Morfa - Hwyl fawr

[Neil]

Remember those froth-tastic four quid Mk1 carriages? Well ever one for a bargain I picked up a pair from Smiffffs in Aberystwyth. Last I looked at the whopping thread on the beasties the consensus was that the easy use was as the WCRC set. Unfortunately no bloody use for me, so what to do? Well I determined that whatever I did would have to be EM, preferably blue and grey and cost little in cash or time. Though the base model was cheap if much expense is added we get to 'might as well have bought a Bachmann' territory, even if little is spent we get too near to the forthcoming Hornby version.

 

So here's what I've done.

 

Preparation.

 

 

Remove bogies and pull out wheels.

 

 

Make 40thou thick washers to fit on stub axles to increase the back to back dimensions to EM standards

 

 

Slip the washers onto the stubs.

 

 

Assemble wheelsets using the original muff; solvent weld muff to plastic washers.

 

 

Deepen the bearing holes to take the 2mm longer axles (yes it works).

 

 

Test through complex pointwork.

 

 

Clip bogies underneath carriage and congratulate self on resourcefulness.

 

 

Decide it's all very nice but a blue/grey carriage is what's wanted. Dismantle and prime.

 

 

Check all is well so far.

 

 

Mix passable impression of rail grey from stock of Humbrols and apply.

 

 

Wait to harden before masking off. This is where I'm at now. So far it's taken very little time and cost nothing as the plastic, paint and glue were all in stock. I'm hoping that the rest of the build will embody the same budgetary restraint

[Ramblin Rich]

Fantastic, that's the most cunning EM reguage method I've seen! Definitely worth 2 chocolate digestives for that bit alone

Are you going to try anything with the undeframe trusses? So far, the most promising method seems (to me) to take out the 'longitudinal' solid parts & replace with plasitic strip/angle, leaving the 'transverse' bits in situ as they're less noticeable....

[Neil]

Fantastic, that's the most cunning EM reguage method I've seen! Definitely worth 2 chocolate digestives for that bit alone

Are you going to try anything with the undeframe trusses? So far, the most promising method seems (to me) to take out the 'longitudinal' solid parts & replace with plasitic strip/angle, leaving the 'transverse' bits in situ as they're less noticeable....

 

Thanks Rich; I'm minded not to worry too much about the trussing. I took some comparative snaps to see where the lack of 'see through-ness' kicks in and grates. I won't bore with the entire lot, but the end result was that it only becomes marginally apparent at eye level.

 

 

In previous builds of other things I've addressed this solid where should be see through issue with paint. A considerable improvement to the wheels on the Hornby 'Smokey Joe' pug can be made if the gaps between the spokes are painted black and the spokes a shade of gunge. I intend to avoid spending money on new materials and too much valuable tea and biscuit time by edging the trussing with microstrip, painting the solid bits black and the edging strip underframe grot. It's a bodge, but it's one I feel with fit with the austerity ethos of the build.

[Ramblin Rich]

That's a very useful shot, Neil; it is surprising how little the trussing shows up, even at eye level & (presumably) well lit. Another useful comparison with (again, I'm assuming) a Bachmann version?

[alfsboy]

Only a suggestion but maybe some painting in  of the underframe  detail will suffice .Maybe black ish for the main parts and a greyish buff for the 'holes"Sometimes a cheat works well .i had to cover a US brass loco's motor and i made a fake plastic backhead and just painted in some details to make it look something like it had some detail.It worked oK until you looked hard .

Martin

[Neil]

I note with embarrassment that it was last year when I last posted progress. Those who know me might have blamed my butterfly like tendencies to flit from one interest to another, but the truth is that I have been fairly focussed in developing my resin casting abilities over the winter months. Morfa became a very big shelf.

 

 

It took the best part of a day to gain some sort of order.

 

 

Having cleared away my toys I made a start on the scenic section, painting the sides of the rails on the Abertafol corner. Once dry and with the rail heads cleaned I put a coat of primer on the area which will be water.

