gibbo675

Yo Dudes, I've been steady away with the APT project, my eyes are still googly from doing postal van lining which still requires to be finished. So far I have been jointed, filled and sanded most of the cut and shut parts of the bodies although some bits will have to be done once they are fitted back together and ready for paint so those bits will have to wait for now. In preparation for fitting the coach bodies back together I have painted all the seats and internals ready for reassembly as one together I won't be able to get at them. These seat units will have to be cut a shut to fit the respective vehicles but at least they are painted. I'm not too fussed about the shade but they will look a lot better than pink and light blue plastic, I didn't paint the floor as it can't be seen once together. Painted seat units ready for cutting to fit appropriately. The next job was to remove all of the bogies to make working on the coach bodies easier and also so that spray painting will be easier. For paint colours I have chosen RAL 7043 Traffic Grey B and RAL 7032 Pebble Grey, Railtec transfers do a full set of APT markings along with red and white stripes so only the two shades of paint are required. Masking the windows is a challenge to be dealt with however I have an idea which may work. While the bogies were out I fitted new wheel sets of the correct size, these are 10mm Lowmac wheels from Peter's Spares. Bogies with the Peter's Spares 10mm Lowmac wheels fitted to them. The original Hornby APT was a bit square looking at the cab ends, the rest of it was pretty well proportioned, and so I took the step of filing one of the cab ends to improve its shape. It came out very well and much better captures the look of the real thing comparing well with the new Hornby model. Fortunately the front corners of the nose end are quite a decent thickness and allow for a reduction of almost 3mm across the front edge. I shall get all of the cabs to a similar condition as the shewn below and then I shall do the relief details around the head lights. I plan to fit clear glazing to the cabs and so I also filed a taper the area around the cab side windows. The windscreen requires a slight enlargement which is also on the job list. Juxtaposition of the new Hornby, old Hornby modified, and the old Hornby original. Side profile view. End on view. Gibbo.

Hi Folks, The white lines have arrived for the Postal Vans and I've applied one side of eight of them so far. I'm having a rest from them for a while before I go crossed eyed ! Along with the white lining the buffer heads for the Motorail car flats arrived also, I had a break from the lining this afternoon to fit them. The next job will be buckeye rubbing plates of which I mad and fitted one out of twenty need for the ten car flats. The new buffers and rubbing plate. The buffer stocks have been shortened to 1.5mm long to represent the buffers in their retracted position. Gibbo.

Hi Folks, Hornby has nothing on the financial trouble that the US Government is in, especially as they are the ones that issue the the worlds reserve currency. https://www.usdebtclock.org/ Only 35.65 Trillion dollars so I wouldn't worry too much about Hornby if I were you, at least they have the capital of toy trains backing them ! Gibbo.

Hi Folks, The lining transfers for the Postal Vans arrived today but I've been busy with my next project which is cutting and shutting all my old Hornby APT-P stock into variations of the proposed test trains as seen on this site: http://www.25kv.uk/APT.php I bought one of the ew Hornby APT-P sets just a few weeks ago and so I've been spurred into action with my cut and shuts. I will have enough bits to build up into the Q, R, S, and T versions of the train seen toward the bottom of the above linked website. Cut and shuts so far, we have: Power Car X3* Driving Power Car X1 Driving Van Trailer X 2 Driving Semi Powered Van X1 Semi Articulated coach X2 Articulated Coach X6 APT-U Development Coach X1 Driving Second Class X1* Trailer Guard First X1* There is a complete five car set which will be left original and of the above marked * are as original also. See if you can make sense of the photographs ! Power Car and driving Power Car. Driving Semi Powered Van. Driving Power Car. Driving Van Trailer. Semi Articulated Coach. Articulated Coach. APT-U Development Coach. Confused ? I was but after a couple of days its getting clearer ! Gibbo.

Hi Folks, The postal vans have had lettering and emblems applied to all ten of them. I did have some old Replica white lining transfers however the sheets were several years old and seem to have become embrittled over time, when I attempted to use them the lining broke into lots of small pieces. I have ordered more form Railtec which ought to arrive soon enough. POT 30279, a stowage van with net recess from diagram 2176. This van did not have sorting racks being entirely unfitted inside and was the only one of its kind. Interestingly there was a POS diagram 2185 of which three were built in 1954 that had no provision for nets but were fitted out with sorting racks a lavatory and a wardrobe, they were numbered 30300/1/2. I shall run these two types of van next to each other in the formation once completed. Gibbo.

Hi Folks, I've been busy with transfers and painting the underframes and bogies. The transfers have been coated with Johnson's Pledge to seal them in place and the bogies and underframes have been painted with Humbrol 85 satin black. I have ordered some oval buffers that will be fitted along with buckeye rubbing plates and couplings. One underframe painted, one to do. Diagram 130 end loading car flat with removable sides. Diagram 131 end loading car flat Half of the ten car flats that I've built so far. Gibbo.

