David's Workbench

[David Holman]

 The latest challenge with the F6 is now the lining. Before starting that, the buffer beams have been painted red, the cab windows glazed, number plates have been properly fixed and the smokebox toned down with a greyer shade than the intense matt black of the rest of the loco.

 As mentioned previously, there seems no easy way of applying red and white GSWR red and white lining. Fox Transfers do a nice sheet for the boiler bands, but everything else has had to be cobbled together. Guess I should have got the bow pens out again, but I really don't feel I have the necessary skills. Yes, I know I should practice, but the process really doesn't inspire me.

 So, as you can hopefully see from the photos, the second sheet contains a range of curves and rounded corners in both red and white. Neither are ideal, as both are too wide, though not by much with the white ones. Hence carefully cut down the red rounded corners and then married these to straight pieces made by cutting off one of the white stripes.  Once dry, a white stripe/curve was added on top, to get the appropriate effect. Fiddly, but reasonably effective as long as you don't look too close. See photos for how it developed.

 Have only done one side so far, but couldn't resist posing No 42 with its short train of six wheel coaches, alongside my 101 in the other platform, about to depart with a freight.

[Galteemore]

Outstanding David. Absolutely wonderful. Know what you mean about the bow pen! So good to see 2 GSW locos close together. The late Drew Donaldson would have loved this - although upbraided you for not using clockwork !

Edited July 1, 2021 by Galteemore

[murphaph]

Beautiful work. 

[David Holman]

Ye gods, but it is hot! Not exactly modelling weather...

 Had a week in Northumberland, which the weather did its best to spoil, but in the end it was ok. Beamish museum is rather splendid and though the trams wren't running, the early double decker buses were, as was their replica Puffing Billy. Meanwhile a boat trip around the Farne Islands added a few ticks to my annual bird watching list. Sort of feathered train spotting I guess!

 Once we got back home, it was a case of trying to finish the F6. Probably went at it too hard with the rest of the transfers as ended up with a migraine, so very much lesson to self to take it easy on these intense bits of work. However, it is done, along with a bit of gentle weathering and coal in the bunker.

 

[Midland Man]

lovely little model. 

Edited July 18, 2021 by Midland Man

[Galteemore]

Thank goodness mine is now on the other side of the Atlantic! That’s just gorgeous work. 

[jhb171achill]

That is an absolute work of art!

Prior to about 1900-05, they would have been a very dark olive green, as authentically seen on two of Fry's models plus No. 90 at Downpatrick. After 1915, the all-over grey.

So here, we're in 1900-15!

[David Holman]

Thanks folks! As well as the obvious prettiness of the prototype,, the fact that the livery is almost BR lined black adds to the attraction. Apparantly, we are most attracted to what we saw in our youth, so (college girls aside), that should put me in the green diesel era, but lined passenger black and Brunswick green likewise do it for me. 

 However, the number plate background should be red, so along with both my Sligo Small Tanks, where the letters should be red, some work with a fine paint brush is called for.

[Noel]

Subtle, beautiful, authentic, atmospheric. Hats off 

[David Holman]

Opening the Pizza box

 Building the MGWR 'Wolf Dog' threw up an unforeseen problem in that, though its wheelbase fits my South Eastern Finecast turntable, the loco's buffers foul the back scene. The short term solution was to fit extension rails to the turntable, but at a scale two feet long, they looked ridiculous and of course were prototypically impossible. The options were:

• live with it - tried it for a while but it just looks wrong
• invest in a Metalsmith turntable kit - all brass, but very expensive and would still need adapting to fit the space
• scratch build - having built and adapted several turntables, I'm still not confident about making them work, not least because whenever I read articles on the subject, it is not long before my eyes glaze over!

