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Swindelton – inspiration from a challenge 7 years later!


ChrisS
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  • RMweb Gold

I normally go out on the mountain bike over the weekend, but with the recent stormy weather from Freya, I decided to stay indoors. Once upon a time this would not have been an issue but the thought of getting wet, muddy and cold did not really appeal! This meant I had some extra free time to start the scenery elements of Swindelton. After some thinking time, I decided to fabricate the overbridge from scrap bits of ply wood; it’s obviously a work in progress so bits still to do, such as retaining walls and the top wall.

 

1291591314_bridgeembankment2.jpg.2f4ef33d02d7e37481390b750983d743.jpg

 

Originally the siding to the right finished in front of a solid wall, but this looked a little strange. Instead I’ve decided to create a second bridge over what is now a truncated disused line. This potentially allows expansion later.

 

I have a collection of polystyrene packaging materials collected over the years, so stated cutting this up to help visualise heights of embankments etc. Still to be finalised and stuck down. Not too sure if I want a mound of earth between the two bridges- not too sure it will look right.

 

Hopefully more to follow soon- this little spell was quite motivational and enjoyable!

 

1523490429_bridgeembankment3.JPG.739eb5a209cb85f911c0ab623f53abd3.JPG

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  • RMweb Gold

Well, recently I’ve mostly being……………………wanting to do some work to Swindelton but working life is a serious demotivator- what clown thought up working five days and having two off was a good idea! Mountain bike and car repairs have also seriously dented finances in the last month too. This was never going to be a quick build.

 

Anyhow, a small bit of progress, the weathers been nice, and the builders have finally moved in and ground works are in progress for the stabling point.  I found some materials I originally used to build the original Swindelton diorama shed.

 

Block work, brick work and steels (just finalising height) all going in, though I do need to stock up on a few supplies before it gets finished. As indicated by the PCA’s it should be a decent size.

I’ve cut a hole for the inspection pit (not quite finished) and built the pit too; it’s yet to be installed as I’m wondering if I want to install lighting in it now rather than later.

 

That's all for now. Hopefully back soon, but fearing work will get in the way again!

 

1287666235_roofbeams2.jpg.dd343684ac6947ca394470d3ed298ddb.jpg

 

20190330_203309_resized.jpg.cd39c9d4fb74f2ba9efb85378905d2a5.jpg

 

 

20190330_203454_resized.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

So I managed to get some more Evergreen strip supplies and the builders have been back to work on the stabling point. The roof framework is now taking shape and the sides will follow. Just got to find a suitable asbestos/ cement sheet; can’t remember what product I’ve previously used.

 

If I could go back in time, I think I would have liked a career in building design/ structural engineering.

 

I would have liked to have got more done, but a least some progress is being made. I made a few minor adjustments to the structure as I built it; I can't stand a wonky beam even if you're not going to see it under the cladding! The whole structure is removable from the base and is very light and strong. I use plastic weld glue which I find very good.

 

The wife and kids are away for a couple of nights, so I'm hoping to do a bit more during the week- fingers crossed.

 

20190512_170003_resized.jpg.91ef30737da721db3389bce8177fa8ec.jpg

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

This is definitely taking longer than I would like, time and money just keeps disappearing at an alarming speed! Unfortunately, a recent sudden death of a young niece in the family has also put things into perspective.

 

I’ve not posted anything for a while as I’ve been waiting to get some supplies, not least the corrugated cladding for the stabling point, so made a trip to the association of large scale railway modelers show in Reading yesterday. Came away with a few bits and bobs for the model. Hopefully these bits and bobs will allow some additional progress.

 

Anyhow, I’ve progressed with the shed and finished off the main structural elements. I then sprayed it with Halfords grey primer. Just got to decide on a suitable colour(s) for the corrugated sheet, and then hopefully I can get on with attaching that. 

 

That's all for now till next time.

 

20190512_195231_resized.jpg.10841c999c3fc88a697106d69bc8eb64.jpg

 

 

 

20190512_170003_resized.jpg

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  • RMweb Gold

For me I’ve made some progress tonight- small steps mind you. Started by painting the corrugated cladding for the shed. Started with Halfords grey primer and then dry brushed a light Humbrol enamel grey and brown over the top. Some of my Humbrol enamel collection must be 20+ years old, but a bit of stirring soon brings them back to life! I will probably add some more colour variety but under artificial light it looks good to me. Not too sure whether to cut the panels up or create an illusion of adjoining panels, probably with the use of a pencil.

