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

[jonas]

Those blue spot vans look fantastic!

[MrSimon]

Thanks Jonas!  

 

I'm pleased with how they turned out - I think it's mostly the varnish, it's dried completely clear so the white's showing through as white.

 

Its the best matt varnish I've ever used.

 

Today I finished off the first two of the LNER fish vans:

 

I had to re-weather them, the original varnish had gone yellow which I couldn't match when touching up the paint...

 

Two more to go!

 

Simon 

[jonas]

That's useful to know - where did you get that from? I seem to go through an awful lot of the stuff!

[MrSimon]

I got it from The London Graphics Centre, but I've seen it in the student-y art shops (CASS, etc) in London too, not sure about where else.

 

The brands called Montana, they do a wide range of colours - but more grafitti shades than modelling. I've not seen how robust the varnish is yet on a model being handelled a lot, but they use the brand doing all the grafitti around Waterloo and I've never seen it flake...

 

Don't know if that helps at all...?

[jonas]

Thanks! I'm far away in sleepy Herefordshire so I'll keep my eyes peeled - you never know! It's always good to find another brand of decent matt varnish.

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

I've been getting on with painting the new DMU car, its a class 111 buffet - the same type as is running on the Great Central.  

 

It will run with the 4 car 101 set on Dad's layouts in place of the TS currently running with that set.  I've got a weathering and couplings plan so the buffet can just slot in, and I can match the other three cars that are on my desk to the TS when I get it back here.  I'm just glad I don't need to cut anymore 101 bodies up!

 

At Bristol show we had an engine fail, it didn't actually make it on to the layout though as we discovered a massive blob of waxy varnish on the tank side and the cab roof was coming away:

 

(I'd picked the blob off by the time I took this)

 

Today I made a start on fixing it.  I loosened the body, I know it sounds weird but that sorted out the big gap between the back and roof of the cab.  I don't know whether I should fix it at all - I think maybe not as it could more permanent damage if anyone needs to get at the chip.

 

Next today I had a go at the wheels and motion with the dirty sludge-y mixture

 

After learning from some previous wheel-paints it spent longer on the wheel-cleaner than being painted, and now it's dry and the joints lubricated it works much better than any of the previous kettles I've dirtied up.  Not sure where the other steps went...

 

I haven't started on the body yet as I need to put a new crest on the varnished side, but it won't be dirty anyway. There's also a Modelu lamp to replace the squinty one that I took off.

 

No more fish vans for a while whilst I wait for some bits to turn up.

 

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited August 6, 2017 by MrSimon

[Jim Martin]

Nice work on the Class 101! When I was growing up, practically all the trains at my local station were 4-car DMUs: I think people miss a trick by only ever modelling 2-car sets (my own DMU fleet is entirely 2-car sets, but I have the excuse that they're 150s and 156s, which only exist as 2-car sets). A 4-car unit looks like a much more substantial train, but still has the interesting end designs etc. You've created a really good-looking train there.

 

Jim

[MrSimon]

Thanks Jim!

 

It looks good running on the layout, and has more of a presence than the pair of two car 101s running the other way. The buffet coach I'm working on will go into my existing coach 101, and I've got a three coach unit waiting for the displaced TS to slot in for a second 4 coach-er or an 8 coach train - all go on Hawthorne Dene!

 

On my own layout I've mainly also got 2 car 155-170s, but I do run a 6 car TPE 158 which has a similar presence

 

Cheers

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

Plenty of bits finished off this week, first up: the best I could do with the the 3MT

 

I don't know what was originally used on the tank side, but I can't get a good finish on it.

 

This is my preferred side, but it needs a replacement set of steps, so doesn't look as good as the other side.

 

I still love the Modelu lamps

 

I've also got one of the break van's almost done; the other two are painted but waiting for me to do buffer beam mods on the back ends.

 

Just lamps to fit, but they're getting sturdy springside lamps.

 

Finally, some vans from Trevor's stock box.  The unfitted one is a very old Farish van, with a Peco underframe, the fitted ones is a standard Peco kit finished as a banana van.  

