Arpleymodeller

Hello again, A quick update on the MGR Project, all 18 wagons are now running on Gibson 'EM' wheels and most have had instanters fitted. Just 3 left to work on fitting new couplings and filling in the moulded indents on the hopper interiors, then off to the spray booth for weathering and final detailing and decals. Some which will only be lightly weathered as per the prototype photos already have their numbers applied. Most have the stencil type numbers which were applied as standard in their last years. Most had their frame sides painted EWS maroon which I have replicated. A few still remained in faded Railfreight red while many were still in Coal sector yellow (with logos painted out). Would like to get the rake up to 24-27 wagons although supplies of R6606 are almost non-existent at the moment, I'm keeping a look out for these. All 18 wagons lined up on the kitchen work top, the longest straight run in the house until Monks Sidings baseboards are reassembled. That's all for now, Lewis

Hello Will, Phoenix Precision or Railmatch should be able to help with the correct shades of paint. As for the dots on 50008, I would probably leave them as they are as removing them and patch painting might be hard to blend in with the factory paintwork. When the loco is detailed and weathered I don't think the dots will distract from the overall finish. Almost every one of my locos has some minor imperfection to the finish, even the factory painted ones, but I don't mind overlooking small things if the overall finished loco looks 'right'. Lewis

Hello Peter, Any new projects you have been working on recently? Good work on the Railroad HAAs, I am currently working on a rake of 18 of these. Lewis

I suppose some new cab windows could be made from some clear acetate, marking the outline of the originals on some paper to make a template- should make the job easier? Lewis

The corridor connectors on the 108 are very convincing. I wouldn't bother messing around with the glazing though, it looks fine as it is! Lewis

66050 is progressing well and is now nearly ready for weathering; Sand pipes added made from 0.6mm brass wire Nameplates, mirrors, air brake hoses and combination coupling added. This coupling uses a Bachmann EZ Mate Kadee copy removed from a HTA. Although it is shorter it still works and looks better than using a Kadee #147 No.1 end No.2 end, note that two of the four lugs have been removed to enable the coupling tool to be fitted.

A short video of 66050 during initial testing before bogie frames were reinstated.

Bachmann 66050 is the latest of my fleet to be converted to EM and detailed. I've uploaded a few photos illustrating the conversion. 1- Remove bogie frame via the clip at the rear of the frame. A small vice, a pair of large pliers (a small pair is also useful for holding the axles), a centre punch and a back to back gauge is needed for this conversion. 2 - Remove one of the wheelsets and using the pliers twist off one of the wheels. 3 - Using the centre punch and a small hammer lightly tap the end of the axle so that it is positioned half way through the wheel rather than flush with the wheel face. 4 - Reinstate the wheel and set to gauge. 5- Repeat the process for the other 5 wheel sets, the two on the left have been converted to EM, the difference is clearly visible. 6- Adjust the pick ups using a pair of small flat heat screwdrivers so that they touch the back of the wheels. The pick up on the left has been altered while the one on the right isn't. 7- Test that the loco works smoothly and further adjust pick ups if necessary, then reinstate the bogie frames and the job is done. Took me 20 minutes to complete, another EM gauge loco without buying new wheel sets!

As promised I've uploaded a short video of 08879 which has been converted to 'EM' using the original Hornby wheels pulled out on their axles. The wheels were glued to the plastic insulating bushes and then the bushes set just under 1mm further apart along the axle than originally. The cranks were quartered and the side rods were reinstated. Very pleased with the end result, its saved buying a possibly expensive set of replacement wheels. Also a photo illustrating the adjusted pick ups to enable them accommodate the wider gauge. Thanks for looking, Lewis

Yes I had problems with the windscreens needing filing, 2 of my 60s were from the original 2005-2006 batch and were more difficult to fit than one from 2014. It took me a whole afternoon to fit a set, although it is an improvement over the factory glazing I think I will avoid Laserglazing more 60s in the future, it fits in the Hornby 08 instantly though!

