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


James Makin
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  • 3 months later...

Love it....travelled Connex many times. Your effort certainly looks the part! I wish Hornby would bring that livery to us who are not so blessed in paint skills!

T.

 

PS. Good to see Loftus Road in this month's British Railway Modelling.....your detailing with the graffiti transfers certainly has given me some ideas!! Did you create your own transfers? I particularly liked the 'tags' on the line side cabinets...were they transfers too?

Edited by Tase
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Yes, a very fine depiction of a most unattractive unit. Even blue/grey looked better than this run-down mess. Once things like the curtains had been stripped out the VEPs became truly draughty, utilitarian stock, a bit removed from their initial self in 1967. Your model captures that feeling v well indeed!

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Hi!

Got to say your work is fantastic :) !! I remember back in 1985 catching the old slam doors from Earley to Bracknell when I started nursing, then cycling to Sandhurst in the evening to see my girlfriend then catching a diesel 2 or 3 car DMU back to either Earley or Reading! Where I lived in Reading you could sometimes see the electric sparks lighting up the sky on early morning services in the winter! I am heavily impressed with your tankers - so far that it's possibly given me the push I was looking for to model the old petrol terminal at Earley (nowadays yes - you've guessed it - houses :D :D !!) and maybe the station too! They are so much better than mine anyday for my Penzance layout :D !!

I saw Loftus Rd in BRM and am totally impressed with it! Looking at the pictures inside and the front cover I had one of those rare times of having to look twice to see if it is real or a model - so to me that's gooooooooood :D !!

 

Thanks, Charles.

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James. Did I miss this yesterday? That's annoying. I'm guessing that it was sat on the fiddle yd at the time. It does look very nice. Nice to chat yesterday... hpe Loftue Rd got home ok.

Jon

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Many thanks for all the comments guys, much appreciated! :)

 

Good to see Loftus Road in this month's British Railway Modelling.....your detailing with the graffiti transfers certainly has given me some ideas!! Did you create your own transfers? I particularly liked the 'tags' on the line side cabinets...were they transfers too?

 

Cool, cheers - as it happens, for the graffiti I actually don't use transfers at all, all 100% handpainted believe it or not!

 

I just brush paint the graffiti using local imagery as inspiration or stuff from websites accessible via Google - tons of artists showing off their real life work in web galleries. I use Humbrol paints and "00000" brushes and build up the layers of paint from lightest to darkest, a bit like they do in real life.

 

'Taggings' are done using fineline markers or gel pens and I varnish these afterwards otherwise they just rub off your buildings.

 

I tried some of these horrible Busch graffiti transfers on the EWS VGA wagon in the BRM article...was a bit embarassing they showed that photo, doesn't look at all realistic to my eyes!! You can tell the difference between UK graffiti you see in everyday life and graffiti on the continental scene I think, so nowadays I always whip out the brushes!

 

Best thing about handpainting is that it's really cheap to do, only barriers would be eyesight or steady hands, but I'm alright at the moment...give me another 40 years....hmmm!

 

Hope it all goes well, helps to have the building on a flat surface on the workbench and definitely not on the layout!

 

Cheers,

James

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The number of times i used to travel in one of those. I particularly remember catching them from Riegate in the morning rush hour some times and on a wintry day they would be cold and full of condensation. In their final years they would sometimes even have a mini waterfall down the windows on wet days so the window seats sometimes had to be avoided..

 

Some very nice modelling.

 

Ian

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  • 5 months later...

Hi James,

The electrostar looks fantastic! Definently the best model I've seen scratch built.

Wells Green TMD is a fantastic layout and my favourite layout. Is there any chance of Wells making a return to the exhibition circuit as unfortunately, for one reason or another, I never got to see the layout in the flesh. I'm a keen follower of your Wells Green TMD blog. Is there any chance of Loftus Road coming up north?

Thanks,

Tom

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Hi James,

The electrostar looks fantastic! Definently the best model I've seen scratch built.

Wells Green TMD is a fantastic layout and my favourite layout. Is there any chance of Wells making a return to the exhibition circuit as unfortunately, for one reason or another, I never got to see the layout in the flesh. I'm a keen follower of your Wells Green TMD blog. Is there any chance of Loftus Road coming up north?

Thanks,

Tom

 

Hi Tom!

 

Thanks so much for the kind words, means a lot! :)

 

Sorry to hear that you haven't yet seen WG in the flesh, I've taken the poor little plank to many shows now but mainly down South so far. I've temporarily retired it but it's mainly due to work/social commitments but I will bring it back one day, promise!

 

The layout's getting on 8 years old and whether it can still hold its own against the new breed is another matter but it'd be quite fun to do a large-ish Northern show sometime in future so if an invite comes in then I will seriously consider!

 

Same for Loftus Road, it's Worthing MRC's club layout and there's always the operating team's availability to consider but I'm sure any invite will be given serious thought! My mates have made some amazing scenary (I'm allowed to brag as I did none and am in awe of the talent!) and I've got a few unusual rolling stock projects in the pipeline so hopefully it might attract a few more invites in due course (hint, hint!) :P

 

Cheers,

James

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Hi Tom!

