Adam's EM Workbench: Farewell for now

[Adam]

Stenson Models would be a good starting point.

 

Mike.

 

True - though I have some 51L and Masokits etches in stock which I will try first. The nature of the beast means that they'll be just about the last bits to go on.

 

Adam

[Adam]

Four steps in wagon painting. Some features of this particular vehicle - yellow axlebox covers and bodyside triangle indicating capacity - require a white undercoat since yellow is translucent and reluctant to cover. So, white primer is the obvious place to start:

 

 

Then, dark grey (acrylic) for number patches and yellow (enamel) for the triangle:

 

 

A few bits of Tamiya masking tape, a quick flash of grey primer, and...

 

 

Then of course, there's the end door marker (stripe). Much the same here, a length of tape of the required width, flank that with another couple f bits of tape. Remove the first bit, leaving the painted surface and mask round. A spot more of white primer (were I cleverer, I could have just masked off the stripe in the first pass: next time.

 

 

The chassis is being painted by hand (acrylic, this time and you can see where I've missed bits), but finishing will have to wait until I've sorted out transfers...

 

Adam

Edited April 26, 2018 by Adam

[Adam]

I think I've got the Prestwin almost ready for paint. The remaining tricky details were the ladders and a couple of - more or less pointless - brake linkages (see if you can spot 'em). The ladders have been adapted from some of Justin Newitt's (Rumney Models) fittings for a class A anchor-mounted tank, cut, and straightened:

 

 

They're a bit of a fiddle, but well worth it. The anchors to the solebar are bits of scrap etch, melted in with the tip of a soldering iron and then soldered to the assembled ladder with the merest touch of the iron. The hand rails were offered up and soldered in situ, again, tricky, but worth it.

 

 

 

Next up, a witness coat of primer because there's a couple of sink holes to deal with and they're a bit hard to see...

 

Adam

 

 

[ullypug]

It's the detailing that turns an ordinary kit into a special model. Well done sir!

[Zero Gravitas]

That Prestwin is a thing of beauty - but you tease with the brake linkages... any chance of a photo of the underside to see your interpretation, please :-)

[Adam]

That Prestwin is a thing of beauty - but you tease with the brake linkages... any chance of a photo of the underside to see your interpretation, please :-)

 

Here's my best effort:

 

 

All I've done is to put cross shafts between the vees (which surely must be right) and linkages between the pair of outer vees: the gear that goes to the brake shoes, on the real thing, was hidden up under the shadow of the solebar and would have passed in front of and behind the wheels. I am aware it was there but decided none of it was worth the additional effort. Here's the same image with the linkages highlighted in red:

 

 

There are lots of ways to do the cranks, but I used 40 thou' plastic sheet because it can be drilled along its thickness as well (so you can have holes at 90 degrees to one another). A representation, that's all that's wanted. You could achieve the same thing by supergluing a bit of wire to the back of the vees. This would do almost as well and be easier, as might drilling a couple of holes through the floor behind the vees and making a goalpost to fit in them representing the linkage. Next time...

 

Adam

Edited April 28, 2018 by Adam

[Zero Gravitas]

Brilliant - Adam, thank you very much indeed!

[Adam]

Brilliant - Adam, thank you very much indeed!

 

Great - I'm pleased it's helpful. It is all guess work though! And guesswork that would have been impossible without Paul Bartlett's photos:

 

http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brprestwin/e81a3e306

 

Adam

[Adam]

Having finished the the Airfix/Dapol Prestwin I was confronted with a pile of bits and the curious realisation that CCT cater for both diagrams (which nearly caught me out lettering the completed model), while Railtec only do the 1/274, based on the number series supplied on the sheet. I have both transfer sets because the Railtec sheet has the lettering for the operating instructions which CCT does not. I also happened to have a spare 12' wheelbase chassis from Parkside and thus there's only one obvious conclusion isn't there? A model of diagram 1/274.

