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The Fatadder

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  1. Having now done the second side of the PO wagon, I can completely recall why I never use Modelmasters transfers for anything else! Fortunately in 1947 PO wagons looked a mess so I have set to work distressing the transfer. After a failed attempt to peel off the carrier film (something I dont think ive ever succeeded at) I carefully cut around the letters and removed the excess film that way. This was followed by distressing the logos with wet & dry to replicate the bits where the paint has completely worn out. A couple of areas the transfer lifted completely, so this was replicated along the whole plank (which will get repainted as a replacement in the next step.) Finally black paint was over painted both to tone down the bright white, and add more distressed areas. With that done to a satisfactory standard, I tried fitting the transfers to the other side (this time applying onto microsol rather than applying microsol on top. Transfer went on as badly as before, they are just too thick with so much excess carrier film. Tomorrow once dry I will replicate the distressing. For the smaller transfers for weights / numbers etc I cut around the transfer to remove the excess film. I think next time I will take this a step further and cut around each letter before applying. Of course this would have been a lot easier on the Empire wagon (as the next one has about 4 times as a many letters!) I am debating whether I use the other sheet with the lettering cut up to make a couple of fictional colliery owners in a heavily distressed state to finish off the other two kit builds (rather than the Bachmann wagon I had originally intended). While I am a little disappointed with the transfers not doing quite what I had hoped, I am happy with the end result. For a pound you cant really complain too much.
  2. I have used the Gaugemaster ones for one point each on Brent and Wheal Imogen (due to a failed tortoise switch on the former and a hand operated point on the latter). No issues in either case with Co Co diesel sounds, not tried anything smaller. While I will continue using the built in switches where possible to save money, I am more than happy to wire these in as replacements when I get a failed switch, its a lot quicker than wiring in the other tortoise switch (assuming it also still works)
  3. For my prints I include a recess to accept a commercially available etched w iron. Makes life a lot easier (and tbh I find it looks better as well)
  4. Obviously exhibitors are all trustworthy as we could walk straight in. of course getting through the bag search upon re entry to my house without my wife noticing I was returning with more boxes than I left with was a trickier task…
  5. I was pretty pleased, I think I went back 3 times over the day and each time added to the pile! The Parkend wagon is now fully painted, ready for weathering. The remaining un painted areas were painted with a weathered black mix. The interior was then given a dusting of coal dust while the paint was still wet. This was followed by some work on the Cambrian 7 plank, which I am finishing with the Empire transfers from Model Masters. Not overly impressed with the quality of these, the thick carrier film doesn’t help with getting the transfer to sit over the wagons detail. The film also overlaps the top edge of the wagon by over a mm. ive never had much luck with Modelmasters transfer film removal but this one is desperate for it (else I will cut away the excess around the letters by hand.) Will have a look at the POW sides list for the Cambrian round top 5 plan
  6. Pent yesterday demonstrating D&E modelling at Ally Pally with DEMU, i didn’t really get a chance to see much of the show, but did at least manage a little bit of shopping. I picked up the remaining point rodding (4roller) parts from ModelU so there is nothing stopping me from completing the rodding on Brent. I also had a couple of good rummages through the £1 and the skits box on Elis Clark’s stand. A couple of springside bufferstops (one of which will be used on the Kingsbridge scenic fiddleyard along with a Dart castings loading gauge. A set of blacksmith door window grills, smiths wagon sheets, GWR 6 wheel bogies and a set of Comet coach ends (none of which I have plans for, though I think I have a set of Sunshine Stock sides for a composite kicking around somewhere. A couple of sheets of Modelmasters PO wagon transfers (to relivery a Bachmann collectors club wagon and Cambrian kit). and finally 3 kits (Coopercraft mink and AEC monarch) along with a couple of Slaters Gloucester 6 plank PO wagons (one of which was preprinted in Parkend livery.) this morning I’ve put together the Parkend wagon which is now awaiting the remaining bits painting black. The second wagon will follow shortly but I need to find some transfers for it (along with the previously built Cambrian 5 plank wagon with curved ends). Planning to get the previously built Cambrian wagon painted later so I can add the Empire transfers
  7. The amount of times I straightened it up on the stand yesterday. Definitely needs to be replaced. Will get it sorted once the sound kit arrives like the idea off the toothbrush, I’ve used the wife’s cat’s (dropped) whiskers before to similar effect
  8. On the plus side that leaves less to be offended by….. I didn’t make it over to Accurascale, but did get to Rapido given they were pretty close to my stand. The BSet is looking really good! Getting half tempted to get one of the new wagons as well, just as a visual point of reference for doing some brake gear upgrades…
  9. At Ally Pally yesterday I painted and fitted the ModelU crew, (after a quick wander over to Revolution to make sure Mr Hale was painted correctly). So just waiting on the sound upgrade kit now to finish it off. Took a few attempts to refit the interior before Cav mentioned getting the bulkhead in front of the screw and then pushing in.
