Dad-1

My butterfly personality means I like to switch from subject to subject, at times without always fully finishing a previous project. For that reason I have a siding full of wagons awaiting weathering, but heck I've done that and got the 'T' shirt. My two little Roxey yard locos are done .... to a level where they work fine doing what I want, weathering ? that can wait. I've plans for a local yard layout, this will need tight dock & factory yard turnouts. They must however be live-frog and I'm finding even short streamline longer than I want and I want irregular turnout angles. That leaves one answer, make my own. Ahhh not for the faint hearted. So with a minimum of tools, some old re-claimed track from which I could strip rails, and a mixture of 3 & 4 mm copperclad PCB why not just try. No Templot, No template even, just an opposite side Peco curved set-track point and a minimum of tools. Oh and a piece of cardboard where I did have a rough plan I'd drawn. This was the tools and my working desk !! Here is the part finished point. It still needs a tie bar and my hinged attachments for the switch rails. It works as can be seen at Now I have to try again to do it better !! Dad-1

Looks like 20 wagons is JUST over the top when it comes to pulling around a curve !! I tried 22, but that really was just too much. https://youtu.be/UPoSy5EtsII A fun project !! Dad-1

I was quite pleased with my wiring and as I'm finishing the last few paint touch-ups thought I'd have one last look before this is sealed in forever. The Lenz decoder tucked in it's wee void. I did a few internal fittings, although exactly what a C1930 -1940's petrol conversion would have is open to suggestions. At least there is something, but with a driver leaning out of one side visibility will be much restricted. I recently had the chance to run, but only had a few wagons available, the load of 6 wagons was obviously very easy. Tomorrow is club night and I may take a box of 30 wagons to find the absolute limit !! Geoff T.

A video of a high speed run - it works fine. Earlier I had it pushing 2 wagons and indications are it'll move rather a lot !! https://youtu.be/enY1Ss7A8g8 Now I must make up instrument panel & work out which crew figure to add. Dad-1

It had to be done. Although the Lenz mini decoder is small there was too much wire to loose, even after removing fully those 3 feeds I didn't have a use for it was going to be tight. The Hornby decoder is quite small but in comparison it's huge !! I decided to cut down the 4 leads I wanted With a small piece of plasticard blanking off the void I managed to tuck the shortened leads and decoder out of sight. All that remains visible are the spud DCC conversion wires that will end up with a coat of black paint as will the cab floor. I need to re-address and check out running before I seal the decoder in forever by sticking the cab roof on and attaching the spud & body together. Still loads of painting to do before the exhaust pipe is re-attached. Now to the loft to test running. Dad-1

I have this 'Thing' about loose unused wires on decoders. In short I can't stand having extra wires that I'm not going to use getting in the way and if not covered suitably with masking tape offering a potential short and with it decoder death !! In no way is this a criticism of decoder manufacturers as they need to offer a large range of user options. The Lenz silver mini decoder that I have to put in my Roxey 'Minnie' needs to be as compact as possible so I decided to use my small soldering iron to remove the blue/white/yellow leads. With a tip smaller than a pin head and allowed to fully heat up it's just a momentary touch to remove those leads unwanted by me. I'm quite pleased with my radiator conversion, note the chrome dress making pin head filler cap .... it'll dull down when weathered. I don't undercoat, but many white metal castings seem to absorb paint, as you see under the exhaust pipe. I'll have to treat this as a primer, do another as the undercoat, with one final pass for my finishing coat. Why did I pick green ? as happened so often in real life it's because I have it, 3 tins of Humbrol emerald green to use up sometime !! After a study of the four parts that make up the cab I need to make a jig to hold in place for glueing. Oh also need an instrument panel with a few control levers and see if I have a suitable figure to add as driver. Having great fun !! Dad-1

My decoder arrived today with quite a few points, but I shall be lucky to get soldered in this weekend. My radiator has it's grille, but somehow the top edge is not fitting neatly into the beading. I'll probably have to attack with a new scalpel blade, but seeing anything this small is a strain. The camera shows every little error, if only my eyes were that good. The 3/4 windows are in, but I wouldn't be surprised to dislodge as I build together. Because internal access will be almost impossible I've also painted the interior sections cream. Obviously the internal corners will need painting after assembly, but I think I'll get away with that. Dad-1

