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RedgateModels

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  1. RedgateModels
    Those who made it to the Member's Day will have seen the 2-8-2 quietly simmering away on Summat Colliery.
     
    For those who didn't here's a couple of shots showing off Roomey's "2 weeks into service" weathering that sets it off perfectly 🙂
     

     

     
    Now, must get that article finished for Model Rail .....
  2. RedgateModels
    These chaps got painted and made all dirty with black pastel tonight, all ready to crew the good ship Mikado
     

     
    I've deliberately made the driver cleaner than the fireman and he sports a red neckerchief, the dandy
     
    These are whitemetal (probably pewter) copies of the Hornby offerings that I bought off eBay ages ago. Will add a little more weight to aid traction
  3. RedgateModels
    Having a small son has it's advantages sometimes. I mentioned that I needed a few coffee stirrers for an idea I had about a free set of coal staithes. A couple of days later he presented me with a good handful that he had "collected" on his last trip to a well known fast food joint.
     
    So, here's my McStaithes
     

     
    A coat of weathered wood and then some dirtying down should do the trick 🙂
  4. RedgateModels
    Some of you might have seen my appeal on the forum for information on an ABS Models kit that I bought off Ian Morton at the Mansfield Show.
     
    The box states GWR 10 ton 4 plank diagram O.21. It became immediately apparent on opening the box in earnest that this was no 4 plank wagon. What followed was a sometimes lively discussion about what I had bought. But when I sent some photos of the castings to Adrian at ABS he confirmed I had most of a diagram O.23 with Morton brakes. There's a lot of spare bits in the box, but I was missing a few bits (including floor and instructions) that Adrian supplied for a couple of second class stamps
     
    So, here's what I have after a week in Superstrip to remove the epoxy glue and caked on old paint
     

     
    Should be a fun build from now as soon as I can dig out the temperature controlled soldering iron that got packed away when we cleared the study to decorate. My only issue is that if it's going to run on Fourgig East it's going to push the modeller's licence as, as far as I know, no O.23 was preserved.
  5. RedgateModels
    Well havn't I been busy whilst the forum was down. The Lima/Crafstman DP1 is finished and ready to find a new home
     
     

     
     
    To confirm the spec:
     
    Lima Deltic Craftsman conversion kit (minus etched whiskers and side stripes)
    Fox waterslide whiskers and sidestripes (the ones with the black edging)
    SE Finecast flushglaze with cab door windows using Humbrol Clearfix
    Paint: Humbrol Deltic Blue and grey primer protected with Krylon Matte Coat
     
    Pretty pleased with this one, if I can maintain the standard of finish on the Dapol/Bachmann one I should have a good model to confuse a few punters at shows
     
     
    For sale ad in classifieds here, I will haggle EDIT: now sold to traction of this parish
  6. RedgateModels
    The Class 3 tank engine sitting on my shelf gathering dust has been bugging me for some time. A somewhat impulse buy when I happened across Trains4U whilst around Peterborough with work.
     
    I didn't need it to complete the collection, I have my old faithful Triang/Hornby example that was really what got me "into" BR Standards.
     
    So, about that gap in my collection - the Class 3 Mogul 77xxx. Recent eBay bargains brought me an Airfix 76xxx kit and a Bachmann BR2 tender for less than 20 quid. So, I took the tank engine apart to see how much work it really would be to marry the bits together ...
     
    here's the chassis with the boiler resting on top
     

     
    and a shot of the boiler on it's own
     

     
    Quite a bit of work, hopefully the missing bits of boiler/firebox can be constructed from the Airfix kit, we shall see.
     
    There's also a dirty great groove along the boiler where the side tanks fitted in and even little holes to fill where the tank strapping located
     

     
    Nothing is set in stone yet, the 82xxx can be reassembled good as new at this point if I decide it's not a go-er. In that case I guess it's either a DJH kit or wait for Bachmann ......
  7. RedgateModels
    One side done, ready for handrails and varnish
     

     
    Bit of a disappointment that the Fox nose plates (the ones under the fake headlamp) are too long for the Dapol body, not sure who is at fault, but I've had to trim the "The" and "Ltd" off the ends to get them to fit
     
    Hand rails are going to be made from Hornby steel handrail wire, I'm going to have to fabricate some form of jig/gauge to make sure they are all the same length (two sizes), b ut it's getting there
     
