mikeandnel

I have posted some photos of one of my methods of wagon body constructions at: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/74488-scratch-building-wagons/ And would appreciate any feedback, rude or otherwise! Michael

I have just posted an article with photos showing one of my methods of wagon construction at: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/74488-scratch-building-wagons/ Any comments, rude or otherwaise would be appreciated Michael

My interests are wide and varied, from the railways around Midhurst to all aspects of pre-group Southern companies and I enjoy building stock more than having a layout with scenery, probably because I have the artistic and creative ability of a brick! Having said that, many years ago, with two friends, we did build three layouts for exhibition, Hythe, Warlingham, and Hurst Green Junction, and Hythe actually won ‘Best in Show’ at EXPO EM South. Since then, there has been a period of many years of no modelling, and only recently have I commenced modelling and research again, with the intention of eventually building a small layout based on one of the proposed stations on the never-built Midhurst to Haslemere extension of the Chichester to Midhurst LBSCR line. At the moment the only track I have is a double EM gauge line around my 10’ square den with a fiddle yard one level down, accessed by a curved turnout and a single slip from the running lines. However this does allow me to test run stock as building stock is my main interest at the moment. All is wired and operated in analogue, using Tortoise point motors and a dual controller with brake simulation, because I do not understand DCC! I have just finished construction an 1840’s LBSCR Open Third from a 5 & 9 kit which is awaiting painting, and now I am working on a LBSCR Craven Family/Luggage Carriage from the same supplier. The kits are supplied as a set of castings in white metal, some with etched ‘W’ irons and some without, but both of these kits are supplied with etched safety chain mounts and hooks and the Craven carriage has also etched door handles included. The Open Third went together very well and now the sides and ends of the Craven Carriage have had the flash removed and are awaiting assembly with solder. The vehicle on the left is the LBSCR kit from 5 & 9 Models, and the one on the right is a scratch built Bodmin & Wadebridge carriage My already- built stock consists of twelve LSWR locos, eleven LBSCR locos, ten SECR/SER/LCDR locos in various pre-group liveries, and for some reason a GWR ‘Dukedog’, about thirty carriages of various of the above companies and approximately 150 wagons of all kinds including a D & S breakdown crane in full Wainwright livery. Construction has been from loco kits from Keyser, Jidenco/Falcon Brass, Will/SEF,Nucast and scratch built, Coaching stock from P & C, Blacksmith, Branchlines, Keyser , Roxey and others as well as scratch-built and the wagons from Just about every maker as well as a lot of scratch-built., In the unmade box are several SECR locos a couple of LBSCR part finished locos and 2 or 3 LSWR locos, as well as quite a few D & S , 5 & 9 and Woodham Wagon Kits still to be made. This is my first attempt at a ‘blog’ and my idea is to update it from time to time with details of progress (or otherwise) of my modelling. If I am doing it wrong, please tell me and advise any way in which my ‘blog’ could be improved or more useful. As you can see from the above, being 80 years of age at the moment, I had better get a move on. Will keep you posted! August 2nd 2013 I have been a busy little boy this week due to the wet weather Have been messing about with a 5 & 9 kit of a LBSCR Craven Family/Luggage Carriage and that is now body completed with partitions in place, I have also been building a Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway 10’6” sliding door van and that is now assembled and up on it’s wheels. I still have to construct the roof which is quite intricate due to the mid-roof openings which have a canvas cover. The version being modelled is with manual brakes. I have also part-built two of John Arkell’s South Eastern Railway break (brake?) vans. These are resin castings of which John supplies the two sides and two ends, and the rest is up to you. The quality of the resin castings is very sharp but finding drawings was difficult so John very kindly supplied me with two similar drawings and so the end result should look something like! Apart from that I have finished the 1840s Horsebox, scratch built from a drawing in the Illustrated London News about 160 years ago Only other achievement is getting the Brighton H2 tender up on its wheels and given its top coat of paint. This is part of an OO gauge Jidenco Kit which I obtained from Ebay some months ago A gentleman had obtained this ‘thing’ and stripped the paint from it, only to find that whoever built it originally had probably taken on something that was beyond his ability. Having stripped the paint from it, the person who I bought it from realised that it needed a lot of work and it ended up with me. The whole thing has to be taken apart and rebuilt from the separate pieces and so far I have managed the tender which is now sitting nicely on EM gauge wheels and a rebuilt chassis. I am always one to attempt a basket case!

