Stoke Courtenay

[gwrrob]

Another source for wagons are these http://www.users.waitrose.com/~21oldway/ although aimed more at collectors the range offers something different and are a colourful addition.

[The Fatadder]

Another source for wagons are these http://www.users.waitrose.com/~21oldway/ although aimed more at collectors the range offers something different and are a colourful addition.

With a bit of work you can fit these with either a Bachmann chassis or using the Cambrian parts. A useful way to get a few West Country wagons which are not in the POW sides range. I have a wagon from the Calne branch from them which is now fitted to a recent Bachmann chassis

[checkrail]

A few more Powsides wagons in this train as a 45xx returns from the Earlsbridge branch.

 

All four PO wagons here are from Powsides kits.  I fit them with my usual Gibson wheels and modified short Bachmann T/L couplings, and add some weight to the underframe with little rectangles sawn from lead sheet glued anywhere out of sight they will fit underneath.  Another thing I like about Powsides is that on the kit packet they advise of the nearest Humbrol colour match to the bodyside so you can match the solebar accordingly when painting.  (Though they obviously don't have to do this for black wagons!)

 

The dozen coal wagons used for these branch and trip freights all have removable coal loads made up in the time-honoured way from rectangles of card with coal glued on top with PVA, mounted on small blocks of balsa or expanded poly, so one can press them down at one end then lift them out.  I try to remember at the end of a session to remove them from any newly arrived wagons in the yard before shutting down operations.  I've found that the thing to be careful of is not to let the snug loads dislodge the hinges on end-door wagons (kit or Bachmann) as these are very flimsy.  You lose a few! 

 

 

John C.

[checkrail]

Another source for wagons are these http://www.users.waitrose.com/~21oldway/ although aimed more at collectors the range offers something different and are a colourful addition.

 

An eclectic selection eh Robin?  I particularly like the GWR drinking water tank wagon!  Some seem to be on Dapol chassis, and from their own notes and the appearance of the items some are more authentic than others.  Good to see something a bit different.

 

Cheers,

John.

[checkrail]

My approach for similar old Bachmann / Mainline wagons is to put them on a new chassis. Parkside and Cambrian both sell spare chassis parts (and the latter often have two different solvers in one spur so you get an extra with a kit.).

Add a bufferbeam from plastic strip, buffers from LMS and etched 3 irons and you have a very good wagon.

 

I have an old Bachmann brewery P.O. on the bench at the moment getting that treatment

 

Thanks for this Rich.  But don't you still end up with a 16' 6" wagon with a 10' steel underframe, or are we talking about different things?

 

John.

[checkrail]

Just to round off this unwonted flurry of posts from me here's another aspect of Powsides - using the transfers only.

 

Both these wagons form part of my 20 wagon coal train behind 2819.  The first (Main) started life as an Oxford Rail 'Leamington Priors Gas Co.' wagon in bright red, which I'd bought just to see how the OR wagons went together.  (Same as Bachmann, with solebar integral to the body).  It was repainted black and the Powsides transfers applied  - with far more ease than I'd expected, especially given all the raised strapping & rivet detail. I was anticipating making a right pig's ear of it, so was pleasantly surprised.

 

The other one is a standard Bachmann 7-plank RCH wagon which was finished in early GWR livery with 18" lettering.   I didn't make such a good job of this one, and you'll immediately see that the newly applied 'Ocean' lettering is a bit wonky.  Another thing on the long list of stuff to correct 'one day'.

 

On both these I used a weathered or dirty black (possibly Lifecolor?) so in the pics they look a bit more like grey. Would use a different shade in future, then weather down.

 

But it shows that for many wagons one could do worse that applying Powsides transfers to whatever Bachmann or Oxford vehicles one could pick up cheaply.

 

John C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[81C]

I'm sure there's some Bachmann one's about I could try that method on, there is a nice selection of Powsides.

[checkrail]

Been a while since I posted here so, if anyone's still interested, I thought it was about time to show that Stoke Courtenay continues to amuse me, with moments of deep satisfaction and relaxation alternating with episodes of cursing and frustration as I come up against the limits of skill, patience and time!

 

To start with here's 8709 heading towards Newton Abbot with a goods train, while another pannier shunts Stoke Courtenay yard.

 

And here are a few of King Henry V on a Penzance bound express.

 

 

 

Messing about with a new (potentially capable) camera.  Still on point & shoot at the mo, but really must try to summon up some enthusiasm for learning about photography.

 

John C.

[Barry Ten]

Definitely still interested!

[duff man]

Nice to see you back, keep em coming. Inspiration all the way.

[The Great Bear]

Based on the results, your limits of time, patience and skill are higher than many, if not most, of us!

[LBRJ]

There is something undoubtedly, sublimely beautiful about an express in full GWR livery and a King at the front!

[checkrail]

Thanks folks for positive response.  So yes, I'll try to keep them coming.  Here are some of Broome Hall on a westbound fast fitted freight.  When I find the time (and the courage) 4908 will receive some weathering.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like many I'm pretty sure I'll be buying a Heljan 47xx.  It strikes me that its introduction will be very good for suppliers of RTR vans and van kits.  I certainly haven't enough to make a decent train at present.

 

John C.

 

 

[KNP]

Very nice pictures.

