'O' gauge ? first tentative steps. Corrugated goods shed part 3: Painting and weathering

[Dmudriver]

I've found these videos absolutely fascinating, David.  Apart from small locos and short trains, there's certainly a lot to go at from the scenery and weathering points of view.  However, the biggest challenge - as I see it - will be replicating the state of the track and point work: we normally spend our tracklaying time trying to get it level and flowing , as you did in the early parts of this thread, now it's a question of rough and undulating!!  I particularly like the last sequence on that last video - from about 5.45 - of the little saddle tank rocking and rolling along the track.

 

Trying to build rough track will be like trying to play the piano badly, but deliberately!!  It reminds me of that sketch of Eric Morecambe and Andre Previn:  "I'm playing all the right notes, sunshine: not necessarily in the right order"!!  Piano players tell me that's very difficult to do, so I'll be interested to see how you tackle the track challenge.

 

Rod

 

PS     You're not allowed to cheat by having extra-wide wheel treads!!   (Well, no more than the standard fine scale 7mm width!!).

[alant]

David,

 

You might find this gem of a micro layout interesting if you haven't already seen it:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70516-juniper-hill/

 

Alan.

[David Siddall]

I've found these videos absolutely fascinating, David.  Apart from small locos and short trains, there's certainly a lot to go at from the scenery and weathering points of view.  However, the biggest challenge - as I see it - will be replicating the state of the track and point work: we normally spend our tracklaying time trying to get it level and flowing , as you did in the early parts of this thread, now it's a question of rough and undulating!!  I particularly like the last sequence on that last video - from about 5.45 - of the little saddle tank rocking and rolling along the track.

 

Trying to build rough track will be like trying to play the piano badly, but deliberately!!  It reminds me of that sketch of Eric Morecambe and Andre Previn:  "I'm playing all the right notes, sunshine: not necessarily in the right order"!!  Piano players tell me that's very difficult to do, so I'll be interested to see how you tackle the track challenge.

 

Rod

 

PS     You're not allowed to cheat by having extra-wide wheel treads!!   (Well, no more than the standard fine scale 7mm width!!).

 

Les Dawson another accomplished 'wrong note impressario'...

 

 

...totally off-topic but so worth posting!

 

I think I'm going to settle for slightly less than prototype fidelity when it comes to track-laying Rod – the alternative would probably require extreme chassis compensation in model form ;-)

 

 

You might find this gem of a micro layout interesting if you haven't already seen it: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70516-juniper-hill/

 

I actually spotted Juniper Hill a while back via the gallery Alan... and I absolutely agree a real 'gem'. What I particularly like is that it's rural. I really am taken by the idea of industrial steam in a countryside setting – along the lines of Kilmersdon Colliery, albeit I won't have room for the incline ;-)

 

David

.

[hmrspaul]

 

Trying to build rough track will be like trying to play the piano badly, but deliberately!!  It reminds me of that sketch of Eric Morecambe and Andre Previn:  "I'm playing all the right notes, sunshine: not necessarily in the right order"!!  Piano players tell me that's very difficult to do, so I'll be interested to see how you tackle the track challenge.

 

 

Although you may not want to compromise running there is no reason why the track shouldn't look the part. Sleepers should be chewed up (I've seen 100t GLW petroleum tanks sitting on sleepers which had virtually none or no connection between the rails - and that was in a well known BR marshalling yard). Randomly shorten the lengths of sleepers, ensure plenty of track keys are missing and use anything for ballast but ballast - Barbecue ash is a good source of ballast.  And of course there should be the odd really good sleeper in amongst them - different lighter colour - where a replacement had been forced on the operators.

 

Modellers all too rarely realise the track in sidings can sit around for half a century without anyone giving it much thought.http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/infrastructure/e52bacd82

 

Just a little inspiration http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/bolsovercoalite/eb6daad2 - plenty more in http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/industrialinternalwagons

 

Paul

PS - I have done all of the above for the Ebor Club 7mm Hungate layout.

[Dmudriver]

"Les Dawson another accomplished 'wrong note impressario'...

