Wenlock's Blog

Nicely done...and the numbers look good for those diagrams to me!

Hi Dave,

 

Just like the cattle vans and opens, these do look very good. The numbers look fine this time ;-)

 

However, the brake push rods are the wrong way round on the V6 -- pushing down on the lever will pull the brakes off. The DCI brake on the V5 looks very good, though.

 

Nick

Hi Nick,

 

However, the brake push rods are the wrong way round on the V6 -- pushing down on the lever will pull the brakes off.

 

Don't know how I managed that! It's going to irritate me now though, so I guess I'd better get the soldering iron out!

 

Best wishes

 

Dave

Nicely done...and the numbers look good for those diagrams to me!

Relieved to hear it, thanks Adrian!

 

Dave

Excellent models, I have yet to get my hands on a WEP kit. I keep looking.

 

Your weathering is very good.

Beautifully made kits and I endorse the comments about the excellent weathering.

 

One point that puzzles me is that the W5 seems to be one plank short in height - I know these were lower height vans but photographs (see GWRJ issue 62 or 63) seem to show 10 planks fully visible on the sides plus the top plank partly hidden by the roof. This model seems to have been etched with only 9 planks fully visible. Have WEP perhaps etched the planks slightly wider than they should be - this seems to be born out by comparing the point the diagonal strapping crosses the planks and the position of the top door hinges relative to the top planks .

 

John.

Thanks for the comments guys, it's always good to get some feedback. Johns observation regarding the planking is interesting. I haven't got the relevent articles that he mentions, however a quick trawl for images on the net, shows planking smilar to the WEP model. Anyone care to shed any further light on this issue?

 

Dave

I think at least part of the planking issue is down to the angle at which the prototype is normally photographed and part because the roof overhang on the model is a little greater than the prototype. The model photo masks some of the top plank, whereas most prototype photos are looking up from underneath any roof overhang.

 

Nick

Lovely work on the roofs there.

 

Is that talc?

 

I've been using masking tape, then spraying it to simulate roof canvas etc, then dry brushing but it's not as good as what you have done.

 

Be interested to know how...........

Lovely work on the roofs there.

 

Is that talc?

 

I've been using masking tape, then spraying it to simulate roof canvas etc, then dry brushing but it's not as good as what you have done.

 

Be interested to know how...........

Hi again BlackRat, I've been using Kleenex (other brands are available!) tissue paper. I separate a sheet into its individual layers and use one of those. I find if I put a smear of Epoxy resin under the eaves on one side, I can firmly attach the tissue to the roof. Once thats dry I smear the roof with more epoxy resin and smooth the tissue over the rest of the roof and tuck it under the eaves on the other side and ends. Once all has set, the excess tissue can be trimmed away with a scalpel. I then paint the roof with a wash of Humbrol Enamel and sprinkle a bit of Plaster of Paris powder onto the wet paint for texture. Once thats dry a bit of dry brushing helps highlight the texture.

 

I've been experimenting with simulating torn canvas on the roofs. If you scribe some plank detail onto the roof before you apply the tissue, once all is set you can abrade the tissue and get what I think is quite a nice effect.

Hope this helps

 

Dave

However, the brake push rods are the wrong way round on the V6 -- pushing down on the lever will pull the brakes off.

 

Surely... pushing down on the hand lever will lift the swan's neck (long) lever and that will rotate the tumbler shaft in an anti-clockwise direction... and push the blocks into contact with the wheels....

 

Surely... pushing down on the hand lever will lift the swan's neck (long) lever and that will rotate the tumbler shaft in an anti-clockwise direction... and push the blocks into contact with the wheels....

 

 

Correct if you're looking at the V5 in the bottom picture. The V6 in the top picture has a long lever brake and requires the brake hangers the other way around if it were to work.

Surely... pushing down on the hand lever will lift the swan's neck (long) lever and that will rotate the tumbler shaft in an anti-clockwise direction... and push the blocks into contact with the wheels....

 

As I said, the DCI on the V5 is right, the lever brake on the V6 is wrong...

 

Nick

 

edit: Rich got there first...