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JaymzHatstand

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Blog Entries posted by JaymzHatstand

  1. 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!
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. JaymzHatstand
    ...but not a lot! I've been catching up on jobs that I've been meaning to do for quite some time, and they are as follows...
     
    1) drill a hole for the point motor at the end of the station run-round loop
    2) continue fitting of insulated rail joiners - this has disrupted a bit of trackwork, so some re-ballasting is required!
    3) permenantly fit the baseboard to the frame- this may sound silly, but when it was origionally built it was as a shelf and so had to be separate from the framework.
    4) begin redesign of fiddle yard - I'm going for a traverser as some of my stock objects to crossovers formed with minimum radius pionts!
     
    So now, to get me back to an operating position I have the following to do...
     
    1) fit and wire in point motor
    2) tidy up ballast
    3) build new fiddle yard section
     
    Some of which may take a bit of time, but I dare say that noce I get started, it'll hopefully spin along quite quickly (famous last words!)
     
    I have also begun planning the next section, to fit between the station and fiddle yard, which will utilise the Gould's Warehouse building from this month's Model Rail magazine standing next to a disused siding, possibly with an old waggon or two outside.
     
    I don't have any photos of my progress, as it's not particularly exciting, but bleow is a shot of the layout so I can explain things a bit better!
     

     
    The point motor has been added to the point in front of the loco, and the scenic area to the right will now be blended in/redone as it doesn't need to be removable any more.
     
    Hopefully there'll be more progress soon!
     
    J
  5. JaymzHatstand
    I've been tinkering with the body of my Double Fairlie (Backwoods 009 kit) and have come up against a bit of a problem regarding the motor and it's mounting.
     
    Fitting it is no problem, but it can only be done once the motor mount assembly is fitted to the body, and needs to be done before the cab and second pair of tanks are fitted. The problem this poses is thus; once the motor is fitted I will be unable to wash the flux off and subsequent building stages, of which there are many as this would involve getting some form of cleaning fluid into the motor and I'm not sure this would do it much good!
     
    Does anyone else have any advice as to how I can get around this problem?
     
    I can't fit the motor to the mount separately and then fit it to the body later as it goes in from underneath, and the spars which form part of the strenghtening for the frames preclude this. Here are some photos which I hope will help describe this further.
     
    The motor in place temporarily. The firebox etchings and details will fit over this to form the cab interior.


     
    Looking between the tanks to the mounting screws, these need to be accessible to fit tho motor, so the rest of the bodywork cannot be built before this is done

     
    The mount before the motor goes in

     
    The spars which preclude the motor being fitted from below

     
    The motor mount

     
    Any advice or help will be gratefully recieved
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  6. 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
  7. JaymzHatstand
    Yesterday I attatched some wires to the motor for the Fairlie to give it a spin, and it worked (unsurprisinghly!). I also bent the running plate, which took rather a lot of work and ended up with me making a jig to get the two curves right. The layshafts for the gears have been cut and the gears Loctited in place.
     
    I also put together one of the Mercian kits that I'd picked up at Doncaster. the FR Tank wagon, more information of the prototype can be found here http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/The_Brine_Tank_Waggon The kit went together quite well, with some nice rivet detail and it even comes with etched couplings, but with no mention of them in the instructions, I has to find a way of fitting and setting the height of them myself which wasn't too much of a problem.
     

     
    Now to crack on with the other two wagons I got, and the Fairlie, and a bit of tidying work on Scrayingham, and so on and so on (I'd only moan if I had nothing to do!
     
    J
  8. 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
  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
    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
  11. JaymzHatstand
    A bit of an update on the waggon today, end ribs, hinges, door handles and brake wheels have been added. Once the glue is dry I can get on with forming the roof, and then painting can begin.
     


     
    Thanks for looking
     
    J
  12. JaymzHatstand
    After a coat of Games Workshop Chaos Black spray (which is very expensive, but gives such a nice finish), the main body is now ready for it's slightly shinier coat of paint, just to break up the solid colour.
     

     
    I've also made a start on another waggon, this one however is a bit more involved than the box van. It's not being built as part of my P-way train, but could conceivably run in it, but it is pretty much all of my own invention (I think, there may be one out there somewhere. But if that's the case, then it's pure coincidence) and herte are a couple of photos of the first section to be built. Can anyone guess what it might be the start of?
     



     
    Lets have your guesses!
     
    Thanks for looking
     
    J
  13. JaymzHatstand
    The van is now ready for the paint shop (in fact the lower area of the body has had a quick brush of black already).
     
    The roof was formed by cutting out a piece of plasticard then forming it to shape around a mug filled with boiling water (any excuse for a cuppa!). Once it had cooled, it was fitted, followed by the rain strips over the doors.
     


     
    There'll be another update once it's a bit more colourful, although with an all black livery, colourful may not be the word!
     
