[Cheddar P4 - April 2024 photo update]

Love the twin rail car!

[Wagon Miscellany. GWR ballast wagons x 3 and a Ratio Huntsman Ales kit.]

Some very nice engineers wagons there, having done the Cambrian and Warren Smith P18 kits and the Kirk P23,  looking at that Chilvers P17 I think I need to add one of those 

[Network Rail NVA ex-Motorail GUV]

how much post print sanding etc has been done to the body in the previous photo?  it looks like an impressively smooth finish.  Would be interested to know what hardware / material you are using to print with.  

Really impressed with the photos of the NVA build, will be very interested in buying one in a couple of months time once the layout build is finished.  I want to model it in the original blue / cream livery to go with my GWT loco hauled set.

[Cheddar P4 - January 2023 update]

Looking very good!

 

two questions, which of Atwards products did you use for the yard covering?  
 

And what was you method for adding the wire to the fencing.

[Restoring an Oxford Rail Dean Goods pt2]

Both were taken from the 1947 St Philips Marsh depot allocation list in Dec 47, so should be fine on that front at least.  I dont think many (any?) of the 100 or so locos called up by the WD returned to service post war.

[37065 - Complete (for now...)]

Slightly less complete than I intended, as I have forgotten to add the orange cantrail line (and a window has fallen out.)  A couple of jobs to complete this evening.

 

I have a cunning plan using HMRS GWR loco footplate lining to add the cantrail line, seeing as for my steam period there is no need to line the footplates...

[4923 Eynsham Hall GWR Black]

I have based it upon the works visits working from the data in the first volume of the book of the Halls, which indicated the next visit which would have justified a repaint occurred in 48

[1364: GWR Green]

I thought I recalled DJM / Kernow coming out with a photo backing it up, but now can’t find any mention of it (and wondering if I’m confusing it with the unlined King & Hattons) 

[56XX chassis repairs in P4]

57 minutes ago, Simond said:

It’s another strong argument for never, ever, under any circumstances, supergluing crankpin nuts on.  A drop of varnish, or uhu, or glue’ glaze, but cyaNO!

I made that mistake with a Hornby 08, then the wheel slipped messing up the quartering (and snapping a con rod in the process)  Because I had superglued the crank pins on (and didnt know any better) I resorted to brute force to remove them (promptly snapping the crank pins).  Still havent gotten around to fixing it (and this must have happened around 2008/9

[4855: GWR Green]

58 minutes ago, Siberian Snooper said:

Do I take it that you have an oil fired loco (steam) on ANTB that I've not noticed before?

 

 

I am fairly sure there is a model of 4855 on ANTB, longer term I want to do one of the Castles to go with mine.   The thing is that I currently have 2 express engines too many, so adding another is hard to justify when there is so much work to do on the layout (not to mention the weathering backlog)

[Recent work - wagons and weathering]

Tim I forgot to ask, what powders did you use on the Grampus?  Looks very convincing (and my departmental wagons are looking far too clean!)

[Recent work - wagons and weathering]

1 hour ago, cctransuk said:

 

There shouldn't be any need to adapt my transfers for Chivers kits - I list dedicated sheets for the BR steam era models.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood,

https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm

Knowing that Rob’s main modelling is pre-nationalisation, I think I am right in saying that the only way to get transfers for the GWR liveried version of the Tunny, was by adapting transfers on your sheet C89.  I unless I missed another departmental pack in GWR livery.   Either way they give fantastic results!

[Recent work - wagons and weathering]

1 hour ago, gwrrob said:

You've made a superb job of that ballast wagon Tim. Can I ask your source of transfers for it please.

I can’t answer for which ones Tim has used Rob, but I can definitely recommend the Cambridge Custom Transfers pack intended for Cambrian kits.  They are ready to use for the Cambrian ‘starfish’ and can be adapted for use on the Chilvers Tunney (or for that matter on a Grampus back dated to the close GW design)

 

 

really like those finished Herring, must resist buying even more PWay stock......

[Improved Hornby green]

1 hour ago, toboldlygo said:

 

Did you use  either Phoenix or Railmatch enamel paint?

I have had issues with two items, both times spraying in colder conditions. The first on a RTR grange and the second on a tender which had been sprayed with Phoenix enamel.  
 

I have feeling both were sprayed in the garden holding the work piece, and may well have been held too close or sprayed too thick.   The king which did not have the issue (and a couple or other locos sprayed since) were done with a lighter coat in the spray booth 

[Improved Hornby green]

7 hours ago, toboldlygo said:

, too heavy and you'll destroy the paint finish below (the affected paint will bubble up, like you've hit it with paint stripper).

That explains what happened with my Grange..

[Improved Hornby green]

51 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

Given the brittle nature of ballast secured only with Klear, my personal view is that the stuff is now of more value in terms of varnishing stock etc.

 

Really?  I've found it has a very strong bond so far.  It certainly took a lot of effort to shift ballast that had ended up in the wrong place.

[Improved Hornby green]

11 minutes ago, 57xx said:

Rich, Klear is very watery so the brush marks just disappear naturally. I've brushed it on a few wagons before. The bigger issue I have with when brushing it is air bubbles. I've also airbrushed it, not had any problems. I did use my cheaper airbrush I got with the compressor rather than my H&S, but it covered well, did not clog and was also easy to clean out.

Thanks

 

i am slowly bringing locos in from the layout for initial weathering and dealing with the paint is a big part of that.  Maybe will get round to bringing a king in next.  That said I probably ought to finish ballasting Brent before I start using up my Klear stash on locos.

[6971: Aethelhampton (Modified) Hall]

21 minutes ago, Nick Gough said:

How difficult was it to remove the smokebox numberplate?

Not too difficult, I think this is my third or forth loco attempting it on.  
 

I use a new scalpel blade and carefully carve off the plate along with the upper door bracket.  The latter is then replaced with ten thou Evergreen  plastic strip.

 

I’ve found for black locos it’s often cheaper buying a BR loco than a GW one

 

[Lima Siphon G]

Great stuff, 

Lots of inspiration for doing something with my Lima pair.  One the TPO is complete and ready for painting the plan is to finish off my parcels rake next, sorting out a pair of Lima siphons is a key part of it.

 

I had completely missed your blog, glad to have found it.

[Another Wooden Wonder - Timber Tracks GWR 4 Road Engine Shed Conversion - Part. 4]

good to hear that they are still going, I keep thinking about seeing if I can get the ends from the type D goods shed and the rest of the type C in order to kit bash into the shed for Brent.  It would need changes to the door and canopy for the loading area which doesn’t look too difficult to scratch built, but would also need the height width of the ends changing to fit which I guess could be more involved needing to change roof components.  At some point I might even get round to emailing them and seeing if it’s possible...

[Cheddar P4 - April 2020 update]

Looks amazing!

[Improved Hornby green]

17 minutes ago, Norton961 said:

I find that spraying clear is problematic, so I brush it on.

 

david

How are you avoiding brush marks in the Klear coat?

[Improved Hornby green]

Klear is another that I haven’t sprayed, only used vast amounts of it in ballasting I still have about 2.5lt remaining so will give it a go on the next one. 
 

anything special to do when spraying it?

 

i will get some of the Tamiya clear coat and give that a try as well.  I have 3 kings, perfect for doing one in each method 

[Improved Hornby green]

I will have to give that a try some time, though I have never actually used varnish in the airbrush before. 

[AA3 Toad conversion to P4]

thanks for the Feedback, very useful to see what others have done before starting.    One thing that’s puzzling me, once the 2screws are removed how do you remove the body?