Iain.d

A couple of weeks back I showed the progress on an old BSL/Phoenix LMS D1807 Third Open carriage. This week I finished it off. 

I purchased it on eBay, believing I was buying a complete kit but when it turned up it was the body only (it wasn’t mis-sold, I just misread the description), so I bought some Comet bogies and Hornby wheels. I scratch built the underframe trussing from brass angle and used Comet accessories to complete. I knocked up some working scissor gangways from brass leftovers. The left hand end one looks like its falling off; it’s not and looks fine when compressed and coupled up to another carriage. I lined it with a lining pen, its okay but there is certainly room for improvement. I did some more practicing after I lined this one and was able to get consistently good lines on my test piece down to about .2/.3mm – the law of you know who!! Never mind. The Stones Ventilators are from Rumney Models and I think they show up well.

It’ll be marshalled next to this Comet LMS D1810 Restaurant First Open, which I’ve already started preparing for construction.  This too will be finished in Crimson and Cream. If the lining on this turns out better I’ll likely strip and redo the Third Open.

In the background I’ve also been doing an Airfix RAF Recovery Set, but the vehicles in this set are being ‘civilianised’. The tractor unit (shown here) has had the chassis extended and a flat bed built. The paint around the window frames is because I painted the dashboard and dials before I glued the roof on.

A little filler is needed and painting wise, it’ll be done in the colours of a company local to Midsomer Norton / Radstock, probably the Co-op.  I have started the crane and that will be finished as representing one bought post WWII by a Radstock based engineering firm, Evans Engineering that had a small depot on Frome Road (up the hill from Radstock).

Kind regards,

Iain

I’ve recently been able to get on with this Roxey Mouldings GWR A2/3 Clifton Down Driver Trailer, to the point that is now ready for a final wash and paint. It’s a bit grubby in these images; normally I test fit/check everything I can, then wash it, put it back together and then photograph it. But this one is quite fiddley and fragile and has to go together in a sequence,  I couldn’t be bothered with the faff! Sorry…

Its very much as it came out of the box. I have only added the steps under the guard’s doors and substituted the provided etched brass lamp irons for reshaped staples. There are no ‘T’ handles in the kit, they got left off the etch at the drawing stage! I’ll use Comet ones and the GWR commode handles in the kit are so fine they’re beyond my skill level to fit so I’ll use some leftovers from another Roxey GWR handrail fret.

Its all soldered other than the very fragile castings on the bogies which are glued with epoxy. The roof is removeable which is needed as the design of the kit precludes constructing the interior and fitting it in the final stages (as I would normally do). I have made the interior seats, partitions, driver’s cab and regulator detail and will build this in after painting. I have made up the vacuum cylinder operating gear and this, along with the gas tanks, will be glued to the floor of the vehicle.

I’m happy how it has all gone together, especially the driver end.  I think I had a good soldering day – amazing what posting photos on this thread does for trying that bit harder! I had considered adding more detail, as per the prototype. I made up some bits and pieces (additional handrails, destination board brackets and some sort of electrical connector box) but I couldn’t make them fine enough to not make it look overly cluttered, so I’ll probably leave all that off. I need to drill a hole for the windscreen wiper.  The bell and brake pipes will be fixed after painting. The front three windows have a horizontal white line on them, about a third of the way down the glass, I’ve read this was to warn/catch the attention of the loco fireman when he was moving coal forward in the loco’s bunker.

Its going to be completed in BR Crimson and numbered W3338, probably the last survivor in South Wales, circa 1953. There are threads on RMWeb detailing this carriage’s last few years.

Kind regards,

Iain

I have been working on this old Ratio GWR Bogie Bolster wagon. There was one shown on this thread running on Little Bytham, way back on page 1832 (along with a whole host of other types of wagons) and on seeing that, it encouraged me to start on this one that I’ve had tucked away for a few years.

I think I’ve read the Ratio model is based on a Taff Vale wagon, but severely shortened. Despite the compromise I think it builds up into quite a realistic model. I did get rid of the plastic truss rods and replace them with brass wire. I also carefully scraped off the plastic representations of chain loops on the solebar and replaced them with wire loops from soft brass that in turn secure a link cut from some old chain I had. I also chopped off the plastic bolsters and drilled out the bolster holders and fitted some .5mm wire.  Buffers are from Lanarkshire Models, wheels are Hornby and I made up the transfers.  I’m not sure about the Tare Weight, it seems very light for a wagon supposedly capable of carrying 30T, but that’s what the instructions show.

