bmthtrains - David Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Well I was supposed to be painting the new wooden ends this week, and then starting my new OO layout, but the Pendolino seems to have taken over. I've now finished this, and am pretty pleased with the end result. I've built the 321 and 350 before, but this is the first time I've been really happy to run something I've scratchbuilt alongside RTR stock. I used Mk4 coaches as the basis, and cut into the roofs to replicate the distinctive look of the Pendolino cars. The driving ends are sculpted out of Milliput, then the whole thing was sprayed silver and Virgin red, with a mixture of waterslide decals and vinyls for the livery details. Decals were used for things like grilles, logos and doors, while the window strips are vinyls as they work better than decals for dark colours such as the black around the glazing. The 158 motor sits happily inside the second car, and all that is needed now are some replacement wheel sets (to rid those ancient Farish pizza cutters!), which will resolve the slight ride difference between the driving car and the rest of the set. The pantographs come from an ICE-3 set, and in total this has cost me about £20 in materials as I already had most of what I needed. To buy the donor stock would push the build price for this up to about £250, which is probably not far off what the eventual RTR set from Dapol will end up costing (say £150 for the 4 car powered set and another £80 for the add-on cars?). Once I've painted the ends of the layout, I will get both out together and give the Pendolino a full run in. I'll post a video when I do. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 That looks excellent - I really must invite this layout to Trainwest! Wait a minute - I already have. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 3, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 3, 2011 Blimey that's looking good stationary let alone good enough whizzing round! Nice job David. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull1845 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Nice work David, hard to belive its N gauge. Great stuff.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Thanks for the comments, here's a short vid of the unit in action. Just about to paint the boards but decided to give it a run first... David http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6Krpg6zKPM&hd=1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 3, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 3, 2011 Well as you've said yourself buildings have been your signature so far, maybe we can add the Milliput Master too Now you need a 57 to rescue it for variety. Hope you took some pictures of the build as that would make a good follow up article to submit to Modelrail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted February 3, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 3, 2011 Hi David What a superb piece of work. Well done. Looks great under power too! I'd also just like to thank you for going back to thread-based updates. Although I have tried I have not really managed to get the blog thing. If you were still blogging only I am pretty sure I'd have missed this - which would've been a shame! cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Thanks Paul/Ben. The 57 rescues a dead Voyager quite often on the layout. I know what you mean about the blogs Ben, I keep forgetting to look in there, not sure why they've not taken off, maybe its just easier to have it all in one place? One final vid for the day before I scoot off to B&Q for some new paint - my tin from last time has dried up. Here's hoping they can reproduce the exact colour from the code on the label! David http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rq0Gkm03MY&hd=1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 That looks brilliant David. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Pendo looks great David, fancy making me a couple? Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted February 3, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 3, 2011 Very impressive work David. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_T Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 brilliant B) being anewbie etc, what do you mean by rivet counters?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
-missy- Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 brilliant B) being anewbie etc, what do you mean by rivet counters?? People like me! M Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
-missy- Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I know what you mean about the blogs Ben, I keep forgetting to look in there, not sure why they've not taken off, maybe its just easier to have it all in one place? David Hi David. Thats weird because I am the total opposite, its really difficult to find the good stuff (like this) amongst all the waffle,froth, and chaff, the blogs are way more easy to navigate around! Its a real shame you dont visit them as there is some REALLY good stuff there. Missy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 Hi Missy, I think the term 'Rivet Counter' should really be 'Rivet Pointer-outer' - the difference being that someone like yourself who produces such exquisite, precise and breathtakingly detailed models strives for perfection in their own work (the counting rivets bit), but doesn't look down on other people's efforts (by pointing the lack of rivets out!) - thus providing inspiration to others to improve! Layout is now 100% ready for the shows, and with the Pendolino to run on it, I'm hoping it should get a good reception (if people don't miss my small layout amongst all the big-uns!). Now, where are those OO gauge baseboards hiding... David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Al Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Very