ECC Wheal Imogen / Rosevean Station: the expansion

[James Makin]

Hi Rich!

 

Great to catch up yesterday, our talk about the Eclipse trains prompted me to dig out my RAIL magazines, this was the feature I recalled reading from RAIL 364, including details of all the workings and some juicy Class 66 passenger train action..! 
 

This one won’t rotate out of sideways but hopefully of use..!

 

Of the 66s that assisted, 66124 and 66125 were very new at the time, being from the boatload before last at the time (the newest batch in country then being 66128-138). They are listed in RAIL 363 as being the first 66s to visit Penzance interestingly - 66125 on a rake of fuel tanks on Jul 6th and 66124 on Jul 13th.

 

66106 was recorded on an Evian bottled water train between St Blazey-Truro on Jul 29th too.

 

Enjoy!

James

[The Fatadder]

Good to catch up yesterday, the eclipse certainly threw out some interesting workings.  I think a Hattons 66 in EWS definitely needs adding to the fleet.

 

 

Already regretting not buying more from Shawplan at Showcase.  Particularly should have bought some class 37 laser glaze as I now realise I need some….

 

I have been working on a test build to see how I can improve the cab windscreen area using the extreme etchings etch as an overlay.  It confirms what I’ve always suspected that the Bachmann windows are almost the right size, but look small because they put the frames on the glazing.
 

the windows are slightly too small in the upper inner corner, so it needs new glazing.  My hope is that you could modify the laser glaze to fit.  But of course I forgot to buy a pack!  
The frames were sprayed intercity grey and glued in place.  It’s not as good as using the full etch as per @Southwich or the latest Bachmann model.  But it is a lot better than the model as it comes.  I also got the roof grill and bits for the brake leavers, which will be jobs for later.

 

I picked up parts for the roof and side grill on a 33, I have a Fraggonset 33/2 that I plan to repaint as the last survivor in Dutch.  Not much use but it should be a good project to get stuck into.

 

finally a batch of nameplates, so 47016, 43068 and 43185 now have their plates added.  

still needs varnishing along with the glazing refitting.  It’s also not properly sitting on its chassis yet (hence the nose sitting a little low)

47016 only has plates on one side (thankfully James had need of the other), for the other side I’ve painted the scar where it was removed.

 

 

I also picked up some ohle transfers, meaning that I could finish of the HST powercars and of course complete 60085

 

the final purchase was some paint from Rainbow with the colours to respray my Hanson 66, intercity buff and EWS gold.  The latter will enable the completion of 37667 and 58tbc which both need the stripe repainting.   (It’s also pretty dammed close to Phoenix GWR light stone)….

 

now to order some more Bachmann mk2 bodies to rebuild….

 

 

[The Fatadder]

 

the current state of play on 37510.  The roof grill will be painted off model and fitted once everything else is done to avoid risk of damaging it while installing.   Hopefully Railtec will be able to do the transfers, until that point it will now return to the shelf.

 

There are a couple more projects about to arrive on the bench:  I’ve just bought an incomplete Hornby HST body from eBay, missing it’s interior and cooler group.  It will get a soak in IPA and then a respray into GWT, it will then receive one of the Hornby dummy chassis that are currently under Lima bodies (168) which in turn will get a rebuilt Lima chassis eventually.    Thinking about it, I suppose it would be a good idea to print off the track plan and see how well it will actually work…. I need to work out exactly how many power cars I actually need…
 

also paint wise I now have the intercity buff paint to spray the sleeper and the upper band on the TSO, so hopefully will get some painting time later in the week…

Edited July 24, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

A little more progress on 37510 last night, which has now had its chassis lowered, new brake cylinders adding and a new set of underframe tanks.  I am going to have to look  again at the snowploughs as they are fouling the bogies.  Possibly this is as a result of the lowering on the chassis as I dont recall having an issue with the ploughs on 37403 (which has yet to receive its chassis upgrade).  I suspect that the answer is going to be replacing with etched ploughs...

 

There are still a few more jobs that are needed, most importantly a new step which incorporates the new brake cylinder, a speedo drive (which is currently half drawn) and finally a new multiple working jumper for the end.  Over the next year I will be upgrading all of the locos in the core fleet prior to getting Wheal Imogen on the road again.  

