Jump to content
 

Car trains - potential for achieving greater realism


'CHARD
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Gold

Last Saturday I was on my knees in Halfords, rooting around in the Rover section of the rattle can rack - which as befits its alphabetic status, is near the floor - albeit not quite so much as Vauxhall!

 

A very helpful chap came round and asked if I needed assistance.  I mentioned that if I explained what I was looking for, he'd never believe it.  Naturally he asked - and in fairness feigned interest, even going on to say that he had once sorted out the closest match to LNER green for a customer.  A short while later I bundled my half dozen or so cans over the counter and went on my way.

 

Yesterday, as luck would have it, the same fella was on the counter - he laughed and asked how the project was progressing.  I showed him the photos below and he said - 'so what are these colours for today - Vauxhall or Ford?'

 

Heart warming little moments in retail.  Anyway, here go the pride of Longbridge...

 

attachicon.gif20180225_082844(2).jpg

attachicon.gif20180225_082809 (2).jpg

attachicon.gif20180225_082257 (2).jpg

attachicon.gif20180225_082503 (2).jpg

 

Fantastic, but you seem to have misimterpreted the loading instructions!

 

Mike.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The pale (bathroom set) blue that's appeared on four Vivas (actually a present day Ford colour ironically), is perfect to recreate the family Austin 1100 (NOJ 541F), which wasn't to hand when I did the Longbridge bodyshells. 

 

I must redouble my efforts to break down the impenetrable vehicles to get a few powder blue AD016s on stock....  And dad's previous car, EOP xxxD, a light grey landcrab, for that matter.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The last batch of 1100s having had their brightwork and lights done:

 

post-7083-0-16421100-1520206512_thumb.jpg

 

And a cluster of A60s following treatment:

 

post-7083-0-57914600-1520206528_thumb.jpg

 

 

Silver gel pen (Unipaint Marker) is the standard foundation for orange and red lights.  The darker vehicles were looking so much better than the pale bodies onto which had been applied the red directly, that all the white, cream, pale yellow and beige AD016s were re-done this afternoon to this new standard.

 

It's not immediately evident from this distance the impact this work has, but I'm certainly encouraged that on completion, these will create cartrains to at least rival their die cast counterparts in realism terms.....

 

And so the project grinds onwards; BLMC chassis next.

Edited by 'CHARD
  • Like 7
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I hate to say this, but those tail lights don't look quite right.   https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrIRljIYZ1ayXYAjSd3Bwx.?p=Austin+A60+rear&fr=yhs-blp-default&fr2=piv-web&hspart=blp&hsimp=yhs-default&type=hmp_102_774_0#id=0&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.simoncars.co.uk%2Fado9%2Fslides%2FAustin%2520A60%2520Cambridge%25201963%2520rear.jpg&action=click

 

Sorry about the long URL and I can't do that thing that shortens them.  Some versions of the Farina did have more prominent tail lights, the Wolsely for example but most ended in a line with the bottom of the swage line along the side (the double chrome strip for Austins and a single one for Morris's)  Not convinced by the green one, thought that was for the 1100 hundred range.  My own series 6 Oxford was smoke grey (looked a pale blue) with an old english white roof.  Again Morris's got a different coloured roof whilst Austins had the coloured side stripe.

 

Sorry to be a nit picker, I'll duck down now :-) 

 

ps I really admire your efforts with this project.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The earlier 1500 Farina saloons (1958-61) all had taller lights, but the MINIX version is definitely the lower version, in A60 form. The Riley and MG versions weren't altered in 1961, but they had a sharp forward-angled cutaway which effectively reduced the ultimate height said fins reached anyway.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I hate to say this, but those tail lights don't look quite right.   https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrIRljIYZ1ayXYAjSd3Bwx.?p=Austin+A60+rear&fr=yhs-blp-default&fr2=piv-web&hspart=blp&hsimp=yhs-default&type=hmp_102_774_0#id=0&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.simoncars.co.uk%2Fado9%2Fslides%2FAustin%2520A60%2520Cambridge%25201963%2520rear.jpg&action=click

 

Sorry about the long URL and I can't do that thing that shortens them.  Some versions of the Farina did have more prominent tail lights, the Wolsely for example but most ended in a line with the bottom of the swage line along the side (the double chrome strip for Austins and a single one for Morris's)  Not convinced by the green one, thought that was for the 1100 hundred range.  My own series 6 Oxford was smoke grey (looked a pale blue) with an old english white roof.  Again Morris's got a different coloured roof whilst Austins had the coloured side stripe.

 

Sorry to be a nit picker, I'll duck down now :-) 

 

ps I really admire your efforts with this project.

