Downendian details

[Downendian]

Not often you get an unexpected freebie from a manufacturer. I’d made a start on the next batch of MSVs and collected together the chassis subframe sprues to spray with primer and black. The first five needed for the Parkside bodies are now drying in the spray booth after the final coat of black. I normally spray chassis parts and bodies separately as I can’t face masking up 20 plus wagons.
 

I was surprised and delighted to find that the five kits I obtained all had an extra chassis sprue! Not one to waste them, I looked at my retired Hornby MSVs to see if they can be used there instead of the unprototypical chassis they are mounted on. They look a relatively straightforward fit, although it will need buffer beams and headstocks fabricating which annoyingly aren’t part of the Hornby body. The Hornby MSV body is not too bad, dimensionally almost identical to the Parkside model, and the five reworked Hornby body/Parkside chassis will look fine mid rake of around 20-25 wagons. The Hornby bodies will be resprayed as their shade of bauxite is not a good match for the others. I can even use the Hornby wheels of course plus I have a box full of bearings. All wagons will be fitted with Accurascale instanters which I know will turn up soon. I will need to bodge something up for the underframe vacuum cylinders and connections but that’s a compromise I’ll take any day if it means saving ££.

 

Test fit in progress shown in photo showing what a good fit the solebar is to the Hornby body.

Neil

Edited November 1, 2022 by Downendian

[Phil Bullock]

Great stuff Neil. Always good when a project moves along…. 
 

Have finally completed Herrings here with ballast loads… 

[Downendian]

Ah so you’ve obtained some Forest of Dean ballast then Phil!

[Phil Bullock]

44 minutes ago, Downendian said:

Ah so you’ve obtained some Forest of Dean ballast then Phil!

Atwood Aggregates have an excellent range… 

 

Phone playing up at moment so can’t upload photo grrrr 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Talking of ballast wagons, am I the only one who struggles with attempting to assemble Cambrimpossible Starfishes?

 

Mike.

[Downendian]

Not tried one of those Mike,  but one Cambrian mermaid was enough for me. I’ve still got 6 more to build though, has moved well down the list and I’ll put up with my flangeway versions for now.

Neil 

[Enterprisingwestern]

2 minutes ago, Downendian said:

Not tried one of those Mike,  but one Cambrian mermaid was enough for me. I’ve still got 6 more to build though, has moved well down the list and I’ll put up with my flangeway versions for now.

Neil 

 

Ah, well, don't!

I was kind of hoping Heljan would continue the Dogfish with other ballast wagons in 4mm, which didn't happen, but now they are doing 7mm ballast wagons there might hope for a downsizing.

 

Mike.

PS. National holiday today, ayuntemiento closed, trying again tomorrow.

[Phil Bullock]

Think we will stick with our herrings dogfish mermaids and trouts ….. enough variety there! 

[Downendian]

Not much modelling today - but the PWM gang have been out working on the helix that links the upper scenic part of my layout and the fiddle yards underneath. I’d bought a secondhand Dapol track cleaner many moons ago to maintain the helix which is inaccessible for much of the time as it’s a useful place to put storage boxes. The secondhand cleaner I found out a few days ago was minus its vacuum fan, so suitable spares were purchased. I was amazed how effective the vacuum is - look at the detritus it picked up which is impossible to get to with my layout Shark mini-vac. Oh also found out the track cleaner paintwork doesn’t like IPA - so my deft pipetting hand (accrued through many years of dropping blood into centrifuge tubes/blood smears etc as a blood scientist) came in handy. On the plus side a DCC chip was already in the cleaner.
 

The up lines are now operational and possession by PWM was given back this evening- some trackwork needs repairing on the down lines and almost ready to roll. The helix is now becoming critical for running as my Freightliner rake, Herrings, Catfish Rakes and eventually the MSVs are all coupled with Bachmann couplers (liners) and instanters. They can only be moved to storage via the helix. I must get around to starting a thread on the layout but it’s not ready for public viewing yet.

