nsl714

Thanks guys! John, That's the hope for the ModelU ones, particularly a selection of side lamps for my now 3 toads. Being able to move and adjust the lamps is an important detail to me. These lamps on the Star are Springside with the bottoms drilled out so they can be set on the irons with some blue tack. Ian, practice does make perfect! As it happens, I purchased a cache of Severn Mills Nameplates last year (about 10, enough for that many years worth of engine building probably). One does bear the name of a fortified structure in Warwickshire... Thanks, Zach

A few months ago I shared a 7mm GWR Star that I had recently built. At the time it was unpainted, but now painting and lining have been completed. The engine is finished as 4019 'Knight Templar' in late 1930's condition. -Zach

Hi John, ModelU is definitely on my radar for some figures on multiple engines. I want to get some of their lamps too, but as you point out the costs add up fast. The Star is now "done" for the time being, with glazing, cab detail, and lamps, so I posed it for formal "ex-works" photos. As noted above, crew, coal, and weathering shall follow at a later time. -Zach

Major lining, transfers, and plates are now complete on 4019. It's been an interesting experience doing all the lining, and I'm quite emboldened to see what else I can try now. Only the cab details, coal, lamps, and crew (eventually) remain.

It's been a while. In the intervening almost 6 months, I've mostly completed the Scorpio Star. Major construction was completed around the beginning of April. Then after a bit of a lull, I got on with painting. The green is Railmatch Acrylic GWR Green, and the black is Testors Matte black. This past week I've gotten on with the lining. A suggestion popped up elsewhere to use 1-shot lettering enamel for lining, so I picked up some orange 1-shot. This was advantageous as I cannot easily get Precision Paints' GWR lining orange enamel, and I was not looking forward to having to mix Testors colors to get something similar. I think it's alright. All has been done with a bowpen. I don't think I've noted it yet, but the engine shall be finished as 4019 'Knight Templar' in late 30's condition. Plates have been acquired from Severn Mill for this purpose. More soon, -Zach

In the interest of repopulating what has been lost in terms of photographs, may I present something I've been building since the new year? This is a Scorpio Models 7mm scale kit for a GWR Churchward Star. It's been constructed in late 1930' condition and will be numbered/named 4019 'Knight Templar' when complete. Not much remains in the way of construction, with only the backhead and other cab detail to complete before painting. It's by far the most complicated kit I've attempted to date, and has been immensely satisfying to see come to life. -Zach

That's turned out real nice Ade. One thing I figured out early on with the Parkside kits was to buy sets of their buffers for just the spare parts. It's been real handy for me in particular considering BA standard nuts are practically unobtanium in the USA. If you're still pondering the round top handrails, I've worked them from the bottom up and top down with equal success. I use round nose pliers for the sharp curve at the top. -Zach

Over the Christmas break, I managed to finish up the Slaters Brake 3rd. I'm particularly happy with the roof gas lines and brake equipment, which went on very well I think. It's interesting to see personally how far my modeling confidence has come from the earliest Parkside wagons. Without hesitation I threw together extra pieces here and there for the coach, such as an extra step below the guard's door as found on many of these brake 3rds after they lost the lower footboards, or some lowered drop sash windows. It was painted and lined in late 20's/early 30's Chocolate and Cream, and finished as 2954. One small error I found after the fact was the incorrect placement of the number on the luggage end of the car. It should be centered in the panel, but I'll correct that before weathering. Completing the coach let me get on with the much anticipated Scorpio Star. After a few nights work I have a free rolling compensated chassis, and I'm now to adding all the details to it. There's been some fun times going through the many castings to reconcile what they are or what they do ("Oh, THAT is a pressure relief valve" or "Is this a cylinder cock?" , etc.). So far it's going together without much complaint. More soon, -Zach

The current plan is to do it up in late 1920's-early 1930's Chocolate and Cream with a Twin Cities crest, so it'll be a slightly work worn vehicle that hasn't quite been demoted to the all over brown paint yet. Mercifully this saves me from attempting the full gambit of panel lining, but I will probably be brave enough to try what lining is needed with the bowpen. As mentioned above, it's intended to be the brake vehicle on a milk train, so it's not going to be perfectly clean. -Zach

Thanks John, that's some good stuff there. I'll have to remember CPL next time I go to build a coach. It's a tad bit late for this brake 3rd, though I'm confident I can find something for the netting. I also have some leftover passengers from the tram that I'll probably throw in here. This coach is destined to be the brake for a milk train, so I don't know how many hardy souls would care to ride! Those Lionheart coaches are quite nice too! Shows what's really possible with RTR these days. -Zach

It's been a while, but lots has been happening on my bench. First of all, the WEP Fruit C and Mica B have both been completed, with weathering to follow. Also starting on the bench is a Slaters D14 Brake 3rd. The bogies were done up a few months ago amidst soldering on the two WEP vans. And the body has started to take shape now. The interior is "done" as suggested by the instructions. The only improvement I may make is to add netting to the luggage racks if I encounter a suitable material. Finally, I have in hand a Scorpio Star. Once a few extra details arrive, and I finish the Brake 3rd, I'll eagerly dig into that. It's going to be quite the project! More soon, -Zach

That's some nicely done weathering John. I know we've talked about airbrushes elsewhere, and that little hand held guy seems to be just the right thing to try out. Thanks for the recommendation. The paper headcode panels on the 20 are also very nice. Excel/Word/Powerpoint can quite handy for headcodes and destination signs. -Zach

An airbrush is definitely on the list. In fact I have someone building a spray booth for one at the moment, so hopefully I'll add one to the arsenal soonish. I did notice the lack of brake gear on the Toad outside of brake shoes. At the moment I'm going to leave it be, but am not above trying to add it later if I get brave. Thanks, Zach

