Adam's EM Workbench: Farewell for now

[hmrspaul]

 Bixley et al say there were originally 6 1375s converted in 1942 to carry light anti-aircraft guns and equipped with vacuum brakes. They became diagram 1389, and the guns were demounted in due course. "By 1948 the total of this diagram had risen to 18, and in BR days there would be many more as the Diagram 1375s were steadily equipped with vacuum brakes as part of the modernisation programme."

It is certainly unusual for BR to change the diagram number when they vacuum braked wagons. It isn't clear from what Mike has written whether any were VB'd between c1948 and 1956, perhaps they were as he mentions that the number had increased to 18 by 1948. In Nov 1956 BR listed the following from diags 1375 and 1376 as to be VB'd 

5153 - 5395

5400 - 7115

7121 - 7122

11848 - 14501

38151 - 38416

38429 - 38750

 

Of course there is no mention of a change of diagram, and it is likely that some (many?) were not converted.

 

Diag 1389 has the nos. as 38417 - 38428 (pencil annotation and also XP 12 at 15.7.44. In service (??) by CME in connection with building of Locomotives for W.D. ) Another pencil annotation is 7/9/46 = 18, the additional numbers aren't mentioned.

 

Diag 1375 has a total of 2842 on 7/9/46

 

Paul

[Adam]

Thank you for the additional information Paul, it is much appreciated as are the pictures of the real thing which make attempts at accurate models very much easier.

 

What I am not clear about is the 'disagree' rating. If it is my irritation at the limited referencing it is because I really don't know where Mike King has had his information from; it is not clear in the text, except by inference and I am not sufficiently familiar with the internal workings of BR to understand what sort of documents he might have used or have access to. Your's, I guess, must be from the diagram or diagram book and I am interested, partly because it might help my modelling but also because I happen to work as a historian; it piques my 'professional' interest because I am not familiar with these documents - my speciality is government records of the 13th, 14th and 15th century so there is absolutely no useful overlap for me there! 

 

I respect Mike a great deal and his work, over the years, has made the cause of modelling the Southern, in its various forms, very much easier but I am curious as to how such information was recorded. Precise references to documentary sources - unless they are reproduced in facsimile - are rare in more or less all railway books which is a shame and sometimes a problem in the day job (which involves technical editing of history of all periods - it makes it very difficult to check the accuracy of any given statement based on otherwise useful books or articles).

 

Thanks again

 

Adam

Edited July 16, 2014 by Adam

[Adam]

The weather has been good enough for dad to (very kindly), spray my Clayliner tank. The original colour these were painted was Bowaters' corporate scheme of the time, a pale blue that, so far as I can tell from contemporary lorry pictures and dad's recollection of the rake, was near enough BR Ice Blue, as applied to fish vans and refrigerated containers. So that's what has been used.

 

 

Detail painting and transfers await as well as a repair for the bottom of that ladder...

 

Adam

Edited May 23, 2014 by Adam

[Adam]

Not much more to report on the wagon front, but a bit more with regard to industrial locos. A North British Hydraulic with a MAN engine (but a bit smaller than the type most are familiar with) here:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/86099-building-a-north-britishman-330hp-0-4-0dh-now-with-added-prototype-pics/

 

And more on the Sentinel, here:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67087-the-200hp-steam-sentinel-the-boiler-finished/?p=1483977

Adam

[Adam]

Not exactly exciting, but all the livery colours are now done and the first dose of Klear has been applied to the sides prior to the transfers (from CCT) going on.

 

 

Adam

[Colin parks]

Hi Adam,

 

Well it is exciting to me. You have this knack of making your 4mm models look like 7mm ones! Once again, the door chains, capping strips, etc. give the wagon that little bit of extra realism.

 

All the best,

 

Colin

 

(Edit: "extra realism" - I hope that makes sense!)

Edited June 18, 2014 by Colin parks

[Adam]

Thanks Colin. I'm pleased with this one, it's come out rather well.

 

Adam

[Adam]

So the five plank has been lettered and partially weathered while the loco parked next to it is also closing in on the finish.

 

 

 

Adam

[Adam]

Another couple of finished - well, barring weathering - vehicles both fairly obviously from Bachmann. There's not much more to say about them really, is there?

 

 

 

Adam

[ullypug]

except they now look really good, of course!

Note to self - must get a pot of chocolate enamel for underframes.

