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justin1985

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  1. justin1985
    First update in a long while - I've hardly had any modelling time at all ...
     
    However, I got the Dapol 153 detailing project I started a while back finished off. In the end I didn't manage to remove the glazing, so left the incorrectly placed silver framing for now. The rainstrip was removed from over the cabs, and the snowploughs scaled down considerably, as well as painting over the very silver exhaust with some Phoenix "Frame Dirt". I also fitted a Bachmann cheapo 6-pin DCC chip, which works fine.
     
    The whole model got a general toning down with assorted weathering colours, with particular emphasis on the underframe, snowplough, and also the buildup of grime which seems to appear around the top of the corridor connector.
     
    While is more I could have done (windows, attacking the underframe "box") - I'm happy with a much improved model!
     


     
    Also, I finished off the renumbered Dapol 86 with one of the new pantographs, a coat of satin varnish to blend in the new numbers and 'plates, as well as a light coat of grime to tone down the underframe only. One day I'll get around to giving it a more comprehensive weathering!
     

  2. justin1985
    Not much modelling has been happening recently, but I did buy a Dapol cl.86 in Intercity swallow livery with the intention of renumbering to represent one of the machines used on the GE Mainline during the 1990s. Based on the availability of prototype photos with matching livery, I chose to model 86220 "The Round Tabler".
     
    It proved relatively easy to rub off the Dapol numbering using thinners on a cocktail stick, and use Fox transfers to renumber it. The nameplates came from Shawplan, and I attached them using Humbrol satin varnish, then sealed both with an extra dab of Klear. I also added electrification flashes on the front of the cab, which seem to have been a feature of GE 86s, but not the west coast examples. Still to do is some light weathering.
     
    I've also got a renumbering of a new Farish "Dutch" 37 to 37 023 "Stratford", which has so far involved moving the high intensity headlight from the centre to being offset to the right, and reinstating the seam down the centre of the communication door, and respraying in warning yellow. Next session will be the numbering and plates.
     

  3. justin1985
    I've been very busy recently with things other than modelling, but Boxing Day has given me a chance to do a little more work on my N gauge collection.
     
    Back in the summer I spoke to Allan Doherty of Worsley Works at the 2mm Association Expo, and asked whether there was any chance of getting his Class 309 etches adapted to the refurbished version of the units with hopper style windows instead of the original Mk1 sliding windows. Very soon after the etches arrived, and have sat in my "gloat box" ever since ...
     
     
    ... until now! I made a start on the the TS, as the simplest of the coaches that make up the unit. As I understand these were simply standard Mk1 coaches inserted into the 4 car versions of the 309. However, as far as I can see from the few pictures online, the TS doesn't carry much of the standard Mk1 underframe equipment, so for now I've only built up the underframe trussing with none of the other equipment.
     
    71569 (TS) at Stratford on 4th April 1985
     

     
    The MBS is probably going to be the next item on the agenda, and I'm planning to build this around a Greenmax chassis, and try and fabricate a low relief impression of the underframe equipment to disguise the rather low-slung chassis.
     
    One problem I've hit though is the roof - I had planned to use some sections of Mk1 profile roof that I'd obtained from the 2mm Assoc shop. Despite being a perfect fit in terms of profile and height, they are a few mm too short! I guess this is the scale difference between N and 2mm. Other than cut-and-shutting some of these, can anyone recommend an alternative?
  4. justin1985
    Several people have said that the Dapol 153 isn't quite as convincing as the Farish 150, for example. I'm inclined to agree, but for my plans of a layout set in East Anglia in the early-mid 1990s, a 153 in Regional Railways livery is pretty much an essential! When I was able to pick one up on eBay for about half the RRP recently, I thought I'd think about how to improve it.
     
    The most obvious thing that screams "wrong" is the snowplough. It juts out far too far at the top - I have no idea why, its not as if that is needed to operate with the scharfenberg couplings. So, I attacked them with a file. Just a few minutes with a needle file, working cross-wise and following the angle of the lower edge of the plough yielded something much more acceptable. The general shape is pretty much correct, its just that the top is carried far too far forward. See before and after:
     

     

     
    The next problem (certainly with my model) was that the Scharfenberg coupling was very sloppy, and seemed to like to hang out to one side at a 45 degree angle. I've not actually had the chance to play with another model equipped with a close-coupling Tomix TN coupler like this, so I don't know if this is how its designed to be, but I suspect not. The coupling housing just pulls off the bottom of the model, and while the back of it appears to have been melted together with a soldering iron, the front unclips. To tighten things up a bit I made sure that the metal spring was sitting on top of the coupling arm and that the arm's pin was between the two prongs of the spring, then used fine tweezers to really tighten them in together as much as I could. I pulled each side right across the other and bent it as much as I could so that the two prongs now rest almost touching in the middle. This retains the coupler arm much better and stops it from slopping right out, while still letting it slide forward and return naturally.
     
