MONKS GATE MODELS

[magmouse]

Just now, Tricky said:

The track is fixed down. The front one is a through road into the single track tunnel, the rear one is a siding which will have buffer stops and then a hut of some sort next to it, so you could park a ballast or ED wagon there. 

Thanks for the explanation - the curve to get the front track into the tunnel mouth looks quite tight, but maybe it’s just the angle of the photo. It should make a very nice photo plank or display scene.

 

Nick.

[Tricky]

1 hour ago, magmouse said:

Thanks for the explanation - the curve to get the front track into the tunnel mouth looks quite tight, but maybe it’s just the angle of the photo. It should make a very nice photo plank or display scene.

 

Nick.

I don’t think the curve is that tight in reality although I will check in the morning! 

[Tricky]

Small progress today in that I have made and fitted the buffer stops. And now I realise I should have primed and painted them before fitting! Oh well…

I have also added the brick lining to the tunnel. It will need trimming to the angle of the end wall. I’ll do that tomorrow as well

as hopefully start building a small hut to sit alongside the buffer stops, and decide what to do with the right hand side of the tunnel

mouth. 
 

 

[Tricky]

Today’s update from the MGM workshop - I fairly easily managed to put together this little hut, slated two roof panels and cut out a simple door, window and barge boards. I also finished the last bit of track, fitted the tunnel brick lining (although there is another layer to go on at the front edge). For the right hand end of the tunnel I realised in my mind I was making it more complicated than it needs and simply added a mysterious sloping bit of brickwork (which  was lying around in the brickwork soared pile) as this edge will be mostly hidden by the front fascia, but I forgot to take a photo of it! I think next I will need to paint the brickwork which means I can fit it and then start the foliage etc between it and the backscene as well as the main groundworks. 
 

 

 

[Tricky]

To say ‘modest progress’ seems to be my stock phrase! But ‘modest’ is better than ‘none’! Fairly self-explanatory what’s happened. Good to begin getting some colour on…the ED wagon provides a mirror-giveaway…

The red is one of many coats of paint to go on and is nowhere near as garish in reality. The lighting in the workshop doesn’t agree with an iPhone!

 

 

 

 

 

[Compound2632]

14 hours ago, Tricky said:

 

Aha! I see you have modelled one of the 1905-7 build D305s with left-facing brake lever on the off-side...

Edited January 7, 2023 by Compound2632

[Tricky]

5 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Aha! I see you have modelled one of the 1905-7 build D305s with left-facing brake lever on the off-side...

I knew you’d appreciate that…! 🤓

[Tricky]

Today I added a significant feature on dioramas to the 'Latest News' section of my website. Take a look as there is lots to inspire you with plenty of photos of completed ones as well as thoughts on some possible potential new ones.

 

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

Brilliant stuff Richard. What did you use for the bushes/shrubbery on the top one?

 

Dave

[Tricky]

33 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

Brilliant stuff Richard. What did you use for the bushes/shrubbery on the top one?

 

Dave

I used Neil Podbery!!

[Dave Hunt]

You mean to say that it is a painted backscene? Gosh!

 

Dave

[Tricky]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

You mean to say that it is a painted backscene? Gosh!

 

Dave

Top photo is Neil’s real shrubbery, middle photo is Neil’s real greenery in the foreground, bottom photo is Neil’s real shrubbery blending into Paul Bambrick’s painted backscene. 

[Tricky]

Not very good photos but here’s a 7mm signal box I’ve been working on today. It’s based on an Intentio bespoke kit but with added internal detailing, loo, winding staircase and new roof. Windows, guard rails and guttering to add. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tricky]

More work in progress - almost there on the signal box, fitting windows. These have to be double sided as the interior is very visible. No excuses for the messy bench - it’s not always like this, promise! What does your bench look like?!

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

Messy?? There are bits of the work surface that can be seen, the paint tinlets are in a rack and there's only one project in view. That ain't messy.

 

Dave

[Tricky]

I have a customer who has asked me to build a Slaters O Gauge van kit. So far so good. Except he wants the side doors to open and close. Hopefully these photos show how I’ve done it. I have let brass strips into the top and bottom of each door and then these are held but very fine brass angle. They work surprisingly well - let’s hope they still do after painting! 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tricky]

And also the completed GW signal box. It’s a bit drunk on the table because it’s resting on the connector for the internal lights!

