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A Southern Workbench in the frozen North. Current projects; 00 Gauge LB&SCR Balloon Coach, N Gauge Stroudley 4 Wheelers


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  • 1 month later...

Hi

 

Its been a while, we have been busy modelling various items of rolling stock, here's an update on the E5.

 

IMG_3061_zps0fbdb320.jpg

 

I have had to do modifications to the r-t-r chassis to get the rear pony truck to fit and move freely on curves.

I have also changed the original XO4 magnet to a new neo magnet which has improved the running, but it is now lifting the pony truck off the rails! Which has lead me to use extra lead (excuse the pun) to try and weigh it down, if anyone has any bright ideas/ suggestions on how to fix this please post them here :) .

Lining has now started on the E5, there will also be some wagons to show soon, and I am also renovating/ finishing some Ian Kirk carriages I started about 25 years ago.

Looking across the table I see my partner in crime of this thread, has a few finished items of rolling stock to post soon, watch this space :) .

 

 

 

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After a 2 week trip to the other side of the country (where I nearly fell to the dark side of German N gauge), I have a small update from my side of the workbench.

 

The Q is now finished apart from crew and cabside oval plates, which will be probably be obtained next time we are in the UK.

DSC03413_zpsyllbdl0o.jpg

 

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I have also cut some foam to fit the box that the kit came in to keep it all safe and sound :)

DSC03416_zpspbwohaty.jpg

 

Next up from me will probably be the wagon kits seen in my first post, and I've also been busy building removable loads for most of the r-t-r wagons in my fleet, and hopefully I will start posting a little more regularly than previously!

 

Edit: Just realised I have forgotten to paint the coupling loops! So, nearly finished! :P

Edited by Norwenglish
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Hi

 

The E5 is now finished and I am very pleased with the results. :) :)

 

The problem I had with the pony truck lifting to the chassis ( because of the new neo magnet I fitted), has been overcome with the use of a spring not lead weight because there was not enough space between pony truck and chassis to get enough lead in to keep it on the rails.

 

 

IMG_3073_zps9f556ab8.jpg

 

The locomotives number was chosen because it carried the name of where I grew up, in LB&SCR days.

 

I think I will add driver and fireman in the future to hide the back of the motor.

 

IMG_3069_zps94e6d71f.jpg

 

The next picture is a ratio kit started over 25 years ago, renovated and finished to a standard of the other rolling stock currently being built.

 

IMG_3079_zps3eda9fcc.jpg

 

More updates to come, now working on renovating some Ian Kirk carriage kits, that are as old as the van above. :)

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Well it's yet again time for my update, but first I would like to say thanks to everyone so far for the kind comments and positive ratings to our posts, it helps keep us inspired especially as we have no club to go to and share our latest efforts with.

As always any comments, constructive critisim or suggestions are always welcome and encouraged, with us being pretty new to this sort of thing we need all the help we can get! :)

 

Well onto what I have been upto...here are the wagons and removable loads I mentioned in my last post;

 

2 Cambrian 8 Planks with coal loads, unfortunately the wagon to the right seems to have sunk at one end during the build process which I only noticed after taking the pictures.

DSC03424_zpswcyjxsl5.jpg

 

Have to admit that I'm rather pleased with the coal loads, especially as the 'coal' is some cheap coloured stone obtained from Ikea!

DSC03429_zpslq9yqmtp.jpg

 

A cambrian 5 plank with ballast load, also made a mistake with this one, as I realised once I got around to applying the transfers that the Tare goes on the solebar behind the brake handle....so next time I will be reading the instructions all the way through before even taking parts off of the sprues! The 'ballast' is also a cheap Ikea find.

DSC03426_zps6rwhndei.jpg

 

Next are loads for the LBSC 5-Plank from my first post and a r-t-r wagon from ebay.

DSC03428_zpsgtjsomz4.jpg

 

and while I was waiting for things to dry the Z was given some lamp irons made from cut down staples, so all thats left to do on it now are reshape the cylinders and add some crew.

 

The last bit of today's post is the next project;

DSC03417_zpsy9nhkrie.jpg

 

These are some very nice passangers from Dart Castings/ Monty's Models, these were part of Dad's christmas present from me, and I have offered to put my painting skills to the test and paint them up for him, which he of course said yes to.

 

There are also a few other side projects on my workbench such as painting up some r-t-r carriage interiors and making corridor connectors, some GWR stock that took my fancy, some more Southern luggage vans and an old Wrenn R1 that is in the process of being upgraded and repainted.

 

Stuart

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Hi

What lovely locos guys.You are both doing a great job with them.

It's so good to see some of the more 'unusual' Southern locos on parade.

The Z class is a little beauty. That's a fortune worth of Dart Casting figures! Happy Christmas!

Nice to see a father & son team working so well together.

Happy modelling & keep up the good work

Cheers

Rob

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Thank you very much!

Concerning the 'unusual' locos, as we have no layout or period that we are restricting ourselves to it's more a case of make what we like the look of, and luckily we are both big Southern fans (probably because thats our 'home' region and Bluebell has always been considered our 'local' railway), although I do find myself often interested in the more specialised/ unusual GWR locos and engines.

