Will's 1990ish Projects

[dj_crisp]

It's been a while since I've done any modelling to speak of (other than frustrations with DCC but that doesn't count!). During a moment of madness I thought I'd attempt to change the destination blinds on my bubblecar as Bachmanns version is set back a bit far. So I thought I'd experiment with some paper and divider plastic;

 

 

 

 

Took a bit of patience TBH cutting and sticking these together!

 

 

 

I'm a bit happier with the revised destination and it's printed quite well. On reflection I've probably got my measurements a bit wrong and got the depth of the bottom a bit wrong - something I'll attempt to refine next time! Somewhere between Bachmann and my efforts will look better.

 

 

I think it'll ultimately be worth the effort and be better next time! Truth be told I don't think the 121s actually had destinations in my area and era for this bubble - but it looked a bit weird blank.

 

In order to illuminate them I've scraped off the old destination from the light guide and put on some clear; then used a spot of paint to reduce the brightness. Seems to work;

 

 

##

 

 

Anyhow putting this up was really an excuse to wish you all Merry Christmas and plently of happy festivities! Have a good one!!

 

cheers

Will

 

 

[Rich Papper]

I think you've got the brightness spot on, and they do look better further forward. I do really need another bubble.

I've never managed to get a good photo of the ones I made lit up. Poor camera / shaky hands / lack of patience (probably all three!).

Have a good Christmas.

Rich

[NickL2008]

Hi Will, destinations look good, I see youve stuck with the Bachmann bodies rather than the Dapol ones? I finally took your advice and have two ready for merging together for my NSE and blue and Grey ones

 

NL

[dj_crisp]

2 hours ago, Rich Papper said:

I think you've got the brightness spot on, and they do look better further forward. I do really need another bubble.

I've never managed to get a good photo of the ones I made lit up. Poor camera / shaky hands / lack of patience (probably all three!).

Have a good Christmas.

Rich

 

Have a great Christmas Rich!

Everyone needs a bubble.. or two... or more :)

 

 

 

 

[dj_crisp]

1 hour ago, NickL2008 said:

Hi Will, destinations look good, I see youve stuck with the Bachmann bodies rather than the Dapol ones? I finally took your advice and have two ready for merging together for my NSE and blue and Grey ones

 

NL

 

For me there's not much between the two. Personally I prefer the headcode box of Bachmanns 121 but that's easily flattened off on Dapols which has the advantage of representation of the roof welds. If I were to do an unrefubished 121 I think I'd start with Dapol as they haven't done the side grilles off memory. I look forward to see your efforts!

 

Merry Xmas!

[dj_crisp]

Well January 2023 has been the month where i seem to catch every cold going - which has been a real drag on modelling time. Anyhow I've managed a few bits;

 

Weathered the underframe of my 121 DTS which i started last year but my airbrusher died just after starting so I've done this mostly with a brush using arcylics 

 

 

 

It's now ready for transfers and then a coat of varnish. Final finishing will be some improved front windows and etched windscreen wipers.

 

And my 118 is being a test bed for using York laser cut corridor connectors;

 

 

 

Having a gap really bugs me so something flexible is my preferred options. I've thought about  better attempts but ended up trying these which were really quick to make. My only ajustment is thinning the end plastic rubbing plate. I then triied to install a rain cover using binliner which seems to have shrunk a little overnight

 

 

 

The retaining bars are the original Bachmann and are just floating - I think I'd stiffen the connector too much by applying it so hopefully it looks ok.

 

Cheers for reading

 

 

 

 

[lyneux]

Sorry to hear you've been under the weather Will.

 

Those corridor connections look superb! Can you take a pic of the ends with the unit uncoupled? It would be good to see what they look like end-on.

 

Cheers,

 

Guy

[dj_crisp]

5 hours ago, lyneux said:

Sorry to hear you've been under the weather Will.

 

Those corridor connections look superb! Can you take a pic of the ends with the unit uncoupled? It would be good to see what they look like end-on.

 

Cheers,

 

Guy

Thanks Guy and happy new year to you!

 

I took this one earlier which hopefully shows the ends and magnetic couplings.

 

One plus for me is how quick they were to put together although I'm not sure the bin liner hoods have totally worked. Will be giving them a good test on some curves soon.

 

Cheers

Will

 

[Chris56057]

Hi Will,

 

Wishing you a speedy recovery. 

 

The corridor connections look spot on and really add to the model. I also really like the subtle weathering along the underframe - lovely work. 

