31A C & W

[31A]

A few weeks ago, I asked for advice on lettering the Parkside kit PC40, which makes an LMS 4 wheeled CCT (Diagram 2026). Several members were very helpful with information, so I thought I'd share the result.

 

 

Here's the finished product in ex works condition. As you can see, I managed to fit the lettering from the Modelmasters sheet 8026 into the space available; it did however mean putting the running number onto the lowest plank and to do this I removed the label clip which is moulded in this location. The instructions say the label clip was added in BR days and photos of the real thing sometimes show the running number to be on the next plank up. The lettering was still a tight fit - although I tried I wasn't able to avoid some of the dimensional data lettering falling in the middle of the plank joins, and the left hand edge of the running number etc. falls on the corner angle iron, which I suspect would have been avoided in reality. Anyway, it looks quite smart.

 

Apart from this, this must be one of the simplest kits going to build and it goes together very well, but it isn't always very interesting to do things the easy way so I made a couple of modifications. I wouldn't normally bother with compensation for 00 vehicles, but have had some bother with long wheel base vans being inclined to get off the rails, so I fitted an MJT inside bearing compensation unit to one axle. This is designed for wagon size wheels, so to accomodate coach wheels I had to cut a hole in the floor and fit a false floor inside, to attach the compensation unit and allow the vehicle to ride at the right height.

 

The other modification was to the roof; I've probably got a bit of a 'thing' about roofs and think they often let models down. There's nothing wrong with the roof moulding supplied with this kit, but to make a better join with the sides, I made a base (or false ceiling) for it from a lamination of two layers of 20thou Plastikard. This is a method I remembered from building coaches from PC Kits many years ago. The lower layer fits between the sides which provides a secure fixing for the roof, and prevents the sides bowing inwards with handling etc.; the edges of the upper layer represent the cant rail. I also added the curved rainstrip above the doors using 10thou square strip and informed guesswork.

 

A few weeks later our photographer caught the same vehicle again, once again stabled in the middle road at Finsbury Square with a varied assortment of other rolling stock:

 

 

By now it's acquired the usual patina of grot associated with parcels vans - in reality this is an attempt to cover a bit of a disaster!

 

I'd painted the van using Halford's Ford Burgundy Red to represent BR maroon. This gives a nice gloss finish for the transfers, but then I gave it a coat of Vallejo acrylic varnish. This is a very good varnish, but then I went and weathered it with Humbrol enamels...disaster!! The enamel (or white spirit I used to thin it) seems to have reacted with the acrylic varnish producing a pale powdery residue in corners, grooves etc! I should have learnt this lesson by now having fallen for it several times previously. Having gone to all that trouble with the lettering I hadn't intended to produce a very filthy vehicle, but the best I could do to try and mitigate the disaster was further weathering, so the result is as you see above.

[alan]

Looks like a well travelled vehicle now though Steve, nice job.

[31A]

Thanks Alan, the unintended weathering effects didn't turn out too badly in the end really! I think the camera's picked up on the 'powdery residue' more than the naked eye does really, to be honest.

[31A]

I've just finished building this BR non gangwayed Composite Lavatory, using the sides available from Comet as overlays on a Bachmann BR non gangwayed full Second.

 

 

 

These characteristic Eastern Region vehicles are usually associated with the King's Cross suburban area as that's where they ended up in the 1970s, but originally they were used more widely on the ER; for example I've seen pictures of them on Grantham-Nottingham trains, and in East Anglia.

 

The Comet sides have the tumble home pre-formed, but were about 1mm too deep, between the windows and the bottom of the sides, so I removed this amount from the sides.  They have no holes for door handles etc., or provision for hinges.

 

I drilled the holes and an ancient PC Models Mk1 detailing etch provided the grab handles, and the hinges which were glued flush to the sides with cyano.  I couldn't get on with the PC door handles, however, as I found them just too flimsy, so I filed these up from 0.6mm brass pins.

 

All the vents on the roof were replaced using MJT castings, and filler pipes added leading from one end (some quite tricky bending involved!).  On the underframe, the V hanger / brake cylinder mouldings were replaced with plastic items from Replica Railways, and the step boards were cut back to the correct positions.

