Train spotting at Finsbury Square

[jwealleans]

8 minutes ago, 31A said:

Do you have to have a funny handshake or something?

 

I just started a thread called "Anybody got any Es?' and the offers started coming in......

 

Quote

 I presume it would be more difficult to get at right angles to the side

 

I use a jig/workpiece as suggested by John Hayes in The 4mm Coal Wagon.    Basically a piece of MDF with another glued on top so you have a right angle to work against.   Something like a wooden mitre block would do just as well.

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by jwealleans

[St Enodoc]

37 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

Something like a wooden mitre block would do just as well.

An old-fashioned sawing board or bench hook should do the trick too. Make one wider than usual to fit a whole side.

[Ian Blenk]

12 hours ago, 31A said:

More rolling stock; I've just finished this ex LNER D282 52' 6" Ganngwayed Brake.  I'd had a partly-completed Comet 51' underframe in  stock for a couple of years, having started it for something else then decided not to use it for that after all.  I hadn't really thought much about the 52' 6" Gangwayed Brakes until I saw this picture of one, looking to be in pretty good nick for the time.

 

 

 Looking them up in Longworth I found they were surprisingly long lived with the last withdrawn in 1972; E70554E which is the number I've put on mine, as it happens.

 

I got ends, sides and roof from Comet and made a start.

 

 

Fox bogies, and most of the other details are from the MJT range.

 

 

I've beefed up the angle iron underframe trussing to make it look more like angle iron, by soldering brass strip (etch scrap) at right angles to the etched frames.

 

I usually use MJT folded paper gangways which have the gangway shield fitted, but as I thought this van would probably spend most of its life in parcels trains I wanted to model the gangways 'open' on this one.  A rummage in the stores revealed some very old Kemilway etches which fitted the bill, including detail of the end door which is omitted from the Comet casting.  There were no instructions but they seemed straightforward except that I ended up with some bits left over.

 

 

 

So this shows the body just abut finished, including how I strengthened the tops of the sides by soldering some brass angle along the top edge, which also gives a good surface to glue the roof to.

 

 

Construction now finished and the van painted - Halford's Burgundy Red, Railmatch Roof Grime for the roof and Methfix transfers.  Had to scrounge around to find enough letter 'E's and ended up using a very old PC Models sheet, but they still worked OK.

 

 

And now with added weathering, ready for traffic.

 

 

 

The whole thing has taken just over a fortnight; must be some kind of record for me (thanks to lockdown!) although I had started the underframe already, and there was no interior to worry about.

 

Excellent, reading about and seeing your modelling keeps me going, looking forward to the next bit!

 

[31A]

18 minutes ago, Ian Blenk said:

Excellent, reading about and seeing your modelling keeps me going, looking forward to the next bit!

 

 

Thank you so much Ian, very kind of you to say so.  I don't update this very often really.  I tend to wait until something is finished, in case it doesn't get finished!

 

[Wheatley]

1 hour ago, 31A said:

 

I must see about trading some Es!  Do you have to have a funny handshake or something?

No, you just have to talk funny (even funnier than Yorksher) and call everyone 'mate'. Sorted. 

 

Although even as we speak a Very Secret Listening Station Near Harrogate is filtering out all your posts and passing them on to the drugs squad. 

Edited November 17, 2020 by Wheatley

[CUTLER2579]

2 hours ago, Wheatley said:

No, you just have to talk funny (even funnier than Yorksher) and call everyone 'mate'. Sorted. 

 

Although even as we speak a Very Secret Listening Station Near Harrogate is filtering out all your posts and passing them on to the drugs squad. 

That just gets you a few Canny's of Fosters mate.  Well it does around Earls Court.

[Clive Mortimore]

3 hours ago, 31A said:

 

Thank you so much Ian, very kind of you to say so.  I don't update this very often really.  I tend to wait until something is finished, in case it doesn't get finished!

 

I might need a lesson in finishing things.

[PhilJ W]

38 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

I might need a lesson in finishing things.

There is a world wide shortage of round tuits.

[Mallard60022]

7 hours ago, 31A said:

 

I have used milled brass angle from Eileen's in the past but I think in future will look into using the scrap from the edge of the fret.  I presume it would be more difficult to get at right angles to the side, but would be mush cheaper (how long have I lived in Yorkshire!) and in this case would give a bit more room for the toplight glazing.

 

I must see about trading some Es!  Do you have to have a funny handshake or something?

If you only use (say) three pieces of angle on each side top, that reduces the amount you use Steve.  However why not use Plassi angle and just glue that on or is it more expensive than the Brass?? Also if yer roof is plassi then it makes a nice squidgy bond.

Very nice Van by the way.

Mad Me'Duck

[jwealleans]

On something like a Gresley with almost no side panels below the cantrail you'd have a job getting enough land to glue to.   Solder is a much better idea. 

 

I use 'poxy to attach roof to sides and with a 2-3 mm strip along the top of each side there's plenty of sticky area to hold  it all in place.

