West End Workbench

[jwealleans]

Off the top of my head, 14mm spoked and you need extended axles for one pair.

[micklner]

I agree 14mm spoked , I used EM axles for the extended pair with the ends ground flat

[Worsdell forever]

14mm spoked, it's 2 bogies so inside bearings all round and short/flush axles on mine.

[B15nac]

Thanks for your advice I will get them ordered!

[jwealleans]

Brake van has gone to the Sprat and Winkle man to be 'done' and I won't see it again until August. Scottiedog brought me some wheels on Tuesday, so it's back to the crane for final fettling and finishing off.

 

First problem; put a set of wheels into the bogies and they're jammed right up against the bogie sideframes. These are EM and set with a Gibson back to back gauge. They wouldn't even turn, let alone run freely.

 

 

I dismantled the bogies and rebuilt the stretchers to the OO position. This allowed plenty of sideplay and free running. The brakes were fitted to the rear bogie, but I only used the etched brake shoes so allow plenty of room for the wheels to move laterally in the bogie.

 

 

Having done this, I offered them up to the chassis. The full-length stabilising beam in the middle of the chassis had to be cut out, and I also had to move the front one as far forward as it would go (I stuck it right under the buffer beam instead of slightly behind). That has allowed some room for the bogies to pivot. We'll try it on the layout at Wigan and see how it goes.

 

I then added some more detail from what pictures there are in Tatlow of this and other similar cranes.

 

 

 

It still needs the extended axles for the visible wheels; we'll be looking for the 2mm rod for that at Wigan too, I expect.

Edited October 3, 2018 by jwealleans

[micklner]

Yes!!  not a lot of room is there

[46444]

A really great piece of modelling there Jonathan.

 

The crane almost looks like an antique time piece in it's unpainted state.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[jwealleans]

Thanks to Morgan for the axles which are just the ticket. Now on its wheels and on the way to being rigged. David provided some rather nice chain from Ambis, 20 links per inch. It looks spot on to me, much finer than what came in the kit, but there isn't enough of it. I have used two packets and it doesn't quite reach so when he's back in circulation we'll have to source another one.

 

 

It's not sitting down on the carriage quite right, I see, but you get the general idea. The bit of wire at the back is through the links of two chains to prevent them unravelling.

 

Another little project crept onto the bench while I was painting the crane. I did two ex-POs for Thurston a while ago and was rather pleased with them. I happened to pick up a couple of Cambrian PO kits at a show (Doncaster, I think) and thought something similar might be in order. For lettering I thought Powsides - I have a very chequered record with their transfers, but if I make a complete dog's breakfast it won't matter in this instance. That said, I did OK with the last ones I tried.

 

Predictably, given what I intended doing to them, they came out perfectly.

 

 

However, distressed they will be, so I set about them.

 

 

Then planks were replaced

 

 

Both have now had the treatment.

 

 

You have to be a little careful as the Powsides tend to come off in lumps if you scrape too hard with the burnishing pen, so light and gentle is the way - not my usual weathering approach at all. They're now awaiting their own shades of grey.

 

I tried another Powsides while I was ordering and this one I am very pleased with.

 

 

They really do do some very attractive liveries indeed.

Edited September 10, 2018 by jwealleans

[46444]

Evening Johnathan,

 

There's some lovely work in that crane and now painted and on it's wheels it looks very purposeful.

 

I'm looking forwards to seeing how you finish the wagons.  Like you I haven't had much success with POW Sides decals. I'm going to order a few ready painted/decaled kits from them soon so its good to see how you go about giving the wagons that work weary look.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[B15nac]

What did you use for the extended axls on the crane in the end?

[jwealleans]

Soemone very kindly turned me up a pair from steel rod. They are 26mm long and the projecting stub axles look about right.

[jonhall]

_{Gibson can do the extended axles.}

 

_Jon

[jwealleans]

After this extended absence (it's been too hot to work up there) I finished off the crane last night and it will be delivered on Sunday. The Ambis chain makes a huge difference and I'd recommend anyone building one of these to use it. As I had been warned some time ago, rigging it was something of a character forming experience.

 

 

 

Now the weather has cooled down a bit I might get back into the workshop a little. I did complete this last week in advance of the scheduled visit to Grantham:

 

 

D & S ex-GE D.536 PBV. Nice looking, unfussy vehicle. I may have to spring the buffers, though, just to make it less fussy about what it's marshalled next to.

Edited September 22, 2018 by jwealleans

[46444]

Great to see a post Jonathan,

 

Often look in on here for inspiration from your work.

 

That crane has turned out nicely and has real presence.  The chain does look good though I guess there were a few expletives along the way.

 

Hope you get back into full swing on the work bench soon.  Be nice to see some more of your work.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[jwealleans]

Like some others it seems, the cooler weather has seen a return to the workbench. I had a modelling day today, having done precious little during the week off. This afternoon has mainly been picking up wagon projects including some Ebay buys which need some attention.

 

I had hoped to get these private owners ready for Thurston at Butterley this coming weekend, but that isn't now going to happen. Folkestone in October is probably a realistic target.

 

 

 

I've also decided we're having more tractors on Thurston. One will go in an LMS 3 plank and another in an LMS D1986 1 plank open, scratchbuilt, which was an Ebay find.