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

[millerhillboy]

Nice work Simon.

 

Can I ask who does or perhaps how did you achieve the chalk scribbles? Its something I've been wanting to add to my vans

[MrSimon]

Thanks Millerhillboy!

 

I did the chalk with a white pencil crayon, sharpened to small point. The line is too thick to write actual words on in N, but the n gauge people would have to write them with a chair leg...

 

You can add faded ones and weather over older ones pretty easily too, but I forgot

 

Hope that helps

 

Simon

[millerhillboy]

Thanks Millerhillboy!

I did the chalk with a white pencil crayon, sharpened to small point. The line is too thick to write actual words on in N, but the n gauge people would have to write them with a chair leg...

You can add faded ones and weather over older ones pretty easily too, but I forgot

Hope that helps

Simon

Yeah, really looks good to the point where I couldn't quite ascertain if it was decals or not.

 

Really nice weathering on the vans as well.

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

Yeah, really looks good to the point where I couldn't quite ascertain if it was decals or not.

Really nice weathering on the vans as well.

 

Thanks Millerhillboy!  I've been working on my technique a bit recently, I seem to take much more off now than I used to put on, I prefer the finish I've been getting from the Humbrol powders compared to the panels I used to use.

 

 

Today I had a bit of a finishing-off afternoon.  Obviously, this being me, this involved starting something new (I'm counting this as finishing off as it's been in my 'working' tray for about a year and I want to clear some space to work on stuff for Gresby...

 

First up, the things I finished off:

 

A pair of brake vans that were sent down for sorting out.  These originals been made for use on Stamford Town ages ago, so had couplings and lamps on both ends.  As I was running low on lamps I left one with a coupling on each end and over the lamps onto the other.  They've both been finished in the usual way.

 

I got round to putting the lamps on the brake in the post above, and painted and weathered one that came in a batch from a friend.

 

Four more fish vans came in the post this week.  The bodies came ready weathered so I just dirtied the underframes and added a bit of muck on the roofs and sealed it all with some varnish.  I've got some 15' w/b ones to put up for sale online, which these have replaced.

 

For ages now I've had the Mark 1 ready in my box for turning into a Thompson, and the sides have been badly painted in cream for about 7 years (maybe longer).  I'm determined to get it finished in time to use on Dad's layout at Peterborough - so it can have a few trips out at exhibitions before the Farish ones come out.

 

I'm using Ultima sides which are 4mm shorter than the Farish doner coach, so I cut the spare out the middle and glued it back together.

 

I measured it correctly, and marked it up right, then completely messed up cutting it.  The etched sides will cover the holes in the sides...

 

Next I built the etched pixels underframe:

 

This has all since been given a light coat of etching primer, but I won't paint it until the sides are finished.

 

I have work to do on the bogies and I need to replace the buffers, but apart from the paint and dirt I declare the underframe finished.  Now to strip off the lumpy cream paint...

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

[grahame]

The weathering in those blue spot vans is, err, spot on.

 

This is a great thread with lots of different real modelling projects of interest making it worthwhile constantly dipping back in to.

 

G

[Atso]

I have to agree with Grahame's comment above, lovely modelling.

 

I'm really looking forward to seeing that Thompson coach develop.

[MrSimon]

Thank you gents!  I need to upload the pictures back on here after the whole Photobucket thing, if only so I can log on and check how I did something the last time...

 

There's been some progress on the the Thompson, I stripped the sides and after a dusting of Halford's etched primer, it has had two thin coats of maroon:

 

 

I also put the line transfers on one side of the cl111 buffet:

 

(regulars on here will know I hate putting transfers on anything, especially straight lines)

 

I'm waiting for them to dry and harden before I varnish them and do the other side.  I've got a slight problem in that the prototype has BUFFET lettering on the side, this doesn't come with the standard Fox first generation MU details set, do you think a pair of coach letters (in white/cream) would be suitable?

