Nile's NG Modelling

[Stephen Rainsbury]

On 06/01/2020 at 22:36, Nile said:

 

Hi, I am hoping that you can help

 

I am new to 009 and have been having issues with the pivot on Greenwich couplings. Do you use a bent track pin as supplied? If so how are you bending them so tight to the coupling?  I can't get even my snipe nosed pliers that close. I have tried cutting the pin close and then using a tiny dot superglue to hold it in place but every now and again it bleeds through and jambs the whole hing up tight.

And is that Araldite that you are using to fix them in place?

Thanks.

Stephen

[Nile]

Hi Stephen, the bend in the track pin doesn't have to be very close to the coupling loop. It can be a few mm away and still work, sideways movement will be limited by the tabs on the loop and hinge. I use some small fine nosed pliers that leave about a 1mm gap.

If I can't find the track pin I use some brass rod bent over at both ends, works just as well as long as it fits through the holes.

I fix the couplings in place with superglue gel.

[Stephen Rainsbury]

11 hours ago, Nile said:

Hi Stephen, the bend in the track pin doesn't have to be very close to the coupling loop. It can be a few mm away and still work, sideways movement will be limited by the tabs on the loop and hinge. I use some small fine nosed pliers that leave about a 1mm gap.

If I can't find the track pin I use some brass rod bent over at both ends, works just as well as long as it fits through the holes.

I fix the couplings in place with superglue gel.

Thanks. I have tried using some flat nosed tweezers but found that if I wasn't careful I could twist the coupling as I bent the pin. I just read that somebody else cuts the pin almost flush and holds it in place with a drop of humbrol matt black paint all around pin head, then another drop over the far end. I might give that ago too :

I have been using superglue gel too, but the nozzle always seems to jam up however I store it so it works out quite expensive  

Edited January 10, 2020 by Stephen Rainsbury

[Nile]

I use this stuff and rarely have any trouble with the nozzle.

[Nile]

I bought another coach for the Scarrdale Railway, to become a 1st/2nd composite. This means three oil lamp covers and full height compartments. As they would be in the way I removed the pillars as per the blue coaches.

 

This has now become coach no.2.

 

This is now the original passenger train, one all third, one composite and one brake.

 

Another all third (now no.4) was later added.

[AlfaZagato]

I suppose No. 4 is for Market Days?   You might have overextended your loop.

[Nile]

It just fits. The platform may need extending, but you can't see that with the train there.

[Nile]

I've been carrying on with coach building, next is the Meridian kit of the TR Lancaster coach. I found in my bits box 5 sides and ends, enough parts for two complete coaches. Rather than just build them as they should be I used the extra bits to add a brake compartment to one. I also found a roof long enough to cover the extended coach.

 

[Mikkel]

Nice crisp bash of what looks like a nice crisp kit. 

 

Also good to see a bit of the layout in recent posts.  

[Nile]

Onto the painting. I started with a base coat of Humbrol enamel 62 sand. After leaving to dry for a few days I switched to acrylics. The main colour is mixture of 62 leather and (mostly) 63 sand. Interior is 26 khaki.

 

Then the side panels were painted red - a mix of Humbrol 60 scarlet and Railmatch BR crimson. Some touching up of the main colour was needed before this photo was taken.

[mjcampbell]

Fiddly work, but neatly done!

[Nile]

Thanks Michael, there's lots more fiddly to come.

The stretched coach needed new tie rods for its chassis, I used brass rod for these, they look better than the originals anyway. This photo also shows how the floor was stretched by cutting it in half and inserting some plastic card in the middle.

 

Longer footboards were made up from 4 originals, with a joint in the middle.

 

Moving on a bit lots of things have been added. The seats were fitted after being painted. The glazing is lots of individual pieces cut to fit the recesses inside. Door handles are from Roxey, grab handles formed from 0.31mm brass rod, all fitted into lots of 0.4mm holes drilled in the sides.

[Nile]

Today's instalment is about securing the roof in place using tiny magnets, the Neodymium N52 type bought cheaply off ebay. I used two sizes : 2x1mm and 2x3mm. Here they are conveniently stuck to a steel rule.