 

Panels.jpg.329b69eb6fef02d8beb08669f9b11201.jpg

 

As mentioned earlier I went to Reading last week and picked up a few bits. One item was a Skytrex water tank. I built this but it looked a bit too boxy for my needs, so I cut it down. I've added a floor and started adding the supporting beams underneath. I’ve just got to decide how high I want to mount my water tank – and then create the supporting framework. Hopefully it look alright when completed.

 

20190517_210123_resized.jpg.47462687778c99f8adb93beb480f4e87.jpg

 

20190517_211620_resized.jpg.380b22dba663998610b201bd5327cd5d.jpg

 

20190517_222011_resized.jpg.71f300ee5f6fa2de6021a21fafa8ade9.jpg

 

Until next time!

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  • RMweb Gold

Ta-da! Well even I sometimes surprise myself- still a work in progress but managed to build the support structure for my water tower today. Really enjoyed doing this and it confirms I should have done architecture or structural engineering or something to that effect when I was younger!  

 

The main inspiration for this was photos of Kings Lynn stabling point with the water tower behind the shed there. Not too sure if it’s over or under engineered but my structure is based on guess work and what looks right to me (and what selection of Evergreen strip I had available!). All stuck together with plastic weld. That's all for now.

 

20190518_222727_resized.jpg.75a06043149bc5b72ce286513d781f15.jpg

 

20190518_223054_resized.jpg.5c7b6abe108a318177c77a529a106479.jpg

 

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  • RMweb Gold

In the background I’ve been collecting some rolling stock for Swindelton. It seems that whilst there is a relatively good choice of locomotives available, there is limited choice of ready to run modern rolling stock. Ideally, I’d like to build my own, but that would add considerable time to this project!

 

I was able to get hold of a coupe of Railfreight VAAs before they disappeared from availability. For me, whilst not perfect they will provide an opportunity for improving something rather than having to build it. It’s a bit of a first world problem, but I was a little disappointed with the fitting of the ends of the VAAs. The quality here is poor and I think I would have sacked my QC team and CAD designer!

 

I decided to see what I could do to improve the appearance, particularly closing the gap in the chassis. This might have been covered elsewhere, but here are my efforts.

The visible gap in chassis and ill-fitting ends of the wagon spoil the appearance to me and make it look like a toy rather than a model.

 

20190526_154852_resized.jpg.b9e90d375f09f5ae698142e0f30ad692.jpg

 

Luckily the glue used to secure the ends is very weak allowing the end of the chassis to be removed with little effort or damage to the model.

 

20190526_154916_resized.jpg.8dd95cd19129661febddd00ace98205f.jpg

 

I used masking tape to protect the end whilst I carried out some surgery. This included removing the moulded lines (with a very sharp scalpel) and then filing along the bottom edge (with needle files) to make the end of the wagon level, as this appeared to be bowed. I opened the two holes that align the buffer beam very slightly. The black central block which houses the coupling was filed to ensure it fitted in the recess at the rear of the beam, as this was preventing a good fit.

 

20190526_160804_resized.jpg.6c70bca2ab0cf6b48bb91bdef08659d6.jpg

 

I tidied up the rear of the buffer beam, removing excess glue. This also required some minor filing to enable a good fit on the end of the wagon. I discovered that the buffer shanks are slightly wonky but could easily be removed. The buffer heads are simply pulled off the brass shaft, allowing he shanks to be adjusted. Just got to be careful and not loose the small springs within!

 

20190526_171447_resized.jpg.62239742e356e4b279c84a503047150e.jpg

 

I test fitted the end regularly to ensure a good fit. As you can see there is very little evidence of modification. Future weathering will hide any minor marks.

 

20190526_175142_resized.jpg.75c913a283a2165d9acae7e85a365dbf.jpg

 

Finally, after a couple of hours, all reassembled and glued. As I said earlier, a bit of a first world problem but compared to the first photo it looks considerably better. I took the opportunity to paint the buffer shafts with Humbrol metal coat too, and even this small detail makes a massive difference (to me anyway!).

 

20190526_192402_resized.jpg.7f0c00537a1ca79234c3e10e01abc640.jpg

 

Hope this was of interest; I've just got to modify a few others now! Till next time.

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1 hour ago, ChrisS said:

In the background I’ve been collecting some rolling stock for Swindelton. It seems that whilst there is a relatively good choice of locomotives available, there is limited choice of ready to run modern rolling stock. Ideally, I’d like to build my own, but that would add considerable time to this project!

 

I was able to get hold of a coupe of Railfreight VAAs before they disappeared from availability. For me, whilst not perfect they will provide an opportunity for improving something rather than having to build it. It’s a bit of a first world problem, but I was a little disappointed with the fitting of the ends of the VAAs. The quality here is poor and I think I would have sacked my QC team and CAD designer!

