Baby Deltic Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 More Pedant Mode.... If you were in the Argosy, how did you get in-flight pictures of the Argosy...??!! Pedant Mode /OFF I do apologise - everyone's a critic these days!! ....anyway if you thought the Argosy was a nice aeroplane, just wait until you can fly in a Handley Page H.P.42..!!! I did wonder that too, but the pictures were so nicely done, it was nice to see the plane in the shot. It certainly set the 1920s theme. What we need now is another Frankland broadcast with a 1920s big band providing the music. I thought the T9 movie clip was wonderful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernboy Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) Hello again Gents, many thanks for further positive comments and clicks. All really very much appreciated. F-UnitMad "If you were in the Argosy, how did you get in-flight pictures of the Argosy...??!!" Because everything about Frankland is a total flight-of-fantasy, silly! I do like the aircraft of this era - and Flying Boats in particular - but know little about them in reality I'm afraid. What I do know is a fair proportion of trains through Frankland are en-route to Amblesea Marine conveying officials and dispatches to all corners of the Empire Baby Deltic: "What we need now is another Frankland broadcast ... " Indeed: Do be sure to check the cinema listings in your local paper around October / November. There'll be something in the newsreel before the main feature --------------------------------------------------- As an aside: I had an idea ... Before Christmas I'm going to get printed (I have a friendly printer) Cigarette Cards for the rest of my motive power and passenger rolling stock, with detailed reverses as they used to do - bundle them up into sets wrapped in sage-green spectacle cord, and use them as stocking fillers for family and close friends. They'll be presented alongside one of those calenders that have different pictures at the top of the page for each month... The pictures will be my favourite moments from the evolution of Frankland. My family and friends are the sort that appreciate something unusual, different and personal. So that's half of Christmas done already Edited July 13, 2015 by Southernboy 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted July 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 13, 2015 How about a Supermarine Southampton, Mark ? Designed by R J Mitchell and introduced in 1925. Truly a thing of beauty. A hull is preserved at Hendon. Marvellous craftsmanship. Rob 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Interlude: An Aeroplane Trip Over Frankland It's been quite a while since I've updated here, and to be honest whilst there's detail stuff continuing in the background - there's nothing worth a proper post until that work is concluded, probably around October. In the interim I thought I'd share with you a very exciting time I had today... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I went on one of those novelty "Aeroplane Afternoon-Tea Trips" over Frankland that are all the rage at the moment. It did cost £2/2/0 - and I know that's a week's wages for many people - but sometimes you have to push-the-boat-out a bit We were greeted by the steward as we boarded the aeroplane. It was an Armstrong Whitworth Argosy which apparently can fly at over 90mph! As we flew over Frankland we were served finger-sandwiches, tea, and cakes. All quite delightful and what a thing to actually be in an aeroplane! Apart from a few clouds we had a good view - and I saw a train below hauled by a locomotive I hadn't seen around Frankland before ... ... I thought to myself I'll have to research what that locomotive was when I get home. So when I got home I got out my collection of Cigarette Cards. Here's what I've got so far ... (anyone up for swops? ) I think card No. 11 is the locomotive I saw from the aeroplane .... And it's been happily trundling around Frankland the last couple of days I hope to bring you a full and proper update in the form of a newsreel in October / November. Buy your cinema tickets early to avoid disappointment! All the best, Mark As a fellow designer, 10/10 for effort, not sure I could pull that together even given a few days! With regards to flying boats, in 1937 Imperial Airways started their Short Empire Flying boat service, a development of which would become the Short Sunderland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Empire not sure if that's outside your time period? Looking forward to the next broadcast 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium CF MRC Posted December 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 21, 2015 Time for an update Mark? BTW, airships can be hung over a model and justifiably not move. Graf Zeppelin poled around London quite a bit in the 20's. These people sell some good models of airships: http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/1843_1_105338950.html The R33 we have on Copenhagen Fields is scratchbuilt. I have a 1:144 WW1 Zeppelin, but that is 4' long! Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernboy Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 Hello Tim, Thanks for popping in, and thanks for the link, very much appreciated. I have thought about an airship (or period plane) for Frankland, although way down the list I'm afraid. Currently I'm still working on my 3-Subs (link in signature below). The project does seem to have attracted some weird form of magnetic repulsion though: The nearer I get to thinking I'm almost finished, the further away a realistic completion date actually becomes! I do need to update that thread, and will do so in the next couple of weeks. Anyway, once the Subs are concluded I'm sure there'll be a news broadcast here, and rumour has it a newsreel too! All the best, Mark 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthshireman Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 What about "Me and Jane in a Plane" as an appropriate soundtrack to the photographs? How on earth you manage some of the modelling is quite beyond me. I tried 2mm stuff about thirty years ago - the eyes worked well enough, but being very hamfisted proved my downfall! Thanks for one of the most original and most entertaining threads that I have ever read. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will J Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 I reckon an Autogyro or two could look the part circling Frankland, or for something up to the minute to match up to the new stock on the line, see my profile picture to the left! (You can't beat a Dragon Rapide for layout Research!) Looking forward to the next instalment.. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 My first flight was in a Rapide, back in the late fifties at Staverton airshow (between Gloucester and Cheltenham. A result of a lucky programme number. I think I was about 10 or 11 at the time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 (You can't beat a Dragon Rapide for layout Research!) rapide vb.jpg Looking forward to the next instalment.. Somebody's flying over the Victoria Bridge, Severn Valley Railway by the look of it - near Trimpley Reservoirs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernboy Posted March 4, 2016 Author Share Posted March 4, 2016 (edited) I'm afraid I don't know much about aviation, only what I've seen in the newsreels about the R101. They were gasping for a cigarette at the end of the flight: I don't know about that! Maybe ocean liners are still the more civilised way to travel? Please take note of the commentator's received English enunciation and adjust your settings accordingly Edited March 4, 2016 by Southernboy 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 I'm afraid I don't know much about aviation, only what I've seen in the newsreels about the R101. They were gasping for a cigarette at the end of the flight: I don't know about that! Just a tip for you to note for the future - don't travel to America on an airship called "Hindenburg"... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium CF MRC Posted March 14, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2016 My mother saw R101 leave Cardington, in Bedfordshire on its final flight; whilst my father, who had not yet met her, saw the ill-fated ship pass over near Charing in Kent. I grew up 12 miles from the hangers at Cardington. I have 1:1200 model of R101, which to my eye looked better than R100, although the latter flew better. Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 I have 1:1200 model of R101, which to my eye looked better than R100, although the latter flew better. Tim (Bold added) yeah - the R100 didn't crash, for one thing!! Are the airship sheds still up at Cardington? I went past there once, & they were huge structures, even from a distance Did give you an idea of how big the airships were. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted March 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 15, 2016 I watched a selection of the YouTube videos last night on the strength of this thread. Fascinating stuff although it did make me wonder what modern health and safety would make of huge sacks, made of stitched and varnished cow hide, full of highly flammable gas! The speed they went up in flames was frightening, no wonder the dedicated smokers seen having their first puff in nearly sixty hours had managed to hold out for the duration of the trip. Jerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium phil-b259 Posted March 15, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 15, 2016 I watched a selection of the YouTube videos last night on the strength of this thread. Fascinating stuff although it did make me wonder what modern health and safety would make of huge sacks, made of stitched and varnished cow hide, full of highly flammable gas! The speed they went up in flames was frightening, no wonder the dedicated smokers seen having their first puff in nearly sixty hours had managed to hold out for the duration of the trip. Jerry Please remember that British and American airships used Helium as a gas - which is NOT flammable and is perfectly safe. Nazi Germany was not so fortunate and was forced to use the highly flammable Hydrogen gas due to the cost of buying Helium and the inability to manufacture it on a large scale post WW1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold melmoth Posted March 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 15, 2016 ...huge sacks, made of stitched and varnished cow hide, full of highly flammable gas! Most cow hides in their natural state are full of highly flammable gas... And, yes, the Cardington hangers are still in place - one of them is used as a film set. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted March 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 15, 2016 Please remember that British and American airships used Helium as a gas - which is NOT flammable and is perfectly safe. Nazi Germany was not so fortunate and was forced to use the highly flammable Hydrogen gas due to the cost of buying Helium and the inability to manufacture it on a large scale post WW1 Sorry but you are wrong, the American Airships did indeed use Helium but the British R101 used Hydrogen, fatally as it too went up in flames in 1930 killing all 48 passengers on board. Jerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr2 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 I watched a selection of the YouTube videos last night on the strength of this thread. Fascinating stuff although it did make me wonder what modern health and safety would make of huge sacks, made of stitched and varnished cow hide, full of highly flammable gas! The speed they went up in flames was frightening, no wonder the dedicated smokers seen having their first puff in nearly sixty hours had managed to hold out for the duration of the trip. Jerry Despite being a lifelong aviation enthusiast, after reading posts on here I realised I knew nothing about our airship programmes so went in search of some info last night. One thing that rather surprised me was that the R-101 had an 'asbestos lined smoking room'....' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr2 Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Please remember that British and American airships used Helium as a gas - which is NOT flammable and is perfectly safe. Nazi Germany was not so fortunate and was forced to use the highly flammable Hydrogen gas due to the cost of buying Helium and the inability to manufacture it on a large scale post WW1 As Jerry posts, the R-101 did indeed use hydrogen. And another thing that surprised me was that we apparently sold quite a large amount of duralumin from the wreckage to Germany for their airship programme...so they were obviously not that strapped for cash!! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Most cow hides in their natural state are full of highly flammable gas... And, yes, the Cardington hangers are still in place - one of them is used as a film set. Such a pity we can't have two ratings for each post!! Your first bit is very funny ...but I plumped for "Informative" re the Airship Sheds. Thanks! As Jerry posts, the R-101 did indeed use hydrogen. And another thing that surprised me was that we apparently sold quite a large amount of duralumin from the wreckage to Germany for their airship programme...so they were obviously not that strapped for cash!! Keith My old Dad always ranted about 1930s British PM, Stanley Baldwin, whom he reckoned sold huge amounts of steel to Germany - who tried to send it all back in 1940, turned into Panzers... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium CF MRC Posted March 15, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 15, 2016 (edited) The gas bags on the airships were actually made from the intestines of the cow, not it's hide. These are obviously gas tight. The other name for this material is "gold beaters skin" as it used to be used to place between the gold leaves in a book of gold leaf. Whilst an asbestos-lined smoking room is an anathema to us, it's dangerous health properties were not realized in the 1930s. There were a number of survivors of the R101 crash (rare to have survivors when our jets fall out of the sky). The Americans refused to sell helium to the Germans, as by the 1930s the political situation had changed and Congress would not allow it. Helium was also less effective than hydrogen, producing significantly less lift and hence payload: the American airships were not very successful. It shouldn't be forgotten that the German airships were very effective for quite a few years, especially the original Graf Zeppelin - which visited Britain many times and indeed the Hindenburg - that had made many trips to the US, the year before the famous last one. I have numerous books on airships, finding them fascinating dinosaurs of early aviation. I think we need to let Mark get on with Franklands..... Tim Edited March 15, 2016 by CF MRC 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernboy Posted March 19, 2016 Author Share Posted March 19, 2016 (edited) Thank you very much Tim, and you're quite right of course. Here's a brief interlude to keep guests entertained whilst awaiting the main feature which I hope is now only a few weeks away Edited March 19, 2016 by Southernboy 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Southernboy Posted August 14, 2016 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 14, 2016 (edited) Frankland Update No. 10 And here is the news... As you may be aware, Frankland has been broadcasting on a different frequency the last few years, but here's a special bulletin as there's some catching up to do! Best make yourself a nice cup of tea and prepare a pipe before settling down. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Books The Frankland library continues to grow. First-up is not so much a book as a boxed compendium, 12" x 18," entitled 'Wheels of London', which I think dates from the 1970s. It's one of a limited edition of 3,000. It covers public transport in London from horse-drawn to the 1970s. I find liveries of the private operators pre LPTB quite eye-catching. The box also includes reproduction cigarette cards, maps and other ephemera of that bygone age. I love Pullmans, so no surprise at the next two acquisitions .... I've been following the restoration of the Brighton Belle and can't wait for a trip. Apparently it should be back in public service in 2017. Does anyone have an update on this? The following book, Southern Infrastructure, is excellent for detail and atmosphere. I can spend hours observing the minutiae both sides of