westernviscount

Well Mike I used brass tube for the pole, a wider diameter tube used for the base. I laminated and shaped plastikard for the lamp with a plastikard top. The name was simply printed on paper and stuck on which is slightly rough and ready but it looks OK I think.

Thanks Clag. Yes, i have enjoyed this project probably because the end is in sight early on and each element is fairly straight forward Thanks Mike, Yes, I agree on both counts. The handrails are .5mm because the model is handled regularly, however i doubt this actually makes much difference. I may well still act upon your lanarkshire buffers suggestion as i have used Dave's buffers for locos (a dropped Hymek!!!) in the past. In truth, i wanted this "build" to be zero expense which so far it has proven to be. I will post the final shots as soon as i complete the build as soon as i can! Then there will be the weathering! Cheers chaps.

Hi folks, I thought I would start a blog over here as opposed to the usual blog area. I enjoy kit building and bashing, weathering and general model making. I have a small layout, Templefield which is based around 1970 in West London Area on western metals. I recently was given 2 pretty rough Dapol LMS brake vans by my Dad. It seems they have lain dormant for a few years and are missing there roofs. One is missing an inner end and the other has broken/cracked roof supports at both ends. Both are missing their roofs. With this in mind, one decent brake will be cobbled from two for the time being, with one being stored for now. The model is a decent representation of the prototype however some mods will be needed. These will be: Wire handrails flush glazing ballast box underfloor Instanter couplings new roof refine the foot board struts repaint (partial, keeping the current numbers for convenience) Warning flashes to be added weathering The vehicles are easily dismantled using a blunt narrow tool like a screwdriver to press the clips out from the floor of the van. The door ends slide upwards and out quite easily. The tension lock couplings and mounting blocks are removed with a chisel blade and the plastic hook and plate molding cut away and sanded. A brand new chisel knife is used to remove the handrail molds. The sharper the blade the cleaner the removal. It was possible to remove the whole handrail flush to the body in one movement. I kept the handrail bracket moldings in situ as I didn't think I would create anything finer. The wire is .5mm brass. holes .5mm were drilled, although having done plenty of hand rails before I thought a finer tolerance would be OK. It proved almost impossible for me to get the wire to sit straight as the holes needed to be in absolutely the correct spot and the wire bent up to exact measurements for it not to bend once placed in. Therefore I reverted to my usual hole size of .6mm which allow a little room for error and lets the wire sit true. I found myself creating rivets for the headstock and making a plate for the hook. It seemed to just happen!!! I used a plastikard rivet sheet, scraping off rivets and welding them in place with Tamiya solvent. In this view, the thickness of the footboard brackets can be seen clearly. The brackets were thinned down with a chisel blade, They are still not fine enough but spending life on a small terminus to fiddle layout, regular handling requires some robustness! In the box my Dad gave me were some airfix brake van kit roofs. He said he had intended to try and fashion a roof from them. I toyed with the idea of making a plastikard replacement but decided to try splicing two roofs. It just so happened the profiles are pretty much identical. The two roofs were scraped clean with a chisel knife and sanded with 240 then 600 grit sand paper then a final 1000 grit. EMA solvent was used which gave a clean join but this was then filled and left to dry. A review of picture of the prototype suggested rain strips were placed in the above formation and the stoke chimney position was copied from another LMS brake I already have. Note the .3mm wire guard rail on the verandas. A ballast box was fabricated from plastikard with the bottom edges sanded to a curve. This was then fitted underneath between the foot boards. Here the under frame is primed and the ballast box in place. A smiths coupling hook is also in place. A coat of precision bauxite has been brush applied, painting around the numbers. Weathering will be to a "semi-disgraceful" level so this should not matter too much. Flush glazing is added to the inner ends and the duckets. I use plastic from my daughter's toy packaging usually. A set of Vernier calipers is useful here for getting the aperture size. I set the height then scrape the caliper along a straight edge of the plastic which scribes the height. this strip is cut out then the widths marked in the same manner. 600 grit sandpaper refines the size. I use PVA glue to set them in place as a tiny amount is strong enough and dries clear. And so we are up to date. The under frame is painted HUMBROL 32 dark grey as this assists the weathering process. Black is just too...well black! The handrails are painted white. I have not fitted the inner ends yet or the roof, which will be sprayed roof blue grey. instanter couplings will be added also. Thanks for now guys. I will check in shortly with the steps to completion.

Hi folks, I thought I would start a blog over here as opposed to the usual blog area. I enjoy kit building and bashing, weathering and general model making. I have a small layout, Templefield which is based around 1970 in West London Area on western metals. Having posted in the wrong forum, i have moved a blog about an LMS brake van over to modifying RTR. Here I will detail some actual kits i have built!!

Hi James, This is fantastic work mate. I found the suggestion to use a pale blue wash over white particularly interesting. The issue I have with weathering is my level of patience. The logical me knows I can't rush it but I just want to get it done. Apologies as I have not read all of the thread and you have probably explained this but are the rusty browns hand brushed? This really is great work. Dave.

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.

