Here's some I did earlier

[branchie]

WOW Bernard. That really is some fantastic modelling.

[BernardTPM]

Are you going to move onto coaching stock or wagons next...if you are happy to keep sharing that is?...

Certainly. I don't mind at all; it might even encourage me to build some more. I bought a Stove R chassis at TINGS - now what would look good behind a 40 in the late '70s (and only slightly fishy by then)?

WOW Bernard. That really is some fantastic modelling.

Thanks, Christian. The 150 was a bit of a tour de force as I wanted to win the N Soc. Multiple Unit trophy! Hmmm, might be nice to see an AC overhead unit win it some time... LBSCR, of course (over to you, Mr. Collier! )

[BernardTPM]

OK, after boring 101 DMUs some boring wagons: plain old highfits.

 

 

 

Actually each one is slightly different. The left hand pair are old W&K bodies on Peco underframes, the left hand one altered to represent LNER fitted brake gear with their distinctive offset brake levers while the RH one has the later sides with the the floor plank ends exposed for easy replacement. The two to the right are my own bodies, cast from Plastic Padding for the BR 5-plank with corrugated ends, the LH one with a working tarpaulin bar. I made one master side and end and a simple open backed rubber mould. To create planks on the inside I scribed some clear plastic sheet (polycarbonate, I believe) which didn't stick to the Plastic Padding. The middle one is a converted Farish 5-plank. As this comes it has a very wide door, but by shortening it down by 2mm the body length comes out correct for a shock open. It already had angled plates, but I converted the ends to corrugations. I regret this now as, if I'd left the planks on the ends, it would have been an accurate model of a Southern Railway (design, most were BR(SR) built) shock open which were just a little higher than the BR/LMS 5 planks.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[BernardTPM]

More samey wagons and all from the same base kit to boot! The Peco plate scales out pretty well given it was simply made to fit their standard 15 ft w.b. 45t tank chassis, but said chassis doesn't look at all right under it! In its place I used their brake van chassis, shorn of the footsteps and with the springs shortened after which I added the brakegear. Whilst not perfect, it does give a more 1940s/50s design look than the obviously '60s one supplied and it meant that I could fit whatever type of brakegear I fancied. Some are done unfitted (LH) while some have LNER style (centre) and others BR style (RH) fitted brake levers. The displaced underframes didn't go to waste, of course, but were used for other projects.

 

 

 

While the above are pretty uniform in shape and size, these next three are more varied, though all are LNER derived.

 

 

 

The Trestle makes an 'interesting' looking wagon while the two dropsides are Tube and Pipe respectively. Parkside have done a Tube for their 12ft w.b. chassis since, but theirs is the LMS derived version so the strapping is different. These are on extended Peco 10 ft w.b. steel chassis.

 

The Trestle was, I think, sold by The Engine Shed when it should have been kept for me to collect. I doubt I'll ever see it again.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[BernardTPM]

Lastly for today, some smaller wagons.

 

 

 

The fitted Sand wagon was one of a series of 16t mineral derived designs I built for a PMR article. It has a 10 ft w.b. so the excess length was removed from beyond the axleguards. The brakegear was altered to represent the late BR type. The Lowfit was a scratchbuilt body, using 5 thou." for the thin angle on a basic Peco chassis with added tiebars. The tiny one in the middle is an unfitted Single Bolster. These are only 15ft 6in over headstocks on an 8ft wheelbase, again a simple plastic scratchbuild but the Peco 10ft w.b. had a chunk removed both between the axleguards. Luckily they are moulded in a plastic that is easily glued with solvent. To the right are a Twin Bolster pair, representing the last of the line of development. Each body is the same length as the Single, but the wheelbase is 10 ft. This meant removing virtually all the solebar between the axleguards and the bufferbeams, giving them a very 'Issigonis' look! They are close coupled with the centre buffers correctly removed, the stumps of the Peco Elsies having a pin and hole much like the Cl.101s above. All the bolster pins are cut from a cheap plastic hairbrush so are moulded in a black, unbreakable nylon-like material.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[BernardTPM]

OK, a few more digs through the model archive. These are mainly Civil Engineers' wagons, typical of the 'inherited' stock often used for ballast spoil or just carrying things about.

