Train spotting at Finsbury Square

[31A]

Just now, AY Mod said:

 

There is; there's a little icon in the menu in the editor box with a page and magnifying glass which should show 'Preview' when you mouse over it.

 

Thanks Andy, I'll have a look at that next time I post.  I often find typos etc. leap off the screen at me when I re-read it in 'preview'!

[31A]

1 minute ago, jwealleans said:

I didn't know there was a preview facility on RMWeb?  I've always posted on the LNER forum first and used the Preview button on there.

 

Have you toned the lining down, Steve?  I've only seen a couple of these in the flesh and it looked quite garish on those.

 

It may be in part due to the poor lighting when I took that picture, but yes 61580 has been 'weathered' to represent a clean engine.  The boiler cladding, cab sides and tender sides have had a coat of Klear followed by a wash of 'grot' (matt black and matt leather mix), most of which has then been washed off again although some remains in the corners etc., and has probably also toned down the printing of the lining.

 

Here's another picture of her, taken from a different angle.

 

 

 

[great northern]

Lovely model isn't it Steve?  The crane is an occupational hazard of modelling a cramped and crowded scene. I do it often enough, as you know, and if I move the loco to avoid it happening something else usually manages to intrude instead.

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Lovely shots - Klear really does work magic on model steam locomotives, somehow killing the plastic look and making them look like painted metal.

 

Do you have a bottle of the famed original, or one of the new-fangled replacements?  If so - which one?  I can't make head nor tale of which one I ought to buy since the original is not available anymore.

[CUTLER2579]

3 hours ago, 31A said:

 

It may be in part due to the poor lighting when I took that picture, but yes 61580 has been 'weathered' to represent a clean engine.  The boiler cladding, cab sides and tender sides have had a coat of Klear followed by a wash of 'grot' (matt black and matt leather mix), most of which has then been washed off again although some remains in the corners etc., and has probably also toned down the printing of the lining.

 

Here's another picture of her, taken from a different angle.

 

 

 

 

Not to mention real coal,Steve.

[danstercivicman]

Looks good  

[31A]

5 hours ago, great northern said:

Lovely model isn't it Steve?  The crane is an occupational hazard of modelling a cramped and crowded scene. I do it often enough, as you know, and if I move the loco to avoid it happening something else usually manages to intrude instead.

 

Thanks Gilbert, yes it is - I think it must be Hornby's best model, at least of the ones I've got!

 

5 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

Lovely shots - Klear really does work magic on model steam locomotives, somehow killing the plastic look and making them look like painted metal.

 

Do you have a bottle of the famed original, or one of the new-fangled replacements?  If so - which one?  I can't make head nor tale of which one I ought to buy since the original is not available anymore.

 

Thank you!  Yes, surprising what a difference it makes.  At the moment I'm still using the original Klear which I had to decant into a milk bottle after the original split!  Rather surprised it hasn't gone solid or something yet.  I've got a bottle under the sink of Astonish Wood Floor Polish which I think I've read is an alternative, but haven't tried that for model railway purposes yet.

 

4 hours ago, CUTLER2579 said:

 

Not to mention real coal,Steve.

 

Yes, real coal makes a big difference, too.  No crew on that one yet; to be honest I've struggled to find suitable crew figures for locos like 4-6-0s which have big 'splasher boxes' in the cabs.  Meanwhile, they've gone in search of a brew!

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

Lovely shots - Klear really does work magic on model steam locomotives, somehow killing the plastic look and making them look like painted metal.

 

Do you have a bottle of the famed original, or one of the new-fangled replacements?  If so - which one?  I can't make head nor tale of which one I ought to buy since the original is not available anymore.

 

3 hours ago, 31A said:

Thank you!  Yes, surprising what a difference it makes.  At the moment I'm still using the original Klear which I had to decant into a milk bottle after the original split!  Rather surprised it hasn't gone solid or something yet.  I've got a bottle under the sink of Astonish Wood Floor Polish which I think I've read is an alternative, but haven't tried that for model railway purposes yet.

Down here, Pledge One Go seems to be the successor to the old Klear. I don't know if you can get that in the North.

 

Caveat: I haven't yet used it myself so this is only second-hand news.

[31A]

Thanks, I might have a look for that.  Although at the moment I've still got plenty of the original; I don't know whether it remains useable indefinitely - I sort of suspect that one day I'll take the cap off and find it's gone solid, but not so far!

 

[Ian Blenk]

19 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

 

Down here, Pledge One Go seems to be the successor to the old Klear. I don't know if you can get that in the North.

