Firecracker

As I said, the chassis on that Dapol/airfix effort is showing its age alongside the Hornby effort, so consultations (both here and elsewhere) gave no engineering reason why this couldn’t be done in 12”-1’. So, take the chassis of a Bachmann Mark 1 BG, cut the corridor ends off, a minor trim, some filing and three holes for self tapping screws later (it actually fits together rather nicely) you get this. Now if that’s not going to upset the purists, I’m not sure what will. Oh, hang on a minute.... That better? Thoughts - the glazing’s doesn’t look too hideous (but will probably get replaced anyway), the paint job (if I can get rid of that plastic sheen) isn’t too bad and the fit of that roof needs looking at (and that’s the better side). But I think it’s got legs. Owain

Both of those are firmly on the post Covid tour list! Thanks for the recommendation Owain

Excellent, thanks for that, that’s answered a lot of questions. Your last paragraph is exactly what I’m planning, I just wanted to be sure what I was designing in 1:76 was feasible from an engineering point of view in 12”-1’ (also a ‘I don’t know how this works, so I want to know’ attitude is in there). Thanks again, every day is a school day! Owain

Thanks for that, I didn’t know that about the Mark 1 body! So your bottom rail holds a wooden body together independent of the underframe? Hence, how such a body can be moved, lifted whatever if that rail hasn’t rotted without its underframe? In your last sentence, you’ve confirmed my cunning plan exactly. Thanks again. Owain

This may seem a bit random, but for various reasons I’ve been hunting photos of grounded carriage bodies and a question keeps bugging me, simply how are they constructed? First up, take a traditional 4/6 wheel carriage. Wooden frame, wooden panelling, and a separate underframe? So when one’s converted to a grounded body, would they split body and under frame, or strip the running gear off the underframe and leave the body attached? If the underframe is removed, how much structural integrity does the body then have? How easily (assuming it hasn’t rotted) can it be lifted and so on? Second, a bogie carriage, say a mark 1. I know the underframe’s pretty solid, they made car flats out of them. I also remember a comment along the lines of describing a mark 1 as ‘A garden shed sat on a battleship’. But the body, again, how’s it held onto the underframe, how destructive/damaging is removing it and once split, again, how much structural integrity has it got? Then, if you have a grounded bogie body sans underframe, how critical is it that the underframe its refitted to matches the original? (I know the answer for 4/6w stuff, when you see them on CCT and PMV chassis). Provided it’s the same length and width (does width vary in underframes?) can it simply be refitted to anything, say an LMS coach body onto a mark 1 underframe? Finally, because I don’t know the current state of play, what’s the current deal with carriages in the UK in public service running on wooden underframes? Allowed, not allowed, mainline network etc? Thanks in advance Owain

A bit more. Regular viewers may remember that I’d obtained a LMS suburban brake 3rd, mainly because it was cheap. Well, this afternoon, I dug this out and sat the two alongside each other. Body wise, not too bad. The less said about the airfix chassis and the glazing, the better. But ideas have started to trundle round my brain. Now, inspired by this and the generic pregrouping coaches released by Hornby and threatened by Hattons, along with the threads on the same that are running on here, I’ve written a bit more ‘what if’ nonsense, as a justification for how these could survive (hint - that Airfix coach isn’t quite what it appears to be). Owain LMS Coaches.docx

Another snow day here, so the Ruston emerged and knocked a short Pway train around. Hopefully the driver and guard reached a clear understanding over the use of a radio for the propelling move. Owain

A bit more, a rummage in the random figures bin later, the bubble car’s acquired a demobbed RN crew. Then it’s had a gentle weathering session. Haven’t fitted the pipes to the buffer beams yet, because it might be getting either a second bubble or a trailer car to run with. On the subject of weathering, I’ve been playing with the watercolour pencils again and this milk tanker is the result. Finally, the roller has been breathed on, the front roll has been removed, the scrapers tweaked so they’re level, the roll reset in a turn (how it’s manoeuvred into its parking spot) and the rust on the rolls improved. Owain

They are. Oh yes. Yep, that’s an Explorer. Radiator and engine bay’s different, plus it’s got a driven front axle. Nice, very nice. Agreed on turning the front wheels, it really makes a difference. Also (which you didn’t) don’t forget the bicycle style mudguards (fitted on a wide variety of Scammels, including Mountaineers, Constructors and the baby Contractors) turn with the wheels. Lovely work as always, keep it up! Owain

