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Barry Ten

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Blog Entries posted by Barry Ten

  1. Barry Ten

    City of Truro

    By Barry Ten,

    In light of recent developments, I thought it was about time I got my act together and actually did something with my own City of Truro. I finished painting it earlier this year, but (as is typical of me) it's sat on the workbench waiting for the last few bits to be done while I got sidetracked with other projects. I had never attached a coupling to the tender, and the model still lacks crew, lamp irons and brake handles on the tender, as well as a touch of weathering. I wasn't in any great hurry, though - after all, what were the chances of anyone announcing an RTR Truro?
     
    Anyway, I've added a coupling to the tender and established that, as she stands, three coaches is about her limit. She pulls three very well mind, but four induces quite a bit of slipping. There is still room for a bit more weight, and adding crew will help, but she's never going to be a haulage monster. I'm sure the RTR Truro will be a bit better in this respect, since there'll undoubtedly be more metal in the body and perhaps traction tyres.
     
     

     
    The original thread is here:
     
    http://www.rmweb.co....=+truro#p570744
     
    and for anyone interested in owning a City before the RTR one appears, the model is built from the Branchlines kit, using the Dapol mouldings as a basis. It's a great little project which I thoroughly enjoyed.
  2. Barry Ten

    7011 Banbury Castle

    By Barry Ten,

    Although most of my recent heavy duty modelling has been directed at building my S&D layout, I've still got far too many other projects on the boil, much of which revolve around my long-term interest in the GWR/WR. Here's the latest thing off the workbench, which (like my 9F) appeared on the old forum in an unfinished state. Just in time to be made completely redundant by the new Hornby model, here's a detailed and re-powered old-style Castle, numbered for 7011 Banbury Castle. It has a Comet chassis with DJH gearbox. I modified the inside piston casing to represent the correct style for 7011, reworked the cab roof profile, and added/replaced a few bits and bobs. The Dapol style Hawksworth tender has an incorrect wheel spacing but I can live with it. While it runs very well, I probably should have picked a speedier motor/gearbox combo for an express passenger engine, as even flat out it's not doing anything like a scale ton. Hence, I've allocated it to parcels/fish traffic rather than express passenger workings. You live and learn...
     
    The lining on the Hornby model is neat but heavy, but rather than repaint it I opted to tone it down with some weathering.
     

     

     
     
  3. Barry Ten

    Fencing

    By Barry Ten,

    Not much progress on the first Shillingstone module lately, largely because I've been spending my modelling time finishing a continuous run through the other boards. Although it's currently just a loop with a fiddleyard along one side, I can at least run trains again - great fun after two years of not having a proper 4mm layout. Some of the engines I've been fiddling with over the last couple of years are at last getting a chance to stretch their legs, which has been very satisfying - it's been great just watching Banbury Castle circle slowly around the room on the fish train. Most of my stock is still in boxes, so I apologise for trotting out the green Maunsell stock yet again.
     
    However I decided it was time I did a bit more scenery so last night I glued in some Ratio fence posts to demark the railway boundary. They're sold as GWR posts but I'm not going to lose any sleep over that. I put in the posts at 20mm spacing and allowed them to dry overnight. Today I began to add the wire, using the supplied filament. I know there are probably finer (and more durable) alternatives but the Ratio stuff will do for me. It's blinking fiddly though - get the swear box out! Just as you've got one secured, you try and attach the line to next post along and the last three or four come unglued. Much grrr-ing and going back and forth until you get it sort of where it ought to be. It's still not very neat or regular but this was still a bit of a breakthrough for me as I managed to get four wires on - I don't think I've ever managed more than three before. It should be more than four but I'll hide the lower part of the posts in undergrowth. I'll let it all set dry then paint it tomorrow, using pale-ish grey-brown.
     
    As mentioned in one of the comments somewhere, I've not currently got a lighting rig in place for this module, so it's being illuminated by a dangling bulb in the middle of the room - hence the shadows and general lack of sharpness. Hopefully that should improve when I install the rig, but I need to get some wood from Focus first.
     

     
     

  4. Barry Ten

    Hornby 9F

    By Barry Ten,

    I showed this 9F in its raw state on the old forum; here it is after painting, numbering and weathering as 92006. Still
    a few details to add when I'm in the mood. It's an old Hornby model, with a lowered body, new wheels and valvegear
    (ex-Chinese spares) and some Comet detailing.
     
