Nile's kitbuilding bench - Midland 1377

[Knuckles]

Nano technology on Nile's desk. 

 

Very convincing.

 

EDIT:  On previous page.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Knuckles

[Nile]

One more thing needed, a driver. This figure is from Dart Castings, the arms are separate parts and can be posed with a bit of effort. He has one hand on the brake wheel and the other on the gear lever. I've also painted the builders plates with brass paint.

 

 

 

That's it for now, back to the smaller scale next.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[Knuckles]

Pretty sweet. Although it may seem a strange compliment I do like the guys' gloves.

 

You got a layout or test track for this?

[Nile]

I made a test track about a foot long. A layout is long way off, a future project.

[Nile]

I'm finally getting around to finishing off the rest of the Midland 6 wheel coaches that I started ages ago. It's mostly putting together all the parts I've already made. The biggest task was the roofs, fit the gas lamps and their pipes. This time I've used 0.5mm plastic rod, although you have to look very close to notice any difference from the first two coaches.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[Compound2632]

I'm finally getting around to finishing off the rest of the Midland 6 wheel coaches that I started ages ago. It's mostly putting together all the parts I've already made. The biggest task was the roofs, fit the gas lamps and their pipes. This time I've used 0.5mm plastic rod, although you have to look very close to notice any difference from the first two coaches.

68.JPG

 

I started some of the Slater's MR 6-wheelers many years ago. I think starting to add the little stools or blocks on which the gas pipe sits (only one pipe for my, earlier, period) was one reason I never finished...

 

I forget: are these intended as models of MR vehicles or will they be LWMR stock, in which case you can be less a slave to accuracy?

Edited August 12, 2016 by Compound2632

[Nile]

The four coaches I am building now are Midland. I have the parts to build a few more that may end up as LMWR coaches.

This is the Composite Luggage coach after assembly of the parts from a few pages back.

 

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[Nile]

With the four coaches now complete I put them all together for some photos. I found it rather difficult to get all six into a photo, so these only show four.

 

 

I think that's enough coaches for now, I've some wagon projects lined up next.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[Nile]

And now for some wagons, some new build and some rebuilds.

First, a LSWR van from an ABS kit already assembled. The roof had been stuck on with a bit too much glue, some had oozed onto the sides. This needed removing and repainting. The builder must have used Phoenix paint as mine was a perfect match, so a full repaint wasn't needed. The other problem was the brake gear, which didn't line up with anything. Here it is after my rebuild, including the extra V hanger which these vans had.

 

 

I added safety loops from brass strip.

 

 

Here is the finished model, the markings on this side are the originals.

 

 

On the other side I've replaced the markings, back-dating it.

 

 

Next, two LNER cattle wagons.

 

 

This one is much as I bought it many years ago. I've corrected the brake gear and painted the sole bars grey, they were black.

 

 

This one is newly built from an old Ian Kirk kit (still available from Parkside).

 

 

The two kit builds next to an Oxford Rail wagon.

 

One thing this photo shows is the visual impact of different couplings and mounts.

 

Finally a standard Slaters kit of a Midland van. Except this one came with a piece of plastikard for the roof instead of the moulded part, so I had to make the rainstrips from microstrip.

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[James Harrison]

 

 

The two kit builds next to an Oxford Rail wagon.

C_4.JPG

One thing this photo shows is the visual impact of different couplings and mounts.

 

 

Huge difference between the Kadee fittings and three-links.  Which is part of the reason why I've decided to reserve Kadees for coaching stock and three-links for wagons- not only a massively improved appearance but also means that like the prototype I also have to split my loco stud between passenger and freight duties- no putting a J11 or an O4 at the head of a Marylebone express simply because 'it saves getting another engine out'!

[Nile]

And now for something slightly different, well they are technically wagons. I've recently acquired a few of these.

 

They fit in with one of my modelling schemes, an Essex branch around 1960, when they were being tested.

 

I started with the adaptor bogie as I needed to work out what wheels to use, definitely not the ones in the kit. I have lots of Kadee 36" wheels, 10.5mm in HO (about the same as those in the kit). Combined with Gibson bearings these fitted perfectly and gave the correct ride height.

 

 

Then I had to work out how the brake gear worked from the few photos I could find, not easy. This is how I think it is arranged.

 

 

I worked out a way of fitting NEM362 coupler sockets with minimal modifications, this seemed the neatest way of fitting working couplings. In the process I cut away as much of the original coupling mount as possible, I think the chassis should actually be open in this area. MEK worked ok as the glue here.

