Southern Railway Modelling - Miscellaneous Project work

[Tony Teague]

Well it looks and sounds great but I can't help wondering whether you have completely lost your mind! 🤪

[Jack P]

On 12/11/2022 at 22:51, Tony Teague said:

Well it looks and sounds great but I can't help wondering whether you have completely lost your mind! 🤪

 

The lack of modelling facilities has driven me to some odd places, I will admit!

[Jack P]

Another quick update. 

 

 

More progress on the shed yesterday, the framework on the back wall has been replaced. Next step here is to order some flashings, and then replace the (absolutely poked) cladding with some exterior ply. 

 

 

We also removed some of the old exterior wall between the old/new sections. It makes the workshop feel significantly bigger, and with the raised floor, makes sense. 

The weather is incredible at the moment so making as much progress as I can before the spring rain decides to, um, rain on my parade? 

I've ordered all my interior ply sheets, and exterior ply needed to finish things off. Woo!

 

Finally in modelling related news, I got my DJH L out to have a peek. 

 

 

I've decided that a really great use of time will be to catalogue my railway items, and the various stages of progress that they are in, what's required to finish them off etc. 

I'll correlate this information in a spreadsheet, which hopefully means I can also order parts more efficiently (and save on multiple postage costs).

 

 

As you were.

[gz3xzf]

Hi Jack,

I hope you're keeping well, I have been quiet on the forum for sometime but had to comment on this.

 

The workshop is coming along well, hope the spring rain keeps off long enough for you to finish it.
You're L class looks in good shape, did you move the chassis mounting backwards or did it not need it (mine was 2mm too far forward)?

[Jack P]

3 hours ago, gz3xzf said:

Hi Jack,

I hope you're keeping well, I have been quiet on the forum for sometime but had to comment on this.

 

The workshop is coming along well, hope the spring rain keeps off long enough for you to finish it.
You're L class looks in good shape, did you move the chassis mounting backwards or did it not need it (mine was 2mm too far forward)?

 

Thanks Bryan! I too hope the workshop saga finally concludes with some swiftness!!

 

The L, Yes, I took about 1mm off the top of the frames and moved the chassis back by some degree2 (can't remember quite how much).

I'm going to see if PDK is keen to sell me jus the chassis from the L1 and I can sub that in, instead of this one!

[Blandford1969]

1 hour ago, Jack P said:

 

Thanks Bryan! I too hope the workshop saga finally concludes with some swiftness!!

 

The L, Yes, I took about 1mm off the top of the frames and moved the chassis back by some degree2 (can't remember quite how much).

I'm going to see if PDK is keen to sell me jus the chassis from the L1 and I can sub that in, instead of this one!

You should find them receptive as they are now selling chassis. I bought one and replacement tender for a DJH S15 recently. 

[Jack P]

Another update; We are nearly there.

Well, for the 'new' side of the shed at-least.

 

Had a rather wet time running new 6mm cables under the house from the existing switchboard to the new sub box.

Also ran data via an ethernet cord, and a cable between the outside lighting switch of the house and the workshop. The intention is to have the outdoor lights switchable from inside the workshop, and the house. 

 

 

Making a start getting building paper up, then once the wall is levelled off i'll insulate. Then it's installing the new switchboard and running cables for powerpoints/lighting.

 

 

The 'old' side will be next years project. I have the flooring ply, but it won't be ready to go in for a while.

 

 

You can see my new benches on the left, and the 12mm interior ply on the right (this will be used to clad the new side).

 

All for now, really hoping I can get a bench in place before the new year. But it's looking unlikely. Months without being able to work on models feels like torture.

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Jack P

[Jack P]

Righto, another update!

 

Builders paper in the rest of the gaps. An annoying task when you can't run large sheets (like you would before cladding went on)

That means its time for the forbidden candyfloss.

 

 

 

Cables run everywhere I need them, and some cladding back in place.

 

 

Next, marking out for the TV mount, power point and ethernet cable outlet

 

 

Reinforced the back of the TV mount with some scrap bits of ply - just so I could get some decent length screws in there. Glued and clamped before final assembly, and glued onto the back face of the cladding.

 

 

 

Not the prettiest job, but it didn't mess it up..

 

 

Switchboard - FITS! Woo, and it's level even. I opted for a flush mounted board, on the advice of my mate. Once all wired up and in place, will have a framed picture over the front.

 

 

Final fit up - Need to cut a few more pieces for the top section, but I need to run one final cable over to the other side of the shed first.

 

 

Tantalizingly close. I don't think I'll be back in before the new year sadly, but it will be soon!

Really looking forward to proper modelling updates vs Jacks Construction thread...

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Jack P

[Jack P]

Happy New year folks!

 

Nearly a month has gone by. Various frustrations with tradesmen, and whether or not they actually turn up when they say they will has meant things didn't progress as quickly as I would've liked them to.

 

Anyway, we are nearly there (I am sick of saying this).