     

  5. Barry Ten
    Just in time for the Dapol announcement of a new 00 61xx, here's my SE Finecast one being put to its paces on a test train. It's been a very nice kit to put together and the resultant model is nicely smooth and powerful, with its DJH gearbox and motor giving trouble-free running.
  6. Barry Ten
    Last year I mentioned my on-going project to detail a rake of Triang/Hornby freightliner flats:
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/257/entry-17631-ffafga-container-flats-paint-and-decals/
     
    I've been having a lot of fun running the rake over the last few weeks but inevitably thoughts started turning to what else
    could be done to the models to bring them a bit closer to reality. Although I mentioned that I wasn't going to bother trying
    to fix the solid underframe detail, inevitably I got the modelling itch and decided to have a go at reworking one of the flats as an
    experiment, partly to see how feasible it would be, and also whether it could be done in a reasonable time frame.
     

     
    My ambition was not only to achieve a more skeletal look to the underframe, but also to see what could be done to correct
    the very common sag which afflicts these models. Not all of mine have it, but some do, suggesting that the age or quality
    of the plastic may be a factor.
     
    My intention was to insert two longitudinal metal strips along the length of the underframe, concealed within the chassis
    in such a way that they wouldn't be visible with the containers in place. This entailed a certain amount of cutting and filing
    of the existing detail, but once I got going, I got the impression that it would be a lot easier to remove most of the
    underframe and then rebuild it in plastic.
     
    This turned out to be relatively painless, in that it only took about 3 hours to saw away the underframe, add the reinforcing
    metal, and then rebuild the details in plastic card and strip. It's a pragmatic approach as there are still vertical stanchions
    missing behind the angled pieces, and the emphasis is on durability rather than exact scale fidelity, but at least the skeletal
    look is there and the resultant model still has enough weight to track well. The tendency to sag is reduced, if not completely
    eliminated, but the visual effect can be improved by careful attention to mounting the containers.
     

     
    So, 3 - 4 hours per wagon, which to me falls into category of tedious but bearable, and I reckon the next one will be quicker
    as there'll be a few less mistakes along the way. I don't intend to do all eight in one go, but hopefully it can be done one
    vehicle at at time, as one of those self-contained projects which can be done on an afternoon with only a few tools and
    bits.
  7. Barry Ten
    At last the WR Blue Pullman seems to be entering the home stretch, after many trials and tribulations.
     
    Painting this one proved to be more troublesome than I'd anticipated, with seemingly endless problems of masking and
    paint lifting, necessitating much frustrating reworking of the coaches, and a goodly number of cans of Railmatch paint.
     
    Each of the cars has presented its own challenges, with only the power cars being relatively trouble-free. The kitchen
    cars needed a lot of work to achieve a smooth finish between the plastic and brass parts. The parlour seconds were
    difficult in that the paint and filler tended to crack between the brass and plastic parts, due to inherent flexing of the
    components. The parlour firsts, which were supposed to be the easy ones, proved to be difficult because of my choice
    of going for the reversed livery, as I'd planned on using the original Triang coaches with only minor touching up of the
    the paint. After several weeks of experimentation, I ended up masking and the respraying the original window sections -
    itself a difficult job, until I hit on using Maskol fluid.
     
    However, now that I've started glazing the coaches, it's starting to look more finished and the addition of the glazing
    is helping to stabilise the parlour seconds, since there's less tendency for them to flex. I've used relatively thick clear
    plastic and have spent a fair bit of time trying to get a flush-fit for the cab windows.
     
    The lower part of the fronts, around the buffer area, should be a continuation of the BR grey so that will need reworking.
     
    Once I'm happy with the overall finish of the paint, I'll start thinking about transfers.
     
    Getting there, slowly!
  8. Barry Ten
    Here's an interesting project which has definitely proved to be fun and satisfying so far.
     
    As I mentioned on Tony Wright's thread, TW kindly offered me the chance to have a go at building a complete kit in a box for the Airfix Schools class, together with a Craftsman chassis and motors, wheels etc. As far as I can tell the kit (at least as packed) dates from 1986, so definitely a throw-back in some respects, but still perfectly capable of being built to a useful standard with little modification.
     
