Chuffnell Regis

[cctransuk]

27 minutes ago, Graham T said:

First stab at weathering 4820...

 

Should mention that I've taken to wearing a latex glove now when doing anything like this to locos - I kept getting fingerprints on them before!

 

The green locos need a different approach, I think.  This one had already been painted with green acrylic, and my usual black/brown mix on the smokebox, cab roof, and below the footplate.  Then it's had a Mig dark enamel wash on the green paintwork, left for a few minutes and then wiped away with cotton buds. Also some graphite on the steps, oily steel on the handrails, engine grease on the connecting rods, brake dust, and various powders on the sandboxes and so on.

 

Here's a couple of overall views:

 

 

 

And some of the obligatory cruel close-ups...

 

 

 

 

I find the photos really helpful for showing up bits that still need more attention.  For example the paint chipping on the cab steps looks a bit too pronounced, so I'll try to tone that down.  And I might try to add a bit more dark streaking to the side tanks as well.  Any suggestions for other stuff that needs fixing would be very welcome, as ever!

 

Clean cab / bunker, dusty tanks - a bit too much of a contrast?

 

CJI.

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, Graham T said:

First stab at weathering 4820...

 

Should mention that I've taken to wearing a latex glove now when doing anything like this to locos - I kept getting fingerprints on them before!

 

The green locos need a different approach, I think.  This one had already been painted with green acrylic, and my usual black/brown mix on the smokebox, cab roof, and below the footplate.  Then it's had a Mig dark enamel wash on the green paintwork, left for a few minutes and then wiped away with cotton buds. Also some graphite on the steps, oily steel on the handrails, engine grease on the connecting rods, brake dust, and various powders on the sandboxes and so on.

 

Here's a couple of overall views:

 

 

 

And some of the obligatory cruel close-ups...

 

 

 

 

I find the photos really helpful for showing up bits that still need more attention.  For example the paint chipping on the cab steps looks a bit too pronounced, so I'll try to tone that down.  And I might try to add a bit more dark streaking to the side tanks as well.  Any suggestions for other stuff that needs fixing would be very welcome, as ever!

 

 

 

Looks good Graham - although, less is more 😎

[NHY 581]

2 hours ago, Graham T said:

First stab at weathering 4820...

 

Should mention that I've taken to wearing a latex glove now when doing anything like this to locos - I kept getting fingerprints on them before!

 

The green locos need a different approach, I think.  This one had already been painted with green acrylic, and my usual black/brown mix on the smokebox, cab roof, and below the footplate.  Then it's had a Mig dark enamel wash on the green paintwork, left for a few minutes and then wiped away with cotton buds. Also some graphite on the steps, oily steel on the handrails, engine grease on the connecting rods, brake dust, and various powders on the sandboxes and so on.

 

Here's a couple of overall views:

 

 

 

And some of the obligatory cruel close-ups...

 

 

 

 

I find the photos really helpful for showing up bits that still need more attention.  For example the paint chipping on the cab steps looks a bit too pronounced, so I'll try to tone that down.  And I might try to add a bit more dark streaking to the side tanks as well.  Any suggestions for other stuff that needs fixing would be very welcome, as ever!

 

 

 

 

 

Plys one for the latex gloves, Graham. I'm a recent convert and why I didn't wear them before I don't know. 

 

Much better. 

 

On the subject of latex gloves, check out José Brito, a Portuguese modeller. Not railways but good stuff. 

 

Rob

[Graham T]

43 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

Plys one for the latex gloves, Graham. I'm a recent convert and why I didn't wear them before I don't know. 

 

Much better. 

 

On the subject of latex gloves, check out José Brito, a Portuguese modeller. Not railways but good stuff. 

 

Rob

Thanks Rob, will take a look.

[Graham T]

Right, now it really is finished!  (For now...)

 

Just a bit more dark wash on the tanks, streaked downwards with a soft brush loaded with thinners, and the chipping on the steps toned down a little.

 

 

 

[Graham T]

I was getting a bit tired of weathering, so have made a start on retro-fitting my wagons with a magnetic link at each end.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, I'm getting a bit tired of that already!  It's a bit of a fiddle...

 

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by Graham T

[Neal Ball]

I've had a 2.5amp transformer melt on me today - again - bored of that as well 😪

 

This is the second transformer to blow - the last was only 2 amp... It's powering the platform lights and the signals.

 

No idea why they should blow like that. Ive replaced it with one only for the lights and will find another one for the signals.

 

These things are sent to try us. Good luck with the wagons.

[88C]

I find that having different projects on the go means that there is always something that you fancy doing.

