Stoke Courtenay

[GWR8700]

On 12/08/2021 at 18:31, Coach bogie said:

A bit of both. Coach kits- some on the shelf, others can be made up but castings can be an issue and it is when he can cast as he is having a few mobility issues at the moment, Wagon kits from remaining stock. Loco kits were never his, some are in stock, others will need castings ordered. He has new kits for a K22 and an L3/4 TPO.

 

Mike Wiltshire

Not wanting to hijack the thread but does he have a catalogue or email to contact him? I'd be interested in a few things.

[Sandhole]

5 hours ago, checkrail said:

Yep, can confirm that the van next to the K22 is an inside-framed siphon G, the old Lima model.  But of course, as @Sandholewould no doubt agree, Hornby should feel free to produce a siphon J anytime they like!

OOPS, my mistake.
I was talking with Coachbogie. Mike and I think that Hornby should make a state of the art inside framed Siphon G. The old Lima model.
#Every livery including blue, with or without the shutters on the body.
Chris.

[Guest]

On 14/08/2021 at 14:35, checkrail said:

Camera is a Panasonic TZ100.  I know very little about photography and this camera will do all sorts of things I'll never understand.  

 

I think one element in avoiding the 'over vivid' look you mention is to keep the colours and contrasts on the layout itself pretty restrained.  That goes for the trains too.  Though I wouldn't go quite as far as a bloke I once read of who'd allegedly over-sprayed his entire layout with a light misting of grey paint.

Thanks for info, your Panasonic has more functions than mine, will get my son to try your settings on his Dgi SLR next time he visits.  most of my grass has been 'misted' with matt black and brown, only looks yuk in photos.

 

Cheers.

[checkrail]

A tale of two panniers (cont.)

 

One or two of you might remember that back in late March I'd begun to modify my Bachmann panniers to represent their pre-war appearance, having been given a head start due to the kindness of Mike @Coach bogie in giving me two Bachmann bodyshells on which he'd already done most of the required heavy duty surgery.  Here are the results - and I hasten to add that their numerous shortcomings are down to my work, not Mike's!

 

I'm not very good at this kind of stuff, so it's taken me a long time, with numerous false starts, goings over, and periods when I put them aside despairing of ever getting an acceptable result.  I found working with filler and sanding round all the detail to be quite frustrating, sometimes sanding bumps and bulges for ages with no apparent reduction towards flatness while on others removing too much and ending up with cavities and fissures.  Inevitably some detail parts suffered along the way, but at least I had my original pannier bodies to cannibalise.

 

Both of course then needed a complete repaint before final detailing, and as they were destined to have different finishes I experimented by using Precision GWR green on the 8750 class and Railmatch on the 57xx, both from rattle cans.  Don't know which is the more accurate but I like them both. 

 

Throughout the conversion I kept thinking that I was producing a right pair of ugly ducklings, but a coat of paint covers a multitude of sins, if not all of them, and now they're back on the layout I think they might look reasonable to the proverbial blind man on the galloping horse.

 

Some pics of them in service to follow.

 

John C. 

 

 

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, checkrail said:

A tale of two panniers (cont.)

 

One or two of you might remember that back in late March I'd begun to modify my Bachmann panniers to represent their pre-war appearance, having been given a head start due to the kindness of Mike @Coach bogie in giving me two Bachmann bodyshells on which he'd already done most of the required heavy duty surgery.  Here are the results - and I hasten to add that their numerous shortcomings are down to my work, not Mike's!

 

I'm not very good at this kind of stuff, so it's taken me a long time, with numerous false starts, goings over, and periods when I put them aside despairing of ever getting an acceptable result.  I found working with filler and sanding round all the detail to be quite frustrating, sometimes sanding bumps and bulges for ages with no apparent reduction towards flatness while on others removing too much and ending up with cavities and fissures.  Inevitably some detail parts suffered along the way, but at least I had my original pannier bodies to cannibalise.

 

Both of course then needed a complete repaint before final detailing, and as they were destined to have different finishes I experimented by using Precision GWR green on the 8750 class and Railmatch on the 57xx, both from rattle cans.  Don't know which is the more accurate but I like them both. 