 

For the interior, I ended up carving up the existing moulding - the second class compartments had to be shrunk and the first class stretched, in each case by about 1mm (!), and the seats had to be cut back to allow for the side corridor partition to be inserted.  

 

Paint was from a Halford's Ford Burgundy Red rattle can, with Methfix transfers for the sides and windows, and Railtech providing the end inscriptions.

[jwealleans]

Nice job, Steve.

 

Comet do a detailing pack for carriages which includes a drilling jig for hinge holes. I agree I'd rather they were in at source, but the jig does help a great deal.

 

I saw your comments elsewhere about the HMRS window transfers - have you tried the Precision Decals ones? I find them very good (if a little delicate) and they certainly don't leave any sort of residue.

[31A]

Thanks, Jonathan!  I must admit I didn't know about the drilling jig - it would have made life a lot easier.  I did make one of my own from tinplate, but it was of limited value in this case as the 'window pillars' at the doors in the corridor sides are wider than those of the compartment side doors, so the 'key' on my jig that set the jig in relation to the windows didn't work on those doors!

 

Yes it was strange about the Methfix transfers (the problems I had with 'residue' affected the side transfers as well as the window ones, but have never come across it before), I still haven't got to the bottom of it but like using them in preference to waterslide as there is no carrier film; must admit I wasn't aware of the Precision Decals ones - I may investigate.

[31A]

I didn't realise it was so long since I'd posted on this thread!  I haven't been idle; recently I've been busy building a coach for a friend who I will leave to comment on it if he wishes; I've also been involved in quite a 'big' rolling stock project for myself of which more later I hope.

 

For a bit of light relief, I've been 'tarting up' an old Airfix / GMR ex GW Siphon G, picked up for £7.50 at a local toy fair recently.  I'm not a GW expert by any means and I know these can be a bit of a minefield, so apologies if I've got any of the details wrong.  Sources of reference included MRJ No. 237, BR Parcels and Passenger Rated Stock Vol. 2 (David Larkin) and Historic Carriage Drawings vol. 3 by Peter Tatlow.

 

Anyway, here it is:

 

 

The most obvious alteration is the replacement of the bogies with 'American' type from David Geen, which went together nicely and have resulted in a very free running vehicle.  The steps are etched in brass which must be very close to scale thickness; I wonder how long they will last in service!  I also replaced the gas cylinders with white metal castings, again from David Geen, and added cross shafts and levers to the moulded vacuum cylinders.  Most of the work was on the ends, where I added the 'scissors' ironwork to the gangways from flattened copper wire, and made lamp irons, both  'standard' type on the gangway and 'GW' type on the corners from flattened brass wire.  I also replaced the moulded curved handrails on the ends with brass ones, but decided to leave the handrails on the sides alone.

 

The sides were painted with Railmatch BR Crimson, and lettering is from a Modelmasters sheet for GW Parcels Vans.  It has the lettering for number / capacity / tare set out as one panel, but it wouldn't fit into the right hand corner panels!  I separated the running numbers from the other data which allowed me to shift them to the right; even so they still didn't fit properly within the panel.  Perhaps they're intended to be placed in a centre panel, GW style, but pictures I'd found in BR livery showed them to be in the right hand corner.

 

Apart from that, not much else apart from a coat of weathering!

Edited July 13, 2017 by 31A

[31A]

For a bit of a change from building brass coaches, I thought I'd do some plastic modelling and attack the pile of Parkside kits that lurks at the back of the workbench.  First off the heap was the most recent addition, the LNER "Toad E" Brake Van kit.  It appears this plastic kit needs quite a bit of metalwork, or did the way I made it anyway!

 

The basic parts went together well enough, with a small amount of flash to clean off and some filler needed on a couple of the corners, but I found the parts to be accurate and well fitting.  I opened out the handrail holes with a 0.5mm drill bit using the moulded dimples as guides and at the same time drilled holes for lamp irons, which I make from straightened staples, to replace the moulded ones.

