Rojas' EM bits and bobs

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

well, after prevaricating for some time, and thanks to being inspired by Clive Mortimer and his diesel scratch builds, I've finally managed to start this thread.  So, what's it all about?

 

"Another EM thread!" I hear you say.  And that's true, but only part of it.  Let me explain.  Fourteen years ago I had a stroke which severely affected my right side, which, when you are right-handed, is more than just a little inconvenient!  I taught myself to use my left hand for everything that I used my right for.  Even now I have less than 5% use in my right hand, which makes holding things, even lightly, a problem.  I really must get shares in the companies that make masking tape, Pritt and blue tack!

 

I've been building model railways for over 10 years.  In that time I've dabbled in O gauge, building several brass locomotive kits as well as various plastic rolling stock kits, which I've since disposed of.  Then I ventured into N gauge.  Not for me rtr track!  Oh no!  I built my own with sleepers and crossing timbers cut from lime wood and pcb strip, brass pins with the heads filed flat and code 55, then code 40 rail!  Plain track was 60ft panels with correct sleeper spacing, built in a home-made jig.  Not difficult to do;  my 10yr old daughter could solder panels together faster than I could!  Turnouts were a little more tricky, but I used a mixture of commercial and home made templates.  Single slip with all roads curved, curved diamond crossing, a tandem turnout with similar flexure and, just for fun, a bisected turnout!

 

At the beginning of this year I disposed of my N gauge stock, retaining just a few favourite items, as I realised that detailing rolling stock and adding things like S&W couplings was getting frustrating.  What to do?  Not enough space for O, as much as I enjoyed working with it.  4mm seemed ideal, but I don't like the track.  EM was the answer!

 

I must say one more thing.  I don't model every little detail, no matter where it is hiding!  I am in awe of those that do, but it's not for me.  I model what I can see, not what I know is there, and I never have, or ever will, count rivets!  Besides, I have yet to see anyone going 'round a show, magnifying glass and micrometer in hand, checking models and berating the owner if it's 0.25 mm too short!

 

So, too business!  My first venture into this scratch building lark is the wonderful Cl303 emu.  I've always had a soft spot for them, so much so that I would like 7, even though my proposed layout would only have room for one at a time!  Since I have a limited amount I can spend on modelling I have to be selective,  so buy chassis and a few other bits and bobs, make the rest.  My 303's will be powered by the excellent Replica Railways 64ft chassis, set to EM, in the mso, appropriately, and the 2 dtso's on their coach chassis with home-brewed bogies.  Windows will also be from Replica Railways, although painting the glazing bars is a bit of a challenge!

 

I know that DC Kits have a Cl303 body kit, and I'm following Signaller69's build of one, but I ruled it out on cost grounds.  Likewise getting the sides and ends etched in brass.  Instead I opted for 0.5mm plasticard with cast resin ends and underframe gubbins.  I think, maybe, I could have resin cast the sides but I have a feeling they'd be quite fragile if they were cast thin enough to make flush glazing easy.

 

Using a very basic drawing program I drew the sides of the vehicles to scale, using a few known measurements.  These are then glued to the plastic sheet with Pritt then the windows are carefully cut out with a chisel blade and a lot of patience and fettled with a fine file until the window mouldings are a good fit before cutting each side panel out.  Doors will be resin castings.

 

The attached thumbnails show my test build to prove the concept, hence it's a little rough. I shall remove the roof, fettle the ventilators and use on the actual model.  The cab still needs some work.  It represents the ones with replacement flat windows and will be modified to represent the earlier one after I've made sufficient castings for my needs.  I'm not happy with the cutter over the front, and the two pillars will be added to the castings from microstrip when glazing.

 

I've made all the masters for the underframe bits, but I still need to make the inner ends, of which there were original and refurbished types.  Then I need to get a resin casting kit and have a go!

 

Regards,

 

Roja

[Mrkirtley800]

Good for you. Having so little usage of your right hand must be so frustrating, yet you are doing a pretty good scratch building job.

I complain about my severe arthritis in hips and knees, but my disability is nothing compared to yours. You have a supporter here.