 

 

...totally off-topic but so worth posting!

 

I think I'm going to settle for slightly less than prototype fidelity when it comes to track-laying Rod – the alternative would probably require extreme chassis compensation in model form ;-)"

 

 

 

Ah, .... Les Dawson, I'd completely forgotten about him!!  I did laugh at that clip!!  I understand what you say about the track, David, and keeping the locos and stock on the track is definitely the priority, but I do think that laying rough track that works would be quite a challenge at some time in the future.  Not that you or I are going to have much time in the foreseeable future!

 

Rod

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[David Siddall]

After a slightly worrying moment with the first coat my Easybuild 121 is now satin varnished, one end is complete with its cab interior and 50% of both sides are glazed (fiddly or what – the latter that is?).

 

 

...just the other half left to do then ...and one last coat on the roof before final assembly – and some weathering – and some testing – and some running-in – and who know? There's still quite a few bits in the box :-/

 

David

[the penguin of doom]

I have to say Dave, that bubble car looks really good! I was going to mention the roof, but you've covered that point, so it's a big "well done" from me.

 

Well worth the trials and tribulations.

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[Father Dougal]

That looks really nice. Out of interest, how have you found the motor supplied with the kit? I gather it has had a few mixed reviews.

Will you be doing a second one at any stage? Perhaps in a nice shade of BR Blue?

Dougal.

[PatB]

 There's still quite a few bits in the box :-/

 

David

 

You sure you didn't buy a two-car kit by mistake?

[David Siddall]

That looks really nice. Out of interest, how have you found the motor supplied with the kit? I gather it has had a few mixed reviews. Will you be doing a second one at any stage? Perhaps in a nice shade of BR Blue?

Dougal.

Thanks Dougal, thing is... if we made all your decisions on the basis of reviews there'd be 'something' to deter us from pretty well everything. To be pragmatic the nature of the Easybuild motor bogie is that it can be improved upon – if you're prepared to spend some money on an alternative – but the latest version (which I've got) is nowhere near as flawed as some reviewers would have you believe. Credit where its due, Shaun has worked hard to create something simple and economic which works – granted it doesn't have the finesse of a precision engineered gearbox or something r-t-r but with care it'll produce a smooth-running unit – OK, so there might be a bit of gear noise but careful alignment can minimise that and I suspect it'll quieten down further as the worm and gear bed in with running.

 

What we're talking about here is a very reasonably priced 'complete' kit which produces an attractive model  – it's eminently suitable for beginners and the 'hard of soldering' too. 

 

Go on... get yourself one and have a go, you know you want to. I've come across several instances now where Sean has assisted builders of his kits to accommodate different motor/gearbox installations to his own if that's what you'd prefer. He's very approachable, all you have to do is ask.

 

BFN...

 

David

 

PS: It very nearly did end up blue – a few trials and tribulations with the warning panels and the lining ago – fortunately however these were overcome courtesy of moral support from friends on here and my natural tendency towards bloody-mindedness ;-).

[Father Dougal]

Thanks Dougal, thing is... if we made all your decisions on the basis of reviews there'd be 'something' to deter us from pretty well everything. To be pragmatic the nature of the Easybuild motor bogie is that it can be improved upon – if you're prepared to spend some money on an alternative – but the latest version (which I've got) is nowhere near as flawed as some reviewers would have you believe. Credit where its due, Shaun has worked hard to create something simple and economic which works – granted it doesn't have the finesse of a precision engineered gearbox or something r-t-r but with care it'll produce a smooth-running unit – OK, so there might be a bit of gear noise but careful alignment can minimise that and I suspect it'll quieten down as the worm and gear bed in with running.

 

What we're talking about here is a very reasonably priced 'complete' kit which produces an attractive model  – it's eminently suitable for beginners and the 'hard of soldering' too. 

 

Go on... get yourself one and have a go, you know you want to. I've come across several instances now where Sean has assisted builders of his kits to accommodate different motor/gearbox installations to his own if that's what you'd prefer. He's very approachable, all you have to do is ask.

 

BFN...