 

I also have some more HST projects about to hit the bench, having sourced both a Virgin bodyshell (missing its roof grill / cab interior) and a second pair in Virgin (also with one powercar missing its cab interior).   Two of these power cars will end up stripped and resprayed into GWT, with the third staying in Virgin.  It feels like a slight moment of madness in a lethargic state having just got back from the gym, in the clarity of the morning I am slightly wondering if I have made a bit of an error here and now have too many powercars......  That said, the two improved Lima powercars will be useful as part of the non powered sidings at the rear of the layout

 

Once painted it will kick off another wave of powercar chassis swaps, with the Lima 43168 body loosing its Hornby dummy chassis which will get an Intercity body.  The intercity's powered chassis will in turn get the new GWT body.   The logic being for Laira the GWT powercars are more likely to be used under their own steam, while the Intercity would be shunted (having just arrived for work and a repaint).  

Virgin wise this will now give me 43007 in Intercity, 43068 in Virgin xc, 43155 (powered) in VXC, 43158 and one other (powered) in Virgin 

[The Fatadder]

Forgot to add a photo of the 37 windscreen improvements

bearing in mind that the hole for the centre window is identical on both models, the RTR Bachmann looks so much smaller thanks to the glazing.

 

I had a delivery of the first HST body today that will be going into GWT.  I hadn’t noticed on ebay that it was badly cracked.  So the first job is gluing the body back together, filling and final fit will have to wait until I’ve stripped the paint.  For which it is currently sat in a bath of IPA.  This one came apart easily, with the glazing just pushing out (a nice change). 
This powercar will be fitted with my 3d printed cooler group.  Hopefully the other pair will arrive tomorrow, as I’d like to start painting at the weekend…..

[The Fatadder]

With the body of what will become 43187 now sat on its new chassis (in order to check the squareness of its repair). I have had a dig in the scrap box for a suitable chassis to go under 43042. 
 

Originally my thoughts were to have it powered, however now that I have 5 Hornby powered powercars I think the layout is pretty well covered in that front, so at least one of the Lima powercars is fine as a dummy. 
 

(as an aside, how did / does Laira shunt its HSTs with the allocated 08s?  Is it just via the drag bar on the front or did they have an adaptor to couple to the buckeye?   I guess shunting with a HST powercar was also an option.)

 

back to the build, I had previously started detailing the underframe, with various bits of Lima plastic chopped to shape.  These were laminated together with various bits of plasticard to get a rough approximation. 
 

the next job will be cutting out the nose panel, adding the insides, and maybe trying to work out a way to have an open and closed option.  I think both the pure Lima powercars should be capable of having the end doors open…

[The Fatadder]

The first HST body is now fully stripped, the Virgin livery came off a lot easier than the Intercity example that was used for 43068.  I have also had a delivery from Lendon's of Cardiff with replacement cab interiors for both this powercar (and one of the pair that I am awaiting delivery).  It needs some assembly (the lighting boards need wiring up, and I will need to 3d print some seats). 

 

The damage to the body is proving more difficult to repair, particularly the cracks in the cantrail grill.  The body is not quite sitting square, so more attention is going to be needed.  The printer is currently printing the new roof grill, as I want to fully open up the hole for the grill before doing any more work on the cracks.  The fallback plan is to cut out these two grills from a Lima powercar and splice them into the Hornby body (along with the 3d printed grill). 

[The Fatadder]

Some lunchtime progress on what will become 43187, the damage has proved a lot more problematic than I first thought and taken a lot of rework to get to a presentable state.  If I had seen it I doubt I would have purchased, certainly not at the price I paid!   Would have been nice if the seller had mentioned the damage in the description as well…

Untitled by The Fatadder, on Flickr

Untitled by The Fatadder, on Flickr

The hole for the cooler group grills needs enlarging once it’s printed (although it still has another 3 hours to print). Will hopefully have it fitted this evening, hopefully the next one will go a bit smoother!

I had a delivery from Lendons with a pair of interiors (one for this and one for the other powercar).