    As far as I could see, the only things not present were crankpins, or anything to do with re-wheeling the tender.
     
    My two concerns before starting were:
     
    1) getting enough weight into the plastic body for adhesion, but without upsetting the balance
     
    2) valve gear - this would only be my second set, and the design principles around the slidebar area were a bit different to what I'd encountered before.
     
    The chassis is designed around a specific motor and mount, both included, so I went ahead and built it as per the instructions, trusting that all would fit where it needed to. The sides are located using slots and tabs around a single fold-up spacer piece which forms the underside of the chassis.
     

     
    The chassis went together very nicely, and the coupling rods were a drop-fit onto the wheels, with almost no fettling being required, other than to tidy up a bit after I'd soldered the halves together. I've had Comet kits where very little opening out of the crankpin holes is needed, but this was pretty much bang-on as supplied and the basic chassis was very free-rolling, without a trace of any binding - nice one, Craftsman!
     
    Pickups were added using PCB strip glued to the underside, followed by nickle-silver wire bearing onto the backs of the wheels. After some adjustment trouble-free pickup was attained. I then spent a bit of time fiddling with the motor mount, getting the gear mesh satisfactory, but it was still a bit "grindy". I reckoned it would be pointless to fiddle around with it any more until some decent test-running could be run, but for that I needed weight, and for that I needed to build the body!
     
    Out with the plastic cement - a bit of a change from low-melt solder - and a basic body form was put together, and then stuffed with lead. I also crammed lead into all the available spaces in the chassis, while taking care not to make it nose-heavy.
     
    Not having a tender yet ready, I bodged a connection that enabled the Schools to haul the Urie tender from my S15. With this in place, a train was tentatively coupled up. I thought I was being wildly optimistic in expecting this light 4-4-0 to start a 7 coach train, but to my amazement she walked away with it without a hint of hesitation. Blimey! Next I went up to eight, and then nine, which was getting silly, and still - other than a slight trace of wheelslip starting out - she had no trouble.
     

     
    In reality my typical passenger train rarely exceeds 6 coaches, my layout being small, so she's well capable of handling anything required of her.
     
    After some test-running, the gear grind began to die away and she started sounding smoother, as expected, so I turned my attention to the dreaded valve gear. The instructions are bit hit and miss here, but after much puzzlement I sussed out the assembly logic (while deviating from it as well) and found that it all went together with no major snags. A limitation for me, though, is that I've yet to master the soldered pin technique for valve gears, meaning that everything has to be riveted ... no problem in itself, but it means that the gear must be assembled as a single entity on the workbench, before being transferred to the engine, and thereby tested in one hit. In this case the slidebar had to be soldered to the mounting bracket with the valve gear in place, which was a touch fiddly but went all right in the end, and after a few minor tweaks smooth running was attained. The Airfix cylinders need a small amount of modification and are then fixed in place over the etched mounts, a neat bit of design by Craftsman. However, confession time - I've only done this side. One set of valve gear is enough for one day!
     

     
    With the engineering/metalwork type stuff nearly done, I look forward to getting into the more cosmetic business of finishing the body. The loco will end up being in pre-Nationalisation condition but as I'm as yet undecided about the identity and livery, although olive green's likely.
     
    Cheers!
  9. Barry Ten
    A few years ago I acquired several Ratio GWR 4-wheeler kits, along with the Mainly Trains package for an etched chassis. The original plan had been to build a short train of 4-wheelers for use on Paynestown, perhaps representing a miner's train in the early nationalisation era, but I never quite got around to making the coaches and eventually the layout was sold on. Nonetheless I always meant to have a go at the coaches and this week I finally found the mojo to tackle the etched chassis.
     
    The Mainly Trains product appears to be an Iain Rice design and it goes together very well. I encountered a couple of small errors during the build, then discovered - to my chagrin - that these had been highlighted in the instructions, along with remedial tips. The moral is to read the instructions, rather than jusy relying on the exploded diagram!
     
    The main etches. There are also some etched ends, and a number of white metal castings. The fit of the parts was very good, requiring only very minor fettling.
     

