BR MK1 BG static display and Mainline MK 1 revamps

[westernviscount]

Hi Folks,

 

A few years ago (probably approaching a decade) i saw an article in MRJ which included a BR MK1 BG with it's doors open and the parcels being taken off. I was so impressed with the creativity of the modeller I vowed i would one day try something like this myself. I was not an active modeller at this time and the MRJ was my Dad's. It was a xmas issue but other than that i cannot remember the issue number or layout name. But, the fact is stuck around in my mind shows how inspired i was. 

 

So, fast forward and a layout now exists with an island platform i can park up a semi-static coach. I bought a second hand BG at an exhibition 12 months ago (remember those?) which i intended to add to the fleet but i didn't inspect it closely enough. The previous owner had attempted to weather it by dry brushing brown over the body which i was unable to remove satisfactorily. So it lay around for year without much thought given to it. 

 

 

Naively, I hoped to cut the doors out individually, ruen them around and laminate them with detail. No chance!!

 

 

So the sides were cut up, removing the doors. 

 

 

Perhaps unnecessary , i clad the other side of the van with scribed plastikard showing the planking and doors. 

 

Further to the planking, I added detail in the form of locking bars on the right hand doors. Security bar will be added to the window door later. 

 

In anticipation of this project I took a picture of this handily open doored BG at Llangollen in 2016! Never doubt that you will regret not taking that obscure detail pic! You might look strange photographing a rusty stain on a piece of discarded metal...but who cares!!

 

 

I shaped a piece of 0.5mm plastikard into a curve near to the profile of the MK1. Door shapes were cut, clad with .3mm scribed plastikard, locking bars added and hinges made. The hinges betray a fault in my observations and are just wrong!! 

 

A new floor was created and in this shot is still loose. The gap between the tops of the door and the cantrail is made from a slither of .5mm plastikard.

l

 

 

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The guard's compartment was built from plastikard and i don't know whether this is a sin but I consulted the TRAIN SIM WORLD version of a BG as i had no other references!!

 

The Tangled DVD is my daughters...HONEST!!!

 

 

 

And up to date. Handles were added to the window doors based on the train sim world reference. Security bars were added using fuse wire and were primed ready for painting. They will remain loose until the vehicle is fully painted and decaled. Bars will be added to the other side. 

 

I have ordered some buffers and buckeye coupling casting from MSE and hope to continue with the build at a fair rate. 

 

cheers for now. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 6, 2020 by westernviscount

[w124bob]

Just add a postie or porter sitting an old parcel trolley having a fag and reading the Racing Post.

[westernviscount]

A little more progress this evening. Painted the doors BR rail grey as i felt white would be a little too pristine looking. I am not particularly pleased with my black details, opting for acrylic paint so it dried quickly! A touching up of the chalkboards will hopefully sort the roughness!

 

I also started to add the security bars to the opposite side doors along with handles. 

 

Waiting on some end detailing part then can crack on with spraying the body and interior. 

[westernviscount]

Some more progress this morning...

 

The droplight window in each door was fashioned from transparent styrene (from packaging) and a thin piece of styrene added for the press handle (not sure what this is called in reality). 

 

 The body was sprayed with halfords primer and i was happy to see most of the old lining and numbers have been obliterated. 

 

I added security bars to the windows on the opposite side. I elected to use the existing glazing for the windows on this side of the vehicle thus no security bars as the are etched onto the plastic windows. I may well elect to make my own windows an security bars if they don't look right. The interior will be painted rail grey on the panels, black for the door and window details and a scraped/worn plywood effect for the flooring. 

 

The body will be painted in BR Blue all over and finished with modelmaster decals. I intend to hand paint the body as i don't feel i will be able to fully mask up the interior. I might give this some thought though. 