 

LOL - no worries, I've been struggling to get year and range specific rear shots of the A60s - if they need tweaking I don't have a problem with it, there are only a dozen of these on stock!

 

The earlier 1500 Farina saloons (1958-61) all had taller lights, but the MINIX version is definitely the lower version, in A60 form. The Riley and MG versions weren't altered in 1961, but they had a sharp forward-angled cutaway which effectively reduced the ultimate height said fins reached anyway.

Edited by 'CHARD
  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

This is the rear of the MINIX Austin A60 I detail painted about 35 years ago. Note the silver surrounding the actual light units, as per the chrome trim on the real car:

 

post-1877-0-32705500-1520345105_thumb.jpg

 

In the classic Persian Blue with Old English White stripe (the former a car spray from a motor shop, the latter Humbrol Ivory). I am not sure I could paint the name on quite as well now though!

  • Like 1
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The Landcrab is going to become a tribute to my late father who we lost last September.  They bought drab grey EOP672D when mum was expecting me, apparently so the traditional demountable pram top would easily be accommodated on the back seat.  Seemingly it was a bit of an oil burner, though (the car, not specifically the seat), and NOJ541F (Morris 1100 in bathroom blue) replaced it in '67.  The 1100s from the Tierwag are going that colour in due course.

 

There is a growing batch of 'new' additions to the project pool, so some dis-assembly and preparation will be on the cards again soon.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Doing a lovely job.

 

I actually have the Cresta PB model. Had to shell out £30 to get one though. Had kittens separating the body from the chassis lol! Fitted the wheels from the Oxford Humber Super Snipe but have baulked at painting it and adding number plates etc yet due to the model’s rarity. (Wheel change is reversible).

Edited by ianmacc
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I started building a train of Red panda Lowifts yesterday with Minix Ford Anglias. Ive always preferred the shape of these to the die cast ones. My dad has collected Minix cars over the years and has given me these along with Corsairs.

 

305216E3-A762-4C65-BBC8-F40BD2DEA35A.jpeg.539898c24e189b83aa6d2dfe10166ea6.jpeg


The train will be from Fords at Halewood to Liverpool docks which my dad remembers on individual wagons, we think because of the tight curves in Liverpools docks and we recently come across a photo of one of these workings in the Walton area.

 

2195B31D-53AE-4BC2-BD63-C03D3ECE2459.jpeg.e5612e21c6c7a28e5d3338ba7efe8f73.jpeg
 

Im building the wagons as they come from the packet with little alteration other than screw couplings as I havent decided exactly how many ill be doing yet but ill need a load more to make a realistic train.  Ill also have some Bachmann lowifts but I know the chassis needs altering for these.
 


 


 

 

 

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Michael Delamar said:

I started building a train of Red panda Lowifts yesterday with Minix Ford Anglias. Ive always preferred the shape of these to the die cast ones. My dad has collected Minix cars over the years and has given me these along with Corsairs.

 

305216E3-A762-4C65-BBC8-F40BD2DEA35A.jpeg.539898c24e189b83aa6d2dfe10166ea6.jpeg


 

 

And to think today that entire train could be carried on one lorry...

 

spacer.png

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I could fit the 17 plus another 8 on my fiddle yard. The inner fiddle yard sidings for a loaded train for the docks are not as long as the outer ones but even so. We only set the fiddle yard up tonight after a while of it being down.

 

9 of these are Bachmann bodies with Parkside chassis. Going to do 4 of the Parkside PC66 kit and 4 more Red panda lowfits..

 

84F65137-7E35-42E2-AAEE-FA2BBA876F17.jpeg.4ccc1791eb9040c78256ad5557056649.jpeg

 

578A79AD-DDF7-48FD-94F1-5612D66D0010.jpeg.da5db1a9245bc8abe09b1b95135d68c6.jpeg

Edited by Michael Delamar
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

This picture of Vauxhall HA Viva bodyshells on stillages at Luton in 1965 was shown on Facebook earlier. Destined for the new plant at Ellesmere Port.

And how they were transhipped from trailer to wagon. 

 

https://scontent.fbhx4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/242325604_2239315102875207_6859893928478328605_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=dbeb18&_nc_ohc=vhe2q-hAVIwAX8pPVGS&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-1.fna&oh=8f3cc3e24a7f0431a67986fceb7ee524&oe=614AC119

 

 

Trains in the yard at Crescent Road, including the HA shells, and a mix  of "grey" Vauxhalls and Bedfords.

 

https://scontent.fbhx4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/p180x540/242276387_2239014069571977_8921169148541994166_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=825194&_nc_ohc=y2lGl189ds0AX8btAFo&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-1.fna&oh=81120328d9869fbeaf53b6ecebd811ef&oe=614A452E

 

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...