Mr Simon's N and 2mm Workbench - pg29> N V1 2-6-2, 2mm L&Y class 23, assorted wagons and stuff

[BernardTPM]

If I were you Simon, I'd just take off the seats the Farish interior and save them for another project; open type seats don't translate well to compartment stock. To be honest as long as the compartments have walls all you really need for the seats is a flat set at an appropriate height (perhaps a length of square/rectangular plastic tube?) against the wall. If you're fussy, some styrene set at an angle for the seat back (this might make painting easier as well). The guard's compartment and luggage area is the same - do they still etch the mesh like they did with the Mk.1s?

Edited August 22, 2014 by BernardTPM

[MrSimon]

Thanks Nelson! It's a handy tip, stops the cement from melting everything - I can't remember who told me about it but it's never failed yet

[MrSimon]

Hi Bernard - sorry I completely missed your post earlier! I think a new build interior is definitely the way forward - I'll see about whipping one up tomorrow there's no etching at all in the guards bit, just plain bulkheads and basic door shapes... Should be pretty easy to copy in plasticard. Will post pics

Cheers

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello Everybody!

 

It seems to have take most of the afternoon to make the new interior for the BFK, and I've not even tackled the coridoor window-bit.  First up, as promised some pictures of the factory interior:

 

The whole coach, with excellent moulded chairs - remarkably detailed and complex shape.

 

Close up of the van end - no etching

 

So after an hour of two of cutting and fitting and fettling I got this far, then a bit later I built seatbacks:

 

It just needs painting now, I'm not going overboard on details, but it looks OK through the coach windows - and that's good enough for me!

 

I need to touch up the roof slightly, but it's pretty much transfer time   Am I right in thinking its dark brown/orange for the seats?

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited July 22, 2018 by MrSimon

[BernardTPM]

Some interior shots further down this page, Simon. NSE refurbished quite a lot of Mk.2 coaches.

[MrSimon]

Thanks for the link Bernard, and the blue was much easier to paint than the brown and orange I saw on un-refurbished coaches.

 

I did a basic corridor with some glazing and a spot of paint:

 

Its pretty rough and ready, but I don't think it'll be very noticable

 

 

I've still got some paint on the outside to touch up; and then varnish, transfers and more varnish.

 

This last weekend I also did a repair job - first time coaches have come back, but they needed various repairs before they could be sold.

 

I'm not sure how long ago I made these, they're a rake of three Planit North Staffordshire Railway 6 wheel coaches that I built for my Dad to run on Parnhams - probably before I was on RM web.  This coach had a ventilator missing (it was a pin rather than an actual ventilator but I didn't have another one to match it so I replaced them all with new pins) and the other 3rd had a slight problem with one of the wheels preventing it from going round corners without falling off.  While I had the roof off I also took the glazing out and fitted replacement glazing (which is why I did the corridor on the mark2).

 

 

I repainted all three coaches (to touch up the chipped brass) but they still need to be transferred lined and varnished... but whoever buys them can do that themselves.

 

The last thing I got done last weekend was sorting out a new rear wheelset for the A5 after breaking the old one.  I'd been meaning to do it for a while, but I'm at RMweb Live this weekend and thought it would be a good opportunity to check it still worked on Furtwangen.  If it works I'm going to try and finish it off before Christmas.  Mixed traffic transfers. Hurrah.

 

If anyone's in Coventry definitely stop by Furtwangen and say hello - I'm looking forward to seeing Ropley and Grime Street, and seeing what else is there (I've not looked whats there, but I'm really looking forward to it)

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited July 22, 2018 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

It took me a week after getting back from Coventry to get the modelling desk open again; the 6 wheelers still need some work - the one I fixed was fine but it showed the one behind wasn't happy on coming off corners - and I completely forgot to insulate the A5 after making the alterations...

 

This week my first Ultima underframes came, so that's what I made this weekend - They're excellent, I ordered more already .  Somehow though I managed to make the first one a complete mirror image of what it should be.  Why don't I ever remember which is the right way to bend half etched lines?

 

 

First up, cut off the old underframe, fold up the frame and add the strengtheners, and glue it down - and next time I will fold it the other way.

 

Make the air things and brake rigging things

 

Fold up all the battery boxes and stuff, and stick them on too.  I had to put the fuse box somewhere different because there wasn't space for it where the instructions showed. 

 

So I managed to get it to look pretty much exactly like the diagramme on the instructions, but I'm a bit confused becasue it said 'viewed from above' and I couldn't work out whether that meant viewed from above when the coach is upside down being worked on, or viewed from above when the coach is running - in which case I've got everthing in the wrong place.

