S7 scratch building

[CKPR]

Thank you, that's really informative and I've got some of the foam-backed sanding sheets and those very paints in stock so I'll be able to give your approach a go for my next open wagon.

Edited March 8, 2020 by CKPR

[airnimal]

I have made the 5 link coupling from some .8mm brass wire to finally finish the N.S.R. one plank open. 

Looking at the photo of the real wagon I may change these because the smaller links look much the same as the 2 outer  links only shorter. I have made them more round on my model. 

I have also cut out the number plates for the L.N.W.R ballast wagons and mounted them on some 15 thou plastkard and sprayed them white. I will let the paint harden for 24 hours before attempting to paint the background black.

[richard i]

How about trying to flatten out the little rings by squeezing them in a pair of pliers. It works in 4mm. 

Richard  

[airnimal]

Richard, I may try to flatten them as you suggest. I made a few more than I needed so I will try some of those away from the wagon first.

In the meantime I have been trying the finish the ballast wagons. 

Here my observation skills or lack of them have let me down once again. 

I tried to clean the plates to leave the white letters proud but ended up taking the plates back to the nickel underneath.

I think they still look good untill I placed them on the wagon only to find I have put the label clip in the wrong position even though I have a clear photo of the wagon in question. Worst was to come because I have made the same mistake on both of the small ballast wagons but only on one side. How bizarre.

Its not the end of the world because it is easy to remove them and touch the paint up.

You would think after 40 years scratch building I shouldn't be making these elementary mistakes but they keep happening. 

Is modern life to stressful or are we trying to pack to much in ?

[airnimal]

Well I have removed the label clip and attached the plates and put the diamond tranfers on along with the tare weight.

I couldn't get the tare weight in the right space because the tranfers are slightly oversize so I may remove them and try and paint them by hand as I have done with the letters H.D which was Holyhead district.

[airnimal]

I have just started to experiment with covers for the axleboxes to keep out dust. 

I have obtained some wine bottle top foil in black from a friend. I then smoothed them out and glued some black tissue paper on top with resin W. This looks as though it has promise and will prove the answer but before I can do any more I have had the call to wear my grandad hat and go and rescue my daughter with two sick children. 

[Compound2632]

I was thinking, can you save a few bob on fancy axlebox and spring castings/moldings/prints but it turns out you can't; at least not axleboxes. On Midland ballast wagons the dirt flaps cover the axleboxes and springs completely - but a quick bit of research shows that on LNWR ballast wagons, the flaps come down to about the top of the circular part of the pattern on the axlebox front. [HMRS photos - probably all 1920s - and 1889 photo of the accident at Penmaenmawr].

Edited March 11, 2020 by Compound2632

[airnimal]

Compound2632,  I have used some old Colin Ashbury springs that I bought many years ago from him at the old Blackburn show when it used to be in the town hall. They were 50 pence for 4 and the same for his w-irons. I have now used all the springs but I have plenty of the w-irons left which I probably will not use.

I have nearly finished the first these ballast wagons with just the brake block to paint. It has been a long journey and I wouldn't want to build too many more. The dust covers were a good idea but a pain to get right and I think I need to try a different glue to fix them to the wagon with.

[airnimal]

There has been a small amount of progress on these ballast wagons. They are nearly finished but I wouldn't like to build 3 wagons together at the same time again. 

 

With all problems going at present I think I will have to reassess what my future holds in modelling terms. I cannot see us moving house this year now so I may have to build the small layout here with what available space I have.

 

I tried to paint the cast letters that go on the ends of these wagons without success. They are so small that they impossible to hold so I have put them in paint stripper and will try a different method next time. 

 

[airnimal]

Lady luck has paid me a visit. 

I stuck the cast letters down on a piece of cardboard and sprayed them with white primer but they were horrible. So I dropped them in some stripper and when I took them out they were fine without any glue on the back but with the paint still good. 

So I use some Epoxy to glue them on the ends. I think they look reasonable.

[StuartMc]

Lovely models, I think the expression is: "looks right" - which is the sign of a master modeller.

[Caley Jim]

1 hour ago, airnimal said:

Lady luck has paid me a visit. 

I stuck the cast letters down on a piece of cardboard and sprayed them with white primer but they were horrible. So I dropped them in some stripper and when I took them out they were fine without any glue on the back but with the paint still good. 

So I use some Epoxy to glue them on the ends. I think they look reasonable.

Sometimes you discover ways of doing things through serendipity!  That happened to me the first time I tried lining a loco by painting gloss white onto Sellotape on a tile and drawing on the lining with a bow pen.  The intention was to peel the sellotape off in strips and stick that in place.  Instead i discovered that I could peel the paint off the sellotape and fix that in place using dilute varnish!

