[NSE class 47]

That looks really good Grahame, an NSE duff has been tempting me for HHC, but I've got so much else to be getting on with in the mean time. You say NSE is more complicated than BR blue, but it looks a hell of a lot better!

 

jo

[Easitrac]

Hiya Jon,

That Easitrac looks very good. One thing that struck me while looking at the 2mmSA site is that it seems expensive compared to Peco track. Now I know it looks a million times better, and the outlay is going to be worth it, but from a tight budget point of view, how does it compare?It looks so good that it tempts me a bit more each time I see pictures of it

 

jo

 

 

[Tampering]

Cheers Martin, so, 2mm (or thereabouts) brass it is then

[Tampering]

That's looking great Martin, it just oozes detail. It's been a great project to follow, and I do like getting a project to the stage of first paint - it blends the different materials together and you see it as a whole for the first time, if you see what I mean.

Do you know the diameter of the Z gauge wheels you've used? I'm trying to figure out a way to represent these tiny wheels in N. Needs some playing with plastic and brass me thinks!

[Skipping along - quick update]

To be honest washes seem to be the staple of my weathering, but I think using a mix of powders and washes gives two different effects, so each have their place. Hopefully I'll have a fiddle over the weekend and see what happens. I did have an idea earlier on how to do the fuel tank - a mix of black powder and Johnson's Klear. Will try it on scrap first though.

The 67 does have some shortcomings that are disappointing on such an expensive model, but as you say, it does put the Lima to shame, and it looks like a skip!

[Skipping along - quick update]

Hi Ben,

I don't know as I haven't done it yet - it'll be whichever comes out of the bag of goodies!

Seriously, it'll be a combination more than likely, pretty certain the fuel tank sides will be painted, and I'll run some washes round the bogies and air tanks

[The Point of No Return]

Hi Jim,

That's looking good - and an interesting approach to the model. A while back Model Rail had a piece about modelling them in 4mm. This used white printer paper supported on the plastic rungs to give the hanging cloth look. In N I used tissue paper soaked in PVA, as printer paper would have been too stiff when scaled down.

I'm looking forward to seeing how your approach comes out

[Class 47 re-paint]

Lovely - I'll be keeping a good eye on this Grahame. The Farish 47 is a very good base for a detail and respray project - I've got 3 in various states of completion... It's certainly a rewarding model to work with

[Skipping along - progress!]

Indeed Martyn, I was thinking about having a go at cutting a door window or two out. Will see if I can bring myself to take the drill and file to the coaches! Passengers in the seating will be relatively sparse - as per the real thing

[Lift Support]

I certainly hope it will look the part James! Yeah I'm going to do the transfers, I need to get in touch with the guy who's printed some ALPS stuff for me in the past to check the details of artwork to print white and black. I've got a sheet of artwork that keeps growing (Yeoman logos for the 59 etc) so I can add these to that hopefully

 

 

[The real slim Shady]

My name is huh? My name is what?...

Lovely work, such a shame you're not going to pose one down, and they'll be largely hidden. Such are the joys of "every detail" modelling!

[The quay at night]

Very nice Mr York, certianly shows off Keyhaven at its best! Just waiting for the sea mist to roll in now

[Underframe progress with 59004]

Tbh I haven't got any wire fine enough to add all the bits I wanted to. Some bits of the chassis look very bland at the mo - I may have to see what treats Hobbycraft can offer, I think some of the jewellery wire is very fine

[Underframe progress with 59004]

Thanks James - like I said, paint could go either way! Mind you, the wire battery isolator switch I fitted will be worth it once painted red

[D I Why?]

Nice one Martin, that makes a 7mm adventure sooo tempting! The homemade posters are looking rather tidy. It just gives so much of a personal touch. Now I'm used to printing, I find the hardest part with DIY transfers is actually drawing up the artwork - and the hours spent doing it!

[Knuckle Duster]

Dammit! On mine when they were on the right they were all over the photos! Will have a play...

[Weathered and glazed shovel]

Tidy! There's just something about it that shouts baby HST at me! I'd certainly bash it for haulage

[The time consuming bit and project creep]

It's the details that set it apart, isn't it Martin! That's some impressive work going on with the 455, needless to comment on the patience needed Nice touch with the handrail rebates btw, presumably due to the end jumpers not present on other mk3 units?

[Working over a tractor in a week, or maybe a bit more pt5]

The nose dirt was a bit touch and go at one point - I just couldn't get a clean edge, but I tried using the side of a cocktail stick, and that worked. Holding it at the right angle, the side of the stick will wipe the weathering paint off the shiny RTR finish - hey presto! It's proved the technique for use on other tractors in the future, and the photos in pt3 show how rough and painted on it looked before the cocktail stick treatment

[Gloucester Road - A happy three year old and some weathering]

Nice bit of weathering there with the coal streaking, I keep meaning to add it to mine over the brown rusty look. It's good to see someone else has had a bash at doing the weld lines too!

[Working over a tractor in a week, or maybe a bit more pt4, plus seacows]

Thanks Graham. I seem to be really yo-yo-ing with this one.

I'll look it over and be really happy with it, then look again later and the weathering looks really course and over done. Though later I'll look at fotopic and the grotty shots compare well to the model. I just don't really seem to be able to get "in the zone" with this one - perhaps it because it's not a 60! Maybe it's the pressure of wanting to do a decent job because I know I'm probably going to sell it on once it's finished. Meh, whatever, I ain't no psychologist!

 

[Working over a tractor in a week, or maybe a bit more pt4, plus seacows]

Thanks guys. I feel another visit to Mr Daniels' fotopic site coming on for weathering details. The 'cows mind are a long term project, you know a bit here, and a bit there, like today because I already had the airbrush loaded with brown. Also got to do some fiddling with the ploughs on the tractor, and sort the bufferbeam pipes out. There are a nice looking set of air pipes in the Fastline IIAs I had delivered last week...

[Working over a tractor in a week pt3]

Thanks for the comments guys. Popping the update on, and stepping back and looking at the model through the posting, rather than individual photos has given me the urge to crack on with it! Of course it was helped just a little by hearing this pair thrash away in the rain today. Mmmm

[The first milestone is reached (one Pacer car detailed)...]

It seems like we are working at a similar pace then Martin! James that work is just stunning, and that BSI coupler is just...wow! What did you use for the exhaust pipe, by the way? I've got a set to do for my 150

 

 

[Boxfile Kyle - 37420...]

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.