 

Throughout the conversion I kept thinking that I was producing a right pair of ugly ducklings, but a coat of paint covers a multitude of sins, if not all of them, and now they're back on the layout I think they might look reasonable to the proverbial blind man on the galloping horse.

 

Some pics of them in service to follow.

 

John C. 

 

 

They both look very good John. I particularly like the older liveried loco has that dusty / dirty look to it…. It’s turn is coming to return to Swindon for a heavy general.

 

Excellent work…. You realise that the more us who do this, brings closer the time that Bachmann announce new non top feed panniers… sound fitted; firebox glow etc.

[MrWolf]

18 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

They both look very good John. I particularly like the older liveried loco has that dusty / dirty look to it…. It’s turn is coming to return to Swindon for a heavy general.

 

Excellent work…. You realise that the more us who do this, brings closer the time that Bachmann announce new non top feed panniers… sound fitted; firebox glow etc.

 

I'll second that. I have a couple of panniers that need the same treatment when I am a little further on with my layout.

[Neal Ball]

Just now, MrWolf said:

 

I'll second that. I have a couple of panniers that need the same treatment when I am a little further on with my layout.

I’ve done 3 so far…. Very pleased with them. 
 

They might not take close scrutiny, but are very close to original condition.

 

Good luck with them.

[KNP]

They look good, I have completed one to date with another in the pipeline to do.

Nice to see the lid for the sandbox in the right position!

Edited September 28, 2021 by KNP

[checkrail]

28 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

You realise that the more us who do this, brings closer the time that Bachmann announce new non top feed panniers… sound fitted; firebox glow etc.

Indeed - just what I've been thinking all along!  But there might be another way.  Did you see any of the mag reviews of Thanet Loco Works 3D-printed 97xx condensing pannier body for a Hornby 0-6-0 chassis (along with various other non-GWR types)?  Almost back to the 60s - new body for proprietary chassis - but looked rather good.  I've emailed them suggesting that many modellers would welcome pre-war versions of classes 57xx & 8750 to fit a Bachmann chassis, as Bachmann don't yet seem to be interested in revisiting it.

[checkrail]

Here's 3603, standing in for the branch prairie on a passenger turn from Earlsbridge.

 

There was quite a bit of discussion on this thread a few pages back (26 March onwards) about the differing details of the two locos so I won't repeat it all here, but am grateful to @Miss Prismand others for their contributions.  Detail and finish on 3603 is based on a photo I found of 3621 when nearly new.  3603 went new to Exeter in early 1939 so has been finished in fairly spick & span condition with only the slightest patina of soot along the top of the boiler and tanks.  The chassis had already been weathered in its previous incarnation, but I applied some more Lifecolor 'grease effects' paint to the coupling rods.

 

One thing I did find difficult on both models was attaching the very nice sandbox operating rods from RT Models.  A bit fiddly for me and I ended up gluing them to the front of the splashers.  Ok from a distance but not to be inspected close up!

 

John C.

[TrevorP1]

9 minutes ago, checkrail said:

 

One thing I did find difficult on both models was attaching the very nice sandbox operating rods from RT Models.  A bit fiddly for me and I ended up gluing them to the front of the splashers.  Ok from a distance but not to be inspected close up!

 

John C.

 

Well you got farther than I ever did. I ordered a set and when it arrived thought "Oh *******!" and it stayed in the packet!

[Sandhole]

2 hours ago, checkrail said:

A tale of two panniers (cont.)

 

One or two of you might remember that back in late March I'd begun to modify my Bachmann panniers to represent their pre-war appearance, having been given a head start due to the kindness of Mike @Coach bogie in giving me two Bachmann bodyshells on which he'd already done most of the required heavy duty surgery.  Here are the results - and I hasten to add that their numerous shortcomings are down to my work, not Mike's!

 

I'm not very good at this kind of stuff, so it's taken me a long time, with numerous false starts, goings over, and periods when I put them aside despairing of ever getting an acceptable result.  I found working with filler and sanding round all the detail to be quite frustrating, sometimes sanding bumps and bulges for ages with no apparent reduction towards flatness while on others removing too much and ending up with cavities and fissures.  Inevitably some detail parts suffered along the way, but at least I had my original pannier bodies to cannibalise.

