Signaller69's projects

[Signaller69]

The Portacabin load has been knocked up from plasticard and strip. A web search to try to find "standard" sizing came up with all sorts of modern variations, diagrams etc so I settled on 20ft x 8'6" x 8'6" outside dimensions which looks about right from the 1976 photo I am using. It needs anchoring plates at the bottom of each "leg" to attach it to the rings of the wagon sides but is otherwise almost ready for paint.

 

I would also like to record my thanks to Brian of Shawplan for his super customer service in sending out a couple of spare class 40 roof grille meshes (the next project) after I inadvertently damaged mine - my own fault for misinterpreting the methodology and soldering the support ring to the super thin mesh (as with previous grilles on other locos). Superglue all the way next time on this one!

 

I really must finish the glazing on a couple of the 24s too....

 

Martyn.

 

[Signaller69]

Apart from glazing the Portacabin, the Flatrol is now finished, following paint, lettering and weathering. A small nut and bolt secures the cabin in place.

 

The final pair of Hornby Class 24 conversions have had their glazing and windscreen wipers fitted and a some weathering carried out; photos soon hopefully......

 

 

As mentioned in the previous post, my Hornby Railroad 40 is currently undergoing work to improve its looks. 

As can be seen, the edges around the noses have been rounded off (thankyou to Clive Mortimore for the inspiration here) and Extreme Etchings windscreens added, along with Lanarkshire Buffers. The rather fine roof fan grille will be one of the final additions prior to painting, along with new front handrails and other bits.

[bradfordbuffer]

6 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

Apart from glazing the Portacabin, the Flatrol is now finished, following paint, lettering and weathering. A small nut and bolt secures the cabin in place.

 

The final pair of Hornby Class 24 conversions have had their glazing and windscreen wipers fitted and a some weathering carried out; photos soon hopefully......

 

 

As mentioned in the previous post, my Hornby Railroad 40 is currently undergoing work to improve its looks. 

As can be seen, the edges around the noses have been rounded off (thankyou to Clive Mortimore for the inspiration here) and Extreme Etchings windscreens added, along with Lanarkshire Buffers. The rather fine roof fan grille will be one of the final additions prior to painting, along with new front handrails and other bits.

The flatrol looks really well .....you need to change subject title to 'inspired by titfield Thunderbolt ish' or Hornby will take you to cleaners....then the Canadian crew will make a very funny tongue and cheek vid to make you all look silly🙊🤣

 

[Signaller69]

5 hours ago, bradfordbuffer said:

The flatrol looks really well .....you need to change subject title to 'inspired by titfield Thunderbolt ish' or Hornby will take you to cleaners....then the Canadian crew will make a very funny tongue and cheek vid to make you all look silly🙊🤣

 

Well I suppose it COULD be a version of "My Thunderbolt is bigger than yours", I have the brakevan waiting in the wings......

Now where did I put that Beyer-Garratt? 🙂

[Fat Controller]

5 hours ago, bradfordbuffer said:

The flatrol looks really well .....you need to change subject title to 'inspired by titfield Thunderbolt ish' or Hornby will take you to cleaners....then the Canadian crew will make a very funny tongue and cheek vid to make you all look silly🙊🤣

 

There is a photo of a very similar arrangement in Robert Hendry's book 'British Railway Goods Wagons in Colour'

[Signaller69]

4 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

There is a photo of a very similar arrangement in Robert Hendry's book 'British Railway Goods Wagons in Colour'

Yes indeed, that was the photo which inspired it.

[Signaller69]

The 40 project is stalled awaiting some more parts. I had made a new boiler exhaust to suit the later batches and this is where I had got to:

 

 

In the meantime I have finally glazed the Triang based TPO cut n shut I did a while back, which meant cutting out rather small panes and fixing them in place with PVA glue.

 

I have also been gathering more images of the ScR Mk1 "Griddle" cars with the intention of producing one from a Mainline or Bachmann Restaurant, bit this will need some thought as there are a fair few different window sizes which would need tackling.

[Signaller69]

Well the 40 has been revived, painted and given the identity of Haymarket's D364, following a book photo showing it still retaining the "D" in 1973. It still needs bodyside vent frost shields adding, glazing and weathering etc.

 

Dunnington's Mk1 Suburban coach has been flush glazed to better match the Bachmann Mk1 BCK it runs with. The open droplights were cut from the SE Flushglaze ones by cutting them in half (thus providing 2 windows from 1). The windows all needed opening out slightly (being a repainted coach) to get a snug fit which was a pain, but well worth the effort.

 

Martyn.

