Steadfast

A quick update, pretty self explanatory really! A coat of gloss varnish follows, then detail painting and transfers jo

The crane look excellent David, great stuff. Don't be confused by the KFA TOPS code. There are at least 5 different 60ft long container flats carrying this code, including the type that run with these cranes. The version that runs with the cranes is essentially a single wagon version of the EWS FCA twin wagons Hope this helps jo

It's been a few weeks since the last update, but after a holiday and some nice weather (shock of the year!) at the lineside, the paint work is looking a bit more recognisable. The side visible had a nice big patch of yellow ripped off when I masked it up for the orange, roughly in the position where the hard hat decal will go on the bodyside. I'm pleased with how it's blended back in, I've just got to finish tidying up the orange before spraying on the black now. Being a denser colour and smaller areas, this I can do with a brush quite easily. I've got to say I'm glad the part with the Phoenix Precision is over and I am using my usual Railmatch for the warning panel and black. It may just be me being so used to Railmatch, but I've found Phoenix doesn't cover as well and is much harder to get a decent finish. The complete contrast to this is the DB 60 in the lineup below, done with Railmatch and a virtually perfect finish first time, without any hassle or a thick layer to build up colour density As for identities for the 60s... I used a technique suggested by Mick Bryan (newbryford) to do the yellow panels after the main body colour due to them being easier to mask that way round. Indeed it was much easier, thanks Mick! jo

A few miles east of the last picture, here's 60017 passing Uffington with 6B33 Theale - Margam 20/4/13 jo

Nice to see a start on the DVT Mick, hopefully the real things will get used in anger sooner rather than later. 60074's looking good too, what do you undercoat the yellow with? Do you use white primer, white paint, or another option? I'm worried about a ridge at the edge of the yellow panel due to paint build up. Transfers for mine turned up this week so I suppose I'd better strip another bodyshell soon... jo

One here from last Thursday. I was expecting 60074, but having not checked online it was a surprise to see a red loco approaching. It's nice to have enough 60s in South Wales to allow this uncertainty! 60040 passes the site of Shrivenham station as it approaches Bourton working 6B33 Theale - Robeston 11/4/13 jo

I've been out in the garage the last two afternoons, I've had progress but frustration too, by no means a total failure. The orange and yellow are on the 47, but the join line is a bit wobbly on both sides and I've managed to rip off a nice patch of yellow paint on one side. Partial respray here we come, though that'll have to wait as I'm out of Tamiya tape now. The 60 was a failure yesterday, its an EWS one that's had the gold band T-cut away, that I then tried to overspray in Railmatch maroon. Coverage was horrendous, and the marks of the gold stripe still showed, despite being fully removed. I never seem to succeed with partial RTR repaints, so I tend to fully strip and start from scratch, even if it means more work with yellow panels etc. And so this one followed, it was Superstripped and primed last night, with a coat of Halfords Volkswagen Gambia Maroon going on today. I'm going to try Mick's (newbryford) tip of painting the yellow second for easier masking, I'll update when it's done. As for the livery... The 60 hasn't come out too well in the photo, I think the shine of the car paint didn't help. Despite the picture trying to prove otherwise, the finish is lovely! I keep wanting to do another 60074, so given I have the right shade of blue in a Halfords tin from something else, I think this method may be the one to use jo

Hi Cav, I recall an article a while back (Ben Ando in Model Rail I think) where the sideframes were cut off with a razor saw and then reattached. If I remember right, this removed some of the excess width, making them look more presentable. Sorry I can't remember any more than that, a PM to Ben A may offer more information? jo

Thanks Mike, I've started a post in the Dapol section, hopefully we'll find out some more there! If this weather stays warmer hopefully paint can start going on the 47 soon jo

Not so sure on the purple one, but if Dapol do a Doncaster built grid then 56094 in Colas and some log wagons is very tempting! jo

Cheers Graham, It'll get a light weathering, but all the colours will still show through, something like in this picture. At least that's the plan... 56312 leads 47739 on 0Z76 Washwood Heath - Tavistock Junction at Ram Hill 19/1/11 jo

A quick update from earlier. Tamiya matt black all over the underframe, various Games Workshop and Tamiya paints for the details. Edit - d'oh just realised there's far more pipework on the side I didn't photograph jo