I've gone as far as I can before delivery of the required decoder, here is the current state of production. Being built as an internal combustion engined loco it needs a radiator. I finally decided that would be placed alongside the supplied white metal exhaust system on what can be thought of as the rear. To start I've added a beading from fine microstrip, I can see from the photo a little corner blending is still needed. Into this space I intend fixing a piece of net curtain to represent the protective grille. centrally along the top I need to add a radiator filler cap. DCC conversion of a Tenshodo spud is easy enough, but I don't think I would want to try without a mini drill fitted with a slitting disc. First is cutting & removing the lower part of the motor feed contacts from the spud sides. To achieve this without risk of damaging wheels I opened by releasing the single securing screw and unclipping. There was no factory lubrication so a miniscule spot of silicone grease was added to each gear set before reassembly. Here the removed sections can be seen above the screw. Short leads are soldered to the ground off track feeds and the top motor feed tags, then fed through the openings drilled & filed into the footplate. Finally an old but working decoder is soldered in to test that all is working as it should. To start with I had no response on default address 3, then I remembered last used this had address 1 ......... and that worked fine !! When my mini decoder comes this will be built into the model, no future access without pulling apart. It just has to be right first time. Dad-1

We all know it should be planning and then progress, but I'm one who only reads the instructions when all else fails. Perhaps not quite that bad ? By joining the sides to a footplate beam I worked out I could hold together with a couple of elastic bands. It gives me an overall view from which to make my changes. Those handrail mountings all but block off the entrance, they have to go and handrails will run down the outside. I've also decided that the cab windows will be fixed 3/4 glazed. To have safe movement you need to see, but this simple machine has no window wipers, de-icing, or de-misting equipment. That open upper 1/4 provides that, you don't even need to clean the windows !! A decoder test, if a Hornby one will fit the Lenz mini should have oceans of space. Now to open out all the required wire routes. I tried drilling for my brass handrails, but unable to get a vertical angle the lower hole to the left is way out. I'll have to de-bond the two parts to get access, re-drill as needed. Even the exhaust system is now plugged on, my radiator will be represented by a square of beading with a mesh insert on the other rearward half alongside that exhaust. So far so good. Dad-1

Not only did I enjoy making up the Roxey 'Howard' industrial yard loco, but it performs very well. I have this plan for a yard alongside Westbay Wagon Works and one internal combustion shunter is probably all that's needed, but for the sheer hell of it I thought I'd make the miniture 0-4-0 tram type loco. I never wanted overhead lines so mine will have to deviate from the prototypical version by having a smallish petrol engine. Not exactly unheard of as such Simplex traction was used to supply the trenches in WWI. This will represent the old yard loco that remains to provide support should the other fail, but kept in good running condition with perhaps a view to preservation. My crazy mind has decided it's fitted with a 6 cylinder 2358 cc side valve petrol engine with two gears providing a maximum speed of 10 mph. A transfer box with a single lever control with forward, neutral, reverse and chain drive to both axles. It should happily push, or pull one wagon, no doubt the actual model will do more than that. So here are the parts :- It will need a few extra holes drilling as I run DCC and I'm going to use another Lenz Silver Mini. The Tenshodo spud fits into a recess in the footplate, here one extra hole drilled to take a track feed into the cab where the decoder will find a home. Still not certain if I'll solder, or glue, My Howard glued together so well & easily I may try that first. Dad-1.

My little Roxey shunter was working O.K, but showed considerable differences in running ability depending on direction of movement. Even stalls on clean straight level track when running at slow speeds I want, let alone stalling on insulated frog points. Everything was clean and adjusted correctly, the only obvious discrepancy was the weight balance, being much heavier at the cab end. Failure was in my opinion a failure to pick up current from the track, be it wheel to track, or wheel to motor contact wipers. I decided to try rubbing the wheel rear faces with a pencil, rubbing the wheel treads with particular care to the flanges as the B2B was slightly wide, and finishing off rubbing the track head in the locations of stalls. I could never have imagined the improvement this gave. I have quite equal running qualities in either direction and although these Tenshodo SPUDS have no reduction gearing I am getting slow running to an acceptable & useable level. There is some aparent jerkyness, although some of that is the small wheels crossing turnout frogs. The wagon is from a Parkside Dundas 10 ton insulated van kit. A warning - remove track current, I burnt my finger when I accidently shorted the graphite pencil across an insulated frog, Boy did it spark !! Dad-1

I always think a story helps create the ambiance from which to work. I like this. Dad-1

'Fifi' the 0-4-0 yard loco together and passed a running test. It is strange though how it runs much better in reverse than forward. How can that be ? a 24.5 mm wheelbase had me expecting stalls on insulated frog points, however it crosses fine at a very low speed in reverse, but needs quite a bit more 'welly' when going forward. A lengthy train, way beyond anything this would be expected to pull, or push makes no difference. It'll work with 10 wagons no problem. Here it is alongside my 06, the comparison shows just how small it is. Being white metal it is rather heavy, yet I'll still add some ballast under the front because the weight sits heavily to the cab end. I have tried some white lining using an old reclaimed bow-pen, it's rubbish, but I have to learn on something !! I can always re-paint the whole thing !! Dad-1

