Signaller69's projects

[Signaller69]

Not had much modelling time this week so far.

 

Looking ahead, I have ordered a set of Worseley Works Class 100 DMU sides and ends but these are currently out of stock so may be a few weeks in arriving. I am also having ideas of building a Track Relaying Unit; I'm thinking one of the Warwell based twin-crane designs, but need to do a little research on what was used in Central Scotland c.1970 first. Also on the horizon is the second Class 126 centre car and repainting the E&G DMBSi car to blue & grey (preferably without removing all the hand cut glazing), following a photo coming to light. Still got "Auld Reekie" to complete for Crinan too.

 

In the meantime, to keep me ticking over I have dug a mixed bag of 4 16ton mineral wagons out of my "stopped for attention" box:

Namely 2 ancient Airfix kit built, one Parkside and one Bachmann. The first pair need fixed loads soaking and removing, functional but overscale door hinges trimming off and door stops adding, along with a better weathering job. The Bachmann wagon just needs Kadees adding and better weathering.

Starting with the Parkside one, it has required a total rebuild. Either it was picked up at a show, or if I built it (many years ago), it must have been on a bad day! Intended just as a coupling swap and weathering exercise, examination revealed a distinct lack of square corners, out of true axle alignment and ends which sloped to one side relative to the floor, plus a missing buffer head and brake lever. Happily the awfulness extended to the glue used, as it has come apart quite easily and without damage, only one solebar and the floor remaining as they were. After re-assembly and adding missing corner gussets, door stops and cast brake levers it is ready for refinishing.

 

Removing the overscale Airfix door hinges makes a worthwhile improvement. A piece of micro-rod under the door gives a more satisfactory look.

 

Pretty much ready for some paint attention now.

[Signaller69]

Repairs completed and touched up and loads removed. Interiors given a coat of Humbrol Matt 67, and exteriors almost dry brushed with Matt 64 to give a slightly samey appearance compared to how they were; the worn look being deliberate as they will of course be re-weathered. Black panels painted ready for new transfers where required.

[Signaller69]

The 16-tonners are done now, all ready for some new removable coal loads. They look a lot more uniform than they did before, but with some variation in weathering. 

 

Thanks for looking.

Martyn.

[Signaller69]

Right. Taking the bull by the horns.

 

It may be remembered that my Ayrshire Class 126 build (using butchered Trix coach sides/roofs and Lima DMU chassis) included one of the former Edinburgh - Glasgow DMBSi cars, SC79088 which was transferred to Ayr circa 1971. I modelled this car in plain blue as with the others but I think in reality it was already blue/grey when transferred, as the E&G sets were repainted much earlier than the Ayrshire ones; a 1971 photo seen subsequently, at Ayr, shows it in Blue & Grey so mine is "in the shops" for the same treatment.

 

The main difficulty is that the model has hand cut flush glazing fitted, which was a laborious job and not something I want to repeat if I can help it, so I'm planning to get around this by masking the windows using some Halfords liquid masking tape which I bought years ago. This should have the added benefit of not painting inside the window frames too. Tamiya masking tape will be applied to mark off the area being sprayed grey. Seen here with the masking carefully applied with a small brush, which gives a misted window effect!

It could go badly wrong of course, and at best will require some touching up I expect. As the top coat was auto aerosol acrylic Matt varnish, I am hoping spraying car grey primer, followed by the shade I use for Rail Grey, applying HMRS white lining, followed by more Matt varnish before peeling away the masking will work satisfactorily. 

 

We will see....!

[Signaller69]

A couple of hours work and it has gone from "trussed chicken" to looking slightly more normal. So far so good.

The grey has taken without problem thankfully!

[Merfyn Jones]

Look forward to the next step Martyn, as I've never heard of the Halfords masking, and wonder if it works better than the old Humbrol Maskol.

[Signaller69]

30 minutes ago, Merfyn Jones said:

Look forward to the next step Martyn, as I've never heard of the Halfords masking, and wonder if it works better than the old Humbrol Maskol.