 

The biggest deviation from the parts in the kit was to replace the step boards with brass ones, made from 3mm x 1mm brass angle, with hangers from brass strip (1mm wide, I think).  I made a simple soldering jig by cutting two parallel grooves in a piece of plywood:

 

 

The tops of the hangers were bent over at 90 degrees, and the bottoms trimmed off, then the tops were inserted into slots cut in the solebars.  The upper parts of the hangers (where bolted to the face of the solebars) were represented by 2.5mm lengths of micro strip, with bolt heads made by the '10 thou cube' method.

 

The number plates on the solebar seemed to be moulded in an odd position, and were exactly where a step hanger wanted to be!  I carved these off and replaced them with new ones from 5 thou; the actual position seems to have varied, but I put them in what seems to have been a typical location.

 

The triangular gusset plates between the solebars and the bottom of the body aren't quite the right shape and don't reach to the body sides (as mentioned in Jonathan Wealleans' "West End Workbench") and as Jonathan did, I filled the gap with micro strip, in my case I used Evergreen 20 thou square.  It probably would have been better to have made new ones from 10 thou Plastikard, but they're not an easy shape to cut out!

 

Handrails were made up from 0.45mm brass wire; noting that soldering irons and plastic kits don't really mix, I put a piece of thin aluminium (drinks can material) between the handrail and the body side underneath the soldered joints, and took a deep breath - I seem to have got away with it!  I've just made the safety bars across the entrances as straight rods; I'm afraid I can't make the oblong loops in the ends, or at least I can't make four the same - I've tried before and failed.

 

The pictures below show progress so far; next is to paint the main part of the wagon, and move on to detailing the roof.

 

 

Edited September 3, 2017 by 31A

[31A]

The brake van has now reached 'ex works' condition:

 

 

The grey bodywork is just Halford's grey primer; it will change colour slightly when weathered!  I found a suitable running number on Modelmasters Sheet GP02 "BR 1948-1965 Wagons - Sheet Two"; this sheet doesn't seem to be on their web site at the moment, although the same transfers may occur on one of the sheets they list for brake vans.  The transfers were sealed with Johnson's Clear and then the whole van given a couple of coats of Testor's Dullcote. I'm giving it a couple of days for this to dry thoroughly before moving on to weathering.  The buffer heads are from 51L and the springs actually work; there is no need for them to but I did it just because I could, I suppose!  Pictures like this are good at showing up flaws, and if enlarged it looks as though the corner nearest the camera would also have benefitted from some filler; however this is less apparent to the naked eye.

[31A]

The brake van's just about finished now, having spent a couple of days weathering it.

 

 

 

 

I was struggling a bit to get a decent picture this morning; I don't think the camera's used to bright sunshine in the railway room!  Sorry about the couplings ... 

 

[31A]

Having built a few coach kits recently for other people, I seem to have got the taste for it and thought of building some for myself, as a way of introducing some more distinctive vehicles to Finsbury Square.  The LNER steel panelled gangwayed articulated pairs had been on my wish list for a long time.  They were introduced for use on King’s Cross-Leeds secondary expresses and East Lincolnshire line trains; consequently they became characteristic vehicles in stopping trains on the southern end of the ECML from their construction in the 1930s, through to the early ‘60s.  When built they were formed as 5-car sets with two Brake Third + Third articulated twins flanking a matching CK.  By the end of steam, although the trains were often still formed as five coach sets the vehicles had been dispersed, with other LNER types of BR Mk1s substituted for the original steel panelled coaches.

 

I was aware of a few kits for these vehicles, some of which currently available, others not.  However my prompt to do something about it came when Phil (Mallard60022 of this parish) announced that he had Southern Pride sides for a BT + TK pair surplus to his requirements; one man’s carp is another’s goldfish, it appears!  The Southern Pride sides are described as being for the very similar BT + TK twins built later for use on the GC section; initially I couldn’t detect any differences between these and the earlier vehicles, but more of that later!  The coaches for the GN Section were designated Diagrams 194/5, while those for the GC Section were Diagram 304.