 Anyway, salvation duly arrived in a 12" pizza box from Kitwood Hill Models. They produce a range of turntable kits made from laser cut plywood, with lathe turned deck wheels, a powerful, slow running motor easily aligned by eye and a host of very clever features to aid construction - all for £75, about twice the cost of an unmotorised SE Finecast kit, but a third of a Metalsmith one. The only real problem with Kitwood Hill is that they seem to like to accumulate enough orders before embarking on production, so a bit of patience is required when ordering, but after that things become very good indeed.

 Put simply, the kit is a joy to build. Everything fits and I have found myself in constant admiration of the planning and thinking that has gone into it. The well is three separate ply discs, which you assemble with contact adhesive; pretty much everything else is held together with cyano. A very clever jig enables you to solder the bridge track rail to copper clad sleepers: it is two circles of ply, the outer one leaving a small gap, so you can sandwich the rail, gradually moving round to deal with one sleeper at a time.

 Though my 11.5" version is really aimed at the American Sn3 market, the cross beams on the deck scale out at 8'6 in 7mm scale, while the girders themselves are almost exactly 5'3 apart. Cosmetic overlays enable the girders to look like they are metal, once painted, while there is provision for the well walls to be anything you like, from timber to stone or concrete.

 A copper clad disc is used, along with some very robust [6amp rated] plunger pick ups to take power to the track. There is no gap in the copper clad - instructions say to us a DPDT switch instead to change polarity when the deck is reversed, something I am more than happy with. The motor unit comes ready assembled with a nice set of 40:1 gears. It sits below the turntable well [under the baseboard] and the idea is to power it from the loco [track] controller, via another DPDT switch, something I have already done with a Peco N gauge turntable on Fintonagh. The deck itself simply slots on to a housing on the copper clad disc in the well & so is readily removable, unlike my SE Finecast one, which relies on captive bolts. The motor is only rated at 3 volts constant [but will take up to six apparently] and have successfully used two AA, 1.5v batteries to turn my heaviest engine without any problems.

 As I've said, it really is all very clever and beautifully thought out and only took me about six hours to assemble thus far. However, the challenge is now to remove the old turntable and increase the diameter of the hole in the baseboard by about two inches, so wish me luck! After that, a bit of cosmetic work will be needed to make the turntable look more Irish, but the important thing is that, like a loco kit, once you have a working chassis, the rest is just about making it look nice - well that's the plan, anyway.

[David Holman]

Fitting the turntable has turned out to be much more challenging that just making it. First I had to prise the old one out, then remove the hand cranked mechanism, so the hole in the baseboard could be increased by around 2cm in diameter. A test fit then showed what I'd feared all along, that the motor gearbox projects about 5cm below the baseboard frames - hardly ideal on a layout that is intended to travel to exhibitions.

 Spent a fair amount of time pondering on how to manage the electrics too, as controls need to be duplicated to front and rear - and be switchable too. Stuff like this really makes my brain hurt and the number of DPDT switches required was growing exponentially, when I suddenly realised that I could use the hand cranked mechanism instead. This doesn't stick out below the baseboard frames and doesn't required any wiring either, so all that is now needed are a trio of DPDT switches to change the polarity of the deck rails.

 Fortunately the completed turntable sits at exactly the same rail height as the old one, so that makes life easier. Hence most of the work since has been on painting & weathering, though fitting the running rails required a fair bit of trial and error until I was happy. I've gone for 'weathered concrete for the well, blackened iron for the girders and creosoted wood for the decking. The latter is fairly easy to do, but I find weathered concrete a difficult thing to get right, especially when Humbrol 'new concrete' is a highly improbable cream colour! Thus far, have used a couple of washes of diluted 'metal coat gunmetal' to that, adding weathering powders as I've gone along.

 Much blending in still to do, as you can see. One other photo is of the F6, now with the correct red background [for the early 1900s] to its numberplate

[Broithe]

12 minutes ago, David Holman said:

Fitting the turntable has turned out to be much more challenging that just making it.

I do hope you manage to make it squeak as well as before.

[David Holman]

At the moment, it is squeak free, but then I always said that was my arm, not the turntable.

