Southern Railway Modelling - Miscellaneous Project work

[DLT]

1 hour ago, Jack P said:

I am driven to poost more often, thanks to stakeholders like you Dave! :) 

Very good guess, It's an E5, I've got another one to do, which i'd considered doing as an E5x - there's a lot of replacement work needed if I go that way.

 

For some reason I'm really not having the best luck in getting them onto their axles straight and true, and as a result there is bobbing and swaying. Sometimes I seem to get it bang on, but I can't figure out what i'm doing right in those instances, or wrong in the other instances! It's definitley a me problem though, because so many others have had good results consistently. 

 

I'll keep experimenting. 

 

Any tips?

Hi Jack,

For Gibson wheels, you need one of these:  https://www.lbscrmodels.co.uk/wheel quarteringa.html  A GW Models wheel-press.  Gets them on square, true, and quartered in one go. (GW is George Watts, NOT Great Western...)  George advertises in MRJ, but  doesn't do internet though.

 

You said the E5 is a kitbuild, whose kit is it please?

I built an E5X from a SEFinecast (old Wills) E5 kit, but it was a LOT of work on the body, almost a scratchbuild.  The current SEF etched chassis is fine though.  It would be easier in EM, as the front drivers foul the smokebox saddle in 00.

 

Cheers, Dave.

[Steve Smith]

4 hours ago, DLT said:

For Gibson wheels, you need one of these:  https://www.lbscrmodels.co.uk/wheel quarteringa.html  A GW Models wheel-press.  Gets them on square, true, and quartered in one go. (GW is George Watts, NOT Great Western...)  George advertises in MRJ, but  doesn't do internet though.

 

+1 for the GW wheel-press (no connection etc.), and I'm sure you know to chamfer/round off the sharp corners on the ends of the axles...

 

 

[57xx]

7 hours ago, Jack P said:

Interesting, thank you! Do you have any photos? Is the mainly trains chassis availble from Wizard now?

 

It is, part number MT220:

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/carriage/mt220/

 

I'll dig out some pics for you.

[57xx]

.

Edited May 16 by 57xx
post duplicated

[Jack P]

10 hours ago, DLT said:

Hi Jack,

For Gibson wheels, you need one of these:  https://www.lbscrmodels.co.uk/wheel quarteringa.html  A GW Models wheel-press.  Gets them on square, true, and quartered in one go. (GW is George Watts, NOT Great Western...)  George advertises in MRJ, but  doesn't do internet though.

 

5 hours ago, Steve Smith said:

+1 for the GW wheel-press (no connection etc.), and I'm sure you know to chamfer/round off the sharp corners on the ends of the axles...

 

 

Thanks chaps - I've got two of George's Wheel presses, and you're right, they are invaluable. I think that's part of why i'm left scratching my head - others seem to be able to make it work with no issues. 

 

I started a topic here:

 

Maybe I need to just be a little bit more diligent with my approach and take some extra time to make sure i'm doing everything right. Which, in fairness to myself, I did think I was doing.

 

10 hours ago, DLT said:

You said the E5 is a kitbuild, whose kit is it please?

I built an E5X from a SEFinecast (old Wills) E5 kit, but it was a LOT of work on the body, almost a scratchbuild.  The current SEF etched chassis is fine though.  It would be easier in EM, as the front drivers foul the smokebox saddle in 00.

Cheers, Dave.

 

The kit is one of the excellent Albion models E5's (they also do the E6, E1, D1 and gladstone AFAIK). They are now under the care of Dave at Roxey mouldings, when they came out he quoted them at £97.00 +P&P but that may have changed slightly? Great kits, a little different to the ones i've built before, but nothing that would challenge you!

 

 

4 hours ago, 57xx said:

It is, part number MT220:

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/carriage/mt220/

 

I'll dig out some pics for you.

 

Awesome! Thank you. It mentiones the ability to shorten the chassis to fit, is that required for the Shirescenes top bit (I can't quite remember) and if so, is it relatively straightforward?

[57xx]

15 hours ago, Jack P said:

Awesome! Thank you. It mentiones the ability to shorten the chassis to fit, is that required for the Shirescenes top bit (I can't quite remember) and if so, is it relatively straightforward?

 

The chassis does indeed include an ability to build at two lengths. However, neither of these are the right length for the Siphon C, you only need to shave a few mils off each end. After digging out the chassis and comparing with a "per instructions" build of a chassis I did for a Shirescenes coach, I realised just how much I had to change in the end! I'll take a new pic for comparisons.

[Jack P]

A little bit "More of the same" situation, but after some shuffling around in the shed, the larger boards have found their home:

 

 

The plan for these is to create a shed scene of some kind, the thought is still very much in its infancy and i'm not thinking tooooo hard about it until I get the photo board finished. 

[57xx]

Here's the two chassis. Top one is modified for the Siphon C, the bottom one built per instructions.

