Kingsbridge - workbench

[David Holman]

Subtle, understated - how it should be.

[Noel]

1 hour ago, LARNE CABIN said:

Absolutely brilliant, Noel. Thanks for sharing all the detail of the build. I've found it all very informative and helpful as I have just received two UTA Brown Van kits from Leslie which I am looking forward to building for my Larne Harbour project! I have learnt a lot from your thread. Can I just ask what size Kadee you have used on the cattle wagon?

Cheers @LARNE CABIN. No 18 NEM. It plugs into the Dapol NEM pocket. I find dapol NEM pockets tend to droop on most wagons including Dapols own wagons, so a minor tweak is needed to prevent the droop and keep the kadee at gauge height on the horizontal plane, so that the tripping pin does not snag magnets nor points. This tweak is just to slightly file the screw mounting lug on the chassis of one of Leslie's wagons or any dapol wagon slight shorter so that when the screw is in place the NEM pocket is firmly held in the horizontal plane with no play under the screw. It takes only seconds to do but ensures uncoupling magnets will work well for automatic uncoupling and delayed uncoupling . Hope that long winded answer helps.

Edited June 18, 2020 by Noel

[Georgeconna]

That Came out very well noel, With all that Grey you expect a few 16 inch guns to be poking out too!

 

[Noel]

Confession time  

Success & Failure. Mk3 respray went ok,  BUT Removing the masking tape last night from a rebuilt dutch GSV kit, it finally had to happen, the tape took a layer of 6 coats of paint and halford primer off with it on the side of the GSV. Lesson learned, always wipe down resin bodies with IPA and then wash with water before priming. Ah well will strip it down and start again. Mk3 heading for transfers, passengers, lighting and mild weathering.

A few hours earlier - Spray and pray time  

Looking good so far on that side of the rebuilt dutch GSV (ie suitable for mk2 sets)

Opps -  Oh well will just gave to strip it down and start again

At least this hornby mk3 respray survived the unmasking

Lesson learned - fully remove releasing agent from resin kit bodies before priming.

[murrayec]

Hi Noel

That's unfortunate the paint coming off,

though I would not recommend washing down plastic or resin with IPA! The best course to follow is wash it down with water and a spoonful of washing soda mixed in and thoroughly rinse in clean water, filtered if possible! One should also abrade resin with a soft fibre pen or fine wet n dry paper- resin contains oils and some casting never fully cure, if you get the paint onto a dry abraded surface the paint will seal it in.

IPA comes in different strengths and all depending on which one one uses and what plastic the model is it could work or it could be a disaster! A better cleaner is methylated spirits.  

I use enamel paints and wait at least 3-4 days to allow the paint to dry off before applying tape or another coat, if the next coat is applied to early the under coat will take thinners from the coat one is spraying, the under coat can become soft and loose contact with the under surface - enamel takes 2 to 3 weeks to harden off completely.

Eoin

 

[Georgeconna]

This is happening to me quite regular now to the point I am nearly giving up painting Models. It is really hit and miss if the paint does not pull off or not. It causes loads of extra work and time these day.

Get a Large Freezer bag and Some oven cleaner and the paint will come off for you no bother.

 

 

[Noel]

1 hour ago, murrayec said:

Hi Noel

That's unfortunate the paint coming off,

though I would not recommend washing down plastic or resin with IPA! The best course to follow is wash it down with water and a spoonful of washing soda mixed in and thoroughly rinse in clean water, filtered if possible! One should also abrade resin with a soft fibre pen or fine wet n dry paper- resin contains oils and some casting never fully cure, if you get the paint onto a dry abraded surface the paint will seal it in.

IPA comes in different strengths and all depending on which one one uses and what plastic the model is it could work or it could be a disaster! A better cleaner is methylated spirits.  

I use enamel paints and wait at least 3-4 days to allow the paint to dry off before applying tape or another coat, if the next coat is applied to early the under coat will take thinners from the coat one is spraying, the under coat can become soft and loose contact with the under surface - enamel takes 2 to 3 weeks to harden off completely.

Eoin

 

Thanks for the info Eoin. I am cautions about using IPA to remove the paint as it could destroy the resin as might brake fluid. The orange paint was 4 weeks old, and judging by how the halfords primer came so cleanly off revealing the resin below I suspect it was release agent that I failed to clean off properly before priming. I'm cautions now about stripping the paint as these rebuilt GSV bodies are difficult to come by. Another mistake I made was using tape that was too wide instead of my normal 6mm tape. Cheers.

10 minutes ago, Georgeconna said:

This is happening to me quite regular now to the point I am nearly giving up painting Models. It is really hit and miss if the paint does not pull off or not. It causes loads of extra work and time these day.

Get a Large Freezer bag and Some oven cleaner and the paint will come off for you no bother.

Yea it was a bit of a bummer all right. First time its happened to me. Will try the oven cleaner. Do you spray oven cleaner on the body or just inside the freezer bag. How long do you leave it in the bag before washing it with soapy water?

[flange lubricator]

I was reading George Dent's ' Airbrushing for railway modellers ' he suggests washing the model with a soda crystal solution prior to painting .