 

The weathering is coming along nicely and if you do a few couplings each day the job will get done, unless you have amassed as many wagons as I have over many years.

 

Brian

[Graham T]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

I've had a 2.5amp transformer melt on me today - again - bored of that as well 😪

 

This is the second transformer to blow - the last was only 2 amp... It's powering the platform lights and the signals.

 

No idea why they should blow like that. Ive replaced it with one only for the lights and will find another one for the signals.

 

These things are sent to try us. Good luck with the wagons.

 

I'm hopeless with all things electrickery Neal, so all I can send is best of luck for the next attempt!  Nothing on Chuffnell Regis is lit, but that may change on Mk II, perhaps...  It's still entirely in the planning stages.

 

 

[Graham T]

48 minutes ago, 88C said:

I find that having different projects on the go means that there is always something that you fancy doing.

 

The weathering is coming along nicely and if you do a few couplings each day the job will get done, unless you have amassed as many wagons as I have over many years.

 

Brian

 

That's one of the things that I like about the hobby Brian; if you get stuck or bored with one task then there are always plenty queued up behind it needing your attention!

 

[BroadLeaves]

2 hours ago, Graham T said:

That really is a very nicely composed scene. Clearly a hive of activity, but it's still "a railway in the landscape", rather than just "lots of trains".

Having said that, the locomotive bottom left does look a little bit grubby. There's definitely some marks on the sides of its tank. You should probably give it a good clean... 

Edited September 5, 2023 by BroadLeaves

[Graham T]

Thanks BL.  I noticed that I'd forgotten to crop out the bit of wall showing at the top of the backscene, which spoils things a bit, so I'll put that right!  

 

But I'm not going to clean that loco 😉

[Graham T]

And here's a gratuitous pic of a train load of wagons with magnetic links 🙂  Twenty-two now done, as some of the three links I'd previously fitted seem to be magnetic already, or at least the shunter's pole attracts them anyway!  So that's a bit of a win.  I still have 36 to convert, I think, and of course I'm a bit stuck with anything that has screw links fitted...

 

Another thing to note is that some of the hooks are definitely bigger than others, and so much easier to couple up.  I think it's the Smiths ones that are bigger.  Probably grossly overscale, but so what?!

 

[Graham T]

Not an awful lot has been happening at Chuffnell R because of work, but I do have all my cattle wagons now magnetised.  Well, I say all - I'd fitted screw links to the GW wagons, so they haven't had anything done to them.  I'm assuming (!), with my miniscule knowledge of how railways work, that the vacuum fitted wagons would have been marshalled next to the loco, and that I should also have a brake van at the tail end to look after the non-fitted wagons?

 

[drmditch]

Seem's good to me. Are any of the wagons piped rather than fully fitted?

I can't remember how many 'pipes' allowed between 'fits', but any loaded livestock vehicles should be next to the braked portion/locomotive.

Edited September 8, 2023 by drmditch

[Gedward]

On 05/09/2023 at 16:52, Graham T said:

 

That's one of the things that I like about the hobby Brian; if you get stuck or bored with one task then there are always plenty queued up behind it needing your attention!

 

 

In my case, there's plenty that's queued up and needing my attention.

 

As it's been a very long ten months of waiting, and TBH I was bored sh**less. But that's all in the past now as this week I've been able to get right back into it. And having had such a long time procrastinating, right now it's all systems are go!

 

 

Edited September 9, 2023 by Gedward

[Siberian Snooper]

GW, fitted wagons normally had instanter links, rather than screw couplings.

 

 

[Graham T]

17 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

GW, fitted wagons normally had instanter links, rather than screw couplings.

 

 

 

Wish I'd known that before I super-glued screw links to them!

 

[Graham T]

In other news, I thought you might like to see some of the vegetation at Chuffnell Regis...

 

[Graham T]

The eagle-eyed follower of events at Chuffnell R might have spotted something new in the previous pic...  Like many GWR fans, i got bitten by the Accurascale Manor bug, and today I was finally notified that a package from Ireland was waiting for me at the local post office.  Off I trotted, and was able to pry the package from the Austrian postman's vice-like grip without having to pay him any fees!  (There was also a small parcel from Modelu waiting for me - but I had to part with 15 euros to get my hands on that one...)

 

Anyway, 7808 Cookham Manor is now settling in to her new home.  I've only trundled her up and down the layout a little; I imagine that a stint on the rolling road is in order, although she does run very nicely straight from the box.  I will fit the detail parts tomorrow, and need to dig around the threads to find out some tips I read (and have forgotten) about adding real coal to the tender.  I did order one of the Accurascale crews, but there's no sign of them at the moment.  I seem to remember also speccing screw link couplings, but that's not such a big deal.  That thing on the back of the tender will be going tomorrow!  

