Nile's Mostly Freelance Bodging Bench - Pre-Grouping Locos

[Nile]

Paint + transfers + Klear coat  applied. It's nearly finished, some matt varnish needed to finish it off.

[Nile]

Over the weekend I got the chance to spray some matt varnish on the model. Here is the result.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Nile

[Nile]

I'm not quite finished with Polly yet. I thought I'd address the the lack of front steps with some scraps of brass lying around on my bench.

A bit of bending and soldering produced this.

 

A test fit to the model.

 

This shows both sets of steps. The front ones are much smaller, but there isn't room for anything bigger.

 

[Nile]

And then there was two.

 

I chemically blackened them before gluing them in place. I added a small grab rail above on the running plate.

 

An overall view.

I think that will do for now.

[Nile]

While things seem to have gone a bit quiet I have got a few projects hanging around in the background. The problem is finding time to finish them off.

This next project starts off with an ordinary GWR pannier tank and then wanders off is several directions.

The first challenge was to squeeze a full sized Loksound DCC decoder inside, something it was never designed for. This was because I'd bought the decoder, that was on special offer, before thinking about whether it would actually fit 

This is the chassis without the body.

I worked out that by removing the DCC socket and bits in front of the motor there would be enough space for the loksound chip. It would have to be hard-wired anyway as it was a 21-pin type. The speaker could go in the bunker, using that as a sound box.

So that was the cunning plan, but things then took a different turn.

To be continued...

[Nile]

I should point out that this loco is meant for a BR steam era layout set in west London that is still in embryonic form, it will be a sort of shunting plank on which \I can play with sound fitted locos. So when this next model came along I had to have one.

I thought about using this for the sound conversion instead. But then came another development.

It's a 3D print by Shapeways of a 9700 designed by L49 of RMweb #. It fits perfectly onto a Bachmann chassis.

So the challenge now is to turn this into a decent model, with sound, using the chassis from the original (lined black) pannier. The weathered one will remain as it is. The lined black body may return later on a different chassis, but that's another conversion story.

 

 

# You can find out more about that here:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/85729-97xx-condensing-pannier-in-00/

Edited April 7, 2015 by Nile

[Castle]

Hi Neil,

 

I will be interested to see how the new printed version turns out. A friend and I did a version using the old K's white metal body shell and the chassis of a new Bachmann Pannier. As it turned out, we kept the running plate of the Bachmann version, including the splashers at the front, the cab interior, the smokebox front and smokebox door. It turned out pretty well and because of the massive extra weight, it will pull pretty much anything you string behind it!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[Nile]

Moving, not so swiftly along, to the painting stage. That might seem a bit premature, but you'll soon see why.

This is the result after the first coat of matt black acrylic paint.

This shows up the rough nature of the surface of this material. But all is not lost! There is a way to fix this, through a process of painting and sanding to achieve a smooth finish, at the expense of fine surface details. I found the best paint for this was Revell Tar Black.

This is the result of a few days work.

While not perfect it's a lot better than before. This now forms the base on which to build up the level of detail.

[Nile]

And now to actually fit some details. Using drawings and photos found via Google I worked out where the handrail knobs should be.

Here I'm using some rod to check they are actually in a straight line.

 

But before I fit the handrails I need to tackle a distinctive feature of these locos - rivets! The real thing was covered in them.

On the model I've used Micro-mark decals (Archer also make them).

 

And loads more around the bunker. I've used Mainly Trains etched windows here.

I've added some styrene strips to the cab roof around the hatch, the printed detail here didn't survive my smoothing process. 

[Nile]

With the rivets in place I can now get on with the handrails. The main handrail is a rather complicated shape, with multiple bends and the curve over the smokebox door. Rather than try (and fail) to do it in one piece I've cheated and split it into three pieces. The two photos below show what I did better than words.

Once it's all painted black you will have to look very closely to spot it.

 

More handrails added at the rear.

On the roof I've added rain strips from styrene.

[Mike 84C]

I am impressed! and now I have the confidence to use the Micro  mark decals that have been sat in my boxes for a very long time.

  Mike

[Nile]

I've been adding more details. Lots of little bits of brass all over the place. I'll let the photos do the talking.

Are we there yet?

[Nile]

After adding all those bits of brass it's time to turn everything black. Spray on some Halfords satin black and this is the result.

 

For the BR emblems I dug out some Woodhead transfers. They are a bit old but still usable with care.

 

On the other side, for a bit of variety.

You can only see one side of the loco at any one time. 