Hi Folks, I have made, fitted and painted the Motorail logo and TOPS number boards to the car flats. These were made of .020" white plasticard so that the Motorail logos would be applied to white back grounds after the paint around the edges was scraped off and the surface sanded flat. The car flats are now ready for the transfers which have arrived from Railtec, sheet 6460. That job is ongoing and photographs to follow. The name and number boards fitted into position, the upper one is as painted and the lower has been scrped and sanded ready for the transfers to be applied. Gibbo.

Hi David, Your idea with the couplings is excellent however may I suggest a slightly different basis for the couplings that may be adapted in a similar way. These are Fleischmann HO gauge couplings that give a more prototypical look, not cheap but you may be able to find similar for a better price: https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/fleischmann-6527-spare-coupling-with-rivet-and-slot-fitting.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmOm3BhC8ARIsAOSbapU85nypr0KYajguwPUoVMeM9jdm5DKb8-Z5qzl1uvGA6YoDNxnFo-YaAp95EALw_wcB Gibbo. Here is an ebay listing for fifty, including postage it may be worth a punt: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/395509034378?_skw=Fleischmann+Ho+Couplings&epid=2255554900&itmmeta=01J91681Y5CA1GDTYY2JK4RVWB&hash=item5c162ced8a:g:~IkAAOSwS9Rma-lo&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKlAMHzk%2Fr6ofwNBEPaVe70Uk0BhJICuxyHneAKfg3Zj5M40mtX4ZTKf5bbinHvhjKc8wBcjl4TY4WjJ3%2BC79uXH%2BnPy%2BcoDY2kkfw36t6D14S8fZHFnjSiNp6086Lbccn0U9dC0tA%2B7VWTGNF6kP6FQwNUqQJCrvsmFZi54rBr7nS73%2FxmO9x%2BzRNGLGHuVAhampYShCVQlmgM0s8BQevpmnb5yqYDQREc0pgv8VLNCdQEEYEQMMZz1y0WLJip5RmE%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR5KfoKbIZA Gibbo.

Yo Dudes, Here is the latest from the works. The Motorail flats have been finish painted and are awaiting transfers. Once the transfers arrive I can make the name boards to suit the transfers and fix them onto the sides of the flats. I would have had to make them this way in any case as painting behind them would have been tricky so no loss painting them as they are currently. The underframe trusses and the bogies are to be painted black as yet. End loading car flat Side loading car flat. The Postal coaches, all ten of them, have had the BR Blue applied, these are also awaiting transfers. There is a little bleed on parts of some of them where the masking was not quite pressed into the corners. I shall wait until the paint has hardened so that I might carefully scrape back the paint. The roofs, corridor ends, and the underframe trusses will be painted appropriately once the transfers and lacquer are applied. Three of the ten from left to right two POS sorting vans with net recesses and a POT stowage brake van. Gibbo.

Hi Folks, Is this drawing of any use ? Gibbo.

Hi Folks, I didn't have a wooden trainset, I had a plastic one of similar concept. My dad even drew a face on the little engine with a Biro pen to give it a Thomas Tank Engine look. That is where I started with toy trains or model railways as they also known. We all started somewhere and the scope for imagination is really good, you can plan and move and reconstruct, anything you like. The whole point of being creative. Wood has never been a material of choice and my toy trains are still made of plastic see below: Gibbo

Hi @LNERW1 I've done some digging and UTA green is quite close to Southern Railway Dark Green although I'm not sure how close that is to CIE Green. Gibbo.

Hi @LNERW1 You can get all you need transfer wise from Railtec Transfers. I have linked various sheets below, search the site and you will find lots more: https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=1205 https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=1263 I don't know what shade of paint to use though ! Gibbo.

Hi Folks, I have to say I attribute no blame to @Georgeconna for my purchase however he did me the favour of pointing it out. I used to see the real thing on occasion at Preston although I never actually rode on it, I wanted to but my skinflint father didn't want to pay the supplement saying it would be cheaper once it entered service. We all know where that ended up, mostly in a scrap yard ! DSCF2460.MOV I must get around to building the scenery for it has been three months since I finished the wiring for the layout. Gibbo.

Hi Folks, With the exception of the GNRI V class all of the Irish stock is now in Sligo with its new owner. He took two of the coaches unpainted and he says that he thinks he will finish them in CIE green. I especially wished to finish the V class so I shall send that on by post another day. Today's work has been undercoat for the underframes of my mail coach set and the masking off and first coat of BR Rail Blue for the coach bodies. Above shews how I marked a line on the side of the coach bodies so that the masking would go on straight. The top of the blue is 9mm from the lower edge of the body side and so I cut a piece of scrap plasticard 8.5mm to use as a guide for a pencil line when the lower edge was set upon a datum surface, I used my mitre box as it allows the ends of the coaches to overhang suitably. The pencil is a .5mm lead and so when the tape is applied so that the pencil line is just visible then the edge of the tape is at 9mm, or near enough that makes no difference, and the edge is also very straight. Gibbo.

