Inspired by Brent June 1947

[The Fatadder]

1 minute ago, MrWolf said:

I will be watching with interest to see the cattle dock progress though. I am still trying to decide how big or not the cattle dock should be on my layout. 

I will get some photos up after work, 

The dock at Brent is a bit of an odd shape, so I have used two Ratio kits as a basis.  The first used the post and rail from the kit, with the base cut to a wedge shape.  The second used the Ratio base with a pack of ratio fence chopped to size, this gives it 5 pens (although the two in the timber section are larger than the first ones).   I have found the alignment to be made a lot more complex by the comprimises I have made in compression (and elongation due to stretching round curves).  Made a lot worse by a silly error in putting a point in the wrong place (naturally found the photo confirming the correct position once it was too late to do anything about it... 

 

[MrWolf]

I can now see several parallels between your cattle dock project and mine. I have also chosen to modify Ratio parts, but also have a problem of siting due to the compression that was necessary to fit everything into two 4' X 2' boards.

Add to that the fact that I have persisted with using long radius points, partly because I think that they look better, making the track look longer and keeping parallel track prototypically close together and partly because it keeps the formation narrow. I didn't want just a mass of track and no landscape.

I have left out a number of features from the original plan to stop the layout looking cluttered. 

For me, this is the most difficult part of building a layout that works visually.

[The Fatadder]

While working on painting my side tippers, suddenly there is a loud crash behind me.  I keep
My finished stock on the study bookcase, and on the top shelf was a Grange, my kit built siphon and the chassis for an L22 TPO.   On top of the books was a a couple of sheets of transfer paper.   Somehow this fell off the shelf taking the stock with it, very odd as I can’t think what caused it.  The grange seems fine, the L22 chassis had a couple of superglued parts came loose. The siphon on the other hand came off a lot worse with damage to the brake gear, a bogie mount sheared off, part of the rain strip ripped off and a corridor connection bracket bent back on itself.  Lots of repair work to do this evening...

[MrWolf]

Sorry to hear that, hopefully you won't find it too difficult to sort out. One explanation for the paper moving is changes in temperature, as an artist, I am used to bits of paper developing a mind of its own, curling an uncurling and ending up on the floor.

Oddly enough, I had a Mink C roll off the layout the other day. The layout is 100% level but I had a work lamp over the area with a very hot daylight bulb in it and the rest of the room was very cold. Which reminds me that I need to refit the Mink's roof and ballast weight!

[The Fatadder]

I think in the case of the Grange it wa possibly saved by the fact that I had previously broken the mazac retaining bracket that the screw fits into.  So the chassis and body were not properly connected allowing them to move in the impact.  
 

looking at the siphon it’s fairly straight forward to fix, I’ve bent the bracket back to place. But yet to sort out the soldering.  Instead I’m drawing up etches for an L25 TPO...

[The Fatadder]

I haven't risked going back into the modelling room, instead spending some time downstairs on Autocad drawing up etches for a L25 Hawksworth TPO.   I still need to add the fret, but the basic drawing is just about done.  I really need a clearer image of the end of the L25 as the ones in Russell are not clear enough to make out all of the detail.  I think there is just the single step (the water filler is a lot lower than the earlier coaches), but cant be sure without a clearer photo.

 

I am going to run the end drawing through the Silhouette next time I have it set up, as I want to ensure that the curve I have drawn is going to match up with the Comet roof profile.  I have a feeling that it will need to be tweaked slightly 

 

I am going to convert my drawing of the K19 full brake into a cad file and then send them over to PPD for a quote.  I am open to making a small production run if anyone else is interested in one. 

[The Fatadder]

Work has continued on the Mermaid project,  the finishing touches have been applied to the paint (including painting the insides of the wagon in a mix of rust colours).  The remaining work requires transfers (which are only available from Cambridge Custom Transfers as part of a large sheet and adding the chain to the ends (a job for my lunch break I think). I have also got them all fitted with couplings.  

On Brent I am using a mixture of couplings, all locos are fitted with Dinghams with a loop on the bunker/tender end and hook on the front (with the latter using a compatible screw coupling on the mainline).  For passenger / NPCCS I have followed Tony Wright’s approach with an L shaped wire hook through the hole for the coupling hook and a corresponding loop on the other end, along with a couple of wires across representing the pipes.  The outer coaches are then fitted with Dinghams (as are any additional coaches or vans which I need to be able to split from the train.)    For freight stock it is a little more complicated.  All of the stock for the branch will be fitted with Dinghams on both ends to enable shunting.  The stock for the mainline uses a variation of Tony’s coupling with the same hook and loop approach through the bufferbeam, but without the additional “pipes” added.  Also for the main are a couple of rakes (such as the china clay) which had already been fitted with 3 links, in both cases there are translator wagons which have a coupling on one end and a Dingham on the other.  The pick up goods will need a little more work, but will likely end up mostly fitted with Dinghams (potentially with a few blocks of wagons with the wire/loop  coupling that are not destined for Brent / Kingsbridge.)

