Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

The latest books for review in BRM next month............

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something of a Southern theme this time.............

 

 

[Mike 84C]

I noticed this week, on another forum I follow, that Archers rivet transfers will not be being made after this coming November. An expensive but useful product I thought . Lets hope someone else picks up the baton, so to speak!

[zr2498]

17 minutes ago, Mike 84C said:

I noticed this week, on another forum I follow, that Archers rivet transfers will not be being made after this coming November. An expensive but useful product I thought . Lets hope someone else picks up the baton, so to speak!

@Mike 84COh dear! Thanks for the info.

Damned useful. Might have to order some spares as 'first come, first served' on remaining stock

 

 

[Compound2632]

40 minutes ago, Mike 84C said:

I noticed this week, on another forum I follow, that Archers rivet transfers will not be being made after this coming November. An expensive but useful product I thought . Lets hope someone else picks up the baton, so to speak!

 

According to the website, remaining stock is now being sold off, with a final closig date of 30 November - implying that production has already stopped. In reaction, I ordered some from Historex Agents in Dover - the size I have been using was not available, so I settled for a sheet of sligtly larger ones - should tide me over until a similar product arrives on the scene. Mr Vondracek says he's 75 and ready to move on to a new career as a cat herder.

[Bucoops]

I don't know much about Archers products, but DCC Supplies seems to have stock and some of it is on offer.

 

https://www.dccsupplies.com/product-category/archer-3d-rivets-fixings/

 

No connection to them.

[Compound2632]

3 hours ago, Bucoops said:

I don't know much about Archers products, but DCC Supplies seems to have stock and some of it is on offer.

 

I bought from them when I first got into Archer rivets but they ceased to be a supplier some time ago so what is there is just old uncleared stock - rather a limited range. But of course, if they've go the size you want...

 

Working out what size to get was the tricky bit. For bolt heads on 4 mm scale wagons, I was lucky with "O scale 5/8" streetcar rivets" as only the second size I tried.

[billbedford]

11 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Working out what size to get was the tricky bit. For bolt heads on 4 mm scale wagons, I was lucky with "O scale 5/8" streetcar rivets" as only the second size I tried.

 

Well that's going to depend on whether the originals had 3/8", 1/2" 5/8" or 3/4" bolts. I've found all four on one van. 

[Compound2632]

13 minutes ago, billbedford said:

Well that's going to depend on whether the originals had 3/8", 1/2" 5/8" or 3/4" bolts. I've found all four on one van. 

 

I don't disagree but at 4 mm scale I've found ones that look about right for most open wagon bodywork. Of course what I'm trying to represent are nuts on protruding bolt ends, not bolt heads or rivets. Historex Agents have the Masterclub range of bolts, nuts, etc. intended for 1/35 scale that Mike @airnimal uses to great effect in 7 mm scale.

[Dave John]

Agreed compound, though the masterclub range are sensibly defined by size rather than scale. Airnimal uses them superbly. 

 

I have been playing with them, working to the somewhat obscure scale of 1/50 th. I do like the effect they give but each one requires an accurately drilled hole. Down at 4mm scale thats typically 0.25 mm holes accurately spaced at 1mm centres.

 

I intend to have a go since I fancy a CR D34 wagon, but it may be beyond me. 

 

 

[Dunsignalling]

8 hours ago, billbedford said:

 

Well that's going to depend on whether the originals had 3/8", 1/2" 5/8" or 3/4" bolts. I've found all four on one van. 

IIRC, Ford used to make cars that could be taken apart with just the spanner that came with them, but railway engineering followed different imperatives.

 

In any case, when reduced to 4mm scale (and possibly even 7mm), could one tell these representations apart without strong magnification? Maybe if the smallest were placed immediately adjacent to the largest, but otherwise, I suspect not.

 

The aim of these products is to provide a convenient way of ensuring that all those details that are supposed to look uniform, do, rather than achieving scale accuracy to the last micron. You'll quickly know if you have picked too large a size - there won't be room for the correct quantity on the model!

 

Rivet counting is one thing, but precise sizing is probably best left to those working in considerably larger scales.

 

John

Edited September 14, 2022 by Dunsignalling

[zr2498]

Grandt Line (USA) make a selection of detail parts

https://www.grandtline.com/products/miscellaneous-hardware/ < these for example

 

I've selected a bolt / washer / nut arrangement that will represent the end of the transom bolts for baulk timbers on the deck bridge. Very small holes, accurately drilled in line with the brass wire between the timbers needed. Those finishing touches hopefully will be effective even if not an exact match for the prototype dimensions.

 

This is a picture of ANO on their web site.

 

 

 

 

[Mike 84C]

Micro Mark in the US still do a range of rivet transfers, which I have used but there range is much smaller than Archers was.

