Wright writes.....

[cctransuk]

3 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

So much for the 'myth' that superglue doesn't fog!

 

 

In fairness, this is a cruel close-up, but the (viscous) superglue has certainly 'bloomed' in some parts, following minor abrasions in the glazing and around the apertures to take handles and rails. I noticed this effect this evening, hours after I'd applied the glue (it was not in a confined space). 

 

Tony,

 

Try brushing the 'fog' away with a dry, stiffish brush.

 

If that doesn't work, a coat of Klear will deal with it - and the abrasions on the glazing.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[cctransuk]

27 minutes ago, Shaw_Thing_M8 said:

... this wagon caught my eye (sorry for the blurriness), just wondered what you can tell me about it and who does a kit of it ...

 

 

Peco / Parkside ex-GWR MINK G - unless I'm much mistaken.

 

John Isherwood.

[St Enodoc]

22 minutes ago, Paddy said:

Deluxe Materials Glue ‘n’ Glaze

That's what I use to glaze signal spectacles.

[robertcwp]

32 minutes ago, Paddy said:

I can recommend Deluxe Materials Glue ‘n’ Glaze although in no way can it be called a Superglue.  However, it does avoid fogging.  Does anyone have a recommended brand of CA?
 

Kind regards 

 

Paddy

 

I think Glue 'n' Glaze is basically the same thing as Micro Krystal Clear. They seem to work similarly. They both seem to be a sort of PVA glue.

[Shaw_Thing_M8]

39 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Tilman (I've never come across that name before). 

 

I think the van in question is GWR in origin. I'll look closely tomorrow. 

 

I didn't build it, so I have no idea of its provenance.

 

I'll take a close-up still tomorrow.............

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Thanks for the response, it appears to be the GWR Mink G, of which Parkside Dundas make a kit of.

 

I'm half German (from my Mother's side).

 

Still would be interested in hearing about other long wheelbase wagons.

 

Thanks again,

Tilman

 

26 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Peco / Parkside ex-GWR MINK G - unless I'm much mistaken.

 

John Isherwood.

 

Thank you so much.

 

Tilman

[Lemmy282]

In the past I've successfully used "foam safe" superglue to fix clear glazing, but can't remember which brand.  Deluxe models do "Rocket Odourless", which is also described as non-blooming.

 

Nigel L

[grahame]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks for the tips on gluing adjacent to glazing...............

 

So much for the 'myth' that superglue doesn't fog!

 

In fairness, this is a cruel close-up, but the (viscous) superglue has certainly 'bloomed' in some parts, followed minor abrasions in the glazing and around the apertures to take handles and rails. I noticed this effect this evening, hours after I'd applied the glue (it was not in a confined space). 

 

Fortunately, at 'normal' viewing distances, it's not noticeable

 

 

That doesn't look like 'fogging' to me. It appears to be a combination of scratches and abrasions and something liquid that has dried on the glazing (particularly mid way up the right hand pane). As you mention, it's not overly noticeable and can be seen through and  around the damage.

 

Fogging that has been shown to me, whether or not from super glue, tends to form a white overall opaque frosted effect like smoke or fog that is difficult to see through but allows light to pass.

 

As mentioned Klear will help deal with the scratches.

 

 

[t-b-g]

1 hour ago, robmcg said:

 

Indeed Tony, I took a quick at Stoke Summit and LB and saw the differences. 1958 photos from many locations show both types.

 

In some ways the compromises of 16.5mm and code 75 or 100 allow the 'fudge' of neither FB nor bullhead, as in Peco, to work quite well, at least until you see intelligently-made scale track, and even with prototypical sleeper spacing and check rails, curves can still look quite 'wrong',. Ah the pitfalls and art of track-laying!  Don't mention superelevation, nor transition!

 

Norman Solomon was indeed an artist of the highest calibre.

 

Unless something has happened that I am not aware of, Normon Solomon still is!

 

We lost another super quality track laying Norman, Norman Saunders, recently but as far as I know, Normon Solomon is still around and producing super modelling.

 

It is a sad fact, to me at any rate, that track is very much the poor relation on many model railways. Many people bother little about what their super models of locos, carriages and wagons run on yet the track is visible 100% of the time whereas the trains often come and go in a few seconds.

 

I did suggest to Roy one time that he should rip his main lines up and replace them with flat bottom track as Retford is also wrong in that respect. I can't write his reply or I would be instantly struck off!