Neil 

 

[Phil Bullock]

1 hour ago, Downendian said:

Not much modelling today - but the PWM gang have been out working on the helix that links the upper scenic part of my layout and the fiddle yards underneath. I’d bought a secondhand Dapol track cleaner many moons ago to maintain the helix which is inaccessible for much of the time as it’s a useful place to put storage boxes. The secondhand cleaner I found out a few days ago was minus its vacuum fan, so suitable spares were purchased. I was amazed how effective the vacuum is - look at the detritus it picked up which is impossible to get to with my layout Shark mini-vac. Oh also found out the track cleaner paintwork doesn’t like IPA - so my deft pipetting hand (accrued through many years of dropping blood into centrifuge tubes/blood smears etc as a blood scientist) came in handy. On the plus side a DCC chip was already in the cleaner.
 

The up lines are now operational and possession by PWM was given back this evening- some trackwork needs repairing on the down lines and almost ready to roll. The helix is now becoming critical for running as my Freightliner rake, Herrings, Catfish Rakes and eventually the MSVs are all coupled with Bachmann couplers (liners) and instanters. They can only be moved to storage via the helix. I must get around to starting a thread on the layout but it’s not ready for public viewing yet.

Neil 

 

That’s impressive Neil. Can’t wait to see the layout fully functional…. With all those lovely wagons ! 

[Downendian]

Terrific service from Steve at Railtec. I dropped him a line this morning regarding transfers for MSV pool numbers, and this was his response this evening - a new product. You can’t get better service than that.

https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=8083 
thanks again Steve, pool number 7671 used on a Tytherington flow will be on my wagons, incidentally five more were in the paint shops today,

Neil 

[MJI]

13 hours ago, Downendian said:

Terrific service from Steve at Railtec. I dropped him a line this morning regarding transfers for MSV pool numbers, and this was his response this evening - a new product. You can’t get better service than that.

https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=8083 
thanks again Steve, pool number 7671 used on a Tytherington flow will be on my wagons, incidentally five more were in the paint shops today,

Neil 

 

How did you manage that as I am still trying?

[Downendian]

Hi Martin.

I guess it’s far more complex a job matching pool and running numbers - I’m not too fussed re running numbers and will use what’s on the 4mm MSV sheet, carefully adding the 7671 pool number.  Drop Steve a line and see if he can change one of the pool numbers on the new sheet to what you need?

Meanwhile the next batch of Parkside MSVs were given solebars and wheels this morning. Underframe garments hopefully later today.

 

Five Hornby MSVs were given bufferbeams also, fabricated from suitably sized Evergreen L section and cemented to the wagon floor. Buffer shanks will be made from evergreen tube sections, but I’ve been on the rummage for thin plasticard to represent steel plates behind the draw hook and buffer shanks. Then they’ll get the primer/ railmatch bauxite treatment.

Neil  

[MJI]

1 hour ago, Downendian said:

Hi Martin.

I guess it’s far more complex a job matching pool and running numbers - I’m not too fussed re running numbers and will use what’s on the 4mm MSV sheet, carefully adding the 7671 pool number.  Drop Steve a line and see if he can change one of the pool numbers on the new sheet to what you need?

Meanwhile the next batch of Parkside MSVs were given solebars and wheels this morning. Underframe garments hopefully later today.

 

Five Hornby MSVs were given bufferbeams also, fabricated from suitably sized Evergreen L section and cemented to the wagon floor. Buffer shanks will be made from evergreen tube sections, but I’ve been on the rummage for thin plasticard to represent steel plates behind the draw hook and buffer shanks. Then they’ll get the primer/ railmatch bauxite treatment.

Neil  

 

 

Just ordered some transfers from him.

 

A DMU set, a PWM set, and a BR set of aircons.

 

I did mention in the reply about custom MSV transfers.

 

I will be ordering next the GWR 150 Mark 1 carriage numbers. And transfers for my WR branchline

[Downendian]

More work on the growing MSV rake over the past few days. All the bits had turned up for my Hornby/Parkside PC63 hybrid. Not as straightforward as I would have liked, but getting there now after a few hours work today. Bufferbeams were added using evergreen L-section and steel buffer/drawhook back plates added using 2.5mm evergreen strip. The solebars were then attached to the sprayed Hornby body, and alignment was done manually (not easy I add) to get square and wheels running true. if I was doing more of these I’d fabricate a jig, but I’m loathe to do any more as they take twice as long to put together than the Wild type PC63 kit. However from normal viewing distance the two wagons look identical- the old Hornby body looks indistinguishable from Parkside.
 

