Havenhouse - the reboot

[chris p bacon]

I should have looked at RMweb before speaking to him just now.

 

I bet he'll be after a copy if he's not already got it.

[Buhar]

Jason,

You probably know about it but just in case you don't there is an article, with some drawings, about the waiting room at Havenhouse in the July 1997 RM

 

Is the post a bit delayed round your way?

[JCL]

Jason,

You probably know about it but just in case you don't there is an article, with some drawings, about the waiting room at Havenhouse in the July 1997 RM

 

Thanks very much, yes I have that one. It's a great looking waiting room and was copied up and down the line.

 

 

Is the post a bit delayed round your way?

 

You wouldn't believe how bad the post is. It comes over via moose and canoe. I'm still getting Happy New Millennium cards... 

[JCL]

A catch-up.

 

It's been a long year, and a busy one, and you'll have noticed the complete lack of progress model-wise. I think I even went for about 5 months without logging into RMWeb while restarting my website design business on Vancouver Island - unheard of! In a way, I've gone slightly backwards, but things are now on a much firmer footing. I've a new shed for the railway, and I've half of the baseboards up (1/2" ply over 2x4 framing with the thought of covering it with sheet insulation (as I did before), so that I'll be able to start again. Wainfleet and Havenhouse will certainly be on there, and in place of the fiddle yard I'm going to have cassettes.

 

Young Dave (Chris P Bacon) has kindly volunteered to put together the short tank G1 chassis for me that I'll hopefully pick up in the spring. I can then put together the parts on the body and wonder, while thinking about the lining, if I should actually model the LNER instead of the GNR or go with Dave's quest of modelling the GNR at night in a foggy snow storm.  This is what I'm aiming for, but without the condensing equipment.

 

 

One thing I did do this year, was put together a new website for the Great Northern Railway Society (https://www.gnrsociety.com). Work is on-going there, but there's a forum and a members area already, with a photo archive to come.

 

Anyway, I thought I'd get back into things by revisiting an old project. Inspired by a photo of a Barnum coach at Skegness station, you might remember a couple of years ago I put together a model of one using the Silhouette cutter and plasticard. Unfortunately, although I finished it, it was pretty flimsy.

 

 

This time around I've reworked the plans and I'm using 1mm and 1.5mm mdf. The photos below are of the prototype I've been putting together. I'm thinking of reusing the bogies from the Silhouette version, but this one is a lot stronger than the plastic one. Body almost done, seats redone, and undercarriage equipment still to do.

 

 

After doing this, I'll get back to the 6 wheel coaches (remember them?). Luckily the Stirling Single won't be out for a couple of months. so I think I've still got time to get them done before it arrives.

 

 

 

 

One more thing, seeing as I'm catching up,Chris, I'm very sorry, I completely forgot to send you those duckets months ago. I hope you don't mind.

 

I hope you all have a merry Christmas and a healthy and happy new year.

Edited December 16, 2017 by JCL

[MikeTrice]

I suspect that the thickness around the windows is going to be really obvious. You might be better off using the technique you used for the 6 wheelers of an mdf inner shell with card outer layers and slide in glazing a la Jenkinson.

[gr.king]

I'd love to see some time how that Barnum compares "in the flesh", when painted, with my two re-worked Jidenco examples, as I'm potentially on the look out for a couple of extra Barnums if they are an adequate match and less of a chore to build than the Jidenco ones were!. Oddly enough, should you be stuck for bogie sides, I may be able to assist - bogies possibly best discussed further by PM or e-mail if necessary.

[gr.king]

I suspect that the thickness around the windows is going to be really obvious. You might be better off using the technique you used for the 6 wheelers of an mdf inner shell with card outer layers and slide in glazing a la Jenkinson.

I see your concern.

[ChrisN]

A catch-up.