 

 

 

The brakevan is the standard short Peco one which makes a passable ex-LNER 'Toad E' and a nice contrast to the normal revenue brake vans with their exposed flat ends. The medfits are varied. The LH one is a slightly shortened Poole Farish dropside mounted on a Peco underframe. This model disappeared from the range some time back and all the bodies I collected were the very early (1970-72) unpainted type. The alteration is fairly simple; slicing off the outer end strapping with a sharp knife (for re-use later), cutting the ends off and remounting them within the sides, then sticking the strapping back on which hides the join. Tie-bars are 20 thou." plastic strips. The middle one is an almost straight Westwater and Kirk kit on their own chassis, even with their couplings, buffers and spoked wheels! Unfortunately it does sit just a little high but I did cut the webbing out from behind the brake V and lever to give more see-through. The RH is the as yet unpainted Parkwood steel medfit but mounted on an improved W&K chassis. This time I sanded about 1/2mm off the top before mounting the body which brings it down to the correct height. The full W&K kit could be improved this way, but I'd probably destroy it trying to separate the body from the chassis as it was acquired secondhand and is very firmly glued. I suspect I might replace it with another Farish conversion, but on the W&K chassis which represents the LMS fully fitted type with J hanger springs and the short, central brake levers. The Peco chassis better represents those wagons built unfitted, most of which had brakes fitted as part of the 1955 Modernisation Plan. The van is an odd one out and is a cut-down Peco Palvan, to dia. 221. Being Derby built it had the LMS fitted underframe so, again, the W&K underfame was used, but extended slightly both in the middle and at each end.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[BernardTPM]

 

 

Minitrix did a few nice British wagons, but their 'star' has to be the Merry-Go-Round HAA. I bought 20 of these straight off when they first came out. They were all weathered and given the distinctive scrape marks down the side. On the prototype this was the effect caused by rubber-tyred wagon moving equipment and was always at the same height so I made a jig to mount a fibre-glass brush which I then pulled the wagon by to give consistent height markings. Another good one from their range was the BR brake van which is dimensionally more accurate than the Peco, though the unpainted plastic finish used to let it down. As well as painting I added the concrete blocks from plasticard, wire handrails on the ends and modified rain strips. Most of mine are different as they can slope either direction or even be flat. The Minitrix ones are the curved pattern, largely extinct by the late '70s.

The tippler is another scratchbuilt chassis on a modfied Peco chassis, this time a later one with the lower body and 10' w.b.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[BernardTPM]

Lima did some pretty reasonable models too, sometimes, though on the face of it the lime green 'East Anglian Meat' van wasn't*. However, if you have more than one, then there are things you can do:

 

 

 

Based on photos on Modern Railways I extended some by cutting and splicing. The LH version with two sliding doors is the easier as the outer panels need little modification other than adding door runners to the left-hand ones. The RH one involves a little more work as the diagonal struts are removed both from the part in the middle and each of the end extensions. The chassis are extended Peco 15ft type, probably left-overs from those plate wagons mentioned earlier! In the middle is a BR Ferry van of the early 1960s in the late '70s Railfreight red and grey. This is based on a Roco chassis (a steel carrier flate with drop sides and bolsters originally) with a body scratchbuilt from plasticard.
* Its a pretty standard old UIC van and was available in all kinds of colours, some them even correct!

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[BernardTPM]

The last pair I'm posting today are almost pure scratchbuilds, though they run on Roco Y25 bogies (technically underscale).

 

 

 

The chassis for these two were largely soldered from brass sections while the bodywork is plasticard. Note how different the trussing is between the two designs even though (IIRC) the length is the same. In both cases the trussing was thin T section, but I filed one 'leg' off the T for the Bogie Bolster D. Both were sprayed in Ford Carnival red, a pretty good match for Rail red. The BDA uses the much-missed Woodhead transfers.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[BernardTPM]

Of course, building a layout involves modelling things other than railway rolling stock.

 

 

 

In fact one of the earliest items I made for the layout after it was decided to go 'Modern Image' was lamp posts. These were bent up from 4mm scale handrail wire with insulation off thin electrical cable. The lamp head was the same as that brass used in the wagons above (before they were built, of course), a U channel section which was soldered onto the bent-over wire using enough solder to fill the channel so it could be painted as the head. The BR sign was similar, but with a rectangle of 40 thou." plasticard, painted Rail red with a large 4mm scale double arrow transfer (Methfix) applied. Later I did smaller lampposts for the station platforms, though these only used the insulation at the bottom. For the island platform I made the BR 'lantern' heads from transluscent plasticard, filed to shape with the top painted grey. In keeping with the late '70s period the standard black on white Rail Alphabet sign was placed part way up the post, rather than the earlier style where the name was applied to the lantern. These were quite cheap to make, very fine looking and stronger than cast ones. The bus stop sign I drew (like the station names) with a fine Rotring pen and is mounted on a pin, painted grey. The finger sign and platform number are the Tiny Signs items.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[branchie]

Brilliant stuff Bernard. Any pictures of the layout?

