Atso

Glue??? Soldering iron!!!! Thank you very much.

Thank you both. Kris, I guess it depends if you're going to put an etched chassis under the Peco kit or not...

Today's progress on the Prestwin

The Prestwin has progressed a bit further today. Unfortunately, I had to spend an hour unpicking some silly mistakes but it is experience I'll remember for the next build. The basic chassis sub-assembly. The underside, showing the brake gubbins. The final two photographs showing the resin tanks epoxied to the chassis and the platform add. Next up is the pipework (I'm not looking forward to this bit!).

I'll tell you what Grahame, I'll give you a lesson on soldering etched kits if you give me a lesson on how you build those exquisite buildings.

I tend to view rolling stock as the "supporting cast" to the locomotives; they complete a scene, but are not necessarily the star attraction (I appreciate that not everyone will agree with me). That said if I can find a correct number, I will use it. However, it becomes difficult when you are building multiples of the same design and can only locate one or two clear photographs of prototypes. As very little will be left standing on display on my layout, and also factoring in the scale, I don't think that many will noticed the incorrect numbers. I also like to try and model correct vehicles (and formations) for my chosen modelling period; I've found that, by covering a seven year period, this is nowhere near as straight forward as I first thought...

I assume you're referring to my hammer and nails style of modelling!

I managed to get a couple of hours in on the Prestwin this afternoon - with much reading and re-reading of the instructions (for a change!). This is where I've gotten to. The tanks are temporarily placed onto the chassis for effect.

Thanks Jerry, that is a bit of a confidence boost. Where are all these "shake the box" kits I hear people talking about?

Isn't that all any of us do???

Thanks Dave, that means a lot coming from such a great modeller! One that dropped on the doormat yesterday with a request to be built for a fellow N gauge modeller. The 2mm Association kit for a Prestwin. Two of these need to be build and, having been looking a pictures of the prototype, I'm left wondering what I've let myself in for!

The Toad E is awaiting roof detailing, vac pipes and a few little bits and pieces but is otherwise complete. I've had an unusual wagon (for me anyway) drop on my doorstep as a commission build. The 2mm Association Prestwin kit. This is to be built for use on an N gauge layout and I'm now busy studying the photographs on Paul Bartlett's site. It looks to be a comprehensive kit and I've got two to build!

I generally do what Jerry does and not worry too much about the numbers on my N gauge rolling stock; although this is often because I have insufficient know prototype numbers as it is because they can't be seen. Apologies for the GWR Loriot K masquerading as an ex-NER MAC. In the case of the open and mineral wagons, now that these have been weathered, the numbers are also illegible anyway! Finally, I've nearly completed the Toad E build. I've taken a leisurely pace on this one with the total time being around nine hours. If I was building to commission, I could probably do this within a day, but as I said earlier, who would pay a going rate for a brake van?

Other than vac pipes, roof fittings and couplings, I'm calling this one completed.

I don't know what the Dapol A3/A4, Britannia and Hall chassis plates are made out of (not brass for sure) but they take solder very well. All the Farish steam locomotive chassis I have are almost certainly Zamak (similar to but more common that Mazak) alloy and, but comparison, is unsurprisingly not a great alloy to try and solder.

Some further progress on the Toad E. With the second of these builds nearing completion, I'm very tempted to get hold of the BR Dia 1/506 brake van etches next and backdate it into a 1930's LNER build of the Toad D with steel end platforms. Sadly, the Farish version of the Toad E has concrete ends represented. I figure it'll probably be easier to adapt the etched version than convert the Farish one.

Excellent work Tim. I can see that I'm going to have my work cut out for me when I get my hands on one of these!

An interesting discussion on rates and time taken to build items. I'm nowhere near the same league as Tony, Mike, Jerry, etc but I'd normally ask for £15 per hour for CAD time or builds - usually following by "how much" from the prospective customer! I've spent around five or six hours so far assembling a 2mm Association Toad E kit for myself. Would somebody pay £75 to £90 for a 2mm scale wagon? Here it is, in need of a good cleanup before I progress any further. To be fair, this has been a slightly leisurely build.

The basic body has now been completed and attached to the frames. I think now is a good time for a jolly good clean up and scrub before I progress with adding the remaining details.

A bit of work this morning has seen the axle boxes, sole bar gusset plates and footboards assembled and added onto the basic chassis. Next will be the brake assemblies and then I can turn my attention to the body.

I'm really trying to repaint and line a Dapol A3 corridor tender but it is too hot in the shed at the moment to continue with that project. Therefore, I've moved down to the dining room table and started to build my second Toad E kit.

It's been far too hot in the shed the last couple of days to continue painting and lining the spare Dapol corridor tender. Therefore, I've grabbed my work tray and a few bits and de-camped down into the dining room and made a start on my second 2mm Association Toad E etched kit. The basic chassis has been built but there are a lot of details to add to this before I turn my attention to the body. Despite the kit being drawing to 2mm scale, it is actually slightly longer than the venerable Peco version and the first one runs well using Farish wheels and 2mm Association conversion axles.

A question for Andy and Phil; is there any chance that you would consider another round of this competition? While I didn't finish my entry in time, I found reading the other threads inspiring.

Spearmint's tender body got a coat of matt black over the Doncaster Green today using my airbrush. I masked the green using a mixture of Tamiya masking tape and Humbrol Maskol. I'll give the whole lot a coat of Ronseal gloss varnish (it does exactly what it says on the tin!) before turning my attention to lining it out. The lining will be a little more difficult than normal as I'll be trying to match the finish of the Dapol factory applied livery of the locomotive body as closely as possible.

Unfortunately, I have no need of diesels on my layout. Therefore, may I offer a couple more of my Gresley Pacifics that have been rescued/repaired and assembled from various spares and altered into locomotives useful to me please? Both are very much works in progress. A1 2568, Sceptre. A3 2796, Spearmint (or rather, it will be!).