gwr517

By all means use some or all of my idea. That is what these blogs are all about, sharing knowledge. The kit I built came from the estate of a local modeller and maybe like you I had never seen anything like it. I built it because  the dia. and the challenge of working with a different material. My transfers are sadly lacking but that will improve when I can order more.

Hi Bluemonkey,

I also get great pleasure in older kit building. I built this one 2 years ago and the photo shows how I tackled the roof attachment.

Regards, Douglas.

Alan was my first contact with the model railway community in Western Australia. He guided newcomers without bias to members of AMRA or BRMA to all railway companies to spite his love of the LMS. If you asked him for info invariably he would prepare a large folder of notes to solve your problem.On the rare occasion that he was wrong about some detail he would front up at the next meeting with an apology and the right answer. They say that when an old person dies a library burns down and that definitely applies to Alan!

I feel he is now on an LMS express speeding to Scotland.

Douglas Firth.

Fine work as usual Iain, 

Douglas.

7 hours ago, MrWolf said:

When we were down there this time last year it was tempting to go up to New Invention to see if it consisted of anything more than two chicken sheds and a petrol pump ( Which according to my late uncle was enough to be classed as a town in his native Western Australia.) 

But the weather was getting worse and we raced the rain storm all the way back to the lake District on a couple of seventy odd year old motorcycles.

Plastic gloves liberated from the diesel pump at Bishops Castle garage were a lifesaver under wet gloves to prevent frozen fingers!

Your late uncle was correct. A pub is the next rung up the ladder! I was once riding to Beverley, inland of Perth W.A. on my Flat tank AJ in the rain ,only about 120 kms luckily and my gloves became soaked. As Beverley  is a metropolis (2pubs) I called in to the garden centre and bought a pair of gardening gloves. Sheer luxury.

18 hours ago, MrWolf said:

Here you go Doug, 1949 BSA 500 Star Twin, most went new to the US, Canada, Australia and NZ. Very few survive in the UK.

 

 

 

Seen here with our other Beeza, a 1949 B31 350.

 

 

I could be tempted to post lots of other random vintage motorcycle pictures, seeing how the off topic emoji has gone!

Thank you , they look great. I didn't know about the export details. I once borrowed an M21 and chair for a rally in the bush and I loved it. It just needed a bit more power!! I have owned a 1926 AJ flat tank (24 yrs ) and other newer brit and italiian bikes but the humble M21 hold. dear memories.Just to come back on track your modelling is pretty good also. Doug.

Good to have you back Mr Wolfe. The photo of the young lady is OK but what about the BSA ? I' ve been waiting ages for a shot of your plunger twin.As you can see I am a motorcyclist and while I love your posts and modelling I long for a decent bike fix sometimes. 

Doug.

Western Australia.

Welcome back Tony and every one. While I model GWR in edwardian times  I really love the majesty and speed of the EMCL locos. 

Doug. 

Western Australia.

John,

I love the layout of trees and undergrowth. Your 

views are really effective.

Doug.

Tony, Re. Removing cellotape residue from paper ,metal and some plastics Toluene is the quickest way to go. Toluene is very dangerous and we must use gloves ,have eye protection and either a fume hood or work outdoors as it is one of the nasty aromatic solvents. It is also carcinogenic to top things off. It does work though. I worked with it for about 30 years as a Book and Paper conservator , with PPE and there are no ill effects. But I am a motorcyclist and railway modeller!!!

Don't for get the PPE if you try it as we all want you around for a long time yet.

Doug.

John,

I would try the planting suggestion by becasse ,sorry for the lack of accent, if only to get the feel. Overall it looks terrific though.

Doug.

19 hours ago, Iain.d said:

I’ve recently been able to get on with this Roxey Mouldings GWR A2/3 Clifton Down Driver Trailer, to the point that is now ready for a final wash and paint. It’s a bit grubby in these images; normally I test fit/check everything I can, then wash it, put it back together and then photograph it. But this one is quite fiddley and fragile and has to go together in a sequence,  I couldn’t be bothered with the faff! Sorry…

 

 

Its very much as it came out of the box. I have only added the steps under the guard’s doors and substituted the provided etched brass lamp irons for reshaped staples. There are no ‘T’ handles in the kit, they got left off the etch at the drawing stage! I’ll use Comet ones and the GWR commode handles in the kit are so fine they’re beyond my skill level to fit so I’ll use some leftovers from another Roxey GWR handrail fret.

 

 

Its all soldered other than the very fragile castings on the bogies which are glued with epoxy. The roof is removeable which is needed as the design of the kit precludes constructing the interior and fitting it in the final stages (as I would normally do). I have made the interior seats, partitions, driver’s cab and regulator detail and will build this in after painting. I have made up the vacuum cylinder operating gear and this, along with the gas tanks, will be glued to the floor of the vehicle.

 

I’m happy how it has all gone together, especially the driver end.  I think I had a good soldering day – amazing what posting photos on this thread does for trying that bit harder! I had considered adding more detail, as per the prototype. I made up some bits and pieces (additional handrails, destination board brackets and some sort of electrical connector box) but I couldn’t make them fine enough to not make it look overly cluttered, so I’ll probably leave all that off. I need to drill a hole for the windscreen wiper.  The bell and brake pipes will be fixed after painting. The front three windows have a horizontal white line on them, about a third of the way down the glass, I’ve read this was to warn/catch the attention of the loco fireman when he was moving coal forward in the loco’s bunker.

