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John M Upton

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Blog Entries posted by John M Upton

  1. John M Upton
    For a long time I have been interested in the various drawings that exist of variants of the wartime beast that is O.V.S. Bulleid's Q1 0-6-0 freight loco.
     
    To this end I have decided to try and create some of these 'neverwazzas' in OO scale using the Hornby Q1 as a starting point.
     
    The first project is based on drawing number W5975 (can't show that here as I believe it is subject to copyright) which shows the Q1 boiler and loco chassis incorporated into a 0-6-2T tank locomotive.
     
    The arrival of the Great British Locomotives magazine series has kick started this project, especially the current issue featuring a good reproduction at a very cheap price of the Bachmann 4MT Standard tank. As both the Q1 and the 4MT were (mostly) built and/or designed at Brighton all be it some years apart, I have decided to take the tanks and rear end of the GBL 4MT and try and scratch build the QT1 as I have classified it using parts butchered from the latter and blended into the modified Q1 loco section.
     
    Tonight saw stage one, much butchery with a hack saw and the resulting mess sees this on my workbench:
     

     
    A trial mock up using the side tank, rear end, a Hornby Pacific bogie plus blu-tak and tape has seen the first glimpse of what may be to come:
     


     
    It's early days and tomorrow I shall start refining the parts and getting it to come together properly. The side tanks will need to be shortened for a starter, although not by much plus the cab roof is going to be a headache but I am sure I will come up with something.
     
    Wish me luck, I must be mad!!!
  2. John M Upton

    Primed and.....

    By John M Upton,

    Back to the workbench at last and the nearly completely assembled Q-Tank body now has more filler in it than my Dad's old Ford Cortina circa 1979...
     
    A coat of primer has been sprayed on to highlight any areas (and there are several!) that need further attention with filler and files but I am getting there...
     



     
    I must be mad.....
  3. John M Upton

    The back end is on....

    By John M Upton,

    Returning to the project after a few days the bunker assembly has been attached to the rear of the main part of the loco:
     
    Apologies for the tape over the cab roof, have not yet looked at that bit yet!!
     

    The rear tender buffer beam from the donor Q1 loco has been cut off and added to the rear of the bunker replacing the GBL 4MT Standard one for more commonality (plus it has sprung buffers already fitted of course).
     

     
    Also added all be it with double sided tape temporarily are some side paneling below footplate level. These are simply strips of black plasticard (the extremely useful sheets of black plastic that Fox Transfers post with their products as straighteners, some of the most useful packaging supplies I have ever encountered!!!) cut to length and them an angle introduced at the leading edge.
     

     
    Some steps of some kind - a slot most likely - will be cut into these panels (hence their only temporary attachment for the moment)
     
    That is it for the moment however, I am away for a week and a half now during which no doubt I will suddenly be struck by another hair brained idea, or decided to model the Scottish Highlands instead!!!
  4. John M Upton
    No going back now, the tanks are glued on!!
     
    Attention has turned to the bunker end and after a lot of umming and arring I concluded that the best combination would be the cab end of the Q1 tender allied to the bunker of the 4MT so after some cutting with the razor saw, the two parts have been tested attached with sticky tape and so far it looks all right:
     

     
    I may refit the sliding shutter parts to the bunker when this is complete which I am certain had the QT (my choice of classification) gone into production at the same time or just after the Q1, they would have had them fitted.
     
    Needless to say a trial fitment (please excuse the tape!!) has been tried to the main loco itself:
     


     
    From the front:
     

     
    I may yet recover the buffer beam form the Q1 tender and fit this as well complete with the distinctive steps below the buffers if it is possible.
     
    Two questions I would like to throw out to the audience:
     
    1 - The coupling that linked the loco to the tender will need to be removed. If I just snip the wires off will the QT still run or do I need to do something more sophisticated to it?
    2 - What would have been a likely number for it? I am thinking something along the lines of 33101 in the 33xxx series the Q1's occupied as 34xxx, 35xxx and 36xxx are all spoken for.
  6. John M Upton
    This evening has seen further work done on the side tank, the GBL 4MT tank has been trimmed down in length (the cab side section has been lost) and the curved angle mid way filed for a more angular look.
     
    The separate top sections of the tanks that the GBL 4MT come with have been especially useful and have also been filed to fit.
     



     
    There will be an extension to the side of the cab to bring it down to the same level as the base of the tanks, also I have had another idea about the rear of the cab above the bunker, wondering if it may be possible to adapt parts from the donor model tender so that it all matches.
  7. John M Upton
    All the painting is done, most of the transfers and all four cars have been reassembled amidst the usual grunting, swearing and threats with a deadly lump hammer...
     