It was on the first wagon I found out that the weight on the Hornby wagon which I had wanted to retain, fouled the wheels so off they came. I wish I knew what adhesive Hornby used as they took a lot of effort to shift! I then added Accurascale 13 inch oleo wagon buffers, which some of the prototypes appear to have ran with (courtesy of the obligatory visit to the relevant Paul Bartlett gallery), plus their instanters and draw hooks. These look rather lovely and somewhat show up the Parkside originals (photo shows Parkside on left Hornby/Parkside on rights). Maybe replace the whole rake? I’m tempted but not at the moment.

 

ignore the apparent difference in bauxite tone, it appears to be an artefact with my phone camera, perhaps due to the Parkside wagon being in gloss varnish now awaiting decals. Hopefully the first fifteen will be complete tomorrow and the hybrids need gloss varnish before I can proceed further, after touching up some areas of the paintwork - mustn't handle wagons with  superglue on fingers (not that I knew it at the time of course). The eagle eyed May spot I’ve added an extra link to the instanters, not prototypical of course but coupling with them was so close there was no way the rake could negotiate my helix. So a compromise was needed to achieve their route availability. After decals they will be suitably weathered and stone loads/ weight added.

 

Finally I submitted today an academic paper, although retired it was nice to write an invited review for a relatively new journal which is publishing a special edition on rare Rh variants (I’ll leave it there). 

Neil
 

 

 

[Phil Bullock]

Looking great Neil …. Will be a very distinctive train when you have finished.

 

As for grouping it usually means something else on here…. 😉

[Downendian]

Progress on the MSV rake. Bulk now have the excellent railtec transfers applied, all wagons pool 7671 which was a Tytherington flow back in the 1970s. I will need to find an authentic headcode for a loaded working, as these will be weighted by Tytheringon shade stone which is the next job. I’ve got six more wagon kits  to do, three of which lurking in the background will be sprayed today. Three are yet to arrive by post. These will be operated by my fleet of Westerns plus Bath road allocated 47s, although peaks and I have photographic proof that a pair of 25s and 37s were used.

 

some weathering still needs applying and tiny details such as touching up the wagon buffer shank silvering and brake lever handles being painted white need to be done on the whole rake. All are fitted with instanters with the extra link to give more flexibility as I discussed earlier. The wagon internals will be weathered before the stone loads are applied, a “stone dust” look is what I’m after. 

 

I have four Bachmann RTR “Ore-MSVs” to add to the rake - they are certainly not MSVs as Bachmann have used the unfitted MSO chassis on them. They need to be rebranded and renumbered before adding, again another railtec order. The rake will be of almost prototypical size, although the biggest trains operating through Stoke Gifford comprised up to 35 wagons. I’m not sure how unfitted wagons were dispersed in the rake - randomly or at the head/tail if anyone knows that will help!

 

As this project is reaching a conclusion, thoughts now turn to the next one. I’m relishing the butchery required to generate  a centre car for my 2H DEMU, which will become 1101 or 1102 both of which were seen at Bristol Parkway when they operated the shuttle service from Stapleton road when the Badminton route was shut for HST upgrades in 1975. All components for this conversion can now be obtained from the Bachmann spares site, which I’m awaiting a delivery to get this going.

[Downendian]

And my source for the headcodes, Geoff Woodley and Ian Jones’ excellent pocket handbook for 1979 workings in the Bristol Parkway-Filton-Patchway triangle. As I modelling five years earlier I’m hoping the codes didn’t change. Diagrammed then for two class 37s, 47 and 46 locos, in 1974 it was very Western dominated. In fact my first recorded Western D1016 was seen shunting a rake into the down sidings in July 1974. Those middle of the night workings I could hear were Western hauled when lying in bed- an incredible sound as we lived just over a mile away from the ex GW mainline through Winterbourne.

Neil

 

[Fat Controller]

3 hours ago, Downendian said:

Progress on the MSV rake. Bulk now have the excellent railtec transfers applied, all wagons pool 7671 which was a Tytherington flow back in the 1970s. I will need to find an authentic headcode for a loaded working, as these will be weighted by Tytheringon shade stone which is the next job. I’ve got six more wagon kits  to do, three of which lurking in the background will be sprayed today. Three are yet to arrive by post. These will be operated by my fleet of Westerns plus Bath road allocated 47s, although peaks and I have photographic proof that a pair of 25s and 37s were used.

