Hiesler's 5.5mm Scale Models

[Hiesler]

So new year, new project.

 

I have always considered modelling the Festiniog due to it being the railway that got me interested in trains in the first place. More recently I have found that 5.5mm scale seems to best way for me to model it.

 

As I currently model in On30 I was (still am) hesitant to start building in a new scale and gauge, let alone think about where I could run anything I made.

 

Fortunately, ebay gave me a kick up the backside and I bought these (and an unbuilt coach) for a good price.

 

I then started to rebuilt the remaining coach, which started as a pile of bits.

 

 

I added the missing beading and louvre.

Then the sub standard paint job:

 

I ended up adding variations on the livery to each side since I have not found a historic picture of the first class four wheeler in the same livery as No 2 is now.

 

 

 

The brake van also got a naff paint job. Since I don't plan on modelling in an era when it had plywood sides, im not worried about it.

[Hiesler]

I have made some Talyllyn coaches and a brake van.

 

 

 

 

I recently received some kits from Malcolm Savage Models, two of which were a quarryman's coach and a brake van.

 

 

 

 

As I now have Talyllyn and Ffestiniog stock, I have made a shunting wagon to convert between the coupling and buffer combinations.

 

 

I have also made an FR style gunpowder van. It should be easy to guess what it's made from.

 

 

I also have some Talyllyn wagons to go behind the passenger stock.

 

[hartleymartin]

I take it 5.5mm scale on 12mm gauge track? Being in-between 4mm and 7mm scales, it is probably ideal in many respects because it isn't as fiddly as 4mm but smaller than 7mm.

[Hiesler]

You are right. The pictures show the rolling stock on Peco HOm track.

 

It is a very nice scale to build in, and affordable too!

[Hiesler]

I haven't had much modelling time lately, but I have got some new engines. So lets have a look at my growing 'to do' list.

 

Dolgoch No. 2. When it arrived I found it had been soldered together fairly badly leaving a lot of 'cold' joins that I have since cleaned up. It also didn't have any pick ups, so I have made a 'shoe' and it runs ok now.

 

 

Dolgoch No. 3. Built as indented and a fair runner. Not sure what I will do with it (maybe just touch up the paint?), suggestions welcome.

 

 

England No. 3 It's a good runner and well made. I'm going to repaint it with a view to it becoming Prince or Princess. I have always been inspired by the England Chris_C rebuilt in 009. I'm not sure if I should paint it in the lighter or darker shade of red that the England's are currently painted in. As the model won't be in a preserved state I have as much artistic licence as Boston Lodge!

 

 

 

I have also recently purchased another double fairlie, it's a pile of parts at the moment so there isn't much to show. I have noticed its a Mark I kit that's designed to be powered with rubber bands to the power bogies. As it appears to have a different frame to the Mark II, does anyone know if the Mark I kit can be made to fit the Mike Chinery chassis?

 

I say I haven't had much time, but I have got round to painting my silly diesel, inspired by the livery Upnor Castle had in the 70s & 80s.  Does anyone have any suitable (or silly) 'Castle' names for it?

 

 

As always, comments and suggestions are most welcome!

 

Max

[Oldddudders]

 

 

I say I haven't had much time, but I have got round to painting my silly diesel, inspired by the livery Upnor Castle had in the 70s & 80s.  Does anyone have any suitable (or silly) 'Castle' names for it?

 

 

Portmeirion? 

 

Sand?

 

New?

[Hiesler]

I've been spending a fair bit of time restoring my newest England to represent Princess.

 

 

 

 

 

The pictures aren't as good as I had hoped, but I hope you think the model is satisfactory.

 

I have also been spending (wasting?) a lot of time trying to think of what sort of layout I can make for these to run on. I am divided between a small scene somewhere on the Festiniog (not easy to find) or something completely freelance with a might have been theme. I think I have found the right railway for the latter...

 

As usual, I would really like to hear your thoughts.

[Hiesler]

After buying the wrong handrail knobs at Warley,  I decided to 'borrow' the handrails from my green Prince.

 

 

In other news, my double fairly chassis arrived from Mike Chinery.

 

 

 

I dissembled and cleaned up both of my double fairlie kits. I found that the Mark I kit would be better suited to building Livingston Thompson as it had the correct gap in the footplate, so that is the kit I have made a start on:

 

I sympathize with anyone who has made a Langley kit, as a double fairlie isn't exactly a walk in the park to build straight. I seem to have managed it, just. Ignore the curvature caused by the lens!

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

[Hiesler]

I have got round to doing some more work on the double fairlie that will be Livingston Thompson.

 

 

 

I have made two modifications from the original kit. The cab spectacles were removed and opened out to suit the taller brass ones supplied with the chassis. The second mod is that I have opened out the coal bunkers and made some false ones out of plasticard.

