ECC Wheal Imogen / Rosevean Station: the expansion

[billywhizz]

Body mods included re-profiling the tumblehome, wire water tank handles, wire grab handles on the ends and Extreme Etching window frames. Once painted, they will also have etched door handles and grabs fitted along with Laser Glaze. 
Cheers,

Bill. 

[billywhizz]

The bogies were redone using Stenson Models 8’6” frames with Replica bogie side frames fitted. 
Cheers,

Bill. 

[billywhizz]

There is a lot of great info on modifying Airfix MK2’s on this thread:

Hope this helps. 
Cheers, 

Bill. 

[The Fatadder]

The 2 mk2s that will be replaced by my Airfix/Bachmann hybrids have previously been reprofiled.  Will be interesting to see how they stack up against the newer model. 
 

what was the source of the new alternator?  

[billywhizz]

29 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

The 2 mk2s that will be replaced by my Airfix/Bachmann hybrids have previously been reprofiled.  Will be interesting to see how they stack up against the newer model. 
 

what was the source of the new alternator?  

A friend 3D printed them for me. I have a couple of spares left. Drop me a PM if you need a couple. 
Cheers. 
Bill. 

[The Fatadder]

13 hours ago, billywhizz said:

A friend 3D printed them for me. I have a couple of spares left. Drop me a PM if you need a couple. 
Cheers. 
Bill. 

Thanks for the offer, will drop you a pm

 

 

Before work this morning I made a start on the first coach.  The buffer beams were removed from the underframe moulding before carefully carving plastic off both sides.  this was quite crudely done as will be invisible once fitted to the coach.  The interior moulding had the retention clips carved off before screwing in place on the chassis.  Fortunately the width of the interior is a friction fit between the Bachmann glazing (it just needed a touch carving off the top to clear the roof).

 

The next step will be adding new buffer beams / buffers (if I cant find anything suitable for the latter it will need drawing and printing).  I am in two minds between fixing the new bufferbeams to the chassis or the body.  Then I need to repeat the process for the other two coaches...

Edited June 24, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Forgot to add this photo of the first coach fitted with buffers from last weekend.  The other two will follow, but I need to finish a few other projects first…

[The Fatadder]

Quite a few projects have arrived this week,

 

First up an Accurascale Deltic as 9016 Gordon Highlander in porterbrook livery.  Technically entered traffic slightly too late for the layout, worse still I have no photos of the loco in the south west.  I really needed a model of D9000 in green (which did work to Plymouth on Virgin XC in 1999), but ever since it was painted I have always had a soft spot for 9016.  About 10 years back I was planning a Bachmann rebuild with the extreme etchings parts, before selling it on when my interests shifted to steam.  When Accurascale announced their Deltic I was mighty tempted to place a pre order, but didn’t (holding off in the hope 9000 makes it into batch 2).  Seeing it hit the shelves I had a massive regret and snapped one up as soon as the extra batch hit the market.  So far it has been fitted with its etched nameplates, along with full buffer beam detailing at each end.   It has also been fitted with a Dingham coupling on one end.  I haven’t decided what I will do wheel wise, as I still cant decide if Laira will be in OO or P4.  I suspect either way it will get a rewheel with scale sized wheels eventually…

 

Next up a Hornby 31 body in dutch currently as 31110, one of the mazac rot damaged examples purchased to supply the side grills and roof grill for 31465.  The plan with this is to take the left over bits from 31465 and rebuild it as 31107 (which had a normal roof grill and original side grills).  So far it has had a fair bit of repair work done to fix the cracks in the body and refit the plain roof grill.   It still needs renumbering and weathering, but I am now in two minds about keeping it and sourcing a chassis to power it (in which case it would need nameplates and a headlight / NRM pods)…

 

Speaking of 31s, a 31439 shell has arrived which will replace the body on my Fraggonset 31 (which in turn will end up on ebay at the weekend). this evening I have managed to repair some minor damage to the paint, remove the name and numbers and rebrand as 31465 (including removing the BR arrows from one of the Regional Railways logos).  It has then been weathered in quite a tatty state (including damage to the light blue stripe.)  Finally a start has been made on the weathering.

