Shirebrook - N Gauge 1980's era layout.

[Duncan.]

Sunday Evening Departmental Developments

Hi Everyone,

Dear Friends I hope you all remain well. I have toned down the 'clean' ballast on the yellow liveried sturgeon, although, after looking at the photographs I'm not sure if further work is required! I have weathered both of the sturgeons and I am happy with them both. I have, like so many of you, had a testing week so there is only imited progress to share with you. I expect the coming week to be as equally demanding but thereafter I am hoping things will settle down so I can make progress on several projects. Keep checking in to see what I'm up to.

Cheers

Keep Safe

Duncan

[Duncan.]

Covid -19 Lockdown Survival kit!

Hello Fellow Modellers,

This is a difficult time for all of us. I am working from home at the moment , but I may get 'Furloughed' soon. Perhaps I can do some voluntary work when that happens. In the meantime I have collated wagons that require building /painting completing.

So here we have around 30 TPM HEA kits a 3D printed Ferry wagon , a Wickham Trolley ,4 MDOs coal wagons, 2 OTAs and a very rare CJM class 73/1 kit which I've had for many years.

I have a couple of class 58s ready for a repaint into Railfreight livery, these started as EWS liveried locos!

I wish you all well and Keep safe everybody.

Cheers

Duncan

[Ian Smeeton]

That lot won't last 12 Weeks!!

 

Regards

& Stay Safe

 

Ian

[Duncan.]

8 minutes ago, Ian Smeeton said:

That lot won't last 12 Weeks!!

 

Regards

& Stay Safe

 

Ian

Hi Ian,

You'll have to check in occasionally to check on my progress! Anyhow I expect to be working from home for at least one more week.... 

Plus I'm following your thread now, that will take up some more time!

Thanks for your comment

Stay safe yourself

Cheers

Duncan

[Ian Smeeton]

1 hour ago, Duncan. said:

Hi Ian,

You'll have to check in occasionally to check on my progress! Anyhow I expect to be working from home for at least one more week.... 

Plus I'm following your thread now, that will take up some more time!

Thanks for your comment

Stay safe yourself

Cheers

Duncan

 

Don't follow me, I am going nowhere at the moment!!

 

I do check in most days, and I would love to see Shirebrook in the flesh someday.

 

Very impressive modelling.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[87023Velocity]

Hi Duncan,

 

I like your survival kit  especially the TPM HEAs, it would be good if these reappeared under the NGS banner, along with the 87......

 

Cheers

 

Simon

[BernardTPM]

Sadly the tool for the HEA went 'walkabout', lost probably about 15 years ago when the firm that used to mould it moved. I had thought I had the tool, but it turned out not to be among those recovered. When I tried to trace them about 10 years ago I was unable to; seems they may have shut up shop. Worse still all the stock of bodies I had were lost in my dreadful move in 2013.

[Duncan.]

9 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

Sadly the tool for the HEA went 'walkabout', lost probably about 15 years ago when the firm that used to mould it moved. I had thought I had the tool, but it turned out not to be among those recovered. When I tried to trace them about 10 years ago I was unable to; seems they may have shut up shop. Worse still all the stock of bodies I had were lost in my dreadful move in 2013.

Thanks Bernard,

That's sad. Could a body be used to create a mould for resin casting? Do you think the NGS may be interested? Perhaps , if this was possible a new chassis could be mastered up to match the body parts? Your kits are so much better than the Bachmann offering with the over thick solebar and (therefore) the less distance between the top of the solebar and wagon top.

What about the Class 87 Bernard they would look smart on Dallam Sidings... Is the Dapol 86 chassis not suitable for installation in your 87 kit?

Cheers and stay safe

Duncan

[BernardTPM]

Thanks Duncan. I have a few reject/damaged mouldings left so a resin one could be a possibility, though it's an expensive route compared to the plastic mouldings; I would estimate something like eight times the unit price and probably the end support struts would be too delicate, but could be etched instead. I can't help thinking though someone will some along with a good RTR one before long (just a pure speculative guess - no inside info I can assure you).