 

I looked for pictures on line and in books and I'm pretty sure that nothing is where it should be, but it looks OK:

 

 

I've not got many old style MK1s so it'll keep me busy changing them over to the new underframes without being the chore of a massive undertaking - and its a massive improvement.  I'm not re-building this one the right way round if it is all wrong, but I'm going to do all the others properly...

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited July 22, 2018 by MrSimon

[PaulCheffus]

Hello everybody!

 

So I managed to get it to look pretty much exactly like the diagramme on the instructions, but I'm a bit confused becasue it said 'viewed from above' and I couldn't work out whether that meant viewed from above when the coach is upside down being worked on, or viewed from above when the coach is running - in which case I've got everthing in the wrong place.

 

Simon

Hi

 

It means viewed looking down on the coach when it's on the track right way up.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[MrSimon]

Hi thanks Paul - I'll get all the others right!

Cheers

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello Everybody!

 

I got the next coach the right way round... Hurrah!

 

 

Complete coincidence that there was an article about these underframes in the N Gauge Journal this month, but they do make a massive difference (I'm glad I'd got my follow-up order sent off before the journal came).  I swapped the standard bogies for a pair of TPM Commonwealth bogies (but with Farish wheels), the main reason was for the closer coupling that they offer compared to the Chinese MK1 bogies - but they also give a bit of variety to the train.

 

I was so impressed with how the first one came out I did a second.  I just need to find my rubbing plates now.

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited July 22, 2018 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

Barely any modelling done this week - such a slacker!  I can't remember if they've featured on these pages before, but I've had some HEAs on my desk to repaint and weather for ages; and today I finished them off:

 

 

Today I grafitti's and patch-painted them, then weathered and varnished them - and now there are six more on the desk.

 

Less grafitti on the next six...

 

In other news i got hold of a Dapol Freightliner twin this week, and I fitted some containers to it and noticed that it doesn't seem very straight:

 

 

Is this a usual problem on these wagons?  And is it fixable?

 

 

Hmmm, lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited July 22, 2018 by MrSimon

[Jim Martin]

I seem to recall reports from around the time that the Dapol FEA first came out that droop is a common problem. The model pre-dates this incarnation of RMWeb, but I'm sure that you could find the threads from that time with a bit of judicious searching. There are a number of issues regarding the positioning of the various sponsons etc, as well, IIRC. I don't think it's the best model in Dapol's stable, by any means, which is a shame considering (1) its centrality to UK intermodal operations in recent years; and (2) how good the OO version is.

 

Jim

[Gloucester Road]

Simon,

 

I have 2 sets of the GBRF wagons one of them has a "gentle" curve to it. It runs with a weighted container in the centre which seems to have solved it. I too remember when these came out that this was a criticism of the model.

 

Stephen

[MrSimon]

Hi thanks Stephen! Roughly how much additional weight its in the container? I'm not sure whether it's worth giving it a dunk in some boiling water? My other two pairs are fine...

 

Totally agree with you Jim - every day at least one container train passes me on the way to work and they're always in the rakes I've seen some different wagons on shapeways so I might just rob the bogies from this one!

 

Frustrating!

[justin1985]

Hi Simon, 

 

As Stephen and Jim have said it was a very common problem with these Dapol wagons. I solved it on mine by judiciously playing with the combination of containers - different combinations of 20' and 40' etc - to get them to brace against each other and push the wagon deck downward, and fixed them with a few blobs of evostick. I think I used Farish containers, rather than the Dapol ones, which I somehow just don't find as convincing! Perhaps the Farish ones are slightly longer, which makes this easier?

 

Justin

[MrSimon]

Hi Justin,

 

Yeah I should do some swapping around to get some 40'ers on the bendy wagons... but I reckon they're going to be replaced, or run empty.  Do they run OK even with the drooping?

 

Cheers

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

Lots of long slow jobs this weekend, but just for a change I also got a kit out of the biscuit tin for something different to do

 

The main task for saturday afternoon was painting underframes.  6 HEAs, a tanker, the first Mark 1 (with an ultima underframe), and the Mark 2 that I've been repainting forever.

 

Then when that was dry i did some more touching up of the paint on the Mark 2 - I think I've just got the grey to fix and then I can put the transfers on and it'll be finished:

 

 

I was looking around at the real thing online and I noticed that when the coaches moved north the area where the NSE logo was painted over in white - but really white white, not NSE white - so i had a stab at showing that on this one.  The underframe is looking pretty good (but I'll give it a tickle with some powders when the bodywork is finished)

 

I'm pretty sure I've got all the transfers, so I'm hoping it should be done in the next few weeks.

 

I moved everything white from the desk (tram, coach, etc) and got the powders out - the 6 HEAs were weathered like the last 7, the tanker like the other 2 (but cleaner this time; I might re-do it), and I added some powders to the etched Mark 1:

 

 

Looks alright - a few more to go though

 

 

Maybe a bit too clean...

