Great West Road - transfers & I’m not talking football!

[southern42]

Well, the sanding block worked and I got two transfers on. Not perfect but a touch-up here and there and some weathering will sort it.  The other two transfers lost some ink, crumpled up, and gave up the ghost. The transfer sheets have had some more varnish sprayed at them and the transfers will be tried out after the Bank Holiday.

Patience is in heavy demand.

 

Have a good holiday.

Polly

 

EDIT: Wow! Page 50. Let's hope we can make it a good un.

Edited August 28, 2022 by southern42

[ChrisN]

1 hour ago, southern42 said:

Well, the sanding block worked and I got two transfers on. Not perfect but a touch-up here and there and some weathering will sort it.  The other two transfers lost some ink, crumpled up, and gave up the ghost. The transfer sheets have had some more varnish sprayed at them and the transfers will be tried out after the Bank Holiday.

Patience is in heavy demand.

 

Have a good holiday.

Polly

 

EDIT: Wow! Page 50. Let's hope we can make it a good un.

 

Polly,

If Patience is in heavy demand I hope she does not have a day off on the Bak Holiday.

 

Looking good, keep it up.

[southern42]

A bit of bank holiday weekend fun (?)

 

I have been eyeing up the GWR Manors that are currently up for grabs: Which make and which name/number?

 

The one I want is 7819 Hinton Manor in 1965 condition. Well, that rules all of them out for a kick off!

https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/Collett-Locomotives/Collett-460-designs/Collett-Manor-Class-78007829/Manor-Class-Pre-1968/78127819-Built-1939/i-JPPD8Wr/A

 

It was not just question of a basic model in lined green where number and name plates and crest can simply be changed. 

 

Oh, no! With all the detailing and intricacies of today's models it was not going to be easy.  I could choose an early green BR one and change the crest. On the other hand, I could get a GWR version and hack the whole thing and give it a complete repaint job (and forget about the BR changes to the chimney!). W00ahhhh! This is a brand spanking new model we are talking about.....£££££££££

 

Now, what are the required details on Hinton Manor and will any of the new models fit the bill, say for just a name and number change, possibly change of crest?

For a late BR Hinton Manor, it needs to have:

 

• Be of the Early type - in the first twenty (not the late batch)
• Lined green livery (not black or GWR green)
• Re-draughted chimney (not original chimney)
• Riveted tender (not flush)
• Narrow horn plates (not wide)

• Overhead warning plate bracket (BR option with one manufacturer)

 

Well, the winner is....

...7800 Torquay Manor.

 

But maybe, it needs a pro to rename and renumber it for me....

Messing about with pre-owned wagons and small tank engines is one thing....

 

IF I get one, it will be way out of guarantee before I will dare to age it to the condition as in one of my all time favourite Southall photos (above link)!

 

And do I really want it sound fitted for it to be standing on shed just to hear it expel the odd bit of steam; have a shovelful of coal thrown into its firebox; or someone sweeping up the ashes and putting then into the wheelbarrow?

 

 

...er...Polly

 

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by southern42
typo

[southern42]

Still pondering on the above post. I must make a decision. 

 

To the point. The fake weld lines for the hoppers.

I have lost count of those I have cut, fiddled around with, destroyed, and successfully applied, today. The job was more successful because applying some more varnish, the other day, to the diamonds and large black rectangles has paid off as they did not start to disintegrate as soon as I put the next lot of transfers over them, even when I had to do it twice because I mish mashed the first one in the process. Just three more to add to the sides of the last of the rake when the ones on the other side are dry. Then the smaller weld lines for the tops of just two more hoppers. I will get there....

...eventually. 

 

Thanks for poop pooping in and for your patient forbearance.

Polly

Edited October 5, 2022 by southern42

[southern42]

On 28/08/2022 at 20:29, southern42 said:

...

I have been eyeing up the GWR Manors that are currently up for grabs: Which make and which name/number?

...7800 Torquay Manor

BUT...do I really want it sound fitted for it to be standing on shed just to hear it expel the odd bit of steam; have a shovelful of coal thrown into its firebox; or someone sweeping up the ashes and putting then into the wheelbarrow?

...

