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N gauge LSWR 3-Sub


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  • 1 month later...

3-Sub Update No. 30

 

 

Just a quick note to show this project continues to trundle along.

 

 

Decals are all in place, 95% of varnishing done, and around half the glazing.

 

 

3-Sub-275-glazed-varnished_zpsyofkk9fz.j

 

 

In the picture above the nearer unit is in LSWR livery, the other unit Southern Railway.

 

I used Phoenix Precision satin varnish, although the satin out of the tin seemed rather matt to me, so mixed in a little gloss. I matched as best I could the sort of finish you get on RTR models for overall consistency.

 

The cab windows have been a bit of a challenge. They're about 6mm across, but to get a snug fit the outer 1mm each side needs to be slightly curved. I've probably binned three or four attempts for each window that actually did the trick.

 

 

3-Sub-271-glazed-varnished_zps4uwgpwa2.j

 

 

The rooves are matt varnish.  They'll be lighly dusted with weathering powders at some point.

 

 

3-Sub-269-glazed-varnished_zpsu3lnvinl.j

 

 

 

For these pictures the carriages are just placed on the layout. The motors and interiors aren't fitted for instance, I'll do that at the end.

 

I just felt like seeing how they looked in context :)

 

 

 

 

3-Sub-268-glazed-varnished_zpshl3n5ilh.j

 

 

 

Various details are still to add and some weathering of bogies and foot boards to do.

 

Anyway, a couple more pictures of the LSWR liveried unit (E4).

 

 

3-Sub-273-glazed-varnished_zpsthbf0mys.j

 

 

 

3-Sub-274-glazed-varnished_zpskayiwnkc.j

 

 

 

 

So there we have it.  I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter break,

 

Mark

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Thank you Graham and Mr Simon :)

 

Mr Simon - I can't believe it either: but then again it's not like I've sailed through with ease. All things being equal I think I've learned quite enough along the way and plenty of experience to bank for future efforts :)

And any units that come after this have (relatively) flat fronts, which was the major challenge here. So easy going from here-on.

 

The 3 Subs are real 'signature' units for Frankland, so essential to get them up-front and running to set the bigger picture :)

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Thank you gents (and also thanks to everyone who has clicked 'like' etc) - much appreciated.

 

Keith: A video is planned, although not sure how soon that will be.

 

In terms of what EMU is next, well I'm torn for choice. On the one hand a 4-Cor would be appropriate as it neatly bookmarks the other end of my period.

Equally, early AC EMUs are a strong attraction, in particular Coulsdon & Wallington sets with their 'Milk Van' DMLV in the middle - quite a curiousity to modern eyes. 

 

More broadly, I'm drawn to a LSWR bogie-block set simply as an example of the 'before', which 'after' became the the 3-Subs. To excentuate the 'compare and contrast' element these would be in chocolate and salmon livery. I believe the LSWR didn't start using Holly green on passenger stock until 1920, so given a four or five year repainting cycle, some chocolate and salmon would still be around at Grouping (and certainly some LBSCR umber liveried stock survived until 1929).

 

Anyway, thanks again everyone.

 

EDIT:

Just caught your post Bernard. Remember, this is all your fault. When I bashed those Farish generics into a first rendition of a 3-Sub a few years back you sowed that seed in my head that suggested, one day, I'd want to go one better. And that suggestion never left my head. So I have you to thank for spurring me into this project.

 

Thank you :)

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  • 2 months later...

3-Sub Penultimate Post

So the dummy motor cars and intermediate carriages are done-and-dusted and sitting in a box ready for their debut (apart from weathering powders to the rooves which I'll do when they are assembled in their final sets / order).

The next post here will be to show you the finished product icon_smile.gif

Meanwhile. all that remains is wiring up the motors, and adding details such as tail lamps ...


