Train spotting at Finsbury Square

[Clive Mortimore]

36 minutes ago, Keith Turbutt said:

Scalefour News issue 166 February 2010 included a list of Halfords equivalent paints for railway colours,

Some colours may nolonger be available as it was a while ago.

 

 

Hi Keith

 

Most of the cars the paint was applied to have been recycled at least twice. 😉

[Keith Turbutt]

19 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Hi Keith

 

Most of the cars the paint was applied to have been recycled at least twice. 😉

Not if you've watched 'Bangers for Cash', most are sitting in garages and barns all round the country!

Apologies for going off topic.

[31A]

Well after that diversion to Pickering, back to the saga of the Stove R.

 

By the time I'd scrubbed the paint off, the weather had turned.  I managed to get another coat of red oxide primer sprayed on, but then resorted to brush painting Railmatch Enamel for the Crimson livery.  Red paints can be quite translucent and that was the case, so it took at least coats of the crimson (maybe three) before decent coverage was achieved.  I painted the gutter / cantrail black as seems to have been the custom, and picked out the wire handrails with a black Sharpie pen.  The moulded door handles aren't overly defined and had become less so under the coats of paint, so I didn't feel confident that I'd be able to pick them out.  With hindsight, they could have been replaced with metal ones!  Unfortunately after all this messing around with the paint job, some of the moulded detail on the sides is no longer as sharp as it once was.

 

I thought I'd be able to find suitable transfers amongst my Stash, after all BGs don't have much writing on them, but nowhere could I find STOVE R or STOVE BGZ.  Scouring the Internet, Railtec came to the rescue:

 

https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=3286

 

This sheet has made up number sets for two of these vans, and lots of other useful stuff.  Carefully following the comprehensive instructions, applying them was straightforward - except that I managed to get one of the number sets folded back on itself and was a write off!  So, I resorted to the second set which went on as intended.  Sadly though I no longer have a second set in case I want to do another of these vans (not that I do, at the moment).

 

 

I did then have a 'window of opportunity' in the weather which gave me a chance to spray a coat of satin varnish over the transfers.

 

The whole thing then clipped back together easily enough; I didn't need to use any glue to hold the glazing in place.

 

 

At this point it looks a bit gaudy!

 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, 31A said:

Sadly though I no longer have a second set in case I want to do another of these vans (not that I do, at the moment).

But you can only see one side of your trains...

[31A]

41 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

But you can only see one side of your trains...

Good point!😁

[31A]

Well, time to put the 'Stove R' saga to bed now, at least for now ....

 

 

 

 

Following a good dose of 'Parcels Van Weathering' it is now a lot less gaudy, and the gloopy paint job is disguised, to some extent.

 

But, despite what I said at the beginning, can I live with the over height issue?  It's only about a millimetre or so, and the original maroon van has been running around the layout for years without bothering me at all, but maybe it's one of those things that once seen can't be unseen?  Anyway, I think it's time to put it into traffic for now and maybe give some thought to a replacement underframe sometime down the road.

 

 

 

[5BarVT]

On 06/01/2024 at 00:29, Pacific231G said:

I had the same problem when one of the updates to my iPhone made it compress photos in HEIF, which my PC doesn't read, rather than jpeg. I was able to change the compression back to jpg in settings so you may be able to do the same though that won't help with any photos already stored in that format. There are also conversion apps available for the PC such as Pixillion that are free for non-commercial use. 

I managed that too!  I think I converted sone of them back by duplicating in the iPhone after I had reset the settings which copied as .jpg (though might have been the iPad).

Paul.

[jimwal]

Screenshot, as recommended to me by Keith Turbutt on PC or laptop, but also on smartphone. I've yet to try it as it often needs cropping, this computer based faffing around I find time-consuming. I'm much happier doing hands-on modelling or full-size building work.

