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JaymzHatstand

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  1. JaymzHatstand
    After digging out my BR blue 35005 Canadian Pacific and looking at various photos online, it became watertight that she ran with an extension to her tender. A few photos of the modifications are visible here...http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/96518-Hornby-merchant-navy-announced-formerly-facebook-leak/page-14&do=findComment&comment=1804977
     
    So far, my progress had entailed trying the air tanks (to use again) and making a start on the extension frame.
     




     
    I've been combing the internet for photos of the top of three tender in this condition, but Bittern found anything yet. Off anymore can point me in the right direction, I'd be most grateful!
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  2. JaymzHatstand
    I've finally got the second set of footboards in place, and it all looks rather smart and ready for a clean and lick of paint...
     

     

     
    This was until i popped the bogies in to see how it looked with them in, and discovered that there is next to no clearance between them and the supports for the footboards, and not a lot of room for adjustment! I can probably loose a bit off the bearing's ends, but that isn't the only conflicting area! I'm really not too sure if I've gone wrong somewhere, or if it is a very tight space and needs a bit of adjustment in there.
     

     
    If anyone has any advice they'd care to throw this way, I'd be most grateful to hear it!
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  3. JaymzHatstand
    This week has seen a bit more progress on the Empress Van. I have reshaped one of the ducket pieces to match the profile of the coach end and re-soldered the ducket side piece to it. After a test fit, it is a lot better than it was before, still not 100% accurate, but it will actually go together with minimal re-shaping. I have also fitted the footboards to one side of the underframe and it's now really starting to look like a Manx vehicle with the bogies almost hidden behind them! A start has been made on one of the sides, with the long handrail fitted and two of the droplight windows.
     
    I've taken a few photos to illustrate my progress
     

    Re-shaped ducket
     

    Underframe with footboards fitted
     

    Body side with handrail and droplights fitted
     

    The underframe resting on the now 'hidden' bogies with the ends fitted and the side in the background.
     
    The next step will be to fit the second set of footboards and the remaining handrails, droplights and other detailing parts to the side, and then do the same with the other.
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  4. JaymzHatstand
    Afetr a bit of a hiatus while my attention was focussed on getting Whitborough Quayside ready for its exhibition last weekend, the Empress Van has been on a back burner. Now, however I can revisit it and hopefully make a bit of progress!
     
    The bogies have gone together, and there is quite a bit of sideplay between the bearings but they aren't too sloppy. The cross-members are in place and need a little trimming flush with the sides.
     
    Some fettling was required to get the bogie mounts to sit parallel to the floor of the underframe. From an initial dry run, it looks like the screw holes for mounting the ends need elongating sligtly.
     
    I've also made a start on one of the duckets, however when I offered it up to the end-piece the shape of the former doesn't match the end so a bit of modification is required again!
     
    Here are a couple of photos to illustrate the above pregress/discoveries...
     
    A
    n initial test of the ends on the underframe, just to give myself an idea of the overall size. The sides seem to be about 1mm longer than the underframe, so the holes that the screws to hold the ends in place go through will need extending slightly.
     

    The bogies, which are now awaiting their whitemetal castings and a coat of paint. The couplings will be fitted later, once I've got a few more items of stock to gauge heights with (although somewhere I think I've got a Greenwich coupling heigt gauge, I'll have to dig it out!)
     

    This shows the difference in the shape of the two ends of the guard's duckets, and how much will need to be trimmed off in order for it to fit properly. Until these are sorted, the body construction acnnot continue, so this is task number one!
     

    Lastly is the underframe and ends resting on a warflat from my SG layout Whitborough Quayside, as I wanted to see if it would fit under the bridge to the fiddle yard (just!) I'll have to check again once the footboards are fitted as I suspect it will be a bit taller then! I thought it would make for an interesting load if it appeared at an exhibition, with the coach being transported either to or from a works visit somewhere other than on the IoM!
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  5. JaymzHatstand
    Well, I've finally bitten the bullet and begun a journey into 12mm gauge as well as 009 (and 00!) My first foray is a Roxey Mouldings Isle of Man Empress Van. I ordered it a week or so ago and this morning it dropped through my letterbox. I do intend to build a second set of bogies for the vehicle so that I can also run it on my 009 layout (after all, the Ffestiniog have a number of carriages built on ex-IoM underframes, so there is almost a premise!)
     