 

Both of course then needed a complete repaint before final detailing, and as they were destined to have different finishes I experimented by using Precision GWR green on the 8750 class and Railmatch on the 57xx, both from rattle cans.  Don't know which is the more accurate but I like them both. 

 

Throughout the conversion I kept thinking that I was producing a right pair of ugly ducklings, but a coat of paint covers a multitude of sins, if not all of them, and now they're back on the layout I think they might look reasonable to the proverbial blind man on the galloping horse.

 

Some pics of them in service to follow.

 

John C. 

 

 

Lovely job.
Regards,
Chris.

[Neal Ball]

42 minutes ago, checkrail said:

Indeed - just what I've been thinking all along!  But there might be another way.  Did you see any of the mag reviews of Thanet Loco Works 3D-printed 97xx condensing pannier body for a Hornby 0-6-0 chassis (along with various other non-GWR types)?  Almost back to the 60s - new body for proprietary chassis - but looked rather good.  I've emailed them suggesting that many modellers would welcome pre-war versions of classes 57xx & 8750 to fit a Bachmann chassis, as Bachmann don't yet seem to be interested in revisiting it.

That sounds interesting, I hadn’t seen the details of this before.

 

Thanks John.

[Neal Ball]

Looks very interesting if they did a 57xx…. Not sure about a jinty chassis though….

 

https://www.cdc-design.net/gwr-97xx-condensing-pannier-tank.html

 

[checkrail]

2 hours ago, TrevorP1 said:

Well you got farther than I ever did. I ordered a set and when it arrived thought "Oh *******!" and it stayed in the packet!

That's what I thought when I saw the third bit - the linkage to the cab and the transverse rod that connects the two front rods amidships as it were.  All very prototypical I'm sure but the prototype didn't have a dirty great electric motor sitting between the frames.

[checkrail]

3603 has just uncoupled and is drawing forward to run round its train, once the pick up goods has moved out of the loop and back onto the main line.

 

I'd realised that several batches of GWR locos had cast iron number plates, and cast round (excuse pun) for a way to replicate these.  Attempts to paint the raised numbers and rims with Humbrol metallic silver or various shades of grey (but less than 50) didn't look right.  Then I read Ian Rathbone's guide to painting GWR locos and learned that the numbers and rims on cast iron plates were painted a pale yellow.  I'd had no idea, and didn't even know whether to believe it until I looked at the websites of various railwayana auction houses and found it to be so.  Indeed, after a bit of ageing it's hard to tell the difference between the finish of the brass and the iron plates.  So I was able to salvage the plates from my original loco and bung them on the new 3603.  They'll do.

 

Here's 3603 by the water tower, the last shot being a cropped and cruel close-up.

 

 

John C.

[MrWolf]

They really are lifted with a bit of work, making the nicely made original look toylike by comparison.

 

Although it's far too big for my layout, that water tank with filigree panels is rather impressive, where did that originate from?

[checkrail]

19 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

that water tank with filigree panels is rather impressive, where did that originate from?

Resin cast, commissioned from Bachmann by Kernow Model Railways and based on the one at St Ives (though I've seen pics of very similar prototypes in other parts of GWR territory. I repainted it with Railmatch colours to match my other company buildings.

[checkrail]

One I accidentally left out as 3603 heads back towards Earlbridge, complete with wonky lamp.

John C.

[MrWolf]

Thanks, I have actually seen those. Your paint job is what threw me, it has taken it from RTP to what I have assumed was an etched brass and white metal kit. Top job! 

[Graham T]

31 minutes ago, checkrail said:

3603 has just uncoupled and is drawing forward to run round its train, once the pick up goods has moved out of the loop and back onto the main line.

