Jon020

Will / Pete / Peter / Chris, thanks for the kind comments. Spent some time drilling/sanding out the bodyside sanding cove holes last night and really struggled when it came time to bend the hinge pieces over on the etch cover to trial fit to check the hole size - the etch is neat... but I really struggled to see what I was doing... I think it's ok though. Will post update again soon.

Glad to be bringing some amusement.. hope it's informative too.

J

I would like to expound to you a phenomenon of singular appreciation gratitude for the jovial nature of your most recent contribution. Such merriment and accurate unboundless observation! Please do so continue to elaborate on this fascinating gesture of impressionism and realism.

Wow! glad I'm not responsible for the cleaners in that depot... what a wonderfully filthy tractor. Looks great

James, A late response from me ... sorry about that. The Sentinel looks great.. but sometimes you just have to slow down to admire the acheived results and progress a little more slowly to the end.. you don't want to overshoot. A critically damped response to finishing a project is no way to go about it... so I think that an inverse exponential rule probably applies... after all, is a model ever finished?

Now, an 08 or a 47 would be nice - out of interest, whose 08 and47 would you coose - I've been looking and looked seriously at the Bach 08... like the Bach 47 too - have the Blue Domino one - but wondered about Vi?

Sprung locos seems to be a serious step that P4 seems to promote... I just hope that I can do without it as it looks far tooooo tricky for me right now.

But, keep up the good work...

Now, how about a 66 update... I've been wondering how it's been going.

Mark, that's a good suggestion... I'll pool what I've got and sort something out.... for details, look at Brian Hanson's fotopic site - as this is a very good reference http://www.brianhanson.fotopic.net/

Oh, and thanks for the kind comments. To be honest, my eyesight isn't as good as it used to be and I'm finding that the photos are revealing imperfections that I can't see easily with my eyes, expecially late in the evenings. I now can clearly see that I need to tidy up the body work and remove excess glue and other marks.... so whilst the images might be cruel, they serve a purpose.... I just hope the final result is better after painting . Mind you, there's always a bit of weathering to do... and that can hide imperfections too... hope I don't need to rely on that too much ;-)

Oh, and thanks James and Will... as always.

Will, that's a good result. I hope that you'll enjoy using enamels; i used them from the start as I thought that the longer working time and harder wearing surface would be beneficial ... and so far they've suited me.... mind you, the smell takes some getting used to - but it takes me back to my early aero modelling days as a kid ;-)

I'm with James on that one, a combination of techniques is a good plan, after all, the causes of weathering "happen" in different ways, so spraying sprayed traffic grime (picked up whilst in motion) can work, as can powder exhaust particles dropped from the exhaust when encountering atmospheric moisture particles. Hmmm. Not thought of that before!

I look forward to seeing further progress.

Thanks for posting Will

That's a lovely rake Will, shame they're a little to far away for me to see in the flesh. Enjoy the show.

Chris, I'm with you on "sound" but haven't had the funds to expend on it yet... although I've had a brief play. Slowly, I may start to add this... and thinking of "provisioning" the bass speaker in current deltic project... but whose? - Poss SWD. Don't think Howes will - said at Warley last year that would need to chips - one for each engine... and therefore didn't seem to want to do this. Hey ho.

Jon

Pete, looks like you had a successful trip back to blighty. Sorry we couldn't meet up... and sorry that I didn't make it to the show ... for several reasons. Looks like you've some good stuff to be getting on with. Enjoy.

Will, I thought the Cow parsley looked ok, and colour asides the rosebay willowherb looked good too... although I admit that the final pink version is much nicer. This really shows off the lineside now but highlights the cleanliness of the ballast, but not unrealistically. Good luck with the buddleia (buddleja): this is a plant that all layouts possibly need - I've yet to see a yard or sidings without the stuff growing somewhere... good luck producing this, it does look a little more fiddly. Looking forward to seeing the result.

