altone

this from acg_mr I agree that would definitely tone down that big black stripe and make it look a bit more true to life. Nice job on the cottages. Oh and don't forget to share the brewery decal artwork I'm going to try my hand at one or 2 custom livery decals for the Dapol LMS vent van - water slide on white to see how they go.

I only have an Allsops beer wagon I picked up in a mixed lot. I think I might just have to bid on any beer wagons I see in the auctions from now on. The Wessex ones end up at nearly 20 quid a pop with shipping to Australia so I'd only get the odd one that way I think. I'll have to get a few though and schedule the beer train at least every hour as a reminder

Wait what? You have a beer van rake - ooh got to have one of those, no matter how off model or how off topic. I may have missed it if you already posted an image, as I'm quite time poor right now, but I hope you might indulge me and post an image of your "beer train" when you can. Cheers when you can.

Sorry folks, been busy with family issues and have done absolutely zero. However I did get a nice birthday present So hopefully the pics will be better now, especially If I unpack a tripod to use with it. And also bought a present for myself But Why this Bachmann? never happened - how about Man Vic? I know it's not technically 100% but it's a damned good model and as a local store was "having trouble selling it" It wasn't too bad cost wise (For Australia) So this post is just to let you know I'm alive and will post a "real" update in a few days. Cheers Gerry C

Treading Water Been busy with other things, so not much happening on the model rail front. A4 update: Well, the degreaser finally broke through that black paint, so I scrubbed most of it away. No sanding marks - all looks good. Another soak and scrub and she should be ready for a repaint. So, where should I go with this? Just a repaint in BR green with numbers and linework? Get a whistle and some etched nameplates? [both missing on this unit] Try and detail it up? although it's the old tender drive unit so maybe silk purse sows ear. What do you guys think? It'll probably become "Sir Nigel Gresley" as I know it came to Manchester in 1965 and I'm thinking that's as close as an A4 ever got to Oldham in the steam years. Ok, I'm still melting paint off the A4 so let's look at the next victim project. Bear with me on the poor photo quality, I hear I might be getting a digital camera for my birthday later this month. A little industrial with wires going where??? seriously? I think it needs a tidy up. Dissemble, clean, resolder wires in a more appropriate manner, lube, and off to the auctions. Oh and remember I mentioned Lifecolor paints in an earlier post? I am now a fan, just have to thin more and add an extra coat or 2. The resulting paint job is not thick on the model and helps even out my terrible brushstrokes. Next kit: Well, after the not so good experience with the Dapol, I thought I'd try a Parkside kit for my next wagon. A BR 13 ton steel open wagon. On opening the pack, the quality improvement over the last kit was obvious. Brass bearings, no excessive flash and straight solebars. This should be a quick and easy build for Thursday night, which will be my first free time this week. Layout update: I have said before that space is tight at the new home, so even my smaller than planned test track needs to be "put away" when not in use. Initially it will be manually lifted and propped vertically against the wall, but as soon as I can manage it there will be a more elegant method put in place. The following system has been blatantly stolen, with permission, from a guy I've bought a few old carriages from. I saw his layout launching system and thought - yep, that's for me. (The name layout launching system c. yours truly) I originally thought of using a winch and pulley system to lift the whole layout up to the ceiling when not in use. I was a bit concerned that if a cable broke or came off a pulley, or I got the lengths wrong it would end in disaster. A Better Method - Vertical storage system Right, so doing it this way limits me to a total length of 2580mm in my garage otherwise it will hit the rafters. (unless I make an extra hinged area to the top or create addon boards, see later entries maybe) Current plan is 2440mm long, so all good. Here's a primitive plan. Inverted L shaped C Channel steel (actually 2 U channels with a flat welded to join them) bolted to floor and wall. Large wheels inside, mounted [very] sturdily to the baseboard. Central supports with castors/rollers to allow free movement and of course another set at the far end. Supports need to be braced and able to be locked securely into position. A winch with the cable attached to the far end of the layout allows easy setup. (You might think this is overkill but layouts can get very heavy and operators can get very lazy) So, layout is vertical. Open up support legs and lock in place. Use the winch to start lowering the layout. A bit of jockeying may be needed to ensure the layout is lowered ok. As we get closer to horizontal, the central supports touch the ground and act as a fulcrum, the rollers allow free movement. Once fully horizontal we can push the whole layout back to the wall and secure it. Note "central" legs not necessarily in the middle, more about centre of gravity, to allow easy manipulation. I hope my awful diagram gives you the idea. Because of the use of fulcrums and winches, my surround woodwork will be the old 4x2in structural timber. The rest will be smaller and lighter. "So how are you going to set up the layout before you get all that in place? " Hey, I grew up in Owdam. Anyone who survives that has to be fairly strong and tough! She'll be reet. (meaning winch system will be a key priority) Until next time Cheers Gerry C

