S7 scratch building

[NeilHB]

Superb work Mike, the Break Van really is a lovely job. 

[airnimal]

My usual one step forward and two steps back always seem to accompany me on my models. 

I have applied the tranfers on the other side including the tare weight but I increased the size of the large numbers because  when I looked at the photographs they didn't seem large enough.  I remove and replaced the same number on the first side so I thought I was winning. 

Then I cleaned the springs ready to paint them and broke one on the strengthening straps off. 

I also broke the brake handle and one of the soldered joints on the handrails. But I did varnish over the tranfers and the roof, and paint the brake shoes so a little closer  to the finish  line. 

 

[kitpw]

A superb model by any reckoning.

Kit PW

[Dave Hunt]

I've witnessed some good scratch building using plastic in my time but Mike is in a league of his own. This has to be one of the finest models I have ever seen.

 

Dave

[airnimal]

Dave, you are to kind, I'm embarrassed because  I think there are far better people doing this sort of modelling than me. 

 

Just when you think the winning line is in sight.........

I had painted the axleboxes and springs and because the springs are brass I left them on the radiator for the paint to go hard. I left the room to go and finish the last item, the brake standard.  

 My wife came in my workshop to tell me that disaster had happened !

She had knocked off the castings from the radiator and sucked them up the vacuum cleaner. 

She managed to retrieve them but they were bent like bananas. 

So now I have to try and straighten them out and clean them up and solder new straps on. But first I have to remove the paint and the chemical black coating because  solder will not take over the coating. 

Edited February 23, 2021 by airnimal

[airnimal]

I have stripped all the paint off the W-irons and made new springs.  I only had springs as a complete unit , so I had go cut off the axleboxes because the they were of the wrong type. I find it difficult to fit all these new parts after the paintwork has been completely finished on the body. I like to get everything built and then painted together so that I don't mess up or scratch the new paint.

[airnimal]

Just a couple of things to do now. I have to paint the brake blocks and put the glass in and then to tone down the the paintwork.  I am pleased with the coupling hook and links. 

 

This has been a long job which I estimate to be about 200 hours including the false start. I know this is silly when you think I dont have any NSR locos only 4 other NSR wagons. I would love  a class D 0-6-0 tank loco. I did have a kit of one once but sold it on a couple of years ago. 

 

With any luck I will put the glass in tomorrow and tidy up any loose ends. Then I better do a few jobs to keep the boss happy. 

[chris p bacon]

I know you're quite a tough taskmaster on yourself,  but that really is a superb piece of modelling. I look forward to seeing what is next on the workbench.

[Tricky]

2 hours ago, airnimal said:

Just a couple of things to do now. I have to paint the brake blocks and put the glass in and then to tone down the the paintwork.  I am pleased with the coupling hook and links. 

 

This has been a long job which I estimate to be about 200 hours including the false start. I know this is silly when you think I dont have any NSR locos only 4 other NSR wagons. I would love  a class D 0-6-0 tank loco. I did have a kit of one once but sold it on a couple of years ago. 

 

With any luck I will put the glass in tomorrow and tidy up any loose ends. Then I better do a few jobs to keep the boss happy. 

Simply superb.

[Coal Tank]

When you say a few jobs...... You of course mean more wagons 

[airnimal]

I can't believe it !  I have finished the **********

 

At long last I have arrived at the end. There are one or two things I could have done better particularly the windows but I only had a few slide cover glasses and once I broke those I went back to plastic. 

I will be having  a break from the workbench to do some jobs around the house so we can put it on the market and hopefully move. 

 Sorry if this has been a saga but thanks to everyone who has stayed to the end, I hope it was worth it. 

 

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

I think I could write a long list of superlatives about this model but I'll just condense it to ...WOW!

Dave

Edited February 26, 2021 by Dave Hunt

[Mol_PMB]

That looks wonderful. It's been a pleasure to follow this thread through and see the results of your patience, ingenuity and persistence. It really raises the bar.

And when misguided people call me a perfectionist, I can now prove that I am only a rank amateur!

I look forward to the next project when the mood takes you.

[Western Star]

2 hours ago, airnimal said:

I can't believe it !  I have finished the **********

 

Sorry if this has been a saga, I hope it was worth it.

I expect that many others shall share my opinion...  a resounding YES.

