21A Desperado

So following on from my first O gauge thread in the 7mm section where I was building up a small fleet of locos and wagons of both kit built and RTR, I have now had a framework and baseboards built in what had become my 'spare' room. The room is approximately 9' x 6' and I have boards on four sides (minus the radius of the door into the room), constructed from softwood framing, legs, and a ply base. I paid a local carpenter to carry out the work, because a) I wanted a proper job doing, and b) I don't have the time due to a very busy work life and looking after my elderly mum at weekends cuts down on available time. Anyhoo, the total cost for my carpenter to supply and install everything was equivalent to what I have recently paid for a class 31, so it was a no brainer really. I have also asked for shelving for storage and 12" high backboards for backscenes/scenery. The aim in the next week or so is to come up with a simple design that will allow shunting and general messing about with a small fiddle yard to allow a minor mount of storage of vehicles being used. I think I will be using Peco track and points, as I dont think making track is quite my thing yet. The layout will be DCC in operation, but I will be opting for manually controlled points and signals. Basic sketch:

Hi Ian, I have really enjoyed reading your thread and seeing your hard work. Cheers Trev

Very nice indeed Nick, the colours are bob on.👍

Finally got round to finding a pic of my flamecut from 37010 for @37114:

No modelling today, but I managed to nip over to Kingsbury to record 66056 bringing a hotch potch of redundant engineers wagons from Bescot to EMR for scrapping, running as 6Z85.

Fishing and plane photography have been at the fore this week. Fishing not so good, plane photting better. Im waiting for wheel sets from Model Railway Parts, and as soon as they come, I can finish a couple of bits. Since i last posted, Ive made a start on two SKOG Zander. One is further along than the other, and has been assembled and primed. Ill finish off the other one this week, and they will be ready for painting, and then ill fit the couplings and weather...... The last pic shows the vehicles Im currently working on.

Hi Nick Thats an awesome photo. The figure is in a perfect position. Realism 101. Trev

Hi Paul, I would definitely recommend them, for a newbie to O as I am, they are great, the kits require just about the right amount of fettling to match my skill set, and Robs service is second to none. - receiving them usually the next day. If you message him via his FB page, he usually responds within a short time. Cheers Trev

I've tried to add a few more bits of detail to the Barbel. Brakes to follow, need to find them! I have also run out of wheels so I've ordered some more. I've also ordered a couple of Zander kits this afternoon from Rob at SKOG. Next on the list is the TUA, which I've got some 16" buffers from Invertrain to fit, however the buffer holes in the chassis are gigantic and I've had to fill them with a view to re-drill holes of a diameter to accept the Invertrains items. I've glued a piece of Plastic to the rear of the hole in the bufferbeam and have filled the holes with Tamiya filler. It seems a bit odd to the touch, sort of flexible, so I'm not sure how successful this will be. I think I will need to find a better plastic filler. Once thats sorted, I will paint it, then its onto masking the 3 x Rudd for painting. That will be fun.

After @Hal Nail's post above, it got me thinking about rust replication. I have the majority of the paints etc on the bench, so I thought I would try another method, not too dissimilar to the chap in the Youtube video, but instead of removing paint, I would just apply it then stipple it with a chunk of washing up sponge. It didnt go too badly, so did both Barbel. I had a brainwave and decided to paint some patches that would be a good base for the application of the tops panel. Using Mike Cubberleys photos again for reference, I added a few bits of detail, which I will try and finish tomorrow. I added the tops panels. (Railtec) I also had a bash at changing the colours of the insides of the wagon using hairspray and Carrs weathering powders.

That is certainly really interesting and food for thought. I've ordered myself some of the Typhus stuff and I will report back once I've given it a go. I've got a few more Heljan Doggies and Kitties to mess with and I think they will be ideal candidates for this treatment. Thank you for showing me this! Trev

I dragged out the spray booth and made a start on painting the two remaining Barbel I finished last week. Having looked through Flickr, I decided that I want these two to look similar to DB388456 as captured by Mike Cubberley: Tonights starter for 10:

Good point! I suppose its due to being 3D printed as opposed to plastic injection moulded. I'm not sure to be honest, I'd not thought about it! To be honest, I did toy with the idea of trying to score the bodyside panels to replicate scrapes and indentations which would probably make transfer application impossible, so i think I would have to paint the scrapes instead.. I'm looking for this kind of effect:

Further on with the Rudd. Three nearly done. Hopefully tomorrow I can paint them and finally add air pipes. Need to find someone who does transfers next.

Spent an hour on the three Rudd tonight, and got a bit further with one. I did the brake gear, and have a few bits to finish - instanters, grab rails, brake pipes ( already painted) and the two longitudinal bars that link the wheel assemblies. Then painting, transfers and making dirty.

Another SKOG kit, this time a Rudd. Nice kit, goes together well. Ill let it go off overnight and try and finish the rest in the week.

Ive been out of the modelling community for about four years and I didnt know Frank had passed away. He was a really nice chap. Gutted to hear. RIP Frank,

A bit of fettling to my Tope. Im quite pleased with the shades of the internal faces of the hopper. Matt varnish plus about 10 applications of weathering powders. Do they still manufacture Carrs weathering powders?! Ive also added a few transfers. And hand drew some graffiti. Its nearly there!