 

The Z is indeed a lovely engine, and as my first ever kit build, will always have a special place in my collection.

 

The Dart Castings are a little dearer than most others, but due to my miniatures gaming background I can be a bit fussy when it comes to detail on figures that I paint, so I feel the extra cost is worth it, especially when we put so much time into building and painting the locos and rolling stock that they will be going in. I also bought Dad a few of the Train Tech lighting units (which I highly recommend for those doing DC layouts), this will of course mean the passengers are even more on show than if they were in unlit carriages, so I have a big job ahead of me to get them painted to a decent standard! :P

 

Working right across the table from each other is quite fun, and we keep finding ourselves pushing each others limits and challenging each other to do that little bit extra on our projects, for example I tried staples to make the lamp brackets on the Q, so Dad decided to go back to the L and add them onto it, which then lead to me going back and adding them to the Z....I'm already expecting him to challenge me to paint the eyes on his passengers! :help:

 

Stuart

Edited by Norwenglish
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Hi both you,

It is good to see some SR. kit building going on. Hats off to anyone who completes an E5 or a Q class kit. I remember having a go at both as a teenager many years ago and found them really hard to get right. Whoever is doing the painting and lining out of the pair of you is doing a very good job. The lining is very neatly executed. Are you using transfers or is it deftly applied with a bow pen?

 

Colin

Edited by Colin parks
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Thanks Colin, we try our best and are both rather impressed ourselves with these being the first loco kits we have built. Currently we are painting our own models apart from me doing the passengers for him, and Dad has used transfers for his lining, although I might have to rope him in to help when it comes to me doing something that requires lining, as like you say, it's very well done!

 

Also I have a small update from me today! Work is slowly going forward on the passengers with all the skin areas done, which I can say was quite the challenge!

DSC03430_zpsc7pyya1u.jpg

 

Also I have taken this picture to show how the size of these figures compare to what I have got used to painting over the last 15 odd years. Quite the difference!

DSC03431_zpsynnhevwy.jpg

 

To finish this post, I have been working on making a pair of Hornby Railroad Pullmans look a bit better, after being inspired by watching Tony Wright do it in one of the Activity Media DVD's.

DSC03432_zpsbxfk4u21.jpg

 

For these I have repainted the roofs in dark grey, chopped down the height of the interiors ready for them to receive lighting units when funds permit, given the interiors a coat of paint, and painted 'curtains' on the inside of the windows. You can also see above and below, my homemade corridor connectors which I think will look good enough at normal viewing distance, and if people would like, I can make short picture tutorial for how I made them.

 

DSC03433_zps3qsnf4dr.jpg

 

The white you can see in this picture is just some blu-tac holding them in place for the picture, this will in time be replaced by something more permanent.

 

Stuart

Edited by Norwenglish
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  • 2 weeks later...

A few more projects finished, this is the Cambrian 25t brake modeled with the ducket on the left rather than the more common right hand side.

 

 

IMG_3074_zps85115b85.jpg

 

 

Here is a couple of wagons, both Cambrian kits.

IMG_3077_zps845f9546.jpg

 

More updates soon with progress on renovation of some old Ian Kirk carriages.

 

Richard

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yet again it's now my turn to do an update.

 

Work is now finished on the horde of passengers, although I passed on painting the eyes! Now they are just waiting for Dad to finish the carriages for them to ride in.

People_zpsh78cndki.png

 

I also realised I had forgotten something on the Z Class! So I have now resculpted the cylinders to the right profile using modelling putty which got roughly cut down and then filed to the right shape and some plasticard cut out with a leather punch for the discs at the ends. Lamp brackets have also been added using the cut down staple method.

DSC03434_zps7y0yjyqv.jpg

 

Next up will be an old Wrenn R1 that I have been improving, some GWR wagons and some more Southern luggage vans.

 

Stuart

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Back again with this week's update!

 

The Wrenn R1 is finished! For this one I have carved off the old handrails and added proper ones, carved off the smokebox numberplate, added lamp irons, hooks and vacuum pipes on the bufferbeams, grilles for the rear windows, better looking coal, and given it a repaint. I've also given it a new magnet in the motor and it runs ever so nicely, even crawls very well!

DSC03437_zpsf2hslfhz.jpg

 

DSC03438_zpsmryc0dsd.jpg

 

Very happy with this as it was picked up on ebay for around £15!

 

Also another ebay buy was this Ratio Bogie Luggage Van

DSC03440_zpsfkcgcpno.jpg

 

Very nice to build and well detailed, apart from the brass etch which was a pain in the backside to use, especially the door hinges!

 

I have decided now to wait with the GWR wagons, as the success of the R1 has inspired me to give the same treatment to this Airfix Prarie.

DSC03443_zpsrzkgudfv.jpg

 

DSC03444_zpssdtzu7jo.jpg

 

Todays progress can be seen and it is now sitting to dry after getting an undercoat of black. I have also stripped down the whole of the chassis to it's component parts as it wasn't a very good runner, so hopefully a good clean and a new magnet will get it running at least a little better. As far as livery goes, I'm leaning quite heavily towards GWR Wartime Black.