 

 

At this stage i decided to experiment with a weathered roof. I semi dry brushed some metalic paint onto teh roof as is (without removing the existing paint and weathering)

 

 

Next, some humbrol orange 100 was dry brushed onto the still wet silver. The intention is to use maskol to cover some of the rusty metal areas, paint with BR roof grey, allow to dry then pick away the maskol mimicking a peeling roof. It is debatable how worn the roof would be on a blue MK1 in 1970 so i need to think about this also. 

 

  

So a lot done but a long way to go also. I must try to reign in my compulsion to race ahead!! Certain projects excite me more than others and i must say i am really enjoying this one. 

 

Cheers for now.

 

 

[westernviscount]

Maskol on and drying ready for a coat of BR roof grey. 

[37114]

Great project, I can't wait to see it finished 

[westernviscount]

32 minutes ago, 37114 said:

Great project, I can't wait to see it finished 

Cheers 37! I am really absorbed in this one and can'y wait to get it done either! I've started putting a coat of Rail Blue on this evening and going to start applying the roof grey. 

 

cheers for now

[westernviscount]

So, I have some misgivings about this stage. It isn't finished yet as i need to tidy up and tone down with powders but i suspect the vans didnt  look this shabby in the late 60s early 70s (roof wise that is). If anyone has any photos of a real BG early 70s that would be great. 

 

So here is the 3rd stage of the roof complete. Roof grey was painted over the roof, maskol included and then picked away with tweezers and a cocktail stick. 

 

Some of the peeling will need to be tweezered away and a dusting of smoke powder added. 

And here she is so far. One coat of phoenix br blue applied but brush. 4 coats at least to go!! The interior needs finishing in rail grey. 

 

 

Sadly, i cant find any evidence that there was a handle in this position on the doors apart from train sim world but i do feel it adds visual interest so will remain. 

 

I found a pick of a van in the "diesels in the landscape" bookazine which shows a BG in the distance with doors open and ramps in place so a ramp may well be the next thing to built. 

 

Cheers for now. 

[The Johnster]

Guards compartment same as other Mk1 gangwayed brakes. Mail bags one end, parcels and Red Star the other.  Your B1 bogies mean a vac braked van.  Lighting is still filament bulbs and not very good, needs to be warm cast, bit brighter in guard’s compartment.  Guard’s doors open inward. 

[westernviscount]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

Guards compartment same as other Mk1 gangwayed brakes. Mail bags one end, parcels and Red Star the other.  Your B1 bogies mean a vac braked van.  Lighting is still filament bulbs and not very good, needs to be warm cast, bit brighter in guard’s compartment.  Guard’s doors open inward. 

Cheers Johnster!! I have learned something regarding B1s and braking. Many thanks for that. 

 

I left the guards door closed because i could stomach sawing and splicing that section as well!! Chicken!! 

 

Lighting might be a good idea and agree it would have to be really weak to be authentic. A rake of mk1 with bright LED lighting never looks good! 

 

Cheers for now!

[westernviscount]

Its turning bluer!!! 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by westernviscount

[Hilux5972]

Looks great. 

[westernviscount]

21 hours ago, Hilux5972 said:

Looks great. 

Thanks Hilux. I received some buffers for it today so will crack on later. 

[westernviscount]

I've changed the title of the thread to incorporate some Mainline MK1 re-vamps. 

[westernviscount]

Further down the work bench sits another project on the go. 

 

The lovely, cheap as chips mainline mk1 (my personal favourite mk1 model) 

Here i chiseled away the water filler pipes and replaced with .5mm brass wire. 

 

A .3mm brass wire support was glued next to the second step down to hold the pipe.  

 

 

I have some comet buffers and ganway ends to fit and i am going to try to fit some dart castings buckeye couplings in the dropped position but these might interfere with the couplings. 

[westernviscount]

A bit more work done on the BG and approaching desired effect. Still a bit of tinkering, painting and weathering required to obtain satisfaction :-) 

 

 

The doors are not quite at the correct angle yet and a bit out of level but you get where i am aiming at. 

This is essentially what the model  is for, hidden away forming a curious corner cameo. Quite pleased with it in this image. 