     
    The chassis as assembled. This is built straight from the etch as a 30 foot vehicle, but with some simple modification the kit enables the shorter variants to be modelled. The 19 foot wheelbase is common to both types, so it's only a question of shortening the chassis ends and footboards.
     

     
    The underside, which features a compensated design. There's no provision to build it in rigid form, but the compensation was simple to achieve and seems to function well. I wasn't happy with the Ratio wheels as supplied, so substituted Bachmann coach wheels which are heavy and in my experience run very reliably. Heretical, perhaps, but I don't think you can really tell the difference once they're painted black and hidden behind the axleboxes and footsteps. I've omitted some of the finer details, as I don't think the effort is worth it for a "layout" vehicle. It's all very sturdy, though.
     

     
    Finally, I turned my attention to the Ratio parts. This chassis is for the brake third, and the sides are shown being painted and lined.
     

     
    A while ago I covered my experiences of painting and lining the shorter of these sets of sides:
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/257/entry-14478-gwr-4-wheel-coaches/
     
    To be honest, the ones I've done for the brake are slightly neater and more consistent, so I don't think I'll be able to resist stripping and redoing the shorter sides (again!), and to be fair the work goes pretty quickly once you're in the zone. In the meantime, though, I've got two more sets to do so I'll leave repainting the others until last. I've also ordered another set of etches from Mainly Trains so potentially I can do a 4-vehicle train.
     
    There's a very good write-up of these vehicles by Mikkel, here:
     
    http://www.gwr.org.uk/proratio.html
  10. Barry Ten
    I thought it was time for an update on the Blue Pullman project, which has been grinding its way toward completion through most of the spring and summer (so far). I can safely say that this has been one of the most demanding modelling projects I've ever attempted, with most of the last few months being taken up by a seemingly endless cycle of priming, filling, sandpapering, priming, filling ... all to achieve the neat finish I was after, with an absence of visible transitions between the etched inserts and the plastic body shells. Have I got there? No, in truth, but I've convinced myself I've got as close as I'm going to get. Over the last few weeks, therefore, the activity has shifted toward application of the main body colours, beginning with Rail Grey, followed by careful masking for the Rail Blue window stripes. This has been a saga in its own right, with endless problems of paint lifting, paint leaking under the masks, general cock-ups, etc, but finally the end - of this bit at least - is in sight.
     

     
    This is a slight cheat as the rake doesn't contain the first class parlour cars, but they're nearly done. Each of the vehicles has presented its own set of challenges. The motor cars are by far the easiest, since it's no more than a straight substitution of the window elements. The second class parlour cars turned out to be trickier, because the plastic body loses a lot of its structural integrity after the original windows are removed, along with the plastic bracing behind them (which would show through the altered window positions). As a consequence, the sides tend to flex slightly and this causes endless problems with hairline cracks in the filler and paint. The kitchen cars aren't so bad, as they don't need so much plastic removing, but they do need additional detailing work. Finally, the first class cars are a different proposition as I never ordered the etches for the window sections,, thinking I'd stick with the original blue/white livery. After a lot of experimentation, I've managed to mask and respray the original window inserts, but it's been a slow, fiddly process. Quite a lot still remains to be done, of course. Roofs and noses need painting, decals and glazing needs to be added, the interior of the kitchen cars needs to be attended to, and finally I need to assemble the chassis for the dummy power car at the other end. The final work will involve careful tweaking of ride heights to ensure consistency along the rake. So, not done by any means. But, it's getting there.
  11. Barry Ten
    Following on from the corridor third, I thought I'd crack on with an accompanying brake coach to the same 70 foot style:
     

     
    I've since added corridor ends and a few more roof details but the main build was basically done within just over a week of very relaxed modelling time, compared
    to the much longer genesis of the first coach. Mostly this was because I'd done the other one recently enough to remember my mistakes! I also
    had no trouble figuring out the assembly logic, and was able to build the chassis and bogies in a couple of evenings, only occasionally needing
    to refer to the instructions.
     
    I did a few things differently. This time I used 145 degree solder for all the main assembly jobs, which was a slightly easier proposition than the
    175 I started with on the first build. These are quite large bits of brass compared to a loco chassis, and I found that they were sucking heat
    away from my iron fasted than I could put it in. I also added all the underframe detail before tackling the coach interior, and for some reason
    I had a much easier time of soldering the white metal parts this time.
     