[jessy1692]

7 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

Well the 40 has been revived, painted and given the identity of Haymarket's D364, following a book photo showing it still retaining the "D" in 1973. It still needs bodyside vent frost shields adding, glazing and weathering etc.

 

Dunnington's Mk1 Suburban coach has been flush glazed to better match the Bachmann Mk1 BCK it runs with. The open droplights were cut from the SE Flushglaze ones by cutting them in half (thus providing 2 windows from 1). The windows all needed opening out slightly (being a repainted coach) to get a snug fit which was a pain, but well worth the effort.

 

Martyn.

364 really looking the part Martyn, is that also a railtech 3d EE builders plate on the cabside?

 

Will be doing the same mods on my RR 40 soon, rounding off the nose makes such a difference.

All the best 

James

[Signaller69]

13 hours ago, jessy1692 said:

364 really looking the part Martyn, is that also a railtech 3d EE builders plate on the cabside?

 

Will be doing the same mods on my RR 40 soon, rounding off the nose makes such a difference.

All the best 

James

Hi James, thanks, yes Railtec EE builders plates on all 4 cabsides which is what photos of the period appear to show.

 

Cheers,

Martyn.

[ColinK]

On 25/07/2022 at 18:05, Signaller69 said:

have also been gathering more images of the ScR Mk1 "Griddle" cars with the intention of producing one from a Mainline or Bachmann Restaurant, bit this will need some thought as there are a fair few different window sizes which would need tackling.

I’m currently building of the Griddle Cars from a Southern Pride kit, have you found a source of transfers for ‘Griddle’ and ‘Buffet’?

 

 

 

[Moxy]

6 hours ago, ColinK said:

I’m currently building of the Griddle Cars from a Southern Pride kit, have you found a source of transfers for ‘Griddle’ and ‘Buffet’?

 

 

Don't know if the style is right for the Southern pride kit, but Fox Transfers do them

 

https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/br-british-railways-coach-branding-in-straw-58261

[ISW]

On 03/08/2022 at 23:31, Signaller69 said:

The open droplights were cut from the SE Flushglaze ones by cutting them in half (thus providing 2 windows from 1). The windows all needed opening out slightly (being a repainted coach) to get a snug fit which was a pain, but well worth the effort.

Martyn,

 

Oh so very true. Mk2b seem to be the worst, with lots of filing required to the extent that I resorted to my Dremel clone to help out. Mk1s are not so bad, apart from the occasional 4-pane section above the main window (sliding windows).

 

Ian

[ColinK]

14 hours ago, Moxy said:

 

Don't know if the style is right for the Southern pride kit, but Fox Transfers do them

 

https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/br-british-railways-coach-branding-in-straw-58261

Thanks Moxy,  that Fox Transfer sheet came with the kit, perfect for maroon but mine is blue/grey.

[Signaller69]

23 hours ago, ColinK said:

I’m currently building of the Griddle Cars from a Southern Pride kit, have you found a source of transfers for ‘Griddle’ and ‘Buffet’?

 

 

 

Hi Colin,

Yes, for blue/grey the HMRS sheet 15 has them. Is the Southern Pride kit one of the second (ScR) batch do you know (1104 - 1106 iirc)?

12 hours ago, ISW said:

Martyn,

 

Oh so very true. Mk2b seem to be the worst, with lots of filing required to the extent that I resorted to my Dremel clone to help out. Mk1s are not so bad, apart from the occasional 4-pane section above the main window (sliding windows).

 

Ian

Hi Ian,

Yes the small 4 top light panes can be a right pain even on Mk1s, thankfully I have not done any Mk2s yet (but still easier I say with confidence, than cutting out individual panes as i had to with my Class 126 vehicles; I STILL have one vehicle to do). It does make a huge difference though doesn't it!

 

Martyn.

[ColinK]

The Southern Pride kit is for the first batch 1100 - 1102.

 

Thanks for the source of transfers.

 

I’ve got a set of Fox Transfers for maroon livery going spare if anyone can use them.

[ISW]

On 05/08/2022 at 22:47, Signaller69 said:

It does make a huge difference though doesn't it!

Martyn,

 

Indeed it does. I've recently fitted some SE Finecast windows to some old Lima CCTs. Well worth the effort.

 

Ian

[ColinK]

Railtec have just released an excellent set of transfers for the blue/grey griddle cars. Product code 3018. It includes all the numbers and other items required to complete the griddle cars.

 

Railtec have really made my day by producing these.

[Signaller69]

The 40 has been glazed and some pre-weathering applied. I'm thinking of lowering the body on the chassis a tad to improve the relationship with the bogies - the loco currently sits around 1.5mm higher than my class 24s.