     
    I've never built a Roxey kit before, so I was looking forward to getting the box opened and have a look at the contents.
     

     
    For what is a NPC vehicle I am most impressed with the amount of etched detail provided on the frets, along with the whitemetal castings for bogie/brake details. There's certainly plenty to keep me quiet for a while!
     
     



     
    I'll document the building on here so anyone else wondering what these kits are like can see one going together (hopefully), and anyone who has experience can point out where I'm going wrong! I do have a few other irons in the fire at the moment so progress might not be overly quick to begin with! Regular readers will not be surprised at this!
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  6. JaymzHatstand
    I have had a bit of a play with creating the teak effect on the First Open using one of the methods suggested on this forum (a quick search proved rather fruitful and interesting!) That of a painted base coat (in this case Tamiya XF-4 Yellow Green) followed by a number of coats of wood stain (Ronseal Antique Pine as recommended by Wordsell forever), depending on the condition of the coach dictates the number of coats. The pictures below demonstrate the appearance of the coach over three coats. See how the colour becomes darker and almost richer, although the camera flash doesn't do it full justice, but I wanted to have a 'control' light setting for these shots to demonstrate the change in colour. It does look a lot better in natural light, and not a garish contrast to the 'teak' solebars as the camera flash shows!
     



     
    I have tried to keep my brush strokes flowing in the same direction as the wood grain (horizontal below waist, vertical above) so that the colour variance along the panels looks prototypical. I wasn't aiming to get a proper 'wood grained' effect, as from normal viewing distances this isn't too discernible, and would probably drive me batty trying to achieve it!
     
    I've also made myself a samples chart with various squares of different shades of paint and woodstain so I can get an idea of how to achieve differing colours for a more varied rake.
     
    I haven't done much more with the interiors, but the seating units are marked and ready to be cut, so once that task is done I should be onto final interior assembly and painting!
     
    Any comments or suggestions are, as ever welcome.
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  7. JaymzHatstand
    A bit of progress has been made over the last week or so, although one of the coach bodies (the Brake Third) suffered fair bit of damage while I was trying to dismantle it, so this has now become a source of spares and will eventually become a tarpaulin-covered siding filler!
     
    I'm now left with the Open First and Open Third which have had the paint stripped form the bodies (mostly) and are almost ready for their first undercoat. The roofs still require a bit of attention, as some of the torpedo vents have been knocked off and a bit of smoothing is required down the centreline where some file marks are very prominent.
     


     
    I have also started the interiors, with the Open First being the most advanced in terms of progress. I have started with a false floor from thin plasticard, followed by partitions in the appropriate places using the instructions, diagrams in Historic Carriage Drawings (Campling) and the beading on the body sides to get them located correctly. The partitions in the First had to be scratch built as the only ones I had were for a centre-door and I needed offset ones, but this wasn't a great challenge, more a bit time consuming to get them to fit in with the curvature of the roof comfortably. The tables are from my spares (and quite probably the ones intended for the kits in the first place!) The next thing is to fit the seating, I have plenty of strips of seating to cut, but again that's a time consuming rather than difficult job (and finding the time isn't always easy!)
     


     
    The false floors are a little curved at the moment, but once they are painted, they will be fitted to the floor of the coach to hold them nice and flat, although the coach roofs do press the partitions down which helps keep them flat anyhow.
     
    So the next steps as mentioned are to tidy the roofs, undercoat the bodies and carry on with the interiors. That should keep me quiet for a bit!!
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  8. JaymzHatstand
    A few years ago (around ten I suspect ) I built a few Kirk kits, rather badly! I have decided that I'm going to have a go at renovating them and hopefully end up with something a little better looking and also useful!
     