[BernardTPM]

I've got a few I took myself over the years, though they're not brilliant. I'll pick a few and scan them. The best ones were done by Len Weal for the PMR article, so they're not my copyright.

[BernardTPM]

I found two reasonable pictures, one from fairly early in my involvement (May 1982) the other towards the layout's retirement (late 1980s).

 

 

 

An overall view of the layout, looking towards the 'country' end. This is the later view. In the distance the LH abutments for the lattice footbridge are visible but the RH support is not in place, just the gap (with white showing) where it fitted in. I'm not sure what the large light grey object in the goods yard is, though it might be the basic mesh I used for the factory fencing, perhaps, being measured and trimmed (as it had some contours to follow). The later 'bus shelter' is in place on the near platform. Originally there was one of the Farish wooden waiting shelters there. Most of the small details are removed though at least two of the hand-built colour light signals are in place. These I fitted up with little clip-on power connections made from Vero board and the contact strips that go with them so they could be removed for track cleaning.

 

 

 

This is the earlier photo, but small details are in place including a 'mobile' feature (i.e. not plugged in or stuck down) the National coach. I made a number of appropriate period vehicles for the layout, most converted from either Wiking or Fleischmann models. The Plaxton started out as the yellow Mercedes coach Wiking used to make. The most important part of the conversion was to enlarge the windows. Since the Elite features near-flush glazing I cut out all the pillars, enlarged the opening, then cut the glazing into pieces and mounted it in the shell. Trim was added from 10 thou." plastic rod and the window pillars were painted on, the edges being scored with a sharp knife to stop the paint from straying. It worked quite well, but I should have put an interior in it. I have made one now, but I had to break the roof off to fit it and it's still not fixed...
There's the double version of the lamp post too, though that needs resoldering. The buildings are a mix of Builder Plus, Bilteezi and scratchbuilt, most of the latter using Builder Plus brick paper. As you can see from the later picture, trees were added after this photo was taken.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[BernardTPM]

Some more of the road vehicles built for Brigenshaw and Brigenshaw II

 

 

 

the two LH examples being too modern for 1978, but perfectly suited to 1991.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[m0rris]

Tis that a Vauxhall Carlton alongside your wonderful Sierra?

 

BTW, the standard of modelling on this thread make some of my 00 gauge look like n gauge!

 

m0rris

[BernardTPM]

It's a Mk.2 Cavalier, though I have done a Carlton too, the original Vauxhall/Wayne Cherry smooth nosed type, just about as modern as you can get for 1978! The Sierra is a modified Wiking XR4i, but, in my opinion, much more useful in normal 5 -door form, though I did paint up the straight XR4i model too. The Marina van would be a useful thing to do as a TPM kit maybe.

[m0rris]

Out of interest is the carlton from a continental model? As for a marina van, were you to do a marina tc in 00 and an ital to boot I'm sure some booty would head TPModels way!

 

m0rris

[BernardTPM]

Found a picture of the Carlton. This is a modification of the Fleischmann Opel Rekord, so probably slightly underscale.

 

 

 

I suspect Oxford may be quicker to a Marina than me. (That proved to be the case, though they really should do the van as well - so many liveries!).

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[BernardTPM]

I'm still finding my way round the features here. So thanks to Bryn, bcnPete, MrSimon, Carl.H and AlexFord for their support.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[bcnPete]

Many thanks to you Bernard for sharing these again...its been great to see them and find out a bit more about them.

 

As I might have previously said, I still have all your PMR articles in a binder...and I still look and make reference to them.

 

I remember it was so refreshing back then to find articles on detailing 'modern stuff' so together with these and Ian Futers plugging his BR blue layouts it was a time I look back with fond memories.

 

I am pretty sure on the back of your articles, I scratch built my first wagon, an OHV from plasticard on a Peco chassis I recall...

 

 

 

Hopefully my own modelling skills have improved a little since 20 years ago as its a bit scrappy but I rewheeled to 2FS and put DG's on it last year to run on my boxfile layout so it still has a soft spot I guess...