No idea on the Dapol chassis. The key dimensions would be the chassis block's width and height (above rail level).

Edited March 29, 2020 by BernardTPM

[Duncan.]

Sunday 29th March. Lockdown remedy part 1.

Hi Everyone, There are other jobs to do aside from modelling. However those that require my attention are outside, now that the weather has turned rather cold with snow in the air I have made a start on the models. 

The shunter will be renumbered to 08255 vacuum brake only. First job is to remove the box and add scrap etch to replicate the doors. I have cut and filed the etch and glued in place with epoxy, I will fill to disguise the joins on the doors next. I will just patch paint the alteration. 

The other photographs shows parts that have been stripped where possible thoroughly washed and await a first mist coat in the spray booth. Here we have 2 Minitrix brake vans (these will be fitted with new metal wheelsets), and 2 Dapol class 58s.

Cheers

Duncan

[Duncan.]

Sunday 29th March. Lockdown remedy part 2.

Here you can see some progress with the minitrix brake vans. I'm taking the opportunity to improve the models as well as repaint them.

I removed the moulded handrails as shown in the first photograph, these will be replaced  with 0.4 mm wire. Then I cut out some plastikard to represent the ballast weights and glued them on with epoxy.

I also made a repair to my class 122 dummy unit.  All these and the 58s will be sprayed with undercoat this evening.

Cheers

Duncan

[03060]

Any particular reason for Minitrix over the GF offerings, Duncan ?

 

Regards,

Ian.

[Duncan.]

Morning Ian,

I think the Farish (Bachmann) model is a better representation of the prototype. It should be, how long has the Minitrix one been around, 30 years?

I need two 'Air Piped' brake vans for Shirebrook  (bauxite with yellow end and side panels) but the Farish examples which were listed as new liveries quite some time ago now have failed to appear. I already have some Minitrix examples purchased  second hand over the years, (probably at very low cost-one of those I am repainting was damaged). Rather than leave them to gather dust in a box, and with some extra time on my hands, I thought I would improve on the short comings of the model, detail and repaint them. 

So I guess that the reason is 'make do and mend rather than purchase 'new''. I think the pre-order cost for two was approaching £50- it certainly won't cost that for the changes to the Minitrix  brake vans.

Tell me (honestly) if you like them when I've finished. You may not, I may not,-and end up buying Farish ones when they become available, but I will enjoy (trying to) modify the old Minitrix ones.

Cheers

Duncan

[37058]

Stay safe Duncan.

 

I to am also cracking on a with a load of unfinished projects! 

 

Looking forward as always to your progress in these un-steady times. 

 

Cheers

Anthony 

[03060]

7 hours ago, Duncan. said:

 

So I guess that the reason is 'make do and mend rather than purchase 'new''. I think the pre-order cost for two was approaching £50- it certainly won't cost that for the changes to the Minitrix  brake vans.

 

As a Yorkshireman I can appreciate that !   I also found a couple of Minitrix ones in a collection that was passed on to me, I was going to just let them go with along with most of the other stuff but will see how you get on, I'll admit that I've spent more than £50 on B/GF ones recently....but you can never have too many brake vans in my opinion.

 

Looking forward to the rebuild.

 

Regards,

Ian.

(Correction....I've just found them both in my retained boxes....so I must have been reasonably impressed with them.)

Edited March 30, 2020 by 03060
Correction.

[Duncan.]

Minitrix BR Brake Vans

The brake vans have been undercoated white, dense white where the top colour will be yellow. The photo of the van in undercoat looks far less dense than in reality. It is painted white as the yellow is transparent.

Cheers

Duncan

[Duncan.]

And the Class 58 repaints.

The solebars on the Railfreight liveried locos are red. The base plastic is black so the process for repainting is white undercoat followed by yellow and finally red. The cabs are painted in a similar way.

Cheers

Duncan

[EWS FAN]

1 hour ago, Duncan. said:

And the Class 58 repaints.