Hi Camden, Thank you for your kind comment. I must say i really enjoyed putting together the article. It was a chance meeting with Barry Norman that led to it being written. It definitely made me think deeper on why i love this great hobby so much. As you can imagine, i was thrilled to see it get into print. Cheers. Dave

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

I really like the look of this layout! I'm also happy to see a Dapol b tank enthusiast!!! It's strange timing as i am pondering whether to buy a cambrian mermaid and wondered how you found building the kits? And is that an upgraded Dapol 20t brake van i see?

Hi Steve, There was an article on track in Model rail october 2019 issue which shows techniques for creating wonky, industrial track work. Cheers Dave

Thanks Mick, Yes, i assumed as a base coat it wouldn't matter and as you state it was 4mins since the initial spray of course it would not have dried thoroughly. I have found humbrol acrylic to be pretty reliable. It dries extremely quickly (perhaps on the way to the model) which can create a powdery finish if used as a final fixing coat for powders. This is exactly what i am after. Humbrol acrylic is the nearest i have got to this so far Cheers Dave

Hi Mick, I think your work is excellent and has inspired my own development of my weathering skills. It wasn't an area i enjoyed previously but realise patience is indeed a virtue. Where do you get your dullcote from as i hear it is the very best for this job? I have used railmatch enamel matt spray, humbrol enamel matt spray, humbrol acrylic matt spray, games workshop purity seal and a thinned humbrol matt cote sprayed through a humbrol splat gun. I am yet to be 100% satisfied with any (humbrol enamel rattle can giving the worst result) but the humbrol acrylic comes nearest to what i want. Your photo suggests the dullcote has not dried evenly. For your base coat this is not an issue i know, but do you commonly get a uniform finish with dullcote? Many thanks Dave

Thanks ess. The final coat of enamel spray almost ruined it and needed to be brushed off as it creates a powdery layer. I have had a bit of trouble with the running qualities of this loco and ended up causing damage to the bogie and worm housing trying to rectify the issue. But, a bit of glue and frustration sorted the problem. Cheers

Looking forward to seeing this take shape. I have a soft spot for these vehicles as loved going to Liverpool on them as a kid. I found the atmosphere in the tunnel on the wirral line both thrilling and a little frightening, heightened by the gradual build up of the draft, the noise and the headlight coming into view!! Brilliant!! Good luck with the build.

I think some greasy spots on the buffers, paint the buffer shanks silver and some oily stains around the fuel tanks will be enough. Perhaps some more brakedust on the bogie frames also.

Thanks Steve, I'm reasonably happy with the outcome. I used humbrol enamel matt spray as opposed to my normal acrylic matt to seal the powders and i wouldn't recommend this as it gave a real splatter effect and frosted. I found brushing the frosting away worked and gives the body sides a faded look.

Further pictures of the finish.

For a layout set in 1970, Templefield has been sadly lacking my favourite locomotive; the ubiquitous class 47. The hole in my loco stable was recently filled by a Bachmann 47 in the perfect livery for the era, and one that suits these locos superbly, two tone green with full yellow ends. Lovely as it is, there is no way the livery would have been as immaculate as the factory finish and so, some gratuitous "filthying" needed to happen. The loco was dismantled, windows removed, metal handrails removed and headcode masked. The body and underframe was hit with humbrol acrylic matt spray. This is to create a "tooth" for the weathering powders to adhere to. Powders are lightly brushed onto the body with a fine brush areas according to photographs of the class at this time period. The roof was completely covered with humbrol smoke, obliterating the green. The whole lot is fixed with a mist of matt spray but great caution is required. Never spray in the cold!!!!

Yep, pretty sure it did. Agreed, the colour supplement is where it comes to life. I remember being captivated by the mk1 coach. It looked so real!!!

Yes you are correct, envy is the correct word for this.

Hi Steve, Only just found your blog. Looks like an exciting time ahead!! I love the start of layout building!!! You mentioned the technique of getting the arc of the sector plate. The string and pencil is the way i did it and seems to work fine. Are you going for pin and tube this time? As the for the "request" for plants...weeds in the tracks should be the order of the day. :-)

I agree Steve. My Dad bought it when it first came out in about '94 and i was amazed by the pictures. My dad used to use eye shadow as weathering powders at one point. They were quite effective at the time! Its one of those books that made me realise as a kid that its ok to take railway modelling as seriously as you want to.

Hi Maurice, I relate to your discussion about jealousy and must say i mentioned that with my tongue in cheek! I agree it is a term thrown at those with oppositional views to the norm of consumerism and individual gain. Perhaps this has played on my mind more recently due to the election season but we won't go there!!! Many thanks again for your writing.

Hi Steve, I used a couple of methods. I "painted" the powders on with decalfix around the W irons and heavier areas then powdered over the top. In some areas i just powder over the matt finish paint. I introduce some dry humbrol smoke powder to tone the colour down a bit as the decalfix can look painted on as opposed to a dust covering. The base is matt finish humbrol 34 Dark grey. Untreated, the finish looks better that 33 black and requires less weathering. I think a dry brush of gunmetal in certain areas of the planks might add to the worn wood effect. That's what Martin Welch uses i think and if it's good enough for him!! Cheers

Thanks Steve. After a ridiculous day in work I came straight home and cracked on (thanks to my lovely partner and daughter) and have posted the results in part 2 of the blog. Dave