So here we have the current state of play with the brake van. The roof is just sitting on top. If you're thinking the undercarriage is very green/grey you'd be right. [Hard to see from the photo] I just wanted to darken it before adding the couplers etc. I'm hoping overpainting the whole lot with black will give a slightly weathered appearance. If you think the bauxite is too light - I'm thinking of a quick black wash and rub over the top again for a slight weathering. Oh and the endboards will be painted a dirty brown to match a prototype photo I have. If you noticed there's a bit missing. Wheels and edges of desks do not mix well - I'll fix it up later. This van rolls far better than I thought it would with the soleplate issues. It might actually make it to the layout. I used Lifecolor paints for the body and roof and can't say I'm a fan so far, although it's probably just me being more used to Tamiya paints. I also realize just how bad my brushing skills are, thinning the paint and applying multiple thin coats seems to help. I'll post a final shot after I've fixed the break and done my first ever paint weathering job to it. It will be subtle weathering [assuming I can manage subtle - I've use powders in the past - not paint] First fixer upper: I bought this coach for the equivalent of around 80p. It's basic, out of my modelling zone and has a terribly stained roof. I pulled it apart to have a better look. Ok. all I'm going to do here is a quick roof repaint and a clean and service. clean up the roof with degreaser and paint it to hide the stains. Clean up the wheels and bearings and a tiny spot of oil. Then off to the auctions with it. Here's the end result. Pennypincher tip of the day: When I worked part time at a body shop, we would throw all the unused spraypaint into a "mud" tin. Well, all the non metallics, and only the paint that flowed from the spray pot. If you use 1 brand and type of paint - do the same for all those leftover custom colours you might not use again. We used the "mud" to spray over any patches of filling before final sand, prime and paint. The model mud could be used to check and adjust the airbrush, if it's dark, do a quick spray over light coloured plastic [and vice versa] before the final colour, or even for adding to weathering washes/sprays. Note: only use what quickly flows from the airbrush or mixing pot - Don't try and save any part dried paint etc. If you see any bits or lumps in the mud - throw it away and wash out the container then start again. Surprise visitor to the workshop: I'm guessing the wife got mad and started taking it out on the appliances - better them than me! The toaster wouldn't toast and the dairy door of the fridge was broken. Toaster - couldn't get it open, those security screws that screw in but not out - buy another. Fridge door, the pivot on one side was broken off. I drilled through the centre of the pivot and the door, then Araldited it together with a screw through the hole to strengthen it. Cover the screwhead with Araldite to seal it - done! One thing I've learned from the past - use the real thing, not cheap "epoxy adhesive" copies. Most of them don't come close, although I'm sure others do just as good a job. [avoiding flames from competitive brands] Another surprise visitor: This guy took umbrage to a sheet of emery I waved about and stung through it and got stuck. Needless to say I didn't help him. First loco fixer upper: I got this A4 really cheap because someone did this to it. Can you see the LNER under the paint on the tender? So get rid of the paint and start again. Hmm, my trusty red degreaser doesn't seem to do much to whatever this was painted with - works fine on model acrylics. I might have to try oven cleaner or brake fluid unless someone has a better idea.. If you've used brake fluid successfully, was it DOT3 4 or 5? I think 5 is silicone based so might try one of the others. Tools used today and not included earlier: Screwdrivers, pliers, tweezers, paintbrushes, wet and dry emery paper and paint. You all know what these look like. Araldite - No home should be without it! Peco Powerlube - No model train should be without it! Degreaser, brush and custom soaking bath Layout update and more on Friday...

