James Hilton

Nice quality resprays Good job on starting a blog too!

7mm is very tempting - especially when you see Brian's lovely blue diesels!

Your prototype location is fairly close to me too!!

It's also nice to know I'm not the only one who has un-productive evenings sometimes too... However a PNA or two needs finishing tonight so must crack on

Mark - can you post them up as a new entry on here?

That's commitment!! 22 identical kits I look forward to seeing the weathering!

These MTAs look great! Lovely observation of the prototype - good work.

Before you start on the PNAs it might be worth looking into swapping the springs (carving off the moulded ones and replacing with cast or plastic replacements) as they are fitted with Brunninghaus springs, not the parabolic ones modelled by Bachmann. Check my workbench blog for more details - I've a post on them

Nice start - I always find the best place to get inspiration is the prototype. Here are some photos of the prototype wagons... http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c358950.html

Observe the patterns of rust, where it forms, where it doesn't. Look at how dirt collects on the chassis and bodyside, where it's rubbed off and where it sticks. Look at the colours, browns, greys, blacks. If you follow a photo with the techniques described in Railway Modeller you will get an ultimately more realistic result. To me that was the only thing missing for the beginner in the article, a photo of the real thing to work from!

Welcome to the blogs - I personally love the extra control you get by seperating comments out from your own updates! The HAAs are looking lovely and lets hope for some dry weather as we'd all love to see IKB!

Looking good - I actually thought it was 4mm at first

John at Precision labels will be able to help with the transfers I'm sure - contact him via the contact page on his website! No affiliation other than a satisfied customer - he made up some custom nameplates for me in the past.

The cab roof (I bet I'm the only one who comments on that!) is spot on! Lovely job.

Martin I've had a look - it's hard to determine... I actually think they may be a fraction to shallow on the model. The fact the I've carved off the handrail leaving that area yellow (when it's black on the prototype) tricks the eye a little, and I think the Hornby light clusters may be a fraction underscale (literally just a smidge). I'll test paint one end when I've fitted the handrail and see how it looks before progressing too far - thanks for the thought.

For the chassis - I think I'm going with the Highlines option - I can't find any info on what the Branchlines chassis offers? The Highlines is a replacement etch that allows the fitting of a motor/flywheel, through a reduction work drive to a driven axle - all in the space of the existing motor. It also includes a compensated trailing truck - and they do an 'unpowered' version for the trailer car.

I've test run the Pacer last night though, and it's performance might be acceptable for all I require (if a little noisy!)

James,

 

You have my vote of support.......I love the look and feel of the dutch Crompton and Mainline 350' in your pics.......

 

Both would be welcome visitor's at 'Battersea Stewarts Lane' from next year - when I start to build it that is !

 

Best of luck mate......

 

Dave

Excellent - cheers Dave!! They'll be OO though, and aren't chipped! so you'll need a DC siding somewhere on there!

I'd love a high spec 73 too

Currently working on a 58 in Mainline... progress photos soon

Hi Martin,

 

Stunning as usual! I'm watching closely as I've got a couple of gronks to do. For some reason I just don't seem to be able to get up the will to do them - I think it's the underframe weathering. I can cope with the fading ok, just, but there is something about that greasy look. Perhaps this is the kick up the backside to get at least one of them back in the paintshop, and hope the techniques scale well :-)

 

jo

 

Sorry to jump on to Martin's post, thought worth encouraging by sharing the underframes are quite straight forward.

You need:

Matt black, matt tan, matt grey.

Regular gun metal

Metalcote gun metal (or gloss black)

Black weathering powder

Basically using a prototype photo as a guide start with the matt black, slightly thinned - then add a slight hint of the tan and grey to add variation. A touch of regular gun metal also adds some hilights but be careful as it can really lighten the effect too much. Observe where things look greasier and gunkier and add some metalcote gun metal (or a touch of gloss black). Then flick over some black weathering powder and work this in, adding a touch of tan or grey if it all becomes too dark.

The key is working quickly and without too much accuracy. If you're working to a photo it should turn out pretty well - and is a huge improvement over just weathering the chassis with paint brushes on or an airbrush.

Hope this helps provide a secondary kick up the arse - I've done three and they get better every time!

Martin it's looking great... You know my love of 08/09s - and this is a superb example. Hopefully I can show a few more of my model of 09007 in the new year once it's published - I'd be interested in your opinion on that

She's looking great - maybe in 2010 we can get her and my 37411 lined up for a comparison at the members day?

Looks a great piece of modelling Dave!

Are the noses some of Pete Harvey's new ones? They look great... Not sure I like the gloss finish though, it makes the model appear a lot more toy like some how.

Thanks Alex - the Pacer is already in bits, I'm struggling to work out how to get the livery right though - both NorthWestern and Northern liveries are a ###### to mask on the Pacer body!!

Thanks guys! I'm doing this on the cheap - so progress might still be fairly slow - I'll try and keep this up to date until it feels like it needs it's own blog

Good question. I've not found an answer to when the majority were stored - and I suspect that from the photos and videos I've seen they weren't mixed with other types.

Is the traverser only big enough for one coach or am I mis-understanding the first set of photos?

Anyway - looks a nice little concept, and well executed so far

I'd suggest perhaps using a lighter sky background behind the station - the sky behind the warehouses (I know are being replaced - although they look great!) is probably more realistic then that behind the station.

When will it be set?

Pete fast progress as usual! I like the idea for the hard standing. What's the theme of the layout, what is it portraying?

Lovely piece of work Andy - these 'faux' history pieces are great fun aren't they! I do intend to do something further with Paxton Road one day!

It seems there are a few of us trying to figure out how to use the new blog versus posting in old forum threads! Lovely layouts - I look forward to seeing more about them and any future projects? on here!

Lovely presentation and ballasting James.

 

Would you consinder removing your 'nipples' on the tie bars from the points?

Thanks for the kind words Andy - brown ballast seems to be typical of the Southern region, it seems to weather quite quickly to this colour when you look at prototype photos, and it makes a difference from the usual greeny grey granite chippings.

The track is weathered with Humbrol 98 applied liberally to the sleepers. Once dry and ballasted, I've picked out the rails in a light rust for the main running line, and a darker gungier rust on the sidings.

As for the nipples, I've started removing one from each point. They're currently un-motorised and there is no other easy way of setting them! (is there?) The nipples at least mean you don't damage surrounding scenery and weathering so much but I'm open to suggestions.

I have toyed with the idea of drilling through from underneath to fit point motors, but I've a suspicion that when I finish the layout I'll end up starting another with all the things I've learnt about this one factored in from day one!