North Cranford

[M.I.B]

Mike's Models  track  level GW water crane arrived this week.  For the unititiated, the GW had two types of crane- a straight arm version for track level mounting, and a bent armed version for mounting on platforms.  As there are no platforms on the "Shed 2" piece, Mike's excellent version is called for.  The Ratio version is for platform use.

 

I also have some cast whitemetal point levers in the post.

 

I also made yet another trip to Sheffield, and Rails supplied me with another inspection pit (ash pit....) and a Ratio grounded coach, to become a Mess van.

 

All I need to do now is calculate how much ply to buy.......

 

or get distracted by the Narrow Planet number plates which have been etched for me.......

 

I hope that you are healthy and happy.

Edited November 12, 2015 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

Was all fired up yesterday, and then lost enthusiasm when I picked up the paper this morning.

 

I got down to something constructive this afternoon.  Here is a simple "how to" if you are interested:

 

I picked up a new wagon last week when I called into Rails.  This one is my first Oxford wagon.  The colour and owner appealed, so it came home despite the fact that I am currently selling excess stock.........

 

To make a change from the usual coal or stone filling, I decided to fill with sacks. 

 

Firstly I cut a section of plasticard slightly smaller than the wagon.  Into the big box of "loads" and a bag of open sacks was produced.  No idea where these came from.  I removed the moulding excess and decided that they looked better stood upside down. 

 

To prop up  the back row, I made an "L" section out of a wooden coffee stirrer and some unbranded generic "UHU" type glue.  Once this was dry, I just overlaid row upon row, each with a strip of coffee stirrer underneath to add a little height.

For paint I used the same technique as I do for uniforms - three similar colours, mixing up as I go. 

Just like US TV system  NTSC  (never the same colour).

Application was easy - paint one at a time - always left to right so that any over brushing landed on the next one to do.

The plasticard base and coffee stirrers were given a brushing with the closest colout to the inside of the wagon.  Helps to make the base "disappear" when fitted inside.

Wagon will get an airbrush weather when I do the next batch, and it will be easy to drop out the contents to avoid overspray.

 

I hope you are all healthy and happy.

 

Vive la France

Edited November 15, 2015 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

Still no time spent on the NPCCS, but the missing C handles and handrail wire have only just turned up today.   Rather than starting anything new, I have been doing a couple of planning type jobs t finish them off.

 

Firstly I completed the measurments for the main North Cranford - baseboard sizes, "reaches" track required etc.  That's maybe for another post.

 

Today I finished the cutting list for "Shed 2".  From this I have selected the timber and board required.   I abused modern technology to make this planning  a little easier.  I went along to my local DIY mega store and took phone photos of the price tickets, which show dimensions of different sixes of 9mm ply, and 22x50 batten. 

 

I calculated each board size starting with the measurements of the "diorama" base as laid out on the carpet the other day.  I then added the depth of the back scene and then added the depth of the backscene supporting battens.  The result was the size of the baseboard.  This then became these 2 basic drawings:

 

Plan

Front view.

 

I haven't counted for a ply top cover or a ply front cover, but the side and rear battens are designed to support battens if a future lid is needed.

 

And to finish, I then wrote down the number of the relevant sheets and battens to be purchased, and took a photo of the list, so it's on my phone when I go shopping.  Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

 

The winds are howling around Phear House this evening,  I hope you are all healthy and happy (and in full possession of your trees and slates tomorrow morning) - I missed the big 1987 storms as I was living in Australia 

[M.I.B]

I was in the workshop this afternoon looking at some of the other smaller tasks to finish off before I delve into the  "Shed 2" build.   The NPCCS work beckoned because the C handles and a new pack of handrail wire arrived in the post this week.

 

Sad news:

 

Another 2  RTR carriages have parted company with their brass sides.  

That leaves 2 out of the original 7 glues with Araldite.  And they are now highly suspect.   A bit of a kick in the proverbials to be honest......£10 each for a boxed RTR coach and £20 ish for a set of brass sides - the wrong side of £200 now looking very sorry for itself.

 

I will let a project "cat out of the bag" - through another post I purchased two "RTR with brass sides" coaches semi finished from Mike "Coachbogie" on here.

Here they are

a C68 excursion open and a C71 excursion open. 

They will be used to make up a very random excursion rake, along with the lake clerestory and one or two mixed coaches - a real mix up of "if it rolls, couple it up behind a 47XX and get it off to the beach/races/football match...."  I sold off my kit 47XX, so "Please Mr Heljan, get making the new 47XX soon..."