Derek

[37Oban]

Good for you. Having so little usage of your right hand must be so frustrating, yet you are doing a pretty good scratch building job.

I complain about my severe arthritis in hips and knees, but my disability is nothing compared to yours. You have a supporter here.

Derek

Hi Derek, 

 

good to hear from you.

 

It used to be frustrating but I think I've got used to it over the years, although it does make me stop and think sometimes.  I thought a pair of 'helping hands' would be very useful but I couldn't hold anything in my right hand while I opened the clips with the other, so I had to find an alternative.

 

What I have learned is that most problems can be overcome with some thought and patience.  My brother can build a 4mm turnout in an hour or so while it takes me over 4 hrs, and that's without any fettling.  But the time doesn't matter.  I do a bit for an hour then my concentration starts to waver so I have a break then do a bit more, or leave it for another day.  The main thing is that I enjoy it, which is surely what a hobby is about.

 

Regards,

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

back again after a wee bit of progress.

 

I thought I'd  show you a little of how i go about making the Cl 303 side panels.

 

The fist pic shows a print out of my own drawing, in this case of the mbso.  It was done on a basic drawing program (part of LibreOffice suite) and is to 4mm scale. No dimensions are added as they are not needed.

 

The panels are cut from the sheet, leaving a small margin.  Each piece is the stuck down onto 0.5 mm plasticard, then this in turn is attached to my cutting mat with tape.  The window openings are carefully cut out using a chisel blade, then each piece is carefully cut from the sheet.  It goes against accepted wisdom but, with care and patience, and using the chisel blade, I can cut dead to the line with the minimum of cleaning up afterwards.

 

The parts are then cleaned up.  The window openings are gently filed to make a tight fit for the glazing section seen in the previous photo.  The tumblehome is then formed.  After a bit of experimenting I found the easiest way to form this was by using gentle pressure between my fingers and thumb.  Not high tech, and not perfect, but it works okay for me.  

 

Then the parts are washed in warm, soapy detergent to remove the traces of Pritt, thoroughly rinsed then left to dry naturally before being put into an envelope for safe-keeping until needed.  Simple!

 

Regards,

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

a wee bit of progress has been made, along with some further research.

 

I've made the masters for the ends of the variations I'm hoping to build.  

 

 

From left to right they are:

 

original ends,   refurbished pantograph end (x2) and refurbished coach end.

 

I only need two refurbished  pantograph ends so scratch-built them, but they still need some tidying up.  The corridor connection is only there to give an idea of what it will look like when finished.  The various cables will be added once painted.

 

I think now is a good a time as any to list the ones I'd like to make.

 

Original Blue train with curved windscreen

BR blue with curved windscreen and yellow end

BR blue with modified windscreen

BR blue and grey

Refurbished Strathclyde orange and black livery

Refurbished Strathclyde crimson and cream

 

and not forgetting the mysterious 303 035.  This is a bit of an elusive one.  It was a test bed for experimental external plug doors but, apparently spent a lot of time in works so was rarely photographed, apart from official poses.  I think I shall leave it to last!  And I need to sort out the relevant numbers.

 

Oh, and the other object at the top of the photograph?  All will be revealed later!

 

Roja

 

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

well it's been a few days since my last post so I thought it was time to update on my current state of play!

 

I've hardly touched the 303.  I need some bits for it, and some other projects, so it's been put to one side until I get them.  As I'm not working to a deadline I'm going to purchase what I need when I go the Wigan show next month.  I can get what I need from there, save postage and have a chat as well.

 

That's not to say that nothing has been done!  I've watched a couple of videos on Youtube, including one showing the arrival of the 303 at Bo'ness, which was useful in showing the mbs ends as it was unloaded from it's transporter.

 

I've also done a bit of modelling too.  I love unusual wagons, and the one I am currently building is certainly unique.  Dia 1/303 was a one-off 6 wheel cable compound tanker for Scottish Cables Limited, so I just had to have it!