    For the bogies, this time I made sure the white metal overlays were properly drilled out to sit tightly over the bearings, bringing them as flush
    as possible to the etched sub-frame. This made soldering them in place much more straightforward.
     
    The body also went together well. In fact on both coaches, assembling the ends to the sides was much less worrisome than it threatened
    to be and I ended up with something square without too much of a struggle. This time I fixed the roof using normal UHU-style glue rather
    than cyano, as I'd found the latter too brittle on the first build, and rectifying the join caused me endless grief.
     
    Life was also easier when it came to the interior. I'd made a small but critical mistake with the first coach, which was to fix the corridor
    partition off to one side of a plastic strip (representing the corridor floor), rather than sitting on its edge. It's only a tiny difference, but done
    the proper way, the seats then fit into the compartments with no need for filing. You can't tell the difference when the bodies are on, but
    it saves hours of work doing it the right way. I'd have to stress that this is due to no fault of the instructions, which are clear enough.
     
    Still be added are the door hinges, which weren't as bad a job on the first coach as I'd feared. Then I have to decide whether to paint
    and finish this coach, or build one or two more to do as a batch.
     
    Meanwhile, the Western Pullman is slowly working its way through the paint shop, but it's a long job.
     
    cheers all.
  12. Barry Ten
    Here's another brief update on progress with the Western Region Blue Pullman set.
     

     
    Otther than the incorrect bogies, the Triang parlour cars are a fairly accurate model of the first class type, which are correct for the Midland Pullman. However the WR sets also included two second class cars with different window spacing, and which ride on two types of bogies.
     
    Fortunately, the windows are easily taken care of with the Southern Pride etched inserts, which are a perfect fit in the recess left after the Triang windows have been carefully removed - just make sure you get them the right way around as the windows are handed and different on either side.
     
    Next to be tackled are the interiors, which need reworking to match the new windows. Rather than go down the route of making completely new interiors, I got out the hacksaw and carefully shortened the existing moulding. This needs to be unglued from the underframe first, which takes a fair bit of brute force. Once it was free, I achieved the necessary shortening by removing a small amount between each seat and the table. It's tedious and messy but not difficult. As I started re-gluing the seats and tables back into position, I kept referring to the windows to make sure everything was lining up nicely. Of course you'll end up missing a section of seating, as shown here, so it's necessary to start hacking up a second seat moulding. All is not lost, though, as the kitchen cars won't need full sets of seats so with careful work there shouldn't be any need to use more than six parlour cars.
     

     
    Finally, here's a shot showing small plastic tabs glued into the window recess to provide mounting points for the etched inserts.
     

     
    In terms of the bodywork, the real things had ventilators in the bodywork at both ends, whereas the Triang moulding only has the one. It's quite a noticeable detail, especially in the reversed livery - perhaps because they stand out against the pale grey a bit more obviously - but I haven't yet decided whether to tackle them or not. And the underframe detail, being the moulding for the power cars, is largely fictitious. But I'll leave tackling that to a later date, when I have more information and a better sense of which - if any - parts of the existing moulding can be re-used.
  13. Barry Ten
    Looking a bit better now - this spray job went more successfully, and this afternoon I applied the lining using Fox decals. I'll have
    to have a good look at my HMRS transfer sheet to see if I've got enough "thirds" to do all 20 doors on this beast - might need
    to order another set of transfers, but I suppose they'll come in handy sooner or later.
     
    Next up I will tackle the door and commode handles. I'll feel a lot happier once they're all in place. All good fun, though!
  14. Barry Ten
    Between a couple of glasses of red last night I set about trimming and test-fitting the aluminium roof. The roof is slightly over-length so needs cutting with a hacksaw, which wasn't hard provided you measure accurately. The fit is really good; just a bit needs to be filed off at each corner, easily done. The instructions say to allow for an overhang of about .75mm at either end, which is what I've done.
     

     
    I also added the steps on the coach ends, which are done as a set of very clever fold-up etches which push through the slots in the ends.
     