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited August 28, 2017 by MrSimon

[Atso]

Nice work. I think that the 'buffet' lettering would be fine if you give the unit a light weathering.

 

My model of Yorkshire actually uses ivory for the hand lined 'white' bits (it flowed better from the pen) and standard white fox transfers for the rest. I mixed a drop of roof dirt into the matt varnish to tone everything down a little and nobody has noticed the difference so far!

Edited August 28, 2017 by Atso

[MrSimon]

Thanks Steve, I think that's what I'll do - on the power cars I only used the white-ish lines on the straight bits and left the curved gold-ish lines already on the Farish body, bit of weathering and no-ones noticed in a year of exhibitions

 

Yorkshire looks really good, very neat job on the lining - I've got a 2mm kit for one in my drawer, but if it's ever in danger of needing to be painted it won't be light green!!

 

Cheers

Simon

[Atso]

Thanks Steve, I think that's what I'll do - on the power cars I only used the white-ish lines on the straight bits and left the curved gold-ish lines already on the Farish body, bit of weathering and no-ones noticed in a year of exhibitions

Yorkshire looks really good, very neat job on the lining - I've got a 2mm kit for one in my drawer, but if it's ever in danger of needing to be painted it won't be light green!!

Cheers

Simon

Thanks Simon. With a little bit of blending I am certain no one will notice.

 

The 2mm kit sounds interesting. Is that the Fencehouse one by any chance? If so somebody did a blog on building one a little while back (not on here though) - might have been Tony Simms...

[MrSimon]

I think so, it's definitely the same kit as Tony made. I can't remember if it was Fencehouses, but it definitely came from a 2mm assoc flier 10 years ago - I'm planning to build it in the next few years...!

[Atso]

I think that's the Fencehouses kit then. It looks like a good kit, I especially like the use of etched cab and tender handrails.

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

Some progress today, I got the first side on the Thompson:

 

I started with the corridor side, so far it's just stuck on on the bottom, I'm glazing it and sticking it on at the top later before building the compartments and moving onto the other side.  Does anyone know if I should paint the oval windows on the corridor side white?

 

I've also tidied up the lining on the buffet coach now that the varnish has set.  BUFFET lettering's on the way, then I'll be able to line the other side and weather it in time for Peterborough. (No picture of this as it basically looks the same as above)

 

Finally today I fitted a something else that came in the post this week:

 

Replacement wheels from Peters Spares - I think this is the last engine I've got with Pizza Cutters, I'm probably wrong but it felt like some sort of note-worthy milestone... While I've got it out I'll fit a coupling hook (there's a hole in the buffer beam that I drilled in anticipation of a TPM which the carpet ate) and I'll weather and Klear it so it's ready for the layout.

 

Cheers

 

Simon 

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody,

 

Today I've been doing a bit of interior design:

 

I used the interior from the donor coach, and cut it through the centre of the compartment.

 

The base of the new interior is made from newspaper.  I cut away all the spare bits of compartment and will add a new floor in the gaps, toilet walls and compartment doors, then paint it all wooden-looking.

 

This also got mostly finished:

 

I used the left-overs on my weathering brush to go over the grills and the roof, dragged some of the dirt down, and I went over the body with Klear

 

Plenty left to do!

 

Simon

[DavidK71]

Does anyone know if I should paint the oval windows on the corridor side white?

 

Searching the VCT site for photographs of the corridor side of Thompson coaches only brought up two, both on the NYMR:

LNER 18477: http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=990

LNER 1623: http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=948

 

18477 has white in the ovals, but the coach is in pretty bad external condition, so that might be just boarding to protect the interior. 1623 is restored, and you can clearly see the handrail visible in the oval window, so I think the slightly surprising answer might be "no". But it would be nice to find some more photographic evidence one way or the other.

[DavidK71]

But here's a photograph of a Thompson corridor coach where the ovals are white on the corridor side! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_06_2014/post-2326-0-28177700-1403873290.jpg

It looks like you could justify either white or clear ...