TangoOscarMike Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 On 12/01/2021 at 01:35, Sophia NSE said: I'm quite tempted to bodge together a couple of Hornby 4 wheel coach bodies and bung the result on a cct chassis. I also would mind creating an observation coach for my light railway Straightforward if the length of the chassis is close to a whole number of compartments (maybe 4 in this case?), otherwise there will be a need for fettling! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNWR18901910 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Lately, I am making freelance Pre-Grouping coaches loosely inspired by real-life prototypes like my SECR D/E Class Hybrid 4-4-0. I'm working on a short bogie coach using two Hornby 4-wheel coaches mounted onto an SR Queen Mary Brake Van chassis. What do you think? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 What an interesting thread! I originally looked on to it to see what 6-wheel chassis was being used as I've recently withdrawn a 6-wheel parcels van from service that was running on a Hornby milk van chassis, as the wheels wouldn't go through my curved points. However I think assembling a brass chassis is beyond me.... I do have three GWR four-wheel coaches which were part of my original set for my 5th birthday and are currently in a somewhat mismatched rake with two Ratio 4-wheelers! I have no intention of chopping my Hornby coaches about, for sentimental reasons. However it does occur to me that it might be possible to attach a pair of duckets and some window blanking to one coach with Blu-tack to allow the coach to revert to its original form if required (of course, I could always get some more coaches....) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNWR18901910 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 3 minutes ago, RJS1977 said: What an interesting thread! I originally looked on to it to see what 6-wheel chassis was being used as I've recently withdrawn a 6-wheel parcels van from service that was running on a Hornby milk van chassis, as the wheels wouldn't go through my curved points. However I think assembling a brass chassis is beyond me.... I do have three GWR four-wheel coaches which were part of my original set for my 5th birthday and are currently in a somewhat mismatched rake with two Ratio 4-wheelers! I have no intention of chopping my Hornby coaches about, for sentimental reasons. However it does occur to me that it might be possible to attach a pair of duckets and some window blanking to one coach with Blu-tack to allow the coach to revert to its original form if required (of course, I could always get some more coaches....) You could take out the middle wheels, remove the flanges by clipping them off and sanding them away until they're flat and flush and then stick them back in, that's what I did. I can show you if you like. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 2 minutes ago, LNWR18901910 said: You could take out the middle wheels, remove the flanges by clipping them off and sanding them away until they're flat and flush and then stick them back in, that's what I did. I can show you if you like. Yes, that would be interesting, thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted February 6, 2021 Author Share Posted February 6, 2021 5 hours ago, LNWR18901910 said: Lately, I am making freelance Pre-Grouping coaches loosely inspired by real-life prototypes like my SECR D/E Class Hybrid 4-4-0. I'm working on a short bogie coach using two Hornby 4-wheel coaches mounted onto an SR Queen Mary Brake Van chassis. What do you think? I've just googled images of SR Queen Mary Brake Van... I think provided the dimensions work out (and it looks as though they might) this is an excellent idea. 6 compartments, I imagine? Nile joined two 4 wheel bodies together, and that was part of my inspiration. I sometimes consider doing this instead of making another 6-wheeler, possibly using Stafford Road Model Works bogies. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted February 6, 2021 Author Share Posted February 6, 2021 5 hours ago, RJS1977 said: However I think assembling a brass chassis is beyond me.... Well, it's none of my business to give you a pep talk, but I can say that I approached the brass chassis with lousy soldering skills from various electronic projects. And I found that my lousy skills were useless, because the large pieces of metal absorb heat much faster. But in the end the thing holds together and the dodgy soldering is hidden under black paint. And hopefully I've learned enough to do better next time. When I was at school I used to think it was absurd to give me art lessons, when I couldn't do art. It honestly didn't cross my mind that art could be learned - I just thought the world was divided into people who could draw and people who couldn't. And I suppose it didn't occur to any of the teachers to clarify this point.... 5 hours ago, RJS1977 said: I do have three GWR four-wheel coaches which were part of my original set for my 5th birthday and are currently in a somewhat mismatched rake with two Ratio 4-wheelers! I have no intention of chopping my Hornby coaches about, for sentimental reasons. However it does occur to me that it might be possible to attach a pair of duckets and some window blanking to one coach with Blu-tack to allow the coach to revert to its original form if required (of course, I could always get some more coaches....) Me too! I have three GWR four-wheelers from the olden days - those were all the coaches I ever had back then. The one shown at the beginning of this thread is still untouched, with the roof half on and half off. Fitting an interior wasn't supposed to be destructive, so I had no qualms about doing this to one of my childhood toys! I've been feeding my 4-wheeler chopping habit by buying coaches second hand from a well-known online vendor. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 This project has languished for almost 3 years. I was unhappy with the damage that I had caused to the surface detail (beading partially reconstructed with milliput), and unsure how to proceed. Last night I picked this coach up again and sprayed some primer on, in order to get a flat finish so that I could see the detail. It's not as bad as I'd feared (it seldom is). The only improvement that I think is strictly necessary is the filling of this seam. The equivalent seam on the other side is OK. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike 84C Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 Here's one of mine from a few years back two Hornby 4 wheelers cut to fit running on a 6 wheel Palethorpes chassis. I did keep the sliding axle function though I do think that if you use good detail parts the eye is drawn away from mistakes in the body! It's based on a Dublin & South, Eastern coach. 