    The two DMSO's standing side by side on the workbench. I wasn't originally going to do the mods to the corridor connections but later relented and quite glad I did now as they do look the part. Unfortunately if you are a scale passenger standing on the platform, you will be able to see the joins, having said that, I recall standing next to a real CEP once and if you looked you really could see the joins!!
     

    If I ever do another refurbished CEP in any way, I know that the TBCK will have to be done differently. Although it looks all right, there are some serious issues with the Bachmann Mk 1 bodysides where they have been inserted into the former TCK body sides.
     

    First time all four cars have been together, admittedly posed on my US HO shunting plank(!) which happens to be adjacent to my workbench. Looks like 4-CEP 1500 to me... Others may pick some holes in it I expect however.
     
    There are a few finishing touches to be done yet. 'C1' restriction codes are missing from the inner ends as I cannot find the transfers in my box for love nor money, the white double arrows on the cab sides are absent as both small '08/09 shunter' size ones I have are actually too large so will need to get creative on that front, also the door handles etc have yet to be picked out.
     
    As an experimental project it seems to have come off reasonably well. There are things I would do differently next time (if there was one!) and it occurs to me that a conversion kit in the style of those old Westward(?) kits for converting Lima 117's all those years ago could be made for a fully refurbished CEP. All it would require would be etched replacement hopper vent windows and maybe cast resin replacement side sections for the DMSO's and TBCK, Commonwealth bogie frames being sourced as I did with this one from the readily available Bachmann replacements.
     
    One thing to note in all this, the Bachmann loco hauled Mk 1 and the body sides of their CEP body shells have subtly different shaped tumble homes, they should be identical which is making me wonder which is correct!!
     
    I am seriously considering an Central Division unrefurbished 4-BEP next however since I bought the CEP for this project, Hattons have bunged the price up by nearly twenty five notes, Ouch... Also I am getting thoroughly confused on the subject of bogies. Some seem to have Commonwealths just on the buffet car, some on all the trailer bogies. I am confused...
  8. John M Upton
    With everything grinding to a halt for a couple of days owing to the descending fluffy stuff (now rapidly disappearing thank goodness!) it has been time to finish off some items on the workbench.
     
    First up, the first Vi-Trains Class 47 repaint I have attempted:


     
    The only NSE liveried model possible from the current crop of cheap 47's now being all but given away was 47711 'County of Hertfordshire' by virtue of this being the only NSE 47 that had cut cabs both ends after an argument with a rake of coaches at Yeovil one day, also it has a flush No 2 end as well.
     
    As per all my repaints, each stripe is individually masked and painted. I have tried transfers before to represent stripes on NSE and Intercity liveries but to me the end result looks like a vinyled FCC 319, cheap and nasty with obscuring of moulded detail so, each stripe gets the paint treatment instead.
     
    For comparison, here is the newly out shopped 47711 alongside an earlier repaint, 47579 'James Nighthall G.C.' which is based on a Bachmann 47:


     
    It is difficult to pick between the two manufacturers. Bachmann have a smoother drive mechanism and more choice in terms of body styles (cut/uncut buffer beams etc) but the Vi-Trains one is equally good in terms of appearance and moulding (I was never impressed by their 37, those windscreens I think, this however is good) and from a repainting point of view, having all the bits such as handrails already removed is a bonus even if it means frequent carpet searches for bits that have gone missing!!
     
    Also with the price cuts at the moment, a Vi-Trains 47 can be picked up for as little as 35 notes compared with the 60 plus price of the Bachmann, the latter also suffering by very few variations being released. The Vi-Trains loses points in that at the moment cheap ones seem to be confined to cut cab versions which limits the possibilities but at least it does not have the silly gimmicks of its Bachmann competitor with opening cab doors, cab interior lights and all that nonsense.
     
    Meantime, Mk 2 Air Con's are beginning to appear off the workbench:


    Mk2d FK 13575, the only AirCon Mk2 to receive NSE livery. In actual fact it is a Airfix Mk2d FO but the body shell is identical and the tinted windows hides the problems with the interior very effectively!! There were a few other AirCon Mk2's allocated to NSE operations but all were either blue/grey or Intercity livery.
     
    Next off the bench, another Airfix Mk2d, this time a BSO:

    I am starting to put together an AirCon Intercity XC rake as used on the 1S76 Brighton to Manchester/Glasgow services and this is the first to be completed.
     