[Adam]

Thanks again Andrew, and all the other clickers of the like button. The nice thing about the matt chocolate treatment is that you can add colour variation straight onto the top coat rather than effectively painting the chassis twice...  My thanks to Ian Fleming for the idea.

 

Adam

[Fat Controller]

Thanks again Andrew, and all the other clickers of the like button. The nice thing about the matt chocolate treatment is that you can add colour variation straight onto the top coat rather than effectively painting the chassis twice...  My thanks to Ian Fleming for the idea.

 

Adam

There was a brief period in the early 1970s when BR painted the underframes of (mainly) coaches, but also locos and wagons, a sort of chocolately-brown, to disguise the worst effects brake dust and 'track dirt'. As always, dirt of other colours soon mucked this up.

[Adam]

Like this Brian?

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/7686973946/in/set-72157603653607671

 

It's probably nearer Humbrol track colour (#173, now available again). Note the gloss of the new finish.

Adam

[Fat Controller]

Like this Brian?

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/7686973946/in/set-72157603653607671

 

It's probably nearer Humbrol track colour (#173, now available again). Note the gloss of the new finish.

Adam

That's the stuff- I used Precision Caley Coach Purple, back in the days before Track Colour was available.

[Adam]

Back in 2012 I started a pair of wagons... and in the intervening period they have actually gone backwards before, in the last week or so, having suddenly shot forwards. The pair of wagons in question were Coil S, one of many ways in which BR turned various bits of its open wagon fleet into wagons more or less suitable for carrying various types of coil. In the case of Coil S, these were open highs from various constituent companies and BR itself heavily knocked about to ship rod coil that had previously been transported in said opens, pipes or tubes. They did much the same thing to plate wagons. I think this happened in the very late '60s when lots of other things were tried.

 

 

I had come to the realisation that plastic wasn't going to work so obviously brass angle work was required and for that reason these wagons have been sat at the bottom of the 'in progress box'. There are still lots of fiddly little details to do but this is the state of play this evening.

 

 

There are quite a few detail differences between the pair indicating their origins. the top is based on an SR-designed open built in the early days of BR and an LNER version below. The LNER version will be modelled loaded, the SR empty. The various raves and stanchions are all heavily pinned into solebars so should remain where I've put them. The boltheads, however, can wait until another time.

 

 

Adam

Edited July 7, 2014 by Adam

[hmrspaul]

There was a brief period in the early 1970s when BR painted the underframes of (mainly) coaches, but also locos and wagons, a sort of chocolately-brown, to disguise the worst effects brake dust and 'track dirt'. As always, dirt of other colours soon mucked this up.

This was introduced with the corporate identity in January 1966. The manual says the brown was B.S. 3-039. Personally I have my doubts it was used much for wagons, but it was very noticeable on coaching stock - quite a glossy finish.

 

Paul

[Fat Controller]

Back in 2012 I started a pair of wagons... and in the intervening period they have actually gone backwards before, in the last week or so, having suddenly shot forwards. The pair of wagons in question were Coil S, one of many ways in which BR turned various bits of its open wagon fleet into wagons more or less suitable for carrying various types of coil. In the case of Coil S, these were open highs from various constituent companies and BR itself heavily knocked about to ship rod coil that had previously been transported in said opens, pipes or tubes. They did much the same thing to plate wagons. I think this happened in the very late '60s when lots of other things were tried.

 

CoilS1.gif

 

I had come to the realisation that plastic wasn't going to work so obviously brass angle work was required and for that reason these wagons have been sat at the bottom of the 'in progress box'. There are still lots of fiddly little details to do but this is the state of play this evening.

 

CoilS2.gif

 

There are quite a few detail differences between the pair indicating their origins. the top is based on an SR-designed open built in the early days of BR and an LNER version below. The LNER version will be modelled loaded, the SR empty. The various raves and stanchions are all heavily pinned into solebars so should remain where I've put them. The boltheads, however, can wait until another time.

 

CoilS3.gif

 

Adam

Lovely job, Adam; I remember these working to Longport, Stoke, with Rod Coil from Scunthorpe. If modelling the empty wagon, or the loaded wagon when unsheeted, you should have straggly bits of blue thread hanging from things like buffers. No-one seemed to bother to untie the nylon ropes before removing the sheets- I managed to untie a decent length, which served to hold things on our roof-rack for years.