It’s partner 31466 also received some attention, adding the handrails to one end, an improvement  to the eth socket recess and a repair to two damaged transfers (one has already lifted again).  Prototypically speaking 31466 should be in Dutch for the Virgin Cross Country service.  But I’m happy to stretch things a little (after all I’m stretching the prototype a little to get them to Plymouth rather than Poole

 

 

I have long wanted a triple grey Class 60, spotting a non running example with transfer applied EWS beastie logos for a bargain price I couldn’t resist.  I have dismantled the chassis, cleaned all the gears and then oiled the bearings.  this has got rid of the screaming noise and got it running smoothly.  I needed to remove the remains of the Transrail logo (on a light grey box) and coal sector logo along with the name.  Unfortunately my ususal approach using thiners went through the paint, so it now needs the lower grey repainting. I have a set of Will's Workbench DRD transfers for its new identity and a set of Fox Transrail logos (though I may replace the latter with the one piece Railtec transfers).  It will only need the big T on one side (the other just has Transrail lettering).  My hope is to get the lower grey resprayed next week (assuming the rail grey is good to use)

 

Finally as part of the delivery from Will is a set of etches that I plan on modify into walkways for my Clay TTAs and a set of bogies to finally complete my Railtrack JNA.

 

 

Lots to do over the next few evenings that’s for sure. I really want to get a decoder into the Deltic and give it a run on Brent.

Edited July 1, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

I wasn’t happy with the finish on the 31, so I have toned it done a little. I also spotted that I had forgotten to shorten the roof cowling (as it comes it recesses into the roof, but as I have fitted a Shawplan grill rather than the Hornby one it was sitting too proud.). Two on the numbers came off while working on the weathering so will get replacements on it tomorrow.  (A definite advantage to the DRD ones from Wills Workbench that I will be using on 60085, is that getting them wet won’t lift the transfer.) 

 

in front are a pair of Stenson Models bogies for the JNA which just need painting (and need the inner brakes adding)

[The Fatadder]

I haven’t quite worked out how to fit the inner brake shoes, not that you can see much of them.  I also cant get a good colour reproduction in the photos with the green looking completely different.

 

however it’s good to finally see bogies under my first JNA.  I will eventually build at least 3 more, seeing as I have the transfers. I guess in my time period it would only be a complete rake though, sadly photos in the late 90s are not the easiest to find.

[The Fatadder]

Inner brake shoes glued in place and a splash of black paint to finish it off before work this morn.  Just need to remember where I’ve put the handbrake wheel now to add the final finishing touch.

 

the bogies are screwed on with a couple of Bachmann screws (liberated from a scrap set of fuel tanks)

 

 

while I was at it 31465 regained its missing numbers and is now finished.  

Edited July 4, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Progress on 60085 at lunch today, spraying the lower grey

 

I think I will probably respray the middle grey band as well to  get a more consistent finish

[The Fatadder]

Resprayed the middle grey before work this morning, annoyingly I somehow managed to scratch one side while masking (presumably there must have been something on the workbench). Hopefully a touch up shouldn’t be too difficult…
After the damage I was really concerned that the paint would lift when removing the masking, so was very pleased it came out ok.  It will need a coat of Klear later prior to adding Transrail logos

[The Fatadder]

A little more progress, after taking the previous photo I touched in the scratch with some more Phoenix Rail Grey getting a pretty good repair.   
 

at lunch once the paint was dry it had a quick coat of Klear where the transfers were going, before adding Fox transfers (including the pain in the backside 3 part transfer for the T).  As I had a single T transfer left over it made sense to use it up…

It still needs OHLE flashes (I’ve ran out) and the DRD transfers for the numbers.  It will also need a nameplate scar painting on for which I really need the dimensions of the Axe Edge plates if anyone has them)

 

the roof is in need of some pretty heavy weathering as well…

[The Fatadder]

The cabs have now been reassembled, numbers added using Will’s Workbench dry rub down transfers (really impressed with these.)   It just needs some OHLE flashes adding (but I won’t get these until I see Rainbow Railways at DEMU Showcase next week).  Then it will be time for some weathering.

