Jack P

Very Exciting news. I managed to convert one of mine to EM, but i'm interested to see how the pros do it!

What a ridiculously long title. Hopefully it accurately conveys what I'm looking for. The Match truck paired with the CS crane doesn't immediately jump out at me as being a standard SR design. Are there drawings/any detail diagrams that I might be missing? Book recommendations are equally useful. Thanks in advance

This seems the appropriate place to ask if anyone has any good photos of post war, pre BR GWR siphon lettering/numbering?

I airbrush the muck on, in a sort of 'general' application, and then re-activate it with thinners to streak it. This also seems to have the added benefit of making the remaining paint very receptive to being cleaned with cotton buds. I still don't think I'm doing the description justice. I'll get a video!

I have developed a bit of a technique, and that usually involves spraying the loco with a mucky colour and then using a damp brush with thinners to wet everything and streak down. Once i've done this and it's dried, i'll buff the panels with a cotton bud, and usually this leaves a bit of grot around the boiler bands. I usually go back in lightly with the airbrush after this just to highlight some areas. If I can find the time (and if I remember) I'll film it the next time I do it. But If you have any other questions in the interim, let me know! Howdy Bryan, Thank you! The motor support is soldered to a bit of brass as a baseplate, which has been araldited inside the frame. The front of the support arm was filed flat and is up against a frame spacer, with some more araldite smeared in there. Seems pretty secure, but we shall see!

Thanks Ray, the box is. I'm sure it's a Loadhauler+, the motor is very similar to the HLK one, but is from NZ Finescale. Yes, I actually copied Nick Dunhill's 7mm Z. In the end it was for the best, plenty of soldered connections to the frames (hopefully) means this tangle won't go going anywhere. Tony, Hope all is well! That's an excellent Idea, and one I've used before. However, the chassis is electrically dead and uses Gibson wheels, so no luck there. The option I will probably solder the motor terminals to wire which connects to PCB inside the chassis, with the pickups branching off this. It should stop the motor from bucking, but I do still need a little bit of flexibility for the CSB to work. Tender locos should be easier, as I plan to adopt the American pickup method there.

Thanks Adam! I'm trying to channel my inner Dave Holt with this one. Lots of the pipework is lifted straight from Nick Dunhill's 7mm Z - I know that you shouldn't model a model, but his is so well researched that I'm putting my qualms aside in this instance. Thanks William! Mr Color Super Clear III is my go to gloss varnish. It's a lacquer, and has excellent thinning properties. I also let it fully cure for a few days (in the sun if I can), after which it's a super strong base for my enamel weathering. The Matt is the tried and tested Gunmetal/Tan Leather/Matt black in varying quantities, more brown for the chassis, and less for the smokebox/upper areas. I also gently buff the smokebox with a cotton bud after the paint has dried. I also use powders and don't seal them, which further adds tonal variation and matt effect. I hope that helps!

Wow.. It's been a fair wee while since I posted last. Winter hit pretty hard and the workshop needs a bit of work to be slightly more habitable + get rid of moisture. I've been slowly chipping away at the EM converted WD and the Z, with the Z being the focus over the weekend. Pipework under the bunker was pretty fiddly and I decided the best option was to attach it to the chassis. Looks a bit weird with the body off. Not a perfect representation, but fairly close. Sanding gear bent to shape too. The next step is to complete the brake gear, and figure out how/where I'm going to re-mount the springs and any other miscellaneous pipework that lurks under there. You can see the motor cradle here. Some work is still needed, at present the cradle supports the motor when the forces acting on it are pushing it down (reverse) but when they go the other way, the motor tends to hit the backhead. Wheels all in place and rods mounted. The first two crankpins are markits threaded examples, and have been serious reduced in size in order to clear the crosshead and connecting rod. Lots of thinning down needed as the clearances are tight! Here's a quick video of running trials with the thinned down crankpins/crosshead and connecting rod. Anyways, that's all for now. I hope you are all keeping well!

Wellington NZ, Modelling in EM now.

