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Hest Bank in 4mm scale


terryd147
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P1010376.JPG.bd4210e1b846bf0d57eda0fc962e4670.JPGAs promised I attach some pics of progress to date. First is 46234 Duchess of Abercorn, built from a much hacked about Dublo body shell on top of a scratch brass chassis (using the original H/D valve gear) & powered by a Pittman motor through 30:1 gears. It tows a much doctored H/D tender representing an ex-streamliner.

The poor auto-focus doesn't allow you to see that the first vehicle is a Comet Period II corridor brake 1st, the 2nd  and the 3rd are P.III corridor 1sts & the 4th a 50 ft kitchen car (P.I), also Comet.P1010377.JPG.e695f55fe2c7b1056e9779b0e49499c1.JPG

The same train from the other end. The last vehicle is a 57 ft Southern Pride full brake, while preceding it is a Comet P.III corridor 3rd. In front of that is an articulated open 3rd set also from Comet.  All of these vehicles and a whole lot more have been completed (give or take!) during this lockdown.

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A quick shot of the middle of the train, showing more closely the 2 corridor 1sts and the kitchen car. If the lining on the kitchen car looks rather white, it turned that way after I had applied satin varnish to the transfer lining. Aargh!! The 5th Vehicle is a 60 ft Period 1 open 3rd (Comet).

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Heading in the down direction is a Black 5, made from a stretched (cut & shut) early Hornby body shell on top of a scratch brass chassis stared many years ago and only recently completed. It is powered by an XO4 motor and 30:1 gears. Although noisier than modern motors they still function well and haul better than many modern proprietary locos. The first coach is an old set of PC printed sides on a donor Mk 1, probably Mainline.

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Another view of the same train, but poor auto focus again prevents us from seeing the remaining vehicles in the train which consist of a couple of Mk 1s from various sources and followed by a Mk 1 kitchen car using PC sides an another donor Mk 1. Bags of roof detail went onto that one!

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Finally we have a freight hauled by a WD 2-10-0 90763. This is built from a DJH kit riding on Markits wheels and powered by a Mashima can motor through a gearbox. It is a sweet runner and quite powerful.

All of this class was allocated to the Scottish Region, principally  Grangemouth and Motherwell, but this one was a long-time Carlisle Kingmoor engine, so conceivably it may have made forays as far south as Carnforth & Lancaster. That's my excuse anyway!

Edited by TerryD1471
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Terry you have been busy. I am liking the variety of stock. 
Looking at your signal protector. Have you access to stick clear Perspex? It would allow you to see the signal in the round. Help you see the nice modeling  more easily. 
just my humble opinion. 
stay safe,
Richard

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Thanks for the message, Richard. Yes, I wanted to buy some perspex sheet to protect the whole of the front of the layout and not just the signal, just in case of accident. When I looked at the price of the stuff, however, the response was "How much!" (Residents of Ceredigion will be very familiar with that reply, as will Yorkshire folk.)

 

The signal incidentally is not my creation; it's far too good for that. Mick Moore of the Bingham Club made it and it came my way through good fortune. Its construction was described in MRJ issue 180 of 2008.

Edited by TerryD1471
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Just to complete the photo session:-

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A side-on view of the WD; you always thing you've finished and then realise that there is still some stuff to do, mostly dirtyingthe wheels and motion.

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Dornoch Firth (old Hornby body on scratch brass XO4 powered chassis with Comet cylinders & motion) still awaiting a few jobs like nameplates, motion dirtying and some pipework beneath the footplate, towing some more results of my coach-completing lockdown session. First comes a "porthole" brake corridor 3rd from Comet, then a 62 ft P.III corridor brake composite, then a P.III corridor 1st and a 68 ft 12 wheel restaurant composite. Many of the 57 ft vehicles are old MAJ clear plastic kit body shells with pre-painted Comet sides stuck onto them, while longer vehicles are usually from Comet's own chassis & roof components.