[31A]

26 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

On something like a Gresley with almost no side panels below the cantrail you'd have a job getting enough land to glue to.   Solder is a much better idea. 

 

I use 'poxy to attach roof to sides and with a 2-3 mm strip along the top of each side there's plenty of sticky area to hold  it all in place.

 

Thanks Jonathan.  I added a false 'ceiling' from Plastikard to the underneath of the Comet moulded roof, to give a decent surface to glue to the brass angle, which is 3mm x 1.5mm so should give plenty of area for the glue.  But although the roof was a reasonably good fit it hasn't stayed down quite as well as I would have liked, particularly at the ends - perhaps 'poxy would have been better.

[Chas Levin]

Only just found this thread Steve and spent a very enjoyable few evenings reading through it from the start: wonderful modelling, absolute pleasure, thank you for all the postings!

[31A]

25 minutes ago, Chas Levin said:

Only just found this thread Steve and spent a very enjoyable few evenings reading through it from the start: wonderful modelling, absolute pleasure, thank you for all the postings!

 

Thank you for those kind comments Chas, that must have kept you out of trouble for a while    Glad you enjoyed it!

[Waraqah]

On 29/10/2020 at 20:15, 31A said:

I’ve just finished a trio of Parkside LNER Fish Vans; one as built and two as rebuilt by BR as Insulated Fish vans.

 

I’ve put them together pretty much as intended, just substituted metal buffer heads and draw hooks, and added cast vacuum pipes from the 51L range which conveniently have nice solid pegs to attach them to the van ends.  I kept the moulded buffer bodies, as they’re neat mouldings, but added the rim at the outer ends with a strip of styrene about 0.25mm square.

 

All three vans are illustrated in Part 2 of Geoff Kent’s trilogy and conveniently the numbers for all three were found on the relevant Modelmasters transfer sheets, so I was able to replicate the subtle differences in the placing of the insignia on the real vans.  There are also different arrangements of rain strip on the roofs - straight, curved and non existent.

 

 

 

 

 

Very nice they look too; especially with that grimy brickwork as a backdrop.

[31A]

The last couple of weeks I've been making some more signals.  I had intended to have a nice gantry of semaphores in this location, but apart from their being no clearance for any kind of linkages, the signal is right above the side member of the baseboard so there would have been no way of getting any kind of mechanism underneath it.

 

So I've knocked up this gantry of colour lights instead, which I hope look like LNER or BR(E) searchlight type.  As the signals are mostly seen from the side or behind, I didn't intend them to work.

 

The gantry is from Code 100 FB and etch scrap, apart from the diagonals which are 1mm x 1mm brass angle.

 

 

The signal heads are made up from various brass sections and hoods from Wizard Models.

 

 

 

Now with handrails, and a scary looking ladder:

 

 

Propped up in position, to check clearances, which are indeed minimal:

 

 

And now weathered and installed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[danstercivicman]

34 minutes ago, 31A said:

The last couple of weeks I've been making some more signals.  I had intended to have a nice gantry of semaphores in this location, but apart from their being no clearance for any kind of linkages, the signal is right above the side member of the baseboard so there would have been no way of getting any kind of mechanism underneath it.

 

So I've knocked up this gantry of colour lights instead, which I hope look like LNER or BR(E) searchlight type.  As the signals are mostly seen from the side or behind, I didn't intend them to work.

 

The gantry is from Code 100 FB and etch scrap, apart from the diagonals which are 1mm x 1mm brass angle.

 

 

The signal heads are made up from various brass sections and hoods from Wizard Models.

 

 

 

Now with handrails, and a scary looking ladder:

 

 

Propped up in position, to check clearances, which are indeed minimal:

 

 

And now weathered and installed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks really good.    Did they ever had ladders down from the top of the wall or did they always go up? 

[31A]

1 minute ago, danstercivicman said:

Looks really good.    Did they ever had ladders down from the top of the wall or did they always go up? 

 

Good point; I thought about a ladder down from the top, and if there hadn't been clearance at ground level that's what I would have done.  But I don't think they'd want a ladder which would allow all & sundry public miscreants to find their way onto the signals (could be a locked gate at the top I suppose).  Also from below would probably be more convenient for staff access given that they'd be approaching it from the railway.  It does look quite a scary ladder, but when you see what lampmen had to climb on some semaphore gantries they'd probably think that one was a piece of cake!

 

[danstercivicman]

2 minutes ago, 31A said:

 

Good point; I thought about a ladder down from the top, and if there hadn't been clearance at ground level that's what I would have done.  But I don't think they'd want a ladder which would allow all & sundry public miscreants to find their way onto the signals (could be a locked gate at the top I suppose).  Also from below would probably be more convenient for staff access given that they'd be approaching it from the railway.  It does look quite a scary ladder, but when you see what lampmen had to climb on some semaphore gantries they'd probably think that one was a piece of cake!

 

 

Yes I think working practices were very dangerous in many ways then!  

 

Your layout looks great! 

