Hello everyone

[Les Coleman]

Hello to everyone. I've recently joined the forum after being led here by Jim Read in one of his Youtube videos, as I principally build in cardboard to 0 scale as well. I'm a serial builder of very small layouts which I manage to exhibit occasionally, usually at the annual Wealden Railway Group annual exhibition in Sussex. Most of my locos are based on old Atlas 0-6-0 switcher chassis, sometimes cut down to 0-4-0. Those chassis are bomb-proof! I model British, American and French prototypes, being somewhat afflicted with a grasshopper approach to modelling. It's good to be here. I'm sure that I will learn a lot and I also hope to contribute, although my standard of modelling is far from the highest.

 

[chigley]

any contribution is welcome Les

 

[Les Coleman]

Here's a photo of an 0 gauge Orenstein and Koppel fireless which worked in England and which I built a few years ago. You can see what I meant about my modelling standards but it's fun and I'm always trying to improve. It doesn't look so rough from a distance, honest!

 

[Allen M]

You can see what I meant about my modelling standards but it's fun

Then Les, you are doing it the right way as a hobby for your own pleasure.

Regards
Allen

 

[Les Coleman]

Thanks Allen. Yes, it's a great relaxation, even when things go wrong (like a mysterious short-circuit last night that turned out today to be a track pin that I would have had to drive in in the exact place to bridge the insulating gap between the rails, wouldn't I ...). All good fun, and keeps the aged brain active. This is not an advertisement, but will be exhibiting my tiny container port layout at a small exhibition at the ancient St Botolph's church, Steyning, West Sussex next Sunday, 25th June. Free entry apparently, just voluntary donations welcomed, I'm told.

 

[Richard Gawler]

Les this looks great and I do hope you share more of your models with us.

Please, is the steam reservoir of the Orenstein and Koppel the tank from the Airfix Esso wagon kit? It looks just right.

 

[Les Coleman]

Many thanks for your very kind comments Richard. No it's an off-cut of plastic sink waste pipe. The domed front end was formed by casting some fibreglass resin from Halfords, sold for car body repairs, into the concave bottom of an aerosol can. It was just the right diameter! The "boiler bands", rivet strips etc. are card and plastic strip. The steam dome was from a bit of plastic tube and sits on a thin plastic card base, probably about 10 thou thick. I will certainly post pics of some more models. I've built eight so far.

 

[David Waite]

Hi Les
Industrial locomotives of all types are something that I’ve always admired and you have captured a fireless loco perfectly.
David

 

[Les Coleman]

Hi David, thank you very much. I'm fascinated by fireless locos and mean to build another, probably a Bagnall, unless I go off piste and do a European one. I love industrial railways and most of my models are of industrial subjects. I'll post some more photos soon.

 

[michael mott]

Hi Les welcome, in my view your work is just perfect for doing what you want. I find that being able to work on a project that is creative and captures the essence of life and reality is really what this hobby is all about. Turning everyday materials into interesting working models is an art In my view, and you appear to excel in this field.

Michael

 

[Les Coleman]

That's a very nice thing to say Michael, thank you. I've always tried to recycle everyday "waste" items into my modelling and that keeps 0 gauge affordable. For example, I often use aluminium cut from beer cans for cab roofs - it's very thin, strong, has a natural curve and when sanded to give a key takes paint well, and the obtaining of it is no hardship! A local picture framer gives me stacks of good quality mount board offcuts, as they're just waste to him. I'll start a new thread and post a couple of pictures of my Peckett 0-4-0 industrial saddle tank, with some description.

 

[Roger Pound]

Welcome, Les. Looking forward to enjoying some more of your industrial gems.

Roger

 

[Les Coleman]

Thank you Roger. I wouldn't say they're gems, and I'm not being falsely modest. I know my limitations and I look with awe at the really beautiful modelling on this site. I'm no model engineer with a well-equipped workshop, more of a card basher. Good modelling friends fell about laughing when I showed them my GE 70 Tonner with a wooden chassis! But it does work. I'll take the plunge and post my Peckett in the Gallery tonight.

 

[Jordan]

Most of my locos are based on old Atlas 0-6-0 switcher chassis,

Sometimes I feel I must be one of very few people who actually model & use Atlas switchers more-or-less as intended but it's always interesting to see what others do with them, or the chassis.
Photos are the Currency of Choice on WT, welcome aboard!!

 

[Les Coleman]

Thanks Jordan. I do have one switcher unmodified, other than replacing the missing handrails with soldered wire ones. It's one of my best runners, smooth as silk. I model American as well as French and British, but boxcars are so huge on small layouts! But at least I don't get bored.

 

[Northroader]

Boxcars are huge???

 

[Les Coleman]

Nice one. That will encourage me to look at shortening one of mine.

 

[Northroader]

Don’t stop at one…

 

[Les Coleman]

Impressive and looks "right". Come to think about it, I do have a bobber caboose...

 

[Lancastrian]

Hi Les, and welcome. A friend of mine has two of Jim's old micro-layouts, one of which he has converted to DCC and is installing NER overhead catenary as well.

Ian