Southern Railway Modelling - Miscellaneous Project work

[Jack P]

On 11/06/2023 at 01:26, Nick C said:

I've just found a couple of rather nice colour photos of Hardham junction in "Sussex Steam" by Michael Welch. Both mid 60s, but I doubt it'd have changed much...

 

PM sent!

[Jack P]

A quick update with two interlopers from a friend in the UK.

I was asked to add the detail packs, renumber/name and weather a Star and King.

 

Here are some photos of them in the winter sunshine. 

 

4026 'Japanese Monarch'

 

 

 

 

 

 

6013 'King  Henry VIII'

 

 

 

 

 

I've not been idle. Am currently trying to adapt two of the British finescale turnouts to form the crossing at Hardham. Worst case, if that fails, I'll use the rail provided and try to build them myself. Nothing ventured and all that.

More updates anon.

[Bulwell Hall]

Beautiful work Jack.  I especially like what you have done with 4026. I always thought that the Hornby Star had potential in spite of its shortcomings and you have proved the point - I'm very tempted to get on with mine now and get it converted to EM.  The King is very nice also - and has really brought out how good the  model is - but I just so much prefer a Star to a King!

 

Gerry

[1466]

2 hours ago, Bulwell Hall said:

Beautiful work Jack.  I especially like what you have done with 4026. I always thought that the Hornby Star had potential in spite of its shortcomings and you have proved the point - I'm very tempted to get on with mine now and get it converted to EM.  The King is very nice also - and has really brought out how good the  model is - but I just so much prefer a Star to a King!

 

Gerry

I hope you will share your Star conversion to EM with us . Those large drivers in close proximity may be a challenge. Would you kindly report on the Accurascale Manor to EM , too . TIA .

Ken 

[Jack P]

A few more shots in the sun:

 

 

 

 

 

Have felt a bit dejected with the hobby recently. My choice to convert to EM has been a challenge to say the least - unpowered rolling stock presents no issue, but i've had very little luck with the RTR motive power. The two D classes have been really difficult. Not to mention my H's (which i've decided will need new chassis built). If i'd stuck with OO I would have none of these issues and could no doubt focus my time and effort on other ventures.

 

I do not regret my choice - far from it. I think it's prompted me to delve further into the 'finescale' aspect of the hobby, and has introduced me to track building, compensated chassis, etc.

It's just been a few weeks months where nothing feels like it works, or is going right.

 

Anyway, whinge over - back to the grindstone.

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by Jack P

[Rugd1022]

On 16/06/2023 at 02:31, Jack P said:

A quick update with two interlopers from a friend in the UK.

I was asked to add the detail packs, renumber/name and weather a Star and King.

 

Here are some photos of them in the winter sunshine. 

 

4026 'Japanese Monarch'

 

 

 

 

 

 

6013 'King  Henry VIII'

 

 

 

 

 

I've not been idle. Am currently trying to adapt two of the British finescale turnouts to form the crossing at Hardham. Worst case, if that fails, I'll use the rail provided and try to build them myself. Nothing ventured and all that.

More updates anon.

 

Beautifully finished models there Jack, a genuine 'wow' from me - it's quite rare to see any GW era stuff even slightyl weathered, never mind done properly as you you've done. Even a brief trawl of the numerous GW steam books out there will show some absolutely filthy GW locos, both pre and post war, not to mention dark grey carriage roofs and ingrained dirt in the once immaculate chocolate and cream paint work. Superb, inspiring stuff.

Edited July 3, 2023 by Rugd1022

[DLT]

6 hours ago, Jack P said:

Have felt a bit dejected with the hobby recently. My choice to convert to EM has been a challenge to say the least - unpowered rolling stock presents no issue, but i've had very little luck with the RTR motive power. The two D classes have been really difficult. Not to mention my H's (which i've decided will need new chassis built). If i'd stuck with OO I would have none of these issues and could no doubt focus my time and effort on other ventures.

