Bath Queen Square

[queensquare]

Jerry,

 

I used to use Humbrol "Sanding Sealer" on ply or bass wood on model boats. It has good filling/sealing properties, can be easily applied with a brush, dries clear and is easily sanded to a smooth finish. 

 

Perkins still list their own SS and it is usually available from boat model shops.

 

Jol

Thanks Jol, (note: spell checker tried to change it to Joel, grrrr..) I have some sanding sealer from my furniture making days. It's essentially shellac I think so has a long history of use on card and ply models. I shall give it a try.

 

Jerry

[Oldddudders]

I think it was La Belle, longtime makers of US model railroad kits, who had/have the slogan “Nothing looks as good as wood”. QED.

[queensquare]

With the paint dry I put the lever frames for Bath junction and station losely together this evening. Springs, catches etc to be added another day.

 

I do like a long row of levers!

 

 

Just got to lay the track, fit point motors and wire them up, build the signals ............

 

Jerry

Edited November 29, 2018 by queensquare

[Donw]

With the paint dry I put the lever frames for Bath junction and station losely together this evening. Springs, catches etc to be added another day.

 

I do like a long row of levers!

 

20181129_232759.jpg

 

Just got to lay the track, fit point motors and wire them up, build the signals ............

 

Jerry

 

It wThere is nothing like a lever frame to give the feel of the old steam railways. Nice work Jerry.

 

ps.|Thanks for the Brake van bits.

 

Don

[CarriageShed]

All those who ordered a brake van should either have picked them up or will be getting them through the post very soon so here's the first instalment of the assembly instructions, most of which should be pretty obvious.

 

001.jpg

 

First up is a drawing. This is from the long out of print OPC book on LSWR and SDJR wagons so is strictly for personal use.

 

6Wh Bk3.jpg

More to follow.

 

Jerry 

 

Hi Jerry

 

Rather than queue this up on the workbench I've been tempted into starting work on it straight away. And as usual when you actually do a bit of research before assembling a kit, some questions pop up.

 

I have the OPC book with the diagram, and the left-hand end view has notes which show that an end door was added from about 1922. It doesn't say which units received it so the assumption has to be that it was all of them. So do I cut out a full sized door in half of one end piece (dangerous, as I could end up breaking the entire piece), ignore it completely by saying they only managed to convert a few units (S&D records are notoriously sparse so that would be easy to get away with, especially on a layout that isn't intended for exhibition), or print out a paper door to glue on and hope that it provides enough definition...? Hmm...

 

I also noticed that your assembled model uses No 12, which isn't mentioned as a number that was assigned to this type of brake. Did you work from a photo?

 

And finally, your unit is painted brown. The OPC book states dark grey (probably due to it being old paint that was dirtied and weathered) or possibly light grey (LMS style), but not brown. That's just plain confusing

Edited December 6, 2018 by CarriageShed

[queensquare]

Hi Jerry

 

Rather than queue this up on the workbench I've been tempted into starting work on it straight away. And as usual when you actually do a bit of research before assembling a kit, some questions pop up.

 

I have the OPC book with the diagram, and the left-hand end view has notes which show that an end door was added from about 1922. It doesn't say which units received it so the assumption has to be that it was all of them. So do I cut out a full sized door in half of one end piece (dangerous, as I could end up breaking the entire piece), ignore it completely by saying they only managed to convert a few units (S&D records are notoriously sparse so that would be easy to get away with, especially on a layout that isn't intended for exhibition), or print out a paper door to glue on and hope that it provides enough definition...? Hmm...

 

I also noticed that your assembled model uses No 12, which isn't mentioned as a number that was assigned to this type of brake. Did you work from a photo?

 

And finally, your unit is painted brown. The OPC book states dark grey (probably due to it being old paint that was dirtied and weathered) or possibly light grey (LMS style), but not brown. That's just plain confusing

Glad to here you've made a start. To answer your three questions.

The end doors I've always taken to be the small door incorporated in the kit, not a full height door. I've never seen any photographic evidence for the latter.

 

I can't remember now why I chose number 12 but I never really bother about wagons having the correct number in 2mm. That said, the vans were numbered randomly often taking numbers from older 4 wheel vans on withdrawal.

 

You've got me on the last one, my van is painted dark grey. Are you confusing it with the ballast brakes which are red oxide.