[Spitfire2865]

I can understand the reasoning behind putting two different liveries on a model, but I dont personally see the appeal. But other than that, this turned out great. Those strips of rivets really look good. Aside from a few unreachable areas, this does not look like it was 3D printed, but moulded.

You really show what 3D printing can result in.

[Nile]

Although it's now looking quite good there are a few bits I'm not happy with. The first one is this.

 

As it happens I was rummaging through a box for something and found these.

The etch was bought from Mainly Trains long ago (probably before Mr Spitfire was born) to detail a Hornby pannier tank, a project I never finished.

So I decided to use these bits to improve the model.

First the original bits had to be cut off.

 

The new whistle guard bent, painted and glued in place. The whistles temporarily fitted as there will be more painting needed.

 

[Spitfire2865]

Although it's now looking quite good there are a few bits I'm not happy with. The first one is this.

97_28.jpg

 

As it happens I was rummaging through a box for something and found these.

97_29.jpg

The etch was bought from Mainly Trains long ago (probably before Mr Spitfire was born) to detail a Hornby pannier tank, a project I never finished.

So I decided to use these bits to improve the model.

First the original bits had to be cut off.

97_30.jpg

 

The new whistle guard bent, painted and glued in place. The whistles temporarily fitted as there will be more painting needed.

97_36.jpg

How long were you holding onto that etch? Above that, Im more surprised you havent managed to misplace it after so many years. I cant seem to keep anything findable.

I didnt even realize the whistle was printed on. Odd the designer would keep it there when its so much easier to drill holes and add separate bits as you did. Though now it looks too good compared to that dome. Haha.

 

You joke of my youth, yet my last name is Young.

[Twright]

Odd the designer would keep it there when its so much easier to drill holes and add separate bits as you did. 

 

It means that people like me who don't have lots of spares can complete it without the extra (although small) expense of etches. I did that with my 16xx, they are relatively easy to remove if needed though and just add more options.

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

I've really enjoyed reading through this thread.  I'm a big fan of pre-grouping, very different from what I'm doing, but the quality and imagination shown here is wonderful... the Polly conversion blew me away!

 

I wonder if you might consider this one next - an ideal light 4-4-0 suitable for your pre-grouping cross country railway.

 

I've photo-bashed it for your delectation

 

This is a bash of the upcoming Adams Radial, with a C class tender.  Rather similar to the M&GN Beyer Peacock engines....

 

Edited April 29, 2015 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters

[Nile]

Thanks G-F, that's an interesting mash-up.

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Here's another couple I did a while ago, both with clear Drummond origins.  A T9 variant and a 700 variant.  Both have an intentional Scottish feel to them.

 

 

Edited April 30, 2015 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters

[Nile]

Onto the next thing I wanted to deal with. Discussion of this model in the 3D printing sub-forum has revealed that the pipes at the front are wrong. The cross-pipe in front of the dome should go into the tanks, not connect to the other pipes.

 

So I removed it and cleaned up the remaining pipes.

 

For a replacement I bent a piece of brass rod to the correct shape, and soldered a brass tube to it.

 

The top of the vent pipe has a lip around it, I recreated this with some thin tape wrapped around it a few times.

 

Now painted and glued in place.

 

There are still a few more details I want to add.

[WD0-6-0]

I've really enjoyed reading through this thread.  I'm a big fan of pre-grouping, very different from what I'm doing, but the quality and imagination shown here is wonderful... the Polly conversion blew me away!

 

I wonder if you might consider this one next - an ideal light 4-4-0 suitable for your pre-grouping cross country railway.

 

I've photo-bashed it for your delectation

 

mgn01.jpg

This is a bash of the upcoming Adams Radial, with a C class tender.  Rather similar to the M&GN Beyer Peacock engines....

 

mgn00.jpg

A friend is working on an 3D printed LSWR T3, virtually the same loco, for my fictional company inspired by Niles.

[Nile]

After studying photos and drawings I've added a few more bits that I missed first time.

At the front there is a pipe from the water pump to the tank, and a handrail on the other tank.

 

On both sides I've added two footsteps, and a pipe along the side.

 

Behind the cab there is a pipe (tank overflow?). A bit of guess work here as I've not found a useful photo of it.

 

I've added some bits of brass to the tank fillers, to make them look a bit more like tank fillers.

 

And finally a Bachmann part stuck inside the cab.

 

Now it needs painting again!

[Nile]

After the addition of some paint we have a rather weathered looking tank engine.

The lighting makes it look even grubbier than it is. A coat of varnish should dull it down a bit.

[Spitfire2865]

Are you sure you didnt mix up the 3D print and a RTR body?

It looks great.