Jon

Thanks Mark, I'll look into this. I had some more success in making up a marker light with plasticard, but the shaping of the surrounds is still a bit hit and miss... and getting 4 identical will be a challenge

UPDATE Oct 18th:

I had another go at the marker lights - initially I'd been hollowing out some 2mm rod with a 0.8mm drill and inserting a 0.8mm length of brass wire - glued in. Then inserting the rod into the chuck of a mini drill and using it as a lathe, with a sharp blade to shape and cut the rod to length (about 2mm). Then removing the rod and, with a smaller chuck, inserting the wire end into the chuck and repeating, but using a file to shorten the protruding wire and then chamfering the rod to form the light surround. The problem was, this is just not precise enough and the wire would only need to be slightly bent that the whole thing would be binned... as several were. This time, I selected a very round rod (they're not all the same), carefully drilled a 0.7mm hole in the very centre of the rod then in the mini drill again, but with just the plastic rod (and hence less imbalance)... shape the end (chamfer)using file and wet&dry, and then with the sharp blade (drill spinning) carefully slowly cut through behind the chamfered section at about 1.7mm and remove... a short length of 0.6mm wire is then crefully glued into this (at the rear of the hole - leaving a hollow at the front where the lens would be) and ... done. The wire extending behind the housing is then inserted into the body of the lamp housing... to give some anchoring to the body. I've now done 5 of these and there all quite repeatable... with a bit of luck I think. Now, that these are done, I may investigate the possibility of using some fibreoptic instead of the wire... via the suggestion from Mark above... however this is 1mm thick fibre and Ideally I'd like thinner - about 0.7mm max... but I'll have a look to see what's out there.

Thanks for the help Mark.... improvements are slowly coming to this Novice. ... perhaps I should rename this to a "Novice's Guide!"

John, well, that looks stunning! It probably does need those decals to add the finishing touches... and hopefully you'll be able to get some outdoors shots next time the sun's out. These models are certainly taking the genre to the next level... Personally, I don't really recall the CEPs too much, but the REPs VEPs and CIGs are well remembered... from my childhood on day trips down to the Watercressline, when you had to get the bus from Alton to Ropley (and then only to Medsted and foremarks)... usually a VEP... sometimes a REP? ... right up to the last three years of commuting twixt Burgess Hill and Gatwick on the VEPs and CIGs of South Central and Southern, which is waht rekindled my interest in railways in the first place - nostalgia! So, hopefully the Hornby units will be just as good.

Looking forward to seeing the Jaffa livery in some sunshine John.... thanks for sharing

Jon

Horestan... it's a great read and (as an engineer at heart... still) I found some of the problems/solutions facinating. Well, hopefully you're not the only one... and I'm sure it doesn't take a diesel on top to work but I thought it not an entirely inappropriate perch.

Thanks James.., will keep this blog running with updates. Yes I'm looking forward to seeing you 66 update. Tony? ok, you've lost me now?

They're really nice Will. very tidy and a nice bit of detail not normally seen on layouts. The weathering is great, as is the detailing; and what a great way to add a little colour to the trackside. Of course, now you need to provide the same degree of interest on the whole of the layout ... but I'm sure that's juts a matter of time. Good photo point this. Looking forward to seeing some more stock photos soon.

Pete, very neat. Play time! Enjoy. See you next Saturday

Will,

It's the same with drawing; it's easier to acheive a desired graphite finish by removing graphite with an eraser than by laying down progressive layers. Such is the nature of art

J

Hi Tim,

glad it's not just me that had fun with these then.. I tried the same approach, wishing to keep the track as it was... cut and trimmed and rocket-maxed in place... then cut rail top with a scapel to represent join... although this is hardle visible. They're hard work and I'd think twice before doing a tandem turnout or double slip... but they're worth the effort. I think that unless you know they're there, you wont notice them... but when you do, it looks so much better adding that extra touch of realism... one set is just visible in front of Tulyar here, and one to the right: BRs... Jon

Ah, that's better... I can see the image now... IT refusal at luchtime me thinks. The controller looks very neat, if only for that reason, I could see why you chose itB) .

Looking forward to seeing the next posting on the working couplings.

