RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted February 25, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 25, 2020 Very nice 73 ! Have fun and the bridge does look very good. I have a Bset about to go to the painting stage and two Blue Pullman driving vehicles laid out for soldering up, but not tonight ! Robert 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NCB Posted February 25, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 25, 2020 Coming on nicely Pete. I've just managed to pour some Slater's Mekpak over my track. Not sure what the effect will be. In trying to dab it off some chairs look a bit squashed ... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
whart57 Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 I suppose I should admit it, but my 3mm workbench is currently a 7mm NG workbench. Still the track is still 14.2mm gauge. Should be 14mm (exact scale for 2 foot gauge) but in view of the tight curves - corners more like, 95mm radius! - I thought the extra 0.2mm gauge widening might be good. And so it has proved 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NCB Posted February 29, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 29, 2020 Looks like two of my turnouts are firmly stuck, after splashing the Mekpak. Doh! Can't see what the problem is. Pretty sure it's not the rails. The tiebar seems to be stuck, but as it's made from a copper-clad sleeper I can't see why Mekpak would affect it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
whart57 Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 How old is the Mekpak, and how much have you used? If it's been used a lot then you will have been adding plastikard to it dissolved in the chemical via the brush. Old Mekpak often looks cloudy for that reason. So your tie bars may be stuck by this goo rather than the Mekpak working on materials it wouldn't work on if you wanted it to. If that sounds a possibility then soaking in fresh new Mekpak might work. Bit risky though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NCB Posted March 1, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 1, 2020 Took a look; the Mekpak is pretty cloudy so that could well be the reason. Think I'll have to partially dismantle the turnouts. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NCB Posted March 9, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 9, 2020 Think I have it sorted. By easing the chairs off the timbers at the toe end of the turnout I managed to get the tie-bars to move. After many sessions of waggling things and experimenting with throw of the Tortoise motors I have managed to get the points to operate reasonably consistently. I'll leave it at that at the moment. If I find it's not up to scratch later on I may replace the Tortoises with something with a bit more oomph! Time to return to the scenery! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NCB Posted March 15, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 15, 2020 Coping stones added to walls. Slope up to the road added; this consists of David's aluminium mesh as used in car body repairs, supported by the odd piece of foam board. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4109 Posted March 21, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 21, 2020 I'm tempted to start a new layout thread but feel it's not worthwhile yet as I'm only just building the baseboards. I've bought 2 laser-cut boards from Grainge and Hodder. They came to my attention at the recent Stafford show and having been put off by other makes which were way too heavy and somewhat over-engineered for this small scale I was immediately taken by this range. I've had mine made to custom dimensions purely because I have an existing layout cradle in my workshop and also that although Grainge and Hodder do traversers etc I wanted to do one to fit my requirements. Besides, the exact alignment of tracks entering it will only be determined once construction of the layout commences. As a consequence of this one boards is 5mm lower than the rest. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4109 Posted March 21, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 21, 2020 (edited) Also on the workbench (although not at the same time as the baseboards ) is this GW Diag A31 autotrailer. The 3mm Society kit dates from way back in 1974 when the late Stewart Hine came up with the etches. This was back in the early days of etched-kit technology and things have come on a long way since then. This is not criticism of Stewart's excellent work but merely pointing out that things evolve and the kit was very much state-of-the-art in it's day. Whoever did the etches though didn't clean off the acid sufficiently and these kits are often found with tiny holes in the roof. Thankfully this one wasn't too bad and I didn't use the roof anyway, opting to use an extruded aluminium one from Worsley Works. The roof profile is therefore slightly out but is far better than my efforts had I tried to form the very flimsy etched one supplied. As other's have reported, parts of the kit are a bit of a pig, I'm used to the logic of building coaches the Comet/Worsley way with the roof being firmly attached to the body and this folds up from the floor. Here's a shot of the etch partly cleaned. The whole etch consumed 3 scratch brush refills! It now looks like this. Quite some way to go with a couple of gaps to be filled and other delicate bits like stirrup steps to be added after painting. Edited March 21, 2020 by 4109 1 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted March 21, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 21, 2020 4109, That looks really good and gives me hope as I too have a flatpack! - unless you fancy making it ? The Al roof is inspired and does look the part. As a rail motor it might be a bridge too far !! Thanks for showing Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodshaw Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 What I have half a mind to do if I can summon up the parts and the determination is to upgrade this rather nice looking Tri-ang DMU I bought some years ago to modern standards including all-wheel pickup from the driving car, DCC and possibly sound. Can anyone suggest a suitable replacement for the drive and wheels? 3SMR have lots of motor bogies on their website but they seem to be all sold out. I'd consider rejoining the 3mm Society if they had the parts. I do have some dual-shafted can motors I've successfully used to motorise a couple of American TT locos and I could probably get hold of some suitable cardans but the bogies and wheels I used for those wouldn't really be suitable. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4109 Posted March 21, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 21, 2020 Hello Rod, Go straight to the manufacturer on https://shop.ferro-train.com/hallingShop/ Their mail order is great and you can do a transfer from your bank. You'll also get it cheaper going straight to them rather than through the other shop. Bob 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodshaw Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 Many thanks, I'll have a happy time browsing! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4109 Posted March 21, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 21, 2020 5 hours ago, Robert Shrives said: 4109, That looks really good and gives me hope as I too have a flatpack! - unless you fancy making it ? Thanks Robert but I'd rather not see one of these kits again....didn't do much for my sanity 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NCB Posted March 28, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 28, 2020 I've reached a stop on the layout; I need more materials currently not easy to obtain. Here's the state: I've coated the mesh with Woodland Scenics Mold-a-Scene Plaster. Not too impressed; I find it a bit coarse for working, so I'm going to finish off with Polyfiller or similar. The fencing is Peco 4mm 4-bar fencing with the bottom bar removed. So, I'll give this a rest and get back to some rolling stock modelling, much more my thing. Nigel 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted April 3, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 3, 2020 Hi Well in a state of post work excitement last night I built a D63xx Worsley works chassis , today it got 3D print buffers and now the body is 80% done. I made up the end screw down fittings and with a scrap of fag paper between it and chassis screwed it up tight and fitted the end sandwich of 5 layers of body. Sorted height to allow side to fit correctly in relation to the underframe and with both ends now fitted offered up the bodyshell which is preformed. Alight bulb moment occurred and I used a splitting disc to make two cuts along the roof giving about 6mm of side attached to side to stiffen it. And built the body like a coach kit - all done in about 20 minutes. Windscreens added both ends and cab roof curved to shape - across bodywidth very close with 0.5mm taken off to get it to fit. I can now add the central roof overlay by seam soldering rather than sweating it on and then cut and fit a bit of roof back in between cab dome and the central overlay perhaps two 15mm sections of the old roof required. I do need to sort a camera as we all like photos . Stopped for coffee and sticky bun in 12" to foot scale and watch the folk wandering about my bit of sunny Brum! Thought it would be good to add something here. Robert 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted April 3, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 3, 2020 Hi all, What I should add - Has any soul got any CBR169 Bruce Hoyle BR coach roof vents as I have run out and the shop before closure was oos. The Royal mail coaches I started a few months ago have now progressed to roof detail stage, and of course no more ! Cheers Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NCB Posted April 6, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 6, 2020 Having put work on the layout to one side at the moment, I've returned to building rolling stock. My main interests currently are 1930's GWR, but I have a developing interest in pre-grouping, 1st decade of the 20th century, and Cambrian Railways in particular; I've long had a Cambrian interest, dating back to pre 3mm days when I built a few things in 4mm. I've not yet firm plans for developing this, but am building rolling-stock when the opportunity arises. A couple of years ago I built a pair of Cambrian 2-plank fixed-side wagons, using Coast Line Models 3D printed body shells, buffers and axlebox/spring units, together with my own etched chasses. I got as far as painting them in undercoat using Precision General Purpose Primer, seen here: So, time to finish them. Cambrian wagon colour is variously described as light grey, medium light grey or medium grey. I think the light grey sometimes used on models is too light. I've been using LNER wagon grey. In earlier models I've used the Precision version, but have been wondering if it's a tad too dark, so decided this time to use Railmatch, which is just a bit lighter. So far I've covered all the outside of the body in this, and painted the chassis using Precision weathered black, which I rather like. Here's the current stage: 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NCB Posted April 12, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 12, 2020 Painting more or less complete: The ironwork on the body has been picked out in black. I shoved some Tamiya masking tape along the side of each bit of strapping, which made it easy to get a straight line and the right thickness. I painted the interior with Precision weathered wood. Not too happy with this; for a start it's a bit darker than I'd like. Also, the floor has ended up with some sticky patches; I did wash the bodies pretty well but I'm wondering if I've left some crud from the printing process. Still thinking about this. Main things needed are applying transfers and adding couplings. Nigel 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NCB Posted April 23, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 23, 2020 Wagons done. Maybe slightly scruffier than I intended; it's possible the 3D prints needed a more thorough washing. Now I can get on with the next project! Nigel 8 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
whart57 Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 I'm doing some scenic work on my Maenamburi layout, aka Thailand 2006-2010. To get the feel of Thailand there will be a wat or temple near the tracks - as there is at Thonburi, Bangkok - and that means some interesting exercises with Plastikard. The main body of this chedi is 3D printed but the plinth is scratchbuilt. The attached pictures show the unpainted model as well as the real one it is based on. 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted April 23, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 23, 2020 That looks fun to build and weather , will you model the horrific overhead spans as well! I have just painted a Worsley works 74 in rail blue on yellow and now to leave a week or so and add grey roof. Also primed 5 other diesel bodies and shells for a Tadpole.- this will be a dull as ditch water in plain green and grey roof, only relieved with numbers and a fun load of conduit on the roof... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 @NCB I love those wagons, very nice! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 On 23/04/2020 at 22:27, Robert Shrives said: That looks fun to build and weather , will you model the horrific overhead spans as well! I have just painted a Worsley works 74 in rail blue on yellow and now to leave a week or so and add grey roof. Also primed 5 other diesel bodies and shells for a Tadpole.- this will be a dull as ditch water in plain green and grey roof, only relieved with numbers and a fun load of conduit on the roof... Wot, no photos? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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