Bluemonkey presents....

With the CC7 and P Way brake nearing completion and the disappointment of the single bolsters brass kits I could not help myself and grabbed one these is bodge up to a pair of mites using the metal bolsters that were previously destined for the now single plankers. and a return to plastic kit making as well. See if I can get these completed before the next project which is looknig.

You have seen how slow I am modelling so in my case no worries, it is you and Rob that are having to be patient.

Airbrush Wednesday. Finally got brave enough to fight the airbrush again. That green really is not that bright to the naked eye! Here we are base grey for both the AA6 and CC7. Both should be ready for transfers by the weekend. I can finally put all the seperate parts of the AA6 together and the CC7 can now accept it's glazing ready for over washes. This green is closure to the Bachmann Lee Green tanker green than what appears to be a Fungus the Bogie Man green. This is the base colour for the acid tanker. I think transfers first then weathering and aging to follow but want to think about how best to attack it first and be able to visualise how I am going about it and end product. I have photographs of the tanker in Bristol Harbour so will base my though process on this.

I think I have got away with it again. I too am heavy on the paint especially white gloss, we will have to sit in the heavy hand corner together. This why I have started using white primer instead and seems to help (Halfords white pray primer). This is applied on top of the grey primer from the same source. I feel it covers better and has aa better finish than just using straight white primer. Not sure why this would be though.

Having taken the day off to to relax and finish the airbrushing of the CC7, P. brake and Sulphuric Acid tanker I also now had reworking of the roof to do. Well no plan survives first contact and this one didn't even make the initial skirmish. Greenhouses have run wild! These took the morning recycle run for the waste and major prune and clean of the aquaria put pay to the afternoon. How ever this did mean that any attempt to rework the mess I made of the P brake roof would be staggered. In between jobs whilst catching breathe I sanded the paint back to remove all the marking, bubbling and cracking. This also had the benefit of removing the appearance of the ridges and the bump on one of the end rain strips. Primed and tidying up cuttings. First coat of white and off to the recycling centre. Second coat and lunch. Now completely dry (I'm using white primer) I remembered I had not filled to small gaps where the rain strips attached, ! This will be filled tonight and a final (hopefully) coat of white in the morning. I feel this has worked very well to gain a better and smoother finish, so every cloud and all that. the ridges are much less as well now. Will have airbrush attack the wagons in the week. All the paint jobs should be completed, dry and hardened (especially with the weather) ready for for the coming CC7 transfers. Having been so impressed with the detail and outstanding quality of the CC2 and CC7 wagons from @chuffinghell I have asked if a special wagon could be considered and designed for myself. Part of the my on going WWII collection.

They say, "Some people never learn from their mistakes" Here's a prime example! Trying to do too much too quickly. Didn't leave enough time between coats of white and balls it up. Instead of completing the job faster it means I have to sand back and reapply base primer then on with the layers.

Roof ready for priming/painting. Not sure how those etched ribs are going fair when painting, hopefully they will disappear. At it happens the cross foot brace on my kneeling stool is a decent former for the arc of the roof. I have used the rain strips as provided and soldered which have worked quite well, rather than my usual method of glued plastic strip.

Thinking about it, it will still be possible to solder the roof as the ends could be tinned as well as the roof line (internally) just have to be more carefully with the iron tip and the primer. We'll see.

Foolishly I was in too much of a hurry to get the primer on and didn't attach the roof. With the decision made to now have to glue in place clear windows it will be. Honestly some people! 😉

Brake detail is much easier to see now primed. Handrails much better in wire than flat etc. Step boards added and primed, thought I was there but forgot me buffers! I really like this kit and has some lovely details included, such as the lamp irons and rivet detail also included are some GWR works plates. These will be painted separately and then added to the sole bar. What does strike me as odd or even disappointing is the lack of window ledges for the glass windows. The boarded one has this included but I have had to use some 'waste' brass fret to fabricate them and a real faff to solder these on. I would think it would be easy to included the on the etch as a 90 degree bend (much like the lamp irons). A detail probably more noticeable if not on the model than if on but something that surely could have been included with ease. Now for the roof. This has been half etched in order to aid the shaping of the roof. Will have ago with this but expecting to swap out of a flat piece of brass as the etch lines will show underneath and not sure this will appear right. Time to hit the books again.

Only managed the replacement hand rails for the sides last night. Fiddly to get them in position and shaped especially as a single piece of wire but got there in the end. I figured that if I used numerous lengths for each sequence then I would be running the risk of damage when in service. Decided to remove the door hand rails and replace as well as adding the central handrail for the stable door, a job for later on. I note the author of the instructions and provider of the pictures has also replaced these.

I do like using brass and certainly the end result but I can not help the itch to get back to some pre-printed wagons.