The Brake Van - Finally So here's the almost assembled unit, you might see a couple of rough spots but hopefully they'll be sorted in the prep and paint. I took a photo of it now as I'm going to paint the interior and undercarriage before adding couplers, footboards and other details. The Triang van alongside it shows how much longer and narrower the Dapol kit is. I had issues with the brake shoe pins, and one warped solebar. 2 steel washers were glued to the wagon floor to give it a bit of weight. (Yes I know, liquid lead - let me check the storage shelves.. nope, got some heavy washers though) Because of the baby fish, I'm going to try to handpaint this one. A bit of matt black, grey and bauxite, perhaps hilight the moulded rails with silver - easy as, right? Additional tools I used on this model Steel rule, good for checking straightness, can be used as a guide and heat sink if you warm warped plastic parts to try and straighten them. Also useful as a cutting guide and for measuring stuff. Blu-tak - you can test fit fiddly items and press them into the blu-tak - lift the blu-tak with small bits still in place, apply glue and fit back to larger item. Stops them moving around or drooping as the glue sets. Sticky tape - if clamps or blu-tak will not work - try holding stuff together with tape. Small wagon component box. As you may know, my work area is multipurpose, so I can't just leave unfinished items lying around. I found this clip sealable container just sitting in a kitchen cupboard - ideal for keeping all those loose and part finished kit bits together. There's another in the fridge that would be perfect for larger projects, but it's full of cake right now, so I'll have to re appropriate that one later Seriously though, any new folks who,like me, might not be able to complete a kit in one sitting, put the whole lot in a container. It's just too easy to lose that one little part .... WARNING!!! If you use a superglue type adhesive, don't put freshly glued items in with clear components. For those of you wondering why I'm including obvious things like blu-tak in this blog: I have worked in IT for decades and so often I'll go to fix up a simple problem when the user asks how I got that command level option to run, they'd read that this would fix it but couldn't get it to work. The instructions they'd seen skipped the simple step of opening command as administrator. Same here, nobody told me that blu-tak could help hold model stuff, I worked it out for myself. I found that the applicator from a makeup compact is great for applying weathering powders, and if the make up is dark enough, you can use it for weathering. I'm sure that's not totally obvious to everyone. Obvious may not be that obvious to some, so I'm including all the stuff I use as I go on my merry way. By doing so, I also might get comments saying "why use that when this is 10 times better/quicker" So, learning new methods on the way. Ok, next post, finished item and first fixer upper

@redgatemodels - noo not the children! @buffalo not a joke and well tested. It will work, not as per the mockup, but as you say the regulator etc. on the out side of the tank. It took the compressor around 14 seconds to hit 15 psi with the tank in place. Oh yes, I have plumbed up the compressor, but not game to use it till the little fishies are a bit older and tougher. Gerry C

Easter and taking stock It's Easter - great I'll get a lot done this extra long weekend. What dear? you want the family to go down the coast? Oh well! Friday, coast trip. Saturday, mundane work, shopping and household stuff - plus a quick blog entry. Sunday, one of my biannual trips to church, hopefully not a family dinner afterwards. Monday, Shh!, she hasn't said anything. Maybe, just maybe. Back to the blog content: Layout update: I've ordered some construction timber and 2 marine ply boards for the base so we are on our way. I've also ordered some 6mm cork floor underlay - way cheaper in the long run than buying track underlay and can be used as a soft base on flat scenic areas too (no foam for me) It just needs a bit of cutting. And as I write this, I realize I didn't order any 3mm ply, which will be the base for all the raised track and used as supports on the inclines. I'll have to buy smaller sheets that will fit in the car once I'm close to needing them. I might now use the cheaper MDF for the track base and ply for the structural stuff - we'll see. Track rethink: I found I can manage another 200mm to the width, so I'll spread the layout to suit, which will ease tight curves and reduce gradients a little bit, otherwise same as original plan. I'll do a rough physical track layout on the flat baseboard once finished before I set anything in stone. Taking stock: I mentioned in the first post about selling off some of my early purchases of locos and rolling stock. Well first I'd better work out exactly what I have got. As soon as they were purchased, most were packed away in plastic storage boxes to keep them safe for later on. Time to pull everything out and sort them. I'm listing them all in a spreadsheet and adding notes, then creating 4 piles: 1. KEEP - These are usable as is and will not be sold 2. REPAIR - These need work done, be it a service, repaint, repair of broken bits etc. Their keep/sell or junk bin status will be decided after I've fixed them up 3. SELL - ok to sell as is. 4. UNDECIDED - These are in ok condition but I'm not sure if I want to hold on to them or not as yet. I have more stock than I realized, 26 locos 40 coaches and over 60 wagons. You'll see the first batch of sellers on Ebay shortly. The "REPAIR" pile is huge, so I think this is going to take up much of my workbench time. The keep items will be worked on and hopefully improved after I've cleared the repair backlog. No progress on the model today - one solebar was so warped I had to heat it and flatten against a steel rule to get it anywhere close and that's all I did other than the stocktake. Next update will be assembled model.

Thanks rcmacchipilot I decided to do this as an as is, because of my current lack of skill but also the fact that one of the solebars is badly warped. This will be a paint test wagon and never hit the rails. The handrails and security rails do help as you say, but for this one it just doesn't seem worth it. The Triang/Hornby ones are very poor, I haven't checked out a Bachmann one yet. I need say 4 of these so depending on the quality of the Bachmann I'll use it or the Dapol as a start point to do my decent BR brake vans - until then the Hornbys will suffice. Which would you say are the better starting point - the Dapol or Bachmann?

