Jo's N gauge wagon works - building, painting and weathering

[Steadfast]

Every other previous experience of it agrees with you Guy!

Yes, it is, it's just a shame it's not available in a few more shades.

Plenty if you want a NATO variation on rail liveries though...

The paint issues have given me time to do some more bits that should have been sorted before painting. Today I soldered up three parallel wires to make the air pipes running along the side of the wagon, and swapped the door actuator gear round. It's different on both sides, and I only noticed when drawing up the transfer artworks yesterday...

 

jo

[Steadfast]

A little bit of a diversion from the IIA here, I need a break from the paint troubles, so will return to it in future, more than likely at the same time as I do the Cemex livery HOA.

A long term project of mine is to do a model of the Murco tank trains that run from South Wales. Despite not having a layout suitable for running it, the varied mix of tanks and class 60 haulage make it a nice one to do! Other long term projects include the Bristol and Bath binliner, the Bristol Freightliner and Mendip stone traffic.

Anyway, after much talking and the usual "I'd like to model that conversations" with Jack (Rods_of_Revolution) whilst out pohotgraphing, when he produced a 3D printed TDA tank, available via his Shapeways shop, that proved to be the kick start this project needed.

Here's a couple of pictures of 6B33 Theale - Robeston which show the diversity of the tanks in the train, regularly counting to 5 or 6 varieties.

60071 at Chipping Sodbury with 6B33 Theale - Margam 1/10/11 - At least 5 different types of tank here, 4 TEAs and the TDAs

60007 passes Ram Hill on 6B33 Theale - Robeston 6/10/11 - again 4 types of TEA and the TDAs

Here's a few pictures of the real things for those not familiar with the subject, the TDA is a 90 ton bogie tank wagon, built in France with a depressed centre and distinctive ribs round the barrel. They are numbered in the TIPH78xxx range, showing their previous owner of Tiphook, who were bought by GE Rail Services as far as I'm aware. Many carry plain grey with red sole bars 'as built' livery, but the majority of the ones in use on Murco trains are in the red white and blue livery. The grey ones also show up in trains from Lindsey with conventional straight barrel tank types.

 

Anyway on to the models, I thought I had some pictures of the models as they arrived, showing the stepping effect of the 3D printed body, but can I find them, can I heck! If they turn up, I'll pop them on here. The model comes as one piece in Frosted Ultra Detail (FUD) with ladders, buffers etc. included on the one piece model. I've chosen to replace them with etched ladders to provide a bit more strength and resilience to knocks. The second photo shows a Farish TEA bought second hand for comparison

The handwheels are TPM 8 spoke (as per the packet) but conveniently for me are actually 6 spoke, with 3 spokes chopped out with a scalpel. They are superglued to a scrap of brass bent into a U shape (1cm width, if anyone else does a TDA) then glued under the wagon. The ferry tie downs come from the TPM Ferry Wagon etch set

Still to add are the open/close levers for the discharge piping, I'll probably solder this up from some fine wire, and add it once most of the paintwork is done, pre final weathering.

Finally for now, a quick sample of the transfer artwork

Hopefully more tomorrow!

 

jo

[BernardTPM]

Yes, misprinted labels! Ooops... Well, the website is now corrected, anyway!

[Steadfast]

Another coat of paint or two later, here's how they currently stand. These are quick phone snaps, so apologies for the quality! The bogies are TPM cast Y25s, assembled with the longer coupling option

I realise I've painted the red solebar too high on the grey one, not having an ex works photo to work from yesterday afternoon, then stumbled across one whilst reading in bed last night. However, as per the photo further up the page, there's so much brown on the real things, it shouldn't show through the grime. The Murco red is a Halfords VW shade, the grey is Halfords too, in fact I think I'm going to use it on the IIA too as it looks about right, with the red solebar handpainted in Ralimatch enamel DB Schenker red. I'm not looking forward to masking up for the Murco livery's blue and white!

 

jo

[Rods_of_Revolution]

They look great Jo!

 

Well worth the time taken to rub them down, I'm really looking forward to the Murco livery one!

 

When you're finished can I be cheeky and have photo to go in my Shapeways store?

 

Cheers,

 

Jack

[Steadfast]

No problem Jack, I'll sort something out once they're finished!

 

jo

[Steadfast]

A quick update here. Not the most interesting of things, but progress none the less, and hopefully useful to anyone else making one. It's masking time!

The tape is 10mm wide Tamiya stuff. Conveniently the width looks about right for the depth of the bottom of the white band. So a piece of tape was applied as shown, and a pencil mark drawn on each of the ribs to mark where it came to. These 4 marks were then joined up, giving me a continuous pencil line along both sides.

Tape was then applied to mask over the bits that will stay red. I didn't put any masking fluid on, but should've really as the paint crept a bit. In addition to the masking here, the whole lower wagon was covered in paper and tape.