 

regards, Graham

[Regularity]

On 25/02/2021 at 18:53, airnimal said:

This has been a long job which I estimate to be about 200 hours including the false start.

Interesting. Not sure how many hours were "lost" in remaking things, it would be worth pointing this out to them.

 

As a comparison, the Hornby LSWR brake seems to be advertised at between £20 and £25, or so, about £23 being typical.

 

A skilled craftsperson might be able to command a decent salary, above the median, so let's say (for the sake of argument) that including pension contributions, tax, NI and any other benefits, this craftsperson costs their employer around £40k.

Removing weekends, holidays and bank holidays and allowing for a 7.5 hour week, this means that this person costs £23.19 per hour. (Obviously, the take home pay is less than that, but this represents what has to be charged just to pay this person's wages.

 

So, a Hornby brakevan costs roughly 1 hour's work time, expressed in pounds. This one took 200 times longer than that, but 200 x £23.19 is £4,638, roughly equivalent to 26 days work.

 

Mike I think you are at the top of your game, so your charge-out rate should be higher, if people valued the price of a skilled worker, and I know you are manifestly not doing it for the money, but how many people would be prepared to cough up over 4 ½ thousand pounds for a brakevan? You can buy a fair size live steam loco in G1 for that!

 

It does make RTR look very cheap, though.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Regularity
4 ½ THOUSAND pounds

[Coal Tank]

Stunning Mike...... Stunning 

 

John 

[Chrisbr]

Mike,

 

As ever, superb modelling and I for one am grateful you persevered...

 

Chris

 

[Mol_PMB]

There’s another way to look at the time vs money angle though. If instead of a ‘job’ you consider building the model entertainment, then you’re comparing to something like watching a film at the cinema (maybe costs £7 per hour), watching a concert (maybe £20 per hour) etc. 

The total materials cost for this model might be a few tens of pounds (wheelsets, etches, castings, metal/plastic etc), let’s say £50. 

So this entertaining hobby costs £0.25 an hour which is very cheap compared to the above! 

[Dave John]

It isn't often that you see a build that accurate. Educational as well,  I can now see exactly how the brakes on the bar runners worked, so thankyou for that. 

 

 

[Nickey Line]

5 hours ago, Regularity said:

4 ½ pounds for a brakevan

 

A bargain! One assumes you've missed out a "thousand"... 

 

A truly marvellous piece of work, museum quality.

[airnimal]

I have decided not to build any new wagons for a while.  So I am revisiting some of my previous wagons to upgrade them on things like wheels and couplings to see if I can improve them.

This pair of bolsters wagons was made about 18 months ago when I didn't always trim the surplus webbing between the spokes on the wheels. So I have done one wagon to show the difference before  and after.  I do think it does  make a difference because I think it makes the wheels or tyres seem smaller or more worn.

The couplings are still the old Peco ones and should be changed but I don't have many loose steel links left. I think the ones I had been using came from Ron Chapman at Sheffield whom I believe has retired. 

I don't know if anyone else sells them ?

Edited March 1, 2021 by airnimal

[Western Star]

55 minutes ago, airnimal said:

This pair of bolsters wagons was made about 18 months ago when I didn't always trim the surplus webbing between the spokes on the wheels. So I have done one wagon to show the difference before  and after.  I do think it does  make a difference because I think it makes the wheels or tyres seem smaller or more worn.

 

I agree with you about the improved appearance of the wheels after trimming the extraneous material around the spokes and along the inner edge of the rim.

 

 

55 minutes ago, airnimal said:

The couplings are still the old Peco ones and should be changed but I don't have many loose steel links left.  I don't know if anyone else sells them ?

 

If Slater's Plastikard has a part in one of their kits then Slaters is generally willing to sell that part separately.  I suggest that you call David and ask for a handful...  I did so recently and received a hundred split pins for the coupling hooks.

 

regards, Graham

Edited March 1, 2021 by Western Star

[Simond]

Mike,

 

Bill at Premier sells loose links.

 

atb

Simon

[Coal Tank]

Its a shame that we cant get finer Wagon wheels

[Regularity]

8 minutes ago, Coal Tank said:

Its a shame that we cant get finer Wagon wheels

We can: just needs a bit of attention to improve the off-the-shelf product.