[31A]

As a bit of light relief from that stressful Stove experience, a couple of very nice RTR open wagons that had arrived recently have been given some 'treatment':

 

 

[Wheatley]

I use weathering as a de-stressor too (if I don't think I'm stressed enough I drag a loco chassis off the Shelf of Doom ...)

 

Those are lovely. Still waiting for Monkbar to put the SR 8 planks in their bargain bin :-)

[46444]

4 hours ago, 31A said:

As a bit of light relief from that stressful Stove experience, a couple of very nice RTR open wagons that had arrived recently have been given some 'treatment':

 

 

 

Very nicely finished Steve.

 

Can't beat a weathering session to lift the spirits.

 

I like the chalk markings as well.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark 

[Mallard60022]

On 09/01/2024 at 13:42, 31A said:

Well, time to put the 'Stove R' saga to bed now, at least for now ....

 

 

 

 

Following a good dose of 'Parcels Van Weathering' it is now a lot less gaudy, and the gloopy paint job is disguised, to some extent.

 

But, despite what I said at the beginning, can I live with the over height issue?  It's only about a millimetre or so, and the original maroon van has been running around the layout for years without bothering me at all, but maybe it's one of those things that once seen can't be unseen?  Anyway, I think it's time to put it into traffic for now and maybe give some thought to a replacement underframe sometime down the road.

 

Could you live with slightly smaller Diameter Wheels?

My crappy old Thompson Coaches sat too high in my mixed Trains for the Cleethorpes service at SOSJ. I replaced them with smaller ones (I think Both Hornby and Baccy are 14.5). I might have  used 12.5s, but I can check if you wish? I don't think the Buffers 'dropped'  though as the whole things sat high, including Frames.

Yours is fine at Buffer level. You could try 14s?

Phil

[Mallard60022]

5 hours ago, 31A said:

As a bit of light relief from that stressful Stove experience, a couple of very nice RTR open wagons that had arrived recently have been given some 'treatment':

 

 

Lovely. Greys are so difficult to get right and you have it off to a T. Subtle and even woody looking.

Phil

[31A]

4 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Could you live with slightly smaller Diameter Wheels?

My crappy old Thompson Coaches sat too high in my mixed Trains for the Cleethorpes service at SOSJ. I replaced them with smaller ones (I think Both Hornby and Baccy are 14.5). I might have  used 12.5s, but I can check if you wish? I don't think the Buffers 'dropped'  though as the whole things sat high, including Frames.

Yours is fine at Buffer level. You could try 14s?

Phil

Erm well hmm thanks but no not really Phil, as one of the first things I did was to replace the too small (wagon sized) wheels that it comes with, with coach sized wheels that it should ride on!   The small wheels looked really 'wrong' to me!  I replaced the 12mm dia wheels with Hornby coach wheels which I believe are 14mm dia., which means it now rides 1mm higher than it originally did.

 

[Clive Mortimore]

9 hours ago, Wheatley said:

I use weathering as a de-stressor too (if I don't think I'm stressed enough I drag a loco chassis off the Shelf of Doom ...)

 

Those are lovely. Still waiting for Monkbar to put the SR 8 planks in their bargain bin :-)

For once I have my serious head on.

 

Very good advice. Many of us think when we are stressed that getting out sharp tools or hot soldering irons and do some modelling is a good de-stressor. When I was a nurse on a hand injury ward we had a large number of patients who thought going out to the man shed and do something to take their minds off things was a good idea. Most kept thinking about what they were cross with, what had upset them etc. and were not concentrating on what they were doing. Hence ending up with me caring for them.

 

At least if you bu**er up a weathering job cos you ain't finking clearly you can re do it.   

[31A]

10 hours ago, Wheatley said:

I use weathering as a de-stressor too (if I don't think I'm stressed enough I drag a loco chassis off the Shelf of Doom ...)

 

Those are lovely. Still waiting for Monkbar to put the SR 8 planks in their bargain bin :-)

 

6 hours ago, 46444 said:

 

Very nicely finished Steve.