Ah, Runaround... yes, I endured that too. Runarouuuunnnnddddddddddddddddddddddd........... Nowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

Dear Wibble, I went for these etchings too... I understand you could just lay them on top, but I may etch out a small hollow to accept them. On my last model (Tulyar) I cut these out and back filled them - see the link posted by Pete above... go to Projects then Bachmann Deltic.... this gave me the ideas for my original Nimbus and I followed these processes to some extent - was nice to meet up with the model and the modelmaker Pete Johnson - just by chance, at Ali Pali earlier this year when seeing it on the Wibdenshaw layout...So, yes Pete.. I am familiar.. B)

Oh, and Wibble, be careful removing the headcode Dominoes from the glazing... sometimes they're really well stuck and wont budge without serious creaking and cracking.... I sliced into the melted bits and prized them out... but it's a chance that they may crack. Good luck

Chris, thanks for the comment and opinion, but there's always room for improvment, the point I've not decided on yet is how good is good enough?... As to the parting with some of the first batch, it's something I'm pondering at the moment... and will be investigating further

Pete, yes, this one's likely to take a little longer than the first batch. It's amazing how having done one thing, something else jumps out... last night I finished reprofiling the No. 1 bonnet top then looked carefully at the bufferbeam cutout and after some measuring realised that it was about 1.5mm undersize.... now about right after some judicial filing and sanding. This will open out the bufferbeam area to give more room for those pipes and Brain Hanson's etched bufferbeam. I've also noticed that the windscreen cutouts are even - so maybe I'll have to open these out and go fro Brian's etch.... and the headcode panel is about 1/2mm too low... but this is something I'll leave. The resin repalcement nose would be the ultimate solution, but I've yet to gain the confidence to go that far. The lower headcode brackets were sanded off... ready for the new etches, and the nose footstep has been hollowed out a bit more... not entirely happy with the shape, but a little in-fill with material into the top corners should sort that out.The roof fans/grills/walkways are now out... and may also be replaced.. but the louvre grills and side grills are again going to puch my inexperience too far... one day, maybe.

Once I've something more to show, I'll post a photo or two on here... A couple of weeks time - yes, that's come around quickly. Looking forward to it!

Matt, yes, Mike showed me the glazed Mk2s and Mk 3 at scaleforum... and what an improvement - Brian was enjoying Barrow hill. We did discuss the possibility of glazing for the 55... which will probably mean me getting the window frames too... Now that I've started reprofiling the bonnet top I realise that perhaps I should've got the windscreen surrounds aswell . I'm sure I can wait until Warley for those. Have just made up a small sanding tool - 6mm wide plasticard, 3mm thick and about 4cm long with a piece of 600 grade wet and dry attached to one face ... to give me more control when sanding close to the windscreen frame - I think it still needs some more profiling. The amount of glue of the transparencies seems to vary so much with Bachmann... some bits practicall fall out - others are well stuck! I lost only two windscreen wipers - which I had to drill out, but these may still be slavaged - or replaced - others ok.

Having fun getting stuck in.... and enjoying being free from toothache for the first time in a month or so and therefore able to concentrate again. Will try some more once kiddies are in bed tonight.

I can see how springing the models would make them run so well... but my ultimate aim is (at the moment) for a diesel depot only, so long distance carefree running shouldn't be an issue... although maybe I'll use one smiths screw-link instead of two Hornby cosmetics so that it can haul at some point in the future - never say never eh B) .

Thanks again.

James..., ah, there's nothing like a type 5 . It'll be interesting to see how our projects develop. Yes, you're right that the previous models may now seem "simple" by comparison, but I'll leave these in OO for now, and maybe part with them if necessary... we'll see how this one develops. Thanks for the comments.

Peter, again, thanks... hope I can meet the expectations of readers... and mine . Fingers crossed and taking this one slowly.

Matt, thanks for the response and comments. This loco's a B1-1B rather than the latter C-Cs so hopefully that'll work... although I note that Chris did convert his to a C-C with extra gearing on the bogies. Ah, so Brian was behind that and its springing too... fair do's... I'm not going to compete with that .

Hmmm more bits to ponder on then... I understand some flush glazing may be on the way too... that'll be good for the body sides!

Have just spend a couple of hours removing all glazing and rubbing down one nose section to the correct profile - or as close as I could get to it. I think it looks ok... will post an update at some point. This is also the first time I've removed all glazing... it's horrible how it creeks as it is put under strain - all out without damage... fortunately.

I agree with sheddweller... very nice. Could you post some more pics when it's finished? Those Tamiya powders are good aren't they - is that the snow one you used for the limescale (water) deposit streaks?