 

Jim

[Coal Tank]

They are absolutely superbmike .Ill give you a call in a day or two

john

[airnimal]

I should finish all the nearly built wagons before starting something else but where's the fun in that. In times of stress I will  be doing a ballast brake van for a friend from my old stock of resin bits. 

So I have cut the end panels out and made a new sill from Evergreen strip. I have also made a couple of lamp brackets from brass tube with some brass bolts. 

With the weather bright and sunny I will get out on my bike later today, must keep as fit as possible with not being able to walk to the pub anymore. 

[Compound2632]

20 minutes ago, airnimal said:

I should finish all the nearly built wagons before starting something else but where's the fun in that.

 

Too true! Too true!

[CKPR]

In EM, I've got M&CR No.7, the GWR '517', a GWR 38' brake compo and a rake of Ratio iron ore hoppers (yes, the old 1960s ones) on the go and about start a model of Tetbury engine shed to make a home for the '517' but have also got the urge to scratch-build some L&Y bogie goods wagons. Then there's the  Maryland & Pennsylvania RR station in HO  to finish off and as for the S scale projects...

[Nickey Line]

1 hour ago, airnimal said:

With the weather bright and sunny I will get out on my bike later today, must keep as fit as possible with not being able to walk to the pub anymore. 

 

You can walk to the pub; you just can't go in! But seriously, cycling is perfect in this situation. Very easy to keep one's distance from others.

Love your work by the way.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Nickey Line

[wagonman]

On 24/03/2020 at 11:44, CKPR said:

In EM, I've got M&CR No.7, the GWR '517', a GWR 38' brake compo and a rake of Ratio iron ore hoppers (yes, the old 1960s ones) on the go and about start a model of Tetbury engine shed to make a home for the '517' but have also got the urge to scratch-build some L&Y bogie goods wagons. Then there's the  Maryland & Pennsylvania RR station in HO  to finish off and as for the S scale projects...

 

I flirted with the idea of a Ma & Pa layout/diorama but concluded it would have to be reserved for my second (or third) lifetime, this one being all too short. I did get a few bits and pieces though which I'll probably have to dispose of.

 

 

[Guy Rixon]

On 24/03/2020 at 11:02, airnimal said:

I should finish all the nearly built wagons before starting something else but where's the fun in that. In times of stress I will  be doing a ballast brake van for a friend from my old stock of resin bits. 

So I have cut the end panels out and made a new sill from Evergreen strip. I have also made a couple of lamp brackets from brass tube with some brass bolts. 

With the weather bright and sunny I will get out on my bike later today, must keep as fit as possible with not being able to walk to the pub anymore. 

This is going to be the NLR version of the LNWR D16?

[airnimal]

Guy, this brake van is a ballast brake. They were according to Vol 3 of L.N.W.R wagons,  were converted from Dia 16 vans with the end panels were removed. 

I have built a N.L.R brake van about 15 years ago for a gentleman in London. It was scratch built before I did my kits for the L.N.W.R. 

Managed to do about 18 mile bike ride today in the lovely sunshine. It was a pleasure with the roads being so empty.

[airnimal]

With the weather being so kind to us I have varnished all the ballast wagons and painted the basic shell of this latest ballast brake van for my friend. I have had to borrow a roof of one of my own vans because I have run out them. 

I am about to start on painting the red ends. I am using Citadel paint from Games workshop. 

 

[airnimal]

I have fitted the lamps on the side with epoxy after drilling a couple of holes in the upright timber. I made a pair for my own model while I was at it. I drilled a  a couple of holes in a bit of wood to hold them so I could spray them. Looking at the photo's I will have to revisit the poor attempt at the tare weight letters.

 

i am pleased with the paint but I will weather it down quite a bit. The roof is just a temporary until I cover it with tissue paper. Still to do are the windows and one or two bits to finish it off. 

 

I have sent a photo to my friend of this model but he will have to wait for the restrictions to end before he can take delivery.

[MarcD]

looking good.

 

Marc

[Caley Jim]

57 minutes ago, airnimal said:

........ Looking at the photo's I will have to revisit the poor attempt at the tare weight letters.

Tare weight looks good to me.  What are you not happy with?

 

Jim

[airnimal]

Jim,  the letters look to me to be painted by someone who's had a few drinks. The letters don't have consistancy with thickness. 

Signwriters used chisel shape brushes which would give the letters the same thickness throughout the letters.

 

This model is for a friend who was a art teacher and he has a very fine collection of models including works by James Beeson, Tony Reynalds, Geoff Holt and a host of top class model makers. His collection is stunning. 

I don't ever think for one moment my work comes close to these  masters of the model world but if my friend is going to put this brake van in his collection then I at least want want it to be half decent. I would be horrified if he placed this next to some wagons lettered by Alan Brackenborough.  I just hope he keeps it separate which I think he will do as he already has a small train of my work that just needed a brake van for.