 

Mine started life as an unpainted Dapol milk tanker, of which very little remains!  In fact the only parts that I've used, or will be using, are the solebars, tank barrel, filler cap and steps.  The Dapol chassis proved to be a little narrow for easy conversion to EM so the solebars were carefully sawn off and attached to a piece of plasticard.  The wheel wheel centres are slightly out, but by not so much you would notice so I left them be.  The brake levers were pared away as they are the wrong style and are both at the same end of the chassis.  The wagon was vacuum-braked with double clasp brakes on the outer axles, and rather than use the Dapol ones I used some from a cannabilised Dapol prestwin kit.  This kit has, and will, supply some other very useful odds and ends.

 

The tank barrel needed some work to make it appear a bit more like.  First I removed 5 mm from its length and filled in the holes where the end supports had been.  Then it was wrapped in a single layer of 0.5 mm plasticard to increase its' diameter.  The tank body colour with the white lettering was drawn on my computer, printed out then glued to the barrel and this was then attached to the chassis.  It was done at this stage because photographs show the lettering under the straps that help secure the tank to the chassis.  The wooden baulks are strips of limewood I had left over from my N gauge days.

 

It looks better in the flesh than the photo, and there's still quite a lot to do, such as on-going tidying up,  buffer beams, end stanchions, strapping, tie-rods etc.  The grey parts are from the prestwin and the wheels just some OO ones used to gauge the position of the brakes.  These will be replaced by EM axles after the Wigan show.  It's proving to be quite a challenge but one I'm enjoying!

 

[37Oban]

Well,  it's been some time since I posted on here!  Life, family and such stuff sometimes gets in the way, and for several months modelling took a backseat,, but things have progressed over the past couple of months.

 

The hiatus gave me time to have a serious think about things.  Firstly, I've cut down the number of cl303's I was going to build.  It now stands at 3, down from a possible 9!  Don't ask why 9, but in my defence I will say I like them, even though I have never seen one in real life!  However. finding adequate storage, let alone building them, was a problem, which leads to the building part.

 

My intention was to make various masters then resin cast various components, and in an earlier post or two you'll see my attempts at making the masters.  They were okay, but I found working in plastic tricky, particularly trying to mark straight lines and then cut them.  I found a way that works for me but I still wasn't entirely happy with it.  Then came the question of resin casting.  It seemed like a good idea but, after looking at the initial costs, casting complex shapes and the possible failure rate, plus the physical problems I have using just one hand made me realise it wasn't for me.  

 

I still wanted 3 303's so it didn't leave many options.  3d printing was discounted as too expensive, as was commissioning a set of brass etches, and parts from DC Kits also discounted for similar cost reasons, if they were available.  That just left doing cut-and-shuts, which meant searching for suitable donor vehicles, which didn't fill me with joy, but was doable, as certain members on here have shown.

 

Then a flash of inspiration: card!  Cheap, easy to work, and could be made very rigid by using shellac or button polish.  I've already built a small experimental baseboard for an N gauge layout using A3 corrugated card sheets and postal tubes, sealed with button polish and the result is very strong as well as light.  One day I might even get some track laid!

 

Anyway, I bought a couple of packs of card of varying thicknesses and set about experimenting, and after some false starts I think I've come up with a way that works for me.  More to come in my next post, hopefully this weekend!

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

well, here we go!  What I'm going to share may not be everyone's cup of whatever is their favourite beverage, but it works for me.  The results are not dead to scale models, but they do reflect the character and essence of the prototypes.  I hope!  Anyway, I'm happy with the way they are turning out.

 

The one I'm showing the various stages of building  is the cl303 motor brake second open but the technique is basically the same for the 303 driving trailers and some dmu's I need.  The reason for choosing the  mbso is that it has both sliding and hinged doors so I can show how i make both.

 

I start by using a drawing program, in my case the one in the LibreOffice suite.  For those that don't know LibreOffice is a powerful freeware program that Microsoft Office compatible.  I find the drawing program very useful in my modelling.

 

Using known dimensions from the diagram book, provided as a pdf from the Barrowmore group, and some other measurements, such as window spacing etc, a line drawing is produced.  I know the diagram drawings are not strictly to scale, but  dimensions such as window spacing can be reasonably accurately calculated.  I  also add an extra millimetre or so to the height of the side drawn, at the bottom edge, to allow for the curve of the tumblehome.  It may not be necessary to do this with some prototypes, and more may be needed with others.

