Chippenham - The Work Bench

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Some cracking insight to the movement of movements.

 

I have also discovered that the small roundal of the dean (I think) brake handle can be produced using the smallest setting of a hand held leather punch. 

[Bluemonkey presents....]

After a wash the primer has been splashed out. They oddly look better in primer than brass (to my eye) for once;

 

  

[chuffinghell]

15 minutes ago, Bluemonkey presents.... said:

After a wash the primer has been splashed out. They oddly look better in primer than brass (to my eye) for once;

 

  

I thought they looked great in brass but primed up they look absolutely fantastic

 

I do envy those who can do such a wonderful job with brass and brass kits, it’s not a material I get on with

[Bluemonkey presents....]

1 hour ago, chuffinghell said:

I thought they looked great in brass but primed up they look absolutely fantastic

 

I do envy those who can do such a wonderful job with brass and brass kits, it’s not a material I get on with

Thanks Chris, as I do those fluent in CAD an other such computer magic. Soldering is just instant hot glue. You prep the material in much the same way as plastic kits. Oh and instead of sticking fingers together you burn them 

[chuffinghell]

7 minutes ago, Bluemonkey presents.... said:

Thanks Chris, as I do those fluent in CAD an other such computer magic.

A nice comment from a wise bluemonkey to a drawing monkey 

[MrWolf]

I've always been okay with soldering jobs where you need to flood in the solder ( I generally use a No1 nozzle and oxy acetylene.) such as mending gas lamps or making / mending a fuel tank for a vintage bike. Or where you need a good clean joint such as circuit boards or wiring looms. But the thought of soldering tiny fabrications together or layering up panelled coach sides fills me with dread.

I keep thinking of getting one of those iron cattle van conversion kits for the old Ratio iron Mink as a first step, but I have so much else to do at the moment.

 

What you have built here is really inspiring.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Thank you but I owe all my skills development to the very helpful and knowledgeable people of this parish. Most, if not all, my soldering skills have come from watching the very informative Tony Wright DVDs. Other skills and knowledge are from watching and reading those posts generously shared and then trying to duplicate or at least produce something satisfactory.

The help and advice never goes unappreciated by me. Thank you for all.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

On 12/11/2021 at 19:40, MrWolf said:

I've always been okay with soldering jobs where you need to flood in the solder ( I generally use a No1 nozzle and oxy acetylene.) such as mending gas lamps or making / mending a fuel tank for a vintage bike. Or where you need a good clean joint such as circuit boards or wiring looms. But the thought of soldering tiny fabrications together or layering up panelled coach sides fills me with dread.

I keep thinking of getting one of those iron cattle van conversion kits for the old Ratio iron Mink as a first step, but I have so much else to do at the moment.

 

 

Like this one?

 

 

If this helps there is no soldering required, just some careful cutting. Same with the siphon Cs, unless you really want to solder up the outside frames. Shire Scene brass kits have a coating on the brass to aid gluing rather than soldering. If you do choose to solder one little bit of advice would be to lightly sand/clean off the etches to remove this coating.

[MrWolf]

That would be the beastie, thanks for the information on how it's constructed. I don't suppose you know if any survived into the 1930s? I have plenty of excuse for cattle wagons on my layout.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

10 hours ago, MrWolf said:

That would be the beastie, thanks for the information on how it's constructed. I don't suppose you know if any survived into the 1930s? I have plenty of excuse for cattle wagons on my layout.

 

Only one experimental prototype built by the Great Western and never given a diagram. In service 1888-1935 so a decent enough type, probably just not large enough. Enjoy modelling I certainly did. Enough that I am applying rule1 and going with something a little different hopefully in the very near future although once complete I may u-turn and flog them on evilbay whilst I still have an account.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Here we are a year in the making (all bar one week);

 

 Not a great picture (apologies) but a group shot of the siphon Cs complete with full destination boards and panels.

 

Close up of a couple. All the same style as picture 2 as 1503 was completely different to the rest of the diagram, in livery terms. All wagons have different destinations. 

 

     

 

A better picture;

 

 

Cant quite remember but I think there were 14 vehicles in total so may have another thrash in the future!

 

As you can see I am  still working contemplating the tarp for the cattle/horse wagon. I have an idea to utilise the previous tarps (black and grey/brown) on the manure wagon, especially as @Compound2632  said and I agree, you would not want to be sheeting the decent cargo/items with the sheets that are to be used for the brown stuff. So they will remain as unmarked general tarps for covering cr@p.

 

Now to finish off the cattle wagon project before anything further.

 

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by Bluemonkey presents....

[Adrian Stevenson]

Just catching up after working at the weekend. These look great. Well done.

 

Cheers, Ade.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

22 minutes ago, Adrian Stevenson said:

Just catching up after working at the weekend. These look great. Well done.

 

Cheers, Ade.

Cheers Ade, any plans to add one to yours?

