Little Didcot

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

A few odds and ends - some odder than others...

 

Not a huge amount to report on the progress front due to going to play with the full size beasties and then trapping a nerve in my neck that resulted in me walking round like a robot!

 

First port of call was the whistles and the safety valve bonnet. These were fixed in place with a bit of cyanoacrylate.

 

 

Then the cab side plates were added.

 

 

The front number and shed code plates were then put in place - purists look away, it's an 81E plate of course!

 

 

A couple of little ferrets with their dartboards from Modelmaster next - I won't tell you that I put the first one on the wrong side to start with... Silly boy!

 

 

The cab roof mid fettle - I still need to do something about those strips fore and aft and add the little round hatch type thing.

 

 

Then we have to do the back head details (because I forgot about it until now...) so this demands a visit to the ever helpful Mainly Trains etches for some these bits. No. 1363 has one of the modified or combination regulator handled where a standard later angled position handle has been grafted on to the original vertical position unit. I then threw a few other details at it made from whatever came to hand until it felt right! The view of this will be mainly blocked by the crew anyhow so a glimpse of vague shapes that look right is all that is important here.

 

 

The crew (Monty's Models) needed some paint too - a job I loathe but still, we have got to do what we have got to do! Primer first though...

 

 

The loco was sealed in a coat of matt varnish in order to accept the weathering. I was almost in two minds as to carry on as she looks rather good like this but a showroom clean Shunter has no place in the Little Didcot collection so soldier on we must - into the muck, rust and dust!

 

More at the weekend (hopefully!).

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[knobhead]

Very nice Castle!

 

The detailing is superb and well executed.

 

Regards,

 

Stefan

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

A little teaser...

 

Thanks again for all the likes and kind comments, they are appreciated everyone!

 

I have pottered whilst doing other things yesterday and that has resulted in the following cruel close ups of my rough sketch of No. 1363.

 

Firstly the crew, I paint these using Games Workshop acrylics which, lets face it, was designed for painting miniature figures! Who am I to buck the trend? A bit of Humbrol acrylic gloss varnish squirted into the lid of the can and then brushed on to do the gloss finish of the grease cap.

 

 

Next, I slapped a bit of the afore mentioned acrylics around on the guesstimate of the boiler back head. Again. I know this isn't 100% (or even 50%!) accurate but all it needs to do is suggest the shapes behind the crew figures. The brass is a mix of gold, brown and green that I use and the copper is labeled 'Dwarf Bronze' but if you roughly apply this over a black base coat then you get a lovely old copper look.

 

 

I then made up the fire irons for the rack on the bunker. These, as I have said before are made out of soft brass wire from the jewellery aisle of the craft store. The blade of the bill hook is made by flattening the brass, the blade of the shovel from a scrap bit of etch.the western dart is simply cut with the pliers. I usually do a rake as well (scrap etch blade again) but I got to 3 and it looked a bit full so I stopped! The bucket is a Springside white metal item, left unpainted as I think that it looks pretty much like the real thing as is. Lazy? Moi? A splash of black paint and gloss varnish in the bucket to make it look about right. The roof is just balanced in place here by the way...

 

 

Little No. 1363 is now completely dismantled down to the frames and ready for weathering. I still have to make up the 'glass' for the windows. Watch this space...

 

All the best,

 

Castle

Edited November 11, 2012 by Castle

[tender]

 

Next, I slapped a bit of the afore mentioned acrylics around on the guesstimate of the boiler back head. Again. I know this isn't 100% (or even 50%!) accurate but all it needs to do is suggest the shapes behind the crew figures. The brass is a mix of gold, brown and green that I use and the copper is labeled 'Dwarf Bronze' but if you roughly apply this over a black base coat then you get a lovely old copper look.

 

 

Hi Castle,

That was well timed, now I know where I'm heading for the 14xx cab. I feel a visit to the local paint shop coming up.

 

Ray.

[Castle]

 

 

Hi Castle,

That was well timed, now I know where I'm heading for the 14xx cab. I feel a visit to the local paint shop coming up.

 

Ray.

 

Hi Ray,

 

Your local Games Workshop shop (if you know what I mean!) is the best bet here. While there, get yourself some of the green stuff fine filler. It is essentially a very thick paint which is excellent as a fine crack and surface filler.

 

Get some of the washes too as these are crucial to weathering and painting figures, etc. I don't know what the current range calls them but the one is use the most are Badab Black, Devlan Mud, Gryphonne Sepia and Ogryn Flesh.

 

The conversion chart from the old range to the new is here:

 

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m2320032a_Citadel_Conversion_Chart

 

I have a copy of it on my iPad and it is useful!

