Pixie Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 On 30/12/2020 at 17:38, Donw said: Obviously some engineering works on the fast lines. When I was a lad we lived in a terrace of cottages looking across the river and Kings Meadow to the main lines headed to Paddington out of Reading General. There were goods at a low level but the slow lines above were full of long freights headed to London in those days. So I was well aware of which lines were which well before I travelled frequently on the line. I quite liked the DMUs if you could get a seat up the front with a driver who left the blind up on the one side you got the real feel of the mainlines. Of course if there was something running slow in front you heard the klaxon at every AWS and you just new we would be switched to the slow lines to let some express past and probably run into platform 8 instead of 4. Some lovely modelling. Don Some good memories there Don; have you got any railway photos from the area? I hadn’t realised you were originally local to these parts. I’ve always thought that the stretch of GWML from the Reading Gas Works to the Vastern Road bridge would be a great model with the Waterloo lines in the foreground too. On 30/12/2020 at 19:55, Steven B said: Have you been mixing 2FS stock with standard N gauge? The Mk1 CCT and the pres-twin wagons look tiny next to the Warships. Steven B Yep, guilty as charged and just about the worst combination of an high-riding 1/148 loco and 1/152 smaller-prototype van as Chris pointed out. Normally the difference is not vastly noticeable but it certainly looks a bit odd here; I’ll have to be a bit more careful of this in the future. The Farish Warship does ride about 1.75mm too high, I presume to allow the bigger flanges to fit under the floor of the model. The below example (which is slowly becoming an NBL example) has been dropped by 1.25mm, I didn’t fear to go much lower as it does push the buffers out of alignment. Sat next to a Farish CCT, it looks a lot closer. And a Farish Mk.1 for comparison. Cheers, Pix 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 3, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 3, 2021 Pix sad to say I never had a good enough camera as a boy not to mention the money for film until older when we had moved away. There were ssome excellent articles on Reading in the GWR Journal if you haven't got them I could try a photo copy for you. Your slice of railway would be a good choice from the horseshoe bridge at the mouth of the Kennet to the Vastern road bridges was well known to me and would include the H&P works. There was an ungated level crossing parallel with the Vastern Rd bridges. I never saw it used in later years . Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Pixie Posted January 19, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 19, 2021 Hi all, A little progress to report on the HST project mentioned above. Having spent a bit of time carving various Farish and Dapol Mk.3s about, I’m really convinced that the Farish solid-sided Mk.3 is the best in terms of overall shape. The roof curvature and angled ends capture the bulk of the prototype really well and the main failing of the Dapol example. With this in mind; I think the best approach for the Prototype HST will be to utilise the Dapol sides (as they have modelled the original style doors well) but with a resin drop in end (based around a remaster Farish base) and with a resin roof based on the Farish Mk.3 but with the two access panels deleted and the three RoeVac vents added. A few comparison photos before; the Virgin Production Mk.3 is the Prototype... whilst the Prototype livery one is Dapol Production. Overall I think it adds a lot of ‘bulk’ to the Mk.3 and with careful cutting you could probably preserve the Dapol livery. Etches have some back for the rest of the rake. Whilst the BT10 inners and RKB sides have worked out... ...I managed to get all the height wrong on the corridor ends. Eventually these will be filled, filed and use a casting master. D’oh! A couple of other small experiments. For the 123, these are 4thou window frames to drop into a half etched recess in the 12tho sides - this should allow easy and crisp silver frames. Finally, a 111. Just because they’re pig ugly. Cheers, Pix 13 1 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusDriverMan Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Bonus points if you can make the roller blinds work. I managed it once, in 4mm, with the Lima Class 73...stick a small screwdriver into the exhaust port, turn a plasticard cam, move the blinds at both ends simultaneously (a strip of acetate running the length of the roof). Inspired by the guy who did something similar but motorised to a 7mm Class 73 in the 90s and wrote it up in BRM. Think I met him at an exhibition once. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted January 20, 2021 Author Share Posted January 20, 2021 I'd be intrigued to see that in action. This is very good: It's far too bright for the traditional roller blind; but would look great on a more modern DMU for the destination blind. If it could somehow be combined with the 'matt paper' look you get on a Kindle, it could have real potential. Cheers, Pix 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusDriverMan Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Ah, sadly, the bodyshell is somewhere in my parent's house on entirely the opposite side of the world. I'd stayed up all night reading or playing computer games some time in my late teens, and inspiration struck at about 6am. Had it working by lunchtime! I've got nebulous ideas about a simulation of TOPS, where an embedded computer on the layout holds a list of all the stock available, you construct a train in the system as well as physically on the layout, and move the train from one place to another under an actual TD number, which could then be meaningfully displayed on signalling panels… possibly overkill for a 1200x200mm layout though! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Pixie Posted July 29, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 29, 2021 (edited) Changes are afoot… As some of you may know and mentioned a few times in this thread; I’ve worked in the fine art supply industry for the last 10 years. I’ve never stated who explicitly, not that it was a great secret, but Daler Rowney has been my professional life since I graduated. It was never the plan to stick around for that long; originally I joined with the intention of staying a few months whilst I worked out what to do with my life. But things worked out and, at 29, I found myself managing the largest fine art colour factory in Europe and small army of staff. It’s been a family throughout that time. Collectively we’ve dealt with everything but murder, made half a billion tubes in that time and filled just over 8 Olympic swimming pools with colour. I enjoy the art industry. It’s fast paced, you meet some colourful people and it’s easy to like the product. And there’s never a dull day in production. But, my time has come to move on and the displays you see here are my gift to the team I leave behind. A small, personal gift that has been on my workbench for the last couple of weeks to say thank you for the warmth, friendship, achievement and memories that we’ve built together. So, what’s next? I’m joining Accurascale as Product Manager. I couldn’t be more excited. Edited July 30, 2021 by Pixie 41 1 1 5 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Fatadder Posted July 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 (edited) Congrats mate, make sure there is no distracting them with more 2mm stuff though edit, the artwork is really rather nice as well! Edited July 29, 2021 by The Fatadder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TomE Posted July 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 26 minutes ago, The Fatadder said: make sure there is no distracting them with more 2mm stuff though N Gauge models with supplied replacement drop in 2mmFS wheelsets are about to be a thing....... Congratulations Steve! (again ) Tom. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted July 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2021 Wow - great move and love the microdioramas! cheers 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyneux Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 (edited) Good luck with the move. Make sure they mix the colours right Pixie! If anyone is qualified for this, it’s you. Guy Edited July 29, 2021 by lyneux 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D869 Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 Good luck with the new job Steve, Love the cameos - very creative. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calnefoxile Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 17 hours ago, The Fatadder said: Congrats mate, make sure there is no distracting them with more 2mm stuff though edit, the artwork is really rather nice as well! Steve, Ignore this muppet and ensure you do DISTRACT them with more 2mm stuff. Congratulations on the new job mate. Cheers Neal. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Pixie Posted December 4, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 4, 2021 How it started… …how it’s going! I feel a mega update may be looming. Hope you’re all well, Pix 19 1 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted December 5, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 5, 2021 Are you taking a micrometer and tape measure with you to your new employees Pix? Just sayin'. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted December 5, 2021 Author Share Posted December 5, 2021 4 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: Are you taking a micrometer and tape measure with you to your new employees Pix? Just sayin'. Mike. They both get an outing from time to time but the former isn’t the most efficient prototype measuring. Pix 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted December 5, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 5, 2021 1 hour ago, Pixie said: They both get an outing from time to time but the former isn’t the most efficient prototype measuring. Pix You'll fit in perfectly! Mike . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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