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Henley-on-Thames - GWR in the 1930's


Neal Ball
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3 hours ago, checkrail said:

Very nice train of vans there Neal.


Thanks John, although I think I have the makings of two trains :-) Can you have too many Brown vans?

 

I have them all in the garden at the moment, ready to start spraying the roofs.

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I'll second that, it is a very nice train of vans and I'll be interested in seeing what you do with the roofs.

Although they are probably a little oversized for my layout, I have a couple of bogie vans, a Siphon F amongst others.  I like the outside framed vehicles, so rule 1 applies. :D

 

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3 hours ago, MrWolf said:

I'll second that, it is a very nice train of vans and I'll be interested in seeing what you do with the roofs.

Although they are probably a little oversized for my layout, I have a couple of bogie vans, a Siphon F amongst others.  I like the outside framed vehicles, so rule 1 applies. :D

 

 

Thanks very much for that.

 

The vans roofs are now dark grey, with a few a lighter shade of dark grey! They are now scattered across several seed tray cloche type containers to keep the dust off them!

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Its not high-tech!

 

This is my "spray booth" in the back garden under a gazebo.

1864572887_Sprayingcarriages18-10-21.jpg.01e469b2eb910b9fcf19dc429672bf7c.jpg

 

In total I have done something like 15 carriage and van roofs; at least 6 cattle wagons and finally the platform canopy has been painted.

 

As well as the roofs, a few carriages have had sleeper grime liberally sprayed onto the underframe.

 

For the carriage roofs, I have used Vallejo Black/Grey and a lighter shade of black grey. 

 

Overall a very productive day.

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Re: Kadee order.

However, the slight sour note from today was that I opened the 6 packets of Kadee NEM 18 - Medium couplings....

 

Only to find that there are only 6 couplings that I could use, the remaining ones either had rust on the hook, or the knuckle was covered in mould.

831971975_Kadeecouplings-Faulty.jpg.ec21eb9570219d7999ffd8a974206b2e.jpg

 

I have left them out of the packets in the railway room to see if the mould will dissipate, but clearly that won't deal with the rust. I've emailed the model shop in Spain and await their response.

 

Re: Parcels:

In more positive news both my parcels were delivered to the UK today.

 

Bif has already messaged to say he is looking at the decoder and hopes to come back to me soon.

 

However, although UPS have given me proof of delivery, Mike at Greenwood hasn't even replied to yesterdays email to advise it was going to be delivered today at some point. Hopefully he can fix the control gear soon and I can at last get a working turntable at Henley on Thames.... 

 

It's almost a year since I first messaged Mike....at that time he said I could have it by Christmas.... So it's now a Year to get a working turntable for Henley. (My first chase email to him was on 23rd November 2020).

 

Onwards and Upwards.... 

 

April 2022 edit: It would be a few months yet before the turntable would be fully working.... I'll leave this sunflower here to cheer everyone up!

 

Sunflower.jpg.75c47392dd5a9eec3133a2130f331c7a.jpg

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2 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Another productive day at Henley on Thames:

You’re not kidding!  Great stuff.  Love seeing variegated assortments of GW stock in brown and cream.  I think you made the right decision in getting rid of the white roofs too.  Yes, you see the odd one in pre-war photos, newly outshopped, but on a model it might just stand out like a sore thumb.

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9 minutes ago, checkrail said:

You’re not kidding!  Great stuff.  Love seeing variegated assortments of GW stock in brown and cream.  I think you made the right decision in getting rid of the white roofs too.  Yes, you see the odd one in pre-war photos, newly outshopped, but on a model it might just stand out like a sore thumb.


Plus of course there would have been a variation as the lead paint is turning colour, mixed with the soot and smoke of the engine…. But what colour is that? How to replicate it and of course someone would say it’s not quite right!

 

I just hope the turntable comes together in a productive fashion as well!

 

Have a good evening.

Regards, Neal.

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Re: Wheels.

 

I am in the middle of placing an order with wizard models and need some advice please.

 

The ex-Lima Siphon G; I am going to replace the BR Mk 1 bogies with GWR 9ft pressed steel ones.... but what size wheels do i need? 

 

Thanks.

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34 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

Re: Wheels.