 

I hope this helps!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

Edited November 11, 2012 by Castle

[tender]

 

 

Hi Ray,

 

Your local Games Workshop shop (if you know what I mean!) is the best bet here.

 

I think we have a war gaming shop in town that stocks Citadel products so will pop in tomorrow for a look.

 

Ray.

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

Dangerously close...

 

It looks like a kit for a model of No. 1363 (pre weathered)...*

 

 

Assembly, a little further light attention with the weathering, coal and windows to go and we will be there!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

 

*I wish it had been that easy!**

 

**No I don't, that would be no fun at all!

[knobhead]

I'm really looking forward to some pictures of the finished loco!

 

Regards,

 

Stefan

[tender]

I still have to make up the 'glass' for the windows. Watch this space...

 

All the best,

 

Castle

 

That's a big piece of glass!

 

Ray.

[richbrummitt]

That's a big piece of glass!

 

It looks like it's a shelf.

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

And finally...

 

Thanks for the compliments and likes along the way on this journey everyone. The epic build of little No. 1363 is at long last done! Held up not only by a busy time elsewhere in life but also by the fact that for some inexplicable reason, when I reassembled the chassis it refused to move! I did the decent thing and carefully stripped it down again, checked everything with the multi meter cleaned it, oiled it up and reassembled her. THREE times. For reasons best known unto itself however, on the final reassembly it went without hesitation. Grrrrrrr!

 

I tried to replicate the look shown here in this brilliant picture taken of her on Laira Depot, Plymouth 27th June 1962 that shows her in a work stained but looked after type condition:

 

http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/locos/1363/1363pic_old.html

 

Oh well, alls well that ends well and it lives again! Here are a few terrible and cruel shots of my latest fumbling efforts. Firstly the cab interior. The windows need to have the larger overlap at the bottom as there is very little space to fix to the top due to the way the roof clips in. Little of this can be seen in any case but I have left the roof removable in case the driver or fireman figure ever gets knocked off their feet and requires glueing in again.

 

 

The fireman takes a rest from his task to vaguely attempt to clean himself with an oily cotton waste rag. His tools on the bunker rack await the end of the day as does the bucket that he will fill from the pep pipe with hot water to allow himself and his driver to scrub up before heading home for a bath and their suppers.

 

 

The driver meanwhile glances over at the pressure gauge to ensure that his mate isn't slacking. He is right on the mark and ready for the off - there is a lot of shunting to do today!

 

 

Here is a shot that sums up the cheeky 'Thomas' like character of these engines. Not a million mile away from Percy (the GWS' No. 1340 Trojan is reckoned to be the good Reverend's influence here) is she?!

 

 

Well, there we go another locomotive for the Little Didcot roster completed.

 

All the best,

 

Castle

 

PS: Rich B. and Ray will be pleased to know that no shelves were harmed in the production of this locomotive...

[Darwinian]

Well done on completeing her Castle. She looks a little gem . Funny how those gremlins defy investigation. I spent an hour last night trying to figure out why my scratchbuilt Rhymney/GWR P1 was the only loco I have that derails almost every time on one particular turnout on my layout. Still none the wiser . Hope that one just goes away too. I'm sure it used to be fine!

 

I look forward to following your progress in re-creating more of Didcot's collection.

 

Adrian

[knobhead]

Lovely work, Castle!

 

The loco looks, well and truly, ready for upcoming duties.

 

Regards,

 

Stefan

[Castle]

Funny how those gremlins defy investigation. I spent an hour last night trying to figure out why my scratchbuilt Rhymney/GWR P1 was the only loco I have that derails almost every time on one particular turnout on my layout. Still none the wiser . Hope that one just goes away too. I'm sure it used to be fine!

 

Thanks All!

 

Adrian - I am convinced that there are dark forces in the universe that wish to prevent people undertaking any act of railway modelling - it is the same bunch of pixies or gremlins that rush out and steal any small and vital component that I drop on the floor...

 

Stefan - cheers! I look forward to seeing the results of your Edwardian prairie adventure finished. She looks great thus far!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[Collett2251]

Looking good Castle,

 

Just need to find some time to finish 1361, then there will be one black and one green one, been cursing at hand rails recently and putting off lamp irons, but hopefully crack on over the next couple of days.

 

Whats next in the queue?

 

Chris

[richbrummitt]

That's wheelie good. *coat on* *leaves*

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

Thanks again to everyone pushing that little like button - it is appreciated!

