Upbech St Mary, Upbech Drove and Pott Row a journey through 00 and then into EM and 009.

[Alex TM]

Hi,

 

I know very little about coaching stock, but the narrowed bodysides of the brake coaches remind me of some southern types that I've seen elsewhere.  Is it plausible that ex-SR coaches could have run on the Mid Suffolk?

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[mullie]

Mid Suffolk was definitely ex GE coaches.

 

However, the Corringham Light Railway had its own way of doing things. See the photos at the top of this page. Part of the line is probably still open. I'm not sure it would serve the oil refineries if they are still there or the container port.

 

[NXEA!]

1 hour ago, mullie said:

The etches look superb but even the six wheelers were gone by BR days. Need to hunt down a model of the type used on the Mid Suffolk in very early BR days before they were replaced.

 

 

Martyn

Seen that shot before, it's one of my favourites of the Middy, oozes atmosphere. Those Hattons jobbies whilst not being completely accurate will give a good representation I think. I still hold out hope either Hornby or Oxford will do those GER corridor coaches  but I doubt it, sadly.  

 

Upbech is looking good, keep up the good modelling. 

[mullie]

Something different has been rostered for the daily goods train.

 

 

Can't beat a Claud!

[sb67]

On 27/04/2020 at 21:03, mullie said:

Mid Suffolk was definitely ex GE coaches.

 

However, the Corringham Light Railway had its own way of doing things. See the photos at the top of this page. Part of the line is probably still open. I'm not sure it would serve the oil refineries if they are still there or the container port.

 

 The Corringham Light Railway is really interesting, I didn't know it existed until recently and it looks a good prototype to base a model on.

 

[mullie]

What sort of idiot would try to detail a Dapol LMS brake van when the new Hornby one is available .................... er...........me!

 

A Dapol van ran on Pott Row and as I had a detailing kit from Lanarkshire Models I thought I would give it a go. Here is progress so far. Handrails and new buffers fitted, new thinner roof and rain strips. I have some nice etched lamp brackets from Silver Tey Models to fit. Doesn't seem possible to find specific numbers of brake vans allocated to East Anglia unless someone knows different. I'm looking for a prototype with ballast box. As this is in grouping condition the buffers do not have packing pieces. If I've missed anything please say. Model will be finished in post war LMS livery.

 

Biggest problem is that I have no primer and with the shops closed and postage charges prohibitive not sure what I will do. Maybe if I'm placing an order somewhere I will add primer to the list and swallow the charges unless our local Halfords or Toymaster (for Tamiya products) re opens.

 

 

I will buy a Hornby van for the 1960s version of the layout at some point I'm sure.

 

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by mullie

[wiggoforgold]

On 02/05/2020 at 16:31, mullie said:

What sort of idiot would try to detail a Dapol LMS brake van when the new Hornby one is available .................... er...........me!

 

 

 

You are not alone. One of the fun bits of modelling for me is building wagons using old rtr models as donors. Some of it is remarkably good, and the addition of  better buffers and brake gear works wonders. One of my current projects is a bogie bolster C from a 55 year old Triang toy.

Alex

[robert17649]

tis cheaper chaps.

 

[mullie]

44 minutes ago, robert17649 said:

tis cheaper chaps.

 

And as Wiggo has said more fun.

[hayfield]

10 hours ago, wiggoforgold said:

You are not alone. One of the fun bits of modelling for me is building wagons using old rtr models as donors. Some of it is remarkably good, and the addition of  better buffers and brake gear works wonders. One of my current projects is a bogie bolster C from a 55 year old Triang toy.

Alex

 

Alex and Mullie

 

Sometimes its more expensive, but the price is not the issue. What is priceless is the shear pleasure of doing it

[mike morley]

On 02/05/2020 at 16:31, mullie said:

Biggest problem is that I have no primer and with the shops closed and postage charges prohibitive not sure what I will do. Maybe if I'm placing an order somewhere I will add primer to the list and swallow the charges unless our local Halfords or Toymaster (for Tamiya products) re opens.

 

Most, if not all Wilko's are open and, like most of their own-brand stuff, their primer is very good.

[mullie]

Trams going about their business. to be honest I was worried about taking on the Silver Fox bodies. I managed to get the handrails done without breaking anything and the glazing idea seems to have worked. As can be seen the locos also have crew. The change of colour was a big decision as the only colour photos I've seen show the trams a lot darker but as most people including Rapido do their trams in a similar colour I gave it a go and to be honest I prefer this shade!

 

 

 

[NXEA!]

On 29/04/2020 at 18:59, mullie said:

Something different has been rostered for the daily goods train.

 

 

Can't beat a Claud!

What is/where is your ballast from if you don't mind me asking? It looks the part. 