One more wagon being worked on at the moment, my old Hornby TTA which despite being very basic and very inaccurate (wrong springs, ladders, buffers) is being detailed to some extent so that it can be shunted on Dallam TMD to represent deliveries to the fuel point. Some super detailed Bachmann TTAs with S-Kits details will be added shortly but for the time being this one will have to do. The original spindle buffers have been replaced with some nicely moulded Oleos recovered from a spare Bachmann VDA body (£1.60 from Petersspares, cheaper than a pack of 4 whitemetal oleos!) and Smiths instanters and Hornby air brake pipes added. The original wheels have been reset to EM gauge and apart from some extra weathering is done. ESSO No.56085

Very impressive work Will, especially 60008. How did you get such a good fit and finish to the Shawplan Laserglaze? I fitted it to a few of my 60s but due to difficulty in getting a good fit to the windscreens I now leave the factory fitted glazing. Lewis

Just had a look at your ESSO TTA wagons and I must say they are very good, you have achieved a very realistic and neat finish. Your other projects are very impressive too, your abilities are far higher than mine when I was your age! Ill be following your future projects with much interest, Lewis

Thanks Rob,Since 2001! I thought the 5 years that passed since I intended to model 059 was long! Some more portraits of my other finished Brush Type 5s... 60039 EWS 60071 Ribblehead Viaduct 60054 Charles Babbage Finally a couple of 66207 complete for some time but not included in previous updates The PH Designs 3D printed wind mirrors, superb renderings that are single piece items, simply spray and fix with a dab of loctite. Thats all for now, Lewis

Thanks Steve yes very pleased with the finish.

Yes Railtec make number/data panels featuring white stencil font lettering on black backgrounds which are suitable for around 2000-2010 MGR wagons, I was going to order some but I prefer to have a reference photo for each wagon so I made my own using photos HAAs from the Smugmug website.

Also completed last week were the final 4 HTAs on the workbench including the two outer wagons Nos.330472 and 330503 which feature buffers and screw couplings to enable Class 60 haulage. First up is No.330472 The other end of the wagon featuring standard knuckle coupling No.330503 Close up of the custom numbers from Railtec featuring a prototypical No.330503 rather than 310503 as on the gold band as well as a tare weight of 26900kg. No.310384, one of only 2 to remain with its factory applied numbers, I simply removed the excessive weathering to the bodysides, fitted air brake pipes, added the green squares and gave the underframe and ends a coat of sleeper grime/frame dirt. Finally No.310339 in debranded EWS livery, this one will feature white DB Schenker logos once custom ordering is available again from Railtec when Railtec can make them. Thats all for now, the next update will feature 66019,60099 and 56003 which are currently being finished off. Lewis

Some photos of faded Loadhaul liveried 60059 Swinden Dalesman which is complete apart from some minor details like fuel tank cap leaks and silvering of one of the window frames. The missing TILCON plaque was found in the carpet! A massive thank you to John at Precision Decals who created the custom faded decals, therefore making this long planned for project to finally become a reality! A nice little touch from Precision Decals were correct Class 60 data panels in white located behind the cab door as per the prototype.

Over the past couple of weeks I have been working on my rake of 11 HEA coal hoppers, all have been converted to EM using their original wheels which have had Colin Craig etched brake discs added to all outer faces. 8 of the wagons have been completed, all renumbered using Railtec HEA data panels and warning flashes. All wagons have been fitted with Smiths instanters couplings as standard and the two wagons at each end of the rake have been fitted with air brake pipes, shawplan lamp irons and Springside tail lamps. I am rather pleased with the end result and to have finaly made some proper progress with this project - the wagons have been stored in their boxes since 2009! The intention is to run them as a representation of the Arpley - Shrewesbury New Yard 'Enterprise' diagram which as far as I can ascertain ceased in 2007. From Shrewsbury the wagons were moved to Gobowen to the Coal Concentration Depot of J.Smallshaw, the last rail served CCD in the whole country. I still have 3 more EWS wagons to finish - No.360067,360544 and 361238. The Ex Railfreight ones required the most work including several thinned shades of pink to create the faded bodywork - mixed from Humbrol No.174 and Railmatch matt white. Frame dirt, dirty black and matt black was applied to the chassis and underside of the hopper via washes and airbrush. Signs of rust were applied using a cocktail stick while the roller bearings were painted EWS maroon. To finish each wagon was given several coats of Humbrol aerosol matt varnish. No.360485 EWS No.360549 Ex Railfreight No.360289 Railfreight red with remnants of the double arrow logo still visible. No.360515 Ex Railfreight with logos painted out - this is the scruffiest so far, battered even by HEA standards! No.360719 Ex Railfreight red, this is one of 4 of my HEAs which use the old Bachmann tooling. While the underframe is poor in comparison with the new tooling the hopper body is very good and in a rake the difference is not noticable from normal viewing distance. This particular wagon started life as an EWS liveried CEA covered hopper! No.360328 Ex Railfreight - this was also once a CEA! No.360643 Mainline aircraft blue - a nice change from the shades of red and pink, this was No.360643 from new but was renumbered using the authentic Railtec TOPS panels. No.361955 Ex Railfreight - The other outer wagon with tail lamp. Thats all for now, thanks for looking. Lewis