[Georgeconna]

3 hours ago, Noel said:

Thanks for the info Eoin. I am cautions about using IPA to remove the paint as it could destroy the resin as might brake fluid. The orange paint was 4 weeks old, and judging by how the halfords primer came so cleanly off revealing the resin below I suspect it was release agent that I failed to clean off properly before priming. I'm cautions now about stripping the paint as these rebuilt GSV bodies are difficult to come by. Another mistake I made was using tape that was too wide instead of my normal 6mm tape. Cheers.

Yea it was a bit of a bummer all right. First time its happened to me. Will try the oven cleaner. Do you spray oven cleaner on the body or just inside the freezer bag. How long do you leave it in the bag before washing it with soapy water?

Just one the Body Noel, Leave it overnight, old Toothbrush to get the paint out of the indents etc. Maybe to goes at it should do the trick.

[Noel]

Go back to 'go' do not collect $100, its like snakes and ladders, but if at first you don't succeed, try, try again, so here we go again.

Was fortunate to get the paint off without using and solvents or cleaning fluids. Just shows the primer did not bond with that resin because I failed to clean off the releasing agent properly. It will get a serious dose this time around before re-priming and re-painting. You never stop learning in this hobby.

Its almost as if I'd covered it in a 'wrap'. Peeled off handy enough with the help of finger nails, tweezers and wooden tooth picks.It will get a good bath before next primer.

[murrayec]

1 hour ago, Noel said:

 ''Just shows the primer did not bond with that resin because I failed to clean off the releasing agent properly.''

The fact that the paint peeled off the entire model would suggest to me that the primer your using is a bit suspect, especially as you say 'I failed to clean off the releasing agent properly' - that you had cleaned it one would expect paint to adhere in some places?

Eoin

[Noel]

9 hours ago, murrayec said:

The fact that the paint peeled off the entire model would suggest to me that the primer your using is a bit suspect, especially as you say 'I failed to clean off the releasing agent properly' - that you had cleaned it one would expect paint to adhere in some places?

Eoin

Hi Eoin Thanks for the info, both the mk3 and GSV had the same primer applied on the same day about 3-4 weeks ago. As I had sanded and filed the flash away from the resin body a week or two before that so I suspect I may have forgotten to give it its customary wipe with a weak cleaning agent a few days before priming. The Mk3 was absolutely fine and it had a lot of tape on it. The ease with which the paint including the grey primer peeled off the GSV body almost like cling film suggests the resin release agent was the culprit here. We live and learn. All stripped back now ready to start again.

Peeled off like a plastic wrap

Not even a hint that the primer bonded anywhere on the body.

At least it can be redone now without aggressive paint stripping damaging the body shell. Now where's my dulux emulsion paint brush.  

The Mk3 was fine and it had a lot more tape on it. The primer bonded will over the hornby body shell on top of a previous BR paint scheme.

[Noel]

Another eBay mk3 donor arrived today. These Hornby coaches came with strange couplings reminiscent of Lima italian style from the 1970s, but at least they were in NEM pockets which were at the correct blasted height. Put kadee no 19 in and married up perfectly with the kadee height garage. These are not bad looking coaches but quite poor runners, due to the lack of swivel NEM plates (kinematic coupling pockets). Impossible to push backwards over any point work or on a bend without derailing. The body pops off fairly handily clipped in 3 places each side. Just a thin blade and wooden ice cream stick needed to unclip it and prise the body off. Will soak in hot water to help get the glazing to pop out and break the glow bonds. Bogies pop off fairly handy too. At least these bogies won't need any modification unlike the previous which needed a certain amount to get kadee draft gearbox couplings bodged on at the correct height and distance from buffer beam. Hopefully might end up with a rake of CIE Supertrain livery mk3 coaches which I might auction for charity in the future. Thought about converting Hornby shorties (ie seven window coaches) but they don't have buffers as they were expected to run with HST train sets. Its a real pity Hornby compromised what is a decent coach with cheap couling arrangements that do not facilitate close coupling. Does anybody know if Oxford rail mk3s are better in this respect? These will be quick resprays so not bothering to change the doors, at 2ft I won't notice and the duck rule applies on our model railway.  

[Noel]

First stab at respraying a mk3 into CIE super train livery. This coach was done with City Gold transfers, the regular 7:40 Heuston to Cork I used to travel on in the 1980s. Great hot food served on these back in the day before yo-yos and trolleys with plastic sandwiches took over in the 00s. IMHO the cork service is but a shadow of its former self. Now this is in the queue for weathering. Installed some passengers and coach lighting but these windows are heavily tinted. Fitted kadee 142 gear box couplings to the bogies.

When coach arrived a few weeks ago from eBay. Glazing removed after baking in the sun for a few hours. It's a real PITA getting glazing off these Hornby bodies. Interior got a slight repaint, could not stomach that blue.

[Noel]

[Noel]

Needs weathering. Perhaps next week.

[Noel]

Another mk3 on the bench. Cannot get the blasted window glazing out of this particular donor, glued in with an overdose of glue, so plan B, mask the windows. Not ideal. Will use maskol for the small windows. Anyway another route if not my preferred option. Will try some lima donors next time. By the time if leaned more stuff and how to navigate new potholes I may and up with a rake of mk3s in Irish livery.

