Firecracker

Right, after a grotty couple of weeks, I’ve recieved a bit of a kick up the Jacksie by a mate running a ‘arty isolation party’ on Facebook. As a result, various bits, some of which I’ve been putting off for a while, have happened. First up, the standard tank has had a new Zimo decoder fitted. For some reason, Bachmann motors do not like the Hornby decoders my local supplies, so I’ve started to standardise on the Zimos. This had been put off for a while, on the basis of ‘it works’ but now the slow speed control is superb. The two standard 4’s have been renumbered, again, something I’ve been putting off. First remove the old number, with a thinner soaked cotton wool bud and a cocktail stick (why the moguls numbers came straight off, whilst the 4-6-0’s took a lot more rubbing, I’ve absolutely no idea). Then add some of messrs Fox’s finest, with Microsol/Microset to get them to bed down (top tip, don’t knock the bottle of Microsol over, your bench will smell of stale cat pee for hours afterwards if you do). Finished. I didn’t bother removing the old smoke box door number, just applied the new transfer over the top. Next, two innocent wagons have been attacked to make them look a bit more beat up. And finally, the figures seen yesterday have been highlighted and given various washes. The lady 2nd from the right is going on the footplate of the mogul, preserved railways have female crews as well, so let’s drag this into the 21st century. She started as a WW2 landgirl. When I gave the gent two across from her a beard, I didn’t quite realise the resemblance to Bluto that would result, either... Owain

Wow, thanks! I’m capped with what you say, that’s exactally what I’m aiming for. On the pway van, that is being abused at some point, I agree it’s far too clean. Think similar to their shark and queen Mary vans (sat on the shed line, being overtaken by the DMU on the running line). To to anyone else who’s following this, apologies for the radio silence, with work, family, this bl**dy virus and everything else it’s slipped a bit. Fear not, work is still ongoing, here’s the latest batch of Hardies Hobbies figures ready for washes and dry brushed highlights. And with a start made on the washes, along with various other bits that came in the same order. Very taken with the various 20/25l drums. I’ve also today managed to get a decent shot along the full length of the layout, to give an idea of where it’s up to and also how it all fits together. Owain

A few more little bits - a bit of work in the goods yard, with the junk pile round the back of the platform and the wagon group’s emporium. The Noch grass master has been out, scatting a bit of the old 12mm woodlands scenics grass about on the cutting sides Todays testing and development session lead to a bit of a rearrange, the Pway crane reappeared and poses in the ballast siding. Whilst the class 25 awaits departure with two sea lions and attracts an audience Finally, the standard mogul has been chipped and kadee’d. Still awaiting renumbering (but I have finally got the transfers) it approaches Sedbergh with a rake of mk1’s. Owain

With the crap weather, a bit more paint has been blown over the track (the last bit under the bridge requires the copperclad sleeper on the edge of the baseboard being tweaked into the correct alignment before it can be ballasted, hence why it’s been missed). Getting very pleased with it, think it’s about there. Whilst the airbrush was out, a bit of shading was blown over the platform and the car park area as well, plus the dead track behind the goods shed got done as well, in a similar style to the ballast siding. As can be seen In those photos, pways immaculate tellihandler isn't quite as clean any more (using my preferred technique of apply the dirt and remove with a cotton bud on the areas that would be kept clean or that get handled), so this was airbrushed using the same dirt tones as was used on the yard, then the windows, steps and the engine cover cleaned. Owain

Thanks matey, it’s not too bad! First time using MIG paints, very taken with them. Good coverage, good opacity, minimal clogging in the airbrush. I’m also getting the hang of the airbrush (Paasche Talon), both using and cleaning afterwards. There’s a few bits to touch up, couple of ‘shadows’ from only spraying in one direction to get rid of, the work on the two boards needs to blend a bit better at the baseboard joint and I’ve missed a few bits on the point rodding. But all in all, I’m happy. I want to do a bit more with washes and powders on the really grotty bits and there’s all the rodding yet to go in on the second board, but it’s not a bad start. Owain

And a bit more! Got bored after a weekend in Cumbria , so broke the airbrush out and made the immaculate ballast a bit less immaculate. Paints used are MIG airbrush I picked up at Doncaster, a mix of their matt black, dark rust, track rust, dust and earth colours. Pleased so far, there’s a few bits that need touching up from both sides. The blacker areas are going to be in front of signals, where locos would stand for a time. Also the ballast siding is rarely (if ever) occupied by a loco beyond the fuel point, hence the immaculate ballast. The point rodding and the textured paint have been breathed on into the bargain (interesting discovery - the textured paint softenes rapidly when airbrushing over the top of it). Owain

