Jack's Present Day Workbench - Coaches of Many Colours

[class"66"]

Great work here Jack..

[Jack374]

Great work here Jack..

Cheers Neil

 

Following on from a productive day working on one of my layouts and a new diorama, I've decided to concentrate on layouts more now because I want to get some finished. The updates will be in their respective threads, with possibly a new thread for the diorama, so expect a slow down in output on this thread at least. Here's a few pictures I took today because the sun was out, of a couple of projects which have been through this thread over the years...

And also a flavour of what the new diorama will be like. It will have OHLE and be based on the West Coast Main Line...

 

Thanks for now,

Jack.

[Jack374]

With all my efforts being concentrated on my two layouts recently, not much has happened on the workbench, but the last few days have seen me get another quick project well on its way.

 

I bought some cast whitemetal MJT Commonwealth sideframes during a bulk buy from Dart and associated brands, but they've remained in a drawer along with a pair of Hornby Railroad MK1s. Recently I've added brass bearings to the castings with Evostik and butchered the original bogies to accept the new frames, then glued them on with superglue. The wheels are a right mixture...I originally was going to use 2 original plastic wheeled axles, 3 Gibson ones and 3 of unknown origin, but I've since decided to use 2 of the unknown ones, and 6 of the Gibson ones when I buy some more...

And a photo with suitable traction...

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[virginhst539]

How easy was the bogie change? I have at least 3 Hornsby mk1 full brakes needing the same treatment

[Jack374]

How easy was the bogie change? I have at least 3 Hornsby mk1 full brakes needing the same treatment

It was fairly easy...just a matter of chopping up the old bogies and gluing on the new sideframes. I've now painted them up, and I'd estimate it takes two hours per coach, which IMHO isn't unreasonable considering the quality of the castings and the end result. Another option (which I'll probably use for my two remaining non-commonwealth coaches) is Replica Railways' range of plastic bogies. I've used these in the past and they're excellent and also very inexpensive, however I've found I've had to use the original middle section to attach them due to different mounting lugs...

 

Hope this helps,

Jack.

[Guest 40-something]

Just spent a couple of hours reading through this thread, your enthusiasm is catching Jack, great skills too.

 

Look forward to more updates!

[Jack374]

What a lovely evening it is...

 

So a little more has been done in between exams. On the bogie front, I've taken a step backwards. Upon trying to remove the bogies for painting, I broke off one of each of the sideframe due to the ridiculous tightness of the Hornby bogies on the chassis, so these have been all broken off to await proper and more sturdy attachment. This did allow for thorough painting and a spray of gloss varnish to replicate some recently refurbished examples. Here is a pic before I managed to break them...

The other set of cast bogies are currently being painted, with the final set of two Replica examples (for some of the partwork MK1 coaches) having arrived for fitting shortly.

 

And also I've finally finished the MXA. Transfers from Railtec, Modelmaster and an unknown source (more later) were applied, and then they were given a coat of matt varnish from a Humbrol rattle can. The unknown transfers, which looked old and were yellowing, duly shrivelled up. I'll purchase some new generic wagon markings to prevent this in future...

 

More soon,

Jack.

[Craig1989]

Great work jack followed with interest for a while now and wish I had your modelling skills aswel

[Jack374]

Many thanks Craig for your kind words, and thanks everyone for the continued likes, they're much appreciated

 

So today I took advantage of the nice weather and spent most of it outdoors on two bike rides and spraying this lot...

I'll take you through them. The first is the underframe of 9701, the RTOV, which has had a coat of primer ready for painting. The next is to become 47580, with the yellow ends sprayed today...

Following this is 37401, which has had its full yellow ends sprayed with an initial coat of yellow before I attach the noses and spray them together. Also 977868 has had the damage on the door corner (nearest camera) blended in...

And finally, some damage on the roof of 9701 has been filled with Milliput following a spray of white primer, along with the arduous task of blending in the numerous sections of the cut 'n' shut MK2 BFK...

Judging by the amount of filing this is going to need, I think some Shawplan window frames will have to be sought so I can afford to lose the current ones. I'm undecided as to whether I should keep it as DRS 17159 (which can be substituted for a BSO as DRS have a few), or make it the Northern Belle example of 17167 to replace my current BSO, which looks odd in a train of FOs. It's going to be a long slog!

 

I'm away this weekend but some more may get done tomorrow.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Phil Mc]

Hint hint......

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[newbryford]

Hint hint......

 

Cheers,

Phil.

 

Mow Cop.

 

Now there's a name to strike fear into the heart of every cyclist.

 

I have the medal to prove I got up it without putting a foot down.

 

Twice!

