WillCav

Are you planning to add a mess van? Looks like an old clerestory coach in photos. I agree with the top and tail Toads for transit moves. Do you know how they did the spraying? Spray wagon leading or trailing?

Will

12 hours ago, M.I.B said:

 

That is the main reason that my weed-killing train hasn't been started!

 

How did you cope with all the lettering on the tender sides?

I haven't put any transfers on yet.  I think it's going to have to be a custom order from Railtec - they do up to 18 lots of up to 20 characters (max 2mm high) "TAUNTON DIVISION" & "W82"  on one set and "WEED SPRAYING PLANT" on another for less than a tenner (and 3 trains worth) - I'm more worried about the ex-oil tank that carries the nasty stuff, that has a faded Corey's Fuel Oil on the side - not one POWsides do! I may have to hand paint that and weather it to hide my poor signwriting skills.

There seems to be a number of variants of the weed killer train - I did the one with three tenders but no cab structure.  The smaller tenders were easier as I used the City of Truro kit as a base and could alter the parts before assembly (spare boilers for wagon loads & boiler houses).  I put top hats in and metal wheelsets, not thinking about curves and 6 wheel bogies - so it can only move on straight track until I come up with a solution.  I also need to check the photos carefully as I've learned that early tenders had straight backed coal spaces and I've put slopes in - every day's a school day!

Will

Hi MIB,

You've done a lovely job with that almost empty tender. I did a few for a weed killer train and I share your pain at getting the angles right. 

Will

Update - I've used the Railtec transfers and the smaller Siphon F text fits live a glove.  I've used the other Siphon F transfers with a bit of an 'O' as a 'C' to improve my Siphon C as well (roof still needs fixing).

I've never used Railtec transfers before and I found them easy to apply. The only issue is that I had to cut a few Tares up to make the correct 22.11 weight for the American bogied versions.  The 18T is from the HMRS transfers.  I think the Railtec ones are a better colour.

Will

1 hour ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Another term frequently used for colour light subsidiary aspects on the LM region was Cat's Eyes.

And feathers can be "bunnies ears".

Loaded passenger trains can only accept a Subsidiary signal as authority if it is a calling on move into an occupied section a. These are shown in the sectional appendix. Usually for attaching moves or platform sharing.

Will

There are some old installations where you get the sub (2 white lights) with a feather or a standard indicator. This is not compliant to modern standards but you can find it out there.

Will

The Castle has a second row on the nameplate probably for Castle Class. Looks like two words above - first word longer?

My guesses is Viscount Horne 5086 or Viscount Portal 7000 based on name shape alone. 

Will

On 27/02/2020 at 00:11, Coach bogie said:

Here is how I repositioned the bogie mount on the Airfix auto to take 7fts instead of the 9ft mounting. The same would apply to the B set, just fixed the other way round. Cut alongside the bolster, but leave an excess on the other side (about 4mm from memory), for the B set the excess being towards the centre. Then flip and stick back in. You can put a false floor above to give the plastic a base to fix to.

Mike Wiltshire

Mike,

I eventually got round to my E145 conversions and used the trick above - really easy - thanks

Here's the 1st one re-bogied. The only issue I had was the toughness of the plastic. I drilled the corners out to make it easier.

Thanks again for the tip

Will

7 hours ago, ianwales said:

If you are still looking for Siphon C transfers have you looked at CPL Products - https://www.cplproducts.net/transfers--prints.html

 

Ian

Thanks Ian,

I didn't know about them - I'll have to get some of their transfers.  Unfortunately, scaling the transfers from the 25" and 16" G W on the same sheet, it looks like they are regular size writing which wont fit in the triangular gap I have.

I'm thinking of using the Siphon F transfer from Railtec and making the C from a spare O in Siphon G.

Will

I've just received a package from Railtec.  The SIPHON F transfers have been reduced in size. 

I'll have to finish my model and try them out.  I've checked the size and they will fit.

Thanks to Steve from Railtec for being so helpful (no link except very happy customer).

Will

I can't find anything written down on this.

I've only found pictures of diagram CC2 Pooley vans in GWR days. One photo from the 1940s has the monogram, the signwriting doesn't look white and the body looks a lighter shade than the frame. so I'll stick my neck out and say I think they were brown.

(Ducks quickly and runs away)

Will

Update on transfers:

I tried to do the Siphon C with HMRS transfers close together and it doesn't look too good (roof needs work as well)

The good news is that Steve from Railtec is planning to update the Siphon F / G transfer pack in 4mm and put in a compressed Siphon F in the pack. I'll post pictures when I've got them and used them. (No links to company).

I know I could have kept both as Siphon Fs but 2 were scrapped in the timeframe I model, so I decided to try the conversion. 

I am loving Lofty's Siphon selection - get a few Siphon Cs and you can model the sausage train from Calne to Newcastle!

Thanks

Will

2 hours ago, Il Grifone said:

The GWR didn't have many SIPHON F, so it doesn't really matter (says he who has two!). A bit of cunning mix and match could provide a few more.

 

In the only photo of a SIPHON C I could find online, the problem had been solved by not painting the code on it, as has been done here with a SIPHON F  https://srmg.org.uk/restoring-a-40-year-old-keyser-siphon-f-kit

Thanks Il Grifone,

The Siphon codes were off and on at different times.  The few photos of my era seem to show the Siphon Fs with the codes being there so I'll see what Steve from Railtec can come up with.

Regards

Will

13 hours ago, County of Yorkshire said:

The Siphon F transfers on the Modelmaster sheet do fit, as I applied some this week. However, there's only one set of Siphon F on the sheet so you'll need a sheet for each one you've got.

 

CoY

Thanks CoY,

Was that on the K's kit with the stretched middle panels? I've cut'n'shut mine by a few mm so I have less space to fit it.

