David's Workbench

[Kirley]

Just excellent

[craven1508]

nicely done.....

[murrayec]

Hi David

 

Lovely stuff,

[DLTaylor]

Marvelous work as ever David, those models look superb.

I'm looking enviously at the loco kit: can I justify buying one??? Will I ever find time to build it???

 

I'm interested in your plans to resin-cast the various van bodies, are you planning to market them? I may well be interested in a couple.

Or would the task of marketing get in the way of the actual modelling?

 

All the best,

Dave.T

[Weshty]

Ahh now. Quality modelling...as always. Love the rich red livery (Deep cherry?)

[David Holman]

Marvelous work as ever David, those models look superb.

I'm looking enviously at the loco kit: can I justify buying one??? Will I ever find time to build it???

 

I'm interested in your plans to resin-cast the various van bodies, are you planning to market them? I may well be interested in a couple.

Or would the task of marketing get in the way of the actual modelling?

 

All the best,

Dave.T

 

Thanks chaps, much appreciated.

No plans to market anything, but would be happy to cast a few more wagon sides if anyone was interested. They are really just a short cut for batch building in that you only need to make a single side and end for however many wagons required. I then use the Branchlines chassis.

Currently out of the goo that makes the moulds, but will probably buy some more in the autumn, once have got track laying completed!

[David Holman]

Finally got hold of some new silicon mould material, so thought I'd better get on and make some masters so I could use it before it went off. The stuff has a very short shelf life once opened.

So far, have made masters of an end and side for the brake vans and cast these to make the 4 bodies I need. The CVR vans seem to follow a pattern, so for two types of cattle van and one covered van I have only had to make two ends and three sides as masters. These have all been built up in the same way using a base of 40 thou plastikard, with 60x40 strip for the strapping. For rivets have used EDM ones, bought at Expo Narrow Gauge in Swanley last Saturday - a quite superb specialist show I might add and a must on my calendar.

Other bits of plastic rod and strip were used to make some of the details, though some parts will not be added until after the bodies are assembled.

So, four different entries on IRM in a single evening. Is this a record? Is anybody bothered? Hopefully not!

[Horsetan]

.... four different entries on IRM in a single evening. Is this a record? Is anybody bothered? ....

 

Spreading yourself?

[David Holman]

As the Minister would say - 'across many fields'...

[David Holman]

It's been a while, but have recently moved back to building rolling stock for my Clogher project. One of the joys of railway modelling being that, if you've had your fill of scenics or model buildings, there is always something else to have a go at.

I've had a set of Worsley Works etchings for the CVR 'Unit' for around six months, unusual for me as I tend to get on and build what I buy straightaway. Worsley etches are meant as an aid to scratch building, so there are many bits to make and/or source yourself, but it is a start and I doubt whether Heljan are planning to do a RTR version [in 7mm scale/21mm gauge] anytime soon.

However...

 

There are issues, even with such basic etches. For one, the coupling rods are not the right profile, and they should be fluted, not plain. Indeed, looking at photos in the Patterson book, a piece of bullhead rail would probably suffice! That said, the rods line up nicely with the axle holes. Frame spacers provided are for 16.5mm gauge, but I was fortunate to find something suitable in my scrap box, so a basic chassis wasn't long in completion - or so I thought.

I'd gone on to add hand made brake hangers, got the motor/gearbox installed and added an extra layer to the coupling rods to make them look more appropriate and was starting to think how the bodywork would be added. At this point, I discovered that the chassis did not match the 7mm Narrow Gauge Society drawing, nor the Alphagraphix card kit I'd bought. Indeed, the latter is printed in red-brown, when Patterson says the livery was grey. Cue the mutterings.

In the end, by careful study of photographs, I took a scale 2 feet of the front of the frames, so am now hoping that the other bits will fit! At least it seems to run well, though hiding the pick ups will not be easy with wheels this small.

[David Holman]

... though a tad more reflective.