 

Jerry

[woodenhead]

The lever frame looks like it will be bigger than the station

[queensquare]

The lever frame looks like it will be bigger than the station

I've made it a bit over scale to suit my chubby little fingers

 

Jerry

[nick_bastable]

Hi Jerry

 

Rather than queue this up on the workbench I've been tempted into starting work on it straight away. And as usual when you actually do a bit of research before assembling a kit, some questions pop up.

 

I have the OPC book with the diagram, and the left-hand end view has notes which show that an end door was added from about 1922. It doesn't say which units received it so the assumption has to be that it was all of them. So do I cut out a full sized door in half of one end piece (dangerous, as I could end up breaking the entire piece), ignore it completely by saying they only managed to convert a few units (S&D records are notoriously sparse so that would be easy to get away with, especially on a layout that isn't intended for exhibition), or print out a paper door to glue on and hope that it provides enough definition...? Hmm...

 

I also noticed that your assembled model uses No 12, which isn't mentioned as a number that was assigned to this type of brake. Did you work from a photo?

 

And finally, your unit is painted brown. The OPC book states dark grey (probably due to it being old paint that was dirtied and weathered) or possibly light grey (LMS style), but not brown. That's just plain confusing

 I understood that these where inward opening doors added at the steps end in the absence of firm details I assumed the new door would be the width and height of the panel and so ignored the issue 

 

Nick

[CarriageShed]

 

Sent Today, 14:18

Any S&D layout set from the 1890s to the 1950s will require at least one of these distinctive 20T brake vans - I want several!

 

SDJR 1.jpg

 

 

 

 

This was the picture I meant. It looks brown to me, albeit a bit of a greyish brown. Is this going to be one of those online 'what colour is it really?' things...

 

The end doors I've always taken to be the small door incorporated in the kit, not a full height door. I've never seen any photographic evidence for the latter.

 

I can't remember now why I chose number 12 but I never really bother about wagons having the correct number in 2mm. That said, the vans were numbered randomly often taking numbers from older 4 wheel vans on withdrawal.

 

Jerry

 

Nick is right about the door supposedly being at the steps end rather then the other end. The diagram even shows the steps that had to be removed, and the top step which had to be moved upwards, immediately above the new door.

The door is on the left rather than centred, but a fresh look shows a dotted outline for the door which confirms that it was no longer than the window next to it - the same as your door - so not a full-sized door at all as I'd originally thought. It's a bit of a minefield just for a half-pint door.

 

To be honest, if a 2mmFS modeller isn't particularly bothered with it then I can just say 'well he did it this way' and leave it at that!

 

I also tend not to bother quite so much with exact numbers for general wagons - just getting a number that's in the right area is often enough.

[queensquare]

This was the picture I meant. It looks brown to me, albeit a bit of a greyish brown. Is this going to be one of those online 'what colour is it really?' things...

 

 

 

Nick is right about the door supposedly being at the steps end rather then the other end. The diagram even shows the steps that had to be removed, and the top step which had to be moved upwards, immediately above the new door.

The door is on the left rather than centred, but a fresh look shows a dotted outline for the door which confirms that it was no longer than the window next to it - the same as your door - so not a full-sized door at all as I'd originally thought. It's a bit of a minefield just for a half-pint door.

 

To be honest, if a 2mmFS modeller isn't particularly bothered with it then I can just say 'well he did it this way' and leave it at that!

 

I also tend not to bother quite so much with exact numbers for general wagons - just getting a number that's in the right area is often enough.

Definitely grey, I would have used the first dark grey I had to hand which would have probably been GWR wagon grey. The brown you are seeing is the weathering, powders in my case.

 

Regarding fidelity to prototype, I'm very much a broad brush modeller which has little to do with whether the track gauge is N or 2FS, some would say I'm pretty cavalier with the prototype! Some of my favourite 2mm models from the likes of Andy Stroud and John Birkett-Smith use N gauge track. I'm not bothered about the omission of little details so long as it looks the part. That includes wagon numbers, many of mine don't have any numbers at all, just a few dots and dashes in the right place. Leaving things off rarely jars on the eye in the 2mm scales its including items that are grossly over scale that shouts at me. Things that do jar with me are the horrible standard N gauge coupling, the kaydee Dapol alternative is no better to my eye.

 

Jerry

[bbishop]

Jerry,

 

We have a 120 lever frame in the 'A' box at Southwark Bridge, plus three subsidiary frames dotted around the layout.  You're welcome to visit the layout (in south east Hampshire) on a running day.

 

Bill

[queensquare]

Jerry,

 

We have a 120 lever frame in the 'A' box at Southwark Bridge, plus three subsidiary frames dotted around the layout. You're welcome to visit the layout (in south east Hampshire) on a running day.