[The Fatadder]

Two more projects coming soon, just sourced a Bachmann 37/5 in sector body via eBay. This will get paint stripped and then repainted in Intercity as 37510, this is a loco that I had modelled from an original Bachmann 37 way back in the early 2000s which was then weathered by James Wells (and sold before the revised 37 was released).  It’s improved weathered chassis is actually still in service under one of my 1980s locos.

I have a spare mk1 37 chassis block, along with a pair of new bogies and one of my underframe it gives me a whole loco.  The intention is a bit of swapping to put the 4 axle drive chassis (unpowered) under either my red stripe 675 repaint or possibly one of my DRS locos seeing as they will always be a pair.)

 

never painted a loco in intercity before, those grills will be fun!  I will spray the red stripe rather than use transfers.   The big issue at the moment is that no one does the small Intercity logo as far as I can see.

 

 

next up Bachmann are selling mk2f bodies for £23 a pop on their spares website.   Now ignoring that I bought 3 bodies for under 20 quid combined last week, it still felt good value.  
One will be fitted to aN Airfix mk2 BSO chassis which will complete the sleeper rake (at least it will once I paint the other two sleepers into Intercity, the paint for which is coming from Rainbow Railways at Demu in a couple of weeks time).

 

the other will replace the short Hornby RFB I converted previously.  This is a bit of a trial to see if it’s possible to stretch the Hornby chassis.  My hope is that some Virgin shells eventually appear and I can get 5 more body’s to fit to my existing chassis and lengthen the rest of the set.   (Looking at combined prices this would still be a saving over selling the Hornby and buying Bachmann)

 

Edit:  just spotted one more thing, on a lot of my 37s I have long had issues where there was not a suitable base model so my loco has the wrong nose grills.  On one (668) I have fixed it, with 521 also needing attention (it needs no bar at either end).  Just looking at prototype pics of 510 and it has dividing bars at both ends (like most Bachmann refurbs) the 514 body I’m using had them at one end so will need replacement.   First I’m checking the rest of my fleet to see if there is a loco with the wrong grills that can be corrected….

Edited July 10, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

On the workbench this evening has been 2 more of my Bachmann /Airfix hybrid mk2s plus a chassis for the BSO.  These have both now been fitted with new buffer beams, but I need to either draw or buy buffers in order to finish them off.  The chassis for the brake has been narrowed ready to go (however I think it may need some internal modification as the light guide (for the tail light maybe?) is fouling on the interior when I test fitted a FO body on the BSO underframe/interior.

 

once I have the BSO I will make a start on the body detailing, although the declassified firsts can’t be resprayed until after Showcase given the lack of paint!  I have some hurst door open lights somewhere which need fitting.

[The Fatadder]

Hopefully the body for 37510 will arrive today, in preparation I have been working on some parts for the nose grills to allow for the correct version.   I have never been happy with the flat etch replacements that are available, so I figured I would try printing my own.  It is rather pushing the limits of the printer (possibly better suited to one of the newer 4k machines) given the narrow gap between slats on the grill.  Each are moulded at an angle fully cut though, with all the framing and bolt head detail added.

 

37667 will once again be my test bed, replacing the previously fitted etched replacement grills.  Assuming that works, I will be fitting them to both 37521 and 37510 and will finally have a complete set of 37s with accurate nose grills.

this will be recessed into the body (though I think I will revise it again to reduce the height of the bar between grills so that it ends at the bottom of the shorter grill.)