 

 

Whilst all this paint dried I turned my attention to the approach from Morfa to the bridge over the Mawddach. A section where voltage drop led to a slowing of trains. Relying on fishplates obviously didn't cut the mustard so I soldered fine copper wire bonds across each rail joint. Here's a cruel close up.

 

 

Finally one of the reasons for the delay; the test shot from my latest resin project for a 009 centre cab battery electric loco.

 

 

 

 

 

[Barry Ten]

I had to do that wire across the joints thing on a part of Paynestown as well.

[sparks]

I note with embarrassment that it was last year when I last posted progress. Those who know me might have blamed my butterfly like tendencies to flit from one interest to another, but the truth is that I have been fairly focussed in developing my resin casting abilities over the winter months. Morfa became a very big shelf.

 

It took the best part of a day to gain some sort of order.

 

Lovely sweeping curve across the viaduct there. Will there be a backscene on the outside here or will it open on both sides for the full estuary effect?

 

And.....do I spy organ stops as knobs for the points in the background?!

[Neil]

I had to do that wire across the joints thing on a part of Paynestown as well.

 

I've found it to be far easier as a retrofit technique than any of the others. With hindsight I should have guessed that there would be problems with fishplates alone as I had to adapt Peco n and z gauge examples to fit. At the time I couldn't source ones designed for code 75 bullhead rail.

 

Lovely sweeping curve across the viaduct there. Will there be a backscene on the outside here or will it open on both sides for the full estuary effect?

 

And.....do I spy organ stops as knobs for the points in the background?!

 

Thank you. There'll be no backscene round the estuary partly because it's possible to view from both sides, but also because it I worried that enclosing the layout would give a sense of claustrophobia; whereas my aim has been to emphasise the expanse of scenery.

 

Close they're harmonium stops. I was given a knackered instrument, much of it has been used top make a bed headboard in one of our guest rooms, but the stops were unused and as the layout is housed in an old chapel they seemed appropriate.

[westerner]

I think I may have said this before, but I do like your back-scene. I always prefer a well executed painted back-scene to a photographic one, and yours is certainly well executed. Simple gives the impression of distance and does not detract from the railway.

[Neil]

Some time ago you may remember that I was faffing with one of those froth-tastic Hatchette Mk1s. This weekend I blew the dust of the bits and pieces and set to in an attempt to replicate the white lining round the rail grey panel. To cut a long story short transfers and pen proved to be a blind alley, however masking tape and paint was eventually persuaded to work.

 

 

 

The end seems to be in sight; 'and about bloody time too' I hear you say. Admittedly the late running nature of this project won't be of any use in deciding whether the Hatchette carriages are for you, the offer having been and gone, but it might help point out what stonking good value the Hornby Mk1s in blue and grey will be.

[Neil]

A quick update on the Mk1. One last task before assembly was to sort out the unconvincing toilet glazing. The grey paint applied to the rear of the toilet window was loosened with liquid poly, dabbed off. While the rear of the window was still tacky I stippled it with the solvent brush to give a better appearance of obscured glazing. Here's the nearly finished carriage subbing for a failed dmu up the coast.

 

 

There's still some work to do, couplings, weathering and transfers, but it's near enough complete to form a judgement. I'm pleased that I haven't spent any money apart from the initial purchase, all the materials being in stock.

 

 

Has it been worth it?  Well yes and no. I've really enjoyed thinking my way round the EM conversion and the tarting up, particularly within the constraints of not spending any money doing it. I'll happily do another EM conversion (I have another Hatchette Mk1) but the new livery was a king sized pain in the bum.

[45568]

Some time ago you may remember that I was faffing with one of those froth-tastic Hatchette Mk1s. This weekend I blew the dust of the bits and pieces and set to in an attempt to replicate the white lining round the rail grey panel. To cut a long story short transfers and pen proved to be a blind alley, however masking rape!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Neil,

Do you have other interests you may have confused us gentle readers with??