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Jack374]

Looks like I'm modelling that then! I'll have to try the hill at some point...the only one I can really relate to is Birdy Brow down your neck of the woods Mick. I'm not going anywhere at the minute though, as I managed to snap a spoke yesterday on my road bike, and as I found out today at my cost, my mountain bike is a little too small for me now, leading to cramps and aches where normally there are none.

 

To be honest, I was probably going to do 17167 anyway because I'll have two catering vehicles and two sleepers to spray into Pullman colours too. I might make a Virgin BSO instead for the DRS rake, to recreate this from two years ago now!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S9-95TaPAX8

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[newbryford]

Looks like I'm modelling that then! I'll have to try the hill at some point...the only one I can really relate to is Birdy Brow down your neck of the woods Mick.

 

 

Birdy Brow is not quite as brutal as Mow Cop. It's not called the Killer Mile for nothing. The steepest bit past the pub is the last bit.

Hopefully road bike to work again on Sunday.

 

Apologies for the OT.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Phil Mc]

Was part of the Northern Belle rake behind 88002 a couple of weeks ago, got some more pics of the rake if they're any use to you.?

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Jack374]

Was part of the Northern Belle rake behind 88002 a couple of weeks ago, got some more pics of the rake if they're any use to you.?

Cheers Phil but I think I'm fine for pics, I've seen the train too many times!

 

Not sure if anyone does transfers for the train, I know precision do some labels I think but I'll have to have a look around and see.

 

Im picking up the fixed wheel this morning so hopefully I might be able to get out later for a quick spin.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[newbryford]

 

Im picking up the fixed wheel this morning so hopefully I might be able to get out later for a quick spin.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

 

Fixed wheel - hardcore unless you live in the flatlands.

 

Oh - you do.........

 

Cheers,

Mick

[virginhst539]

Railtec are working on them I believe, I have all three kitchen cars, a mk2, mk3 slep and mk1 bg to do

[Jack374]

So nothing for a while due to exams, but I've got something to show tonight...

 

Firstly, the radio survey coach 977868 has had the cantrail lining, electrical socket boxes and handrails/handles/steps picked out in white and orange, as well as the toilet window painted white. This now means the coach can be glossed in preparation for transfers...

 

And yet another (very quick) project has started. DRS 57007 is a Bachmann release, and has noticeably oversized lights like all other Bachmann 47s and 57s. This is most noticeable when next to one of my three ViTrains 47s, so I set about changing it. The two marker lights and the rear lights were drilled out to 2.5mm diameter to accept some suitably sized plastic rod, which will then be drilled to around 1.5mm once in place to accept some fibre optic wire. The headlight was cut off and a new replica one offered up, which is of prototypical shape and size. Below is a photo to show the parts taken out of the body shell along with the stripped body:

Old and new headlight:

And where I'm at currently. Some offcuts of sprue and rod have been glued in discreet places to test whether this works, and all parts will be glued in in due course:

 

More soon hopefully!

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

So with the e*ams nearly finished, I have done some modelling, although I'll be jetsetting to two different countries over the next month...not that I'm complaining!

 

Spotted earlier was a nice little comparison between DRS coaches at two different stages...the first stripped and with raised details to be replaced filed off. The second has had new metal handrails added, along with door grabs and handles, and has had a window filled in and been partly primed. The other will follow suit, and although tedious and time consuming, I'd rather do it right or not do it at all!

 

And back to one of the projects I'm currently focusing on...the DRS 57/0 has had the new light surrounds added from plastic tube, which has been drilled out for the red and whites to 1.5 and 1.7 ish diameter respectively. The markers have been coated twice with EWS gold, which is a better match to the weathered colour on the loco front than usual warning panel yellow! The reds have been left white as per photos around the time I'm modelling the loco (up to 2012/13 ish).

Next will be light lenses and then it's finished! Another lot of current projects can be eyed at various stages propping the loco up and in the background...more later.

A comparison photo to before modifications:

Of note is the fact I don't have the 'layout' I posed the loco on, showing just how changeable my modelling is, and how I never used to settle on an idea and had about 10 in my head at any one time!

 

Finally, a couple of photos of some locos I've had across the 'bench previously, posed on my 'Fordley' layout, which is having bits done on a sporadic basis...

 

More soon!

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

Thanks for the likes folks!

 

Well a little more has been done today. To begin, the light opticals have been glued in the 57 with some 1.5mm diameter fibre optic, and it looks great! The insides of all the new lights were painted black beforehand, to stop light bleed...