the railway fence. An obvious choice for the bookshelves was the following Next is Gordon Weddell's LSWR Carriages, Volume 3: Non-Passenger Carriage Stock. Amongst other things it covers TPOs, which I'd like to see on Frankland one day. An essential addition was the Middleton Press publication 'Railways Around Frankland'. I've been meaning to buy it for ages, it's full of maps, plans and historical photographs and has become an indispensible reference. I do like foraging around in junk shops, and was lucky enough to come across an original edition London A-Z And sure enough, on page 25, you can see the streets, stations and parks of Frankland mapped out before your eyes. It will be invaluable for my modelling. In the same shop a few months later I discovered two old books related to transport / Frankland which I had to buy. In the next photograph: Most rewarding was the discovery that on the cover of the Ladybird book, if you look very closely through the window on the far side of the compartment, in the lower background you can just make out the flats and shops at the bottom of Frankland Hill, with a No 4 tram trundling by. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Traffic! The volume of traffic in Frankland isn't quite as frightful as it should be, so I decided to do something about it. I thought I'd have a go at a Shirescenes horse-drawn van. An Austin 7 Ruby Saloon A Morris Cowley 1924 Tourer A Morris Cowley 1925 Saloon And what I believe is a 1938 Wolseley saloon. It came with a job-lot from eBay a few years back. The cars all had an undercoat of grey And were then painted, glazed, and drivers added. I made number plates (with correct registrations for time and place). I also added a windscreen to the Morris Cowley Tourer. The Tourer is owned by the Doctor, who often takes his wife out for a little drive on a Sunday morning. You can see them on the left of the picture above. The van was also progressed. The cars and van were hand-painted as I hadn't yet embraced the air-brush at this point. And I reckoned a traffic policeman would be called for, so I made a (not very good) helmet to fit a standard figure of a railwayman and painted accordingly. But what did I unleash? Look! The volume of traffic on the roads these days is quite shocking! You really take your life in your hands just trying to cross the road! What is the world coming to? And it's no surprise to see in the picture below the Doctor and his wife out for a drive (well, out, but just stuck in traffic!) It didn't used to be like this in the old days! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Additions Since the last update the yards at Frankland have seen the arrival of new rolling stock. The first was this rather stylish electric Pullman. A number of the new Maunsell carriages were allocated to Frankland. These will duly be arranged and numbered in proper sets. As I'm sure you know, the subject of Southern Railway set numbers is quite a complex matter, but a quick flick through my trusty Middleton Press book 'Railways Around Frankland' (shown in the 'book' section above) quickly established that these sets are in the 251 - 264 range. A little, dinky, Terrier also came along. But it's novelty value was soon usurped by the much more imposing N class. For some reason I don't have a photo of the N class, just a cigarette card ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cigarette Cards Talking of cigarette cards: Back in July 2015 I posted a short story about the above N class arriving on Frankland, for which I created a few graphics of cigarette cards. I liked them so much that I decided to go the whole-hog and design a complete set of cards, which were then properly printed. I thought they'd be an unusual stocking-filler for family and close-friends at Christmas - people who aren't really into model railways as such, but do have a broader appreciation of creativity and like something personal at Christmas that's had a bit of thought and effort put into it. In the picture below: Top left is the little cover they came in, wrapped around with a bow of sage-green crepe ribbon (I couldn't get sage-green spectacle cord). There are actually four series that make up the complete set of cards. Series 1: Southern Railway Locomotives Series 2: Southern Railway Electric Trains Series 3: Southern Railway Rolling Stock, Including Pasenger Speed-Rated Vans Series 4: Things To See From The Train The only locomotive for which I don't have a card is the Schools. If anyone has one to swop I'd be quite interested. Anyway, the cigarette cards crop up again later ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-Subs Finally we move to the subject/project that has been keeping me distracted (obsessed?) the last couple of years ... I know some have been following progress on my workbench thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/66512-n-gauge-lswr-3-sub/ But for those that haven't, here is a precis. I've probably mentioned before that around the age of 12 or 13 I came across a postcard in a junk shop that fascinated me, here it is. It spoke of another time and place, somewhere that wasn't a hundred miles away, yet would forever remain intangible. I had to understand more. It sowed the roots in my young mind of what has evolved into the Frankland raison d'être. And finally the moment came to roll up my sleeves and get on with it ... I planned to make three sets of 3-Subs. One would be in original LSWR livery, the other two in early SR livery. Etches from Worsley Works ... ... and numerous reference photos I'd taken of a slightly later