 

 

With that done I headed back out to the garage to work on the layout.  The cattle dock has now been glued into position, although having done so I decided I am not overly happy with the finish on the concrete infill (too glossy) so that will need repainting. 
 

 

A Mainly Trains bufferstop has been added to the spur off the up loop (it will get a coat of paint this evening)

Another 3 inches of the incline at the rear of the layout has been fitted which completes the area around the Vicarage Road bridge, this can all now be blended in with filler.  But first I want to get the rest of the bank in place, I have a rough idea how I am doing it so just need to get it formed.

 

I have been having issues with the door insulation (a big chunk fell off in the summer), more to the point the garage is getting very cold and has some dampness issues.  Definitely a priority to try and fix this week, though I suspect the ultimate solution is going to be replacing the up and over garage door with something more suitable.

Edited January 18, 2021 by The Fatadder

[Siberian Snooper]

Celotex insulation is good stuff, it has foil either side of it and I think is available in a couple of thicknesses.  Using  the 25mm thickness we made a false ceiling with it in our clubroom and also blocked off a pair of timber double doors, that plus taping up the corners stopped the draughts coming from it.

 

 

[The Fatadder]

The rest of the garage is fully insulated before adding the plaster board, the problem is the metal door which I used a thinner polystyrene based insulation as it needed to fit within the mechanism of the door.  The lower triangle of this has fallen off (and appears to have taken the glue that was filling the holes along the bottom edge of the door with it).   This happened probably a year ago, but I have only recently noticed the impact it had. 

 

 The initial plan was always to cut a new door into the side of the garage and eventually put a false wall in across the original door.  But I never got round to it before building the layout and the risk to Brent is too high to contemplate it now...

[Siberian Snooper]

Celotex can be cut and carved exactly the same as polystyrene, the biggest difference is it doesn't make quite as much mess, in fact one of the club layouts in build has used the offcuts for the scenery, after peeling off the tin foil.

 

I should add it comes in 8 x 4 sheets, but is very light as is polystyrene.

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Siberian Snooper
Forgot to add sheet size

[The Fatadder]

I will have to get some in that case, sounds a worthwhile upgrade.  Though I suspect it will need to wait until spring, as I would want the metal door to be dry and not freezing cold before gluing the new insulation in place. 
 

 

meanwhile ive been fairly busy this evening, the brass Siphon and A22 have both been primed, so that is now 6 coaches awaiting paint in the spring (with my K18 full brake still to join them)

 

the ‘Mermaid’ side tippers are approaching completion, having ordered transfers for them today and started adding the chains to the ends.  The latter is now blocked as I’ve ran out of chain, the original wagon having long since lost the supplied chain, while one of my new builds I managed to loose it today!)  I have a length of suitable chain somewhere (but seem to have misplaced that as well!)

 

I have also prepared 40 fence posts, which will end up as the fence along the rear edge of the Avon bridge ( in the process allowing me to finish ballasting the sides of the track) these will be fitted and painted tomorrow.

 

I was planning to fit couplings to the TPO, but as the bufferbeam is attached to the end rather than the floor, I can’t solder the loops in position until the coach is painted and glazed (as the buffer and coupling will go be attached to body and chassis).

 

finally a pack of Woodland Scenics trees arrived today , so the 7 armatures have been prepared and will be painted tomorrow.  I can’t decide if i will use the woodland scenics leaf material or buy some sea foam or rubberised horsehair and bush them out a bit.  Doesn’t help that I can’t work out what type of tree the armatures in TR1103 are supposed to be.  Eventually these 7 trees will be located on the left hand side of the Avon

[The Fatadder]

After a packet arrived from Comet, the first completed chassis on the TPO.  

While I was working on it I also added couplings, usually I solder them to the underside of the floor.  However on these builds the headstock is attached to the end as opposed to the chassis on a Comet kit.  As such given the coupling goes through the headstock I adapted the coupling, soldering the wire to the back of the ends.  Buffers won’t be added until after painting as they will secure the body to chassis eventually. 
 

the chassis was finished off with some Comet vacuum cylinders and the brake linkages from wire.   
 

3 more to go, then I want to do some test running with the full rake in primer (the coaches may as well live on the layout until I can paint them).  Though it will have to run without buffers for obvious reasons.

 

while fitting couplings I also

added them to two permanent way wagons (a Kirk kit which I think is a P17 and a Cambrian kit which I think is a P18) 

Then I think it’s time to go outside and do some work on the layout 

Edited January 19, 2021 by The Fatadder

[MrWolf]

The Kirk kit could be built as a prewar P17 with ratchet brakes or the 1947 P23 batch with Morton brakes. At least if it is the latter you won't need to weather them. 

[The Fatadder]

26 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

The Kirk kit could be built as a prewar P17 with ratchet brakes or the 1947 P23 batch with Morton brakes. At least if it is the latter you won't need to weather them. 