Will have to give the lighting some thought as only 3 forward lights are lit on the model, whereas photos show them running with 4 white lights regularly 

[The Fatadder]

A little more progress this evening, with the roof grill fitted 

the cracked grill was hand painted in GWT green to try and show up any defects.   This will be it h till the other powercar arrives and is stripped and primed

[The Fatadder]

A bit of finishing work on the first of my mk2d, which now has the correct intercity logos all my with the cantrail stripe adding.  It does of course still need the final touch adding numbers and door open lights, the former I will be contacting Railtec to get a complete set made up for both sleeper and daytime service while the latter I am still trying to find my Hurst lenses…

Untitled by The Fatadder, on Flickr

Now to add the cantrail stripe to the other 3 coaches (and order a couple of tso bodies to play with…)

 

I am now 90% sure that the next layout will not be finished in P4, mostly because doing my long term project in P4 is not realistic and I remain unconvinced about my ability to get it running to the standard that I would want.  This leads to a slight issue with two layouts that share stock needing to use the same stock in different gauges….  Loco wise there are more than enough. 37s in the fleet to serve both, but wagons would be more tricky.  That said it would be possible to take Wheal Imogen back to the mid 80s for which all my stock is still p4….  Of course the bigger question is whether W I has a future once ‘Laira’is built, at which point the remaining stock could move across.  
A bit of me does still keep thinking I should do what I probably should have done in the first place and try EM, but the thought of rewheeling the number of locos required is rather off putting.  I’d expected to be able to go from P4 to OO on stock at a minimum of brake even.  P4 to EM feels like there would be a fair bit of extra cost.  
I do like the look of the finetrax kits If I do go OO or EM…

Edited July 31, 2022 by The Fatadder

[Chris56057]

Difficult decisions Rich. I landed myself into the world of EM after purchasing Motts Lane from Will and must say I'm pleased I did, as it has pushed my standards further. 

 

I've had a look at the Finetrax kits myself and will be using them on any future projects, the range can only get bigger over time. 

 

Enjoying the layout updates and stock modifications, gives me the impetus to get M L completed. 

 

Chris 

[The Fatadder]

Have you rewheeled your conversions or pulled out the OO wheels on the axles?

Very interested to hear experience of the latter given the potential cost savings that could be obtained.

 

my logic is that the extra flange thickness should make the difference allowing for imperfections in my track building.  As will the use of the very reasonably priced Finetrax bits.  Building an eventual large continuous run exhibition layout in EM on your own also sounds more plausible than in P4.  (Particularly as from a track point of view I’d be using the finetrax bits anyway if I was doing it in OO)

 

At the moment I am starting a full stock audit to see what wheels are in everything, with the aim of splitting into 4 groups:

1980s clay - switch to P4

1998 DRS - switch to P4, this will eventually form a small layout (one day)

Wheal Imogen core stock - keep the clay 37s, 47, 60 and clay wagons as P4 for now, and keep that way until Wheal Imogen either reaches the end of its useful life or gets converted to a 1980s layout.

Rest of stock - aim to have in OO /EM where possible, will require sale / swap of P4 wheels to get enough wheels for my coaches, while a number of locos will also need new wheels sourcing.

[Chris56057]

On all my Hornby 60's I've pulled out the OO wheels on the original axles, they seem to run fine for any home based operating sessions - in time I'll pop some EM wheels under these. 

 

For the Bachmann 37's these have all been re-wheeled - I wasn't happy with the running qualities pulling out the existing wheels. The 56's will need new wheels, probably from EMGS stores.

[dj_crisp]

My 60s have all used DCC concepts/Branchlines 14mm wheels.... a smidge underscale but they look ok to me. Often that smaller wheel compensates for the gap between the bogie and body so overall ride height can be improved. Hornby/Heljan/Bachmann/Hattons tend to use 2mm axles so I've used alot of these wheels and I like them as they're a solid disc so it's straightforwared to sort pick ups.

 

I'm not a great fan of pulling wheels out tbh - sure you can get away with it for most stock but when starting in EM I decided to where-ever possible to standardise on the rp25-88 wheel profile. Also makes life easier on having a consistent Back 2 Back measurements. Some stock though I've resorted to using the originals pulled out but have thinned them to make them look a bit better or allow them to fit. So far I've tried Bachmann mk2fs to see how i get on, just done a realtrack 156 because of the odd diameter (can you buy a 1.5mm RP25-88 11mm wheel!!??) and I've struggled with Accurascales so did their PFAs that way and I'm trying to sort their PCAs out but they've all run terribly post conversion.

 

You can  pick up the DCC concepts wheels for quite reasonable prices when in stock (and the OO one is the same profile as EM as it's probably intended for Australian fine(r) scale HO rather than OO but is good for OO finescale. Using this wheel does mean it's dead easy to go back to OO-SF)

 

I'd just go for it - really enjoyed working in EM so far.