  I expect the postage from the US will be the killer with that supplier.

[Barry Ten]

I've done a bit more work on the Nu-Cast 2021 class.

 

 

The tank sides and cab front are just loosely in position while I make sure everything's square and level. There'll be a lot of tidying up and filling to be done.

 

Al

 

[Chuffer Davies]

6 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

I've done a bit more work on the Nu-Cast 2021 class.

 

 

The tank sides and cab front are just loosely in position while I make sure everything's square and level. There'll be a lot of tidying up and filling to be done.

 

Al

 

Nice to see some of God’s Wonderful Railway modelling on WW.  Are you going to try to disguise that enormous gap under the boiler? With modern motor/gearbox configurations you could probably completely hide the motor with any luck.  It would certainly improve the model no end.  Whatever you decide I’ll be keen to see how you get on with it.

Frank

[Barry Ten]

31 minutes ago, Chuffer Davies said:

Nice to see some of God’s Wonderful Railway modelling on WW.  Are you going to try to disguise that enormous gap under the boiler? With modern motor/gearbox configurations you could probably completely hide the motor with any luck.  It would certainly improve the model no end.  Whatever you decide I’ll be keen to see how you get on with it.

Frank

 

I think the castings must be of an older vintage than the kit as it's now sold, as the etchings are very recent. I'm hoping that when the various gubbins are added to the footplate under the tanks, they'll go some way to distracting from the gap. If all else fails, I may see if I have some suitable tubing that could be added.

 

Incidentally the motor is present in that shot, but mostly hidden by the firebox.

Edited September 14, 2022 by Barry Ten

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

 

I think the castings must be of an older vintage than the kit as it's now sold, as the etchings are very recent. I'm hoping that when the various gubbins are added to the footplate under the tanks, they'll go some way to distracting from the gap. If all else fails, I may see if I have some suitable tubing that could be added.

 

Incidentally the motor is present in that shot, but mostly hidden by the firebox.

It's coming along very well, Al.

 

Thanks for showing us progress.

 

A lot of the older cast metal loco kits were designed with an XO4 or its derivatives in mind, resulting in a too large gap underneath the boiler. 

 

Where that occurs, and I'm using a smaller motor/gearbox combination, I fill the gap with thin brass, cut and bent to shape, then soldered in place. Like this...........

 

 

 

 

An ex-Nu-Cast 16XX.

 

 

 

And, the Nu-Cast 'Armstrong' featured not long ago.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

The latest copy of the Railway Modeller features LMS 2Ps (I type I recall well, seeing many in my native Chester).

 

I've sent images of Bytham's 2Ps of possible interest...................

 

 

This is a Millholme kit, altered to RH-drive to represent a Midland-built example, and towing an appropriate South Eastern Finecast MR tender. 

 

 

A Palitoy/Airfix/Dapol (can't remember which) LMS 2P. I discarded the horrid tender drive and built replacement Comet frames for both loco and tender, renumbered it and weathered it. 

 

 

Another Millholme 2P (builder unknown). I removed the hopeless K's HP2M motor and fitted a DJH combination, detailed and weathered it. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

I was amused by the comment of liking to see examples of 'God's Wonderful Railway' on WW. 

 

Well, these are some of the GWR locos I've built in the recent past..........

 

 

A Gibson 'County' Tank.

 

 

A Craftsman 36XX.

 

 

A Gibson Buffalo.

 

 

And a 517 Class, not to mention the Armstrong shown earlier.

 

I wonder how many threads featuring principally GWR items show ER Pacifics being built?

 

I have more GWR stuff to build as well.........................

 

 

[MikeParkin65]

28 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

It's coming along very well, Al.

 

Thanks for showing us progress.

 

A lot of the older cast metal loco kits were designed with an XO4 or its derivatives in mind, resulting in a too large gap underneath the boiler. 

 

Where that occurs, and I'm using a smaller motor/gearbox combination, I fill the gap with thin brass, cut and bent to shape, then soldered in place. Like this...........

 

 

 

 

An ex-Nu-Cast 16XX.

 

 

 

And, the Nu-Cast 'Armstrong' featured not long ago.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Wow Tony - that 16xx looks real. No matter how finally a plastic model is detailed it can never look as convincing as a metal model. I think you innately understand that and it comes across in your in all of your work. 

[t-b-g]

13 minutes ago, MikeParkin65 said:

Wow Tony - that 16xx looks real. No matter how finally a plastic model is detailed it can never look as convincing as a metal model. I think you innately understand that and it comes across in your in all of your work. 

 

It is real. Just small.

[Chuffer Davies]

44 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

I was amused by the comment of liking to see examples of 'God's Wonderful Railway' on WW. 