 

Drawing like this only takes a few minutes as all the lines and shapes are dimensioned and can be easily adjusted.  Windows are drawn once to size then copied into place, which saves a lot of time.  I know the corners of the windows should be curved but I don't both.  If you feel the need then do so, but not doing them simplifies cutting out I add them with a spot of paint when the model is finished, if I remember!  The colour of the lines can be changed to denote different sections, but I only use black.

 

I then print this drawing, check it, and if happy, copy the drawn side and flip vertically to make the second side, then save the file, giving it a relevant name but leaving it open on the screen.  I then print this onto white 160 or or 166 gsm card.

 

 I then colour the sides using the program's built-in feature.  Now here is a case of "do as I say, not as I do!"  What I should have done is open another file, fill it with 3cm x 3cm squares and filled each one with the colour, changing and noting the colour settings for each one until I made one that was close to what I was looking for and used that.  What I actually did was fill the sides with a colour, printed it, changed it, printed it.... well, you get my drift!   Luckily, BR Corporate blue is a very forgiving shade in this respect, being a matt finish and not weathering particularly well, so variations are commonplace.  If I was to do other liveries then I would do what I suggest I should have done!  Once happy with this shade the sides were printed onto the same weight card, the file given an appropriate name and closed.

Next, the coloured sides are sprayed with a fixative, which is allowed to dry before the window openings and sliding doors are cut out.  You will see the sliding door positions in both pictures.  Originally I was going to use these on the model, but decided to make them separately with a larger border for fixing in place, and I couldn't see the point in editing the drawings.  For cutting I use a chisel blade, a scalpel and patience!  Once the windows are removed you could use a suitable colour marker pen or pencil to colour the white edges but I don't bother.  They are not really noticeable and could be mistaken for metal surrounds.

 

The basic line drawings are a cut a little different.  The top edge of each widow is cut accurately, but I allow a millimetre or so extra around the other sides.  When assembled, this  gives an impression of the thinness of the prototype sides.

 

Glazing comes next.  For this I use overhead transparency film.  It comes in various thicknesses, is easy to cut with a pair of scissors and glues well.  I cut it into strips, the  width of which is slightly greater than the depth of the sides.  I use a contact adhesive, in a tin, and spread thinly with a cocktail stick or piece of wire: much less messy and wasteful than using a tube.  Make sure you spread it thinly, and go slightly beyond the edges of the body.  Carefully place the otf in position, press well, then leave to dry.

 

Phew, time for a brew!

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

after the last post I realised that I didn't mention how I mark out where to glue the glazing on the reverse of the sides.  I do this by using the chisel blade to cut a vertical and intersecting horizontal at each corner of each section.  This ensures the glazing goes in the proper area.  For the 303 both the mbso and dso have three main sections with two sliding doors, so the glazing is added separately to each component, but for dmu's and other slam door stock it can be added in one strip.

 

Anyway, once the glazing is reasonable dry, I usually leave it three or four hours, it's time to add the backing pieces.  These are cut free from the plain sheet and glued on the reverse of the sides, making sure to line them up properly with the cut marks as used for the glazing.  a heavy weight is then placed on top of the sheet and left for at least overnight to make sure it all dries flat.

 

 

Roja

 

 

 

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

what a lovely damp morning!  

 

Anyway, to continue my project!  One thing needs to be done before cutting out the parts and that is to scribe the sides of the slam doors for the guards area and the join lines between the sliding doors.  I use a marking tool from an old drawing set.  It's not too sharp but leaves a nice mark.  For me this is probably the hardest part of the project as no matter how I try I can't hold a steel rule steady enough to make the mark so I do them freehand!  Any slight mistakes here can be masked by judicious touching up and weathering later.  It's easier to scribe these lines now as the sides have to be gently curved to the mk1 coach profile later.   And although it might seem easier to add other details such has hinges and handles for the slam doors these are liable to damage during the build so I left them off until later in the build.

 

Once these lines are scribed the parts are cut out.  I should add that the doors are made exactly the same way as the sides  except for the addition of tabs on the side for gluing into the place.  You should now have a nice kit of parts ready for assembly.