impressive job David - simple, but highly, highly effective. Plus you have the pleasure of knowing you made it, and it's therefore unique, rather than bought a Dapol one off the shelf! Cheers, Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted February 4, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 4, 2011 Hi Missy, (Apologies for hi-jacking the thread very slightly) Prompted by your comment, I did just go and look at the blogs front page. I accept that there may well be some great content in there, but I didn't find it. The titles of the blogs seem to give very little clue about the content; and although the site claims to have 706 blogs I couldn't find any index or way of searching (by scale, for example, or era) for the sort of thing I might like. My modelling and browsing time is limited, and threads - where I can just click on "new content" - are much better for me because they spoon feed me and the thread titles usually give a better indication of what's behind the link! Thinking about it, I used to really enjoy your progress on Highclere but it's just occurred to me I haven't seen anything for ages - I guess you are only blogging now? I will look again and see if I can find your blog - as I expect the content to be well worth my while! cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWJP Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Pendolino looks great David, definitely a fine model, and as Dr Al says, it's unique. Looking forwards to seeing Ring Road in the flesh soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridgiesimon Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 It is great to see another layout proving that N gauge is THE gauge for railway modelling and that N gauge layouts can be built which look the part and run as well as they look. Megacongratulations for superb work, I look forward to seeing it at the TrainWest show. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I look forward to seeing it at the TrainWest show. So do I, but than I am the person who invited it. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 A much needed week off work (desperation is leading to much extra work, and much extra stress at the moment), and I've been able to tick everything off my list before Trainwest and Wimborne in just over 2.5 weeks! The layout has been set up on all 4 trestles today, the drape for the front pinned up and hemmed to the right size, card 'loco catcher' applied to the back of the fiddle yard, and the vertical alignment of the 2 fast tracks sorted (no idea how these ended up being 6mm out suddenly!). All stock has been been run and tested - sadly my Farish 90 has stopped dead, I doubt I can get this repaired in time for the shows, so the Pendolino relief set will have to run with a Virgin 57 instead of the EWS 90. I've been giving the layout a pretty intensive run today, mainly to see how I cope - I think I did okay, but operating for 2 whole days at a time is going to be exhausting I realise now. On the positive side, I've got into a rhythm of how to get variety out of the 8 storage roads, and worked out a system for swapping in DMUs in front of the stored freights, so I can get about 12 different trains running without having to swap anything out. All that is left now is to get a couple of fold down stools from Ikea (one for me, one for controller!), confirm the size of van the hire people can get me (looks to be a short-wheelbase Transit, a bit bigger than I really need, or want to drive), and then I'm done. I'm really pleased how the layout looks with its new lids covering the hidden curves, and the drape on the front, but I was a little worried that the operation would let it down only having 8 storage yards, so viewers might quickly get bored, but I've come round to the idea that the layout is what it is - it looks good and has some interesting stock running on it. People will either like it or they won't, and anyway there's enough to look at even if the operation is a little slow. Next update will be after the shows, hopefully filled with good photos and some positive feedback! Wish me luck! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Grafarman Posted March 22, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 22, 2011 Trust me, with all those wonderful buildings, trams and elevated main lines no-one is going to get bored !!!! I hope all goes well and I get to see it myself in the future - just can't make it that far west I'm afraid...!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 22, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 22, 2011 David I only have six storage loops on my layout and that keeps them entertained running different combinations of trains at the same time makes it look different. As to exhausting that's why a helper is good but at least with a fairly flat circuit like yours you can leave a couple of trains circling for five minutes if you are chatting and people will enjoy the detail around the tracks. Unfortunately my layouts trackside require driving trains all the time to prevent crawling up hills and racing down! Maybe an auto sequencing system is the next development Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted March 22, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 22, 2011 That's a pain about the 90, its not the gears is it? If so you might get away with just popping the offending one out. You loose a bit of traction but are able to run the loco. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I remember this one! One of the few N guage layouts I used to follow...bit ofa change now I'm on N too mind Great to see your work again. It does indeed serve as inspiration for my future plans, being a west coast fan. The pendo does indeed look the business! regards, Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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