Alstone - OO gauge modern image layout

[magic_monkey09]

Hi Magic Monkey

It's always nice to see your FGW stock, especially like your conversion.

Have you got any more pics of your HST's , please.

[magic_monkey09]

Having had a massive clear out recently I can now focus entirely on FGW stock and HST's. The weathered blue set is sound fitted and has the light lenses correctly painted white on the inside while the Harry patch set has just had the lights done. The other two sets are still pristine for now whilst I fiddle about trying to get all the lights to work on them.

[Melangoose]

Nice "Line-Up". Looks like you've decided to model Laira before the start of service. Nice one.

[GEOEng03]

image.jpeg

 

Having a large clear out of stock at the moment via eBay so have managed to get some

Mojo back whilst being in the loft recently. Here is my attempt at a high density FGW HST set with the new composite type mk3 combined with a mini buffet and one first class mk3.

Plus a pic of a real mini buffet counter.

image.jpeg

Hi

 

Great work and excellent to read.  Any updates? I am considering doing the 50/50 FC/SC coach. How did you do this, take a standard Hornby FC release and remove the yellow to half way, or take a standard coach and spray a yellow line. Wanting to do the same to add some variety.

 

Also, was it hst43000 that did you respray.  Do really like the Barbie livery...

 

Cheers

Edited November 28, 2017 by GEOEng03

[magic_monkey09]

The layout plan has completely stalled over the past 2 years or so and I've only really been mucking around with stock rather than building the layout. The scenic side to the layout is still there and hasn't been touched in years as I've mainly been using the non scenic side as a fiddle yard/blank canvas. I've been contemplating building a diorama HST depot and sidings on this part of the layout similar to Laira and Long Rock. Ideally I would like a really long servicing shed either low relief or possibly full size as the backdrop with several stabling yards with overhead gantries etc. Space is limited and a full length hst already takes up 80% of the boards length so I'll see what can be done.

Anyway before I get started on all that I've been tinkering with the HST's again and I've renumbered and added Rail-Tec nameplates to a couple. Hornby's 43017 is now 43020 MTU power passion partnership and 43192 is now 43056 the Royal British legion. I also have renumbered one 43142 Reading panel signal box but the Cab side numbers are over sized and need re-doing.

 

[magic_monkey09]

More tinkering this afternoon with a bit of painting and trying out carriage lighting. First of all one thing that has always bugged me about the earlier ex Lima Hornby TGS is that the vestibule end doors are oddly painted white and it really stands out when running around the layout. So out with the masking tape and airbrush and they are now pale lilac blue. Just the buffers to remove next and to paint around the gangway blue to match the rest of the coach. I have no idea why Hornby painted this black.

 

I popped into my local model shop today and picked up a carriage lighting board. I've been wanting to try one of these for ages to see what they are like and they are a good piece of kit. The lights come on when the coach moves and stay on for a while when stopped. They are slightly too short for a Hornby mk3 though as the end windows are still a bit dark for my liking. The basic seating inside the coach is not prototypical at all so maybe that can be my next task. I intend to run one of my HST sets in the dark so will be fitting one with interior lighting.

 

A Cross Country HST has come in for overnight servicing ready for another day's work in the morning.

Edited April 28, 2018 by magic_monkey09

[ess1uk]

What lights did you use on n the coaches?

[magic_monkey09]

What lights did you use on n the coaches?

Train-tech lighting strip. Comes with battery included and just blu tacked to the roof

Edited June 18, 2018 by magic_monkey09

[magic_monkey09]

I’ve been tinkering with my mk3’s again. This time I’ve been tackling Hornbys second release of FGW dynamic lines livery which we’re sold through concession outlets only. To be honest this second batch were not good enough. The first batch were ok and the third batch excellent. . The windows were clear and the printing of the decals and yellow stripe were very washed out with no electric blue in the swirls and the pink doors too dark. First I tinted the windows from the inside using Tamiya smoke then added a new yellow cantrail stripe and brighter Dynamic lines decals to finish it off. I haven’t touched the doors for the time being but the coach is now looking a lot better than it did out of the box. Now it matches the quality of the third batch a bit better.

Before:

 

After:

[MRC_Jacob]

Following this topic with interest - Seems while I'm modelling the smaller side of FGW, you're doing the high speed side! Very nice to see the little bits and pieces you've done on the mk3s and powercars. Hope to see more soon!

[saxokid]

Some very nice modelling here,

im following now..

[magic_monkey09]

Quick layout update as it’s been a while. I’ve recently moved house and had a massive clear out so only now just seeing what’s what. I no longer have the large attic space with running loop so for now I’m just tinkering with a plank of wood and set track. The plan is to build a depot scene diorama to photograph stock given the smaller space. I plan to stick with the GWR theme of slam door HST’s. 

Here’s a few pics of today’s planning :

 

Edited July 1, 2020 by magic_monkey09

[Benjamin Brady]

Hello

   Going to miss your old layout , inspirational ,good luck with the new one

[magic_monkey09]

I’ve got a few tired old Bachmann 158 vehicles in the scrapbox gathering dust. I rather fancy Bachmann’s new offering but it commends a hefty price!. I thought rather than let these old models go to waste I’ll give them a little refresh to bring them back onto the scene. A popular livery never really offered by mainstream manufacturers was FGW local lines apparently due to its complex colours.  The hardest part to reproduce i’d imagine is the colour fade from light to dark blue on the body sides. I’m not even going to attempt painting this livery so instead I’ve gone for the easy option of vinyls. In real life this livery was applied with vinyl so in this instance I don’t mind using them. Now these never look right if you just slap them on as any protruding parts stop them sticking causing air bubbles. Fortunately the Bachmann 158 is rather flat sided so not many details to get in the way. Even so I want them perfectly smooth so I’ve removed all glazing, sanded down all of the window and door frames, air vents and BIL lights only leaving the steps and jacking points intact which the vinyl cuts around. 

Now the donor body’s are in wales and borders and NSE stagecoach livery so after sanding remained mostly base white so I treated them to a coat of primer and first group blue then grey for the roof. This was necessary as the vinyls don’t cover the entire body and the white underneath would be visible. Half way in this is what it looks like so far:

 

 

Edited July 6, 2020 by magic_monkey09

[magic_monkey09]

So I’ve been playing around with some card and old bits of wood and things went down this route.... 

 

[Class 158 productions]

Looks great, will miss the old layout but anything with FGW hsts is good in my book!

[JDW]

Nice to see someone doing the vinyls on the 158s properly and preparing the sides rather than just stick them on top of everything. I look forward to seeing the finished result.