 

 

[john new]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks for the tips on gluing adjacent to glazing...............

 

So much for the 'myth' that superglue doesn't fog!

 

 

In fairness, this is a cruel close-up, but the (viscous) superglue has certainly 'bloomed' in some parts, followed minor abrasions in the glazing and around the apertures to take handles and rails. I noticed this effect this evening, hours after I'd applied the glue (it was not in a confined space). 

 

Fortunately, at 'normal' viewing distances, it's not noticeable. 

 

 

My 'sketch-book' approach to making the underframe on the SP BSO is now complete. 

 

No more gluing together carriages for me.............................

 

 

Love the super realistic condensation effect on the windows, in this instance it looks realistic so why not just leave it there? I bet if you tried to add condensation Murphy's Law implies it would fail.

[Taz]

I have recently experienced the super glue fogging issue. On this recently completed Comet coach I fitted the grab handles, securing with super glue, after adding the glazing. This was done before joining to the roof, so there was plenty of ventilation. It still fogged up so I had to rip out the glazing and start again. Lesson learnt and I will either fit the details before glazing or use glue ‘n’ glaze in the future.

 

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, robertcwp said:

I think Glue 'n' Glaze is basically the same thing as Micro Krystal Clear. They seem to work similarly. They both seem to be a sort of PVA glue.

That's right Robert. I ran out of Krystal Klear* and my local shop only had Glue 'n' Glaze, so that's why I use it.

 

*Edit: to be precise, I still had half a bottle but it was so old that it had turned to a rubbery gel instead of a liquid.

Edited December 30, 2020 by St Enodoc

[St Enodoc]

On 23/12/2020 at 08:20, St Enodoc said:

I bought a ready-built one from eBay a few years ago, which runs fairly well. It's never occurred to me to look at the rear axle. I'll report back.

I can confirm that my Wills Big Prairie has conventional pony trucks both front and rear, each with a radius of about 28mm.

[Iain.d]

This morning has seen the completion of my LMS D1938 Restaurant Composite. The build went quite well – but it is a kit rather than by my usual butchery and bodgery of old RTR stuff and side etches.

 

 

And with its attendant Composite Open.

 

By all accounts most(?) Restaurant Firsts and Restaurant Third vehicles ran with a CO to increase the seating capacity. I read in my LMS carriage book that, generally, restaurant composites ran singularly where it wasn’t expected there would be a high demand for dining services. On checking all the CWN for Somerset and Dorset through trains (thank you to Robert Carroll’s website), I can’t find any reference to RCs running on the line, just RFs and RTs, although I’m sure I’ve seen somewhere previously that the Mondays and Fridays Bournemouth - Sheffield services had them. Need to do some more reading up.

 

I’ve also got the GW A44 Driver Trailer to the primed stage although the roof is complete.  Here it is, roof has a slight gap above the sides but it is yet to be bolted down.

 

 

 

The seat for fitting in the end compartment is made, but will be fixed after the glazing has gone in. I added a step under the guard's door. The only thing I’ve not been able to fit is one of the battery boxes; moving the bogie centres in (as per the instructions for when these BT were converted to trailers) has meant there’s not enough room for the other box between the brake cylinder and bogie. I don’t have a floor plan for the carriage, as a trailer, so I don’t know if they were reduced to one battery box, put on the other side or the battery box size was reduced to fit the gap. Not to worry, its nothing overly significant.

 

Nothing further will be done to this, this year.

 

Otherwise I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year. Time to clean up the modelling bench to start the next bits – two Hornby Stanier rebuilds into LMS BSK D2161s.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, grahame said:

 

That doesn't look like 'fogging' to me. It appears to be a combination of scratches and abrasions and something liquid that has dried on the glazing (particularly mid way up the right hand pane). As you mention, it's not overly noticeable and can be seen through and  around the damage.

 

Fogging that has been shown to me, whether or not from super glue, tends to form a white overall opaque frosted effect like smoke or fog that is difficult to see through but allows light to pass.

 

As mentioned Klear will help deal with the scratches.

 

 

I made sure that no adhesive got on to the actual glazing, Grahame.

 

However, since the whole side is effectively 'glazing' (the maroon sides are just stuck on), then it can creep. I removed most of the 'fogging' with a cotton bud, and what you see is what's left (including around the door handles). 