 

 

Its going to be completed in BR Crimson and numbered W3338, probably the last survivor in South Wales, circa 1953. There are threads on RMWeb detailing this carriage’s last few years.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

Hello I think you have done a 1st class job. It leaves my cut up Triang version far behind. In my ignorance I didn't know Roxey did a kit. Thank you for showing us. Doug.

Hi Tony,

Thank you for posting that info. More good advice. I am often surprised by locos or rolling stock that can't be disassembled for repair or servicing. As my travels in EM progress I wonder at the wisdom of push on wheels also. They defiantly look correct even more so if lightly centre pushed to represent the machining mark. I have purchased a number of kit built locos from a deceased estate and some of them have compensation failures that can't be fixed without removing the wheels which in this case are Sharman  and they will be difficult to remove and replace as the 1mm nuts holding the rods in place may or may not survive. The remaining thread is very small. I may have to change the wheels to Markits as the rest of the locos are worth saving. 

Congratulations on reaching  page 2400. You don't know me but I read this blog daily and have done for years. After watching you DVD on loco constuction I thought I would try to build a kit and following a couple of emails with the late Mr. Brewin I was away. I now model the GWR preWW1 in EM just to make it hard for myself on the other side of the world! 

Thank you for guiding me through the process of becoming a bulder of chasiss that work,

Doug.

Western Australia.

John,

I have no room for a realstic S scale layout due to a house move and therefore decided to follow my other interest, the GWR. You and others from the old Special Interest Group we once belonged to encouraged this along with threads on rmweb . Therefore I will follow Tavistock with great interst indeed. Retirement is helping my layout building and I'm pleased that you can work part time as you have always strived for perfction and while you have plenty of talent you need time also. We all do.

Keep Well,

Doug.

Gentlemen,Ladies also if there are any reading, in Austrarlia we advertise run down sheds/houses etc as  Renovators Delight The UK seems to have its fair share.

Doug.

It is great to see you starting this blog entry. As one who has seen your work in the flesh I will be following with interest. I am now an EM modeller with Pre WW1 GWR as my main interest . Looking forward to your next entry.

Doug. 

Perth W.Australia.

3 hours ago, Iain.d said:

We have had some very wet and stormy weather in Perth over the last day or so which has meant I had to spend more time indoors modelling, rather than outside tidying up the garden…

 

The time has allowed me to finish off part of a breakdown train that I’m putting together.  I cut down a Ratio Lavatory Brake Third bogie carriage and converted it to a 6 wheel 31ft MR Clerestory to be used as a crew coach. Its finished in dark grey (Vallejo German Tank Crew 333). The transfers I did myself, basing the wording on images I found on the internet and finished with a sprayed matt varnish.  The W irons are Bill Bedford and the chassis/underframe built from plastic sheet, brass strip and wire. It has Midland sprung buffers and screw couplings.

 

 

It’ll be paired up with this Worsley Works Caledonian Railway 45ft Full Brake masquerading as a tool van.  There’s a little modellers licence here as none of these brakes survived beyond about 1937 and my current period of interest is the 1950s, which going on recent discussions of when we base our models, is about 15 years before I was born. This kit soldered together beautifully, literally ‘falling together’. It is running on Roxey Fox bogies and has sprung buffers – these are LNWR ones as I couldn’t seem to find the right Caledonian Railway ones. I need to cut down or paint the bogie fixing/mounting screws. 

 

 

It sits much lower than the 6 wheeler; both are the right height (I think) but I suspect the Full Brake had gas lamps on the roof, where I have put the vents, and also some sort of skylight box on the roof. Certainly some of the very similar LNWR Full Brakes seemed to have this feature.

 

 

In the queue to build soon is the accompanying D&S Cowan Sheldon 15T crane and its match truck.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

I have been eager to see your work and the result was worth the wait,well done. Doug.

I have to repeat Mikkel's comment. For a modeller of the GW living downunder the links are a huge help.

Thank you. Doug.

Hi Iain, Like many on here, I too make everything so that it can be dismantled. Great work.

Regards, Doug.

Hello Iain.d,

Have you tried Hobby tech for brass tube? As a builder of things I have sometimes found that they have what I need in stock.Good hobby shops are thin on the ground here in W.A. as you have probably found . I would like to see a photo of the coach when you finish it if Tony allows. I am an EM modeller ,GWR ,LNWR andMidland all pre WW1. Doug. 

I have been waiting for the next posts and this will be another worthwhile addition to your fleet. What you found re sizes of models from different producers is a reminder to all modellers check everything! I agree with JCM@GWR and while some time ago, working on a very tempremental boat motor I decided to hide the tools as I went aboard so the motor wouldn't know what was about to happen !! The jewellary will be well recieved. Doug.

Well done Paul, I have followed your blog for a short time. It has inspired my own modelling. Hope you can continue the posts.

Doug.