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johnteal

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Blog Entries posted by johnteal

  1. johnteal
    My last 3 expected Ebay deliveries arrived today. A 50' boxcar with opening doors, a 57' reefer and a truck !
     

     

     
    I then had a inspiration moment, why not extend these 2 tracks under the workbench. So now instead of holding 1 1/2 cars both will hold 3.
     

     
    Workbench shown in transparent grey
     
    I'm not sure if these 2 tracks will enter into a warehouse or perhaps a roadbridge along the front of the of the workbench over all of the tracks
     
    John
  2. johnteal

    Last Ebay loco Arrives

    By johnteal,

    My last ebay purchased loco arrived yesterday, not sure where route it took to get here, but the posted mark on it proves it was posted on the 5th and it arrived on the 13th ???? Post office must have sent it the long way round. Never mind.
     

     
    This one is a Bachmann product, brand new, £30 runs VERY well straight out of the box and now has a decoder fitted. I only spent an hour in the shed last night so not much to report. I have started to try and improve the looks of the first loco I got by closing the rather goofy looking gap which was to allow a bogie mounted coupler to swing, the plan is to mount the coupler on the body now.
     
    Before
     

     
    Now
     

     
    Still a long way to go but I think it will improve the looks.
     
    Finally, yesterdays day job was laying a large laminate floor for a customer, I noticed how slippy the laminate planks were when up-turned so one of the offcuts got cut to "barge size" it slides very nively on the blue vinyl tile its sat on, and is now long enough for 2 cars.
     

     
    John
  3. johnteal

    Chessie 4167 detailing

    By johnteal,

    Ive spent a pleasant evening exploring the contents of the bag of detailing bits that came with my Ebay Athern loco. It would seem having to add the extras (like handrails) is not unusual, this has turned out to be a good buy as looking at the wheels it has never been out of the box
     
     
     
     
    Anyway here is how it looked before
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
    After adding details like, handrails, horn, headlight lenses, number board lenses, bogie details, couplers and hoses.
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
    It makes a big difference to the appearance, the parts were well made (stanchions and rails individual steel pieces)
     
     
    Just out of interest I googled "Chessie 4167" and came up with this
     
     
     
     
    A bit dirtier than mine !
  4. johnteal

    I have track down

    By johnteal,

    I've spent time popping in and out of the shed today, tweaking and moving track around to get to a point I'm reasonably happy with.
     
    So here we are, from the dock end
     

     

     
    From the other end
     

     

     
     
    A big thank you has to go to "shortliner" whao has exchanged a couple of emails during the morning with yet more links and suggestions !!!
  5. johnteal
    I've got to the bottom of the clean up operation. Everything is packed away, thrown out or stripped. I need to get a piece of worktop for my new workbench that will sit right across the back wall.
     

     
    The right side ( The 25 and coach will sit on the back of the worktop when its fitted.
     

     
    I've been playing with what track I have (thoughts ??)
     

     

     
    And today the postman brought my first Ebay purchase
     

     
    John
  6. johnteal

    A new Dawn

    By johnteal,

    So thanks to the response to the advert on the forum "for sale" section and the subsequent increase in available Paypal funds, I have on the way
     
    A Bachmann A GP35 In Union Pacific livery
     

     
    A Bachmann U36B in Union Pacific Livery
     
    and an Athern GP40 in Chessie Livery
     
    I also have bids in on several boxcars.
     
    The layout will be on either side of the shed appropriately 6' by 20" each side, connected by a curve under what will be my new workbench across the back wall.
     
    Each half of the layout will offer shunting (or should I say switching potential) Perhaps an inglenook on one side and a timesaver on the other
     
    The larger workbench will accommodate room to build the next 2 G scale locos i have planned for the winter nights. A Baby deltic and a copy of the GP35 (Something for everyone
     
    If anyone has great ideas for small shunting track plans for such a size feel free to share, I am currently trawling through such like as Carl Ardnts site etc and noting inspirational ideas
     
    I'm quite taken with the Cart replaces Horse : Put Inglnook tracks on ferry idea by Shortliner at the moment
     
    John
  7. johnteal

    Moving onwards

    By johnteal,

    I have concluded that one of my big wants is a larger workbench, so the idea of a full width bench across the back wall is a definite. So the mountain range is coming out. The viaduct track bed will stay but under the workbench. The space under the workbench / around the viaduct will be used for valuable storage space.
     

     
    The new layout will be on either side of the shed, connected by the viaduct track bed.
     