 

Chris

[dj_crisp]

It's been a while since i posted anything and even longer since I posted about a loco but finally I'm in the finishing straight with a few of my Hornby 56s. 56049 is the most advanced so thought I'd post some test shots;

 

 

 

I've been working on trying to improve the face of the loco which hopefully looks a bit more refined. It's had the full shawplan treatment but probably the best improvement was simply reducing the headlight body size and drillling a 2mm hole and fitting some new light guides. I've tried to also suggest the frame of the loco exists inside so the cab windows by adding so plastikard inside. Lights have been fun to install (not) and now they're all warm white efforts and so look much more like the prototype, Originally I had planned on fitting cab lights but seeing as this loco isn't really in keeping with the layout it's had an ancient LE1025 decoder fitted so i can only get 4 functions out of it. I've ended with direction lights F0 and seperate tails just incase it's ever a light engine. Interestingly the decoder makes the loco really noisy... almost like cheap sound ;)

 

 

I quite like the side profile with the new shawplan side frames fitted which I featured earlier in the thread. To get things to line up I resorted to using the old shawplan etch (which is to scale) for the interior frames with some plastikard. You'll notice the diagonals don't quite line up at each end where they should but i thought the offset centre was more important! 

 

The other side;

 

 

You'll probably notice it's missing some sandboxes... typically I've searced everywhere so they must have vanished to the garage floor somewhere. It was a cheapo second hand loco so maybe i just missed that they were missing. The others were also broken so they've all had splints fitted so should be hard to knock off now. Wheels are Ultrascale 15mm diesel discs purchased when you didn't need to re-mortgage the house to buy them. It's also worth noting that all 3 of my 56s rocked on the centre axle so I've tried to remove this by carefully filing a bit of the centre axle away - seems to work but if it doesn't I'll fit some keen maygibs which i think are a smidge over 14mm.

 

 

The bufferbeams are too bright and so when the weather improves i will get the airbrush out to tone it down. Also plan a bit of fading on the roof and some weathering improvements but for the time being this is nearly a finished project!!

 

The fun thing of working with this model is seeing how much is actually wrong with the Hornby model that the Cavalex project sorts out. There are loads of dimensions that are off but overall I quite like it!

 

Happy Modelling

 

Will

 

[MJI]

On 19/01/2023 at 20:58, dj_crisp said:

Thanks Guy and happy new year to you!

 

I took this one earlier which hopefully shows the ends and magnetic couplings.

 

One plus for me is how quick they were to put together although I'm not sure the bin liner hoods have totally worked. Will be giving them a good test on some curves soon.

 

Cheers

Will

 

 

P480?

 

[dj_crisp]

1 hour ago, MJI said:

 

P480?

 

Very close as it was a candidate!

 

P471

 

 

Not sure I'll add the front window alterations though. Just need to sort out transfers and then improve the front glazing to mine.

[dj_crisp]

I started my 67 a while ago and always thought it'll be a quick project but as things turn out it hasn't been! The two biggies holding up the project was lighting and glazing so a few weeks ago I thought I should just get it finished.

 

 

 

Inspiration came from a shawplan arrival which included some laserglaze. However this joy didn't last long as the version sent must be for the earlier tooling rather than this later version. Not to be defeated I've made my own;

 

 

I admit I didn't fit the front windows right with my first attempt! But after several goes I've managed to hopefully achieve the flush front effect of the real thing. It also has a black band around the windows edge so I've just used a sharpie drawing it freehand (using the edge of the window as a guide). The windows were then fitted with humbrol clear but finally sealed with black paint to hide any gaps. This is the first and probably last time I'll use paint but as I've fitted cab lights i didn't want any leakage. And I also added some sun blinds from scrap black plastikard.

 

 

I'm not entirely happy with the light clusters so fitted some oOI shawplan covers. I plan on painting the surrounds matt black but will do this when I've found my missing one! Theres also a few scuffs from the workbench which I'll tidy up when the airbrush next comes out and the number 6 on one side needs improving so will attempt to mix a shade up soon as I don't have any EWS red paint. Anyhow tidy ups aside this one is near finished cosmetically.

 

Lights! Now this was a difficult project!  Changing from using 1k resistors to 5k or 10k really helped as I haven't blown a LED on this attempt and I seem to have got away with some working lights! I've used Warm white SMD LEDs which have been soldered to some thin copper clad that I've scraped to the shape of the light clusters to. Very bodge it DIY approach!