 

The Southern Pride product gives sides, drop lights, a full width partition for the ‘step’ between the ‘passenger’ and ‘brake’ ends of the BT, and strip to form the hinges.  The sides have slots etched at the hinge locations, and holes for the various handles.   I decided to treat them as if they were Comet parts, and sourced the other necessary items mainly from that range.  A useful feature of LNER articulated stock built on 51ft underframes is that the trussing is in the same position relative to the outer ends as it is on 61’ 6” underframes, so the Comet 61’ 6” underframes (UE1) could be used, shortened accordingly at the ‘inner’ end.  For the vehicle ends, I selected LNER Gangwayed Brake Ends (EE2) for the outer ends, and LNER Gresley Non Gangwayed Ends (EE3) for the inner ends.  The twins had ‘standard’ Gresley bogies at the outer ends, with a ‘heavy duty’ type as the articulation bogie.  As it happened, I used MJT rigid type bogies for these.

 

The book “Historic Carriage Drawings - Volume 1 - LNER and Constituents” (Nick Campling) includes drawings of these vehicles; however the underframes aren’t shown in detail.

 

I started by shortening the underframes at the inner ends.  The cut off piece can be soldered underneath the floor to provide the slotted hole of the Comet system, to pass the body attachment screw through.

 

 

 

 

At the time these coaches were built, it was LNER practice to provide continuous step boards on the solebars on the compartment side, with individual step boards beneath each door on the corridor side.  I made these step boards from 3mm x 1.5mm brass angle (Eileen’s Emporium), soldered to the solebars with the short flange facing downwards.  This produces a strong and straight step board; the edge of the short flange butts up to the flange of the solebar, so on the ‘compartment’ side the flange is invisible; on the corridor side I filed back the lower flange so that it isn’t visible from most viewing angles.

 

The headstocks seem to be a weakness in the Comet design (there doesn’t seem to be much to solder them to!), so I made these from brass channel section, with one of the legs filed back to 1mm; this forms the lower edge of the headstock, while the upper leg allows secure attachment to the underside of the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mallard60022]

Classic build here Steve. I really like seeing Comet parts adapted as you have done and the angle section for stepboards is an inspiration and something I have never considered until now. The buffer-stock idea is also a very good one.

Really looking forward to seeing the 'bodies'; having seen your work above (that Siphon for example is transformed) and on Peterborough North (various lovely corridor coaches), I am sure to be awaiting something smart. 

Phil

[31A]

Thank you for those kind words, Phil!  Be patient, I'll come to the bodies in good time!

 

Moving on, the next two pictures show the bogies and the articulation coupling.

 

As I said, the bogies are MJT rigid LNER bogies, normal kind for the outer ends and heavy duty for the articulation bogie.  I have to say I found these quite difficult to assemble squarely.  It seemed to be the kind of job where you need three hands; in future I'd  probably opt for Comet bogies.  Anyway, I got there in the end and have added step boards to the outer bogies, using off cuts of the same 3mm x 1.5mm angle that I used for the main step boards.

 

The pivot pins for the conventional bogies are 8BA bolts with a washer and a length of brass tube soldered on.

 

The articulation coupling is formed by lugs of 1mm brass which are screwed to the coach floors, one of which has a spacing piece of the same material to step it down from the floor.  This piece is tapped 8BA at the outer end, and the pivot pin screws into it.  The other one has an 8BA clearance hole at the outer end, allowing that end of the other coach to drop over the top of the pin.  A piece of brass tube fits (loose) over the bolt, and has a washer soldered part way along it.  The washer sits on top of the bogie, and sets the ride height.  Hopefully the pictures make this clear!

 

The pictures also show the inner body ends;  these are Comet LNER Gresley Non Gangwayed Ends (EE3).  My original intention was to use them as intended, with the etched panelling detail on the outsides, on the basis that I didn’t know what the ends of the steel panelled articulated coaches looked like and the ends would hardly be visible anyway.  Then I had what I thought was a flash of inspiration, to solder them the other way round so that the panelling was hidden.  I’m not now sure that this was such a good idea, as the etched detail on the inside made it difficult to solder the end bracket and the sides themselves, to the ends.  Anyway, I seem to have managed it!

 

 

 

[31A]

Moving on to the bodywork, the sides are supplied flat, but include etched slots for hinges and holes for handrails.  Thanks again to Phil Mallard60022, I formed the tumblehome under his tuition and using his magic jig.