 

ny repainted Bachmann Restaurant Buffet sides/roof have been for a swim in the Dettol to remove the paint. Currently look like they have been through the incinerator at Snailwell, but it's done the job. These will provide the basis for the Griddle car.

 

Martyn. 

[Signaller69]

The 40 body has now been lowered on the chassis by simply opening out the small square holes the body lugs locate into, with a 1mm strip of plasticard on the upper edge, along with removing 1mm of plastic from the chassis floor where the cab doors sit.

 

This meant removing the pipework I had added above the bogies, which will now have to be refitted.

 

Before:

 

After:

not a stunningly obvious difference perhaps, but noticable all the same; the bufferbeams now just touch the lower edge of the nose on level track so a little work with a file will be necessary here.

 

Chester Toyfair provided a small "pre-nationalisation bonanza" with an unpainted Ratio SR bogie van "B" and another Mainline LMS Bogie BY van to boost my parcels stock and a couple of cheap Bachmann LNER Thompson coach bodies which will be used to create another blue/grey buffet car, SC1705 as per this eastbank.org photo link:

http://www.eastbank.org.uk/images/Coaches/CS0225.jpg

 

 

 

Martyn.

 

[Signaller69]

The Van 'B' is done, following a full rebuild of both body and underframe, fitting Kadees etc; it may get another coat of filth added though, as you can still see the BR blue underneath, and these vans tended to appear filth brown in traffic for the most part.....!

I purchased some Roxey etched window bars as these were notably absent (along with other less obvious missing parts), but they do add a nice touch when sprayed white and fitted - even if fairly obscured by filthy windows!

 

 

 

The 40 still has a few small jobs to be completed, but today I added lower cab footsteps to the chassis, which were missing from the original.

I hope to pick up a set of bodyside frost grilles at Stafford show at the weekend.

 

Martyn.

[sulzer71]

@Signaller69 , Martyn , did those Van 'B' s make it to Kyle?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Fat Controller]

15 minutes ago, sulzer71 said:

@Signaller69 , Martyn , did those Van 'B' s make it to Kyle?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

https://www.flickr.com/photos/invader1009/50929996012/in/photolist-pGzokt-B3FNVg-2mgKoXH-2mqZD9W-2mqYrxp-2mqMcGA-2ioyzn8-21nYe1H-2mwbMto-2iSMytR-2nyoLYG-8gXxXt-2hyHKMM-2mbanZK-2mbHLc4-2jG73wk-2nF1zde-2jwoEMu-2kAvxrw-2mUZJKw-2mhW7u2-GShPg5-FVdpr4-2ndeLZN-2n2Ntrt-2nfDskH-H2RmqT-2nzmfMz-V2B19k-21TyRms-2mgPEQj-W6fWQL-beRryP-2jwoCFv-2jBmGZy-2n32HX5-2kugvNM-RambRE-YM67ZN-2gxAsN3-2mzCh5X-2nrJqnd-nkA2Ud-2kAqVoh-cEJQpw-2k4kB5p-2jX4UFU-EFNyAy-C2JeZ8-2nAggWA/

 

[sulzer71]

14 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/invader1009/50929996012/in/photolist-pGzokt-B3FNVg-2mgKoXH-2mqZD9W-2mqYrxp-2mqMcGA-2ioyzn8-21nYe1H-2mwbMto-2iSMytR-2nyoLYG-8gXxXt-2hyHKMM-2mbanZK-2mbHLc4-2jG73wk-2nF1zde-2jwoEMu-2kAvxrw-2mUZJKw-2mhW7u2-GShPg5-FVdpr4-2ndeLZN-2n2Ntrt-2nfDskH-H2RmqT-2nzmfMz-V2B19k-21TyRms-2mgPEQj-W6fWQL-beRryP-2jwoCFv-2jBmGZy-2n32HX5-2kugvNM-RambRE-YM67ZN-2gxAsN3-2mzCh5X-2nrJqnd-nkA2Ud-2kAqVoh-cEJQpw-2k4kB5p-2jX4UFU-EFNyAy-C2JeZ8-2nAggWA/

 

Thanks , I've seen many pics of SR vans at Kyle but I know there are many different variants , I've picked up several for my stash (can't tell you which ones at Present as I'm at work) but I am convinced I have the Van 'B' amongst them

[ISW]

18 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

it may get another coat of filth added though, as you can still see the BR blue underneath, and these vans tended to appear filth brown in traffic for the most part.....!

Martyn,

 

Actually, I think you've captured the 'look' of a dirty SR van very well. Here's one of my photos for comparison:

 

And they were not always a brown shade of blue. Here's one that was much cleaner:

 

Ian