EWS60065

Nice work, making use of some cambrian bits too I see. There are so many different types too so I'll tend to model exactly what I see on a photo of an example. But they never show everything underneath, so thanks for those pictures. Unfortunately I'm not sure how much I could fit cause of the weights I use to aid running however Great stuff

Cheers. That's brilliant! It really is a great, cheap starting point for many detailing and building projects. I've got another one spare to do into an MTA and also attempting (attempting being the key word) to scratchbuild a whole new tank chassis too, being able to get the springs correct from the start. It's looking a little wonky at the moment. You got a thread cause I'd be interested in seeing more if you've done similar before?

Hi and as expected here are my latest few projects after a long while of not posting anything. Enjoy. 1. Mainline ZCA Sea Urchin ex OAA With little supplies or old wagons for conversion, this scratch build came very spontaneously out of pure boredom! It is my first fully scratchbuilt wagon, using plastic sheet, strip and the odd spare Parkside or Cambrian component, ie. the leaf springs and handbrake levers. Weathering and painting was not the easiest with the acrylics just not sticking but I eventually managed to get some hold and start applying the usual dirt and spent ballast. 2. Hornby/plastic built MTA 395011 Back to something a little more familiar, I built yet another MTA on a Hornby tank chassis. Based pretty faithfully on the real 395011, it features a remodelled underframe with new detail and Kadees, and a 'Doorand' style high end body complete with EWS stickers and graffiti. 3. Upgraded Bachmann 395002. Finally, just a little work on one of my earlier MTAs which was poorly and roughly weathered as a Bachmann doorand conversion with extended ends. It received finer and better coloured weathering plus more accurate data panels to represent 395002 a bit better. As always, thanks for viewing.

Hi James, I'm wondering how exactly you reprofile your MTA wagon springs as mentioned a long while ago here? Tried using a knife and needle files but neither to much avail. Thanks

https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/M-Tops-codes/MTA-ballast-box-wagons/i-8wrzCdH Here it is

Cheers, that's what I thought. There is a picture of one at Dawlish with Starfish chalked on the side but haven't seen any others.

I haven't posted in a little while so apologies, however I do have some interesting projects to reveal in the coming days! In the meantime, I thought I'd share something experimental I did a while back with a shiny new Bachmann MTA. I start out with some measured up aluminium foil to fit between the ribs. Once test fitted, they can be pressed over anything rough and with visible strands - in this case cotton fibres. They're stuck to the wagon sides with contact adhesive and painted with several coats of acrylic, loosely matched. With a spray coat of grime added, I can then rub this away to show the data panels. The regular rust patches coloured with weathering powders. I don't know exactly what I did here, I think the scratches might have been dry brushed to help add relief Well there's an insight into a previous effort at my favourite wagon type and hopefully some more inspiration/ideas/something to discuss. Next project may well be similar to this one here... Edit: I have this thing in my head that MTA are colloquially known as 'Starfish'. Where on earth did this come from and is it true??

Thanks. Yeah, it isn't quite like locos where they are well recorded and people are likely to know how a particular one should look - you can get away with more I suppose!

To add to the expanding dropside fleet, this is OBA number 110154 with mesh sides. The construction of the wagon is rather interesting in that it started off with some spare Cambrian solebars and brake levers, the rest being built from styrene sheet and strip (bar the mesh). It isn't something I'd do again for a while but atleast I've got one now! It started off as a 40 thou base with scored plank lines. The W irons have had spare springs attached (not sure if the mesh sides ever carried this type but I'll use some artistic license...) and the axle boxes were made using cut styrene tube and some brass bearings. Details like handbrakes and Accurascale buffers get glued on. The sides themselves rest on three supports and are plated with strip around all the edges, not forgetting the little door stops. The thinner lines within each door were filled in with window glazing glue (this idea amongst others was from... Data panels as usual designed in inkscape. The main colours were crudely blocked out then weathering commenced. Weathering consists of mainly drybrushing and washes of rust colours. I'm not as happy with quality of build/weathering as with the other OBA but still a fun project. Any ideas for the next...? I am thinking a Bachmann wagon but they are hard to come by for a decent price these days. Thanks for viewing.

The SPA is complete and out of the works. Based on one of the few SPAs still in revenue service, 460272 is now in engineering use. The usual deep reddish browns with an old wiry brush were applied in rusty patches over the metal sides. Highlights with drybrushing and powders. Data panels designed in Inkscape and printed in best quality.

Thanks for that Railtec. I've had something from you before and they are good transfers.

Nice one, OBA looks great. I'll have to try that rust colour myself. What did you use to do the data panels? And I definitely admire your patience with those tiny MHA details

To expand the dropside fleet, here is SPA 460272. Built from a Cambrian kit it's awaiting a rusty weathering and couplings. I decided to go with a standard SPA for this one (not Seahare) for it's versatility as representing a steel wagon too (hence floor bolsters are still present). I've also produced a couple of engineering loads for long wheelbase dropsides - wooden sleepers and scrap rails. Thanks to 'The Scrap Line' YouTube for the inspiration to do these. They are glued onto a black card base so can be easily changed around for variety. That's it for now until the SPA is nice and dirty!

Some photos I got of 4 wheel engineering box wagons at Westbury Down T.C. Inspiration for modelling!

Thanks, that's helpful! Definitely been thinking of getting that book. Does it have pretty much everything?

Thank you. I'll have a look.

