Squirrel Rail - Workbench

[Squirrel Rail]

A few bits and pieces from yesterday and today. The black window surrounds have gone on the 175 so most of the big paintwork is done

The 150 has had the blue added 

and a new project a Dapol 73 going from green to BR blue has had its primer. Be good to see a Dapol 73 in the right colour

last up been decaling the 66 but I’ve got the hump with them as they just won’t settle- new set on order and will redo it! 

[Swifty11]

More superb work! Looking forward to seeing the Centro 150, I haven't seen one done before. 

[Squirrel Rail]

On 12/12/2021 at 16:51, Swifty11 said:

More superb work! Looking forward to seeing the Centro 150, I haven't seen one done before. 

There’s loads of unit schemes crying out to be done but it’s the the decals that are a problem- I’m getting my lad to draw these all up and then get them printed so it will be in the holding pattern for a bit!!

[rob D2]

Be good to see a real blue….blue…..on a 73 I agree !

Jerry have you ever taken the numbers off a Bachmann EWS 66 ? I hear it’s a pain and that my usual T cut will rub through to the ribs …I was thinking of using humbrol thinners instead .

[Squirrel Rail]

4 hours ago, rob D2 said:

Be good to see a real blue….blue…..on a 73 I agree !

Jerry have you ever taken the numbers off a Bachmann EWS 66 ? I hear it’s a pain and that my usual T cut will rub through to the ribs …I was thinking of using humbrol thinners instead .

Hi Rob, pics to follow of the 33. The Bachmann 66 is a bit of a mare but no where near as bad as a Hornby 67. I wouldn’t touch TCut as you will definitely be into paintwork! I normally use a cocktail stick - keep trying them - as some work and some don’t- then a little white spirit to clean up. 99 times out of a hundred I end up spraying the gold band back in as most decals don’t match the EWS writing on the other end! I use Phoenix paint EWS with a bit of yellow to get it to match the Bachmann shade- I think there’s one I’ve done in this thread or if not on my much neglected Squirrel Rail website. Good luck, cheers Jerry

[Squirrel Rail]

Few pics from the last couple of days. The 73 had its BR blue at the end of last week 

and whilst that was hardening off I did the pick up mods 

before it all went back together and now looks like this…

and lightly weathered 

last up one of the many DMU projects had the white added- 

couple of corrections to do around the doors but pretty happy how it’s looking.

[James Makin]

5 hours ago, rob D2 said:

Be good to see a real blue….blue…..on a 73 I agree !

Jerry have you ever taken the numbers off a Bachmann EWS 66 ? I hear it’s a pain and that my usual T cut will rub through to the ribs …I was thinking of using humbrol thinners instead .

It depends on the release Rob! The newer releases are generally better but the older 66135s are a right pain! I use Humbrol thinners and gone right through the gold band to the red underneath with minimal effort, eek! 

[rob D2]

2 minutes ago, James Makin said:

It depends on the release Rob! The newer releases are generally better but the older 66135s are a right pain! I use Humbrol thinners and gone right through the gold band to the red underneath with minimal effort, eek! 

Hi James , thanks for that , eeeeeekkkk.

I’ve got a weathered 66209 - don’t like the weathering and number is too high for my earlier period .

[Squirrel Rail]

51 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

Hi James , thanks for that , eeeeeekkkk.

I’ve got a weathered 66209 - don’t like the weathering and number is too high for my earlier period .

Hi Rob, the weathering comes off easily with thinners - just watch out for printing as that goes with it!

[letterspider]

The blue Class 73 looks really good Jerry and it is a mystery why Dapol didn't produce that livery (corrected) in the 2nd batch. 

 

[Squirrel Rail]

Stuck waiting for decals due to the post being behind so the DMU projects are on the back burner. Replacement decals for the. 66 arrived, this set are from Precision and settled down a treat so 66793 is now finished

light weathering to the roof

and the bogies on the Hatton’s model always look good!

Still clearing the backlog so new to the workbench are a number of 20’s these for renumbering, individual details and then weathering.

20107 is a renumber of 034, new BR arrows, cant rails, etched headcode discs are a few changes before weathering 

The DRS pair have new identities as 308 & 309 again weathering has began

and 20132 another renumber and detailing as on 107

ill post some more pics as they progress!

[rob D2]

All looks smashing - really like the 73 !

what the fudge is that ? Looks like a bludgeon to best smaller engines !

 

[Squirrel Rail]

3 hours ago, rob D2 said:

All looks smashing - really like the 73 !

what the fudge is that ? Looks like a bludgeon to best smaller engines !

 

They’re those magnetic couplings look good when joined together!