 

 

 

 

[Tricky]

Towards the end of the day today I managed to grab 1/2 an hour to do a bit more on the diorama. Before any further explanation the photos are terrible because I didn’t realise the camera lens on my photo was a bit grubby so apologies! 
Anyway, painting and mortaring brickwork seems to be one of those modelling tasks that has as many ways of doing it as there are modellers. And to be honest, I don’t think there is just one way that fits all situations. I’d course it also depends on how much of it you have to do. I just finished before Christmas a sectional retaining wall in O Gauge that was 12’ long so no, I didn’t pick out individual bricks in 8 different colours!! So for this wall, say 4’ long, I previously painted the mdf in a fairly thick coat of brick red and brown smudged around faultless randomly. When dry, I washed over with acrylic in burnt and raw sienna, black and off white. This is smeared liberally over and then mostly wiped off. Consistency is critical; you want it to not wet out and when dry if I’ve got it right will bead on individual bricks quite nicely. 
These poor photos show the mortaring process. It’s a brave move to slosh over a dilute mortar colour - in this case Precision Concrete I think. This is then mostly wiped off with an old towel. Then with a scrunched up ball of kitchen towel pick up some more dilute paint and rub over the surface. It’s important to work quickly and confidently and keep using a fresh surface of towel, so change it often. Lastly after a few minutes, dab fresh kitchen towel in grubby white spirit, dab off most of it and rub over the surface. This will gently take off concrete paint still sitting on the surface whilst not pulling the paint out of the mortar courses. 
This is only the first step - further detailing if mortar, staining and weathering will be next. 

 

 

[Tricky]

I got the large Midland engine shed out again today and stuck a few more slates on, plus painted black where the ventilation grills will go. I have already made the grills including a million slats. I’ve positioned one here to show where they will go. After that, I will fit the glazing on the roof. I did consider cutting out for these but decided against it in favour of maintaining structural integrity. Instead the backs of the glazing will be painted a grubby colour so you can’t see through it. 
 

 

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

As the future owner of the shed, Richard, I'm delighted to say that I'm impressed!

 

Dave

[Tricky]

5 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

As the future owner of the shed, Richard, I'm delighted to say that I'm impressed!

 

Dave

Thanks Dave, you will hopefully be equally impressed with today’s progress: I made a solid start on the 36 chimneys, each one having to be notched into the roof. I started in the centre and worked out to the ends where the last grill will be made to measure. All the chimneys were stuck down to a board and planks stuck along them all, then separated and the remaining 3 faces stuck with planks thus ensuring each chimney has the same number and spacing. It’s quite satisfying to see a nice straight row of chimneys! One row done, 3 more. Please note the roof is temporarily ‘plonked’ in the last photo! 

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

Lookin' good.

 

Dave

[Tricky]

Thought I’d put a question out here - it’s a question I’ve posed on social media as well….

 

Ive developed a 4mm kit for a GWR coal stage which is beginning to sell reasonably well. I have been asked by a couple of people for a 7mm version but ideally I’d like a couple more requests before I go through the process of upscaling and producing. If you or anyone else you know would be interested then I’d love to hear from you. The photos here are a completed 4mm kit build and a fully painted and finished version. The kit includes all walls, brick detailing, chute canopy, internal floor, tank parts with engraved river detail, doors, windows and stair parts. The 4mm version is available to buy through my online shop. 
Thanks!
 

 

 

[Tricky]

Shame on me as I see I’ve not been on here since Feb! 
Anyway, the latest kit to roll off the R&D bench is this GW Sand Bin & Furnace. This is in 7mm at the moment with a 4mm version to follow. 

[Tricky]

Thought it was about time I posted an update on the on-spec diorama. I’ve had one of those days where I finally got round to doing something about a few jobs that have been hanging around and literally gathering dust, so I blew (or hoovered!) the dust off and begun by adding ply and mdf packing around the trackbed to bring the ground level up. 

Then I began to build the mdf fascia surround. Tomorrow I will continue this work and perhaps get as far as machining up a moulding to trim around the mdf. I would like to think now I’ve actually begun work on the diorama again that I can maintain some momentum! 
 

Sorry if these photos just look like a mass of g cramps and weights! I reckon tomorrow once I’ve added the rest of the fascia and take all the cramps off it should make a lot more sense!