On the subject of Duamond T’s, a lot of years ago neighbours of my parents received a gift of a tyre services ford transit pickup when it landed (literally) in one of their fields, having left the main road and soared through the air for quite an impressive distance (the driver was shaken but fine, however tyre services dispensed with his services in the aftermath). Anyway, this beast (not my photo, full credit to original photographer) arrived (Hudson’s have since gone bust, their workshop in Arnside is now flats, but their Diamond’s preserved at L&HR) It was crewed by a double act, one youth full of vim and vinegar, who would have dragged the van out of the field on his own and an older gaffer, who wasn’t to be rushed, they’d need a tractor to drag it to the gate (the diamond would have sunk over its axles if it had ventured into the field) so stop rushing about lad, dig the gas stove out of one of the lockers and put the kettle on. On the OO version, a lot of companies ran their wreckers on trade plates then, just an idea... Owain

A bit more, I was given this model of a Wallis & Stevens Advance roller (I think it’s the Springside kit) as a ‘see if you can do anything with it’. Completely separately, I’d fancied a roller or similar parked up in a corner (12”-1’ road steam’s another of my interests). So, with a few repairs and bits of plastic bag as a tarp off the canopy, it’s getting there. Needs the water lifter hoses on the belly tanks touching up, the rolls rusting a bit, a cap on the chimney and some odds and sods around it, but I’m liking it. Next the landrover waiting at the lights has acquired a driver, who’s busy on his phone whilst waiting. The puggy behind him’s LHD, so it’s being hidden a bit. The back scene - I’ve got several photos taken of that spot with the road beyond the bridge, so watch this space. Road markings are awaited too... Owain

Agreed. If someone rattled out 100% accurate MR, LNWR or L&Y RTR coaches, I’d be there like a shot. However, I’ll buy some of these and some of Hattons efforts because, for me, some are near enough. The painting’s certainly far better that I’ll achieve. As I’ve said elsewhere I’m modelling a fictional preserved line and fancy a rake in the style of the Stately Trains vehicles at Embsay and elsewhere (I’m also waiting for Chivers to rerelease the 6w LMS fish van, I’ve got plans for the chassis off one of those). One thing I’ve really enjoyed on these two threads is the exchange of knowledge, I came to it as someone who knew next to nothing about pregrouping coaching stock (apart from a magpie-esque ‘Ooh, that’s nice..’) has now learned far more and I certainly know where to look for detailed information now. Owain

I’d assumed old man Strong made one of his appearances at the yard then, so anyone pointing a camera at something and not grafting would get short shrift. Also it’s a bit of Solomon’s kit, so there may have been one of his lads, Little Ollie perhaps, or another of the Camden mafia about... Owain

Very carefully? Seriously, as someone who got Shanghai’d into unloading and loading a caterpillar droit off one of those trailers - jacks under the rear of the trailer, take the weight and the rear wheels release and wheel out of the way. Then lower the end of the trailer bed to the ground, suitable dunnage and rail gives you a ramp, roll the diesel off. Jack the bed back up, wheels back in (much easier when there isn’t a load on the trailer) and away. The usual superb work, keep it up! Owain

Being honest, the backboard was purely so I could get photos without some random item of workshop detritus photobombing the layout! It’s politely described as a work in progress. I’ve got a few ideas, and I do have several high res photos of the local scenery taken a few years ago, so watch this space. Glad you like and and I’m happy to compensate for not being able to get across there. Someone commented elsewhere about how it couldn’t be the lakes, it wasn’t raining. I nearly replied that’s because it’s set on a particular day, the one day in June 2019 it didn’t rain! I’m pleased with the ditch as well, particularly the Vallejo water effect, it’s highly recommended. Owain

Something I do like with modelling a preserved line is adding little details that are historically incorrect, but in a preserved context are perfectly reasonable. So, the class 15’s gained a pair of Railtec’s Stratford sparrows... And the bubble cars gained a pair of regionally appropriate destinations (Railtec again), but I’d be very surprised if one ever carried these in service (I’m planning to order some custom from Railtec for the 101, ‘Low Gill’ and ‘Ingleton’, the Park Royal is getting ‘Special’ blinds, when I get round to dissecting it again). Owain

A bit more scenic work this time, filling in the rear of the embankment in front of the new back scene. The aim was to create an impression of woodland along the rear of the embankment and based on an idea out of model railroader, I decided to see if it could be attached to the back scene. So various small woodland scenics trea armatures were taken, clump foliage added secured with hot melt glue, the inevitable glue strands removed, sprayed with Peco’s layering spray for static grass and woodlands scenic fine mixed turf dusted over them, resulting in these. Holes were then made in the foamcore board with a bradawl and the mini trees secured with more hot melt glue. The result, with a couple of glue strands to remove, a bit of underbrush to add and the tree in the field to gain a bit of blending around its base. Finally, the 4f (both running round and departing with a southbound train) and the bubble car (the next item for a spot of weathering and a pair of more regionally appropriate destination blinds) pose in front of the new backdrop. Owain