[sb67]

On 20/12/2021 at 18:28, Squirrel Rail said:

 

 

and the bogies on the Hatton’s model always look good!

 

The close up of that bogie looks superb! What colours did you use for that? 

[Squirrel Rail]

6 minutes ago, sb67 said:

The close up of that bogie looks superb! What colours did you use for that? 

It’s a mix of frame dirt, bit of brake dust & track colour with some weathering powder sealed with a Matt varnish, cheers Jerry

[Squirrel Rail]

The Royal Mail delivery tortoise is obviously struggling so have cracked on with the 20s but before them have been experimenting with clear resin and tinting dyes. I’ve made some moulds to cast a few windows for the 166 and made a whole side for the 175

and here’s the 175

Onto the 20’s- there’s a few……

The Harry Needle pair are straightforward weathering,

and the DRS pair are renumbers and weathering, quite grotty these two,

and to give a better idea,

The railfreight pair were a renumber for one to become 132 and a few detail changes across the pair…

and with the nameplates,

last up is 107 a renumber and detail. 

Really good to do some of EE’s finest and may even get round to doing mine soon! 

 

[Squirrel Rail]

After the Christmas shutdown, that didn’t really happen thought I’d better update! I try and do some non railway modelling at Xmas and this year it was the repair and refinishing of a pair of 1/9th scale WW2 motorcycles from this pile of bits…

To this…

and it’s finished partner….

Right back to railways. Two 90s are in for respray, here they are rubbed down

then primed

RES red for one…..

and GC for the other ….

Wagons next with a load of Cemex hoppers and Cargowagons in for light weathering..

and the TFW 170 in the background is being decaled at the mo so will appear in the next update. Last up I now have everything to finish this pair of South African logic locos so  a good polish and gloss cote ready for decals

before tonight the resin cab and control room windows have been added. 

That rounds of the Christmas break so happy new year everyone! 

[Squirrel Rail]

Been stop start progress so finally got a few bits and pieces for an update. The long term 175 project has had the bodies added to the chassis and the lights fitted. 

with this all sorted I’ve been making the windscreens and sorting out the panel lines and door seals which are now on-

A nice job has been some light N gauge weathering with the Cemex Hoppers finished 

and the car carriers too

before the start of another light weathering job for the Dysons,

Keeping with Electric traction the grey has gone on the RES 90

and started on the cant rails on the GC one

[Norski]

That 175 has been worth the wait. Someones going to get a unique model finished to Squirrel standard.

 

[Squirrel Rail]

1 hour ago, Norski said:

That 175 has been worth the wait. Someones going to get a unique model finished to Squirrel standard.

 

It’s been a challenge but I’ve learnt a lot from doing it - be glad to get it finished but sad to see it go!!

[Squirrel Rail]

Think I’m going to rename this the TFW work bench thread after all the 153s and the 158 as I have finally finished the last pair of TFW subjects. The longest project was the 175 which had been on and off the workbench for what seems like ages but here it is:

The other TFW project was an ex Anglia 170 in TFW with NHS  rainbows-

And rainbows…,

All the decals for these are by John at precisiondecals so big thanks for sorting these. As a change from units the GC 80 has all its decals and details painted-

 

[Owens Model Railways]

17 minutes ago, Squirrel Rail said:

Think I’m going to rename this the TFW work bench thread after all the 153s and the 158 as I have finally finished the last pair of TFW subjects. The longest project was the 175 which had been on and off the workbench for what seems like ages but here it is:

The other TFW project was an ex Anglia 170 in TFW with NHS  rainbows-

And rainbows…,

All the decals for these are by John at precisiondecals so big thanks for sorting these. As a change from units the GC 80 has all its decals and details painted-

 

Fantastic work! Where did you get the underframes for the 175? 

[Squirrel Rail]

4 minutes ago, Owens Model Railways said:

Fantastic work! Where did you get the underframes for the 175? 

They’re from a Bachmann 158 supplied by the owner. They could really do with some mods but that wasn’t in the brief! This made your London Midland 150 look like a 5 minute job but worth it in the end

[Owens Model Railways]

On 15/01/2022 at 20:48, Squirrel Rail said:

They’re from a Bachmann 158 supplied by the owner. They could really do with some mods but that wasn’t in the brief! This made your London Midland 150 look like a 5 minute job but worth it in the end

Oh right, interesting. Haha, I imagine you still have nightmares about that!

[Squirrel Rail]

The GC 90 is now finished and on its way home;

Taking its place on the workbench are a 117 and a couple of bubble cars. The 117 is a renumber and a few detail changes, 

and then onto starting the weathering

likewise with the bubbles, NSE first 

and then Silverlink,

with the engine and under frame responding well to treatment!