chaz

I was trying today to get back into modelling after one of those periods that affect all modellers from time to time. Feeling that I really must do some modelling I looked around for an icebreaker. This wagon had a broken tie-rod between the axle guards which meant I have never run it on Dock Green. I decided to sort it out. I had some thin brass strip which was bought for this purpose. Drilling four holes in each one for some brass pins (0.7mm wire) made it easy to fix the ties without any risk of them falling off - the area of the glue joints is very small. I blackened the brass with Casey's (I don't rate the Carr's product which I find very inferior). Before I pushed the rods fully home I put a little superglue on the back - the glue only has to stop them sliding out, the wire pins make them very secure. Looking at the wagon with its new metal tie-rods in place I reflected that it needed a more convincing weathering job - for a coal wagon it was just too clean. I was happy with the interior. it was painted with Humbrol "Metalcote - steel" which was polished when dry and then had rust colours dry-brushed over the top. I did add some rust coloured weathering powders around the edges - it's worth remembering that the bare steel would corrode rapidly when exposed to wet coal which releases some very corrosive substances. I wanted the wagon to look fairly new without the heavy rusting that characterised older steel opens. I used Humbrol weathering powders, black, smoke, rust and dark earth and DCC Concepts rich rust, but in small amounts applied with a small brush and then spread with a large "mop" brush. My intention was to tone down the BR wagon grey with some grime and hints of rust. The white ends of the brake levers were touched in with DCC Concepts white weathering powder. I like the worn look that gives compared with white paint. For the sake of variety I hope that I can substitute this longer wagon for one of the nine foot wheelbase wood wagons without causing a problem with the length of the coal train. I can't really test for this until I set up the layout at the next show. My fingers are crossed.... Chaz

This wagon has never run on Dock Green as it had broken tie-bars between the axle guards. I am intending that it should run in the coal train at the next show. Follow the 3rd link below to "Some weathering projects" to learn more. Chaz

That's nice. That's nice.

It's really nothing that should cause you any grief - a minor blemish on an otherwise good picture. I couldn't resist pulling your leg though....

OK. On my Mac the sky is a very pale grey and the dodgy bit of retouching is white with some grey freckles.

Aarg - A3 buzzed by peanut-shaped UFO. Panic in Peterborough! The glue I was thinking of is Tacky Wax - I have not used it myself, but Richard's post above suggests that it wouldn't work so well.

There is a gluey "stuff" which is similar to the adhesive used on Post-it notes that might solve your carriage boards problem. I can't remember what it's called but someone else will know.... Should make them stick temporarily without leaving a mark or residue when you remove them. Chaz

Glad you're pleased. Do come and say hello. I am always happy to chat (after handing over the handset to another team member). Chaz

Well, yes. It's a much used device by American modellers. Example - hiding one under some trees where a road "disappears" into the backscene prevents the dark-tunnel effect. Chaz

Photoshop would extend the bridge with considerably less effort and mess or a mirror placed temporarily might do the job. Reflect? Chaz

Dock Green will be at two shows in March. We will be at the Romsey show on the 2nd/3rd and at the one-day show in Abingdon (near Oxford) on the 16th. I will post details of the venues in the new year. Chaz

OH Golly! If I had known how long this camber-chat would rumble on I would have kept my big mouth shut. Please stop now, I promise to be good in future.......

I finally got Decoder Pro and SPROG to talk to the Economi decoder in #25 (a Bachmann ten-wheeler) after installing the latest version of Decoder Pro. After resetting the chip to factory defaults I spent an enjoyable hour or so setting the top speed, acceleration and deceleration rates and the various sound volumes. next step is to to move the loco from the programming track to the layout and see how well the settings work in traffic. As I don't intend to make any changes to the detailing of this locomotive apart from some more convincing coal on the tender and a crew this would seem to be a prime candidate for my next weathering project. When I do the weathering I will post a note here and you can use the link below to jump to my weathering projects topic. Chaz

I will put my hands up to being the toe-rag who made the comment about camber. I don't think I can agree with you though - the angle that the parked red car is sitting suggests a significant camber. I have camber on the roads that cross Dock Green yard and although they don't really show that much they don't shout "FLAT - nothing like a road!" at me every time I see them. Of course it could be argued that such a detail is so tiny a part of GN's model that he really doesn't care - after all it is his layout! Chaz

Yes it is Heather. At Peterborough several of the more knowledgable visitors noticed the motion between the frames, I saw several nudges from friend to friend and appreciative smiles. I'm not sure it isn't more worthwhile than the missing sounds (interestingly they cost much the same to add to a model). The loco will be as permanent a fixture on the layout as the tank engines. I have to thank you and Paul for making such a good job of the model. Chaz

There was a fair amount of grimy paint applied over the red which largely vanished after some abortive attempts to run-in the mechanism with Brasso, which was removed with IPA. There is oil there of course. I have to agree with you, watching the inside motion is a real pleasure. Chaz

Aah, the old nature or nurture poser. The jury is out on that one and, I suspect, will remain so. As an ex-teacher I should be firmly in the nurture camp (any of the skills involved in modelling can be acquired with teaching and practice) however casting my mind back to classrooms and pupils I have known I would have to add one caveat. A prerequisite would be a desire to learn and a willingness to put in the work required. As an aside I did come across a truly awful example of weathering on this forum yesterday (no names - no pack drill) which made me wince and move hurriedly on. It would be rank bad manners to tell the modeller so one keeps mum. Chaz

Totally freelance Ernie, as indeed is the chaining. The size of the crate was chosen to justify loading it on as Lowmac. With hindsight I suspect that there should be more chains to make the load safe, one at each corner to the nearest ring? However this task is right at the bottom of a very long list....DHYB! Chaz

As do I.... plenty of time before the show? Well, maybe but I do have to confirm a.s.a.p. to make the show organiser's life easier! Chaz

The last photos from Peterborough, all of them featuring the J6. That's the lot for now. I will post more when I get the chance to shoot some, maybe in March.... Chaz

Thanks for asking, however I can't divulge the details until the team has been formed. Without enough operators we don't go. As soon as I get three people to agree to go I will post the information - so far I have two... Chaz

Enough of this merry banter, let's have a few more snaps... Nobody would take such a photo in steam days. The J6 appears in most of the photos I shot on Sunday - inevitable really as it spent the day as yard pilot. Here it peeps into a snap of one of the ex-SR vans. Pictures taken from the operators' side often have awful backgrounds. A "nothing much happening" shot - probably what you would see from one of the bridges looking down on the yard. I really ought to treat the bridge girders to a dose of weathering powders - maybe before our next outing in March... Chaz

Wot! No camber? Doesn't look much like a road.... sorry, just one of my pet hates.

At least the colour would be an improvement on what my late father used to call Swindon Khaki.

They got everywhere, but no problem - the vans were much more attractive than the locomotives....