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JDaniels

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  1. JDaniels
    Thankfully the three coaches constructed from a mixture of mainly Trains, Shire Scenes and Ratio parts are now completed and boxed ready to be handed over to the painter at Expo EM. I'm still not sure whether the quality of my work justifies the considerable expense of having them professionally painted.
     
    However this has left me with three spare Ratio chassis (two short and one long), some roofs and the sides for a composite. In addition I have many spare sides acquired in the distant past but as there are no chassis I have no idea where they came from. This set me thinking that I could make up three coaches using, for the most part, Ratio components but with the knowledge gained from using the etched components I thought I could add a fair amount of additional detail. I had the sides, end and roof of a composite that I could not use with the etched chassis, a set of sides for an all third and for the long chassis I thought I would get the Shire Scenes sides for the third brake with duckets at the end. This for no other reason than it would make a change from the usual Ratio brake third.
     
    I have made many of the Ratio coach kits before but despite this on my first coach I merrily cut off all the pips on the chassis sides, belatedly realising that some should have been retained to locate in the holes in the floor. My usual method of assembling the underframe is to locate the bearings and wheels whilst the glue is still tacky, wrapping an elastic band around each end to hold the wheelsets firmly in the bearings and then standing on a sheet of glass (a small mirror is one of my most useful tools) with some weight on the floor. However cutting off the pips did create a few problems as the elastic bands pulled the sides of the chassis in.
     
    I had hoped to preface this entry along the lines of "Detailing Ratio 4 wheel coaches without the need for the Mainly Trains kit" However I had several of the Mainly Trains Dean Churchward brake gear etches which I used so that was out of the question. I would have thought however that the parts I used would be readily available elsewhere.
     
    Taking the chassis first, I was impressed with the level of detailing in the springs and axleboxes. The brake gear however is lacking and I replaced this with parts from the Mainly Trains etch. The photo below (again apologies for my camera) shows the parts I added in their unpainted state.
     


     
    The Ratio brake blocks were drilled to take the etched brass yokes which connect each side. The V hangers, brake actuating and cylinder cranks all came from the etch all connected up with brass wire. I omitted the vertical rod connecting the yokes and the rod from the brake actuating crank as this is not visible being behind the wheel. I also added the gas filler. I noticed that some of the brake hangers were almost identical to the gas filler bracket so made up a bracket adding a piece of wire to represent the nozzle. Most of this is in fact hardly visible but it brings the chassis almost up to the same level of detail as the Mainly Trains kit. The latter does score however with the superior solebar detail which cannot be replicated with the Ratio kit. One afterthought, I added the gas pipes from the ends of the cylinders.
     
    The body is well detailed but I thought separate handrails and door handles would look better. I used handrails (or should that be commode handles) from Roxey Moulding with etched brass door handles included in the MT chassis etch. Etched brass cannot replicate faithfully a round handrail but I thought these, and the door handles in particular, vastly improved the appearance. It can be difficult to pare off the plastic handrails neatly and holes need to be drilled exactly on the line of the moulding to accomodate the etched handrails. One problem I had with one of the sides was that in trying to file down the inside to fit the MT chassis I inadvertently took off part of the outside resulting in a small chunk taken out. I used filler on this but it is still visible.
     
    The ends had a little re-working, I pared off the handrails and replaced these with wire as also with the lamp bracket. The MT kit refers to the vacuum pipe as being to the right of the coupling so this was moved over. I didn't bother to replace the alarm gear though. Whilst I can't claim all my stock has metal buffers, I don't like plastic and Markits supplied suitable turned alternatives. I felt the Ratio buffers (like the vacuum pipes) were a little puny but the Markits ones may be a little on the large side, they are after all intended for bogie stock. Oddly, those supplied in the Mainly Trains kits are even larger.
     
    Finally, the roof had the rainstrips, gas piping and associated brackets added. As I've mentioned before, bearing in mind this is the part of a coach most people see this simple step improves the appearance out of all proportion to the time taken in accomplishing it.
     
    The sides were painted all over chocolate to represent the (economy) livery many of these old coaches received in the early 1930's. The transfers are Pressfix and caused some grief. The Pressfix sheets I used were years old and had lost their adhesion with the result that separate letters tended to float about on a film of water. The numbers were an absolute pig and I resorted to varnishing each number separately before fixing the next one. I do find it irritating that you need to buy a whole sheet, and they're not cheap, knowing that the 95% you won't be using can't be stored for any length of time.
     
    The result is shown below (using my wifes' camera this time):
     

     
    The transfer film shows up far more on the photo than it does to the naked eye.
     
    The all third is well under way although the chassis awaits its' Gibson wheels. This has been painted chocolate and cream but in researching the details of this livery I made an interesting discovery. I always assumed the two colours were divided by a black and gold line. In fact whilst this was the case with prestige coaches, on lesser stock the colours were separated by a yellow line only. Fox supplied suitable transfers.The brake third has a completed chassis but the sides are currently unavailable.
     
    On a separate matter, whilst looking at the Markits website I noticed that they did GWR loco buffers with a larger head. Whilst I'm very pleased with my model of 5807 from the Puffers etched kit the effect is ruined by the ridiculously small buffers supplied that, stupidly, I fitted without a second thought. For years I've been looking for large buffer heads with shafts that will fit the existing base, as the loco was painted professionally (by Larry Goddard) replacing the whole buffer assembly was out of the question. Joy of joys, the Markits ones fit and even though I can't spring them as the chassis prevents this, the improved appearance is remarkable. The Markits website is well worth a look.
     
    I hope other modellers find these notes useful. There seems to be a lack of detailed knowledge of these coaches which results in the differences between kits of supposedly the same prototype. The MT kit has very detailed instructions and using the information gleaned from these I have been able to improve the Ratio kit.
  2. JDaniels

    GWR 0-4-2T's

    By JDaniels,

    As I write this it's pouring with rain outside so a return to modelling or rather the blog. I tend to vacate the modelling bench in the summer for other pleasures, this year a cruise round the Baltic and more recently walking the Cleveland Way. You just know it's time to get away from the television when Channel 5 do a programme "The Great Model Railway Challenge" and no I didn't watch it. As a result of these other activities I haven't even looked at RM Web for several months.
     
    Those who have read my blog will know that I was constructing the Wills 517 0-4-2T. I was able to hand this over to Geoff Haynes at Expo EM for painting and it was returned a few weeks ago. Rather than just focus on this one model I thought it might be more interesting to have a look at the five 0-4-2T locos I have which emanate from four different manufacturers and were built over a period of 40 years.
     
    Let's take the latest, the Wills 517 kit first:
     

     
    I'm pleased with the result but I always think a professional paint job makes a difference. This was the first loco I constructed with CSB suspension and I think in a previous blog I mentioned that I did not notice much difference in the running over a compensated chassis. Having run it in I now think that it is better than most compensated chassis and is worth the extra effort. In one respect it is far superior and that is noise level. My other locos, when running on Blagdon, are quite noisy but are quiet in the fiddle yard. This one is very quiet even on the ballasted track. The reason for this is obvious, when ballasting Blagdon I used diluted PVA which sets like cement. Under that ballast is foam underlay but it may as well not be there for all the good it does. In future I will use Copydex as suggested elsewhere in other blogs.
     
    I think the running must be quieter as all axles are separately sprung and therefore insulated, if that is the right word, from the chassis. I also used Alan Gibson sprung plunger pick-ups and they seem to have curbed any tendency to hesitate when running. The model has Ultrascale wheels, a Mashima motor and High Level 60-1 gears, the whole assembly contained within the side tanks so nothing intrudes into the cab or under the boiler. It certainly runs as well as any Portecap fitted loco.
     
    The Wills kit represents a 517 in later life, fortunately I had good photos of both sides of 848 which was auto fitted. This meant a fair amount of additional detailing was necessary in particular the cylinder in front of the right side cab sheets which may be something to do with the auto gear. This is no criticism of the kit, every 517 seemed to be different so this is not a kit that can just be assembled without reference to any photos.
     
    The other 517 is quite different as it represents a survivor that was little changed in its' later years. Number 559 always had the straight backed bunker, open cab, most unusually a round top boiler, inside frames to the trailing wheels but, conversely, acquired the modern innovation of top feed.
     

     
    This loco's stumpy and severe appearance makes it a particular favourite of mine although, looking at its' condition in the two photos I have found of the original, clearly not with the crews as it looks quite unkempt. This was, I think, an M&L kit which I thought was well detailed, went together perfectly and had a number of useful alternative parts. It is fitted with a Portescap RG1219 motor and runs superbly. Looking at photos of 559 and 848 you would think they were from a different class.
     
    Leaving now the 517's, we turn to their replacement the 48xx/58xx 0-4-2T. I have three of these but without doubt the best one is 5807 in as built condition:
     

     
    This is an etched kit from Rod Neep marketed by a model shop in York (long since closed). To my mind this demonstrates the superior appearance of sheet metal over cast white metal (or plastic for that matter); after all it's what the protoypes were made from. I've studied many photos of the prototypes and to my mind this captures the appearance of this very popular class well.This one is another favourite.The model has a Portecap RG1624 and runs superbly. I possibly could have shoehorned the larger Portescap into 559. In those days too Portescap motors were just a bit expensive, not stupidly so.
     
    Whilst I was able to construct this etched kit, I did have a lot of problems with the Mallard 517 to the extent that I gave up. This had overlays which I could not get on with so whilst I appreciate the improved appearance of an etched kit I am reluctant to go down that route again hence the pain free Wills version.
     
    The last two 48xx were both constructed from K's kits. Those younger than me (very much younger!) may not be aware that this was the first cast white metal kit introduced, I think in about 1957. You can certainly criticise the chassis and the motors of these kits but to my mind the body, with a little work, doesn't look too bad. After the flash and casting imperfections, the biggest issue is with the smokebox door which is easily replaced. Oddly the Airfix 48xx had exactly the same issue. In those days the chassis was two strips of 1/16th inch (?) brass strip with 1/8th inch holes for the axles. The K's motors were abominations, even the earlier metal ones were Araldited together and as for the plastic ones.....
     

     
    I guess I must have built this kit in the mid 1970's. It now has the identity 4836 and is in as built condition. It was painted by Larry Goddard (as was 559 and 5807) and has had quite a few chassis since then. It now has what I think may be a compensated Comet chassis with High Level Gears and a Mashima motor. Once I realised the issue with the smokebox I managed to replace it and match Larry Goddards' finish. Yes you can criticise it in several respects but it is a part of my modelling history. You cannot keep throwing the last kit you made away because the latest one is better. I've tried to look after it but after 40 years or so wear and tear is apparent on the paintwork. I view it not as an accurate model but as part of my past that, within the constraints of keeping the paintwork has evolved.
     