 

These two  have been stored in the same places as my projects, and they are still rock solidly fixed.   Mike uses Evostick.........(other evil glue sniffing materials are available....)

 

So all is not lost.  I will extract/remove all of the sides, chip off the Araldite and Superglue, as well as any auto body filler in the sides, and get ready for a very smelly afternoon with Bostik's finest.

 

But that can wait - I have more fun project work to clear up first..........

Edited November 18, 2015 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

So, the next "small job".......the etches from Narrow Planet have arrived.   One etch containing just the cabside numbers that I wanted to turn the remainder of the stock into engines from or near to, or plausibly working into and out of West London.

I also took the opportunity to order a pair of numbers for the new 94XX and the Heljan 47XX ready for their arrival in 2020......all packed away in a sealed bag in case they rot away before they are needed.............

 

Sadly I missed the chance to add the order for my two 93XX series moguls, so that order went in today.

 

Top marks to Narrow Planet ( no link etc) - easy to use simple website, design the plates you want, they send you a draft of the etch, you OK the etch, and it arrives.   And very very very cheap too. £7 posted for two pairs of plates ordered today.  Forgot what the big batch cost, but it was very very respectable. And the best thing is that you can pay by Paypal - not the silly "verified by visa"/Sage Pay debarcle you get with some e-commerce sites.

 

Here's the workpile:  (from memory as I type - 2 Moguls, 2251 and ROD tender, a 28XX in black, 56XX, 65XX, 72XX............and perhaps another)

So it's plates on most of these tomorrow, a detailing pack to fit to the 72XX, coal to add to the 56XX and the 65XX.   

 

Then it must be time to get the airbrush out for these, and the engines in the Cabinet, and some rolling stock....

 

But not this weekend.  Prepare for snow in the northern regions of LMS and LNER territory.....................

 

I'm just off out to the workshop to put the finishing touches to this (taken earlier this morning).

This is the grounded van body for Shed 2.  An old Triang van by the looks of it.  It's now very grubby, with what looks to be a freshly bitumin'd roof care of some thick Revel "Tar Black" and an old scrubby brush.  It went on like the real thing.  Just going to paint the "sleepers" underneath it - I think these came from Costa.............

Edited November 19, 2015 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

Outstanding job #57     "The Tarp'd Van"    I have meant to do one for a while, and as I said on Robin's ANTB epic layout thread, it's something often seen but seldom modelled.

 

I have tarp'd a few open wagons, but never showing tie down ropes, so I thought the van project would be a chance to do this enhancement.   For heavy guage wire rope I use saddlery thread:

but this works out to be a scale 1.5" thick (so it's correct for the two 75 ton cranes I have done {another thing to catch up on}  ) but for simple "rope" I tend to use domestic sewing thread. 

I never do more than a half reef knot to secure scale rope or cable: a half reef "left over right, and then tuck under right"   with a tiny dod of Superglue usually does the trick well.

 

So this afternoon I took one Airfix PO van.   Firstly I sliced off the roof vents and drip rails to make glueing the tarp on a little easier.  Simple scalpel job.

Then I masked the running gear as well as a couple of the numbers and printed details on the sides.   I know that there will be a slight mismatch on colour, but by the time I airbrush weather these, the numbers will be barely visible, let alone a slight colour difference.    Once masked I used a spray can of Humbrol 67 tank grey.  One of the shades I use for GWR grey.

For tarps I use the ready made ones from Smiths.  But never out of the packet. I usually black out the edges with a marker pen, and also the numbering.  There are only a couple of numbers in the range, so rather than keep repeating them, a few un-numbered versions appear on my stock.....the difference in colour after using the marker pen disappears when the weathering goes on.

Before they go on, they also get a scrumpling up and a flatten out - adds to the texture.

Then a smear of generic glue ( UHU type) on the roof, edges, and the top mm or two of the sides....I made sure there was no excess or dry part by using a coffee stirrer to "butter" it with.

Tarp on the top....pressing down to expel air and get is "sort of" straight.   Then I added a few HMRS press-fix decals.  They look a little too "shiney" but they'll soften down when the airbrush goes into action.

Once the decals are on, fold the tarp corners like a present being wrapped.........but don't secure the corner flaps down just yet..

Now the bit you do fast...