Please keep them coming and we'll keep on looking at them.....

[Brinkly]

Very nice John. I do like the mineral wagons.

 

Kind regards,

 

Nick.

[checkrail]

There is something undoubtedly, sublimely beautiful about an express in full GWR livery and a King at the front!

 

Indeed there is - those classic Maurice Earley pictures never fail to stir the soul.  The most iconic non-photo image might be the well known 'Speed to the West' poster, as depicted here on my mug of tea. But have you noticed that the artist portrayed the outside cylinder casings in lined green, rather than lined black?

 

 

Another favourite of mine is the front cover of Beck & Copsey's 'The Great Western in South Devon', (below) though there's no attribution in the book itself. Was this too a GW poster?  The book sits on a coffee table and the image catches my attention every time I walk into the living room.  Interestingly, in this one the artist has painted the coach ends brown (unless it was a very early use on his part of Railmatch frame dirt).

 

 

Still, these minor errors are as nothing to the artistic licence I get away with! 

 

John C.

[checkrail]

But Castles are nice too - in fact, along with 45xxx tanks, my favourite locos.  Here are four pics of Laira's 'Tiverton Castle' on an up express from Plymouth.

 

 

 

 

(First thing I must learn is how to make the camera focus on the loco rather than the gas lamp!)

 

 

Whoops! - just noticed that the advance up starter is 'on'.  Guess 5041 is slowing to a halt due to trouble in't' tunnel.  That's my story anyway. 

 

John C.

 

 

[martin_wynne]

(First thing I must learn is how to make the camera focus on the loco rather than the gas lamp!)

 

Hi John,

 

Your camera probably has a setting Av or Aperture Priority. Then set it to the highest number it will go, perhaps f/16. That will set the aperture size (the hole in the lens) to its smallest. Which in turn will mean the maximum amount of the model will be in focus (depth of field).

 

The result will be that the shutter speed will be quite slow, so you will need to hold the camera very steady. Or alternatively support it on a tripod or bean bag, or whatever you can improvise. If the camera has a self-timer function, use that to delay the shot so that there are no vibrations from pressing the shutter.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

[KNP]

Nice pictures but I did notice on the last batch that the focus point was in the wrong position.

Like in the second picture the goods shed is the main focal point.

 

Did you mention you had a new camera, if so does it have a touch sensitive screen where you can select what the camera focusses on.

Another trick is do set up for a small focus setting, on mine its called pinpoint.

Focus on the location with a half push of the button move to frame the picture still holding the button then when happy fully press to take.

 

Hope this helps

[sjrixon]

Good to see some updates, looking very smart.. Really like the mug, I need a good railway mug for my tea and coffee...

[88C]

How on earth have I missed this thread before. I really like the spaciousness and the different level and of course it's Great Western.

 

We'll done John, an excellent layout.

 

Brian Hunt

[gwrrob]

But Castles are nice too - in fact, along with 45xxx tanks, my favourite locos.  Here are four pics of Laira's 'Tiverton Castle' on an up express from Plymouth.

 

372 min.jpg

 

376 min.jpg

 

377 min.jpg

 

(First thing I must learn is how to make the camera focus on the loco rather than the gas lamp!)

 

378 min.jpg

 

Whoops! - just noticed that the advance up starter is 'on'.  Guess 5041 is slowing to a halt due to trouble in't' tunnel.  That's my story anyway. 

 

John C.

 

Nice to see you posting again John.

[checkrail]

Some months back I posted a few pics of various brown vehicles, making up a parcels & perishables train that was much in need of a brake van.  It now has two, a Dean 40ft PBV, and a K22, from an ancient K's kit and a Mailcoach kit respectively, bought some time ago on eBay.  Here's Aylburton Grange emerging from Stoke Courtenay tunnel at the head of 10 assorted parcels vehicles and brake vans.   Looks like rain is threatening.

 

 

 

The Mailcoach kit was interesting in that the sides are moulded from clear plastic, leaving the builder to paint around the glazing.  An attempt at masking off the glazing and spraying was not a success, so I resorted to hand painting.  The bolections were challenging, but I'm quite pleased with the result, especially from a distance ('layout' coaches dear boy!).  And now my parcels train has a proper brake van.

 

 

John C.

 

 

[checkrail]

Here are another couple of views of the K22 van.

 

 

 

The moulded door handles and grab rails were carved off the K22 bodysides before assembly, and replaced with Brassmasters items.  (When slicing off the originals I had to squint a bit to see them, as of course they too were clear plastic.)  One nice feature of this kit was the plastic American type bogies, which run beautifully freely.

 

John C.

 

 

[St Enodoc]

Here are another couple of views of the K22 van.

 

386 min.jpg

 

P1040336-2.jpg

 

The moulded door handles and grab rails were carved off the K22 bodysides before assembly, and replaced with Brassmasters items.  (When slicing off the originals I had to squint a bit to see them, as of course they too were clear plastic.)  One nice feature of this kit was the plastic American type bogies, which run beautifully freely.

 

John C.

The K22 looks very nice John. I have two, which I haven't started yet for fear of messing up the painting completely. My current thoughts are to mask the windows using white self-adhesive labels. I agree regarding the bogies - I've used them on some Airfix/Hornby Siphons too.