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


James Makin
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Have you done an EWS 58 to go with '017? 

Having been inspired to finish off my Mainline Grey loco, I am now in need of inspiration for my EWS one!

Haha I’ve not done an EWS one yet actually Rich! You want to get on Flickr for some inspiration!!

 

I have 2 more to detail up though, one in Mainline Blue (no prizes for guessing it’s Power Station namesake!) and then an EWS one, but need to pick a good example from my spotting notes, I’d really like one with a decent name and in the later style Gill Sans EWS livery and there’s not many good ones to pick from! ‘037 and ‘050 are in the running currently.

 

I must admit sometimes I wish I modelled the 1980s as the 58’s just look the absolute best in the old Railfreight Red Stripe!!

 

Cheers,

James

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Having just spent the last 5 hours reading all of this thread, it's amazing to see some things in my photos replicated perfectly in model form! I noticed you said you screenshoot the images - if you see anything on mine again in future, feel free to download the full size image direct off my Flickr - email me or send me a message if there's anything you need at a higher resolution etc and I'll sort it out for you.

 

Keep up the good work

 

(I found this thread by a Facebook contact posting a comment on a photo on the Loftus Road page, the advantages of Social Media eh?)

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Haha I’ve not done an EWS one yet actually Rich! You want to get on Flickr for some inspiration!!

I have 2 more to detail up though, one in Mainline Blue (no prizes for guessing it’s Power Station namesake!) and then an EWS one, but need to pick a good example from my spotting notes, I’d really like one with a decent name and in the later style Gill Sans EWS livery and there’s not many good ones to pick from! ‘037 and ‘050 are in the running currently.

I must admit sometimes I wish I modelled the 1980s as the 58’s just look the absolute best in the old Railfreight Red Stripe!!

Cheers,

James

58001 in red stripe was my first Diesel model as a child, in fact the Mainline Tripple Grey loco I repainted the grills on last week was supposed to be in red stripe but Hattons sent the wrong loco and I never returned it!

 

I’m torn between leaving it as 58047 or 58050 for the EWS one, though I am a little torn as to how I will paint the grills, in some photos they seem grey black and in others body colour as per the model.

 

I also rather fancy 046 in Mainline blue as running for Virgin, but I think 2 Class 58s for a Cornish layout is already 2 too many

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Hi James, excellent work as always! Love 58017 looks superb at the front of all those MGR wagons! 

 

Just modelled one of the ex MAA wagons cut down to MHAs...and giving you really like these wagons I thought id post a pic of it here hope you don't mind. 

 

The old Hornby tooling, although way oversized and chunky for a accurate model of a EWS MHA makes a good base for modelling one in the 394405-10 range.

 

 

post-6254-0-67627400-1518892793_thumb.jpg

 

 

Lewis 

 

 

 

 

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Nice work Arpleymodeller Looks good that exsctly how I remember seeing them still in their old Coal Sector livery and covered in rust. Made a start on of these my self but didn't have the right size Plasticard strips for the end ribs. Did you keep the originals and modify or replace completely?.

 

Cheers Trailrage

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  • 3 weeks later...

Enjoyed reading this from start to finish . Some amazing weathering . Always handy when somebody is willing to share their ‘secrets’ !

Can I ask how you achieved the spot on weathering of the Virgin mk2 roof please? Ian

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I've been playing around with Mk2E coaches lately!

 

39142319741_477b390703_b.jpgMk2E by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

One of the oldest rakes of stock that I've got still in current usage is a Virgin Cross Country Mk2 set, formed of various old Hornby and Dapol/Airfix Mk2D coaches in Virgin and Intercity colours, together with a Mk2F RFB lovingly converted almost 15 years ago. 

 

Hornby's newer Mk2E coaches were very interesting - ideal to replace the incorrect Mk2D's, but spoiled mainly by a dodgy solebar appearing from nowhere! The plus side was that if you knew where to look - they could be picked up for some very keen prices! 

 

So throughout this year at a variety of shows from Ally Pally to Warley, I've collected a couple of rakes's worth of bargains in both Intercity and Virgin colours, to firstly replace my original Mk2D set, and create a second rake to give something extra for all my Virgin '47's to haul. 

 

24282165067_9f3dc15b53_b.jpgMk2E by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Here's the offending solebar...I have seen a couple of modeller's solutions to fix these, including chopping up the entire underframe and re-joining, but from my years of proud bodging experience, I just knew there would be a simpler, dodgier way!