    The last of this collection is another K's kit representing the class in BR days when one worked the daily freight to Blagdon. This loco, 1463, was shedded at Bristol St. Phillips Marsh so probably did work to Blagdon.
     

     
    I was given the model by a friend so after applying paint stripper I did a little detailing once again replacing that awful smokebox door. As an auto fitted version the gubbins on the buffer beams and associated piping were added and this time I kept the steps on the fireman's side of the bunker. Unfortunately I did not do a good job of removing them on 4836 (on the prototype the steps were added later) and you can still see where they were. One other change that was made later was the addition of the whistle shield. Otherwise few changes were made to the class over their life, perhaps the other most noticeable feature was top feed which was added to some of them (but not 1463). This more uniform appearance makes them easier to model than the 517's.
     
    I painted 1463 using car matt black spray and of course got what I think is called an orange peel finish. Again it has an etched compensated chassis with Mashima motor and High Level gearbox.
     
    It's interesting to compare the different kits and see what progress has been made over the years. It's also interesting to reflect on my journey through this hobby over 40 plus years, I'm fairly sure the K's 48xx (4836) was the first kit I made so even if a little ropey, it still means something to me.
  3. JDaniels
    Having assembled the two brakes, I turned, with some trepidation, to the composite. This uses the Ratio sides and I was concerned that as these were thicker than the etched brass the problems with clearances might be more acute. Also as they were plastic I couldn't be so carefree with the soldering iron and I was concerned that gluing might not give as good a bond as solder.
     
    With the brake thirds I soldered the sides to the ends and then, allowing for the slight overlap of the sides over the solebars, located the L shaped bracket that would take the fixing screws securing the body to the chassis. As I was concerned that the plastic sides would not take kindly to the heat, I soldered the brackets to the ends first. By using the roof as a guide, I estimated the correct position of the sides against the ends and allowing for that slight overlap of the solebar soldered the brackets to the end without the sides in place. Locating the roof showed that the sides were at the very limit of the width allowable by the roof so I filed the end of the sides down to reduce the thickness where they located against the "wings" and therefore the overall width. This had the advantage that the ends would more closely match the brakes which used the thinner Shire Scene sides. The next step was to Araldite the sides to the ends, I was grateful that the Shire Scene ends had the wings that folded out to give a greater area for the adhesive. Once again I located the roof in position just to ensure the sides and ends were located in the correct position.
     
    Once the Araldite had completely set I then tried locating the body assembly to the floor. This was the point I had problems before, I can only think the width of the MT floor is greater than that in the Ratio kit as the body tends to sit on, rather than slightly overlapping the floor. Oddly the problem more or less resolved itself as the "wings" to which the sides are secured were at the top and halfway up the height of the body. The bottom of the ends, which weren't fixed, bowed out slightly to fit over the solebars. With the sides and ends in the correct position I filled the gaps at the bottom of the join between the ends and sides with Araldite whilst the body was located on the chassis. Having satisfied myself that the body was correctly located on the floor, I marked the holes for the 8BA screws, drilled the holes and soldered the 8BA nuts to the top of the bracket, ensuring the soldering iron did not linger longer than was necessary. Whilst I hadn't intended to fix the compartment partitions in place at this stage, I thought that as the assembly only relied on adhesive rather than solder, fixing the central partition would add strength. The photo shows the body at this stage, the internal soldering looking a little neater than on the brake thirds.
     

     
    Now the time came to fix the roof, as will be apparent it would be impossible to solder the nuts on the brackets with the roof in place. The one slight hiccup was the partition, this was slightly too wide causing the sides to bow out slightly in the centre. This was simply solved by cutting a section out of the partition and placing a new piece of Plasticard over the gap once the roof was in place. As it was the roof only just covered both sides but once fixed with plastic glue (sides) and Araldite (ends) the whole assembly was quite rigid. The photo shows the coach virtually complete. For once, this coach was more straightforward than I expected.
     

     
    Apologies for the focussing but a macro lens is out of my budget.
     
    I had wondered just how much the MT chassis kits adds to the appearance of the Ratio sides so for comparison I attach two photos, broadside views of the unpainted composite and another of an old Ratio kit (in the livery for 1902) assembled as per instructions.
     

     

     

    I think from most viewpoints there is little difference between the two. IMHO the Ratio kit can be improved by just two simple steps, adding the gas lighting pipes (as will be evident from the photo, something I am doing on all my old coaches) and paring off the end handrails and substituing them for brass wire looping round on to the carriage roof. I also have a set of the same three coaches in post 1927 simplified chocolate and cream and these do have basic brake rigging added. Again though from most angles this underframe detail just cannot be seen. To my mind the ends are the biggest drawback of the Ratio kit, not the underframe. There is no doubt that the etched ends, whether MT or Shirescenes, look better with the pipework etc. added separately rather than moulded on. The stepboards of the Ratio kit are also a drawback, not because they're not realistic, they are far too fragile.
     
    I don't know what other GWR modellers do but I'm never sure what colour to paint the roof. Yes there is the odd photo of a pristine white coach roof but more usually they seem to be shades of grey depending on how long the coach has been in service since its' last repaint. I've alternated between painting the roof white and then weathering it or just painting it a light shade of grey. Common sense dictates that the roof started white and would weather unevenly (i.e. with blotches and streaks) but photos show an even grey colour.
     
    Finally, recent blog entries by MikeOxon prompted me to search out a photo I took of the side of a BG coach at a Bristol Museum (I think it's called the "M Shed" now) which I had forgotten about. It's remarkable that this has survived for so long and gives us a real insight into the liveries and construction of coaches built over 150 years ago. The coach was probably withdrawn in 1870 and is in the same condition as it was then.
     

     

    Because this is not on a preserved railway it is probably not as well known as it should be.
     
    Hope this is of interest.
  4. JDaniels

    GWR 517 0-4-2T

    By JDaniels,

    I'm thinking of constructing another 517 0-4-2T to work alongside the M &L kit I already have. I was contemplating the Malcolm Mitchell kit but really wanted something that would not take as long to construct and I'm also a little put off by comments that on some of these kits the boiler has to be rolled. I've since read reports that SE Finecast are supposed to have produced a kit for this locomotive but although it appears in the price list, I've yet to find a photo of it.
     
    The M & L kit represents the short framed, inside rear bearing version of the 517 which, by the 1920's were quite rare, most having been converted with a longer frame and outside rear bearings. Does anyone know which version the SE Finecast kit represents?
     
    I have a SE Finecast kit of the GWR Metro tank and the quality and fit of the castings is outstanding. The kits also come with a detailed etched chassis.
     
    I'd be grateful if anyone has more information on this kit which I can imagine will be very popular.
  5. JDaniels

    SE Finecast 517

    By JDaniels,

    I've come to a dead halt with the construction of this kit. The chassis commendably includes three different types of brake shoes, two types of brake pull rods and three types of guard irons. All you need to do is find a good photo of your chosen prototype and work from there. It wasn't until I looked more closely at the kit and prototype photos did I realise that my chosen prototype, 540, was quite different from the kit.
     
    Firstly, as the kit is based on the Collett cab version initially that restricts you to those 67 examples so fitted. However even that apparently large number has to be pared back as many of these had the upper cab side corner of the bunker formed as a convex curve rather than the concake curve in the kit. Also, a few of those examples still retained their round top boiler. The biggest issue to my mind though is the difference between those examples with frames modified at Swindon and those modified at Wolverhampton. The Swindon conversions had straight steps and a very deep footplate valance whilst those modified at Wolverhampton had the more elegant steps with curved plating that the kit portrays along with a much narrower footplate valance. The steps in the kit can be cut back to represent the Swindon pattern and the depth of the valance in the kit more closely represents the Swindon conversion. Of the Collett cab versions, only 4 were modified at Wolverhampton.The impression I have from studying photos though is that the depth of the Swindon conversion valance can vary although always clearly deeper than the Wolverhampton conversions. I've attached a photo of the sides along with the chassis, smokebox and smokebox door. The valance to my mind is not as deep as it appears on some Swindon examples.
     
    Talk of the smokebox and smokebox door demonstrates another difference. Most of the smokeboxes on the 517's were riveted although clearly other photos show plain versions which is what the kit has. The smokebox door in the kit is of a plain, slightly concave, pattern as used for example on the 48xx 0-4-2T but many of the 517's, like 540, had a dished smokebox door with rows of rivets above the door itself.
     
    Finally, 10 of the Collett cab version had inside trailing wheel bearings. I already have one of these, 559, so particularly wanted the outside frame version which I think is more typical of the class.
     
    Most of the above came from RCTS part 6 which is a mine of information. I did find a photo of one Collett cab example not mentioned in the book though, 558.
     
    It's a case of finding a prototype that matches the kit, I'm spending more time looking through my books than modelling! It also needs to be a photo that shows the front of the loco. What I may have to do is use a photo of a prototype that was fitted with a Collett cab before that fitment was made but otherwise matches the kit.
     
    The chassis is an intricate fret that builds up into a sturdy frame. I have cut out all the hornblocks as I'm going to use CSB suspension. One particularly clever touch was to have the two sides of the coupling rod etched one over the other so all that was needed was to fold them back to back using the half etched lines. The two sides came together perfectly aligned for soldering. The etch also includes some parts for the body such as fire irons hooks and lamp irons.
     
    No wonder the GWR championed standardisation!
  6. JDaniels
    I was going to write something this evening but the rain has driven me out of the garden. Hopefully I have more success with railway modelling than I do with growing clematis!
     
    The second brake coach is now almost finished and ready (just about) for painting. A photo is attached. As with the first coach, glazing and handrails will be fitted after painting.
     
    Unfortunately it's not quite the same as the first brake as I dispensed with the ends that came with the underframe kit. The ends are, for some reason, etched in very thin brass, you could cut paper with the edge. Shire Scenes do etched ends that have the advantage of "wings" that locate against the sides making it far easier to solder and they are also more substantial. With the MT ends I had to strengthen the join with fillets of brass angle and because of the thickness of the metal the ends flex and eventually the constant mauling to get a decent fit created so many creases and folds I realised that they were only fit for scrap after so many attempts.
     
    What I didn't appreciate until I received the Shire Scenes ends was just how different th detail is from those in the MT chassis kit. Taking the step end first, the steps are far larger than those in the MT kit. They do however have a better fixing with a tab that folds up enabling the step to be soldered against the back of the coach end. This also made it easier to solder the inside fixing bracket as it was against an almost flush surface.The Shire Scenes sides also had rivet detail and an etched lamp bracket, the latter I replaced with brass rod suitably flattened and filed to represent the flat surface as the etched ones wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes.
     