[The Fatadder]

Today I had the arrival of two more Bachmann mk2f bodies, This will be GWT’s sole mk2E and a 2d tso. Conversion of the windows on the latter has started with a new window cut and the old one filled.  Somewhere I have a pack of the southern pride self adhesive window frames from which I planned to use the toilet window (I don’t fancy buying a whole pack of etches for one frame).  If I can’t find it the fallback is to use the shilouette to cut it from 10thou plasticard.). I am now waiting on the window blank to fully cure so it can be carved back to a flush finish with the body.  Then it’s time to start prepping the chassis.

I will need a good grey match to the Bachmann finish if anyone knows one.

[The Fatadder]

Still cant find the window frame, so I think this evening I am going to need to draw up a replacement and dig out the silhouette cutter for the first time in a long while (I cant actually remember if I have used it with my current laptop...)  Will take the oportunity to cut some buildings for Brent while I am at it.

 

The bodywork conversion is coming along nicely, with the plasticard blank now carved back to be flush with the existing coach side.  Followed by dressing with a couple of files and finishing off with a skim of filler.  I have managed to remove all the windows from this side of the coach (at the cost of one damaged door window which can be replaced with one of the spares from the BSO.)   I will respray the whole grey band on this side for consistency (though I suspect it will need a couple of iterations of filler / primer until you cant see the remains of the old window.)

 

My next HST arrived today, but unfortunately it is missing the headlight lens from one of the powercars.  So until either the seller has confirmed they still have the part and are able to post on to me, or I can negotiate a partial refund to the value of replacing the currently worthless dummy powercar body progress remains on hold.  I am determined to get this final pair of GWT powercars painted this summer so hopefully these issues will be resolved quickly.  I do have a potential fix involving the grill from a Lima powercar, a 3dprinted light unit and cutting and curving a headlight lens from an acrylic sheet.  However getting the shape right is proving very tricky, hopefully it will come together as I would like to make 3 powercars worth of new lenses for my Lima powercars.    

 

 

[The Fatadder]

More work on the Mk2d TSO and I have now decided I am never filling windows on a coach again.  Its just too frustrating a process with the fill sand prim, realise that you can still see a faint outline of the window and repeat ad infinitum....

 

I have now got it to a state where it is "good enough" but it will be the toilet side which will always be facing the viewer given it looks so much better.  I still have more coach conversions to do (another Serco test train is on the cards eventually, along with one of their 101s), however for these I am now much more inclined to either buy or design etched replacement sides and except the extra cost.

 

Moving on, the mk2E TSO was a much easier job, the interior needs an extra seat adding at each end (drawn up just needs to be printed once I get some more resin). the toilets were rebuilt from plasticard.  so far the chassis has been narrowed as per the 2ds and the underframe work as started.  Again a bit more 3d printing work will be required here to get the bits required to finish it off.

 

Finally I have noticed a glaring omission on all the coaches completed so far, that they are all missing one roevac vent from the water filler tank end.  This will need to be rectified, the 2d TSO I have carved off one vent (that is in the wrong location for a 2d) and await a replacement  (back to the need for resin...)

Edited August 5, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

The 2d TSO 

Royal Train livery 47998, now fitted with a chassis.  It needs some minor work to finish off ( headlamp lenses, Buffers and bufferbeam detail.) 

 

I have also had another 37 project arrive in the form of a 37/7 which will be modelled as 37713 in Loadhaul.  I had planned to get going on the paint today but I’ve now realised that 37713 has one piece grills at both ends, I have some printed but have misplaced them…. Hopefully will find in order that I can crack on with the painting.

Edited August 6, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Layout progress (and stock for the new layout) will be appearing here 

 

 

while this thread will continue for anything specific to Wheal Imogen 

 

 

[The Fatadder]

china clay TTA slowly progressing, the walkway (from Wills Workbench) was far too long using a cut down Shell TTA version.   The answer was to cut down the remaining platform to remove 10mm and solder in a length from the end of the  redundant main walkway.   Now need to find a suitable etched ladder to finish it off (and then do the same again on another two wagons).   Aim to get it finished over the next couple of weeks…

 

Wheal Imogen will be moving inside the house soon in order that work can start on getting it ready for 2023 exhibition use…

[The Fatadder]

Another loco initially intended for Wheal Imogen before later migrating to the new layout is 37510.  
 

i have been debating stripping it and starting again for a while. Initially I painted the grey starting too high up

the body.  Before respraying lower I sanded down the masking line to avoid seeing it through the new paint.  alas this left an uneven line where the double thickness paint stepped up from the single thickness.  Ultra fine wet and dry was used to cut back the paint to an even finish before touching in the grey (spraying some into the lid).  While i was at it I also fixed a chip in the paint on the window frames.

