Steadfast

How do the Dapol ploughs compare to Bernard's etches? To be honest I'd never thought of using them, but may give it a try on a future model. I go with detailing one end fully, and as much as possible on the coupling end, as IMO it completes the aesthetics of the model, especially on things like 60s and 66s where there is detail below the bufferbeam pipes. The turning offscene priniciple is what I plan to do too, as to me, the benefit of a better looking model outweighs the additional shunting move.

Ok, so the model in a week concept didn't work, by the end of the week I couldn't be bothered and lost the excitement with the model. Here is how the loco looked at my attempted finish date. Please excuse the fluff and bits on the model - only just noticed that while I was resizing the fots. It looks ok in the flesh, a little less sure now I've looked back over the piccys. I'm pretty happy with the roof, but the noses and sides still need work. Talk about unsure! Next stage, is to airbrush the underframe brown. On top of this the powders can go on to vary the shade, and add some grime. The lower bodysides will also get a dusting of "underframe turdy brown" as well. Ploughs have had a rough coat of yellow ready for a thick layer of brown! I dunno when the next update will be - presumably after some spraying weather! jo

Looking nice Adam, very nice! They do look good in silver cheers jo

Lovely Jubbly! Nice to see Bernard is developing some etches for the refurb grills too - opens up a lot more possibilities! Out of interest, how have you attached the ploughs to the buffer beams, or are they bogie mounted, like was neccessary with Farish of old

70002 at Stoke Gifford was idling while we were there today. It sounds remarkably like an MTU engine, with a bit more of a 60 style chuggy-ness. Every now and then, it got louder with a rather healthy belch of clag, presumably as some change happened in the engine, whether it was picking up more cylinders for a bit, or changing the 4 that it was idling on. Suffice to say, it was next to a pair of 66s, both yinging away to themselves. The external noise level at idle of the 70 is similar I reckon to the sheds, but it doesn't travel anywhere near as far, or as easily, due to the different noise. cheers jo

Apparently it's to be named on Thursday, though I've not heard anything about what it'll be... cheers jo

Been playing while watching tv tonight. Managed to do kill two birds with one stone with the green and headcode panels. It's amazing how even adding the old Freightliner logo to the new livery makes it look better! Off now for an early night before an early start for Warley tomorrow cheers jo

Nice idea about trying a split headcode Mike - will have to give it a try. as you say, the body between the cabs is very much a scaled down US body design, just substitute the multitude of US warning labels with British HSE ones Yeah I think the DB livery looks quite good Simon, though I doubt they'll get any, more likely looking to a European manufacturer if they do need more stock. Off to play some more with Photoshop later cheers jo

Caught 70002 at Stoke Gifford today. It's definitely growing on me. It's amazing how much better it looks in a nicer livery - I like both of these that I've done. I do like the 58 livery, with a bit of extra black round the front makes the black light clusters look a lot less alien. cheers jo

Looking good Steve - a couple of questions though if I may. What is this SLS/SLA material - who is doing it? Presumably it gives a better finish than the standard Shapeways materials. Also, how does the cost compare with the other materials? I'd be interested in investigating these jo

That's the one I don't know how much tractorage will occur tomorrow as I'm planning to go fotting, but if nowt else hopefully underframe and plough painting will progress. I did read about Pixie lowering his 37, though looking at the model there doesn't appear to be an easy way to it, unlike with the 47. I may try moving the sideframes up a little to compromise. I've also got a DRS 37 to do, so an easy method of lowering would be interesting... Re the weathering, I don't know where to go next really, because one minute I think it looks ok so far, the next it just shouts out "crude, crude, crude", especially the tide mark on the nose. Will have a look in the morning

Not a lot to show at this moment in time unfortunately. What there is to show I'm not happy with, having spent the morning attacking the body with various colours of Games Workshop acrylic. The fading on the roof looks ok, but the fading and dirt on the sides and nose I'm really not happy with. It looks grotty, but not in the right way. Will get on with spraying up the bogies, underframe and ploughs in the mean time though. Where's the headbanging smilie off the old forum when you need it? Edit time: I've just finished editing the photos for uploading. I've got to say, since I took the photos, and have looked at them on the laptop, I'm a lot happier with the loco so far, perhaps correction needn't be as drastic as I thought. One thing I'm really not happy with is the tide mark on the front by the headlight, which has come from the wash applied here, but is something I can work back and tidy up. Here is the fuel tank assembly, with adding piping, primed ready for a coat of matt black to give a nice base for the weathering Likewise the bogies. This shot makes the 0.3mm wire on the speedo drive look so chunky! Though it is nice that is doesn't look like some wire and plastic glued on the side now that there is a unified finish between it and the bogie frame. The bodyshell weathering, which so far I'm so-so with, as I mentioned above. The roof fading I like, and is ready for a good coating of clag. This is the look I'm aiming for http://chrisfinch.fo.../p55064987.html I think I'll get there eventually Oh, and I also primed this today, it's been waiting primer for ages, and will eventually be sky blue jo

Hi Steve, good to catch up with where you're up to with the 3D modelling. Despite being kettles, they look like some interesting projects, and keeping an eye on this may help me with some tank wagon projects and other round bits! Like Paul I'd be interested in what software you are using, I've just started trying to teach myself Blender. Very steep learning curve, nothing of worth created yet...