Next up the wheel arrangements. The come is effectively in two sections; the wagon body and the W-irons. With the sole-bar shaped and attached to the body the wheel arrangement was the next focus. Now I am building completely as per kit instructions (not knowing any different) but I think if I was to make another (for myself) I would leave some of the brake gearing off. Each unit can be compensated but make sure you know which or both prior to starting on the detailing. As if you attach the sand pipes, as per instructional picture, then you need to ensure the slop in the middle of the units is the correct way around to locate the flats through the body in order to create the lever in the middle. The brake shoes are instructed to be folded and laminated but I found mine to have the detail the wrong way round to fold and expose so end up removing one shoe and soldering it separately. Bit fiddly but the yokes are accepted through the hole in the shoes without drilling out. To achieve this I removed as much of the etch from the fret, allowing for additional lengths if required. I then threaded this through the first brake show that has already been attached to the unit and the single removed shoe. With locking tweezers the shoes are held together and fixed with a small amount of solder. This in turns also attaches and fixes the yoke mechanism without losing any details or gumming up through excessive solder. Brake safety straps are the last to add along with the white metal castings. Once these are cleaned up and painted they will be attached to the body and the brake linked (also included in the kit) will be attached to the two units and the floor. I have the foot board to fold up and attached to those aerial type hangers in picture one (these also need folding prior to attaching the boards) and handrails. Again the kit provides small clamps etched into the vertical strapping to locate the handrail wire, this I think is a brilliant little touch. Then to look at the roof and whether this is to be soldered or glued, replaced or used. The conclusion of this will determine how the windows are to be glazed, either clear or using my dodge.

Morning Ric, It certainly is. Very nice kit as well. Instructions include some colour pictures of finished wagon and compensation unit. Instructions are relatively easy to follow even for someone who knows very little like me. The kit can be built compensated from outset, no additional compensation unit required and the brake detailing epic (for me at least). The only draw back I have come across at the moment it the lack of brass wire in the kit, relying on etched brass flats for this. Even has it's own brass roof although this is half etch to aid bending so yet to see how this works but may provide the appearance of planking underneath, where exposed.

Not my neatness work, had real trouble sweating the steel panel to the body. Not overly keen on the etched hand rails for the door so may have to revisit this before completion. Fibre pen cleanup and a sonic bath and everything will disappear under primer.

little over ambitious thinking I could batch build some toads as I have two separate manufacturers and two diagrams. Only one got started yesterday but as it is a permanent way brake, fits nicely in.

My chosen layout location (if I can ever get the build going) is Chippenham during the 1920s although this is for the rail plan so I plan to have stock from 1890s-1940s. No timetabling but trains will be made up of sensible and logicle stock, i.e. no red wagons being pulled by a King. My permanent way stock many consists of Reading stock with the crane and mess wagons/coach to be stabled at Swindon.

With the success of the CC2 wagon purchased from Chuffinghell's newly designed wagons and the lovely transfer set from Railtech that was produced especially for this wagon. I have been cracking on with the CC7 wagon from the same stable. The current status is; roof ready for glazing and then weathering and the wagon is fully primed and ready for the body colour followed by glazing whilst awaiting the planned transfer set before lightly weathering (not as heavy as the CC2). With the completion of the T3, T7, T12 or what ever they are (Signal engineering opens) suddenly quite a collection of permanent way related wagons have appeared. Almost to rival my WWII collection of which I must remember to finish painting the Sulphuric Acid tanker whilst the airbrush is in action. Two of the three sleeper wagons need chaining up and they all need transfers. One of the single plank wagons (formally Falcon single bolster wagons) needs transfers. The ballast plough requires couplings. Finally the bogie mess coach requires hand rails, name boards and detailing; vac pipes lamp brackets etc. I also need to find a way to stop it from swaying side to side on the bogies. Oh and roof attaching. With a break in the weather and that from gardening and veg duties I plan to batch build a few Toads to maximise the use of the airbrush for the CC7.

Catching you up! Going to try a nd get a couple of Toads done to maximise the use of the airbrush whilst the transfer sets are being produced. The CC2 sets are fab so really looking forward to the CC7 ones as the HMRS text these days is not quite as fine as Railtech's.

Catching you up! Cant wait to see what transfers sets are produced, the ones for the CC2 were splendid.

Having already finished my signal dept opens in grey I am also heading in I. That direction. Especially with @Compound2632 evidence. Besides it has been debated for years so as long as you happy with your model and livery and it suits your stock that's all that really counts in the end.

Heading towards grey with black wash

That's torn it. I was just getting settle for weather/faded black. 🤠 Get me thinking hat on again

Fingers crossed for the insurance to play ball. Hope the damage it not too bad to either bike, rider or companion. I appreciate the trauma is not always the worse to the those directly involved. CC7, with it's imminent arrival in the South West the decision has been made to paint representing a faded black. Now how to achieve this is further open to debate. Especially as I have just finished 4 signal Dept opens in full on grey!

Flipping ell. Go careful, glad to hear you are not overly damaged!