 

Stuart

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Quick update time!

The prarie now looks like this;

DSC03445_zpsfitz6hr4.jpg

 

DSC03446_zpsar38c6cj.jpg

 

All it now awaits is some matt black on the smokebox and cab roof, transfers (which seem to be pretty difficult to find), vacuum pipes and numberplates.

 

It's also now running very happily after having I don't know how many years of grease and gunk removed, all the electircal connections cleaned and then been re-oiled.

 

Stuart

Edited by Norwenglish
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  • 3 weeks later...

Update for the Ian Kirk carriages.

 

I have now very nearly finished two of the carriages.They were both originally built over 20 years ago and have been renovated over the last few weeks.

 

IMG_3081_zpsvphs5h61.jpg

 

The picture above shows the major parts, the bogies were renovated and repainted, the seats and partition, I decided to make as a separate piece to make it easier to build, paint and place the figures in ( nicely painted by Stuart), the body was re undercoated in black them painted on the inside with appropriate colours and outside with Humbrol acrylic Maunsell green and windows were individually cut from clear plasicard, the roof has been made to come off easily,( for this I have used neo magnets in the corners)  so I can change/remove the battery from the traintec lighting unit.

 

IMG_3082_zpsctwv1262.jpg

 

These are the two carriages nearly finished with seating units glued in, bogies fitted and roofs ready to go on.

 

If anyone knows of any  Ian Kirk, Maunsell high window brake third (8871) kits out there then please let me know, as I need one to finish a rake of carriages that is on my project list :) :) .

 

This leads me on to my next project.

 

IMG_3085_zpswnprehcz.jpg

 

This lovely loco, I bought from an auction site part built, started this evening by striping the paint and breaking down into individual parts.

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Hi Stewart and Rich,

 

This is the first time I have happened upon this thread and it is great! Some very nice work indeed. I have done a number on the ex Airfix, now Hornby large prairie on Little Didcot so if you want so see how not to do it please look in!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

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Hi Castle, glad that you like our work! I have actually been following your thread since starting here on rmweb and find it very interesting to read through. We are also looking into flying over for your tour at Didcot in July, so hopefully we'll be there!

 

As for updates from me, the transfer sheet for the Prarie is ordered and on it's way, and we've also placed a reasonable sized order with Narrow Planet for brass plates to put the last touches on a few of our Southern and some of my GWR engines, but I havn't been idle! The GWR rolling stock I mentioned in previous posts is finished!

 

GWR 6-ton Crane built from a Cambrian kit.

DSC03436_zpsiiveomjp.jpg

 

And a Shunters Truck also built from a Cambrian kit.

DSC03435_zpsxhfqlncp.jpg

 

These were quite fun and easy to build apart from the handrails on the shunters truck.

 

I expect the next thing to appear from me will be the Prarie as it takes it's last steps towards completion, but after that I have no idea as I seem to have run out of projects!

 

Stuart

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Really nice work on that crane Stuart, not an easy kit to build I'm sure.

 

I can't believe you will be stuck for projects, most of us struggle to find the time for all we want to do! 

Looks like you have made a good start on the Q1, I've not come accross Little Engines kits before.  I can't see a motor and gearbox, did it come with one?

 

All the best,

Dave.

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Thanks Dave. The crane wasn't that bad, the only fiddly bit was putting rod to represent drive shafts in the body of the crane itself. Unfortunately due to unemployment at the moment i find myself in the opposite position to most with lots of time, but no money to buy projects to put the time to good use! Although I'm crossing my fingers that the situation will improve soon :)

 

If i remember rightly from helping Dad strip the Q1 down into the parts you see in the picture, there is definitely a motor (neither of us have any idea what type), and more of a motor mounting bracket that is meant to be soldered into the chassis than a gear box. I'll see if he can get a picture of it tonight.

 

Stuart

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Hi Dave thanks for your comments.

 

This is the motor that came with the Q1 kit, it is 10mm across the top 15mm high and 25mm long not including he shaft (1.5mm dia) if anyone has any idea what make it is and how good it is, please let me know, I am also looking into the use of high level gearboxes.

 

IMG_3086_zps9byjhcha.jpg

 

Richard

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Thats a DS10 motor, good in its time and will do the job adequately, but I would be inclined to replace it with a big Mashima Can motor and Highlevel gearbox, probably the LoadhaulerPlus. 

Ray Norwood built an etched Q1 recently, see:  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67066-pdk-bullied-q1-0-6-0-kit-pdk-maunsell-2-6-4t-w-class-kit/  (and he actually drove the real thing!) but he used a RoadrunnerPlus gearbox.  I would choose the LoadhaulerPlus as it has greater reductions (60, 80, or 120:1), and these locos were real plodders.

I presume that whitemetal body has plenty of space for a motor inside; I was advised many years ago to  "Always use the biggest motor you can fit in, as long as its invisible on the completed model."  So you could get a big can motor in, say a 1426, and possibly a flywheel as well?

All the best,

Dave.

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