Freight Connection Posted October 1, 2017 Author Share Posted October 1, 2017 Good evening to all.... Got a chance to give all 5 scrap carriers a couple of coats of blue this morning. Brought the colours down below the solebar as per the originals. Have picked out the wheel operated handbrake and lower ladder in white. Applied the Railtec transfers tonight to one side just to see how it will look. Want a few heavily weathered and a couple lightly done as per the articles / pics I was working from. Also picked up two Farish HEAs to finish the rake. Limitations with the chassis I chose obviously, but on a dark night in an unlit siding I'm hoping those inaccuracies and the nail head for a handbrake would pass for an original wagon. Circled is the first version I tried by plating over the re bodied end, this can sit in the middle of the rake, if I was making more I'd go for sharper corners on them all and less liquid poly, but the masking seems to have been ok... A change in Jobs soon should give a more regular shift pattern and time to speed up the room move, this is meant to be a layout thread afterall and I'd like to show a bit more progress. The plan is still the same and I see it as a long term project anyway... Thanks as always for looking - Steve 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 Hello again to all, Was really good to see some of the progress made over Christmas to layouts on here. The scrap wagons are almost complete save for a few overhead flashes and some matt to dull the loads down. Went for a general wash of browns, greys and metallic on the loads themselves. The tidemark from the ballast that almost reached the next county is evidence of over diluted PVA. A little out of practice but the follow up two days later has turned the ballast from a crumbling cake into concrete. Added the Farish hoppers to vary things a little, the remainder of the SSA kits will form an empty rake eventually The scrap is a little over scale in places but fairly happy with the results. The wagons will remain ex-works for some time, unlike the real thing Have fancied doing a couple of the hooded SPA wagons for a while now. Below is the first version, tissue paper covering allows for creases as per the original, paper strips form the frame underneath, all on a plasticard box. I lost the roof shape, compared to originals mine is far too rounded. The final version should look much better with the sides flusher to the wagon edges. Slightly thicker paper strips will probably be used next time, but learned enough from this one to hopefully make a reasonable copy of the original. Thanks as always for looking, and happy modelling for 2018 Steve 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkie Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Cracking work steve. The scrap wagons and HEA's look great. I do like the sheeted wagon you are doing. Would this be like the one's used by allied steel and wire? Cheers Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted January 10, 2018 Author Share Posted January 10, 2018 Thanks Phil Yes... I haven't gone to town on doing the logos on the computer until I get the bodies right. At the moment it sits 'in' the wagon too much and looks a little thin. Bringing the sheets down flush will improve the proportions. The roof detail will be improved with frame work closer to the original. The transfers have ( I think ) been available in 00, professional ones would be better. I may still do them myself but would have to match the inkjet blue to the blue paint on the model. And hide the decal edges on the frame lines. Mine would also be lot thicker, I did some EWS tanker ones some time back, and had the same problem. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 How's the layout progressing Steve? Have you been doing much modelling lately? The scrap loads in that last set of photo's looks brilliant. All the best Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted October 8, 2018 Author Share Posted October 8, 2018 Thanks for the comment re the scrap Dave. Long overdue an update, the layout is finally up in the spare room. The hobby room that was downstairs is now a living room and I wanted that finished before starting upstairs. Workbench will be a slide out arrangement once the 3rd board goes over the top of it. Walls covered in cheap twin slot.... Boards still able to stand up for wiring, droppers from every track piece and frog.. Recently started to wire up the 2nd board, cables left long as the terminal boards may have to stand off in the future for signals, more point motors etc. Have kept the same colours throughout and it's making it easier ( 4 and 6 core alarm cable). Did buy one reel of green layout wire, as the section switches are in much longer runs.... Have less room under the layout now due to the cut and shut drawers fixed underneath, so the 4mm plugs from the controllers are now on the edge to save lifting the boards for smaller issues. No connectors between boards required just yet except for the 12 and 16v jumped from the controllers, all point / section panels will be local to the boards. Had these controllers some years ( Beatties named but possibly Gaugemaster? Can't remember ) anyway, finally boxed them to stop them sliding around. They have been very reliable, I blew a gaugemaster panel mount some years back and so will stick with these for now... Test running across the boards before carrying on with ballasting Little bits of detail added when ballasting, as you can see from the timescale i'm never going to be a prolific layout builder... This one will do me for some years to come. Full of admiration for location based layouts but this draws more on inspiration from other peoples layouts. The end of the ballast at the rear will be covered by a road bridge, thus giving the layout its name, and a station roof to hide the tight turn to board 3. Platform ends only being visible, with the station appearing to carry on to the rear. Plenty to do in the way of projects etc ( Doesn't everyone?) Going to try some heavy weathering on the SSAs, kits sat around everywhere, tiger POAs peppered with holes waiting to become limpets etc.. But at least when wiring or ballasting gets a bit tedious there's plenty of other things to do. Thanks as always for looking Steve 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Looking really good Steve, How big will the layout be? Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted October 8, 2018 Author Share Posted October 8, 2018 Looking really good Steve, How big will the layout be? Graham. Thanks Graham, For now it will end up as an 8x6 L shape, figure of 8 layout, if that makes sense. With the crossover under the station roof for access and to keep the storage yard gradient as gentle as possible. ( With it being hidden I'd like the pans below to skim under the track above ) And so make the slopes on the window edge as gentle as possible. The board still to be built will be an open frame scenic section, with the option to carry on around the room. The room isn't the biggest,, and any future run down the other wall will be 18" wide max so I don't feel too cramped. The oval I started originally just lost momentum. This should keep my interest up. Cheers - Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Thats looking good Steve, I love what you have done with the point motor it looks brillant. Great to see the progress thanks for sharing. All the best Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted October 24, 2018 Author Share Posted October 24, 2018 (edited) Good afternoon to all, Some time off between jobs is letting me get some work done on the station end.... Platforms fitted, leaving in plain white card for now until mast positions etc all dug out... Glue gun mock up of what will hide the curves Ballast still plain at the moment, oil stains / grime to be added. A compromise in hiding enough of the curve and leaving a reasonable amount of platform visible. Also there was quite a lot of point work to fit on the board. The platform gap where the 150 is sitting is hidden from the normal viewing position anyway A crude mock up, undecided on a clad roof ( Similar to how Leeds used to be), or the end section of a 00 Peco roof. I'm trying to give the impression of the station going straight on into the back scene. Have started to weather the POA / SSAs. I did try a Farish chassis (not pictured),to bring the suspension closer to the originals but wasn't really viable to cut so many donor wagons up. Thanks as always for looking Regards - Steve Edited October 24, 2018 by Freight Connection 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted November 10, 2018 Author Share Posted November 10, 2018 (edited) Good Afternoon to all, I finally got a chance to put some hoods together this week to drop into the Farish SPA wagons. Did them in 40 thou plasticard and knocked up some home made transfers. I've seen 00 and Z versions of these hoods around, cast resin obviously suits the creases required, and so these are bit cheap and cheerful. But they do the job. These are the wagons pictured at Tinsley ( With thanks to Kev Smith ) kevsmithai on Youtube for permission to reproduce. He also incidentally runs the Z versions. Tons of 37 & 47 pics on his channel from this era. After a crude mock up some time ago I changed to this sort of roof. There is a close up pic on RMweb of the tops of these and that's why i went for this arrangement of the supports. I just filed a gentle apex at the ends to match a real one and suggest the shape rather than file too much off in the middle. Haven't modelled any of the end fixings. Sticky paper under tissue and PVA. Close up the lack of side creases etc can make them look a bit boxy, but settled on this. Didn't want the transfers on tissue paper. But with PVA and paint it is quite a stable base, so will try with the next batch. Reasonably happy with the hood height, used mag pics to judge against a 37. The rail express formation pics enlarged were also a good guide. The crude close up shot of the home made decals.. Of course nothing beats commercially available decals, and sliding these on feels more like hanging 1200 grade lining paper. The smaller shot shows the limitations of a standard home printer, but bear in mind this one is only around 2mm high. A bed of decalfix pulling the big ones down really tight. Knocked them up in MS Paint.. Arial Unicode MS seemed a reasonable match, had to lop the top off the sloping t. Did them at 90 and reduced them down to keep the defintion. Matched the paint roughly to the ink on the decals, but knew the angles and matt varnish would hide the difference. Took the decal up to just shy of the edge to avoid it being flicked back, and to help hide the slight colour difference. NGS / PG Scimitars happened to be on the table at the time of the pic I can't see myself altering the Farish data panels to suit as I want to use some of the coils provided to lie under tarps that don't quite fit... And so have a choice of loads... Have spent far too much time watching vids of steel traffic in and around Cardiff and Newport. I don't even know what county my layout is set in, and so if my traffic is way off route I wouldn't know. Just nice to finish these reasonably quickly. Trying hard not to leave too many little projects half done. ( Oops, and the er layout itself ) Thanks for looking as always - Steve Edited November 10, 2018 by Freight Connection 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkie Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 Hells bell's steve they look spot on