    At the other end, the communicating cord gear, the rod across the top of the end, was represented by etched brass in the Shire Scenes kit. I replaced this with brass rod and also used from the MT kit the small fold up box that is just to the right of the centre line and from which a vertical rod goes down to underneath the buffer beam. Another difference between the kits, this box on the Shire Scenes end is to the left of the centre line. The release lever for the alarm gear was again taken from the MT kit. Again the position on the end of the coach is slightly different between the two kits, MT show this as being along the line of the moulding, Shire Scenes as above the moulding. Again I used the MT part positioned along the moulding. The alarm gong is not represented in the Shire Scenes kit and MT do not have what I think is an accurate representation of the gong which from photographs was quite elegantly shaped. I used a small washer as the MT gong is quite fiddly to make. A white metal casting would have been better.
     
    So all in all the ends are something of a hybrid. Looked at separately no one would notice any difference between the ends of the two coaches (the steps are the most prominent difference) but if viewed end on together the size of the steps is quite noticeable. Once everything is completed I may look at replacing the smaller steps on the first coach I completed (the Shire Scenes sides do have a number of spares) but with the roof now fixed that may be impossible.
     
    It may be that the MT and Shire Scenes ends were produced from different drawings but the differences I encountered do show that we can't assume the kit we have lovingly built is an accurate model but given the number of different designs of 4 wheel coaches this is hardly surprising. I remembered only this morning that I do have a scanned copy of an old article in Backtrack with photos of some 4 wheel coaches as colliery trains and one photo confirmed that the steps were larger than MT show, although not perhaps quite as large as Shire Scenes. I wouldn't have fancied trying to climb up either of those steps! At the other end the box on the communicating cord gear was on the right, as MT show. However it is quite likely that other designs may have been different.
     
    Now that Mainly Trains have ceased trading I'm fortunate to have the kits at all but I really hope that someone, maybe Shire Scenes, can take over the artwork and produce a complete kit (chassis, sides and ends). The Ratio coaches came out, probably in the 1980's, when nothing similar was available and were enthusiatically received. However plastic might be fine for the sides but in common with the many wagon kits it cannot represent the fine detailing of the brake gear and other chassis features. To my mind though the most noticeable flaw is the omission of the gas piping on the roof. What part of a coach is the most viewed? There was an excellent article on the GWR modelling website by Steve Farrow that included much useful information on the layout of the piping which I used.
     
    What would be ideal is to have the MT chassis which looks to me very accurate, Shire Scenes sides are also very accurate (although some are not true to prototype to accomodate the Ratio chassis) but new ends would defintely be needed, slightly wider so the sides fit over, rather than on, the solebars. The roof would be simple, a sheet of plasticard maybe with information as to the positioning of rainstrips, gas lights and associated piping. It wouldn't be that difficult and making such a kit where all the components were designed to fit each other would be a pleasure, not the expensive chore that frankly this has become.
  7. JDaniels
    Well I've just about completed the kit and I'm reasonably pleased despite the shortcomings outlined in my earlier entry.
     
    I tried two new features (for me) on the chassis, CSB suspension and Alan Gibson plunger pickups. The CSB suspension does make life a little more complicated as all hornblocks have to move up and down (not sideways!) and unlike a compensated chassis, the suspension only works when weight, i.e. the body, is applied. I used spring steel wire but even here care is required as the gauge has to be such that it allows deflection, if the wire is too stiff the hornblocks will not move in the vertical plane. One advantage though is that the deflection is minimal. With a compensated chassis the hornblocks move to a far greater extent which can cause problems with the pickups which are at risk of "running off" the tyres.
     
    One point I didn't mention in my earlier entry was the method I use to obtain a working clearance in the hornblocks. I used High Level hornblocks which are already reasonably accurate but will require a little work to obtain a nice sliding fit. Rather than use a file I use fine valve grinding paste on a scrap of nickel silver rubbing the axlebox on it until I get a perfect fit in the hornblock. Of couse it is important to ensure all trace of grinding paste is cleaned away, I use an ethyl alcohol spray obtained from late lamented Maplin's. To ensure I always work on the two sides adjoining the hornblock I scratch "T" (top) on one face of the axlebox.
     
    The photo below shows the chassis after spraying with my usual Halfords Matt Black. The CSB beam, in reality the spring wire, is visible.
     

     
    The photo also shows the bush for the Alan Gibson plunger pick-ups. I had never used these before so was interested to see how they performed. It is apparent that the 2.5mm hole required can weaken the chassis if the depth is minimal. However it was difficult to see how current collectors could be arranged to bear on the leading wheels.
     
    I sprayed the wheels separately prior to fitting using Maskol to protect the treads and the back upon which the current collectors would bear. Having used the axle jigs to ensure the axleboxe centres were exactly the same as the coupling rods I expected little difficulty in getting the chassis to run freely. Not the case! I spent a long time moving the wheels imperceptibly to get the quartering correct and also enlarged the holes in the coupling rods slightly. There does need to be a little clearance between the coupling rod and the crankpin bush but too much and the chassis will never run freely. I tried the old trick of lining up the spokes but still spent the best part of two or three evenings trying to elinminate the slight binding that was occurring. One problem may have been that the Ultrascale wheels are not as tight on the axles as Gibsons. This makes them a little easier to fit but the downside is that they move too easily. Eventually when I did get the chassis running smoothly I applied a little Superglue to the axle ends to fix them permanently.
     
    Next issue was offering up the chassis to the body. For some reason the 1624 motor was now too long and protruded well into the cab. The Gods weren't smiling on me after all. I obtianed a 1620 from High Level and after some sweating trying to remove the worm from the 1624, managed to fit it to the 1620. The new High Level gearboxes are an improvement on the already excellent earlier ones but from past experience it seems the worms on the new ones are a tighter fit. The plunger pickups were assembled and following my normal practice (if possible) the rear wheel pickups were fitted on top of the chassis, thin phosphor bronze wire soldered to a piece of copper coated paxolin with a small gold plated bead in turn soldered to the end of the wire and bearing on the tread. For the first time I have a GWR tank loco where neither pickups or motor intrude where they shouldn't.
     
    The Alan Gibson plunger pickups worked very well with minimal pressure on the back of the wheels. As they are lightly sprung contact with the back of the tyres is maintained at all time although very thin wire must be used otherwise the operation of the plunger is restricted. I would certainly use them again.
     
    The photo below shows the chassis almost completed but still with the larger motor. The Ultrascale wheels look good, the small hole in the axle ends makes quite a difference.
     
     
     

     
    The outside bearings to the trailing wheel are a separate etching. I fitted these after replacing an ejector pipe I had soldered each side, I found that it fouled the wheels. You will also see that a little touching up is required.
     
    Fitting the completed chassis to the body resulted in further problems as the motor and rear pickups still fouled part of the inner casting of the tank sides even if they didn't protrude into the cab. It wasn't too difficult to remove the offending white metal but what was more of a problem was the clearance between the front driving wheels and the splashers. Whilst manufacturers helpfully provide alteranative frame spacers for EM and P4 the body clearances often become a problem, particularly with white metal kits where of necessity the material has to be thicker. Using a chunky file I managed to remove enough without going through the other side.
     
    Having done all this I tried the chassis and body combination and it worked very well. Unless you have used High Level gearboxes you have no conecption as to how quiet a locomotive will run. The plunger pickups worked impeccably and even my phosphor bronze wire ones at the rear needed no adjusting.
     
    Whilst the body had been substantially completed I decided to replace the etched lamp irons with flattened brass wire soldered not just to the surface of the white metal but I also drilled a hole to fix the wire more permanently. I always feel it is no use having a perfectly detailed model if over time parts drop off. Various scraps of metal were used to make the odd shaped cylinder in front of the right hand cab window and brass wire for the various pipes along the footplate valance. Incidentally if anyone thinks the wire on the valance on the right hand side isn't straight, it's exactly as it was on the prototype, it curved gently near the cab end. I fashioned the various auto fittings on the buffer beam and a brake cylinder to go under the rear buffer beam. These are very prominent on the prototype.
     
    I will be getting the body professionally painted as I feel a decent paint job really lifts a model and it's something way beyond me. Whilst working on the kit it did again make me consder the limitations of 4mm modelling where the smallest parts of a steam locomotive really can't be fashioned with any accuracy. If you want to see what I mean have a look at the 7mm models of 517's on the Lee Marsh models site.
     
    I'm not sure whether my blow by blow account is of interest but I try and detail the way I do things in the hope others might find it useful. If I've learnt by my mistakes so others won't make them in the first place.
  8. JDaniels
    I bought three of the Mainly Trains 4 wheel coach kits along with the Ratio composite kit and two sets of Shirescenes sides. The intention is to have a superdetailed three coach set.
     
    I've completed the three chassis and I have to say they went together reasonably well. If anyone does purchse them I'd make one recommendation. Do not glue the solebar overlays to the floor assembly. It was perhaps my fault in using Araldite past it's "best before" date but I found it best to solder them. It is somewhat annoying that once fitted the solebar has to be filed to size along it's length and this treatment will certainly show just how well it is fixed hence my soldering recommendation. It follows on from this that the white metal spring assembly should be left off till the solebars are soldered or one runs the risk of melting the white metal. A photo of one of the chassis is attached.
     
    The kit is very well detailed, in particular the solebar has all the necessary rivet detail and even the gas tank gauge, this was a white dial on the solebar and is prominent in many photos. The Ratio kit as it stands is certainly good above the solebar but underneath it is a little lacking.
     
    I haven't made any etched kits for a while but doing this has certainly rekindled my enthusiasm. There's something inherently satisfying in bonding metal securely together in seconds without resorting to smelly and unreliable adhesive. I might even get that kit of "Lady Margaret" some time.
     
    Or I might not. Mrs. D and I visited Gaugemaster at Ford last week to pick up the second lot of Code 75FB rail I ordered. It was a little frustrating as I ordered two packs, was told the rail was in several weeks ago, went down to find only one had been delivered. Two weeks ago I was told the second pack was in so we duly went back to Ford. I have to admit though any opportunity to visit Arundel and walk along the river to the "Black Rabbit" is one we are happy to take. We get to Ford and Mrs. D surprisingly says she'll come into the shop. I show her the display of Bachman locos pointing out they are better detailed than most kits you could buy and finished to a standard a professional painter would be proud of. Only problem is that the wheels are too close together. Mrs. D yawns. We wander around and my eyes are drawn to their O gauge exhibit, a Dapol LBSC Terrier in SR green. I have to say I was spellbound, the detailing was unbelievable and the finish superb. The staff kindly brought it out for inspection and even Mrs. D was very impressed, enthusiastic even. It was priced at £ 225 which considering Bachman OO gauge locos are well into three figures I thought was very good value. The wagons that go with it are similarly very well detailed but at £ 44 I thought they were a little expensive when compared with OO gauge offerings. When we got home I had a look at the Dapol website and their gallery shows the Terrier in a variety of liveries, I defy anyone not to look at the version in LBSC Improved Engine "Green" and not be impressed.
     