I did have 2 Siphon Fs - I got them before I knew there were only 6 of them. One has new been converted to Siphon C.

Since I ordered the 3mm transfers, Steve from Railtec got in touch and he kindly checked the sizing of them for me. Even the 3mm ones are too wide. Steve is looking at what can be done (thanks again Steve, for your help if you're reading).

Regards

Will

On 10/06/2020 at 20:25, The Fatadder said:

...

Good idea with the 3mm scale transfer, if not Railtec have been very wiling to make small changes to transfers in order to adjust to requirements.  The last I ordered they were prepared to adjust a logo to remove a web address from the artwork (which is a lot more work than resizing)  So there’s a good chance they will be able to adjust it.

The gap I've got for the transfer is about 6mm wide and full size transfers are about 8mm so hopefully Railtec 3mm will be the solution.

I've taken the plunge and ordered some. I'll give them a try and let you know the outcome.

Thanks for the encouragement 

Will

40 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

Would be interested to see more as to how you did the conversion.  I have been thinking about doing much the same on a spare siphon F.

 

as for the transfers, might be worth asking Railtec if they can resize their existing transfers.  From their source drawing it should be a pretty simple job.

Hi Fatadder,

I will write about it when I've done transfers. Essentially, cut'n'shut the sides between the middle of the 2nd and 3rd set of doors. The Ratio 4 wheel brake has the right wheelbase but is slightly too long.  It's not as accurate as the brass body kit that Shirescenes offer but I had a spare Siphon F.

Just realised that Railtec do that sheet in 3mm - might work possibly? 

Will

7 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

Haven't tried them or even seen one in the flesh but Modelmaster sheet GW302 has siphon F on it.

Thanks for the suggestion - I hadn't thought of them.  Unfortunately, it looks like it is the same size as the 'normal' size Siphon G, H & J font.

Will

Hi all,

I've been modifying some old K's Siphon F kits, one becoming a Siphon C. On the full size ones, the Siphon branding is squeezed into a triangle of wooden framing. The HMRS transfers only have normal size writing which won't fit. I've looked on POWsides and Railtec websites and they look too large.

Does anyone know of any transfers that will fit? Any ideas?

Thanks

Will

12 hours ago, PeterLoader said:

Anyone know what milk tanker liveries i should be using on my 1930s Newton Abbot railway?

Others on the forum will be able to tell you exactly what dairies were on the route from Penzance. Too early for MMB or Unigate or St Ivel or silver tanks. It will be the colourful liveries / united dairies white.

4 wheel milk tanks or 6 wheel or a mixture  may be an option for you depending on exact date.  The 6 wheelers stated to appear in 1931 and the 4 wheelers disappeared by WW2. You will also need some Siphons and a full brake to complete your train (and a loco of course).

Will

Connor

As it is a passenger train rated vehicle (Brown, or with XP lettering), it has to have automatic brakes - and for GWR, that means Vacuum pipes.

As the end doors have a fold down flap to form a ramp over the buffers, it has to be a dangly down type, rather than the usual one with vertical metal pipe going above the top of the bufferbeam.

I hope that makes sense!

Will

6 hours ago, Lissadell said:

PS as an aside, I notice the top plank of a Minerva 5 plank open is rather wider than the other planks.  This accounts for the vehicle being that much taller than the equivalent Coopercraft 5 plank.  They are different diagrams I guess??

 

 

Hi Adrian,

The earliest 5 plank wagons had equal planks.

Later diagrams had a wide 11" top plank. Later still, the wide plank migrated lower down (top plank more likely to be damaged?)

11" planks were hard to get in WW2 so new builds then had 5 x 7" planks and a narrow one.  Some 5 planks had the same when bodies needed repairing.

Opens are a minefield with so many variations and modifications like sheet bar removal, sack truck door and diagonal bracing types.

Good luck

Will

Edit.

Just checked - the Slaters open is an early O4 5 plank open. The Minerva is a later O11. Both were made in large numbers - the O11 has brakes compliant to the RH lever rules so no need to changes to brake gear later on. Both are 9' wheelbase 16' wagons so they wouldn't have lasted as long as later types with standard RCH underframes.

W

2 hours ago, Il Grifone said:

IIRC the diagonal strapping on the Ratio OPEN C is only correct for one diagram. Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm locked down away from my library at the moment (now extended to at least early July...).

I've just finished putting one together - the diagonals are correct for O8 and some O9. O8 had chain pockets at first but they were removed later on. Diagram O9 shows later diagonals but some were built with the early type.

Later typed also differ with a sack truck door (bottom plank angled out).

I found the brake gear to be too long and the axleboxes too far out and had to modify a lot. Happy to do this to get a different wagon type without stratchbuilding.

Will

1 hour ago, melmoth said:

 

George Pryer's (note the spelling) diagrams should be available from the Signalling Record Society in some shape or form. Link here: https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/home.php

Thanks for spotting that Melmoth - I have corrected the post above - I should have gone to Specsavers!

Will

On ‎11‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 15:02, darren chpamn said:

Thanks  

I'm looking  at modeling mid 20s to mid 30a what paint scheme will be  best 

As I've seen full brown and cream and brown

 

Darren,

It will be one of the chocolate & cream liveries as brown was later.

See the excellent gwr.org for full details of the differences - but be aware that a coach could retain an older livery for a few years as they didn't repaint the whole fleet overnight but waited for them to need painting.

http://www.gwr.org.uk/liveries.html

regards

Will

If you want the signalling diagram, it is shown in:

Signal Box Diagrams of the Great Western & Southern Railways

By GA Pryor

Volume 8

G.W.R. Lines

Taunton to Exeter and branches

Regards

Will