 

 

The 12' chassis comes from a Parkside Pipe wagon - the heavy duty axleguards are incorrect for this though obviously the wheelbase is too long. Above the solebar, the basic difference between to two designs of Prestwin are in height; below it in length. The wheelbase was 10' rather than 12 and the length over headstocks 17' 6" rather than 21' 6". The silos are mounted on a new sub-structure, a box made from two layers of 40 thou' - the outer sides are 14.5mm tall, the dimensions being scaled from the BR weight diagram which ckecks out as a scale drawing in the correct proportions.

 

 

The floor is from Airfix and simply has the ends trimmed to length. Since this supplies the top flange of the solebar, I removed this from the Parkside moulding and cut a rebate in the top for a better location.

 

 

 

The curved ends are 30 thou' formed around a broom handle with a hairdryer and glued in place. One end is very tidy, the other will need a fair bit of filler to sort it out. Don't forget to drill holes through the floor to vent the solvent! The vee hangers are spare from something or another (possibly an AMBIS iron ore wagon chassis; they're the right type) let into holes drilled into the thickness of the solebar using measurements taken from one of my Rumney Models chassised wagons - a shamefully unfinished Palbrick - which will also furnish info on how to complete the rest of the brakegear. The result won't be quite as good as one of Justin's creations, but it'll be close enough.

 

Too hot to do more now, but the basics are very definitely in place.

 

Adam

Edited May 7, 2018 by Adam

[Enterprisingwestern]

 the outer sides are 14.5mm tall, the dimensions being scaled from the BR weight diagram which ckecks out as a scale drawing in the correct proportions.

 

I'm with you on this one, the drawings I've scaled up all seem to be dimensionally correct, but some deride the idea and question the accuracy of them. They of course lack the minutiae of detail of the underpinnings etc, but these can be reasonably easily deduced elsewhere.

 

Mike.

[Adam]

Moving onward with the addition of lots of little etched bits from Rumney Models spares and the general wagon detailing etch. Nothing very specific, just the run of the mill things like lever guides, lamp irons and brake details. It looks better for it, all in all.

 

 

 

I probably ought to add the silo bottoms before I go any further; they're barely visible, but they'll define where the other bits end up.

 

Adam

[Enterprisingwestern]

Where does the the Triang/Hornby or Hornby Dublo/Wrenn body sit in relation to a real Prestwin Adam?

I haven't got that far yet, only having one Airfix kit so far, (and then to detail other cement wagons), but I may need to start hoovering up some rtr stock depending!

 

Mike.

[Adam]

Where does the the Triang/Hornby or Hornby Dublo/Wrenn body sit in relation to a real Prestwin Adam?

I haven't got that far yet, only having one Airfix kit so far, (and then to detail other cement wagons), but I may need to start hoovering up some rtr stock depending!

 

Mike.

 

Not sure - I haven't got one to compare, but glancing at pics online, they look nicely detailed, above floor level anyway, and can't be too far away, dimensionally. This wagon owes its existence to my spares box so it isn't born of a special desire to build a 1/274. Worth a go though, perhaps?

 

Adam

Edited May 14, 2018 by Adam

[BernardTPM]

The Hornby Dublo/Wrenn version is pretty accurate because their 'standard' chassis was the correct 17' 6" 10' w.b, but obviously without all the specialist underside detail. Having said that the chassis itself was less 'advanced' than the later diagram anyway. The two types ran together, the older, shorter wagons being taller would literally stick out looking along the train. The later 1970s Hornby Railways version was on the 16' long chassis whose size derived from the dimensions of the original Trackmaster wagons that Lines Brothers purchased when they created Tri-ang Railways out of Rovex so the dimensions are somewhat compromised. It was very fortunate that although there were two 4mm model Prestwins available in the early 1960s they were both prototypically different. What a contrast to the Blue Spot Fish van where everyone has done the LNER* design again and again...

 

* LNER design, BR built.

Edited May 15, 2018 by BernardTPM

[Adam]

In a post-EXPO EM bout of activity, the Prestwin 1/274 variety, has inched onward a bit. The brakegear is now as complete as I wish to make it which leaves me free to concentrate on the upper works, springs and changeover levers permitting. It looks relatively busy but includes only about half of what *should* be there, but can you tell?