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, 31A said:

Now with handrails, and a scary looking ladder:

 

3 hours ago, 31A said:

Good point; I thought about a ladder down from the top, and if there hadn't been clearance at ground level that's what I would have done.

I'd be inclined (geddit?) to turn the ladder through 90 degrees and to put it at an angle.

[31A]

1 minute ago, St Enodoc said:

 

I'd be inclined (geddit?) to turn the ladder through 90 degrees and to put it at an angle.

 

Thanks; I was too but a Hornby A3's front steps would clout it!  Did I mention clearances are very tight here?  They're far too tight in reality, since I had to shorten the layout after I moved house.  Hopefully it's not too obvious from normal viewing angles!

 

[St Enodoc]

11 minutes ago, 31A said:

 

Thanks; I was too but a Hornby A3's front steps would clout it!  Did I mention clearances are very tight here?  They're far too tight in reality, since I had to shorten the layout after I moved house.  Hopefully it's not too obvious from normal viewing angles!

 

Sorry Steve, I meant turn the ladder so that it's parallel to the wall. You could put it at an angle and it still wouldn't stick out further than the signal post itself.

[31A]

18 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Sorry Steve, I meant turn the ladder so that it's parallel to the wall. You could put it at an angle and it still wouldn't stick out further than the signal post itself.

 

Hmm, thanks, I think I did think of that but I wasn't sure where the ladder would end up at the top in that case (the top of the post and the landing end up in the top of the arch).  The pictures of the unpainted signal don't show it at the right height as they don't take account of the depth of the cork underlay.  I agree it looks a bit odd as it is; I have seen vertical ladders on things I'm sure, but there would have to be some dodgy gymnastics to get off it and onto the landing at the top!  Thank you for the suggestion but I think it'll have to stay as it is now really, as the ladder is soldered to the signal and the signal is Evo Sticked to the retaining wall!

 

[Chas Levin]

On 06/12/2020 at 16:51, 31A said:

The last couple of weeks I've been making some more signals.  I had intended to have a nice gantry of semaphores in this location, but apart from their being no clearance for any kind of linkages, the signal is right above the side member of the baseboard so there would have been no way of getting any kind of mechanism underneath it.

 

So I've knocked up this gantry of colour lights instead, which I hope look like LNER or BR(E) searchlight type.  As the signals are mostly seen from the side or behind, I didn't intend them to work.

 

The gantry is from Code 100 FB and etch scrap, apart from the diagonals which are 1mm x 1mm brass angle.

 

 

The signal heads are made up from various brass sections and hoods from Wizard Models.

 

 

 

Now with handrails, and a scary looking ladder:

 

 

Propped up in position, to check clearances, which are indeed minimal:

 

 

And now weathered and installed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They look superb Steve. I love the look of LNER searchlight signals, there's something very evocative about them and you've captured that look perfectly.

As an aside, have you come across CR Signals' products? He makes working LED ones, including bi-colour models; I have a couple put by to add to my own layout, though layout work has taken rather a back seat lately in favour of kit building.

The grimy walls you have there look incredibly realistic and exactly like those I've spent many long hours staring out out of train windows over the years

[31A]

1 hour ago, Chas Levin said:

They look superb Steve. I love the look of LNER searchlight signals, there's something very evocative about them and you've captured that look perfectly.

As an aside, have you come across CR Signals' products? He makes working LED ones, including bi-colour models; I have a couple put by to add to my own layout, though layout work has taken rather a back seat lately in favour of kit building.

The grimy walls you have there look incredibly realistic and exactly like those I've spent many long hours staring out out of train windows over the years

 

Thank you Chas, glad you like it!

 

The signal is a bit fictitious really, I couldn't find many drawings that helped (one or two drawings of LMS colour lights in the Model Railway Constructor in 1972 gave some clues), and I also referred to pictures of Eastern Region structures.

 

The retaining walls themselves are just Hornby Skaledale products, quite heavily weathered; like you, I've spent hours looking out of windows at them so I hope they're something like OK!  I couldn't really disguise the joins, and some of the brickwork is probably a bit simplified, but they are at the back of the layout and in reality those things aren't too obvious.

 

I must admit I wasn't aware of the CR Signals range, they do look good.  I did briefly consider making them as working signals and thought there were searchlight heads in the Eckon / Berko range but that doesn't seem to be the case.  It might not be impossible to replace the signal heads on my model with working ones as the dummies I made are bolted to the gantry rather than soldered, but I'd have to get it off the wall first, and running wires to the signals wouldn't be straightforward.  One possibility might be some more cable runs along the wall, this time using actual functioning wires!  But as the signals are really only viewed from the side or behind I don't think it's worth the bother.  A lot of colour light signals (and other lights) on model railways are too bright I think; in reality it wasn't always easy to see the aspect of older colour lights unless you were looking at them more or less from the driver's point of view.

 

 

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, 31A said:

it wasn't always easy to see the aspect of older colour lights unless you were looking at them more or less from the driver's point of view.

That was the idea...