CWJ Posted October 8, 2011 Author Share Posted October 8, 2011 Progress is steaming ahead on the 155... One of my gripes with RTR models is the way they use white LEDs to represent good old-fashioned tunsten lamps (or worse, yellow LEDs). There are perfectly good 'golden white' or 'warm white' LEDs on the market, so the manufacturers have no excuse for their dazzling blue-ish headlights. The best way to remedy this would be to replace the white LED with a 'golden white' alternative, but these surface-mount components are a little too fiddly for most modellers to solder. So I have painted the clear part of the optical unit behind the lights with a coat of Revell clear yellow mixed with a drop of clear red. This takes the edge off the harsh blue-ish light, but it still doesn't look quite right! The inner ends of the DMU have been sprayed in gloss black so I can apply transfers directly. The exhaust pipes remain to be scratch-built. The warning horns are visible just either side of the coupler, but I didn't have any turned brass ones in stock. As these are only visible from the front, I made a rough approximation of the horn by putting a short length of 3/64" brass tube in the vice and drilling into the end with a countersink bit to splay out the end into a trumpet shape. This was then soldered to a piece of wire to be mounted below the cab. Some simple brackets were bent up from brass strip and glued to the rear of the obstacle deflector. I used a couple of miniature wooden pegs to hold this assembly while it set. It was then mounted under the cab floor. Also visible are the horns and some bits of wire to represent the hoses and cables leading to the coupler. Viewed from the side, the above 'gubbins' definitely fills an obvious gap under the cab fronts... ...and from the front, with the horns visible. Please overlook the fact that the unit is sitting at a jaunty angle. The heights of the obstacle deflector and horns were estimated from photographs. SWMBO has promised to let me spend the afternoon in the garage, so we'll see if I can make a start on the transfers. Or I may detail the interior first, we'll see. Cheers, Will 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'm at work so I'll make this quick! The interiors have been given a rough 'n' ready paint job - beige walls (I later found that the colour is called 'mushroom'), grey seats and a black floor to hide the fact that it's too high. Handles atop the aisle seats are painted red, as spotted on a photograph. Does anyone know of a good source of cheap, modern, seated people? All I can find is expensive whitemetal castings in packs of one or two, or figures that look like characters from a 'Miss Marple' story... The bits under the cab front have had a rough coat of paint, but the Humbrol yellow is very thin and didn't cover the black smudges underneath. It'll be weathered, so it won't matter - I just wanted to explain why it looks messy. The front ends are completely transformed by the painting of various black bits and fitment of the gangways. I'm happy with the black paint around the windows, but that on the light clusters and around the footsteps below is a bit untidy. The problem was using the paintbrush accurately when the footsteps were in the way; perhaps I should have removed them for painting. It looks okay from a distance, and these photos are very close-up... does anyone out there think I need to re-do it? While on a painting spree, I touched up the front and back of the NRN aerial brackets in black. This gives an impression of the folded plate of the real thing, rather than the solid block of the model. The large rubber door seals are also painted in black. Next up: (1) Creation of new windows for the new window apertures (2) Application of transfers (3) Clear plastic screens to fit in the gangway doors I think I'm finally on the home straight! Please feel free to comment, especially if I can improve something before it's too late Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenser Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 You won't see much through the windows. I used Slaters seated passengers as they were cheap and tried to compensate with the paint brush for any old fashioned looks (You end up with a surplus of nuns though) - suitably coloured shapes is all you really need 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 You won't see much through the windows. I used Slaters seated passengers as they were cheap and tried to compensate with the paint brush for any old fashioned looks (You end up with a surplus of nuns though) - suitably coloured shapes is all you really need Thanks for the advice - I actually have the Slaters figures here, and I'll take your advice and paint out the period dress. I know what you mean about nuns - and also soldiers, sailors etc. Along with the construction workers so freely available from Bachmann, it seems that the 4mm scale population is determined to dress as the Village People! Cheers, Will 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 You won't see much through the windows. I used Slaters seated passengers as they were cheap and tried to compensate with the paint brush for any old fashioned looks (You end up with a surplus of nuns though) - suitably coloured shapes is all you really need Surplice of nuns surely ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondman Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 The nuns are probably a load of wild drunken girls, out on a hen night and looking for blokes, particulaly ones who like trains! Digressing slightly and moving on... I've been following this thread with great interest and have just bought two 153s ready to do the same conversion. When you come to do the transfers, could you explain the changes in the 'Metro-Train' and other brandings that took place while these units were in WYPTE red/cream livery? I'm particularly interested in the 1995-2000 period. Unfortunately none of my photos is clear enough to reveal the exact wording, but I suspect it may have changed over time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 Surplice of nuns surely ? Groan... (Goes away and tries to think of cassock jokes)... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) The nuns are probably a load of wild drunken girls, out on a hen night and looking for blokes, particulaly ones who like trains! Seriously, that might actually be a good way of using up all my nuns! The sailors etc. could be on a stag night When you come to do the transfers, could you explain the changes in the 'Metro-Train' and other brandings that took place while these units were in WYPTE red/cream livery? I'm particularly interested in the 1995-2000 period. Unfortunately none of my photos is clear enough to reveal the exact wording, but I suspect it may have changed over time. Photos of 155s are quite rare on the internet, but if you do a Google search you'll find some good ones eventually. To the best of my knowledge, the liveries (for the seven WYPTE units only) were as follows: 1987 to 2006: WYPTE red and with deep cream stripe below the windows and thin yellow line near the bottom of the body. 'Regional Railways' and 'MetroTrain' branding - see photos for location. The 'MetroTrain' logo was the later type with a white letter 'M' in a red circle, not the earlier type with two interlaced rectangles, and stayed this way right up until 2009. 1998 to 2000: The 'Regional Railways' would have been replaced with 'Northern Spirit', but I can't find any photos. 2001 to 2004: The 'Northern Spirit' was replaced with a red 'Arriva' logo. 2004 to 2006: The 'Arriva' was replaced with a black 'Northern' logo. 2006 to 2009: Following overhaul, WYPTE red with slightly thinner cream stripe and no thin yellow line. 2009 to present: Northern Rail blue/purple/white livery, initially with the angular design, but later the more curvy style with photographic images promoting the West Yorkshire area. This livery is too complex to describe in words, so please refer to photos! Other minor changes would have been the fitment of NRN aerials, the type of overhead line warning labels, the colour of the destination blinds (initially black-on-white, later yellow-on-black), and the type of light clusters (latterly the LED type without a seperate marker light). The above is only my best knowledge, and I would always recommend checking photos from the era you are modelling Hope this helps. Cheers, Will Edited October 13, 2011 by CWJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 PS. Secondman - please let me know how your conversion goes, and put a few photos up on RMWeb! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) A few photos of progress with some of the smaller components last night: Firstly, the easy bit! I knocked up some exhaust pipes from 3/64" brass tube with fine wire wrapped round a few times to form the mounting points. These are aligned with the holes drilled in the vehicle ends many moons ago. I couldn't find a realistic way of making the perforated guard around the lower portion of the pipe, so this is represented by a solid piece of electrical cable insulation. I'll paint the ends of the insulation black in the hope that it may look less solid from a distance, but for the time being the hole assemblies are painted in Humbrol 'Metalcote'. This normally produces a realstic metal finish, but this time it looks glittery, like silver paint. I may re-coat it with my tin of darker Metalcote, as I know this produces a good finish. You may notice that one pipe is longer than the other - this is because the electrical connections on one vehicle get in the way of the exhaust pipe so it has had to be cut short. Now onto the difficult bit - I have been trying to work out ways of painting the aluminium window frames on the new windows I have made. My first attempt, above, was to paint them by hand and it's a complete mess, so was removed with white spirit. The top row is Hornby's original glazing, which I am trying to match. My second attempt was to use fine steel wire to represent the frames, and I even knocked up this basic jig to get the dimensions right. Unfortunately, although the size and colour of the wire looks great, it is just so fine that it's virtually impossible to make it the right shape without distorting another part of it. This is my best effort after about 40 minutes of fiddling about (no glazing present, frame just posed for the photo). Just as I was about to give up hope, I thought of one more idea - to mask one edge of each window frame at a time, with the masking tape very close to the edge of the glazing. I tried this on a piece of scrap plastic and it doesn't look bad at all, so that is what I will do. It will take time, as the paint will need to dry in between each edge, but it will be a definite improvement over my efforts above. I also need to pull my finger out and get on with the transfers, but the orange cantrail line fills me with dread... Cheers, Will Edited October 13, 2011 by CWJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondman Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 PS. Secondman - please let me know how your conversion goes, and put a few photos up on RMWeb! I will do.... if I can stop thinking about the nuns!