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Hi Mikkel,

 

The name "George Inn" is very common. And I think it could be nice if we build it both.

You can build it in a 1906 - 1907 setting, and I in a 1950's Urban setting.

 

I just took a Victorian pub name linked to Charles Dickens, It has also a railway linked history:

 

 

"The George Inn is the last remaining galleried coaching inn in London and is now protected by the National Trust. It still functions as a pub and restaurant and even as a stage set for Shakespeare's plays. Unfortunately, only the south side remains, the rest of the inn having been demolished for the construction of warehouses by the Great Northern Railway. It is located in a cobbled courtyard just off of Borough High Street, London."

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That would be fun, Job. Don't have any plans for an Inn just yet so you will probably get there first, although come to think of it, I was wondering about having a row of houses alongside "the sidings".

 

Unfortunately, only the south side remains, the rest of the inn having been demolished for the construction of warehouses by the Great Northern Railway.

 

Just typical GNR, knocking down things left and right. No sense of history, not like the most honourable GWR :-)

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Those are lovely coaches, there's just something so nice about early 4 and 6 wheelers.

 

You could almost convert me to pre-grouping GWR modelling...

 

Paul.

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Everyone, grab him! Now's our chance to bring him over!  :-)

 

Seriously though, yes the 4- and 6-wheelers are forever appealing I think. But I have this urge to something grimy and industrial as well, which is why I like the kind of stock you do, Paul.

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"There's a message in there for all of us balding old farts..."

 

Now I know how why you named it the farthing layout :laugh:

 

Seriously nice work again Mikkel, a visual pleasure to read and the photos nicely lit too (looks like the same light box thing Jon020 bought?)

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Thanks Pete, I've had it happen once or twice that people think they are called the Farting layouts. They tend to be disappointed when I correct them  :laugh:

 

No light box I'm afraid, this is just a large sheet of paper and a couple of desk lamps. I'd love to have something better one day though.

 

I do have problems lighting close-ups of GWR coaches well - they either get too dark or too light, perhaps because of the contrast between choc and cream. 

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Nice little rake that!  Detailing is excellent as per your usual standard.   Like the mix of the different GWR logos - shows that real railways were always in a state of flux and that things were rarely uniform or stayed the same for long.  Must of also been interesting as the WW1 came in - surely Brown and Cream survived on some coaches during the war and trains would have even continued to have had mixed liveries after hostilities had ceased.  That, for me, is what makes the railways so interesting - all the mixing of liveries before everything went blue and yellow in the corporate era.   You'd probably be the right person to ask if it was common to see mixed liveries even on GWR branch lines?

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Hi Mike, yes 1908- WW1 must have seen an amazing mix of stock, as there was the old style choc and cream, and experimental all over brown, and then the 1912 Lake - and as the war wore on various austerity measures, apparently including some coaches in black or khaki. Plus, you had the variety of old Dean clerestory coach designs and the various sleek new Churchward styles.

 

These particular coaches are actually not that far apart in terms of livery. They are all painted for the period ca. 1906-1907.

 

Until 1906, the garter crest was only used on coaches with first class compartments, while coaches with other classes had the monogram. According to Slinn in GW Way, first class coaches changed from having one garter to two around 1904. As it takes a few years for a coach to be repainted, I "back-dated" the liveries 1-2 years for some of the coaches.

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Hi Mike, yes 1908- WW1 must have seen an amazing mix of stock...

An interesting question. Despite the wide range of liveries that were available, it's my impression that many trains on minor lines in the 1900-1915 period were composed of very consistent liveries. It may be that many of the photos were official or semi-official shots intended to show the latest developments, but you don't see many with the mixtures that were common in earlier years of from the early twenties onwards. Perhaps during a single day you might have seen different trains in choc/cream, brown or lake? Maybe it was all part of the Edwardian attitude towards appearance?

 

Nick

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You may well be on to something there, Nick.

 

I have always assumed there was a mix of liveries, based on the livery change dates. And I remember seeing it mentioned by others who model the period. But now that you mention it, I don't actually recall *seeing* all that many trains with mixed liveries in photos. Mixed stock, certainly, but mixed liveries - not so much maybe.

 

That said, I assume the all-over colours (brown, lake, and maybe even khaki) might look fairly similar in a b/w photo, unless you were looking for differences. In any case, a good excuse to have another browse through the books.  

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That would be fun, Job. Don't have any plans for an Inn just yet so you will probably get there first, although come to think of it, I was wondering about having a row of houses alongside "the sidings".

 

 

Just typical GNR, knocking down things left and right. No sense of history, not like the most honourable GWR :-)

Mikkel,

I really like the idea of a row of houses behind the sidings, and the "George" of course!

 

I wondered if you had read "The Liverpool Highflyer" by Andrew Martin? He does in words what you do in 3D, brilliantly recreating the atmosphere of a long lost railway scene. Not GWR of course, but evocative all the same.

 

cheers,

Iain

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Hi Iain, no I haven't read that one. Sounds like something I should put on my wishlist - I certainly will, thanks!

 

Yes I think those houses would make a good backdrop to the sidings. Job's comment reminded me of a photoshopped mock-up I did some time ago, which might be worth considering further: 

 

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I've also found a couple of other buildings that I'd like to include - a long stable block and a loading shed for the private siding. That's one of the fun bits about modelling a fictional location, I think: You can select bits and pieces from around the system and put them together in one :-)

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Thats one of things I need to add to my build list a bock of stables, its amazing how many horses were employed in even the smallest station

 

Nice coashes by the way, admit to having a liking of the GWR, but my LMS interest is stronger....

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Hello Paul, yes a stable block full of horses inside and outside much have been quite an experience in its heyday. I also like how some of them were rebuilt as garages for lorries later on to reflect the changing times. A little sad but still a nice touch of continuity.

 

So how about a joint LMS/GWR layout then? :-)

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I believe Gloucester was both LMS and GWR. So this will give you a good excuse to put some LMS wagons on your sidings. 

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