The Unexpected Absense

Having successfully relocated (no more red wall in the background of my photos!) I have been only briefly sitting at my desk. I have built the basis of a few PW wagons and have some coach sides, Dick Dastardly is green at last and I have stripped a Hornby Bullied! None of these things I can prove as my external hard drive is playing hard ball... So here we have a photo of the latest ARC Models offering which I happened to be working on today.

This RS&H 0-6-0T will eventually represent one of those that operated at Nechells power stations until the 1970s. Now, I have no real experience with weathering, so this could be interesting...

Road Trip!!!

Back in March, my friend, partner and I jumped in the car and headed to Bristol for a music gig. Whilst there, I paid a visit to Congresbury and got out my tape measure (much to the dismay of my partner and passing by cyclists...).

Green (with envy)

Being the only diesel in a fleet of steam isn't easy, especially when the grubby, faded yellow paint of your industrial roots stands out next to the clean, lined green of the rest of the shed. Well the time has come for that to change, 00 "Dick Dastardly/The Mean Machine" is turning green!

For no practical reason, I am conducting the repaint panel by panel. It started as a test to see what the livery would like on the cab side, before committing to the whole model, but I got carried away... Either way I hope you agree that the result is rather pleasing thus far.

Note - Varnish has yet to be applied; the glossy finish will not be permanent.

An example of the 00 gauge work that has been taking over - fully fitted interiors!

Finally, contrary to my last post, I am no longer on my last Bachmann Mark 1, following a... shall we say, incident... on ebay...

New Year Update

Well 2014 is gone and as usual, I started plenty of projects and finished none...

For the past few months it has been standard gauge taking the physical attention with only design work and 'tinkering' made on the 009 side of the desk. But a special delivery has arrived!

Narrow Planet offer a fantastic custom etching service for the name, number or works plate of your choice. To begin with I ordered a selection of GWR numbers, the name and no. for the WVLR Diesel (picture in the next edition) and the Andrew Barclay above. "Peggy Murdoch" is awaiting detail components but for the time being happily runs up an down my desk. Ignoring the blu-tac still in place on some unstuck components, I'm very happy with this model.

Finally, following an awful lot of fine brush work, I am on my last Bachmann Mark 1 interior! This is due to be done the week before moving house and I'll get on to building a small baseboard for a side project (I need to test out my woodwork on something less important) based around the Andrew Barclay and NCB wagons in the picture.

A New Arrival

I have been far too busy to update fortnightly as hoped and to make matters worse, my laptop finally packed up and sits tucked away awaiting disposal or replacement hard drive. Of course, I was clever enough to back up all files first and have permission to use the other half's from time to time.

Anyway, I have digressed. Work has been minimal due to work and theatrical commitments, but I have managed to acquire and construct an ARC models Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST. In a weekend I had built her around a Dapol pug chassis, but in such a way as to make servicing possible, but over the following 3 weeks have managed no more than one coat of paint a day. The loco is now ready for the paint to be tidied and have the lining applied. Then attention can turn to handrails and any other detail I can find, though an order will have to made to Markits for detail such as a whistle and smokebox dart.

Where does an industrial 0-4-0ST fit in with the Wrington Vale? Well the focus of the project will be the junction station (Congresbury) where the WVLR meets the preserved Cheddar Valley Railway. Since I have only done minor narrow gauge jobs lately (though the pile of Mark 1s on the desk since June have been almost cleared) I thought I would prove my continued existence with something a little different.

In other news, the first permanent way wagon is underway (but was buried behind Mark 1s soon after construction began), the next three coaches have had sides built (again, the Mark 1 thing...) and the Cyprus coach has been given seats and is virtually complete (but stored underneath Mark 1 parts that are held up by another Mark 1 and a Hornby Class 25...). The play I am rehearsing for is nearly ready for the stage, so I shall have more time again soon. We'll see where I am by Christmas!

Gradual Progress

Definitely getting somewhere

I have found very little time for models recently (and with several projects on the go*, the Wrington Vale gets divided even more), but I have been slowly adding some of the finer details to No.3. The most interesting addition has been the balcony ends made from brass and guitar strings (currently on the southern end only). The whole vehicle has also been weighted with a piece of lead between the now crimson solebars. I am ignoring the prototypical steps as they will be made unnecessary by platforms. Next on the agenda (which should get done tomorrow) is a drop of paint in a few places to complete the look even more.

In other news, I have also began construction of the first Brake, Disabled, Guards, Luggage, Multi-purpose carriage thing (the brake coach but all fancy and modern), No.12. It is in the very early stages and will join Standard Open No.4 as a pair of sides for a while, but I thought I'd get started whilst waiting for paint to dry.

*The new arrival of a Bachmann Mk.1 BCK and completion of external rebuild of an FK, an 8750 requiring new numberplates and a clean, a scratchbuilt tender (more on this at a later date) and design work underway for the Permanent Way Train give a hint as to just the railway side of my desk!

Acquiring Planning Permission

With the prospect of a new job and new abode to follow, I have been thinking about extending from a yard of track on a desk to a baseboard, with scenery! Turning a collection of rolling stock into an actual railway!

This is a big step for the project and requires many questions to be answered but first there is a big obstacle to be overcome... Applying for Planning Permission to the partner...

I'm lucky enough to have a supportive partner that will allow me to indulge in my hobbies, but it did make me wonder if this is a common train of thought (no pun intended).

Coach No.3 - A new look for the WVLR

Whilst I am pleased with the result of my own design of carriages, I do feel that variety is not to be frowned upon, and concluded the best thing to do this was to scratchbuild a carriage in the style of those used in Cyprus. This provides interest and a more than suitable matching look with the locomotives.

 

The sides taking shape 29.03.2014



The boundaries were set by the materials I already have and since I had no drawings, I had to use photo evidence and descriptions to create a pencil drawn profile. The basic principals as used on the others remain the same; an open plastic box with a roof on an open plastic box with seats.



The interior box needs to be made before the sides
are finished to avoid warping 06.04.2014

Construction began with the sides, made from a sheet of clear plastic, taped over my drawing and built up using plastic strips (and a wooden patterned sheet to represent the matchboard sides). 

I completed and painted one side separately to both test the design and leave a subtle difference in the paint finish to represent the fading effect of natural sunlight. Then it was on to the ends and chassis before assembly and a flat roof. I decided to experiment with an aluminium can for the roof, with miliput to represent the domes. The main variation in the construction is that the balconies are fixed to the chassis, not the body, for reasons that should be obvious with this design!



The chassis is a Parkside Dundas Vale of Rheidol one, cut in half and lengthened. This gives an affordable, sturdy chassis with the compromise of unrealistically small bogies and straight, not fishbelly, solebars.

 

The Scrumpy Jack can was acquired empty... 29.04.2014

I have just given the roof a coat of primer and following the addition of a piece of lead for weight, will make the coach passable for service (paint, couplings and balconies). This means leaving the interior details behind, but since making seats is so tedious and can fit in with my busy schedule quite well, I won’t worry about it.

 

With Sunblinds attached the colonial background really comes through!