Hello, The data panels were made up on Word 2010 using a downloaded stencil font and I think size 1 for the tare weight and size 2 for the numbers. The background was highlighted black first and the numbers typed up in white. They were printed onto white decal paper from Mr Decal Paper bought off Ebay. The printer was a Canon inkjet with the print settings set to high. After being left to dry they were sprayed with humbrol matt aerosol varnish and applied in the usual manner. Another couple of coats sealed them. For the bodywork other than Humbrol silver aerosol which I used there are similar ones available from Halfords I think. However the humbrol ones work ok if shaken well. The second batch should be on the works over the next couple of weeks so Ill take some progress photos for you. Thanks Rob, my rake of HEAs are in the works now, photos coming soon. Lewis

Thanks '66'! I have been intending to post the photos of my first batch of MGR wagons for a while now but have waited until the first 6 have been completed. Using the Hornby R6606 'Railroad' pack of 3 wagons as a base model, I have removed the hideous oversized tension locks and poor quality plastic wheels. In their place Smiths instanters and Alan Gibson 14mm disc wheels have been fitted along with Colin Craig etched brake discs to the outer face of the wheel opposite the brake lever on both sides. The moulded indentation at the top of the interior of the hopper has been remedied with filler and the whole hopper body primed and repainted with Humbrol 11 aerosol. The cradles were primed and repainted EWS maroon and warning panel yellow (railfreight coal). After reassembly the whole wagon is weathered with Railmatch sleeper grime and Humbrol black weathering powder to represent coal dust. Using the numerous photos of MGR wagons on the 'Smugmug' website as a reference, I made the data panels myself on Word, these being white stencil font lettering on a black background, which were printed onto white decal paper. The data panels were applied after weathering to get a neat edge between the weathered bodywork and black background (as per the prototype) along with Fox OHL flashes. New lamp irons in the correct left hand position have been added and these as well as the hopper door levers were picked out in white as per the prototypes photo. A couple of light coats of Humbrol matt aerosol varnish completes the wagons. The end result is a fair representation of the wagons as they were in their final years in service 2005-2010. HAA No.355796. HAA No.355698 HAA No.350345 Gibson wheels fitted, the pivoting W irons have been glued in place with loctite to prevent wobbling. HAA No.356202 HMA No.355922 HAA No.353648 Thats all for now, thanks for looking Lewis

Hello again, 37670 has been completed this week after converting to EM gauge using the original wheels (very easy and runs both on Code 75 BH and Code 82 FB track) and lightly weathered to represent the loco during its last few weeks of service in October 2009. 66019,60059 Swinden Dalesman, 60099 and 56003 are all currently in the works for weathering and EM conversion and will feature on the next update. Thanks for looking Lewis

Hello again, Still working to my usual snails pace and only getting a few more models completed since September! HTA No.330472,one of the buffer fitted examples to enable Cl.60 haulage has been completed and is now awaiting weathering. The outer end with sprung class 60 buffers, smiths instanter and Hornby 60 air brake pipes. A coupling retaining plate was made from some 10 thou plastic sheet. The other end with standard buckeye and again Hornby 60 air brake pipes. 60039 has finally been completed, the band has been repainted Railmatch EWS gold, numbers Precision Decals with a light, and much better than the last attempt, weathering to finish. No.2 end with driver (Noch) and Smiths screw coupling fitted. Ive been also steadily converting my models to EM gauge using the original wheels where possible. So far 8 HTAs have been finished, 1 HEA, 5 60s and 2 66s with the only expense so far being a C&L back to back gauge and some EM flexi track. The wagon on the right has been set to EM while the left is factory supplied 16.5mm. 60054 is also finished with a Noch driver and additional weathering to finish. A new project involves converting a Hornby r2489 model into 60059 Swinden Dalesman in 2010 condition just before storage and 'Super 60' overhaul. Decals are from Precision while the OHLE line has been bulked up using transfers from Fox while the etched plates complete this simple project. Now converted to EM and awaiting final details and weathering. Finally HEA No.360485 has been completed, converted to EM and is now ready to join my 'Enterprise' rake. More updates to follow soon hopefully! Regards Lewis