  10. Thanks Phil, would. Completely agree on the helpfulness of the stewards this year.
  11. Question to the Warners team, I was told today when I arrived (as an exhibitor) to park in the exhibitors marked carpark section and parking would be free. when leaving we noticed the ticket machines (and the ANPR mast), and checked the reg which showed as owing payment for parking. Several other exhibitors saw the same same thing and went and paid (not wanting for fall foul of the dodgy parking company) and I did the same. would be good to know from anyone in the organising team what should have happened. other than that slightly sour end to the day I had an enjoyable day out with DEMU. I didn’t get much of a chance to see any layouts unfortunately, (I’m not a fan of the separation of trade into one room and layouts in the other.) We had a few people at the stand who hadn’t realised there was another hall hiding all the layouts
  12. Yesterday evening saw the next step on the MEA rake is the weathering, starting off with the coal sector liveried wagons. The first application was to add lots of rust spots and streaks to the sides of the wagon with a random vallejo mix. The same mix was then used to do the same to the ends, before adding a little more dark brown/black and adding heavier build up of dirt along the top / bottom edge of the end. Once all of this was dry the next step was a wash of streaking grime for dark vehicles, before finishing off with powders. For the most part the EWS wagons were left as is, although one factory weathered model required blending in where printed tops panels had been removed. On one wagon I tried AK Dust & Dirt deposits, and was alarmed when it dried a lot lighter than I was expecting. However further rework with thinners got the desired effect, it also gave a good colour match for weathering other wagons and looks like it will be great for polybulks! The final wagon is in the process of a repaint into what I assume is unbranded Loadhaul black (although oddly on the MEA they didnt paint the ends orange, presumably they were painted right at the end of Loadhaul before EWS had decided on a livery. This was sprayed with a quick coat of Halfords satin black, followed by EWS gold for the top edge of the wagon. While the gold was drying the transfers were applied, Ive taken a bit of a shortcut here and just used one of the wagon numbers on the Railtec sheet that are in the appropriate style for this wagon but I couldnt find a photo online to confirm the livery. Once dry it will need weathering (probably at Ally Pally tomorrow). This was followed by a little more transfer work, adding CAIB logos along with a couple of more recent details to my Traffic Services Ltd polybulk. Although it still needs Channel Tunnel logos adding before I can start weathering (with the grey one still needing number panels along with the tunnel logos and other details). I also found a set of custom Railtec tops panels I had previously ordered for a Transrail Sea Urchin but never fitted, so this was also finished off. Finally, while working on the MEAs I had a bit of weathering mix left over, so I have had ago at the sides of a Bachmann Seacow. I have yet to order the new tops panels for this one (and need to repaint the solbar black) but its coming together. I do find weathering the ends of these a real pain with all the detail in the way! At the moment my intention is to take the MEA box with me to Ally Pally tomorrow, with the intention of completing the chassis weathering and getting them fitted with couplings. This will take the form of hook & bar in the bufferbeam for the intermediate wagons and dinghams on the ends (which also need fitting to the 59)
  13. I should caveat that statement by saying I am using Railtec's premade TOPS panels, so I have not had to make up individual number sets. If I was having to make them up one number at a time like the old days, it would be a very different story!
  14. For me I ended up going down the route of adding wooden batons / insulation / plasterboard along with a ceiling and insulation in the roof. What I still havent got round to after 10 years is changing the garage door. At the moment I have fitted better seals around the edge and glued sheets of 1.5inch insulation to the inside of the door. but its far from ideal. My aim has always been to fit a pair of insulated side opening doors eventually, only issue being they are quite expensive and other priorities keep getting in the way. My logic is with a side opening door you can get into the garage easier when the weather isnt great without exposing the layout to the weather. It also gives you an extra foot or so of layout space as you can build right up to the door.
  15. Best way to finally relax after a very stressful day, sit down for an hour with a couple of packs of Railtec transfers and a set of Bachmann MEA to renumber. This focused on the wagons with duplicate numbers including 3 in EWS and 4 in Coal Sector, (with 2 more EWS and 1 Coal with unique numbers.). For the most part I’ve stuck with the numbers on the sheet, the exception being 608 and 140. The latter is on the sheet as an MFA so needed the top splicing together with an MEA. This wagon was photographed in period with EWS sides (with the red higher than normal) and Mainline blue ends. 608 still needs the 6 modifying into a 0 with a rust spot to get 391008 which is photographed on WotW with coloured Transrail branding Other small changes included some without the coal sector logos or Barry logos, and changes to OHLE flashes. Im now thinking about a quick respray of the last coal sector wagon into the all over black (Loadhaul?) livery. Eventually I could do with adding at least one in Mainline blue as well. Eventually an MAA will also get added (once I’ve built it…) Half the rake so far was made up of old bodies fitted to the latest chassis from MFAs, while the rest followed the same approach with a batch of EWS bodies bought in a sorry state last year.
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