 

Now the parts are glued together to make the sides.  I assemble them using a steel rule to ensure straightness.  Once any necessary adjustments have been made the rule is removed and the sides weighted and left to dry.

 

While they are drying the next thing to do is make the ends and internal partitions, why I'll do in my next post.

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

onwards and upwards!

 

The ends and internal strengthening partitions are next.  For these I use 1mm thick card.  The body is to the Mk1 profile so I use a suitable template to draw around, in my case a brass coach end from Comet.  I measure the thickness of the body sides then subtract this from the drawing.  if you don't do this then the overall width of the model is a bit excessive and could cause later problems with clearances.

 

These parts are then cut using a new scalpel blade, held as vertically as possible and using several paces of the blade.

 

Once cut out, I use 7 for the motor coach, the parts still need a little more work.  The one at the passenger compartment end is left "as is", but the one at the guards end has the curved section removed as it is at this end where the roof is flat and the pantograph is situated.  

 

Depending on how you are motorising your model, and which coach you are using for this, a false floor could be fitted, the five partitions adjusted accordingly and the body assembled,  however I use the excellent powered chassis from Replica Railways, which Gareth very kindly sets the wheels to EM for me.  The greater depth of the mechanism is a small price to pay for their quality, but it does mean a changing the depth of the partitions before assembling the body.  One body side was placed into position against the chassis, the top edge of the mechanism noted then the partitions shortened accordingly.  Whether by luck or good measuring, The pieces removed aren't wasted: I cut them into squares, then triangles to use as corner strengthening fillets.

 

Now comes assembly, and for this I use a glue with plenty of grab, in this case Rocket card glue.  I take one side, and using firm pressure between my fingers and thumb, the side is curved to match the Mk1 profile, then one end is added, checked for squareness and held in position until secure, usually a few seconds, then I work my along the side, adding the partitions either side of the doors, and on between the passenger and guards compartment and finally the end one, making sure each is square before adding the strengthening fillets.  I leave it for a couple of minutes then add the second side, starting at one end, gluing each partition in turn, checking for squareness again then adding more strengthening fillets.  Happy that all is good the body is then left to dry thoroughly.

 

So far so good!  Going to the show at Derby tomorrow, so probably be a little tired to do much until next week, then it's on with the roof.  Or maybe the under-frame equipment!  Have to decide which!

 

Happy modelling,

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Couldn't resist!

 

Initial trial fitting of the body.  Just needs a wee bit of fettling in one corner, but fits pretty well as is!  It relies on an interference fit to hold it in place, but a spot of blutak or similar could be used if needed.

 

Away to Derby!

 

Roja

 

[37Oban]

Salutations!

 

Back to the workbench, or in this case dining table,  after a good weekend.  Went to Derby Roundhouse on Saturday with my brother and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Came away with some ideas and even spent a few pence on one or two essentials!

 

Back to business!  I decided to start on underframe details rather than the roof via the bogies!  I'll probably do these next time.

 

When I built my first attempt at a mbso I made the various cabinets for the tap changers, auxillaries etc from plasticard with the aim of using these as masters for resin casting, but as I changed my mind about this, I opted for using card as a quick and easy way.

 

The various parts were drawn on my computer, without marking the tabs for gluing, printed directly onto card then cut out, cutting the tabs by eye, lightly scoring the fold lines then folding andgluing them together. 

 

 

These are all the various cabinets for a three-car set.  I haven't made the air cylinders yet:  I thought I had some tube of the right diameter, didn't check and now have to order some!  The parts for the mbso picked out and the rest put safe, then they were glued into place, using superglue, on the underside of the chassis.  Once dry further etailing parts, such as hinges etc, are added using various thicknesses of microstrip.  Once these are dry the card is given a coat of button varnish, and once this is dry several coats of frame dirt.  Further weathering will take place when the model is completed.

 

 

 

That's it for now, next on the list are the bogie sideframes.  

 

Happy modelling!