 

 

Checking it against a van, as I can't find my height gauge. That's a no.17 fitted.

 

 

With the other end done I filled in the recesses on top with black plastic card.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[Nile]

Onto the box wagon. I glued a weight to the floor, otherwise it would be far too light. I have a few of these, I think they came from coaches.

 

 

Assembly is straightforward, a little bit of filing of the front piece is needed to get the roof to fit properly. I'm using the same Kadee wheels as above as they look about right. The axle holes need to be drilled out slightly to accept bearings. This was a test fit to see if things lined up.

 

 

Then I built another one and finished assembly of the adaptor bogie. I put them all together to check the ride heights, some adjustment of these is possible.

 

 

This is where I deviate slightly from the kit. As modelled the jack wheels are too low down, they need to raised up to the bottom of the jack struts. To do this I cut them off the wheels, and was going to drill holes in the ends of the struts. But these parts aren't very good mouldings so I replaced them with some 2mm square plastic rod, with 1mm holes drilled in the ends. I added some support structure of plastic rod, based on what I could see in photos.

 

 

The kit doesn't include any mudguards despite them being in all the box artwork. I've made some from 15thou plastic.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[Nile]

After the addition of much silver paint the result is some very shiny wagons ready for transfers.

 

 

And what a lot of transfers. The design of the sides means all the letters have to be applied separately. After that was done I sprayed on some matt varnish. I fitted the rail wheels so I could take some photos of the nearly finished models.

 

 

There are still a few bits to fit, such as the road wheels. And they could do with a bit of weathering to relieve the uniform metal finish.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[Nile]

After a lot of nothing happening I've finally gotten around to finishing off these two Roadrailers.

 

 

Here's a closer view of one of them.

 

 

To try it out in road mode I've hitched it to an EFE model of an Atkinson tractor unit.

 

 

 

That's all for now, but there are more on the way.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[John M]

After a lot of nothing happening I've finally gotten around to finishing off these two Roadrailers.

14.JPG

 

Here's a closer view of one of them.

15.JPG

 

To try it out in road mode I've hitched it to an EFE model of an Atkinson tractor unit.

16.JPG

17.JPG

 

That's all for now, but there are more on the way.

 

Nice to see these unusual models. As a teenager I hankered after a set of Roadrailers after seeing assembled models of the AEC tractor unit, trailer and adaptor bogie in the display case in the local model railway shop. Unfortunately they had sold out

[Nile]

I said there was more on the way, here they are.

 

It took a good few hours to apply all those transfers, but not as long as the first lot.

 

I wanted one of these with its doors open. As well as leaving the doors off until now I had to remove the 'tailgate' from the rear part. I glued the doors to the sides, having bent the hinge parts 90degrees so they still meet those on the rear. The ejector pin holes have been filled, the other side has already been painted.

 

 

A new tailgate was made from corrugated Slaters plastikard and fitted the wrong way round. The backside of the corrugations looks a bit like the ribs on the real thing (as far as I can tell from photos).

 

 

Inside is a false floor made from plastic card to match the level of the steel weight further forward. It's painted gunmetal to look more worn than the sides.

 

Ready for its first load.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[Nile]

About time there was another update. Things have been slowly grinding on, the result is yet another Roadrailer model. This one is slightly different as it can stand on its own four wheels, rather than have to lean on something else. To do this the support struts at the front need to be extended down. For this I've used some 1mm nickel silver rod that was lurking nearby on the cutting mat.

 

 

The jack wheel assembly needs to be rotated through 90degrees and then mounted on the ends of those rods. I drilled new holes in the tops for those.

 

 

This is it mounted on the rods. Hopefully makes sense now.

 

 

And now the right way up and on the track.

 

 

It also works in road mode. A tractor unit backs up to trailer.

 

 

And successfully engages, more by accident than design in this case.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[Nile]

Knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Having obtained a copy of MRJ 147 I found there were more details to be added to these models, not visible in the photos I already had. On the trailers I've added these things, from rod and tube. The positions are guestimations, the best I can do with only a side view or plan.

 

 

On the adapter bogie I've added some plumbing for the brakes. It's not quite right as it has to match up with the trailers, these are wrong as they are based on the prototypes rather than the production build. I've painted the flat part that extends under the trailer Gunmetal as it clearly isn't black. I've also gotten round to painting all the roller bearing covers.

 

 

Adding the trailer gets you this.

