blueeighties Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 It's not all 0 gauge and faded BR blue diesels at Lee's Locos you know...... You can also follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Lees-locos-476520265762552 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joner Posted July 18, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 18, 2020 4 hours ago, blueeighties said: It's not all 0 gauge and faded BR blue diesels at Lee's Locos you know...... You can also follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Lees-locos-476520265762552 My first individual loco I bought some 30 or so years ago! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 Sorry to keep sounding like a broken record.....but here we have yet another repainted Heljan 0 gauge class 45! Redone as the infamous 036, weathered and fitted with Legoman sound. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joner Posted July 21, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 21, 2020 16 minutes ago, blueeighties said: Sorry to keep sounding like a broken record.....but here we have yet another repainted Heljan 0 gauge class 45! Redone as the infamous 036, weathered and fitted with Legoman sound. Looking very good. Your missing a wiper though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted July 23, 2020 Author Share Posted July 23, 2020 On 21/07/2020 at 16:30, Joner said: Looking very good. Your missing a wiper though! I am...awaiting spares Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted July 23, 2020 Author Share Posted July 23, 2020 Kitbuilt. Once the preserve of the 0 gauge world. It's a shame that there still seems to be the mentality in certain quarters, that if it's not hand carved and welded together from a sheet of brass, then it's got to be crap as it can't be a proper model. Quite franky, I say . This is the 21st century, things have changed. Life is easier with good quality RTR as a starting point. Quite honestly, if it didn't exist, I couldn't run a business. These days, constructing a kit, fettling it, painting, weathering, and then trying to fit electrical lighting and sound systems into something that was designed in a different age and not even in the designers consciousness makes the labour rate and cost of such builds unfeasable. This is proved commercially when you look at how many large kit manufacturers and service businesses still exist. Anyways, sorry for the ramble. Just made me think whilst I have been working on todays featured item. Not a kit as such, half way house actually, a Bachmann Brassworks 0 gauge class 101 DMU. Nice basic models, but just that, basic. Not a lot of detailing, no provision for fitting sound or lighting systems. This has taken an awful lot of work for such a basic 2 car model! Another thing I have discovered about this trade during the last 7 years, is the sheer diversity of folk that work within it. We all have different personalities, each to their own, some folk are capable of forming great business relationships and helping each other out, some just seem to have rather large chips on their shoulders and have too many issues to see things from a business perspective. I have never fully understood that trait, if I'm honest, grow up, shape up, stop having childish rants and let others get on with moving their business forward. It's not my fault you can't achieve what I have worked my off to do. Anyways, one such canny chap is Mr Danny Little. Danny seems to love the jobs I hate, so he did the following on this, and also the next 101 in line to be done. Cab front destination panels opened up to a better size, new surrounds made, cab driving interiors built and painted, lighting units built. Bufferbeam detail added, interior seating and passengers added. My work consisted of repainting the nose ends, Adding sound, wiring all of the internal lighting up, inter carriage electrical connections, weathering, and flush glazing the marker panels. Whilst still quite basic by current standards, I think you will agree this is now a perfectly acceptable and decent looking class 101! There are still a couple of things to do....the destination blinds were 4mm, all I had in stock, I'll replace these with correct 7mm ones when they arrive from my transfer supplier. This is getting delivered to Simon George at the weekend, so I wanted something complete. The front marker light lenses whilst seen as white on the picture, are being built up with layers of 'glue n glaze', so look a bit odd. Nearly there, and they will be finished white, as per the prototype. I could have done all of the above myself, but with a current 12 month waiting list, someone offering help and skill has helped me no end, and ensured the customer didn't have to wait as long. Thanks Danny, much appreciated mate 13 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 So yesterday, I had a number of deliveries and collections to make. Might as well do it in style :-) Was nice to catch up with Simon George Matt Swancott, Chris Warner and John Arnold 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs4 Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 Glad to see you collected your TEA, must have been a sub roll going by the shape of the box..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 3 hours ago, rs4 said: Glad to see you collected your TEA, must have been a sub roll going by the shape of the box..... The box marked TEA contained an 0 gauge class 56 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 On 23/07/2020 at 15:56, blueeighties said: Kitbuilt. Once the preserve of the 0 gauge world. It's a shame that there still seems to be the mentality in certain quarters, that if it's not hand carved and welded together from a sheet of brass, then it's got to be crap as it can't be a proper model. Quite franky, I say . This is the 21st century, things have changed. Life is easier with good quality RTR as a starting point. Quite honestly, if it didn't exist, I couldn't run a business. These days, constructing a kit, fettling it, painting, weathering, and then trying to fit electrical lighting and sound systems into something that was designed in a different age and not even in the designers consciousness makes the labour rate and cost of such builds unfeasable. This is proved commercially when you look at how many large kit manufacturers and service businesses still exist. Anyways, sorry for the ramble. Just made me think whilst I have been working on todays featured item. Not a kit as such, half way house actually, a Bachmann Brassworks 0 gauge class 101 DMU. Nice basic models, but just that, basic. Not a lot of detailing, no provision for fitting sound or lighting systems. This has taken an awful lot of work for such a basic 2 car model! Another thing I have discovered about this trade during the last 7 years, is the sheer diversity of folk that work within it. We all have