Sheerness Steel PXA scratchbuild

[jonhall]

I was keeping this as a project to  keep me occupied between Christmas and New Year, but I decided a week ago to check that I had the right sizes of Evergreen styrene, and after a week I need a different project.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2022 by jonhall

[The Fatadder]

Very nice Jon, are you sorted for transfers for it?   I think I have a spare set of the Sheerness logos that someone (Phill

E maybe?) did years ago that I’m never going to use. 

[jonhall]

Thanks Rich, but so do I  - I think this might go off to CMA for casting, but it depends on the economics of it.

 

Jon

[eastwestdivide]

Are those still in service? They date from the mid-1970s (as flats), so getting a bit long in the tooth. 

[jonhall]

We were discussing that last night, there were at least a couple of this type (and the unique 3000) at long Marston for about a decade, but they came out in 2018 and went to Doncaster, then CF Booths at Rotherham, not sure about the others.

 

Jon

[jonhall]

 

The next couple of days also saw this built 

 

[Deltic Man]

Really nice Jon nice to see someone working on these iconic wagons big gap since Appleby did them

 

Nik

Edited January 2, 2022 by Deltic Man

[Mike Storey]

Just to let you know that an 00 resin kit of the JXA/POA has recently become available on e-bay, from a seller who calls himself class_66_driver. He has a 100% good record, and sells many other kits too.

 

I have bought his entire remaining stock of his last batch (just 5 left!) but have asked him when he will do some more - will post the reply on here. The kits are quite basic, and he states they are a "representation" of the real thing, but, at just £35 a pop, they are well worth it to my mind. Have a look for yourself. I do not have mine yet, but they seem easy enough to detail. Transfers are available from Railtec.

 

Have we established the best paint shade to use (assuming pristine condition)?

 

[jonhall]

Those are the resin printed railways ones and I don't know how he has the front to sell them, they are awful.

 

I'm still trying to source some suitable bogies in bulk, and then my own kit might see the light of day.

 

Jon

[Mark Saunders]

1 hour ago, jonhall said:

Those are the resin printed railways ones and I don't know how he has the front to sell them, they are awful.

 

I'm still trying to source some suitable bogies in bulk, and then my own kit might see the light of day.

 

Jon

Which bogies and which variety?

 

Mark

 

[jonhall]

the simpler box needs Schlerin's, the earlier type with diagonals needs a clasp brake Gloucester type

Jon

[newbryford]

17 hours ago, Mike Storey said:

Just to let you know that an 00 resin kit of the JXA/POA has recently become available on e-bay, from a seller who calls himself class_66_driver. He has a 100% good record, and sells many other kits too.

 

I have bought his entire remaining stock of his last batch (just 5 left!) but have asked him when he will do some more - will post the reply on here. The kits are quite basic, and he states they are a "representation" of the real thing,

 

 

Apologies for hijacking Jon's excellent thread.

 

Mr. "Inspired by":

 

It's not unknown for him to block anyone on social media that hasn't 100% positively commented on his efforts.

Even when the comments are fully intended as constructive criticism.

I tried to help with information regarding his YKA Osprey conversions as others have tried to with other wagons, but to no avail. Just earning a block in the process.

All he's doing is alienating sources of useful information.

He often makes mistakes that can as easily be not made. Seemingly more often than not in an apparent rush to release them.

 

He does seem to sell quite a few items, but I'm sure he would sell even more with a bit more care taken in the design process.

 

 

edit: typo

 

Edited September 14, 2022 by newbryford

[Mike Storey]

13 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

Apologies for hijacking Jon's excellent thread.

 

Mr. "Inspired by":

 

It's not unknown for him to block anyone on social media that hasn't 100% positively commented on his efforts.

Even when the comments are fully intended as constructive criticism.

I tried to help with information regarding his YKA Osprey conversions as others have tried to with other wagons, but to no avail. Just earning a block in the process.

All he's doing is alienating sources of useful information.

He often makes mistakes that can as easily be not made. Seemingly more often than not in an apparent rush to release them.

 

He does seem to sell quite a few items, but I'm sure he would sell even more with a bit more care taken in the design process.

 

 

edit: typo

 

 

Thanks for that. I do recognise these are not the most accurate models, and need a lot of detailing apart from anything else. But they are available now, are cheap and will do the job for me, I think, with some weathering and a bit of filing down in certain places.

 

The only source I know of more accurate bogies, for Jon's purposes, are S-Kits, from whom I have bought a few Schlieren bogies, which I may well use on these models instead of the simpler moulding he has provided.

 

The guy has printed/moulded more JXA's if anyone does want to risk trying one!

 

[Mike Storey]

On 25/12/2021 at 13:49, The Fatadder said:

Very nice Jon, are you sorted for transfers for it?   I think I have a spare set of the Sheerness logos that someone (Phill

E maybe?) did years ago that I’m never going to use. 

 

Railtec do a complete set of transfers for the 1982/86 JXA/POA wagon,  with six different running numbers and a choice of CAIB or Procor labels, but only in the larger SHEERNESS STEEL style.

 

I guess they could be adapted for the 1974 PXA versions, converted to boxes in the early 1980's, but the SS lettering would be useless.

 

If/when Jon finally manages to produce his own kits, I will gladly try them out!

 

Edited September 14, 2022 by Mike Storey

[LaGrange]

1 hour ago, Mike Storey said:

Thanks for that. I do recognise these are not the most accurate models, and need a lot of detailing apart from anything else. But they are available now, are cheap and will do the job for me, I think, with some weathering and a bit of filing down in certain places.

 

Irony is if any RTR manufacturer made things to his standards now, people would be preparing the gallows. The fact people are buying them is strange, is this the British outlook of 'oh well he at least tried'. So what if hes a GBRf driver, hes making stuff thats not exactly amazing and somehow has amassed a devout bunch of 'yes master' followers that could only be previously seen in a Monty Python film. He doesnt accept criticism either, so its best for people not to support him in any way

[jonhall]

2 hours ago, Mike Storey said:

The only source I know of more accurate bogies, for Jon's purposes, are S-Kits, from whom I have bought a few Schlieren bogies, which I may well use on these models instead of the simpler moulding he has provided.

 

 

 

There are correct bogies in the Stenson/WillsWorkbench range,  however the mould is currently laid out with one single sideframe of the type I need per mould, and lots and lots of unrelated parts, so if I want 50 pair of bogies, the mould needs to be spun 200 times, and then there will be a significant excess of all the other parts! 

 

We are evaluating the possibility of producing some secondary masters and dedicated moulds, however doing this as a kit might be financially quite marginal for me, and whilst I don't need it to make money, I equally don't want the project to cost me, nor do I want to end up with dozens unsold cluttering up my workshop.

 

Jon