Train spotting at Finsbury Square

[31A]

9 hours ago, lezz01 said:

It's quite nice really for a plastic truss girder bridge isn't it? Of course the proof of the pudding will be down to the weathering won't it?  You can have a field day on that! I'm looking forward to this, I like your weathering you have a good eye for it.

Regards Lez.

Thanks Lezz, yes I'm looking forward to painting it but a bit more construction to do first.

 

[danstercivicman]

That’s a very nice bridge scene!  

[31A]

With all this extra modelling time we're obliged to accept, I've been making progress tidying up loose ends and have now finished weathering etc. the pair of Parkside LNE Loco Coal wagons I started some while back.

 

I'd read recently that BR originally painted Loco Coal wagons black as if the were Departmental vehicles, before changing to the more usual grey - I wasn't particularly aware of this, but thought it would add some variety to finish one that way.  Lettering is partly from the Modelmasters set which is intended for these wagons, but the "LOCO" inscription in this is in small letters which I didn't really want so that writing is from HMRS Methfix.

 

The underframes are the same as Parkside supply for BR wagons, so I altered the axle boxes and axleguards to make them look a bit more like the LNER type.  I replaced the buffers with ABS castings, and the tie bars between the axleguards are from metal strip.

 

 

 

[danstercivicman]

7 minutes ago, 31A said:

With all this extra modelling time we're obliged to accept, I've been making progress tidying up loose ends and have now finished weathering etc. the pair of Parkside LNE Loco Coal wagons I started some while back.

 

I'd read recently that BR originally painted Loco Coal wagons black as if the were Departmental vehicles, before changing to the more usual grey - I wasn't particularly aware of this, but thought it would add some variety to finish one that way.  Lettering is partly from the Modelmasters set which is intended for these wagons, but the "LOCO" inscription in this is in small letters which I didn't really want so that writing is from HMRS Methfix.

 

The underframes are the same as Parkside supply for BR wagons, so I altered the axle boxes and axleguards to make them look a bit more like the LNER type.  I replaced the buffers with ABS castings, and the tie bars between the axleguards are from metal strip.

 

 

 

 

Even your wagons look amazing  

[31A]

19 minutes ago, danstercivicman said:

 

Even your wagons look amazing  

 

Thank you Dan that's very kind; they're just Parkside kits! 

[leopardml2341]

3 hours ago, 31A said:

 

Thank you Dan that's very kind; they're just Parkside kits! 

That's as may be, but they ain't models until they're built and painted.

[31A]

I'm trying to use the extra time to finish off some projects which have been hanging around for too long.

 

First finished is this Grampus, from the Chivers Finelines plastic kit, which had been left on the shelf for many years.  I think the reason I'd put it aside and lost interest was the difficulty of making the four combined handrail / step units identical, one for each corner.  Anyway in the last few days I've forced myself to do it, and painted, lettered and weathered the wagon so at last it is finished.

 

The lettering is from a Modelmasters sheet which covers various Engineers' wagons but had no numbers on it for this particular type, so the number is made up by combining two different ones.

 

The Grampus next to it is a 'standard' one made by combining the Dapol RTR body with Parkside underframe parts.

 

 

 

[saxokid]

8 hours ago, 31A said:

I'm trying to use the extra time to finish off some projects which have been hanging around for too long.

 

First finished is this Grampus, from the Chivers Finelines plastic kit, which had been left on the shelf for many years.  I think the reason I'd put it aside and lost interest was the difficulty of making the four combined handrail / step units identical, one for each corner.  Anyway in the last few days I've forced myself to do it, and painted, lettered and weathered the wagon so at last it is finished.

 

The lettering is from a Modelmasters sheet which covers various Engineers' wagons but had no numbers on it for this particular type, so the number is made up by combining two different ones.

 

The Grampus next to it is a 'standard' one made by combining the Dapol RTR body with Parkside underframe parts.

 

 

 

Some very nice work here Steve,

wil pop in again soon...

 

cheers neil..

[31A]

Still tidying up loose ends, this morning with Lee Marvin echoing in my ears thanks to @Mallard60022 I took myself off upstairs to Paint my Wagon, and have finally finished this Banana Van after about 15 years:

 

 

I think I'd lost interest in it because I was unsure of details on the ends (vac pipe, lamp iron, and evidence of previous steam heat equipment).  Anyway now it's finished at last; after all, wheels are made for rollin'.

 

I altered the axleguards slightly to resemble the BR pale type, found some metal buffers from somewhere and replaced the tie bars between the axleguards with metal strip.  Transfers are a mixture of those supplied (yellow spot and Geest label) and Modelmasters.  Despite having put three coats of Klear over the Halfords Red Oxide Primer, I still got the dreaded 'silvering' under the transfers so it's dirtier than I'd intended.  The other van in the picture is from a Dapol body on Red Panda underframe.

 

The layout looks as though it needs an attack from the vacuum cleaner.

 

 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

Actually the track looks just like that around the cement works at Purfleet.

[31A]

28 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Actually the track looks just like that around the cement works at Purfleet.