fella Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted November 10, 2018 Author Share Posted November 10, 2018 Thank you Phil... I seem to be in an all things metal mode lately... Couldn't remember where i'd seen some Blackadders and then just realised it was on your thread. Going to pick a couple up and carry on the ASW theme for a bit. Regards - Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkie Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 Nothing wrong with steel wagons, My blackadders are still wrapped up. I Just need to get peco chassis before I make a start. Really wouldn't mind a bash at hooded spa's Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted November 10, 2018 Author Share Posted November 10, 2018 Phil I'll put the rest of the pics up tomorrow night including the full size for the decals Some pics as well to show the pitfalls with home decals / bleeding at the edges etc Paint colour / MS Paint settings etc Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
87023Velocity Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 Hi Steve, Nice work on those hoods, those home made transfers are very good. Very impressed. Cheers Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Excellent work with the hoods Steve, they look spot on! Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted November 11, 2018 Author Share Posted November 11, 2018 (edited) Good evening to all, Just a note to mention the pitfalls of printing / fitting your own waterslides, and a few other pics left over from the build. It probably sums up the mistakes I've made over the last few years, and is probably more suited to anyone starting out with these. You can't beat decent commercially available transfers, but for one offs these are ideal... Lorry sides, shopfront signs etc Do all your trials & fits in grey scale / low quality.... Saves your ink Do your text and art in the largest res you can manage, then shrink them down at the end My printer floods transfer paper on fine... I printed these in normal / standard When you seal in the finished transfers with lacquer, just mist the first coat on. Otherwise you'll run the colours. I use Halfords ( Or any I suppose) acrylic... You can get 2-3 light coats on quickly. Don't make your 2nd and or 3rd coats too heavy. The transfer below was placed onto water, you can see where the water has crept in at the edge. Yes you sealed it, but you have to cut them out afterwards, otherwise you may struggle to get them off the backing... The top went as well and has been re airbrushed ( But it's a faff ) Therefore.... Place your transfer face down onto tissue, ' Paint ' a small amount of water onto the rear, and push it towards the edge, don't flood it over. Leave it for a minute or two and your good to go. Don't flex it, just make sure that gently between your thumb & forefinger that it wants to move. Any creasing will leave a big white line... Also, flooding the face of these immediately leaves the colours looking less vibrant. I use a film of Decalfix underneath ( I know some don't get on with it ) But it does pull it all down tight Hopefully there's something above to get somebody started... A few pics remaining from yesterdays post... I ditched the side strips after this one, made it look too much like a metal box I thought, I also thought this hood was too high, 9mm or just under seems better. Tissue paper top then fitted with PVA, kept just shy of the edge to avoid flicking up. Attempts at making the cover looked creased, not the best i know ( A cast resin version would be ideal here) Thanks as always, for looking Steve Edited November 13, 2018 by Freight Connection 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkie Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Thanks Steve that's a great little write up fella. The shades of blue are an absolute mere. To get near perfect. It does look very close to the blue I used on my Tiphook Rail steel carrier wagon. Which was Halfords Rover (Nautilus blue). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted November 11, 2018 Author Share Posted November 11, 2018 I know what you mean, i looked at so many pics in so many lights. Changed the palette on Paint so many times, and then realised the blue on the stripes was different again. In the end i ignored my own advice and just printed one out. Happened to have the Revell here, didn't want the faff of changing its tone. I got a Halfords green incidentally the other week for some TEAs after advice on here Thanks - Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted November 28, 2018 Author Share Posted November 28, 2018 Good evening to all, Just a few pics to show this weeks efforts.... A slight rework to try and introduce creasing to the edges and sides of the Cardiff Rod Mill Hoods, wagon label also slightly smaller. End fittings not precise I know, but have to stay clear of the Farish wagon as I also want it to carry coils under sheet canvas N Gauge Cardiff Rod Mill SEA ex SPA hoods. Just worked some liquid poly onto the sides with a makeshift plasticard comb and filed curves into the top edge to get rid of the boxy look.. Limited funds in the 80s meant I never got round to getting any class 20s, picked a couple of Poole poor runners up last year to go into RF livery, grey and red added this week These PG / NGS kits are a joy to make, another coat of matt needed. Got some Oxford Land Rovers last year to sit in the OCAs, these can sit in the warwells until I get some flats.. Thanks for looking as always - Steve 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 Looking good Steve. The Cardiff Rod Mill Hoods are especially impressive. They look superb, great job. All the best Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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