 

Can't beat a weathering session to lift the spirits.

 

I like the chalk markings as well.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark 

 

Thanks for those kind comments, both.  I know unfitted open wagons usually look a bit unkempt in photos from the BR period, but I'm always afraid of over doing it, and usually working from B&W photos a lot of it is guesswork.

 

The Rapido models are certainly very good.  I didn't realise until after I'd done it, that there's a picture of that same ex LMS wagon in David Larkin's book.  The real one looked a lot smarter than mine in the photo!  Oh well, I suppose it wasn't always like that.

 

The SR one is also very nice, but a bit plain on the inside.  Have to confess, I've got an unmade Cambrian kit for a similar wagon so I looked at that, and as a result added the vertical ironwork either side of the doors.  Apart from that, the kit one has only got bolt head detail on the inside, so I guess the real ones must have been pretty plain inside, too.  I could probably give it some chalk markings, as well.

[31A]

Bit of a modelling 'doldrums' here at the moment.  I've got a coach build for Peterborough North on the go, but today didn't seem to be the right day to do much of that, so I looked around for other things to do and my gaze fell upon the Hornby B17 61646 "Gilwell Park".

 

 

Lovely model, Hornby could do a good shade of green in those days, but has never been a good runner.  For some reason it has driving wheels more suited to a steam roller, and makes short circuits when it runs across the Peco Code 75 Double Slips in the station throat.  She either stuttered or stopped, as sparks flew from her driving wheels (as The Eagles didn't quite write).  I've got two other B17s, both from the original production run which run perfectly well through this area, but I think "Gilwell Park" was from a later batch, bought from a late-lamented Hatton's fire sale.

 

So, I turned her upside down in a Loco Cradle, attached power and attacked the driving wheel tyres with various files, and 'turned' an angle on the outside edges of the tyres.

 

 

Not a pretty sight and brass filings all over the place which took some cleaning up afterwards.  Luckily it's got a can motor!  But after much trial and also error, she will now run through the station throat with no fireworks from her wheels.  Rough Engineering Made Easy, as @Clive Mortimore might say.

 

Now, if I can find the right box in the Box Mountain I'll fit vac pipes, brake rodding etc and see about a crew and some weathering.

[lezz01]

Err well done Steve...long silence while my inner engineer goes for a lie down....

Regards Lez.  

[31A]

1 minute ago, lezz01 said:

Err well done Steve...long silence while my inner engineer goes for a lie down....

Regards Lez.  

 

Apologies Lez.  At least it seems to have worked!

 

[lezz01]

I would make sure that none of the filings have got into the gear train Steve if they have then they will quietly chew up the plastic gears until it stops moving. Just saying mate.

Regards Lez.  

[31A]

18 minutes ago, lezz01 said:

I would make sure that none of the filings have got into the gear train Steve if they have then they will quietly chew up the plastic gears until it stops moving. Just saying mate.

Regards Lez.  

 

Thanks Lez.

 

I left the body on while I was doing the 'turning' in the hope that it would keep most of the filings out of the mech., which it mostly did seem to do.  Nevertheless when I'd finished, I took the model completely to pieces and cleaned all the wheels, gears etc. of filings; also flushed out the factory applied grease and re-oiled all round.  Not the easiest of locos to re-assemble, the Hornby B17!  So I hope it'll be all right.  The gear train is actually quite well enclosed.  At least it does run for now anyway, without shorting and stalling on the pointwork.

 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, 31A said:

I looked around for other things to do

Interlocking the lever frame?????

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, lezz01 said:

Err well done Steve...long silence while my inner engineer goes for a lie down....

Regards Lez.  

I know. A real engineer would have used a strip of emery cloth...

[lezz01]

34 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

I know. A real engineer would have used a strip of emery cloth...

Yes he would.....after he had turned the wheels in a lathe first.

Regards Lez.

[31A]

9 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Interlocking the lever frame?????

Ta - in the 'too difficult' file.