Thanks Phil, perhaps there's been some bags of the stuff split on unloading .... 

[31A]

Tried to bunk the shed this afternoon but ran into these two - Running Foreman and Loco Inspector; didn't expect to find them there on a Saturday afternoon!

 

 

Some may recognise them, they're a couple of Airfix figures from the 1960s; I was having a rummage through some boxes and came across them.  Actually I think the poses etc. are quite well modelled and stand comparison with a lot of modern figures.  The one on the left is supposed to be wearing a duffle coat, but I carved the hood off and painted it to look like a denim dust coat.  The one on the right originally had two rows of buttons on his coat but I thought that looked too posh for a railway issue mac so I carved half of them off.

 

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, 31A said:

I thought that looked too posh for a railway issue mac so I carved half of them off.

Indeed - but a railway issue mac would be longer, about halfway down his shins.

[Pandora]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

Indeed - but a railway issue mac would be longer, about halfway down his shins.

They were indestructible,  found some in the Stores when  we closed down a depot building., nothing wrong with them, still good for another 30 years

We used to know them as  "FlasherMacs"

Edited April 5, 2020 by Pandora

[manna]

G'day Folks

 

BR Macs, brilliant for keeping your body dry, but your legs and feet were soaked, and the pockets used to fill with water.

 

manna

[31A]

5 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Indeed - but a railway issue mac would be longer, about halfway down his shins.

 

I wondered who'd be the first to spot that!  Perhaps he is A. Manager.  I thought there was something not quite right about it; originally I was going to make him the Supervisor.

 

A pity the old Hornby Dublo plastic figures seem to have disappeared without trace, they included some nice railwaymen.

[Northroader]

I’ve been out on breakdowns on nights when it was really throwing it down, and it would take about three hours before the rain would begin to creep through the shoulders, which would be as good as you could hope for, but then you had to get through the rest of the night.

one time, an inspector from Paddington came down the depot, so lunchtime we went over the pub for a pint (you could do that back then) wearing our black macs, and half the pub emptied.

[31A]

1 minute ago, Northroader said:

I’ve been out on breakdowns on nights when it was really throwing it down, and it would take about three hours before the rain would begin to creep through the shoulders, which would be as good as you could hope for, but then you had to get through the rest of the night.

one time, an inspector from Paddington came down the depot, so lunchtime we went over the pub for a pint (you could do that back then) wearing our black macs, and half the pub emptied.

 

Have heard stories of the macs protecting people from electric shocks from the live rail .... 

[CUTLER2579]

14 minutes ago, Northroader said:

I’ve been out on breakdowns on nights when it was really throwing it down, and it would take about three hours before the rain would begin to creep through the shoulders, which would be as good as you could hope for, but then you had to get through the rest of the night.

one time, an inspector from Paddington came down the depot, so lunchtime we went over the pub for a pint (you could do that back then) wearing our black macs, and half the pub emptied.

 

This reminds me of working for LT and using Victoria Tube Station.You always got accosted by several gipsy ladies selling Lucky White Heather.It was slightly irritating,but i just said no not interested and went on my way. One night the oldest lady saw me come through the barrier and just show my pass to the ticket collector.She came up with her usual Lucky White Heather sir and I just said you'll get your collar felt if your not careful.Sorry Sir,sorry she went and from that day on I was never asked,she even told the younger lasses off if they came anywhere near me. My mates were amazed and couldn't fathom out how I was singled out,but after several weeks I had to tell them.

For those unaware New Scotland Yard is close to the station.Although I never ever claimed I was a policeman.

Edited April 5, 2020 by CUTLER2579
MOre Information added.

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, 31A said:

 

Have heard stories of the macs protecting people from electric shocks from the live rail .... 

On wet days water dripping off the mac on to the juice rail could give you a nice little tingle.

[CUTLER2579]

Always kept you on your toes did 630 volts .

[5BarVT]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

On wet days water dripping off the mac on to the juice rail could give you a nice little tingle.

I’ve only got a yellow one with the tape rather than black with metal hanger touching the back of the neck.

Paul.

[St Enodoc]

37 minutes ago, CUTLER2579 said:

Always kept you on your toes did 630 volts .

Pah! 750 where we were (Brighton)!

[CUTLER2579]

38 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Pah! 750 where we were (Brighton)!

 

Kids STUFF.  Sahra Siddons control voltage was 630 Volts  not just the Motors. 

Seriously Take Care.

[St Enodoc]

44 minutes ago, CUTLER2579 said:

 

Kids STUFF.  Sahra Siddons control voltage was 630 Volts  not just the Motors. 

Seriously Take Care.

Same on all the pre-1951 Southern stock too. On 2090 (the NRM's 2-BIL), which we had at Lovers' Walk when I was there, the compartment lamps were wired in series direct off the line supply. That meant that if one blew there was 750V between the terminals in the holder.

 

Some of the drivers told me of how, when they needed to light a cigarette, they'd open the two-point switch a fraction to draw an arc.

 

Westinghouse brake only of course, with triple valves. None of your namby-pamby EP stuff there...