westernviscount

More pics of the wagon. 

4 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

Those shackles are excellent. Just used chain on mine, need to revisit!

Thanks Phil. Clear your diary for the day and have a whiskey on standby!! I'm happy with the result but my goodness were they a pain! I think the main issue was gluing the container down first. A bit of wiggle room would have helped. 

This is delightful!!! 

Nicely done. These are not easy kits to complete to a good standard. My first one is basically a tricycle!! 

1 hour ago, Ravenser said:

Effective modelling and a useful post for others (though I'm personally pretty limited in what I can do on buffer beams as I use Kadees)

Thanks @Ravenser. I am satisfied with the outcome but as i say i would have liked a good old detailing kit. Yes, kadees would be quite restrictive but they are effective couplings. I use sprat and winkle hence the bar on the 121. 

Cheers for now. 

Dave

I got the driving wheels (x9887) from lendons in cardiff. I managed to get the trailer wheels (x9888) from ac models. I could only get one set of trailer wheels but as long as the driving wheels are changed i think that is enough. I did that for the 101 and it runs beautifully. 

5 minutes ago, sb67 said:

Glad you've sorted the 121 out, were the wheels a straight swap? 

Yes they were Steve. I took a risk but they are not that expensive and i assumed Hornby use the same gears on their driving wheels. Theye are a smaller diameter but this does not register visually. A lot cheaper than the alternatives!!

24 minutes ago, sb67 said:

Looks ok to me Dave. Nice work 

Cheers Steve. A job that has been lingering for a few years now. I also finally got the 121 running nice and smooth. I found the motor was very rough so got a replacement from Lendons of Cardiff. Added some extra pickups and swapped out the original wheels which have very deep flanges for the Hornby 153 wheels which have finer flanges and don't have tyres. Runs rather nicely now!

@Dubloseven which 12t chassis did you use? Are the parkside 10ft fitted chassis quite similar in their kits?

cheers

23 hours ago, RobMG said:

I think I might look at doing one or two of these.   Why did you need to make new doors,  were the kit doors not usable ?

 Hi Rob

Well some might say i didn't need to do it at all :-)  But, if you look at the very top picture it shows quite a gap between the top of the doors and the roof. This is because the kit is intended to have opening and closing doors, great for play-ability but not a feature i needed. Unfortunately i did not think about this when i built the kit and perhaps a strip of rivets at the top of the kit doors might have sufficed but i still think that would have been too thick. Also, the hinges are way too big to facilitate the opening and closing.

When i removed the roof and doors there was some damage to the doors anyway which was an extra reason for making my own. 

Cheers for now

Here's some great use of a cocktail stick @truffy . 

Cheers @46444. I hadn't used tamiya on rolling stock before and was in 2 minds about the brushed finish. The screen wash hack is a great call and will i am sure improve results. I actually used humbrol acrylic thinner which is all i had to hand. I know humbrol and tamiya are completely different entities!

Cheers @sb67. The torn roof on the previous post was a direct and unashamed copy of the Martyn Welch approach. I am going to experiment with tissue paper to create creases next time around. 

Cheers @Mikkel I am happy to share the results from my experiments and I have to acknowledge the influence of the work of others on my own!!  

Cheers for now

Dave

Nice work on the vans @Dubloseven. Good idea using the parkside chassis and i think if i was starting the kit from scratch i would do the same. 

Yes @46444 i was looking at a picture of one of these recently in the ale van guise. I am going for a late 60s early 70s set of 12t van generic markings with the xp within a square type decals.  

Cheers for now

@46444 i fear i have been turned to the darkside that is LMS castings!!! Damn RMWEB :-) 

The reverse van would be a very interesting project.

Cheers for now

Dave

Looks like a nice base model and some excellent additional work. 

I modified a Dapol version, taking back the rain strips and going for the set up you have chosen.

I have seen photos and videos of at least 2 other set ups. One being similar to yours and mine but with them oriented the other way with incline left to right with a kink in it.