    Again the stripes are all painted, no transfers for the same reasons as stated above. Unfortunately the rest of the rake (planned to be a RFB and three TSO's) has run into a couple of problems.
     
    There is a cheap Mk2d FO on its way to me for the 12xx series RFB conversion but it is stuck in the post with the snow problems, meanwhile eight window TSO's of Airfix/Dapol/Hornby manufacturer are becoming hard to track down owing to them going for outrageous sums on Ebay, seems they are a bit scarce!!
     
    Also a second Vi-Trains Class 47 is now in pieces on the bench, this will become Intercity Swallow liveried 47839 in time. It is just it may not have all that much to haul for a while!!!
     
    For those wondering about the 465 Networker, that is being kept to one side for Christmas time.
  9. John M Upton
    I think I can safely say I now have enough parts to commence the Networker project, the difficult bit comes now but that won't be for a couple of weeks yet as there are a few Mk2 air con coaches and a Class 47 stuck in the queue ahead of it at the moment.
     
    One corner of my workbench now resembles a sort of neo classic homage to Vic Berry:

     
    Suffice to say you can see what I will be spending my Christmas and Boxing day doing!! The plan at the moment from all the various bits I have managed to accumulate is to do a 465 and a revamped 466 to go with it as I measured up and the platform will just take a six car formation.
     
    There is also the issue of powering the thing, the Hornby motor in these is from the 'couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding' school, I do have a Bachmann Turbostar chassis around here somewhere which might work though, need to do some experimentation.
     
    Now, where did I put my razor saw...?
  10. John M Upton
    Since the completion of the Jaffa Cake 4-CEP, attention has turned to a more modern EMU of Kent persuasion to which end I have been accumulating Hornby Class 466 Networkers and bits thereof with a view of eventually producing a four car 465.
     
    I know this has been done before by others and compared with the hackery that I had to employ for the 4-CEP should be at least a bit easier! Result of all this at the moment is that my test plank resembles BREL Derby works.
     
    I had forgotten about how bad the early Hornby Networkers were, one arrived off Ebay as a kit of parts by the time the Royal Mail muffins had dropped it several times but as this was one likely to be taken apart anyway, there is no great loss.
     
    Also on my workbench and now nearing completion is the thorn in the side of the NWXX pool, Mk2d FK 13575* in Network SouthEast livery, this being based on a Airfix/Dapol Mk2d FO with the tinted window hiding the fact there is a distinct lack of corridor inside there...
     
    Other forthcoming plans see a cheap Vi-Trains Class 47 due to arrive any minute for repaint as 47711 'County of Hertfordshire' and plans for a Cross Country air con Mk 2 rake with a Airfix/Dapol Mk2d FO planned to be converted into an RFB, ignoring the fact the latter was a Mk2f mind...
     
    Pictures to follow!!
     
     
    *Reportedly whenever this was formed in a NSE rake and there was a no heat/ETH loco on the front, the Guard would frequently say he was not working the train due to no power to the Air Con which although there were a few other Air Con's Mk2's on NSE's books in later years, probably explains why this was the only one to get as far as being repainted
  11. John M Upton
    The first car of my converted 4-CEP 1500 has been all but completed. With the exception of transfers (black lining and numbers mostly) it is completed and now has been reassembled so time to pose it for a first picture.
     

     
    Carefully parked of course to disguise the fact that the next stopper to Charing Cross is a tad short formed...
     
    Now to get on with the rest of the cars!!
  12. John M Upton
    Hello
     
    For years I have been always interested in Network SouthEast era operations and the recent arrival of the Bachmann 4-CEP with further EMU's to come has seen me return to the modelling era I like the best.
     
    This is my workbench thread (I hate the term Blog, sorry!) to record some of the rolling stock that I am working on for the layout.
     
    Current project is the conversion of a standard Bachmann 4-CEP into the refurbishment prototype, unit 1500 in Jaffa Cake livery.
     
    The root of this is the fact that this unit retained the original style hopper windows which makes the conversion a little easier.
     
    The work identified to be done to the model out of the box is as follows:
     
    DMSO 61389 (Motorised):
    Removal of body side section in former guards van area.
    Replacement with window panel from donor vehicle (a damaged Bachmann Mk 1 BSK in this instance)
    Removal of periscope on the roof.
    Changing of trailer bogie from current BR1 type to Commonwealth.
     
