MikeOxon

Thank you DonB. I'm working on a second part, to describe panel lining, which I hope will also be helpful. Mike

Are you sure it is fer and not f

This is magnificent - you must be extremely pleased and justifiably proud of the result. Congratulations! Mike

Pleased to help. Having seen your profile, you're younger than me Mike

I find chassis building a bit daunting as well - though pre-grouping 2-2-2s avoid many alignment problems. Taking time - care and patience - seems to be the key. I had some old K's kits that never ran well but, when i came back to them with 30 years more experience, I managed to get them running pretty well! As you know, I 'cheat', with options like tender drive and SPUD bogies Mike

Thank you for your additions, KH1. There are lots of problems that can arise when trying to match printer and screen resolutions. The screen uses additive (RGB) pixels, while the printer uses subtractive (CMYK) dots, so there is never a 1:1 correspondence. Printer dots per inch (DPI) are not the same as pixels/inch and, usually, much higher printer DPI are needed than the screen pixel size would suggest. This is one area which the full version of Photoshop manages, whereas PSE omits these specialised print functions. I haven't explored this subject very far but will show some microscope views in future posts, which illustrate this point. PSE has had layers since version 2 and it is this feature which allows lines to be moved about, as I described. Mike

Thank you very much for the kind remarks, guys. As one who holds the modelling displayed in www.gwr.org.uk in awe, I am somewhat astonished (pleasantly) by your comments on 'Stella', Mikkel - it was a very basic conversion and quite incorrect in many details - including,of course, the wheelbase! Certainly not a model on which to look for the odd missing rivet. I now have a set of the RCTS books on GWR locomotives, so know that 3205 did not receive a Belpaire firebox until 1915, so it would never have looked like this, with red frames- sadly. However, 3505 did receive a B4 boiler in 1904, so that one might be a better candidate - until someone tells me why that won't do, either. Alas, the more one reads, the more difficult it becomes to make an accurate model Mike