 

In case there's any misunderstanding, the superglue is there not to fix the glazing (as mentioned, that's already there) but to fix the door furniture. I'll never use superglue again for fixing glazing to brass carriages - too much fogging!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

5 hours ago, Iain.d said:

This morning has seen the completion of my LMS D1938 Restaurant Composite. The build went quite well – but it is a kit rather than by my usual butchery and bodgery of old RTR stuff and side etches.

 

 

And with its attendant Composite Open.

 

By all accounts most(?) Restaurant Firsts and Restaurant Third vehicles ran with a CO to increase the seating capacity. I read in my LMS carriage book that, generally, restaurant composites ran singularly where it wasn’t expected there would be a high demand for dining services. On checking all the CWN for Somerset and Dorset through trains (thank you to Robert Carroll’s website), I can’t find any reference to RCs running on the line, just RFs and RTs, although I’m sure I’ve seen somewhere previously that the Mondays and Fridays Bournemouth - Sheffield services had them. Need to do some more reading up.

 

I’ve also got the GW A44 Driver Trailer to the primed stage although the roof is complete.  Here it is, roof has a slight gap above the sides but it is yet to be bolted down.

 

 

 

The seat for fitting in the end compartment is made, but will be fixed after the glazing has gone in. I added a step under the guard's door. The only thing I’ve not been able to fit is one of the battery boxes; moving the bogie centres in (as per the instructions for when these BT were converted to trailers) has meant there’s not enough room for the other box between the brake cylinder and bogie. I don’t have a floor plan for the carriage, as a trailer, so I don’t know if they were reduced to one battery box, put on the other side or the battery box size was reduced to fit the gap. Not to worry, its nothing overly significant.

 

Nothing further will be done to this, this year.

 

Otherwise I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year. Time to clean up the modelling bench to start the next bits – two Hornby Stanier rebuilds into LMS BSK D2161s.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

Wonderful work, Iain,

 

Thanks for posting.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[grob1234]

Hello all,

 

I was just wondering, is there anywhere to get LNER 10' cosmetic bogie castings?

 

I thought MJT did some, but they only have the 10' Pullman version. 

 

Any help greatly appreciated.

[Black Marlin]

Hello all. After a pretty horrendous year that has seen me almost entirely devoid of modelling enthusiasm, may I share my first ever attempt at a coach bodge? I wanted something a bit more reminiscent of the Silver Jubilee than Hornby's own coaches, but being unable to afford much more than a bit of paint and some plasticard, here's what I was able to do. I know it's still hideously inaccurate, but I think it's a wee bit better than the starting point. 

 

[dibateg]

On the topic of track work, when I made the flat bottom turnouts for Charwelton, they took twice a long as bullhead turnouts as the rail components are planed 'filed!' rather than 'bent' . A few years ago I went on the track making course with Norman Solomon at Hobby Holidays. It was a pleasant and useful couple of days and I learned a lot. I'm still putting it in to practice, making this 7mm scale turnout yesterday. About the only benefit of lockdown....

 

Ah well  - Happy New Year everyone!

[Michael Edge]

Some recent posts about using plastic frames for locos prompted me to dig out some antiques since I remembered that I used to do this with Kitamster and Airfix kits quite routinely.

This Kitmaster BR 4MT dates back to 1971, some of the motion was replaced, Hamblings wheels and a Triang XO4 motor.

From underneath the bushes in the frames can be seen, otherwise it's nearly all Kitmaster. Flangeless centre wheels in those days, before I built my first "proper" layout. 76020 hasn't run for a long time as the old couplings demonstrate but it did run many miles on exhibition layouts for years - and it does still work.

92017 is another Kitmaster from 1973, Stephen Poole wheels this time with all appropriate flanges on - pickup from the tender. Some of the motion is still plastic, including the slidebars, this one has worked much more recently (on Herculaneum Dock before it was backdated) and has DG couplings. The tender was modified into a BR1C with some plastikard.

From underneath, another XO4 motor driving the 4th axle, press studs to connect the wiring to the tender. A quick clean of the tender wheels and it still runs pretty well, might try it out on  Wentworth Junction when the weather gets a bit warmer.

I've also got an LMS Garratt and an Airfix Drewry done in the same way but the fact that these locos are still OK after nearly 50 years proves that there's nothing wrong in principle with using unconventional materials. Thinking back these have probably all survived attacking with WD40 in the past with no apparent detrimental effects.