 

also on the print was a set of buffers to finish off my mk2 project.

[The Fatadder]

I couldnt resist a quick test of the parts using 37667 once again, this had previously had one end of each side's grills converted to the single bar type using an etch.  The hole was opened up before gluing the nose end in position (for added strength).  The replacement nose grills were then superglued in place.  Currently it is just in red oxide primer, pending a coat of EWS red (and some weathering to blend in the different shade of paint).  All in all I am pretty happy with the result and will be doing the same conversion on the 37514 body that arrived today (but changing a one piece grill to a divided type) in order to model 37510.  Speaking of which, the body is currently sat in a bottle of IPA removing the Bachmann paint in advance of respraying into Intercity.   Initially this will end up getting the chassis from 37667 which will get its new chassis once I have finally resprayed the EWS gold stripe.

This was then followed by modifying a Bachmann mk2 BSO body to fit on another Airfix mk2d chassis, following the same approach as my previous FO conversions.  One other detail that I hadnt previously covered was the door windows,  as built mk2d coaches having a deeper door window than a mk2f).  Looking at photos a sizable portion of the Great Western fleet appeared to have gained later doors at some stage of their life with the smaller window (which certainly makes my life easier).  However when it comes to the BSO the doors at the brake end typically still had the larger window, so working from a photo I have expanded the height of the droplight windows on the BSO.  All of which now needs reglazing.    Unlike the TSO/FO the BSO did not have Intercity logos, still not looking forward to having to make up all of those specific coach numbers though...

I have been giving a lot of thought to doing an 8 window TSO, fortunately I know of at least one mk2E TSO that was in the Great Western fleet 5744, so that will definitely be modelled. 

 

As mentioned previously the formation I am modelling was:

Loco, FO, FO, RMB, TSO, TSO, TSO, BG  (with the latter able to be replaced with the BSO).  So I will need to source two more coaches, an 8 window TSO and either convert to get a 2d TSO or another ex First TSO.

 

 

Briefly moving away from coaches, a decoder arrived today for 9016 which has now been chipped and tested on Brent.  Of course somewhere between the workbench and the layout one of the chains fell out, which will need reattaching before it gets used again.  I have left it for now as I still havent decided on the track gauge for the next project, and dont want to go attaching the chains only to have to remove them to P4 it...

 

Next up will be testing a Hornby Bachmann hybrid with an RFB body (or alternatively if that doesnt appear viable, selling my Hornby one and doing another hybrid chassis.   

 

 

Edited July 13, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

quick test on the RFB, I think it’s viable but may need work on the interior.  The chassis can be cut and lengthened, the interior would also need cutting into short lengths 

 

will give it some thought between this vs scratch building a new 2F underframe to go under a brass floor and the Bachmann body…

showing how short the Hornby 2E body is, would love to know if they fixed it for their 2F

[The Fatadder]

Following on from yesterday, 37510 hit a bit of a stumbling block with the new nose grills braking while removing the supports.  replacements are currently printing, so while I have roughly opened up the holes for the new grills it will have to wait a little longer until they can be finished. 

 

I am currently debating whether or not to fit the noses now, leaving them off will mean a lot less masking (seeing as I dont have any need to respray the yellow ends).  But on the other hand if they are glued on it will make fitting the grills easier. 

 

Seeing as I couldnt make much more progress on the 37 I switched back to the mk2 RFB.  The interior for this has already been split in two when rebuilding to add the buffet section.  The alignment between seats and windows for the remaining seating section is close enough, so the next task was to find a suitable joint between underframe parts to chop the chassis in half.  This required a cut which was at an angle, however there is a good amount of the metal weight providing an overlap which was the key consideration.  The final modification to the chassis was to carve off the Hornby steps (and the location lug that was moulded above them).