I have also had a go with a bit of weathering; I used an umber wash, a dark wash and dry brushed a variety of greys and browns.  I cut down some matchsticks to represent dunnage from a previous journey and glued them at one end. I also fixed a couple of chemically blackened etched brass shackles (Roxey Mouldings), I’m not sure about them, they look too much like a couple of etched brass shackles that have been chemically blackened and stuck on the deck….. I think they need to look a little less uniform and a bit more discarded; maybe tomorrow’s job.

Kind regards,

Iain

Some pages back I showed progress on an old BSL/Phoenix LMS D1807 Open Third. Modelling time has been slow over the last few weeks and I had hoped to have this, and other projects finished, but such is the way of things.

Anyway this one is just about ready for painting, although that in itself won’t be for a while as I have another carriage build on and I have a preference for painting things in pairs or threes. It just needs a wash and rainstrips adding to the roof. The glazing is cut and handrails bent up. I’ll fix these on at the end.  The vents to go over the doors will be attached after painting and lining – I thought it would be easier to line without them in place. Lining will be a bow/drawing pen and it'll be BR crimson and cream.

The body went together quite well, I used nuts and bolts where I could but there is some glue. A small quantity of filler was needed between the ends and sides. The interior is made from plastic card and some left over seating from previous carriage builds. The Rumney Models Stone’s Ventilators look quite good. I think I’ll finish the vertical slats in dark grey / gunmetal or something similar. The underframe is scratch built with Comet components added. The bogies are Comet and wheels by Bachmann.

I also made up some scissor gangways from brass strip and off cuts. The design is not mine, I think its based on (and a bit more crude than) some 247 Developments ones that I have used previously. They’ll be attached with some double sided foam type of draught excluder material.

I think two posts in a day, in succession, is enough from me! Its probably time for me to get on with some family things. Take care and enjoy your day, wherever you are.

Kind regards,

Iain

The previous page or two on building of models seems to be one of those ever returning topics to this thread.  I think what many have written is so close to my own thought's and experience.  I got this DJH S&D 7F for my birthday in 1984. My father was very reluctant to buy it for me and was quite verbally derisive. While the idea of starting off with something less complicated is great advice its not something I was interested in listening to then, and to be honest I wouldn’t take it today either.  In for a penny in for a pound…

I’m not also convinced that there’s a link to the ability to make models and practical skills no longer being taught in school; I made a shoe horn from brass in metalwork and a 3 legged stool in woodwork. I don’t think either played a part in my ability to make this. To me, successful modelling (define that how you want…) is more a state of mind with some ‘in built’ practical ability. And there certainly has to be the ‘want’ to do it.

That said, I do feel some good basic tools and some guidance are key. The 7F was completed, quite badly, with little more than the tools from our car’s tool kit – and it showed! I tried to solder it using electrical solder and was a bit disappointed when I melted the back of the tender while trying to secure it to one of the sides; I’d never heard of low melt solder! I remember reaming the axle holes in the chassis with a flat bladed screwdriver, to accept the bearings. Seven went in no problem, the eighth needed help from a pair of pliers and a hammer, it ended up being squashed! I couldn’t work out how the supplied bearing pins for the valve gear were supposed to be secured, so the valve gear was assembled with cut down dress making pins and evostick. As for trying to get the motor and chassis to run…. But with perseverance and a little practical ability and some clumsy ingenuity, I was able to get the loco chassis to run freely (yes, even with one bearing missing), I managed to fit some wiper pick ups to it and acquired an Airfix tender drive from a 4F. I painted in black and numbered it using Letraset transfers – HMRS Gill Sans BR numbers – I didn’t even know they existed or if I known about them, where I could get them from. The build took me about 3 months of trying; but when my father saw it running, he was speechless.

