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Jack's Present Day Workbench - Coaches of Many Colours


Jack374
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All the Lobsters are nominally the same height. Loading can make a variation in the height the sit at, as can wheel wear.

Variations in handbrake depend what batch of BDA they came from. Early conversions from Bogie Bolster D had lever brakes and cast iron blocks, later conversions had disc brakes and handbrake wheels.

 

Jo

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Something else I meant to say yesterday, the underframes are a noticeably different shade of red to the bodywork. When new they looked the same, but the chassis is greyer and pinker than the body now. The bodies were built and painted in Europe, so presumably different suppliers paint has faded differently

 

Jo

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Evening all,

 

Cheers Jo, but I’m not sure I’ll weather them, I’ll have to see whether a friend wants to do them for me instead...

 

On the subject of the Lobsters, all have now had the rest of the ribs added, and I’ve sourced some strip for the top rim profile, so I’ll crack on! A quick pose with the chassis and boxes:

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I’ve also sprayed the 57 blue, but the blue looks wrong to me, so I’ll wait for some good light to post a comparison pic. I’ll probably end up getting a different paint and trying again.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

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All the Lobsters are nominally the same height. Loading can make a variation in the height the sit at, as can wheel wear.

Variations in handbrake depend what batch of BDA they came from. Early conversions from Bogie Bolster D had lever brakes and cast iron blocks, later conversions had disc brakes and handbrake wheels.

 

Jo

I must admit I find the reasoning behind the prototype conversions rather odd. New bodies have been put on to underframes sixty or more years old; given that the BRB calculated the design life of a wagon as forty years for underframes, and twenty for bodies, these wagons are life-expired, I would say.

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I’ve also sprayed the 57 blue, but the blue looks wrong to me, so I’ll wait for some good light to post a comparison pic. I’ll probably end up getting a different paint and trying again.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

 

Humbrol Oxford blue 104  is the one.....

It does look a bit light at first, but is ok under satin varnish

 

Cheers,

Mick

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I must admit I find the reasoning behind the prototype conversions rather odd. New bodies have been put on to underframes sixty or more years old; given that the BRB calculated the design life of a wagon as forty years for underframes, and twenty for bodies, these wagons are life-expired, I would say.

 

New bodies, refurbished bogies, just a bit of U-channel for the underframes...

 

Trigger's Broom an' all that. (Apart from the underframes)

 

The YSA/YKA Salmon/Osprey fleet are of a similar vintage and there is no immediate sign of replacement.

 

Cheers,

Mick

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  • 2 weeks later...

So...I’ve decided to stick with the 57 colour, and although it’s a little dark, it’s close to Bachmann's blue so it’ll do. I’ve sprayed the roof black, and this is how it looked ex-painting:

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Then I touched up a couple of areas where some paint had bled...one of which was completely my fault as I forgot to mask the one remaining lamp bracket and masked around it...doh! I set about adding the original handrails to the cab fronts, as well as fashioning some new ones along the top edge, as the plastic originals broke. To do this, some short lengths of 0.45mm steel wire were glued into the two centre holes drilled in the original locations...

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Then the curved main rail was added. After this, the handrails were painted white and I also picked out the door handles and footsteps in silver, dry brushing to create some relief...

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After seeing photos of the real 57003, It appears to have a fibreglass panel near the roof fan grille and not in the centre like Bachmann portrayed. This was added whilst I had the white paint out, and I also dry brushed some silver onto the exhaust ports:

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Next job will be transfers...I’ve got some from the original supplier of DRS transfers (the name escapes me), which I stockpiled after he went out of business, not knowing the likes of Railtec and now Rainbow Railways would develop their own! I’ll see whether the large 47/57 one has stood the test of time and hasn’t cracked, but if has or it’s the wrong shade I may well get a new set from Railtec.

 

More soon! :yes:

Jack.

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Next job will be transfers...I’ve got some from the original supplier of DRS transfers (the name escapes me), which I stockpiled after he went out of business,

More soon! :yes:

Jack.

 

Lancaster City Models - I believe Steve from there pops in here on RMw from time to time.

 

Cheers,

Mick

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Hi Jack, Yes i'm the guy that use to sell the DRS transfers as Mick rightly points out. I had an offer off R3Sprays now Rainbow Railways to buy the rights off me which I couldn't refuse and to be fair they are doing a great job keeping it going, Keep up the super modelling,

Regards,

Steve

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Cheers Steve, unfortunately the large 47/57 transfer had split because I kept it out of the bag and possibly in sunlight for a period...I thought this may be the case, but luckily some 20 and 37 transfers are fine.

