dj_crisp

Good luck with your GCSEs! An excellent start to your project Cheers Will

Hi Phil I can't work those grills out either. I think all I'll use from that etch is the steps which look pretty smart. cheers Will

Thanks That thought had crossed my mind... and most likely it'll end up that with one side not looking A1! We'll see... cheers Will

True Lewis. Most of mine have plenty; mostly created by me and hidden by weathering where possible. I've had success with matching Vitrains before but never had a go with Hornby. When I manage to find a suitable match I'll spray the grooves and see how close they look, they decide! cheers Will

One attempt at a nose job and also the first time I've used miliput.... I think it looks ok but I won't really know until it's primed, which might take some time as I need the weather to be warm I've got a few paint matching questions posted on the Hornby Class 50 pages; http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/366-Hornby-class-50s/page-15&do=findComment&comment=2284868 If know a match for Hornby Laira Blue and GW150 green then please let me know! Thanks Will

Hi I have a couple of paint matching questions... has anyone paint matched the green for 50007? I'm going to replace the grills so an exact match isn't needed.. And 50008 Laira Blue? I'm a bit annoyed about thunderer. I always tend to go for cheap secondhand examples but this one was new and when i first checked it i didn't spot a series of dots on one side. I've taken it out of its box and now can't decide whether to leave it or have a go at smoothing it down and trying to disguise with painting. cheers Will

Hi Phil Thanks for your help... the bits I'm confused on are the four rectangle grills; Are they for the un-refurbished examples? Thanks Will

I've had a pleasant few days attaching some bling from Shawplan to my 50s; The Shawplan roof fittings need rolling so they are curved and I used a metal curtain pole offcut and the back of a mousemat. For both the roof fan panel and the boiler panel I stuck the centre first, let it dry then stuck the rest of the panel next. This allowed me to shape the panel to the roof shape while fixing. I smoothed off areas where my shaping wasn’t great then fixed the rest of the details, including a 0.5mm bit of wire in the hole in the fan panel. The Hornby roof fan opening is a little small so this was opened. This is a one eyed shot of the front with a trial fix. I've had a go at changing the shape of the cantrail to match the front windows. Not perfect but I think it looks a little better than being totally straight. There is still a bit of tidying to do as I'm just re-shaping the fames a little to match the Shawplan etch. And my blue NSE one has had a bath and turned out a different colour; Now onto those nose jobs.... Thanks for reading Will

Hi Lewis Ive just had a very enjoyable read of your thread. Some excellent projects and I really like your 60s. Great stuff Cheers Will

Thanks Lewis. I'm tempted to have a go with the cab windows... I do think the side glazing will be a step too far for me! Will

Well I couldn't resist starting my 50 project.... I tend to spend quite a bit of time in hotels so messing around with locos makes the time pass quite quickly! Both stripped and ready some some etched bits and nose jobs! I was going to model Vangard but St Vincent has grown on me, especially as it kept it's large logo livery till about 1990.However the NSE livery time is up. I started to remove the factory weatheriing but the NSE blue feels too dark. So as the roof will be repsrayed, the NSE grey is too light and it'll have a nose job all that'll be left is a red stripe... so this one is going to be stripped and will one day emerge as Defiance. I've spent a pleasurable (?) few days building a slaters corridor connection for my 108 DMU. It actually works and the result is better than I hoped. A shame Slaters has stopped making them.... if anyone has a few spare please let me know!! This one has been converted to EM using Branchlines conversion kit. Basic weathering has started... exhausts are rusted and the underframe has had a combination of black and underframe dirt sprayed. The roof still looks to shiny for me, and the underframe is a little flat, so plenty more to do. I'm also looking at the glazing and not really liking it so may try to replace some of it. Also have couplings to sort. Thanks for ready and happy modelling!