Visually one of the major grievances with the L class models (DJH/OO works) is that they lack the prominent lack of the Ash-pan/firebox lower. It's really prominent on the prototype and helps to add 'heft' to the model that otherwise seems to be missing. I must really pull finger and finish mine!

Linny, The Poppys Jig for setting up chassis' is a really excellent bit of kit - it's also great for working out coupling rod lengths. It's also relatively affordable from memory, definitely worth adding to the toolkit if you can justify it!

Well that changes things, I've sent an email to Dave to enquire. Thanks so much Pete!

I'm so excited about this brake-van Linny! You did an absolutely stunning job on the SECR open - i've been gushing to Andy about it. The other Rapido projects looks awesome too!

Hey John, Yes, I managed to get my mitts on an Albion E5. I'm, specifically looking for etched kits - otherwise I'd have the SEF E5/E6! Not a bad idea, i'll reach out to Dave and see what a minimum run quantity is!

Bump

Covid is still kicking me, but I managed to get some weathering done recently. D16 was part of the same batch of locos as the C1, again, for my LNER friend. There's one more to go! I also cracked into my Rapido GPV, what an amazing little model, the level of detail and fidelity is incredible! Wheels swapped (but axles retained) for Gibsons, set to EM. 3 Links added - the rest as it comes out of the box. I've got a small fleet of the SECR opens to tackle next. looking forward to it!

Oh wonderful, I did only email him recently so he's probably still getting to it! Good to hear he managed a week away!

Does anyone know the best way to get a hold of Tim? Or an up to date price/stock list?

Excuse my incompetence - formatting issues resolved. Whistle manifold image in place!

An update! I am still deciding what to do with this baseboard. Now that the top is on, I think I want to try and get my hands on some Tim Horn boards - silly, maybe, but they'll fit together better, have backboards attached. I've been working on the Z in dribs and drabs still: I made up a sanding linkage out of some scrap etch, clack valves from branchlines castings and a whistle manifold. The WM manifold in the kit looked nothing like the metal spider that sits atop the boiler of the prototype Z. This still isn't 100% accurate, but it's certainly better. I've also been working on weathering a C1 for a friend - something a little different!

Track looks ripper mate! I'd agree with Mike, unlike the navvies (who had to deal with pre-planted grass) it's easier to lay + ballast the track and then plant the grass.

Wow.. 5 months since my last post, and the 28th marking the 5th birthday of this thread. Woo! A few updates on the home front, one of the major ones being - we now own one! This is very exciting - and while there isn't room for a full layout, there is room for something. This will form the base for a small diorama, approx. 2200mm x 540mm. My first venture of this kind, and I'm figuring it out as I go along! The space this will reside is the next exciting bit - My own workshop! A few things need doing, some modifications to the main bench, and the fitting of new lights in the part the diorama will sit. There's also the previous owners welding table which folds down from the wall, opposite the diorama. This is fairly deep and very heavy. I plan to replace this with a wooden bench situated at a height more friendly to someone over 6'. This should provide a permanent residence for my 3D printer. Anyways, enough of that. Summer typically signals a slow-down in my modelling work, and this year has been no exception. I really haven't done much of anything meaningful, As i'm slowly getting set up in a new space, I've managed to get a few tid-bits done. The Z has re-emerged, and really all that's left is getting the chassis finished, this is really just fiddly detail bits, brakes and the motion. I'm tackling it a piece at a time, the most recent bits have been the crossheads, and the motion bracket. The cylinders also now bolt to the chassis. The motion bracket will be fixed to the cylinders too, making the whole lot removeable. That's all for now, hopefully this is a relatively interesting update - with more to come!

I like the idea of a 3 way turnout with interlaced sleepers! Also, Don't waste any more time with the mouth breather who keeps harassing you. His threat below, suggesting that he will further escalate this by posting something, can only end badly for him. Really looking forward to the release of the EM diamond crossing!

Could it possibly be 35014, and will need a new nameplate as the model comes with black, and you need a red one? Edit: You also mentioned you needed to change the tender emblem!

Man, That gloss coat under 2554 really makes a difference to the end result eh. GNR Tenders are my absolute favourite too. Glad to hear the railway room is (relatively) ok!