 

 

 

In other news, here's a long dormant project, Brighton Works:

 

 

 

Work is less than obvious in this first view, but I've levelled the chassis and started work inside the cab; splashers and seats have appeared, together with the driver's brake valve - the Branchlines casting is nice and its prominence is worth the money, I tell myself. The cab backsheet has been painted and stuck in and the excuses for putting off the maze of pipework are rapidly running out. That said, the boiler needs painting first. But blow that, the evening is sunny and there's a Nightingale, of all things, singing outside my window.

 

Adam

 

PS - thank you to NZGresleyFan who seems to have been working his way through the thread over the last week or so - I hope you are enjoying it (and that goes for everyone else, too).

Edited May 31, 2018 by Adam

[ullypug]

Excellent as usual. Brings back memories of chopping two terriers about. Don't know about Brighton Works but the two WCPR terriers had prominent vacuum traps front and rear which I always regretted not doing.

Keep up the good work!

[Adam]

Excellent as usual. Brings back memories of chopping two terriers about. Don't know about Brighton Works but the two WCPR terriers had prominent vacuum traps front and rear which I always regretted not doing.

Keep up the good work!

 

Mercifully, photos of Brighton Works are extremely numerous so I can just copy what was there without too much guesswork (except for the pipe runs on top of the tanks). Here's the best selection, from Mike Morant's collection:

 

https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Trains-Railways-British-Isles/SR-and-BRS/LBSCR-tank-engines/i-gpDfkRN/A (note, among other things, that the rear air pipe had gone though the front was present).

 

It really is almost time to paint the boiler as an enabling job to finish that pipework...

 

Adam

[Adam]

Conscious that I really couldn't get any further before I paint the boiler - and that as it stood, the poor thing looks as though it's on life support - I've primed much of what I've added resulting in Brighton the Ghost Engine.

 

 

One reassuring benefit of this is that the extra bulk the Marsh chimney should have relative to the delicate Stroudley affair is present. The casting is from Puffers; I have some ideas about the copper cap. Watch this space.

 

 

Front on, I think the all important face of the A1X is achieved far better than Dapol managed it - the new smokebox door and finesse of the handrails (I've used 0.31 nickel silver wire and 'N gauge' handrail knobs: the latter have also made the smokebox dart). The transfer rivets are also shown to good effect, I think? Moving backwards to the cab where there is still more work to be done:

 

 

The brake valve is obvious, I think, as is the place where the air pump belongs. This is a rather lovely casting from Alan Gibson:

 

 

The various pipes were a bit of a swine to add, as was the lubricator pot on top (not supplied, I guess, because there were so many variants on the theme) but all are essential to the look of the thing. The pipework also to provides a means to fix the thing on securely. This too has to be painted (and lined!) before it can be installed. Thank goodness for the transfers produced by the Brighton Circle; if it weren't for these, the loco would, even now be headed for a repaint in BR black.

 

Adam

[Adam]

A preview of wider progress: the first(!) stage painting of the Westinghouse pump. Actually it's nearer the third - white (two thin coats), ochre/Improved Engine Green (Precision, let down with quite a lot of light grey to match the Hornby finish - two thin coats), green (Humbrol no. 30, again, a match for the existing Hornby finish). Over this, I've applied a couple of coats of Klear...

 

 

... Lining transfers next - these are quite broad and will probably hide the green completely. That said, so will the habitual coating of oil.

 

Adam

[Adam]

And now, a fair amount of Micro Sol and held breath later:

 

 

Boiler bands and splashers above and below, tank fronts - a rather better effort than Hornby managed - thanks to the Brighton Circle and the good offices of Burgundy (Eric) for producing and supplying these transfers.

 

 

The thing is now far enough along to finish the pipe runs, fit clack valves, top feed, tank filler cap clamps (and countless other bits and bobs). The second of the two shots show that I need to add a spot of filler under the saddle as well. There is, naturally, much, much more lining still to come; thank you Mr Stroudley!