The solebars on the Railfreight liveried locos are red. The base plastic is black so the process for repainting is white undercoat followed by yellow and finally red. The cabs are painted in a similar way.

Cheers

Duncan

Looking forward to seeing the finished article Duncan.

[37058]

That's a very good tip Duncan for spraying over black. 

 

Cheers

Anthony 

 

 

[Duncan.]

Air Piped Brake?

Good evening, I've been busy masking and spraying the two Minitrix brake vans the photos below show

1 Masking up before spraying wagon bauxite,

2 Straight out of the spray booth before the masking is removed

3 Masking removed

4 Mated together with the modified and part sprayed chassis.(Roof is temporarily fitted but not yet repainted)

The chassis will be further painted...

Cheers

Duncan

Sorry the photos have uploaded in the wrong order, 3,1,2,4 frustrating!!

Edited March 31, 2020 by Duncan.
Additional text

[Duncan.]

On 30/03/2020 at 11:48, 03060 said:

 

As a Yorkshireman I can appreciate that !   I also found a couple of Minitrix ones in a collection that was passed on to me, I was going to just let them go with along with most of the other stuff but will see how you get on, I'll admit that I've spent more than £50 on B/GF ones recently....but you can never have too many brake vans in my opinion.

 

Looking forward to the rebuild.

 

Regards,

Ian.

(Correction....I've just found them both in my retained boxes....so I must have been reasonably impressed with them.)

Brake Van Progress

Hello, not much further on. New metal (Farish) wheels added. Wire handrails, detail painting and general chassis painting , all over weathering and transfers to do, however below are some comparison photos with an all over bauxite Farish example and the 'air piped' Minitrix repaints- What do you think? I may also try to add the brackets along the solebar as seen on the Farish example.

Cheers

Duncan

[andy stroud]

Hi Duncan.

Not sure if you are aware, but the 2mmAssociation do white metal roller bearings whick I think most of these vans had.  Also I think most of them had three small pipes, often picked out in white on the same side as the stove. Dead easy to do with some 0.3 wire and stands out easily as  something a little different.

Cheers,

Andrew.

[avrojetmark]

What a stunning layout, full of atmosphere and the memories of BR blue.

 

[03060]

7 hours ago, Duncan. said:

Brake Van Progress

Hello, not much further on. New metal (Farish) wheels added. Wire handrails, detail painting and general chassis painting , all over weathering and transfers to do, however below are some comparison photos with an all over bauxite Farish example and the 'air piped' Minitrix repaints- What do you think? I may also try to add the brackets along the solebar as seen on the Farish example.

Cheers

Duncan

 

 

 

Hello Duncan,

 

The two things that stood out for me when I compared my Minitix vans to the Farish ones was the missing solebar brackets and the girth of the roof chimney.

 

I have two 3mm  brake van models on the 'to finish' stockroad which also lack these brackets which I think do make a difference to appearance. I may now try and do these and the Minitrix ones altogether.

 

Regarding the 'large' chimney, I wanted to check a few more prototype photos before deciding whether to try and replace them with something finer, I think that the shell vents look Ok but also not too sure about the rainstrips which are too noticeable even at a glance....again, I need to double check against prototype photos.

 

Painting finish is great and will look better once you've picked out the handrails. 

Good stuff as ever, thanks for sharing.

 

Regards,

Ian.

[Duncan.]

8 hours ago, andy stroud said:

Hi Duncan.

Not sure if you are aware, but the 2mmAssociation do white metal roller bearings whick I think most of these vans had.  Also I think most of them had three small pipes, often picked out in white on the same side as the stove. Dead easy to do with some 0.3 wire and stands out easily as  something a little different.

Cheers,

Andrew.

Morning Andrew,

Thanks for that information. My wife, Janet, is a member of the 2mm Association, I should pay more attention to their large and useful list of products. I have noticed the side pipework on some vans... does anyone know it's purpose?

keep safe Andrew.

Cheers

Duncan