 

I tied the "rope" around the buffers, dod of super glue, and left the excess until later.

 

Then stetched the "rope" tight accross the wagon to where it would meet the opposite corner of the tarp, and then left a little bit more before cutting it to length. Tiny dod of "UHU" to secure the rope and also the corner of the rope down too....

.......and an elastic band for a bit of 'position control'...

Then it was just a matter of trimming the excess "rope" off the buffer ends.  

 

I was going to tough up the grey with a brush, but where the "UHU" fumes had softened the paint some red oxide colour showed through. Odd because the PO van was grey-ish!  So I left the paint a bit crinkly and rusty around one of the end vents, and a spot of two on the side.   

 

And here is the result, already in the Cabinet.

 

 

Cabinet is now full, which means the airbrush will be going on next week.   I will then leave the stock to be admired for a while, before boxing it, and finding another load to be weathered.

 

 

I hope you are all happy and healthy.  Have a great weekend.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2015 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

Work continues on the "brass sides on to RTR".      I did consider deliberatly stripping the sides of the K22 and the K36 off following the failure of the 5 others in the batch.  However after a bit of bending and manipulation, the sides stayed put, so work on these 2 continues....

 

I finished the water tank removal and roof repairs to the C68 and C71 using auto filler.  One water tank remains to service the single convenience.

 

These two roofs were to be painted in Railmatch "Weather Black".

Prior to using the aerosol, I brush painted the "difficult" areas with Revell "Anthracite".  This gives good coverage around the detail where aerosols tend to go a little "thin"  (vents and handrails and tank edges). 

I believe that this "thin-ness" is caused by the inbound paint and solvent blowing away the paint which has just landed.  In my younger days I would just have kept layering the paint on to get everything covered, however, thick paint on other areas hides details such as panels, rivets etc.

I have a couple of different "blacks" to match 4 aerosol blacks for roofs.......The two full brakes were sprayed plain matt black using Halfords' aerosols.  The reason they may seem shiny is that they have just been painted and de-masked in this shot.

Next step is to fill a couple of moulded holes in the K36, and it'll be time to primer their sides.   The excusion stock has been primered to suitthefinal liveries - one is to become dull brown and the other chocolate and cream.

Edited November 25, 2015 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

So the 47XX arrival at NC takes another step closer following Heljan's price announcement at Warley this weekend. 

 

My C71 has been finished and awaits weathering.   The other three are on their final coat of chocolate tonight.  Then touch in some cream tomrrow, before logos and lining, followed by Dullcote and glazing.

 

No close ups until weathered, but here are a couple, with and without flash. 

The 3/4 view has an air of summerlate evening........strange because it's pitch black and a howling wind outside with gales expected.

 

Finally a quick clear out - HMRS "pressfix"  OO guage logos not required for my era of Nth Cranford up for grabs. 

PMs please with wishes/dibs etc.  There are a couple of groups - Garter logo era, Ocean Mails lettering, Shirtbutton logos for engines, and ancient GWR script "GWR" monograms. Also a load of engine lining.  Please only take these if you can use them.

 

 

I hope you are all happy and healthy on this Warley weekend.

[M.I.B]

Sorry for no updates but I have been sorting parcels for Royal Mail (on minimum wage) to earn a Christmas crust and to get out of the house.   The parcels are still coming thick and fast, so probably not more posts this side of Yule.

 

I wish you all a brilliant Festive Season wherever you are and whatever you are up to.

 

You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry.

You'd better not pout: I'm telling you why.............

 

See you all bright and early in 2016.

[380John]

Some very nice work as usual!

 

All the very best for the festive season!!

 

Merry Christmas

 

John

[M.I.B]

Thanks John.

 

As usual I am rushing this aft and forgot to post this..... a pic  or two from the "avant garde" tree at Chateaux M.I.B........

 

Amongst the wollen Guardsman, Jamie the Fairy I bought in Greenwich Village,  and Shaun the Sheep, is the best part left over when my Mainline Manor did " the axle thing" the other year.....

 

Edited December 19, 2015 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

Happy New Year to one and all.

 

I have been busy trudging the internet looking for work, but still found some time to plot and plan and finish off some ongoing work.

 

I have also started and finished a project unforseen a month ago........

 

Firstly the "brass sides onto RTR" work:

These two carriages were purchased partially finished by Mike "Coach bogie" on here.  The C68 and C71 excursion opens.

