Dickon Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I really shouldn't look at eBay late at night. However, I have managed to buy a Scale Link OO gauge windpump for the price of two beers. Put the pump, a water tower and a length of metre gauge track on a shallow embankment, add a Rolls Royce armoured car and a crowd of Airfix Arabs and camels and we are creating mayhem with T E Lawrence on the Hijaz railway across the Arabian Desert. The height of the embankment will be dictated by the windmill, which will dominate the entire scene. A couple of men lying prone to shoot will have their rifles removed to make it look as though they are unbolting a fishplate while their companions are placing charges under the water tower and the pump. I wanted to add a Rolls Royce tender but can't find one to scale. Lawrence himself used a one-off cut down Silver Ghost that he commandeered in Cairo. I thought about a converting a model Silver Ghost to resemble that but every model I have found so far is to a larger scale. Lawrence's men also used Talbot and Model T Ford tenders. No one does a 1/72 Talbot, so I've settled for a Ford. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MAP66 Posted February 19, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 19, 2019 2 hours ago, Dickon said: I really shouldn't look at eBay late at night. However, I have managed to buy a Scale Link OO gauge windpump for the price of two beers. Put the pump, a water tower and a length of metre gauge track on a shallow embankment, add a Rolls Royce armoured car and a crowd of Airfix Arabs and camels and we are creating mayhem with T E Lawrence on the Hijaz railway across the Arabian Desert. The height of the embankment will be dictated by the windmill, which will dominate the entire scene. A couple of men lying prone to shoot will have their rifles removed to make it look as though they are unbolting a fishplate while their companions are placing charges under the water tower and the pump. I wanted to add a Rolls Royce tender but can't find one to scale. Lawrence himself used a one-off cut down Silver Ghost that he commandeered in Cairo. I thought about a converting a model Silver Ghost to resemble that but every model I have found so far is to a larger scale. Lawrence's men also used Talbot and Model T Ford tenders. No one does a 1/72 Talbot, so I've settled for a Ford. Fantastic idea, Mr.Portillo done a spot on Lawrence of Arabia on yesterdays (repeat) episode of Great Railway Journeys. Didn't catch all of it but there was certainly mention of his exploits blowing things up and causing general havoc. Can't wait to see how this one turns out. All the best Mark 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 19, 2019 Author Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) Sadly I missed the programme, but I read Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom several years ago and am currently half way through Setting the Desert on Fire by James Barr. I only hope that my interpretation will do justice to the what the man achieved. Edited February 25, 2019 by Dickon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) I thought that I had won a set of Arabs and camels of eBay last night until some so and so out bidded me with 5 seconds to go. Now eBay is inundating me with a thousand and one offers of model soldiers from the wrong war zone, era or nationality most of which aren't even at the right scale. Never mind there's time yet. Meanwhile I've painted the armoured car and started work on the wind pump. The wind vane is huge - a massive 9 feet in diameter, but I guess they would have needed a lot of power to pump water from any depth on wind power alone. Edited March 16, 2019 by Dickon added photo. Spot the bullet holes in the vane 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) Just managed to buy a job lot of Airfix Arabs, but no camels. The dismounted figures are in the same poses as the set I missed last night so I have at least got some sentries and a couple of desperadoes to tamper with the fish plates. The model T Ford comes with a couple of crew but I could still do with a few more personnel. I'm watching some WW1 British infantry and tank crew. But I do want some camels........ I wonder if one of the fellows kneeling down to shoot is responsible for those holes in the wind vane? Edited February 21, 2019 by Dickon just noticed that there's more than one fellow kneeling down Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) One hump or two? http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=PR47531 https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Preiser-20383-Camels-H0/1957552765 though possibly cheaper from http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=PR20383 https://www.howardscenicsupplies.co.uk/preiser-20383-camels-6-00-ho-model-animals/ https://www.1001modelkits.co.uk/figures-all-scales/76222-preiser-pr29506-camel-4041032295060.html They are HO but I Suspect that they, like us, come in all sizes Edited February 21, 2019 by shortliner Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 10 minutes ago, shortliner said: One hump or two? One hump. There are various sets of 1/72 camel corps but they are all modelled as though they are on the move. The Airfix set had a two or three standing camels which would be ideal in a baggage train supporting the raid on the railway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 In that case will these dromedaries help? http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=PR20397 a set of 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 1 hour ago, shortliner said: In that case will these dromedaries help? Close, but it's a shame that all 3 look identical and that they're out of stock Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 There is an article about Habbaniya in the March CM that may interest you . Sorry my suggestions are no good! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 1 hour ago, shortliner said: Sorry my suggestions are no good! I wouldn't say that. You got me into sources of plastic soldiers and animals beyond the obvious. I've just managed to find a dozen Egyptian camel corps soldiers and camels for £4.99. The uniforms will be wrong but possibly sufficiently similar to British WW1 that I can use some of them. If not I've got a very detailed group of properly saddled camels including some standing still and lying down that will mix well with the Airfix Arabs. I'll try to find a copy of CM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angliacan Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 (edited) Here a link to Hat WW1 British Infantry (Tropical) which might be of use. I'm using this set for 4mm Brazilian Coffee Plantation layout crew. I could pass on you a single sprue which has all the different poses. http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2103 Edited February 22, 2019 by Angliacan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Dickon, hope it works out for you 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 (edited) 58 minutes ago, Angliacan said: Here a link to Hat WW1 British Infantry (Tropical) which might be of use. I'm using this set for 4mm Brazilian Coffee Plantation layout crew. I could pass on you a single sprue which has all the different poses. http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2103 That's very kind of you. I could use the two chaps kneeling down as sentries and the one lying prone could be laying an explosive charge or unbolting fishplates. My Egyptians are also by Hat. Edited February 22, 2019 by Dickon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Dickon - another possible source of modelling for you - Sidi Fontana in OO9 - https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=7229&highlight=Franckcombe who is a French modeller, but might have some suggestions re availability of figures etc - I knew I had seen it but couldn't remember wheer - one of the disadvantages of getting older! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 5 minutes ago, shortliner said: Dickon - another possible source of modelling for you - Sidi Fontana in OO9 - https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=7229&highlight=Franckcombe who is a French modeller, but might have some suggestions re availability of figures etc - I knew I had seen it but couldn't remember wheer - one of the disadvantages of getting older! I love his palm trees! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angliacan Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 1 hour ago, Dickon said: That's very kind of you. I could use the two chaps kneeling down as sentries and the one lying prone could be laying an explosive charge or unbolting fishplates. My Egyptians are also by Hat. Send me a Private Messagewith your address & I'll pop those 3 figures in the post to you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 24 minutes ago, Angliacan said: Send me a Private Message with your address & I'll pop those 3 figures in the post to you. Brilliant. I'll try first thing tomorrow morning Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 25, 2019 Author Share Posted February 25, 2019 (edited) Many thanks to Angliacan and Shortliner for solving my problems with camels and personnel. Mean while I have started to build the pylon for the windmill, which is not proving to be easy. The instructions tell you to make a jig for joining the sides by covering a square-edged piece of wood with thin polythene, which should stop the cyno adhesive from sticking to the jig. I probably used too thin a sheet of polythene as chunks of it pulled away as I separated the frets from the jig and remained firmly stuck to the workpiece. I then had to leave the glue to dry for several hours before scraping and filing the debris away. The second pair of sides came away more cleanly after my neighbour suggested replacing the polythene with mylar parcel tape. The vehicles are coming along well, though I am sure that the Rolls should have double rear wheels (the kit only supplies singles) and the Ford has no spare wheels or tyres. Every photo I have ever seen of Lawrence's vehicles show them to have been festooned with any number of spare wheels and tyres. So far I have drawn a complete blank in finding anything suitable - I've even looked at washers and rubber o-rings. Edited February 25, 2019 by Dickon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 25, 2019 Author Share Posted February 25, 2019 (edited) The local iron monger may not have had o-rings in the sizes that I wanted but my neighbour did. The model T's rear springs must be groaning with all the weight under that tarp but at least they have enough tyres to get home. Edited February 25, 2019 by Dickon updated photo 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 (edited) I thought that my camels might appreciate a couple of palm trees to shelter under while the troops got on with their more serious work. The trunks are twigs from the garden to which I have attached small feathers (probably house sparrow?....I'm no ornithologist) by wrapping masking tape round the top of the twig to enclose the quill of a feather every quarter turn or so while making sure that the feathers all curved outwards. A thin squirt of green paint from a rattle can turned the feathers into quite realistic fronds especially where dark bits of feather show through the paint. Having made sure that the masking tape tapered neatly into the 'tree trunk', I then coated it with PVA glue and sprinkled on tea leaves as the dark cluster of old growth at the top of the trunk. English breakfast tea was a bit too fine and dusty but Darjeeling was spot on. No small birdies were injured in this production. Edited February 27, 2019 by Dickon grammar and spelling 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted March 7, 2019 Author Share Posted March 7, 2019 (edited) The windmill is now complete except for paint and I've had a first attempt at narrowing a length of oo gauge track to a scale metre gauge and ballasting it. The 'granite chippings' are too grey, so mk 2 will have a browner ballast more representative of local stone. The water tank which would have been bolted together on site from cast iron sections will be supported on a buttressed plinth of 'local stone' with a simple spout for watering engines in place of a conventional water crane which would have had to be transported to this remote desert site. The personnel are beginning to find their places but most of them need to have their weapons removed or modified as far too many of them were originally charging with bayonets or brandishing weapons in the air. I'm hoping to be able to lower the aim of a gentleman firing a pistol so he can reenact a time when Lawrence and his driver fired their pistols at a plank of wood to cut it in three before using it to prop up a broken spring shackle on Lawrence's Rolls Royce. I'm really looking forward to covering the entire scene with lashings of Javis desert sand and stone, but firstly I need to think about how I put wheel tracks behind the vehicles. That Rolls weighs four tons. Edited March 8, 2019 by Dickon 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 Coming along nicely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickon Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 Having roughed out my 'landscape' with foam blocks, I spent this morning attempting to carve and sand a more natural looking embankment with no hard edges between it, the desert floor and the plinth for the wind pump. Needless to say, I failed and was just about to cover the blocks with papier mache when I came across a blog in which TheQ suggested using a J-cloth soaked in a mixture of dilute PVA and pollyfilla. In no time at all it eased out all the joints really nicely and has given a very much more natural form to the whole scene, at least while it is still wet. I just hope it won't shrink or crack as it dries. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MAP66 Posted March 11, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2019 Nice job, will it keep it clean as well? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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