Georgeham Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 Not too much happening on the layout front atm, so instead I have opted to focus on a bit of wagon painting and building. Currently, I have a bath of Superstrip2 on my desk, into which I have placed the Parkside SPV I built a few years ago. I was never that happy with the final finish, so it has been stripped and is ready for some cleaning up, and then repainting. The other O gauge wagon heading into the paint stripper bath is a Dapol O gauge milk tanker. The model off the shelf has a noticeable body seam, which is exacerbated by the paint finish. I tried to file this away and the then weather the wagon, but it doesn't look great. So this wagon is going in the paint stripper overnight today. Plenty of projects to be getting on with anyhow! 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted March 26, 2023 Author Share Posted March 26, 2023 Life has been a little busy recently - with my time and energy heading into other projects regarding the house - so not much time left for modelling. I do not have enough space to set up the layout at the moment - so the little time I have had has been focused on wagon building. My most recent progress has been to finish off a Slaters Conflat A wagon. The instructions for this are a little basic and fitting the fiddly brake gear part way through the build meant I had to largely rebuild the underframe! Anyhow all done now - this is now in the painting box alongside various other wagons that are still not finished!! 8 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted April 6, 2023 Author Share Posted April 6, 2023 Continuing on the wagon theme, I have made a little progress over the last week. I managed to finish the weathering on a Heljan catfish wagon, using my airbrush and railmatch enamels. Overall, I am reasonably happy with the finish on this and it definitely feels good to have a little more stock ready for the layout (which really does need to be reassembled!) 10 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 I had a bit of unexpected free time yesterday and instead of cutting the grass(!) I managed to get some of the layout boards set up together. I started to add a few of the items I have finished off recently, including gluing down the buffer stop and dairy platform whilst leaving enough space for the backscene. I added the fence around around the plot for the quay masters cottage and I also finished off the ballasting in this area, filling out some areas with sand. Half way through ballasting I ran out of glue, so that will halt progress for a bit. I really need to get the ballasting done - so I can focus on starting the detailing and adding the backscene etc. Still a long way to go - but a step in the right direction - some pictures of the progress below. 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted April 17, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2023 Nice progress! Any plans to hide the verticals between baseboards? Only ask as I have a set of TH baseboards for my next project so am pondering how to try and lose them in the back scene! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted April 17, 2023 Author Share Posted April 17, 2023 5 minutes ago, bcnPete said: Nice progress! Any plans to hide the verticals between baseboards? Only ask as I have a set of TH baseboards for my next project so am pondering how to try and lose them in the back scene! A good question and one in my very slow progress I have been pondering also. I have some foamex board that I will mount the backscenes on (I ordered them last summer - which shows my rate of progress!!). I am going to place the backscene in front of the vertical supports and use rectangular wooded strips to support them against the baseboard back. It means losing about 1 inch of baseboard - which is already in short supply - but I think this is the easiest solution ..... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted April 17, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2023 5 minutes ago, Georgeham said: A good question and one in my very slow progress I have been pondering also. I have some foamex board that I will mount the backscenes on (I ordered them last summer - which shows my rate of progress!!). I am going to place the backscene in front of the vertical supports and use rectangular wooded strips to support them against the baseboard back. It means losing about 1 inch of baseboard - which is already in short supply - but I think this is the easiest solution ..... That sounds a good shout! It might mean you having to lose that inch off the siding platform/building too I guess for continuity of line. I have built my own 3mm ply boards for my current 7mm layout but put the structural outriggers on the back face...but decided to use TH's for the next one for convenience! Lovely layout and really enjoy this thread so thank you! Pete 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted April 17, 2023 Author Share Posted April 17, 2023 A little bit more progress from the past week - I managed to find the time to knock up some interior furniture for the dairy office and the quay masters cottage (plus some purchased chairs). Both of these buildings will have some open doors and internal lights - so some internal fittings were needed. I also ordered a telephone from Modelu to sit on the quay masters desk - a nice touch I think! These are heading off to be painted soon whilst I finish off the buildings - which are not too far away from completion..... 9 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted April 17, 2023 Author Share Posted April 17, 2023 4 minutes ago, bcnPete said: That sounds a good shout! It might mean you having to lose that inch off the siding platform/building too I guess for continuity of line. I have built my own 3mm ply boards for my current 7mm layout but put the structural outriggers on the back face...but decided to use TH's for the next one for convenience! Lovely layout and really enjoy this thread so thank you! Pete Thanks Pete - those are very kind comments and much appreciated. Yes losing an inch or so is a pain - but it is the easiest solution I feel. By the diary platform I am going to glue the foamex backscene straight to the baseboard and then run it at a slight angle to make the first vertical upright. A bit of a pain - but I am sure I can bodge it somehow!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted June 1, 2023 Author Share Posted June 1, 2023 Life has continued to get in the way of modelling recently, so progress has been somewhat slow. I have managed to get the transfers on a 12T van recently - which is the Slaters kit. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted June 4, 2023 Author Share Posted June 4, 2023 Yesterday I managed to find a good few hours to some modelling - I pretty much finished off the lowfit wagon I have been building recently - there are a couple of things to clean up on the body later today - but its pretty much finished. I also recently knocked up a small crossing to go at the end of the platform - just some brass wire and coffee stirrers - I might tone down the bolts a little - but this is now ready to add to the layout when I crack on with the ballasting....... 