Thanks Merf, I have had it for several years, can't remember what I bought it for and no idea if it is still even produced. It has the consistency of water so is easy to get into corners and dries quickly without apparent shrinkage, leaving a very thin film. As an experiment I peeled one window away using a dental probe, it came off almost in one piece and without any problem, though I am wary that the glazing is only held in by a bead of Matt varnish so care is needed.

[Clive Mortimore]

HI Martyn

 

That looks very interesting, If it is still available then I will use it on a Mailcoach Gresley tourist brake I have.

[Signaller69]

1 minute ago, Clive Mortimore said:

HI Martyn

 

That looks very interesting, If it is still available then I will use it on a Mailcoach Gresley tourist brake I have.

Hi Clive,

In view of your and Merfyn's comments I have just done a quick Google search for "Halfords Liquid Masking Tape" but it didn't return any results for the stuff sadly (although it did find other brands). Might be worth asking in-store if and when able to do so though. 

 

But I agree it would be ideal for any kits which use clear bodysides.

[MJI]

13 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

HI Martyn

 

That looks very interesting, If it is still available then I will use it on a Mailcoach Gresley tourist brake I have.

 

But that involves paint!

[Signaller69]

After applying HMRS white lining and a sealing coat of varnish, the masking was removed. In the main this was problem free, apart from the centre sliding vents which were not flush glazed and glued from behind instead. 9 of the 12 fell into the coach when the pointed probe I was using to remove the masking was applied. After cleaning up these have been refitted. A small amount of paint came away from a couple of window frames so this was touched up, and I am still finding the odd tiny bit of masking in corners. But overall it has turned out as succesfully as I could have hoped.

Worth a mention for those who like to use Auto spray paints, this is what I use for "Rail Grey" and is very, very close to the Bachmann shade on their blue/grey coaches:

[MJI]

Model Masters lining?

 

Klear wil help get rid of silvering.

[Signaller69]

12 minutes ago, MJI said:

Model Masters lining?

 

Klear wil help get rid of silvering.

Thanks Martin, hadn't even noticed until I expanded the photo, usual case of something barely visible "in the flesh" being picked up!

I used HMRS lining, suspect a slight reaction with the acrylic varnish on this occasion, running a damp finger over it seems to have done the job though. I have not tried Modelmasters lining.

[John Tomlinson]

25 minutes ago, MJI said:

Model Masters lining?

 

Klear wil help get rid of silvering.

Hi Martin,

 

When you say this, do you mean applied before, during or after the Modelmaster decal is applied? If after that would be good to know, as I have few errant bits on a DMU project.

 

Many thanks,

 

John.

[MJI]

5 minutes ago, Signaller69 said:

Thanks Martin, hadn't even noticed until I expanded the photo, usual case of something barely visible "in the flesh" being picked up!

I used HMRS lining, suspect a slight reaction with the acrylic varnish on this occasion, running a damp finger over it seems to have done the job though. I have not tried Modelmasters lining.

 

 

I really struggle with HMRS lining so well done. No carrier film which is odd.

[MJI]

4 minutes ago, John Tomlinson said:

Hi Martin,

 

When you say this, do you mean applied before, during or after the Modelmaster decal is applied? If after that would be good to know, as I have few errant bits on a DMU project.

 

Many thanks,

 

John.

 

I normally thin coat, let dry, transfer, if in correct position, fix with another thin coat.

[Signaller69]

2 hours ago, MJI said:

 

 

I really struggle with HMRS lining so well done. No carrier film which is odd.

Cheers Martin, no it does not have carrier film as it is Pressfix (position first, press down to adhere to surface, wet it and the carrier floats off leaving the transfer in place) and it can be a pita to work with, get straight etc as when dry the carrier is hard to see through as to exactly where the white line is. But there is no carrier film left on the model to worry about as you say.

 

The other issue is the white lining is a minor part of a sheet with lining for maroon and Blood & custard coaches along with first class yellow and Restaurant car red striping (sheet 23) and there is only enough for 2.5 blue & grey coaches (10 strips each 26cm long plus similar number of one piece ends with corners) so probably not great value if you only want the white lining and/or red/ yellow striping.