 

Now that has given me an idea. The shed yard will be full of locos just standing there, some coming and going, but it will hardly be SILENT. I shall have to make a list of all those shed sounds, get them onto a sound chip, attach to some discreetly hidden speakers around the place and play them when required via a controller. Sounds simple enough... but maybe handy to think about before beginning the build. Definitely one for Tender!

[Dave John]

If you are thinking about an inexpensive way of creating an ambient soundscape have a read at;

 

 

Plays ordinary mp3 files from a micro sd card.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Dave John

[southern42]

Thanks, Dave. I read part 1 as well while I was about it. Interesting. I like the idea of 'cheap'. Using mp3 files is something to consider though I am also looking into using an App. Having techy relatives, eh? I was thinking along the lines of different sound combinations dedicated to different or different types of loco as well as areas - diesel/repair shed, steam shed, coaling bay, turntable, etc. Having seen several layouts that detail the surrounding action - moving vehicles and machines, moving people, limbs and tools on the train or trackside, etc - I like the idea of sound going with it, too. Whether I could get the support crew to walk with his flag and wave the preserved loco past the water tower onto shed is another matter!

 

I agree on what you say about distance and sound. When operating Camel Quay at exhibitions (before we sold it) we kept the volume of the sound low and local - though a whistle sound would often drift across the hall! Having the trains appearing from and disappearing into the tunnel also helped with the illusion even over just a few feet, as did sending trains to the other end, in essence having two sets of (listening) audience. Barriers distancing the viewer further away from the action possibly helped as well, as did the size and acoustics of the hall. A small room at home where track noise is exaggerated may not be the most useful in this respect. This is where I think low level localised sound may come in handy. But this is all pie in the sky, or smoke in Stoke, until I get the modelling done.

 

Polly

[southern42]

On 06/10/2022 at 11:35, southern42 said:

snip

...we kept the volume of the sound low and local - though a whistle sound would often drift across the hall!

snip

it has just crossed my mind...
And how, standing over it as an operator, would I have known that? 

Er...on more than one occasion, the recognisable Southern sound guided me through the crowded walkways back to station with the teas...😉

Edited October 7, 2022 by southern42
word missing!

[southern42]

On 28/08/2022 at 20:29, southern42 said:

I have been eyeing up the GWR Manors that are currently up for grabs: Which make and which name/number?

 

The one I want is 7819 Hinton Manor in 1965 condition. Well, that rules all of them out for a kick off!

 

On 05/10/2022 at 17:42, southern42 said:

Still pondering on the above post. I must make a decision.

 

Decision made. Just waiting delivery when all will be revealed.

 

In the meantime, wishing you all the best for Christmas and the New Year.

 

 

 

[ChrisN]

1 hour ago, southern42 said:

 

 

Decision made. Just waiting delivery when all will be revealed.

 

In the meantime, wishing you all the best for Christmas and the New Year.

 

 

 

 

Polly,

Hope you and Ray have a good Christmas, and all the best for the New Year.

[southern42]

 

And you too, @ChrisN

[Barry O]

Have a great Festive period Polly and Ray!

Bas

Edited February 2, 2023 by Barry O

[southern42]

Well. it is about time I wished you all a

Great and Wonderfully Rewarding

Happy New Year

Festive season over and it is back to the grindstone - to the aggregate hoppers, anyway.

 

All hoppers have been decorated with weld lines and number plates. My next task is weathering the sides ready to take some calligraphic lettering... er... graffiti. As there are six to weather, I am taking the sensible route by keeping it simple and trying it out on one of them, first.

Below is a quick test of soft pastel using the black - more of a dark grey, really, which is why I often use it. Sometimes, I scrape a heap of powder off the sticks; at other times, I just run a finger, brush or cotton bud over them

This morning, I did the latter using index finger and cotton bud. Now that I can see the effect is what I want, I shall clean it off and do the same thing on top of a base coat of diluted Rotring ink. Bear in mind, when I received these hoppers, five of them were previously caked in weathering material which I duly removed but still leaving them with a weathered look, making progress a bit quicker.

 

 

 

[southern42]

Both side panels got the grubby treatment, yesterday.

A bit more grime along the bottom edge of the side panels, and on the top edge of the frame, should improve things. I have just got to work out how I am going to do it as it skirts around all those bits of info* along the bottom edge which I would like to define a bit better. A few ways in my mind.