The larger one will be glued to the coach end wall, the smaller one to the roof. That's two magnets (small and large) at each end of the coach.

 

Before gluing them in place I inserted a piece of thin paper (atm receipt) between them.

 

This is the setup to keep things in place while the initial glue application sets. The steel block of the set square holds the magnets in place, they can be affected by magnetic fields.

 

A close up of what's going on. I removed paint where the magnet was to be glued. A small amount of superglue gel was applied to the larger magnet, and the combo placed so that the top of the smaller one lined up with the top of the end wall.

 

After giving the glue a few minutes to set it was safe to remove the block.

The small magnet and paper were removed, then extra superglue added around the sides to re-enforce the joint. When that had set the paper and small magnet were refitted, as above. The other end was done the same way.

Final stage is to place small amounts of superglue gel on the tops of the small magnets, then place the roof on and allow the glue to set.

Eventually extra glue was added around these magnets as well.

 

With the paper now discarded there should be a very small gap between the magnets when the roof is on. This helps minimise gaps around the roof joint.

Lastly I recommend plastic tweezers for handling these magnets.

[Corbs]

So that's how you do it! I had been trying to work out a method for so long. Thanks for the guide

[AlfaZagato]

Good to know these little things can be had from auction.    Wargaming stores charge a firstborn for them.

[Nile]

A bit more work on the roofs. Rainstrips added from 10x20thou microstrip. Holes drilled for the oil lamp covers, these being third class coaches the passenger sections only get two lamps per coach. The guard gets one all to himself. I'll fit them after painting the roofs.

[Compound2632]

Have you thought of trying making the rainstrips with the 10 thou x 20 thou microstrip edge on? It gives a finer and more prototypical appearance in my experience.

[Stephen Rainsbury]

On 26/01/2020 at 14:19, Nile said:

Today's instalment is about securing the roof in place using tiny magnets, the Neodymium N52 type bought cheaply off ebay. I used two sizes : 2x1mm and 2x3mm. Here they are conveniently stuck to a steel rule.

Thanks, that's a good way of doing it, and I have just saved it :-)

I was planning on doing something similar but using a s square of steel on the roof rather than a magnet, as it will be cheaper, so i am I missing something? 

Stephen

 

 

[Nile]

No, that should work as well. I just happen to have a lot of tiny magnets.

[Stephen Rainsbury]

On 30/01/2020 at 16:18, Nile said:

No, that should work as well. I just happen to have a lot of tiny magnets.

Thanks, did you buy them recently? My last lot were from eBay but that seller doesn't appear anymore.

Stephen

Edited February 1, 2020 by Stephen Rainsbury

[chuffinghell]

when it comes to your work the ‘craftsmanship/clever’ button just doesn’t do it justice 

[Nile]

On 29/01/2020 at 23:05, Compound2632 said:

Have you thought of trying making the rainstrips with the 10 thou x 20 thou microstrip edge on? It gives a finer and more prototypical appearance in my experience.

I shall have to try that sometime, if it's not too fiddly.

The final additions to finish these off : Greenwich couplings, brake pipes (leftovers from a Dundas VoR kit) and various HMRS transfers.

[chuffinghell]

The attention to detail is superb, especially when you consider how small they are

 

Top job as always

[Nile]

Thanks Chris. Next I wanted a matching van to go with these new coaches. I chose a Dundas models Glyn Valley van kit - it has similar proportions and panelling to the coaches, and I had one in stock. Built as per instructions, apart from the chassis where I've added vacuum brake gear from leftover Colin Ashbury bits. I've fitted 7mm wheels to raise it up a bit, to better match the coaches. In the photo below it's had its first coat of sand paint.

[Nile]

Painted to match the coaches, it is now finished.

 

This comparison with another GVT van shows the effect of the larger wheels.

 

The complete train - on the bench

 

and at Scarside.

I'll be posting more photos in the Scarside topic later as I try out the new coaches.