     
    They are an Open First (crimson & Cream), Brake Third (maroon) and Open Third (maroon) and were all built without interiors (except the internal partitions) with rather tight bogies and other problems (gangways on backwards is one of the major problems ) so they are getting stripped down as far as possible and rebuilt with interiors and a reversion to proper LNER teak finish.
     
    In my yoof I did at least have the foresight to fit whitmetal buffers so it's not all bad I suppose, but that's not much of a silver lining! Work has commenced with the removal of the roof units of each coach which was reasonably damage free (the Open Third suffered a little, but this should be hidden on re-assembly).
     

     
    The Open First has had the body removed from the floor and glazing stripped. Fortunately I'd not glued it very well, so it just snapped out with no residual damage, the same applied to the gangways, which will now be cleaned up and fitted the correct way round!
     

     
    It sides/ends and roof have now been joined with plastic weld, so should be a lot sturdier and ready for some paint stripping! The bogies have been removed and the bearings for the wheels seated a little better into the holes, giving the wheels a little more space so they now roll freely, which should in turn make them more reliable performers.
     

     
    The Brake Third is probably the sturdiest of the three models and the body doesn't seem to want to separate very easily, but I'm sure a day or two in the freezer will solve that!
     

     
    That's it for now, but I'm more than open to suggestions from anyone about what modifications I can make to these to improve them.
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  9. JaymzHatstand
    I found out on the Wednesday just gone (20th June) that Scrayingham has been requested to appear at the Witby & District show in Goathland Parish Hall on the weekend of July 21st and 22nd July (hopefully I'll see some of you there), which gives me a month to get it into a presentable state!
     
    I've been making a bit of progress with some of my stock over the last couple of days, and have a few more 'quick fixes' lined up (mainly just tidying paintwork fortunately), but the main jobs so far have been getting Harlech Castle looking a lot more like a loco instead of a soldered lump of white metal, and aside from handrails and a few details, it's pretty much ready for traffic!
     

     
    I'm also in the process of fitting roofs to some of my carriages, and as I'm well aware, thin plasticard is not the best thing to use as it normally ends up with a nasty banana shape (as my VoR ones will testify!) so I've decided to go with brass, and the first two to tackle are my Chris Veitch FR 104/106 and Worsley Works FR 21/22
     


     
    The roofs were cut from 0.0010" brass and annealed over the stove to make rolling a little easier, which was done gradually until a gentle and approximate curve had been achieved
     

     
    After some test fitting and re-shaping, the first first roof was soldered in place (onto 104/106) and the joint re-enforced along the full length of the body to ensure it doesn't spring back anywhere.
     

     
    It looks pretty shoddy at the moment, but after cleaning up and a bit of filler in the bigger gaps it will hopefully be ready for painting and then pressing into service! 21/22 shouldn't be far behind, but for now I should get on with some other bits and bobs!
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  10. JaymzHatstand
    Earlier this year I purchased a Gramodels Warflat from the Doncaster show, and I've finally got around to putting it together (after eventually getting the wheels for it) and I must admit, it's a nice easy build and certainly is well detailed. The one piece resin cast deck/solebars needed a soak in some hot water to straighten it out a little (but nothing major and that could've happened with it being stored amongst other bits and bobs for quite a while!) The whitmetal castings for the bufferbeams/jacks and the separeate buffers required very little tidying up with needle files and were a good fit onto the body. The Ratio diamond frame bogies had their axle-boxes drilled out and fitted with brass bearings and spoked Hornby wheels and run nice and freely.
     


     
    Only one of the buffers was a little damaged, but that won't be too noticable once it's painted and marshalled in a train
     

     
    This brings me onto a problem I have. I built a couple of Parkside LNER bogie bolsters (minus the bolsters) as warflats a couple of years back. Many of them were actuallyt converted to such use so it is a sensible starting point. The only problem is the heights of the two wagons is different, I'm not sure if it's the bogies themselves, or the riding heights, or a combinaiton of the two!
     