    I think James made a very true comment on the last post "not much room for G then" so I'm thinking OO is going to be the way forward
     
    Whilst sorting through stuff I came across some OO track
     

     
    And some N that will probably get taken to the model shop to trade in
     

     
    Along with the 66 and 156 that are now boxed up.
     
    John
  8. johnteal

    Start with what you know

    By johnteal,

    I think starting with what you do know, is always a good place.. I am undecided about lots of things, but I have decided that N gauge is not for me. So I have started clearing that out. Still no decisions about what will take its place but hopefully seeing some space will help me decide.
     

     

     

     
    I've put the G scale 20 in the space just to get a feel for how big or rather how small the space is.
     

     

     
    So I guess that's a 156 and a 66 in N to sell !!!
  9. johnteal

    What to do next

    By johnteal,

    As the title says "what to do next"
     
    Some modellers spend a lifetime dedicated to one thing, others of us flit from one thing to another and I'm the latter. As the nights start to draw in and the garden becomes less hospitable my thoughts are turning to change.
     
    This is my shed as it is now.
     

     
    On the main level a folded dogbone of modern image scenic N gauge that crosses over what, for N, is a massive curved viaduct. The work surface in front of the viaduct is removable and the theory was it only gets put in when working, but in reality it hasn't been out all summer, while big locos have been built on it. On the right is my G scale indoor module that sits over the non scenic half of the N gauge.
     
    Under the left bench, 2 On30 modules are hiding and haven't seen the light of day since a show in Dukinfield.
    On the floor under the viaduct is some more G scale stock. On a pull out shelf under the right baseboard is a stock of OO locos coaches and DMUs, but I don't have a OO layout at the moment !
     
    Its all getting a bit out of hand and I have more unused stuff than used stuff !!!
     
    My thoughts are forget the N, I've tried it and it does fill a need to watch a train in the countryside running non-stop with no intervention, but doesn't offer much modelling potential for me really.
     
    The On30 is unlikely to get used now I have retired from the On30 module based forum, so could go.
     
    Since enjoying building large G scale locos, the idea of a small indoor shunting layout in G is a bit redundant as it was designed for 0-4-0 s really !! and again I cant see me ever exhibiting it.
     
    So going forward what am I to do.
    I'm tempted to get rid of the viaduct and make a large permanent work bench across the back wall. I could then have an end to end layout from one side of the shed to the other connected by a hidden curve section under the new work bench. But what scale, OO perhaps. A modern image station on both sides, non DCC so I could have an automated reverse and return for DMU's so I could watch and not play ?
     
    Shelves on the back wall, to display my growing G scale stock..
     
    So many ideas and such a limited space and budget !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
    I'm posting more to help me decide but any thoughts are always welcome
  10. johnteal

    Class 20 ! VIDEO !

    By johnteal,

    Today I gave the 20 its first test run, fortunately it worked perfectly first time. With hindsight I should probably given it a test run during earlier constructions phases, but all is well that ends well..
     

     

     

     
    And the video
     
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fskJVZjxjaU
  11. johnteal

    Handrails on class 20

    By johnteal,

    I've been trying to decide on the best (read cheapest) way of making handrails with brackets, and finally settled on plastic rod.
     
    Start with several short and long lengths
     

     
    Then after filling a notch in the end of the long pieces a short piece is glued across to make a "T"
     
     
    When dry the cross bar of the "T" is filed to be flush with the leg, at this point it doesn't look like "T" anymore (see the one on its own on the right)
     

     
    After drilling holes in the body to push the hand rail holder in the rail is threaded through the ends
     

     
    The hand rails on the face were much easy, just bend and fit into pre drilled holes
     

     
     
     
     
    John
  13. johnteal

    The thin Orange line

    By johnteal,

    It may not seem like a big job, but it wasn't half fiddly !!
     
    I have applied the orange line round the top, I considered painting it but chickened out. So I stopped off at my local sign makers, and cadged an off cut of orange vinyl tape, its self adhesive and just needed cutting into 1.5mm strips.
     

     
     

     
    Note that Pointing Man has turned up too !!!!
     
    John
     
     
  14. johnteal

    Class 20 Railfreight logo

    By johnteal,

    The white sticky labels have been in the printer again this evening !



    This time to make some Railfreight cab side logos.



    I have also applied numbers. I had some white vinyl letters that I used on the 25 so rather than getting black ones I used a permanent marker to colour them in, before peeling them of the backing sheet!


     




     





     

    This side has also had the white window frame added but the black needs some tidying up at the edges still.