A little bit more progress and another milestone passed! The last section of non-scenic baseboard has disapeared. The strip at the back of the board opposite the pway yard has been made up to trackbed level with ply offcuts and the base of the cutting side added out of foamcore board. Basic ground cover of woodlands scenic foam and a trial patch of Green Scene’s textured paint (not final colour, it needs attacking with the airbrush yet). There’s also a trial of a back scene, to see what height works. Between this and the signal box there’s going to be a storage dumping ground, as a few bits popped down to trial show (trolleys seen above mounted on two bits of scrap bullhead rail, plus Skytrex piles of sleepers). Pencil marks show the point rodding runs. Grey box in the background will be hidden by the back scene and (surprisingly) will be the controls for the North crossover. Owain

Gawd, having a social life doesn’t half eat into the modelling time! Anyway, here’s a few bits of progress. Doncaster exhibition came and went, various bits followed me home (mostly books this time, steadily filling the gaps in my collection of Boyd’s writings on narrow gauge railways of Wales. Also a reprinted copy of Griffiths’ guide to the iron trade of Great Britain (originally published 1873)). In the railway stuff, there was this kit for a pair of plate layers trolleys. Once the abundant flash was removed, they went together nicely (yes, I know that axle is bent, it’s being rustified and abandoned in the long grass behind the trolleys). Another private owner wagon may have followed me home as well... The jinty I picked up at Manchester has entered service, with a Zimo decoder and replacement steps, thanks to Bachmann’s spares department. Finally, the two tank wagons have been breathed on, also the gents for the station (elderly Mike’s Models kit). Owain

Credit where it’s due and all that... At the Manchester exhibition last year I picked up a very cheap Bachmann jinty off the club secondhand stall. Sold as seen, described as a poor runner and all the steps were missing. The poor running turned out to be due to absolutely filthy pickups and an incinerated gaugemaster DCC decoder, this left the missing steps. It then sat in my ‘get to it eventually’ box until mid last week. Not expecting stunning results, because the steps are part of the body shell and it had been bought secondhand (which I stated in the email), I emailed Bachmann. I received a very prompt reply from one Jennifer Ayres, saying that they didn’t/couldn’t supply new steps (as I’d suspected) but they had some recovered ones they could supply. An airing of the old debit card later and they arrived today. Excellent service. Owain

It’s not too bad matey,it’ll do! I’m thinking along the lines of that, I’ve also got some textured paint from green scene I got on spec. a while back I want to try. Fun bit is going to get the buried look right on track stuff reliably runs on. Also (a little personal bugbear I want to avoid) is track that looks good until a track rubber comes along and scalps the texture off either side of the rails. Anyway, just to show there’s a little progress somewhere this week, here’s a Hornby ex LMS brakevan that’s being gently breathed on (currently standing at a coat of matt varnish to loose the gloss, then MIG washes, their dark, neutral and track wash on sides, roof and chassis, excess removed with a cotton wool bud as usual. Also a few dabs of the wonderfully named Athonian Camoshade from Games Workshop on the roof, to give the impression of moss and lichen. The floor in the ends has also been breathed on, to give the impression of bare wood peeking through the worn paint (humbrol 121 and a dark grey wash). Owain

More progress, mostly on the platforms. First up, the stone flagged section has been painted (it’s not quite finished, still playing with colours and it’ll want blending into the section with the building on when that gets finished). Also the ballast has been touched up, just needs a once over with the hoover once the glue’s set and weathering in. Then it’s onto the preservation era extension. The first section goes in. Then the base for the remainder (this time, it’s glued down in the right place). A top (mounting board card sprayed with plasticote stone textured spray paint) and a fence are added. Just the ramp to do and that awful joint hiding behind the goods shed to sort. Finally, another selection of figures and bits from Hardy’s Hobbies has arrived. They've since recieved a coat of grey primer so that’s the entertainment for this week sorted! Owain

I’ve jus found this whilst googling for photos of coaches converted in preservation to carry wheelchairs for my own project! I’d argue preservation specific modelling is definitely modern image. Anyway, on my own project I’d converted a BCK as a disabled coach, with the partition removed in the parcels area and seats added. The other I fancy doing is this off the NYMR, started life as a BG (not my photo, credit to emdjt42 on Flickr) . More power to your elbow, I’m watching the development of this with interest. Owain