     
    Can anyone advise where the error may be? I'm considering getting a couple more flats at Donny next February, and hopefully the planned ramp wagon isn't too far away either! I'm also quite tempted to get ane to be built as the later version without the end jacks as that would make an interesting wagon to shunt on Whitborough (without load of course!)
     
    Any advice about the ride hieghts will be gratefully recieved as ever
     
    J
  11. JaymzHatstand
    30586 rolled into Whitborough Quayside a couple of weeks ago and psoed for a couple of photos, and prompted me to have my first go at adding various steam effects to hide the prominent NEM pocket, which has yet to be removed befor the coupling loop for Spratt & Winkles is fitted, and a small amount of weathering applied, these locos always seemed to be pretty tidy, but a little touch of working dirt is needed to take off the plastic sheen.
     



     
    I also took the oportunity while at the NEC on Saturday to pick up a Parkside GW Clay Wagon, Diag. 013 and am building it as a BR Liveried example, which according to the instructions should be early grey, but I can't find any photos of any on the interweb in this livery. All I can find are original GW liveried examples or later build bauxite wagons. Does anyone know a good source of images? (I couldn't even find any on Paul Bartlett's site!) Also, would these wagons run with a tarpaulin sheet over them? I know the peaked 'hoods' weren't introduced until later (so my Bachmann ones are not in use at the moment) but don't know about the introduction of the flat covers.
     

     
    If anyone can offer any advice or point me in the right direction, I'd be most grateful
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  12. JaymzHatstand
    For quite some time I've been intending to upgrade my Chivers 'Harlech Castle' to an outside framed version, using the newer Farish 08 chassis. I eventually bought one earlier this year, and it has been sat awaiting attention ever since. The whitemetal body had been originally fitted to an old inside framed chassis, which was a bit dodgy in its running qualities, being rather old, with minimal pickup. A few weeks ago I set about dismantling the body (it was unly superglued, so easy enough to 'snap' to pieces) and cleaned up the joints. I intend to solder it back together. I then made a start on adjusting the chassis plate to fit over the new motor assembly.
     
    I also decided that if it was going to be properly framed, it should also have the jackshaft drive, and I spent many hours at work trying to figure out how I would go about creating such an arrangement, thankfully, RT Models came to the rescue with their own conversion kit! One was ordered and after studying of the parts, instructions, chassis, and instructions again, I finally plucked up the courage today to take tools to the nice new chassis!
     
    The conversion kit is fairly straightforward, and, providing the quartering of the cranks is done, should run well once assembled. The instructions recommend glueing the cranks to the axle, but I chose to solder them, even though they are a very tight fit (a small tap with a hammer need to put the axle through the hole in the crank) for extra security. In order to return the Farish frame mouldings back into place, a new axle hole has had to be made for the jackshaft, but that was fairly simple, as was removing all of the extra details (sand boxes and steps) as they are all just glued in place, so a quick twist with some pliers and its all done!
     
    The chassis has been running around my oval of N Settrack for the last hour to check for binding and it seems fine in both directions, so now I'll have to get on with the boddy work!
     



     
    Any comments or questions are welcome
     
    J
  13. JaymzHatstand

    009 Photo Plank

    By JaymzHatstand,

    I've been thinking about making a small photo diorama for quite a while, an finally, I've made a start. It consists of a short bit of board, about 20" x 4" which is just big enough to fit into my protable photo booth. Trackwork consists of a Peco 009 turnout and some short lengths of N gauge flexible track, one of which has had it's sleepers replaced with copper clad to make it more fittting with the 009 sleeper spacing of the turnout. The other two bits of track will be eventually 'buried' in the ground with just the rails visible.
     
    Once the board has had the scenic treatment, in theory at least, I should be able to photograph bits o stock and then add a background digitally, negating the need for a large diorama.
     