[Fat Controller]

This was introduced with the corporate identity in January 1966. The manual says the brown was B.S. 3-039. Personally I have my doubts it was used much for wagons, but it was very noticeable on coaching stock - quite a glossy finish.

 

Paul

I only ever saw it on a couple of ex-works unfitted 16-tonners.

[Adam]

Thanks Paul, Brian and the 'like, etc.' clickers. I see what you mean about the rope ends Brian. Were the ropes let through eyes in the tarp or simply tied over the tops like lorry loads? Pictures of loads of rod coil in unsheeted opens do turn up from time to time.

 

I only ever saw it on a couple of ex-works unfitted 16-tonners.

 

With the rather glossy brown that must have looked quite garish! Refurbished or re-bodied?

 

Adam

Edited July 8, 2014 by Adam

[Fat Controller]

Thanks Paul, Brian and the 'like, etc.' clickers. I see what you mean about the rope ends Brian. Were the ropes let through eyes in the tarp or simply tied over the tops like lorry loads? Pictures of loads of rod coil in unsheeted opens do turn up from time to time.

 

 

With the rather glossy brown that must have looked quite garish! Refurbished or re-bodied?

 

Adam

I think they were let through eyes in the sheets- I don't remember any really long lengths lying around.

The 16-tonners with the rather garish underframes were re-bodied ones

[Adam]

A small batch update of ongoing projects that have reached the paintshop. First, a bashed about Conflat A with an Airfix body (for the GWR type - BR built some to the same pattern, with the BR style W irons and Swindon pattern ratchet lever guides), Red Panda solebars, ABS brake gear and MJT buffers. Knocking up the GW type would have been quicker. Still, it's in primer now.

 

 

The pair of Coil S have now seen primer and, because these are meant to be newly converted wagons, a coat of black on the underframe. I would normally just apply matt chocolate over primer (as I have to the wheels). In this case, I'll apply a little bit of weathering over the top when the time comes but first, there's the wood to paint and, eventually, the livery colour - Precision Paints Freight Brown - to add over the top.

 

 

The LNER version of the Coil S will run loaded, probably with a tarp on so I could go easy on some of the detail and add a strengthening beam to support the ends. No bolt heads here!

 

 

 

The ex-SR wagon, however, will run empty so this got the bolt heads on the inner ends and the wooden liner to the angle iron. A day or two hardening off awaits.

 

 

Now, there's a batch of containers somewhere...

 

Adam

 

 

[Southernman46]

Really, really nice...........

 

This is precisely the reason I did stop reading this and Mr Parks' thread - have now looked at my own "scratch"built Coil S wagons and thought hmmm, now they ain't good enough (although I did manage to make them from plastruct etc)  ...............damn !

[Adam]

Really, really nice...........

 

This is precisely the reason I did stop reading this and Mr Parks' thread - have now looked at my own "scratch"built Coil S wagons and thought hmmm, now they ain't good enough (although I did manage to make them from plastruct etc)  ...............damn !

 

Thank you, but don't be discouraged, I reckon that making these from Plastruct is probably a greater challenge than my composite approach.Colin's EMUs leave me in awe. Like Geoff Kent's work, these are another level entirely.

 

To be honest, were I intending to build a rake of these, especially a loaded rake, my preference would be to make a master and to cast the ends, side raves and load in one piece in resin. I'd then add sheets over the top to build in variation. You could then leave almost all the detail off and make your life much easier.

Adam

Edited July 16, 2014 by Adam

[Adam]

Found the containers, all from Parkside who, in 4mm, will do you BD and FM types. Nice mouldings but they can be improved. As supplied the door catches and various lifting lugs are not nearly prominent enough so I've replaced them with brass strip and wire. The strapping that holds the lifting lugs on the roof should extend over the eaves and be double thickness. The lifting lugs should also be well proud of the roof so here's my attempt. I've just flashed some primer over it and I'm pleased. I have done the same to the FMs, but being moulded in white plastic, you can't really see!

 

 

 

This one will end up in Freight Brown with the 'flying crate' graphics which should contrast nicely with the Bauxite/Red Oxide of the conflat. The downside of building containers and conflats, of course, is that you have to chain the wretched things down. Something to worry about later...

 

Adam

Edited July 17, 2014 by Adam

[Adam]

Having looked at the pics above, it occurs to me that the lifting lugs aren't awfully clear. Try this one:

 

Adam