Thanks both! Newbidston, I don’t pretend it’s an accurate model (mainly due to space restraints and the resultant compression) but I hope you like it! Corbs, coal in the tenders is definitely on the hit list. Finally got round to ordering the requisite transfers from Fox, so,the renumbering I’ve been spraffing on about for over a year can finally happen (which will be fun, I haven’t touched a set of water slide transfers for over a decade). On a a related note, any recomendations for removing Bachmann numbers? I’ve heard t-cut? Owain

With the completion of the impromptu wood butchery, thoughts turn to the platform edging. This is coming out of Wills embossed styrene. With the platform there’s a slight difference along the full length, a 2 coach length will be stone (wall and slab surface), being the original platform, then the remainder will be breeze block wall, with scale model scenery’s fine edging and a tarmac surface. The first challenge is cutting the stone sheets to a consistent width for the wall, where following a less than satisfying result with the ‘score and snap’ approach the bandsaw is fired up and goes through the sheets (in the words of General George Patton) ‘like crap through a goose’. Just mind your fingers.... Then add a surface, fence, a strip of edging flags and it’s ready for a coat of primer (the whole lot is just sat on the batten, it’s held together by a length of evergreen styrene along the upper inside join). Then it’s onto the breeze blocks, showing the difference. Here the evergreen strip is on the outside, to give an impression the edging slabs are thicker than the thin ply they’re layered out of. Continued to the ramp end (the batten offcut is purely to stop it tipping over for the camera). In other news, a box of little detail bits have been amassed and are ready to go (platform seats, road cones (all will be revealed soon), various oil drums in various degrees of rust and some tyres for the junk pile or a wagon load. I’ve also continued this ‘going out in public’ lark, visiting Kendal exhibition (and the parents). The loco fleet has expanded again, I’ve been looking for one of the standard moguls at the right price for a while with the BR2 tender (the only ones I’ve seen at the right price had the high sided BR1 tender) and one finally appeared. It’s to be renumbered to 76080 (so I’ve got to swap the builders plates as well, I forgot the later ones were built at Donny). Owain

And a late night milestone! With the point rodding down, the platform road has been ballasted. That means all the track is now ballasted. There’s the ballast shoulder to tidy once the southbound platform is finished and the facing is in, around the compensating cranks once their base is made to look more like creosoted timber, but it’s near-as-damnit done. Owain

Well thank you! The ballast siding area is experimentation from one end to the other. It’s a base of plasticote textured ‘stone’ spray paint, which turned out to be a very close match to woodlands scenic ballast. So areas where there would be no/less traffic got a bit of the ballast added over the spray paint. Then the tyre tracks were added. First work out how and where the vehicles (telehandler loading wagons, lorries delivering ballast) would manover. Then the tracks were added using games workshops dry brushing colours. Then a bit of contrast was added with dark washes. Finally, in the middle of the tracks, a bead of glue was very carefully applied and turf dusted on. That scene isn’t quite finished, the bank behind the ballast heap is getting another layer of static grass and a bit of scrub, I think it needs to look more overgrown. Also the running line needs its ballast weathering, the siding will be left pretty much as is, because steam locos rarely enter. Then there’s the point rodding (oh goody) to go in, I’m also debating would the trap point be controlled from the box or a ground frame. I use the photos as a way of examining the modelling. It’s easy to miss something at the time, and notice it later in a photo. It might be something that’s the wrong colour, or isn’t stuck down. So there’s a lot that don’t make it onto here. Owain

And a little bit more, one tedious job and one I’ve been putting off for a while. Tedious - finishing off the point rodding in the platform roads. This is from the Wills offerings, so it’s assembled into longer runs on the bench. There’s also compensating cranks in that run, they’re made up on a base of 20thou styrene sheet. Da plan is that this will be painted to resemble timber before it’s bedded down. And offered up. The job I’ve been putting off is sorting the southbound platform. As I said earlier, due to a cockup when this was laid, it’s 4-6mm too close to the track. There’s clearance, but no room for the cosmetic platform face (a mixture of breeze block on the new extension and stone on the original). The reason I've been putting this off is it involves a mallet, chisel and slightly more violence than I like around finished models. But I wanted to sort it before any more details (ie the point rodding) went in. So here’s the aftermath. The edge is now where it should be, the ballast will retouch and no other damage occurred. Finally, a couple of shots taken from the operating side. Owain