  15. johnteal
    When I built my 25, I struggled to come up with a way of cutting plasticard into discs. It had me stumped for days ! and then I came up with a real simple solution... 4pence tooling
     
    Step One
     
    Super glue four 1 pence pieces to a strip of styrene.
     

     
     
    Step Two
     
    Using a blade score straight lines round the penny, then with a pair of pliers snap the surplus off. You need to hold the penny to the card.
     

     
     
     
     
    Step Three
     
    Dress the edge with a file using the penny as a file guide (yes you may damage the penny !)
     

     
     
     
     
    Step Four
     
    A final tidy with a nail emery board. and the front edge is given a slight rad.
     

     
    Finally
     
    Flip over prize off the coin and solvent weld a tube on the back, this tube has an Outside diameter the same as the Inside diameter of the one the cab
     
     

     
    Then its a push fit onto the body
     
     

     
     
    The inside of the cab has also had a coat of paint to reduce the yellow glow !
     
    John
  16. johnteal

    Large logo, for the 20

    By johnteal,

    This evening I have been playing with a logo, I already had a small version for the 25 which I enlarged to the right size. I then inverted the colours so the bit I wanted was white leaving the background grey. Finally I printed it on some white paper, self adhesive labels.
     

     
    These were stuck on and given a coat of satin spray varnish to seal them.
     

     

     

     
    John
  17. johnteal
    I haven't made many posts of late. I decided it wasn't that interesting to show the results of rubbing, priming, rubbing priming !!! As I have been trying to get a surface finish I was happy with. I think the other reason for all the rubbing and priming was to put off doing the next bit. I wouldn't say I had lost my modelling Mojo, more I had come to a point of the build that I couldn't work out the best way forward. The circular fan grill on the top !
     
    The 25 I di has quite a chunky grill, the 20 proto has a fine grill with a circular frame Mmmmmm....
     
    Then it came to me when I was cutting a piece of drain pipe today, the 50mm circular frame could be a slice of 50mm water pipe. As for the grill I started looking in my garage and found just what I needed, some plaster board jointing skrim
     

     
    Glued on the top with a cross support made from a couple of styrene strips
     

     
    Then a quick rub down and wash followed by what i hope is a final coat of primer.
     

     

     

     

     
    Once its all dry I can now move on.. Yellow then I need to get some Railfreight grey
  19. johnteal

    Class 20 grill rework

    By johnteal,

    I kept looking at the last set of pictures and the louvre doors just didn't look right. Then I realised the proto the frames are more prominent, to louvres don't protrude as much.
     
    So I did a bit of rework and added an extra frame. I think it looks better now.
     

     

     
    John
  21. johnteal

    Class 20 in G

    By johnteal,

    Over the weekend I was considering what I could fill my evenings with this week. Mrs RJR is organising a youth camp which are eldest 2 are on and the youngest has gone on Holiday with here friends family, so I am " Home Alone"
     
    Any way I decided I would have a go at a class 20 as I could cheat and use the bogie units off the 25 to give me a head start. After sourcing some suitable plans on Sunday evening and some plasticard on the way home mid after noon today I had everything I needed
     
    Here we go then. The base plate from 2 layers of 60thou laminated together
     

     
    After cutting several bulkhead and the cab ends ...
     

     

     

     
    Next step some panels, the ones that will be louvred were a little fiddly
     

     

     
    Finally, buffer beams and a roof, this time having tried plastic strips and balsa on the last 2 builds, so I went for rolled plastic this time.
     

     

     
    At the moment I have only trimmed the roof back on the cab it will need trimming and a rad sanding along the roof main body line.
     
    So far I estimate I have spent about 5hrs on it today and an outlay of about £7
     
    John
  22. johnteal
    Work has now started on trying to replicate the feel of the cab interior of the 25. The first part being the front consol. This is made from some plasticard off cuts and other bits of scrap from the bit box. The dials are images composed on the computer and reduced to fit. They are composites of various interior cab pictures I could find merged together.
     
    On the workbench
     

     
    Details added and painted in the cab
     

     

     
    John
  23. johnteal
    I was approached a couple of weeks ago to see if I was interested in parting with "Mossley Terrace" a small pass through layout/diorama that I built over the winter before last.
     
    With changing circumstances I cant imagine me taking it to any more exhibitions and it has been stored in the shed since its last outing to Crewe in January. So I decided the space and a bit of cash were more use.
     
    By way of a farewell I got it out tonight, gave it a dusting ready for an impending hand over and took a few shots, quite fittingly the light was fading to give a real last train feel.
     

     

     

     

     
    John
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