pwr Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 Bob Likewise! The link is here if anyone else is interested. http://www.d8233.org.uk/gallery_others.htm I suspect these were either coal or beet in these wagons. Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 Sorry not much to report lately. I have now finished a tablet exchange platform to go opposite the main gate box. This is to avoid a DMU driver having to cross the cab on his way back to Witham to collect the tablet. Just need to make a tablet pouch for the signalman and it can be installed. I'll post a photo soon. In the meantime the Uckfield show was exceptional this year and I bought this This gets me to a train of 7 tankers without barrier vehicles. I might go for one more! All for now Paul R 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 Some images of recent acquisitions. Two Oxford Die Cast 1:43 - yes that's right 1:43 Weymann Fanfare coaches. These are exquisite models and Oxford have done a great job on the detail. Even the mirrors are different and the South Wales version has roof horns that the Southdown version doesn't. Both now need passengers which I understand form a Twitter friend is easy to do by removing the two screws underneath. In reality none of these would ever have got near Black Notley but Rule 1 applies and they are the proper scale Oxford have not announced any other liveries yet but I suspect there is considerable mileage in this model. What we need is for them to do a few service buses such as the Bristol RE, Bristol MW and Bristol Lodekka. Anyway enjoy the photos Paul R 9 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted October 25, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 25, 2019 No reason that these coaches should not be in Essex on private hire work. But you would need to change the destination on the Southdown. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 They look superb Paul and would happily grace any Layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 They really do look good, Paul I'll have to check if Crosville had any!!! Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 21 minutes ago, Andrew P said: They look superb Paul and would happily grace any Layout. My excuse is that they are on a tour of Essex villages! Paul R 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted October 28, 2019 Author Share Posted October 28, 2019 I have now finished the tablet exchange platform and this is shown below. The tablet pouch is made out of brass wire and plastikard. As mentioned before this is designed to stop the need for the driver to cross the cab of his DMU to pick up the tablet. As far as I know Cressing never had one but Black Notley does. Given in my version of history the Dunmow line never closed the route through here is now much busier with more freight that ever before. It is assumed that DMU's would have run through to Bishops Stortford; some would have been through trains from WItham, others would commence at Braintree. All for now Paul R 3 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted November 8, 2019 Author Share Posted November 8, 2019 OK I have decided its about time that I finished off some stuff I have had on the shelf for some time. I seem to get most of the way through a project and never quite finish it off as something more shiny and new comes along. Most of my models have something still not done even if they are largely complete. The B2 for example still lacks a crew and I have one ready to install. The signal boxes still have some missing glazing bars - they fell off! In fairness I did used to batch build wagons so I only needed to have one spraying session for each coat. I also have the BR MK1 coach to finish off which was waiting lining which I now have. So I am now going to make a concerted effort to finish some stuff starting with this LMS brake van. Its a Parkside kit and it requires some paint touch up, transfers, couplings and buffers. Then I have to weather it, varnish it and glaze it. The black paint has flaked off for some reason and it may be because the base cote is cellulose primer, the body coat is enamel and the black is acrylic! Not a good combination but the time between coats was quite long. I'll need some lamps as well. I have some brake van lamps somewhere I am going to scrape out the faked black and recoat. This is the third brake van on Black Notley. I have another LMS one - etched Connoisseur kit, a BR from Slaters and this. I have kit for a Southern van and another BR brakes somewhere so at some point I can put the O4 on a brake van special! So watch this space - I hope to make some progress this weekend. Paul R 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Like the tablet platform not often modelled but the chap loos miserable ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted November 8, 2019 Author Share Posted November 8, 2019 He's been waiting for that train all day! Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted December 26, 2019 Author Share Posted December 26, 2019 So this is what Santa brought this Christmas - green warship and Dapol brake Van. I now have warships in 3 colors. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted February 12, 2020 Author Share Posted February 12, 2020 (edited) Sorry for the lack of posts recently - been a bit busy since Christmas. I've got to have an op on my knee at the end of the month but as part of the pre-op checks I have bene diagnosed with high blood pressure which I have never had before. So a 24 our BP monitor awaits. I have had to go on coffee fast and drink plenty of water as well as back on the diet. Anyhow back to modelling - has anyone come across this glue? Its makers claim its been developed from the stuff they use to fill teeth. it comes as a gel and uses ultra-violet light to make it go off. 4 seconds and its as hard as nails apparently. You can get it from that well known on-line retailer! Any comments welcome Paul R Edited February 12, 2020 by pwr posted before I typed it all! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted February 14, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 14, 2020 On 12/02/2020 at 10:41, pwr said: I've got to have an op on my knee at the end of the month but as part of the pre-op checks I have bene diagnosed with high blood pressure which I have never had before. So a 24 our BP monitor awaits. I had to do an exercise test which involved half stripping and then pounding away on a bike in front of two hot nurses. The results came back I was in good shape apart from my blood pressure and I had to do the 24 hour test. Sadly no nurses involved and funnily enough the results were totally normal! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 Sorry about the lack of posts but we are having our kitchen done and I have not been able to get anywhere near the layout boards that are up as the room is full of the contents of the kitchen! However at the Tonbridge show I did acquire one of these LMS home signals to try out. I don't think I can use more than two of them as I need more specialist signals but its a start. Dapol say that these work on a 14v AC or 12v dc power supply. Now I don't have a 12v uncontrolled bus supply on the layout but I do have a 20v AC bus. So I have bene looking around as to how I might convert that to a 12v DC supply at the signal. In my desire to keep inter-board wiring to a minimum I am restricted to the number of wires across the board end. I am going to install this Dapol signal as the Platform starter in the Witham direction so in will probably have to carry the 20v on to this board as I don't think its carried here - I hope I have two spare pins! Then I will wire this device across the feed to get a 12v DC supply. Its solid state unit which I think is probably used in cars. I got it from Amazon at £10.99 which was a bit expensive but it should do the job. I just hope it doesn't run hot! The other signals I was planning to use the Peco servo units but I am not sure what powers them. However if I need more this is what I will use unless one of you clever electricians out there can advise on an alternative solution. All for now except to say a Gloucester DPU will be joining the Notley fleet at the end of April - wedding anniversary present! The rails of Sheffield deal was too much to ignore. I wonder if she will buy me a 33 for my birthday? Paul R 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 I can't believe it was early November when I said I was going to finish this brake van!. Well its now done and had a coat of weathering. The last thing I fitted were the two sidelights required for main line running. I often see photos of brake vans with a single tail lamp but if they are out on the mainline they are required to have these side lights which show a white light forward and a red back. The driver and fireman can then look back at any time and be confident the train is complete. We are still in the throes of kitchen replacement so I don't have full access to the layout but I was able to get in and take a quick photo. I think I have a suitable figure I can add as a guard at some point. Now to decide what to finish next. All for now Paul R 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Excellent work Paul, the Lamps do make a big difference, not something I've seen modelled before, so well done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted April 16, 2020 Author Share Posted April 16, 2020 Andy They are supplied by Springside (mine came from Gaugemaster) and I am sure you can also get white ones as well as these black versions. I think Modellu also do them. Paul R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 Well the wedding anniversary has arrived and DPU has now been added to the fleet. I'll have to find an excuse for the traffic it handles! Also two Dapol banana vans arrived. There were supposed to be two Geest versions but Dapol see to have only released one running number instead of the promised two of each so my order had one Ffyfes and one Geest. The Braintree line had a banana depot at Easton Lodge and it was ruin by Geest. I need a few more of these - birthday coming up soon - and I think I have a banana van kit somewhere lying about. I think it was one of the late Frank Titcombes. Interestingly these are not Steam banana vans as they have no steam heating pipes although recent photos on a certain Blackppol traders site are definitely in the latter category and are lettered as such. Does this mean there is a second batch? Anyhow the photos show the vans in Black Notley Yard. I not entirely sure why they are there. In reality banana trains went on to the branch at Bishops Stortford. Perhaps this consignment has come via Harwich. Paul R 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted May 4, 2020 Author Share Posted May 4, 2020 To give a bit of variety to my emerging banana train I have started on the Parkside SR Banana van kit. I've got the body built. The square styrene rods are to prevent body warp Currently having problems with the bearings which appear not big enough for the axles. I will drill these out once I have the axlebox assemblies complete. Two more Dapol wagons are on order so that will bring me up to 5. Anyone any thoughts on the Dapol version of bauxite. Every paint pot I have of this colour is much darker but Dapol's is very light and photos always seem to be much darker although that could be the weathering. Paul R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 Hi Paul, I've always found the colour about right once it's weathered, I did try to darken one with Red Oxide Car Paint, but found it far to dark once weathered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted May 4, 2020 Author Share Posted May 4, 2020 3 hours ago, Andrew P said: Hi Paul, I've always found the colour about right once it's weathered, I did try to darken one with Red Oxide Car Paint, but found it far to dark once weathered. Thanks Andy I think I may get out my Ivo Peters S and D videos - If I recall they showed some shots of a van train and my recollection at the time as how clean they looked. I appreciate that you cant take the colour as wholly accurate but they should give some comparators. Interesting that Heljan' s take on bauxite favours the darker colour Paul 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted May 6, 2020 Author Share Posted May 6, 2020 Latest update on the bananas! I had to shorten the axles on the wheels on this one - these are not those supplied in the kit - and drill out the bearings slightly and it rolls nicely. Next is to tackle the brake gear which from previous experience of building a Parkside Southern van, is a right tricky piece of jigsaw! I have to say I have done more modelling this week than I have in a long time and it feels good! Over this weekend I am modifying the fiddle yard boards to a different system of current collection for the cassettes. I will no longer be reliant on copper tape as I was in the earlier pictures. As stated by the great Black Adder, I have a cunning plan. So cunning in fact you could pin a tail on it and call it a fox! More will be revealed over the weekend. Paul R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D River Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 (edited) Good luck with the brake gear, I found when building a group of these SR kits the filing of the moulding seams on the small pegs of the cross members and opening out the holes on the vertical levers was the key. The first set was a real pig, but once I’d learnt that lesson they all seemed to fall together. On the subject of “Bauxite” above, I have spent a lot of time looking at colour photos of trains of vans to try and get this right. What I would say straight away is that colour obviously varies due to the vagaries of lighting, shadow, film emulsions, original undercoats, varnishes, re varnishes and so on. However, even though we might not know what the actual colour “should” have been - there does seem to be quite a range of shades of bauxite in the average train. I am just finishing my 32 wagon fitted van train, and in doing so finishing the second of two Dapol Banana vans. As mentioned above weathering darkens them (the colour is “moulded” - not painted) but after setting out on fitted van train research I came to realise the variety of shades of “the same” body colour in the train was as much part of its character as the different designs of wagon. The Capital Transport colour albums are a good starting point, but I’m sure we all have plenty of books to choose from. Dave Edited May 6, 2020 by D River Typo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted May 7, 2020 Author Share Posted May 7, 2020 Thanks Dave I haven't weathered too many of my wagons - I'll do them in batches with the airbrush in due course. Thanks for the tip on the brake gear. I don't remember too many problems on the previous one but its good to be learn from others all the best Paul R 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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