The latest bits! First up, breathing on the DMU, or more specifically closing the gap between the two cars. I picked this up in Wales last year,it’s a lovely model apart from the massive gap between the cars. Why bother with the close coupler mechanisms and then fit a drawbar that’s far too long? Anyway, I’d researched this and found that there were shorter drawbars out there, for other Bachman DMU/EMU’s. This then got forgotten, until a browse of the spares in Monk Bar models (I was actually after a spare pair of mk1 bogies, but that’s another story). When compared with the original DMU offering (DMU lower) they’re quite a bit shorter. And trialed, they’re ideal. The lights still work, the cars negotiate the points with no problems but the gap’s gone. Think that’s a result. On the scenery front, these Scale Model Scenery manholes have gone in the cess in the cutting, to suggest that as part of the track relay the drainage has been tackled as well (soil colours aren’t quite right yet, it’s a mixture of the wrong paint and it’s still wet) Whilst clearing some assorted wagons out to move them onto a new home, this pipefit appeared (parkside dundas kit).. It’s been weathered, kadees fitted and entered service. Finally, here’s a cheap and easy way of holding lots of individual bits for a spray coat of primer. Plywood offcuts and double sided sticky tape. A mixture of skytrex drums and barrels, with some Langley tyres for the yard junk pile. Owain

Gone to a new home! As as I said, collection (York) or delivery Pickering/Whitby/York area by agreement, will be at Kendal and Doncaster exhibitions as well. Owain

Now departed to new home. Owain

So what do you do when you’re bored and taking it easy? Let’s have a little photocharter!. So the standard 4 departs Sedbergh with the BR goods wagons. This is my take on the goods rakes you see in preservation, a surfeit of 12t vans, not enough 16t minerals (or any in this case), brake vans at both ends (makes the running round easy) and something unusual (that milk tanker) in the middle of the rake. Someone needs to tell that cleaner you don’t need hi-vis on the footplate as well. Enjoy. Owain

Well thank you! That was one of the reasons I picked that wagon up, the second was the livery. That’s the entire joke behind the rake of P.O. wagons, there’s only two different designs in the rake and I justified this as someone’s acquired a rake of internal user wagons from a works somewhere, then set to and repainted them into liveries that either someone likes or have local connections. Owain

Whilst shaking off round two of the lurgi that’s doing the rounds at work, I’ve been getting distracted (as is my wont). In the last months of 2019, I moved the main modelling workbench from a cramped corner of the garage to a much larger, warmer space in the small conservatory (this is on my blog, and before anyone asks, yes, I do live on my own). Anyway, one rather palatial bench was joined by a rollchest to give a bit of extra storage and somewhere for the loco servicing facilities to live. Now, I want to add a test/programming track to this. This is the previous effort, which served two earlier layouts. I fancy replacing it because a) over the years, it’s acquired an impressive bend, b) it would be handy to have a set of points on the test track to check back to back dimensions and c) I fancy something a bit more scenic, to be able to grab the odd photo of a new arrivial or detail and weathering jobs. So, whilst coughing, sneezing and dozing, ideas began to form. Here’s where I’m basing it on, and I’m sure this will be recognised. Several reasons, it’s a compact area with a backscene and it’ll serve as a testbed for modelling track buried in ash and filth. The track plan is nothing fancy, loco length headshunt, LH point, two sidings. Backdrops to rear and RH end comprising of boiler shop wall and running shed end gable. And see if it’ll fit, it should do, just need to add a small overhang for a headshunt. Finally, whilst having the clear out of the bench, this older ratio kit surfaced (LNWR corridor third). According to the net, a couple of these survive as bodies, so the railway has recovered one and started to build up a vintage rake, along the lines of Embsay or KWVR. Might be joined by one of the Hattons Genesis offerings, or other kits might pop up. It’s going together nicely, the lining is something I’ll worry about nearer the time. Owain

Excellent, more power to your elbow! Hope yours goes as smoothly as mine did. Owain

I used the DCC23 (following a long consultation with Martin at Monk Bar). Only thing I did was because it was going to be on top of the motor was that I wrapped it in sticky tape to prevent any shorting. Bizarrely, considering how small the beast is, it’s one of the easiest installations I’ve done. Literally undo the four screws, remove the coupler blanking plates and the chassis popped out with no bother. Reassembly was similarly straightforward, set the address to 48 (I use two digit adresses, usually the last two digits of the loco number, due to using an older lenz system) and it ran like silk first go! Monk bar had already test run it for me on DC. Owain