 

David

 

PS: It very nearly did end up blue – a few trails and tribulations with the warning panels and the lining ago – fortunately however these were overcome courtesy of moral support from friends on here and my natural tendency towards bloody-mindedness ;-).

Sounds good, I plan to pick up a kit at the Bristol show in January.

I can use your thread as a build guide.

 

[David Siddall]

More 'industrial' revelations in compact form – one of the reasons I'm just a little disappointed that DJ Model's 7-mil r-t-r J94 is only a 'possibility'. If you haven't seen the superbly characterful Stoating Bank' and it's fleet of detailed Hornby 'Austerities' check it out here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/53438-stoating-bank/

 

Currently juggling with my preferred layout planning software (various types available) to see how much space would be required to achieve something similar in 'O'... though I think even such a compact layout would require more than I'm likely to have available.

 

David

[Barnaby]

If you have an "00" layout plan do the maths ie x7/4 gives it to you for 0 gauge.

eg An 8ft "00" layout gives you 14ft in 0 gauge.

 

Unless you have lots & lots of space, which you don't, it normally reveals that you need to fore-shorten everything or maybe only model half of the "00" plan.

But then I bet you know all this.

 

Regards

[David Siddall]

If you have an "00" layout plan do the maths ie x7/4 gives it to you for 0 gauge.

eg An 8ft "00" layout gives you 14ft in 0 gauge.

 

Unless you have lots & lots of space, which you don't, it normally reveals that you need to fore-shorten everything or maybe only model half of the "00" plan.

But then I bet you know all this.

 

Regards

Well I didn't 'till I tried to fit a track plan very similar to Stoating Banks into 8', which is (I believe) twice SB's size in 4-mil... but them I am actually marginally worse at maths than I am at soldering!

 

Thanks for the insight :-)

 

David

 

EDIT: Eventually found a calculator via Google which converts fractions to decimals (numbers my simple brain can cope with) – multiply by 7/4ths, no chance... multiply by 1.75... much more betterer :-)

[David Siddall]

An update on the 121 saga... some of Easybuild's window glazing is a tight 'press' fit – basically all of those bits which don't fit onto the cab fronts and the doors. Experience (a.k.a. picking up my newly part-glazed body shell and having a couple of bits of glazing fall out) suggests that in spite of this 'all' its glazing parts need a bit of help to keep them securely in place. I've gone with 'Micro Krystal Klear' in its role as an adhesive as opposed to the role I've used it in to glaze the headlights – seems to have worked rather well for both. I particularly like the fact that it doesn't effect the glazing material in any way other than that intended :-)

 

David

[CME and Bottlewasher]

An update on the 121 saga... some of Easybuild's window glazing is a tight 'press' fit – basically all of those bits which don't fit onto the cab fronts and the doors. Experience (a.k.a. picking up my newly part-glazed body shell and having a couple of bits of glazing fall out) suggests that in spite of this 'all' its glazing parts need a bit of help to keep them securely in place. I've gone with 'Micro Krystal Klear' in its role as an adhesive as opposed to the role I've used it in to glaze the headlights – seems to have worked rather well for both. I particularly like the fact that it doesn't effect the glazing material in any way other than that intended :-)

 

David

Nice work David,

 

I prefer original Johnson's Klear as I still have stock of it and it seems robust in use (when glazing is prodded as galzing often is by none modellers).

 

I understand that Humbrol do a new product which is a very similar formulation to the old Klear.

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

[David Siddall]

Once you get your head round the 'micro layout' concept in 7mm scale, especially the idea of the 'industrial micro in a rural setting', the opportunities actually seem to begin to expand rather than contract as might be expected :-)

Probably a bit generous in size to be true 'micros' by some folk's standards, all the above (in my opinion anyway) have considerable operating and scenic potential if worked on a freight-only basis with small industrial tank-engines or diesel shunters. The length overall of all three is 8 feet including minimum 2-foot lengths of fiddle yard space which could feature anything from cassettes to a sector plates or traversers.

 

Credit where it's due...