 Once that was dry the orange cantrail  was added (almost used up my Hurst transfers  stock) along with adding OHLE flashes. 

It now just needs the Intercity transfers from Railtec to finish it off.  Hopefully they will be ready for Warley as I’d quite like to finish the loco on the Demu stand.

[The Fatadder]

Wheal Imogen should finally have another exhibition invite next summer, as part of the planning for it I am trying to work out what work is going to be required in advance.

 

At the moment the list is looking like:

• Clean up the track to remove the rust (again)
• fixings for the lighting rig (rather than resting it on the backscene)
• Improved legs (potentially) 
• Fiddleyard, Add the left hand fiddleyard to get the branch running, right hand fiddleyard needs alignment pegs adding to lock the track in place.  
• Add check rails on exit of fiddleyard roads / transition between fiddleyard and baseboard.
• Look at the area around the bufferstop in the slurry siding, im not entirely happy with the finish here.
• Clean up and full test of all stock (this time I will take off the day before the show to do a second pass at this).
• Before its appearance at the virtual Lydd Rail (2020) I did a few scenic upgrades, the intention is to do a few more improvements before its next outing. 

 

There are also a few stock projects to finish off:

• Kernow clay tiger needs weathering, I also have two S Kits white tigers which may get painted blue and weathered prior to the show.
• Cavelex CDAs, a rake of which will need rewheeling, the ECC logos removing, renumbering and weathering.  I have a couple of scrap Hornby bodies to start playing with over the next few days as a weathering practice.  I should have bought some white enamel paint at Warley to use as part of this....
• Rainbow Railways TUAs will need weathering / rewheeling
• My own TTA slurry tanks need finishing / weathering
• A fair bit of stock still needs steel wire adding to the Dinghams to magnetise the loops. 
• Finally will be a case of slimming down the loco fleet for the show, my plan is to have a 60, 3 37s and a 47 all of which are weathered and fitted with appropriate couplings.   Along with a 153 and 158 for the branch (and hopefully 950001).  The rest will start migrating back to OO for the new layout. 

 

My inlaws are off to Australia for 6 weeks in the spring, which will mean an empty house...   I am hopefully going to take over their living room and have the layout permanently set up for most of the time they are gone allowing for plenty of testing with the whole thing set up.

[The Fatadder]

progress on the clay TTA, the tops panels on the prototype were kept clean so it made sense to apply the other transfers and then weather before adding the tops

panel (helpful when I won’t be ordering the transfers until the new year).

the second tank has also been fitted with transfers (a mix of spares from the Railtec esso TTA pack and caib logos from my scrap box).   Ladders also won’t get ordered until the new year, but again it’s so much easier to weather these without the ladders fitted.   

this is not finished (it will at the very least get some powders added), but I think it’s getting there.  As ever welcome any feedback.   
 

still not managed to find a drawing of the large barrel clay tta yet, but thinking about having a crack at drawing one from photos over Xmas.  I’d also like a bogie TCA tank before the summer, but not so sure about the timescale for that…
 

Speaking of ladders, I think I may be adding some to a Cavelex CDA once they arrive to model the prototype….  While the weathering paints were out I’ve been practicing on a scrap Hornby body and pretty much know what I will be doing once they arrive.   The key thing will be using white enamel for the first wash rather than acrylic, as I’ve had issues with the white base layer coming off as you wipe off the upper layers.   

[The Fatadder]

Rather than eating, todays lunch was spent wagon weathering finishing off the second TTA.  

 

pleased with how this has come out, just need to get the discharge pipe reattached, ladders and tops panels added.   
 

while I’m on a roll I think my Kernow clay tiger will be next for a weathering job.   The two white ones will also get a respray into blue sometime in the new year…

[dj_crisp]

Very nice weathering!