Edited July 28, 2020 by Noel

[Noel]

Fun figuring out how to dismantle a Lima mk3 donor

[Noel]

Let the cutting, sawing and filing begin

[Noel]

Whiling away a few hours this afternoon doodling with back log items. Fitted kadee couplings while at it and keen sprung corridors connectors for close fit. Just some cutting, sawing, sanding and fettling to get snug fits and smooth running with other stock. Lots of test fitting and alignment adjustment of bogies, connectors and couplings. Airfix for grown ups   

Keen system sprung corridor connectors prepped before priming with GSV feul tank, and kadee 147 draft gearbox whisker couplings replacing ugly hornby TLC which was cut off. These bogies are resin kits so a PITA to superglue.

Bogies tested for alignment with Kadee coupling height gauge.

Alignment test on track for Keen systems close coupled corridor connectors and kadee couplings test. Prior to glazing, varnishing and final decoration of the van.

Alignment test with modified dutch GSV already receive some weathering coupled to Bachmann/MM mk2a. The mk2a needs weathering to get rid of the fisher price toy shiny plastic look. But I do like  the shade of orange on these Bachmann coaches as its the closest to correct shade of pristine orange. Two more rakes of early mk2's now have GSVs to run with them. Varnishing, Decals, Glazing and handrails left to finish both GSVs. Back to mk3s now.

[Noel]

RPSI Dutch GSV is progressing. Chassis test run and she's running friction free, a gentle shove and she'll roll on for a good few feet. Couplings and corridor connectors are aligning correctly with Bachmann/MM RPSI Mk2a coaches. Ready for final decoration, varnishing, glazing and very light weathering. Might put some innards inside if I can find the right diameter tubing out in the toolshed.

[Noel]

A brace of Dutch in progress

 

Keen systems sprung gangways

[Noel]

Fake boilers and water storage tanks. 

[Mick]

Both looking very well. The detail on the gangway of the green one is great! Did you build the coaches yourself?

[Noel]

14 hours ago, Mick said:

Both looking very well. The detail on the gangway of the green one is great! Did you build the coaches yourself?

They were resin kits from SF and IFM

[Noel]

RPSI Dutch GSV 462 just about complete, next step is some very mild weathering. Glad to have a heating van to keep my rake of Bachmann RPSI mk2a coaches warm.

[Noel]

Just about finished rebuilt IE/IR Dutch GSV (exCIE) kit suitable to run with my Bachmann/MM IE/IR mk2a coaches. I seem to be collecting GSVs and EGVs  Like brake vans, I just like them, they ran with every train and had purpose in the moment of people and/or goods.

[Noel]

Next few mk3 resprays on the bench. See below. How to dismantle a Lima mk3 coach.

How to dismantle a Lima mk3 coach (for respray)

 

[Noel]

A brace of dutch kits nearly complete 

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by Noel

[Noel]

Installing a driver in 121 cab proved tricky and painful for the driver who had to undergo major surgery to fit. 

The main body comes off the chassis easily using 4 screws but boy you have to handle it with kid gloves there are so many delicate detailing parts. Getting the Cab off the main body was a serious challenge (ie without damaging anything). Took the cab door grab rails off beforehand to protect them and in advance of weathering tomorrow. One of them had fallen off in the box anyway.

Both arms had to be loped off as well as tighenting his waist but a little LLP plastic surgery later and repainting and he was good to go. It's a tight fit in there most driver figures will not fit in there, too wide with limbs and hips. The arm on the floor will be dedicated to model medical science.  

Anyway now there is no empty cab and there is a driver clearly visible

Put everything carefully back together again in advance of weathering her tomorrow and gave her a test run to be sure all is working ok including the lights. These are exquisite models and a credit to Murphy Models design. Will put the door grab rails back on after weathering. 

The tablet catcher seems to lack the presence it had on the 141, 181s. Looking forward to weathering her tomorrow. Hope I gave the driver enough food rations cause he's not coming back out of there any time soon.  

[popeye]

Poor driver. So maybe a HO scale man might fit better and would a dark uniform hide his disability?

[Noel]

7 minutes ago, popeye said:

Poor driver. So maybe a HO scale man might fit better and would a dark uniform hide his disability?

Yes 1:67mm LLPs are not quite as fit as they used to be in the 1970s. That's a good idea in future. The preiser ho scale figures might have been an easier fit. Its a pity as the guy had an outstretched arm which could have been on the notch lever. From outside the cab it doesn't look like he's armless  

[popeye]

Most of my drivers have no legs. 

[jhb171achill]

2 hours ago, popeye said:

Most of my drivers have no legs. 

What? Driving while legless? I'll the Elfin Safety boyos!

[David Holman]

It's the same in 7mm scale (where ready painted figures can be £5 or more each), proper sized people can be a tight fit. Fortunately, Slaters do a pack of 16, unpainted, figures which are probably closer to 1/48 than 1/43. Crude, but they are ideal for putting in coaches and other right spaces where you just need an impression. Even so, several have had legs cut off at the knees to fit.

Needs must!