[David Holman]

Boxes

 While nothing much to report of late, have nevertheless been busy trying to get Belmullet ready for its debut at Uckfield in mid October. This has mainly been about presentation, so I've been building what the theatre calls a proscenium arch, or a sort of picture frame in other words. Two side panels, a pelmet, plus three display panels to go along the bottom & all needed priming and painting, along with separate sky boards to go along the back and sides. Hopefully, I've got some LED tape arriving tomorrow, so this can be added and wired up to provide the lighting. Fingers crossed, everything will be ready to be assembled on the layout in a week or so's time.

 Meanwhile, have been attending to the challenge of providing boxes for all my stock. At exhibitions you can see everything from the sublime [custom made wooden boxes holding stock in neat, foam lined spaces] to the faintly ridiculous - usually a hodge lodge of shoes boxes, ice cream tubs and the like. The former very expensive, the latter often free, though far from ideal...

 Over the years, I've standardised on foolscap box files [for rolling stock] and 'Really Useful Box Company' four litre/A4 sized plastic crates for locomotives. Both seem to work quite well and you can get four of each into one of those large, reinforced supermarket shopping bags. 7mm scale stock takes up a lot of space & more than once I find myself envying those who model in 2mm scale, where everything would probably fit into a single box - I currently need 16...

 At various times, I find myself looking around DIY stores for alternatives & recently came across a very nice looking hinged, plywood box in a store called Hobbycraft. After much pondering, decided to try one & have found that, by adding a home made inner tray, I can get all my Fintonagh stock inside in two layers. Anyway, here are a few pictures that should clarify.

[Northroader]

Next job is try and fit a layout in one of them?

[David Holman]

Not in 7mm scale.

[Galteemore]

Could possibly do part of the Cork coal gantry railway…, this is great info in all seriousness and helps illustrate what keeps a good layout on the road. Nice to see Sir Henry with his red plates and rods! 

[David Holman]

GSWR Open Cattle Wagon

 After three months getting Belmullet exhibition ready, have finally got back to making something this week. Open topped cattle wagons were a regular feature on Irish railways prior to WW1, though eventually the Board of Trade decreed they shouldn't be used anymore.  However, for my early 1900s period, one or two are very much appropriate - running to/from the off stage harbour.

 The model is fairly conventional, being a plasticard shell, embellished with micro strip of various sections for strapping and iron work. The only reason the doors are black by the way is because this is the only 60thou sheet I have at the moment! Whitemetal castings for buffers, brake gear, axle boxes and so on complete the picture. Unlike the prototype in the picture, the model will be finished in GSWR dark grey.

 A far from unusual prototype, though not one I've seen modelled that often, probably because unlike other wagon types, they didn't survive into CIE days. Cue Ken to 3D print some???

[Galteemore]

Lovely stuff - lots of delicate framing there!  And you can justify an SLNC one as late as 53….

.

[KMCE]

1 hour ago, David Holman said:

Cue Ken to 3D print some???

Nice prototype and a superb model. 

What is interesting is the lack of falling loading door; it's something that came up recently in my research into the DSER version - it appears the the drop down door was only added to cattle wagons after 1900.  If this premise follows through with GSWR, and given the single brake on the prototype above, probably dates that wagon to pre 1900.

 

As to printing, I would consider developing a model and printing if there was an interest.

Do you have dimensions / drawing for this, or did you figure from the photo?

Once I have a basic CAD model, it should be straight forward to print either 4mm or 7mm as required.

 

Ken

[David Holman]

Approximated dimensions from the photo, Ken. Around 14' long in old money, assuming 3' diameter wheels, which seems to match the basic size of many of these early 'short' vans.

[Northroader]

There’s a nice “full on” side picture in Murray and McNeills GS&WR book.

[David Holman]

Now that is rather splendid. Thank you kind sir!

[Mayner]

3 hours ago, David Holman said:

Approximated dimensions from the photo, Ken. Around 14' long in old money, assuming 3' diameter wheels, which seems to match the basic size of many of these early 'short' vans.

