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RedgateModels

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  1. RedgateModels
    These chaps started to look smart last night - Dart Castings finest "leaning out" figures
     

     
    I've got their boots to do and then a good dirty wash before installation. I think I will need to build small platforms for them to stand on as the doors of the Sentinel seem quite high. Hope they look ok once installed
  2. RedgateModels
    The GWR coach cream was airbrushed on last night, so while that hardens in readiness for the brown (yes, I know camping coaches were green and cream, but the SK that www.railholiday.co.uk have is brown and cream) I thought that some form of rudimentary buffers needed to be sourced.
     
    The coaches bought from Blackrat of this parish both came without the standard Lima offerings, so from my bit box we have some 8mm lengths of Chuppa Chups lolly stick (kids are useful after all!) and common all garden drawing pins.
     
    The lolly stick is a good fit for the hole in the buffer shank and a drop of UHU secures the pin in the hole down the middle.
     

     
    a quick waft of matt black and more UHU should see the coach looking a bit more complete.
  3. RedgateModels

    Gardening

    By RedgateModels,

    I managed to get a couple of sessions in this weekend and with the warm weather, the PVA dried off quickly and we have the basic landform done. Couldn't resist a few wide angle shots in the back garden today with my new phone
     

     

     

     

     

     
    Can't put of that ballasting for much longer!
  5. RedgateModels
    I recently installed a copy of Photoshop Elements (bought as a present for SWMBO ages ago but never installed) and as I'd fitted a bigger Stay Alive capacitor to the Zimo sound chip I tought I'd have a go at doing an "X-ray" cutaway type shot to show just where everything fits.
     
    Thanks to Andy Y for his guidance I managed a half decent image
     

     
    Need to practice a LOT more with the magnetic lasso tool, I got a bit bored with it towards the rear of the tender. It would have been nice to have done a similar effect on the tender, but as the speaker is black-tacked to the underside of the coal space it would have been a bit of a faff to set-up. Maybe next time
  6. RedgateModels
    Well, in between the showers I got the brown paint on - thanks to Brian at Shawplan for letting me pop round on Friday and pick up some stocks. Why is is I always spend at least an hour chatting???
     
    anyway here's a pic
     

     
    Next is to see if I can paint the black raised areas then flood the cream in the recesses, but that's not until the brown is well and truly dry.
     
    Sorry Moz, I used grey primer ......
  7. RedgateModels
    Made some more progress with this coach this week. Underframe has been painted and the final details added. I still need to hand paint the brake pull rods black but it's about done.
     

     
    I've also made a start on the body, going pretty well, all is square and fitting together quite easily
     

     
    Should have painted those seats before gluing them in though ...... Oh well, I'll know better with the all 3rd S9, more seats in that one too
     
    So once those seats are painted and maybe some signs and mirrors fitted I'll get on with the rest of the construction. I'm hoping to make the roof removeable for adding passengers etc, I'd like a bike or something like that in the luggage area too
     
    anyone know of a supplier of 7mm modern baby buggies/prams etc?
  8. RedgateModels
    Santa brought me a MR Sentinel, bless her and after clearing the deask recently I thought I'd get it ready for duty on Summat Colliery. I initially chipped it with a Hornby R8215 just to test it out and was pleased with how nicely it ran. However, in an exhibition environment I don't want a slow moving shunter to be prodded by the hand of god too often, so a StayAlive capacitor was in order.
     
    Space being an issue I investigated the TCS DP2X-UK - no wires to worry about for a start. Looking at pictures of the -KA version with wires for their "Keep Alive" unit it was pretty obvious where to solder the wires for a home grown version. So one 1000uF capacitor, a restistor and diode later we have this
     

     
    crawls along on speed step 1 out of 127 without stopping
     
    Keen eyes will see that the loco has also received a 3-link coupling at the "display only" end and a light weathering. I've also added a bit more real coal to the bunkers in a more haphazard fashion to the molded plastic as supplied.
     