 

I'm really not sure about weathering this one - it will have to be a VERY light touch I think.  I particularly like that the smokebox already has a nice matt, not quite black to it.  Furthest from the camera is the Dapol Mogul, one of my first locos and a a bit of a favourite; looks good and a lovely runner too.  In the middle we have Aberporth Grange, courtesy of Hornby, in what looks a rather odd shade of green to me.  Something must be done!  Don't quite know what though...

 

 

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, Graham T said:

The eagle-eyed follower of events at Chuffnell R might have spotted something new in the previous pic...  Like many GWR fans, i got bitten by the Accurascale Manor bug, and today I was finally notified that a package from Ireland was waiting for me at the local post office.  Off I trotted, and was able to pry the package from the Austrian postman's vice-like grip without having to pay him any fees!  (There was also a small parcel from Modelu waiting for me - but I had to part with 15 euros to get my hands on that one...)

 

Anyway, 7808 Cookham Manor is now settling in to her new home.  I've only trundled her up and down the layout a little; I imagine that a stint on the rolling road is in order, although she does run very nicely straight from the box.  I will fit the detail parts tomorrow, and need to dig around the threads to find out some tips I read (and have forgotten) about adding real coal to the tender.  I did order one of the Accurascale crews, but there's no sign of them at the moment.  I seem to remember also speccing screw link couplings, but that's not such a big deal.  That thing on the back of the tender will be going tomorrow!  

 

I'm really not sure about weathering this one - it will have to be a VERY light touch I think.  I particularly like that the smokebox already has a nice matt, not quite black to it.  Furthest from the camera is the Dapol Mogul, one of my first locos and a a bit of a favourite; looks good and a lovely runner too.  In the middle we have Aberporth Grange, courtesy of Hornby, in what looks a rather odd shade of green to me.  Something must be done!  Don't quite know what though...

 

 

Strangely, I was thinking about weathering my Manor this afternoon…. But I’ve decided it’s brand new from Swindon 😎

[Andy Keane]

12 hours ago, Graham T said:

The eagle-eyed follower of events at Chuffnell R might have spotted something new in the previous pic...  Like many GWR fans, i got bitten by the Accurascale Manor bug, and today I was finally notified that a package from Ireland was waiting for me at the local post office.  Off I trotted, and was able to pry the package from the Austrian postman's vice-like grip without having to pay him any fees!  (There was also a small parcel from Modelu waiting for me - but I had to part with 15 euros to get my hands on that one...)

 

Anyway, 7808 Cookham Manor is now settling in to her new home.  I've only trundled her up and down the layout a little; I imagine that a stint on the rolling road is in order, although she does run very nicely straight from the box.  I will fit the detail parts tomorrow, and need to dig around the threads to find out some tips I read (and have forgotten) about adding real coal to the tender.  I did order one of the Accurascale crews, but there's no sign of them at the moment.  I seem to remember also speccing screw link couplings, but that's not such a big deal.  That thing on the back of the tender will be going tomorrow!  

 

I'm really not sure about weathering this one - it will have to be a VERY light touch I think.  I particularly like that the smokebox already has a nice matt, not quite black to it.  Furthest from the camera is the Dapol Mogul, one of my first locos and a a bit of a favourite; looks good and a lovely runner too.  In the middle we have Aberporth Grange, courtesy of Hornby, in what looks a rather odd shade of green to me.  Something must be done!  Don't quite know what though...

 

 

What about adding one of the new Hornby Castles - they seem quite nice?

Andy

[Graham T]

1 hour ago, Andy Keane said:

What about adding one of the new Hornby Castles - they seem quite nice?

Andy

Would be nice Andy, but quite pricey I think, especially when you add in a sound decoder.

[Graham T]

There have been a few comments here and there about the low volume of the sounds on the Manor.  I find that mine is far from deafening, but it's acceptable.  I checked the master volume and that's already at max; setting function 5 (heavy load) seems to help a bit too.  

 

7808 is on the rolling road right now, after which I will add the bits from the detail pack, and may have a look at adding some real coal if I'm feeling brave!

 

 

[Neal Ball]

1 minute ago, Graham T said:

There have been a few comments here and there about the low volume of the sounds on the Manor.  I find that mine is far from deafening, but it's acceptable.  I checked the master volume and that's already at max; setting function 5 (heavy load) seems to help a bit too.  

 

7808 is on the rolling road right now, after which I will add the bits from the detail pack, and may have a look at adding some real coal if I'm feeling brave!

 

 

Interesting Graham, I felt F5 made no different all.