 

 

Lights are a nice warm white colour but my phone has over exposed them and made them look a bit whiter and brighter than reality. For a bit of punishment I've added some cab lights and radiator lights;

 

 

 

 

The loco is running with a 10 function lok pilot so I've set up separate functions for Markers, Day Headlight, Night Headlight, Tail Light and Cab lights which are independent for each end. Sticky black tac stuff prevents light bleed and in order to fit in my sleeper LED creation a little bit of the chassis has had a little hack. It all just squeezes in but using 0.2mm enamel wire really helps!

 

It's far from perfect but the skip is just about getting there! I really must finish my PCV now... or convert some M2f coaches for it to run with.

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by dj_crisp
duplicate photo

[dj_crisp]

I finished off my regional railways 122 this week by adding in some glazing. While it's not as good as laserglaze hopefully it looks ok!

 

A little out of period for Oldshaw but Guy let me run it in! Cheers Guy!

 

 

Overall I think it needs a good session on the rolling road as I felt the mechanism was a little tight. Will also tone down the lights too.

 

 

The 122 is close to being my favourite DMU. Overall I'm quite pleased how this has turned out.

 

 

A final shot of the bubble sneaking past on of Guys rather splendid signals!

 

 

[dj_crisp]

Oh I couldn't resist sneaking in a 50....

 

And left one hiding ;)

 

[dj_crisp]

A quick update on a few DMU projects on the go.... all are my first prime test shots which show loads of areas needing lots of improvement!

 

I'm attempting a 116 TC bash using a Bachmann 117 centre car and spare Dapol 122 bits. I'm debating on how successful this is going to be. One side is a nice tight fit;

 

 

The other is strangely about 1mm different so I've used some plastikard to fill in the gaps;

 

 

Initial primer blast shows lots of tidying up needed but i think there could be a chance of an ok centre coach. If not i may have a 2nd go with some more  spares. The windows seem the same size which is important but there are small differences in height positions of door bangers and hinges which you don't notice until trying to match them! I'm not sure (well I'm hoping) these will be that noticeable when on the layout though.

 

Also started is the 116 DMS and DMBS. Bachmann 117 bodies with Dapol domes;

 

 

The DMBS has the most work...

 

I might have a go smoothing the join between the dome and the rest of the body but overall I'm quite pleased. Mods include drilling out the Guards door handles, filling in the side vent, changing the vents and thinning the front cab windows. And the big question is.... is t worth removing the window frames from the sides....! A couple of windows need a bit more smoothing but hopefully its not too noticeable that I've filled them off.... and while doing this i did question my sanity as I've now done 3 coaches! Problem is I always seem to create extra work due to knife slips, dropping bodies etc so theres been plenty of fixing my errors too!  

 

And hopefully a fairly straightforward project is a early 70s bubble as I've always wanted to do a blue one with two-character route indicators. I don't have any dimensions but those supplied with the Dapol body don't look tall and thin enough. So a little filing later and I think they look a bit better (original at the bottom);

 

Thinned as much as i dare! Usual mods is an improved roof, new vents, thinned front window ends and the body is hacked down ready to fit a Bachmann chassis.

 

 

And finally the oddball.... 

 

 

First couple of coats of paint on the roof - I'll paint at least one more coat after it has had a day or two to dry so it won't end up this patchy.... until weathering! I like using acrylics to attempt to get a little bit of texture on the roof as Bachmanns factory finish looks too smooth to me. Well thats the excuse for the brush strokes showing!

 

 

Original plan was for a super quick n simple conversion with no respraying needed (other than primer on the roof. But removing the old headcode box caused the front to crack above the windscreen wiper casuing the front to crack. So thats been filed and filed ready for some yellow blending in although my shot of the unit at Penzance on flickr is pretty scruffy so may get away with some weathering! On the other side there is a knife slip which following alot of swear words (to myself ;) )  has been sanded and filled. I seem to have got away with the light grey part of the scratch so just need to feather in some blue. Typically it's on the curve of the lining though so that won't be fun painting that bit. But weathering the roof might be!

 

 

Lots of stuff to keep me busy over the next few months!

 

Enjoy the sunshine!

 

Will

 

 

 

[Rich Papper]

Looking brilliant as usual. Careful with the door bangers. I've left a few different in the past. Always think I'll get away with it, then I start painting the NSE stripes...

Looking forward to more.