So progress has seen the 47 get just about ready for the paint shop. The bodyshell is now white, just needing a light rub down before application of the Colas colours. Thanks to Mick (newbryford) for the paint tips. The long range tanks have been sorted. Originally I was going to try to add the tanks with plastic strip, but then I decided it'd be easier to just create a 'Frankenstein's Monster' with the underframes from a pair of 47s. The tanks come from the moulding on the original, high riding blue and green livery releases. A quick slice with the razor saw got both underframes halved, and I was amazed at the accuracy of the join. Any cuts I normally make require masses of filler... The orange line in the first picture shows where the cut is made, the fit is so good no glue is needed between the halves, though I did try, but a lack of material to glue led to it falling apart again. There's nowhere to add reinforcement due to the internal metal being such a tight fit. Various pieces of plastic strip and wire were glued to the underframe, representing various pipes, fillers and details. Once again, Brian Daniels' Flickr site came in handy, the pictures I used are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianews/sets/72157627029323184/with/5863607552/ Just about visible are the tyre slip marks on the wheels. These were added by marking out 2, 6 and 10 o'clock marks on a piece of card, and making a 7mm hole at the centre point. The wheel is then poked through from the reverse, allowing easy application of the white lines. Various things were tried, gel pen, tippex with a cocktail stick and acrylic paint. The gel pen was too wide, and the tippex dried too fast. I applied Games Workshop white with a cocktail stick, excess being scraped back with a scalpel blade to get a close to scale mark. Railmatch satin enamel varnish was then applied over the entire wheel face to prevent the acrylic chipping. I'm going to try to pick out the bogie side white pipes, but that's for a day when I have very steady hands and a patient mood. A couple of pictures finally of the underframe now primer has been applied, which helps greatly in unifying materials and seeing any slips. As far as I can see, its ready for the black paint. And orange, and gold, and white, and red... Apologies for the quality of the pics, they were taken with the phone under artificial light jo

Ta! I never thought of doing the paint on a 60 "backwards". I'll have to give it a go. Right, back to glueing bits of wire to the underneath of a 47... jo

What order do you do the colours in? I'm thinking main yellow and orange, with warning panel over that? I'm tempted to redo my 60074 as post refurb condition as I've never been happy with the finish i achived on one side of it. It carries a Margam sheep at the moment too! jo

Lovely work on 56094 Mick. I've got 47739 nearly ready for paint. Not looking forward to the masking... Which version of 60074 are you doing by the way, pre or post refurb? jo

So here we go, unusually for me I can call a project finished! 66170 has had some additional weathering work, air pipes and mirrors fitted. The air pipes are staples, with some 0.2mm wire wrapped round and soldered on. As well as representing the isolating cocks, they act as a stopper when fitting the air pipe to the model. The mirrors are from the TPM detailing set. I must say I'm happy with how this one has come out, and it's nice to finally finish it off! Another long term project has been a Colas 47. In it's time this shell has been 47404 'Hadrian', went part way to becoming 47501 'Craftsman' before eventually settling on 47739. The first stage was to strip the BR blue paint from the shell, using Superstrip. Once done, the boiler exhaust was filled and holes drilled for the DRS multiple working socket and high intensity headlight fitted. The location of this can be seen in this photo of ex-DRS 47237, next to the headlight. So, with my previous hacking filled and the decision I didn't need a DRS Duff progress began with the Colas specific modifications. When the locos were overhauled they had the bodyside steps filled in and were fitted with green circle multiple sockets on the nose. Treadplate was added over the lower door areas, but this will be added after painting. All the handrails were scraped off the ends, replaced with 0.2mm wire, secured using Railmatch enamel varnish. The lamp iron is 0.3mm wire, bent to an L shape and soldered to the horizontal handrail. Please ignore any saggy buffers, it's due to the fact the bufferbeams are only masking taped in place at the moment. The bufferbeams are TPM etches, soldered up with TPM etched couplings and an air control pipe for the multiple working from 0.2mm wire. The reservoir air pipes and ETH fittings are Farish parts superglued on, the train brake pipe will be made up from a staple to allow magnetic coupling. All I plan the 47 to haul is a tamper at present, but that's for another day. The chassis is from 47612 'Titan', as it saves lowering the chassis from the first run of models, giving me a quick result here, and it's also easier to add the long range tanks to the battery boxes on this chassis than to cut away those on the 'as built' chassis, primarily due to the fact that on these later chassis the metal lumps inside the tanks are smaller to allow more daylight to show around the battery boxes. Cutting the excess metal away when I did 47635 took absolutely ages... So, here's a couple of comparisons showing the starting point alongside where I am this evening with 47739. For anyone not familiar with the underframe of class 47s, this shows the long range tanks fitted, showing what I need to add when compared to photos of the model. Shortly after I dug this model back out to resume work on it, I heard the news that Robin Gould, the former S&D driver whose name is carried on 47739, had passed away. Last Friday saw his funeral, with 47739 heading to Westbury, carrying an additional plate with the years of his life, and the nameplates repainted red. A nice touch by Colas, and a wee bit spooky on the timing. All the best jo

Shhhhhhh! That made me chuckle as I read it, cheers Dave. That area isn't bad for hearing trains coming, it's uphill and through a cuttingNot sure how many I've photographed, but its a shame the Corus pair went too early for me to snap. jo

Thanks, I shouldn't go so far though, lol. The shot I aimed for didn't work due to the camera struggling to focus in the mist, this was a last minute grab and is a bit close to the edge of the shot! The noise was epic though, that's for sure...:-) jo

A recent trio from me, summing up the recent weather rather well... 60074 passes a wet and misty Hullavington working 6B33 Theale - Robeston 9/2/13 60010 approaches Thingley Junction working 6W97 Totnes - Bescot with a train of welded rail sections. The train was terminated at Oxford Hinksey, with the loco running light to Didcot. 10/2/13 60020 shatters the peace as it thunders past Callow Hill working 6B33 Theale - Robeston 19/2/13 jo

I've started a topic here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69372-first-great-western-loco-hauled-workings/ about the FGW loco hauled stuff if anyone's interested in modelling them jo