 

Roja

 

 

 

 

[37Oban]

Hi,

back to modelling after spending Saturday morning at the Immingham show with my brother.  The £3 entry fee an absolute bargain, with some layouts we hadn't seen before along with some we had, and not forgetting Immingham museum's own diplay layouts of the docks' mpd in 4mm and Barnetby in N.  The museum is worth a visit just to these!

 

Anyway, back to my 303!  As is my usual practise, I drew these up then printed them onto card.  these were then cut out to use as a template  and bonded to some 0.5 mm plasticard, left to dry thoroughly then cut and trimmed to shape using the template.  

 

I use plasticard for the outer face of the frames to make detailing easier.  For the flanges, rivet heads and bearing ends I use various sizes of microstrip, especially 0.5mm x 0.5mm for the rivets.  Now, if I was building these as totally accurate models, and in 7mm, I would mark the exact number and position of each rivet, cut each one to size then attach in place, but I'm not that sort of modeller.  I have a more artistic temperment to modelling which is, "if you can't see it, don't model it!"  I appreciate the lengths some modellers go to, and I am in awe of their work, but it's not for me.  So the number of rivets is wrong, and most are only approximately in the right position, but once painted, weathered and on the layout no-one notices unless they look really, really closely.

 

Yes, I did fit the 4 missing central rivets on the lower frame!  The frames were then given a quick coat of weathered black.

 

I then took the frame supports, supplied with the chassis, filed off the two small pips on their front then superglued the cosmetic frames to.  

 

Once these were dry the frames were plugged onto the bogie fixing points.  Easy peasy, if a little time consuming fixing all the wee parts.  

 

Onwards and upwards,

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

forgot to take these yesterday!  Without and with body.

 

 

Starting to look like a cl303 mbso but still a long way to go!

 

Roja

 

 

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

time to put a lid on it, in a manner of speaking!

 

As much as I like scratch-building, I'm not above using commercial parts when necessary, or easier and quicker than building my own, and roofs are a case in point.  I was lucky in that Ken Gibbon, of this parish, kindly gave me 4 roofs he had left over from building DC Kits 303's, and then I bought a further 6 mk1 coach roofs from a second hand trader at this years York show at Easter.

 

The roof of the mbso needs to be shortened as the pantograph is situated on a flat roof over the guards section, so I placed a roof on the body to mark where to cut, and discovered a wee problem!  There was a gap, only of a couple of millimetres, between to roof and the top of the end!  Annoying, but not too difficult to correct, I hoped!

 

The solution proved simple, but a little fiddly.  I cut the top curved section from a separate end and glued inside the end and approx 3mm higher.  While this was drying I cut a curved piece of card to fill the gap.  This took a couple of attempts before I glued it into place.  When this was thoroughly dry I used a sharp scalpel blade to gradually carve the end to shape, continually checking the roof for fit until happy with it.  Then I marked the roof for length, and for the position of the doors.  The doors are inset from the sides, so I had to remove a short section of material from inside the roof to enable it to sit properly.

The flat section of the roof is a section, or rather, two sections (guess who cut it just a wee bit too short?) glued into place.  At this point I decided it might be best if I waited until tomorrow before permanently,attaching the roof and making good any gaps.  In the picture the roof is just resting in place!  And I forgot to photograph the modifications to the roof to allow it to fit properly!  Tomorrow is another day!

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

best laid plans of mice and all that!

 

As i mentioned in my previous post, today I was going to fill in the gaps before fitting the roof, so out came the filler, which was duly applied and left to dry.  When dry I started to gently smooth it down, but found it hadn't really stuck to the card. Squadron green doesn't like sticking to card.  Not a problem, these things happen, so I went to get my milliput.   Which, as I went to get it, I remembered, I'd used up, but still not a problem as I had another box.  Which I couldn't find no matter where I looked!  Typical!  So, went on-line to order some more, but what to do in the meantime until it arrived?

 

Instead of waiting, I decided to fix the roofs to the two bodies I'd built.  For this I used just a touch of superglue as the roofs will not be removed.  This only took a few minutes to do both, after making the necessary modifications to get the second one to fit properly.

 

 

All this didn't take long, but decided to stop and have a think what to do next.