First model off the new workbench. Well it's been a long time since I made any models, so here's the first. A Dapol BR brake van, just one of an auction lot I bought. First impression is how "messy" this kit is - lots of flash, bits broken off sprues and the transfers look like they are well past their use by date. I decide not to bother pre painting or modifying the kit - just build as is. So clean up all the parts and start glueing. I'm using "Plastruct" plastic weld for the first time. I'll be using the supplied brush for large surfaces and my chopstic needle for smaller ones. You probably can't tell from the photo, but the end of the needle eye is ground off. I'm pretty sure there are details of something similar already here on Rmweb. If not, the Kadee catalog shows you how to make one. So here's the first weld Don't worry, I'm not going to be showing you step by step. I'm sure you've all made plastic kits at some time. Just remember to keep the glue away from visible surfaces as much as possible. If the glue you're using says something like "excess solvent will evaporate and be unnoticable" Let's just say their claims are umm optomistic? The special modelling clamps I'm using cost $2 for 40 at a local Chinese variety store. For card and fragile surfaces I use special soft jaw clamps that apparently can be found in supermarkets. I'm told they can also be used for drying clothes. Beats me how that works I bought the LED magnifying lamp below recently from Ebay. It came with a round pin plug, so I took it to my wife's desk to try it out as she has a universal powerboard (fly's to China on a regular basis and has computer printer and chargers in their format) I switch it on and she walks in and says "Oh thank you darling !" So now I get to "borrow" it when she's not using it. <hmmph> No real progress today, only got 1/2 hour to myself and spent most of it on this blog entry. Assembled kit - next post.

We're going to need a bigger tank! Ok, nothing much done today, been busy working and fixing kitchen cupboard hinges, but here's a quick update. I was meant to clear the garage workbench and move the fishtanks, the fish had other ideas. They decided now was a good time to give birth to a batch of babies. So the corner tank can't be moved for a few weeks now. This means any spraying I do will have to be outside. The rest was moved and put on shelving, the area given a bit of a clean, and I decided to give the raw wood that is the back shelf a quick coat of undercoat. Once the fish can be moved I'll replace the benchtop with a single piece of ply. Note the shelf painting is not an indication of my skills but of the tool I used. Most of my gear is onsite around 50km away and this is all I had to work with - an old brush I use for cleaning car parts.. So that's all that happened today, but I did say I'd show you my compressor setup. The old compressor was never up to the job and sounds like it's about to die, so I bought another bigger one and decided to give it a nice storage tank for more continuous pressure. Here's my home brewed solution. the kegpressor. Not plumbed up yet, a beer keg with quick disconnects as per below will make a great air tank. Just replace CO2 and beer for air in and out. That's all for now, next post will be my starting on the Dapol kit plus updates on tools and the workbenches. Hopefully next week I'll get the first lot of timber for the layout and make a start on that too. If not, I've got some locos and coaches to fix, detail and repaint, about 10 wagon kits and I'm having a go at Martin's home grown trees http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/97576-martins-homegrown-trees-bushes-n-weeds although I'll post my results there not on this blog - plus I've lots of other things in the pipeline. So I'm sure I'll be able to post regular updates (If I'm allowed any spare time that is).

Getting the Workbench(es) together Ok, I admit it, I'm a messy person, you'll see in the photos. Apologies for the poor photos at this stage, they were taken on an old iphone just for my use. I promise when we get to modelling and layout progression they will be better (If SWMBO will let me buy a camera) To do this ongoing project I need some workspace, I'm in a small house now (compared to where I was) so space is an issue. I have an office/computer room/computer workshop: Here's the way I've been using it: Yep it's messy, I like to work that way, we who do have a saying, an empty desk means an empty mind. The outside (garage) area will be used mainly for painting. The whole garage will of course be used for track construction. Here's the future paint bench. Don't worry the fish tanks will be moved to another area. So let's clear up the inside area first: Here we go. I know it takes up space, but the 5.1 sound system is NOT optional! (neither is the beer) So inside space is ready to go, as most of my gear is still in storage I decided to buy some basics. Modelling knife - bad choice, used it once and the plastic bit broke. Absolute basic knives, cheap caliper and adhesives. Here I've added my dirt cheap scalpel and airbrush (which seems to work quite well) My compressor setup I'll show you later. I'm pretty sure it's unique Last entry for today, the first model build for ... a long time. Damn that's a bad photo. so a Dapol Brake van. Why? I have the kit and I really don't need another brake van - so if I destroy it - no problem. Tomorrow's post will show the outside bench cleanup and my amazing compressor setup Cheers Gerry C

That was the key plan, I know it's more trainset than model, but it gives me scope to both test and run in all my stock while allowing me to play around shunting wagons, and keep changing and hopefully upgrading buildings and general scenics. Cheers Gerry C