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The same train from the other end. The last three vehiclea are a P.III 65 ft 1st open, a P.III 62 ft corridor brake composite and a P.I corridor brake 1st. I confess to loving working with Comet components!

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City of Salford (still awaiting a few finishing jobs) passes through at a scale 85+. It is an old Dublo body shell, much hacked about, on a scratch brass chassis powered by an Anchoridge /Sagami? D13 with 40:1 gears. This a favoured drive system, giving plenty of power and speed smoothly. Comet valve gear and jackson Evans deflectors and an almost standard Hornby Princess tender complete the model.

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A couple of visitors from the Central Division making their way back home light engine. They are two locos (a L&Y A class 0-6-0 and a Fowler 7F 0-8-0) acquired from my old friend Rob Kinsey (a fellow Wolverhampton club member) and both are nicely made sweet running models providing some variety on freight workings from the usual diet of 4Fs, 8Fs and Super Ds.

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To conclude we have Sir William A. Stanier FRS running north light engine. Built from a DJH kit about 15 years ago, she has the same drive system as her sister City of Salford. The catering establishment behind will no doubt be very welcome to the guests when the camping coaches are installed for next year's (1959) summer season

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Thanks Tony

 

They are mostly kits/resin models because I can't contemplate the time required to scratch build them, so they are the right type of building, but not necessarily an accurate model. The overall effect is, I hope, something near.

 

To move to a slightly different theme, I was pleased to see Barry O's thread on LMR coaches, full of useful info. I don't want to tread on his toes, so any comments on coaching stock will appear here. I realise I had rather blithely skated over the mention of nearly twenty Comet-based coaches without scarcely a mention of how they were done.

 

Just for a change I looked at one of the old Hornby 57 ft LMS(ish) coaches, now in the railroad range. The "composite" is too short and there are several other issues which make it a non-starter, but I had acquired a beaten-up brake third with a view to major surgery. Before I cut into it, however, I checked it against Essery & Jenkinson's reference work. At first I dismissed it as wholly wrong, but a further look made me realise that it was not a bad bash at a D1905 brake third. The underframe was probably the worst part, but once the unwanted boxes (battery?) underneath had been removed and an MAJ box put on the corridor side, and the oval buffers had been replaced by some nice round ones (MAJ too) and the over wide lower flange on the underframe had been planed (Yes!) off, it was looking OK.

 

The body shell was much more promising. The roof detail was good & needed no work, but there were no guard's duckets and no ventilators over the brake doors, so these were added using plasticard or Ian Kirk plastic duckets. In the deep end then, and having primed the whole thing grey, I masked the sides and sprayed them with Ford Sierra (not Sahara, now obsolete) Beige. See pic.

 

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I had deferred the decision as to how to glaze the body. That's shorthand for saying I didn't know what to do! The body sides were deep & I didn't like the original Hornby glazing moulding, and then I spotted some Cooper Craft Mk 1 coach glazing bits in my (very large) parts box and realised that they were the right width and only 1/2 mm too deep. A few swift passes with a file and "it fits". The other seven window mouldings were similarly reduced and cemented in position and the result you see:-P1010389.JPG.3ab260c653ed17f9613c79c536fcfec3.JPG

 

The windows are a nice flush fit and only need to have the glazing bars painted to look convincing. The remaining windows do not have such a neat solution and it is either going to be a lot more Cooper Craft bits filed within an inch of their lives or ferret around amongst the South Eastern flush glazing bits. That last mention probably takes us back to the 80s, to a time when I were nobbut a grown-up and pensions were a long way in the future!

 

Happy lockdown! I hope to report on the next phase soon.

 

 

 

 

Edited by TerryD1471
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Hi Terry,

 

I have a recollection that the ducket-less Hornby brake 3rd was actually correct in respect of the body.  IIRC a few were built for services over the S&DJR.  Mind you, not much use to you at the bottom of the slopey bit.  The simple job of adding a ducket probably makes it more useful.

 

Alan 

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Hi Terry,

great to see your work.