    Whenever I have been to a model railway exhibition I've always walked away thinking that O gauge looks far better than 4mm, the locos move in a manner more like the real thing, it must be the greater bulk. I also think that in 7mm every detail can be shown. To me it's a case of 4mm still being a toy, 7mm a model. I still don't think I'll move up yet, space is a problem, but if Dapol bring out a very small GWR loco (they do a 64xx / 74xx pannier) then I would be sorely tempted. Also, whilst I enjoy making kits it must be nice to be able to buy a superb ready to run model.
     
    I'd be interested to hear what others think but would recommend having a look at the Dapol gallery. I also believe Heljan are making some impressive O gauge models.
  9. JDaniels
    I've just had an E-mail from Eileen's Emporium. They have now taken over the marketing of the Parkside Dundas kits from Peco.
     
    Whilst the kits are predominantly BR wagons, there are a number of GWR types there as well as the interesting SR CCT truck.
     
    I've never really thought about the Parkisde kits as they seem so hard to find but that should now change. Not sure I could justify any more wagon kits but the range on offer will appeal to many.
  10. JDaniels

    GWR 517 0-4-2T

    By JDaniels,

    To add to my recent blogs on the subject, attached (I hope) are photos of my 517 0-4-2T, 559.
     
    This was built many years ago and has a Portescap motor with the MJT gearbox conversion.
     

     

  11. JDaniels
    I've now completed the station building apart from the painting. Unfortunately due to the weather it looks as though we won't be going down to Ford tomorrow (celebrating Mrs. D's birthday) so the light and dark stone I was going to get from Gaugemaster will have to wait.
     
    In my last entry I was about to make substantive progress with the roof. The jig I made to cut the tiles (in 5thou Plasticard) worked well apart from the odd occasion when I failed to notice the strip was firmly against the stop which resulted in a slightly narrower tile. Experience prompted me to make another jig (visible in the front of the building in the photo below). This was simply a strip of etched NS waste with a length of bullhead rail soldered to it. The distance between the edge of the waste and the edge of the rail is important as this will be the height of the tile visible. I made sure the first, bottom, row was in line and thereafter the other rows were laid by aligning the edge of the rail to the bottom edge of the tiles already laid. The next row was then laid with the bottom of each tile abutting the top of the etch. This ensured the row spacing was consistent and that they were all in line. As a check I ruled a few parallel lines on the underlying Plasticard base to ensure that as I went up towards the apex of the roof the rows were not sloping one way or the other which would have been disastrous for the appearance. Fortunately the template ensured this did not happen.
     
    In total I think I laid about 600 tiles but with a ready supply of pre-cut tiles and the jig in place I found I could lay a row of 21/22 tiles in 2 minutes or less. I just put some liquid poly on the base sheet and picked up the tiles with the point of a craft knife, in fact it was putting the cement on that was the biggest hindrance to quick progress. As the underlying tiles showed above the jig it was easy to locate the tiles midway over the underlying joint and against the strip of NS etch. I can say that without these jigs I would not have been able to do the roof, I find difficulty in measuring millimetres from a ruler and even the smallest variance in the size of the tiles would have been immediately noticeable.
     
    I thought the ridge tiles would be slate but photographs show conventional rounded clay tiles. This caused a little head scratching but I found a length of thick walled plastic tube of about the right diameter in my "plastics" box. (I also have a "metals" box.) I filed a flat along the length of the tube, actually exposing the hollow core. The core was further filed out which then enabled the length of tube to be fitted over the apex of the roof.
     
    I have only traced 4 photos of the building, 3 of those are taken from a roughly three-quarter angle looking towards the plain end wall and only one is taken, again at a roughly three-quarter angle, of the wall with the extension. This one was taken after closure. I have no photo looking directly at the front (or indeed back) wall. The plan did not show the extension or detail of guttering and downpipes although it appears from the photos that there was guttering along the front and back, as indeed one would expect. I still had a few lengths of fine plastic angle which, if the external right angle is sanded down, makes very acceptable guttering. I must try and get more of this as the back gutter is made up of 4 strips as I didn't have one length long enough. The downpipes were plastic rod which fortunately takes a little bending. There was no sign of the downpipes on the front face of the building so I had to assume they angled in and were fixed to the end wall. Such is the joy of modelling a prototype location but I don't think anyone alive can tell me that's wrong!
     
    One final complication was the chimney. The photo I used for reference showed the chimney lost in a haze but it was only after I looked at another photo did I realise the structure was a good deal higher than I had made it. It was also more elaborate at the top so I spent some time adding further layers. It is interesting to see how ornate chimneys could be when compared with the rest of a building.
     

     
    A couple of other minor points. The door handles are brass handrail knobs and the gap between the extension roof and the wall of the main building was covered by a strip of 5thou Plasticard to represent the lead flashing. I was quite pleased to see on a better photograph of Clifford station (the other on the Hay extension and with a similar, though larger building) that the lead flashing was prominent; I previously guessed it must have been there without any evidence. For those who don't know the Golden Valley Railway, it is worth mentioning that the branch originally ran from Pontrilas to Dorstone. The stations all had wooden buildings. Soon after opening the line was extended to Hay on Wye with three new stations, Clifford, Westbrook and Green's Siding. The latter was always just a halt but for some reason the other two stations were favoured with a substantial stone structure for the main building even though they contributed less traffic than Dorstone for example.
     
    I can perhaps now make a start on painting the stonework. I found by Googling a colour photograph of an existing bridge on the Hay extension which was useful in determining the colour of stone used. It is clearly made from the same stone as Westbrook station building as the blocks appear identical, and indeed very similar to those on the embossed sheet I used. The bridge is a light brown with what I thought was a slight grey tinge, again similar to that used for the embossed sheet. This type of research is one of the interesting parts of modelling a prototype location and it's always a good feeling to fill one of the holes in your knowledge of the prototype.
     
    This has been an interesting exercise and it's nice to be able to construct something from scratch rather than a kit. Now I have to think about what I do next.
  12. JDaniels

    Setting the scene

    By JDaniels,

    I've had an interest in model railways, on and off, since I was about 16. As I retired a few years ago (albeit at 62) that's a long time. Model railways are not my only interest, indeed during the summer months I normally don't touch the railway preferring instead to be in the garden, travelling around the country, visiting stately homes and walking. Since I retired my son and I have walked the South Downs Way, the Ridgeway, St. Cuthbert’s Way, part of the Two Moors Way and the Norfolk Coast path. More recently add cruising to that. I don't claim to be an expert modeller but I enjoy what I do and it's a nice way to while away a wet afternoon or a winters' evening. Incidentally, I'm not into technicalities of this blogging lark so please excuse any errors.
     
    My interest has long been the GWR, maybe it stemmed from my schooldays when in the last years of SR steam I watched rusty and decrepit N and U classes at Redhill on the Reading line trains and then one day an immaculate Reading Manor appeared, (I think it was either Freshford or Fringford). I can see it now, in lined green on platform 3 with a short train. It was such a contrast to our usual fare.
    My current layout is Blagdon, a GWR terminus in Somerset that has been modelled before as it is relatively small and therefore takes up less space. Even so without any compression the layout requires an 8ft by 2ft baseboard; branch line stations took up a great deal more room than many imagine. Much as I'd like to colonise the spare bedroom I'm not sure my wife would approve. I do have a thing about modelling an actual station. I've never quite got my head around creating an accurate model of actual locomotives, coaches and wagons and then putting them into a fictitious location. I respect those that do but I enjoy the research that is required and operating the layout with the same timetable and in the same manner as the original. Some years ago I also began modelling in EM gauge which I think is a good compromise between OO and S4 (or P4).
     
    Because the number of locomotives and rolling stock required is relatively limited I've taken the opportunity to set the layout at different periods. For example I can operate Blagdon as it was in 1902 using the locomotive used in the first few weeks, the wonderfully eccentric 1384. This was a Peter K kit and once painted by Larry Goddard in fully lined GWR green really shows why railways were at the height of elegance in the late Victorian and Edwardian period. I can also model the station in the 1920's, the 1930's and up to 1950 when the goods service ceased (passenger traffic ceased in 1931). The station environs didn't change much but an additional room was added to the station building a few years after opening. The building therefore lost its' symmetry and I think is a good example of the sort of thing that happens in the real world that a modeller of a fictitious station might overlook. I also have to overlook the fact that the trees in the background only grew over the years, when the line opened the hillside at the back of the station was quite bare. However the trees and the embankment form a good visual stop avoiding the problems of merging the foreground into the backscene.
    As regards research, this I find very enjoyable and the Oakwood Press book has been very helpful in filling in some of the gaps in my knowledge. There was an article in a very old Model Railway News by Michael Farr that had a plan of the back of the station building, the only clue I could find to the layout of the windows. I also found some colour photos of Wrington in the early 1960's which showed the colour of the stonework facing the platforms. In a black and white photo they could have been any colour (it looks to be red sandstone). I know the station still exists as a private house and I have seen it but felt that I could hardly barge in and ask to take measurements and check the colour of the stonework!
     
    Apart from 1384, for operating Blagdon I have a 517 class 0-4-2T, a Metro tank, three 48xx / 58xx, (two in GWR green, one in early BR livery representing 1950) and a Dean Goods in early BR livery (again representing 1950). I do have a few other locomotives acquired many years ago (I had contemplated modelling New Radnor) and also an ex Cambrian 2-4-0T using the old Gem body kit with a Mainly Trains chassis, the chassis it has to be said better detailed than the body. I bought this simply because I like out of the ordinary, non-standard small locomotives. I have my eye on the kit for Lady Margaret! Currently I am trying to get the Nu Cast GWR steam railmotor running. The old white metal power bogie chassis was jettisoned, perhaps a little too hastily, and I'm now working with an Alan Gibson brass chassis with the non-driving wheels sprung. Trying to fix the Nu Cast white metal cylinders to the Gibson chassis is proving complicated and I've also got to fit the complex valve gear. Why does no one currently make a decent kit of a steam railmotor? One visited Blagdon with the midday round trip all through the 1920's and in their day these were as much a part of the GWR branch line scene as the 48xx in later years. Incidentally, I would encourage anyone to see and ride on the steam railmotor at the GWS at Didcot. It truly is one of the most memorable experiences in railway preservation. You need to remember that 30 or so years ago the range of decent locomotives was limited, we had no Bachman then, the RTR examples were generally poor and in any event focussed mainly on express passenger locomotives so if you wanted a small branch engine you had to resort to a white metal kit.
     