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 14, 2011 Author Share Posted October 14, 2011 (edited) Quick update: The window frames have been painted (using the masking tape method described above) and just need touching in around the corners. The orange cantrail stripe has been applied using Replica transfers - very fiddly and time-consuming but it looks much better than anything I could do by hand. Like the windows, I need to paint in the line where the transfers couldn't go round the corners. I'm relieved that this job is done, and looking forward to the other transfers, which will make a big visual difference. I have also re-painted the exhaust pipes in the darker shade of Humbrol 'Metalcote' which for some reason has a more convincing finish. Hoping to post some photos tonight. Cheers, Will Edited October 28, 2011 by CWJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penrhos1920 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Does anyone know of a good source of cheap, modern, seated people? All I can find is expensive whitemetal castings in packs of one or two, or figures that look like characters from a 'Miss Marple' story... I've used these, yes some look a bit old but just place them away from the windows. http://www.ebay.co.u...=item483f3c5b02 They were on £4.99 for 60 when I bought a couple of months ago. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 14, 2011 Author Share Posted October 14, 2011 I've used these... Thanks for the suggestion, that's a good idea. Although H0 scale figures are a bit small, this won't be noticeable through the smoked glazing, and 4mm scale figures probably wouldn't fit! I'll have a browse on eBay later. Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 (edited) I've now applied all the transfers - I'll let the photos tell the story: Cab end numbers are applied beneath the driver's cab window. The Fox transfers are larger than the numbers on photos I have, but they were still quite fiddly so I'm not complaining! The orange cantrail line is also visible, but I need to touch in the cab top corners, where the transfer wouldn't go round the corner. MetroTrain logos applied on the cream stripe. Home-made Arriva logos have been used. I find that inkjet transfers don't look all that great, so in future I might stick to laser printer ones. The bodyside number transfers include a guide line under the numbers - I found this a mixed blessing, because it helped to align the numbers but it's difficult to score away the line without disturbing the transfers. After making a mess of the first one this way, I left the others to dry completely before attempting to remove the guide line, hence its appearance here. I couldn't decide on Arriva or Northern livery, so I did Arriva on one side of the unit and Northern on the other. For a change of livery the unit can be turned round, as my layout will only be viewed from one side. These transfers came out slightly better the Arriva logos. The inner ends have a horizontal cant rail line rather than following the roof, plus a TOPS data panel and C3 label on each coach. Those bits of fluff will have to go before the varnish! These close-up photos have no mercy... Hopefully I'll be able to touch up the orange line tonight, finish off my homemade windows, then the unit will just need a coat of varnish tomorrow. Nearly there! Cheers, Will Edited October 28, 2011 by CWJ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kintbury jon Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Looks really good. Be aware the data panel says it an HST 1st class trailer! I'm sure it will look even better once the windows have been installed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 Looks really good. Be aware the data panel says it an HST 1st class trailer! Well spotted Jon, just testing... he, he. Actually these aren't even visible to the naked eye so I hadn't noticed! I'll take more care in future (either to fit the right transfers or to take my photos from a distance ). Didn't get anything done last night because my brother made a surprise visit, and he's one of these unfortunate types who doesn't appreciate the criticality of lining out one's DMUs. Bought a fine paintbrush today though, in the hope that a nice, new, and very small brush might partially compensate for my poor handling of it. Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 Having made several attempts to touch up the paintwork, each resulting in the transfers getting damaged, I applied a quick coat of varnish (Humbrol No.49 Matt Enamel from an aerosol). This has enabled me to complete most of the detail. I plonked a length of glazing in position for this photo to give you an idea: It's amazing how much difference painting the wheels black makes! Compare this with photos of the original Class 153s at the start of this topic. Still to do: Paint silver door button panels and frames around CDL lights Add gangway door screens (currently trying to find ways of making clear plastic look dirty!) Spray a second coat of matt varnish Add glazing and windscreen wipers ...and then it'll be finished! Taking the unit for a test run on my father's layout this weekend (my layout is still under construction so it wouldn't accumulate much mileage) - I'll try to remember to take some photos. Cheers, Will 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 30, 2011 Author Share Posted October 30, 2011 (edited) A couple of quick snaps from the test run yesterday... ...with the usual apologies for my photography! Only part of one car is glazed at this stage. I was pleased to see that there were no issues with the exhaust pipes colliding with the adjoining vehicle on tight curves, and the unit ran very smoothly and quietly - a credit to Hornby's motor bogie. On the other hand, there was an issue with the wires between the two cars hanging a little two low and dragging on the rails. This could be temporarily corrected by pushing the wires back inside one car, but I'm thinking about re-arranging the sockets to be aligned horizontally rather than vertically. One of the few things these photos show clearly is the lighting - at the front end the blue-ish tinge has been successfully removed and the marker lights are somehow (conveniently!) dimmer than the headlight, which is great. At the tail end, the red lights are too bright so I may add an extra resistor to the circuit as this unit won't be DCC fitted (yet!). Tantalisingly close to completion now... Cheers, Will Edited October 30, 2011 by CWJ 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven156 Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Looks awesome! A nice howes class 150/5/6 chip in it and you have a mean machine! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 Looks awesome! A nice howes class 150/5/6 chip in it and you have a mean machine! Thanks Stephen Sound would really add another dimension, but the trouble with this unit is that there are so many windows! Nowhere to hide a decoder, let alone a speaker. I think if the mechanism were moved under the floor, where it belongs, a decoder and speaker could be accommodated in the toilet area. Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 It looks really good in the pics, excellent work. Dont suppose you could give any pointers on weathering the snowploughs? Hoping to do my 156's ploughs but not sure how to go about it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share Posted November 1, 2011 It looks really good in the pics, excellent work. Dont suppose you could give any pointers on weathering the snowploughs? Hoping to do my 156's ploughs but not sure how to go about it. Hi Scott, Nothing clever here at all, just a wash of dirty dark grey/brown paint! I haven't weathered the unit yet, but I was dirty-ing the gangway doors before adding the clear screen (and also putting a dark wash on the train driver, as recommended by people who know much more than me about painting figures)... so I used up the remaining paint to tone down the snowploughs and other brightly-painted bits on the underframe. If you haven't done this before, just mix about ten drops of matt varnish with one small drop of black paint and two or three drops of a medium-brown. Slap it on, taking care not to leave visible brush marks; or where you must leave brush marks make them vertical ones, that way they look like streaks from rainwater. Cheers, Will 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted November 6, 2011 Author Share Posted November 6, 2011 Put a second coat of varnish on the 155 yesterday, only for the aerosol (which I'll name and shame as a Humbrol one) to suddenly start spluttering and dribbling paint everywhere instead of spraying. After removing the cap/nozzle and checking for obstructions it worked fine briefly, before spluttering to a halt again. By this stage I had varnished 3/4 of the unit but one side of one car remains with splutter-marks I tweaked the inter-vehicle connectors by bending the pins of the plugs through 90 degrees so that the wires point towards the other car rather than down towards the track. I also put a 'wiggle' in the wires to they have the ability to expand as the unit goes through curves. Finally, I put a coat of Humbrol 'Metalcote' (the darker one) on the underfloor exhaust system, as photos show this to be made from shiny chromed or stainless steel. Weathering will, of course, be necessary! Today's job will be to print out some front end gangway doors on good quality photo paper using the artwork below (reduced quality for uploading here). If this looks okay when finished(which it might not!) then it will save a lot of work in painting on the central window, cutting out a transparent screen, and weathering it to a typical dirty finish. Photos to follow... Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted November 6, 2011 Author Share Posted November 6, 2011 The Class 155 is now finished! (phew...) I'll photograph it next time I encounter sunshine (some time around May 2012 then...) if anyone would like to see the finished article. Cheers, Will 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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