I find 60s really tricky to fit... possibly the hardest ones in the laserglaze range. I've done three so far and needed four packs in total to get them to look right. I think the windows are not quite square which makes them difficult. All of them needed a little bit of filing to either the frame or the glazing but maintaining the slight angle to the windows edge. I then use a marker pen on the windows edge and fit them with humbrol clear varnish. I will admit it takes me ages! Will

My Regional Railways Mk1s are progressing nicely. They're standing at about the right height now and to my eyes look like they're level with each other. I'm using kadees to couple and Keen Mk1 corridor connectors which fill the gap nicely. I'm now turning my attention to the interiors which i think should be an off white colour with blue seats, but I'm only going to roughly represent these. I'm not sure if there was any wood represented so I'll probably just leave them in the primer. If anyone knows please let me know! I'm also tempted with fitting some mesh in the storage compartment in the brake... not sure how visible this will be though and whether it's worth the effort in finding some! My next job is the bit I'm pretty useless at.... coach lighting!! LEDs, capacitors, bridge thingys etc are all ready to solder to a circuit diagram I found on the web. I'm trying to improve my photography, so have taken the radical step and opened my camera instruction manual. These are all shot with a normal light bulb with the camera trying to balance the white. I think I really need a daylight bulb (or nice weather outside) for this. Any tips gratefully received!! And my new victims.... I must resist starting my 50 project before my 37s are finished!! Happy Modelling all and thanks for reading

Thanks Brian. .. I'll try and check that one out. Cheers Will

Looking awesome I'm really enjoying following your thread. I hope you don't mind me asking but do you have any photos of the underframe. I'm just about to start a 4mm project and wasn't sure what bit's should and shouldn't be there. Cheers Will

The yellow one must be your favourite

Great stuff... really like your 08

Looking great! I'm going to follow your 50s with great interest

Well I couldn't resist a signal box from ally pally TBH I think they look better in the flesh... really excellent products and I look forward to your next releases! It was nice to chat to you, Cheers Will

Some very nice 50s.... Has anyone used PH designs Class 50 Etch Detailing Sheet 2 ? There are four grills on there and I can't work out where they are supposed to be fitted? cheers Will

I've been looking at the under frames on the Vitrains 37s and to be honest they look a bit boxy and flat to me. So after spending a few hours looking for photos on the web I thought I'd try and have a go at making them look a bit better. Before and After (well attempt started) It's still rather rough with filler here and there to smooth, but thought I'd put a photo up to see what people think before I add any detailing. The bottom has been angled a bit more and then I've cut out where i think there should be spaces. On the prototype I think they are two seperate boxes but I've left them connected to keep a bit of strength and shape - i don't think that'll be too noticeable. With all this new space the chassis block is going to need a trim.... something I'm not looking forward too! One set of Brassmaster Mk1 bogies down.... about 12 sets to go! And for a bit of light relief, (a total lie), my Hornby 09 has been progressed. I've fitted an express models lighting kit as I couldn't face making my own. It's turned out to be a fiddly job as everything is a tight squeeze, especially with a decoder with stay alive. To be fair it's gone in quite nicely although I've sacrificed the cab light as the decoder I've fitted doesn't have enough functions. I've no idea how people fit sound in as well!! A set of Ultrascales, a shawplan nameplate, some laserglaze and it has the beginnings of being a rather nice model. I have a soft spot for gronks and I think Hornby has done a great job with this one. I have some Brassmasters coupling rods to fit if I feel brave and then when the weather is nice a spot of gentle weathering. Happy Modelling! Will

It's been a few weeks since i last posted and not alot of progress modelling wise, although I have sorted my garage and now have a much improved working environment. I've even found my workbench! Primed and painted my RES 47 window frames and attached some roof grills. This end is the one I wasn't totally happy with as the two frames don't quite line up.... I think I'll just line with it and do better next time. Next in line is a bit of respray for the roof and sides, renumbering and then a spot of gentle weathering. One for a warmish day! Happy Modelling

Surprisingly I had a spare hour the other day and stuck a few window frames to one end of my Vitrains RES 47; I think it looks rather smart but won't really know until it's had a coat of primer.... then painted I'm not sure how I'm going to glaze this one.... as the new window frames are larger than the original Vitrains - my usual Vitrains laserglaze won't work. I read somewhere that a laserglaze kit for Heljan 47s might be a better bet... or last resort make my own! Happy Modelling

Slowly progressing with my regional railways mk1s - nothing really interesting to show. I'm working my way through building brassmasters bogies and have just fitted one with some ultrascales; I've had a hack at the ends though! The corridor connection have been trimmed in readiness for some keen floating plates. A few steps have been removed as most photos of the last MKs seemed to have these removed. I've also taken off the lamp brackets thinking I'd put on some made up from brass... but looking some photos I can't see any evidence of them being in existence so I'll probably just leave them off. The great big holes are for Kadees and the replacement buffters in primer are retractables by MJT. A very peaceful evening was spent cleaning the best part of 50 of them! Happy Modelling!

Great - thanks for your help. I shall put an order in! Cheers Will