Rich

[MJI]

Good luck with the 116 i used lima for mine

[dj_crisp]

12 hours ago, Rich Papper said:

Looking brilliant as usual. Careful with the door bangers. I've left a few different in the past. Always think I'll get away with it, then I start painting the NSE stripes...

Looking forward to more.

Rich

 

Absolutely! I'm trying to do the last all over blue 116 set ;)   Just need to decide which shade of Blue to go for!

 

Cheers

Will

[dj_crisp]

Class 116 update:

 

Well I've decided to have a go at doing a second TC but this time using only Bachmann shells so a TCL & DMS has been hacked. 

 

 

 

 

i have questioned my sanity doing a second one but it does mean the hinges and door bangers line up ;)

 

 

 

The challenge was removing the window frames and keeping it all smooth. An ok job sitting in the garden with a beer but I'm never removing frames again!

 

 

Only the first coat of primer has gone on to help highlight areas for improvement but I think this will be the TC for the 116 set. Not sure what I'll do with the spare as I have no plans for a second 116!

 

The DMBS still needs extra work around the vents so will be smoothing that off, resanding and priming, but i did get the airbrush out the other day and spalshed about some yellow. As my preferred precision yellow has dried up unexpectedly I've mixed up a a new shade based on what yellow paints i have left. My phone camera has made it look a bit brighter than reality!

 

 

And a rarity for me - deliberate (!!) damage applied to the DMS! I plan on modelling the last BR Blue 116 set which managed to stay blue until its demise in the late 80s. However sometime in the 80s it got a whack so I've had a go at representing this. Haven't decided to make it look rusty or leave as is as it did seem to get repainted over. The markers will get tidied up but I've been unable to remove the light guides so rather than break them (as on my NSE 116) I'm leaving them in and will paint the edges at some point.

 

Will

 

 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by dj_crisp
Typos. There's probably more lurking

[The Fatadder]

Looks a very nice job  on the centre car, joints are looking very good!

 

Are you going to be visiting DEMU at the weekend?

[dj_crisp]

3 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

Looks a very nice job  on the centre car, joints are looking very good!

 

Are you going to be visiting DEMU at the weekend?

 

Hi Rich

 

Sadly not - it's an exhibition that I'm going to put in the diary for next year as it looks great and I really want to go... mostly to catch up with everyone!

 

Hope you have a great time - Your layouts looking brill and i'd like to see your china clay wagons someday soon :)

 

Will

[dj_crisp]

Best way to unwind after a days work on the PC.... hack a few centre car interiors about! A trial fit before i glue everything together and prime.

 

 

I had a spare interior from the 121 DTS build so I've combined the two for the 116 TC. I won't be able to use the pin connectors for the interior lights so will use some oldschool wires and hot wire it (well hopefully!) I had to remove a partion wall on the long stretch of the standard class but while not strictly correct in it's seat layout I think the 3 parts will be passable when painted.  

 

Now i just need to add a step in and work out what bits are different on the underframe. It's a pity but there seems to be hardly any photos of such things so I'm going to guess it's fairly similiar excluding the waste pipe

[ess1uk]

Great work on the DMUs

[dj_crisp]

A bit of TC progress. 

 

 

I noticed I missed an interior partition so this has been added from plastikard and then primed with a halfords rattle can. The DMBS & DMS have also been primed so the set will be coloured the same... and hopefully look consistent when the interior lights are on. I'm not sure what the colour should be so I reckon I'll go for a blue. Prior to priming I also hacked the interior about a bit so the body fits where I added some strengthening bits (and handrails!!). Which pleasingly it does fit;

 

 

The body has had handrails and roof vents fitted as well as some tidying up around the joins. Hopefully it looks ok!

 

The other side;

 

 

The roof has had 3 primes and two sand and fill and I think its at the stage where my brush painting will make it look consistent with the DMBS and DMS. I've also added the extra steps (but left it with only one support as i think i could really mess that up), and removed the waste pipes. Thats all the differences I'm aware of between the 117 TSL and 116 TC but there's bound to be more I've missed.

 

 

 

The handrails are my guess from the two photos I've found on the internet.  On those that I've found the step end and one handrail and the other end without steps had two.... makes sense eh ;) No idea if it's right for mine but I'm going with it. Also as this is a full respray I've added a door grab handrail replacing the moulded version. 

 

I'm going to have a short modelling break of a few weeks and those of you off to DEMU showcase - Enjoy!!

 

Will