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James Makin's Workbench - 1990s dirty diesels & grotty wagons


James Makin
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The high standards of your projects is something I still aspire to in following your footsteps in creating a Southeastern 3-car Electrostar.

 

Your finished First Capital Connect 377 is superb and very detailed and will provide the motivation to actually finish mine.

 

But just like your Electrostars I haven't rushed it and want it to be modelled effectively to look the part on my layout.

 

Hope all is well and may I share some pictures of my own project if that's okay once the livery is applied?

 

Cheers,

Matt

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Thanks everyone for the nice comments - all much appreciated.

 

James,

 

Absolutely cracking stuff.

 

I kept visiting the Wells Green workbench page almost daily waiting to see this finished and finally seeing on here one word - WOW!

 

The graffiti along with the weathering really brings the unit to life, time consuming but well worth the effort.

 

Given the layout is based on Kensington Olympia would you consider undertaking a 378 at all? Although the recessed doorways and different window arrangements would require even more butchery of the turbostar donors. Maybe a refurbished Southern 455, 456 or FCC 319 from Bachmann 150 or Bratchell models bits. Not that I'm trying to tell you what to do!

 

Dale

 

P.S. I've dug my experimental Wales and West 158 out of storage after over a year of no progress on it and hope to have it up complete and running soonish.

 

Cheers Dale, approached the 377 airbrush weathering with much trepidation, one false move and bang goes the livery haha!

 

Never say never, but doubt I'll approach the 378, but for the other suggestions, all I'll say is that I think we're on the same wavelength ;)

 

Good luck with that 158 by the way!!

 

The high standards of your projects is something I still aspire to in following your footsteps in creating a Southeastern 3-car Electrostar.

 

Your finished First Capital Connect 377 is superb and very detailed and will provide the motivation to actually finish mine.

 

But just like your Electrostars I haven't rushed it and want it to be modelled effectively to look the part on my layout.

 

Hope all is well and may I share some pictures of my own project if that's okay once the livery is applied?

 

Cheers,

Matt

 

Matt - thanks and very best of luck with your Electrostar! 

 

I'd really like to see more of these important people movers in model form so please do post pictures, would be really good to see Matt! :)

 

The Electrostar awaits it's first proper show debut with Loftus Road at Salisbury in 2014, and the free space left on the workbench has already been taken up with some exciting period noughties dirty diesel projects, will post some updates when I get further on.

 

As a point of interest - Wells Green TMD is coming out of hiding for a small local 'show' in Worthing, West Sussex next weekend.

 

On Sunday 20th October, the layout will be representing Worthing MRC at the SRP Fair held at Charmandean Centre, next to the A27, Worthing West Sussex, BN14 9HS. http://www.srptoyfairs1.co.uk/fairs/2013/05/worthing-toy-fair/

 

It's only a small toy fair with my layout and 1 other club layout present, but will be interesting to see if the layout (and operators!) still work after 2 years in storage!!

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  • 1 month later...

Hi James and all,

 

After two months since the previous posts, some very slow and steady process has meant a resemblance of a Southeastern electrostar starting to appear.

 

Because the middle coach as you know contains the motor I have decided to 'black up' the windows on all three coaches.

 

Still lots to do with tidying up the white of the livery also with a final coat to remove the marks/dust etc but will eventually get there.

 

Picture shows a before and now of the windows application :D.

 

post-18424-0-10194000-1387236043_thumb.jpg

 

And I read your post earlier today James about no electrostar by Hornby for 2014 (great news!), lets hope Bachmann don't release one quite yet until I finish mine!!

 

All the best and Cheers Matt  :D

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Hi James and all,

 

After two months since the previous posts, some very slow and steady process has meant a resemblance of a Southeastern electrostar starting to appear.

 

 

 

Looking really good Matt, thanks for sharing that!