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted June 11, 2023 Author Share Posted June 11, 2023 (edited) Well this afternoon I headed down to my local for a well earnt pint after a weekend of doing much much!.... Finally managed to get the odd bits on the pub tidied up. Whilst there is more that can be done - I need to place it on the layout next and detail around it. Edited June 11, 2023 by Georgeham 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted June 19, 2023 Author Share Posted June 19, 2023 Over the weekend I managed to get the interior of the dairy office fitted. The interior needs the lights to be added and the roof/guttering fitted, plus general tidying up. I am not keen on the colour of the doors now - so I might have another go at these. The dairy office needs a worker (the figure is just positioned for a sense of scale) and a sign added to the front....hopefully some quick jobs for next weekend. 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted July 9, 2023 Author Share Posted July 9, 2023 This weekend I manage to get most of the layout set up, to be able to get some more ballasting done and start some of the detailing off. I of course ran out of ballast part way through (typical!) - but I managed to get the small crossing glued in and also start preparing the sea front, ready for the application of some water gel. Currently I am building up some layers of PVA glue, before laying the water gel on top. I have some washes to add to the base of the Quay wall, before doing the water gel. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share Posted July 16, 2023 So a little more layout progress - I have finished the ballasting finally. The tunnel mouth has been glued into place and some wooden posts have been added to the quay front. The quay front had more layers of PVA glue added and is now pretty much ready for the acrylic water. However, the layout has been packed down again - whilst we install a new kitchen and lounge - so the rest of the scenery will have to wait to late summerish. At least it gives me a little time to finish off some of the buildings.... 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick G Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 Very nice, particularly like the small crossing. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 On 16/07/2023 at 10:09, Nick G said: Very nice, particularly like the small crossing. Thanks Nick - all slow progress but creeping along! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted October 11, 2023 Author Share Posted October 11, 2023 (edited) Not much modelling is happening at present as I am still doing the kitchen and lounge (getting there though). Pre packing down the layout I was reassembling the class 25; it is weathered up - I just need to do pop in the glazing and re-attach the body to the chassis. I also fitted DCC sound - it is my first O gauge locomotive to sound install - and with a little help (thanks 47606odin) - it was not too difficult at all. I could not get the side windows out of the cab without breaking the thin strip of body moulding - the windows of course then reacted with some paint/thinners and clouded over. I have since added some gloss varnish which has cleaned them up a little - definitely learning curve for fine masking around these on future projects. Edited October 11, 2023 by Georgeham 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted October 11, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 11, 2023 You can polish plastic. Nothing to lose trying it now. Gaugemaster may still have spares. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dave John Posted October 11, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 11, 2023 One tip that might just work on clear plastics, particularly acrylics is to use toothpaste. squeeze some on a bit of paper, roll a cotton bud in and gently polish. Excess can be removed with a wet cotton bud. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 8 hours ago, Hal Nail said: You can polish plastic. Nothing to lose trying it now. Gaugemaster may still have spares. HI Hal, I did try gaugemaster but they said they did not have spares, as it was a long time ago the class 25 were produced - however I would still need to get the windows out!! Gloss varnish has improved it a little - but I will revisit it soon - the idea of polishing it up is a good one....not sure what to do it with though.. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 7 hours ago, Dave John said: One tip that might just work on clear plastics, particularly acrylics is to use toothpaste. squeeze some on a bit of paper, roll a cotton bud in and gently polish. Excess can be removed with a wet cotton bud. HI Dave, thanks for the message - I might well give this a try - thank you for the suggestion Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted October 12, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 12, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Georgeham said: HI Hal, I did try gaugemaster but they said they did not have spares, as it was a long time ago the class 25 were produced - however I would still need to get the windows out!! Gloss varnish has improved it a little - but I will revisit it soon - the idea of polishing it up is a good one....not sure what to do it with though.. Chris I cut down some glazing to represent open windows and sanded off the edge using progressively fine paper up to 2000. The toothpaste suggestion is another good way to finish off (also duraglit etc etc) but like anything, you have to get it smooth enough to do the final polish first I suspect varnishing it will have made it slightly harder as you'll have to get through the varnish before you can do anything about the underlying plastic! edit: oh and another good tip is popping things in the freezer makes the glue brittle. although obviously that isnt selective! Edited October 12, 2023 by Hal Nail 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgeham Posted December 31, 2023 Author Share Posted December 31, 2023 I hope everyone had a great xmas! I got some O gauge goodies for Christmas (more on this later) and I now have a bit of time to start modelling again! So after a bit of an absence I have been building and painting some wagons. I built a Parkside kit over xmas, a diagram 032, it will head to the paintshop later today. I am going to aim for a faded BR bauxite finish on this. I have also made a start on a Slaters milk tank, although there is a long wag to go with this build. I have lost some of the sprues over the last few months, so I am waiting on spares from Slaters. I have plenty of other projects on the go - but in the meantime - I wish everyone a happy new year. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 (edited) They look nice little projects Chris, in my experience Slaters are pretty good sending spares quite quickly. Hope you have a good new year. Edited December 31, 2023 by 37114 Typo 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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