A very light wash of black over the doors to pick out the planks will help think here. 

 

Cheers for now!!

 

[cravensdmufan]

Clicking the "like button" didn't seem adequate - it looks brilliant!

[westernviscount]

Thanks @cravensdmufan. I have really enjoyed this one. One of those "i must do that one day" projects i've almost ticked off the list. 

 

Cheers

[MJI]

I don't think I have seen a roof that grot.

 

Usually just a bit grotty.

 

Bogies

 

BR1 to all below

NAV Steam Vac

NDV Dual vac

NDX Dual Dual

NEV Dual vac 100 mph

 

B4

NEA Dual Air 100 mph

NEX Dal dual 100 mph

 

Later on thangs changed.

 

All blue were always BR1 AFAIR.

[bradfordbuffer]

On 16/05/2020 at 15:56, westernviscount said:

A bit more work done on the BG and approaching desired effect. Still a bit of tinkering, painting and weathering required to obtain satisfaction :-) 

 

 

The doors are not quite at the correct angle yet and a bit out of level but you get where i am aiming at. 

This is essentially what the model  is for, hidden away forming a curious corner cameo. Quite pleased with it in this image. 

A very light wash of black over the doors to pick out the planks will help think here. 

 

Cheers for now!!

 

All three photographs are brill....but the top one should be in the rmweb section....how real are your models..

 

Top draw model's took me right back to late 80s loading parcel trains at lime street and oxford. Trundling round oxford station with a electric tractor and a string of rusty BRUT's....having compilations to see who could pull the most BRUTs with one tractor....having to cross all four lines on barrow crossing at north end of station.....BRUTs bouncing around like drunk snake.....red star Olympics.....how many parcels you could cram in a BG.....if you think yodel and ups are cowboys...

Red star was the teacher 

[westernviscount]

6 hours ago, MJI said:

I don't think I have seen a roof that grot.

 

Usually just a bit grotty.

 

Bogies

 

BR1 to all below

NAV Steam Vac

NDV Dual vac

NDX Dual Dual

NEV Dual vac 100 mph

 

B4

NEA Dual Air 100 mph

NEX Dal dual 100 mph

 

Later on thangs changed.

 

All blue were always BR1 AFAIR.

Really useful thanks MJI. This project is a minefield but fascinating also. I modelled the roof to 1980s level neglect and is out of period. Thing is, i keep adjusting the goalposts of how much i want to to do but i am now thinking of taking the roof right back, removing the ribs and replacing the ventilators. 

 

I may need to have a word with myself if i start modelling the red spare screwlink inside...hmmm;-) 

 

Cheers for now

[westernviscount]

Thank you @bradfordbuffer ! As i was saying above, the goalposts of detail have been moved several times but its a cameo scene i have wanted to create for a few years now. I have slightly stalled as i want to tackle the inside, painting the opposite side door detail etc. I also need to re-work the end steps which i have been reminded were removed and the tank filler pipes were shorter grab handles!! What a minefield!!! 

 

But i have to confess i am very pleased so far and as such...yes i have uploaded it to the how realistic thread!! Slightly premature but i am quite excited by the project

 

Cheers for now

Dave

[Chris116]

16 minutes ago, westernviscount said:

I may need to have a word with myself if i start modelling the red spare screwlink inside...hmmm;-) 

 

Cheers for now

Go on you know you want to and don't forget the periscope and the guards log that they have to fill in for each journey! 

[westernviscount]

2 minutes ago, Chris116 said:

Go on you know you want to and don't forget the periscope and the guards log that they have to fill in for each journey! 

Ha ha, as i said over on the prototype questions forum i am very tempted to go for it!!! No one could ever possibly see it but hey, I'd know it was there!!!

 

As i said above...minefield!! 

 

Cheers for now

Dave

[Chris116]

I wish I could get the photos I have promised but it is looking as though it could be late this year or even next year before trains can run on the MHR and I won't be working as guard until the trains are running.