 

I decided to see what I could do to improve the appearance, particularly closing the gap in the chassis. This might have been covered elsewhere, but here are my efforts.

The visible gap in chassis and ill-fitting ends of the waggon spoil the appearance to me and make it look like a toy rather than a model.

 

20190526_154852_resized.jpg.f474e65c14315cb3f9bd9d7f76d26b97.jpg

 

Luckily the glue used to secure the ends is very weak allowing the end of the chassis to be removed with little effort or damage to the model.

 

20190526_154916_resized.jpg.b84f6c17c5f29921d3ded86702ce8103.jpg

 

I used masking tape to protect the end whilst I carried out some surgery. This included removing the moulded lines (with a very sharp scalpel) and then filing along the bottom edge (with needle files) to make the end of the wagon level, as this appeared to be bowed. I opened the two holes that align the buffer beam very slightly. The black central block which houses the coupling was filed to ensure it fitted in the recess at the rear of the beam, as this was preventing a good fit.

 

20190526_160804_resized.jpg.c20f25d64266046b5d26f2dab7f32979.jpg

 

20190526_171412_resized.jpg.62072d5038614336ef9ab4b4d8a1ad09.jpg

 

I tidied up the rear of the buffer beam, removing excess glue. This also required some minor filing to enable a good fit on the end of the wagon. I discovered that the buffer shanks are slightly wonky but could easily be removed. The buffer heads are simply pulled off the brass shaft, allowing he shanks to be adjusted. Just got to be careful and not loose the small springs within!

 

20190526_171447_resized.jpg.f77dce31d49b65d1eb413a88f72aed0f.jpg

 

I test fitted the end regularly to ensure a good fit. As you can see there is very little evidence of modification. Future weathering will hide any minor marks.

 

20190526_175142_resized.jpg.49b9bb4a1e988ffc5656031b7c5fbb39.jpg

 

Finally, after a couple of hours, all reassembled and glued. As I said earlier, a bit of a first world problem but compared to the first photo it looks considerably better. I took the opportunity to paint the buffer shafts with Humbrol metal coat too, and even this small detail makes a massive difference (to me anyway!).

 

20190526_192402_resized.jpg.6fe094c324a47e6b24c7b55fb24c8927.jpg

 

Hope this was of interest; I've just got to modify a few others now! Till next time.

 

it is a vast improvement. 

what i couldn't work out is why they didn't use the same chassis as the open wagon, which doesn't have this problem

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Progress has been a bit slow- not helped by replacing the bedroom floorboards and having the bedroom walls re-plastered during my weeks annual leave; I need a holiday just to get over that!

 

Recently I saw some videos about weathering military models, planes and tanks, with oil paints. The technique looked interesting and not something I’ve seen before, and some of the models looked amazing; so, I thought I’d give it a go on the VAA I’d worked on earlier.

 

I acquired a few oils and thinners and then wondered if this was the right thing to do; so I tried out some of the basic techniques on an old OO model first.

 

I mainly experimented with pin washes and dry brushing the oils. The former involved diluting the oil paint with a thinner to the desired consistency and then spotting it on detail such as rivets and watching it flow around the detail. To enable the dry brushing of the oils I smeared them on cardboard to allow the linseed oil to be drawn out.

 

The main benefit is if you make a mistake its easy to tidy it up or start again. The downside is that it takes a while for the various layers to dry. The nice thing about the oil paints is that they blend nicely, and you can get subtle effects.

 

So, I started with this……..

 

20190615_144949_resized.jpg.34d5fecb66acbdc59107b95e6f5235a4.jpg

 

Acquired these……

 

20190615_190026_resized.jpg.42eb7e8ba03f70bb6f2164d98a5a78c2.jpg

 

Had a go at using oil paints for weathering and achieved this………..

 

20190615_202336_resized.jpg.e139a5a34a0d8851b676ef004fc2127c.jpg

 

The rivets seem to pop out a bit more as a result of the pin washes and some dry brushing.

 

I toned down the orange/ red by dry brushing on the white oil. The stains below the door handles are also a result of dry brushing on and blending black and browns.

 

Still got to do some additional weathering to the underframe- might just stick to what I know and use the airbrush and track dirt but will also need to do the roof too.

 

Still got a lot to do to the bedroom and work is busy at the moment, so not too sure what I will achieve in the next few weeks!

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looking good Chris, what is the bottle on the left called Sansodor? I've seen some great effects built up using oil paints, I've had a little go and they do seem a bit easier to work with, what were the videos you looked at? 