Am afraid the Worsley etchings are still causing problems, but am coming round to the fact that maybe my expectations were a bit too high. Having not worked on an engine for a while, I'd thought doing a kit would be a good way to get back into it. However, this is certainly not a kit and I really ought to have done some more research and preparation before I started - not least comparing the etches with existing plans and photos.

As the photos show, there is a deal more than the chassis being to long that is wrong, though am wondering if much of this is down to original drawings for a smaller scale being blown up to a larger one. That said, there are some things that are hard to explain, like the nearside cab window, the bottom edge of which should come level with the beading. At least this is easier to fix than the opening being too big and only requires a few minutes with a file.

The bonnet is likewise too short [by a good six inches], but in this case the only option was to make two new sides from brass sheet. Not a disaster and again, only a few minutes work to cut out two new rectangles. Perhaps the most odd thing is that the outer sides of the 'wagon' body are bigger than the inner ones. The former are correct, but this means a section of inner planking will be needed to bring the inners level with the outers.

The etches include various bits of strapping for the wagon side, but while these might be ok in a smaller scale, they are not chunky enough for 7mm, the representation of hinges being far too flat. The other problem is that the cab sides should have a small, but noticeable amount of tumblehome on the lower edges. The etches make no provision for this and I didn't notice until after the cab unit had been soldered in place. After a bit of head scratching, realised I could address it by using a slitting disc to carve a slot part way up each side, then bend them inwards and re-solder.

Overall, I think I have been a bit spoiled by recent kit builds, where everything has gone together well. These etches are rather more 'old school', but once I got my head round the fact that a bit more work was required, then they represent an interesting challenge and are still a worthwhile timesaver over a total scratch build.

The etches are now pretty much used up [apart from the radiator grill], so the rest is down to me. The top of the bonnet and the cab roof will need to be shaped [probably from solid blocks of plasticard], plus there are a fair number of minor details and the cab interior to add.

[murrayec]

Hi David

 

Its looking great, sometimes I reckon the chaps that design these kits never build them! By your cataloguing of this build provides info for those that are yet to have a go..

 

I defiantly will, its a great looking machine and have added it to my project list

 

Eoin

[jhb171achill]

Indeed' date=' the latter is printed in red-brown, when Patterson says the livery was grey. [/quote']

 

 

The railcar cab and body was brown with a white roof. The "Unit" was all wagon grey with white cab roof; thus both cab parts were different colours! The idea on ordering was that if the railcar broke down they could use the Unit cab to power it. With different colours,, such a combination would have looked very odd, but I am unaware of it ever happening.

 

In the black and white photo above, the wagon body strapping looks black, but it's grey. In b & w photos this is a shadow and often leads modellers and preservationists to see ironwork as being picked out in black (witness the "zebra stripes" on the restored goods brake vans at both Whitehead ("Ivan") and Downpatrick (the NCC van). Rust often made this look dark too in b & w photos.

 

Certainly, when jhb171senior travelled over the line as a guest of the general manager, all was normal, and he was very unimpressed to have the railcar over one leg of his journey. Verdict that day: "no different from being in a bus"........!

 

A bit like me, a generation later, whinging about modern stuff like ICRs and the like! :-)

Edited March 19, 2017 by jhb171achill

[David Holman]

Thanks for the info JB. Would I be right in thinking the front 'buffer beam' was red and would the underframe have been black under the grime?

Currently have no info on what the rear end of the wagon bit looked like. Strapping, hinges etc. Also, the etches give a cab door a scant 4'6" high, with an empty space below to the wagon floor. This actually suits me as the motor gear box intrudes somewhat, so will need to have a load in there to cover it up anyway. Equally, if there was a box covering say the gear box, that would do too. Finally, for now anyway, am guessing two rivet/bolt heads on the wagon side suggest a step on the inside face. Must have been quite an effort getting to the cab!

[jhb171achill]

I can't be certain, David, but I suspect the front "buffer beam" was black, judging by close inspection of photos. So, white roof, grey cab and body, including strapping, black chassis as a railcar would be.

