Ian's 7mm workbench - recent photos

[Hal Nail]

Two quick repaints - an old Freightman uneven plank SR van and the new Dapol one. The Freightman had the brakes wrong on the other side (a pre-requisite for eBay!) and they were a real pain to get off as the vac cylinder was blocking them in - but they are out now and will be put back the right way in due course. I got bored and jumped to painting! Decals from @railtec-models

 

I've bedded the decals on a gloss patch and sealed in matt which looked good pre weathering but the slightly different finish shows up so, annoyingly, going forward i might have to do the entire wagon, or touch in with the original paint up to the decals.

 

The Dapol is lighter than I expected, their hi-bar is heavier, so I might put a bit of plasticine in the body. I like it though - better planking than their original BR vans and the underframes are very good. Next time I'd add the bit of body work below the doors and possibly make new ventilators as they could stick out slightly further. I've got another one and a mogo on order and will do both in Bauxite and probably sell on to chip in towards purchases. I've just totted up this year and I'm not sure my usual claim its cheaper than skiing is valid!

 

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2023 by Hal Nail

[brossard]

The van looks pretty good to my eye Hal.  RTR wagons, at least from my perspective, always need work doing, usually on the underframe detail.  I don't like rigid vacuum pipes and usually replace them with Slaters.

 

I never worry overmuch about exact shades of colour since weathering takes care of that.

 

John

 

 

[Hal Nail]

4 hours ago, brossard said:

I never worry overmuch about exact shades of colour since weathering takes care of that.

yes thats an interesting one. I mix my weathering each time so it's slightly different but I think some uniformity is good - afterall they got plastered in pretty much the same muck! That said to the naked eye the Freighman is actually darker but the photos have compensated. I'm after a rake where nothing particularly stands out although each one is different!

 

I like to start with the same base though - its a bit like you knowing the hidden detail is there, I know what's under the weathering :)

Edited October 13, 2023 by Hal Nail

[brossard]

15 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

yes thats an interesting one. I mix my weathering each time so it's slightly different but I think some uniformity is good - afterall they got plastered in pretty much the same muck! So I'm after a rake where nothing particularly stands out although each one is different!

 

I like to start with the same base though - its a bit like you knowing the hidden detail is there, I know what's under the weathering :)

 

Some uniformity, yes, I suppose.  I like my trains to be a mix of wagons of all shapes and sizes.  Block trains where everything is the same don't turn my crank.  As far as weathering, I have a style and I'm sure you do as well.  So there's a uniformity in how we do that.

 

I agree you want to start with as close a base colour as you can get.  These days with restrictions on postal delivery of paints and paint manufacturers discontinuing brands, sometimes you're on your own.

 

I haven't built  a wagon for quite a long time.  I have done a lot over the last few years and find now that I almost have too many.  I'm waiting for that special wagon kit.

 

John

[Hal Nail]

While I was on a roll today, I've replaced a Dapol sheet rail which had warped in storage and gone very brittle so snapped when I tried to coax it back to straight. Some 1.2mm brass wire is finer than the original plastic. Took a few goes to bend one evenly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hal Nail]

Sheet rail finished. It would look better if glued flush to the end parts but as it is poseable and removeable and uses existing holes, I'm leaving it like this.

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by Hal Nail

[brossard]

24 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

Sheet rail finished. It would look better if glued flush to the end parts but as it is it is poseable and removeable and uses existing holes so I'm leaving it like this.

 

 

Nice work, reminds me I have one to repair.

 

John

[Hal Nail]

Have reworked the Dapol van a bit - decided it was still too new and wanted to try a Humbrol "track colour" I found in my paints that I don't recall buying!

 

Another batch have arrived from Germany today including a GWR van and Mogo, both of which have 3 link couplings so I'll have to replace them: fortunately I have a fret of instanter links so not the expense of new couplings.

 

 

 

.

Edited October 16, 2023 by Hal Nail

[Hal Nail]

Looks like the new RCH underframes would fit the Dapol ex LMS 5 corrugated end plank, to represent an LMS built one and free up a BR underframe. Other than to represent a later repair, I cant really find a use for the BR underframe under any of these new vans though. BR continued to build some but generally the plywood version or a different design for the ex LMS ones.

 

I could mount the released BR underframe under a Slaters BR conflat body and then use the Slaters conflat underframe parts, which include j hanger spares, to build an LMS clasp underframe for a van and I'm toying with that idea but I'm more inclined to just use the spare springs and modify the van direct.

 

[Sitham Yard]

3 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

Looks like the new RCH underframes would fit the Dapol ex LMS 5 corrugated end plank, to represent an LMS built one and free up a BR underframe. Other than to represent a later repair, I cant really find a use for the BR underframe under any of these new vans though. BR continued to build some but generally the plywood version or a different design for the ex LMS ones.

 

I could mount the released BR underframe under a Slaters BR conflat body and then use the Slaters conflat underframe parts, which include j hanger spares, to build an LMS clasp underframe for a van and I'm toying with that idea but I'm more inclined to just use the spare springs and modify the van direct.

 

If you want to be strictly correct the Dapol body is not suitable for an ex LMS corrugated end wagon. By the time of nationalisation all four companies wooden bodied open wagons were similar in the way the diagonal strapping went below the solebar. However the LMS when building their post war wagons seemed to have copied the body style from the 100 they built in 1933 and the diagonals do not go below the solebar. 

Andrew   

[Hal Nail]

5 hours ago, Sitham Yard said:

If you want to be strictly correct the Dapol body is not suitable for an ex LMS corrugated end wagon.

Thanks. Funnily enough when I was looking at pics yesterday I noticed the diagonals on the BR one but forgot to then go back and check the LMS. Other than a simple swap for variety, it wasn't a wagon I was particularly interested in so I won't bother but I do want to have a go at a clasp chassis for a van using various spares in the box. The LMS style brake lever is my one missing part at the mo.