 

So, armed very appropriately with the teenage angst of second-album Avril, I grabbed the scalpel and set about mutilating the corners of the underframe, gouging out the extra plastic until it was all but gone...

 

27363911699_78dc6a2a08_b.jpgMk2E by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The next step was then to tackle the interior - paint up like a real Mk2E of the period, and add some passengers.

 

25275488558_a7165c32d6_b.jpgMk2E by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I used my regular supply of the cheap plastic unpainted people bought from China via eBay & Amazon as passengers, all being hugely amputated to basically chest level to fit in the seating! 

 

Once reassembled, it started to look reasonable -

 

38260185305_0c853fe8da_b.jpgMk2E by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

The prominent solebar has now disappeared, and the underframe and roof given a treatment of various browns & greys as a very light weathering for circa 2001 period on my forthcoming layout project. 

 

39111260972_d3c37b987e_b.jpgMk2E by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

38260141995_0fcbdc20ed_b.jpgMk2E by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Overall, a quick, fun project - it only took a few evenings to do - the fiddliest part actually being painting up the seating inside rather than any other modifications! I'm no Mk2 coach specialist yet so doubtless there's more changes to be made, but it's been great fun to hoover up the bargain coaches that no one else wants, and turn them into semi-reasonable working layout vehicles!

 

Now I've just got to work out what to do with the surplus of old Mk2D's!!

 

Cheers,

James

 

How many MK2 D 1sts have you got James? Is there enough to make a Pullman rake?

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Enjoyed reading this from start to finish . Some amazing weathering . Always handy when somebody is willing to share their ‘secrets’ !

Can I ask how you achieved the spot on weathering of the Virgin mk2 roof please? Ian

Thanks very much Ian!

 

For the roof, this was actually just a slapping of Humbrol 32 dark grey, painted on the roof with a broad brush, and by not mixing the paint properly beforehand you get a Matt & semi-Matt finish with a slight sheen in certain places, that was it really! Everything about doing these coaches was a bit of a quick blast, hopefully just showing that with a few simple steps you can quickly make them good layout coaches!

 

Since the first one, I’ve done another 3 in Virgin including the BSO, and I’m hoping to add some central door locking lights on as the next task, as well as tackling a couple of Intercity livered versions to make up the replacement set for my pensioned-off Mk2D’s!

 

I felt sorry for the Airfix RFB I’d lovingly converted before so I’m going to refurbish and fit interior lighting to match the new Hornby ones too - should be interesting!

 

Cheers,

James

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for my pensioned-off Mk2D’s!

 

I felt sorry for the Airfix RFB I’d lovingly converted before so I’m going to refurbish and fit interior lighting to match the new Hornby ones too - should be interesting!

 

Cheers,

James

Interested to se how that goes, as I have a few Intercity 2ds (well half finished resprayes) intended to go with my GWT sleeper, they are eventually in line for an upgrade.....

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  • 5 weeks later...
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Evening James, Did you ever finish the transfesa/ford train, was after more details as I may have a stab at it myself...

 

Ben.

 

 

Hi Ben!

 

In the end I got sidetracked by tackling Loftus Road buildings & scenery and only got round to doing the first wagon, it's on my increasingly-long 'to-do' list to tackle in future though! I couldn't really find much precise detail about the wagons so was approaching it as a 'build what you see' project from photographs I could find in magazines and online! :)

 

Cheers,

James 

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It's been a while since the last update, so I thought I'd share a snippet of what I've been working on lately!

 

I've spent most of my time building a few new cameos for Worthing MRC's Loftus Road, but as these are not yet finished, I won't spoil the surprise! In the meantime, I did get a chance to tackle a project for myself over the Easter weekend, ruining another little container..!

 

I really liked the bright orange Genstar 20ft box from C-Rail, and there's an inspirational pic on this forum of the very same container in real life, so I've basically modelled that specific one!

 

27447095008_efa2e3790a_b.jpgGenstar Container by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

I started off by applying matt varnish to give a good 'key' for some thinned white to be applied and fade the bright orange right down, then patch painted in the red and grey patches, and then added the surface rust around the sides, ends and along the damage points on the sides.

 

39509891190_c2a2444022_b.jpgGenstar Container by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

As with many of my other rusty projects, I built up the rust from light to dark, approx 6 different shades of browns, and then sealed off the container with another coat of matt varnish.

 

All in all, quite a fun little project, and there's plenty more still to do!