A week ago I had ready the componants for the motor bogie frames



These were undercoated and later assembled. If you're wondering what the 'T' bars are at the top of the picture - they're the footsteps, the longer section later being bent at 90º up-and-under the inside of the bogie frames and glued. They're made from off-cuts of 00 gauge fencing someone got me for Christmas by mistake.

3-Sub-194-motor-bogie_zpsngenrb4m.jpg


The photo below: (Sorry it looks curved - that's just the camera close-up.)
The various parts were then glued to the motor bogies and (along with the other bogies) hand painted. When the paint had dried I washed them with 'Frame Dirt' and dry-brushed with Humbrol 72 (tan). After the paint dried I went over them with a stubbly-old hog-hair brush to rub most of the Frame Dirt off again.

It doesn't show well in the photos, but it's left a sort of 'burnished' finish. I'm really happy with this. I had looked at colour photos of units from the 60s and 70s (for lack of anything colour, pre-war - I needed something as a starting point) , the underframes of which were quite heavily 'weathered' - but somehow that didn't feel right: Maybe I'm wrong, but in my mind trains received a little more TLC pre-war. Although a subtle difference in terminology, I think the finish I have is more 'faded-grandeur' rather than 'weathered' - if you get the difference?
- which seems more appropriate to me

The LSWR unit has more Humbrol 72 (tan) applied to running boards and footsteps to represent the fact it hasn't received maintenance for some years compared to the other two units recently outshopped in new SR livery.


3-Sub-198-motor-bogie_zpsivychttn.jpg


Next, the motormen. They are of course wearing stiff-collars, ties, and caps. The three on the left are shorter than the other because the floor in the motorised cars has to be higher to support the motor. But one of the units has headcodes at both ends to be bi-directional and the dummy motor car has a lower floor, so the motorman on the right needs to be higher.

3-Sub-196-motormen_zps97xfmgzm.jpg




Next, the rear-bogie pick-ups have been glued: First with Superglue, and then with Araldite. Belt and braces! Don't want anything coming loose here.

3-Sub-195-motor-floor_zpsdybk3kks.jpg



Here is one of the motors with wires soldered to the original tabs.


3-Sub-200-motor_zpsfuua8imw.jpg



And now the important part: I exchanged a few PMs with Mr Chapman about this (thanks) ... I made these clips which sort of 'snap/spring' into place to complete the electrical connection between original tabs / front / rear part of the motors / rear pickups / as illustrated in the next two pictures ...


3-Sub-199-motor-bogie-clips_zpsdy3myf0g.




3-Sub-201-motor_zpssnhtg9gb.jpg


... being a designer, I like this as a quite neat solution. It makes for quick and easy assembly / dis-assembly in the event of malfunction.

Or am I being a day-dreamer when in fact soldering the lot together, although less flexible, would provide longer-term reliability?



Any thoughts?

I'm hoping to get this lot finished tomorrow icon_smile.gif


Thanks,

Mark

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Great weathering - can't beat a dirty underframe! You'll have to keep the thread open for your next project :)

 

I think your pick-ups approach looks good, there's a fine balance between too much and too little pressure when it comes to pick-ups, are they adjustable? Do they pick up from more than one bogie on the motor car, are they reliable on Frankland? (Actually, now I've written that, I realised I don't know how many bogies the 101 picks up from, and that runs fine)

 

Looking forward to tomorrow!

 

Cheers

Simon

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Hello Mr Simon,

 

Pick-ups are front and rear bogies. The front bogie clicks right into the motor housing, as per the original manufacturers set-up, so all-safe there.

 

The rear I'm thinking will be ok because it's sort of 'sprung' brass because of the way I folded the strip, but could be mistaken about that. Which is why I posed the question. Maybe over time the springiness will become less so. I don't know / have no experience.

 

I have to make the compartments that will sit above and maybe they will contribute to making the rear of the clips / bars sit firmly on the rear bogie contacts ... (?)

