Bilton Junction

[Jon4470]

Lining work in progress....

 

I’ve started with the buffer beams. These were lined white (during the week) and black (this morning). The, very cruel, close up below shows the front buffer beam. The white isn’t perfect - particularly the left hand curve. Also the black didn’t quite touch the white in places. I touched that in quickly after the photo...and while the black was still wet!

 

 

 

A more natural and realistic sized photo shows that the imperfections are a lot less noticeable (well I think so😀)

 

 

When the black is dry I will touch in the white lining to fix those problems.

 

Then it will be time to do he other buffer beam.

 

Now I’m off to try and fashion a 4mm kettle.......

 

Jon

[Jon4470]

I had a go at making a kettle. I used 2mm plastic rod for the kettle and copper wire for the handle and spout.

 

Here it is in situ (with a blob of blutack to hold it in place)

 

 

Here it is in detail

 

 

I tried to shape the plastic rod using a file and a dremel. The body is quite rough as a result so I might try just using plain rod....I don’t think the slight taper on the kettle will be noticeable!

 

No stress though.....it’s just a bit of fun🙂

Edited May 7, 2022 by Jon4470
Gibberish

[Chas Levin]

Love the kettle Jon, and fully sympathise with the lining stress - or PLSD (Post Lining Stress Disorder) - as it should be known, whereby we obsess over unnaturally enlarged photos that reveal detail neither we nor anyone else will ever see again...

[Jon4470]

I think I’ve got to the point where I will declare Barber finished. I’ll re-visit in a few weeks to correct a few thing s when I have fresh eyes.

 

The following photos show the loco warts and all......some wobbly handrails on the right of the cab, some over heavy lining etc. Overall though I’m happy with it......and it runs well😀. I’ve experimented with oil paints for the weathering having watched a few You Tube vids from AFV modellers. I’ve tried for a lightly weathered look using pin washes, streaks and dry brushing.

 

And I need to fix the kettle in place 😄

 

Photos in next post.....trouble uploading!

 

 

[Jon4470]

 

 

 

[Chas Levin]

Gorgeous little loco Jon, well done!

[Jon4470]

While I was working on Barber (which, truth be told, sort of intervened in my plans...in a nice way🙂) I made steady progress on my other projects.

 

The D20 is now lined and numbered. The next stage is some, gentle weathering.

 

 

I have also started glazing the BFK. This is happening quite quickly because I fitted double sided tape when I was building the carriage. So glazing is...cut clear plastic to size, peel off protective layer on tape and press down. No danger of glue getting on the glazing. Just the top lights left to glaze on this side.

 

 

Jon

Edited May 19, 2022 by Jon4470
To add photo

[Jon4470]

Some of the transfers on the D20 were completely “dry”......not sticky at all (they are meant to be methfix). So I used this stuff:

 

 

First time I used this. Just paint on the back of the transfer and leave to dry. Then use as normal using the meths to activate the French polish. Worked a treat and the transfers were usable.

 

Jon

 

 

[Jon4470]

Since my last post I have added the transfers to the BFK.......until I discovered that I had no more “Guard” transfers in stock! I’ve ordered, and now received, more transfers so I can continue..........

 

In the mean time I started on another carriage for the Northern Belle. This is the saloon number 46. In addition to the Northern Belle it was used in royal trains - including the funeral train for King George V. This is a unique vehicle, and a few years ago I sourced a kit from Bill Bedford.

 

The carriage had a central saloon sandwiched between a first class compartment and a third class compartment. Just to add to the (modelling) interest the compartment ends were narrower than the saloon. Now, that means that there is no continuous side to the carriage......so I will build the body in sections. First up, the saloon:

 

 

THat was straightforward because there are two partitions between the sides thus forming a nice box.

 

The third class end looks like this

 

 

Again, there are two partitions..........so why do I only have one side built up?The reason - the other side is wrong on the kit!

 

This is the drawing of the other side

 

 

This is what is supplied in the kit

 

 

The right hand doors are the wrong way round....the glazed door should be at the end.