     
    EDIT: Both sides done now, just the handrails to do then varnish, glazing and wipers
  8. RedgateModels
    I've been dropping a few status updates about this build and have been talking to Wenlock of this parish about the kit and some of the shortfall in the instructions. Pictures were requested so I thought I'd better get a blog entry going
     
    So the chassis is more or less done, footboards are waiting for a delivery from Eileens as the 8" Hold and Fold does not come with a centre screw and does not hold the full length of the etch well enough as it stands. Buffer housings will complete the job prior to painting. The wheels are only held in temporarily and the brake pull rods will be added after painting.
     
    here's some pics
     

     

     

     
    The safety loops are my best effort to understand the instructions before talking to Wenlock and seeing his photos. I might follow his lead with the outside legs and add a plastikard beam to the chassis to fix them to, as they are now they look a bit odd! On the other hand, no-one's really going to see them once it's on the track ....
     
    Observe the springs which were originally fixed incorrectly to the underside of the stop. The use of a scalpel to remove them and refit to the axleboxes resulted in a pretty deep wound to my left thumb which is still hampering my efforts to build this coach
     
    I also have an all 3rd (T9) to build so I'll probably end up finishing them together to cut down on airbrush sessions. Need to get to a show to get some PP cream and brown too - not my normal colours you understand.....
  9. RedgateModels
    Still gathering parts for the Mikado so I'm trying to get a push on with the DP1s. To that effect the roof of the Dapol kit is receiving attention thanks to the A1 models etched grilles and a set of photos supplied by macgeordie (cheers mate ) so I know where to place them.
     

     
    I've not added the fans yet, they will be painted and glued in place once the body has been sprayed, so they can be seen!
     
    The plan is to get both bodies to the point of spraying then get both done in one hit. To this end the Craftsman kit will come out soon to go onto a Lima body.
  10. RedgateModels
    Well, ok, it's not quite finished, just need to add Brian at Shawplan's excellent etched windscreen wipers, but apart from that it's done.
     
    Took a lot of fiddling round the edges, getting it to run round rad 2 curves, re-doing the chassis to loco fixings, shimming the fixings so that it sits level etc etc etc.
     

     
    marker lights have been done by drilling them out 2mm then a slight countersink with a 3mm drill. Finally a blob of clearfix provides the lens.
     
    Runs smooth with a Bachmann 3 function decoder set to #1 (what else!). It will be on show at the Nottm show this weekend alongside it's Lima twin which is still for sale
     
    Final cost approx £90 including the decoder, so you can produce one yourself for less than that cost of the "cooking" NRM release (if you could buy one at that price now!). Currently there's only one NRM Deltic on ebay, wooden box version going for £310 plus postage!
     
    It actually cost me a lot less as ramrig kindly donated the Fox plates, Dapol kit and Fox transfers that were used on the Lima version - cheers mate
     
    No, this one ain't for sale
     
     
    EDIT:
     
     
    Wipers added
     

     
     
     
     
  11. RedgateModels
    So,
     
    the lining is almost done, still got some tidying up to do, mainly just some re-lining where touching up has run into the ocre. I've also got the end strapping to paint.
     

     
    Despite the condition of the coach, no roof let alone windows and a strong smell of paint - some passengers have already taken up residence too!
  12. RedgateModels
    This was quite satisfying. Most of the external pipework for the firebox end was either missing, mullered or just plain wrong, so armed with my trusty copper stripped from bell wire and some bits from the Crownline detailing kit I have ended up with this
     

     

     
    So to the next problem - no backhead was present on the model, so half an hour with a spare Hornby Evening Star bodyshell and a razor saw we have a passable representation of a backhead
     

     
    Not much else to do now before paint - handrails to refit and one front footstep has come adrift (again!). The loco came with aftermarket sprung buffers, but they were round. So I've filled the bufferbeam holes with W/M solder and re-drilled smaller to take some Bachmann oval sprung buffers.
     
    The tender body has already received a few coats of primer and awaits the loco body
  13. RedgateModels
    Final few shots of the DJH Duke before it goes back to it's owner ready for Xmas day
     

     

     

     

     
    Pretty pleased with the finish and the Narrow Planet plates look as good as ever. That's the workbench cleared (nearly) ready for the two Golden Arrow Crosti 9Fs to be finished in the new year
  14. RedgateModels
    The kitchen fitters have been and gone and the lounge is more or less done apart from the delivery of two 2-seater sofas.
     