[David Holman]

The Unit is now taking shape - this last word being the key as I've been working on the very awkward bonnet and roof. After my SLNCR railcar and railbus, I ought not be daunted by such things, but the fact is, these shapes are [for me] difficult things to get right and where the Unit is concerned involves all sorts of rounded corners and angles. A drawing doesn't help much either - it is simply a case of filing away and hoping to eventually get it right.

The photos are therefore as much an exercise is proof reading and I'd value comments on how they look, having spent rather too long staring at the things myself!

Construction was simply a case of laminating layers of plastic sheet and then getting busy with files, emery boards etc.

Once again, inaccuracies in the etchings are shown up, with the cab rear sheet being lower than on my drawing, while I can't help thinking the metal work above the windows should be deeper too. On a model as small as this, a millimetre or two can really make a difference to overall proportions. Note that, both roof and bonnet are deliberately slightly oversize, because I'm actually going to use them as masters for resin castings. First reason for this is I want to build the railcar, so have no wish do repeat several hours of filing & sanding if I can help it; the other reason is that the laminations can be seen, but once I've got a casting, these can be sanded away.

I'm conscious that the cab beading is a bit on the heavy side, but will be rubbed down to a finer profile before painting. You can also see where I've used plastic strip to make the inner and outer sides of the wagon body match.

At least the chassis is largely complete & painted. The main omissions are linkage to the sandboxes, a couple of inserts on the driving wheels, plus the pick ups, about which I'm still brooding...

[jhb171achill]

Brilliant work.

 

It truly was a most oddball looking yoke, wasn't it!

[enniscorthyman]

That is superb work.

[murrayec]

Excellent David

 

That is superb

 

Eoin

[David Holman]

It has been three weeks since I did much modelling, unusual for me, as I like to keep things ticking over. However, home decorating and school governor duties took precedence, plus I was held up by a lack of casting resin. Easy Composites did not have any of their basic stuff in stock and the more advanced type needs a 'de-gasser', so I had to wait.

Anyway, casting resin arrived on Monday, so have been busy running off sides and ends for CVR wagons. I'd made the masters & moulds a while ago, so could get on with producing parts for cattle wagons, dual purpose vans and goods vans, plus a CVR brake. The latter I'd already had a go with using the last of my old resin, but am not convinced the castings are as sharp as they could be, so have only made up one for now. It looks ok, provided you don't get too close!

Construction involved glueing the sides and ends together [cyano], then mounting on a base of 60thou plasticard, this in turn being fixed to a standard Branchlines etched chassis. Foot steps [two each end], various hand rails, glazing and a roof were then all that was needed - plus couplings and I still need to psyche myself up to add the safety hooks and chains. Fiddly ain't the word. It will eventually get a fair bit of weathering, though not until I've worked out a way to produce the CVR logo.

I also cast the bonnet, radiator grill & cab roof for the Unit. The first two have been fixed in place, but the roof must wait until I've painted the cab interior, added a driver & done the glazing. However, it is nearing completion, so the next time you see it, hopefully it will at least have been sprayed with primer.

[Dunluce Castle]

Very nice work indeed.

[murrayec]

Hi David

 

Shelf life is critical with these chemicals- if over 6 months old I only use for rough work, anything with smooth faces can be risky, their is the problem with air not venting out, one can end up with a lot of little bubbles on the surface and in arises n on edges!

 

Looking good, again I love the van

 

Eoin

[popeye]

The moulds look good.

Bubbles are always a problem and getting the mix ratio right.

I am using resin 3 years old and it still works.

[Weshty]

Sssss. Very sharp intake of breath. Lovely work.

[David Holman]

The two part resin from Easy Composites lasted over four years, but the new stuff looks different, so who knows. Have already used a fair bit in the first week, so fingers crossed!

The mould making stuff definitely has a shelf life, less than six months once opened, then it won't set. Traders Hobby Holidays recently told me they no longer stock it for that reason. Shame, as mail order costs really jack up the price.