version of the particular 3-Subs I'm modelling, from the National Railway Museum, York. I also had drawings from the South Western Circle, and armed myself with numerous componants. Other parts were kindly supplied by Etched Pixels, viz: door/grab handles, trusses and roof sections. Holes were drilled and filed in the etchings ... Plus folding and soldering happened ... I learned a lot along the way! Various other parts I made, such as interiors ... ... and roof conduits, rainstrips and carriage-end detailing. Vents were out of a bag. Then there was lots of filling and bits of Plastic Strip and other things stuck on ... Colin Parks offered good advice on coupling (thank you), a squared loop that sits around a small lug on the adjacent carriage. I learned to use an airbrush Then production-line masking and spraying ... And my favourite part, picking out the details ... Precsion Decals were also very helpful I was really pleased at how fine the decals were - even the miniscule 'st' on 1st and 'rd' on 3rd are legible. I had feared they would break up on application, but no, they worked out perfectly. Things starting to look good ... in particular I was interested in showcasing the difference in livery between the LSWR and later SR versions of these units. Thanks also go to Mr Chapman for valuable assistance on the motor side of things. Anyone interested in further details please visit the workbench thread mentioned above. The only down-side was my new trains didn't like my old third-rail, so most of it had to be ripped out. But hey, that's where the imagination comes into play ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So now ... Let's Party Like It's 1924! ... I have great pleasure in bringing you the new Electric Trains for Frankland. Grouping of the Big Four has recently been enacted and electric trains have come to Frankland: What better way to find out more than to catch the latest newsreel at the cinema. And as a special treat I've bought us all tickets in the balcony, so best behavior please! I thank you, Mark Edited August 14, 2016 by Southernboy 36 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium nick_bastable Posted August 14, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 14, 2016 (edited) Frankland Update No. 10 And here is the news... As you may be aware, Frankland has been broadcasting on a different frequency the last few years, but here's a special bulletin as there's some catching up to do! Best make yourself a nice cup of tea and prepare a pipe before settling down. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Books The Frankland library continues to grow. First-up is not so much a book as a boxed compendium, 12" x 18," entitled 'Wheels of London', which I think dates from the 1970s. It's one of a limited edition of 3,000. It covers public transport in London from horse-drawn to the 1970s. I find liveries of the private operators pre LPTB quite eye-catching. The box also includes reproduction cigarette cards, maps and other ephemera of that bygone age. I love Pullmans, so no surprise at the next two acquisitions .... I've been following the restoration of the Brighton Belle and can't wait for a trip. Apparently it should be back in public service in 2017. Does anyone have an update on this? The following book, Southern Infrastructure, is excellent for detail and atmosphere. I can spend hours observing the minutiae both sides of the railway fence. An obvious choice for the bookshelves was the following Next is Gordon Weddell's LSWR Carriages, Volume 3: Non-Passenger Carriage Stock. Amongst other things it covers TPOs, which I'd like to see on Frankland one day. An essential addition was the Middleton Press publication 'Railways Around Frankland'. I've been meaning to buy it for ages, it's full of maps, plans and historical photographs and has become an indispensible reference. I do like foraging around in junk shops, and was lucky enough to come across an original edition London A-Z And sure enough, on page 25, you can see the streets, stations and parks of Frankland mapped out before your eyes. It will be invaluable for my modelling. In the same shop a few months later I discovered two old books related to transport / Frankland which I had to buy. In the next photograph: Most rewarding was the discovery that on the cover of the Ladybird book, if you look very closely through the window on the far side of the compartment, in the lower background you can just make out the flats and shops at the bottom of Frankland Hill, with a No 4 tram trundling by. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Traffic! The volume of traffic in Frankland isn't quite as frightful as it should be, so I decided to do something about it. I thought I'd have a go at a Shirescenes horse-drawn van. An Austin 7 Ruby Saloon A Morris Cowley 1924 Tourer A Morris Cowley 1925 Saloon And what I believe is a 1938 Wolseley saloon. It came with a job-lot from eBay a few years back. The cars all had an undercoat of grey And were then painted, glazed, and drivers added. I made number plates (with correct registrations for time and place). I also added a windscreen to the Morris Cowley Tourer. The Tourer is owned by the Doctor, who often takes his wife out for a little drive on a Sunday morning. You can see them on the left of the picture above. The van was also progressed. The cars and van were hand-painted as I hadn't yet embraced the air-brush at this point. And I reckoned a traffic policeman would be called for, so I made a (not very good) helmet to fit a standard figure of a railwayman and painted accordingly. But what did I unleash? Look! The volume of traffic on the roads these days is quite shocking! You really take your life in your hands just trying to cross the road! What is the world coming to? And it's no surprise to see in the picture below the Doctor and his wife out for a drive (well, out, but just stuck in traffic!) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Additions Since the last update the yards at Frankland have seen the arrival of new rolling stock. The first was this rather stylish electric Pullman. A number of the new Maunsell carriages were allocated to Frankland. These will duly be arranged and numbered in proper sets. As I'm sure you know, the subject of Southern Railway set numbers is quite a complex matter, but a quick flick through my Middleton Press book 'Railways Around Frankland' (shown in the 'book' section above) quickly established that these sets are in the 251 - 264 range. A little, dinky Terrier also came along. But it's novelty value was soon usurped by the much more imposing N class. For some reason I don't have a photo of the N class, just a cigarette card ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cigarette Cards Talking of cigarette cards: Back in July 2015 I posted a short story about the above N class arriving on Frankland, for which I created a few graphics of cigarette cards. I liked them so much that I decided to go the whole-hog and design a complete set of cards, which were then properly printed. I thought they'd be an unusual stocking-filler for family and close-friends at Christmas - people who aren't really into model railways as such, but do have a broader appreciation of creativity and like something personal at Christmas that's had a bit of thought and effort put into it. In the picture below: Top left is the little cover they came in, wrapped around with a bow of sage-green crepe ribbon (I couldn't get sage-green spectacle cord). There are actually four series that make up the complete set of cards. Series 1: Southern Railway Locomotives Series 2: Southern Railway Electric Trains Series 3: Southern Railway Rolling Stock, Including Pasenger Speed-Rated Vans Series 4: Things To See From The Train The only locomotive for which I don't have a card is the Schools. If anyone has one to swop I'd be quite interested. Anyway, the cigarette cards crop up again later ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-Subs Finally we move to the subject/project that has been keeping me distracted (obsessed?) the last couple of years ... I know some have been following progress on my workbench thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/66512-n-gauge-lswr-3-sub/ But for those that haven't, here is a precis. I've probably mentioned before that around the age of 12 or 13 I came across a postcard in a junk shop that fascinated me, here it is. It spoke of another time and place, somewhere that wasn't a hundred miles away, yet would forever remain intangible. I had to understand more. It sowed the roots in my young mind of what has evolved into the Frankland raison d'être. And finally the moment came to roll up my sleeves and get on with it ... I planned to make three sets of 3-Subs. One would be in original LSWR livery, the other two in early SR livery. Etches from Worsley Works ... ... and numerous reference photos I'd taken of a slightly later version of the particular 3-Subs I'm modelling, from the National Railway Museum, York. I also had drawings from the South Western Circle, and armed myself with numerous componants. Other parts were kindly supplied by Etched Pixels, viz: door/grab handles, trusses and roof sections. Holes were drilled and filed in the etchings ... Plus folding and soldering happened ... I learned a lot along the way! Various other parts I made, such as interiors ... ... and roof conduits, rainstrips and carriage-end detailing. Vents were out of a bag. Then there was lots of filling and bits of Plastic Strip and other things stuck on ... Colin Parks offered good advice on coupling (thank you), a squared loop that sits around a small lug on the adjacent carriage. I learned to use an airbrush Then production-line masking and spraying ... And my favourite part, picking out the details ... Precsion Decals were also very helpful I was really pleased at how fine the decals were - even the miniscule 'st' on 1st and 'rd' on 3rd are legible. I had feared they would break up on application, but no, they worked out perfectly. Things starting to look good ... in particular I was interested in showcasing the difference in livery between the LSWR and later SR versions of these units. Thanks also go to Mr Chapman for valuable assistance on the motor side of things. Anyone interested in further details please visit the workbench thread mentioned above. The only down-side was my new trains didn't like my old third-rail, so most of it had to be ripped out. But hey, that's where the imagination comes into play ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So now ... Let's Party Like It's 1924! ... I have great pleasure in bringing you the new Electric Trains for Frankland. Grouping of the Big Four has recently been enacted and electric trains have come to Frankland: What better way to find out more than to catch the latest newsreel at the cinema. And as a special treat I've bought us all tickets in the balcony, so best behavior please! k I thank you, Mark totally bonkers but wonderfully done fantastic modelling I congratulate you Nick Edited August 14, 2016 by nick_bastable 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now