13 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PaulCheffus Posted January 3 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 3 16 hours ago, TangoOscarMike said: This project has languished for almost 3 years. I was unhappy with the damage that I had caused to the surface detail (beading partially reconstructed with milliput), and unsure how to proceed. Last night I picked this coach up again and sprayed some primer on, in order to get a flat finish so that I could see the detail. It's not as bad as I'd feared (it seldom is). The only improvement that I think is strictly necessary is the filling of this seam. The equivalent seam on the other side is OK. Hi I use Delux Materials Perfect Plastic Putty for seams like this as you can clean it up with water so leaving a near invisible seam of filler. Cheers Paul 1 1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted January 3 Author Share Posted January 3 6 hours ago, PaulCheffus said: I use Delux Materials Perfect Plastic Putty for seams like this as you can clean it up with water so leaving a near invisible seam of filler. I will look into this, because I haven't yet had a putty that was quite right for this sort of thing. I have a tube of Revell (I think) putty, which I think is just polystyrene in solvent, and I've had trouble with this stuff attacking plastic. I was planning to use Milliput, but I couldn't find it so I used green stuff instead. I'm not altogether happy with the result, but I feel like cracking on, so I've added a divider for the remaining passenger compartment, primed it, and commenced painting. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 Previously I've tried various techniques to paint the beading after the main colours are on. This time I've painted the beading (crudely) and put some gloss varnish on top. I'm going to try filling in the blocks of colour, and wiping any stray paint off the beading before it's fully dried. 8 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 This is three-ish very thin coats (of both colours), and it seems to be working. But we won't know for sure until I've put several more coats on. 14 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Corbs Posted January 7 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 7 Looking great! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted January 15 Author Share Posted January 15 This isn't very different to the previous picture, but I'm going to declare it finished and get on with the other side and the ends. After the last coat of paint, the beading was partially obscured (in places) by a thin film, so I took this back with the finest wet-and-dry that I could find (1200). Then I dry-brushed on a little more gold for good measure. As usual, it could be worse and it could be better. It still needs a coat of matt or semi-matt varnish to reveal the final result. 12 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chb2488 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Hello Tom Another possibility might be to use acrylic markers for the raised detail. I use Posca, mainly the 1M and 1MR series. If the surface of your model is glossy, you can always wipe or wash away any paint if you slipped off. Best regards Christian 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted January 15 Author Share Posted January 15 13 hours ago, chb2488 said: Another possibility might be to use acrylic markers for the raised detail. I use Posca, mainly the 1M and 1MR series. If the surface of your model is glossy, you can always wipe or wash away any paint if you slipped off. Thanks Christian. I have tried a Molotov acrylic pen, but I've had trouble regulating the flow of paint. On the other hand, my daughter has a similar pen which is rather better. I also have rather shaky hands, sometimes, so in general I'm looking for techniques that don't require too much brush or pen control. But I will have a look as Posca pens. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 After many iterations, I decided that the painting was not going to get any better, so I stopped, and gave the body two coats of semi-gloss varnish. I've also removed the middle lamp/ventilator pair, in lip-service to the new internal layout. So now the roof needs a coat of paint. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 Wherever the window apertures have been moved or blocked, the glazing is removed from the roof. And wherever the apertures have been moved, the individual pieces of glazing are glued in place. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted March 2 Author Share Posted March 2 And now it's finished. In fact, it was finished a while ago but I wanted to photograph it outside. There have been a few nice days in the last couple of weeks, but today was the first when I wasn't in the office. 9 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted March 2 Author Share Posted March 2 I reckon I have a little bit more of this to get out of my system! I have another Brassmasters' chassis kit, so I could make another 6 wheeler, with a brake/luggage compartment this time. But I'm also thinking of making a 4-wheel 4 compartment version (3 passenger compartments and 1 brake). 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prometheus Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 I've seen any number of improvements to / cut-and-shuts of those old Hornby 4 wheelers: these are the first ones which look genuinely improved. Tony 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia NSE Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 Here's my effort 8 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 (edited) 2 hours ago, Sophia NSE said: Here's my effort Ah yes, the other end of the spectrum: 4 wheels - 3 compartments 4 wheels - 4 compartments 6 wheels - 5 compartments 8 wheels - 6 compartments This must be about the same length as the Triang clerestory coaches, which for my tastes is the maximum length of coach (regardless of realism) for people who don't have room for huge gentle curves. Where did the bogies originate? I might be in the process of changing my mind, and aiming for this length with a brake & luggage compartment. Or perhaps a lavatory. This isn't Swallows and Amazons, so the passengers will have to go to the loo eventually. Edited March 3 by TangoOscarMike Loo 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 16 hours ago, Prometheus said: I've seen any number of improvements to / cut-and-shuts of those old Hornby 4 wheelers: these are the first ones which look genuinely improved. Then I urge you to have a look at this, which was part of my inspiration. If I were the quibbling sort, I would have preferred the two bodies to be blended together as Sophia has done. But the quality of Nile's work is so high that quibbling seems indecent. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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