 

When I made my first mbso (see first posts)  I scratchbuilt the bogies out of plasticard, so I decided to see if I could do the same with card.  After a wee bit of experimenting, I think I've got a method which will work.  Hopefully!

 

Apart from all the detailing pieces, each bogie is made from 5 main parts.  These are the main stretcher with blank sides, inner frame and outer frame.  The inner frame is drawn with the position for the fixing bolt marked and printed onto 0.5mm card:  the inner and outer frames drawn, with the position for the axle bearings drawn and printed onto 166gm card.  The inner and outer frames are then cut out and glued to the blank sides of the bogie, weighted, then left to dry.  When dry the bearing holes were drilled with a 2mm drill and most of the frames, except where they are attached to the stretcher, where cut out.  I wont cut out the stretcher until the central hole as been drilled and the frame details added.  Much easier to do this on the flat.

 

Bogie stretcher.  The filled area is where the frame pieces are glued.

 

 

 

 

I think I may have to glue a second stretcher piece, minus the frames, to increase rigidity of the bogie.  When I fold the sides down I shall also add some small triangular fillets to help with this too.

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Hi,  

 

it's been a few days since my last post, but I've managed to get some modelling done!

 

The saga of the filler continues.  My milliput arrived so I set about filling the gaps after first cutting a piece of card to fit between the arc roof and flat roof over the where the pantograph fits.  All seemed well, and  after leaving it 24 hrs, just to make sure, I started to sand it only to discover the same problem I had with the Squadron filler, ie it broke free of the gaps.  After a little investigation I put this down to the flexing of the card.  Next time I will add more internal support but it didn't help now.  After a bit of head scratching I came up with using araldite, so some was duly mixed and applied with a cocktail stick and left.  I have still to sand this, so I'm hoping it works, but if it doesn't I've got another idea to try.

 

However, this gave me a chance to crack on with a couple of other jobs.   As mentioned in the previous post I added extra pieces to the bogie frames to increase their stiffness.  Holes were 2mm holes were drilled for the brass bearings and these were glued into place from the rear.  The Gresley bogies don't have an external box but just a circular cover and the ends of the bearings give an impression of this.  Then rivet details added using small pieces of microstrip same as the power bogie side frames, the whole frame sides being flooded with solvent and left to dry before painting with weathered black.  At this point I discovered that some of the bits hadn't fully attached so a few repairs were made.  These were then left to dry before drilling the central pivot hole to clear a 6BA bolt, which I shall use for fixing.  The bogies were then cut out and put away until I get some wheel sets for them and can complete their assembly and mounting.

 

 

 

 

I also did a wee bit of work on the driving trailer chassis.  The hole for the pivot is too large a diameter for a 6BA bolt so this was sleeved with a small piece of suitable plastic tube and a 6BA nut glued in to all the bolt to be fixed.

 

That's it for now.  Hopefully the aradilite filler will do the job, and I have to source suitable pantographs, buffers as well as see if Charley at DC Kits has any 303 cabs going.  I have made one in the past, and will try casting, or making others if I have too, but let's see if the easy option works first?

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Well, it's been a wee while since my last post, but I haven't been idle, just had other things happening!

 

Further work has been done on the mbso's.  The sliding lights on the windows have been fitted.  These are printed onto 160 gsm card then cut out.  I waste quite a few but that isn't a problem as card is cheap and the duff ones go into the recycling bin!  The best are test fitted then carefully glued into place with glue & glaze applied to the widow with a pin, the sliding light roughly positioned with tweezers and teased into place with a scalpel tip.  The cutting out takes time but i found that applying them to all the windows on each side only took a few minutes.

 

 

 

The end details have been added using various bits of plastic strip and rod.  As is my wont the jumper sockets are representations as they can barely been seen when the three car train is assembled.  I still need to add some wire details to the pantograph end, but this will be one of the last things I do.

 

Don't worry, I filed the filler and trimmed the end of the side before painting!

 

Next I added the roof vents.  I thought these were going to be a problem, as they have distinctive shape but the solution turned out to be quite simple.  I simply glued a piece of  6mm x 4mm x 2mm plastic strip in position on the roof, using a template, then, when dry, filed the sides to shape.  If you look at photographs of the actual roof of the prototype you'll see what I mean.  The roof was then painted diesel roof grey, the ends weathered black and then the body was lightly weathered, using either frame dirt or artists pencils, the pencils giving a lighter effect, although it took a bit more time.

