Chorley Works - Kirk, Isinglass coaches, P2 in BR Blue, Millholme Merchant Navy, Hornby Bulleids

[Chas Levin]

Another lovely pair of coaches John!

 

Sorry to hear you had paint-vs-varnish issues; it's a complex area, the whole question of interaction of finishes; great when it works, frustrating when things like that happen!

 

As to over-complex kits, I suspect some kit makers feel they're d*mned if they do and d*mned if they don't. If they'd made all the details you mention part of a single moulded side, some modellers might feel there was too little to construct - I know I have occasionally felt a little disappointed in finding a van or similar vehicle to be little more than a pre-fab box. But, at other times, I too have felt that the fine detail was excessive! 

Swings and roundabouts...

[John Tomlinson]

1 hour ago, 46256 said:

Hello John I really like your coach models, the Maunsell restaurant conversion in particular. I have just purchased the Hornby original version in BR green, seeking to recreate, the shot of an Eastern B1 travelling through my West Midlands location with a rake of southern region stock. I had no green carriages prior to this thinking they wouldn’t have travelled through. How wrong I was, but a good excuse for more additions to the fleet. I won’t be tempted to alter to the buffet condition, however if a Kirk kit came along …

 

Thanks Brian for your kind comments.

 

I don't know if you do Ebay, but if you do you should be able to source some of the BR(SR) coaches quite easily at reasonable prices. You can guess how I know this!

 

I just had another look at that photo you posted of the B1 on SR coaches. The first four should be possible from RTR, two Brake Seconds and a Composite Mk1 as covered by Bachmann. The third looks to be a Maunsell Second Open, which Hornby do, these have doors at the end only. The fifth vehicle is a low window Maunsell Brake, which might be a bit trickier to come by, for although Hornby have done this it is only available in BR green as part of a set of three plus a Schools. The set is called something like 1957 Suburban.

 

I understand that BR(SR), like the Southern Railway before it, was pretty hot on keeping coaches in fixed sets, that were maintained and put through Works as one unit. Sets were changed a bit, as time went on and newer vehicles became available. The one in your picture is set 555, being the number on the end next to the loco. Somewhere there will be a record of which coaches were actually in the set. If I can find out anymore I'll post it on your thread.

 

John.

[John Tomlinson]

2 hours ago, Chas Levin said:

Another lovely pair of coaches John!

 

Sorry to hear you had paint-vs-varnish issues; it's a complex area, the whole question of interaction of finishes; great when it works, frustrating when things like that happen!

 

As to over-complex kits, I suspect some kit makers feel they're d*mned if they do and d*mned if they don't. If they'd made all the details you mention part of a single moulded side, some modellers might feel there was too little to construct - I know I have occasionally felt a little disappointed in finding a van or similar vehicle to be little more than a pre-fab box. But, at other times, I too have felt that the fine detail was excessive! 

Swings and roundabouts...

 

That's very kind Chas, thanks!

 

I think you're right about the manufacturers dilemma on many things. The one that really bugs me is the provision of additional detailing packs for handrails, lamp brackets, steps etc. which I welcome as a very good thing. Yet this has fallen from favour because it would seem the majority want the model totally finished with no effort on their part. Sounds a funny kind of modelling to me, but....!

 

As far as varnishing goes, it's something I try to avoid, being the perfect opportunity to "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" right in the dying seconds! I seem to have found the latest incarnation of Humbol Satincote to work fairly well, applied quite gently through an airbrush, and will stick to this when needed in the future. The Revell F101B Voodoo in 1:72 seen below which I've just completed is done with this.

 

 

 

John.

Edited April 20, 2022 by John Tomlinson

[John Tomlinson]

I've just restored the missing photos from the thread.

 

Very simple to do as there weren't that many!

 

John.

[Chas Levin]

Actually, I didn't know the RTR detailing packs had fallen out of favour! I don't buy very often, the last RTR I bought was quite recent though - a Bachmann V2 in LNER green - and that had a detail pack. Nice model of the Voodoo, but tell me, if you don't like varnish, does that mean you don't put any over transfers? And if not, do you ever have problems with them detaching?

[John Tomlinson]

13 hours ago, Chas Levin said:

Actually, I didn't know the RTR detailing packs had fallen out of favour! I don't buy very often, the last RTR I bought was quite recent though - a Bachmann V2 in LNER green - and that had a detail pack. Nice model of the Voodoo, but tell me, if you don't like varnish, does that mean you don't put any over transfers? And if not, do you ever have problems with them detaching?