 

I love seeing Electrostars in model form and SE livery suits it well - good to see the carriage shortening, not everybody braves it but well worth the risky operation!! When the windows go in, it really tightens up the body, smartens it up and you feel like you're on the home straight - good jawb! 8)

 

Cheers

James

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Happy new year everybody!

 

The latest item on my workbench is just pure indulgence..!

 

11739332866_e65415ab60_b.jpgHST on Loftus Road by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Since forever and a decade, I've always wanted to model a First Great Western HST set. Pure nostalgia from my Didcot spotting days, could the infamous 'fag packet' even be the greatest ever combination of traction and livery ever known to roam the Great Western mainline?

 

Starting with a Lima set, I'm building a scale length HST, to modern standards. The late 90s Italian Mk3s will retain their headache-inducing stripey livery, but will see new interiors, Lazerglaze flushglazing, close coupling system, bogie mods, coach gangways and perhaps even brake piping. The old Lima power cars will retire gracefully to be replaced by modern day Hornby items, repainted back into matching FGW livery using some of my custom transfers, and will see DCC sound at both ends of the train, naturally featuring the screaming of original Paxmen Valentas!

 

Here's how the project's going at the moment...

 

11738987014_136fa46455_b.jpgMk3 coach close coupling by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The old Lima couplings have been binned in favour of a close-coupling system, nothing fancy but just a simple hoop and bar to keep the train in check over the pointwork of Loftus Road.

 

11738980374_0d0b3b2ce8_b.jpgMk3 coach close couplings by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

It's taken some fettling to get it to run well on the club layout but it's all sorted now and works well in conjunction with these fab new gangways I've bought from Stuart Clarke on eBay. Labelled as 'Great Little Gangways', they are just that.

 

Made from folded cardboard and plasticard, they are topped off with a weathershield, and work really well at closing the visible gap between the coaches, and act as a really good 'buffer' (especially as the actual buffers have now been removed from the Lima HST Mk3s). More details about these gangways can be found here - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251404730420?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 - great value at £6.99 for 4 coaches' worth!

 

 

 

11738829083_a6212f8583_b.jpgFGW Close couplings by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The gangways are all now fitted and work well with the couplings. The next stage is to break open those Mk3s and get the interiors sorted! 

 

I'm fitting Shawplan Lazerglaze to each coach to remove the truly awful window effect left by Lima - I would go one stage further and remove the raised window surrounds to fit stainless window frames but I'd like to keep the beautiful base livery intact, so some compromises must be made here! Details like the numbering and lettering will be carefully fixed in due course though.

 

Meanwhile I've dug out a spare Lima Mk3 buffet as a practice and already found out how to tackle the window installation...

 

11739316806_4e05427533_b.jpgLima Mk3 Test Model by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

...and as you can see I've also found out that the roof and window moulding is very brittle...eek!!

Edited by James Makin
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It's great to see a fag packet HST James, brings back the memories of when I had mine a few years ago, I'll be keeping an eye on this one! I've just bought a cheap Dapol Virgin HST to do in Barbie livery, but I'll have to do a few green and golds to break the set up a bit!

 

jo

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On 07/01/2014 at 21:02, WCML100 said:

great to see a FGW Fag packet livery eveyrones been caught up on the latest 'dynamic lines' version...

 

 

The dynamic colours go for mega bucks now

 

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Not bad for James,

He sold his dynamis lines coach on eBay for £170!

Lol for a coach? who ever was bidding for it obviously wanted it a lot! Great Livery Though!

 

Just read fully back through this thread, and have been watching Wells Green TMD & Loftus Road for some time now and i must say what a pair of great layouts I must add - love the work going on and think your 377's are great unfortunately my area I am modelling is Manchester on the WCML although i live in London and love the electrostars! LOL! First CC version looks stunning - love the livery and I'm pretty sure nearly all the ones i see have been victims to graffiti artists! very realistic addition! Regarding all the pantographs that are used in these 377 projects where are they purchased from? Really need a decent pantograph for my class 90 as the Hornby one is not only beyond pathetic but is too high when raised for my over head wires/masts. 