    Three of the locos have Portescap motors (58xx, Metro and 517) whilst most of the others have the Mashima motor / High Level gearbox combination. Unfortunately due to space considerations I can't use the High Level gearbox in 1384 and consequently it doesn't run quite as well as most of the others but it is still far better than it was (thanks to Peter K supplying a new chassis fret). Most locomotives are compensated.
     
    Recently I spent some time looking very carefully at each item of rolling stock and checking for breakages (bits such as buffers do get broken off) and inaccuracies (my knowledge of GWR brake gear for example is better than it was 30 years ago). It’s been very satisfying bringing each item of rolling stock up to the same standard, it’s a fact that our modelling abilities improve over the years but you cannot afford to throw away the earlier examples of your work because they don’t meet the standards of the latest models.
     
    I hope the photo gives some idea of what I’ve tried to achieve. I’m aware that I fail a little on the scenery front but I have developed a few mantras as follows:
    Grass is green, not bright yellow or brown.
    Old black and white photographs have given the impression that 100 years ago people lived in an age of greys. There was more colour around than people imagine; a bright delivery van for example draws the eye of the viewer.
    Whilst the public (passenger) side of railways was tidier than today, the areas outside the public gaze were not necessarily cleaner. For example in an environment where horses were everywhere the inevitable by-product would be apparent, mine are moulded from Milliput but the proportions may be the reason why the horses on my layout have watering eyes.

    If people are interested I’ll continue to update on progress to date. This may mean having to rename the blog as under the Blagdon baseboard is a partially completed model of Westbrook and I’m starting to think I need a change.
     

     

  13. JDaniels
    I noticed that whilst I included a photo of the chassis in my previous entry, there wasn't one of the almost completed loco. Now rectified. It will look a lot better once decked out in GWR unlined green.
     
    I also noticed that in my previous entry I referred to the motor as being a 1620. I should have said 1420.
     
    One small point I forgot to mention which illustrates well the frustration with modelling this particular class. There are two spare lamp brackets on the left hand side of the footplate. I had the copy of GWRJ 75 at my desk and looked at several photos showing the left hand side and in every case the brackets were equidistant from the centre of the splasher. The photo of 848 though showed the right hand side. Having fitted the spare lamp brackets I looked again at the photo on the internet showing the left hand side (taken from a RMWeb post) and the rear lamp bracket was much farther back than in all the other examples, the forward one was in the same position. A small point and one easily corrected but it shows how difficult it is to model this class.
     
    One other point that I took from the photo is the footplate piping, yes it does curve down towards the rear on the prototype. I'm also intrigued as to what the prominent cylinder is on the tank top in front of the cab spectacle plate. I can only assume it is something to do with the auto apparatus.
     
    In my previous entry I noted that with this kit I used Alan Gibson plunger pickups. I would certainly use them again as they impose no more drag on the wheels than conventional wire pickups, are probably more reliable and, provided you paint the part of the bush peeping out behind the wheel (which I haven't done) unobtrusive. It is though early days.
     
    As to CSB, yes if the kit provided for it then I would use it again. An unexpected bonus with using it on an 0-4-2T is that the drive can be on the rear coupled axle and the motor and gearbox accomodated within the tank assembly. If using compensation then the rear coupled axle is compensated with the pony truck and the drive has to be on the front coupled axle with potentially gearbox or motor showing under the boiler. CSB certainly works well on this loco, it runs very well although I had to add some lead to allow the spring steel wire to deflect sufficiently. However a compensated chassis with a High Level 60:1 gearbox will also run well.
     
    This just about finishes my modelling this season, the garden and long distance walks beckon. I had hoped to be able to experiment with wooden sleeper trackwork and some ideas I have for point construction but it looks as though that will have to wait till the autumn. Trouble is I just like fiddling around with loco kits!
  14. JDaniels
    It's been a long time since I last updated my blog. Weather has been too good to sit at my workbench.
     
    I think I mentioned that I acquired a Coopercraft 04 open wagon kit at a railway fair at Horsted Keynes. I've now constructed this but comparison with photos of the prototype does underline the shortcomings of the brake gear. These wagons were fitted with Dean Churchward brake gear and whilst plastic kits include the actual brake gear assembly and the operating levers at the end, there are no parts to actually connect these components.This would certainly give your model shunter a shock! The book on the subject, A History of GWR Goods Wagons, gives a diagram of the brake gear, interestingly the rod between the brake gear assembly and the operating levers on the DC1 version actually passes between the wheel and the axleguard.
     
    Mainly Trains do an etch of GWR brake gear which includes the toothed quadrant amongst other items (this also omitted on all plastic kits). As I had broken the operating levers on the kit trying to cut them from the sprue, I also used the etched brass levers from the Mainly Trains kit. The operating rod, actually a bar, could have been a problem as this was elegantly curved but I found in my metal scrap box a very fine piece of etch sprue that I was able to bend.
     
    I've now completed, painted and lettered the kit, a photo is attached. My apologies for the very poor reproduction. I have put a piece of white card behind the wagon to show the brake gear more clearly. The film round the lettering also shows up far more than it does when viewed normally.
     
    This exercise has been a little dispiriting as it now brings into sharp focus the inaccuracies in these models. The brake gear was very prominent as the photo shows and whilst the bodywork is generally excellent on these kits, the compromises made with the brake gear mean that to produce an accurate model not a little further time and expense is required. I will though try and update my other wagons with the correct DC brake gear as time allows. I'm not sure that later versions had the rod between the wheel and axleguard, it may have passed along the centre line of the wagon.
     
    The wagon will have a tarpaulin but those commercially available to my mind don't capture the appearance of a sheet. Thinking on this I wondered whether a small piece of black dustbin liner would work as it would recreate the folds of a sheet. To my surprise PC Pressfix transfers work on this thin and very flexible plastic although only time will tell if they stay in place. The dustbin liner also has a slight sheen which the tarpaulins also seemed to have. I will report back with a photo of the Open with a tarpaulin.
     
    Finally, in my scrapbox I had a completed K's kit of the Siphon F (?) which someone had given to me. As many others have done I have started converting this to the more useful Siphon C. However the usual route of using the Ratio 4 wheel coach underframe didn't appeal as there are too many compromises involved, most notably the springs which are too long. Mainly Trains again (what a great range of products) do an etch of detailing parts for GWR brown vehicles including brake gear and W irons one pair of which is compensated. The axleguards with 4 ft 6in springs which look closer to the prototype came from Dart Castings. Progress is very slow as to get the ride height right correct I had to cut out the floor, only finding this out of course once I'd cemented the axle assemblies in place. The brake gear is also quite complex with operating levers at either end although the etch provides all of this. I have also found that a hopefuly readily available brass section matches the footboards exactly so I'll use this in place of the fragile plastic footboards from the Ratio underframe. I have some of this brass section but not enough.
     
    When finished I'll do another blog entry with a photo but it may be a while. The exercise has been more time consuming than I'd hoped and with the benefit of hindsight I'm not sure I'd have started this. It is no exaggeration to say that an etched kit, if one was available, would have been quicker and more accurate. Thewinter exercise, three etched chassis kits with two etched sides for the GWR four wheelers are still in a box. I haven't even looked at the instructions so I'm definitely not going to be bored this winter!
     
    Hope this is of interest to GWR fans.
  15. JDaniels
    I've now been able to add the gas pipes to the roof to complete the model. Those who have read my blog will know that I'm quite obsessive about roof detail. It always surprises me that people spend so much time detailing the underframe which is hardly seen whilst ignoring the roof which is always visible. We don't look at models like you look at the prototype.
     
    Having said that I'm not sure of the exact layout of the piping. I recollect a photo of what may be a Siphon C on the Highworth branch taken from above but can I find it? As the model represents the later 1920's period, I've added the thinner acetylene pipes. For bedtime reading I've been re-discovering my old BRJ magazines and an article in one of them about gas lighting showed that remarkably few Siphons actually had any form of lighting. The Siphon C certainly did though.
     
    The plastic rod came from a model shop discovered whilst visiting my mother in a home in Axminster, Devon. Buffers is in the middle of fields but is an excellent shop with a far wider range of goods than I expected. I'm sure those in the area already know of it but if you are in the vicinity it's worth looking in.
     
    Back to the Siphon. as so often with me, things go well until I pick up a paintbrush. I wanted to do some weathering using Humbrol washes but, stupidly, picked up the dark brown which for me dries to a high gloss finish. I consequently had to use "dust"wash to cover the gloss finish which means the model is rather dirtier than I wanted. Photographic evidence shows that like all wagons they were not cleaned and therefore the level of dirt is typical. I like the dust colour as I know when washing the car the "dirt" is light but whether that holds good for a steam railway is questionable. I do like the way that weathering picks out the fine detail. Incidentally, when it comes to weathering in the aforementioned BRJ there was an advert for a book by John Hayes, "The 4mm Coal Wagon." Look at the photos and weep.
     
     

     
    The Siphon C was one part completed project that I wanted to finish. Another was a kit for a GWR 64xx pannier tank. Those of you of a certain vintage may remember a range of kits by a manufacturer, Stephen Poole. The 64Xxx was one of those and had, as all kits did in those days, a crude brass chassis. I rebuilt this to EM gauge using Romford wheels but it still looked crude. I probably wouldn't have bothered with it but it had been painted by Larry Goddard (brass safety valve cover?) so I thought it deserved a little attention.
     
    Below is a photo taken in 2015 before I tried improving it.
     

     
    I wanted a better chassis but the only one I could trace was the one from the Westward Models (I think) kit. This unfortunately was etched in one piece as an inverted "U" for OO gauge of course. In a fit of enthusiasm I split the chassis down the middle and using  brass spacers set the sides wider for EM gauge. There was no provision for compensation so it was fixed bearings aligned using lengths of 1/8th inch OD brass tube. I didn't want to spend much (any?) money on this so raided my spares drawers for a Mashima motor, Comet 38:1 gears and a motor mount of indeterminate origin. I had a number of Alan Gibson wheel sets and this was where the problem arose. The wheels I found were a tightish fit on the axles but not tight enough. Trying to quarter the wheels I found they slipped on the axles and even cyano would not cure the problem. If I wanted to make a proper job of this I would get a High Level gearbox and a new set of wheels. The moral of this story is if ever using wheels that are a push fit on the axle don't expect them to be a tight fit if taken on and off more than a couple of times. I had some old Romford wheels of the right size but the oversized flange and fixed balance weights were too much even for me. Incidentally these defects have been cured in the "Romford" wheels marketed by Markits.
     