 

Having made a couple of RDEB kits, I found the flanges at the top of the sides in those kits a good feature in making the structure more rigid in an area where the sides are weak, and giving a good attachment point for the roof.  Consequently, I decided to reinforce the tops of the sides with 3mm x 1mm brass angle (Eileen’s Emporium again!), soldered along the sides above the windows.  The area of side above the windows is very small, and the glazing will have to butt up to the bottom of the angle, but I think it’ll work.  It certainly helps to keep the sides straight.

 

Turning to the droplights, etched frames are provided as separate parts with the sides, but these turned out to be much too big (too tall) for the window openings.  Enquiries on this forum led to the suggestion that Dart Castings may be able to supply the droplight frames from MJT coach kits separately, which they were happy to do.  These were much better proportioned.  However they come with the upper and middle door hinges as part of the etch, as fold up tabs.  This is a good idea and I hoped they would be useful; however due to the unusual toplights above the doors on these particular coaches the upper hinges had to be removed.  This left the middle ones, but when placed in the etched slots they positioned the window frame too far over, so they had to come off as well.  Because of the toplights, the top bars of the droplight frames had to be thinned down.  Having done so, I soldered the droplight frames into place.  Not having yet developed asbestos fingers,  again thanks to Mallard60022 for the tip of using masking tape to hold them in place whilst soldering.

 

Then the door hinges; oh dear, the new droplight frames covered the slots for the middle hinges!  Consequently I used the strip provided for the upper and lower hinges, and drilled 0.5mm holes where the middle ones should be, into which etched hinges from the Frogmore range (Dart castings again) were soldered.

 

The picture below shows the sides at this stage, with the Guard’s lookout added using an MJT etch.

 

 

[Mallard60022]

Steve you are obviously enjoying the fun challenges of creating a coach from a variety of suppliers' parts. All good fun isn't it? I need to say here that despite me 'showing you' some litle tricks, I have actually learnt more about 'scratching'/improving things from this project of yours. The 'old brass angle' method for example. Such a versatile piece of kit.

What's your satisfaction level so far (0 = chuck in bin:  10 = wowzer)?

Looking good already. Finished by tonight?  

Phil  

Edited December 7, 2017 by Mallard60022

[31A]

Morning Phil, yes it has been fun, there have certainly been challenges to rise to, of which more to relate in due course!  I must say previously I had probably been happier as a plastic modeller, so it has certainly been a case of developing new skills.

 

Perhaps best to leave a 'satisfaction level' until the paint has gone on as there are some bits that I'm not sure how well they'll have gone until that job is done; however so far probably an 8!  Not sure about finishing by tonight, but if the weather brightens up I might get some primer on.

 

Thanks again for all your help & encouragement with this, without which the project would still be in the drawer.

 

Cheers,

Steve

[Mallard60022]

Snow forecast; just right for priming and finishing

P

[31A]

Phil, I can confirm no snow here yet, but Arctic chill and no priming.  Yesterday I intended to visit the station to view a large kettle, but sadly it was very late so I gave up that idea.

 

The cat is now out of the bag that this story is not being told in 'real time', so backtracking a bit and having got the sides to that stage, the next thing was to put them together.  I had some of the 3mm x 1mm angle left over, so I soldered some of it across the ends, attached to the pieces on the sides to reinforce the corners and hold them at 90 degrees.

 

The bane of the LNER coach modeller is the ‘step’ between the passenger and brake sections, caused by the brake sections being narrower.  The Comet Gangwayed Brakes Ends set includes distance pieces (for want of a better term) with etched grooves to accept the sides of the narrower brake section, to be soldered inside the sides of the wider passenger section to provide this ‘step’; the Southern Pride sides include a full width partition to achieve the same end.  It seemed a good idea to solder the Comet distance pieces to the Southern Pride partition, to make construction easier.  I first reduced the height of the full width partition tomato it less visible through the windows, as there is not really a partition at this point.  The next picture shows the two sections of the brake coach, together with the partition.  Unfortunately, when assembled this resulted in the brake section tapering outwards towers the middle!  Consequently I adjusted the ‘distance pieces’ inwards until the sides were parallel.

