The Great Australian Outdoors

[robertc]

40 class slowly coming together. Always seems to be other projects needing doing :>)

 

 

 

44 also getting some more work. Post a shot of it soon.

cheers

 Bob

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[robertc]

40 class got its first run under power today.

 

 

cheers

 Bob

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[SMR CHRIS]

Hi Bob the 40 class is looking good

Should be a good performer on the layout

 

Are you going to fill in the US number Board panels on the hood ??

I need to find some suitable marker lights for my ones as they look like they are missing something without them

 

Here's a photo I took last time I was at the museum

4001 in blue for inspiration

[robertc]

Hi Chris, yes the number boards will go as usual ( lost count of the number of times I have rebuilt US RSC's into 40 classes).

Next major job will be to make the bogie sideframes.

The original marker lights might be available from a US parts maker e.g. Grandt Line.

They were changed to standard NSWGR over time..... should be some available from one of our local kit manufacturers. I might just make my own.

 

The 44 class has been the object of attention after a small sideline job of recovering about 30 Peco points well buried in ballast, plaster, dirt and grass.

These were sent to me by a friend over in WA.

Here is a photo of the current state of affairs.

 

 

cheers

 Bob

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[SMR CHRIS]

The 44 is coming along nicely Bob

It's going to look the part when finished and painted.

And should perform well the the mec you built

 

30 points sounds like a good score, that will be a big addition to the layout then coming up

Edited August 12, 2017 by SMR CHRIS

[robertc]

A convenient phone call from a mate, and some filling and filing while chatting and voila.... no number boards :>)

 

 

cheers

 Bob

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[SMR CHRIS]

The 40 is getting closer and closer to the paint shop. Looking good.

It's going to look good at the head of a rake of passenger cars running round the yard.

[robertc]

Meanwhile back at the ranch.... the 44 project moves ever onwards.

Handrails, lift rings, hatch latches etc have been added.

Will probably paint the body then build and insert the windows, marker lights, staff exchangers etc.

A 'red terror' scheme is firming at the moment. It would add a splash of brighter colour to the stock collection.

 

 

cheers

 Bob

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[robertc]

While I am on a roll and waiting for paint to dry I have also embarked on some other projects.

 

One was doing  a more permanent repair of a broken point operating arm outside. I have been doing quick fixes for some weeks so some bracing and relocation of the microswitch should see it last for a few months until I can remove the point and make a new arm.

 

The next was to return a 4F masquerading as an Australian coal company loco to being a LMS engine. Coupler replacement, removal of pump and headlight, filling holes, making up some lettering on the computer until I get some proper decals, etc ,etc.

Below is the result, looks good to my eyes, I'm sure LMS enthusiasts will cringe. :>)

 

 

Also seen in the photo is a coupler tool I made from details in a post on this site some time back. Having decided nothing but hook couplers were going to look OK on British stock for me, I will try a few ideas to assist coupling.

 

I also returned my 12T wagons to something more realistic rather than pretending to be NSWGR stock. Photo to follow at some stage.

 

Tomorrow should be back to the 40 and 44!

cheers

 Bob

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[SMR CHRIS]

Lots of activity going on, on your work bench at the moment Bob all looking good.

Your NSWGR locos are increasing in numbers, so it's fitting that the 4F is returned from its extended on loan to the NSW coal fields to the LMS.

[robertc]

I thought the LMS might be running short of 4F's, so I thought it only fair Chris :>)

 

Here is the small rake of 16T wagons also returned to the British.

 

 

To my mind they look so much better than the bright private owner liveries they originally came in.

cheers

 Bob

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[robertc]

Meanwhile back at the 40 class....

 

Sideframe production starts. After the last casting session went floppy in the sun these will be all individually made from styrene.

 

 

All 4 tacked together  for initial cutout and filing

 

cheers

Bob

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[robertc]

The can-car bogie sideframes have been made up over the last couple of days.

Simplified in details .... working to the 3 foot rule

 

Start with this.

 

 

and end up here

 

 

Brake cylinders added once I have them.

 

cheers

 Bob

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[robertc]

A well worn 44 in 'red terror' scheme is emerging.

 

Lots of paint to be applied yet.

 

 

Well outside my era being a late 80's economy scheme but should be something different than the usual tuscan ones where it will be seen.

cheers

 Bob

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[hartleymartin]

It is only too bad that they were never Green. I rather like the Green Diesel Livery but I think only the 40 and 41 classes had it.

[SMR CHRIS]

Now that's looking the part nicely done Bob

Reminds me of the last years of the New England line with dirty Red terror and Candy 44's rumbling along to Tenterfield

 

I'm guessing that what has inspired you with livery

[SMR CHRIS]

I found this some time ago whilst doing a google image search

It's a list that f the 44's that received the Red Terror livery may be helpful for numbering.

