4mm An EM Workbench: Mini-Signwriting (rough)
- Thread starter AJC
- Start date
john lewsey
Western Thunderer
Hi Mick I'll build one if you do
AJC
Western Thunderer
Hi Mick I'll build one if you do
Look, if you two get on and build wagons, I'll strike out on etched loco kits.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Another of those projects that got lost in the boxes and has recently re-emerged is this 51L iron ore hopper. It's not a wonderful kit but I think I'm past the worst now with the help of rather a lot of spares from Rumney Models, not least the brakeshoes (not normally available, so thank you @jjnewitt) and can get on and fabricate the door catch gear.
Here with the hopper perched on for effect from one side...
... from underneath ...
... and from the other side. It should be *relatively* simple from hereon. Haha.
Adam
Here with the hopper perched on for effect from one side...
... from underneath ...
... and from the other side. It should be *relatively* simple from hereon. Haha.
Adam
iak63
Western Thunderer
And masses of them have been built for Mostyn; mind, members of BMRG commissioned the blasted things...
They are pigs but the finished results can be pleasing.
Finescale Railway Modeller's Workshop • View topic - Ex-Ironstone Hoppers - a finescale approach
They are pigs but the finished results can be pleasing.
Finescale Railway Modeller's Workshop • View topic - Ex-Ironstone Hoppers - a finescale approach
AJC
Western Thunderer
Just passing through the paintshop, one pair of LMS brakes, early and late.
The grey one has a coat of Precision early BR wagon grey on it; it will get another to make the most of the slight greenish tinge which is quite characteristic.
Dad has modelled a very similar LMS van in like condition so to differentiate, I've left the solebars and headstocks bauxite which seems to have been reasonably common. The hopper peeks in the right of shot - I've driven myself half-mad addding the vac' pipe from three bits of 0.7mm wire. Details later...
Adam
The grey one has a coat of Precision early BR wagon grey on it; it will get another to make the most of the slight greenish tinge which is quite characteristic.
Dad has modelled a very similar LMS van in like condition so to differentiate, I've left the solebars and headstocks bauxite which seems to have been reasonably common. The hopper peeks in the right of shot - I've driven myself half-mad addding the vac' pipe from three bits of 0.7mm wire. Details later...
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
Well. After nearly five years - I bought the kit when I started my current job - the dratted thing is near complete, barring buffers which will have to wait until I've opened up the holes in the buffer beams. As you may have gathered, I haven't especially enjoyed the process, but now it's all but done some pictures.
Adam
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Thanks Ian! Now to find what I've done with the buffers... By way of light relief, I'm tackling one of Justin's etched chassis which will go under an LMS van.
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
As one over-protracted project passes through the paint shop, some new progresses rapidly. First the hopper which now looks like this:
The main livery colour, just for variety, comes from a Railmatch rattlecan (and the contents of the same, sprayed into the lid of a jam jar to get to the corners the nozzle wouldn't reach - I long for somewhere I can actually use an airbrush...).
Not too bad, at this point. The new project has been glimpsed already. It's an early LMS fitted van to (I think) dia. 1663, or maybe 1828 - if anyone happens to have the Essery LMS wagon books to hand, perhaps they could tell me? This features a clasp braked, vac' fitted chassis with vertical planked sides and early pattern corrugated ends, per this grounded example from @hrmspaul 's collections: LMS & pre-group covered goods vans VVV ZRV ZQV YVV | LMS_van_body__m_
The body is from Cambrian:
The chassis from @jjnewitt and is very similar to the Derby type I built to go under the shock open featured in the pages of MRJ (nos 246-7). This example was a little under-etched but that didn't get in the way of what I was trying to do or my enjoyment of the process. Per my usual practise for short wheelbase 4 wheel wagons, I've built the thing rigid which speeds things up a bit and makes the process somewhat less fiddly.
Note the four holes intended for location of the various elements have been opened out to be used as fixing points (for small self-tapping screws).
It's just about ready for the two bits to be fixed, permanently, together. First, however, metal black.
Adam
The main livery colour, just for variety, comes from a Railmatch rattlecan (and the contents of the same, sprayed into the lid of a jam jar to get to the corners the nozzle wouldn't reach - I long for somewhere I can actually use an airbrush...).