 

It's been a long year, and a busy one, and you'll have noticed the complete lack of progress model-wise. I think I even went for about 5 months without logging into RMWeb while restarting my website design business on Vancouver Island - unheard of! In a way, I've gone slightly backwards, but things are now on a much firmer footing. I've a new shed for the railway, and I've half of the baseboards up (1/2" ply over 2x4 framing with the thought of covering it with sheet insulation (as I did before), so that I'll be able to start again. Wainfleet and Havenhouse will certainly be on there, and in place of the fiddle yard I'm going to have cassettes.

 

Young Dave (Chris P Bacon) has kindly volunteered to put together the short tank G1 chassis for me that I'll hopefully pick up in the spring. I can then put together the parts on the body and wonder, while thinking about the lining, if I should actually model the LNER instead of the GNR or go with Dave's quest of modelling the GNR at night in a foggy snow storm.  This is what I'm aiming for, but without the condensing equipment.

 

942 GNR G1 Hornsey 1902 KN H1334 - Adjusted - cropped.jpg

 

One thing I did do this year, was put together a new website for the Great Northern Railway Society (https://www.gnrsociety.com). Work is on-going there, but there's a forum and a members area already, with a photo archive to come.

 

Anyway, I thought I'd get back into things by revisiting an old project. Inspired by a photo of a Barnum coach at Skegness station, you might remember a couple of years ago I put together a model of one using the Silhouette cutter and plasticard. Unfortunately, although I finished it, it was pretty flimsy.

 

IMG_0682.JPG (2).jpg

 

This time around I've reworked the plans and I'm using 1mm and 1.5mm mdf. The photos below are of the prototype I've been putting together. I'm thinking of reusing the bogies from the Silhouette version, but this one is a lot stronger than the plastic one. Body almost done, seats redone, and undercarriage equipment still to do.

 

rmweb.jpg

 

After doing this, I'll get back to the 6 wheel coaches (remember them?). Luckily the Stirling Single won't be out for a couple of months. so I think I've still got time to get them done before it arrives.

 

mdf 1.jpg

 

mdf 2.jpg

 

mdf 3.jpg

 

One more thing, seeing as I'm catching up,Chris, I'm very sorry, I completely forgot to send you those duckets months ago. I hope you don't mind.

 

I hope you all have a merry Christmas and a healthy and happy new year.

 

Jason,

I am glad that you now have time to model again.  I hope your business goes well.  Not to worry at all about the duckets  Hope all goes well.

 

If you can model GNR, why not?  It would probably be more difficult but you scratchbuild most of your stuff and have the skill to do it.  A good period timetable would help to see what the traffic was.  Pre-Grouping layouts are quite rare but much more interesting, I think.  It shows the railway in its heyday rather than in the run down state of later years.

 

All the best.

[grob1234]

Lovely work on those teaks. Really nice finish IMHO.

[JCL]

Thanks everyone. Of course, you're right Mike. Looking at the thickness, I'm transported back to reading Hornby catalogues and listening to Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart on the radio. I've a cupboard full of card, so I'll set to and make a few changes. As a prototype though, I'm pleased with how it's come together and the stiffness of the result, especially given the lack of compartments.

[JCL]

Here's a reworking of the cross section, and it won't be as much work to change it up as I thought.

 

• The 1mm sides will be replaced by 2 x 0.5mm layers which will represent the two layers around the windows.
• In the diagram, the window glass is green
• Vertical yellow 1mm mdf for the strengthening strip along the bottom set into notches in the sides of the partitions - the 'glass' will rest on top of this.
• I might also be able to pin the glass using the outer sloped edge of the seat backs.
• The yellow strips at the top will represent the luggage racks, and will be held in using the slots in the central divider and the toilet walls.

 

I'm taking my dog out for a walk in a few minutes, so I'll set too and see if it works in reality later on this afternoon - stay tuned.

 

cheers

 

Jason

[MikeTrice]

I wonder how oiled stencil board would cut on the laser. It sounds as if it should be ok: http://www.cutlasercut.com/laser-cutting-materials-laser-engraving-materials/laser-cutting-manilla-stencil-card

 

Reason I suggest it as an option is it has a very good surface finish and should be less liable to warping. It will also save you having to keep eating cereals for breakfast ;-)

Edited December 17, 2017 by MikeTrice

[gr.king]

With the MDF bracing strips what's wrong with nice smooth plasticard for the outer facings? Unlike card, it won't "blow" or go hairy when paint is applied.