I jibbed out of the difficult work with that Hornby brake 3rd and put Comet sides on it instead!
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I can’t remember what I did with the underframe at the moment.

Best wishes,

 

Iain

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Thanks Iain

 

You achieved a beautiful finish with your vehicle; well done!

 

Can I ask what lining transfers you use as I am still having problems with mine breaking up as I apply them. Mind you they are probably old stock, so it's likely I only have myself to blame!

 

Cheers

 

Terry

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Thank you, too kind.  I’ve almost finished 9 other carriages that were part-completed projects before we packed everything for the move 2+ years ago.  I’ll post some photos when I’m done.

 

I have usually used Pressfix - this one definitely was.  I prefer these because you can pull the transfer slightly taut to apply it, which straightens it out a bit.  I tried a Modelmaster sheet for one of the ones I’ve just done and my first thought is never again.  I would like to learn to use a bowpen effectively for carriage lining, although I’m not sure I could ever be good enough with it for a loco.  Halfords Rover Damask Red for the paint, by the way. 

 

I remembered that the underframe for that Hornby BTK was a Dapol one.

 

It’s on Shap at the moment!

 

Enjoying your work very much as always.

 

best wishes,

 

Iain

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For the sake of completeness, I decided to post a photo of the ex-Hornby BTK which I have been working on. It is with some trepidation that I do, because Iain's maroon version of it is beautiful, whereas under the glare of an enlarged photo, the warts on this are only too apparent. The principal problem lay in my decision to use the original body shell with thick sides which I glazed with Cooper Craft windows ex Mk 1. As will be only too clear, the solvent used leached out into the visible parts of the windows and resulted in marks which defy removal. My fault as I used too much solvent because I wanted to ensure the windows would stay in place. Also my painting of the glazing bars is much messier than I would have liked, so although it looks fine seen passing by at speed, up close it ain't so good. Oh well, back to the Comet sides which give a much superior result.

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At least there was one area of success, in that I found a different batch of lining transfers (origins unknown) which went on very well without breaking up. If only I knew who made them!

 

The vehicle behind is a work-in-progress ex LNER steel sided open 3rd. The sides are from Southern Pride and are stuck onto donor Ian Kirk sides, roof and ends. Just needs an interior, but there are two DJH Black 5 kits which are also beckoning me!

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Historical research is always very advisable; I have found many useful sources of information, and among these are BR reference sources on train formations. It covered the mid 1950s and gave me some surprises. I had always assumed that there were plenty of 1st class vehicles among the train make-ups, but it seems I was wrong because it was only the top flight trains which included them. The majority seemed to rely on a CK or two for 1st class accommodation and, also surprising was the number of brakes marshalled in the body of their train (presumably because they were being split at some point in their journey). Also a number of trains had no brake marshalled at their ends, presumably for operational reasons.

 

Unwittingly, it seems that the proprietary manufacturers of yesteryear had given us a better mix of vehicles than I had realised, but of course Sod's law has it that I had purchased not only a goodly number of Comet 1st class sides, but also quite a number of Hornby/Bachmann 1st class vehicles from among their recent releases. Lovely vehicles, but just too numerous. Not only could I reasonably be described as a locoholic, but also I am on my way to being a coachoholic too!

 

Heigh-ho, but you can't blame me when you realise what a wonderful variety of ex-LMS vehicles there was to choose from!

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Terry,

you are really getting into the swing of posting. 
I too have been accumulating carriages. All need building due to what I model, but there seems no end in sight, I have just paid for another 3. I need to start building them faster than acquiring them otherwise the pile will never go down. 
richard 

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Thanks for the suggestion Colin, but I think that all that is needed is a bit more care and common sense. Am I right in thinking that "Glue & Glaze" is PVA based?