I managed to squeeze in a couple of hours modelling too, working on the two Barbel I have that are part finished. I completed the brake gear assemblies on both, and had a fiddle with the bearings, drilling them out to accept the Peartree Engrg wheels a bit better. Ive ordered some buffers and will fit these once they arrive in the week. I primed both of these wagons, along with the TUA Ive got on the bench. Ill get hold of some instanters and fit them. I thought I had a couple of pairs left, but Ive used them. Then its onto paint for these three and transfers. Also number two son has successfully transitioned into number one sons old room, including carrying out some rather good glossing I may add. This means that his old room is now free and ready for phase one (design), then phase 2 (scaling back on my over-ambitiousness!) then finally the commencement of the layout.

The other day I mentioned that I was building a temporary spray "booth". I was looking for materials that were readily available and provided a cheap, rugged and lightweight option that could be unpacked, used and packed away again with the minimum of fuss. I opted for a PVC storage box as the actual booth, with a 5" centrifugal fan (from Amazon) providing the oomph. A centrifugal fan is a must as they develop a higher operating pressure which will overcome static losses created by the ducting as opposed to an axial which has poor resistance values. 5" ali flexible ducting was to be the carrier, held together with band clips and duct tape. I managed to get a few bits through work, including a 5" adaptor plate. I cut and filed a hole for the plate through the side wall of the box, and applied some mastic for a seal. After this had dried, I used the duct tape to seal any further gaps. I then wired up the fan to a plug and connected the duct. As the flex comes in 10M sections, it fitted perfectly and I slid it under my roller door in the garage, and positioned the point of discharge under my gate into the entry down the side of the house in order that the exhaust wouldn't come into contact with any cars on driveways. I laid the duct out as straight as possible to reduce static resistance and gave it a whirl. It worked like a treat. What I like about it is that due to the transparent nature of the box, i can use my light from above. Its a tad "Heath Robinson", but it does what I want and proves you don't need fancy set ups with filtration (unless your location deems it necessary)! I always advocate the use of a good full face mask when using enamels or spray varnish. I still use mine even with the fan running. Total cost - about £100.00 I have everything I need , and my compressor is mounted on my unit top right. You have to have music whilst working and my separates provide me tunes and links to internet radio. I still have my trusty Mission 737 Renaissance's, fed by my Technics amp and sound awesome for their age. Todays music is a trip back to the early 1990s with hardcore and breakbeat for company, typically a bit of Krome and Time. Im also going through a bit of a Who phase..........and and ELO phase, and a Belgian house phase (R & S Records) and my interest in The Acacia Strain proves as strong as ever.

Ill see if I can dig it out, It weighs a ton, its half a cabside 😆 Ive been on a few tours that have been a tad "hairy" last one was a pair of cans (612 and 627) down Shap. Christ they were bouncing! Must have been pre-black box days!

I had a great couple of hours in my modelling room today, audibly assisted by my friend who is a renowned DJ, listening to a great 3 hour set. I always find that listening to music helps me concentrate. I installed some new 5' LED fittings, and admit that I really like the brightness. Since no,1 son has gone to live with his girlfriend, I have made use of some of the shelves and units he left behind. One unit in particular was a perfect fit in terms of dimensions and the width of the internal shelves that proved to be perfect to site my O gauge projects. Happy days! So this afternoon I planned on working on my Shapeways TU tank wagon. Eventually I want it to look like this: I managed to get hold of some odd sized PVC tube to suit the barrel ends, and cut it to length, gluing fingers together in the process.....🤪 I then fitted the barrel ends, walkway, filling hatch and ladders. Ive found that drilling out bearings is something that Im having to do more to provide better running. So I did that, and fitted the wheels. I glued it all together and now Im on the look out for buffers. Does anyone know where I can get some from? Looking at them they appear to be Oleo? Also does anyone do transfers? I've had a quick look on Railtecs' website but I don't think they are produced. Fox is my next stop. Looking forward tomorrow and I can fit the Instanters and brake pipes. I might even get the model primed...

Interesting! To be honest once I put a load in, I tend to think of them as a permanent fixture. One thing that has become apparent is that cardboard probably isnt the best material to use as a base. I think offcuts of plastic will be used for the other wagons I have to do as its a bit spongey. Maybe its not dried properly after a soaking of the classic PVA/H20/washing up liquid solution. Ill leave it another few days and check it again.

A few bits done this week, mostly detailing and painting. Ive part weathered a Loadhaul Dogfish and added ballast. I have a habit of gluing in cardboard into the wagons which then get sealed around the hopper internal edge. The cardboard provides a support on which I pour the ballast in. Ive also made a start on the TUA tank barrel, and really need to do some more investigation on the type. The two Parkside Grampus kits have been primed. On the loco front, Ive ordered a split box Dutch 37, which I will number as 010, a real beast of mine. I also have a flamecut number from 010. Thanks for dropping by! Trev

I really enjoy the weathering, however it never seems to go right! (even when using reference photos) That is the reason that Ive opted for the 1990's, as there were still numerous antiquated items of stock in engineers use and it gives me a reason to run these ancient beasts! (see my photos below of the wooden bodied ODA's at Rugby. You can see my old mate @Rugd1022's Mini Cooper in one of the shots (Hi Nidge 😊)) Ive bought a couple of Grampus too that need finishing, and admit to having a bit of a thing for vac braked stock. Still on my list are Mermaids, Plaice and Seacows. I think that is one of the best elements of the hobby is being generous with time frames and running things that necessarily dont fit in the period modelled....good old modellers licence!