ianLMS

Almost there. Pick ups to add on tender and the connection to the loco and it should all be ready for a scrub and a coat of primer. Ian

Luckily, most of the body parts were pre-cut and formed and it was just a matter of soldering the bits together. The main body would have been impossible for me to shape. The skirts are in 2 pieces and have the cab sides included. The windows and buffer holes were pre cut. The cab roof was missing to had to make that from sheet brass. The tender sides were preformed but the front and back vertical plates needed trimming. I had to make the front bulk head from an old etch and cut out the water filler access hatches as well as the rear strengthening plates. I mounted the tender body on a Comet tender chassis and frame which made the job a lot easier. All fittings had to be drilled and positioned but i have the LMS Locomotive Profiles book for the Duchesses so that helped a lot with measurements and placing etc. I am now forming the streamlining skirts for the tender from sheet brass and have a few detailing bits made from resin currently setting in their moulds.

Progress so far. New buffers loosely fitted until heads arrive in case i need to drill them out. Excellent fit and thank you once again Nick! Double chimney is made from a resin mould kit after fabricating a template from a white metal non-streamlined duchess one from Wizard and some plasticard as no-one sells one for a streamlined model and i didnt want to carve up the Hornby body. Body sits on a Hornby DCC ready chassis with a Comet trailing truck. Just waiting for the correct front bogie to arrive from Wizard. Main mistake so far but one i can live with is the height of the cab floor compared to the tender. Its about 3mm too high but its due to the fixing height where it mounts on the chassis. Lots of fettling on the tender and made a bulkhead from an old etch i had. Now casting resin parts for the brake and water scoop columns. Still loads to do and lots more fun to be had. As with all my models i build, i do the best i can. I am no pro and certainly not in the same league as many on here but i am having fun, learning every time i build something and am happy with what i achieve.

Buffers arrived safe and sound yesterday and look great. Quick test fit this morning before work and with very slight fettling they should work perfectly. Really appreciate you helping me out there Nick!!! Pics of the build so far to follow. I have had to do a fair bit of fettling and quite a bit of scratch-building, modifying spare parts etc as i go but really enjoying the challenge. Ian

The Weathering and painting thread has a list of car spray paints to match various loco colours. Not sure how accurate it is but they list a Peugeot Royal Blue colour for BR Steam Loco Blue if thats what you are looking for.

Thank you so much Nick. I really appreciate it. Looks just the job!!! I have sent over address. Let me know what i owe or will donate a few squid to the charity of your choice!! Ian

Another thought is that there is a good chance that the main body would have the buffers as part of the casting with just the buffer heads seperate.

My drawing skills are very limited, so reaching out to DJH might be the best option.

I am currently attempting to build a streamlined duchess, "City of Lancaster", but have hit a snag. Several parts were missing which were no issue as i could scratch build them (cab roof, cylinder cover plates, etc). However, the buffer shrouds are also missing and i am looking at different methods of making them as no-one that i am aware of makes them seperately. I have a body from a Hornby model so have something to use as a guide. Question. Should i try and shape the shroud using brass and roll a cone type shape, or take a mold of the Hornby one and cast it in resin or melted white metal? If casting is recommended, anyone have any advice?

Highly recommend the kits from Severn. Very nice models and easy to work with and great to practice. Attached are pics of a couple of theit buildings i built a while back using solder.

I see the creation of a model as no different to a creation of a film or tv programme whether it is fictional or a documentary. Many films still include smoking, racism, sexism, discrimination, violence etc as it may be necessary to add a sense of realism or portray facts, and inclusion of this detail, whether offensive or not is required to convince the audience and it is approved by a censorship board. So, the question i would ask myself is whether or not the detail being added is really neccessary in order to create the realism or fact you want the audience to be convinced of. Offence intended or not is still offence in the eye of the offended. Therefore, if exhibiting, be conscious of how far you need to go to get your message across. At home, its no problem as long as you understand if the modelling press want to show off your layout, they may edit pics or just not include them if the editorial team felt it might offend any reader. Depicting a bombed out house anytime after 1940 on a layout could upset anyone old enough to remember the blitz, but plenty exist on layouts. Just the same i am sure that anyone from Germany remembering that era may be equally offended at the sight of a Lancaster bomber, resposible for firebombing Dresden. If i am modelling London in 1939, i may want to include the evacuation of thousands of children. This probably would invoke memories, some good and some bad. Would it be necessary though, even though its part of our history???? Ian

Found this on google https://my-craft.com/products/oracal-8300-transparent-reddish-brown-gloss?variant=38550857646261&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2021-11-08&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3eeXBhD7ARIsAHjssr81rI6tmltLOYG96fH4bcLgUOCW2oLTs9x8TsHS6PtaViajFhWjn38aAkIIEALw_wcB Ian

These have a veriety of colours. In the orange section it looks kinda feint brown https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152856137032?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=MtLvZSzfTbO&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=h-I8RE2kQg-&var=452597450652&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Ian

I have one of these plus the ten commandments one. Works well!!! http://www.lanarkshiremodels.com/lanarkshiremodelsandsupplieswebsite_197.htm Ian

I have the thinner chain. Links are 4.5mm long. Slaters are the same length but use thicker wire and are narrower. Romfords are just over 4mm long and thicker still. Brassmasters are nearest ruler, then slaters, then Romfords.