    Oh yes, and the track will be powered, so should I wish, I can operate a loco on it ands do a bit of shunting!
     



     
    More updates as and when there is progress!
  14. JaymzHatstand
    I decided to go ahead and put the Fox wasp stripe transfers over the yellow mentioned in my previous entry, and it didn't look too bad, so I've fitted the other bits and bobs to the ends (lights etc) and the air pipe extensions (kindly provided by James). I have also done a bit of painting of the interior and fitted an Aiden Campbell driver, the shunter on the front step is also from the same source, and both painted by me (I'm not sure how platform clearences will affect the guy on the step, but that's not an issue on my layout)
     
     
    Enough babble, here are some photos of it on Whitborough Quayside, ready to be packed up for transporting to exhibition this weekend in Goathland. If you're in the area, please drop in and say hi! There are six booked layouts, refreshments, trade and a tombola, all for 80p! Oh, and the NYMR is a short walk through the village away so theres plenty on offer!
     





     
     
    Cheers
     
     
    J
  15. JaymzHatstand
    I've taken the plunge and re-sprayed my Bachmann 08, using Railmatch blue and pre '83 yellow. Once it was dry I sprayed a coat of gloss varnish so the decals should adhere better, but I have a problem: I'm not sure the yellow is right.
     
     

     
    Compared to my other locos, it is a different colour altogether, a lot paler and less orangy, but compared to a photo of the real 08850, it isn't too bad!
     





     
    I know, of course that the reference photos are takein in daylight, and so the glare and lighting will be different. I'm tempted to put the wasp stripe decals on and hope that the brightness is then subdued by being broken up (and satin varnished/weathered), but I don't really want to go through all of that work for it still to look very out of place!
     
    If anyone has any advice or comments, I'd be most grateful
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  16. JaymzHatstand
    I was looking at the Harburn Hobbies website and liked the look of the fisherman's workshed, and thought that something similar could fill the empty space at the back of my layout nicely. A quick bit of measuring and planning and a root through my collection of spare materials and I was away.
     
    The basic shell is made from thick card...

     
    ...with Superquck brick paper covering (including the capping over the doors and windows)...

     
    ...a cereal packet roof and plasticard windowsill (and note the tile lines drawn on the roof)...

     
    ...and following on from Chris Nevard's article in MR 156 about individual tiles on a roof, I thought I'd have a go so it begins...

     
    ...and after only a couple of hours' work is finsihed...

     
    ...and after fitting of Wills Building Pack details (drainpipe, and a small chimney) and a door from plasticard, and one from corrugated plasticard. An evergreen strip windowframe split and the window itself from some clear plastic from a supermarket display tray (it's quite thick and ever so slightly frosted so doesn't look too shiny)

     
    All in all, I'm rather pleased with the result, and am glad that I had a go at the tiles. Also in the last photo are the fisherman figures from the Aiden Campbell range that I picked up at the York show, and have painted in Games Workshop paints.
     
    I'd encourage anyone to have a go at throwing a building togeter, even a simple one like this, and the use of junk mail recommended by Chris Nevard is brilliantly simple and a good use of what would otherwise be waste!
     
    Thanks for reading
     
    J
  17. JaymzHatstand
    After cleaning the weheels and adjusting the pickups, the chassis now runs very nicely (it was pretty much just collecting current from the centre wheels only!)
     
    I have made a start at modifying the lighting arrangements to match the prototype, so the top and middle lights have been removed, as have the associated conduits. I fear that this is going to require a repaint though, the blue I can cope with, but I'm not too keen on doing the wasp stripes! Ah well, we shall see what happens. I'm also considering fitting lighting to the remaining headlights, one red and one white (or a yellow LED as it'll probably be)
     
    The main bit of progress has been in replacing the handrails with wire ones, as can be seen here
     


     
    More updates as thing pregress!
     
    Thanks for looking
     
    J
  18. JaymzHatstand
    After purchasing an Oxford VW Golf Gti at the York show over Easter weekend, I thought that I would modify it a little into one which has been 'improved' by its owner.
     