 

I am in the middle of placing an order with wizard models and need some advice please.

 

The ex-Lima Siphon G; I am going to replace the BR Mk 1 bogies with GWR 9ft pressed steel ones.... but what size wheels do i need? 

 

Thanks.

 

Ive just been reading the Siphons page in the GWR section: 

It looks like i need 12.5mm to clear the underframe

 

 

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1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

Re: Wheels.

 

I am in the middle of placing an order with wizard models and need some advice please.

 

The ex-Lima Siphon G; I am going to replace the BR Mk 1 bogies with GWR 9ft pressed steel ones.... but what size wheels do i need? 

 

Thanks.

 

46 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

 

Ive just been reading the Siphons page in the GWR section: 

It looks like i need 12.5mm to clear the underframe

 

 

Go for the 14mm ones, modify the bogie pivot (easy) and cut away bit of the floor to clear the flanges (almost as easy). You won't regret it.

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2 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

 

Go for the 14mm ones, modify the bogie pivot (easy) and cut away bit of the floor to clear the flanges (almost as easy). You won't regret it.

 

I was about to type that myself! As John says, go for the 14mm.

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Yup! As Trevor and St E have said, go for the 14mm and cut out bits of floor to accommodate.  As they say, easily done and looks much better.  Having just had a look at the underside of mine I see that that’s exactly what I did. (One forgets!)l

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10 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

 

Go for the 14mm ones, modify the bogie pivot (easy) and cut away bit of the floor to clear the flanges (almost as easy). You won't regret it.

 

10 hours ago, TrevorP1 said:

 

I was about to type that myself! As John says, go for the 14mm.

 

1 minute ago, checkrail said:

Yup! As Trevor and St E have said, go for the 14mm and cut out bits of floor to accommodate.  As they say, easily done and looks much better.  Having just had a look at the underside of mine I see that that’s exactly what I did. (One forgets!)l


Oh!

Thanks very much guys….

 

I will have to source some 14mm then…. My Wizard order has just been shipped, I will have to get some when we fly into the UK in a couple of weeks. I’m sure I can use the 12mm for something else….

 

Thanks again.

 

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The Western Times.

Apparently issue 2 is being printed as I type and is due in stock at Transport Treasury next week:

 

The bookazines can be found here:

 

https://ttpublishing.co.uk/transport-books/western-region-railways/

 

129164036_WesternTimesVol2.jpg.f77f2520c075722e9e03552d4e6ec023.jpg

edit April 2022: Issue 3 is due out later this month... I have taken out a subscription, so hopefully it arrives through customs ok.

 

160240541_WesternTimesvol3.jpg.276f9d5ed88a7df8c46449c367fb236b.jpg

 

The front cover shows GWR mogul 2-6-0 no 7304 which when new in 1934 was allocated to Severn Tunnel Junction.

 

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Workbench update:

I’ve got replacement bogies on order from Comet for two of my Siphon G vans.

I am therefore taking the opportunity to paint out the (ex-Lima) Palethorpes branding, but keeping the printed GWR shirt button etc graphics. Once the new bogies are fitted, I will be weathering the whole van.

 

At the same time I have been painting the Python van into the correct GWR brown.

IMG_8873.jpeg.e51092b9474f3205de8575d1ee84d874.jpeg

 

Then my Comet E152/153 has had some touching up of the cream and initial transfers added.

IMG_8874.jpeg.4b6fec008fc04790deba3dafc06d21be.jpeg

 

The transfers drove me mad! Admittedly they are quite old…. So I have ordered new ones from Fox transfers and will pause this until they arrive.

 

The only one that went on without incident was the “Guard”; both the First and Third are a little squify! They will be replaced and I will add the number…. 6490 as I have a photo of it at Henley… in which case it will be a E153.

 

For some reason, which is lost in the midst of time, there is only 1 1/4” difference across the door handles between the two diagrams.

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Bachmann sunshine carriages being fitted with Kadee couplers:

 

I am still in the process of fitting couplings to my carriages (all the locos are done) and last night, I pulled a carriage onto the workbench ready to fit a new coupling.

 

At the same time carriages are being prepared into rakes for the timetable - hence the post it notes!

