Bluemonkey presents....

I believe that I have two choices now. The original design is still possible with a little tighter curves to the East End or flip the layout around in the room meaning the West End will face up the new boiler and this is the easier side as the town bridge (known as 'the arches') can face up the boiler and can easily accommodate a removable section. Before all this happen though a loft conversion is required to create a purpose railway spare room. Stay with me folks this is going to be a long development and one to test the stamina of not only a part time modeller but RMWeb itself!

Here we are again, still waiting, trying to be patient but losing the will to continue for sure. On a more positive note the two rescue projects I have picked up are near build completion. Not my best or neatest work but certainly will pass muster once painted. I just need to create brake handles for the Damo B as I could not find any etched offerings from suppliers. The door bangs on the manure wagon look a little bent, I'll adjust those later. The side steps on the Damo B are additions from Dart Castings but the central steps I fabricated from brass wire and strip. The extra detailing of the doors was (as all the detailing parts) missing from the original purchase are a mix of spare parts and wire. The brakes are a bodge of four sets of brake gear chopped and with microstrip additions. The manure wagon again required reworking. luckily the rivet detailing was present but required attaching. A fiddley but worth while job. Door hinges as per instructions are a small strip of wire and really makes the difference. I have two 6 wheeled fish wagons (previously built) without this detail and now it certainly shows so may have to add this to them before packing everything up. Buffers are form Lanarkshire Models as is the vac pipes on the Damo B. Fantastic mouldings and very reasonable pricing, just ensure you bag a number of their buffer and vac pipes sets. A similar bodge was made for the brakes on this one as the Damo.

Been doing a little 'Uri Geller'. Misuse of wooden skewer and a metal rule to try and replicate wagon door bangs for a waiting wagon kit build. Everything is much reliant on the completion of the outstanding projects. Flat to be attached to the sole-bar with the curve outward and pointing under the wagon. Hopefully these are correct as I think I am fully committed here. Tarp appears quite nice in the pics as well, if I do say so myself

A little bit of thumb in the middle, closed eyes and magic

Thank you @MrWolf but I genuinely have no idea about anything I just put kits together.

Thank you and I have my fingers crossed and a tin hat just in case. So far it has lasted without any support for 24 hours as well as being thrown around as I have had to bodge the door bars as well. It was one of those kits from eBay, semi built with parts missing (maybe). Well definitely yes all the fine detailing parts and brake gear stuff so having to throw something together to make it look presentable, also have already taken the semi built parts apart and start again. It had compensation units which I enjoyed messing around with until I realise the wagon has tie bars and the ride height was way high due to the compensation. Needless to say it is no longer compensated, lol. I have watched your MR wagon build and static grass. Nice job on both. I am learner the techniques for if/when I can get my layout started but I think I will stick with just Western stock, that causes me enough headaches and irritation for now.

Unfortunately I have to make the roof from plasticard as it did not have one to start with The roof curve is quick something.

Awesome risky but appears you have the backing required

Meanwhile;

Many thanks my friend. Hope it is nothing serious and you are on the mend soon. Dont worry about anything other than getting fit and well first but thank you I appreciate it.

Thank you everyone. Back to the tarps and other distractions as there has been a little hick up with the transfers. I have much thinking and plotting to do. This will be my first as most likely only focused tarp so happy to put a little more work into it. I have looked at some old Smiths paper tarps I have and they seem to all have the 1930s date to them, disappointing to say the least. I appreciate my stock covers a huge time period but I still prefer to aim in general for the 20s. Oh well keep trying.

Utterly brilliant @Mikkel. Fantastic modelling as well as the concept. Thank you for sharing and what a brilliant idea, bringing an entire new level to backscenes. Also provided me with a few ideas to maybe get my plans restarted, thank you.

It has been a while searching and not finding anything of use regarding the finer details to tarpaulins and wouldn't you know it, after being side tracked by the arrival of Siphon C transfers and a DAMO B kit to resurrect I found a couple of decent tarpaulin pictures. Oh well book marked for later but I do spy seams on them Back to the transfers first!

I emailed the address provided and instructed over two weeks ago and have heard nothing in reply

Second version is now drying. This will need to be an all nighter. I cut 5 lengths and then fastened back together with the slightest overlap. this required further touching up and two more washes as well. Should I make another or more I would cut and fix before priming. The ink washes have highlighted the overlaps and I hope the pictures shows give a lovely impression of a seam, maybe not the correct seam as the pictures show but a seam nonetheless. This is a lot less raised than the previous attempt with thread and if the overlaps start each side at the centre, outwards then generally the naked eye only sees the 'seams' nearest and not those on the other side. These pictures are taken from either side. Here's a group shot for comparison. Top being the initial oily tarp which will be used for the military WW1 tank loads. Left to right; Version 2 as pictured above, Version one with thread seams and a spare. Now to try and get the numbering and lettering right as well as the positions! Happy for any pointers please. I see from the pictures that the GW appears to be at the wagon ends only with the tarp number on all 4 sides with a date symbol (thank you @Compound2632 for this insight) on the right and in red on the left but have only seem this on one side (not the red).