 

The top plan is based on a prototype, Croft in North Yorkshire whose flavour has been interpreted (exquisitely I might add) with subtle variations by Duncan Wilcock in P4 (see Model Railway Journal No 215, 2012 and pictures here on the Scalefour Society website). The lower two are inspired by on Chris Phillimore's highly believable but imaginary 'The Headshunt' in 'OO' finescale (Model Rail 161, Oct 2011).

 

David

 

PS: I'm still juggling with a 7-mil rendition of something along the lines of 'Stoating Bank' because I believe the multi-level approach with gradients can add considerable operational and scenic interest to a very small layout.

[Barnaby]

Hello David. the 7/4 can be simply said as multiply by 7 and divide by 4 which for any given size should be easy enough.

Why those two numbers well in case you hadn't guessed it's 7mm scale and 4 mm scale to the foot being for "0" gauge and "00" gauge.

 

Of course the reverse is true too ie if you want to convert from "0" gauge to "00" it's multiply by 4/7 or in decimal 0.5714285, it'll be more accurate if you use the fractional way to do this in this case as the decimal gives you 7.999999 ft for a 14ft "0" gauge plan.  While 14 x4/7 gives you 14 X 4 = 56 divided by 7 = 8ft exactly.

 

Brain ache over.

 

Regards

[Donw]

Just using the numbers doesn't quite add up because it is more about impressions. One factor is if you compare 00 wagons with tension lock couplings they need more space that 0 gauge ones with three links. But the fact that a loco plus three or four wagons creates so much more of an impression in 0 than in 00 means that you can squeeze a little more in. On the otherhand if you use more realistic turmouts of a slightly larger size you can eat away the space again. I think Davids plans could all be attractive given the right scenic treatment.

Don

[switcher 1]

A quick conversion from 4mm to 7mm won't work if you have to rely on Peco turnouts.     

[Barnaby]

Ahh yes Fatmac but I was only referring to the physical layout size not thinking of the peco point differences.

My idea was to see a layout in 00 and think I wonder if that might work in 0 and if the size was near enough to tweak for fit.
I use those sizes of 8ft in 00 is 14ft in 0 as the standard to guide me when I'm looking at 00 layouts, I don't work it out for every one I see.

 

Regards

[David Siddall]

Of course the reverse is true too ie if you want to convert from "0" gauge to "00" it's multiply by 4/7 or in decimal 0.5714285, it'll be more accurate if you use the fractional way to do this in this case as the decimal gives you 7.999999 ft for a 14ft "0" gauge plan.  While 14 x4/7 gives you 14 X 4 = 56 divided by 7 = 8ft exactly.

 

Brain ache over.

This is true, my brain no longer aches... mainly because it exploded about half way through your sentence with all the numbers in it...

 

Maths and I nod to each other if we pass in the street but we're only acquaintances, not friends :-)

 

D

[Rob Pulham]

Nice work David,

 

I prefer original Johnson's Klear as I still have stock of it and it seems robust in use (when glazing is prodded as galzing often is by none modellers).

 

I understand that Humbrol do a new product which is a very similar formulation to the old Klear.

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

 

Hi Martin,  just don't send anything through the post that you have used clear to stick the windows in - they won't survive the experience.:0(

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Hi Martin,  just don't send anything through the post that you have used clear to stick the windows in - they won't survive the experience.:0(

 

Hi Rob,

 

Sorry to hear that, though I am not surprised, but in normal use it seems okay, the Deluxe Materials product may offer a more robust solution in that regard though, yet IMHO it needs thinning.

 

Kind regards..

[David Siddall]

Mojo in absentia...

 

...not helped by the fact that as a consequence of plans for a move being put on hold for the foreseeable future I've scrapped two perfectly good baseboards! :-/

 

However, I am slightly suspicious that the universe might be dropping hints? During the mass clear-out which occurred in anticipation of ending up living and modelling in a shoe box I discovered an Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0, a 45xx Prairie and a 57xx I didn't know I had... sadly not 7-mil though, now that would have been something!

 

On the up side the 121 is now glazed...

 

BFN... David