Amongst my current projects is building a replica of the first LBSCR locomotive shed at Midhurst which was timber built and dates from soon after the branch from Pulborough/Petworth reached Midhurst. This shed was removed in 1907 and my efforts are based on the photo in Branch Lines to Midhurst, with attribution to Lens of Sutton. Construction is based on an undershape created from photo mounting board, then with every single plank being real wood and put in place individually with PVA.. Windows and remainder of planks have still to be added. And that is in 4mm.! Inside has been sprayed black, as I expect it would have been pretty dirty in there. As you can see from the photos, it is not yet finished, but I hope that the result of this method of construction can be clearly seen. Even the clerestory planks are where they should be. One day I will finish it as it is a labour of love! Michael

Hello SR man Good post and lots of information, but I cannot see the photos. Is it me or you? Michael

BG John I find it very hard to understand how you could have achieved all this in a camper van, but more power to your elbow for managing it and well done. Any chance we could have some future pics and info on the broad gauge stock and, as an EM gauge modeller myself, lots of info on what you are doing in EM please Michael

SRman I am sure that you know that the paint you need is Phoenix Precision P581 SECR Wagon Grey but I also cannot find any reference to sending paint overseas on their website. For the colour you need I personally use some car primer areosols as they give a 'as near as dammit' result. Would you like me to ask them is they have an Australian distributor? Anyway, as you see, we now have our interest specific forum which Andy has set up today, so we hope that all questions like this will migrate to this new site Michael

Hello JimF51 Not sure that I agree with you on this one. I would prefer to give it a try and see what developes. Like anything else, it might need tuning at a later date. The reason that i say this is that there must be many people out there modelling many and varied pre-group railways that would have something useful to contribute about methods of construction etc Michael.

Buckjumper, I could not have put it better myself. I was just trying hard not to tread on anyone's toes! Michael

I would agree with all the comments coming in to this thread, that the subject should be limited to modelling the pre-group period generally, and should not seek to impinge on the excellent work of individual railway societies, who are a mine of information for those of us with a particular interest.. I, for one however, feel a need to pick other modellers brains when I have a problem, as well as looking for hints and tips on ways of improving my modelling. Michael .

Claude Thanks for putting in with the request for a special interest group on pre-grouping modelling. Graham I agree with your premise completely, and the only reason I started this thread was a seemingly lack of posts about the subject. I started it under Southern Railway Group also because I personally model the Southern Railway constituent companies. If we can get this proposed new pre-group sub group up and running covering all aspects and areas of pre-group activity then, if the demand is there, the sub-group could then be sub-divided into seperate entities for each company. That seems a long way ahead but a possibility. Eric, What you say is most important and for me also the Brighton Circle is a mine of information, If we could get input and connections into the subject of pre-group from other historical societies who do the same for their railway companies, then there is no knowing where this might lead! Keep it coming, gentlemen (and ladies) Michael

Hello JimF51 What a wonderful idea for a seperate forum on pre-grouping only!! If that can be done I am sure it would have a reasonable following, judging by the responses to my original posting. Who do we ask to get it set up? Concerning pre-group bits and pieces, I personally can't help you as I have never gone into the subject, being an EM gauge modeller, but I am sure that there are many people out there who could give you advice If you read the blogs and forum postings you should come across 'O' gauge modellers that you could ask The post above yours in this subject , for example Michael