Not too bad, at this point. The new project has been glimpsed already. It's an early LMS fitted van to (I think) dia. 1663, or maybe 1828 - if anyone happens to have the Essery LMS wagon books to hand, perhaps they could tell me? This features a clasp braked, vac' fitted chassis with vertical planked sides and early pattern corrugated ends, per this grounded example from @hrmspaul 's collections: LMS & pre-group covered goods vans VVV ZRV ZQV YVV | LMS_van_body__m_
The body is from Cambrian:
The chassis from @jjnewitt and is very similar to the Derby type I built to go under the shock open featured in the pages of MRJ (nos 246-7). This example was a little under-etched but that didn't get in the way of what I was trying to do or my enjoyment of the process. Per my usual practise for short wheelbase 4 wheel wagons, I've built the thing rigid which speeds things up a bit and makes the process somewhat less fiddly.
Note the four holes intended for location of the various elements have been opened out to be used as fixing points (for small self-tapping screws).
It's just about ready for the two bits to be fixed, permanently, together. First, however, metal black.
Adam
Jim smith-wright
Western Thunderer
Hi Adam
the clasp braked ones were diagram 1830 but there weren't any prominent rivets on the planking. I suspect the rivets or bolts in paul's picture are some sort of repair or later mod
Hth
Jim
the clasp braked ones were diagram 1830 but there weren't any prominent rivets on the planking. I suspect the rivets or bolts in paul's picture are some sort of repair or later mod
Hth
Jim
AJC
Western Thunderer
Thanks Jim - the diagonal row of bolt heads are clearly a design feature (though whether added retrospectively or not I wouldn't like to say but they are in every prototype picture I've seen) since they correspond with the diagonal stays fitted to the outside of contemporary non-fitted types. For whatever reason these must have had them on the inside. The others could easily show evidence of repair and maintenance, but they're in the pictures and I've just copied those.
Adam
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Since I'm at home today, not because of Kentish snow, but the joys of university industrial relations [strike action, in other words], here's some additional modelling action. Again, it's a completion job, this time, the detailing of an ESSO anchor-mounted Bachmann compromise courtesy of @jjnewitt (remember that @Overseer is planning on commissioning a 7mm version based on Justin's full etches for the chassis and mount: 14T anchor mount tank in 7mm?)
The etched ladder makes an enormous difference, the valve wheel perhaps less so but it's still very definitely worth doing. As noted, it's a compromise - the tank diameter is neither hither nor quite yon (and this one has been extended, proportionately, to look more or less like a proper B class vehicle). Still, it's not a bad approximation so long as you don't have an accurately scaled version alongside it...
Meanwhile, here's the view down the old SER mainline toward Paddock Wood; biggest delays today seem to have been caused by one of the snow clearing units breaking down at Wye. Oops.
Adam
The etched ladder makes an enormous difference, the valve wheel perhaps less so but it's still very definitely worth doing. As noted, it's a compromise - the tank diameter is neither hither nor quite yon (and this one has been extended, proportionately, to look more or less like a proper B class vehicle). Still, it's not a bad approximation so long as you don't have an accurately scaled version alongside it...
Meanwhile, here's the view down the old SER mainline toward Paddock Wood; biggest delays today seem to have been caused by one of the snow clearing units breaking down at Wye. Oops.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
I'm going to have to find something else to make, the LMS van is now complete following the arrival of buffers in today's post (the replacement corner plate comes from a mismatched pair of sides being supplied). Paint will have to wait until it warms up a bit more. The chalkboards on the ends are from a Rumney etch and seem to have been a common enough retro-fit by BR(?) which suggests the BR-refit many of these vans seem to have had; the reason for wanting to do one was surprising number of freshly repainted examples of this particular style of LMS van that appear in colour photos from the early '60s - the corrugated ends are quite distinctive so the combination of axleboxes and chalkboards hint at that.
I'm quite happy with that.
Adam
I'm quite happy with that.
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
As strikes continue, in between other things, the paintshop has been busy, with weathering to follow. First, the LMS van:
Next, mercifully, the Iron Ore hopper which is waiting for overhead electrification flashes before weathering.
Finally, the pair of LMS brakes which want the attentions of the glazier before I can go any further (including sticking the roofs on permanently):
Adam
Next, mercifully, the Iron Ore hopper which is waiting for overhead electrification flashes before weathering.
Finally, the pair of LMS brakes which want the attentions of the glazier before I can go any further (including sticking the roofs on permanently):
Adam
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Lyndhurstman
Western Thunderer
A quartet of quality, Adam. Lovely stuff.
Cheers
Jan
Cheers
Jan
AJC
Western Thunderer
Thanks Jan (and thank you, too, for the 'likes' everybody). I'm slightly frustrated that I can't find where I put my supply of electrification flashes: now I've got this far, all I want to do is weather them! The ore hopper's long gestation and slightly grainy (excellent for my purposes) is something I'm desperate to see finished.
Adam