 

I'd realised that several batches of GWR locos had cast iron number plates, and cast round (excuse pun) for a way to replicate these.  Attempts to paint the raised numbers and rims with Humbrol metallic silver or various shades of grey (but less than 50) didn't look right.  Then I read Ian Rathbone's guide to painting GWR locos and learned that the numbers and rims on cast iron plates were painted a pale yellow.  I'd had no idea, and didn't even know whether to believe it until I looked at the websites of various railwayana auction houses and found it to be so.  Indeed, after a bit of ageing it's hard to tell the difference between the finish of the brass and the iron plates.  So I was able to salvage the plates from my original loco and bung them on the new 3603.  They'll do.

 

Here's 3603 by the water tower, the last shot being a cropped and cruel close-up.

 

 

 

John C.

 

It still stands up very well in the close-up, I'd say.  Proper job!

[Neal Ball]

14 hours ago, checkrail said:

Indeed - just what I've been thinking all along!  But there might be another way.  Did you see any of the mag reviews of Thanet Loco Works 3D-printed 97xx condensing pannier body for a Hornby 0-6-0 chassis (along with various other non-GWR types)?  Almost back to the 60s - new body for proprietary chassis - but looked rather good.  I've emailed them suggesting that many modellers would welcome pre-war versions of classes 57xx & 8750 to fit a Bachmann chassis, as Bachmann don't yet seem to be interested in revisiting it.

Morning John,

I have just had another look at this and tried to find reviews in the last BRM and Model Rail, but couldn’t find anything.

 

I then had another look at the photo of the 94xx on my iPad and managed a cruel blow up and it doesn’t quite hold up to further scrutiny. You can see the 3D printing scan lines on the front of the cab and the dome. I don’t know how easy it would be to get some wet and dry paper in to smooth it down, without touching any other detail around it.

 

 

Clearly it’s very speculative at this stage and quite possibly a manufacturer might take the view that tooling up for a 57xx could be a waste of money if Bachmann then produce it in RTR.

[Harlequin]

45 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

Morning John,

I have just had another look at this and tried to find reviews in the last BRM and Model Rail, but couldn’t find anything.

 

I then had another look at the photo of the 94xx on my iPad and managed a cruel blow up and it doesn’t quite hold up to further scrutiny. You can see the 3D printing scan lines on the front of the cab and the dome. I don’t know how easy it would be to get some wet and dry paper in to smooth it down, without touching any other detail around it.

 

 

Clearly it’s very speculative at this stage and quite possibly a manufacturer might take the view that tooling up for a 57xx could be a waste of money if Bachmann then produce it in RTR.

The side of the tank is warped as well. These are the typical problems of 3D printing at the moment - unless you have a very expensive commercial-grade printer.

(Also note the horrible facetting on the steam dome - that's a CAD problem.)

 

[The Fatadder]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

Morning John,

I have just had another look at this and tried to find reviews in the last BRM and Model Rail, but couldn’t find anything.

 

I then had another look at the photo of the 94xx on my iPad and managed a cruel blow up and it doesn’t quite hold up to further scrutiny. You can see the 3D printing scan lines on the front of the cab and the dome. I don’t know how easy it would be to get some wet and dry paper in to smooth it down, without touching any other detail around it.

 

 

Clearly it’s very speculative at this stage and quite possibly a manufacturer might take the view that tooling up for a 57xx could be a waste of money if Bachmann then produce it in RTR.

There is certainly an obsession with a lot of 3D designers in that they want to produce a one piece model, even when that is not the best way to tackle getting the best out of their printer.  In that case leaving off bits like the chimney and dome and offering as a separate print would allow for optimising the orientation to minimise layering etc (or the simpler option of sourcing a metal part from Brassmasters or Gibson etc 

 

though in this case as Harliquin mentions, the design work on the dome is very poorly done.

[Clearwater]

16 hours ago, checkrail said:

Indeed - just what I've been thinking all along!  But there might be another way.  Did you see any of the mag reviews of Thanet Loco Works 3D-printed 97xx condensing pannier body for a Hornby 0-6-0 chassis (along with various other non-GWR types)?  Almost back to the 60s - new body for proprietary chassis - but looked rather good.  I've emailed them suggesting that many modellers would welcome pre-war versions of classes 57xx & 8750 to fit a Bachmann chassis, as Bachmann don't yet seem to be interested in revisiting it.

 

John, there was a review in the September Railway Modeller.

David