 

Obviously the carriages have been bought at different times and the centre carriage was already converted. This is Brake compo no 6421 and was bought as a post war liveried carriage and will be changed to shirtbutton livery. A few years ago this carriage’s interior was painted up, populated and lights added.

 

This uses a standard Kadee gear box and a medium coupling ref 28 it’s called centreset as the coupling is in the centre of the shaft….

 

I don’t have any number 28 in stock, so I thought a temporary fix might be needed until new parts arrive from the states…..

 

But when I lined no 6609 up against the height gauge and tried to use a different centerset coupling, that was too high! I have therefore used a no 29 Long Overset (coupling hangs below the shaft) how bizarre! Two carriages, same manufacture, yet different heights….

 

I am about to do another 6609 so wonder what I will need!

 

Importantly they both work…. I might need to move the right hand one further into the bogie…

IMG_8875.jpeg.dc7e4523194d49f4018788dbb3cfd5fa.jpeg

 

The two different “Sunshine” Compo Brakes make an interesting comparison with the E153 affording an extra compartment:

 

IMG_8876.jpeg.d27af405be58a3f41f7b1e20c92e7de7.jpeg

 

These are the parts I use to change the couplings…. I have three boxes of various parts, including normal NEM couplings, then various parts to make up a “Gear box” with the brass item being the spring. Plus of course the all important height gauge.

 

I can easily get NEM parts from model shops in Spain, but if I want the range of boxes and couplings I’m using here, then they have to come from the States. I posted a couple of weeks ago that I had an issue with some NEM no 18 medium couplings that had arrived and were mouldy and/or rusty. I’m pleased to say they’ve all been replaced and new stock received.

 

Hopefully that is of use @Andy Keane who is going to use Kadees on his Helton layout.

 

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H44 Restaurant carriage.
 

Today has had two coats of Vallejo primer….

 

Its had loads of filler previously applied, so I can now see the remains areas that need some work. I’ll see how it dries overnight and take it from there.

 

Inside the usual cloche!

 

1215242320_H44insidecloche.jpeg.19f8f8b13bf04a5a5c735ce008de1860.jpeg

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1 hour ago, TrevorP1 said:

Sympathies with couplings Neal. I know from experience that it can be a frustrating and expensive business.


I keep saying that this is the last batch ordered from the States, but it doesn’t quite work out like that.

 

I can get NEM here in Spain and in the past have got some from Germany…. However, everyone seems to be out of stock of no 19 at the moment!

 

I don’t understand why shops here don’t stock the normal gearbox versions in Medium and Long…. Ho hum!

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3 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

I might need to move the right hand one further into the bogie

I was surprised to see how far apart you have the two carriages in the photo. I have Kadee'd my Hornby Colletts and they are closer together than the two in the photo. Do you have some particularly sharp radii to negotiate?

 

Yours,  Mike.

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17 hours ago, KingEdwardII said:

I was surprised to see how far apart you have the two carriages in the photo. I have Kadee'd my Hornby Colletts and they are closer together than the two in the photo. Do you have some particularly sharp radii to negotiate?

 

Yours,  Mike.


Off scene yes possibly, but that gap is still too large!

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Re: H44 Centenary 1st class Restaurant carriage.

 

After two coats of Vallejo white primer and a night spent in the cloche, I am very pleased how it has turned out.

 

2040855114_H4428-10-21.jpeg.e9194a496efd40856a2695cd003fbbf5.jpeg

I have found a couple of places that need a bit more filler, which has duly been done….. 

 

Then I need to add the extra footboards under the Kitchen doors, water tank vents and when the parts arrive, the missing roof vent and the Dynamo.

 

The underframe and ends will be sprayed black ( I can then remove the post-it notes that are covering the wheels!), followed by the roof etc.

 

I’ve been using Vallejo Black / Grey for my roof, but it was out of stock when I placed my recent order. I received London Grey, so might try that instead…. Although I think it might be a bit too light.

 

Either way, I’m very pleased with the model. It’s taken years to get to this stage… there are a few issues that I will live with, but this is going to be a great addition to the railway.
 

Roll on the next carriage…. Which will be the Restaurant 3rd, using sides from Comet affixed onto an Airfix Centenary carriage.

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