Will take a look tonight. Brassmasters do a thicker prototype sized link and a thinner one for those with tighter curves. Choice of either copper or soft chain links.

I have a variety of 3-link couplings and Instanter as well as screw links for the passenger type rolling stock. Slaters/Romfords are over size but work well. I trim the tail, file it down to slot in the hole in the headstock and bend it to 90 degrees. Once it is pushed through the hole it sits neatly behind the headstock where i can solder or superglue it. Sprung buffers where possible, but many of mine dont have them. I do prefer the chain from Brassmasters for the 3-links. Much finer and easier to bend and have 2 size options.

I did have on my original plan until it was pointed out to me when asking a question about signalling. Resulted in me ripping up that section, buying new points and relaying them. It was worth it and it does look and operate more correctly and i can now sleep at night! The morale of that story in one way is to do it right the first time and save money and time. On the other hand i could have left it and it would have been ok, just not right!

Dont give up just because it doesnt tick every or everyone elses boxes. There are hundreds if not thousands of layouts being enjoyed every single day and the vast majority probably have nothing in common with the way real railways operate. Several layouts are featured every month in the magazines which are not truly prototypical, many have cookie cutter Metcalfe buildings everywhere and some are totally off the cuff!! Mine is a classic example of a basic layout built to please me and me alone. Its basically a twin oval with a few sidings. In other words, a train set track plan. The only difference is mine is over 14' x 8' allowing me the luxury to stretch things out a little. Yes, i try to get it as realistic as possible, but there have been a huge amount of compromises to fit everything in. And yes, i employ a shunting horse for my goods staging yard. Bottom line. Find a plan you like the look of, trailing/facing points if you please, find a station plan in any number of books you like (S&C seems a good choice) and build to your hearts content and be happy and proud of your achievements. There is a great opportunity here for you to learn new skills, find out what you really enjoy ( building kits, structures, scenery, electronics or operating) and you can always bin it and build a whole new one depending on the direction you decide you want to go in after gaining some experience. This is my fourth attempt at a layout and I always thought operating layouts and building scenery was my passion. Not any more! I now prefer to sit at my bench and build locos and rolling stock!!! This may prompt me now to build a depot layout in the future just to show off my ever growing stock! Please, just carry on, learn from your mistakes, ask questions and take advice, but make your own mind up as to what pleases you. By the way, Have you looked at https://freetrackplans.com/layout-plans.html Although not perfect, they do give some ideas and there is section of prototype track plans for S&C based layouts. Take one and adapt it to suit. Mine was loosely based on an upside down Kikby Stephen plan (much compressed).

Very nice model Stuart!! The weathering looks great!!

The Scalescenes kits are excellent starting points for someone wanting to delve into scratch building, but not sure how to go about it. There are 3 or 4 different styles of station within the inventory which may suit your needs. Build the kit first, see if you like it/have the skills & patience, then use elements of the kit to sratch one out to your specific requirements. https://scalescenes.com/railscenes/ Its what i did and i am happy with what i have built. My station building however was scratch built using designs contained within the Settle & Carlisle buildings and structures book already mentioned which suited the area and era i am modelling. Building the Scalescenes kits gave me the experience on how to go about it.

Thanks Ric. I too had low expectations for this kit but with plenty of patience and a large hammer, i managed it!! Knowing how most peoples experience with Jidenco is not a pleasant one prompted me to to start this topic. Normally i wouldnt post a seperate thread just for a little ole 12T van, but mentioning Jidenco stirs up good conversation!! It took around 4 evenings and a full weekend to get it this far. Lots of fettling and fiddling but actually quite enjoyable in the end.

I am modelling 1939ish but will paint this one in the grey weathered livery.

I checked the height against a couple of my locos with the wheels fitted before i painted and the buffers lined up perfectly. For once, my guess work while building a kit without instructions turned out right!!! More luck than judgement and a lesson for the next one though!! Must double check the ride height before going mad with the soldering iron!! Question - would the metal corner plates, corner strengtheners, and other metal work such as strappings etc be painted black or grey? I will add rust weathering later, but basic colour is needed first. Next up is a Falcon Models kit of a Fish van!

If you are feeling really brave, for the flat windows, try trimming microscope cover slides using a diamond or carbide scribe and diamond files, attaching them using glue n glaze. Warning!!! A massive amount of patience is required as it is very fiddly and time consuming but results can be worth the effort! Fix from the outside so they are fairly flush. Curved windows though would be a challenge with real glass, if not impossible!!! Attached pic is a bus i built but the model is basically the same as what Corgi and Matchbox would put out in diecast. Micrscope slides were used for the glass. Ian