RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted April 5, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2015 Thanks Graham - there's some impressive track work in that clip! I've been meaning to ask - what ever happend to your wagon kit range? The first loco kit I ever built was the J52 which I think was one of yours, long time ago now but it worked well! Pix Hi Pix, I was just about to ask the same question.... I've had a search running on Ebay for ages but didn't come up with anything that I wanted. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Hughes Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 The wagon kits and the locos are long gone. The casting machine was on its last legs, the moulds were not suitable to use in a different one and the loco kits seemed likely to be rendered obsolete by the then impending takeover of Farish by Bachmann and the chassis they were designed for becoming unavailable. At the same time I happened to be offered a good job so the kit business came to an end. The J-52 wasn't one of mine, ABS/Beaver made one, it was the first loco kit I built too, and then I believe there has been another more recently. I wish I still had the GNSR 3-plank wagon, and the ribbed square base buffers for it, now I am modelling that railway in 2mm scale. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I wish I still had the GNSR 3-plank wagon, and the ribbed square base buffers for it, now I am modelling that railway in 2mm scale. If you look a the last photo on my Kirkallanmuir thread (link in the signature) you will see one of these carrying a large packing case covered in a GNSR tarpaulin! I also have an NB van and GCR cattle truck and my model of 499 also uses one of your kits. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Hughes Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I think your model of 499 is the only one of my loco kits I ever saw built up in the flesh, as it were, rather than in photographs, apart from the ones I did myself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Collier Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 (edited) The wagon kits and the locos are long gone. The casting machine was on its last legs, the moulds were not suitable to use in a different one and the loco kits seemed likely to be rendered obsolete by the then impending takeover of Farish by Bachmann and the chassis they were designed for becoming unavailable. A great pity. I think I have built an example of every one of your loco kits. They were IMHO the best white metal offerings available and unmade ones still go for silly prices on a certain auction site. I did manage to get hold of a Southern L1 kit towards the end of last year. I gave it a tender drive so only had to use part of the horrible Farish 4P chassis but, still, a lovely kit to build. Gareth Edited April 6, 2015 by Gareth Collier 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium nick_bastable Posted April 6, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 6, 2015 A great pity. I think I have built an example of every one of your loco kits. They were IMHO the best white metal offerings available and unmade ones still go for silly prices on a certain auction site. I did manage to get hold of a Southern L1 kit towards the end of last year. I gave it a tender drive so only had to use part of the horrible Farish 4P chassis but, still, a lovely kit to build. mk 2.jpg Gareth Apologies for hijacking the thread Gareth tell me more about the chassis arrangement used please Ive one of these L1 kits stashed away Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Collier Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Apologies for hijacking the thread Gareth tell me more about the chassis arrangement used please Ive one of these L1 kits stashed away Hi, The tender is powered by my tried and trusted method of stripping down a Dapol Terrier. Basically all the body and splashers are removed and the footplate reduced in width and it slips into the heavy tender body. The wheelbase is a fraction out but not noticeable behind the frames. This means you can fill in the missing bit of boiler where the Farish chassis got in the way and fit a backhead. Also the lack of motor filling up the boiler means you can get the body to sit down lower. Despite being in the 2mmSA I still model N so the loco uses Minitrix Britannia drivers and the bogie is the spare you get with the latest Farish 4-6-0's. HTH Gareth 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Hughes Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Thanks for posting that photo Gareth. You made an excellent job of converting my bits of whitemetal into a model locomotive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Strathwood Posted April 24, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 24, 2015 Evening Kevin! In a word - slowly. I've got the numbers on all the things in the photo, but after a couple of evenings of lining up individual digits, I needed to do something else to save my sanity. The dust shall probably gather on them now and I'll have a purge when I get bored of the sight of them. That said, I need something to work on at Nottingham in the 2mm Cave this weekend, so I might try and be proactive for once. The 8-car Blue Pullman has had a few more coats of primer - I really need to buy another 6-car set to give me the Parlour First donors to progress any further. I'd of taken the plunge over the weekend but I had an email from Hattons saying my pre-ordered Farish 31s are in the post so it'll have to wait another month. I have managed to finally finish and submit a sheet of etched bits (File was started in September 2013!) that contains some details for it on there, so the project isn't completely stationary. I really don't want to see AutoCAD again for a while. Modelling time has also been spent in playing trains - something I've not done for a long time. To be honest, sometimes you forget they're meant to move! The delights of post-steam, pre-TOPS scene! I really like the in green, although I'm not sure about the yellow gangway version. Some of the all blue/grey sets seemed to run in interesting formation with odd centre cars running between two units. The 124s were very stylish units too. Cheers, Steve PS - Not worthy of a separate post, but I've spent the last week or so on the Mk.1 Lift-a-Majig Prototype for the moving lorry shown a few posts back. Based around a linear stepper motor and powered by an Arduino, this provides the tipping action for Parkend's centre piece. The etch mentioned above contains the first iteration of the lorry so I'm hoping to be tippling by Easter. Here's hoping it works...! Its been quiet for a couple of weeks I assume you have been playing with your new mechanism for Parkend. Any news on the Dapol Westerns with the etch for the wheels and handrails by chance, dare I ask about the Class 123 again? Kevin 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taigatrommel Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Some b*gg*rs were dragging him halfway round Germany last week, though I know there were new goodies acquired relating to the lorry... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 Evening Kevin! As my bearded amigo mentioned, we've been on a bit of adventure to Dresden, via Dortmund Intermodellbau and the Harz, which hasn't meant nothing on the modelling front for the last couple of weeks. The Western etches are waiting for me to do something with them and the 123 is still sitting, somewhat appropriately, in 123D. I'm quite keen to try out Shapeways new FXD material so I may look at printing the 123 TSL to make sure the principle works. There's progress on the Western Pullman, Brian Hanson has very kindly produced some beautiful laser-cut windows for the second class vehicles. I really have no excuse to get them finished now. Thanks Brian! Apart from that, the layout is a now a very appealing shade of brown and there's even a pocket or two if grass appearing, although just a test piece at the moment. As Rich alluded to, at Intermodllbau I picked up a Magnorail starter set to play with. It's a clever means of powering road vehicles (including off the peg HO cyclists!) using a glorified plastic bike chain and magnets. Movement is a lot more natural that the Faller system and linked to an Arduino could be really well controlled. I'm not sure if it'll be used on Parkend, but I'm tempted to add something. Here's a video that's not mine... More soon. Cheers, Pix 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp1 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 That is insane! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Hughes Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) How about a working BMX park complete with stunts? Or you could reproduce the scene from the Paris-Roubaix race that is exercising so much opinion on another thread. Edited April 29, 2015 by Graham Hughes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Reminds me of the Matchbox motorway I had as a kid. Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonas Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Good to see progress on the layout too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2mm Andy Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Nice to see another update Pix - that static grass looks very nice, even if it is just a test. Do you think Mr Hanson might be persuaded to shrink down a few more of his flushglaze sets to 2mm? Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Spring has evidently reached Parkend as more greenery is starting to appear on the layout. Inspired by Gordon Gravett's books and Julia's blog, I've ben experimenting with various combinations of static grasses, a bit of scatter and a tin of trusty Humbrol 150 to give a nice subtle effect. Still needs lots of detailing, shrubbery, weeds and things but it's starting to look more like a model than planks of wood with track on. Do you think Mr Hanson might be persuaded to shrink down a few more of his flushglaze sets to 2mm? I think so Andy, although I get the impression his to-do list is huge. All in good time I guess! Pix 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted May 27, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 27, 2015 Hi Pix, Very nice work. Which brand of static grass is that, and what glue did you use? I've been getting variable results recently; sometimes works wonderfully, other times just doesn't quite look right... cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share Posted July 30, 2015 Hi Ben, Sorry for the delay in replying. Static grass is this stuff - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251316108265. It's a nice neutral tone to work with. In terms of method, I just coat the area with normal PVA fairly thinly and apply a good coat of the grass. For colouring I swear by thinned Humbrol 150, applied very randomly with an old brush. Finally finish up with a coat of hairspray and finally a coat of Testors Mattcote. Cheers, Steve PS - Pendo looks superb! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted October 31, 2015 Author Share Posted October 31, 2015 (edited) Morning all, Clocks have gone back - welcome to the 2015/16 Modelling Season! I trust you're workbenches and biscuit tins are well stocked for the next 6 months. The summer months have seen minimal modelling here, mostly working on more bits of greenery on Parkend and starting to draw a couple of buildings up in CAD. One end is looking less of train set and fairly... well, 'layouty'. Excuse the flappy door, that'll be dealt with. I've not been completely idle during the summer. I did something I've talked about for years but always thought I'd find a reason not to - I bought a Mk.1 Cavalier. Perhaps not the obvious classic choice, whilst Aston Martins and Ferraris are very nice, I've got no association with them and neither do many others. Everyone knew someone with a Mk.1 Cavalier though - a true, porridge car. Besides, it's not the first one in the family. Yep, that's me and behind is the sadly departed DJB 181V. The last few months have been spent cleaning, scraping, stripping, washing, priming, rust-treating, overhauling, rust-treating some more, swearing and, most of all, enjoying. It's modelling, just in 1:1 scale. Even more excitingly, a Dutch chap on Shapeways has recently remodelled his Ascona drawing into a 1:148 Mk.1 Cavalier - Christmas has truly come early here! Cheers, Pix Edited October 31, 2015 by Pixie 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John lewsey Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 (edited) The tippler lorry is brilliant I've seen it in 7mm but that truly is inspiring Edited October 31, 2015 by John lewsey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted October 31, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2015 Fantastic stuff Pixie, the scenics are looking good as well. We'll soon have you out exhibiting with this. Any more news on the class 14 etched chassis. I emailed a while back about it but see you've been busy messing about with classic (!) cars:-)) I never had a cavalier but did have a couple of escorts and a cortina. Kim had a Capri - banana yellow - as much a 70s icon as chopper bikes! Jerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 The Cav looks great Pix, cracking colour too. I'd enjoy reading about your progress on that somewhere - I've had a similar distraction over the summer after a spectacular MOT fail. It's funny though, how as winter draws in, the cosy workbench is way more appealing than lying on a concrete garage floor or damp tarmac getting showered in rust and underseal! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Cor - my parents had a sky blue Chevette estate (PMH 167R), vinyl seats, inset headlamps, so earlier than yours but 'classic' might be stretching a point. Nice to see that the lorry is coming on, looks better with the scenics than when I last saw it back at EXPO EM. Adam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
autocoupler942 Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Is the partially blocked off reg plate 000.............? Most appropriate for 2mm ! Of course, I might have mis-read it - failing sight being a reason I decided to give up driving and modelling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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