Entry posted by Jon020
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It’s been a little while since my last update and I wish that I’d more to show, but I’ve been busy with work, a writing project and “real” trains and photos... but there has been some progress and with the impending “exhibition” tomorrow, I though a brief update would be in order.
Not much here requires much in the way of explanation, so the text will be kept short; I think that the pictures will be able to do most of the explaining and make up for the absence of the 1000s of words.
First off, I took my eldest to Ally Pally, for his first “big” model show. I think he enjoyed it, and he was certainly transfixed by the movements on Copenhagen Fields.
So, it was only “right” that after the show, we would head south by First Capital rather than Piccadilly and trace the same route into Kings Cross; the weather was “foul” but he got to experience the emerging-from-Gasworks... and the scene from the platform ends. Look! There’s a fake-fur-lined hood on that anorak ;-)
Anyway, back to the modelling, and the previously reshaped buffers got a polishing with some fine 1000 grade paper before being blackened using some Birchwood Casey Brass-Black fluid.
Scroll down to see the assembled loco and you’ll see how they look now.
I also added some details to the cabs which would be visible through the glazing. Whether it’ll all be visible is not the point, I’ll know it’s there. Mostly use of plastic-card, plastic rod and microstrip and some fine gauge (33 I think) wire for the controls and a piece of 0.6mm wire for the phone. The handbrake wheel is from Wizard models.
I also set up to produce a small display plinth for the Burgess Hill MRC show (tomorrow) and used my previous technique of detailing a re-gauged peco buffer stop attached to a small length of C&L bullhead flexi track. The joiners between the sleepers were removed to enable the buffer to sit between the chairs rather than interfere.
The buffers and pieces of the 47 assembly were then treated to several light coats of Halfords red primer and then suspended to dry in my drying box.
Another diversion at Easter (Monday) took us to the Bluebell (well, it’s local) and our first time since opening all the way to East Grinstead. Despite what some might think, I was pleased to see the 33 sat at Horsted Keynes, and my boys and I went over and gave it a good “looking at”. These push-pull bagpipe 33s are quite nice!
We took two runs upto East Grinstead, once behind 263 and then with the visiting 9F 92212. The day was cold... snow showers in the morning, but the sun did come out and it was nice in the afternoon. Here 92212 approaches the viaduct just south of East Grinstead
When the sun did come out, the opportunity to grab some shots of the U class was not missed
Back to the modelling, and the display plank was continued with the two short and one longer length of bullhead track ballasted with a mix of Carrs 2mm grey ballast on the through line, and mostly Carrs Ash Ballast on the two sidings lines. Carrs powders were used to add some tonal variation... but it’s not finished yet.
In March, I received a really useful PM from Dave (DJK) on here talking about the 47 tanks. Dave pointed out that there were two versions of the tanks that he’d spotted in the 80s.
Here's one type
http://www.class47.co.uk/c47_zoom_v3.php?img=0934000214000
And this is the other
http://www.class47.co.uk/c47_zoom_v3.php?img=1009020205000
I was aghast. I’d not spotted this, and then realised that my intended loco 47414 had the other type of tanks to the ones I’d modelled (insert profanity here). So, after a little discussion and help from Dave, I found that actually, given all of the other variations that I was modelling I could merely “go up by one” and model 47415 instead as this had the more common tanks... that I’d used. I’m still baffled as to what the difference is for... but it’s there, and now we know it. So, thanks Dave... error corrected before it became an issue
I realised that I’d forgotten the speedo pickup on the class 47 bogie, so with reference to numerous photos, some plastic rod, plastic card and wire, I knocked up this small contraption which I then secured to the centre hub of the right bogie with some thin CA glue (zap-a-gap pink).
A light re-coating of primer brought this all back together
A little more work on the display plinth saw some weeds added. This was hanging basket liner glued in place and then (once dried) trimmed with a beard trimmer and dusted with some scatter material. Lots of titivation followed to trim it further and in the end it looked ok... I think some more trimming was to come after this photo was taken, but you get the idea.
Another diversion occurred at the end of April when I spent two days at the Mid-Hants Diesel Gala – their first one for some years. And very enjoyable it was too with a mix of weather and a photo shoot on the Friday evening.... and then I took my two boys over on the Sunday for some proper haulage and their first Deltic experience... their comments after standing on the platform as Alycidon thrummed passed were priceless. Anyway, some reasonable photos were taken... including somem useful reference shots of 1501:
and
A nice one of Alycidon (actually I took quite a few, but I do like this one)
And one from the evening shoot
The rest of my photos are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/nimbus20/sets/72157633389311509/with/8703182230/ if that’s your thing.
So, after this, it was back to the 47 and an opportunity to get the airbrush out and apply some weathered black to all the underframe parts. It took some covering, but eventually I was happy with the dull result... exactly what I wanted pre-weathering... and no shiny plastic looking parts seen anywhere. Here the blackened buffers are pushed in to the chassis whilst it sits balanced over the bogie frames with the primed body.
Inside, the cab got some paint added, and overall I think it looks ok. Clearly the limitation with this model is where the floor is... and this lack of depth could be a problem but there’s no option if you want to retain the lights on the model as this is where that sits. So, here after everything else was painted, I applied a wash of thin black paint to the whole of the floor surface and then once that was “almost” dry applied some Carrs black (soot?) weathering powder to the mix and worked it all in – and this was the result. It should be ok.
Looking through the cab windows, the bulkhead equipment should be visible.
This photo does shoe that one task to do very soon will be to give the whole surface a going over with some 1000 grade paper to smooth that primer off... that should be quite therapeutic!
So, that’s about it... the display plinth was finished; I made up a pair of display blocks to lift the plinth off the exhibition table (better viewing angle) and added the old lighting frame from last year (and the light from over my desk).
And then grabbed a quick shot of the 47 posed on the plinth once I’d managed to get it all back together. I had to lose the glazing for the reporting panel as it was too deep and stopping the chassis-body mating properly; but I’ll sort that later.
Anyway, that’s if for now... now need to get the boys tea and start to pack for tomorrow’s show... try to remember what I’m bound to have forgotten... and survive another evening with this horrific dry hacking cough that I picked up just over a week ago; anyone else got it..? It’s horrible and prevents sleep. The wife said it’s what people call the 90-day cough. I hope it isn’t; I’ve had it for about 8 days now and enough is enough. Anyway, the show must go on!
Thanks for reading..... Jon
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