Starting scratch building as well I see.

[Adrian Stevenson]

I certainly would not mind adding a few to my layout. You can never have enough wagons.

 

Cheers, Ade.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Been trying to research various vans to build an entire breakdown train. Not coming up with much. I have the kits (somewhere) for the D&S Steam crane and Brassmasters match truck whilst a pair or mess and tool vans have been in stock having been rescued and completely striped back to pieces as the paint was so thick I had to use a mini nuclear device to remove this. My chosen location means that Swindon would be the most likely and, typically, a combined bogied wagon for mess and tooling was stationed there rather than the two individuals. So looking into scratch building the body and using a propriety chassis kit as the last kit I saw for one went £135+. However running into a brick wall regarding appropriate transfers, again. I have the destination boards sorted and possibly some of, if not all the yellow numbering and GW but drawing a blank for the match truck and crane kits. Please, please, please does anyone know of a source for transfers to D&S Cowan steam crane and Brassmasters match truck please????

If not project is dead.

[MrWolf]

It may not be of help, but @chuffinghellgot hold of a set of permanent way transfers for the P Way brake van that he designed for his Warren Branch thread. I was talking to him recently about this as I have a ballast train to build out of obsolete kits.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Thank you but I think these were from Railtec using the standard text format you just insert what should be read, I have a set of these for my Chippenham allocated toads. 

 

I thought I saw a full set of warning plates etc designed specifically for these cranes a few years ago but of course I could be dreaming/wishing. The mess and tool vans require yellow lettering of much larger sizing, again Railtec do a set but not all the details are included (I think) will need more research as well as pair numbers that aren't. Unless of course two sheets are included.

 

This is what comes of not being able to design and make your own.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

I seem to have a thing for wagon kits! Whilst deciding on the next project possibly a building  I have acquired a number of kits that will slowly be delivered and put together, currently preprinted Somerset Collieries wagon from Cambrian. Just yesterday though whacked together a wagon type that I have not seen on a GWR layout (other than in private owner livery). This will nicely full into the WWI efforts I have but also related very nicely to the cattle wagon genre I have running and nearly completed, This again is a Cambrian kit but I have adapted it slightly to have single side brakes swapping out the lever style for a scratch made DCI type, adding double door bangs instead of the single supplied. Just need to add rings around the top of the wagon body.

 Anyone know what these will be for?

 

   

[The Fatadder]

Improvised horse box for use taking cavalry mounts for onward transit to France?

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Not so much improved but yes horse carrying wagons to France. GWR had to provide their horses for the war effort at cost price as ordered by the Government at the time.

 

Should only have on guard rail but did not wish to risk destroying it.

[Bluemonkey presents....]

A few more additions to the Mex collection. These are not strictly prototypical in number or livery but a nice addition I feel nonetheless;

 

  

 

  

 

  

[Bluemonkey presents....]

The sun is making the red more RED than is actual to the naked eye.

[57xx]

On 28/11/2021 at 18:19, Bluemonkey presents.... said:

Not so much improved but yes horse carrying wagons to France. GWR had to provide their horses for the war effort at cost price as ordered by the Government at the time.

 

Should only have on guard rail but did not wish to risk destroying it.

 

Improvised, not improved.

 

I recall seeing a pic of these being loaded. The horses were put in slings and craned in IIRC!

[57xx]

On 20/11/2021 at 19:10, Bluemonkey presents.... said:

Here we are a year in the making (all bar one week);

 

 Not a great picture (apologies) but a group shot of the siphon Cs complete with full destination boards and panels.

 

Close up of a couple. All the same style as picture 2 as 1503 was completely different to the rest of the diagram, in livery terms. All wagons have different destinations. 

 

     

 

A better picture;

 

 

Cant quite remember but I think there were 14 vehicles in total so may have another thrash in the future!

 

I really should get around to finishing my solitary Siphon C! I've stalled on fitting body details, moleshills keep becoming mountains with modelling recently! I'm baulking at having to make the latches at the top of the end doors, I think there's some T strapping needs making too as my kit was one of the ones where they now omit those parts. I was going to leave them off but now seeing them on your pics, I'll notice if they aren't there. Just off to ebay to see if there is some mojo going for a bargain.

[Mikkel]

19 hours ago, Bluemonkey presents.... said:

A few more additions to the Mex collection. These are not strictly prototypical in number or livery but a nice addition I feel nonetheless;

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

Hi Matt. Fascinating to see these in red! It suits the iron one particularly well. I know what you mean about the red looking different in photos under different lighting conditions, it's a colour that seems particularly prone to it.

 

Do the cattle need a bit of toning down, or is that a moo-t point? (sorry, couldn't resist).

 

I do like how you are "re-inventing" GWR stock with your detail variations (including also your Siphons). Stock that we thought we knew so well suddenly appears in a new light.

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by Mikkel
Typos