[Signaller69]

On 23/06/2018 at 14:22, Signaller69 said:

After a good deal of thought, as an experiment I am going to produce a sixth 126 car, using left over bodyside parts, as either another TCK/TCS or Buffet car. I say experimental as this will also use the Trix chassis (heavily reworked) as I have several of these, and might be useful for anyone else wanting to have a go without having to source a Lima 117.

 

The only expense will be that I will need to source another pair of DMU bogies... and may not progress rapidly but we will see.

 

Hard to believe it is 2 years since I posted this.

 

Having got as authoritative a response as is likely regarding the buffet cars, I am going to have to do another Trailer Composite to complete the 6 vehicle set. But at least it can be plain blue!

 

I have decided against using a Trix chassis though and will probably be using a spare Lima 101 chassis suitably stretched to suit.

 

Time to dig out the Trix coaches and razor saw again......

[ISW]

7 minutes ago, Signaller69 said:

 

Hard to believe it is 2 years since I posted this.

 

Having got as authoritative a response as is likely regarding the buffet cars, I am going to have to do another Trailer Composite to complete the 6 vehicle set. But at least it can be plain blue!

 

I have decided against using a Trix chassis though and will probably be using a spare Lima 101 chassis suitably stretched to suit.

 

Time to dig out the Trix coaches and razor saw again......

Martyn,

 

Maybe the attached photo will extend your vast knowledge of this class of DMUs. It's from a small softback magazine type print (it's certainly not a book, and only runs to 36-pages) that I bought back in the early 1980s.

[Signaller69]

21 minutes ago, ISW said:

Martyn,

 

Maybe the attached photo will extend your vast knowledge of this class of DMUs. It's from a small softback magazine type print (it's certainly not a book, and only runs to 36-pages) that I bought back in the early 1980s.

Hello Ian,

Thanks for that, nicely illustrates the issue of diagramming frequently preventing 6-car formations from being corridor throughout, with the 2 full cab DMBS cars facing each other in the middle of the train and the driver having only the 1/3 width cab at each end! 

 

The blue/grey livery wasn't applied until the late 70s on Ayrshire sets, where the E&G sets were almost all* this colour by 1971.

 

*(The odd green car making it until around 1970.)

 

Thanks,

Martyn.

[Ramblin Rich]

On 26/05/2020 at 13:21, Signaller69 said:

Worth a mention for those who like to use Auto spray paints, this is what I use for "Rail Grey" and is very, very close to the Bachmann shade on their blue/grey coaches:

This is very useful to know. Have you got a match for rail blue at all?

[Signaller69]

33 minutes ago, Ramblin Rich said:

This is very useful to know. Have you got a match for rail blue at all?

Hi Rich,

No, not found anything remotely close yet. Warning panel yellow is my next target, but that's a thorny topic in itself!

 

Martyn.

[Jack374]

4 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

No, not found anything remotely close yet. Warning panel yellow is my next target, but that's a thorny topic in itself!

Hi Martyn,

 

I've not found a match for Rail Blue or BR Blue either, however for warning panel yellow I find Halfords' 'Rover Inca Yellow' a good match. With any colour which is close, using a different colour base coat/primer (common ones being white, grey or red oxide) will give different shades. For example, I use a light mist of red oxide before applying the Inca Yellow to give a bit more 'warmth', but experimentation will show whether this is needed.

 

Good luck!

 

Jack.

[Signaller69]

3 hours ago, Jack374 said:

Hi Martyn,

 

I've not found a match for Rail Blue or BR Blue either, however for warning panel yellow I find Halfords' 'Rover Inca Yellow' a good match. With any colour which is close, using a different colour base coat/primer (common ones being white, grey or red oxide) will give different shades. For example, I use a light mist of red oxide before applying the Inca Yellow to give a bit more 'warmth', but experimentation will show whether this is needed.

 

Good luck!

 

Jack.

Thanks Jack, very useful, I will check that out next time I'm at the local Car Accessories shop.

[Signaller69]

Having dug out my collection of Trix coach remains I happily have enough bits to do the second Trailer Composite; the corridor side has been assembled using the original as a template. It needs the small windows either side of the centre door reducing in size and a strip along the bottom edge to give the correct depth, as well as some filler over the joins.