Steve.

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  • RMweb Gold

Hello Steve, sansodor is a low odor thinner so its definately nicer to work with. Im not an oil paint artist but apparently it's less aggressive on surfaces than using white spirits. I think it also evaporates a little slower than white spirits so you have a bit more time to work with it. 

 

I searched youtube for weathering videos- the military modellers seem to be very good at using oil paint techniques. One video i found helpful was 'Top 5 beginner weathering effects' by Panzermeister 36. It's biased toward weathering tanks but it gave me enough info to have a go. HTH.

 

Chris

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Thanks Chris, I'll look out for that video. I've faded some colours using oils and I'd like to try more weathering with them, there's a great blog on here by Mick Bonwick weathering a peckett using oils and it's stunning.

Steve.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

So, the usual excuses have resulted in what would appear to be very little progress, but for me a few little jobs are getting boxed off. I do tend to get distracted and have many bits on the go. This also includes mountain biking and racing radio controlled cars, both of which take time and money too!

 

As an infamous TV presenter used to say……… Can you guess what it is yet?

 

20190712_202337_resized.jpg.05a2d65e843d8bf3a448a5c9f5ed39ce.jpg

 

My wife was not impressed but I was pleased with myself. Scratch built with evergreen sheet- a bit of grey primer and a bit of weathering resulted in this.

 

20190712_221736_resized.jpg.c698627a26ccf6d5f67bebaeac23c205.jpg

 

This one object has held me up completing another project- I was building up the courage to actually start sticking things together. Anyhow, progress is now being made and cladding has started to appear on my stabling/ maintenance shed; I’ve just got to fill in some of the smaller gaps and install some glazing and edging strips.

 

So on this anniversary, that’s one small step for (this) man, one giant leap (all relative) for this project! A couple of photos for proof.

 

20190716_221612_resized.jpg.2a9dd89e91dd71a6ca06b17cb76c9c3c.jpg

 

20190716_221306_resized.jpg.b0f220d2ee5fe035b77e398d33911a6f.jpg

 

Until next time..................................

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  • 3 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

Wow, didn't realise it's been so long since I did anything with Swindelton; life is passing by too fast, and with too many other commitments it's taken a back seat over the summer. Really hoping to find some free time and motivation to progress this in the near future. The company I work for has just been acquired so I'm anticipating more headaches whilst adjusting to their way of doing things!

 

A bit of retail therapy was needed so I acquired one of the new Dapol 08s representing the later builds. Comparing it to my MMP kit, I'm quite pleased how my effort stands up against the new arrival. Just got to decide what number to apply- there is a minefield of detail variations! One detail missing from the Dapol model appears to be the air tanks behind the cab access steps- assuming all dual braked examples were fitted with these? The buffer shanks look a bit odd too, but I suspect there were several different variations of these, Still a very nice model though with a bit more weight, crisper detail, lights and better running than mine!

 

That's all for now.

 

DSCF4739.JPG.3ee76ade4365c46d0a396b8936fbf009.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • RMweb Gold

So it's been just over a year since I started this little project. Not got as far as I'd have liked but i've been very busy with other things that get in the way.

 

Still a lot to do but items are being aquired in the background. One item I picked up recently was this Buzz models 20ft container kit. 

 

After a couple of hours preparing the bits.....

20191210_211409.jpg.78fbc781ffdf2407f21968e5c809d977.jpg

 

I ended up with this.

20191223_214713.jpg.210062a00cae1a9c062aa4b6c1f9a183.jpg

 

Good job superglue on this type of plastic is not too strong as i was not happy how it first looked- I was able to gently break it apart and start again. Quite happy with how it looks now. Should look good when painted and weathered but will probably have to wait a while before I get to paint it- the next few days are going to be busy!

 

Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays!

 

 

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  • RMweb Gold

Only just found this - I remember enjoying the original build of your diorama as I think I also entered the competition that year...:O

 

Really like the project Chris and staying tuned for more as I have stated my own 7mm layout since...it’s definitely a great scale to model in :yes:

 

 

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  • RMweb Gold

Thanks bcnPete- I think the 2011 challenge was one of the better ones with some really good dioramas. What I enjoy but also find challenging in this scale is trying to make something realistic and achievable in a small space!

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  • RMweb Gold

Still plodding along with this. The cold weather and weak fan heater means it's not fun working in the garage so mojo has been a bit lacking. Spent the weekend ripping out fitted wardrobes but also spending some time on Swindelton- it was relatively nice listening to storm Dennis outside.

