Enfys_Rainbow

Is this the only one on the planet? I have no idea! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325869053390?hash=item4bdf4f25ce:g:yJUAAOSwv9VlQNKg&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4HTu%2ByJvAKf6ozIs3vm%2BXh6D8gqOJTzyx8kveUpc7aR5L9fNCPx6QZDgmYombe1hKAbaisfzpKCuY5dgt0tMfidaNpJ7pRJc%2FNlfTdfBNea5NB6DcxbEgW8GwqNAP7DOCK9qDExMOSwN70VFS2u%2F7zKwJ5RH85oLyBnJl%2Fn9nnnmDrCw1re2LvfM70PlCsUSZrKb0rXxBr0xPoscp3qtZPkAqnnYC%2F4Utyfcd4oT%2FVpnggBMhnirX%2FDryHbvz7Z6ThIH4rU1%2Fma5KQ%2Fm04e461bo%2FdPhCCZ5UCZycCT0vofQ|tkp%3ABFBMwueB9vxi

Thanks for posting this - I'll follow with interest. I have this on my to-do pile - although I didn't built it myself. Few bits missing that I'll have to replace. Matt

I've never been much good at soldering but this year one of my modelling goals was to try to improve my skills. The Limpet now has new underframe details - all courtesy of Will's Workbench - and nearly all soldered. There are some errors - entirely as a result of me misreading/misunderstanding the instructions - but on the whole, I'm very pleased with my efforts. Matt

Has anyone been able to place an order recently? I can add items to my cart but doesn't seem to be an option to confirm the order. Is it just me?

Hello all, Bit of a crane painting update - although this is much less progress than I'd intended but hey ho: The wasp stripes are by Fox - they make the only transfers that will conform to detail such as this in my experience. I've also started this impulse project - it's a bit out of my era, but like many of my other wagons, I tend to build things that interest me rather than things I need for a layout. As can be seen from the first photo, the underframe and brake gear is either missing or damaged, so it'll all be replaced. Matt

Here's another bit of dodgy wagon scratchbuilding! I first started this Gannet during lockdown, and as I only had one photo in a book to base it on, the dimensions were all guessed. When I look at it now, I see the solebars and w-irons are incorrect - I used a spare Parkside chassis for ease which probably didn't help with the length! Irrespective of errors, I've dug it out to complete. It's ready for paint now! Matt

Been a busy weekend but I did manage to start painting the match wagon. Note that this doesn't resemble the wagon in the prototype photo I've been using as inspiration, I've painted it so I can reuse it as a regular wagon in the future if I ever want to. Base coat: Wagon body painted and weathered: Matt

Mix up a very thin white (10% paint and 90% thinner) and overspray. You'll have to be careful - nothing will happen for the first several coats and then all of a sudden it'll be too much - but if you're careful, it will lighten/fade your base coat. I've done it a few times on a couple of wagons like this: Matt

It's untidy in that when I originally built it 5 or so years ago, I never gave any thought to how I'd fit other underframe details - I just filled every available space with liquid lead! Thank you John, that's kind of you to say. Funnily enough, I am working on some 7mm stuff but at the moment, but I haven't refined my techniques enough in the larger scale to be confident enough finish them off. Matt

Thanks a lot Steve, appreciate the comment! Freight brown is tricky - I always mix my own and make the base colour much lighter that seems necessary because it quickly darkens without much effort at all. In fact, the base colour I applied to the Parkside wagon above was almost orange but after weathering looks much more bauxite-like. I've made rapid progress with the 10t crane, despite thinking I'd get bored quickly, and it's not far away from being ready for paint. As mentioned in my previous post about it, I've added lots of details, mostly speculative, simply to hide gaps and holes. Since the last lot of photos, I've also repositioned and replaced the buffers. While it looks quite nice, it's pretty impractical and fragile! There's a photo online of one of these cranes with a BR 13t open wagon, presumably acting as a match truck. I had one of these kits, already part built several years ago and decided to use it. Annoyingly, in the intervening years, I'd lost all the bits I hadn't fitted so have had to cobble it all together with a range of parts, including some primitive scratchbuilt items. I don't often show photos of the underside of my wagons but here's one showing how untidy it all is! Matt

They sure are Rob. The buffers are from LMS. Matt

Hi Rob, Motive power is one area where I've made little progress. To date, the only loco I've done any work to is 08945, but it still isn't anywhere near finished! Matt

This is an old one that's back on the workbench today. I initially started 5+ years ago, and soon ran out of enthusiasm to continue. It's an ancient Hornby/Triang crane with a few added details. It should be noted that the details are mostly there to hide gaps and holes in the framework rather than for any accuracy. The jib has been tediously scratchbuilt from plastic bits. I'm sure I'll run out of motivation with it again soon, but it felt good to dig it out and make a bit of progress! Matt

Wagon number two is now complete. I'm pretty pleased with both, and I think you'd be hard pressed to tell which was the RTR and which was kitbuilt. Matt

Firstly stage of weathering on the Parkside model: The "rusting" is a combination of brush and the lottery that is chipping fluid. The other side looks absolute s**t so I'll be having to redo it completely! Matt

Not sure which version Class 26 you have? I have 4 Heljan 26's - 2 x V2 and 2 x V3. I can send you a photo of the parts list if you like?

Is this still available?

One becomes two: The Bachmann wagon is almost complete and I've enjoyed detailing a RTR wagon for a change, however I decided to do another! This one is an ancient Parkside PC01 kit that I picked up ages ago from eBay. To keep costs down, I only used bits I had in the spares box and/or could scratchbuild quickly and easily from some offcuts and as such, there are more than a few compromises. Buffers are some Accurascale spares, pipes are whitemetal and the w-irons are of course from plastic sheet offcuts - representations only. There's also no internal chain pocket detailing - life is too short! I think they'll look reasonable together once painted though. Matt

Would these have been present during BR (Blue) days? If so, what colour would sleepers have been painting?

This wagon is taking longer than expected! This is now the second repaint and weathering job. There's still a bit to do, but I'm on the home stretch now. Matt

Not much modelling achieved in the last month, although a good clear out over the weekend saw several half completed projects - wagons and structures - chucked out. This, along with a good tidy up should hopefully kick start some progress now the weather also seems to have changed. Anyway, the Bachmann wagon. The more I looked at it, the less I liked the colour. Now I know colours are subjective, and bauxite in particular faded to all kinds of shades, but I just felt it was too brown. I also decided to add the "dimples" that the majority of these wagons seem to have - just punched out of thin plastic sheet. I'll hopefully start the (re) painting one night this week. Matt

Correct!

How about this one?

Interesting thread. Somewhere, in my long line of planned and half built projects, I'm also doing one of these replated QM vans. The only difference being the livery - I was planning Dutch - so sector logos aren't needed. Could that be an option for the OP? Otherwise, the suggestion by @Hal Nail about 2mm would be my starting point. Matt

Hi all, Well here's round one completed. I did indeed lighten the bauxite to improve the contrast with the "rust". The rust itself is a mix of red brown and dark grey applied using the hairspray chipping method. Matt