 

I really wanted to keep the Plywood cladding bare. But untreated plywood is very absorbent of, well, everything. and it doesn't really seem like an ideal finish for a workshop.

After some googling/youtubing, I decided Danish oil would offer everything I wanted without changing the finish of the ply too much.

I also applied Danish oil to the benchtops, so far I've done 3 coats with wet sanding in-between. In the below image, you can see the oiled side on the left, and the un-treated side on the right, it's really added some nice depth & sheen.

 

 

I've also been prepping the hardware for the benches. Adjustable legs, and heavy duty brackets. 

The brackets are galvanized steel, and I didn't like that the finish didn't match the legs - Some black Zinc paint sorted this out for me!

 

 

Oh, and this is where we've got to tonight - not to brag but I cut and laid the carpet tiles myself.

 

The ceiling has been painted, along with the brickwork next to the bench. Some of the threshold for the door has also been painted. But this will be an ongoing process. Lights are installed and working, and we have power! I’ll paint the cable trunking, but once I have a new tin of paint I’m thinking about taking the lights down and painting the entire ceiling at once to make sure it’s cohesive.

 

Hopefully more soon!

 

Edited January 18, 2023 by Jack P

[Jack P]

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

 

[Tony Teague]

Looks a bit plush for a workbench - more like a cocktail bar!

[KeithHC]

25 minutes ago, Jack P said:

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

 

I trust now that you will have a BoB with the great man’s name after using his speech.

 

Keith

[Jack P]

10 hours ago, Tony Teague said:

Looks a bit plush for a workbench - more like a cocktail bar!

 

I had suggested an intercom system between here and the house, just incase I needed another gin sour. Kathryn (unsurprisingly) vetoed that idea pretty quick!

 

9 hours ago, KeithHC said:

I trust now that you will have a BoB with the great man’s name after using his speech.

 

Keith

 

21C151 was a western section loco, sadly. It's unlikely it'll happen, but I would love to model her, if for no other reason, to pay homage.

 

Small bits left to do now, installed a shelf to mount my main desk light on. Used a bit of offcut from the desk so it ties in nicely.

 

 

Also cut a grommet hole for cables to pass through. My job today is to cut the one on the other side, and tidy up the other side of the shed.

 

 

That's all for now

[Tony Teague]

35 minutes ago, Jack P said:

 

I had suggested an intercom system between here and the house, just incase I needed another gin sour. Kathryn (unsurprisingly) vetoed that idea pretty quick!

 

 

I recall that I was allowed a fridge to put cold drinks in but refused a kettle on the basis that if I could make tea in the railway room I would never go back in the house!

[Jack P]

Righto, so a week has passed and the workbench is now suitably messy and cluttered.

 

Actually even more so since this picture was taken..

 

 

My first task was to make a little spray station, instead of having the spray surface directly on the cutting mat/workbench. This one also has a small shelf along the back for lids. 

I'm considering adding a lip along the front to help hold the bottles in place (if the unit is knocked)

 

 

I have a surplus of Rapido wagons that need attention, so I though I'd have a go with one of the SECR vans to get my eye back in with weathering. I think it came up alright - a few tweaks to the next one. I've got a swathe of commission weathering work that I need to get through, including almost the entire lineup of Bachmann's new Narrow gauge locomotive fleet; so these rapido wagons will make for good practice, although the narrow gauge stuff is absolutely tiny!

 

 

 

I've also had the Bachmann Dance hall brake in the pile of things to attend to. I had originally thought that I would leave it as is, and accept the discrepancies in the accuracy, but while I was working on painting the interior, I decided that I should give it a once over.

 

First off, the conversion to EM. The Wheels that the wagon comes with are much bigger than the Gibson replacements I have, and I spent some time trying to turn them down to be more EM friendly, but they wobbled like mad. So in went some pinpoint bearings, to improve the rolling qualities, and then some Gibson spoked wheels. They're not quite right, being 8 spoke instead of 10, but by 1947 they might have had Disc wheels anyway? I also carved out the brakes to be safe, but the Gibson wheels sit a mile away from them anyway.. so perhaps it's worth investigating some replacement options.

 

 

I also filed down the fronts of the axleboxes and did my best to add some half round plastic rod to the sides, and plastic strip to the front, to bear a passing resemblance to the SECR axleboxes. Not perfect, but passable.

 

 

 

 

I took the opportunity to remove the footboards and then paint the solebars, I then glued the steps back in place. I removed the Large letter SR livery and used some HMRS transfers to keep the same number, but in the small logo post-1936 livery. I painted the roof grey while I was there. The next job will be adding 3-link couplings, and then it will join the queue for weathering.