 

Just to continue the "coachoholic" theme, I thought I'd post a picture of another couple of work-in-progress items.P1010391.JPG.cf4903c76bc3f7068f14f35825476964.JPG

 

I found in my (extensive) pile of unmade bits & pieces a few Kemilway etches which, I think, were intended for 51 ft GER vehicles. I thought they would be a good basis for 50 ft ex LMS vehicles, so having cut 4 mm out of the length, I used the first as the basis for a Period 1 full brake (panelled) using a set of Comet sides. It is the top one in this pic. Not sure where the roof came from!

 

Lower down we see a set of etched sides for a P.III kitchen car and the etch from Kemilway which will form the basis of its floor & ends. I earlier posted a pic of the P.I kitchen car but I thought a P.III would be nice too!

 

I haven't extolled the virtues of another supplier of etched brass bits, 247 Developments, (again no connection) who also supply many useful bits; in this case they have supplied the sides for the kitchen car and I shall be using their underframe components to complete both these vehicles.

 

In my quest to have reasonably accurate train formations, my "Caledonian" set needed a couple of amendments. The restaurant car needed replacing with a kitchen car, which has now been done, but I also needed an ex LMS P.III corridor brake first to replace the inaccurate Mk 1 BSK. These were in use until the Mk 1 BFKs were introduced in 1959-60, too late for me.

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The first pic shows how nicely the initial "box" from Comet sides and ends go together with a Comet extruded aluminium roof sitting snugly in place.

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Secondly we see the same from underneath with the Comet sides strengthened by a partition cut from scrap brass and thirdly we have the bodyshell with an additional strap from brass strip to maintain body integrity.

 

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The underframe above has yet to have some details like V hangers, battery boxes, buffers & brake cylinders attached, but the whole assembly goes together very sweetly. The roof is being glued in place using Araldite as I type this and the brass strip and the partition give extra areas of contact for better glue adhesion.

 

More to follow.

Edited by TerryD1471
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In amongst all the building activity that lockdown has "encouraged" me to do, there are still occasions when a little operating takes place.P1010396.JPG.7d390a0abcaa9a0300fda724b99d880e.JPG

 

A coal empties waits on the Morecambe branch to join the down main. The loco is the recently completed Hughes Fowler Crab, being a Wills body on a scratch brass chassis and the old-fashioned but sturdy drive train of an XO4 motor driving through 30:1 gears and riding on Romford wheels. It's far too clean at the moment, as is the train engine on the opposing working, a loaded coals hauled by a Bachmann Super D.  Although I enjoy building locos and coaches, the availability of such a wide variety of good proprietary freight vehicles has meant that about 85% of the wagons on Hest are RTR.P1010397.JPG.50f89e507e8947bb93987547334113b7.JPG

 

Further progress on the Period III BFK has brought a coat of spray paint (Ford Aporto Red) to the sides on top of a coat of grey primer. The roof is brush painted with one of the many shades of matt grey in the Humbrol range, but the vehicle still needs corridor connections, glazing, lining & lettering and a final tidy up of the paint at the join of roof and sides. It has proved it's a steady runner when coupled as the lead vehicle in an 11 car rake, thanks to the Bachmann bogies. Not long before it takes its place in the "Caledonian."

 

HOWEVER, one of my many failings is the inability to prevent myself from starting another project before I have finished the last one.

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I had a couple of DJH Black Five kits which have been hanging around far too long, looking at me accusingly from the shelves where they had been gathering dust. In a moment of impetuosity I reached for the soldering iron and made a start. This first one has a D13 motor and 40:1 gears, a drive train I find very good. The other one will be powered by a fairly fat can motor on a Model Loco gearbox and it'll be interesting to see how they compare for performance.

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More trains on your model of Hest Bank today than on the real thing.  Due to engineering work all that has been running has been an occasional Lancaster to Barrow service.

 

The area to the right of your grey footbridge is now prototypical as the trees have recently been removed by Network Rail.

 

:):):)

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Cheers Colin

 

I think there's a huge difference between the growth of trees up until recently and the way things were back in the 1950s because of steam locos throwing sparks etc.