Last posting introduced the Roxey Mouldings 'Howard' 0-4-0 shunting/yard loco. The Tenshodo SPUD had to be DCC converted, very easy with a slitting disc, a problem without !! I needed to thoroughly test & run-in using my only spare decoder a Hornby R8249 that had been taken out of something else, exactly why I can't recall. Here it is a speed faster than the original could go, but ideal for my purpose. It will go down to a very slow speed and will probably be better for adjusting back EMF settings on the Lenz sliver mini decoder on order for this job. Video available here :- Now I know how well it works it's time to take the decoder out again to start painting. Then while that drys I can build up the cab where I've already painted the interiors prior to assembly. So far I really like it, easy to make, runs well, and just what I wanted !! Geoff T.

Most of the traction I want, or need is available from major manufacturers, but for once I need something different. I'm planning a non- railway company yard with a wagon works. To move wagons for repair I wanted a small shunting locomotive, in such an environment it had to be something not used by operating companies. After looking around I came across the 'Howard' 0-4-0 by Roxey Mouldings, a small diesel loco in white metal. I've not worked with white metal other than figures & although I once bought low melt solder & Carr's red flux I can't find the stuff !! I decided to go the superglue way using Loctite which is of a reasonable quality, not like the cheap market stall stuff. It'll also be DCC so one first check was to see where the decoder could go. Now the footplate, frames & headstocks attached. My current job is cutting & adding glazing to cab windows before I can join that. I have run it back & forth on DC just to make certain what's been done is O.K. Dad-1

Hi David C I do stir to excess but I'm thinking of adding a touch of IPA to the tin, if it dosen't work then I can always bin it. My stirring implement is a small electrical screwdriver that has a ring worn into the shaft where it's rubbed it's way around 100's of tins of paint, even the blade is showing signs of wear, a wonder I've not worn a hole through some tins !! I'd not thought about adding a heavy agitator to rattle around inside. I wonder if this paint is thin enough to allow enough movement to work, when I said sludge I really meant sludge. One tin I was working with I dipped the tip of my brush into my thinners cleaning pot to thin the next brush full, just touched the paint top which was touched as I could see the reflection change, yet the brush didn't pick up any paint. The stuff simply won't flow. Another example of non-flow is I have needed to rotate a brush as I worked otherwise a deposit (blob) on the side wouldn't flow into the bristles. This orange is going on thick, the only way to cover anything is to stipple, a brush stroke just moves paint off the surface. I could sand back, but in such a small sunken corner between wagon frames & roof that is going to be difficult !! I'm used to painting by brush, mostly aircraft, here is an example :- Dad-1

Often when I say I hate painting I get a reply saying they like it as it starts to bring a model to life. Well I STILL hate painting !! All that work, making, modifying, sits there with great promise ...... and can be ruined with a poor application of paint. Such a happening simply knocks the enthusiasm out of me as is happening today. Here was/is my Parkside Dundas Southern BY Utility van, sitting in it's malachite green (Humbrol 2 with added blue) Having kept the guards chimney I needed to add orangy panels to each top corner and guards entrance door. Well a new tin of Humbrol Matt 82 orange was opened - the new sludge variety. Stirred very thoroughly and then some more, but the sludge contents didn't mellow into a paint. I tried using a nice small brush, but the paint wouldn't flow, didn't cover well & dried as I looked at it !!. Believe me it looks much worse in real life than the picture shows. What to do !! I hate Humbrol current quality, or should I say lack off. This is not the first trouble I've had in the last few years. Like just putting a matt varnish on plasticard, it was a thick sludge when opened & stirred. It only took a short while to realise it just wasn't going to work, so I stopped & have yet to return to this building. Back 20-30 years ago I had few if any problems with Humbrol paints used on my exhibition quality aircraft models. Dad-1