 

 

I hope it looks all right, as I'm not so sure yet.

[Hiesler]

I received an order of wheels from Parkside, so I was able to final finish my coal wagons.

 

 

A feature of the wagons that I added to the design was to allow them to work with the choppers. I was pleased to find it does work as intended. However I'm not sure if the hooks were as successful.

 

 

So I have ended up painting my fairlie into on of its more unusual liveries. When the railway was closed Taliesin (II) was undergoing repairs and remained in undercoat when restored in preservation.

 

 

 

Just kidding. The grey is purely functional (I hope), but an amusing situation non the less.

[Hiesler]

Well it's been a while, partly due to having little success with the double fairlie as I was never happy with the cab.

 

I have recently bought a lot of kits from Malcolm Savage Models. So here's the progress so far.

 

 

I now have more accurate bogies for coaches 105 & 106. They look the part, run much better and are also designed to use chopper couplings which allow them to couple much closer than before.

 

 

 

I am also trailing a brass roof on 105. It holds the shape much better, but I don't think it looks as good as the plastic roof. Any ideas?

 

 

I have bought some loads for the slate wagons. The TR slate wagon on the right has been repainted from the condition seen in my last post.

 

 

Two wooden FR slate wagons, No. 475 and 220.

 

A pair of FR bogie bolsters. I have modified the brakes to represent the strap brakes as per the recent NG&IR article.

 

Unfortunately the picture doesn't show my first proper attempt at working hook and chain couplings. They appear to be working well so far.

 

 

I don't have a photo yet, but I have made my first metal slate wagon this afternoon. Construction was painless, which is good news as you can never have too many of them!

[mike morley]

You seem to have quite an array of couplings.  Are you intending to retain whatever the various prototypes had or experimenting until you find whichever suits you best?

The Malcolm Savage chopper couplings particularly interest me.  Do they have the potential for automatic uncoupling?

[Jeff Smith]

For anyone unfamiliar with 5.5mm modelling try this web site http://www.blackhamtransfers.com/55/5andahalfassn.html

[Hiesler]

Good question Mike, It started when I bought the TR coaches that didn't come with chopper couplings I thought I would use the opportunity to use prototypical couplings as they look better than having three buffers.

 

The chopper couplings are very easy to use for automatic uncoupling. They have a wire dropping down from the hook (seen clearly on the bolster wagon) that can be bent forwards for ramp uncoupling and bent back to be used with magnets, I have done the latter.

 

I don't plan to mix stock from different railways, but I have thought of a hybrid for the TR stock to allow for automatic uncoupling and mixed running.

[Hiesler]

I have been building some metal slate wagons this week.

 

 

 

 

 

...and all of them together:

 

 

They require some patience to build, but if I can do it they must be easy enough. They're definitely well designed though.

 

I have also worked out that with the 4 types of kit I have you can build 13 different versions of slate wagon! Although I'm not sure if all of them would be prototypical as all the remaining 3 ton wagons with brakes appear to have the same type of under frame. Are there any slate wagons enthusiasts here?

 

I hope you think they look the part, as it's one of the main reasons I chose to start modelling in 5.5mm scale.

[Hiesler]

It's been a while, partly due to going to Wales for a couple of weeks, but I have been doing some modelling.

 

 

The bolster wagons are now finished.

 

 

 

Further progress on the slate wagons. The left three are finished and the three tonners still need buffers and couplings.

 

 

My first attempt at painting a figure. Also giving a little teaser of one of my eventual aspirations.

 

 

I have also bought something a bit different. It's made by Zeuke but it's an 0-6-0 rather than a 0-8-0 which I haven't seen before or since. As you can see it's very similar to the 0-8-0 and the chassis appears to have slots so you could assemble it that way if you had the parts.

 

The question is, what do I use it for? A prototype or freelance loco? All I can think of is an inside framed representation of an L&B manning wardle. If people have used inside framed chassis for models in 4mm and 7mm why cant I?

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[rue_d_etropal]

5.5mm scale is getting more interest these days. GEM had planned to launch a range for 3ft gauge using 16.5mm gauge, before they discontinued the other items in the face of competition from OO9. I am planning to use ths scale for some French metre gauge, ignoring the slightly under gauge track, as under-gauge does not seem to bother most in the hobby.

Another advantage is the closeness to the 28mm military modelling items, and there is a lot of suitable items, including road vehicles, buildings and civilian figures. I also found some French vehicles in 1/54 scale,by Norev, but the French Citroen and Peugeot van originally produced by lledo and now by Corgi are pretty near dead on 1/55 scale. Certainly better than using other scale items as has been suggested by some.

There is also a nice symmetry in the scale, 1/55 scale 5.5mm /ft.