No close ups until they are weathered, just like all the rest.  The cabnet is full because it is too cold to fire up the compressor in the garage.

Both are now lettered and glazed and ready for dirt.....

 

as is the K22 on a Mainline body

and the K36 full brake only needs to be glazed tonight before popping on it's chassis.

 

I have a Hornby TPO and a TSO converted from a TPO.  These were seen a few pages back.  With the NRM offering the Hornby Railroad Night Mail TPO for £9.99, I could not resist building another TSO for the mail train.  Especially as I sold the chassis and working guts from the TPO for £12.50 on Ebay.   And here it is: 

Quick bit of plastic-card, some paint, some decal removal with a glass fibre pen, and HMRS logos added.    Plus a black painted roof and offset corridors as per the original.  Having spent a few hours in December hand sorting letters and cards for the Royal Mail, this was made as a happy reminder of some fun and banter which I enjoyed for 3 or so weeks.

 

Some new arrivals in late 2015:

The Bachmann RONUK tanker - more pleasing on the eye than the Mainline/Hornby one, which is realistic in it's (gaudy) livery.

And the Bachmann Devonshire Eggs van - which has come up the Withered Arm and ended  at North Cranford.

This Dapol wagon was issued with the early large lettering and incorrect black ironwork.  It also comes with the plank load from the factory.   So decals and paint, and it's sorted for 1948-ish:

 

Hope 2016 brings you all something you wish for.

 

Plans for 2016 include a weedkiller train,

another Hall perhaps,

or maybe a Saint....

Also more work on the PW train,

and a re-start on the full brake disasters with brass sides.

Hornby's Collett coaches are due, and I have 4 on pre order - at least one will be repainted in Austerity brown.

4700 and 9400 are also due, and pre-ordered.

 

And not forgetting work starting onthe  "Shed 2" diorama/photo plank/shunting puzzle/inglenook.....

 

On the day when you should have taken your Christmas decorations down......I hopeyou are happy and healthy.

Edited January 11, 2016 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

The 43XXs finally got their new 93XX numbers this week courtesy of Narrow Planet, so they join the weathering pile in the cabinet.

 

Just as I was having a tidy I found the rest of the etch for the K36, including lots of droplight frames and window grilles.   I am usually painfully organised so I have no idea how and why these were not fitted.    So the paintbrushes were out last night, and I may finish the K36 tonight after a little delay.

 

On the day when David Bowie went to join Lemmy and Ed Stewpot, I hope you are happy and healthy.

 

 

We can be heroes,

just for one day.............

Edited January 11, 2016 by M.I.B

[County of Yorkshire]

I'm currently thinking about thinking starting on some Comet coach side Bachmann sunshine coach overlays. One question I do have M.I.B is what transfers did you use for the waist lining on the C68? I attempted to use some HMRS coach lining transfers around 6 months ago for the full coach length on a 60ft 1929 stock CK - it was a nightmare to align, and in the end, the transfer simply didn't adhere! Do you have any advice? Would you, for example, do the waist lining in two or even three separate sections? 

 

Some very, very nice pieces of stock you have there by the way!

 

Cheers, 

 

CoY

[M.I.B]

Sorry for the delay in replying CofY.

 

I always use HMRS pressfix type for lining on coaches and engines.  I do the work in one run of line.  Here is how I manage:

 

I wipe lightly over the body with IPA on a tisue or kitchen roll. 

Then cut the line complete off the transfer sheet. 

I peel off the backing paper leaving only the thin translucent carrier paper/tape.

I plant one end firmly in place and anchor it with a thumb, and plant the other end in place. I tend to leave a little exess hanging over and round onto the carriage end which gets trimmed off when it's all finished.  Not a problem with HMRS lines and 58' stock.  It would be an issue for 70' stock, but use the same principle and choose to meet the 2 pieces of lining in a convenient place such as a door edge.

The line then tends to be straight if the carrier tape is narrow.

Press the second end down firmly and then apply pressure along the length of the line BUT don't dislodge the "start" .

Once you are happy slightly moisten the carrier tape with water and a paintbrush, and press line down again.

Once you are happy, coat the carrier tape with a paint brush full of water until the carrier tape disappears.  

Prod a section of carrier tape perpendicular to the line, with the paintbrush.  If the tape moves freely, remove, press down any errant area again, and blot off gently with the kitchen roll you used for the IPA.

