James Harrison

Maybe one day, when the to-do mountain has been brought back under control. 

the rivet counters  will be turning in their anoraks

I've said it before, I shall say it again (and no doubt again and again and again).  If the rivet counters have access to information on Great Central carriages I would very much appreciate their sharing it, as it is currently the single biggest gap in my researches.  I understand a book on GCR passenger stock is being written- well the author is guaranteed one sale at the very least.  As it stands, the carriage isn't a million miles off a proper GCR carriage diagram- and that's good enough for me.  

Sometimes you have to follow the will of God :-)  Apart from the foot boards, some appropriate fittings between the wheels will make it convincing enough I think.

 

It's interesting how much impact those roof vents make on the other one. They really help change the appearance from the originals.

I won't repeat what I said when it broke!  However, having had time to cool down and do a little research (and it has to be a little, see above comment about a lack of literature on GCR coaching stock), I actually think that leaving it as a 4-wheeler would result in a model closer to a GCR carriage than would making the effort to repair it and finish it as a 6-wheeler.  I quite agree about the roof vents; for such a small set of parts it is very surprising the effect they have. 

It rather makes me wonder- the Ratio Midland suburbans are quite close to some GC types, with the exception of the roof (which should I think be 3-arc profile). It makes me wonder, would replacing the roofs of those repay the effort necessary? 

I can certainly appreciate the quirky, whimsical factor (also the rather attractive little tank locos).  I'm sorely tempted by the Minitrains Bagnall tank....

Hmmmm, I think 'Rufford Waterworks Rai;way' has a certain ring to it.

top one looks like a snailbeach coal wagon and the bottom one is a glyn valley

Well spotted on both.  (I am thinking of getting another couple of each for a pair of rakes.... oh and some tippers as well.... and I guess I'd need at least one more loco to haul that lot....)- is this how people get addicted to narrow gauge?

What a gorgeous little machine. 

Thank you!

The Jinty gave up its boiler, smokebox and firebox.  Where the tanks were was where the splashers are now, so I just had to extend the firebox sides down and the boiler underside back a little. 

I think I am right in saying that traction engines and steam rollers had 'permanent' chimneys- that is, they didn't hinge.  Portable steam engines on the other hand- the ones that didn't move under their own power and were basically a boiler on wheels- those ones did have a hinged chimney that was set horizontal for transporting. 

I'm pleased you've enjoyed reading the blog!

I've heard Halfords paints have quite a good reputation, I'll bear those in mind thanks. 

That's a pity; good job I have (had) a spare then. 

The new smokebox wrapper is just glued in place over the old one; if you use something like UHU glue which takes a little while to dry, you can fit it in place and then have a little time to make final adjustments before the glue sets.  You can probably tell it is a little fragile at the moment- I seem to have dented the new smokebox wrapper!- but a bit of filler will sort that out before too long. 

Thank you!

The date I'm aiming for is around 1921/22, so it has the Robinson chimney and the original dome. 

Now the original model I hacked up to give me the boiler and dome for the D6 was a Triang Jinty.  The Jinty's dome is very close to the right size, it's just slightly too short and maybe a little too narrow- so it might be an option to pursue for an LNER D6 dome (if not from the Triang/ Hornby model then maybe a brass or whitemetal casting). 

Thank you.  Getting the livery right is something that has taken a lot of practice!- I forsee that by the time I've worked through my list of projects, I'll be going back to earlier efforts and repainting them. 

Indeed; this is one of the reasons why I buy as many books on the GC as possible.  I try to model, so far as possible, from dated photographs; in this instance the photo is in John Quick's GCR liveries book and is of no.186 in around 1920.  (In fact that reminds me I need to plate in the tender coal rails, and add a valve lever- not quite finished yet...).     

Thank you both. 

Well done nice bit of proper modeling. I know what you mean about window layouts I'm struggling with a 1900 period WCJS parcels sorting coach trying to work out the window spacing's from just the carriage diagram book plan and one photo of the other side only, still that's part of the fun I guess. The finish on yours looks teak? would be interested how you achieved that. Steve

It is teak, yes.  The way I do it is to use an yellow/orange/light brown enamel as a base coat (usually I put two coats down), then I take a mid brown and stipple it over with a firm brush.  Before it dries I remove most of it with a paper tower, and what is left behind looks like woodgrain.  If it looks too light, I repeat this over (usually I end up doing this twice).  Once it is all done, it looks very drab, but when it has been varnished the colour comes up beautifully. 

I admire your attitude. You don't sit around waiting for Dapol or Hornby to deliver, you just do it. Power to your elbow.

 

Keep an eye out for very old D&S plastic kits of these Robinson coaches - you may just find a few.

Plastic kits of Robinson stock?!? Never knew they existed!- I'll keep a look out!

I must admit, I did not realise that RMW had an image-hosting option. 

Thanks!

Nameplates aren't really on the list as such; I have some sitting in the spares box that I can put to use.  Now works plates, on the other hand, I will need to buy in.   

Thanks!  I'm rather looking forward to fitting all the bits to it. 

Thanks; I do like your H-class.  Very nice.  I have a couple of 3D-printed boiler fittings in a spares box that I am planning to use (bought for a Bachmann Emily- Stirling Single conversion, before the NRM special edition was announced); but I'll have a look at RT Models and bear them in mind should the spares box option not answer.

~Addendum~ found the RT Models site; found that the cost of the parts was negligible; bought them...

Thanks!  I've heard on Facebook that it might be a Nucast model (which I had forgotten about!- there were [are?] three kits I know of- Nucast, Craftsman and Little Engines). 

I found the drawing software included really easy to get my head around (this was perhaps the bit I worried about most,as usually I and computer software don't get on well at all). 

In all honesty, no.  All I can say is that I have used it to cut one sheet of 20thou plastic and about three of 10thou and at the moment it still seems okay.  It is my understanding that it is possible to buy multiple packs of cheaper blades via ebay, which I think is the route I shall be going down when the blade does go dull. 

Thank you!  I eventually went for 0.25mm thick plastic, which is very thin and flimsy but once the internal bulkheads are added it straightens up beautifully.  There are two layers for the side; the one to the rear has just the windows cut out whilst the one to the front has all of the beading and panelling added.  The ventilators over the doors are the small beading cut-outs refitted. 

I've been caught out this morning!- I drew the beading on the next carriage (brake third) too fine and when it cut out, well it sort of overlapped itself and split the plastic.  So I've had to redraw that part and will have another go at cutting it out later. 

Thank you very much; that is high praise indeed!  I totally agree, I think this (and 3D printing) are going to make things very exciting and interesting when it comes to the smaller, more unusual prototypes that ordinarily would never be considered for manufacture.  Especially considering how the likes of Shapeways and Silhouette will let you design something, upload it to their stores, and then make it available for general purchase, it is already possible to buy something and then print it out at home for construction. 

If there is interest I may put my designs on the Silhouette website for others to download and build.  So far I have drawn up and built the all third and I have just cut out parts for a brake third.  I am planning a composite and a full brake at the very least to do too, and maybe (in a few months time perhaps) some 48' Parker stock and 50' Edwardian stock.