Hi John, That's a neat looking Pannier, the weathering is quite effective. You would be correct in noting that I didn't mention an air brush, mainly because I don't have one yet. I started with a brown/black acrylic wash on my Pannier, then moved to combinations of black, grey, and brown powders to finish. I feel like the undercarriage of mine needs a bit more, particularly around the brake blocks and rods. At some point I do hope to get an airbrush, and will incorporate that into weathering. In other news a Peco Toad has materialized on my desk (absolutely dwarfed by the tram). It's assembled and will be painted this weekend. The WEP Fruit C has also begun, as evidenced below. More soon, -Zach

The London Transport distraction is now complete. The car has been finished as E/3 1946 signed for Route 33 through the Kingsway Subway, as it appeared in the early 1950's. There's a number of GWR items that now need some attention. A Peco Toad, another WEP van, a Slaters Clerestory Brake 3rd, weathering the 48xx and Autocoaches, lots to do! More soon, -Zach

Thanks for the explanation, Ken. The mixture of superglue and solder from the back depending on the particular casting explains it. In the past, I've had mixed results with soldering. I do about what you do, but probably use way too much low melt solder. The casting doesn't go anywhere after being secured to the puddle of low melt solder, but a lot of cleanup is necessary. Your methods are on the whole much cleaner. I'll have to try some of that on the next kit I do. -Zach

Hi Ken, Your attachment of whitemetal castings to the brass is always so clean and neat. How do you prefer to secure them? Are they soldered from the back or is it done by some other method? Thanks, Zach

Things have been quiet recently, as Spring comes around. One item on my bench occupying some time has been a Terry Russell 7mm Tram, particularly a London Transport E/3. It is mostly painted now, and I'll soon be able to assemble it. One neat trick I figured out was to print a sample of seat fabric (courtesy of the London Transport Museum) at the proper scale, and then cut/glue it into place. On the GWR front, I took the plunge and weathered my Dapol 5700 today, and I think it's come out alright. Some tweaking is needed, particularly adding more grime to the chassis. This was a black/brown wash, followed by a variety of powders in blacks and browns. Some real coal in the bunker and some spilled water on the tank (borrowed from Ade) finished it off. I still need to get some lamps and crew. More soon, -Zach

That's a real nice job you've done on the Cordon Ade. How have you found the WEP kit? For my part I had no complaints about the WEP Mica X4, it all went together well. I do agree that the buffers and couplings would be a nice upgrade. -Zach

Groveport, Ohio (south of Columbus) has deliberately left in-situ approximately 1/3 mile of track in Blacklick Street, as part of a historic district. The rails once belonged to the Scioto Valley Traction Company, an Interurban Railway in central Ohio.

After working on and off on it, I finished the major construction on the Mica. As it happens, I took what you suggested John, and the ice hatches were applied with a relatively hot iron. On to the second WEP van, a Fruit C. I'll probably spend a bit of time cleaning the Mica, but will probably paint the two at the same time. I do probably need to address the creases in the roof as has been discussed earlier. More soon, Zach

I’ve shared this in another thread on the topic before, but it’s worth repeating here. Here’s a site which documents very well the brief history of American Flyer 3/16” scale trains on O gauge track. https://gilbertogauge.blogspot.com/?m=1 -Zach

Thanks John. I’ve soldered 80%-90% of the white metal pieces on what I’ve built before, and I’ve only evaporated one or two bits (some more fragile pieces on the siphon). There was even one piece in the cab of the O2 where I was particularly brave and melted/melded it into the brass heated with the iron on high with no ill effects. All these pieces will be attempted to solder first before resorting to glue. I’m just giving as little chance as possible for the iron set on high to accidentally vaporize anything in the meantime. Zach

Wow, I step away for a few days and I come back to a burst of activity! Many thanks to those who have discovered this thread and passed on good wishes, It is very much appreciated. With regards to the Connoisseur kits, the work in all three pages here, as well as the testimonies by others should speak to their quality. John had the right idea, that you don't need much to get started building, and can keep adding on gradually to your tool supply kit. I've done all these brass kits with a Weller 40W iron and 145 degree solder (70 degree and a separate iron tip for the whitemetal). Jim McGeown of Connoisseur has a great Q&A section on his website, and among other items he addresses what tools are necessary, and which may be nice to have. Question 12 if you're interested here: http://www.jimmcgeown.com/Questions.html I also recommend starting simple with whatever you choose. The Loriot on page 1 of this thread was my choice, and I don't regret it. With respect to the WEP Mica, it soldiers on. All the brasswork on the body is done, and the running gear has been started. Contrary to the instructions, I'm going to put off the whitemetal bits as late as practical for less risk of evaporating them with the hot(ter) iron. Thanks and more soon. Zach

Personally I've not heard of such a case. It almost seems counter intuitive if you're mixing tramway and standard rail stock. If you can afford to be mixing the two, you might as well build to the larger clearances. The weight may come into play with some larger EMU's, but I would be more concerned with curve radius and other clearances. Tramways can get pretty tight, and you'd probably find that your converted stock is captive where it cannot physically fit. For comparison, the Chicago L has a standard minimum radius of 90 ft, and New York 95 ft. The tightest curve we have at IRM is 50 ft into one end of a barn. Most all streetcars fit there, but it starts getting more restrictive with some of the Interurbans and Rapid Transit cars. What's the minimum radius for say a 2-BIL? On the subject of heritage electric operations abroad and elsewhere, one I discovered recently was the Ferrymead Heritage Park in New Zealand. They have a short operation where they run a few 1500v DC electric locomotives and EMU's, in addition to a tramway and trolley buses, in a larger park setting similar to Beamish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TclUb4PUhew -Zach