What 2 years and no more gripes ? Has everyone stopped using Humbrol ? I think the current formula enamel is rubbish. Oh, yes like many others I've been using enamel tinlets since the Airfix days. I now have a problem salvaging a Parkside Dundas Southern BY van due to rubbish enamel paint. On opening a new tin of Matt 82 it was like sludge, given a good long stir and it's still like sludge. Try to apply to a small panel by brush and it sits there, no flow, unable to brush into a generally covering coat. I've noticed this over the last 2 years, while old paints may have pigment settle to the bottom it stirred up into a nice flowing paint. The new sludge may work thinned and airbrushed, but I gave up using an airbrush 20 years ago. An example of the sludge sold by Humbrol I show you an example of a matt varnish brush painted over a raw Slaters brick plasticard - I thought I could use the orange plastic to advantage by just matting & then overwashing with some thin colours. I was not expecting to see a heavy frost !! I stopped almost at once I could see it wasn't working. If my local shop did Revell paints I would use them now, but in desperation I'm going to try some acrylic, either that or give up modelling & rely on RTR stock !! Dad-1

Following my last posting here is the other side of the main road bridge. Road painted, but awaiting white lining. Heavy traffic on a busy holiday wekend. I use several vehicles to judge if the road width gives me what I want. One day, after grassing all the embankments this side I'll be able to start on the river. I wonder how much resin water this will take !!?? Dad-1

I thank you guys for the paint suggestions. I have used Docraft paints, the blue I had was mixed with some waterbased white I once bought from Aldi to create a light sky blue & it worked out quite well on my St Oval back scene sky. I then sponge painted some of their white to create clouds in the sky. So yes, a good cover pigment cheap enough to experiment with bespoke mixes. That Vallejo range has several orangy, brownish, reds, that should have something to offer me, the on-line colours may not be what the painted surface will look like but a good starting point. So again thank you for he advice. Dad-1

Laying in my shed looked at frequently, but worked on occasionally my 'Big' layout Castell Mawr has progressed slightly. One thing so few layouts have is a raised embankment section of any length where you can look up, or the camera can, to passing rail traffic. Today I finished grassing one part of embankment that is now completed from main road under bridge to this boards edge. I am having to look for suitable old brick colour paint, some testing was done with Humbrol 70, but I'm not at all happy with it. Looking through the Humbrol range I can see nothing to suit my eye. Although expensive in comparison I think I may have to look at War Gaming acrylics unless anyone here has a suitable suggestion. Dad-1

Hi Jon, Thank you for letting us know what became of the project. One thing for certain there is no rule of modelling that says everything will work out as intended. No long-term modeller will have missed the experience of something flying across the room & into the bin !! If the Airfix had been a true 'Ferry' wagon I would have been tempted to enlarge one based on the kit, but I don't do Continental modelling so don't feel inclined to waste the time, yet there is that niggle at the back of my mind ........ Dad-1

I think it's neat anyway and it's my railway !! With that rocketing cost of rollingstock I'm quite pleased I started kit building. The current Bachmann BR std brake vans are coming out at close on £21. No denying the quality, but when the same Liverpool shed has the Dapol (ex-Airfix) brake van going for just £4.39 it's worth trying. I feel I'm an experienced plastic model maker so decided I could afford to invest in a Train-Tech module at £15. I bought the flicker module AL2, O.K I got 2, but only one used at present in the Dapol van. Here it is with the LED glowing on the lowpower output. Easy enough to cut off pins & solder onto dolls house twin flex. There is a second output that has a yellow LED which I used to light up the van interior. Still have to fix the side step boards and find a suitable way of having a secure, but removeable roof to replace the battery if/when it needs changing. They do have a movement detector and switch off when no movement, either stored, or left in a siding for a while. Oh, behind that is a Cambrian Kits Southern Borail wagon with some 60 ft lengths of new rails ...... Wagon building won't save you much money, but it'll add interest to you stock !! Dad-1

I've been on a marathon wagon building spree, oh as well as doing the clubs exhibition 'Thomas' layout. Wagon kits of all makes, Ratio, Parkside Dundas, Cambrian, Dapol. I can't back-track on all and for photography few have been fully finished by weathering. Just a taster of photos :- 3 x Dapol Prestwins Dapol Presflo Parkside Dundas Plate & LMS CCT Thomas Layout I suppose I should get on here more often !! Dad-1

A shame jonhall didn't continue until the finished wagon could be seen. My initial comment is that the Airfix as show is a different diagram number to that he's building. The Airfix/Dapol kit is an early diagram and the best reference I've found is of DB.524103 on a Dutch archive website. The Airfix kit correctly has a straight roof edge above the doors & no external angle bracing, being DB.524113 just 10 chassis later than the on-line picture taken in 1957. It's such a shame that they were done to HO scale & although in prototype shorter than jonhall's version should be longer than the model. I'm just finishing mine as per kit which in HO is very good. The picture just google DB.524103 De Koelwagen. Oh and I'm certain the roof was aluminium (paint?). Dad-1