 

I pondered what to do for a few days (including the inevitable - why bother with anything because no one will know?) ....until last night. Then, I realised that I just needed to swap the top half of each door.....so now the side looks like this

 

 

Next step is to form the turn under and fit to the other side. Then I will have two sections to join up.

 

Jon

 

 

 

[Chas Levin]

Very nice work on the D20 and the BFK Jon - and very interested in your activating of French Polish for transfer adhesion, which I shall be trying out too!

Saloon 46 looks like a nice project...

Edited June 3, 2022 by Chas Levin

[Jon4470]

The saloon is progressing, and is now starting to look like a carriage🙂

 

 

There was quite a lot of fiddling and fettling required to get the sides straight…..in all three planes!

 

This time I built the roof off the model. Careful measurement was required to ensure that the domed end castings plus aluminium centre section actually fitted the body! Doing it this way meant that the filling and filing was much easier. It was also easier to get the gutters aligned correctly.

 

 

And the body shell is like this

 

 

 

I will glue the roof onto the body shell when I have finished work on both components. I may even paint the body shell before fixing the roof - might make the teaking a little bit easier.

 

Next job is to finish off the under frame ….. and to order some bogies.

 

Jon

[Chas Levin]

Nice job Jon! I'm not surprised you had some work to do in getting the sides in order, they're considerably more complex than the usual single straight length, aren't they?

Very nice carriage though, unusual...

[Jon4470]

Ready for the paint shop now!

 

 

And the other side

 

 

I don’t think it looks like much has progressed since the last post!

 

The underframe is now complete, except for the bogies that I haven’t ordered yet. The roof details are all in place as well. 
 

The carriage is still in 3 large components- underframe, body and roof. The roof will be attached to the body after I have fitted the double sided tape that will hold the glazing in position.

 

Jon

 

 

[Jon4470]

The primer went on yesterday and I now need to inspect thoroughly and fill as necessary.

 

Thoughts have also turned to the next carriage. I planned to make the second of the First Open carriages that ran in the Northern Belle. Last night I started on the order for all the bits I needed (along with the bogies for the saloon). At that point the MJT site told me that the underframe etches are out of stock……… on to plan B…….Plan B is the other carriage that I need to complete the Northern Belle - the D45 all steel BG. I think that I have all the bits for that kit…..so it will keep me occupied until the floor is back in stock at MJT🙂

[Jon4470]

I also appear to have got a liking for exGNR saloons.

 

I acquired this via eBay 

 

Apparently these were hired out for party bookings (works outings, football etc)……so I figure that Leeds or Bradford could be playing  Newcastle or Middlesbrough …..enough of an excuse (I think) to attach this saloon to a train on the Leeds Northern.(I’m hoping that those teams might have met each other in the 1930s….apologies to football fans for my lack of knowledge)

 

The kit is quite old and very tarnished:

 

 

It also included some of these🙂

 

 

 

So, now I’ll be able to finish off my current project!

 

Jon

 

 

PS The tarnish does come off the etches, I’ve cleaned one piece up just to make sure!

 

 

 

 

[Chas Levin]

Morning Jon, best thing for that tarnish I in my experience is tomoto ketchup. Get a shallow bowl or tray - large enough for the etch to lie flat in - and spread a thick layer of Heinz' best in the tray, place the etch fully into that layer and spread another layer on top, leave it for a few minutes, take it out with tongs )so you can leave the ketchup there in case it needs a second go or you want to do another etch) and rinse it off under the tap. The (relatively) mild acidity of the Ketchup is perfect for what's effectively a very light -re-etching job...

(Please excuse me if you knew this already...)

[Jon4470]

1 hour ago, Chas Levin said:

Morning Jon, best thing for that tarnish I in my experience is tomoto ketchup. Get a shallow bowl or tray - large enough for the etch to lie flat in - and spread a thick layer of Heinz' best in the tray, place the etch fully into that layer and spread another layer on top, leave it for a few minutes, take it out with tongs )so you can leave the ketchup there in case it needs a second go or you want to do another etch) and rinse it off under the tap. The (relatively) mild acidity of the Ketchup is perfect for what's effectively a very light -re-etching job...