 

Sorry to hear that traffic has been so badly curtailed of late, but I'm not surprised because of recent events.

 

The last time I was there I was amazed by the frequency of trains; I scarcely had time to drive across the level crossing towards the Shore Cafe before the barriers came down again and another three trains came through in quick succession. Mentioning the grey footbridge (is it still called the Cinderella bridge?) makes me realise that it should have at least a little smoke blackening.

 

On a divergent topic, I noted that Darnborough's great book "West Coast Steam" referred to the fact that there was a 1/477 grade heading south towards Lancaster. A quick calculation reveals that that represents  a climb of 11 ft 1 inch in a mile. How were they so accurate?

 

ATB

 

Terry

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  • 4 weeks later...

Quick update, following some alterations/improvements to the signalling. Let's face it, the presence of something is a great improvement on nothing, so I have finally got around to making the up splitting signal gantry into something that looks more like a signal and also added a starter from the bay platform and a bracket from the sidings. This latter was an ex-LNWR bracket modified by the substitution of LMS upper quadrant arms. None of these work (yet) but you never know; some day.

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Meanwhile, a Black 5 passes northward with a down semi-fast. Viewed from a more southerly viewpoint, it looks like this:-

 

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Meanwhile, some time later, City of Salford rushes through past the up home signal protecting the level crossing with the afternoon Caledonian.

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That home signal is also an addition, being an LNW post with the later addition of an LMS UQ signal complete with sighting board.

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  • 2 weeks later...

P1010422.JPG.73f7e553ce25f8f07a4c0e8f67a56107.JPGIt's amazing what a vast fund of photographic information is out there. An old friend (thanks Ron) sent me a picture of Hest signal box (pre '58) from an angle I'd never seen before. Although I have accumulated many pics of the area, information on the signal cabin was a bit thin. I am grateful to beast 66606 for his information sent to me a long time ago, but in the interim I had been making do with a Scenecraft "Hampton" signal box masquerading as Hest box. The snag was it was a bit fat, slightly too long with an extra set of window panes and definitely not tall enough. Armed with this new info and finding a couple of old Prototype Models card kits of Draughton Crossing box, I decided to carve these up and make a brick plinth (no jokes about plinth of Wales, please!) to make a reasonable fist of Hest box. The result you see above & below.P1010423.JPG.6b640afb9359d874c92b1311fffa834c.JPG

 

There still remains some work to do in terms of painting, toning down the garish plasticard brick, an external shelf just below the windows and removal of some of the extraneous staircase uprights (and the scenery & point rodding), but overall I find the new box rather more convincing. Just for the record, the old box is depicted below. I make no criticism of the Scenecraft box as these resin models are a good short cut for many modellers.P1010424.JPG.5d2fca0fa5d1aa092255af86bda25407.JPG

 

Indeed it is due to appear on a certain online auction site shortly, so we shall see how much demand there is for it!

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Does the real box have a change in brick work colour? If not I would pop out the inset and use more plasticard brick sheet and then you can paint it in an accurate colour across the whole surface.

just my humble opinion.

richard 

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Hi Richard

 

Good to hear from you.

 

I suspect that the real thing was so grimy it would be hard to tell what colour (should that be color where you are?) it was. The only photos I have are b & w, because it was demolished in 1958, so I rather think that by the time I have given the plastic bricks a good sluicing with muck, no-one will be able to tell where the join is. Besides, it took me so long to get to this stage, I couldn't face cutting out the insert.

 

ATB

 

Terry

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Here a few pre-war shots, I think of the up and down Coronation Scot.  From the crowds on the bridge, I suspect they're early (maybe even the first day) services.  I hope the signal box view is helpful.  I have the copyright but readers of this page are welcome to download.  My Dad seems to have been pretty nifty winding on, he would still have been a school-boy, presumably on a trip or holiday at Morecambe.

 

Alan

CoronationHest1.jpg

CoronationHest2.jpg

CoronationHest3.jpg

CoronationHest4.jpg

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