 

Look forward to see some more of your stuff on here Bernard

[BernardTPM]

That's a pretty neat Highfit, Pete. Guess it fell between the availability of the W&K and Parkwood versions. I have to admit I was fortunate in acquiring a lot of (built) W&K wagons that I enjoyed hacking, but I've since built replacements from the Parkwood kits. As they don't have chassis yet and the same wagon is coming from BachFar complete with LNER fitted gear I guess the Parkwoods will be finished with 4-shoe brakes to add to the variety.
Anyway, on to other things. The bay platform, visible in the first photo often had parcels vans of varying sorts standing in it which were occasionally picked up or dropped off for operational interest. The 57' BGs were no problem. Originally I used the Lima models as, by luck, they were about the right length (63ft in 1:160 is approx 58ft in 1:148 so very close to 57 ft!) later replaced by Farish BGs. Of course, I also wanted to represent some of the other NPCCS still around in 1978 so I had to have some Lima CCTs.

 

 

 

This was, of course, one of Lima's last few British outline models in N and they were pretty good and 1:148 scale too. The obvious fault though was the ride height as they had slightly jacked-up 'W' irons. Luckily they used styrene for the chassis, so it was possible to slice the excess out and glue it back together. It's at this point that you then find you need to cut clearance in the floor for the wheels! That done (and the brak handle rebuilt) I was fairly happy with it (though I really should replace the roof vents!). I wanted a couple of BR GUVs too so bought the Fleetline kits. These had very nice thin etches, but were devoid of all the raised detail the Lima CCTs had and had a most inappropriate roof profile. Needless to say I wasn't happy with that, so a couple of Lima CCTS were sacrificed to provide all the hinges, handles, etc. and new roof and ends. The chalk panels and long end straps that match the hinges were done in 5 thou." plasticard while the buffers are Beaver castings (Mk.1 buffers, retracted). The two then could sit together looking reasonably similar.
There were still considerable numbers of pre-Nationalisation stuff around, though of relatively few types by '78.

 

 

 

The Fruit D shouldn't really be there at all (they were all either gone, preserved or internal user), but I enjoyed hacking it out of three Peco van kits. The Lima Siphon G was altered to the Newspaper type van with the plated over grilles. For these I used self-adhesive clear material, the type for covering books. The whole thing was then sprayed over in Rail Blue (Humbrol 135). Amazingly it is still in place nearly 30 years later. The lettering applied using the smallest rub-down white Helvetica I could get, plus a Cavendish double arrow. The PMV is the P&D Marsh whitemetal kit, but assembled with the ends raised up by about 1mm so that I could get the characteristic SECR /SR roof profile, rolled in card. An extra plank was added at the bottom of each end. The chassis is cut from two Peco 15ft w.b. brake van chassis with most of the footsteps cut away, other than under the doors. Trussing is wire, through a plastic central upright.Since then I bought a couple of Chivers kits, building one as a CCT and the other as a PMV and I'll probably get one or two Dapol CCTs (as they have uneven planks, the Chivers even) and three or more of the forthcoming Chivers plywood versions. Although this one is sprayed blue it really needs a good weathering as these rather 'lumpy' sided vans were nearly always caked in brake dust.

Edited September 5, 2022 by BernardTPM

[bcnPete]

Good to see it still coming Bernard...

 

I didn't know that Fleetline made a GUV at the time. I made my GUV by hacking and splicing 2 Lima CCT's together and although I still have it I am definately to embarrassed to show a photo on here as even my weathering didn't quite hide all the bodyside filling I had done ...I probably used the same body filler I used on my Vauxhall 'shuv-it'...

[Carl. H.]

Nice to see more of your work. What you said about the weathering on SR CCT's is very true, at one time I thought they were actually painted brown! Perhaps you should repaint in brown with patches of blue.

[BernardTPM]

Ah, but you'd need to apply smooth blue over rough 'crud' colour - I was considering a spot of 'finger painting' where someone has rubbed through the dirt to write their name, perhaps using the sharpened end of a matchstick to take the weathering off in a very controlled manner. You sometimes do get clean patches in some photos.

Of course, I would need to do some painting first...

[James]

I found this thread the other day when I was looking for something quite unrelated via Google - no idea how this came up though! There's some wonderful modelling in here - judging by the standard it seems mainstream N took a long time to even begin to catch up to any extent!