[mullie]

3 hours ago, NXEA! said:

What is/where is your ballast from if you don't mind me asking? It looks the part. 

Woodland Scenic N gauge ballast. Before I lay it dry I mix it with ground artists charcoal to dirty it up/ tone it down a bit. Once laid it is then treated with diluted PVA in the usual way.

 

Engine shed areas are ballasted using old spare 4mm ballast and then DAS smeared on it and painted.

 

If I am laying ballast near card buildings covered in brick paper I mix the PVA with Johnsons Klear. As we have an inkjet printer this combination doesn't discolour the printing ink.

 

Martyn

[mullie]

Also available in black and white.

 

 

 

 

A lot of the copperclad sleepers are laid so track laying can begin soon.

[mullie]

More progress on the LMS Brake van, lamp brackets now fitted, next job is painting.

 

[mullie]

Big day today, after days of laying sleepers I finally started soldering rail in place. The layout is designed to be a series of micro layouts, as each is likely to take 18 months to two years to complete including conversion of stock it is important to me that they link together. I'm trying to use things I have already, especially among the various buildings I have built over the years. If they are not good enough for this series of  layouts they may have to go.

 

As my carpentry isn't brilliant there is a slight discrepancy between the new board and Upbech, only 2mm so once the point work was laid this has been tackled first. The point work had to be laid on thin card to bring it up to the level of the Wizard Models PCB, I built the point work on Marcway sleepers thinking I had loads, inevitably I didn't have any and Marcway are shut during the lockdown so had to order some from Wizard and will standardise on this thickness in future as I can order much easier online. This is progress today.

 

 

 

Queen Mary 2 in Weymouth Bay this week, not a great photo as I had to use zoom there were five liners in the bay today. I am now using my daily walk to raise money for our local Hospice.

 

 

The LMS brake van now has some paint on it so some photos soon.

[mullie]

Bit more track laying today.

 

 

The 1960s strand of the layout has been neglected, there is no point adding more steam stock until the extension is up and running so I decided to tackle a small fleet of mineral wagons for the 1960s sugar beet traffic. Picked these up cheap on Ebay and have since picked up another. I plan to upgrade them by trying to add some extra detail, I have some Masokits W irons and thanks to the SWAG virtual demo know how to build them, some EM wheels, just need some axleboxes, buffers and Kadee couplings. Should make a nice little project. Alternatively I could lock them in a cupboard and hope they gain in value!

 

[mullie]

LMS 16 ton brake van weathered and ready for lettering/numbering.

 

 

Should this van have vac pipes circa 1950?

[Alex TM]

Hi,

 

That brake van does look as if it's seen a bit of sun and rain; how do you manage that faded look?

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[mullie]

This model was brush painted with artists acrylics, they dry very quickly and as they dry I lightly brush over with either talc or ground up charcoal depending on the finish I am after. To bring out the detail I use very thin coats of artist black ink to wash across the finish. Talc acts as a matting agent, charcoal can give things a slight sheen. I also grind up artists chalks given to me by my artist daughter when she traded up.

 

This van has since been numbered. Everything is sealed in with a coat of aerosol varnish. At the moment I have Tamiya flat clear in stock. I like the Tamiya sprays and paints, they are good quality, a range of colours are available and I can buy them locally on my way home from work if necessary, not that I'm there at the moment.

 

I usually refer to photos found online, not easy to find photos of LMS brake vans in post 1936 livery. I basically make it up as I go along and because everything is water based there are no fumes and mistakes can be washed off until sealed.

 

All these things are easily available locally, I have access to a Toymaster, Halfords and Art suppliers, no model shop.

[mullie]

Further to the above post, I took this photo today to show the white heat of a painting/weathering session. The light has a magnifier on it. Artists acrylics, disposable pallets, water containers from washing powder and talc. The talc container once held babies dummies, I've had them a while, and still have a number of them, our girls are now 19 and 21!

 

Edited May 14, 2020 by mullie

[mullie]

LMS brake van now back in service. Converted to EM, new roof and rain strips,  new buffers, wire handrails, etched lamp irons. The lamp irons are lovely but incredibly delicate. The old Dapol version can be made to look half decent in my view and the Hornby model isn't currently available in this livery, bet that changes now I've done this but who cares!

 

 

 

Track on the extension is now tacked in place, remaining chair fillets need to be soldered, the white board nearest camera is the start of the fiddle yard and includes a fixed Kadee magnet, a hinged one will be at the other end of the loop. Within a few weeks I hope to have something running. Need to finalise the position of vacuum hoses, most photos show them below the buffer beam but Lanarkshire models supplied upright ones.

 

[mullie]

Also available in black and white

 

 

[Alister_G]

Great photos mate, love the top one in particular.

 

Al.