 

 

These Ratio opens came in a collection of wagons. They're from the Engineers set, but I found that by cutting off the raised end stanchions they are transformed into ordinary traffic opens. The conflat is the new Bachmann with 'A' type container. I'm waiting for the accessory packs of these to arrive as I can see a few being carried in an assortment of vehicles not really intended for them.

 

 

The G2 and Colwick open were also Ebay spots - the G2 must be an oldish one as it's different from both the 51L and David Geen ones I have. It's most likely a D & S. I've reinstated or added some detail on this.

 

 

Finally an open C. This needs quite a bit doing to the underpinnings to make it run properly. The axleguards are a ridiculous distance apart. I will be fitting MJT units from stock.

 

Edited September 6, 2018 by jwealleans

[jwealleans]

PO wagons lettered and weathering started. The BR era Transfers are from Cambridge Custom Transfers, sheet BL43.

 

 

 

A word for anyone else doing this in the future; even though it had been varnished over, the white spirit in the weathering mix started to take the lettering off the Bachmann coke wagon.

 

Coal loads are now in preparation.

 

Edit - for extra clarity.

Edited September 6, 2018 by jwealleans

[46444]

PO wagons lettered and weathering started. Transfers are from Cambridge Custom Transfers, sheet BL43.

 

 

 

A word for anyone else doing this in the future; even though it had been varnished over, the white spirit in the weathering mix started to take the lettering off the Bachmann coke wagon.

 

Coal loads are now in preparation.

 

 

Really nice work Jonathan.

 

The tones of the wagons are nice and subtle and everything blends together nicely.

 

The CCT decals are really lovely to use on wagons such as these.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[Class O]

It is... do you want me to tease everyone?

 

 

I expect you're right about those bogies although I don't recall having problems with the other ones I've got.

 

It is... do you want me to tease everyone?

 

 

I expect you're right about those bogies although I don't recall having problems with the other ones I've got.

[Class O]

One of the kits I used to produce c1990, just getting back into the hobby after a lot of years, I think its a bit crude by todays standards. I am enjoying your posts, hope to meet one day..... Owen Lancaster (Class O)                                                                                                                                                                 

[Worsdell forever]

One of the kits I used to produce c1990, just getting back into the hobby after a lot of years, I think its a bit crude by todays standards. I am enjoying your posts, hope to meet one day..... Owen Lancaster (Class O)                                                                                                                                                                 

Hi Owen, glad you're getting back into the hobby, I don't think the J77 kit is too far behind today's kits, it was a long way ahead of the game then in one important aspect - clear Instructions and diagrams! I built one many years ago and am currently building another that Jonathan found a while back, see my workbench thread link in my signature. 

[jwealleans]

Hallo Owen, Nice to hear from you and thank you for your kind comments. Paul has beaten me to saying that he has now started that kit - mine still sits in the cupboard - and I'd agree with him, it isn't out of place among today's offerings at all. They're still quite sought after and it's only within the last couple of years that any alternatives have become available for the North Eastern modeller.

[Class O]

I hope you can point me towards some info/photos of bogie sulphate wagons in late lner/br livery c1950., I will be building a couple of parkside kits shortly, I think decals are available....Many thanks Owen......

[jwealleans]

I saw your query elsewhere as well and I did have a quick look around.  The pictures I have (Peter Tatlow's LNER Wagons and LNER Reflections by Nigel Harris) are in LNER livery.  Google only brought up pictures of them on the 'Ashburton Pullman' refuse trains very late in their lives.  I know there are transfers (Modelmaster, I believe) for the BR era and whoever researched those must have found some source material.  Are there any references in the Parkside instructions?

 

You might find pictures in more specialised publications on ICI or Teesside, but I don't have any of those myself.

 

As I recall it's a nice kit to build and a nice looking wagon when complete.  Someone now does a bagged load for it - Unit Models?  I had to make one up myself from Ten Commandments and it weighed a ton.

[Class O]

Thank you I will chase up these leads, not looked in the "new" multi part LNER wagons yet......

[jwealleans]

This week's amusement - a bit of unashamed populism, some more tractors for Thurston. The kids love them at shows. The Lowfits are a bit of a project in their own right (forgive me if you've heard this story before) - I was helping clear a building before demolition and there were two cardboard boxes of model railway gear in a corner. I think they'd come from the Old People's Home next door. Part of the contents were four or five Bachmann Lowfits, some of which had had the decks painted yellow and containers glued on. I removed the containers and most of the paint and then the chassis, which is quite wrong. Parkside will supply sprues for the correct chassis for £4 a wagon and so I now have another 3 correct Lowfits (with a further one to assemble). The buffer beams have to be made up and buffers are from Lanarkshire Models. I've kept the Bachmann livery on the right hand one - the others will have lettering from CCT.

 

 

 

Just for variety, the lower two are in an LMS 3 plank (Parkside) and the scratchbuilt LMS D1986 from back upthread. I've added solebar detail to that with Archers transfers but otherwise the original builder did a very good job.

 

As an aside, you can use the chassis from the PC61 fitted van kit for the Lowfit and then build the van as unfitted with some bodywork changes. There's one of those somewhere earlier in this thread and another in the future projects box.

Edited September 6, 2018 by jwealleans