    That's it for today's thrilling update, hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas. I got some telescope bits, an Adams radial tank, some guitar books and a John Grant CD. Not a bad haul!
  15. Barry Ten
    The construction of a Comet GWR long prairie chassis continues.
     
    As mentioned in the last entry, I had to order a new wheel to replace the wrong one in the set, which had an incorrect crank throw compared to the others.
     
    The new wheel didn't take long to arrive (thanks, Wizard Models for the excellent service) but in the meantime the delay allowed me to crack on with assembling some of the other parts of the chassis such as the coupling and connecting rods, slidebars, cylinders, pony trucks and so on. With the new wheel in hand, I put the wheels on their axles and inserted them into the chassis, using Peco fibre washers to restrict the sideplay on the first and second axles to almost nothing, with more sideplay allowed on the rear axle. I also added the DJH motor and gearbox at this stage.
     
    Pickups were added using my normal method, using nickle silver wire soldered to copperclad pads (I use C+L sleepers, cut down to size) fixed in turn to plastikard mounts under the chassis. With a prairie, you do have the option of using pickups bearing onto the tops of the wheels, as the tanks hide all that business, but I didn't like the idea of having to remove the body to adjust the pickups, so plumped for the usual approach. As always, I dithered over whether to fit the pickups before or after the brake gear. There's no right or wrong way, in my view: if you fit the brake gear first, then you have to add the pickups in a much more restricted environment. On the other hand, if you do the pickups first, you may find that they get in the way of the brake gear. With the prairie, I've added the brake hangers and shoes, then the pickups, but I've yet to add the cross-links or the pull rods. Only time will tell if I need to tweak the pickups.
     
    At this point, I wired up the motor, placed the chassis on the track, applied power, and was rewarded with a high-speed whirring sound! This was due to my not having tightened the grub screw onto the centre axle. However, it was encouraging that the pickups seemed to be working, as when I pushed the chassis along by finger power, the motor kept whirring. Progress! I then tightened the grub screw, added the coupling rods - just placed temporarily in place - and gave it another go. I'm pleased to say that the chassis ran pleasingly well, even with no body on, sailing off without hesitation and being capable of a very slow crawl with no tight spots. I'd take credit, but really that's just down to Comet's excellent design, as well as the quality of the DJH gearboxes. Anyway, good news, and it's always a magic moment when something that was just some flat pieces of brass a few weeks ago gets up and moves on its own...
     
    I then soldered the coupling rods on, constantly testing to make sure all was well. Notice I've left the middle crankpin unsoldered, as I'll be adding the connecting rods next.
     
    The only snag is I don't have a set of crossheads, unless I open another Comet chassis pack and pinch them from that one. The trouble is I always forget I've done that, until I come to build the next kit... am I the only one who does this?
     
    The body, as you'll notice, is in a bit of a state, missing cab steps and the top of the safety valve - and that's before we get to the teenage weathering job. But fear not, I've got an unmade Dapol kit which I'm planning to use as donor for some of the missing parts, so there should still be life in the old body yet...
     

     
    Cheers, and thanks for reading.
  16. Barry Ten
    As mentioned in an earlier post, the C2X was stripped down and re-detailed in readiness for repainting into Southern black. Here's the state of play - still some final touches needed, but not far off being done - and I've even put coal in the tender.
     

     
    As my first kit, there's a lot that's not quite right with this model, but I'm very pleased with it nonetheless and I like the splash of colour from the Southern lettering, compared with the rather dull BR look which it had before.
     
    Meanwhile, although I've still to paint the cylinders, front steps and wheels - as well as add wheel balance weights - the S15 is settling down with running in turns, in this case a well out of period train of Hawksworths and BR Mark 1s. Final detailing - screw links, vacuum pipes etc - is now being done.
     
    The gearing on this model is really nice - just right for medium/fast goods, but also capable enough for the odd summer saturday passenger special.
     

     
    cheers!
  17. Barry Ten
    These pictures could form the basis of one of those "spot the difference" competitions in a newspaper...
     
    Here's another thrilling angle on the S15, but with one crucial change compared to last night's installment:
     

     
    The brakes are all on! It won't win any neatest soldering awards, but it should all look fine once painted; I tend to notice when brakes are missing from an engine but I don't spend too much time looking at them once they're in place; they just become part of the mass of detail below the footplate.
     