Another, one long arcing rain strip per side from one end to the other. This photo is in the book goods wagons for modeller and historian. 

Another nice piece of modelling!

@Enterprisingwestern had i considered the problems with the kit before building i could have saved a bit of work. 

However, the effort has certainly eased LFM this end also!!

So.....tempted.....must.....resist! ;-) 

Wonderful. I also like your preparatory sketch. I feel inspired to pick up my pencils!!

6 hours ago, 46444 said:

 

Thankyou WV, 

 

They've been another fun project and really help you develop your skills no matter how many of the kits you've built. 

 

I think Dapol keeping these kits available and selling the un-decorated RTR wagons is to be applauded.

 

In these difficult times you can look no further than a Dapol kit as a quick project to lift the spirits. 

 

Cheers, 

 

Mark 

 

 

Totally agree Mark. My favourite is the BR Brake van which is in the lockdown draw along with some Lanarkshire bits and bobs ready to go!!

Cheers, Dave

These really are superb Mark. I like your style of modelling!

Dapol kits are still brilliant! their simplicity eased my return to the hobby then sustained my interest through more sophisticated improvements. They appeal to the beginner and the expert!

Nicely done. 

21 hours ago, down the sdjr said:

Those 3d prints will get rid of the round mould marks on the kit ends. I am going to try making my own roofs, the originals are too thick and never seem to sit flush, i have tried sanding them and its better, but not perfect.

I also try to scribe in the planking near the duckett that seems to be miss moulded.

Have you done the Dapol lowmac? i find the wheels are a really bad fit on them / out of square and derail a lot.

Thanks.

Yes, if i did nothing else to the kit, a new roof would be essential. I haven's mastered the technique yet as i get puckering along the sides where i perhaps haven't sanded enough. 

No, the lowmac is one i am yet to do. I did the JCB intended to be paired with it though. I have struggled with cambrian kits getting a nice square chassis. I use a piece of glass to sit the floor and solebars on. If i can, i also butt this up against something i know to be square then i place gentle weights on top as the cement hardens. Again, my impatience has lead to some pretty poor running wagons.  Also, as much as i love the Dapol kits, gibson or romford wheels are always substituted to avoid the wobble. 

cheers

Dave

17 hours ago, down the sdjr said:

You make these Dapol brake van kits look so good, I have built a couple so far and struggle with the finer details, really like the roofs, I think i need to take more time on models, i have a tendancey to rush through things. Lovely modelling.

Thank SDJR!

I love the Dapol brake van kit. it's cheap and It's so ripe for improvements which can be done at virtually no expense (which is one of my primary motivators!!). 

Yes, i too have a lack of patience when it comes to wanting things done. I find painting and weathering to be the most challenging in terms of taking my time and waiting for layers to dry etc. I enjoy these small projects because there is an end in sight from the outset and i am so familiar with the Dapol kit it is like and old friend!

I have one waiting in the wings and hope to improve it further by using my own 3d printed replacement inner end. 

Cheers for now.

I hope to get my hands on a copy at some point. Congratulations on the article. 

Dave

23 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

Thanks will give that a try, unfortunately the lid partially shattered when trying to open the jar, so I’m not too sure how well it will last now.  That said the paint is getting on for 20 years old now (even if it’s only been used twice in that time)

 

 

I had the same problem. One jar i never was able to open, having virtually destroyed the lid in a vice, the very top remained stuck fast! Mick's advice shall be followed from now on for me. 

Thanks Geoff,

I think the Dapol kits are excellent still and usually at less than £6 a go they are a bargain. 

I too am a fan of revamping these kits, my latest being a conversion to an LNER 20t example. 

Thanks for the tips on building a mermaid. I agree, Cambrian kits are not for beginners. I found the catfish really difficult, finding it hard to get the chassis true. The mermaid will certainly add to my engineers train. 

Cheers.

Dave