(Please excuse me if you knew this already...)

Thanks for the tip - I’d not heard that one before. I’m guessing there must be some vinegar in the ketchup.

 

I might get some funny looks from the family, though, if I take the ketchup bottle off to the work bench……..😀

[Chas Levin]

It works ever so well - I've used it for exactly what you have there, old etches with a lot of tarnish. But yes, I did have to explain to my wife what on earth I was doing... Some people also recommend Coca-Cola but others say the enormous amount of sugar in it makes it far more sticky and consequently harder to wash off easily; I can confirm that Heinz TK washes of with perfect ease 🍅.

[Jon4470]

I had to give the Ketchup (as recommended by @Chas Levin) a try!

 

The top end piece was cleaned with a fibre glass pen and elbow grease. The lower end piece (and some of the surrounding etch) has a coat of Heinz TK…..for about 2 minutes!

 

 

I’m amazed by how much tarnish was removed so quickly.

 

The only downside that I can see…..was the smell……I had an instant craving for some chips😀

 

[teaky]

Whilst you're operating the RMweb etch cleaning proving laboratory, I don't suppose you have any vinegar to test on another part of the etch do you?  I'm guessing that would be even easier to rinse off.

 

White vinegar is my first choice for household cleaning and, as well as being environmentally friendly, it is very cheap.

 

Depending on which kind of vinegar is to hand this may or may not help with your chip craving.

[Jon4470]

1 hour ago, teaky said:

Whilst you're operating the RMweb etch cleaning proving laboratory, I don't suppose you have any vinegar to test on another part of the etch do you?  I'm guessing that would be even easier to rinse off.

 

White vinegar is my first choice for household cleaning and, as well as being environmentally friendly, it is very cheap.

 

Depending on which kind of vinegar is to hand this may or may not help with your chip craving.

Thats a good idea, I’ll see what I can find- vinegar, lemon juice, …….

 

[Jon4470]

As requested by @teaky……

 

I tried white wine vinegar, lemon juice and CIF. In each case I just brushed on the liquid (on the carriage sides) and left it for 4-5 minutes…..no brushing or scrubbing allowed.🙂

 

The results:

 

A = the original fibre glass pen

B = the ketchup

C = white wine vinegar

D = lemon juice

the area circled was where the CIF went

 

The CIF wasn’t effective really….if I had started to scrub it, then I Think that would make a difference.

 

The lemon juice seems a bit better than the vinegar … although both struggle with the half etched panels.

 

The advantage that the ketchup has was immediately apparent….it is a thick paste and not a liquid. Therefore it sticks to the brass and, I think, this makes it the most effective. If I had submerged the etch in vinegar or lemon juice then they might match the ketchup.

 

The ketchup wins on ease of use. There is no need for containers etc…just squirt it on and spread around. Place on a piece of paper and the wash off.

 

Best smell? For me, the lemon juice😀

 

Interesting little experiment and, whichever chemical is used, it will massively reduce the need for the fibre glass pen!

 

Jon

 

PS. I’m told that our next ketchup will be Tesco own brand….so I will be able to check if all brands work the same😀

 

PPS  It’s made me wonder just what ketchup does to my digestive system!

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by Jon4470
Clarity

[micklner]

Bar Keepers Friend  also works with light scrubbing using a old toothbrush.

Edited July 28, 2022 by micklner

[teaky]

Thanks for conducting the tests Jon.  I wonder if a bottle of ketchup will become a feature of every modeller's toolkit? 😋

[CameronL]

2 hours ago, teaky said:

I wonder if a bottle of ketchup will become a feature of every modeller's toolkit?

Suitably re-labelled as "etch cleaner" so SWMBO doesn't suspect that you're having sneaky bacon butties in the railway room.