[robertcwp]

10 hours ago, Iain.d said:

 

By all accounts most(?) Restaurant Firsts and Restaurant Third vehicles ran with a CO to increase the seating capacity. I read in my LMS carriage book that, generally, restaurant composites ran singularly where it wasn’t expected there would be a high demand for dining services. On checking all the CWN for Somerset and Dorset through trains (thank you to Robert Carroll’s website), I can’t find any reference to RCs running on the line, just RFs and RTs, although I’m sure I’ve seen somewhere previously that the Mondays and Fridays Bournemouth - Sheffield services had them. Need to do some more reading up.

 

There were not very many restaurant composites. It looks like there is one here in the Devonian. It's coupled to an early Mark 1 open second without the middle door. No restaurant car branding suggests it's a 64-seat TSO, formerly TTO, rather than an RSO:

 

45659_BristolTM_Devonian_1-4-57 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

At the time of the photo, I believe the other Devonian set had one of the 1952 Mark 1 Diag 16 RFs as the car was supplied by the WR. 

 

There were articles in Railway World on LMS dining cars (January and February 1968), which indicated that the CO most commonly ran with an RT and a TO usually accompanied an RF. There were exceptions, however.

 

 

PS - there were further articles in Railway World in February and June 1969.

Edited December 30, 2020 by robertcwp

[Headstock]

14 hours ago, Iain.d said:

This morning has seen the completion of my LMS D1938 Restaurant Composite. The build went quite well – but it is a kit rather than by my usual butchery and bodgery of old RTR stuff and side etches.

 

 

And with its attendant Composite Open.

 

By all accounts most(?) Restaurant Firsts and Restaurant Third vehicles ran with a CO to increase the seating capacity. I read in my LMS carriage book that, generally, restaurant composites ran singularly where it wasn’t expected there would be a high demand for dining services. On checking all the CWN for Somerset and Dorset through trains (thank you to Robert Carroll’s website), I can’t find any reference to RCs running on the line, just RFs and RTs, although I’m sure I’ve seen somewhere previously that the Mondays and Fridays Bournemouth - Sheffield services had them. Need to do some more reading up.

 

I’ve also got the GW A44 Driver Trailer to the primed stage although the roof is complete.  Here it is, roof has a slight gap above the sides but it is yet to be bolted down.

 

 

 

The seat for fitting in the end compartment is made, but will be fixed after the glazing has gone in. I added a step under the guard's door. The only thing I’ve not been able to fit is one of the battery boxes; moving the bogie centres in (as per the instructions for when these BT were converted to trailers) has meant there’s not enough room for the other box between the brake cylinder and bogie. I don’t have a floor plan for the carriage, as a trailer, so I don’t know if they were reduced to one battery box, put on the other side or the battery box size was reduced to fit the gap. Not to worry, its nothing overly significant.

 

Nothing further will be done to this, this year.

 

Otherwise I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year. Time to clean up the modelling bench to start the next bits – two Hornby Stanier rebuilds into LMS BSK D2161s.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

 

Good evening Iain,

Nice work, have you considered beefing up the Comet underframe trussing? As it comes in the kit, it looks a bit spindly, just like Hornby valve gear. I use to solder angle iron to the back face of the fold down etch whilst it was in the flat, if improves the look no end.

With regard to the workings of Dining cars on the LM. A couple of expresses that I recall being modelled for Tebay.

The 11.15 am Birmingham Glasgow express, worked by Peppercorn A1 60161. The catering was provided by a period II RF and two period III TO's, marshalled ahead of the saloon end of the RF. 

The 10.08 am Euston Perth was a Crewe Duchess turn and had a period III RT, with two period III CO's, again marshalled next to the saloon and two period III TO's marshalled at the kitchen end. 

One of the nicest looking catering carriages, was in the combined afternoon Liverpool Manchester express. This was a multi portion formation that could load to fifteen bogies. The Dining car was an awesome looking Period I RC, in WCJS/ LNWR style. It survived in late style LMS livery well into the fifties. No other carriages were marshalled alongside it for dining. The train often had a Black 5, a Jubilee or even a Clan at the head in the early fifties. It was often piloted rather than banked over Shap, by an Oxenhome or Tebay 4-6-2 tank.

 The lakes express was another multi portion express that provided a single RC, in this case bound for Windermere. RC's were used quite a lot when only a portion of a train was likely to take advantage of dining. The other portions could often be attached and detached outside of traditional meal  times.
 