    As any layout I do is likely to be in the "uncoloured" category the 64xx won't find any use which is why I'm reluctant to spend too much cash on it. A Bachmann body too would would be better detailed. As ever though this is the modellers quandry, what to do with those efforts from earlier days when the products; look at those handrail knobs; and your personal skill level were of a lower standard than now. I think though it is worth updating, maybe a job for the next modelling season.
     
    The other kit I mentioned in a previous blog was a GWR 2021 kit. This is being re-introduced by SE Finecast (the same range as the 517) so will wait for that to appear as it seems they are doing the chassis separately.
     
     
     
     
     
     
  16. JDaniels
    Just thought I'd share progress on the GWR 4 wheel coaches. These utilise the Mainly Trains chassis, Shire Scenes sides for the brake thirds and Ratio sides for the composite.
     
    I'll start off by saying this is probably the most difficult modelling exercise I've ever done. Nothing wrong with the chassis or the sides, it's when you mix the two together that problems occur. When you put them together it results in what my dear late Dad would call a "b*****s muddle." It seems I won't be doing much else this winter.
     
    I've temporarily abandoned the composite and will need another Ratio kit. I soldered, no welded, the sides to the roof with the sides tucked inside the ends. In that position though the sides sit on top of the solebars rather than just overlapping them, doesn't sound much but it looks totally wrong. I tried filing the inside of the sides down (to nothing) but still no joy, they can't be persuaded to fit over the solebars. The only way to solve this problem is to separate the roof from the sides and re-fit them outside the ends so the sides are spaced wider apart but because the roof is so firmly fixed to them that is impossible. I'm concerned too that when the three coaches are seen together the composite will look different from the other two because of the thicker plastic sides.
     
    Putting the composite to one side I had a look at the brake thirds which use the thinner Shire Scenes sides. Originally again I fixed the sides inside the ends but encountering the same problem I had to resolder them so they were outside the ends. It was very difficult to get a neat join between the two but once I did I soldered some small brass angle into the joint to strengthen it. The ends have a section at the bottom that folds over to create a bracket for fixing to the floor. However this then locates the ends far too high, solder the sides to the ends so they abut the roof and you have a clear gap between the base of the sides and the floor. I therefore had to cut these fixings off and made up some new L shaped brackets which I would fit once everything looked OK. Getting everything OK was again difficult. not only did the end / side join have to be neat but I also had to make sure the sides fitted snugly under the roof eaves. Once I had a box comprising ends and sides (the roof would be fixed later but I made sure it fitted correctly) it took a lot of fiddling to get the ends to just slide over the solebars, it also made a mockery of my careful attempts to roll the tumblehome before I started this work. Once the position looked right I soldered the L shaped brackets to the ends (and also the sides), the small arm against the end, the longer one resting on the floor covering the holes for the 8BA screws.This would locate the whole body assembly in the correct position on the floor. I then marked the position of the holes on the bracket (from underneath), drilled the holes through the bracket and fixed 8BA nuts on top of it. This meant I could separate the body from the chassis to glaze the windows and add partitions after painting and the carefully aligned screw holes should mean the sides go back in the correct position. As I am getting these coaches professionally painted, I made sure that the nuts and brackets were firmly soldered, it was easy to do this whilst the roof was off, it will be impossible once it is fixed with Araldite.
     
    Talking about the roof, my intention was to use two spares that I had. It appears though that the design had changed and one of the spares did not fit the sides as well as the current version. That means another kit required, just for the roof.
     
    I had to tidy up the ends again, soldering the sides to them had resulted in some of the steps and piping coming away. I also had to file cutouts for the two steps that are fixed to the buffer beam, the ends had to be lower but the steps would then have obstructed them.
     
    I attach a photo of one of the brake thirds, it would be easy to show the sides only but in fairness I thought I should also show the less than perfect end. The roof isn't fixed and I need to add the gas lamp piping (there is an excellent article on the GWR modelling website that details the arrangement of pipes) and couplings but otherwise it is complete. I've now sorted the sides on the second brake third so after a few evenings cleaning up that will be finished once I get some plastic rod and couplings.
     
    I'd reiterate again that this has been a painful and difficult exercise, far more difficult than any etched loco kit I've built. The ends need a lot of hacking to get a decent fit, possibly because the chassis kit is designed for many applications but is not quite right for any one. As so often the case though, if I was doing this again I know I'd make a better job of it, trust me though I won't be doing it again!.
  18. JDaniels
    I have been modelling on a semi-serious basis now since the early 1970's and in my collection of rolling stock are items that I have no recollection of buying or detailing. Some of these have absolutely no place at Blagdon so occupy a separate box to the other stock which is relevant to the Wrington Vale. That box currently hold two Airfix auto coaches, both in as built condition (with windows both ends) and detailed with the Dart Castings kit, a Stephen Poole 64xx 0-6-0PT that recently acquired a Cotswold etched chassis and the Gem Cambrian 2-4-0T, this though may find a place on a future Cambrian micro layout (Fronfraith). In addition to these is the subject of this brief article, the Siphon H, not sure whether it was Airfix or Mainline that did this but I'm quite sure that the prototype would never have found its' way to Blagdon, or any other branch line for that matter.
     
    On a related matter, I do sometimes think that as modellers we overdo the incidence of Siphons attached to branch passenger trains. My understanding is that from the 1920's on, road haulage really ate into the railways share of goods traffic using army surplus lorries and being able to collect milk direct from a farm gave road hauliers an unbeatable advantage. Blagdon was supposed to have a reasonable trade in milk but the photos I have seen show this being loaded into the guards compartment of passenger trains. The amount of milk from the whole of the Wrington Vale would hardly justify even a 6 wheel Siphon (although I do have two of those). Siphons were of course used on other traffic, the strawberry trains on the Cheddar line for example and prior to 1920 there are photographs of Siphons on passenger trains, an early photo of the Abbotsbury branch train shows a milk truck (not a Siphon) attached to the branch train. Siphons appear to have been more generally used on main line trains, either attached to an express passenger or as part of a dedicated milk train that would serve a milk processing centre (the milk having been taken from the farm to the centre by lorry)..
     
    I digress, back to the Siphon H. This was detailed all those years ago with new bogies, brake rodding, wire handrails and lamp irons, additional trussing, brake and steam pipes and screw couplings. Sorting out the models for the "non-Blagdon" box I had another look at this and thought it could be further improved with, naturally, gas pipes on the roof. I laid out the two pipes running along beside the lamps, one of smaller diameter than the other but as I don't have any information about how the feed came up from the gas cylinders I have done no more than this. If anyone can clarify how the gas reached the roof I'd love to know, the vehicle had end doors so I can't imagine they'd have reached the roof that way.. I have also noticed that those who have commented in the past on detailing this model query the bogies that were used. The Russell book has several photos of Siphon H's and all have the American 9ft variety as my model. Sadly though none of the photos show the arrangement of the plumbing on the roof.
     
    Only 20 of these vehicles were ever built so they were very rare birds indeed. The Siphon G was far more common although there were more variations over the various lots.
     
    If I was doing this again I'd certainly change the handbrake levers and maybe add a little more underframe detail. I also need to remove the inner bogie step. Ah well, the trouble with this hobby is that as you delve further the shortcomings of your work become apparent with the ncourse of time. Like many people though I like the brown vehicles and the body of the Airfix / Mainline model is excellent.
     

     
    The model was quite heavily weathered using Hubrol washes, in this case "dust" colour which, from years washing my various cars, appears to be the predominant shade of "dirt.". You can rest assured though I won't be doing this to the auto coaches.
  19. JDaniels
    Firstly apologies as I haven't looked at the blogs for a while. After the late snow the weather here has been great and the modelling has taken a back seat. My son and I walked the Limestone Way in May and I've been organising our next walk, the Cleveland Way in September.
     
    I went to Expo EM mainly to hand over the SEF 517 to Geoff James for painting. There were a number of layouts there but one that did impress was Tim Venton's Clutton. There is a trend today for layouts the area of a Corn Flakes box but here was one, 24ft x7ft, built to the same high standards as these much smaller ones; clearly requiring a great deal more time to construct. I particularly liked the fact that it was based on a prototype location so there is little opportunity to use commercially available items. What was also good to see was that features in the landscape (I recall a particular farm) were identified by notices around the baseboard edge. I can only marvel at the dedication required, the trackwork, for example, comprised individual chairs glued to plywood sleepers. I think that would have driven me insane!
     
    I also wanted to see David Geen's stand as I was hoping to purchases a couple of his wagon kits but regrettably he wasn't able to attend. It is interesting to see the trade stands though and see what is available. It's also useful to check up on the trader's websites. I hesitate to mention this as I was taken to task the last time I strayed into this field but I notice that Wizard Models, one of the traders at Expo EM, have a selection of Mainly Trains parts available. I don't know whether they have taken over and are now manufacturing them or whether this is old stock but bearing in mind that MT sold a wonderful selection of parts that no one else does I thought others might be interested. I see for example that the Cambrian 2-4-0T chassis is available, I have a vague thought about getting another to compensate it as the fixed chassis doesn't perform spectacularly well.
     
    One of the effects of visiting a show with high quality layouts and rolling stock on display is that it prompts you to have another look at your own stock to se if that passes muster. Mostly I thought it did (I was able to correct some glossy weathering on some of my 1902 wagons - solution - stir the paint THOROUGHLY!).
     
    One obvious candidate for refurbishment was a GWR T49 brake third. Last year I had a spare Ratio chassis and wanting something different purchased the sides from Shire Scenes last year. Unfortunately my painting looked as though it had been applied with a tar brush and, having Araldited the body to the chassis, one of the brake door windows fell off and rattled about inside. I manged to prise the body off the chassis, applied paint stripper to the sides and had another go at glazing, this time using Araldite rather than Superglue. This time I opted for chocolate and cream rather than all over chocolate and although still not perfect, the finish was better. The metal sides mean the surface needs priming which, for me, makes it harder to obtain a decnt finish. Glazing Shire Scenes sides is an absolute pig as the door droplights and hinges are seperate etchings that fit on the inside which therefore means that each pair of windows and every droplight has to be glazed separately. I still managed to get some Araldite on the glazing but as it is dark inside this shows up only as a dirty window (surely that happened even on the GWR!). Using chocolate and cream meant I had to apply the lining between the two which, I read, is not gold and black (that was only used on prestige stock) but a single yellow line. Fox transfers supply a suitable decal.
     
    Lettering is a bone of contention. I have tried using Pressfix but just cannot get on with the smaller transfers. Every time I tried to apply the class designation to the doors, the individual letters floated away when I wet the tissue paper. They work for the larger items such as the coat of arms but for class designations and numbers; hopeless. I've varnished the sides and will apply the class designation and numbers once I can find transfers that do work, unfortunately Fox Transfers only do the later post war style.
     