Roll on 7 years, and for me, I think it was the two Ian Rice books on loco construction that made the difference, well, that and access to a great model shop (Harburn Hobbies in Edinburgh) and having a job that allowed me to have some modelling pocket money. I was able to undo most of my mistakes and rebuild the loco, its been soldered together, DJH supplied me a new valve gear fret but it still has a tender drive (though ‘upgraded’ to a Hornby Ringfield motor), it is still very much an out of the box build and has lots of errors but I really don’t mind, it was the journey of making it that matters.

I think its important not to give up at the first hurdle, very few things in life are easy. My second build was an Airfix BR Class 4 utilising a Comet chassis and the third this Airfix BR 9F again using a Comet chassis and Romford wheels. It runs well, has a Mashima motor and gearbox in the firebox, etched smoke deflectors and so on – no crew or lamps yet mind!

I have had big gaps in my modelling journey; due to life and circumstance I packed up my modelling stuff in 1993, I did manage a little bit in 1998/9 but only really returned to it in 2015. In those intervening years I have been fortunate enough to purchase many kits including locos, carriages, wagons, signalling and the like. I have maybe 30 loco kits to do. None of them will be built in the same manner as the 7F was, but I would hope that each is an improvement on the previous.

And there’s no chance of me, ever, being a ‘name’ in the hobby!!

Kind regards,

Iain

I have made slight progress on an old BSL/Phoenix LMS D1807 Third Open carriage. Almost everything is done on the construction side other than stick the sides to the ends and fit these exquisite Stones Ventilators, etched by Rumney Models, above the windows. I bought two etches last year, for use on this coach in mind. I’m not sure yet whether to glue them with a smear of epoxy or super glue; I think a test on some scrap aluminium is in order. I have contemplated fixing them after painting them, and the coach body, but there’s too high a chance of a bodge job.

The door lines have been scribed and droplights and hinges fitted. These are Comet ‘T’ door handles secured with a touch of solder on the back, akin to a rivet. The roof is prepared and will be bolted in place – 12BA nuts soldered to the end of 2.5mm diameter, 26mm long tube that is epoxied to the underside of the roof. Bolts will pass up through the coach floor.

When previously doing Stones Ventilators I’ve used cable ties, as below, but have never really been satisfied with them. They’re not transparent enough and look too clean.  Looking at them now, I realise they could have been improved and toned down with a very thin dark wash.  I’ve done about six of these Period I LMS carriages in this manner and while not as fine as brass etches, I can live with them; the thought of rectifying them does not appeal! They pass muster from a distance.

There were no issues with the transfer lining on this one!

The leftover Rumney ventilators will be used on the next build, a LMS Period II Dining Car from Wizard Models/Comet, which will be paired with the D1807.

Kind regards,

Iain

I don’t ordinarily contribute to this sort of discussion and don’t wish to cause any offence with my clumsy words. I have read the comments on the buying / selling of stock from deceased estates with some interest. I think its difficult all around, there’s no easy answer.

I have no issues spending a bit more through a forum thread like this than I might through ebay or a similar route. The main reasons being that I believe where my money is going is to worthwhile causes (both the estate and charity), the stock has been tested and serviced and has been through the hands of someone with credibility – if they say it works, it works. While I like to build my own stuff, I’m not averse to seeing someone else’s dream or creation live on a little longer; I know I would appreciate what I had bought.

In terms of the money though, I struggle to know what someone else thinks is a fair price.  I was very interested in either of the DJH Austerities and had an offer in mind of about 200GBP plus postage to Australia (the last loco cost 27GBP to send). Then later knowing that there was an expectation of offering the cost of components plus 50 or so pounds for building, would push either of these to over 450GBP made me glad I didn’t offer. I’m not in a position to afford this and would have felt personally embarrassed had I suggested 200GBP. That said, I’m fully aware that my offer would have remained private.

I think what Tony is doing is really honourable and I appreciate the lengths he is going to and frustration of the process. I don’t think anyone will see my modelling after I’m gone, no one in my family is the slightest bit interested so it’ll be in the op shop or in landfill.

I would really like to ‘do my bit’ to find homes for some of this stock, so I would encourage, if possible the production of a list of stock and an expected price.  This might help manage expectations all around but I also understand that this would be an additional thing to do.