[robertc]

Hi Chris, thanks for the list. I see4456 is on it. Good thing that was the number I chose.

To be honest the paint scheme was chosen because this model is intended for use at AMRA and I thought this might get more noticed by the younger ones floating around than if I came with a Tuscan one.

 

Its your railway Martin so why not be the first to have a green 44. :>) 

Although to be fair I do remember a few N scale Ibertren Alco's running around in green before they got repainted.

 

cheers

 Bob

[SMR CHRIS]

It is only too bad that they were never Green. I rather like the Green Diesel Livery but I think only the 40 and 41 classes had it.

Marty

One was green 4458 not the best green colour it's the same as per the Indian railways Green and white.

4458 still in service may have carried more colour schemes than any other having been blue with yellow stripes as well, it's now running in silver IRA livery.

Link to a photo of 4458 trailing with the most colourful 44 ever

http://www.trainman.id.au/photos/nsw/diesel/44class/4488-4458_PAT2_Enfield_2-8-02.jpg

[robertc]

For the 40 class I am going to try a new (to me) brand of paint. With no hobby shop now within a hundred miles ordering off the internet is now going to be the way I have to go for such basics.

I have had a bottle of Vallejo black sitting on the shelf for some time to try out. I have used a lot of acrylics over the years when painting indoors, mainly Tamiya and Gunze. They had one annoying flaw.... they were not really colour fast and could bleed into the next coat if not careful.

Recent tests showed me the Vallejo paint I have remained impervious to other coats of paint once dry. Reminds me of a brand called Accuflex I was once able to get. Disappeared off the shelves here rather fast unfortunately.

I might have to stick to Humbrol for my cardboard carriage sides unless a lacquer primer (sprayed outdoors) will stop these water based paints from warping the card.

regards

Bob

[hartleymartin]

I seem to recall an article from a few years ago where a fellow in the USA build his carriage sides onto 3mm perspex, which would form the windows but also give the side rigidity. I'm not sure if that will help you, but it might be worth a try.

I'm not into diesels. I like my steamers. Although I did acquire a scratch-bashed diesel off another RM web member a while back as I do admit that I do like small diesel shunters.

[robertc]

So he used an overlay of card over the acrylic shell Martin?

Might work, not sure how the different coefficients of expansion might come into play on a hot day.

Normally the overlay is styrene. A common method used here and overseas. I have done it in other scales.

The main advantage for me with card sides is the ease and speed of cutting out dozens of window openings compared to styrene.

Warping is not much of an issue if it is first painted in shellac and then painted with enamels.

However using water based paints with card and other wood products might be inviting disaster :>)

 

Here is an unfinished S scale cowboy car that was slated to have 1.5mm acrylic glued to the sides and ends to provide the side windows and overall strengthening.

Instead of starting with the Perspex box , it would be the last bit added but end result the same. The seating was to be attached to a drop-in floor.

 

 

cheers

 Bob

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[robertc]

Here are the bogies with the sideframes ready to attach.

I'll add the brake cylinders and outer shoes once I have them.

 

 

cheers

 Bob

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[robertc]

The NSWGR modeller is restricted to just one range of paints as far as I know, They are auto spraying enamels. The colours are considered accurate by most.

The downsides for me were the poor results when brush painted, the toxic smell when used indoors and the short shelf life after opening the bottle. 

 

Consequently I made use of the two ranges to be found in country hobby shops.... Humbrol and Tamiya. I mixed my own recipes.

Having just received a few Vallejo paints I I have started on the process of creating mixes to suit me.

70.957 flat red, 70.953 flat yellow and 70.950 black were used to create Indian Red.
The mix proved rather easy 3:1:1 in that order. A coat of gloss would bring it very close methinks as it was almost spot on when wet.

As a guide I use a colour sample collection I made years ago from a former range that I am lead to believe was the basis of the current offering.

 

 

While I was at it I fooled around and made some some Roof Brown and Russet using the same colours.

I didn't do a Tuscan but it should be just some more red in the mix I made.

 

cheers

 Bob

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc

[hartleymartin]

A fairly good representation of a slightly weathered "Indian Red" (post-1954 red on carriages) is achieved with Tamiya's spray "Mica Red" on either their Light Grey or Pink primers. You get a much deeper, darker red on their red oxide primer, which would probably represent a fairly newly-painted coach reasonably well.

 

One of these days I will properly invest in a good compressor and airbrush, but I only do a flurry of painting once a year in the summer months, and I didn't bother this past summer of 2016/17.