Paints used so far are Ford Carnival Red, then after masking up, white primer, then appliance white. The blue will be masked using the same technique, but slightly higher up the barrel, and painted using Ford Olympic Blue. The Grey TDA is Ford Polar Grey, and these are all Halfords colours.

I'll get a pic of the red and white tank when I can

 

jo

Edited August 9, 2012 by ewsjo

[Steadfast]

So the main body colours are done now. The Ford Olympic Blue came out a fair bit lighter that the label on the lid, to my advantage. Modelling the tanks in present condition, the paint is over 20 years old, so has faded a fair bit over time.

I have some blue and red touching up to do, but overall it's getting there. I shouldn't have fitted the ladders until the painting was done, masking under them was a nightmare! The ends need the blue lowering to thin the white stripe a bit, too.

 

jo

[grahame]

Looking very good Jo. And I'm following with interest as I've got one of these 3D TDAs.

 

As, purely by chance, I haven't yet fitted new ladders I'll learn from your experience and wait until painting the main body.

Off to Halfords, when they open later, to get the paint and I'll look out for a slightly deeper blue as I want newer looking ones.

 

If it all goes well I may well be getting more of the TDAs - they do look the part and something a little different from the usual Farish TEAs.

 

G.

[roundhouse]

I have one I am doing in grey but still need to fit the bogies on it. The moulded ladders are fragile but I will stick with them for now.

 

Have you weighted yours yet?

 

Ian

Edited August 12, 2012 by roundhouse

[Revolution Ben]

Hi Jo

 

Excellent progress - keep us posted!

 

I had a look at the TDAs on the Shapeways page and there's one thing I'm confused about - the images on the website appear to show the ladder as pre-fabricated in, while your posting suggests they are supplied separately. Are they?

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[Steadfast]

If it all goes well I may well be getting more of the TDAs - they do look the part and something a little different from the usual Farish TEAs.

 

G.

Hi Grahame,

With the Halfords paints its worth dusting on a light layer of primer before each top coat on top of the red. Also, there is a bit of a ridge built up along the masking tape, but left to dry, and then rubbed down gently with Halfords 1500 grit wet and dry leaves a perfect join.

They certainly do provide some variety. It gets a bit boring watching the tired old Farish tanks on just about every N gauge layout. I'm planning to do the Murco TEAs based on the Farish barrel with 3D printed add ons.

Here's hoping one of the manufacturers uses their TF25 bogie moulding and does the modern '21st century' TEA with its multitude of liveries. I'd snap up a load in VTG red

I have one I am doing in grey but still need to fit the bogies on it. The moulded ladders are fragile but I will stick with them for now.

 

Have you weighted yours yet?

 

Ian

Not yet Ian, but I plan to throw some liquid lead into each end of the barrel to sit over the bogies. I've also got some strip lead if that turns out to be easier

I had a look at the TDAs on the Shapeways page and there's one thing I'm confused about - the images on the website appear to show the ladder as pre-fabricated in, while your posting suggests they are supplied separately. Are they?

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

Hi Ben, sorry for the confusion, the ladders do come as part of the 3D print. However, I chose to replace mine with etched ladders, from a pack by N Brass Locos, as they are finer and sturdier. I managed to brake most of the printed ladders during cleaning the model up

 

Thanks for the interest guys

 

jo

Edited August 12, 2012 by ewsjo

[BernardTPM]

Here's hoping one of the manufacturers uses their TF25 bogie moulding and does the modern '21st century' TEA with its multitude of liveries. I'd snap up a load in VTG red

You'd think this would be a 'no brainer' for both 00 and N; several liveries, only minor differences (if an AF in Birds Eye colours can be an AFP we are talking very small 'sins' here!) and around a good few years now. And the bogies are already done/planned by both Bachmann/Farish and Dapol.

[grahame]

They certainly do provide some variety. It gets a bit boring watching the tired old Farish tanks on just about every N gauge layout. I'm planning to do the Murco TEAs based on the Farish barrel with 3D printed add ons.

Here's hoping one of the manufacturers uses their TF25 bogie moulding and does the modern '21st century' TEA with its multitude of liveries. I'd snap up a load in VTG red

 

I've been thinking about seeing what can be done with a Farish TEA body for some time now and looking through my books of pics of lots of different style bogie tankers. I did once, some time ago, use them to make a couple of, not very good, Fauvet Girel TCA 88t anhydrous ammonia tankers but was currently looking at other potential ones. Then I stumbled across the Rail 3D printed TDA so got one to take a look. With all the 'modern' bogies now available it's certainly an area of kit or RTR potential for some enterprising manufacturer.

 

G.

[grahame]

Bump post.

 

Any progress on your TDA project Jo?

 

I've been following with interest as I've also got one of the 3d printed bodies.

 

G.

[Steadfast]

Hi Grahame,

Other than painting the bogies, no, sadly. Work's been busy the last couple of weeks, and I'm in the process of a certain amount of redrawing of the transfer artwork. All being well it should be sent off soon. I'm aiming to have mine transferred up by TINGS. I've also been working on a TEA today, more of which later

 

jo

[Steadfast]

So here's progress so far on example one of what can be done with a Farish TEA to make something a little bit different.