Hi Darius, Looking through your past work it seems we think somewhat alike in some ways, here is my version of an LNER POS diagram 165. My version is a somewhat hacked about Hornby LMS mail coach which was suitably lengthened. It is shewn on BR B1 bogies as it was sent on to a friend who had some LNER Gresley bogies and he painted it maroon also. Net side. Sorting side. Gibbo.

Thank You! That is most kind of you to say. I have to say the conversions are at the same time both difficult and easy in a way that is hard to describe. It is difficult in that I don't know the prototypes that well for I'm Lancastrian (Brigantes, should you know your tribe) and have always modelled British prototypes previously and yet easy because it is the application compounded knowledge from previous projects that guides me. I wish that my work spurs others on to similar works or by all means copy what I have done exactly for that will save the thinking bit ! Gibbo.

Hi Chaps, I've fitted glazing to the AEC railcar the power units have had 12mm by suitably long pieces fitted into the recesses created by the body structure. The lengths of the windows were measured as I was cutting them to ensure a snug fit with the large windows being 19mm long and the door windows bein approximately 9mm and the shorter windows about 12mm. Once I had cut and fitted windows for each side I used PVA glue to secure them into place as this is easy to do with a small fine paint brush and also that should any glue get onto the window it may be removed and wiped clean and the refitted. Any small amount of over application dries clear in any case and is difficult to see. The cab front windows were squares cut approximately 14mm X 14mm and held in with a good fillet of glue. Side windows fitted and glued into place. Cab front windows fitted and glued into place. This shows the AEC Railcar as far as I shall take it. Thomas will have to fit his own buffers as I don't have any suitable and I have run out of time to sort any out although I have drilled out pilot holes for them. The windows for the centre car were done in the same way as the GNRI coaches utilising the Hornby glazing that came with the original LMS coaches. Unfortunately I didn't have time to fit the top lights to the power cars, my plan was to use strips of Tamiya masking tape as the colour is very close to that of the cream colour. The bogies were similarly glued into position using PVA glue so that if Thomas wishes to fit seating the glue may be easily cracked off to remove them however it will give a strong enough hold to be handleably robust. Gibbo,

Hi Chaps, The V Class is now in works grey ready for top coat for which I shall use Humbrol number 48 on the recommendation of @murrayec, he also advised Humbrol 109 and Ford Wedgewood Blue for the locomotive in preserved livery as did @Galteemore, thanks to both of them for that. I shall use Humbrol 48 as I didn't think a whole can of spray paint for just one locomotive was justified on a cost basis. As may be seen there are some minor areas that the primer have picked up for remedial filling and sanding before final coat is to be applied. I'm meeting up with Thomas who will get this locomotive as a present and so it might be the last wee see of it however, I would prefer to take it back to finish paint it for him and send it on by post another time. Gibbo.

Hi Folks, Thanks for the information Eoin @murrayec, and @Galteemore I shall get on and paint the V class as soon as reasonable. Gibbo.

Hi Chaps, It's been sunny today so I've been applying spray paint to my LMS/BR postal coaches, all ten of them. I first use Halfords grey primer and then a coat of RAL 7038 agate grey which is good for BR Rail Grey, I use gloss so that the transfers don't silver which is always useful. For BR Rail Blue I use RAL 5020 ocean blue. Gibbo's outdoor spray booth with the postal coaches and the GNRI V class in undercoat. if you look closely there is a bit of overspray on the top of the wall which Fiona will moan about because it won't wash off in the rain, which is more usual in these parts than sunshine. I'm more bothered about the loose render but Fiona doesn't seem to have noticed that minor detail ! The question I require answered from you lot is, what shade of BLUE for the V class ? Gibbo.

My Dear Noel, In answer to your question and by way of provoking positive free thought generally: Should you study Adam Smith's quote below and have a good think about the effect of usurious interest upon money upon economics, and also find out which countries in the world provide free electricity to their populations after introducing state run banks that do not levy usurious interest upon the bonds that they issue rather than privately owned central banks that do. You might then work out why there are wars that require things to be blown up. "Labour was the first price, the original purchase - money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labour, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased." The law has been inverted, subverted and perverted in ways that have become normal to the point that creative labour is no longer valued but instead the currency that is created out of thin air is and worse still we have to work to credit interest to it. You know the system we are living it The realisation of what I have written above really ought to lighten everyone's mood world wide should such a shift in the paradigm take place. Gibbo.

To follow on with the condom theme, Q: What do you do with 365 used condoms ? A: Recycle them in to a tyre and call it a Goodyear !

Hi Darius, Its alright for you down south, its blustery with showers in a part of England that used be almost nearly Scotland and so no spray painting for me today ! The B 101 class looks grand considering it has quite a busy livery to mask up. You have done very well with the curves, do you place a square of tape o and then cut it back to shape with a scalpel or do you use thin tape and curve it around ? Gibbo.

Joy Ride ?!? Candles out girls !?!