    I will paint all the components black so they are less noticable when the lid's on and maybe add a driver etc to further disguise the rather large (for this little loco) capacitor
     
    Roll on the Lincoln Show in June!
  10. RedgateModels
    Seems to be the time for painting this week, thanks to all the advice from Buckjumper (on here and in his mag article) the O gauge Pug body is prepped for primer. I bought some "Bar Keepers Friend" from Amazon (other internet retailers available) and with a cheapo kids electric toothbrush (spiderman) and some work with scrapers, fibreglass brush and wet-or-dry stuck to coffee stirrers we have this:
     

     
    Next step a few coats of primer, then see if any filling etc needs doing. I'll get some filler at the BRM Show this weekend at Doncaster.
  11. RedgateModels
    Following a couple of weekends finishing off the study DIY (and a happy SWMBO) I managed to sneak in some work on Fourgig before the kids came back from Mum & Dad's yesterday.
     

     
    Following advice from Chris Nevard I have rough ballasted the concrete infill area before applying the DAS clay - some left over aquarium gravel applied using the age old 50:50 PVA and water mix.
     
    Once set I'll remove any loose and too high ballast before pressing the clay into the gravel.
     
    Now where's that hanging basket liner?
  12. RedgateModels
    I managed a few hours over Christmas to get the chassis painted and over the last two evenings I've got it running again!
     

     
    Pretty pleased with the neat phosphor bronze pickups which should blend in pretty well with some black paint later. The rods are VERY sloppy and there is a bit of a stick due to this. To get an idea of the problem the crankpins (threaded screws) have an outside diameter of 1.6mm. The holes in the rods are 2.2mm! I've found some 1.6mm i/d tube with an o/d of 2.4mm so I will make some bushes for the rods sometime
     
    Waiting for a new 60w soldering iron and then I'll get on with replacing that chimney on the body
  13. RedgateModels
    Unlike the last Golden Arrow Crosti 9F that I built and detailed in Hornby Magazine this one's mine (and so is my time) so the standard plain flat sided preheater sections would not do.
     
    Out came the 11mm Evergreen tube, saw and files. Together with some microstrip and a few other bits and bobs I now have this:
     

     

     
    I've added a representation of the access door using a circle of plasticard punched out with a hole punch, decorated with microstrip and the "blower" that of course is not fitted to the side of the normal smokebox but feeds into the side chimney from the preheater.
     
    The exhaust from the preheater is again two sheets of plasticard bonded together and suitably shaped.
     
    All this was also done on my first Crosti that started life as a part built Crownline kit bought off eBay. As I'd like to think I improve with each model I am now going to attempt to add the sandboxes for the LHS of the chassis. The one on the RHS is so hidden behind the footplating as to be not really worth it, or maybe not .......
  14. RedgateModels

    More Growth

    By RedgateModels,

    I was talking to Traction of this parish yesterday about the Engine Shed kit that has been serialised over the last three months in Hornby Magazine and on the way home from work it occurred to me that if I nicked a foot of the fiddle yard area at the front I could extend the coal staithes road past the goods shed to lead to said shed
     

     
    Got to say it's a no brainer, I only need 1 ft of fiddle to hold a couple of cassettes at any one time, all I need is the kit in "Ashlar" and I'll be looking for more 3mm card
  16. RedgateModels

    New Conveyor

    By RedgateModels,

    Been a while since I did anything on Summat but after Wigan I left the long conveyor on the parcel shelf in the Scooby and the sun got to it. Half of the plastic deformed like a banana
     
    These sections of the Walthers kit were kindly donated to me by a couple of RMwebbers as I'd already used the large conveyor from my kit to run to the road hopper. Little chance of anyone else having a spare set so I contacted Walthers about the possibility of some spares. Despite an initial favourable response it all went quiet.
     
    Thanks to Pete Harvey for offering to first do a 3D print and then an etch, however someone somewhere mentioned Slaters embossed sheets. I ordered some 4mm corrugated from Gaugemaster and set to them with a scalpel and some Plastic Weld. here's the result:
     

     
    The second pic shows my construction method, there's five internal braces per 200mm long section. Three sections make the whole conveyor.
     