    The last thing that really grabs me about the model is the windows. While they are reasonably well moulded and sit quite flush, the thick silver printed line around the bottom half makes it appear as if they're not, and makes the windows look under-size! What I would like to do is remove the window strip, clean off the silver printing below the "hopper", and then run a little silver pen around the inside of the window frame (rather than the window itself) to give the correct impression.
     
    However, I can't seem to get the windows out! Unclipping the roof lets you get at the window moulding, but they also seem to be retained by the seat moulding from below. I can't seem to find a way to safely unclip the main bodyside moulding that would give access to this. Has anyone done this successfully?
  5. justin1985
    I thought it was about time to post something online about my actual modelling projects. As my previous posts might suggest, my interests are pretty eclectic, but are all in 2mm/N. Basically while I don't really have the space or time for a layout quite yet, I have been working on stock for three broad themes:
     
    1) GER pre-grouping in 2FS (2mm Finescale), most likely set in the period around 1915-1925
     
    2) East Anglian mainline circa 1990-2000 in standard N
     
    3) Scandinavian, particularly Swedish (some Danish), the same broad period 1990-2000
     
    Here are some of the things I've been working on recently, and comments welcome!
     
    Detailed and weathered Bachman\Farish Mk1 BG in Rail Express Systems livery. As the 57' full brake doesn't appear to amongst the models that Farish are planning for the new Mk1 model, I took the opportunity to buy some cheap examples in RES and Intercity Executive liveries. The BG is one of the better detailed models in the Farish mk1 range, with relief for door handles etc. However I found the handrails, noticeable on the real thing, a bit lacking, and replaced them with 0.3mm wire using a simple clear plasticard jig. I also fitted the Ultima detailing kit for the underframe.

     
    Detailed rake of Farish PGA hoppers, inspired by a motley collection that used to sit in the sand siding at Marks Tey. Five Bachmann\Farish PGA hoppers, one in VTG livery and four in ARC. All detailed with TPM detailing kit and weathered quite heavily over the original liveries. I'm not sure about the prototypical nature of having this combination together, but its what I had to hand! I'm also looking to get some of the British Industrial Sand wagons and appropriate detailing kits when Bachmann get the new batch in stock.

     
    N Gauge Society PNA wagon kits, completed basically following the instructions, but painted with a mix based on Phoenix Precision's BR(S) coaching stock green, rather than left as bare plastic. Lightly airbrush weathered with a mix of matt varnish and some Humbrol brown\tan. Like the PGAs these have been fitted with Microtrains couplings, although I haven't yet figured out a suitable uncoupling system!

  6. justin1985

    2mm FS Workbench

    By justin1985,

    As I described in my last post, I have been modelling in both 1:148 N gauge, and 1:152 2mm FS. The high quality of modern N gauge modern-image stock has meant I have decided to concentrate my 2mm FS efforts in the pre-grouping stock, and (for now) accept N gauge wheel\track standards for my modern stock (although ElDavo's handbuilt N track on Waton is quite tempting!).
     
    Although I have a Fencehouses Model Foundry 2mm J72 kit "on the go", I haven't made much progress on it in the last year or more. The chassis binds quite a lot, and I think my efforts to correct it and perfect the quartering have actually bent the chassis frame! I now think think the problem might have been as simple as having failed to ensure the crankpins were correctly aligned on the wheels, introducing eccentricity here. However I think I'll probably try and get hold of a replacement chassis etch and try again from scratch, building on what I've learnt in the process (and use waisted crankpins from the 2mm shop rather than the steel pin supplied in the kit).
     
    I have managed to complete a reasonable collection of goods stock though. Mainly these are 2mm Assoc. shop items, including quite a few private owner wagons. I've also got a pair of LNWR vans ready for painting, as well as a pair of GER cattle wagons. Here are three open wagons that are completed with transfers, some weathering and couplings. I've used a mix of B&B and DG couplings so far for this stock, and it seems to work ...
     

     
    In the absence of a working J72 "just to get something running" I used one of the dead-cheap Dapol 73s in mainline livery for a quick conversion, with the supplied wheels turned down. Fortunately the top of the coupling pocket seems to be just about the right height to glue on a DG coupling! I also gave it a quick weathering with Phoenix "sleeper grime" painted on and then swabbed off to tone down the silver, and bring out the grille detail, as well as carving off the bulk of the coupling pocket and some of the box around the underframe detail. (apologies, the other bogie frame is missing in the picture!)
     

     
    Any comments or thoughts much appreciated!
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