     
    The first task was to dismantle the car, which was very easy thanks to the two screws, front and rear. Once I was inseide, work could begin. The first modifications were to the chassis. The hubcaps were drilled out to represent alloy wheels, and a small slice of plastic rod for the centre-nut. The moulded exhaust pipe was cut and filed away, and a new one fabricated from a spare missile from an aircraft kit (should go like a rocket!). The centre was drilled out for added effect.
     


     
    The interior mouding was given a splash of colour, and the glazing was given a wash of Tamiya Smoke acrylic on the side windows for a slightly 'tinted' effect.
     

     
    Bodywise, some thin plasticard was used to create an 'air-scoop' on the bonnet and a spoiler on the rear. The bonnet was given a coat of black to give it a more sporty look, and the spoilergiven a coat of red to blend it in a little (but not too much, as the owner isn't too careful with his colour choices!)
     




     
    Just a quick mdoification (under 2 hours) to add a touch of difference to the excellent range of scale motor vehicles available.
     
    Any questions, comments or thoughts, as always are welcomed!
     
    J
  19. JaymzHatstand
    I recently purchased a BR blue Bachmann 08 from a certain on-line auction website for a very reasonable price, and I have now set about detailing and re-numbering it.
     
    Originally it was numbered 08 763, with depot plaques on the body sides (applied by the previous owner) and the cab handrails had also been painted sliver. This wasn't really a problem as I planned to replace the handrails with wire ones anyway. I also intend to add the various pipes and details of my chosen prototype; 08 850.
     
    You may ask why I would pick said loco, as it was a Southern shedded loco under BR and has the extra air pipes mounted high up for EMU stock, but it is one of the 08s based on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and I already have a number of photos of it (I knew they'd come in handy one day!) and I have toyed with modelling part of the NYMR several times, and so a loco based on it would be a logical thing to have just in case I ever do!
     
    I made a start on the bodywork yesterday morning, and the following photos show the current status.
     
    Intercity logo, numbers, depot transfers and handrails have been removed, and the lifting eyes on the engine roof compartment have been drilled out.
     





     
    I intend to pick up the various bits and bobs I need at the York show on Sunday (pipes, wpiers, decals and handrail wire) but the biggest problem I have is the raised air pipes as I'm not sure of anyone who manufactures them, if indeed anyone does. I should be able to scratch-build them, but was wondering if anyone knows of a manufacturer of them at all?
     
    To give you a better idea of the loco I'm aiming for, here are a couple of my photos of it at the 2009 diesel gala, sitting at Grosmont shed.
     




     
    I need to remove some of the light fittings and wire runs too, but hopefully I can do that without needing a full repaint (famous last words!)
     
    Again, I'd be most grateful if anyone can point me in the right direction with regards the upper air pipes. The A1 products should suffice for the bufferbeam pipes, windscreen wipers, and hopefully an air horn.
     
    Thanks in advance for any advice, and for reading!
     
    J
  20. JaymzHatstand
    Whilst looking through my collection of wagons, I discovered my old Hornby 'Red Arrows' box van, which I'd forgotten all about (bonus!) I took a look at it and thought it's make a colourful and unusual addition to the fleet for Whitborough, so I set to work improving it slightly. The modifications went as follows:
     
    1. Remove tension lock couplings and mounting pegs
    2. Fill resulting hole in frame
    3. Remove moulded buffers (mainly because one was damaged) and replace with brass ones, from Parkside Dundas (I think!)
    4. Fit a hanging brake pipe (ABS)
    5. Remove moulded brake pipe stand on body ends, as it is too far from the headstocks to be believable
    6. Remove moulding pip in the centre of the roof
    7. Re-spray roof white (original livery colour)
    8. Fit Sprat & Winkle coupling mounting plate to chassis
    9. Spray underframe and body ends black. The latter to disguise some paint fade.
    10. Add running numbers from an Airfix 'Red Arrows' Hawk decal sheet
     
    Simple and I think, effective update for a rather old 'toy' wagon and the result can be seen below
     


     
    One of my other projects is a classic Airfix Cement Wagon, which has had bearings and pin-point metal wheels fitted, Bachmann sprung buffers and the holes for the side-boards filled so it can run as one of the later liveried bauxite 'Bulk Cement' wagons. I just need to source some transfers for it, and get onto Paul Bartlett's wagon photo website so I can find a nicely weathered example as inspiration!
     