 

Chris: Thanks! I am glad to hear little 1361 is coming on well. The handrails are a little bit of a swine aren't they? I hope to see her here and on your workbench thread very soon. As to what's next - well, not sure. I have also just completed a repaint of a Bachmann P/O tank wagon to represent my version of No. 745 which I will post here later in the week but the next big build? Hmmm... Well I do have all the bits to do my avatar locomotive now, the etched kits to build the breakdown train vehicles and a whole host of wagons to do as well. I MUST spend some time painting a few passengers too as I still haven't finished Hawksworth auto trailer No. 231 or painted No. 190 (the Collett version) either. Anyone got a preference as I don't really mind?

 

Rich: There is always one isn't there? Cheers!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[M.I.B]

Some more rolling stock before you start another engine please - you did ask. TBH you can do an engine if you like - it's all been great so far, and very inspirational - can't wait to get home and start modelling again.

 

Thanks.

[Castle]

Fair enough MIB!

 

I will put a teaser up later tonight (or tomorrow if I find that I haven't got the prototype pictures that I think I have!) in the shape of little No. 745 and then I will find a bit of rolling stock to build. I am in the mood for a short project this time so it looks a bit like a wagon is on the cards...

 

Thanks for the compliments!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

 

And I WILL do those auto trailers!

[Colin parks]

Hi Castle,

 

I've only just had a look at our topic, being otherwise engaged recently! The 1361 tank looks a very handsome loco and well constructed. I enjoyed the posts about the lMS vans too.

 

All the best,

 

Colin

 

[Castle]

Hi Colin,

 

Thanks for the compliments! The LMS vans were fun to do - it is always nice to step away from your comfort zone and do something a little different. With the help of my RMWEB friends, this little trip 'off region' was easilly accomplished. I don't think that I would have been so confident that I would have got it right otherwise.

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

Tanks a lot!

 

I will apologise about the post sub heading immediately... The one type of wagon that was not very prevalent in the GWR stock book was that of tankers. These tended to be very much private owner vehicles and while the GWR did build some of its own, they were not in huge numbers. These private owner vehicles were built by a number of independent manufacturers and this is represented at Didcot by tanker No. 745.

 

No. 745 was built in 1912 by Hurst Nelson and company in their huge works at Motherwell, Scotland. They had various claims to fame as rolling stock manufacturers including vehicles for both the Glasgow Subway and the London Underground. They also made tram cars as well as a vast range of other railway vehicles. No. 745 is a fairly standard 4 wheel 10 ton capacity class B oil products carrier. It was used by the Anglo American Oil Company to transport its brand of Royal Daylight Lamp Oil. This later became rebranded as ESSO. No. 745 is restored to its Royal Daylight Livery and is an important reminder of where this still important rail based traffic originated all those years ago.

 

 

Little No. 745 is based on a Bachmann RTR wagon that I bought very reasonably from my local train fair. Some care was taken to get the one with the correct arrangement of tank strapping. Some simple research on this great site:

 

http://www.igg.org.uk/gansg/index.htm#bash

 

(See the line side industries pages for the oil company stuff) revealed that there were a couple of option for post war class B ESSO 4 wheel tankers. Given that the likelihood of me finding a picture of No. 745 in the correct time period was at best minimal and really very unlikely indeed, I did what any good railway preservationist does and picked the livery that I liked the best! I am not saying it did carry the livery, just that it could have done... The model got a cross bar in the brake gear and had a pair of scale three link couplings

 

 

My favourite out of the black post war liveries on the above site was the ESSO large logo one and as Modelmaster did these in 4mm scale I re sprayed my tanker satin black and ordered a set. The large transfers were great but required a lot of setting solution to get them to conform to the tanks curves and rivets. To get an idea of where the logos and grime goes i took a look at Paul Bartlett's (HMRSPaul of this parish) excellent wagon photo site (I probably don't need to post this link but still, for the benefit of any newbies reading this, go and have a look):

 

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/

 

A dose of matt varnish, weathering and a final coat of matt varnish to seal in all that grimy goodness resulted in the filthy wagon model shown in the photographs!

 

 

Well, as I have another 3 (4 if you count the ROTANK) tank wagons still to do, I am going to think up some more tank related puns...

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[knobhead]

Very nice, Castle!

 

I have one of these Bachmann wagons, trying to figure out what to do with it. The links will be useful.

 

Regards,

 

Stefan

[Kev_Lewis]

Very nice. The subtle weathering is excellent.

 

I currently have six of the Bachmann Brassworks O guage version of this type of tank wagon waiting for me to get around to painting and addding transfers.

[tender]

Hi Castle.

1363 is looking very nice, can I ask what you used for the windows. Polly's 14xx is sadly lacking in this department. Would be nice to get some in before the lid goes on. She had a weathering hands on demo with her newly acquired 'Toad' at Worley so I'll leave that bit for her to do.

Ray.

Edited November 29, 2012 by tender