 

Caveat: I haven't yet used it myself so this is only second-hand news.

Surprisingly we are able to buy cleaning products in the 'Gritty North' I have been using Pledge Multi Surface Wax, seems OK, also used it for ballast adhesive, but not as strong as Klear was, well must away to the river to wash my clothes

 

Ian B

[Mallard60022]

15 minutes ago, Ian Blenk said:

Surprisingly we are able to buy cleaning products in the 'Gritty North' I have been using Pledge Multi Surface Wax, seems OK, also used it for ballast adhesive, but not as strong as Klear was, well must away to the river to wash my clothes

 

Ian B

You have clothes...……?

[Mallard60022]

23 hours ago, 31A said:

 

Thanks Gilbert, yes it is - I think it must be Hornby's best model, at least of the ones I've got!

 

 

Thank you!  Yes, surprising what a difference it makes.  At the moment I'm still using the original Klear which I had to decant into a milk bottle after the original split!  Rather surprised it hasn't gone solid or something yet.  I've got a bottle under the sink of Astonish Wood Floor Polish which I think I've read is an alternative, but haven't tried that for model railway purposes yet.

 

 

Yes, real coal makes a big difference, too.  No crew on that one yet; to be honest I've struggled to find suitable crew figures for locos like 4-6-0s which have big 'splasher boxes' in the cabs.  Meanwhile, they've gone in search of a brew!

Steve, do you know why Astonish Wood Floor Polish is called that?

ATB

Phil

[31A]

27 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Steve, do you know why Astonish Wood Floor Polish is called that?

ATB

Phil

 

No, but I'm sure you'll astonish me with the answer .... 

 

[Ian Blenk]

30 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

You have clothes...……?

LOL

[31A]

The train spotters were surprised recently to find that (contrary to what usually happened) the colour light starting signal at the end of Platform 4 had been replaced with a nice semaphore:

 

 

More information about how I made it is on my 31A S&T thread:

 

 

[Neil]

Like the signal lots Steve, there's something just 'so right' about it's location too.

[31A]

Thank you Neil, glad you like it!  A bit strange, after all the work involved in making it, having weathered it it blends into the background and is quite inconspicuous!  Still I suppose that's realism for you ....

[Mallard60022]

Bliddy 'andsome bit of kit that Steve. Beautifully balanced weathering too. Love it mate.

P

[31A]

Thanks Phil, glad you approve .... 

[jazzer]

Just when I think this layout can’t get any better.....it does! It just oozes the late 50’’s/early 60’s feel so brilliantly in almost every detail.

[31A]

2 hours ago, jazzer said:

Just when I think this layout can’t get any better.....it does! It just oozes the late 50’’s/early 60’s feel so brilliantly in almost every detail.

 

Thank you; glad you like it - I'll have to see what else I can come up with!!  

 

[Porkscratching]

Just found this whole thread and read all it from page 1..

Astonishingly good ! 

Ps love the 'Drinka Pinta Milka Day' ...takes me back a bit !.....

[31A]

A big job for the local S&T Gang this weekend.  The points have always been controlled by a lever frame I made myself, years ago.  This had three spare levers, so these were use to control the first three semaphore signals that I made.  Then I made the home signal gantry (which carries six arms) and I put in a rather 'Heath Robinson' temporary arrangement to work this:

 

 

I'd always intended to extend the existing lever frame by making more of the same but I was beginning to realise this was getting further and further down the 'roundtuit' pile, and in the meantime more signals were appearing!

 

From a previous layout I'd got several lever frames like this:

 

 

Which at one time were sold by A1 Models of Worksop.  They're basic, but solid.  So I decided to install some of them on the current layout; a ten lever frame to the left of the existing one, and fifteen levers to the right.  I thought they'd look better painted and thought about dismantling them to do this, but in the end just squirted a matt black car paint aerosol at them, and then painted the levers red.  I must admit, now they're in position the layout controls look quite impressive, and it's always satisfying to have levers to pull!  Now I just need to make the rest of the signals ....

 

[ianblenk]

Have some A1 frames in the loft, are they the ones with a spring to fit under the turnout? Or am I thinking about something else?

 

Cheers

[Clive Mortimore]

46 minutes ago, ianblenk said:

Have some A1 frames in the loft, are they the ones with a spring to fit under the turnout? Or am I thinking about something else?

 

Cheers

Hi Ian

 

I think they are. Unless you have the earlier version which was made by J&M models of Maldon. I think the design was sold/given to A1 models. The prototypes for these lever frames were on a model of Maldon East that the then Maldon club made.  I used them on my layout Southbridge with success.