    TBCK 70345:
    Removal of compartments and associated body side panels where where the luggage and guards van were installed.
    Replacement wall panels/doors again from the parts donor.
    Replacement of both BR1 bogies with Commonwealth's.
     
    TSO 70302:
    Replacement of corridor interior with open standard version (cannibalised from a Bachmann Mk 1 again)
    Replacement of both BR1 bogies with Commonwealth's.
     
    DMSO 61388:
    Same as 61389 above except also put some interior where the new saloon section has been installed, this cannot be done on the motorised version as the motor is in the way!
     
    The trailer bogies are being converted by taking the replacement Bachmann Commonwealth bogies (Cat No. 36-008A) cutting two small slots in the top of the frame to take the power strip tabs and opening out of the axle bearing holes a little more.
     

    As supplied BR1 is on the left, newly converted Commonwealth is on the right.
     
    The first DMSO has been completed in terms of body modifications but still needs some further filing and sanding of the filler:

    My workbench is starting to look like Swindon Works circa 1983!!!
     

    Here is the converted Commonwealth bogie now fitted under the inner end of the DMSO chassis.
     
    I have managed to establish some information re the livery. The black lining on the orange band on Jaffa Cake livery was apparently a later NSE era addition and the inner ends were dark brown.
     
    More to come, this may take a while!!
  13. John M Upton

    Further Progress...

    By John M Upton,

    The other DMSO has been modified structurally but I did not bother taking a pic as it looks just like the other one!!
     
    The TSO has also now been tackled. The bogies changed over (I am getting quicker at that now, the first one I did took an hour, these two took ten minutes!) and the open standard interior installed after some surgery to get it to fit.
     

     
    The original claims from Bachmann when they first announced they were making the 4-CEP was that it would be based on their Mk 1 coaches. Nothing of the sort unfortunately which has meant rather more work than I originally thought, the TSO interior being a case in point as I originally thought it would be a drop in swap and not require various chunks of plastic to be cut off it before it would fit.
     
    All that is left to tackle in terms of modification now is the TBCK but that can wait until tomorrow. I have the British Rail Fleet Survey book with the TBCK plans in it in front of me and that one will need considerable work to get it right.
     
    Meanwhile, anyone know which Bachmann catering Mk 1 is closest to the design of the buffet car in an unrefurbished 4-BEP as (drum roll please) I have had an idea...
  15. John M Upton
    Unfortunately due to mostly working earlies, oh and all my rest days as quite frankly I like the money... I haven't been able to devote as much time as I would have liked to this but I have progressed with the aim of getting the first DMSO finished.
     
    The main paintwork has now been completed, the cab front corridor connection has had plating added to the sides (plastic card) and yes the inner ends are now dark brown:
     

     
    Hoping to get the whole DMSO completed with reassembly, lining and transfers etc within the next few days... I hope!!
     
    Harking back to my earliest days of railway modelling, one of my very first rolling stock repaints I did at least twenty years ago now was a second hand Triang Mk 1 RMB that I did in NSE livery which bizarrely was before I realised there actually were some in these colours.
     
    Now many years later my passengers on the 06:42 to Waterloo are getting hungry so a Bachmann Mk 1 RMB arrived on the workbench and after a bit of research to check a few livery details, more specifically the nature of the red 'buffet' cant rail stripe, I set to work...
     
    The plan was simple, dismantle blue/grey RMB, repaint body sides then place them, the roof, interior and under gubbins onto chassis from a NSE Mk1 TSO from which I also borrowed the glazing to save repainting the window bars.
     
    The TSO came spare as I had used its interior for the TSO in the 4-CEP!!
     
    Unfortunately it would appear that not all Bachmann Mk 1's are the same, the RMB is a latest (no roof ribs) generation and the chassis moulding is subtly different which meant it was a right royal sod to get back together, not helped by the fact that there was extra carvery to get the interior to fit and then discovered that the securing screws and corresponding holes are in different places!!
     
    Anyway after much cursing and swearing I managed to finish it and the 06:42 to Waterloo now has a steady supply of curly bacon sarnies and luke warm Maxpax coffee
     

     
    Now seriously thinking about buying another 4-CEP and converting the TSO into an unrefurbished buffet car to create a 4-BEP. I must be mad!!
  16. John M Upton
    It's almost finished. The pony truck has not actually been fixed on yet and there are still transfers to apply plus a few small finishing touches (the crew need some steps to actually be able to get into the cab I just realised!) but the Frankensteins Monster is almost complete!!
     







     
    Still plenty of rough edges that show up in the cruel lens of my camera though!
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