1Ngram I completely agree with you about cleanliness of stock. As I understand it, the logic of building and painting and lining a loco is pointless if you are then going to make it dirty. In the pre-grouping era locomotives and rolling stock were kept clean by an army of cleaners, and there is even a rcord of engine drivers locking their locomotives after shift so that no other driver could use it, This appears in some cases to have been company policy. Anyway, pre-group, whether in the north of Scotland or south of England or wherever, is much more interesting to me because of all the different variations that can be modelled. Not just coloured diesel or electic 'boxes'! Enjoy your modelling Michael

For JimF51 and anyone else who might be interested I have tried to attach a few photos of some of my older efforts as dollows: LCDR 'R' class 0-4-4 LCDR 'T' class 0-6-0 SECR 'J' class 0-6-4 Early Well Tank for our LSWR friends.. Hope the photos spark some comment and debate Michae;

JimF51 Nice to hear that you are modelling similar to my interest. The only way this thread would die out is if other modellers stopped posting to it. One of the ways that it could be kept going would be by showing modellers the beauty of rolling stock in that period of time by putting photos of various of our models on to the forum (warts and all!) in order to generate comment. Have you anything to show? I intend to photograph all my models and upload them every now and again if anyone is interested. Keep in touch Michael

To SR man Many thanks for the photo. I might be able later to put up a photo of my kit-built 'C' class, but I am sure that the Bachmann probably has more detail than the one that I built! To Nick Holliday Thanks for the pictures of Fittleworth. Real atmosphereand living in Midhurst as I do, Fittleworth is just down the road from here. Where are you located? Michael

Hello Southernboy Thanks for your interest and comments. Modelling electrics is some thing I have never tried and I wish you success. All my stock is EM gauge and I only have a double track run round a room 10' square, but for me, most of the pleasure is in building stock, so most of my locos have never been run in except for the Wainwright liveried locos which were used on the three layouts that I exhibited round the circuit many years ago Regards Michael

Hello Eric, Paul, Jack & BGJohn Nice to have the contacts and to hear what other people are doing in this direction. I will try and upload a couple of photos, one for Eric (LCDR 'Brigand' class) and one for Paul (LSWR 'Radial') Sorry that the photos are not completely sharp but used my wife's camera. Hope to do better next time! These are my efforts and I am happy with them. Perhaps they are not perfect as anything can always be improved. Anyway Gentlemen, please keep posting. Nice to hear from you all Mike

Thanks for the responses so far. Nice to know that I am not alone. SRman, nice to hear what you are doing and many of your models seem to be identical to some of my later period efforts, although most of mine are either kit or scratch built. I missed out on the Bachmann 'C' class because I did not know that it was coming out, and to re-gauge it to EM would not have been much of a problem. I am told that it is a very good model but have never seen one in the flesh. I have a kit-built 'C' class in full Wainwright livery, so that will have to do for me. So far I have built about 30 locos and maybe +/- 150 items of rolling stock, but don't really have much of an area to run them. Anyway it would be nice to keep in touch with all of you and maybe bounce questions and comments off each other

Is there anyone out there modelling the pre-group component companies of the Southern Railway? I am modelling S.E.R., L.C.D.R., S.E.C.R., L.B.S.C.R. and some L.S.W.R., all pre 1900 and all in EM Gauge, and I can't seem to find anyone of a like mind. Am I a voice crying in the wilderness? I am fairly elderly (80!) and have fond memories of the old Southern Railway, but for me that is modern image, and I am dismayed at the never ending magazine articles that seem to place more importance on diesel or electric 'boxes' I would be very happy to know that I am not alone! mikeandnel

Hello all you lads I am new to this website and forum and my interest is secr/lbsc. Can anyone tell me exactly when these coaches will be on the market? I have made a rake of Blacksmith SECR coaches and finished them in pre-group condition But would like not to miss out as I did with the 'C' class! Micheal