A couple more from Sedbergh, where the 101 and the 4F were out and about. Owain

A bit more cosmetic work’s been completed. The two RH boards have gained the beginnings of a back scene from foam core board and in an effort to improve the presentation the outer frame of the road bridge board has been clad in craft foam. The other boards will follow once I’ve got more materials. Just got to do something about the mess under the boards now... To break up the transition at the fiddle yard end, a drystone wall (unknown resin casting) has been added and needs bedding in. This means I can now get photos which don’t feature a milling machine or other piece of workshop paraphernalia looming in the background like something out of a budget remake of war of the worlds. Owain

Fair enough. I’d found the lack of beading on several examples, but didn’t know if that was universal across the L&Y fleet. Already suspected they weren’t a good match for LNWR (also not many LNWR 4&6w surviving bodies). Good enough for me. I’d noticed the lack of tumblehome on the ends, but again didn’t know if that was universal. Never say never, hadn’t realised or thought of NER. Considering they set off recovering LMS bodies from Aberdeenshire farms, anything’s possible. I’ll have to do more digging. Thanks again for the scholarship. Owain

A question (and apologies if this isn’t quite the right place). I’m modelling a ‘could have been’ preserved railway and fancy some of these, to build up a rake of vintage carriages (alongside a Ratio LNWR corridor third) in the mould of the Stately Trains fleet at Embsay. For various reasons, I fancy featuring Midland and L&Y coaches (say a brake and 2-3 other). Now the amount I know about pre grouping coaches can be written on a postage stamp with a yard brush. So, I’m after a bit of advice. Which of these are nearest an actual prototype (because I’m modelling preserved, I’m not massively worried about chassis details, they’d all be recovered bodies on fish van and stove chassis anyway) that would pass the 50/50 (can’t see any problems at 50 feet away or when it goes past at 50 mph) test? Thanks in advance. Owain

And a bit more. As threatened, the shrubbery around the channel’s grown a bit and the static grass improved. Noch laser cut goodies (some of which have been in stock for nearly 2 years) and woodland scenics. Particularly taken with the effect of the ferns. Some livestock’s (Bachmann) started to appear in the fields. Need bedding down into the static grass properly, some are levitating a bit. Owain

A quick update on the Vallejo acrylic water effect seen above. Short version - very happy with it. It’s dried nearly crystal clear, no cloudiness. No mess, dead easy to apply and little smell. Because it’s been cold in the garage it’s had the heater sat under the baseboard to encourage it a bit. It took three applications (the bottle says a max of 3mm depth per layer) and at least one of those applications served to seal the base of the channel and prevent the next layer soaking in. To apply it I just dripped it into the channel, it self levels beautifully and there’s no major meniscus around the edges. Any bubbles that appeared were easily removed with a cocktail stick. It gives that glint of water in the channel and a pool at the mouth of the culvert which was exactly what I was after. Just a bit of algae on the culvert sidewalls and a few plants (Noch laser cut) to add. Next up is the patch of less than stunning static grass to the right (where the pheasant’s strutting about) that wants to improve a bit, it’s not quite up to snuff. Owain

It’s the Ruston for me. Definitely the Rowntrees one, I’ll probably end up with the York civil engineers one as well. There’s two Cumbrian PO wagons, so they’ll follow me home as well. I’ve just finished repainting an 08 as 08715 in blue, so it’s not helping having it released in orange as well. The 4&6 wheel coaches, I model a fictional preserved railway and having researched, I’ve been surprised at the number of NBR and GNR bodies still lurking about, so I suspect one or two of those will join the fleet. On a related note, there’s currently a pair of the old S&DJR bodies and most of a SR CCT on the bench, to create something that follows the preserved prototype and look a bit different. Owain

More progress, on and around the road bridge. First up, to give a reason for the roadworks and to hide a join in the road surface, some patches of new tarmac were added. First the area was masked off, to ensure straight edges. Then new tarmac (unadulterated Payne’s grey acrylic) was added and the masking removed. Finally, the long awaited handrails (Scale Model Scenery) were added to the bridge and due to Armstong’s wagon not fitting (the idea of the roadworks and lights is to give a reason for the stationary road traffic) it was replaced with a landy. The DMU and the mogul pose on the bridge. Next, I’m experimenting with this, aiming for the glint of water in the bottom of the drainage ditch. So both ends of the ditch are sealed (with a scrap of black foam core board and masking tape) and the gunk dripped in. Looks pretty good, I’ll let it dry and see how much it’s soaked in, if it needs another coat. Owain