    Fitting the set of brakes between the first and second drivers wasn't as bad as I'd feared. The dodge I used was to hang them off the middle hole in the etch - the bolt fixing on the real things - and solder them to small PCB pads fixed to the underside of the chassis. Having done that, though, and got them in position and not fouling the wheels, I reckon it would have been possible - if fiddly - to mount them the proper way, using the top hanger. Whichever way it's done, the wheels won't be coming off again without removing the brake gear but if I have to cross that bridge, I'll just bite the bullet and do it. I've yet to add the pull rods, but at the risk of setting myself up for trouble, I can't see any major problems with those.
  18. Barry Ten

    Winter module

    By Barry Ten,

    Anyone watching this blog could be forgiven for thinking that I've given up on Shillingstone as a project, but in truth it's just been relegated to second fiddle while I spent half of this year cracking on with other projects. Along the way I've continued to add some details to the first module and think about where I'm going with the other elements of the layout.
     
    My original plan had been to tackle the large station module next, but I've put that on hold for now, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I need to think carefully about the whole concept, and how far I allow it to deviate from Shillingstone itself before I decide to just accept the fact that it's a representation of the S&D, not even an impressionistic portrait of one of the stations. Secondly, a busy year has meant that I'm unwilling to tackle any big modeling projects right now - I'm far more in the mood for small, bite-sized projects that have some chance of being seen through to completion in a reasonable time, the kind of thing where you can put in a half hour here and there and not feel that the end result is years away. Hence, I decided to tackle the winter module next as I didn't envisage that this would take more than a couple of months to bring to an acceptable starting point for further detailing and finishing.
     
    The winter module, then, isn't based on anywhere in particular on the S&D, and if I'm going to be honest it's little more than a shameless excuse for a pub scene. I make no apologies for basing a diorama around that old-stager, the Superquick Swan Inn. This particular model has been on every layout I've had since I was child; it was made by my mother and despite suffering some wear and tear over the years, it was refurbished about 15 years ago for use on my old layout Wyvant. Although there will be very few buildings on the S&D layout as a whole I was keen to find a spot for this one, and the idea of modeling another river crossing appealed to me. That and the impulse purchase of a Wills bridge. I'm quite pleased with the small river/brook on the first module, but photographically it's slightly restrictive in the range of angles that allow for good shots of trains. In this case, I decided to flare out the river into a kind of delta in the foreground, allowing a variety of shooting angles. I've also taken care with the slope of the landforms so as not to block the trains from low viewing angles.
     

     
    The backscene is my usual low-tech method of card, curved into the corners - fine for home layout use, but probably not sturdy enough for exhibition use. I've toned down the blue with a misting of white, and next I want to add a haze of rose to the horizon level. The joins in the card are quite conspicuous at the moment, but I wouldn't know where to look for larger sheets. Fortunately these don't attract the eye anywhere near as much once proper lighting is installed.
     
    The overbridge is another Wills product, and the road is a piece of card, cut and bent to shape before being glued down. I've begun building up the landforms with scrap polystyrene.
     

     
    Next up is to add plaster sheets to the landforms, and then think about the type of winter scene I want to end up with - whether it's going to be entirely snow covered, or just a sprinkling of snow on pale winter grass, suggestive of worse weather to come...
  19. Barry Ten

    2P or not 2P

    By Barry Ten,

    This is my new Hornby 2P, renumbered for 40601, one of the Bath allocation (although I've yet to do the smokebox number, not having any of the right numbers in stock). There's a nice photo in one of Ivo Peters' books showing this loco in lined black with "British Railways" on the tender. The Hornby one came out of the box as 40610 so I decided to see if I could get away with just changing the last two digits.
     
    Other than weathering, adding crew and lamp irons, about all I've done to it is shorten the loco/tender drawbar. I've got another one in S&D blue to ring the changes and now I quite fancy an LMS example.
     
    Whether you can live with the Airfix-style tender-drive is a matter of taste, I suppose, but for general layout running, rather than ultra-slow shunting or start/stops, I've always found it perfectly OK and the two examples I have do run quite nicely, especially given the good pick-up arrangement on the 2P, whereby the bogie is also wired.
     
     

     

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