Cheers Pete. Got to get some stuff sorted today, but will hopefully get a decent afternoon of modelling in today, along with suitable updates.

So, lets kick off the blog! As a bit of a trial of the blog format, and because I've got this week off, in between getting the car to the garage, some fotting, and generally wasting time I'm attempting to detail, weather and document the process with the recently released Graham Farish Dutch liveried class 37. Hopefully it'll end up as a blow by blow account (yawn ) of the work done. The aim is, by the time I go back to work at 14.30 on Mon 23rd, to have the loco finished. Today I made a start on the work, breaking the loco down to the component parts. The first photo shows the loco as it is, out of the box, albeit with the thick yellow paint stripped off the bogie axleboxes. The other two shots show the current straight of play. Detailing so far has comprised of adding the speedo drive to the bogie from brass wire and scraps of plastic. Removing the footsteps does make working on the bogies that bit easier. They area piece of cake to pop off, just slide a scalpel blade up between the bogie and the steps. Some pipework between the tanks too - this was formed from some nickel silver wire, soldered into a T-shape for the cross pipe, and some shorter bits glued on for the drains/overflows. The bogies have had the couplers modified. One has had the pocket removed, the other has had the mount for the NEM socket severely trimmed to reduce it's visual impact. The end with no coupling will be fully detailed, and is prepped for plough fitting. The ploughs are TPM, with some wire soldered to the back to give a semi-prototypical mounting method. They are only placed on the loco at the moment, to prove the concept, but will be glued once they're painted. I don't think this mounting method will work at the other end due to the coupler, I think they'll need attaching to the bogies unfortunately. I'll try to get some better shots tomorrow of the mod work in daylight. Ok, so to a bit of an admission, I don't really have a use for this loco I just bought it because it looked nice. I've since found out that the loco didn't make it to 2001, so isn't suitable for the early era I model. It may see use on Hedges Hill, or more likely, I may sell it on. Because of this, and difficulty in matching RTR paint shades, the shell will be staying as it is, although really the bodyside steps and water filler should be plated over, and the only Dutch splitter to retain this wasn't a Canton machine (to make use of the etched plaques) so a re-number isn't going to happen. Anyway, enough of the waffling, I'll update it tomorrow, hopefully with progress! iechyd da jo

Well, I've got to say, embarrassingly, it's growing on me! Though it does look like a hamster stuffing it's cheeks when it's sat next to the shed Looking at the photos, it does seem to explain why the horn grill looks like it's on upside down - otherwise the wipers wouldn't meet in the middle. I wonder if the lamp irons are retractable, or whether they were added at Newport, as that's the first time they appeared in photos. Has anyone worked out why there are yellow circles on the buffers? Not a "grease here" point for the American builders is it, given they don't usually have to deal with buffers? cheers jo

As I type this they should have not long arrived at Stoke Gifford yard (basically Bristol Parkway) with 66585 as motive power. Either later tonight, or tomorrow night, 70001 will head north to Lawley St. Not sure if it'll stay here, or be moved again for crew training, as I've also heard of it heading to Ipswich and Leeds. All from reliable gen sources too cheers jo

Yeah, looks ok, pity about the jumpers though. Couldn't they have hidden them somewhere? 70001 and 2 have arrived at Newport. 70003-6 are the ones due for loading in the US soon. These 6 are the pre-series locos, for initial testing, then the remaining 24 will follow on cheers jo

The first pair arrived at Newport yesterday, so they are here! cheers jo

Thanks guys! good to know there's more than one way if I do mess it up! I think a trip to buy some paint is a little overdue I just love the greasy look to the rods you've achieved on the 09 Martin - perfect to try and aim for on my EWS livery gronk

Hi Martin, Stunning as usual! I'm watching closely as I've got a couple of gronks to do. For some reason I just don't seem to be able to get up the will to do them - I think it's the underframe weathering. I can cope with the fading ok, just, but there is something about that greasy look. Perhaps this is the kick up the backside to get at least one of them back in the paintshop, and hope the techniques scale well :-) jo

Nice variety of tractors there so far. Of course 37047 is unusual in that it's an ex split box rebuilt with centre code, looking rather strange with the horns above a centre code box! Here's a couple more for the collection, both standard centre box refurb ends, one with ETH, one without. There's also a bit of variation with the lamp irons too cheers jo

David, that looks great. It's really good to see some more pictures of the finished layout, and it sure does give you a nice scene for photographing new models. The 150 sure is a stunner, I've just taken delivery of a Reggie 150/2 and I'm wowed by the detail. Nice 92 btw, maybe one day for me... cheers jo