Jump to content
 

Amanda's 7mm Stuff - A 1366T takes shape - and runs!


Guest WM183
 Share

Recommended Posts

Dapol have been extremely slow to release new wagons.  I'm thinking of the PalVan and Vanwide that must have been gestating for 2 years or so.  These are on my list and I will probably build the Slater's kits.

 

I get the impression that modellers today, the youngish ones, haven't got the same desire to build kits as those of us who are somewhat older.  I also have the impression that many of those that do build kits are content to tip the box contents out and build the kit, instead of going for a model.

 

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

Aside from the satisfaction of building them, I think the Slaters one builds into a slightly better looking model personally, though not sure quite why: I think the roof is slightly finer which helps.

 

On the other hand those cast Dapol chassis do run very well and I suspect the new 10 foot GWR underframe on the conflat will lead to some further new releases which may well duplicate the Parkside range. I'm buying the kits I want while they are still around!

 

Dapol/Lionheart wagons do run very nicely.  I am scarred by my first experience of a Dapol PO wagon which was pretty bad beneath the solebars (floppy wheelsets in brass tube brgs and excessive daylight at the brake shoes).  These were done before the merger with LH.  I rebuild the underframe using Bill Bedford W irons and brake gear.  Satisfying to bring the wagon up to spec, but a lot of extra cost and effort.

 

I am amazed at how many kits I have done over the last while.  Still, I have a lot of wagons left to do in the Parky range.

 

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

Be careful on missing bearings for Dapol wagons. I've got a banana van and Dapol sent me a replacement but sellotaped it to a comp slip and it burst the envelope and it fell out in trasnit and now they claim they have no replacements in the UK. Now going to have to source another.

 

To be honest the quality control on the banana vans is pretty poor as 3 others needed work on them before I could use them

 

Paul R

Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree about kits, wagons anyway.  RTR usually gives you about 80 - 90% of what you want but will always benefit from extra work.  Those rigid vacuum pipes spring to mind, I replace them with Slater's flexible pipes.  There still aren't that many different wagon types in RTR so we will need to mostly build kits.

 

As for buildings, there are very few RTP (Ready To Plonk) buildings - there a few Scenecraft on Tower Models site.  The buildings on my layout comprise of Scalescenes (scratchbuilding with the aid of excellent pre printed covers) and Lcut (laser cut parts that benefit from artful bodging).

 

I just spent a couple of days constructing doors and windows for my Scalescenes Corner Shop.

 

Here's a simple weigh bridge hut:

 

P1010122.JPG.474042644e97f1c005bbdb22c9175c03.JPG

 

Hut structure is Lcut but faced with Scalescenes brick.  Roof tiles are also Scalesenes.  Brass tube downspout with wire brackets in plastic.

 

The weighbridge itself is also a Scalescenes print.  I made the white guide from square section brass.

 

John

Edited by brossard
  • Like 8
  • Craftsmanship/clever 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Very good, you will not regret it.

 

The 74xx is in early BR guise as it carries a smokebox number plate and shed plate. I have found these can be removed with care if you wish to put it back to pure GWR livery. If you do, it will then need a number adding to the buffer beam.

 

Cheers, Ade.

Edited by Adrian Stevenson
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Very nice, too bad you have gone to the dark side.  :fie:

 

My friend bought a second hand Lionheart 74XX.  I left it in GWR livery but made it look like a BR loco with smokebox number plate and buffer beam numbers removed.  I also repositioned the cab route disc.

 

P1010139.JPG.7ce473382761d90cbda727aca4a78703.JPG

 

I gave it quite a heavy weather as you can see.  The model my friend bought did not have a top feed (these were added around 1942) so I made one.

 

P1010138.JPG.e7b010df6b0de663213e0005c5c8860b.JPG

 

Happy birthday BTW.

 

John

Edited by brossard
  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • Guest changed the title to Amanda's 7mm Stuff - Baseboards Begin!

Nearly there then. :clapping: I glued 2" (50mm?) foam to my baseboards with the same idea in mind.

 

The foam does raise an issue with turnout motors (mine are Tortoise) under the board.  The actuating rod gets to be really long.

 

I excavated through the foam and board where necessary and inserted 1/4" ply as a motor mount.

 

P1010150.JPG.b9bbafc8d2ff5887cbf7a3520c7631d1.JPG

 

I borrowed my friends vibrating saw which did a great job:

 

P1010152.JPG.1e6e1e37eddfc27dc13834f7ec4df3ad.JPG

 

John

Edited by brossard
Link to post
Share on other sites

The foam is orange.  I only used ply as an insert as shown in the first pic.  Adding the foam did create another job.  I'm still not sure whether it was worth it.

 

I only used Tortoise because I had them in stock recovered from an earlier layout.  From what I've seen, Cobalt from DCC concepts may be better.

 

My friend's layout uses mechanical switch machines:

 

https://www.micromark.com/Blue-Point-Switch-MachineTurnout-Controller

 

I have operated his layout at a show and I am quite impressed with these.

 

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

I used Wabbit stationary decoders (again left over from previous layout) and went down the simple route, wiring up momentary on push buttons in the fascia.  I put the buttons adjacent to the turnouts.  I also put the buttons on both sides of the layout so it can be operated from either/both sides.

 

P1010019.JPG.a8157dc7155aca9a2fa26409c73ff7af.JPG

 

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
On 11/09/2020 at 15:35, brossard said:

I agree about kits, wagons anyway.  RTR usually gives you about 80 - 90% of what you want but will always benefit from extra work.  Those rigid vacuum pipes spring to mind, I replace them with Slater's flexible pipes.  There still aren't that many different wagon types in RTR so we will need to mostly build kits.

 

As for buildings, there are very few RTP (Ready To Plonk) buildings - there a few Scenecraft on Tower Models site.  The buildings on my layout comprise of Scalescenes (scratchbuilding with the aid of excellent pre printed covers) and Lcut (laser cut parts that benefit from artful bodging).

 

I just spent a couple of days constructing doors and windows for my Scalescenes Corner Shop.

 

Here's a simple weigh bridge hut:

 

P1010122.JPG.474042644e97f1c005bbdb22c9175c03.JPG

 

Hut structure is Lcut but faced with Scalescenes brick.  Roof tiles are also Scalesenes.  Brass tube downspout with wire brackets in plastic.

 

The weighbridge itself is also a Scalescenes print.  I made the white guide from square section brass.

 

John

Looks great, but the white guard rail hasn’t been bent by a careless trucky.......not authentic at all :lol:

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...