 

I wonder how many threads featuring principally GWR items show ER Pacifics being built?

 

I have more GWR stuff to build as well.........................

 

 

And I do appreciate it when you show us your GWR builds Tony. Sadly I have yet to find a GW topic on RM Web which comes anywhere near the the equivalent of WW in the quality of the contributions and debate.  
Hopefully when I show my attempts at LNER modelling here they are well received. I do the best I can to model the LNER to at least the same standard as my GW models but I don’t have the same depth of knowledge of the prototype as I have with the GWR.  My roots remain with the company my father brought me up to admire, both of us being Bristolians by birth, but I enjoy seeing examples of great modelling on WW irrespective of the company being modelled. 

Regards,

Frank

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, MikeParkin65 said:

Wow Tony - that 16xx looks real. No matter how finally a plastic model is detailed it can never look as convincing as a metal model. I think you innately understand that and it comes across in your in all of your work. 

The only inherently greater realism that metal construction allows is in better representing the edges of thin sheet metal, e.g., locomotive cabs, but cast whitemetal is no better at that than is moulded plastic.

 

In every other respect, any apparent superiority will lie in the paintwork, lining, etc. and Tony always goes to the top where those are concerned. When finished by his expert friends, there's no way to be certain what the underlying model is made from.

 

John

[D.Platt]

Good morning Tony 

I’m wondering , hoping that yourself or others can help me out , after finishing my DJH Britannia I have at long last started my two DJH A3s , these are both with the GNR coal-railed tenders ,  as you know the kit comes with alternative parts for the body , but not for the tender , again as you will know the tender bulkheads were modified to suit the change over to L/H drive , so far the only photo I can find is of 60041 on Cowlairs works after the removal of the boiler and cylinders , it’s not the clearest of photos to try and make a new bulkhead from .

Did you modify yours Tony or leave it ? 

Dennis

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, MikeParkin65 said:

Wow Tony - that 16xx looks real. No matter how finally a plastic model is detailed it can never look as convincing as a metal model. I think you innately understand that and it comes across in your in all of your work. 

Thanks Mike,

 

But I think it's also true that cast metal locos and plastic-bodied (RTR) locos do share an innate 'thickness', which militates against them both, particularly in area such as cab sides and tender sides, where the likes of etched brass or nickel silver far better represents the real material. The 16xx would look better if its cab were made of such material.

 

I thinks that's why I'm so drawn to the likes of the later DJH kits, which combine the merits of white metal (weight/mass/ballast) where no 'thin' edges are apparent (smokeboxes/boilers/fireboxes, etc), and the merits of etched brass for cab sides, tender sides/ends and deflectors, etc. No all-plastic-bodied RTR equivalents can achieve that in my view.

 

For example...........

 

 

This is a modified Bachmann A1; modified inasmuch as I've fitted etched brass deflectors to it, replacing the thick (and often wobbly) plastic originals, detailed it, renumbered/renamed it, fitted replacement bogie wheels and raised the back end of the loco up to match the tender's soleplate (the ghastly, overscale BR lamps have, thankfully, long gone since I took this picture). There's no doubt that the cab and tender are made of (necessarily thick) plastic, despite Ian Rathbone's expert weathering. 

 

 

The 'crispness' of the etched cab sides and tender sides are equally-apparent on this DJH equivalent (with a perfect, Ian Rathbone paint finish). 

 

 

 

Similar comparisons.

 

I'm not saying that the DJH A1 is inherently better (I doubt if it is, apart from the overall painting), but I think the differences are apparent. Of course, the DJH one means much more to me - I built it, it's unique and not some cloned, mass-produced product from some far-away factory.

 

That said.............

 

 

The Bachmann A1 makes an excellent 'layout loco', though the wrong 'lean' to the return crank on the nearside does irritate. Irritating enough to make this example the only Bachmann A1 out of Bytham's complement of 20 others of the class!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, Chuffer Davies said:

And I do appreciate it when you show us your GWR builds Tony. Sadly I have yet to find a GW topic on RM Web which comes anywhere near the the equivalent of WW in the quality of the contributions and debate.  
Hopefully when I show my attempts at LNER modelling here they are well received. I do the best I can to model the LNER to at least the same standard as my GW models but I don’t have the same depth of knowledge of the prototype as I have with the GWR.  My roots remain with the company my father brought me up to admire, both of us being Bristolians by birth, but I enjoy seeing examples of great modelling on WW irrespective of the company being modelled. 

Regards,

Frank

Thanks Frank,

 

Why not start an equivalent thread, with a GWR bias? 

 

Your modelling of LNER locos is always well-received on here. Why? Because it's exceptionally-good.

 

I also value the expertise you bring with regard to GWR locos, enabling those I build to be more-accurate and contain fewer bloopers.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.