 

Modifications were needed both to the top profile of the Hornby interior (particularly the radius of the corners) and also the inside of the Bachmann roof (to remove all of the screw fittings / bits associated with the missing lighting boards).  The inside of the corridor connection extends into the coach body by about 1mm which also needed to be cut back flush to clear the flange above the new bufferbeam.

 

With that done everything was test fitted allowing me to work out the thickness of plasticard that was required to fill the hole between the two halves of the chassis.  Further strength was then added by gluing the metal weight across the joint, and reattaching the interior (for which there are plasticard fillets across the joint.

 

 

Would I do it again?  For a start I would need to do another test to see if the Hornby interior looks acceptable for a whole coach length.  If I was to see a batch of Virgin liveried coaches at the £7 per body I paid for the Mk2 FOs, I would definitely be going down this route to upgrade the XC rake to scale length coaches.  Even at Bachmann's £23 a coach it would be a cost of £115 for the rake (less whatever could be made by selling the Hornby bodies).   Selling the Hornby set and buying Bachmann would be more like 250 - 300 net.   So yes, if Bachmann were to start selling the Virgin liveried coach bodies at some point in the future I will definitely be buying a BSO + 4 TSO to replace the Hornby shorties.     

Edited July 14, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Some progress on 37510 last night, which is starting to come together.  The masking has been horrific, made a lot worse by the change from opening doors to solid ones.  Normally this would be a big plus for me, but in this case it makes the masking so much more difficult.   It will need a fair bit of touching up.

 

I also didn’t quite get the red stripe the right width at the right hand side (instigated by the door masking) which will need masking and respraying tomorrow.

the biggest issue is that removing the masking tape I somehow snapped the nose grill off, including the lower body section.  The grill slots in nicely but there is damage to the lower body that will need filling before respraying the white in that area.

Edited July 15, 2022 by The Fatadder

[James Makin]

Looking good Rich!

 

I don’t envy you with the Intercity respray there, to do that on a 37 is as tricky a paint job as it gets! 
 

I chickened out and used a pre-painted Bachmann Intercity 37685 body for my 37510, figuring out it was easier for my bodging hands to change the ends, grille arrangements and do the roof mods on that body rather than try repainting a split-ender and somehow get the stripes all painted with precision! 🤣

 

Love the new 3D print nose grilles, they’ve come up really nicely! 
 

Cheers

James

[The Fatadder]

Was very pleased with how the grills came out.  
 

at the moment 510 looks really good from 6ft away, but you see the issues when you get up close.  I think everything should be fixable though, if not I will strip it down and start again. 
 

Just fitted the Heljan snowploughs, (but still have the new fuel tanks and brake cylinders to add).   With grills sorted on 510

and 667 I think I might get to work on sorting the grills on 521 next 

 

The biggest issue 510 is facing is that I still haven’t found any transfers for it 

Edited July 15, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Just spent my lunch brake working on finishing off 37510's paint, with some touch ups where the masking hadnt quite done its job properly along with areas around the doors (where the masking was a total pig).  Not got the transfers sourced yet, but I have emailed Railtec hoping they might be able to resize their HST logos to the required size.  Until the transfers are sorted I will leave the top half with a gloss finish (it will eventually of course all get a coat of the usual semi satin varnish). 

 

the lines on the door are still not perfect, but better than before.   I’m hopeful the weathering will help a little more, but it will always be a loco that looks a lot better ok the layout than in a super close up photo.  

 

 

Ive also managed a little more on a mk3 DVT, started years ago from the Hurst kit its being finished in Intercity.  More likely than not it will eventually end up in the disposals queue given I think most (all?) the virgin XC services with a DVT were for Painton and thus wouldnt have gone far enough west for my interests.  The kit doesnt show up too badly, but it was a little frustrating to find when I primed the body the remains of filled windows from a mk3 sleeper which presumably Hurst used as a basis for the master.  Thankfully another skim of filler seems to have got rid of it.

Edited July 18, 2022 by The Fatadder