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From my early 1970s train spotting days I can recall the Southern Region always had it's own variety of weathering which was a yellowish tan colour very generously applied to everything below solebar level and wherever the carriage cleaning plants couldn't reach. I would guess the vast majority of it was brake block dust as the vast majority of trains did a lot of stopping! CCTs, PMVs and the like were caked in the stuff (unless fresh out of works) as were the edges of platforms, rail fixings, etc.

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Thanks Bernard, I recall similar, and colour pictures of the period show the same.

 

I just wondered whether in the 1920s that same degree of weathering would have been allowed to accumulate, or whether a good wash-and-brush up below stairs may have been more frequent.

 

As it is, two of my units are modelled as recently outshopped in new SR livery. It's just the one LSWR unit that is not. So I gave the latter slightly more weathering, although not to the degree seen post-war. Hopefuly that's a good compromise.

 

Thanks again, and thank you also to others for your 'likes' :)

 

Mark 

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  • 2 months later...

An Absolutely Massive Thankyou To Everyone!

 

This project is now complete.

 

My final task was to make some tail lamps as I wasn't happy with commercial offerings. Some where painted LSWR red, the others SR (off) white, all with red lenses of course.

 

 

Tail-Lamps_zpsrxcoqjvg.jpg

 

 

 

So my 3-Subs are now up and running.

 

I have to thank you all for your support, encouragement, knowledge and advice. 

 

I really couldn't have done it without you. If nothing else I simply wouldn't have had the confidence to embark on such a project without knowing I had such a wonderful support-system in the background.

 

Along the way I've learned to air-brush and solder (reasonably well), which were areas I was quite nervous about.

 

I just wanted to express my appreciation.  Thank you :)

 

 

Here's what I finally have ...

 

 

Frankland-3-Subs_zpskaxnkvov.jpg

 

 

 

Today I have updated my main Frankland thread:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/19461-frankland-n-gauge-southern-railway/page-17&do=findComment&comment=2400563

 

 

But for those that want a short-cut straight to the YouTube of the Subs, here it is :)

 

 

 

Many thanks again for your help, I've really, really, appreciated it.

 

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/19461-frankland-n-gauge-southern-railway/page-17&do=findComment&comment=2400563

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Thank you gents, really much appreciated.

 

Colin: What an inspiration and help you have been to me. Thankyou.

That's not me in the in the Capital Cigarettes advert though,  I'm much more debonair ha ha!  :)

 

Keith:

I think I have to catch up on some household maintenance next ... :(

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thank you Mark.

 

You know, I've often thought a smoggy scene would be the ultimate for Frankland, but to make that effective, in my mind, would require miniature burning braziers, the headlights of road vehicles dimly percieved, the lights in trains passing like ghosts in the background, the illumination of street lights barely seen in the gloom: It conjures a wonderful picture in my mind, but the amount of work involved in lighting absolutely everything on the layout negates it, unfortunately.

 

Having weighed-up the pros and cons I'd rather spend the time I have on making more rolling-stock, buildings and scenics.

 

Additionally I guess the smog would be created with dry-ice, which in my view never looked convincing when used on Thunderbirds, Stingray, The Mysterons and similar miniature offerings, so I think on Frankland it would dispell rather than enhance the illusion.

 

But thanks for mentioning it and giving me an excuse to outline why I'll not do it, even though the idea is so deliciously tantilising  :)

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Additionally I guess the smog would be created with dry-ice, which in my view never looked convincing when used on Thunderbirds, Stingray, The Mysterons and similar miniature offerings, so I think on Frankland it would dispell rather than enhance the illusion.

You could try this smoke machine for £30 from CPC-Farnell.

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You know, I've often thought a smoggy scene would be the ultimate for Frankland,   :)

 

 

Maintree East, which is a 4mm steam era MPD layout did it using dry ice.

 

One of the problems was that it kept setting the smoke detectors off in the hall they were exhibiting it in!

 

Photographically it might be possible to do it in post production?  I see your points with regard to all of the elements that might be required to do it though!

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