 

 

Things that need changing.

Shorten by a few mil to ~118mm (match the body length, to state the obvious)

Add DC3 brake gear

Move gas cylinder closer to solebar

Shorten footboards to clear DC3

Reduce height of lower footboard brackets  so they don't sit too low

Patch up footboards where they have different axlebox cut-outs per side.

Add truss bars and stanchions.

Find and use appropriate axblebox/spring castings (shorter than supplied)

[Jack P]

Another update.

 

I weathered another D1, but this one is on it's way back to the UK, as it was a comission job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think it turned out alright!

 

I've also made a bit of progress on the photo plank thingy.

 

 

 

 

This is the first hit of static grass, a blend of 2/4/7mm lengths, in medium and light green primarily, with a smattering of straw colour. It's all a bit uniform at the moment (and not finished), but i'm trying to represent somewhere in Kent in late August 1947. From what I can tell the colour is about right, but I need trees, bushes, and other vegetation. If anyone has suggestions for 4mm scale products, i'm all ears!

 

Also, for those that do reside in the motherland, my understanding is the most common trees would be Oak, Ash, Birch and Elm? Is this right (Specifically for the South of england)? If not, open to corrections!

 

That's all i've got photos of for now, but I have started another conversion, and am doing some other RTR bashing!

 

 

Edited June 5 by Jack P

[NHY 581]

Hi Jack, 

 

No hesitation in recommending this Polish company.

 

https://en.mbrmodel.eu/produkty

 

Really good to deal with. The trees are made pretty much to order so it normally takes six weeks or so. 

 

I've just placed another order with the and I'm advised that delivery will be early July. 

Here are some photos of their trees on my current layout. 

 

Oak tree

 

 

Close up of oak leaves

 

 

Weeping Willow 

 

 

 

Beech in the background

 

 

 

Rob..

 

 

[TrevorP1]

Hi Jack. If you fancy having a go at making your own trees and bushes have a look at Boomer Diorama on YouTube. He focuses on Canadian types but the principles can be applied to anything. I found the idea of bushes made from string and static grass very useful.

 

Regarding tree species, don’t forget hawthorn.

[Tony Teague]

2 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

 

No hesitation in recommending this Polish company.

 

https://en.mbrmodel.eu/produkty

 

Really good to deal with. The trees are made pretty much to order so it normally takes six weeks or so. 

 

 

I have also used their trees, although I acquired them through a model shop in Brackley, Northants ( https://www.aandhmodels.co.uk/ ) but I am not sure that they still stock them as they had some difficulty in securing good supplies.

 

 

Nevertheless thoroughly recommend them (both the trees and the model shop!)

 

Tony

[Re6/6]

On 05/06/2024 at 07:27, NHY 581 said:

, No hesitation in recommending this Polish company.

https://en.mbrmodel.eu/produkty

Agreed Rob. 

 

Also I can thoroughly recommend Primo Trees which are available here. He has some excellent products in his range some are subtly distinct from MBR's excellent items.

 

https://primomodels.co.uk/

 

The gorse bushes are rather nice

 

...as are the Larch trees. I've tried and failed to get the prototypical 'pendulous' needles which are captured rather well.

 

 

Edited June 6 by Re6/6
spelling!

[Jack P]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations - I only need a few trees, so it seems like a good option. Perhaps If I needed hundreds I would consider making them myself!

 

 @NHY 581 @Re6/6 what sort of lengths are you using for your static grass?

[NHY 581]

4 hours ago, Jack P said:

Thanks everyone for the recommendations - I only need a few trees, so it seems like a good option. Perhaps If I needed hundreds I would consider making them myself!

 

 @NHY 581 @Re6/6 what sort of lengths are you using for your static grass?

 

 

Hi Jack, 

 

I use 2mm for a base layer then 4mm, normally in multiple layers, colours blending as I go.  

 

Rob

Edited Monday at 05:19 by NHY 581

[Re6/6]

4 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

Hi Jack, 

 

I use 2mm for a base layer then 4mm, normally in multiple layers, colours blending as I go.  

 

Rob

I always start with 2mm basing fibres and then as Rob says, multiple layers with mixed shades, I usually then use 4mm or 6mm and then maybe another light layer of 2mm. If a 'leafy/weedy effect is required sieve on some fine ground foam (my preference is the ultra fine stuff from the Model Tree Shop. https://www.themodeltreeshop.co.uk/landscaping-materials/scatters/sponge-scatter.html Their sponge scatter is very fine (0.2>0.7mm).

 

For adding layers I do recommend using 'proper' spray (Peco or WWS) rather than hairspray whch had I always used before until I discovered layering sprays as I found that the hairspray grip failed over time

 

If rough ground is required, I start with gluing down hanging basket liner then pull it it up with a cat brush and trim if needed then add with the layering process.

 

 

 

 

Edited Monday at 09:36 by Re6/6
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