 

* These were on the original "RMC Aggregates" liveried model which I am not seeking to compare with their real counterparts nor replace.

 

 

 

 

[southern42]

A bit more grime along the bottom of the side panels should improve things. I just had to work out how I was going to do it as it skirts around all the bits of info along the bottom edge.

A pair of tweezers were at hand, wrapped in a bit of rag, and used to pick up the colour from the black pastel (top right), and spread it where needed . The (wet) brush cleaned up any residue around the bits of info. 

 

At this point, I have just got to touch up along the top edge of the frame. A job for tomorrow or, more likely, Saturday.

 

Thanks for popping in and for your ratings. Endeavouring to capture this weathered look, seen in several photos, is turning out to require more time and patience than I thought though it has been quite enjoyable and relaxing.

 

[southern42]

What we have all been waiting for...

Some arty party work.

Ta dah...!

 

 

I took 3 overlapping photos of the paper Template of the original hopper (middle left) to use to imitate the artist's handiwork. I was then able blow the images up to see how even the smallest marks and shapes were made up. There are discrepancies in size, shape, length, thickness, and spacing, etc etc in my cover version but I am both surprised and delighted with the result which, once I had sorted out the pen and ink (Yes, some ink poured out from the bottle's lid! Thankfully, I had put it down on newspaper, so no problem!), it took no time at all to do, really, and no real blunders. I shall let the ink harden for awhile before toning it down a bit - probably with some of that soft pastel stuff but very lightly.

 

 

I can now get on with weathering the other 5 hoppers. I may be sometime but I will keep you posted.

 

Thanks for poop poop-ing in.

Polly

[WCML100]

2 hours ago, southern42 said:

What we have all been waiting for...

Some arty party work.

Ta dah...!

 

 

I took 3 overlapping photos of the paper Template of the original hopper (middle left) to use to imitate the artist's handiwork. I was then able blow the images up to see how even the smallest marks and shapes were made up. There are discrepancies in size, shape, length, thickness, and spacing, etc etc in my cover version but I am both surprised and delighted with the result which, once I had sorted out the pen and ink (Yes, some ink poured out from the bottle's lid! Thankfully, I had put it down on newspaper, so no problem!), it took no time at all to do, really, and no real blunders. I shall let the ink harden for awhile before toning it down a bit - probably with some of that soft pastel stuff but very lightly.

 

 

I can now get on with weathering the other 5 hoppers. I may be sometime but I will keep you posted.

 

Thanks for poop poop-ing in.

Polly

I have some of these to tackle at some point… if i get mine half as good as this I will be happy! Some really good work mate! Looks spot on! 

[southern42]

Thanks @WCML100. I had a peep at your thread as some of my 1960s stock ventured out from Southall to Greenford! An interesting station to model. I find the post-EWS red colour on today's DB stock rather a challenge! The colour certainly screams out.

 

The same can be said of the red on TFW trains.

 

Weathering can certainly tone down the red a bit!

I am getting rather over sensitive to weathering, these days. This is a photo I took on Sunday 12th February on the Llandudno-Blaenau Ffestiniog branch. The refurbished Class 153 looks like someone has been at it with my soft pastels!

Only a light dusting is all it takes to make it look uncared for. Something I need to bear in mind when I am weathering.

 

...Talking of which, weathering on the hopper has been tweaked a bit and the sides of two other hoppers have been given a dose of varnish prior to weathering. This is to avoid damage to, and replacement of, weld lines and number plates - once is enough!

 

New arrival

The day I forgot to take my phone with me, a brand new sparkling Class 197 turned up at Betws-y-coed, so no photos :-(

At least someone got a view of it:

https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23276972.unveiling-first-brand-new-transport-wales-trains---llandudno/

 

Polly

[southern42]

And back to some modelling or, rather, another calligraphic cover version.

 

At the weekend, an hour or so was spent alternating pencil and eraser to get the pattern of overlapping characters and, eventually, a guide from which to copy. The image will have to go a bit to the left so that the weld line goes through at the right place. Getting the pen down to the bottom of the panel may be tricky.

 

 

I could resort to doing it upside down... placing it side down on the foam loco holder keeps it level, so it is possible. 

