Cookie's Workbench - 7/8ths Alan Keef K40

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
A fairly gentle move back into the realms of railway modelling after a few months of ambivalence...

It was only after attending the S Scale Society Autumn meet and then shooting the breeze with Simon C last weekend that my modelling mojo stuttered back into life, the task was to find something fairly easy and workbench orientated to get back into the swing of things. The chosen subject was a Tower Models A30 Autocoach, bought last year as a 'To me, from me' Christmas present. The first Autocoach arrived with some damage to the front window frames, but Tower were excellent at sorting out a replacement. Aside from running it up and down the garden line, its spent its time in a box in a cupboard, gently corroding where 'sticky fingers' have man-handled it about.

Still nothing is too difficult to rectify, and having sourced a set of replacement wheels from Dave Hammersley (Roxey Mouldings), I figured it was good time to start upgrading the thing. As it turned out fitting the new wheelsets was nothing more than disassembling the bogies, sleeving the existing bearing down to take the new bearings (axle diameter reduced from 1/8" to 2mm on new wheels), then putting back together.

I need to colour the wheels black, but as they are stainless steel, my Carrs metal black won't touch them...anybody got any other ideas (paint is the obvious, but least preffered option).

Anyway, a couple of photos showing before and after

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Steve
 
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Steve Cook

Flying Squad
iploffy said:
Steve looks good, any new updates on the Garden line ???

Ian

Thanks Ian.

Nothing of any note on the garden line, but I'm popping out there now to tidy some of natures efforts up - I'll pop some photos up later.

Steve
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
BR Maroon is the current favourite.

There are a few things that need sorting out before the painting though, the toplights don't really look like the originals, and I'm sure that some A30 Autocoaches had a raised, horizontal panelling line underneath the windows. I'd quite like to add the latter to break up the 'slab sided' look it has at the moment, but the windows are the ones that really need attention. How I'm going to do it though, I'm not quite sure at the moment...

Steve
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Bit of a random collection of periods and scales on the workbench this week, never say no to a bit of variety though  ;D

 

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Geoff

Western Thunderer
Hi Steve,
What is all this talk of a Warship EM conversion and 4mm wagon kits, have you seen the light or do I need an appointment at specsavers :eek:

Geoff
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Steve,

Good to meet you at the Titfield Thunderbolt last weekend, sounds like you had fun at Warley too...

I just noticed your post about the Roxey wheels.  Are you certain they're stainless?  I've got some of Dave's wheels here and I'm pretty sure they're mild steel.  It's also worth noting that these days 'stainless' steel isn't as stainless as it used to be; you might get something to take to the surface and dull it enough for you.  Have you tried the Birchwood Casey stuff?

Steph
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Hi Geoff, your eyes are fine  ;D

No light per se, more of a small attempt to have a quick bit of fun. My problem is that most of my modelling is slow, building from kits where I end up obsessing over detail - which while its fun and rewarding, every now and then I just want to buy something, do something simple like swap wheels or stick a plastic kit together in an afternoon, throw a bit of paint around and have something to play with. It still ends up being unique to me, but it doesn't take an age to get anywhere (I will be exhibiting a distinct lack of finess in some areas and almost a total disregard for rivets  :D ). There is also the advantage that I'm getting in a bit of small scale practise in preparation for some of my S scale kits....

Steve

(I won't mention a previously aborted attempt in EM a few years ago, this helps to exorcise a demon / scratch an itch)
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Steph Dale said:
Steve,

Good to meet you at the Titfield Thunderbolt last weekend, sounds like you had fun at Warley too...

I just noticed your post about the Roxey wheels.  Are you certain they're stainless?  I've got some of Dave's wheels here and I'm pretty sure they're mild steel.  It's also worth noting that these days 'stainless' steel isn't as stainless as it used to be; you might get something to take to the surface and dull it enough for you.  Have you tried the Birchwood Casey stuff

Hi Steph

Was good to meet you down in Bath last weekend too, Warley was a cracker!

These wheels are definitely stainless steel, Dave did them as a trial to test the Gauge 1 market (he did the same style wheels to suit the  standard Gauge 1 track standard too). However, I'm not sure what grade of stainless it is, I know my Carrs metal black won't touch it, but I haven't got any Birchwood Casey to try (something else I forget to get yesterday...)