Looks like it’s a P23 not a P17 then 

[The Fatadder]

I need to decant some Klear and get the gloss applied before I can start adding transfers to my permanent way wagons. After very quick turnaround from Cambridge Custom Transfers.  Still aim to have them finished this week.

 

in the meantime I’ve added couplings and built another pair of bogies to my H22 

 

last night I sprayed my K17 brown, so will be interested to see how it looks when I make it out to the garage later. 
 

I also primed the up waiting room with red oxide in preparation for paint.

[The Fatadder]

8 permanent way wagons have now been given a coat of Klear in advance of getting their transfers tomorrow.  While I was at it I also prepared two test samples, brushing Klear onto the fire iron tunnel of a damaged 28xx that i am trying to source OO wheels for prior to painting black , and fully coating a 1998 condition Flying Scotsman as a test to see how brush painted Klear looks on a whole loco.   Now awaiting it to dry before taking photos.

I quite like the slight change in colour, but I did find it difficult not to end up with brush marks.  I guess I  will have to try airbrushing it, but would rather not have it in my airbrush...

 

While out in the garage fetching the Klear I finished off a couple of minor jobs, adding the rail to the Avon bridge fence and spotting that the right hand brickwork on the bridge had been broken off (and got lost somewhere on the floor) so I’ve taken dimensions to replace it ASAP.  Most other jobs needed either tools, paint or warm weather so were put off for another day.

not a great angle to take a photo from as it really shows up the joint in the beck scene where an off it was used to fill the hole around the bridge.  Not a great deal that can be done about it, but from normal viewing angles it’s not so noticeable.  The fence will be painted starting tomorrow.

 

The K17 which was sprayed last night looks a bit better in brown, it will certainly do for now.  I sprayed it in Halfords mat camouflage brown, which might actually be good for older brown stock...  

 

I’ve painted part of the roof with Klear to see how it looks with more of a shine...  I think it has potential.

 

[richard i]

Streak lines in the clear might work in your favour as it will look like the uneven deposits of ash and soot / water run off which build up on a clean loco. As long as the lines go top to bottom to replicate gravity. 
richard 

[The Fatadder]

20 minutes ago, richard i said:

Streak lines in the clear might work in your favour as it will look like the uneven deposits of ash and soot / water run off which build up on a clean loco. As long as the lines go top to bottom to replicate gravity. 
richard 

I did think about that, and was making sure each brush stroke went top to bottom just in case.  I need to lightly weather the top of the boiler anyway so will see how it looks once done.

[The Fatadder]

My 4 year old decided that 5am was an appropriate time to wake me up this morning, so I’ve made the most of the extra time before work and finished off a couple of wagons.  (I say finished, it still needs another coat of Klear to seal them followed by some Dullcote.)

The first is a Kirk diagrams P23, and the second the first of my Met Cam side tippers (which according to Russel the GW didn’t give a diagram.)  5 more to go this evening!  Transfers are from Cambridge Custom Transfers.

[Siberian Snooper]

Clear brushes better when it's warm, I put the bottle on the radiator for an hour or so, before I use it, at this time of year. 

 

 

[The Fatadder]

3 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

Clear brushes better when it's warm, I put the bottle on the radiator for an hour or so, before I use it, at this time of year. 

 

 

So using a bottle that has spent the last few months in a cold garage isnt the best idea then...   Will be sure to warm it up before I use it again tonight to seal the transfers in on the side tippers before they are varnished.  I will have another crack on the A3 while I am at it...

[Siberian Snooper]

I look forward to hearing about how you get on and a piccy or two.

 

 

[The Fatadder]

A couple of hours at the work bench after finishing work and I’ve now got transfers on the rest of the Mermaids along with the P23 and P15.  The latter is modelled on the example in Russell which still had the large W from the original livery showing in the forties.  All were then treated to another coat of Klear to seal the transfers (before spraying with mat varnish tomorrow). 

 

 

The other pair of wagons looked a bit lonely, so I’ve added a P21 converted from a Parkside Grampus.  Though after finishing it I did realise that I need two more wagons as I have fitted hook and bar couplings to all 3! In the meantime they will have to be added to a revenue earning freight being moved to Tavistock junction before going onto their destination.  It’s a shame there are not any other kits available as I’d prefer some different designs.

The P21 conversion has new ends on a Parkside grampus (it still needs the ribs height reducing and archers rivets added.

in all three wagons there is a former for the load (which continently hides some lead sheet).  I will cover with ballast once I finish ballasting the layout.

[The Fatadder]

2 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

I look forward to hearing about how you get on and a piccy or two.

 

 

It worked a lot better warmed up, although still streakier than I’d like.  I think I need better brushes.  The tender remains the worst part.

I do like what it’s done to the colour, I think I might have to get a proper loco in from the garage.  Will be good to see how a King or Castle looks, but I think I will try it on a 28xx first given it will be a lot easier to safe an unlined loco if it goes wrong! 

[Siberian Snooper]

Good to hear that some improvement has been made with the Klear varnishing, the results don't look too bad. Yes a half decent brush will also help and only do thin a thin layer.