 

 

 

An 'in train' shot.

 

The old class 29 is the only desiesel I had to hand.

 

Finally for now a trailer standing on its own on a siding with some instant concrete around the rails (thick card).

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[cctransuk]

Knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Having obtained a copy of MRJ 147 I found there were more details to be added to these models, not visible in the photos I already had. On the trailers I've added these things, from rod and tube. The positions are guestimations, the best I can do with only a side view or plan.

28.JPG

 

On the adaptor bogie I've added some plumbing for the brakes. It's not quite right as it has to match up with the trailers, these are wrong as they are based on the prototypes rather than the production build. I've painted the flat part that extends under the trailer Gunmetal as it clearly isn't black. I've also gotten round to painting all the roller bearing covers.

29.JPG

 

Adding the trailer gets you this.

30.JPG

31.JPG

 

An 'in train' shot.

32.JPG

The old class 29 is the only desiesel I had to hand.

 

Finally for now a trailer standing on its own on a siding with some instant concrete around the rails (thick card).

33.JPG

 

Pedantic, I know - but my interpretation of the various prototype photos, and memories of when plastic reflectors were commonplace, suggests that the round reflectors on the front of the trailers were clear / silver; the side ones were amber / orange; and the rear ones were red.

 

All three types are provided on my transfer sheet for Roadrailers.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood,

Cambridge Custom Transfers.

[Nile]

Looking closely at the transfer sheet I can just about see that the side reflectors are amber rather than red. I might redo one and see what difference it makes.

As for the rear of the trailer, I can't see any reflectors there. Were there any?

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[cctransuk]

Looking closely at the transfer sheet I can just about see that the side reflectors are amber rather than red. I might redo one and see what difference it makes.

As for the rear of the trailer, I can't see any reflectors there. Were there any?

 

You are quite correct, sorry.

 

On my screen, the side reflectors looked red - but the sheet doesn't contain red ones!

 

I assume that you have correctly applied the amber ones, as the only other ones are the silver with a white surround, which are intended for the front two.

 

I'll plead that it's many years since I designed that sheet !!

 

The rear transfers are the twin amber / red rectangles - indicators and brakelights.

 

Regards,

John.

 

PS. The side reflectors look red on mine, too.

 

Edited November 3, 2016 by cctransuk

[Nile]

John, there is a good reason why those reflectors looked red. Some of them are! On some of the trailers I painted them, using white and red paint (because I felt like it).

Below are two photos, taken in different light, of two trailer back to back. The one on the right has transfer reflectors, the one on the left has painted ones. The difference is quite subtle, and even harder to see with the naked eye.

 

 

 

I painted the rear lights with Tamiya red and orange clear paint.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile

[cctransuk]

John, there is a good reason why those reflectors looked red. Some of them are! On some of the trailers I painted them, using white and red paint (because I felt like it).

Below are two photos, taken in different light, of two trailer back to back. The one on the right has transfer reflectors, the one on the left has painted ones. The difference is quite subtle, and even harder to see with the naked eye.

 

34.JPG

35.JPG

 

I painted the rear lights with Tamiya red and orange clear paint.

 

That would explain it !!

 

Regards,

John.

[Mookie]

I love the couplings. Really inspiring modelling.

[Nile]

While I had the toys out of the box to take the photos I posted earlier, I thought I would shoot a sequence showing how these vehicles were supposed to operate.

 

A train of Roadrailers rolls into town behind one of those new diesel things.

 

 

The train consists of five trailers and an adaptor bogie at the front. The trailers themselves have no means of coupling to other rolling stock.

 

 

The train stops in the platform clear of the points for the siding, much to the surprise of any passengers around.

 

 

The train backs into the siding.

 

 

To allow the rear trailer to uncouple, its jack struts must first be lowered to support its front. The ground around the siding has been raised to the level of the rail top to allow road vehicles to operate here.

 

 

The rest of the train now departs to continue its journey.

 

 

A road tractor unit now approaches.

 

 

It positions itself infront of the trailer, ready to couple.

 

 

It backs up to the trailer and couples with it.

 

The jack struts are now raised, and the wheels switched from rail to road. This is done using compressed air, the compressor would be the other side of the trailer near the buffer stop (I forgot to put one there). The consist can now depart.

 

 

It now heads off to its destination, like a normal lorry.

 

 

At its destination, ready for loading. The trailer can be left here on its own if needed. allowing the tractor to do other jobs.

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Nile