Steve
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Steve Cook said:
Hi Steph

Was good to meet you down in Bath last weekend too, Warley was a cracker!

These wheels are definitely stainless steel, Dave did them as a trial to test the Gauge 1 market (he did the same style wheels to suit the  standard Gauge 1 track standard too). However, I'm not sure what grade of stainless it is, I know my Carrs metal black won't touch it, but I haven't got any Birchwood Casey to try (something else I forget to get yesterday...)

Steve

I have and it doesn't touch them.

Definitely a stainless variety!

Simon
 

3 LINK

Western Thunderer
Steve Cook said:
These wheels are definitely stainless steel, Dave did them as a trial to test the Gauge 1 market (he did the same style wheels to suit the  standard Gauge 1 track standard too). However, I'm not sure what grade of stainless it is, I know my Carrs metal black won't touch it, but I haven't got any Birchwood Casey to try (something else I forget to get yesterday...)

Steve

Hi Steve,

With reference to the wheels I have used an indelible black marker pen with good results (and no paint chipping !), if I remember rightly Mr Fred Lewis of this parish gave me the tip.  You will probably have to go over them twice but it does the job.

ATB,  Martyn.
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
CME & Bottlewasher said:
Nice work Steve :bowdown: :thumbs:

You work fast! :thumbs:
Cheers CME  :) Not that fast, just enjoying the pleasure of some time off work - doesn't look so good when you factor hours in  :D

28ten said:
I'm liking the look of the gauge three  :thumbs:

Ta muchly  :wave: Tempted  :))

3 LINK said:
With reference to the wheels I have used an indelible black marker pen with good results (and no paint chipping !), if I remember rightly Mr Fred Lewis of this parish gave me the tip.  You will probably have to go over them twice but it does the job.

Cheers Martyn. Not heard of that before. Will give it a bash on a spare set of wheels - just worried that it might leave a slight purple glossy sheen...I shall report back

Steve
 

28ten

Guv'nor
Steve Cook said:
Ta muchly  :wave: Tempted  :))


Steve
Nah  :)
1/32 is a different matter though  :scratch: building the Catfish im thinking wouldnt this be even better if it was just that bit bigger  :))  :eek: but then the reality of the space required for any sort of layout sinks home!
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
28ten said:
1/32 is a different matter though  :scratch: building the Catfish im thinking wouldnt this be even better if it was just that bit bigger  :))  :eek: but then the reality of the space required for any sort of layout sinks home!
Do it  ;D On a light hearted note, build something and run it at Simon's once a year - I'm trying to tempt C"Handsome Man"K into the same, and Neil's already joined the party  :))

I think to be honest, once you get past S scale, the space problem rears its head anyway. I know its a whole grade worse for 1/32 over 7mm, but turnout length and workable radii are still issues - thats why I skipped 7mm and went Gauge 1, I was always going to struggle to get an indoor layout in to my satisfaction in either, so went for the scale that floated my boat best (and headed outside).

Steve
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Steve Cook said:
Do it  ;D On a light hearted note, build something and run it at Simon's once a year - I'm trying to tempt C"Handsome Man"K into the same, and Neil's already joined the party  :))

I think to be honest, once you get past S scale, the space problem rears its head anyway. I know its a whole grade worse for 1/32 over 7mm, but turnout length and workable radii are still issues - thats why I skipped 7mm and went Gauge 1, I was always going to struggle to get an indoor layout in to my satisfaction in either, so went for the scale that floated my boat best (and headed outside).

Steve

Yes, I do solemnly and hereby undertake and promise to build and lay some more points and trackwork in my garden before next years "running season". After operating Worlds End Quay yesterday I really fancy the thought of shunting a freight in a prototype sized yard 8)

Joking apart, I think that models in G1 acquire a "presence" that even 7mm doesn't achieve. This is particularly true for smaller prototypes, a single wagon in 1/32 is a very satisfying "thing" just in itself.
 

D6331

Western Thunderer
Indeed. I returned to the wallet draining hobby via N and 2mm, thinking that's all i had room for.. until I saw Pomparles and a 22  :bowdown:    then some O gauge ideas came to mind and shunting with a Hymek on my micrO

Cheeers
Roger

ps - thanks Simon for the info about this forum and for a warm welcome at the shop opening  :wave:
 
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