Squirrel Rail

Few odds and ends over the past few days with the resin coupler and deflector having a test fit on the 450 60021 has been finished losing its Colas branding and having its Bustler nameplates added. No detail packs or weathering so it can be on its way home and from the other side Roof painting next on the 175 and 150/1 then a couple of days later the silver grey doors on the 150 Last up TFW 170 getting it’s Anglia grey bottom and then with the masking off Hopefully get the red doors on in a few days so will update as and when!

Apologies for lack of updates but workdays are now booked with old folks so weekends and evenings are Squirrel Rail times. Had a long day doing this lot so here goes with the update:-This is most of the current projects, at the top left is the TFW 170 that has had its final primer today, as has the 175 which will also be TFW. The 73 in the right will be going blue and the 150 in front needs light blue bands the the final white stripe. The DCR 56 and 60 are ready for decals and the 450 is having a few tidy ups The 450 is a respray of a respray. Unfortunately during its other “paint job” the light units have all gone missing as well as the light tubes My 350 on the left shows what’s missing…. It’s also missing the dummy coupler and valence, I will give Bachmann a ring tomorrow but don’t hold out much hope so have made a resin copy and may even try and do the lights,… The DCR pair had the black grills sprayed, and the retro 3 tone 66 had the roof painted Varnish next as the rebranded and named 60021 gets its finish restored Another DMU project now with a 150 going from Northern blue into primer before going a bit centro but first primer. I always use Tamiya primer as it gives a much finer finish than those designed for cars last up from earlier in the week 43185 is finished and off home tomorrow.

A long day on the workbench today so in no particular order…,A 150 which I’ve taken over, I had laid some white down but the previous primer wasn’t brilliant and even now I’ve noticed a bit I’ve missed whilst the white primer was out got some on the 175 and over the door I did previously to see what it looks like, and overall it’s a lot smoother DCR grey next for a 56 and 60 and the pair most of the afternoon was spent decalling the 450, one side left to do and the numbers; and here’s some of the coaches last up on the decals was 43185 nearly at the finishing line!

Back from a few days in Scotland so catching up on prep whilst waiting for some decals and other bits. Not very exciting but here goes! The 175 has some funny perforations round the doors, don’t know if it’s part of the printing process but need to resolve them, Didnt want to fill them so instead I have cut through them and used some plasticard infills: And then cut and sanded them back, I will prime a couple tomorrow to see what they look like. At the same time I’ve started getting this lot ready,…66 going from large logo to retro rail freight 3 tone grey, Mainline 170 to go into TFW, A 60 to go into GBRF rebranded Colas and hiding at the back another 150 for Owen!!!

Hi Rob, yep Steve’s @railtec-models 3D prints, best ones yet so deserved a pic! Btw the rest of the decal sheet has all the other bits too such as sand boxes lifting points etc. Steve, please feel free to send the cheque cheers Jerry

My pleasure, glad you liked it cheers Jerry

Hi, I’m not sure whose kit the 175 is as it’s a project I have inherited- it’s going to have a Bachmann 158 chassis fitted so will have to see how that goes!!! Cheers Jerry

Had a free afternoon so finishing touches to these three:-47703 The ex Fertis 56103 and the reworked 37902 love the nameplates from @railtec-models, deserve a close up!!

Thanks - it’s been a long project but getting there!!

Bit of a long winded update as been grabbing a few minutes here and there before a full day today. Following on from the last update Clan Line is all done: continuing the Southern theme a Hornby 2 Hal that needed the small yellow panels and yellow first class stripes removing. The yellow was a sod to get off and flat- Then I finished the front off with new green long term projects the GWR 166 and the SWR 450 have began again. John at Precision has done a great set of decals for it including all the door surrounds- Ive finished all the stripes on the 166 but will be pestering John for door buttons!! Couple 47s next, 701 was a nice simple job just to fit the etch and detail pack however it’s sister 703 is a bit more involved with the previous post showing the respray so now it’s got decals and now weathered, Behind it is 56103 which has also got its weathering started Another long term resident is 43185, I’ve now got all the stripes sorted, just need to do the roof Tractor next with 97304 being reworked as 97302, this is the Kernow version with the darker yellow than the Bachmann original That’s about it for now!!