different personalities, each to their own, some folk are capable of forming great business relationships and helping each other out, some just seem to have rather large chips on their shoulders and have too many issues to see things from a business perspective. I have never fully understood that trait, if I'm honest, grow up, shape up, stop having childish rants and let others get on with moving their business forward. It's not my fault you can't achieve what I have worked my off to do. Anyways, one such canny chap is Mr Danny Little. Danny seems to love the jobs I hate, so he did the following on this, and also the next 101 in line to be done. Cab front destination panels opened up to a better size, new surrounds made, cab driving interiors built and painted, lighting units built. Bufferbeam detail added, interior seating and passengers added. My work consisted of repainting the nose ends, Adding sound, wiring all of the internal lighting up, inter carriage electrical connections, weathering, and flush glazing the marker panels. Whilst still quite basic by current standards, I think you will agree this is now a perfectly acceptable and decent looking class 101! There are still a couple of things to do....the destination blinds were 4mm, all I had in stock, I'll replace these with correct 7mm ones when they arrive from my transfer supplier. This is getting delivered to Simon George at the weekend, so I wanted something complete. The front marker light lenses whilst seen as white on the picture, are being built up with layers of 'glue n glaze', so look a bit odd. Nearly there, and they will be finished white, as per the prototype. I could have done all of the above myself, but with a current 12 month waiting list, someone offering help and skill has helped me no end, and ensured the customer didn't have to wait as long. Thanks Danny, much appreciated mate Is the quote directed to anyone in particular? signed The high court Barrister Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted July 27, 2020 Author Share Posted July 27, 2020 Hard to believe my teeny weeny business is 7 years young this year. The workshop has seen a few chops, changes and alterations, but the time has finally come for a major refurb. Workbench height has always been a major issue for me, so the decision was made to install electric supports that allow the benches to be set at any height. A bigger extractor is on the cards for the huge influx of 0 gauge work now handled. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share Posted July 28, 2020 Today's makeshift office 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joner Posted July 28, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 28, 2020 Like your wallpaper. I've not seen anything like that before! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 On 28/07/2020 at 12:56, Joner said: Like your wallpaper. I've not seen anything like that before! Cheers. Mrs Lee's Locos choice 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Hi Lee, Congrats on the 7 years in business, looks like your are going well and enjoying it. I have to say that 101 looks fantastic. Just goes to show a what can be done with older models if you want to spend a bit of time on them. All the best Peter. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Module00 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 42 minutes ago, P.C.M said: Hi Lee, Congrats on the 7 years in business, looks like your are going well and enjoying it. I have to say that 101 looks fantastic. Just goes to show a what can be done with older models if you want to spend a bit of time on them. All the best Peter. +1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 Lee's Locos announcement. Morning guys, I hope everyone is well. Most of you know me now, I have been trading for 7 years now, and work volume continues to grow at a vertical rate every year. When I first started out, I concentrated on N and OO gauge work, never had an 0 gauge loco on the workbench. About a year in, and it became very clear that due to the volume of 00 gauge work, I could no longer justify or manage n gauge. Fast forward another 6 years to the present day, and I now find myself in the same situation. During the last 3 years, the growth of 0 gauge work has quite frankly been scary, and will continue to do so for a good number of years due to the many upcoming new diesel releases. These new releases now come into the workshop in batches of 5, 10, sometimes much larger. I am one pair of hands, and simply cannot sustain the current volumes. So, I'm afraid I am taking the decision to drop 00 gauge repaint work. I will still offer 00 gauge sound fitting and weathering, but only if I feel it can be accomodated into the existing workload. I'm sorry if this is a pain to my previous and existing 00 gauge customers, but you all know how long turnaround times are now, I really don't want them extending any further. Thanks, Lee@Lee's Locos. 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Module00 Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) Edited August 4, 2020 by Module00 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted August 8, 2020 Author Share Posted August 8, 2020 Well, it's been 2 very long, hard weeks of graft, and the heat has certainly not helped the last couple of days. Finishing off today, and ready for business again on Monday morning, with a nice new refurbished workshop. Just need a holiday to recover now 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted August 8, 2020 Share Posted August 8, 2020 Looks good. I understand the move to O gauge only - deffo the Aston Martin end of the hobby, and way more lucrative I’d imagine 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 8, 2020 Share Posted August 8, 2020 2 minutes ago, blueeighties said: Well, it's been 2 very long, hard weeks of graft, and the heat has certainly not helped the last couple of days. Finishing off today, and ready for business again on Monday morning, with a nice new refurbished workshop. Just need a holiday to recover now Lee, If your short of power points or extension leads I have a draw full, haha, there never seems to be enough. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class27 Posted August 8, 2020 Share Posted August 8, 2020 Sometimes you just can't beat IKEA Looks great Lee Best wishes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joner Posted August 8, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 8, 2020 Looks really good Lee, well done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcan product fan Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 Looks like a great work space lee keep posting the super work you do mate well done . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 Jigsaw time! 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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