Cwm Bach - A South Wales Branch Line

[81A Oldoak]

The long wait for a convenience at the railway station for the gentlemen of Cwm Bach is almost over. A photograph by D Russell in the recently published book “TONDU VALLEYS – Bridgend to Treherbert” (Pen & Sword) revealed a small shelter and gentlemen’s WC at Abergwynfi, the inspiration for Cwm Bach. It is a simple scratchbuild from 0.8mm 3-ply wood and plasticard. I shortened the building to keep it in proportion with the length of Cwm Bach station, on which it is temporarily placed. Painting next; it will be a challenge to reproduce the very decrepit appearance of the prototype.

 

Chris K

 

 

[Simond]

Chris,

 

Love the shelter, 

 

has something terrible happened to your terraced houses?  

 

Atb

Simon

[bgman]

2 hours ago, Simond said:

has something terrible happened to your terraced houses?  

 

Built over an abandoned coal mine ? 

[keefr2]

Moving mountain like Godre’r Graig?!

[81A Oldoak]

12 hours ago, Simond said:

Chris,

 

Love the shelter, 

 

has something terrible happened to your terraced houses?  

 

Atb

Simon

The effect of heavy rainfall in the Welsh valleys. The wholeback scene needs reconstruction.

[Simond]

That’s a blow.  As I recall you digitally doctored the photos, so presumably it’s a reprint, rather than a remake?

 

atb

Simon

[Hal Nail]

2 hours ago, 81A Oldoak said:

The effect of heavy rainfall in the Welsh valleys.

Related to that, the new series of The Crown covers the Aberfan tragedy and is very well (respectfully) done, I thought. The opening scene of a typical Welsh terrace immediately reminded me of this layout for the 2 seconds or so it took me to guess what was coming.

[81A Oldoak]

4 hours ago, Simond said:

That’s a blow.  As I recall you digitally doctored the photos, so presumably it’s a reprint, rather than a remake?

 

atb

Simon

Simple reprint, but need a more effective adhesive. 

[81A Oldoak]

I have just delivered NICOLA, a weathered version of the recently released limited edition plain black Minerva RTR O gauge Manning Wardle K Class 0-6-0ST. The customer’s brief was for a worn, but not excessively dirty locomotive. The nameplates are Guilplates supplied by the customer. The driver is a ModelU figure painted by the talented Claudia Everett.

 

Chris K

 

[81A Oldoak]

At last, the gentlemen’s convenience at Cwm Bach station has been commissioned, much to the relief of the local male population. The Reverent Obadiah Glendower Jones from the local Cwm Bach Independent Congregational  Chapel  was due to perform the opening ceremony, but was indisposed.  Fortunately, celebrity Daddy Pig, who was on a shed bash of the NCB MPD, was asked to stand in and perform the honours; well, to be more precise, he stood outside on account of his rotundness.

 

Chris K

 

 

[81A Oldoak]

3702 simmers quietly in between some desultory shunting at Cwm Bach.

 

[Hal Nail]

On 28/11/2019 at 13:01, 81A Oldoak said:

I have just delivered NICOLA, a weathered version of the recently released limited edition plain black Minerva RTR O gauge Manning Wardle K Class 0-6-0ST. The customer’s brief was for a worn, but not excessively dirty locomotive. The nameplates are Guilplates supplied by the customer. The driver is a ModelU figure painted by the talented Claudia Everett.

 

Chris K

 

 

 

 

Chris,

Can you remember what shade (or concoction) you used for the rust between the back two wheels?

[81A Oldoak]

47 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

Chris,

Can you remember what shade (or concoction) you used for the rust between the back two wheels?

The base colour for the chassis dirt is a blend of Humbrol enamels M33 Black, M62 Leather and M98 Chocolate. I apply it unthinned with a cheap brush. Sometimes I add a little talcum powder for texture. I finished the area between the centre and rear wheels with a MIG Light Rust Wash A.MIG.1004. 

[81A Oldoak]

I have finished my conversion of a Minerva 0 gauge Kerr Stuart VICTORY 0-6-0T to a Robert Stephenson & Hawthorne 0-6-0T of 1951. The result is more an impression of the prototype rather than a faithful replica. This model is a bit of a beast, especially when stood alongside some its more dainty shedmates such as the Manning Wardle K. The photos show MABON around the National Coal Board loco shed at Cwm Bach and pushing empty mineral wagons up the steeply graded line to Cwm Bach colliery.

 

The name and numberplates are from Narrow Planet and the crew are ModelU painted by Claudia Everett.