Firstly, thank you for the compliments. I agree about the rust and have certainly got carried away before myself! I appreciate the clarification and info on the ZCAs too! I wouldn't mind trying to make a few Sea Urchin/Hare types, the ex SPA being the simplest. Still could do with completing some of the Cambrian classic Sea Urchins too. Not sure what underframe they run on, ex OBA I was possibly thinking as can't find any other similar looking ones.

The OBA posted earlier is now complete minus data panels! Scraps like wooden matchsticks, plasticard offcuts, and masking tape strapping added to the floor. The interior was weathered firstly with a brown/black undercoat followed by 'drybrushing' light tan colours with a rough and wiry brush. Metalwork highlighted with a rust wash. Rust spots start off with a faint yellow spread over a large area, continually added to with darker, thicker washes in the centre until you reach the stage where you're applying an almost black colour in a small dot. It creates what I think is quite a convincing rust bleed spot. The main bodywork gets a pink covering with odd planks picked out in red, yellow, grey, and brown. Hinge areas and reinforcement bars highlighted in dark grey and door stoppers in white. The planks are drybrushed with light, wood shades to replicate wear. To finish off, a thin black wash was worked into any gaps and brushed downwards with a dry, flat brush to add streaks.

Thank you

Am I right in thinking these are the main 5 Sea Urchin types? I'm not too sure what the first link were converted from but looks like OBA, OCA, or something. Any confirmation/additions would be appreciated. Converted from OBAs (?) https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/Z-Tops-codes/ZCA/ZCA-Sea-Urchin/i-DQ9tLKQ/A Converted from OAAs. https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/Z-Tops-codes/ZCA/ZCA-Sea-Urchin/i-Dq2cqjx/A Converted from VDAs etc. https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/Z-Tops-codes/ZCA/ZCA-Sea-Urchin/i-QHKBMGb Converted from SPAs https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/Z-Tops-codes/ZCA/ZCA-Sea-Urchin/i-vr3cn39 Also from SPAs/ZAAs https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/Z-Tops-codes/ZCA/ZCA-Sea-Hare/i-CpsxPG5 Thanks!

Would anyone happen to have some information about SPA conversions into ZCAs? I understand that they carried Ballast when sealed up to become ZCA 'Seahares'. Did they ever exist as ZCA 'Sea Urchins' before this or was it a straight conversion from ZAA 'pike'? Thanks

Nice, that was quick work!

As requested here are some detail shots of the two ex TTA MTA conversions. First wagon, 395001 This is the first conversion which, being my first, I decided to base the chassis directly on the Bachmann one. This side has had all the Hornby tank stuff chopped off apart from the handbrake lever which would suffice. As you can see in the image a few styrene additions have been added to the large V hanger on the right. Only other part needed on this side is the spade-shaped thing (no idea what these are, maybe someone will enlighten me??). It is a simple plastic card and strip construction which rests on a stub left from the old Hornby assembly for extra strength. Moving to the other side, it's a little more complicated. The main rigging starts from the large handbrake, sloping down to the left where it joins another triangular shaped piece of styrene glued on at an angle. There are two central supports which have a wedge cut out of the bottom where they intersect this main piece of rod so that it's a flush fit. Projecting from the left wheelset area is a thicker plastic strip sloping upwards and joining onto the solebar. In retrospect, the strip I used for all this was too bulky but doesn't show too much when weathered. A rear view of this side where the main rigging can be seen planted into drill holes in the underside. Couplings: This wagon was built at a time where my standard was to fit NEM pockets for ease of conversion but after some research, NEM Kadees/EZ Mates aren't as easy to get hold of as the draft box ones so I adopted that system for later wagons. Since I had gone to the effort of fitting a pocket, this wagon did end up receiving EZ Mate NEM knuckle couplers. Second wagon, 395338: 395338 has a more prototypical underframe constructed. After a long research session I was able to place a V hanger (left) and another of those strange bits except this time square with vertical rods (right). The original handbrake lever had been removed as part of a different project so it gave me the opportunity to build a new one out of finer styrene strip. It starts from the solebar above the W iron and connects to the V hanger in a little square linkage (v. fiddly!) The opposite side has a three-part assembly based on pictures of MTAs. From left to right (or right to left on bottom pic) it's a pretty standard handbrake lever ending at a solebar mounted V hanger. Tricky to see but behind this is another V hanger where the second part extends from. It ends at a V hanger on the far right. Overlapping this, starting from the right hand wheel unit, a thicker rod runs to just short of the centre of the wagon. With a smaller upright strip, it connects to the solebar. The central section has two vertical supports like the previous wagon did. One of them is a thin strip wrapped round in an open ended oval shape that fits nicely over the rigging. See right of the lower picture above. Couplings: Coupling is a simple Kadee #5 mounted to the flat surface left behind by the removed Hornby coupling block. Weights: Both wagons have had these weights (look online for model railway weights) squeezed out of view underneath. Edges should be painted matt black. 395338 has even had the central floor cut away for more weight room. Wheels are Dapol disc wheels available in packs of 20 for £10-12. Alternatively use Bachmann, Hornby, or finescale equivalent. Sorry for the long post, hopefully it should clear things up for everyone on how to convert old chassis into believable engineering wagons.

Thank you. The underframe is ex Hornby TTA with the addition of styrene parts in place of the chopped off Hornby ones. Is it these you'd like to see or the actual chassis from underneath? More than happy to get some for you.

This Cambrian kit-built OBA has received wooden slats and other random bits and pieces inside to add to the realism after looking at photos on the 'ukrailwaypics' site. First coats of paint on the frame have been added, with a tan/black mix on the chassis and tan/grey mix on the lower part of the body that covers the solebar. Next job will be picking out individual planks in various shades of red, pink, grey etc.