 

TY for your kind comments about the stock.   There is still so much more in the loft in crates.  Most of the coaching stock has been seen on here now and is weathered.   I think all of the locos can be seen on these pages, some in detail and some in a group shot in the workshop, as ongoing work.    But there is so much goods stock to weather, as well as a 2 heavy crane breakdown train which isn't small.   Summer's coming............

 

Best wishes

Edited January 13, 2016 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

Brass sides onto RTR-you have to use Evostick on both sides and press together.  Any other method is asking for failure - I have 5 full brakes in the workshop needed recovery after Araldite and Superglue failed to do the job properly.

[aac]

Brass sides onto RTR-you have to use Evostick on both sides and press together.  Any other method is asking for failure - I have 5 full brakes in the workshop needed recovery after Araldite and Superglue failed to do the job properly.

Have you tried HAFIXS? Fearsome strength as long as you intend the glued area to stay glued in future!

 

aac

[M.I.B]

Not tried, but the C68 and C71 were glued with Evostick "on both sides" and they are very solid indeed.

 

So I will do that as there is already a pot of "huffer's delight" in the shed.

 

thanks.

Edited January 13, 2016 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

Much good news at North Cranford:

 

1.   47XX pre ordered today.  

 

2.    Had already put the money away with Premium Bonds at a price discussed on the 47XX post on here.  Turns out to be a lot less so I have inadvertantly covered the cost of the 4 Collett coaches when they arrive.

 

3.   Bags are packed after a lunchtime email.  Awaiting Visa and flight tickets for a quick trip to the big sandpit for some well paid work for a few weeks.  But I have been in this position many times since July 15...........so a new Hornby Grange, and a new Hornby Saint,   and a handmade black Harris tweed 3 piece suit are still on hold.........

 

On the sad day when we lost Alan Rickman, I hope you are all happy and healthy.

Edited January 16, 2016 by M.I.B

[380John]

That TSO is a fine job, looks very good. I have the original TPO and wished it looked like your TSO!

 

Have fun in the sand!

 

John

[M.I.B]

Thanks John - such an easy conversion from TPO to TSO and I came out in profit on the two occaisions I have done it.  Can't complain at that. 

 

Trip on "pause" yet again - visa issues and seat availability is a problem.....

[380John]

Might have a crack at that myself looks well worth the added effort.

 

Know the feeling, jumping on flights to get to different ships and home again was never simple for me!

 

John

[M.I.B]

WOW - snuck over the 6000 post mark this weekend and I didn't notice.  I have been busy tidying up the less important "loose ends" before I go away.

 

I often leave at short notice and have to prioritise the outstanding jobs.   None left now, other than to show you the K36. 

It has been de-glazed, had drop lights fitted, re-glazed, and then had window grilles added.   2 evening's work:

This was once upon a time a Hornby 57' corridor offering in chocolate and cream.   The brass sides are Dart Castings.

This has certainly been the most fiddly, especially the glazing.  But it has also been the most satisfying.  Remember back a page or two (post 111)  and this was one of the vehicles where the Hornby "square" coach end, and the curved brass side were at odds with each other.  So car filler was used to blend the two together.

 

Here is the result:

 

Corny I know, but there are none so far on North Cranford - so this one is fine with me: the guard and the dropped window........

 

I look forward to seeing this on the end of a milk tanker train, or a long rake of horseboxes as a "raceday special".  Or at the end of a rake of NPCCS.....

 

Once it is heavily weathered of course......and a micro touch up to some paint.....

 

I hope you are all happy and healthy.

Edited January 19, 2016 by M.I.B

[john dew]

Super job MIB. I am very envious......there are so many rakes where one needs a brake van like this......maybe Hornby will release one as a follow up to the Collet Bow ends?

 

Hope you have a successful trip

 

Best wishes

 

John

[M.I.B]

Thanks John, 

 

I fully agree - full brakes were a huge part of the GW coaching inventory only very partially satisfied recently by Hornby Hawksworths.  And they are only of use to late late GW and BR(W) modellers.   But never anything older than that............

 

And they can be used with all sorts of formations.  passenger, milk, parcels, race specials, fruit and veg vans, and still my favourite is the "sweeper" as seen on the 47XX Society page:  the 47XX at Taunton being used to collect up a huge mix of random XP rated stock to bring back East for more work - vans, a CORDON. a restaurant - a real mix up.

 

So I now have three "in the bag" and a further 5 to finish.  Perhaps by this time next year.   Hopefully I will be too busy working.....