 

Quite a picture heavy update tonight...

 

On Thursday night Mick (newbryford) invited me to run his layout 'Deadman's Lane' to iron out any issues before taking it down so it can be moved ready for its outing in a couple of weeks. I took the opportunity to run the MXAs in their part finished form:

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And this is the product of today’s efforts...

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Transfers! Of course the cotton buds will be reused, I set them aside when they’re wet but put them back in the box when I’m finished.

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Above is 57003, which I’ve done both ends on today by adding the cantrail orange stripe, numbers and OLE flashes, the latter two of which came from the Railtec pack for a 47/57. I ordered the pack on Thursday afternoon, and it arrived with the morning post today...truly outstanding service.

I’ve also been adding the transfers to my two yellow coaches, 977868 and 9701. The former was simply Network Rail logos, numbers and OLE flashes, whilst the latter needed cantrail lining on the front. After application, they were given a coat of gloss varnish...

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And then this evening I’ve been turning my attention to the chassis of the coaches. I recently acquired a 6 funtion output function only decoder by Zimo, which I’ve decided to use in the RTOV. To allow this, I found that in the handy Maplins socket pack (I can’t get any more!), there is a socket which fits a 6 pin decoder. This was chopped up and soldered to some copperclad, and the 3 extra solder pads on the decoder were utilised and wired to the socket...

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And finally, I’ve fabricated some footsteps for the coaches. I’ve also deconstructed the bogies because it turns out the bearings will need drilling out to accept the long DCC Concepts pickup wheels I’ve got for them...

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Keep modelling! :)

Jack.

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Many thanks Shaun! :D

 

This morning I took the plunge...I applied the largest single transfer I have to date, the DRS compass for 57003. Despite fearing it, the Railtec transfer went on very well after a long soak, and needed little coaxing to get it to stay in the right place...

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It matches well with Bachmann's rendition and certainly matches well with the real thing. The loco now looks 'right' to me as I was still doubting the shade of blue I’d applied, but it’s mostly covered now so I can live with it!

 

Also some more progress on the two yellow coaches...the RTOV has had the handrails painted white, whilst both coaches have had the black painted in the step recesses as well as a few details picked out, some of which are on the roof (which I forgot to take a snap of...)

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And earlier today I sprayed the bogies for both coaches yellow, as I can never seem to get good colour density with any yellow paint by hand brushing. The axle boxes were masked then they were all sprayed black, before white and red details were picked out this morning. The odd pattern of axle box colours, step styles and boxes/wires on the bogies were observed from prototype photos... the bogies for 977868 are the top 4 with the bottom 4 belonging to the ex-DBSO.These are now ready to be reassembled:

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So there we go...wholly unexpected progress on the yellow coach front...I blame Mick for letting me run some of his stock, it gave me the kick up the @rse to finish mine! :yes:

 

Thanks,

Jack. :senile:

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And earlier today I sprayed the bogies for both coaches yellow, as I can never seem to get good colour density with any yellow paint by hand brushing.

Instead of a brush, try using a cocktail stick with the tip of the point chopped off at an angle. ;)

 

Cheers,

Phil.

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Instead of a brush, try using a cocktail stick with the tip of the point chopped off at an angle. ;)

Thanks Phil...good idea! Tbh I think it’s my fault for never being bothered to mix the paint properly. I'll try your trick next time round, and make sure I mix the paint well.

 

Cheers

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Yeah, that helps !!

Go for a little blob of paint in the middle, then spread it to the edges like your using a spatula, I find it far easier than using a brush.

In fact I tend to use cocktail sticks for detail painting lots of parts, axlebox covers, handrails, lamp brackets, etc.!

 

Cheers,

Phil.

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  • 2 weeks later...

And now for a short interlude...

 

Whilst my (now ex) 57309 was sat on my depot diorama, I decided I’d been way too heavy with the weathering, as the Virgin locos were generally very clean. After having a go at some heavy areas with a fibreglass pen, I found it all came off (with much elbow grease) with thinners. I cleaned both sides and fronts, leaving just a hint of dirt, which is exactly what I wanted. The numbers and warning flashes came off in the process, but I’ve decided I want the loco to be 57308 instead, the last loco out of Virgin livery and the third number for my model after 57307 and 309. New flashes and numbers were added and today it received a varnish. Whilst I was at it, the handrails were painted white (with a cocktail stick) and in the same manner the headlight surrounds were painted black or silver as per photos....

