Enfys_Rainbow

Hello all,

Back to the Lowmac. I decided to just grasp the nettle, so to speak, and scratchbuild my own springs and associated parts.

Nothing fancy here, some chopped up cast springs, some bits of plastic rod and a few offcuts. Nothing here will pass close inspection, but I'm hoping that under a coat of paint, no one will really notice either.

The brake lever came from the spares box - the prototype lever has a loop at the operating end - I tried representing this but it just looked overscale and clumsy however I did it so my lever is flat!

I think it looks like a Lowmac at a glance, and I can just about get away with the springs!

Matt

Are the underframe etches your own?

Matt

1 hour ago, jwealleans said:

I wish I'd seen this thread a long time ago.... my 2022 Warley demonstration was themed on inexpensive wagon kits and rummage bin restorations and a lot of them were Airfix.

 

 

I built the brake van as an LNER diagram, a very easy conversion.   I've kept this one for the display stand as the red plastic shows up the modifications very well.

 

 

 

The other two now run on Grantham.

 

 

I like to take this one to shows to show younger modellers - my son built this with my help when he was 7.

 

I have three on the go on the bench at the moment:

 

 

 

 

These have all had (or are having) the Geoff Kent treatment as described in his 4mm Wagon series of books.   Indispensable for anyone who wants to build really accurate and detailed wagons.

 

The older Airfix kits have much less mould wear and (in my experience) better quality plastic than the Dapol production.   Apologies if this has already been done to death on the thread.  It's a shame the range wasn't much more extensive.

 

 

Hi Jon,

Any other, closer, photos of the red BV? Always a kit I enjoy building and detailing.

Matt

Happy Christmas - many thanks for the support, comments and interest in this, and my other random projects, throughout 2023!

Matt

2 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Mine look better as a flat etched sheet!

 

Mike.

So did mine until this wagon!

Matt

Thanks for the kind words Rob, ask away if/when needed.

I don't really like Xmas at the best of times so will no doubt do some bits of modelling over the next few days if I can.

Have a good one!

Matt

On 22/12/2023 at 14:10, Chas Levin said:

Agreed - nice job; I also thought the crane is superb - I have one to detail too, and you've set the bar very high!

Thanks Chas!

The crane has been a long term project but it's finally getting there - I just need to paint it now.

The Palbrick is on the finishing straight construction wise at least. The underframe details are a work of art.

Is it just me, or do etched kits look better unpainted?

Matt

Hi all,

The Lowmac has ground to a halt while I ponder the distinctive springs.

Meanwhile, I've started a new project. Soldering has always been something I've really struggled with but, over the last 12 months, I've been practicing whenever I've had a chance.

So, at long last, I've started my very first etched kit. This is the 1/024 Palbrick kit from @macgeordie.

It's designed to be built by less experienced etched kit builders so was ideal as a first project.

The kit itself is lovely with well written instructions that a novice etched kit builder like me has had no problem following.

So far so good!

Matt

2 hours ago, jwealleans said:

What buffers and axleboxes have you used?

 

Buffers are from LMS models and axleboxes are 51L BR Split Axleboxes.

Lowmac update!

Springs, brake levers, couplings and a few other bits still to do.

Matt

Ok, the yellow Lowmac.

As touched upon in a previous post, this being an Airfix (as opposed to a more recent Dapol) kit, the parts are in better condition, and less prone to being twisted, even though they're 30 - 40 years old.

The Lowmac I attempted 10+ years ago had a noticeable twist that I was never fully able to rectify.

All the parts are in good condition right from the box, but I decided to fabricate my own solebars and bufferbeams from plastic sheet. There's no desperate need to do this, but as I was going to be removing the axle boxes anyway, I thought I'd just save myself some time and cut out the middle man.

The deck will be the only part of the kit I'll actually use - everything else will be scratchbuilt or added from other bits and pieces.

This is now drying, but the whole lot is nice and sturdy and square.

Matt

29 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

Lovely job Matt. 

 

Arguably unrecognisable from the toy you started with. 

 

Rob

Thanks Rob, much appreciated!

Lot of work and effort, but worth it in my opinion. Rebuilding the jib was the single biggest improvement visually at least.

Matt

8 hours ago, BluenGreyAnorak said:

 

I love your work to the crane. I've recently all but completed a similar upgrade but wasn't brave enough to re-work the jib. Having seen yours though, I'm tempted to have a go an another one!

Thanks, it was a fiddly job but worth it in my opinion - even though it's quite delicate.

Matt

14 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

 

Mine was built as the LNER Toad D, the ancestor of the BR diagram.   I did 3 in total; the red one I've kept for my demonstration display as the modifications show up very well.  The other two now run on Grantham.

 

4.5p - bargain!

1 hour ago, jwealleans said:

I would recommend anyone to use the older Airfix kits rather than the newer Dapol versions; apart from mould wear, the plastic is much better quality.   The Dapol ones I've bought have been soft, soapy and often distorted.   The Airfix plastic seems to stay hard without being overly brittle, even in kits 40 and more years old.

 

I used the Airfix brake van as the main feature of my wagon building demo at Warley last year.

 

 

Still very much worth the effort.   I have one of these attractive yellow Lowmacs in the pile, so I shall be watching with interest.

 

 

 

I quite agree with everything you say - the original Airfix kits are superior in every way. I built both of these from ancient Airfix kits:

You've made some nice modifications to the w-irons and brakegear there though!

Matt

This will be my next work in progress project - a Lowmac made from the venerable Airfix kit:

I have a real soft spot for the Lowmac and in fact it was my attempt (ultimately unsuccessful) to build one of these 10 or so years ago that got me started on my wagon building path.

I'll be using the (yellow!) kit as a basis and going from there.

Matt

I've decided to relocate the wagon building part of my modelling to a new, dedicated workbench thread.

Maybe you'd consider taking a look if you've followed progress here:

Matt

Ok, last photos of this wagon...I promise! I'm getting bored of it myself!

I finished off the remaining 1% and added a few items - may add a bit of ballast in the corners next time I have it out.

Now I've got to go and get the Christmas tree out of the attic!

Matt

Looking good!

I built a Tope a while ago, needs revisiting now though!

I agree about the Dogfish handrails - Hornby use pretty chunky wire on their models. 

Matt

Very nice work! My own 08 needs finished off, this might prompt me to finally finish it!

Never have done before, or even been tempted to, however I have recently pre-ordered two locos. 

I do often ask myself if I did the right thing though (nothing to do with the locos in question, more to do with my own circumstances)!

Matt

6 hours ago, sb67 said:

More mouthwatering modelling with that underframe, great stuff! 👍

Thanks Steve, much appreciated!

When I was younger, and far more impatient, I would spend barely any time painting wagons - sometimes I'd only bother painting the side I could see (i.e one outer and one inner side only)!

Nowadays I spend days, and even weeks, working on a single, 4 wheel wagon.

Interiors are always tricky - plenty of photos of the exteriors, but because of the position of the photographer in relation to the wagon, you don't get a lot of good views of the insides.

Most of my wagon interiors are speculative rather than accurate and this one is no exception. 

Note the underframe is yet to be touched.

Matt