 

 

Confession time: The HMRS transfers are really shocking, nowhere near as crisp and clear as they used to be, and heaps of goopy film to remove - enamel thinners seem to be the best way, but too much and you risk destroying the transfer. I need to find a new supplier. The paint on the solebars was mixed by eye and isn't reeaaaaally the same shade as the body, I'm hoping that with some weathering it will be hard to tell though. In the last photo you can really see how far the brakes sit from the wheels, it's not the worlds worst, but still not great. I think overall it looks about right. I'm hoping that Bachmann do another batch at some point and I can do a few more modifications and tweaks. There also aren't any photos out there of these vans in the post 1936 livery, so this was a bit of a guess. I worked off the comparison to other brake vans, and the one image I could find of an S-prefix van in one of mike king's books.

 

Finally.. meet the newest member of our family!

 

 

We had decided that we would wait for 1yr of home ownership before getting a cat. Tomorrow (28th Jan) is the 1yr anniversary of our offer being accepted, and we moved in about a month later, so not quite 12 months, but we can make an exception. He's 5 months old, grey, and very friendly. We need to keep him inside for the next two months, as he's still a kitten. 

 

Oh, and his name is Otto!

 

 

Edited January 27, 2023 by Jack P

[SteveyDee68]

Otto looks very handsome, but I hope he isn’t too close a shade to your sofa as sitting on a camouflaged cat never ends well for either party! 🤭

 

Let sleeping dogs lie and all that jazz!

 

Steve S

 

PS

Lovely work space you have built, by the way! 

[Nick C]

Beautiful Kitten! Welcome to the world of cat servitude ;)

 

The workbench is looking like a proper workbench now too!

[Jack P]

Ooops, 27th of Jan.. it's been a while, but i've not been idle.

 

Lots of commission work on the go at the moment, excitingly, some narrow gauge stuff! 

Here's a selection of what i've been working on for others:

 

 

 

 

And some stuff i've been working on for me:

 

 

 

 

That's all for now!

[Tony Teague]

Not sure how you find the time, but it all looks good!

[NHY 581]

Hi Jack, 

 

How did you mute the toytown dome and safety valves on the D class ? 

 

 

 

Rob

 

 

[Jack P]

13 hours ago, Tony Teague said:

Not sure how you find the time, but it all looks good!

 

It's actually been really hard recently to find time, there's (what feels like) an infinite number of other things to do. Appreciate the kind words, as always!

 

10 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Hi Jack, 

 

How did you mute the toytown dome and safety valves on the D class ? 

 

 

 

Rob

 

 

 

Heya Rob, I gave the whole loco a coat of super glossy lacquer, and then misted the dome with the mucky boiler colour I use, seemed to 1: lift everything else to a similar gloss level underneath, and 2: cut back the shine ever so slightly. Hope that helps!

 

Here's the back - not quite as toned down

 

[NHY 581]

46 minutes ago, Jack P said:

 

Heya Rob, I gave the whole loco a coat of super glossy lacquer, and then misted the dome with the mucky boiler colour I use, seemed to 1: lift everything else to a similar gloss level underneath, and 2: cut back the shine ever so slightly. Hope that helps!

 

Here's the back - not quite as toned down

 

 

 

Nice job, Jack. 

 

I have a number of locos in this livery to weather. It's striking the right balance between portraying the cleaning standards of the day and the accumulated grime of a working loco, a balance you seem to have struck. 

 

Rob. 

[DerbyLNWR]

Really interesting thread. I see you mention fitting three-link couplings.

As a novice can you recommend any easy way of fitting the to RTR stock ? 

I am really concerned about getting a neat slot for the shaft of the coupling hook ?

many thanks

]on

[Jack P]

10 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Nice job, Jack. 

 

I have a number of locos in this livery to weather. It's striking the right balance between portraying the cleaning standards of the day and the accumulated grime of a working loco, a balance you seem to have struck. 

 

Rob. 

 

Thanks Rob, I'd probably describe my approach as 'feathering the edges', the loco looks clean from the side (where you'd usually see it), but has a bit of muck  around the edges and underneath, I find pinwashing works really well on the SECR underframes, as it nicely highlights the detail without looking filthy. I also think the horizontal surfaces of the footplate/cab roof etc, always benefit from a slightly more obvious toning down.

 

I've seen what you can do though.. and you'll absolutely ACE it, no doubt.

 

8 hours ago, DerbyLNWR said:

Really interesting thread. I see you mention fitting three-link couplings.

As a novice can you recommend any easy way of fitting the to RTR stock ? 

I am really concerned about getting a neat slot for the shaft of the coupling hook ?

many thanks

]on

 

Hi hi, thanks for dropping in. 

I find that the easiest way to remove the hook from most wagons is to pinch the sides with a flushcutter (or similar), just enough to grab it, and then pull it out with a quick snap of the wrist.

Usually that then leaves the start of the pocket intact, the original hole can then be drilled out, I usually use a .5mm bit, and I drill out the top and bottom of the pocket, then (If I can) the middle, or I cut the centre out with a sharp knife.

Once you've cut the hole you can choose to either glue the hook in, or rig it up to be sprung.

I can take some photos next time I do this!

[DerbyLNWR]

Most kind - helpful advice.