     
    And finally, what port would be complete without some form of fish related traffic (lots of them probably, but not this one!) so this is the next wagon to be tweaked and hopefully made to look too not out of place alongside blue diesels and other 1980s rolling stock!
     

     
    Any comments, questions or suggestions will (usually, unless they are unconstructively rude!) be gratefully received!
     
    J
  21. JaymzHatstand

    Some 60 progress

    By JaymzHatstand,

    I thought I had a topic on either here, or indeed the old site, but it would appear not, so I shall bring you up to speed. I managed to aquire a rather cheap Lima Class 60, from a certain internet auction site, and thanks to a number of members of this forum, and some trade stands at exhibitions, have cobbled together a set of detailling parts. It was originally in Railfreight Grey with LoadHaul markings as 60050 Roseberry Topping, but with EWS vynils over the logos. I had originally intended to keep it in this condition, but have since decided to go for a full repaint into proper LoadHaul livery, but the actual identity, I'm not fully settled on yet!
     
    Progress thus far has centred around the Shawplan detailling set (thanks paulscot) and has involved plenty of cutting and sticking of various bits of whitemetal and etche to the bodysides (grill surrounds) and interior (radiator assembly). The main bodyside grills will be fitted once painted, as will the roof fan assembly.
     
    Here are a few photos of my progress thus far...
     





     
    Next I need to fabricate some steps for the bogies, and fit the sprung buffers, although I might use the cast ones from the shawplan set, decisions, decisions!
     
    I also intend to fit some better wheels and some sort of direcitonal lighting. I know express models do a kit for this but I was wondering how easy it would be to build my own. Can anyone help with that (or at least popint me in the right direction) please. I remember reading an article on it a while back, I think it was in Model Rail, but I'm not sure which issue it was in, but I'll no doubt have it somewhere!
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  22. JaymzHatstand
    A quick (but rather visual) update on what I've been up to lately stock-wise...
     
    Fisrt of all in 00;
     
    Renumbered my Bachmann 03 to 03089 (a York machine) now awaiting weathering and a sutable runner truck


     
    Parkside Grampus (unfitted) bought at Warley and already painted/decalled and just awaiting a load of ballast and some filth!


     
    Parkside LNER Lowfit, found in my stash and built in an evening session, now awaiting BR paintjob

     
    Parkside Coal Hopper, built and awaiting body painting before the chassis goes on (I have built two of these)


     
    And now to the 009 stock for Scrayingham
     
    GEM Dolgoch, main body soldered together, now just needs couplings and pipework before painting in apple green early Talyllyn livery


     
    Finally a Parkside Hudson bogie in Load-Haul livery, which will be getting a coal load and a bit of weathering

     
    Plenty to keep me busy then, and plenty more that isn't listed here!
     
    J
  23. JaymzHatstand
    Some (more) new rolling stock is in the erecting shops! If I could actually finish some before starting more, it'd be good! Anyhow, here's an update...
     
    I decided that the Sandhutton coach I built at the beginning of my layout's creation needed a partner, but that a full length bogie coach would be a bit of an expense for a small railway (in it's earlier days at least!) so I have begun construction of a four-wheeled version to a similar design. It it a full open with bench seating, but with a semi-partition in the middle for strength. It also has the verandah ends as-per the bogie version and will be painted in the same dark brown livery.
     



     
    Those of you who have been following this will also be aware that I had started to build the FR Carriage 22, well this is still ongoing, but has been re-started as I wasn't really satisfied with the windows.
     