 

Anyhow, used some das modelling clay to create some hard standing in and around the shed. It's a bit messy but should tidy up ok. Spent some time weathering the roof of the shed by dry brushing at least 6 different enamel colours including oranges and greens- fairly happy with the result. This was actually very therapeutic to do. The Peterborough shed has been the main inspiration, and I've built this interpretation on what looks good to me. So I was pleased to find some internal photos posted elsewhere on this forum which will give me some ideas. Still got to sort the glazing aswell.

 

20200217_161442.jpg.3b22c136eea52b2b7bf8510de5e10a9a.jpg

 

This whole model is trying to incorporate many different uses (as mentioned in an earlier post) one of which will probably be taking numerous photos.

 

So thought I'd have a go with the inclusion of a recent addition to get an idea of what I want to achieve. 

 

20200217_160220.jpg.449de57e527918e8c7f033e4338812e8.jpg

 

Forgot to mention I've nearly finished the tedious job of painting rails! Once upon a time I bought a jar of humbrol rust wash but didn't like the finish when experimented with on a model or two. However, it seems to be ok for the track. It looks a bit orange but will be toned down with additional weathering.

 

20200217_155554.jpg.8d957f33e51b43c2f5435464867da1b8.jpg

 

I have a day off tomorrow so will see what else I can achieve - the mojo has returned for a day or two!

 

Till next time.

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  • 1 month later...
  • RMweb Gold

Really strange times we currently live in - really getting tired of the locusts and selfish behaviour in the supermarkets!

 

Looks like I might have time to devote to Swindelton. No R/c car racing as its deemed a social gathering. No riding the mountain bike on the trails in the forest near me- they've been closed to reduce the risk of accidents and any additional pressure on the NHS.

 

So for the first time in a long time, the solder and irons have come out and I've made a start on a D J Parkins Portakabin. I built his 08 and 47 kits so sort of know what's involved- which is partly why i've not started it earlier. Quite a bit of detail for a Portakabin!

 

Don't know how long this will take, but it's not as if we'll be getting out a lot in the near future!

 

20200321_214714.jpg.f9702812f1cf8e539d7b9eb1dfb0130d.jpg

 

Take care- till next time.

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On ‎17‎/‎02‎/‎2020 at 17:04, ChrisS said:

Still plodding along with this. The cold weather and weak fan heater means it's not fun working in the garage so mojo has been a bit lacking. Spent the weekend ripping out fitted wardrobes but also spending some time on Swindelton- it was relatively nice listening to storm Dennis outside.

 

Anyhow, used some das modelling clay to create some hard standing in and around the shed. It's a bit messy but should tidy up ok. Spent some time weathering the roof of the shed by dry brushing at least 6 different enamel colours including oranges and greens- fairly happy with the result. This was actually very therapeutic to do. The Peterborough shed has been the main inspiration, and I've built this interpretation on what looks good to me. So I was pleased to find some internal photos posted elsewhere on this forum which will give me some ideas. Still got to sort the glazing aswell.

 

20200217_161442.jpg.3b22c136eea52b2b7bf8510de5e10a9a.jpg

 

This whole model is trying to incorporate many different uses (as mentioned in an earlier post) one of which will probably be taking numerous photos.

 

So thought I'd have a go with the inclusion of a recent addition to get an idea of what I want to achieve. 

 

20200217_160220.jpg.449de57e527918e8c7f033e4338812e8.jpg

 

Forgot to mention I've nearly finished the tedious job of painting rails! Once upon a time I bought a jar of humbrol rust wash but didn't like the finish when experimented with on a model or two. However, it seems to be ok for the track. It looks a bit orange but will be toned down with additional weathering.

 

20200217_155554.jpg.8d957f33e51b43c2f5435464867da1b8.jpg

 

I have a day off tomorrow so will see what else I can achieve - the mojo has returned for a day or two!

 

Till next time.

Hello Chris

Is the 03 a new Heljan one as i can see the air tank on the side and was wondering if it came with it or where you got it from as id like to do a duel braked version.

thanks Steve

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  • RMweb Gold

Hello Steve- My 03 is a DJH model from 2005! It's still a very good model but lacks any working lighting- may be a project for the future.

 

I too wanted an air braked version and a long lived member of the class and it was an option they offered.

 

I'm guessing Heljan might offer it as an option later, or that someone will offer an up-grade kit of bits.

 

The air tanks are on both sides plus there is an additional cabinet on the right hand side.

 

20200322_085748.jpg.4bfad269551b81e379ba44c97063e8b5.jpg

 

20200322_085858.jpg.23a6e1d0b93188645ab27fa20327f656.jpg

 

Chris

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