 

edit. i've gone back to the Paul Bartlett site and it explains why the LMS opens didn't look quite right - I couldn't put a finger on it yesterday!

Edited October 18, 2023 by Hal Nail

[Hal Nail]

And then there were three. In the interests of doing some actual modelling I've added the bit under the doors where the securing pin drops in - Dapol hove done the chain but not the important bit on the end of it! Technically there should be a bar coming up diagonally from the solebar to support this drop down part but I wanted the chassis and body kept separate. I asked Peco about the clasp brake gear from their SE meat van for a bit of variety but it was a bit pricey as involved 6 sprues unfortunately.

 

I've got a mogo and brake van on the go but awaiting transfers, which have got held up in the post somewhere. 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by Hal Nail

[Hal Nail]

Mogo redone as a BR period van in general use.

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Hal Nail

[37114]

Nicely done Ian.

[Sweet pea]

Nice transformation Ian.

Edited October 30, 2023 by Kevin Johnson

[Hal Nail]

Next one on the go. I've ordered some @railtec-models rivets/bolts to try on the straps. The second after I ordered, it occurred to me another little variation would be to do the three section corrugated end, which had an extra seam instead of the "bump" just under the ventilator. For that I should have measured the rivet spacing but you never know, I might get lucky! 

 

Whilst duplication between kits and r-t-r is inevitable as they are targeting the same likely strong sellers, it is a pity they picked exactly the same end design, vacuum pipes and brake type as my Freightman.

 

Gives us something to model tho!

 

 

 

[Hal Nail]

I have finally finished my 08113, of St Blazey, which has been in bits for yonks. I bought a green with wasp stripes (and black bonnet!) intending to repaint it blue but lost enthusiasm when they brought out the 3rd batch with corrected wasp stripes at the nose. Additionally, having removed some of the lamps, I realised that put it outside my timeframe and the final straw was finding out the one at the Watercress line near me actually came from St Blazey, but is a different type to this!

 

So this latest burst of effort has just been to get it back together. This one is moving on to fund new purchases, albeit I've already done the buying part of that cunning plan! I must admit if it doesn't sell it wont be a disaster and might just give me the kick to get round to my clay rake!

 

Edit: just worked out what all the little grab handles are in my spares box. Now added back to the engine bay doors!

 

Edit 2: typically I've just found a really good photo of this loco and it is missing grab handles! It has cleared up that the buffer beam was just incredibly filthy yellow though. Anyway the loco has moved on to a new home now.

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by Hal Nail

[Hal Nail]

Rather cruel close ups of the extra strapping on an ex LMS van. I've got a few of these to do and think I'll have to spread them out. Putting the @railtec-models rivets on isn't too bad but I found fitting the actual strapping a bit tedious. It's all cut to shape and thinned.

 

I want to have a go at the later d2039 end which had another join in the corrugations immediately under the vent. Ideally I need a very narrow chisel blade to remove one raised row.

 

I have been experimenting on this with washes of bauxite to improve the Dapol orange whilst retaining their lettering. Ready to start weathering now.

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2023 by Hal Nail

[Hal Nail]

Ex LMS van basically done so grabbed a shot while the sun was out. I think these generally had rain strips so will add those. If I am being picky, the numbers look a bit too small - signwriting varied but having put the M on the frame it looks odd having the number fit so easily on the shortest bit of plank. I'm not sure i want to risk trying to match weathering now but I will get my pressfix out for the next one as they are slightly bigger. The Railtec rivet/bolt heads on the new strapping are far better than I had hoped, absolutely superb.

 

I am going to do an underframe with the square type axle boxes which I might end up pairing with this. In the mean time an unfitted is progressing plus some more idle thinking....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hal Nail]

I always wanted one of the original brass Lionheart 45xx but baulked at the £1300 price tag. So when I saw this one, with sound, at c£500 the other day I didn't think twice. Once a loose connection had been sorted it is a smooth quiet runner- much better than the recent ones. The green is nice as well - a mobile phone snap in front of a SAD lamp doesn't do it justice!

 

Ideally I would swap to totems but getting the lettering off the various vans recently hasn't been easy enough for me to fancy trying on this. I'll swap the smokebox darts for finer ones and change the steam pipe but that's about it other than weathering.

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Hal Nail

[Hal Nail]

Limited progress recently. I finally caught covid which was basically fine but am now knackered all the time.

 

A quick unfitted van repaint from Dapol (haven't bothered with the extra straps on this), @railtec-models 83D carefully trimmed to fit Heljan's moulded shed plate (grrrr) and a couple of new toys from the Guildford trade show:

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Hal Nail

[jamest]

Hi,

 

Can I ask who makes/supplies that lorry?

 

I'd like one of those.

 

Regards,

James

[Hal Nail]

50 minutes ago, jamest said:

Can I ask who makes/supplies that lorry?

 

https://www.sbtdevelopments.com/product-page/leyland-terrier-chassis-cab-later-version

 

it's saying out of stock but he had one on his stand at Guildford so worth giving him a ring. Might be he does a few at a time so worth registering interest. 

[37114]

5 hours ago, jamest said:

Hi,

 

Can I ask who makes/supplies that lorry?

 

I'd like one of those.

 

Regards,

James

Steve's Kits can be made up to reasonable models with time and patience, there are a few threads in the Road vehicles section of the forum that I and others have done which are worth a read.

[Hal Nail]

A few of my parts are quite badly distorted and I'm not 100% convinced the Scammel nose is quite right but I fancied having a crack and the Leyland seemed the cleanest of the cabs.

 

He's still promising an Ergomatic which I'm particularly keen on.