Irish Covered (Convertible) and Cattle Wagons appear to have been built to a length of 13'6" over headstocks up to an Oct 1892 IRCH Order which fixed minimum inside dimension of 14' X 7'3" for wagons to carry cattle.  The MGWR increased the length of its Convertible Wagons to 14'2" in 1893 (1" body planking).

Open Cattle wagons (both crib & roofless) continued to operate on both the Broad and Narrow Gauge until at least the late 1950s. Open (crib) Cattle wagons were used on both the Tralee and Dingle and Cavan & Leitrim until closure, while roofless  K & KN (14' & 17'6")  cattle wagons appear in several photos of 1950s steam hauled fair Specials. Presumably roof covering and planking was removed but wagon continued in service when roof boarding was decayed rotten but wagon otherwise servicable.

The order presumably would have applied to new construction and existing wagons as they came due for renewal/re-building, its possible that some 13'6" wagons (shortie-shortie?) were still in service into the 1920s or possibly later. The MGWR had a policy of replacing/renewing all locos and rolling stock on a 25 year cycle, which would have left approx 200 Convertible and Open Cattle wagons introduced in 189-2 due for renewal between 1916-17, with replacement likely to be delayed into the mid 1920s as a result of War time disruption.

Edited October 24, 2021 by Mayner

[Angus]

On 24/10/2021 at 6:40 PM, KMCE said:

Once I have a basic CAD model, it should be straight forward to print either 4mm or 7mm as required.

How about 2mm just to complete the set? 

If it were possible I'd be interested in a couple of prints, appreciating that this doesn't represent a good business case!

[Broithe]

All Scales Matter.

[KMCE]

35 minutes ago, Angus said:

How about 2mm just to complete the set? 

Why not.  I have not given it a try, but may be worth running a trial print on one for the other models I have developed to see how they would come out.

What track gauge are you working to, standard N gauge, or 10.5mm?  The models would scale down from 21mm, so you may have the option of either depending on your axle pin to pin dimensions.  Can you advise?

Ken.

[Angus]

22 hours ago, KMCE said:

What track gauge are you working to, standard N gauge, or 10.5mm? 

Hi Ken,

At the risk of diverting David's thread, I'm modelling to 10.5mm gauge so a simple scale down will work thanks

[David Holman]

Freelance 0n16.5

 Following comments on J-mo's thread other day, managed to dig a few old photos of my early narrow gauge work. Did it on two separate projects, based on fictional Colonel Stephens type lines in Kent. 'Hawkhurst, High Weald' was scrapped, but 'Cranbrook Town' was sold on, along with the stock, so may still exist somewhere. Being 'photos of photos' the quality of the images is not all it could be.

 The first picture is 2-6-0T I built around a Lima 08 diesel shunter chassis. The large side tanks were inspired by Clogher Valley Railway 0-4-2Ts and helped hide the large 'pancake' motor. The body is all plasticard, with a 22mm water pipe for the boiler. The chimney was a casting for a 4mm scale GWR King, sawn in half and separated by a piece of brass tube to make it longer. The front pony truck was from a Lima GWR 2-6-2T. Note the outside frames given by the 08 shunter chassis.

 Picture 2 was built in similar fashion, but this time on an old Hornby 0-6-0 chassis, with CVR style side skirts to hide it.

 Picture 3 was an 0-6-2T using the rest of the Lima 2-6-2T chassis - again with CVR style side tanks. The fourth, colour picture also shows this loco, but on Cranbrook Town, alongside white metal kit of a Baldwin 4-6-0T

 The 5th picture was my take on one of the early twin railcar units. The righthand unit is etched brass from an old MTK 'El Crappo' [yes, really] kit. The lefthand unit was built around a Corgi Lipton's Tea van. This was unpowered, but retained the cab unit of the tea van, with a plastic open truck body.