    I detailed the chassis with brake gear (Mainly Trains did a very useful etch) and the photo shows the result.
     

     
    Not brilliant but it's an interesting change from the usual GWR 4 wheeled brake.
     
    To show what a difference a decent paint job (by Geoff James) can make, attached is a photo of Ratio composite sides on a Mainly Trains chassis. I have to say I like the lake livery which to my mind looks very dignified.
     

     
    Finally, those who read my blog may recall how taken I was with the Dapol 'O' gauge range, in particular the Stroudley Terrier. As a GWR fan though it wasn't too difficult to put this aside, the only GWR loco they did was a quite expensve 64xx 0-6-0PT. However the range is being extended with that old favourite, the GWR 48xx/14xx/58xx 0-4-2T at the same price as the Terrier. No photos at the moment but it's bound to be excellent and also tempt a lot of people, including myself to the senior scale.
     
    i hope all RM Web users have a great summer, I'm putting the modelling away for now. See you all in the Autumn.
  20. JDaniels

    Siphon C

    By JDaniels,

    This winter has been fairly aimless as far as modelling is concerned. I thought though it might be good to try and finish one old project, the conversion of a K's Siphon F to a Siphon C. (By cutting and shutting.)  This has been attempted before and I referred to an old Model Railway Constructor for information. This advocated putting the body on a Ratio 4 wheel coach underframe but as I already had the Mainly Trains running gear kit as well as the Dean Churhward brake fret I thought constructing the chassis might make a better model. It also helped that the Russell book, Great Western Coaches, has several good photos.
     
    It's not been an easy task as to enable the body to sit at the correct height (and the top of the springs to sit on the solebar) meant having to cut out part of the Plasticard floor as the W irons protrude into the body. Using the Mainly Trains fret though meant I could use the correct springs, the ones on the Ratio underframe, being designed for a coach, are too long and it does show.
     
    The brake detail was taken from the fret. I'm not too concerned whether the layout of the gear is strictly accurate, I believe just having the rodding there and visible from normal viewing angles (no model is designed to be looked at from underneath) is sufficient. The truss rods were brass as was the stepboard, at least that won't break as inevitably happens with the Ratio plastic version. The body didn't require too much work. I added brass handrails, door handles and lamp irons. I also drilled the holes to enable access to the outside door handles if someone was locked inside. Why though did every door have to have a hole, surely one each side would suffice. The roof was an appalling fit, with the Araldite already applied I realised that it wasn't going to fit so frantically looked in my box of spares and found a plastic roof that fitted almost perfectly. No idea where it came from but even the rainstrips were curved for exactly the length of the body. In the photo below I haven't painted the roof as I want to find out how the gas pipes were laid out. It seems clear that there were two gas lamps and there must have been the associated piping. For bedside reading I'm going through my old British Railway Journals, interesting and somewhere there may be a helpful photo.
     
     

     
    What is painfully obvious is the problems I had with the lettering. As usual I resorted to my years old Pressfix sheets but fear I might end up scraping most of it off. Any film will disappear under a coat of varnish, it's actually not as prominent as in the photo, but I see no answer to the size of the "GW" branding. It's known that the standard size was originally 25 inch and then 16 inch but what isn't so well known is that the size would be further reduced if there wasn't the space. On photographs the lettering fits neatly in the appropriate space so it must have been hand painted to fit. I reckon it's 12 inches high, and is that available? Of course not. I may even advance it earlier in time so I can safely use the 25 inch letters which were on the louvres along with a ridiculously large number, which is on the Pressfix sheet. That may however compromise the either side brake handles which I've fitted.
     
    Incidentally the wagon is sitting on the trackwork I made last year. The wooden sleepers need further painting but actually look quite good. What is not so good is the gap between the bottom of the rail and the sleeper, inevitable as the rail is soldered to a protruding rivet.
     
    Finally, I understand there is an article in Model Railway Journal detailing a similar conversion. I gave up on that magazine at issue 60 as I felt, no I know, it was way beyond my capabilities and I was quite uncomfortable with  the sniping and backbiting in the letters page which has to be seen to be believed.
     
    Not sure what I'll do next. I have a Stephen Poole 64xx 0-6-0PT body painted by Larry Goddard along with a modified Cotswold chassis. That requires a decent gearbox to get going although the body is not as detailed as the Bachman offering.  There's also the M&L 2021 0-6-0ST which has sat partially completed for years. However as we're looking to downsize in a few years time I'm not sure whether it's worth doing too much as there won't be space for Blagdon Mark II. The points for which are shown in the photo. Decisions, decisions.
     
  21. JDaniels

    GWR 517 0-4-2T

    By JDaniels,

    The Finecast kit arrived this morning, impressive when you consider I only phoned yesterday.
     
    The kit has the 15ft overall wheelbase (7ft 4in + 7ft 8in) with provision for both inside and outside bearing trailing wheels. One disdavantage is that the kit only comes with the later extended bunker although I may have one of the earlier bunkers that hopefully may fit. The full covered cab is supplied but the instructions do say that this could be modified to a half cab. The kit also includes three variants of the front steps.
     
    I don't think it's a particularly important issue but I think the outside bearing trailing wheel versions had a 15ft 6in wheelbase. The instructions refer to the final 6 locos as having the 15ft 6in wheelbase but RCTS part 6 refers to these having been built with this wheelbase from new, most of the locos originally with a 15ft wheelbase were converted to 15ft 6in so if one was pedantic none of these, either those built as new or those converted, could be built from this kit.
     
    The chassis has provision for CSB suspension and a quick look at the castings show them to be of the quality one expects from Finecast.
     
    Also included with the package I received was a note of the Nu Cast kits now also available under the joint venture between SE Finecast and Branchlines. The kits are:
     
    LNER J70 tram engine
     
    NER Class H, LNER Y7
     
    LNER Sentinel Railcar
     
    Sentinental shunter
     
    LMS Fowler 7F 0-8-0
     
    GWR Autocoach Dia A26.
     
    BR (WR) 16xx pannier.
     
    Coming soon is the GWR 2021 0-6-0 in saddle and pannier tank forms. I have one of these partly assembled.
     
    The autocoach looks interesting and despite being out of period, I have a soft spot for the 16xx pannier.
     
    I hope this is of interest.
  22. JDaniels
    Red wagons.
     
    Well I've now painted my first red GWR wagon. Having looked at those in Mikkel's excellent blog and taking advice from MikeOxon I've mixed red oxide and vermillion (well actually the closest Humbrol equivalents) which has produced a colour that fits the "light red" description given in contemporary sources. The only currently available kit that could justify the red livery is Ratio's iron mink, other available kits all postdate the change to dark grey. Incidentally it seems to be well documented that brake vans were painted grey well before the livery spread to other wagons. Lettering was a right b****r, I lost count of how many times I had to scrape off the end numbers until I got them passably straight. Unlike a planked wooden van, there are no reference lines on an iron mink.
     
    You will see from the photos that I've painted the underframe red, a contentious point perhaps but it's well known that the GWR was unique in painting the underframe and body dark grey and I feel it more likely that this was a continuation of the practice adopted with the red. Also the photos I have seen of newly painted wagons appear to show the same shade for underframe and body. I accept this is a tenuous argument given the limitation of photography in those days. The fact is that we just don't know for sure. You will also see that the wagon is in "ex-works" condition but I will dirty it up and the underframe then will appear closer to black, or rather an oily grime colour.
     
    Goods train operation at Blagdon.
     
    The scenario depicted in the photos shows Blagdon soon after opening with 1384 drawing the wagons off the rear of the 12.03pm mixed from Congresbury (which arrived at 12.40pm). The loco would depart Blagdon at 1.00pm, engine and van only but with local traffic if required. This cavalcade went as far as Wrington, the first station on the branch, shunting at each point as required. The reason for this was to avoid delaying the mixed train with shunting movements, the only operation permitted was to simply drop the wagons off at each station. The engine and van returned at 1.40pm from Wrington, arriving Blagdon 2.08pm ready to work the 2.35pm passenger to Yatton. The two PO coal wagons would be taken on the 1.00pm and dropped off at the Bristol Waterworks siding where the boilers for the pumps required a couple of wagon loads a day. The siding was only a few hundred yards from the terminus and the service timetable allowed wagons to be propelled back into Blagdon providing the guard was on the leading wagon. Health and Safety would have kittens today!
     
    I've seen a few service timetables and it is quite unusual for a separate service to be run to deal with shunting along the branch. How much shunting, indeed how much traffic would there be though?
     
    Goods traffic on branch lines.
     
    There are very few photos of branch goods trains in their heyday. Given how expensive film, or glass plates were, photographers would rather go to Rattery or Dainton banks. There are however some very evocative photos that I have seen, there is one in the Wild Swan book of the Abbotsbury branch and another in the Tanat Valley Light Railway book by the same author. Those of us modelling the GWR do though have one good source of information, in 1925 the GWR reviewed goods traffic on all their branch lines with a view to effecting economies. This summarised how much traffic there was on every branch and in the case of Blagdon, and I am sure many other lines, it is surprising just how little goods traffic there was.The main reference book on the Wrington Vale Light Railway published by Oakwod Press gives these figures and in approximate terms, for the busiest year for each class, 1 wagon load of minerals was forwarded from Blagdon every six months. General merchandise forwarded from Blagdon was the equivalent of one wagon every week (although it doesn't work out that way). Going the other way, traffic received by Blagdon was 2 wagons per day of coal, (for the waterworks), other minerals (stone?) was 1.5 wagons per week whilst general merchandise was equivalent to two wagons per week. Livestock was separately counted and was one wagon every two weeks. Remember that all these figures relate to the busiest year for each class, other years would have seen much lower figures. The general merchandise would have been on the daily station truck, the van to and from Bristol Canon's Marsh depot that was attached to either the mixed or goods train and called at each station, often being unloaded at the platform. Therefore the typical Wrington Vale branch goods would be two PO coal wagons, the station truck and a goods brake.
     
    I would think that in general the amount of goods traffic on branches would be more limited that we might think, in the case of Blagdon the waterworks provided most of the inwards traffic. Larger settlements might have wagons of domestic coal whilst market day in a market town would generate a lot of cattle traffic. Indeed the service timetables often show cattle specials on market day and I understand that at Ashburton the passenger service terminated at Buckfastleigh as the station was so congested. Realistically therefore our branch goods would consist of PO coal wagons, vans and cattle wagons. A six wheel siphon might be seen but this would be attached to the passenger service. Bogie bolsters might be seen if there was a lot of timber traffic but I bet Blagdon never saw one. Tank wagons would be unknown unless there was an unloading facility. What I suppose I'm saying is that unless there was industry that required more esoteric rolling stock, the average branch goods was quite limited in its' variety.
     