It’s a good choice, the Zero injuries logos narrow it down but they are easily removed, likewise the painted over scars from the BR arrows and depot plaques but minor things to resolve. Mainline livery again narrow period with those TDM cables but great to see Virgin and plain green. As for EWS and DB strange when it’s on their 66s……

Long overdue update but I have been moving things along. The Voyager in the x country branding is now finished likewise 60002 Other paint jobs in progress include a 56 going into Fertis and 47703 underway. The black looks really orange peel in the pic but the self levelling thinners means it settles down as seen in the pic after and with grey roof and smooth black! These have been taken over the last few days so today it got it’s yellow warning panels along with a 150 last up a bit of steam- a rarity on the Squirrel workbench. The task here was to improve the Matt/satin finish to a bit more shiny so first up out with the masking - this took longer than the lacquer… and then a gloss coat i will post another pic when it has the masking off, cheers Jerry

Eventually will be TFW, going to be a lot of rubbing down on this one

Apologies for lack of updates but a few projects ongoing amid the mayhem. GBRF 60002 has now got all its decals on, handrails and chassis to go A new project is this Voyager. On the bottom unit the Virgin logo has been removed by someone else - the top unit I have done the same….. I have also removed the DR Who plates off this one The units are also in for de-weathering a before and after …., last up this evening has seen the damaged nose end get new silver, a nightmare to match but one the decals are on and a satin coat should blend in nicely. Another new project is this 175 that had been started but I wanted to flatten it all out before starting over so again some before and afters, this is going to take some time! and with a start on sanding and a roof line and getting better…

The 58s are now finished so here they are: first up 005 renumbered from 021, new names, door guards and weathering and a driver, 016 just the driver, weathering and the door guards and blue shocks and maroon axle boxes and the pair together Next project Bachmann Mk2s, debranded for itallic Intercity logos and then cantrails and door light repeaters

Managed to get a bit done over the last few days with the 117 having its glazing put in and reassembled before heading home and finished…. Started the airbrush weathering on the 58s then realised I’d forget to change the handrails on 016, I’d even left them out to change which is even more annoying! last up a bunch of MJAs resprayed from freightliner into GB

Hi Rich, we all have those days sure it will turn out great! Cheers Jerry

Been progressing things, albeit very slowly, due to ongoing old folk issues which sadly are going from bad to worse. This means Squirrel work is fitted in as and when I can so thanks everyone for your patience! First up a pair of brand new 58s both with broken front handrails on both with two of the top fittings broken on the EWS one and the centre peg on 005 - renumbered and renamed from 021. I have replaced the missing centre peg- and here’s 16 with two pegs and the replacement handrail awaiting white paint Both have had the weathering started and airbrush work will be next A nice easy job was a black roof for Neptune which had been renumbered and named before it came to me; Long term rescue 450 is now coming close to getting decals. The black has been sprayed round the cab windows - this is now the correct style from before; and after I’ve e also added the bottom yellow stripe and first class bar- 60002 in the background has had all its cant rails added so that’s on the home straight too. With the other 3 coaches all done too The GWR 166 has had the silver and green body side bands added and branding on one car.. getting there!! That’s it for this week as I'm not back until Saturday as taking a very much needed couple of days break! Cheers Jerry

The 117 has had the grills removed and all three cars are now in primer Another Intercity HST gas began, this one to become 43185 whilst 43102 is now finished also finished is the 4 VEP- the before pictures show the challenge after…. mans the varnish stripe…. back to normal

Hi Chris, they were supplied by the customer- I can ask him for you where they came from- I really like them especially the one with the fuller figure!

Bit of fun fitting a pair of 58s with drivers this morning. The trouble with the Heljan 58 is it’s seat bottoms are level with the floor: i cut the seat bottom out to give a bit more depth and then a bit of amputation to nestle the figure into the gap- as if the amputation wasn’t enough the poor sod has now had a broken arm to drop his hand which I will fill simikar routine with the second one but a bit easier as this ones got a leg in the air! This afternoon was spent masking up the 450, hour and a half to do it all! That allowed me to get the blue on and the masking off, here’s a couple of pics, still some masking to come off the yellow then it can all sit and harden off for a couple of days, couldn’t resist seeing what three would like together!

Hi Jules, thanks for the heads up on the 117 - I’ll double check with the owner and see what he says! Cheers Jerry

I can do them in N too

Bit of a long update as couldn’t upload pictures yesterday but seems to be working today. The Rescue 4 VEP has had the new varnish after losing the two tone stripe from the earlier post. Unfortunately I had to mask every window, all 161 of them and then unmask all 161….. definitely worth it as sides now stripe free! 43102 is nearly there few more details and the plates to add and 60002 has had all its blue added The SWR 450 has had its warning yellow added and a new one to the workbench is this 117, previously grey and blue going to plain blue eventually Last up a bunch of MJAs going from freightliner to GB rail freight Hopefully more tomorrow!

Managed a few bits over the weekend and this evening with start of yet another rescue job. This ones a 4VEP that had had a rather interesting front end treatment…. and strangely the bottom half of the unit has been varnished after renumbering giving a lovely two tone finish I have got all the varnish stripped off and the gangways off before new yellow ends… And then the blue darkened to match The Hornby shade… The GWR166 has had the Matt bands added, theses will be flattened off before decals then varnished again last up orange on the GBRF 60 to be,