Kind regards,

Iain

For a whole heap of reasons I haven’t been able to do much modelling of late and what I have done was only achieved when brief opportunities arose.  I have made some progress though.

On one of my ‘background projects’ has been this Ratio GWR Bogie Bolster. I’m aware that the model has some compromises in its accuracy in relation to the prototype, but I can accept it for what it is. 

I have done a few of my own upgrades, this has included replacing the bolster pins with brass wire (I have decided to keep the end ones – in photos I found when researching they seem rare), I carefully carved off the moulded load securing shackles on the side and replaced them with loops of .45mm brass wire that in turn secure links cut from some chain. I also replaced the truss rods with brass wire. Wheels are by Hornby.

I have also added some buffers from the Lanarkshire Models range and some 3 link couplings I found in my bits box.  It has about 70 grams of lead added to the underside and runs freely. I will look to wash it and maybe paint it this week. It may yet get a load - an SR rail built signal post, if it'll fit.

I have done some more to this ancient BSL Phoenix LMS D1807 Third Open kit. I didn’t really have a set plan in mind for the construction, due to the variety of materials in its make-up – I had an idea but rather than secure everything with araldite (where I can’t solder or secure with nuts and bolts) I thought I’d leave the final assembly until I knew all the bits would go together. I’m presently working on the interior; I don’t have enough brass tables leftover from other kits so the remainder will be cut from plastic card, as have the seat ends (on the blue card). I cut the seats to be 11mm long but they’re still too long…measure twice, cut once…so need another millimetre removing – due to the dust when sawing this plastic it’s an outdoors job, but it’ll have to wait as its lashing it down at the moment.

And I’ve done a bit more to this Roxey GWR Clifton Downs Driving Trailer – the roof has been cut and test fitted, I still have cantrails to add to tidy up the interface with the side. I’ve also fitted the solebar footboard after first having filed cut outs for some spring/securing type thing that was fixed between the solebar and the bogie.

Kind regards,

Iain

Not sure I can ‘compete’ with DCC, early BR diesels or grey ships….I know, its not a competition! That being said, while I don’t think many of those early diesels were particularly attractive, I do have a liking for them….I like warships too, particularly Leander Class frigates…no comment on DCC as I know next to nothing on it.

This is where I am in my latest coach builds. I’m doing a Roxey Mouldings GWR Driving Trailer. I have built up the bogie frames, no detail added yet other than the end steps. I’ll add all the castings once I’m satisfied with the ride height. Next I need to file cut outs in the stepboards, that will fit on the solebars, to accept springs and things that will be attached to the bogie sides. If I attach stuff now it’ll be in the wrong place or I’ll damage it in handling.

They folded up really well but when I fitted the pinpoint bearings there was far too much slop for the wheelsets, so I removed the bearings on one side and inserted a spacing washer. The coach will be off-centre by the thickness of the washer when viewed head on, I don’t think anyone will notice.

I bent up the sides, formed the tumblehome and soldered in the droplights and the door vents. I’ve never had much luck with sweating things like this with solder, so I drilled holes in the recess the vents sit in and soldered them on from the inside. I was concerned the duckets would be difficult to shape but this proved quite easy; I used a 1/8in bar to curve them on.

And the sides soldered up as a box.  Next will be the solebars and other details. It sits nice and square but I think I’ll end up doing a bit of reinforcing work on the inside too.

And I scratchbuilt an underframe for a BSL/Phoenix LMS D1807.

Kind regards,

Iain

About a month back I showed the progress on a couple of Ratio wagons - a 12 ton box van and a 5 plank open.  Well here they are finished.

Also included at the front left is an old Dapol 5 plank open that I have tidied up. I saw it at a model railway show here in Perth and took pity on it, it had a rough paint job, was minus axles and a couple of buffer heads. That said, it was about the only thing on the stall I thought was worth the money – at a princely $3!  All have metal wheels in pinpoint bearings, 3 link couplings, Gibson sprung buffers and home produced transfers. Painted using a variety of manufacturers colours and a bit of weathering.

While nothing really special, I find these sorts of modelling projects very rewarding, I do them concurrently with other bigger builds, these being easy in that they have lots of little jobs that take five minutes at a time and I can do a lot of the modelling in front of the TV with the family. I’m never in a rush to finish them.