 

 

 

Having assembled the sides, I then turned to fitting handrails etc. to the sides.  In clearing out the etched holes, it became apparent that the Guard’s lookout was too wide to allow fitting of the vertical handrail beside the Guard’s door!  At first I tried drilling the upper hole for this through from behind, which resulted in the top of the handrail being attached to the angled side of the lookout, which just looked silly!

 

Pondering this setback, I took another MJT Guard’s lookout etch and angled the sides (the pieces with the windows in) inwards at a greater angle than intended.  This resulted in a lookout about 2mm narrower which then fitted into the space with room for the handrail.  The tops of the new one protruded on either side and the sides were now deeper than the sides, all of which had to be sorted out by a bit of filing.

 

The picture below shows the new lookout, with the original one below, complete with hole through the left hand side.  Needless to say, it would have been much easier if I’d realised this a long time earlier!

 

 

[jwealleans]

Bit late for you, Steve, but I noticed yesterday that among the new RDEB products Andrew has added to the Wizard website is a sheet of etched LNER droplights.

[Mallard60022]

Phil, I can confirm no snow here yet, but Arctic chill and no priming.  Yesterday I intended to visit the station to view a large kettle, but sadly it was very late so I gave up that idea.

Another kettle was there about 16.30. That was Royal Scot as you probably know. 

Plenty of kettles at York next weekend.

Oh, I do find using  that word kettle slightly disturbing........................................  

Philth 

[31A]

Bit late for you, Steve, but I noticed yesterday that among the new RDEB products Andrew has added to the Wizard website is a sheet of etched LNER droplights.

 

Thanks Jonathan, could be useful to know for future reference.  I wonder whether the top bar is thinner, to cater for coaches with top lights?  I see they've added some more coach kits as well ...

[31A]

Another kettle was there about 16.30. That was Royal Scot as you probably know. 

Plenty of kettles at York next weekend.

Oh, I do find using  that word kettle slightly disturbing........................................

Philth 

 

Well I think I was expecting it to be 46233 from what I'd read on t'web, so I was surprised to see your picture of 46100!  Yes, next weekend is the busy one.  I don't usually use the word "kettle", I don't really like it - perhaps it was because of the cold weather and I wanted a brew!

[31A]

So having soldered up the sides and ends, fitted handrails and door handles, and got the bodies to fit the underframes, I looked at the drawings in “Historic Carriage Drawings” again, whereupon I noticed they showed a toplight above the Guard’s door, as opposed to the solid ventilator etched on the sides!  The pictures accompanying the drawings also showed a toplight at this position, so in a panic I scoured other books for photos.  The ones I found of these coaches in use on the GN section all showed the toplight, whereas pictures taken elsewhere showed a ventilator as per the model.

 

Therefore I assumed(?) that I had discovered the difference between the two LNER diagrams for these coaches, although I can’t say this discovery exactly filled me with joy.  Nevertheless, by blatant cruelty to a modelling knife blade I was able to ‘skrawk’ around the outline of the ventilator until I could remove it, and tidy up the aperture to provide a toplight matching those above the passenger doors!

 

The picture below (compared with the one above) shows what I mean.  Again, this was a job which would have been so much easier before the bodies had been assembled!

 

 

The lower picture shows the Brake Third with its body assembled, handrails and door handles added, and sitting on top of its underframe.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2017 by 31A

[Mallard60022]

Yes, 46233 fainted and so the Scotty has stepped up to the blocks. It is a busy little bee the next couple of weeks. It is in Lincoln today I believe. The 140+ minutes delay on the down was due to a Hull Trains set getting a puncture en route north. Is there a Castle in York today apart from the one with big stone walls? Sorry this is OT but I am trying to avoid getting too excited about the fact that I have a Comet Gresley Brake lurking upstairs and I'm getting the twitches about getting it soldered up just for fun.    

[31A]

Hi Phil, as far as I know there should be another Castle in York shortly; the snappily titled "Earl of Mount Edgcumbe" should be here soon:

 

http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t17/t1209b.htm

 

Far too cold today for standing around on platform ends though I'm afraid.