 

 

Seating still needs to be sorted, and I've got an idea about that, but it's not a priority at the moment.  First I need to get the driving trailers built!  Then I need somewhere to run them!  Plans are in-hand for that: an outer suburban Glasgow terminus measuring 5'6! x 1'3", commencing  later this summer, good luck and a fair wind allowing!

 

Roja

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

I think it's fair to say that if I had a brain I would be dangerous!  You'll see why as I progress.

 

I've ordered a couple of bits from DC Kits so, as I wait for them to arrive I'd thought I'd crack on with my model of the original Blue Train and get partitions and ends.  So, out with the card, end template and pen and drawing commenced.  Remembering the gap I had between the end and the roof I drew, freehand, the revised end and started to cut them out.  That's when I realised I was a numpty, hence my comment that if I had a brain I would be dangerous!  I realised that if I drew a line 2mm up from the base I could use the the brass end template to get the curve accurate!  

 

 

After cutting out 24 of these I printed of the sides for the Blue Train and started to cut out the windows.  That's when I had my second realisation!  I'm waiting for two sets of 303 cabs from DC Kits and as I cut out the windows I had the realisation that I needed to colour-match the cabs to the sides!  Bigger numpty!  If I'd thought it through I'd have painted the cabs first then colour-matched the sides before printing them out.  Oh well, we live and learn!  Anyway, I cut out the windows,  ready to add the acetate strip and backing card and found I was out of Evostik!  Guess who's going shopping tomorrow?

 

 

So, such is the life of a modeller!  Minor setbacks to be over-come, which make modelling enjoyable!  

 

Roja

[Clive Mortimore]

Thanks Roja for pointing out your thread.

 

I am not sure what to say well done, cor that is good, fantastic modelling etc. etc. just do not do you justice. For someone who has had what sounds like a major stroke to be making models to this standard with what wasn't your dominant hand is out of this world.

 

I look forward to seeing how these units progress.

 

Thanks again.

[37Oban]

Just now, Clive Mortimore said:

Thanks Roja for pointing out your thread.

 

I am not sure what to say well done, cor that is good, fantastic modelling etc. etc. just do not do you justice. For someone who has had what sounds like a major stroke to be making models to this standard with what wasn't your dominant hand is out of this world.

 

I look forward to seeing how these units progress.

 

Thanks again.

Hi Clive,

 

thanks for your kind comments.

 

I had a serious stroke 16 years ago come 4th August that affected my right side which, when you're right-handed, isn't good!  Taught myself to use my left hand for writing, soldering etc.  Walking is difficult, but you just have to crack on and make the best of it, although I now have a buggy, my open top sports car as a friend calls it, so I can go shopping and terrorise the local area!

 

I find modelling great fun, and overcoming challenges just makes the sense of achievement more satisfying!  For example, because I can only use one hand standard baseboards are a challenge to move, even small ones, so I'm experimenting with corrugated card and postal tubes!  Initial tests are good so I hope to have a small N gauge terminus up and running in the next month followed by an EM one in the autumn.  'Though I must admit N gauge is getting a bit fiddly to detail, hence the move to EM!

 

Roja

 

Roja

[Ian Smeeton]

Impresive modeling.

 

I have just commissioned Worsley Works to etch some 303's for me in 2mm scale.

 

I have the use of both hands, but I reckon I would still be one short if I was to try these in card.

 

More power to your elbow.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Traintresta]

Really impressive stuff. I'm building some military models for a chap at work who had a stroke so im in awe of what you've achieved.

[30368]

Wonderful stuff Roja. So well thought through. I work with Stroke Patients as a volunteer at my local hospital so perhaps my (limited) model railway skills can be put to good use thanks to your inspiration.

 

Learning to adapt and being determined to succeed by small steps, as you clearly have, seems to be a successful strategy post stroke. It doesn't work in all circumstances since each case is different.

 

Good luck for the future, Roja!

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B