[81A Oldoak]

I have fitted a load of planks to a Minerva GWR OPEN A wagon. A securing rope mid-way along the wagon is not required because the planks are resting below the top of the raves.

[81A Oldoak]

My latest Q&D RTR conversion transforms the new Minerva GWR OPEN A wagons into a match truck. It is diagram L22, which were converted from 5-plank open wagons. It is a simple job. Run some clean white spirit around the planked floor and leave for 40 to 60 seconds for the glue to soften, then carefully prize it out and place to one side. Turn over the wagon, unscrew the body and lift it off. Remove one of the ballast weights. Using white spirit again, remove the wagon ends and the door bumbers. Using a sharp knife I reduced the height of the sides and ends to one plank. Reassemble the sides and ends and reattach to the underframe. Replace the planked floor. Remove the redundant strapping on the sides and fill the door lines. Trim the tops of the strapping on the ends to a downward slope. Rub-down the tops of the planks. Add new strapping on the sides from plasticard and scribe new lines where the old strapping has been removed. Paint, apply decals and weather to taste. The waterslide decals are leftovers from a Slater's Coopercraft kit. I'll post a photo when it has been weathered.

 

[bgman]

Very nice too Chris, and a good use of the product.

 

May I ask, would we get a discount if we purchased and decided to chop half the new ( excellent wagons ) in half ? 

[GWR57xx]

Or you could just save us all the hassle and release it as a new RTR model 

.

.

.

Please?

Edited January 27, 2020 by GWR57xx

[81A Oldoak]

15 minutes ago, GWR57xx said:

Or you could just save us all the hassle and release it as a new RTR model 

.

.

.

Please?

It is a possibility some time in the future. 

[Simond]

I’m reminded of the chap in Dublin who, when asked for directions, replied, “ah, well, I wouldn’t be starting from here...”

 

Simon 

[Hal Nail]

Chris,

 

To date most wagons have been done so a few variants can use the chassis and/or others tools which obviously makes economic sense.

 

I think you've stated before how many units have to sell to make a product viable? I'm still a bit surprised an r-t-r Toad hasn't appeared especially now several different GWR locos and wagons are available but I suppose in the event of duplication, there is no alternative spin off.

 

Edit- there is something very satisfying about conversions and sometimes just because you can (with apologies to Mallory!)

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by Hal Nail

[81A Oldoak]

1 hour ago, Hal Nail said:

Chris,

 

To date most wagons have been done so a few variants can use the chassis and/or others tools which obviously makes economic sense.

 

I think you've stated before how many units have to sell to make a product viable? I'm still a bit surprised an r-t-r Toad hasn't appeared especially now several different GWR locos and wagons are available but I suppose in the event of duplication, there is no alternative spin off.

 

Edit- there is something very satisfying about conversions and sometimes just because you can (with apologies to Mallory!)

 

 

 

Hal,

We are not infrequently asked "when is the Toad arriving?" So here is the exam question, which diagram would you recommend and why? 

 

Chris K

 

[Hal Nail]

1 hour ago, 81A Oldoak said:

Hal,

We are not infrequently asked "when is the Toad arriving?" So here is the exam question, which diagram would you recommend and why? 

 

Chris K

 

The one that was later restricted to Liskeard, Looe and Menheniot but then my criteria may be different to yours 

 

The are lots of subtle differences but I would suggest a 20T variant, something like an AA15 that was built in high numbers, straddled a decent era (1920s GWR to BR) and could be done in fitted or unfitted liveries. Though later diagrams had slightly different handrail arrangements, springs, buffers, additional strapping etc, I suspect if you look into any apparently standard vehicle in enough detail that always applies and that "basic" design probably covers the biggest potential market. 

 

Railtec do shed allocation transfers and tailored BR markings already so something could perhaps be done there. I realise leaving it blank puts some off and doing  multiple versions adds cost, so a decision there.

 

I'd have thought it was a safer bet than a SR brake van - so perhaps actually the exam question is did that sell?!

[Donw]

Hi Chris lots of good stuff smashing weathering. I do like the panner and autotrailer. For me modelling an earlier era the choice was a railmotor never expected to see one full size.

As far as the Toad goes I think you're on thin ice there. Whatever one you choose there will be howls of protest from those wanting something different. The big divide I think is 13ft WB 20ft long which suits earlier days and 16ft WB and 24ft long which suits later days. The AA15 is probably as good a compromise as any.

 

Don

[Hippel]

Hi, how about the 'Pontnewynydd' vans? The ones with the low roof. I believe they were replaced with two BR ones, diagram 501? One of the BR numbers was B950540. Might fit with your own layout, too?

 

Paul.