Hornby Caledonian Single - how to make more realistic

[Michael Hodgson]

Definite improvement on the previous version.  The other thing I would now do is lose the big front coupling - unless you need to put another loco on the front to get adequate traction.

[Bon Accord]

Shortening the bogie pivot arm and also the footplate by removing  few mm in front of the smokebox would probably also enhance the look, as the bogie is too far forward the bufferbeam also projects too far.

[drt7uk]

Pleased to share it runs really well. The wheels do not catch the splashers, even on 2nd radius curves.

 

In the end the total width of the splashers that worked was 42mm, and just under 3mm high.

 

Short clip of it running here https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc-MI16oqGc/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

I'll upload and share the final photoshopped image later for anyone who wants it.

[ardbealach]

Hi Drt7uk

 

Looks good.  Very impressed.  Attached is one of my own pics of CR123.  You will see what might be called "mudguards" with a thistle emblem over the front pony wheels.  These "mudguards" also gave the engine its distinctive look, along with the polished steel edge trims to the body.   Locomotive headlamps on the front footplate ahead of the smokebox might also help to get rid of the bare look of this flat area of plastic?    You have done a great job.  [Alisdair]

[drt7uk]

On 30/04/2022 at 16:02, ardbealach said:

Hi Drt7uk

 

Looks good.  Very impressed.  Attached is one of my own pics of CR123.  You will see what might be called "mudguards" with a thistle emblem over the front pony wheels.  These "mudguards" also gave the engine its distinctive look, along with the polished steel edge trims to the body.   Locomotive headlamps on the front footplate ahead of the smokebox might also help to get rid of the bare look of this flat area of plastic?    You have done a great job.  [Alisdair]

 

 

Thank you Alisdair, I appreciate that! Thanks for sharing the photo too, it must have been great to see it running.

 

I'd really like to add those mudguards and it would be easy enough for me to draw on photoshop. The problem is that now the splashers are narrower (which looks better side on), they are no longer far enough forward, so if I added these mudguards, they wouldn't be visible. As others have pointed out, the front footplate is probably too long.

 

Perhaps I could try attaching the mudguards to the bufferbeam itself, rather than the splashers, or would this look odd?

 

Great suggestion re the headlamps - have ordered some which I'll paint and attached.

 

For anyone interrested, the 42mm splashers can be downloaded via this link. The image is A5 in size, 600 DPI. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v_KxSJOFNWS0U2sGi-cgckDWzQcImOg0/view?usp=sharing

 

Best,

David

[drt7uk]

Also, any idea what the symbol in the two corners of the mudguard are (below the thistle to the left and right)?

[Steamport Southport]

2 minutes ago, drt7uk said:

Also, any idea what the symbol in the two corners of the mudguard are (below the thistle to the left and right)?

 

More thistles I think.

 

Used as corner pieces so the leaves are facing up and across.

 

 

Jason

[drt7uk]

Thank you...I've recreated them 3mm wide by 4mm tall, actually using @ardbealach's image as the basis (resolution should be good enough for something so small in size). Will print out next time I'm in the office...might look weird, but no harm trying!

 

[Legend]

I think you are to be congratulated . You’ve successfully dealt with one of the major issues with the model which is the daylight between bogie and body . It just makes it look weird.  Now it looks as though the bogie may actually be supporting something . Massive improvement 

[drt7uk]

Thanks @Legend, appreciate it.

 

Have added the mudguards. Looks all right I think!

[Butler Henderson]

Cutting off to the front casting for mounting a tension lock would further improve it.

[Bon Accord]

18 hours ago, drt7uk said:

Thanks @Legend, appreciate it.

 

Have added the mudguards. Looks all right I think!

 

It's quite amazing just how much these minor mods really improve the look of the model.

A vacuum bag, air pipe and some lamp irons/lamps will set it off nicely.

[drt7uk]

Now with added lamps!

[Michael Hodgson]

The Caley also used to carry a semaphore route indicator on the smokebox.

I don't know if these lasted as late as grouping though.

[33C]

Would a piece of mirror, on or in place of, the under boiler fillet, improve matters a bit? Or, just drill it all out! 🤓

[drt7uk]

20 minutes ago, 33C said:

Would a piece of mirror, on or in place of, the under boiler fillet, improve matters a bit? Or, just drill it all out! 🤓

 

Excuse my ignorance but what's a boiler fillet? Google is not forthcoming

 

Edit...oh I see what you mean. Good point but not skilled enough / don't have the tools to do major surgery to the chassis. Thanks for the suggestion though!

Edited May 5, 2022 by drt7uk

[Bon Accord]

2 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

The Caley also used to carry a semaphore route indicator on the smokebox.

I don't know if these lasted as late as grouping though.

 

They were still in use in the 1960s.

[33C]

27 minutes ago, drt7uk said:

 

Excuse my ignorance but what's a boiler fillet? Google is not forthcoming

 

Edit...oh I see what you mean. Good point but not skilled enough / don't have the tools to do major surgery to the chassis. Thanks for the suggestion though!

No problem! I drilled out mine with a pin chuck and just painted the chassis block behind sky blue. Thinking about the mirror option after seeing a similar technique employed by the British army to make tanks vanish! The eye deceives!

[drt7uk]

8 minutes ago, 33C said:

No problem! I drilled out mine with a pin chuck and just painted the chassis block behind sky blue. Thinking about the mirror option after seeing a similar technique employed by the British army to make tanks vanish! The eye deceives!

 

Be great to see a photo of your one if you have it!

[33C]

It's not immediately to hand but will try to find it/them! The LMS black one I did sell, the maroon one, not sure, two blue ones are in a shoebox somewhere. One of those is the culprit! 🤔

[33C]

Here's an example of what i mean. Triang B12 converted to Caly 908 class. The fillet between the first splasher and boiler filed away, and the fillet between the first and second splashers (no point cutting this out as it hides the motor) painted satin black. Makes the boiler look better as an independent object in the frame, i think? 🤓

[melmerby]

123 as preserved looks a bit different to 123 when on the Caley:

 

Or when in Crimson on the LMS:

Edited May 6, 2022 by melmerby

[Steamport Southport]

Yes. It was reboilered in 1924.

 

The LRM kit is for the earlier version. I haven't got the kit so I've no idea how difficult it would be to model the later version from it.

 

http://www.londonroadmodels.co.uk/

 

(you have to use the menu)

 

I wouldn't fancy painting that complicated CR livery though!🧑‍🎨 🖌️

 

 

Jason

[melmerby]

7 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

Yes. It was reboilered in 1924.

 

The LRM kit is for the earlier version. I haven't got the kit so I've no idea how difficult it would be to model the later version from it.

 

http://www.londonroadmodels.co.uk/

 

(you have to use the menu)

 

I wouldn't fancy painting that complicated CR livery though!🧑‍🎨 🖌️

 

 

Jason

I wonder why they didn't replace the original smokebox door decoration, instead putting a star there?

It really is an elegant beast, typical of all single wheelers.

[ardbealach]

Here are a few more detail pictures of  CR 123 dating from 10 October 1964 on an afternoon excursion with the two Caley coaches from Glasgow Buchanan Street Station to Callander.  The blue colour variation is all down to the slide film. 

 

I have certainly enjoyed this interesting thread on this great little engine.  [Alisdair]