 

26447768137_0353f42486_b.jpgGenstar Container by James Makin by jamesmakin2002, on Flickr

 

Also, the Easter weekend gave a proper opportunity to start formerly planning my Didcot Parkway layout, rolling out the lining paper and marking up the points and trackwork...it's not quite Mostyn or Calcutta Sidings, but it's not as small as I first envisaged, eek!  :lol:

 

Cheers,

James

 

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Fantastic work James, those containers are great. Do you spray your varnish coat or brush paint it on and what would happen if you didn't varnish it initially?

Thanks.

Steve.

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Fantastic work James, those containers are great. Do you spray your varnish coat or brush paint it on and what would happen if you didn't varnish it initially?

Thanks.

Steve.

Thanks Steve!

 

The varnish was the Humbrol Matt Varnish in aerosol cans - I’ve had mixed results in the past but this was one of the good cans that didn’t block itself prematurely!

 

I’ve found the varnish layer helps you change the overall background shade of the model easier - your weathering paint sticks to the matt varnish layer more than the sheen of the plastic on the original model. So here, the white was painted on and then wiped off with the cotton buds, the extra varnish layer has really helped the white paint cling to the side and faded the bright orange right down - this wouldn’t have happened as dramatically without the secret matt varnish layer ingredient!

 

Hope this helps!

James

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Thanks Steve!

The varnish was the Humbrol Matt Varnish in aerosol cans - I’ve had mixed results in the past but this was one of the good cans that didn’t block itself prematurely!

I’ve found the varnish layer helps you change the overall background shade of the model easier - your weathering paint sticks to the matt varnish layer more than the sheen of the plastic on the original model. So here, the white was painted on and then wiped off with the cotton buds, the extra varnish layer has really helped the white paint cling to the side and faded the bright orange right down - this wouldn’t have happened as dramatically without the secret matt varnish layer ingredient!

Hope this helps!

James

Thanks James, makes perfect sense to me. That would explain why I've had trouble with using washes on 'fresh models' I have had a Humbrol can of varnish block on me recently!

I bought a can of Testors at a show to try that.

Steve.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Nice nostalgia,and quite handy as that seems to show 37685 at Barton hill. I was contemplating buying the new Bachmann one and I’m thinking of building the Barton hill shed or similar ....

 

Yes, that was a depressing time and pretty much signalled a decaying interest in the modern scene over the next few years.

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Nice nostalgia,and quite handy as that seems to show 37685 at Barton hill. I was contemplating buying the new Bachmann one and I’m thinking of building the Barton hill shed or similar ....

 

Yes, that was a depressing time and pretty much signalled a decaying interest in the modern scene over the next few years.

 

 

Haha, I picked those mags at random, I didn't give a thought to the depressing nature until looking closer!! Totally agree that was the beginning of 'the end'...for me it happened in phases, the first being 2002 Virgin 'Operation Princess' and all my fav VXC 47s being ripped apart into 57/3s, the introduction of the West Coast Pendolinos and saying goodbye to the frontline 86s, 87s and 90s, all the 3rd rail Slam Doors disappearing from down my way in 2005, then the best franchise - Wessex Trains being absorbed into 'Greater' FGW.... EWS then becoming DB Schenker, well, that was the final straw haha! 

 

For 37685 - that's been on my 'to model' Hit List for some years now, love that Bachmann are doing it but not sure I can justify £170 when I've got a stack of unused Bachmann 37s that just need painting, decisions..!

 

Cheers,

James

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For 37685 - that's been on my 'to model' Hit List for some years now, love that Bachmann are doing it but not sure I can justify £170 when I've got a stack of unused Bachmann 37s that just need painting, decisions..!

 

Cheers,

James

I was thinking much the same when I saw it (and the Mainline blue example), for £170 I think I would much prefer to buy a couple second hand and crack out the paints...

 

I do eventually need an intercity example as part of plugging the gap between my 1980s clay stock and 1998, just cant justify it for the best part of £200!

 

Next time I am at my parents place I must dig out my old Rail Express and have a look through, though sadly I don't think I started getting it until c2000 or so when DEMU / REX did they first layout competition (was that when Wells Green was entered?) which means the post privatisation period I am most interested in had already passed.

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I think for £170 i can justify the mainline as it would be a hard paint job to do and I’m at airbrush infancy level .

 

Couldn’t for the blue one , but have a couple of decapitated Lima split box noses I’m thinking of splicing on a Bachmann - a Frankentractor

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