Number two end, and number one below:

 

Also the valances have been glued on the EWS skip, and they're a vast improvement on the previous ones...the THIRD set that I've now put on...just shows how pedantic I am and how hard it is to get right

The buffers were cleaned of the heavy paint and stuck on, along with coupling hooks, ETS sockets and cable receptacles, which were fashioned from plastic bits and bobs.

 

And now I've finished, here's a picture of the PFAs now they're all filed down ready for bearings and the first side to be glued on each:

 

Finally, *sunglasses warning*, I've sprayed the RTOV (ex DBSO) yellow. It's the same yellow rattle can from Halfords as used on 977868, and I certainly won't look back to airbrushing now, it's so much simpler and hassle free, and the gloss finish is unrivalled:

So this should progress in the same way as the other coach, albeit with lights and a chassis still to sort.

 

More soon hopefully!

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

Well I did my last exam for this year today!

 

Had a very productive day following this, and now have some PFAs on wheels! To begin, I added the bearings in the same way as before with the test wagon, to all the sideframes, then glued one to each chassis. Whilst these were drying I set about cleaning the wheels. This was done by clamping the axle ends into a drill, and turning them whilst using a file to take a layer of metal off. 14 axles later:

 

Following this, the other sideframes were glued on, and this is where they are today:

Still lots to do, but they're well on their way!

A couple of shots with some suitable traction...it appears BNFL are experimenting with some less conspicuous container liveries

And a shot too of my two yellow coaches that have been on the bench:

 

So there we have it! I'm off to Italy tomorrow at silly o'clock, so no updates for the next week or so.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

Italy was most enjoyable, along with the Green Day concert on the night I came back, which ended a 22 hour day!

 

Today and yesterday I've been out in the Forest of Bowland taking part in a 24 hour man hunt game, which was very fun but with 4 hours sleep next to a field of cows last night, I'm feeling shattered. Today however, I managed to spray most of the roof of 9701, but the paint ran out half way through! I'll get some more is week and resume the spraying, but the first half of the coach has had the masking tape and Maskol removed to show a lovely crisp cab roof line:

 

After I came back from Italy, I glued the first three decks to the PFAs following filing them down, and today I've drilled holes for the buffers and the coupling hooks n the headstocks, and attached the hooks by cutting down the middle of the shank and creating a split pin behind the bufferbeam, which allows some sideways movement...much needed as these will be working couplings:

 

And finally, the IKA Megafret second wagon has had the bogie skirts glued on and the coupling bar cover at the non-buffer end fabricated from plastic angle. Here are pics of both wagons coupled both ways:

 

More soon hopefully, but I'm away again for two weeks on Thursday, so no updates for a while after that.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

*Sunglasses advised*

 

Today I've bought a new rattle can of primer, and finished painting the roof on 9701. Also today, I found some Hycote black gloss spray, so the chassis has also been sprayed, and this is coming on well now painting is finished. The chassis of 977868 is still to be modified before being sprayed like today. Transfers can progress once I have added the exterior socket for the lights. Below is a photo of the coach today, and all of my current yellow coaches:

 

On the lighting front, I'm now having second thoughts. After browsing DCC Concepts' web page recently, I had a read about their pickup springs on wheels. These looks very fine indeed, so a 12mm set will be bought for both the Network Rail coaches on the workbench. This means that each coach can have an independent supply for lights, and the supplies can be linked so both coaches receive twice the amount of supply from the pick ups. I'll go in to detail about how I plan to do this more when I've got the wheels. I'm also rethinking the coupling system, and might use a fixed bar and flexible connectors instead.

 

More soon!

Jack.

[newbryford]

 

On the lighting front, I'm now having second thoughts. After browsing DCC Concepts' web page recently, I had a read about their pickup springs on wheels. These looks very fine indeed, so a 12mm set will be bought for both the Network Rail coaches on the workbench. This means that each coach can have an independent supply for lights, and the supplies can be linked so both coaches receive twice the amount of supply from the pick ups. I'll go in to detail about how I plan to do this more when I've got the wheels. I'm also rethinking the coupling system, and might use a fixed bar and flexible connectors instead.

 

More soon!

Jack.

 

The pickup springs on the axles are really easy to use. I've fitted them to my latest batch of coaches that need power.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Jack374]

Evenings...

 

So following a very enjoyable if tiring week in Austria, today I've been cracking on with the PFAs. Following the decks being glued on, the headstocks were attached today with some plastic weld, gluing the bufferbeam to the ends of the solebars. The rest of the coupling hooks were added in the same way (split pin) as the last one...

This now means I've got 4 at roughly the same stage, so we're half way there! On the painting front, I was thinking of spraying them spray can black, and I'll just have to carefully mask the wheels.

 

More soon,

Jack.