 The final picture shows my cut & shut version of the Hornby 08 shunter. The bonnet was chopped into three and rearranged either side of a home made cab on a new, wider footplate. It ran beautifully.

 Hopefully, this shows what can be done if you are happy to go 'freelance' as convincing models can be made very cheaply with a little imagination & patience. You may also spot a transporter wagon in the second picture, carrying a standard gauge open, as per the Leek & Manifold Railway and the end balcony coach, made of plasticard and strip, running on a standard 00 wagon chassis. Taught me a lot working in 0N16.5 and had a lot of fun along the way too.

[David Holman]

So, back to the open cattle wagon. Finished off in my usual way, with lettering done by hand using white acrylic ink and a dipping pen, followed by a dusting of weathering powders in appropriate places - in this case some pale grey to simulate an application of lime wash. May need to beef this up a bit, as the real stuff was slopped on with considerable enthusiasm if old photos are to be believed. Am also pondering on adding a load of cattle. Did this with my Sligo wagons, using home made beasts, so guess I need to find my original posting to remind myself of what I did!

[Galteemore]

‘Beef this up a bit’….saw what you did there !

Great work and a  nice classic Irish wagon added to the roster

[David Holman]

Station Building for NPQ

 Still waiting for my track building materials, so decided I'd make a start on the station building for Northport Quay. If you've never scratch built anything before, then a building has to be the easiest way to start. Four sides, a roof and some openings for windows and doors, which you can buy if you don't fancy making them. What's not to like?

 I still have a full sheet of 5mm foam board, so this is the basic material. Easy to cut with a snap off knife, so a steel rule, pencil and some PVA glue are all you need to cut out the four parts and fix them together.

 The model is based on Westport Quay station, but a mirror image and a gable end, rather than a hipped roof. Two sash windows, two doors are all that is on the platform face, so nothing complicated there. Indeed, a rummage through my 'plastics' spares box [I have ones for etched brass, white metal and brass castings too!], unearthed some Grandt Line windows and doors. Not a perfect match, but this is not an exact model anyway. I also found enough Wills sheets of rendered stonework to cover the foam board shell.

 Westport Quay appears to be whitewashed in some pictures and plain stonework in others. As the model is intended to be removable, in order to break up the baseboard join, I may well make two versions, so one can painted in pre-grouping colours, to match my 1900s stock & this one in rendered stone. You will see that is it only just over 'half relief', so each end will be disguised by carefully positioned trees.

 Anyway, the pictures show what can be done in three or four hours, with minimal tools and basic materials. Plenty of detailing to add. I'd really prefer to be making track at the moment, but this should keep me amused in the meantime.

[David Holman]

 Still no sign of the track building parts [though hopefully here soon], so have been carrying on with the station building, which is now ready to be painted. The pictures below show the walls and windows in grey primer, while the roof tiles are still in plain card.

 The roof is the traditional thin strips of card, snipped every 7mm to represent individual slates. These are then cut to lengths of between 8 and 12 slates, before being laid on the false roof and fixed with PVA. The ridge tiles are slightly thicker card, from a cereal box, while the chimneys were made from mounting board, covered with DAS clay and, once dry, scribed to represent random stone blocks. Chimney pots are plastic tube with an extra detailing strip of 60thou.

 Guttering meanwhile is two strips of plastic, laminated together and then filed/sanded to made the front edge rounded. At each end, a short section is filed to represent half round guttering, but most of the straight edge is then fixed to the wall with impact adhesive. The subterfuge is not visible from normal viewing angles.

 I also added some [very] basic interior detailing. In 7mm scale, windows are often big enough to see into, so it can be important to at least create the impression there is something inside.

 

[Galteemore]

Looking good David. Nice convincing roughness to the finish, without being crude and unfinished. Very reminiscent of a farmhouse in North Leitrim I knew so well!! Is there a significant problem with PCB supply etc right now ? Asking for a friend……

[David Holman]

Hopefully not. Marcway Models actually have plenty, but there was a mix up between the shop and the stores.