[David Holman]

Now at the painting and finishing stage. Photos in Patterson's book show that the Unit was a couple of shades darker than 'wagon grey', so have hand painted the top coat in Humbrol No 27. Underframes are my usual weathering mix of matt black, 133 brown and gunmetal 53. It now needs weathering, but before that will have to work out how i'm going to do the lettering. A bit of research into transfers [either home made or suitable commercial fonts/colours] is required.

[Kirley]

Great progress

[murrayec]

Hi David

 

Stunning shot, lovely locos, and love the buildings in the background, as Weshty might say 'there's depth, depth!'

 

It will be lovely when complete

 

Eoin

[Glenderg]

David, fire me over any info you have, I can help with fonts, decals or masks for spray painting. Email address is richard@irishrailwaymodels.com

Richard

[jhb171achill]

David, I would guess - as standard - that the buffer beams on the "Unit" were red...

 

Absolutely FANTASTIC work, as always. Brilliant. Such an unusual layout...

[David Holman]

It seems to me that modelling sometimes goes through phases where you feel you are busy doing stuff, but don't have anything to show for it. Such has been my workbench of late and not particularly helped by preparing for the Chatham Club's Exhibition in June either. By the by, Andy Cundick's Valentia Harbour is appearing, so worth coming along on 3-4 June if you are in the area - details in the magazines & RMWeb.

So, the Unit now sports a red buffer beam, but that hardly counts as it was all of 5 mins work. However, did make a start on my home made 'resin kits' for some CVR vans and do now have one completed. Took me a while to get my head round it, because I'd cast the sides quite a while ago and couldn't remember how I'd intended to build them! Anyway, the resin sides stick together well with cyano, then it was a case of adding a 60thou plastic floor and 20thou roof to make the van body. Despite trying to add everything to the masters, there are one or two bits of strapping that needed adding, plus making up the Branchlines etched chassis. More work include the wheels, which need new [brass] axles to cope with 21mm gauge, plus Slaters top hat wagon bearings. So, kit of parts, but not really a kit at all. The cast sides and ends will prove a real time saver though. The chains on the doors are twisted fuse wire and are a nice touch in this scale. One of Barry Norman's ideas. Photo shows it in weathered grey [spray primer], hand lettered with a gel pen, as per my SLNCR wagons. Note the wagon itself is less than half the size it will appear on the average laptop screen.

The other pictures are of progress on some of the buildings. These are being made from 5mm foam board, covered in DAS clay. In the case of the station building, this has been [tediously] scribed for brickwork. Effective, but wouldn't say it was my favourite pass time. The two shops will have a plain, rendered finish, which is much easier. The shop windows are all plasticard & strip and require detailed interiors. Still trying to decide what sort of emporia they will be, but plenty of info online, plus there are the Alphagraphix kits which can be quite useful for such things, even if you don't use the rest.

Not really showing in the pictures is the end terrace behind the good shed. I've built it as a workshop, but can't decide what is made there. Sensible, vernacular suggestions welcome, but not the manufacture of holes for toothbrush handles, please...

Edited May 18, 2017 by David Holman

[murrayec]

Hi David

 

Looking great, you carved the brickwork! thats like laying the bricks to build it...

 

I vote for a motorcycle repair shop, you know the chap with a scruffy lathe and other oily rusty machines lying around, will fix anything including farm machinery!.. Wills do a kit for workshops its got everything in it, and I saw in the Guild Gazette some time back chaps doing brass etched workshop tools

 

Eoin

[murrayec]

Hey

 

....he could be stooped over a live steam loco model doing repairs, with lads in caps admiring the link rods!

 

Eoin

[jhb171achill]

Superb!

 

You asked about lettering on the "Unit"; don't know, but probably cream or very light yellow based on clues relating to the railcar (which was mid-brown with a white roof).

[Weshty]

Wonderful work as always David, and you make it look so effortless. Congrats.