I have also started a couple of carriages. First up is this Roxey Mouldings GWR (Dia A2/A3) Clifton Down Driving Trailer. Its going to be completed as W3338 which was, I think, the last survivor in South Wales until about 1954. There’s a fair amount of info about these vehicles across various threads on RMWeb. I find the Roxey etches quite exquisite, they can seem quite daunting at first, but I find its just a case of breaking the construction up into logical chunks.

And I’m having a go at my second BSL Phoenix carriage, a LMS D1807 Third Open.  I bought this on eBay thinking it was a complete kit but it was only the body, so have purchased Comet bogies and carriage underframe fittings. I’ll knock up the underframe trussing from the brass strip and angle at the weekend. I think we’re due another wet weekend here so I should get some modelling time.

Kind regards,

Iain

We have had some very wet and stormy weather in Perth over the last day or so which has meant I had to spend more time indoors modelling, rather than outside tidying up the garden…

The time has allowed me to finish off part of a breakdown train that I’m putting together.  I cut down a Ratio Lavatory Brake Third bogie carriage and converted it to a 6 wheel 31ft MR Clerestory to be used as a crew coach. Its finished in dark grey (Vallejo German Tank Crew 333). The transfers I did myself, basing the wording on images I found on the internet and finished with a sprayed matt varnish.  The W irons are Bill Bedford and the chassis/underframe built from plastic sheet, brass strip and wire. It has Midland sprung buffers and screw couplings.

It’ll be paired up with this Worsley Works Caledonian Railway 45ft Full Brake masquerading as a tool van.  There’s a little modellers licence here as none of these brakes survived beyond about 1937 and my current period of interest is the 1950s, which going on recent discussions of when we base our models, is about 15 years before I was born. This kit soldered together beautifully, literally ‘falling together’. It is running on Roxey Fox bogies and has sprung buffers – these are LNWR ones as I couldn’t seem to find the right Caledonian Railway ones. I need to cut down or paint the bogie fixing/mounting screws. 

It sits much lower than the 6 wheeler; both are the right height (I think) but I suspect the Full Brake had gas lamps on the roof, where I have put the vents, and also some sort of skylight box on the roof. Certainly some of the very similar LNWR Full Brakes seemed to have this feature.

In the queue to build soon is the accompanying D&S Cowan Sheldon 15T crane and its match truck.

Kind regards,

Iain

So I have managed to complete my last Hornby Stanier carriage refurbishment.  This is a D2162 First Corridor, a set of Comet sides being acquired cheaply in a job lot on eBay and the last Hornby donor coach from my childhood. On the donor I replaced all the underframe with brass strip and Comet components, new bogies, end detail added and new roof vents. The interior comprises some cut and shut corridor sections from redundant CK modules that have been painted and curtains have been added.  On the whole I’m quite pleased with it.

As was previously the case, I had problems with the HMRS lining. The compartment side went on reasonably well but the corridor side took three attempts and I was still unhappy with it. 

Always having wanted to line models with a bow pen, I have over time bought a few old drawing sets and more recently a second hand Haff pen from an antique shop here in Perth. The results on scrap were pretty average but the transfer problems caused me to re-read Ian Rathbone’s book on lining and, here on RMWeb, re-read Mike Trice’s thread on lining, so I had a go at honing some of the pens and dividers.  The cheapy non-branded tools seemed to hone easily and I have two that I’m happy with but the Haff just wouldn’t let the paint flow. But I persevered with the honing of the Haff over a couple of evenings (hone, test, hone, test, hone, test) thinking I was going to destroy the pen, but unbelievably it seems to now work fine.

So the corridor side is my first go with a lining pen – its not perfect (the lines are a bit thick) but I think its alright. It’ll be a while before I have a go at lining out a Somerset & Dorset liveried carriage mind!

Since lining this I’ve done a little more practicing and been able to get finer lines, I seem to have better success with Tamiya enamels rather than Humbrol and now have on my desk a rather vomit worthy Hornby Dublo 4MT body painted maroon on one side, cream on the other and lined in a variety of white, yellow, black and red lines…

Kind regards,

Iain