 

I'd be very careful too to limit (further) the lean-in of the upper body sides and the representation of the gutters. They are both "fine" features on the real thing, the lean-in of the body sides being particularly subtle - frequently mistaken for flat sides.

Edited December 17, 2017 by gr.king

[JCL]

I wonder how oiled stencil board would cut on the laser. It sounds as if it should be ok: http://www.cutlasercut.com/laser-cutting-materials-laser-engraving-materials/laser-cutting-manilla-stencil-card

 

Reason I suggest it as an option is it has a very good surface finish and should be less liable to warping. It will also save you having to keep eating cereals for breakfast ;-)

Cheers Mike, what sort of paint would you suggest on that?

 

Graeme, as I was cutting the card last night I did think about plasticard for the sides and using Mdf for the carcass. That stuff really is rigid. I don't have any plastic sheet at the moment, so I'll keep jogging on with this as a second prototype to make sure everything fits and grab some in Victoria after Christmas.

 

Tom, I don't normally click on links in signatures, but I'm really pleased I clicked on yours! I've just spent an hour on your YouTube channel - its brilliant.

[MikeTrice]

The linked article suggests either oil or water based paints. As an aside I was curious and put a small section of the card in a water bath intending to go back to it and see how it reacted. I forgot it was there and only realised a couple of days later. The sample was removed and showed no sign of swelling or warping. I assume you can source some locally possibly in a good art supplier. The surface finish is very smooth so should give a good paint finish, better than cereal packet card.

[chris p bacon]

Tom, I don't normally click on links in signatures, but I'm really pleased I clicked on yours! I've just spent an hour on your YouTube channel - its brilliant.

 

With all that instruction on loco building, I can send the G1 straight back then. . . .

[JCL]

The linked article suggests either oil or water based paints. As an aside I was curious and put a small section of the card in a water bath intending to go back to it and see how it reacted. I forgot it was there and only realised a couple of days later. The sample was removed and showed no sign of swelling or warping. I assume you can source some locally possibly in a good art supplier. The surface finish is very smooth so should give a good paint finish, better than cereal packet card.

 

Hi Mike, unfortunately I'm in a supplies desert over here. Apart from different types of card, and Trotec at $100/sheet, I can't get very much. The thinnest ply I can get, which is not the trashy stuff at the hardware store is 1/4" thick. When I look on the net, most of the supplies seem to come from the UK, then Mainland Europe, and then Australia. I gave up when I put veneer into Google and got dozens of photos of teeth... http://www.cutlasercut.com come up a lot, so their online marketing seems pretty good!

 

Hi Graeme, I've made the lean slightly shallower as it was slightly too much, and no problem about the gutter - it's on the diagram to remind me to put one in.

 

Oh, and one bit of good news! I hadn't realised that the sliding windows above the picture windows were an LNER installation, so I'll be able to leave these out of my model, strengthening it no end.

 

Dave - you know it makes sense...

Edited December 18, 2017 by JCL

[JCL]

While I'm thinking about the Barnum, I cut out a prototype I drew a short while ago. In the GNR wagon book it's described as covered wagon, Southampton Docks.

 

 

 

The drawings are based on the clerestory van I drew up at the beginning of the year. On that one, I set it up so that the bracing was applied separately, but on this one the prototype bracing is gummed paper that was pasted onto the MDF, cut out, and then the chaff removed. It's not particularly convincing, and I do have plastic strip, so I may go that way with this. Still, was an interesting thing to try.

 

A bit of beefing up of the top and bottom of the frame to do and I need to get a couple of score lines sorted. On the models for the layout I'll be using Mike's axleboxes, buffers and vents. The w-irons and wheels on this one are from Dave.

