The First Larkrail Challenge

[SteveO]

It starts with a kit. A kit so old and battered that nearly all the parts have been knocked off their sprues.


I thought I'd start with the cab. It's a focal point and would give me an insight into the rest of the kit. The handrail mouldings were awful so I got rid of these and will replace them with wire. Bottom left shows the original, and removed bottom right. I've neatened them up since taking this pic.


The seats and control panel were next. Quite simply the operator's seats had to come off and will be replaced with something that looks like a seat and not a casting fault (left side removed, right side as supplied). Also, the control panel had 3 levers (speed control?) and these were dual control, not triple - especially as they had no central window - so the middle lever had to come off too. I also shortened a couple of the desk controls for variety.


Tomorrow I'll get some glue, paint, filler, etc to start putting it together. By the way, what are those horrible big divots in the cab sides?

 

[Steph Dale]

By the way, what are those horrible big divots in the cab sides?

Steve,

They're the marks made when the ejector pins (which eject the part from the tooling) haven't drawn back perfectly before the mould was charged. Fill 'em and forget about 'em...

Steph

 

[daifly]

By the way, what are those horrible big divots in the cab sides?

I believe that they are related to the ejection of the sprue from the injection moulding dies.

 

[SteveO]

Cheers chappies!

 

[SteveO]

Ejector holes filled and new operator seats made. I was going to glue them on but I've bought some of that Revell precision applicator glue and it doesn't come out of the needle!

 

[ceejaydee]

You are certainly motoring with this one Steve

 

[SteveO]

Cheers! It's so much easier getting out a tube of glue and a knife rather than the soldering kit. Soldering takes a minimum of 2 hours when you include warm up and warm down, cleaning and other prep.

 

[Caggers]

and it doesn't come out of the needle!

At least you will not get glue in the wrong place...

 

[iploffy]

Can I enter this for the Larkrail challenge
for off peak services

 

[SteveO]

That's brill! My little man wants to play trains and I've been thinking of making a single car DMU from a cut down Triang coach. Ace!

 

[SteveO]

You reminded me that a photo update was required.

I've made the seats and frames ready for trimming and fitting. The seats are made from those plug covers you get when you but new electrical goodies. The frames made from 0.8mm wire. I've also made a column/conduit to fit between the control panel and the floor and I'll glue in a few wires for general pipework under the desk.

I'm going to buy some paint tomorrow. I've been advised to go acrylic - any advice? Last time I painted a model I was a teenager and I used Humbrol enamels, which is all that I knew existed!

 

[Dog Star]

The seats are made from those plug covers you get when you but new electrical goodies. The frames made from 0.8mm wire...

Now that is inventive and in line with the concept of scatter gun modelling, using whatever floats your boat.

regards, Graham

 

[queensquare]

Can I enter this for the Larkrail challenge
for off peak services

You most certainly can - fun is liable to gain you extra marks from the judges (although not as many extra marks as cake!).
In your case I feel that rather than entering something that is not in your usual scale, it should be something that isn't blue

Jerry

 

[iploffy]

Ah that makes sense so if I painted it in a livery the was totally fictions and then painted it in say porter brooks livery with a dash of midland mainline thrown in and a few cakes you think it would stand a chance

 

[queensquare]

Ah that makes sense so if I painted it in a livery the was totally fictions and then painted it in say porter brooks livery with a dash of midland mainline thrown in and a few cakes you think it would stand a chance

No question about it - a strong contender I'd say

Jerry - particularly fond of date and walnut cake!!

 

[Dog Star]

Jerry - particularly fond of date and walnut cake!!

Secret squirrel nobbles the first Larkrail Challenge judge .

Keep on going Ploffy, if you find room then a fine pair of Bristols will swing Simon-Da-Judge in your favour. Just do not try to use some 1/43 scale omnibus, probably need a 2mm FS Lodekka.

regards, Graham

 

[SteveO]

A slow day at work today...

I made the control conduit thingy under the desk out of a filed down piece of sprue from the kit. I've got some fine wire at home so I'll add more pipework later.

 

[Neil]

.... I'm going to buy some paint tomorrow. I've been advised to go acrylic - any advice? Last time I painted a model I was a teenager and I used Humbrol enamels, which is all that I knew existed!

I still use Humbrol enamels. My advice would be that if you gained some competence in your teens with enamels build on that. It's practise, self evaluation, the application of logic and patience that lead to good results rather than any particular product.

 

[SteveO]

Thanks Neil. I wouldn't say any skills I built up would be still with me 30 years later though, but one can hope! I may switch with the acrylics though as I've seen some really nice results with them - much better than I ever achieved with enamels.

 

[queensquare]

A quick bump for this, more details later - possibly when I get back from the club tonight.

Jerry