 

Adam

[Adam]

After the fancy paintwork, some minute metal bashing. In this case, the clacks (a modified Gibson casting) and the safety valves. I've not built anything with Salter valves before and while the spring columns were a pair of turnings bought from Branchlines - and thus straightforward - the levers were fettled from shim, doubled-back on itself, wrapped around a bit of 0.45mm brass wire at the dome end, leaving the other end of the strip unsoldered. The lever was then filed to shape and then wrapped around the spring columns at the other and soldered. Add a washer on the top to represent the adjusting nuts - these were made from spare hopper door operating levers which were opened out, soldered on and then had the ends trimmed off - before cleaning, blacking and gluing in place.

 

 

The rest of the pipework will have to wait until I've found more suitable copper wire (0.6 nominal, untinned). Why untinned? One of the challenges of a shed pet is that all the pipework was scoured and polished regularly ... every other Terrier and most of the preserved examples have these self-same pipes unkempt, painted or - easiest of all, in model form, lagged! No matter, it's only today that I've worked out roughly where all these things are supposed to go and most of that cannot go on until I've finished and fixed the cab in place.

 

Adam

 

 

[nzgresleyfan]

In a post-EXPO EM bout of activity, the Prestwin 1/274 variety, has inched onward a bit. The brakegear is now as complete as I wish to make it which leaves me free to concentrate on the upper works, springs and changeover levers permitting. It looks relatively busy but includes only about half of what *should* be there, but can you tell?

 

Prestwin_024.jpg

 

Prestwin_025.jpg

 

In other news, here's a long dormant project, Brighton Works:

 

Terrier_28.gif

 

Terrier_30.gif

 

Work is less than obvious in this first view, but I've levelled the chassis and started work inside the cab; splashers and seats have appeared, together with the driver's brake valve - the Branchlines casting is nice and its prominence is worth the money, I tell myself. The cab backsheet has been painted and stuck in and the excuses for putting off the maze of pipework are rapidly running out. That said, the boiler needs painting first. But blow that, the evening is sunny and there's a Nightingale, of all things, singing outside my window.

 

Adam

 

PS - thank you to NZGresleyFan who seems to have been working his way through the thread over the last week or so - I hope you are enjoying it (and that goes for everyone else, too).

 

You're welcome! And yes thank you, I'm loving it. Work and family commitments meant I took a year off from the forum and I've only recently come back. Most of the threads I just picked up from the date I went offline, however I went right back to the start with yours! 

I will keep following with great interest.

[Jack P]

That Terrier is really excellent! the Westinghouse pump looks really good, an unenviable task lining it out i'm sure.

[Adam]

That Terrier is really excellent! the Westinghouse pump looks really good, an unenviable task lining it out i'm sure.

 

Thanks! Lining the pump was a bit of a fiddle, I admit. Because of the number of layers of printing (a consequence of all the different colours) the transfers are not as flexible as some lining I've used but imagine how horrific hand lining would be. Perhaps it would have been easier had I left the mounting bracket off, but I'm happier with it soldered in place. The final bits of lining to go on are on the toolbox (and the sheet, very helpfully, provides these in one piece). Because of all the pipework on top of the boiler and the holes than need to be drilled through the cab front, I'll have to complete that, ready for final fixing, before I get around to anything else. It is coming on, however.

 

Adam

[Adam]

The final steps before the big assembly job (now done, but not photographed, yet). The cab interior is treated to basic detail, paint (the driver will hide most of it) and paint and the spectacles glazed. Obviously I've also drilled a few holes: for pipe work and, less visibly, in the footplate for handrails and a spigot to secure the driver's leg...

 

 

Note that I've also painted and lined the toolbox - the very visible plank line was a feature of the real thing which just goes to show, no matter how pretty the paint job, an 85 year old loco will always show a bit of wear. The lump added to the cabside, by the way, was originally meant to hold train staffs. In later years the fireman's side socket generally held a hammer: Westinghouse pumps were well-known for sticking. Yes, the hammer *is* on the to do list.

 

 

 

Adam