 

Thanks so much for the kind words, means a lot! :)

 

Sorry to hear that you haven't yet seen WG in the flesh, I've taken the poor little plank to many shows now but mainly down South so far. I've temporarily retired it but it's mainly due to work/social commitments but I will bring it back one day, promise!

 

The layout's getting on 8 years old and whether it can still hold its own against the new breed is another matter but it'd be quite fun to do a large-ish Northern show sometime in future so if an invite comes in then I will seriously consider!

 

Same for Loftus Road, it's Worthing MRC's club layout and there's always the operating team's availability to consider but I'm sure any invite will be given serious thought! My mates have made some amazing scenary (I'm allowed to brag as I did none and am in awe of the talent!) and I've got a few unusual rolling stock projects in the pipeline so hopefully it might attract a few more invites in due course (hint, hint!) :P

 

Cheers,

James

 

Thanks for the fast reply!

 

Have you got a new car or just a different colour as your profile pic has changed?

 

I'll have a chat to the guys at Stafford MRC on regards to getting a layout up north, when I've built my layout Portland Road DRS then if your up you can come for a play while Wells Green is stored.

 

P.S...

Any new updates coming for the Wells Green website as the last one was July, if a new one has been posted and my computer hasn't loaded it then sorry...

The pics of the electrostar on Loftus road look great

Edited by Swifty11
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Thanks! I'm sure the Loftus Road gang might enjoy a trip up to Stafford one year, good show :)

I do keep meaning to update the website but never get round to it I'm afraid! The FCC '377' had made good progress, currently assembling the bodyshells and creating the chassis for each vehicle, I'll try and get some pics up at some point soon.

 

Have you got a new car or just a different colour as your profile pic has changed?
 


Funny you mention that! ;) Tomorrow I am picking up my new baby!

28188191714_4b95690feb_b.jpg2010 Focus RS by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

My next car is this Ford Focus RS, finished in a subtle shade of Ultimate Green!!

As a pre-registered car it's basically brand new and comes fitted with the Ford-approved Mountune power upgrade, the car is packing a stable of 350 horses! However I'm a man of simple pleasures and my favourite part is the luminous lime green seats hehe!

I will stop now as I could talk for hours about Fords lol

Wells Green TMD fits in the back for shows...I might now have the fastest depot layout in the country! ;)

 

Edited by James Makin
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Thanks James,

 

The car looks really good, will the next project be a new car to put on centre stage at Wells Green TMD, looking forward to seeing a new update on Wells Green.com but there's no rush. Hopefully my new depot layout will turn out ok, if it turns out half as good as yours I'll be happy! :)

Tom

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Hi James,

I'm liking the look of your new car!! If your passing through Dorset at any time pop by and give me a spin... Oh and bring your connex 4 vep, I saw a picture of one stored at Marchwood so would fit in nicely with my layout..

 

Cheers

 

Scott

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Hi guys!

Hope you won't mind a little bit of self-promotion for a moment (with Andy's permission!)

I've started selling resin 4mm:1ft scale Adtranz Bombardier Electrostar cabs for the Class 375 / 377 EMU based on my scratchbuilt copy of the prototype.

The ends are moulded in high quality resin to fit the Bachmann '00' scale Class 170 Turbostar DMU, and can also be used to recreate the newer class 172 & 379 units, along with the traditional 375 & 377 EMUs.

 

PM me for further details, I'm selling these on an adhoc basis - (JM, 2016)

There's much more information about the conversion on my website and in Model Rail magazine No. 172 (Aug 12), and although I've shortened my units to make the 20m bodyshells, you can make a unit just as good by simply putting the new end on a Turbostar. I believe aftermarket transfers are even available on eBay from other suppliers making this a very easy and simple conversion for all.

I've included a few images below, more detail can be found on the eBay shop above or on my website http://www.wellsgreen-tmd.co.uk

These are the cabs as sent, modellers will need to remove the window blanks but with a little sanding will fit perfectly onto a Bachmann Turbostar without all the painstaking part of scratchbuilding the cab!

28190692263_0e1fa7e4f7_b.jpgScratchbuilt Electrostar by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

Here's another shot of the finished unit from last year, I've got a First Capital Connect one on the way too!

28188193744_8088e00343_b.jpgScratchbuilt Electrostar 377207 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

28188194984_ca351c0e31_b.jpgcratchbuilt Electrostar 377207 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

28774184876_6e9cc69820_b.jpgcratchbuilt Electrostar 377207 by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

There seems to be a fair amount of interest in these units so it seemed a shame not to let others utilise some of these mouldings I'd created myself, any questions about modelling these fantastic Electrostars in 4mm:1ft scale so please do give me a shout!

I'm really interested in others modelling Electrostars using my resin ends so I encourage anyone with an interest to buy a pair and post lots of pics of your project on RMWeb please!

Many thanks,
James

Edited by James Makin
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Hi James,

 

Just read that BRM are publishing pics of Wells Green TMD,

Are they new pictures or pictures from your website?

Thanks,

Tom

 

Hi Tom!

 

They're a selection of my favourite pics I've taken from the last 7 years, so some have featured in low res online and others are all-new! I made sure that they're all different angles to the previous article in Rail Express all those years ago!

 

Cheers,

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