 

Its been a while since I made a wagon kit, so I got one of the NGS BDV/BDW kits out of the tin to add to the pipe train (I'm sure I've got another unbuilt one, but I can't find it)

 

I had a look at one of the ones I made the other year and noticed that I added a basic three-point suspension to raise the height clear of the bogies, so I did the same on this one:

 

Rudimentary, but it works well the way I lay track!  I need to work out what to use for those blue nylon load-strap things - any suggestions?

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited July 22, 2018 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

It seems like ages since I last updated this - not much to show for the three weeks though...

 

 

I finished building the bolster, and its gone off into the paint box.

 

 

I also tried one of the ultima underframes for a GUV.  Gresby is still getting mail by rail!  If I get time tomorrow I'll paint the underframe.  Today I had a bit of a running in day, with Gresby in store I had to improvise on the table:

 

I've had this class 60 about two years, but I don't think I've ever run it.  I think I've worked out the direction it runs best so I can see about fitting the front ploughs.  While this was doing laps of the table I turned my attention to a recent purchase.

 

I bought a pair of Fastline hoppers secondhand, and the previous owner had used some sort of silicon sealant to add a coal load.  I'd never thought of using this to fill a wagon and stick a load to, I'd imagine it works much better in smaller wagons, but the height of these ones made them a bit unstable (the centre of gravity was really high) and they were really heavy - so the loads had to go!  They were a pain to get out - I diden't realise the Farish hoppers came apart in the middle until now - and there's still bits of sealant stuck to the bottoms...  I'll fit new lighter loads to the whole rake eventually.

 

The big news is I actually got out a saucer of warm water and fitted some transfers!  To the coach!!

 

 

 

 

 

The cruelly enlarged photos show that I need to nudge the regional railways and the number slightly, but thats quite an easy job.  I was very pleased to find the exact number of the coach I had chosen from the 1994 stock book on the Fox NSE sheet.  I even did a little happy dance.  There are still a few little nooks around the door detail where I need to touch up the paint work, but I reckon it'll be varnished and weathered and finished off pretty soon. 

 

Then it'll be time to start the next one...

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited July 22, 2018 by MrSimon

[shanks522]

Looking good Simon, you have been more productive than i have.

 

Graham.

[Southernboy]

You seem to be constructing quite a varied fleet of rolling stock Mr Simon, and very impressive it is too.  

 

When will we see these running on Gresby do you think? I have to say I'm missing your building projects, always an RMWeb favourite of mine

Edited November 15, 2014 by Southernboy

[MrSimon]

Thanks Graham and Mark!

 

I've been pretty busy, but in Saturday afternoon binges rather than doing smaller bits more often, which is what I prefer (stops me forgetting what I was doing between sessions)

 

I'm looking forward to seeing it all running on Gresby, it'll be a while though, I'm living in London at the mo and there's no space for it in my flat so it's in store at my parents. I've got unfinished buildings down here, but I'm still thinking about what to do with the layout so I've not done any work on them but it's given me time to work on the stock

 

How's Frankland coming along?

 

Cheers

 

Simon

[Southernboy]

At the moment still working on my three 3-SUBs.

 

I'm in London too - maybe one day we will meet up?

[MrSimon]

We definitely should

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

Busy weekend but I managed to get some bits done.  The main job was painting the GUV (and another Mark 1) underframe and then weathering the GUV and the suburban driving brake thats been back to works:

 

It came out a bit dirtier than I had hoped, but i'll have another run over it with a wet cotton bud before I varnish it.  

 

I think I want to fit couplers and pipes to the driving end, but I'll need to source them in time to go back north at Christmas.

 

I straightened the transfers and gave the sides a thin coat of satin varnish... it looks much better than in these picutres.  What a pain! 

 

It'd say this is pretty much finished now, just two more coaches to paint and this train'll be finished as soon as the SOs are available again.

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited September 14, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

Lots done over the last two or three weekends, and the time has flown. The main news is that the A5 sort of moves now, on its own, I spent quite a lot of yesterday and this afternoon finiding shorts and insulating them, and filing bits off the bogies etc


I made a little video to celebrate its first actual movement in years:
 

It needs more work, it runs well forwards but the way it runs backwards is a worry...

Just 6 more left to weather! I've got some bogies on the way for the unweathered ones - far too excited about that!


I also go the bolster wagon painted, I painted the deck today so I've just got the buffers, the weathering and the stanchions to finish and then it can go in the box with the others.

Also, I've been bessing around with this:


I'm not sure why, but I think its going to end up in some sort of club-layout local/staff/breakdown train. Maybe.

Lots to do! Shorts to find

Simon

 

Edited February 2, 2020 by MrSimon