 

Bill

 

 

Handles, catches springs etc fitted this evening - the rest of the microswitches have been ordered.

 

I can't imagine building a 120 lever frame, this forty lever frame seemed like a marathon! There is also a ten lever frame at Foxcote on the other side of the room plus numerous ground frames controlling sidings - or there will be if I live long enough!

 

I would love to come down and see Southwark Bridge at some time, many thanks for the offer.

 

Jerry

Edited December 6, 2018 by queensquare

[CF MRC]

Jolly clever to build in the tea cup alcove Jerry.

 

Tim

[queensquare]

Jolly clever to build in the tea cup alcove Jerry.

Tim

Crucial Tim, thirsty work playing trains!

 

Jerry

[Kylestrome]

I'm grateful to discover a use for those 2FS plastic stickers as a non-slip mug mat!

 

David

Edited December 7, 2018 by Kylestrome

[queensquare]

These are the boxes the frames will represent, rather frighteningly one featured in MRJ over fifteen years ago!

 

 

 

The single line junction box below was replaced in 1924, slap in the middle of my period, by Bath Junction box so I wont need both - but I like signal boxes so.......

 

 

Jerry

 

[CarriageShed]

Definitely grey, I would have used the first dark grey I had to hand which would have probably been GWR wagon grey. The brown you are seeing is the weathering, powders in my case.

 

Regarding fidelity to prototype, I'm very much a broad brush modeller which has little to do with whether the track gauge is N or 2FS, some would say I'm pretty cavalier with the prototype! Some of my favourite 2mm models from the likes of Andy Stroud and John Birkett-Smith use N gauge track. I'm not bothered about the omission of little details so long as it looks the part. That includes wagon numbers, many of mine don't have any numbers at all, just a few dots and dashes in the right place. Leaving things off rarely jars on the eye in the 2mm scales its including items that are grossly over scale that shouts at me. Things that do jar with me are the horrible standard N gauge coupling, the kaydee Dapol alternative is no better to my eye.

 

Jerry

 

I like the cut of your jib, young sir (I use 'young' advisedly, as I seem to be younger than at least 60% of railway modellers, and I don't mind the standard N coupler at all. I know, I'm weird).

 

These are the boxes the frames will represent, rather frighteningly one featured in MRJ over fifteen years ago!

 

Bath1.jpg

 

Bath3.jpg

 

The single line junction box below was replaced in 1924, slap in the middle of my period, by Bath Junction box so I wont need both - but I like signal boxes so.......

 

Bath2.jpg

 

Jerry

 

Now if you could produce a variation of Bath1.jpg as an MDF-style kit that's suitable for the near approach to Bournemouth West then I may have to volunteer to have your babies. I can't find anything that approximates the signal box in question, even with the fact that mine will be facing the back of the layout and doesn't necessarily need to be fully accurate. The thought of having to scratchbuild it fills me with several layers of the horrors...

[bcnPete]

Jolly clever to build in the tea cup alcove Jerry.

Tim

I thought Jerry’s tipple was a glass of whisky...

[bécasse]

I thought Jerry’s tipple was a glass of whisky...

 

..... with Bisky Bones?

[queensquare]

..... with Bisky Bones?

It is indeed a little Whisky, accompanied by a couple of squares of dark chocolate.

 

The Bisky Bones are for the girls whose bed is on the floor although they much prefer the chair!

 

 

Mind, if Mr Poo comes in its first come, first serve!

 

 

Jerry

[queensquare]

Back to the layout and an afternoon listening to the football and whittling with some bits of embossed plasticard and brickpaper has resulted in further progress on S&D bridge No1 over the Lower Bristol Road - girders to be made another day.

 

 

There should be seven brick arches, not three but space precludes. The girder section is pretty much to scale only the geometry being slightly adjusted due to the tighter curve on the model.

 

Jerry

Edited December 8, 2018 by queensquare

[Coal Tank]

Hi Jerry

Any chance of a close up of the arches

John

[queensquare]

Hi Jerry

Any chance of a close up of the arches

John

Will pop down the workshop later and take a snap. They are pretty basic being Howard scenic brickpaper with the edges coloured in with water colour pencils - couple of hours to do them all.

 

Jerry

[Re6/6]

Back to the layout and an afternoon listening to the football ..........

Are you a 'Gas Head' Jerry?....... or have I just insulted you!

Edited December 8, 2018 by Re6/6