@Gedward I wish you well in both your move, sale and new build. As Rob said you are welcome to post anything on my thread should you need an outlet or anything. It has been a pleasure and an inspiration watching your layout develop as well as learning some new techniques and things to look out for. I would love to make an offer for Bovey-Tor but I have enough room for my planned layout let a lone another. Good luck and cant wait for your next build once you are settled. Matt.

Ah nuts, not to worry we are still in development after all. This will have to be amended on the next effort. The foil part of the wrapper is just under 6cm so almost perfect width. Dry brushed the sheet with more freight grey and appears to have 'flattened' the seams appearances. Here is the result. I like the outcome but I agree with @Mikkel that the seams are never visible in the photographs and therefore they are highly unlikely to have been visible to the naked eye from any 'normal' distance. There is a danger here to start creating something overly obvious because we know it was there rather than modelling what we see. I have another idea to try before it is accepted that realistically the seams would not be visible and to move on to attempting the numbering. This will require two wrappers in order to create one sheet. The idea to actually manufacture a sheet as if it was real. 5x individual lengths fixed together. Hopefully the act of fixing these sheets together will provide as more realistic but lease obtrusive seam appearance.

That's a great picture @Mikkel I have tried the polyester thread for a seam but after viewing your picture I think it is too proud. The thread was glued into place after painting and ink wash. Then the glue spots on the sheet touched up with freight grey, followed by a two washes of nuln oil. First was a complete sheet the second just touching the threads.. Now much darker as a result. Needs another 24hr drying period to ensure fully dry then will have to compare the result with pictorial evidence however I already fear it is too thick. The thread is also straight and parallel with each other, the second picture has the foil distorted.

OK here's a couple of pictures for the tarp itself, from yum yum to covering. Unfortunately the prized item from the wrapper was consumed last Christmas but I have a stash of the wrappers with this sort of thing in mind. Here goes, boring and straight forward but may be of some use to others. The actions are quick but you really do need to allow things to dry between stages so can take a few days to complete. Better doing a batch of tarps rather than just the one as I am doing. Sorry about the first pictures not sure what happened as same place, light etc as the others. Here we have the original incorrect tarp with it's humble beginnings to the right. Also here we have the cattle wagon that it will be covering. I have replaced the original roof with a plasticard substitute, shown by the other wagon that is waiting for specific livery details to arrive. I did this as the wagon is always to be covered thus providing a spare roof for any future requirements. Carefully cut away the clear plastic, best with scissors rather than a knife as this can tear the thin plastic and foil. Paint tends not to adhere to these wrappers very well. I used Halfords rattle can primmer, 2 coats. Painting; The original tarp I used Mig Faded Sinai Grey 0066 and Citadel Agrax Earthshade wash. The new GWR one I am using Railmatch GWR Freight Grey and Citadel Nuln Oil. The above picture shows the tarp after receiving two coats of Railmatch and during the drying stage. Railmatch paint is considerably thicker than Mig and Vallejo so I will have to wait and see what happens when the sheet is cut to size and manipulated over the wagon. This may cause considerably more cracking than the other paints but either way easily repair/disguised with a tiny more paint and wash to cover. In fact sometimes this has the added benefit of adding more wrinkles and crease lines. The paint pot picture (GWR) is again still drying but has received a heavy coat of Nuln Oil wash. After 24hrs drying here's the sheet ready for (hopefully) some further detailing. I plan to use some very fine polyester thread (painted and inked) to represent the seams and some silk threads, painted, for the ropes. Not sure of the eyelet detailing as yet, this may have to be omitted using the modellers compromise. Fingers crossed the threads work. If not will have to obtain more wrappers to try again

@MrWolf I have used Narrow Planet a while ago to produce a number of signal box name plates (still waiting the boxes and layout though). Nicely produced but you need to know the exact measurements you require. I'll try and dig them out and picture them if you are interested? Not sure if I mentioned them on my thread, probably during Hercules build thread as I used them for the number/name plates.

Big thank you for everyone's thoughts and comments. Certainly have a lot more to think about than just topping out the wagon. Will do some more research regarding the details. I have a plan for a new tarp. Painting wise will document a brief overview here shortly as these are relatively quick to do and material is easy to come by especially with the coming seasonal holidays. I am think maybe I can use some spare wagon transfers for the numbering etc, Loads of Microsol maybe to really soften the transfers? Worth a try aleast.

That wagon looks great but appreciate the time period, I was totally unaware of the technicalities of tarps until @Compound2632 pointed them out (of which I thank him greatly), another Great Western minefield, lol. Thank you regarding the other tarp. I can use it elsewhere for those military items or a load machine load type thing I guess. The secret behind the folds and creases is simply chocolate and ink.

@Compound2632 Very much appreciate you insight, thank you. I have a lot more to research before proceeding.

I am tempted though have a little go with the paint brushes or maybe dig a couple of transfer off cuts, hmmmm