     
     

     
    Think the kids have been playing with the TV channel, could have sworn I was watching Top Gear ....
     
    The gas fire is in and connected to it's chimney. Just waiting for the decorators to arrive and paint the interior of the coach walls then some tasteful artwork can be hung
  15. RedgateModels
    A coat of varnish or two found it's way onto the coach over the weekend sealing the transfers kindly donated by Larry (Coachmann). So in my world some of the Vintage Trains stock has been sold on to the heritage railway and one FK converted to a camping coach
     
    The remaining Lima coach might end up as W3125 of Riviera Trains and become part of the operating fleet for Fourgig East, although I would rather build a Slater's C10 Clerestory and flog the Lima one on. We shall see.
     
    Anyway here's some snaps
     

     

     

     

     
     
    Still waiting for it's occupants and the eBay seller who did some nice tiny wooden sofas seems to have gone AWOL, but there you go. I would also like to add some Black Cat Tech LED lighting, but he's moving at the moment too, so that will have to wait.
  16. RedgateModels
    Well, there was a bit of frantic activity on the chassis front ahead of last Saturday's Member's Day. I decided that before I go any further with the chassis I had to prove that the live outside faces of the PCB frames with pickups soldered directly on behind the wheels would work.
     
    I'd never seen this before and frankly was a bit of a flight of fancy spurred on by the fact I have loads of spare PCB material left over from JZ sleeper panels.
     
    First effort, straight Pb wire about 8mm long acting on the rear of the wheel rim was a complete failure and almost burned out the Sagami I was just about to give up and try some conventional "round the springs" v shaped pickups as per Iain Rice when inspiration hit.
     
    So this is what I've got:
     

     
    and they work very well. Fiddly to adjust and one or two were spotted poking out from behind the wheel rim on Saturday but they stay in contact with the wheels at all times and do not act as brakes
     
    PCB chassis work (as long as you make sure cylinders and weighshafts don't short across the frames.....)
  17. RedgateModels
    One of the reasons for lack of progress on the Duke is that I've been distracted constructing what has turned out to be a multifunction rig for shows and home.
     
    I've been wanting a programming track when exhibiting for some time, as I have at least one loco still running an R8215 decoder that resets itself to 3 when a short occurs. I have had to seek out a friendly trader or other layout who can reprogram the chip for me. Sociable though that is, I really wanted to be self sufficient.
     
    I've also fancied a more "commercial" rolling road than my old home made one - so combining the two ideas I bought a Hornby rolling road and combined it with a spare PCP panel and an autoSW to give me this:
     

     
    The box is 18mm gloss cream faced MDF left over from doing the kitchen, so does not look out of place on the kitchen table it's also VERY sturdy. The rolling road is wired to the autoSW so becomes a programming track when the appropriate mode is selected on my PowerCab. A flying lead with a 2 pin DIN speaker plug on the end is connected to the MAIN output of the autoSW and simply plugs into the existing socket on Summat Colliery.
     
    Since taking the photo I have also added a speaker socket to the front that is fed from a changeover switch so that I can switch the rolling road to an external input for use with the SPROG or good old DC at home when testing etc.
     
    I do not now need to buy a PCP panel for each layout I build, just add a speaker socket and away we go!
     
    However, I now have a "spare" PCP panel that was fixed to Summat Colliery when I first got a Powercab. I think I will move this to the front of the layout so that I can link them up and operate from the front if the mood takes me
  18. RedgateModels
    I'm currently doing a Crosti 9F for someone and thought it would be good to blog the build. It's my first go with a resin kit too.
     
    Firstly thanks to Chris at Golden Arrow for his persitance getting a kit to me through the Royal Mail, hope you can use the second kit sent (received broken - thanks postie!) somehow ....
     