The subject of the model - TEA VTG85939. The wagons ride on Gloucester GPS bogies, which reminds me I must get some ordered.

A piece of plastic strip (1x0.5mm I think) to bulk up the piece joining the barrel to the chassis. The bogie mounts are from the original Farish chassis

The new chassis. 2mm I-beam sides, with 1.5mm square strip glued in the rear for strength. The buffer beam / override plates are made from 0.25mm plastic sheet.

Here's the two joined together, with the wagon posing on Y25 bogies to check clearances, heights etc.

The end blanking plates are TPM handrake wheels, but I think they're a little large. I'm tempted to replace with something smaller, maybe the marker lights from the class 47 detail set

The roof walkway is 6mm wide plastic strip, with 180 grit sand paper superglued on, holes made with a holepunch. I messed up one of the roof hatches, so have copied a photo on Martyn Read's site showing one with one of the manlids blanked over. I might rework this now I've found the photo posted further up showing the roof a bit, though it'll mean butchering another donor wagon. The walkway needs a little reworking anyway, so maybe it'd be better to do this?

The various attachments to the underside; black bits are Farish, white bits various plastic strip, metal bits from the TPM TEA detail set. Wire has been glued to represent the brake mechanism from the acuators (?) - the part circled in green on the photo below.

Finally here's a quick comparison between one of my Farish donor wagons bought cheaply and my modified wagon

Next step is a coat of primer, and I expect much filling and filing!

 

Edit - removed duplicated image - d'oh!

jo

Edited August 26, 2012 by ewsjo

[Pugsley]

Looking good Jo!

 

I can confirm that the green circled thing in your picture above is a brake cylinder.

[grahame]

Excellent idea and great effort. Nice to see new wagons bashed from existig RTR.

 

G.

[Steadfast]

Thanks for the comments guys, good to see some interest in this subject

Today's 6A11 conveniently had 85939 in the consist, I managed to get a roof shot, with added foliage

I definitely need to redo the roof walkway now I have that shot! I managed some primer on the wagon when I got in. Apart from one or two small surface blemishes to touch up, and a definite need to replace the barrel end details with something smaller, I'm happy so far. Great though 3D printing is, injection moulded plastic is much nicer to work with, none of the flexing, or the need to clean up any 'stepping'

 

jo

[BernardTPM]

There's probably some Evergreen rod that's around the right diameter. With that you could drill holes and insert them. They'll glue to the styrene barrel fine and they could then be filed down to the appropriate thickness in situ.

[Revolution Ben]

Hi Jo,

 

Again - well done on your latest work on what is a fascinating thread.

 

I don't know if you'd considered etched brass for the walkway, but you might be surprised how affordable an etched sheet from someone like PDD is, especially if you're doing several wagons.

 

Bernard TPM's suggestion about using styrene rid to create very subtle raised panels is an excellent one.

 

BTW as you probably know the TPM/ATM Gloucester bogies aren't quite right for these wagons (representing the 1.8m GPS 22.5 rather than the 2m heavier duty GP 22.5) but they're certainly the closest currently available, and correct for some very similar tanker wagons.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

 

 

[Steadfast]

There's probably some Evergreen rod that's around the right diameter. With that you could drill holes and insert them. They'll glue to the styrene barrel fine and they could then be filed down to the appropriate thickness in situ.

Thanks Bernard, I'll have a look and see what I have. Sounds a lot more sturdy than a superglued on piece of etch. And I have the 47 markers as a fall back if needed

Hi Jo,

I don't know if you'd considered etched brass for the walkway, but you might be surprised how affordable an etched sheet from someone like PDD is, especially if you're doing several wagons.

BTW as you probably know the TPM/ATM Gloucester bogies aren't quite right for these wagons (representing the 1.8m GPS 22.5 rather than the 2m heavier duty GP 22.5) but they're certainly the closest currently available, and correct for some very similar tanker wagons.

Cheers

 

Ben A.

HI Ben, thanks for your comments. I have considered etching in the past, but I've got to get my head around the software to do it first. Photoshop I'm fine with, CAD is another matter... It's certainly something I want to try in future, I have a few potential ideas lined up for it.

Yeah I knew about the difference in the bogies, but it's the nearest I'm going to get, as you say.

 

jo

[Pugsley]

I have considered etching in the past, but I've got to get my head around the software to do it first. Photoshop I'm fine with, CAD is another matter...

You don't have to go down the full CAD route, especially if you're not planning on doing anything too complicated. I've used CorelDraw quite successfully for etch artwork in the past, and that shouldn't take you too long to get your head around. Try Inkscape as a free alternative.

 

HTH

[Revolution Mike]

I'd second Inkscape for drawing etches, which reminds me I must get mine sent off to PPD.

 

M