 

<<We'll see!>>

[southern42]

Well, after some dithering thinking and a go at writing the white lettering on black paper, I resorted to covering the back of the transfer with soft white pastel, put the transfer in place on the hopper, drew round the letters with pencil, removed the transfer and was left with an outline although not as clear as I would have liked,

 

I then put the pen between the fingers and thumb...It was now or never time...

and drew out the lines, mopping up occasionally before the ink dried. I think I would have been better doing it freehand as the ink has clogged up with the powder, even though it is really fine, making it look rather crude - I would say I put too much on the back of the transfer.  Live and learn. I will have a go at weathering it down a bit, if nothing else. The key to all this is know what your new tools do before you do it!!!! I shall have to dig out some old stock to experiment on... Anyway. It is done.

 

 

 

[southern42]

Where does time go? A month on from my last post and three of the hoppers have received another dose or two of grubbiness. There are a few bits to do but these will wait until they are ready to have their missing or damaged parts replaced of repaired, mostly around the buffer ends. I hope that looks dirty enough for 2011. 🤣 Lighting is from above to replicate the effect in photos.

 

 

This afternoon, I gave the panels on one side of each of the last three hoppers a coat of matt varnish to even out the various blemishes and finishes. Hopefully, it will help camouflage all the edges of the transfers. When the varnish is dry (tomorrow), I shall do the other three sides. Then I can start the dirty bit... <<Says she, rubbing her hands together...>> 

I hope the varnish does what I want it to do as I only varnished over the weld lines and the diamond on the first three, not over the whole panel. I left the long rectangle over the original  word, "roadstone," on the real hopper, as I assume, from what I have read, that this would be vinyl and would have its own sheen. My main hope is to provide better adhesion for the weathering powders. <<We'll see.>> 

 

Polly

 

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by southern42
...there's always one little letter that finds its way in where it is not wanted!

[southern42]

You can tell how observant and forgetful I am!

Not until this morning did I notice that two of the last three hoppers were without their number plates - they have to be replaced. That, I now remember, is a job to be done after the varnishing.!

 

All sides are now varnished but they do have a sheen although that is nicely uniform now. Before I realised number plates were missing, I gave one of the panels a smidging of my soft pastel colours. The fine powder took away the sheen and could be rubbed down with finger to just a light dusting, such as around the "roadstone" lettering, and came off, completely, with a damp tissue causing no damage. One test successful. 

 

Polly

[southern42]

Photo of the day...found on the floor this morning.

<<I was looking for that...!>>

<<Yesterday!>>

 

Replacing the number plates on two wagons, and forgetting to add some washing up liquid to the water for soaking the transfers, a couple of number plates needed doing more than once as I had pulled off bits of print when positioning them on the hoppers. No problem with the last one, by which time I had remembered to add the said liquid to the water. What a difference!

 

 

Just some more grubbiness and a few bits of detailing left to do. Then, I can think about replacing broken and missing parts.

 

Polly

[southern42]

On 25/07/2022 at 18:47, southern42 said:

Three of the six hoppers I am currently working on: 19223, 19221, and 19224. 

 

 

That was back in July, last year.

The state of play, today, with a few bits of detailing to do before tackling some repair work needed on the platforms and buffers. Coming along slowly.

 

 

Polly

[southern42]

On 05/05/2023 at 11:26, southern42 said:

The state of play, today, with a few bits of detailing to do before tackling some repair work needed on the platforms and buffers. Coming along slowly.

 

Question Time!

The first of the bits of detailing concerns the axle boxes.  In 2011, what colour? Most photos of individual hoppers of my little rake were taken in 2013 or later. Long rakes of hoppers on camera in 2011 give the impression of that the reddy maroon colour was common by then. Is there a paint name/code for this so that I can check it out?

 

In the meantime, I have managed to track down a loco in EWS livery to haul the hoppers down GWRd's branch line, as it did in the real world, and will, hopefully, be pre-ordering it very soon - six six zero zero one! Happy Happy Happy. Super Happy. Whether the hoppers of my little rake was among this lot, or not, I may never know, but the axle boxes are definitely reddy maroon in 2011!

.

 

 

On its way to Brentford 31 05 2011 (Flickr)

 

Polly