[thegreenhowards]

9 hours ago, grob1234 said:

Hello all,

 

I was just wondering, is there anywhere to get LNER 10' cosmetic bogie castings?

 

I thought MJT did some, but they only have the 10' Pullman version. 

 

Any help greatly appreciated.

Tom,

 

As nobody else has answered you, I’ll have a go based on my experience. I think the simple answer is ‘no’, or at best ‘not readily’. I have three makes of 10ft bogies running on Gresley Jn; from Mailcoach, D&S and Marc Models. Mailcoach is lost in the Coopercraft morass and were plastic anyway so maybe not what you wanted. Marc Models I believe is effectively dormant. And D&S is probably the same unless you are on good terms with Danny.

 

I think your best bet would be a phone call to Danny but I wouldn’t hold out a lot of hope.
 

If others know of a current source then please do share.

 

Andy

[LNER4479]

8 minutes ago, Headstock said:

 

Good evening Iain,

Nice work, have you considered beefing up the Comet underframe trussing? As it comes in the kit, it looks a bit spindly, just like Hornby valve gear. I use to solder angle iron to the back face of the fold down etch whilst it was in the flat, if improves the look no end.

With regard to the workings of Dining cars on the LM. A couple of expresses that I recall being modelled for Tebay.

The 11.15 am Birmingham Glasgow express, worked by Peppercorn A1 60161. The catering was provided by a period II RF and two period III TO's, marshalled ahead of the saloon end of the RF. 

The 10.08 am Euston Perth was a Crewe Duchess turn and had a period III RT, with two period III CO's, again marshalled next to the saloon and two period III TO's marshalled at the kitchen end. 

One of the nicest looking catering carriages, was in the combined afternoon Liverpool Manchester express. This was a multi portion formation that could load to fifteen bogies. The Dining car was an awesome looking Period I RC, in WCJS/ LNWR style. It survived in late style LMS livery well into the fifties. No other carriages were marshalled alongside it for dining. The train often had a Black 5, a Jubilee or even a Clan at the head in the early fifties. It was often piloted rather than banked over Shap, by an Oxenhome or Tebay 4-6-2 tank.

 The lakes express was another multi portion express that provided a single RC, in this case bound for Windermere. RC's were used quite a lot when only a portion of a train was likely to take advantage of dining. The other portions could often be attached and detached outside of traditional meal  times.
 

Great post! All duly noted for Carlisle reference ...

 

Lovely rest. car as well

Edited December 30, 2020 by LNER4479

[MikeTrice]

11 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

Tom,

 

As nobody else has answered you, I’ll have a go based on my experience. I think the simple answer is ‘no’, or at best ‘not readily’. I have three makes of 10ft bogies running on Gresley Jn; from Mailcoach, D&S and Marc Models. Mailcoach is lost in the Coopercraft morass and were plastic anyway so maybe not what you wanted. Marc Models I believe is effectively dormant. And D&S is probably the same unless you are on good terms with Danny.

 

I think your best bet would be a phone call to Danny but I wouldn’t hold out a lot of hope.
 

If others know of a current source then please do share.

 

Andy

A secondary question is are any of them correct? The Kirk/Mailcoach ones are not. If anyone has photos of the others I can confirm or otherwise their accuracy.

[Tony Wright]

The Southern Pride MK.1 BSO is now virtually complete................

 

 

Roof detail was added this morning (the roof isn't screwed down).

 

 

The roof was then painted, and the interior made and painted. Though technically incorrect, I used SP's smaller tables because longer ones tended to obstruct the gangway. And since, they're only glimpsed through the windows they should appear less-obtrusive. Just hinted at, really.

 

 

The interior installed and a few passengers added. 

 

Grabrails/ conduits have been fixed on the ends, as well as the train alarm gear. Strictly speaking, the conduits should go on to the roof to fill the lavatory. I'll fudge this when the roof is fully-on. 

 

Just painting/weathering the underfame to do now, that and numbering/lettering. 

 

One thing I've found is the levels of jeopardy involved in building a kit such as this; with finished, pre-printed sides. The risk of surface contamination is ever-present and, sure enough, I succeeded in transferring a dot of superglue from my thumb to the sides!!!!!!!! I got most off with careful rubbing with a cotton bud, but part of the glazing was slightly marked (it can't be too bad because this is the side which was marked. 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Tony Wright
typo error