    J
  14. 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
  15. JaymzHatstand
    I have pretty much finished painting the crew for the Fairlie. They were undercoated with a flat black spray, then brush painted with Games Workshop acrylic paints. Now they need something to stand in, so I'd best build it!
     

     
    J
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. JaymzHatstand
    After Doncaster show yesterday, I have a few more bits of stock to build for Scrayingham, and plenty of inspiration regarding the hopeful future extension. I also got a couple of bits I need to get on with my Fairlie. Here are the things I bought...
     



     
    Also, it's been a while since I updated the proress of the Fairlie itself, so here goes...
     
    The second bogie unit has been put together and I've fitted the rear spacer to both units. Now that I have the glue, I can fit the gears to the layshaft and carry on, hooray! I've also taken the main frames out of the etched fret and cleaned it up ready for it being folded.
     

     
    I'd best get on I suppose!
     
    J
  19. JaymzHatstand
    There has been a bit of progress on the Double Fairlie this week, hopefully soon(ish) there'll be wheels on it and I'll have a rolling chassis!
     
    The cylinders ready to be soldered up and motion brackets waiting to be attached to the frames

     
    One of the power bogies with the motion brackets in place and axles slotted through the bearings to make sure it all still turns (it does, phew!)



     
    The N Brass Locomotives GVT Tar wagon I bought at Doncaster, all ready for the paintshop. The second image gives a better view of the brake gear which is nicely detailed, and not as much of a fiddle to put together as I first feared! It has been fitted with Paul Windle couplings, which are anchored to the underframe with some scrap bits of brass.


     
    J
  20. JaymzHatstand
    Will these puns ever end?! Probably not, but they should!
     
    To be brutally honest, I haven't done anything on my Double Fairlie since my last update. I've been trying to convince myself that painting the crew figures (see the unpainted versions below)
     

     
    I had a stroll into town (York) yesterday, and while I was there decided to nip to the NRM to have a look at Livingston Thompson. Obviously this counts as research, so I have done something (hmmmm). I didn't have my proper camera with me, so I took some reference pictures on my phone and they are in a gallery on here. If they are of use to anyone else, then it can only be a good thing, plus if there's any particular bits you want a picture of, just let me know (the same goes for any of the exhibits in there actually!)
     
    This week, I hope to get something done, even if it's just the rivets pushed out on the second bogie (but hopefully more than that!). So I'll stop typing and get off to bed, it's back to work tonight sadly!
     
    J
  21. JaymzHatstand
    I've made a start on the Double Fairlie, and in an hour or so managed to fit and dress the bearings for one of the power bogies. The drive gear needs sorting out next and then I can fit the frame spacers at the open end to make a rigid unit, but it all seems to be going well so far (famous last words!)
     


     
    I've also ordered some figures from the Aiden Campbell range; a driver and fireman (for the Fairlie) and a few passengers and other figures for my passenger vehicles/layout and I'll post some photos of them once they have arrive and have been painted.
     
    I'd just like to wish everyone a happy and modelling filled new year!
     
    J
  22. JaymzHatstand
    I've been busying myself painting figures of late to populate my layout. They are, so far, a mix of Slaters and Aiden Campbell figures painted with acrylics from the Tamiya and Games Workshop ranges.
     
    A number of seated passengers have been fitted to my carriages, Aiden Campbell whitemetal ones in Festiniog semi-open 'Tourist Car' No.37 to ad weight, and slaters in the Talyllyn 3 compartment, as it has a whitemetal underframe and enough weight. My two 'teak' coaches already have passengers fitted, and just require finishing (windows and roofs mainly)
     



     
     
    The other figures include three enthusiasts, one with video camera, one with a camera and the other with notebook. They will be positioned around the layout once I have finished my scenic alteraions. The two fighures on the far left of the row are seated diesel drivers, both have been given different high-vis clothing and will be installed in my locos once I have built interiors for them.
     


     
    I'm looking for some figures who I can position leaning out of the windows of a couple of vehicles on my workbench for a bit of variety too.
     
    J
  23. JaymzHatstand
    A recent house move has almost halted my building progress, but fortunately, I took my tools and some brass with me on holiday this week (to Primrose Valley, Filey, North Yorkshire) and of an evening did a bit. Both kits are from the Mercian 'Knightswork' range, and are the FR Closed Van (Side Door) and FR Carriage Wagon.
     
    Both kits go together pretty quickly, and are easy to fettle to get smooth running out of them (I'l be adding some weight to them now I'm home). They come with wheels and couplings, so are some of the most complete kits you can buy in 009, and at a reasonable price, a good way of increasing your wagon fleet.
     
    Here are the photos of my progress thus far.
     




     
    I've been searching everywhere for some references to the Carriage wagon, but unsuccessfully. including the Ffestiniog Encyclopedia which is usually such a fantastic cource of information. Can anyone else help please?
     
    So for now, until I get the modelling area of the spare room sorted out, there might not be too many updates!
     
    Cheers
     
    J
  24. 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
  25. 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
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