 

some weathering still needs applying and tiny details such as touching up the wagon buffer shank silvering and brake lever handles being painted white need to be done on the whole rake. All are fitted with instanters with the extra link to give more flexibility as I discussed earlier. The wagon internals will be weathered before the stone loads are applied, a “stone dust” look is what I’m after. 

 

I have four Bachmann RTR “Ore-MSVs” to add to the rake - they are certainly not MSVs as Bachmann have used the unfitted MSO chassis on them. They need to be rebranded and renumbered before adding, again another railtec order. The rake will be of almost prototypical size, although the biggest trains operating through Stoke Gifford comprised up to 35 wagons. I’m not sure how unfitted wagons were dispersed in the rake - randomly or at the head/tail if anyone knows that will help!

 

As this project is reaching a conclusion, thoughts now turn to the next one. I’m relishing the butchery required to generate  a centre car for my 2H DEMU, which will become 1101 or 1102 both of which were seen at Bristol Parkway when they operated the shuttle service from Stapleton road when the Badminton route was shut for HST upgrades in 1975. All components for this conversion can now be obtained from the Bachmann spares site, which I’m awaiting a delivery to get this going.

My recollection is that , until sufficient fitted wagons were converted, was that unfitted wagons were marshalled in the middle of the formation, with a brake van at each end . I have seen photos where the fitted portion is composed of Minfits; that was before Barton Hill had got into the swing of things, around 1973/4

[Downendian]

Nine more MSVs approaching completion. Railtec transfers applied over a gloss varnish finish and waiting for the decalfix to dry. Awaiting a third set of transfers to complete the final wagon. All of these need to be renumbered, I’ll use the Parkside transfers for this (not accurate, but don’t tell anyone). All will be in the diag 1/184 and 1/185 range, interestingly Parkside transfers provided with the kit include two from earlier diagrams that were 9’ wheelbase wagons - so incorrect. Will need stone loads adding next, hopefully giving sufficient weight to them. Rake of 24 will then be weathered and Matt varnish applied to seal the decals, but it needs to warm up a bit, otherwise I’ll need to move the spray booth from the garage workbench to the utility room for a day, but don’t tell the missus. Only one roller bearing and brake lever lost in the whole build- trying to source a spare Parkside sprue to rectify this but no response from Peco so far.
 

 

To break up the monotony of the MSV build, this week I put together five of the Parkside vanwides. Very easy assembly and the models need decals and weathering, currently waiting for it to be a bit warmer (-7C here in Bristol earlier) to spray with gloss varnish. Roofs are loosely placed in place, and are in grey primer and waiting a railmatch delivery to spray them.

 

The prototypes worked out of Avonmouth in the 1970s, I’m assuming on Rowntrees or Fisons fertilisers traffic, and were included in mixed rakes of vans, hauled by pairs or single 25s or 31s depending on their destinations, LMR or ER respectively. However, pairs of 20s sometimes put in an appearance although rare. As only 8 or so worked from Avonmouth, I now have 6, supplemented by a solo excellent Bachmann RTR version. However, these are much more cheaper - many have languished in the kit drawer for over a decade.  I’m yet to make a decision whether to fit separate door handles etc. The final rake will be a mixture of 1970s era vans to replicate those distinctive Avonmouth services.

 

 

2022 has been a good year for wagon builds - 20 Herring, 16 catfish, 24 MSVs, one mermaid, one BBA, one dogfish with a few more in prep. However the kit pile is still fairly large, but I have learnt a lot from these industrial scale builds. Xmas will see plenty of family time, but I still intend to get the layout running (some point motor repairs needed to access the lower deck fiddle yard) to test these rakes and have some fun with my two grandsons. Finally I hope to get one more fishing session in - before Xmas, I had a 20lb common carp from the lake I routinely fish a few weeks ago, however the lake currently has a lid on it.

Happy Xmas to readers of this thread!

 

Neil

Edited December 15, 2022 by Downendian
Typos

[Phil Bullock]

49 minutes ago, Downendian said:

Nine more MSVs approaching completion. Railtec transfers applied over a gloss varnish finish and waiting for the decalfix to dry. Awaiting a third set of transfers to complete the final wagon. All of these need to be renumbered, I’ll use the Parkside transfers for this (not accurate, but don’t tell anyone). All will be in the diag 1/184 and 1/185 range, interestingly Parkside transfers provided with the kit include two from earlier diagrams that were 9’ wheelbase wagons - so incorrect. Will need stone loads adding next, hopefully giving sufficient weight to them. Rake of 24 will then be weathered and Matt varnish applied to seal the decals, but it needs to warm up a bit, otherwise I’ll need to move the spray booth from the garage workbench to the utility room for a day, but don’t tell the missus. Only one roller bearing and brake lever lost in the whole build- trying to source a spare Parkside sprue to rectify this but no response from Peco so far.
 