    For more information on this subject I would recommend the three part Wild Swan series about GWR Goods Services. They contain a fabulous selection of early photographs of goods depots and they show that they were far from being neat and tidy. I think we've been conditioned to seeing offical photos taken at opening but the series of books show the depots as they were and it is a real eye opener. My own thought is that whilst the railway companies did make efforts to keep stations, the public area, clean and tidy the goods depot was very much a working environment. It is a wonder that goods found their way on to the right wagon but this was a time when the railway worker might be low paid but knew their job inside out.
  23. JDaniels
    Underneath my Blagdon layout is another smaller baseboard with a representation of Westbrook station on the Golden Valley Railway. This prosaically named branch has always appealed to me and some years ago I laid the track and started the scenery for a model of Westbrook. Wanting a change from constructing locos and coaches I had a go at resurrecting this. I firstly stripped all the scenery off and cut the baseboard so that it follows the line of the track only. My intention was to mount this on a frame with the infill (the scenery) made from expanded polystyrene. My aim has been to reduce the weight without sacrificing the rigidty required for the track which still has a MDF base.
     
    I was dismayed to discover that the track had buckled in places so had to repair this. The running line through Westbrook was chaired track but the siding still retained the original flat bottom track. This is something very characteristic of many stations. I also rewired the track and fitted the socket for the controllers that I now use.
     
    The track was I think SMP EM gauge flexitrack with the point on the running line made from their components which use separate chairs. The siding was constructed from flat bottom track soldered to PCB sleepers. I repainted the track and generally improved its' appearance as best I could.
     
    I made a far more substantial platform from ply rather than the Plastikard I used initially. Having done this it was time to look at the station building, an attractive stone structure. Fortunately the book on the branch written by W H Smith includes a plan of the building. This, incidentally, is a very interesting book as the principal driver on the line kept a diary and was quite a keen photographer. The day to day operations of branch lines are rarely recorded but the book quotes extensively from the diary giving a real sense of how this long forgotten outpost of the GWR was run.
     
    The station building was constructed from Plastikard with the embossed stone facing. This seemed to match very closely the size and layout of stones used on the actual building. An additional complication was the quoins at the corner which, according to the plan, were of different sizes. The quoins on my model are also of different sizes but that was not the intention. The note on the plan was my get out clause! The walls of the building are several layers of Plastikard as the original building I made many years ago warped badly. The windows and doors were constructed as sub-assemblies fixed to the inside of the walls when completed.
     
    The big problem I could see was the roof. I consulted the Stephen Williams book on GWR Branch Line modelling and for slate roofs he suggested using thin writing paper cut to the size of each slate (the book helpfully gives the sizes of the slates most commonly used). I couldn't get on with using paper so substituted very thin Plastikard which of course fixes better. Cutting the slates is far harder that it seems as whatever size of slate is used, every slate has to be the same size. As, with all tiling, the slate / tiles overlap the join of those underneath and if the width is even fractionally out that overlap will be lost. Knowing that I was going to have to cut several hundred tiles (this is supposed to be an enjoyable hobby?) and realising that my older eyes weren't up to the job I fashioned a simple jig using a redundant frame spacer and two pieces of scrap etch. The frame spacer is bent up, the upturned sction will be the surface against which the strip of Plastikard is pushed against. A piece of the scrap is soldered to the base of the frame spacer against the upturned edge and at right angles to it; the edge of the Plastikard strip bears against this. To this piece is soldered, at right angles, a further strip of scratch etch parallel to the upturned surface of the frame spacer. This last piece of metal is the edge against which the strip is cut. The Plasikard strip goes under this last piece of metal and bears against both the upturned edge of the frame spacer and the scrap etch at right angles to it. All I have to do is cut along the last piece of metal, flick the cut piece out of the way and push the strip along ready for the next cut. So far it's worked really well. The height of the slates (the width of the strip) is less important as any discrepancies are hidden under the overlapping slates. I've described this in some detail as I think others may find it useful. Moulded sheets do not capture the appearance of slates at all.
     

     
    The photo of the station building also shows the jig I used for the slates. I haven't yet painted the walls and found that my tin of GWR Light Stone had gone off. The Dark Stone was a little better and as there isn't much woodwork to be painted I persevered with this; the Light Stone to be added once I get a nfresh tin of it. There is a lot of comment about the exact shade used but it's worth remembering that the colours were made by mixing burnt sienna pigment into white lead paint on the job. A colour card was provided (the HMRS guide includes a colour chart matched to Swindon records) but you can imagine how the foreman's sensitivity to colour, the lighting at the time and the dirt on the card can all affect the final shade. As the HMRS guide points out, there were doubtless times when the card was lost altogether.
     
    I'll update readers of further progress with the layout. I have also been working on trackwork building four turnouts for a potentially better model of Blagdon. These use wooden sleepers with rivets and Code 75FB rail Whilst the sleepers look realistic I'm not convinced that it's a quantum leap in overall appearance over PCB. I've also ignored some of the accepted practices of turnout construction and encountered a few problems arising from the use of FB rather than bullhead track. What I can say is that initial running tests show rolling stock passes very smoothly over the completed turnouts. If there is interest I can describe how I constructed these turnouts.
  24. JDaniels
    I've now painted and therefore completed the station building. For the most part I used Humbrol acrylic paints and was pleased with how I got on with them. I've had problems in the past but I like the matt finish (unlike some so called matt enamels), the way in which you can mix the paints and the ease with which they dilute with water. I collected a number of greyish acrylics whilst I was at Gaugemaster at Ford but didn't realise that some are a satin finish, this is not shown on the container. As a result the first coat of paint was with one of these, my puzzlement answered by reference to the Humbrol colour chart. My conclusion is that acrylics are great for painting natural colours, for representing painted surfaces such as locos and coaches, enamels are best. I would have liked the underlying brown to show through a little more though.
     
    The results of my efforts:
     

     

     
    Photographs of the end without the extension seem to show a lighter patch of stone in the middle of the wall with darker patches either side. I had thought about trying to represent this but thought that if I did anyone looking at it would say that I got the weathering wrong!
     
    As you can see, I have added a couple of notice boards. Photos of the station show boards in the position I've fixed them although these disappeared in the "goods only" days. In part 3 of his series of books on modelling GWR branches, Stephen Williams suggested putting a raised border round the edge of the board to better represent prototype practice. The flat surface of the Tiny Signs boards are just that, flat. I didn't feel able to cut out a square in paper as he did so used the finest Microstrip instead. I also fixed the boards with two battens each, if I was presented with the job of fixing a flat board to a rough surface that's exactly what I would do.Also, as Stephen Willaims suggested, both boards were given a coat of matt varnish.
     
    I really must refer to the Stephen Williams books more,they are full of simple ideas that can make such a difference.
     
    The roof has turned out well, if a little irregular, but I didn't do too much weathering. We had Sunday lunch at a local pub yesterday, the service was slow and I found myself looking out at a house opposite with a slate roof. It had been raining and the roof looked new, pristine dark grey with no staining at all. We probably forget the cleansing properties of rain and the Welsh border country has plenty of that.
     
    I'm now looking at the edging of the platform. I recently visited an excellent little model shop in Salisbury and found a sheet of moulded Plasticard with a very small diamond pattern. This is perfect for bricks (or slabs) that formed the edge of the platform. If I had felt like it I could have scored the strip to represent the separate bricks but balked at the thought. The separate bricks are hardly noticeable and bearing in mind my complete inability to consistently measure the same distance each time I thought it would probably look worse.
     
    If anyone would like to see photos of the prototype Google "Westbrook station" and any number will come up. Take out the photos of Westbrook station in Canada, there's no mistaking them, and you're left with fewer than half a dozen and only some of these show the station building. It's a gloomy looking station overshadowed by trees but did have quite a floral display. With two trains each way a day (three on Thursday, Hay market day) Station Master Knowles had plenty of tinme to ensure the gardens were tidy.
  25. JDaniels
    Just returned to modelling after a pleasant trip to New York. Interesting times over there!
     
    In my last entry I mentioned how construction of the Mainly Trains 4 wheel GWR coach chassis was proceeding well. I spoke too soon.
     
    I had completed the chassis and coach ends but the problems started when I tried offering the Ratio coach sides to the chassis and ends. It was immediately obvious that the ends sat too high and as a result the sides were actually clear of the coach floor, the instructions do make a passing reference to possibly having to cut off and raise the bracket that sits on the coach floor. The problem I had though was that to ascertain the correct height of the ends meant the sides and roof had to be fitted and then there is no way to access the brackets. I eventually decided to cement the ends and roof together locating the ends as a guide to ensure the sides and roof set in the correct position.
     
    The bottom of each end bends up to form the bracket through which nuts are soldered. Screws can then be fitted through the coach floor into the nuts holding the whole assembly in place. I cut off the brackets and soldered some brass sprue higher up the end, the 8BA nuts being soldered over the convenient holes in the sprue. It could be that when finally located in place the new bracket may not rest on the floor but hopefully this won't be a problem, the screws are certainly long enough.
     
    The next problem was fixing the ends in place. On the Ratio kit the sides sit over the ends. The instructions aren't clear on this point but as the MT ends are wider than the Ratio ones the sides must fit inside them rather than over them. I was concerned that it would be difficult to align the ends and the coach sides so decided to solder some L shaped brass section on the inside of the ends in the correct position; the sides would then butt against them rather than be pulled in. The sprue I used for the bracket was also bent so that it would again hold the sides in the correct position lower down. These additional butt joints also give a better bond for the araldite.
     
    I hope the photograph of one of the ends illustrates this. It's not a neat job as I wanted to ensure there was no possibility of the bracket breaking away but it's all on the inside anyway. The photo also shows the sides and roof as cemented together
     
    This evening I araldited the ends in place using several elastic bands to hold the ends tight against the sides. It looks as though this has worked, the very thin brass used for the ends helps. The pieces of L shaped brass also ensured the ends were flush with the sides.
     
    One final note, I pared off all the handrails and door handles and will use some of the etched ones in the kit.
     
    The MT chassis kit is designed for many types of GWR 4 wheel coaches and as a result needed more modification than I expected. I'm also a little concerned that I may have problems with the join between the sides and solebar. The sides should overlap the solebar slightly but they seem a tighter fit. I've filed the inside of the sides down which I hope will do the trick.
     
    I will look next at the Shire Scenes sides which might be a little easier as I can solder these in place. One thing I can say though it is a lot more complex than I envisaged.
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