Duncan. Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 12 hours ago, DavidMcKenzie said: And a few photo's of the finished model from different angles. All the best Dave Hi Dave, Don't worry if 'it looks too light', if you spray a dark over the top it will darken the light colour, and if you spray, in this case, the centre of the roof, leaving the edges, the contrast will be enhanced. Remember that the paint should be thinned more than usual and the spray should be a series of very light coats ensuring that the weathering remains tranparent. If you are concerned about over thining a colour try a 75% satin or matt varnish to 25% colour, then thin the total by 60% thinners. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted May 19, 2019 Author Share Posted May 19, 2019 1 hour ago, Duncan. said: Hi Dave, Don't worry if 'it looks too light', if you spray a dark over the top it will darken the light colour, and if you spray, in this case, the centre of the roof, leaving the edges, the contrast will be enhanced. Remember that the paint should be thinned more than usual and the spray should be a series of very light coats ensuring that the weathering remains tranparent. If you are concerned about over thining a colour try a 75% satin or matt varnish to 25% colour, then thin the total by 60% thinners. Thanks Duncan. That's exactly what I did. Just gave it a very thinned down darker coat. The first attempt would have looked right on a heavily weathered model, but I really wanted this one to stay as lightly weathered as possible whilst still looking used and realistic. Thanks again for the tip. All the best Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted May 21, 2019 Author Share Posted May 21, 2019 The second 86 was a lot faster to do than the first . Again went for the lightly weathered look. I guess these would have been pretty freshly painted around 1997. All the best Dave 8 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan. Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Hi Dave, I think the weathering makes the models look heavier and more solid. Cheers Duncan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 On 21/05/2019 at 18:14, Duncan. said: Hi Dave, I think the weathering makes the models look heavier and more solid. Cheers Duncan I'd agree with you there Duncan, especially in photo's where there is no size reference or scale to see how small the model is in reality. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 (edited) Got myself into a little muddle on one of the fields last night. Although the photo's below are by no means finsihed, I've decided to stop take it all out and make it much simpler. Althought down at a realistic view angle it is maybe very slightly better, the view from above is very strange. It reminded me of zebras stripes rather than a freshly cut hayfield Looking at some of my favorite layouts, they tend to make the train the focus and the scenery is there and even often very well modelled, but not the focal point. So I've decided to take it out and make a much simpler forground. Edited May 23, 2019 by DavidMcKenzie 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 (edited) Going back to a much simpler field seemed to show the railway of a bit better (in my opinion.) All the best Dave Edited May 23, 2019 by DavidMcKenzie 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 Medieval ploughing? Gordon A Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Gordon A said: Medieval ploughing? Gordon A Something like that it was a failed attempt at a freshly cut hayfield. Goes to show how bad it was when it could be confused with cow drawn ploughing. All the best Dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted May 28, 2019 Author Share Posted May 28, 2019 (edited) Possibly over did the weathering a bit. Someone might know better than me, but I don't remember the 86 rfd's on the frieghtliners to be so heavily weathered as this. I was going for a contrast to the passanger 86s that were left lightly weathered last week. To go with the two class 86s from last week I had a go at a DVT. The base model is very nice, but also looks a bit 'toy like' if it's possible to be both of those at the same time. They were often run with the cooling open at the front. I didn't dare cut holes into it, but with some black paint it looks ok. The close up is a bit brutal, but from a normal viewing distance on the layout it doesn't look too bad. The buckeye coupler is a nice touch from Dapol as well. Unfortunately it doesn't seem possible to buy the detailing kits separately (or the DVTs new anymore). Both of the DVTs were second hand and each came with half full detailing kits. I had to self build a few of the hoses and jumper cables from wire for this one. I'm not sure if my skills are upto a scratch built buckeye coupler for the virign DVT. All the best Dave Edited May 28, 2019 by DavidMcKenzie 7 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan. Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 No such thing as wrong Dave, maybe not what you had in mind at the start. I would recommend a trawl of images on the internet, try to use photographs that , for example, are not taken at dawn or dusk, when the sun will be 'red'. Perhaps your loco isn't dirty enough! Cheers Duncan Photo credit 37190 Dalzell 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted May 30, 2019 Author Share Posted May 30, 2019 Great picture Duncan thanks for posting. I agree about finding a picture first, I did that for the intercity and virgin 86s and it was very useful. I was a little complacent with the rdf one after the other two went ok and the end result is perhaps slightly less realistic. That railfrieght distribution livery on the loco at the front of the pair is maybe an interesting one for a respray in the future. All the best Dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 I had a go at another dvt today. Detailed it slightly differently to add some interest. I've got two mk3 intercity rakes which they will sit behind (or ahead of). I've also managed to get hold of a third dvt. It's not detailed yet and until the new Graham farish intercity mk2 coaches arrive it won't have much work to do anyway. But I sat it next to the two detailed one's to show the difference. I also managed to get a bit of time to make a start on tidying up the fiddle yard this week. I would like to automate it and have ordered the parts to automate just one of the four line's from heathcote electronics to start with. Nothings arrived yet and we will see how that goes. I have no experience at all with this kind of thing. But it would be a dream to be able to sit and watch occasionally. If I have a running session I just seem to spend the whole time changing points at the moment. When I set out with the layout I also thought the fiddle yard was huge and would never fill up. But by the time I've added in two different versions of the 321 from revolution, a 319 from farish and the class 90 in Belgium livery with a rake of revolutions IPAs I've almost filled it and I'm nowhere near finished with the layout yet. All the best Dave 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantrogla Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Loving your work on the DVTs - I must have a go at mine! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted June 9, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2019 However much fiddle yard space you have, it’s never enough! I had 16 roads, most of which could fit 2 trains. That wasn’t enough, so I added a top level with another 10 roads. That’s still not enough! The DVTs look great! The detail kits really do help. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MarshLane Posted June 9, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2019 45 minutes ago, njee20 said: However much fiddle yard space you have, it’s never enough! I had 16 roads, most of which could fit 2 trains. That wasn’t enough, so I added a top level with another 10 roads. That’s still not enough! The DVTs look great! The detail kits really do help. Wow! Have you a thread on here, or anywhere of your layout? Sounds most impressive! Rich 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted June 10, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 10, 2019 Don't conflate "impressive" with "moderately sized" I did start a thread when I started it, but it's nothing more than a glorified train set. Once I'd laid track and wired points I thought "I'll test some stock", and that was fatal, basically made zero progress since! There's been a house move on the cards for ages which has put me off progressing it too, there's always the next layout on the horizon! Perhaps I'll post an update sometime! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 DVT s look excellent Dave, storage roads are a nightmare, like others have said you will always fill what space you have, automation will be good though, I’m doing the same now, very relaxing to just watch the trains go by all on there own! Graham 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted June 12, 2019 Author Share Posted June 12, 2019 I'll be watching with interest to see how you go about automating your latest layout Graham. I have no previous experience and I'm expecting I will probably make a few mistakes along the way. In the end it'll hopefully be worth it to be able to sit relaxing and watch trains going by when the mood takes. A few more DVT pictures. Last one for a while (promise ). The virgin one is now also looking a bit less toy like and has been the biggest challenge because it came second hand without any detailing kit. I've raided a few bits from wagons (I'm thinking I will only detail the last wagon of each rake) and done a bit with plastic and wire offcuts. I am very impressed with the level of detail Dapol have gone to on this model. At first glance I thought the intercity and the virgin model were the same, but with different livery. But Dapol have even gone to the length of doing different buffers and buffer beam detailing. The more photo's I look at the more I think they have done a very good job there. The difference in buffers I'd never noticed before. There is also a beam, almost like a pushing bar (sorry I don't know the technical name) that is present on the DVTs during the intercity time's, but looks to have been removed on both the real thing and dapols model by the time they were running in virgin livery. On the real thing I have no idea why the beams were removed, or why the buffers changed, but credit to Dapol for going to the effort of copying that. Too often rtr stock is heavily criticized, but I'm always amazed at what manufacturers have managed to achieve and my own model making skills need to improve a long way before I could ever justify joining the rivet counter brigade . All the best Dave 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkie Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Superb work David. Really like the extra work you are putting in on the DVT's. It's these little touches which brings a different look to the norm. Keep up the good work fella Phil 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie Kynaston Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Hi Dave, Just catching up on things, your work on the DVT is impressive. Interesting to read your comments on automation plans - Im assuming your layout is DC, rather than DCC? Cannot quite remember. Following along in the background Richie 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted July 8, 2019 Author Share Posted July 8, 2019 Thanks for the kind comments Richie. The mainlines will definitely be DC. All my class 90 and 87 are DC and although I think conversation of the split chassis models is somehow possible it's a bit beyond me at this stage and I think theoretically at least a lot of automation should still be possible with DC. DCC does interest me a lot and I'm still undecided on how I will power the branch line where all stock is DCC ready. Even though the two line's are totally isolated and I don't see a need to move stock between them, I have also read that using both methods on the same layout is not such a good idea. With all the good weather progress has been very slow over the last few weeks. But as I get further with the automation I'll post my experiences. All the best Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MarshLane Posted July 8, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2019 Hi David, Yes automation on DC is relatively easy in some respects, as your dealing with current on or off, where as DCC gets more involved with the requirement to 'talk' to the decoders, although there are other options now, to varying degrees of success. The Heathcote electronics boards have been quite widely used and they can be connected together so that one informs the next etc, so I shall look forward to reading how you go forward. In terms of DC and DCC on the same layout, if there is a connection in any way, track or wiring, then yes, not a good idea. However, if the two lines are totally separate, different controllers, no connecting pointwork etc, then in essence the DCC is a totally separate layout from the DC, so I don't see any reason why you couldn't have both - DC on the mains and DCC on the branch. My query however, would be the reason for doing it, and whether the cost of decoders and new controllers is justified - but that is of course, entirely your decision, based on what you want to do and achieve. Love reading what your doing with the layout, however, and would echo Richie and others, the work on the 90s an DVTs is really nice. Well done. Rich 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted July 9, 2019 Author Share Posted July 9, 2019 It is a good question about 'why DCC' Rich. I am still not totally decided which way to go, but I would like it in the end if the 4 mainlines could run automatically as they are loops and then leave the branch line to be controlled manually as and when wanted. With some of the options to run trains from a completely portable controller or even an IPad, DCC has some advantages and I also have no experince with sound, but this might be interesting in the future. The branch line is linked with pointwork to the mainline, but if I went down the road of DCC I would leave a totally dead section of track between the two points. The track would be purely visual. The first step before choosing about the branchline is to get the mainlines running automatically which is a challenage I am looking forward to. All the best Dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted August 21, 2019 Author Share Posted August 21, 2019 (edited) Progress has been very slow over summer with a combination of holidays, a new kitchen and attempting to get out and make the most of the good summer weather before it's gone. But managed to sneak in an enjoyable running session and a visit from my three year old neice gave me a good excuse to invoke 'rule one' and run anything, rather than sticking to the mid/late 90s wcml stock. This was an interloper. But still going strong and running well after just over 20 years of service. One of my first locos and my Xmas present as an 8year old boy. Not as detailed as some of the latest offerings, but still a lot of fun. And a more normal sight in the mid 90s an Intercity class 87 pulling a mk3 rake on the northbound Euston to Glasgow service. All the best Dave Edited August 21, 2019 by DavidMcKenzie 13 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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