 

Thanks, Peter

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Lol for a coach? who ever was bidding for it obviously wanted it a lot! Great Livery Though!

 

Just read fully back through this thread, and have been watching Wells Green TMD & Loftus Road for some time now and i must say what a pair of great layouts I must add - love the work going on and think your 377's are great unfortunately my area I am modelling is Manchester on the WCML although i live in London and love the electrostars! LOL! First CC version looks stunning - love the livery and I'm pretty sure nearly all the ones i see have been victims to graffiti artists! very realistic addition! Regarding all the pantographs that are used in these 377 projects where are they purchased from? Really need a decent pantograph for my class 90 as the Hornby one is not only beyond pathetic but is too high when raised for my over head wires/masts. 

 

Thanks, Peter

 

Hi Peter

 

Thanks for the kind words!

 

I have to admit with my 377s they've just got dummy plastic pantographs nabbed from the Hornby '92' - as the units probably won't ever see service under an OHLE layout, figured this would much be easier than tackling the Hurst kit!

 

Cheers

James

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Hi Peter

 

Thanks for the kind words!

 

I have to admit with my 377s they've just got dummy plastic pantographs nabbed from the Hornby '92' - as the units probably won't ever see service under an OHLE layout, figured this would much be easier than tackling the Hurst kit!

 

Cheers

James

 

Thanks for the info finding it very hard to source some decent pantographs, even spare ones but thanks for your help!

 

Peter

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Will you be doing the new First Capital Connect livery as it looks quite good? Excellent modelling the 47 looks great like the matt look so much better than gloss.

 

Thanks!

 

Have you got any pics of the new FCC livery? Sounds interesting!

 

After doing the colourful duo I'm not sure I can stomach making a third Electrostar!!!

 

28806880505_3557b3e7d1_b.jpgScratchbuilt Electrostars by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

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I've been spending some more time on the FGW HST project and breaking open those pesky Lima coaches for some interior design!

 

This includes the painting of 468 seats..!

 

28189356164_8e49fa97a5_b.jpgMk3 Coach Interior by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Using Colin J Marsden's HST book (and some blurred childhood memories!) I'm slowly recreating an interior of a FGW set. The Standard interior comprises turquoise seating, blue & great moquette carpeting and some interesting marble effect panelling. First Class features dark blue seating with maroon patterned carpets, white headrests and will have brown table tops, perhaps tableclothed even!

 

28189357704_9fd1edb61c_b.jpgMk3 Coach Interior by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I've still got a long way to go but the base colours are in place - inadvertently featuring Arriva colours, using cream for the seat-backs and their turquoise for the fabric! Blue Pullman 'Nanking Blue' is stepping up to the mark for the carpet colour, soon to be dotted with grey specs!

 

Then there is the task of filling this mighty HST. It could be run as an empty stock working, but that'd be boring, wouldn't it?

 

So I've gone and bought multiple knocked-off packets of figures from China (via Amazon) for £2.99 per 100 - they're actually an interesting 1:75 scale, but seeing as the occupants may see some amputation, that won't matter too much!

 

28522545990_c7a2cb3e0f_b.jpgMk3 Coach Interior by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

It's back to work painting the remainder of the interior, then the passengers, and finally I can get onto the glazing!

 

Cheers

James

 

 

Edited by James Makin
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Top work as always James,

 

Just one question, those 2+2 seats from the TSO's, are they what came with the coaches?  I only ask as I have 3 full 8 car rakes of Lima Mk3s, 2 Intercity Swallow and one Great Western Merlin livery in which all 12 of the TSO coaches have 2+1 seats, of the 24 coaches only the 3 TGS coaches have 2+2 seats. So unless Lima changed this for the Fag packet livery, I know Hornby have corrected this since taking over production of Mk3s.

 

Dale 

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