     
    I have instead used evergreen strip to form the beading and window frames as demonstrated so very ably by Rob Waller of 'Ddaullt' and 'Bron Hebog' fame (http://bronhebog.blogspot.com/) which has left me with a redundant bodyshell.
     

     
    After spending quite a while watching the brilliant County Gate at MRLive on Saturdayt, and having a nice long chat with JdF, my brain (!) came to the conclusion that the LNER may well have tried out a narrow gauge DMU on the Sandhutton line (well in my version of history they did!) And this redundant carriage body will form the start of it. The window frames will be removed and a new framework built, and a cab built into one end. I will of course have to build another coach for it, to a similar pattern, but with motor compartment and so reduced seating. I have measured and found that a Tomix TM-13 chassis is almost a direct fit, with bogi centres at almost the same as those orignially envisioned for the carriage, lucky or what?! I have roughtly planned out on the bodysides what will go where. Double doors midway down the car and big 'picture' windows. Liverywise, I'm thinking of two tone blue like the LNER's Tyneside electrics and Coronation/West Riding Limited set
     



     
    Hopefully I'll get somewhere with all these ongoing projects and not get too distracted by everything else that is running around in my brain too!
     
    J
  24. JaymzHatstand
    While watching the build up to the Belgian Grand Prix this afternoon, I prepared the new platform surface for Scrayingham. I had scraped all the previous ballast platform surface away earlier (and hoovered it up so I don't get in trouble!). So I set about with a paper template and a sheet of Slaters brick embossed plastic, the same as used in the goods shed area which is supposed to be locally sourced brick, afterall the Sandhutton line did serve the brickworks at Claxton, and that formed a large percentage of the traffic.
     
    First off is the paper template with the station bulding (Will's Crossing Kepers Cottage) and shelter (Skaledale) followed by the template in place on the station board, along with an assortment of stock (I fancied a play!). You may also notice Murphy, my assistant enjoying the sunshine!
     


     
    Once I got the template sorted, it was time to transfer it onto the brick sheet and cut it out
     

     
    Test fit the buildings
     

     
    Then check it on the layout
     

     
    Once I get the reast of the scenic bit sorted, I'll be able to fix it down and paint/weather it. The back of the platform will be edged with some sort of fence with the building acting as the entrance as well as the ticket office and shop. I've made a start with the interior of the office, with patition walls and a flase ceiling made from plasticard. I'm contemplating lighting for it just for a bit of added interest.
     
    J
  25. JaymzHatstand
    I recently bought the GEM kit of Dolgoch, as I just happened to have the Arnold chassis donated to me a year ago and I've been planning to have a go at this little loco, as it's about as close as I think I'll get to a Sandhutton loco, which themselves were well tanks, albeit with outside frames and walshearts valve gear. In 009 that isn't getting scratchbuilt (not by me anyway!). Below are a couple of photos of one of the Sandhutton locos, and Dolgoch so you can see the similarities (and yes, I know they aren't identical!)
     


     
    Anyhow, the GEM kit is very nicely moulded with very little flash and just some faint casting seams to get rid of, and a dry fit of the parts held itself together pretty well! I've been wanting to have a go at whitemetal soldering for some time, and this morning I finally took the plunge and once I got the temperature right on my Weller WHS40, starting low and working upwards, I found a temperature that would melt the Carr's low melt solder and have it flow in the yellow flux, but not wreck the castings. The first couple of joints were not quite hot enough, so they didn't hold, so I cranked up the heat a little and bingo!
     
    Below are a couple of shots of my first steps, and I'm quite pleased with them. I'm looking forward to getting it done and painted now (oh, and I could maybe do with getting my layout working again! (http://www.rmweb.co....scrayingham-009)
     




     
    Of course this is going to end up with me needing a couple of Talyllyn coaches to go with Dolgoch, I already have one, so that's a start!
     
    Any comments, questions or general advice are as always, most welcome!
     
    Thanks for looking!
     
    J
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