     
    I'd forgotten just how satisfying scratchbuilding is with plasticard, very instant
     
    I've brought it into work for a quick coat of grey primer (too cold and damp now for spraying outside at home) then I'll weather it down to match the rest of the building ready for Caistorail on the 13th/14th October
  17. RedgateModels
    This is how it's going to sit for a while now. I will be starting on the chassis next. Just ordered (amongst other things ) a correct pattern pony from Chris at Golden Arrow to replace the Triang Britannia one that this loco carried when I received it
     
    Once the chassis is sorted I'll make sure the two bits fit together before continuing with the painting.
  18. RedgateModels
    Well, it all went pretty well at the Member's Day, quite a lot of work was put in filing the point blades especially on the double slip, my excuse is that they were my first ever point blades and I erred on the side of caution when filing them initially.
     
    Anyway, even the Lima power bogied Sentinel ran through in all directions by the time we were finished.
     
    One TT300 is going back to John at Bromsgrove Models as it was noticeably weaker in one direction, on at least two points and even when operated in free air.
     
    Following some discussion and not a little winding up by Mr Harvey I have sat down and thought about the fiddle yard. I have pinched two inches from the scenic area and dropped in a traverser with fixed end bits for loco storage/run-round.
     
    here's my comic
     

     
    I have extended the width of the board to 3' 3" which should fit the boot of my car. I am going to make a cardboard mock up first to make sure If not, the plans will have the change.
     
    Now where's that roll of parcel tape ....
  20. 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.
  21. RedgateModels
    Rapid (for me) progress today.
     
    The bends went really well, after much agonizing and worry over getting these right they just fell into place using a 3.5mm rod held in the vice and the brass bent over it using my fingers.
     
    Soldered to the soleplate using 145 deg solder it's starting to look like a Sentinel now
     

     
    Now, here's where I have had to "modify" the kit as there seems to be two variants of the Lima 0-4-0 drive unit, one a central ringfield and another with the ringfield over to one side. The kit is clearly designed for the latter, but I have the central type. So a dirty big hole was cut in the soleplate/floor. The fixing centres seemed different too, so new holes were drillled - I'll solder 8BA nuts over these holes next.
     

     
    The upshot of this central motor is that the tank end panel cannot be fitted. The tank top is a little too wide and the corners are of too great a radius, hopefully by the time material has been removed from the sides any gaps at the corners will be fillable with solder.
     
    Anyone want a Lima diesel shunter body, BR blue, good nick?
  22. 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
  23. RedgateModels
    Well, I got the bits from Adrian at ABS so the angled planks at the bottom of the doors and label clips were added and then the painting commenced.
     
    Below shows the wagon as it sits now, basic spraying done but there is a lot of overspray on the black where I couldn't mask well enough. No matter, I'll touch up with Tamiya semi gloss black and no-one will know.
     

     
    It's done in BR period livery, and just needs black number patches adding once the overspray is sorted, oh and a touch of white on the brake handles.
     
    Should sit quite nicely with my RMweb Dapol wagon when they arrive
  24. RedgateModels
    After a mammoth session with the guillotine we have all the turnout timbers as well as the plain line timbers for board #2
     

     
    Should keep me busy at next week's Mansfield Show
     
    I have loads of 7mm turnout copperclad left, although less than one pack, so looks like my calculations aided by Martin Wynn's TDV version of Templot have worked out fine.
  25. RedgateModels
    Thanks to all on here and the Templot Club for advice, some of which was ignored but hey, it's all good.
     
    The solution is somewhat of a compromise as is often the case and I have gone all round the houses to arrive at the obvious.
     
    here's the current plan:
     

     
    I have gone with a GWR 9ft heel #6 turnout which gives 10" of total track length from switch tips to the 11 ft marker, take an inch off for a half buffer and I will still have enough room for the largest "home" loco on the layout which will be a 57xx tank. Keen eyes will notice that I have extended the layout by a foot to the right, but this is for the future should I decide to accommodate larger locos.
     
    I think I got a bit distracted by trying to make the release as long as possible with the existing baseboards for locos I might never own (class 3 tank etc) and compromising the track design in the process. Glad I have seen sense and replaced the #4 with a #6 turnout.
     
    I will make the scenic area easily extendable so that any extension will be fully scenic - maybe a church spire covering the backscene join?
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