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I’ve decided to rewire the chassis too because my opinion on lighting has changed and now I’ve discovered function outputs to control lights...more on this later.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

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Messing about with lighting becomes a bit addictive :)

 

I know my efforts arent perfect but it's very satisfying improving the standard setup. Switchable (on/off) tail lights are a must for me.

 

57 looks spot on

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Cheers Will and Phil...I agree that if a loco goes across the workbench now it receives a lighting upgrade of some sort....indeed tonight I’ve just stripped down my Virgin 57, which was only on the WB for a clean up!

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The other set of chassis parts are for 57003.

Speaking of the DRS 'bodysnatcher', today I did the other side with the Railtec compasses, and it took a longer time to do due to me over soaking the transfer so it floated free of the backing. This meant it folded and went on worse than if I’d put the whole lot on the loco body then removed the backing, but life is a learning curve!

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Also pictured is 57308, after I glued all the windows back in and light lenses, which makes it look more like the loco it’s meant to portray...

And finally, this evening I sprayed the front buffers of the VT 57 silver, as I’m modelling it as it was at Railfest in summer 2012:

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Keep modelling! :locomotive:

Jack.

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Many thanks for the likes folks!

 

This evening I’ve done a bit more on the Virgin 57. Recently I’ve fitted a 3 way and 2 way single pole switch in the fuel tanks, which will control the no.1 end headlight (day/off/night) and no.2 tail lights (on/off), and tonight I’ve routed the wires through the chassis and out the top, where I’ll make a new circuit board. I’ll use a decoder with 2 extra function outputs (4 in total), with one being for the no.1 end cab light and the second being for the no.2 end markers for shunting...

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Also I’ve cleaned up the bufferbeam area and picked out the coloured details. A black wash will follow to tone everything down (including the weathering ironically!) and the ETS cable will be added, as these are longer on the 57/3s for coupling to units:

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And also I’ve done the top strip on the first of the 3 boxes which need it. This wasn’t as tedious as I thought, as I’ve got a steel rule with a slot through the middle of it which can hold the right angle profile whilst I file it flat, and this creates the correct profile once tidied up.

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More soon! :D

Jack.

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  • 4 weeks later...

So with my busiest week of exams gone and forgotten, I’ve had some time for some modelling... :yes:

 

To start, work on 57003 has continued, and the body was given a weathering by brushing on some Railmatch 'Frame Dirt' then wiping off with a cotton bud, to leave dirt in nooks and crannies and some light streaking, more visible in real life than in photos....

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Exhaust blackening has been added since these photos, and after the final coat of varnish, I’ve begun to add the myriad of windows, wipers, handrails and other details.

Speaking of details, some 'elephants trunk' MU sockets have been created, made by heating (soldering iron) and bending some 1mm diameter plastic rod, then adding a circular and square plate to each end, the circular piece being punched with my mum's handy craft punch...

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And the buffrbeams have had a lamp bracket and 2 steps each added from brass as per 57007, and have been sprayed red:

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Finally for this loco, I’ve sprayed the bogies black and picked out details, and stripped the fuel tanks back to plastic with IPA, as the paint bubbled up with whatever the previous owner had used to weather the loco...

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The other 57 on the go, 57308, has had the buffers glued in and both 57s have had an aerial added from a bristle of a hand brush, which is flexible to withstand knocks...

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And lastly, the MXAs are getting there. Below is a pic of my method for creating the pesky top strip...filing down some L angle in the groove of a steel rule, using masking tape to preserve the ruler:

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All are now done, and after filling in the many gaps and refining, they’ll be sprayed red;

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More soon! :senile:

Jack.

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Hi Jack

I'm impressed with your mu sockets... did you apply the soldering iron heat directly to the plastic?

Cheers

Will

Many thanks Will...I don’t apply heat directly as it tends to melt and distort the plastic, especially soft plastics like plasticard or similar. I hold the tip as close as possible without touching it...you’ll know whether you need more heat or whether it’s melting! I stand it upright and push down gently and slightly on an angle, and within a few seconds it starts to bend. Overbending it is a good idea as sometimes it springs back, but as it cools you can refine it to a right angle.

 

Hope this helps!

Jack.

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