 

I do not regret my choice - far from it. I think it's prompted me to delve further into the 'finescale' aspect of the hobby, and has introduced me to track building, compensated chassis, etc.

It's just been a few weeks months where nothing feels like it works, or is going right.

Sorry to hear that Jack, but if you had stuck with 00 the dissatisfaction would probably always be there.

Have you converted the Nelson yet?  Wizard Models do a chassis kit (formerly Comet I think) specifically for the purpose of an EM/P4 conversion.

 

Your locos are looking superb.

 

Cheers, Dave.

[1466]

2 hours ago, DLT said:

Sorry to hear that Jack, but if you had stuck with 00 the dissatisfaction would probably always be there.

Have you converted the Nelson yet?  Wizard Models do a chassis kit (formerly Comet I think) specifically for the purpose of an EM/P4 conversion.

 

Your locos are looking superb.

 

Cheers, Dave.

Courage , mon ami , mate . 
I’ve been similarly cast down but when a conversion , scratch build goes well , it’s worthwhile .

In my case , years of waiting for trains has given me a mental picture of what 4 feet  , 8 and a half inches looks like and I can’t reconcile it with 00 .

Jack,  you have such talents and skills that you will prevail .

All the best

Ken 

Edited July 3, 2023 by 1466
Omitted you have

[Steve Smith]

For my Bachmann N Class, my initial approach was to re-wheel to EM Gauge, but that wasn't entirely satisfactory, and I eventually fitted an SEF etched chassis with twin beam compensation reusing the Bachmann valve gear.  I'm planning a U Class conversion using a Bachy N Class body and will use the same approach for that chassis.  I'm also planning to fit the Hornby valve gear to an SEF chassis to convert a Hornby Schools to EM.  Fitting the Bachy (or Hornby) valve gear to the Comet chassis for the LN could be the way to go for you too.   

[Rugd1022]

I've just finished going through the whole thread Jack and have to say what a very enjoyable trawl it was, your work is definitely up there with the best, the quality and realism of finish is fantastic (not to mention consistent) and you seem to be able to get things done at a cracking rate, it often takes me a fortnight just to open a box and decide where to start, never mind actually do some modelling and achieve decent results!

 

I've picked out some of your items which have really hit the right spot and I hope you don't mind me taking the liberty of putting some of them through the 'black and white nostalgia machine', to me it really highlights how realistic your well thought out and executed work makes them look. Rather than try and multi quote the relevant posts I'll put everything together here and work through them.

 

The Star and King are beautiful models... they remind me of the excellent work of photographer Kenneth Leech...

 

 

 

Your treatment of the Gresley Full Brake is sublime, is it the Hornby one or kit built...? It doesn't look anything like a r-t-r item and has the look of the real thing, sitting down on its bogies...

 

 

 

The D16 looks every inch a proper loco...

 

 

The Hornby M7s are really nicely done, I wish they did this in 7mm r-t-r, in fact the work you've done on them makes them look like high quality 7mm kit or scratch built versions...

 

 

 

 

 

Likewise the Schools, one of my favourite Southern machines, always wanted to do 'Rugby' as I live less than two miles from its namesake and my Mum was one of the headmaster's secretaries back in the late '70s...

 

 

 

The SECR D Class really looks the part...

 

 

As do the 700 and C Class 0-6-0s...

 

 

 

The Q1 looks a brute, just like the real thing...

 

 

Even in plain all over black the S15 looks like a high quality model...

 

 

Lastly, your 'Spam Can' is a fantastic, inspiring model...

 

 

 

 

 

None of the above look like r-t-r models - this is the kind of work we can all aspire to 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jack P]

Thanks for your comments chaps. Just a little down, not out!

 

On 04/07/2023 at 04:49, DLT said:

if you had stuck with 00 the dissatisfaction would probably always be there.

 

I think this is exactly it - the journey into EM is a challenge, but the end result is one that I honestly believe will be worth it. 

More to come soon I hope!