 

I think now that things like buffer beam pipes on diesels are already added, as would be handrails. Then folk wonder why prices are where they are! My real issue was the Hornby "design clever" idea, that reverted to moulded on handrails etc. as a cost saving, but almost impossible to remove and replace with wire without doing a respray.

 

On the few aircraft models I do, I tend to spray the model colours in a gloss paint from one of the hobby specialists, which is great as a base for waterslide tranfers, but needs a satin overspray to look sensible - as here. On railway models I've usually used HMRS Pressfix, which can be applied to a matt or satin surface, and stick very firmly, so not needing a varnish cover. Even the HMRS lining sticks very well without protection. The problem now is that the key sheet, no.14 for BR 1948 - 68 has been out of production for ages in 4mm and is unobtainable. If it doesn't come back soon I'll have to find another approach, as I'm out of some key things like several of the original font diesel numbers, and "E" prefix for coaches, also the "First Class" sausages and "No Smoking" triangles amongst others.

 

John.

[46256]

Hello John thanks for the information concerning the Southern region coach set. I have now obtained five coaches from the recommended source. These however have been bought based on which design I like , 

rather than trying to replicate the actual train shown . I really like the Maunsell stock over the Mk 1 s with Mr Bullieds coming in second. The mk 1 in unlined green is not one of my favourite liveries for these vehicles….sorry to those who disagree. I think it’s the fact I never saw them in that livery so the rose tint of nostalgia isn’t present. One of the five though is a green Mk 1.Three Maunsells, including restaurant, and a bullied will make up the set on my layout, coupled with the B 1

 

best wishes Brian

[Chas Levin]

Regarding out of production HMRS transfer John, have you tried Ebay? Various sellers offer older stock - not ancient, just stock that's been there a while - whcih can also get round recent production issues with some sheets.

Also I think Railtec do some things like the 'No Smoking' and class designations.

Thanks for the info re. transfers and varnish etc, food for thought...

[Baldyoldgit]

Precision Decals do the window signs http://www.precisionlabels.com/d10.html?

 

Tony

[John Tomlinson]

21 hours ago, Chas Levin said:

Regarding out of production HMRS transfer John, have you tried Ebay? Various sellers offer older stock - not ancient, just stock that's been there a while - whcih can also get round recent production issues with some sheets.

Also I think Railtec do some things like the 'No Smoking' and class designations.

Thanks for the info re. transfers and varnish etc, food for thought...

 

Thanks Chas. I have been keeping an eye on Ebay for a while now, but sadly no luck. I'm probably not the only one!

 

If it comes to it I'll have to use something else, Railtec or Precision Decals as suggested by "Baldyoldgit". I've heard good things about Railtec, not least that although waterslide it is possible to remove the carrier film. That was in theory the case with more recent production from Modelmaster, but it didn't seem to work too well for me!

 

John.

[railtec-models]

1 hour ago, John Tomlinson said:

 

If it comes to it I'll have to use something else, Railtec or Precision Decals as suggested by "Baldyoldgit". I've heard good things about Railtec, not least that although waterslide it is possible to remove the carrier film. That was in theory the case with more recent production from Modelmaster, but it didn't seem to work too well for me!

 

 

 

The differentiator with Railtec is that the transfers are spot printed, meaning that there's no superfluous carrier film to cut out and you don't have to cut close to the print - and the print has perfect print registration too. I think I make all the different flavours of no/smoking signs filmless anyway, and I print them in reverse so that they can be applied to the inside of the model like the real things. If memory serves I think I currently do the various BR flavours, GWR and perhaps Southern too (it's been another long week).

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by railtec-models

[John Tomlinson]

1 hour ago, railtec-models said:

 

The differentiator with Railtec is that the transfers are spot printed, meaning that there's no superfluous carrier film to cut out and you don't have to cut close to the print - and the print has perfect print registration too. I think I make all the different flavours of no/smoking signs filmless anyway, and I print them in reverse so that they can be applied to the inside of the model like the real things. If memory serves I think I currently do the various BR flavours, GWR and perhaps Southern too (it's been another long week).

 

 

Thanks for this explanation. I'll take a look at your website.

 

John.

[Silver Sidelines]

Hello John

 

Very impressive work

 

Can I second those positive comments about Railtec transfers.  I have made good use of them for changing cab side numbers.  For some Hornby models the font and colour match is perfect and there has not been any need to change the whole number.

 

Regards   Ray

 

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