Apologies and smiles from Oz.

Peter C. (your proof-reading friend!)

 

If I was being critical, the difference in ride height and solebar thickness are apparent in your pix, perhaps not so in reality?

[Neil]

Oooops, thank you.

[Neil]

.... If I was being critical, the difference in ride height and solebar thickness are apparent in your pix, perhaps not so in reality?

 

I had to pop upstairs to check this; yes there are differences. Having to check perhaps indicates that it's one of those things that shows more in a photo than when you're actually looking at the object. However I may take a peek at how easy it is to drop the Hatchette on its bogie mountings. I doubt that it will be too difficult as long as there's clearance between wheels and floor.

[Neil]

I have to confess that I've yet to see if it's possible to lower the ride height of the Hatchette Mk1; a job for later. The real discrepancy between the two vehicles seen above is that the four quid Hatchette has subtle roof panel joints, the Bachmann roof is crude in comparison. Sorting the Bachmann roof is something that I've put off for years but having an in your face comparison I decided that the time had come. Stripping down the Bachmann carriage took five minutes.

 

 

Scraping and sanding down the ribs was a forty five minute job. I suspect that if I'd wanted a smooth roof ir would have been much quicker, but I wanted to leave a hint of the panel joints, and they had to be consistent as well as subtle.

 

 

Here's the finished job with Hatchette to the front and Bachmann to the rear. It's not perfect, but it is perfectly acceptable as a layout vehicle.

 

 

 

[edcayton]

Love the new thread title.

 

Ed

[petethemole]

Reminds me of a chewing gum vending machine I once saw. The gum tasted awful.

[colin penfold]

Don't tell me, it made brilliant bubbles!

 

Think I had that brand once too LOL

[Neil]

Back to the layout itself and I've made a start on the embankments which support the line and enclose the tide pool at Abertafol.

 

 

Here you can see my workforce chivvying card into a former which I can then clad in scribed stone blocks.

 

 

[Neil]

Morfa; fifty years ago .....

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Back when crews polished their locomotive's wheels.....sorry.

 

I have been awaiting an update on Morfa (in a geordie accent.....I'm an ex-pat!)  for ages, yout layout really captivates me with it's simplicity and superb modelling, pleasse keep your thread going!

[Neil]

Many years ago I was given a Playcraft NB diesel shunter that had been mated to a Hornby 'Smokey Joe' mechanism. When it ran it was at a breakneck pace. I put it to one side and pondered its fate. After lengthy consideration I scratchbuilt a chassis for it, though it worked well at first the running deteriorated, and again it was put to one side. Even lengthier consideration ensued, until last month when I bought a second hand, sweet running Dapol Terrier chassis.

 

Step one, cut off the bits I didn't want.

 

 

Step two, enlarge the hole in the footplate to suit.

 

 

Step three, plonk body on top.

 

 

Sound simple doesn't it? Well there's a bit more to it, the base model had already had a good sized hole cut out of the footplate, my work only extended to a spot of gentle enlarging. Cutting the chassis to length in safety requires the wheels to be dropped out and the motor/gears to be temporarily taped up. The cab footsteps were missing on my model, so I've had to make a start on building a pair of them.

 

 

The good news is that being solid backed they will conceal the lack of jackshaft drive and that the side rods have been simply snipped off at an appropriate length.

 

So what's all this got to do with Morfa? Very little in all honesty, but I'm not a fan of the blog format in the workbench section of the forum so I've tagged it on here. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BernardTPM]

Nice conversion Neil. I've had a body of one of those undergoing improvement for the best part of thirty years. Despite Playcraft being nominally H0 this beastie is really 4mm scale, I assume because it would have been too small to fit over the old Jouef motor if 3.5mm scale. I do have a chassis in mind for my now nearly completed NBL body, but it's likely to be to a different gauge.

[Neil]

Look forward to seeing your take on the Playcraft shunter Bernard.