    I thought I'd start with the tender to easy myself in. Castings cleaned up easily, one or two air bubbles to fill with Humbrol Model Filler but nothing too onerous. For those unfamiliar with the kit there is a one piece tender moulding and two sprues with various components to make the various versions (BR1B/C/D/E/K). Parts are identified as follows:
     

     
    A = Coal Seperator
    B = Coal Pusher
    C = Coal Pusher operating mech
    D = BR Briquette water softening cover
    E = TIA water softening tank top
    F = tender chassis blanking plate
    G = Fall Plate
     
    As I'm just doing a BR1B parts A and G were added, holes drilled for the Hornby rear ladder from the donor loco gives me
     

     
    Note large hole in the coal space, this is because I'm using a MkI "silver seal" tender drive that is higher than the later plastic fantastic version. I'll cling film the hole when it comes to time for coaling up. Only other modification needed is the large tender weight from this drive had to be trimmed down, presumably the resin body is thicker on top than the Hornby one as I did not have this problem with the Crosti that runs on Summat Colliery.
  19. RedgateModels
    So here it is the Dapol/Bachmann/A1 combo primed ready for painting
     

     

     
    Love those A1 grilles. Now all I need is someone with an airbrush and lets see if they can be finished for the Warwick show, or maybe the Nottm Show
     
    If anyone wants to take the Lima version off my hands then it will be in "Bring and Buy Corner" on Summat Colliery at a forthcoming show
  20. RedgateModels
    So, a day off work produces instant progress!
     
    I've added the Scalescenes concrete floor to the engine shed and produced a nice boarded infill between the "concrete" and the rails with, yes you guessed it, McDonalds coffee stirrers.
     

     

     
    looks a bit bare in there, will need some "junk" to make it look occupied
     
    Bufferstop has also received it's "sleepers" from the same economic modelling resource. Will add some rivet heads using spare Archers transfers left over from the Sentinel. The buffer is an S&D Models example bought from Freestone Models at last year's Birkenhead show, shows how long I have been planning this thing
     

     
    Going to do a full operational test this afternoon, as long as #2 son who is off poorly will let me have the room!
     
    LUNCHTIME UPDATE!
     
    Been busy with the soldering iron and we have a Duncan Models water crane assembled
     

  21. RedgateModels
    So another lunchtime passes and the basic superstructure of the Sentinel is done
     

     

     
    I've also fitted the Lima drive unit to two new 6BA nuts soldered to the floor of the loco, here's the good old ringfield with all the supression gubbins removed as this will be DCC controlled. Note big red spacers cyano'd to the chassis
     

     
    Ride height is about right methinks, I've set it to the buffer height of a Parkside TOAD brakevan and also scaled off an old photo of Isebrook, both came out at the same measurement, so that's nice
     
    Next is the underfame. I think I'll chop the Lima jobbie for now and fit it, but I have been seeking more accurate, or even slightly accurate alternatives. Meteor Models have quoted me 25 quid for a set of axleboxes, springs and sandboxes. I'm also waiting on ABS as they have Sentinel axleboxes listed.
     
    can't see me not doing a better representation of the Sentinel underpinnings TBH
     
    Update:
     
    Order placed with Meteor Models for lots of lovely whitemetal bits, should arrive tomorrow
     
    In the meantime, handrails and steps have been added and the Lima underframe cut down so it fits.
     

     
    Kinda looks like a tram engine now But to be honest, if I wasn't so fussy and knocked up a chimney and filler from bits of scrap etc then this loco would stand at £56.50 and that's without selling on the diesel body.
  23. RedgateModels
    As the ABS Wagon is done and now to something to pull it. I bought a Lima diesel shunter cheaply off the forum some time ago, so it has donated it's chassis to the project.
     
    Here's what you get with the kit, basically two sheets of etches, although I bought some buffers for it at the same time
     

     

     
    As Fourgig is supposed to be a heritage railway I wanted to model a preserved Sentinel and GWR #2 "Isebrook" was an obvious choice. Here's the first problem with the kit - Isebrook has the grilles at the front but not to the sides. The kit provides two options, all grilles or none.
     
    I used the grilled etch to mark out the two front holes on the solid etch and then openings were cut and filed to shape
     

     
    I then used some .7mm brass wire to fashion the raised edge to the openings, filing the tops flat once soldered in place. The grilles were then soldered from behind
     

     
    Next step is to form the etch into the curved ends and then see if it fits the soleplate
  25. RedgateModels
    Craftsman whiskers and side stripes are starting to be applied along with some of the Fox plates
     

     
    Note also the tasteful application of A1 models horns (thanks Brian at Shawplan) fitted using split pins around the rear portion of the horn and pushed though 1mm holes in the roof. Silver paint will be toned down once the matte varnish is applied
     
    Also found the Craftsman wipers that should have been fitted to the Lima DP1, must get them painted and glued in place sometime ......
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