Edited December 18, 2017 by JCL

[JCL]

Hitting the buffers.

 

After that quick break for the van, I am attempting to get through to the Canadian govt, so while I'm in the queue I thought I'd have a go at the Barnum buffers in Blender. A few years ago I get a chance to go to Ruddington and see the Barnums there. I made a bit of a cack-handed effort to take a lot of photos, and somehow didn't take a single one of the side of the buffers. This means I've used a combination of photos and the Campling drawing.

 

 

 

If you take a look of this photo of the Barnum brake, you'll see that the buffer on the far side doesn't have the step.

 

 

Here's my attempt ready for testing with Shapeways. Once it's uploaded to the site I'll see if I can make the ribs and step a bit finer.

 

Edited December 18, 2017 by JCL

[uax6]

I think you might want to make the stock a bit longer there Jason, looks a bit short to me...

 

I'm guessing that they may be something like 18" long.

 

Andy G

[JCL]

Changing it to 18" would be easy, I'll give it a go.

 

Edited to add,

 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/FLLWCA42M/barnum-coach-buffers-4mm-scale

 

I've managed to get them passed by Shapeways, 8 buffers for $6 USD for FUD and $922.23 for platinum for Andy. I'll not put them on sale until I've had them printed and made sure they're ok.

Edited December 18, 2017 by JCL

[grob1234]

Tom, I don't normally click on links in signatures, but I'm really pleased I clicked on yours! I've just spent an hour on your YouTube channel - its brilliant.

Jason, thanks very much for the kind comment. It’s just me messing about really, but if it provides some entertainment then, for me, that is sufficient to make it worth while!

[uax6]

Blimey platinum prices seem to have jumped a bit! I remember when you could get a whole bogie for that price....

 

Andy g

[JCL]

Morning all

 

Mikes kindly sending me some oiled board to see what I can do with it, so I'm looking forward to that in the new year - thanks Mike. I'll not do anymore on the Barnum until then except for paint testing.

 

In the meantime I've been busy on Inkscape and done a couple of shells before Xmas. The first one is No.10 2 axle 20T goods brake. It's a basic shell on this one with holes for locating handrails. The benefit of doing this is that, just by changing the planking to horizontal, I'll be able to do No.9 in the GNR wagon book.

 

 

The second one is the Pedigree Cattle wagon which is a reworking of the clerestory van. I'm pretty pleased with all in all. It looks complicated, but the sides are just two layers. The door bumpers took a bit of working out but are just pushed through holes from the inside. I joined them together to make sure that they would stick out only as far as I wanted them to.

 

 

The one in the photo shows cut hinges etc which don't look too bad when sprayed with paint. I will definitely use something else though as they are a bit thin.

 

 

Does anyone know if these were painted red oxide or were teak?

 

That's it for now, still tweaking to do, and then finishing the shells with wheels, paint, etc.

 

Cheers

 

Jason

[JCL]

Hi everyone, a red cross parcel arrived from Sunny England last night - thank Mike. Inside was some of the oiled board Mike was talking about. Wow - its great stuff.

 

The board is .015" or 0.42mm thick, and as Mike has said, has next to no texture, and, like the MDF, it's pretty stiff. Another bonus is that it lies perfectly flat on the laser cutter workspace. It needs marginally more power to cut through than the equivalent card, but the difference is negligible. 

 

As I'm going to use this for Barnum sides, I thought I'd test the toilet window to see how it cuts. As you know, the window requires a score line very close to the cut line; the distance between the window cutout and the outside score is 0.8mm. This has been very difficult/nigh on impossible to do in the card because the material then delaminates, and the MDF (apart from having a minimum thickness of 1mm) has it's own quirks.

 

 

The above shows the two test squares I always do, each one is 5mm across, the one on the left has 50% more power in the score (medium score) than the one on the right (light score).

The test window and matchboard bottom left uses the medium score setting, which is too much. The two window openings on the right use the light score, which looks about right - I need to make sure that it is deep enough to show through primer and paint.