A couple of members on the forums have indicated that they would like to know more details of how I create my own transfers for lining and lettering pre-grouping models. I have already written a little in my earlier post "Cheats Lining & Lettering" and I must also admit that, because I model GWR prototypes, much of what is needed can actually be bought from the trade! I am one of those "scratch-builders" that likes to do things "because I can" I use a Windows PC, together with Adobe Photoshop Elements (PSE) software, to produce the 'artwork' and print onto white Inkjet Water-Slide Decal Paper from http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/ , using a Hewlett-Packard Deskjet 6980 printer. Of course, other equipment and materials could be used but these are what I am familiar with and will describe in detail. I use the 'white' decal paper, rather than 'clear', because printers are designed to print on a white background and the inks tend to be too transparent to show up against a dark background. In addition, there is no white ink, so white areas are formed by letting the white background show through. I shall begin by describing a rather basic operation:- that of creating boiler bands. To do this, we have to set up the computer and associated printer to work to scale and then use these tools to produce the various coloured lines which, together, make up the band. For GWR locomotives, during the period 1881 - 1906, the standard boiler bands consisted of a 1½" wide black band, flanked by two 1/8" orange-chrome lines. Since 1/8" is the smallest dimension in the lining that I am designing, I base the settings in PSE around this figure. I feel that a 3 pixel (px) wide line is the minimum for reliable and even printing, so my first calculations assume that 3 pixels will equate to 1/8" in the prototype. Hence, if 1/8" = 3 px then 1" will need 24 px and 1 foot will need 288 px. I model in 4 mm scale (1/76), so these 288 px will be required to represent a distance of 4 mm on the model, or 72 px = 1mm. Hence, I need to set up a new page in PSE to a resolution of 720 px/cm. Click on 'New' and enter the dimensions shown below into the box that appears (I use a rather old version of PSE, so your input box may look different), These dimension will provide 10 cm lengths of lining - adjust the width of the drawing area if you need more or less. New Page Set-up in PSE When producing transfers, I aim to surround the patterned areas with the underlying body colour, to make for a smooth transition to adjacent painted areas. Thus, I flood-fill the new page with the basic green colour of the boiler. When I open the 'pre-1928' green from http://www.gwr.org.uk/liverieslococolour.html , the PSE colour picker indicates the colour as R,G,B = (1,46,3), so I fill with this, as the background colour. Now use the 'Line' tool to draw a horizontal black line, with the width set to 36 px (= 1½") - hold down the 'Shift' key to constrain the tool. 'Simplify' this line, then draw an orange-chrome line of width 3px, close to the first line. For 'orange-chrome', I used R,G,B = (255,128,64). Zoom in to 'Actual Size' and use the 'Move' tool to place the orange line immediately adjacent to the black line. Repeat for the orange line on the opposite side of the band, and then 'Flatten' the image, in the 'Layers' menu. If you want to know more about moving and manipulating layers in PSE, you might like to read my article at http://home.btconnect.com/mike.flemming/layers.htm Placing line with the 'Move' tool in PSE If you want more lengths of this lining, select the complete band then copy and paste duplicate versions on your transfer sheet. Use 'Print Preview' to see how the complete transfer will appear on the page and, preferably, move the image towards the top edge of the sheet, so that the rest of the sheet can be used for other images. If you want to save the image for later use, save it as a TIFF file, rather than JPEG, to avoid any artefacts, which will spoil the crisp edges of the lines. Print Preview screen in PSE It's now necessary to set up your printer for high-quality printing at maximum dots per inch (DPI). On my HP printer, I select 'Presentation printing' under the 'Printing Shortcuts' tab and 'Maximum dpi' under the 'Paper/Quality' tab. This results in 4800 x 1200 dpi printing. Other printers will have different set-up procedures, so experimentation may be needed to get the best results. I place a single sheet of decal paper in the feeder tray and, after printing, leave about 15 minutes for the ink to dry thoroughly. I use a guillotine to cut off the printed area - the rest of the sheet can be saved for further use. Next, it is vital to spray or brush the whole surface of the decal with waterproof varnish - I use Humbrol clear gloss, as I find the matt finish gives a slightly 'milky' look and softens the detail. Some printer inks (e.g. Epson) are claimed to be waterproof but I have not tried these and probably wouldn't trust them without varnish! I cut out the bands individually from the transfer sheet, leaving a green edge to blend with the boiler paintwork, and immerse each one in clean (demin or distilled) water, with a couple of drops of washing-up liquid added as a wetting agent. The decals will curl up at first but should flatten after a minute or so - this can be helped with a paintbrush. I also 'paint' the body of the model with the same water and then use a paintbrush to slide the transfer off the backing paper onto the model, and tamp it down into place with the brush. Job done Actually, you may find that 'true scale' lining is too 'subtle' in 4 mm scale (or smaller), so I have found that a slightly wider orange line can be desirable. Trial and error may be needed to meet your personal taste. The example shown below is my GWR 'Stella', converted from a Mainline Dean Goods. It was my first attempt and I may have over-done the orange a little, at least for photographic purposes - it looks quite good (to me), in practice. GWR 'Stella' with 'home-made' Lining and Lettering Next time, I will write about panels, corners,and adding logos, etc. Mike

Go for it! It's much easier to get your ideas turning into reality, when the scale of effort is not too daunting The surface of that box-file already looks like a coal yard. Mike

I'll write something up on my Pre-Grouping Blog, rather than clutter up this thread. Give me a day or two to put something together Mike

Because there is so little available?

True - most people will go for a hologram.- much less hassle and never any need for "the big hand in the sky" All those 19th century workmen and horses will be faithfully represented, too Mike

Just imagine. You design a layout with Scarm v.23 then put the baseboard under the roving print-head and leave it a while to 'grow' the track, landscape, buildings, trees, trains, etc. How boring On the matter of lining, I make my own transfers using ink-jet printable transfer film. Mike

At first glance, your first pic looked like a cake, just out of the oven Your short legs for table-top use seem an excellent idea - could be all you need, if a show has a table you could use. I look forward to watching the scenery being developed. Mike

You are correct to point out that additive manufacture does not necessarily mean 3D printing. The 3D printer is simply a method for building up a series of very thin layers automatically, but we can do similar things ourselves, although, for practical reasons, the individual layers have to be thicker. I think some modellers forget that there is usually the option to fabricate a part oneself. As a scratch-builder myself, I enjoy thinking out ways to solve construction problems, without buying ready-made parts.