 

To break up the monotony of the MSV build, this week I put together five of the Parkside vanwides. Very easy assembly and the models need decals and weathering, currently waiting for it to be a bit warmer (-7C here in Bristol earlier) to spray with gloss varnish. Roofs are loosely placed in place, and are in grey primer and waiting a railmatch delivery to spray them.

 

The prototypes worked out of Avonmouth in the 1970s, I’m assuming on Rowntrees or Fisons fertilisers traffic, and were included in mixed rakes of vans, hauled by pairs or single 25s or 31s depending on their destinations, LMR or ER respectively. However, pairs of 20s sometimes put in an appearance although rare. As only 8 or so worked from Avonmouth, I now have 6, supplemented by a solo excellent Bachmann RTR version. However, these are much more cheaper - many have languished in the kit drawer for over a decade.  I’m yet to make a decision whether to fit separate door handles etc. The final rake will be a mixture of 1970s era vans to replicate those distinctive Avonmouth services.

 

 

2022 has been a good year for wagon builds - 20 Herring, 16 catfish, 24 MSVs, one mermaid, one BBA, one dogfish with a few more in prep. However the kit pile is still fairly large, but I have learnt a lot from these industrial scale builds. Xmas will see plenty of family time, but I still intend to get the layout running (some point motor repairs needed to access the lower deck fiddle yard) to test these rakes and have some fun with my two grandsons. Finally I hope to get one more fishing session in - before Xmas, I had a 20lb common carp from the lake I routinely fish a few weeks ago, however the lake currently has a lid on it.

Happy Xmas to readers of this thread!

 

Neil

And a very happy Christmas to you and Sharon Neil.

 

Hope you didn’t make the same mistake as me with those Vanwides… there are two different under frames on the sprues and I managed to use one of each…. 😀😀😀

 

No more fluff chucking here until March…. Have just put together a photo collection of 2022s trips, will show you next time we meet up.

 

Layout build stopped by bad weather here but sounds like milder by the weekend so hopefully can resume. Can wait to see yours running! 
 

Cheers

 

Phil

[Downendian]

Yes noticed the two different solebars Phil, but only after fitting bearings to a couple. I guess the sprues are used for other kits as there are lots of spare brake levers too. I’d patiently read the instructions but still managed to muddle two of them up.
Hope that you Teri and the family have a lovely Xmas.

Neil

[Enterprisingwestern]

52 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

And a very happy Christmas to you and Sharon Neil.

 

Hope you didn’t make the same mistake as me with those Vanwides… there are two different under frames on the sprues and I managed to use one of each…. 😀😀😀

 

No more fluff chucking here until March…. Have just put together a photo collection of 2022s trips, will show you next time we meet up.

 

Layout build stopped by bad weather here but sounds like milder by the weekend so hopefully can resume. Can wait to see yours running! 
 

Cheers

 

Phil

 

25 minutes ago, Downendian said:

Yes noticed the two different solebars Phil, but only after fitting bearings to a couple. I guess the sprues are used for other kits as there are lots of spare brake levers too. I’d patiently read the instructions but still managed to muddle two of them up.
Hope that you Teri and the family have a lovely Xmas.

Neil

 

Makes me glad that more accomplished modellers cock things up, thanks chaps!

 

Mike.

[Downendian]

Ah there’s a few more cock ups than that Mike, managed to get the floor upside down on one vanwide, thankfully the poly hadn’t cured and pulled apart easily. Still don’t know how that happened.

[Enterprisingwestern]

4 hours ago, Downendian said:

Ah there’s a few more cock ups than that Mike, managed to get the floor upside down on one vanwide, thankfully the poly hadn’t cured and pulled apart easily. Still don’t know how that happened.

 

Don't ask how it took me 4 kits and 2 sets of spare sprues to get 2 running Parkside ale pallet wagons. To repeat the same cock up is the stuff of legends!

 

Mike.