I know that I'm over a year late in this thread - only just been reading it. Personally, I edit photos to remove extraneous stuff, such as a fascia, so I wouldn't bother what it is. My own layout runs close to the front edge of the baseboard and, if I'm photographing locos or stock, I paste in a plain colour foreground to suit the photo. There's an example in my blog at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1405/entry-12835-trial-of-the-reds/ It depends on the scene but, visually, I think the fascia should tone in with the layout. If it's a rural layout then green cloth seems to work, while grey may be more appropriate for an industrial scene. Mike

aaaaarrgh! I'm with mikeandnel and aim to keep anything that might be remotely useful! I've resorted to carving some small bits out of brass bar, using a wheel cutter and sanding drums on my mini-drill (safety glasses essential). Mike

As Etched Pixels wrote, there are 'work-arounds' for many of the perceived difficulties of scratch building. In addition, pre-grouping prototypes tend to be relatively simple, as I mentioned in post #23 in this thread. Modern glues are very effective, though you do have to remember that surface preparation is just as important as when using solder. There is a problem, however, when it comes to adding all those important details! Unless you have workshop skills and facilities,you are going to have to find suppliers of suitable chimneys, domes, etc.... In my experience, there are several good suppliers out there but they tend to be rather elusive - difficult to contact by either phone or e-mail and, in many cases, computer-averse, so no up-to-date websites to help you see what you are buying! These suppliers provide an invaluable service but I wish they would catch up with the 21st century Mike

Thanks, Mickey. I agree that it does look like hay. Mike

Great stuff. You now need to do some serious partying in celebration When I see it at an exhibition, I shall have to ask "Who does the kit for that?" [run] Mike

What a splendid BANG! I hope the kids enjoyed it. Someone at an exhibition is sure to comment "Oh dear, did it get damaged bringing it here" Mike

Thanks again, Buffalo. I'm still not sure about the number on the end. Compared with other wagons shown in the same (complete) photo, it doesn't look like them and there seem to be spaces in the writing, which looked to me more like a tare listing. Having read the Stanier article, it seems that provender was mixed (hay, oats, beans, etc.) and then bagged for distribution to the various depots so, presumably, these wagons are carrying raw materials for delivery to the stores. Or it might be bedding straw? The way the load is heaped high above the wagon sides is what I wanted to know about when I first posted. Mike

As a result of Buffalo's information, I have now been able to examine a photograph of two provender wagons outside the Didcot stores. This photo appears to be associated with an article from the Great Western Magazine, October 1906, by W.H.Stanier. i agree that the left-hand wagon is probably the diagram Q1 as the DC1 type brake is visible. The other wagon may well be from the earlier 1884 batch. I have enhanced a small section of the photograph for research purposes and it would appear that the lettering does not conform to the usually accepted layout of the time. Nothing is very clear, so my thoughts are speculative. It looks to me that the letters G.W.R are on the bottom plank at the R.H.end The lettering on the visible end of the wagon is almost certainly not the number but looks to me as though it may well be the Tare weight. At the bottom left of the side, there is probably the number but above that, it seems to me that it may state "To Carry", with the weight at the opposite (R.H.) end, so avoiding the diagonal bracing. in addition, there is writing higher on the side, each side of the doors, which I think may be "Return to" on the left and "Didcot GWR" on the right (both in two lines). I am well aware that's all very speculative, though the details are just a little clearer on the original. 'd welcome any further thoughts or comments. Mike

"Charming country cottage. Would benefit from some renovation" I notice from the post time that you have been burning the midnight oil, KH1, but it's looking good. Pity you will be blowing it up next!

Thank you for the very helpful response, Buffalo. Your description of the photo in Vaughan jogged my memory and I realised that what is probably the same photo appears in Janet Russell's book on GW Horse Power - Fig.267. There's even a chapter about the Provender Stores that I had completely forgotten! That's always my problem with books - having them on the shelf does not mean that I know everything that's in them Mike