On the trail of the lonesome line ......

[John TAYLOR]

I retired just over a year ago, but prior to that I sold all my 4mm kits I had aquired since the 1970`s, and which I would never get built before my eventual demise, and made a decision to move into 7mm.
Despite growing up in a MR/LMS/BR locality, I began my railway modelling experience making K`s GWR whitemetal loco kits and then etched kits from Mallard Models.



Moving to O Guage I still follow my preferred choice of making locomotives first. Knowing that they run as perfectly as I can achieve and are completed to the highest level that my current skills permit, inspires me to move onto the next stage. I remain a kit builder and having honed some of my past skills on the infamous Jidenco kits, I still enjoy striving to make silk purses out of sows ears.

GATANEAL AEC RAILCAR

Very awkward kit to complete from the 1980`s. Combining brass etches and large resin parts.

SCORPIO 61XX


Built as per kit


JH MODELS MOGUL KIT

Superdetailed with replacement parts from various trade suppliers. Purchased from Jim Maidment six months before his death.

GLADIATOR MODELS DUKEDOG

Only needed to change lamp irons to those of Laurie Griffin.


CASTLE MODELS LARGE METRO

Again from the 1980`s Much fettling of whitemetal parts and feathering of edges. Replacement cab details.

 

[Simon]

Hi John

Beautiful, especially considering the origins. I've heard some interesting stories about some of those names, I wouldn't be brave enough to try them myself.

And all wonderfully Western - welcome indeed

Simon

 

[Rob Pulham]

Welcome John, I followed the build of the railcar on the guild forum - very nicely done.

 

[adrian]

GATANEAL AEC RAILCAR
Very awkward kit to complete from the 1980`s. Combining brass etches and large resin parts.

That's a very impressive bit of kit bashing. I remember helping my Dad build a GWR railcar for a commission, I was forever grateful that they wanted the angular version so we had the joy of the Cavalier kit rather than the pain of the Gateneal kit.

 

[John TAYLOR]

Thankyou all......

Adrian..... I`m hoping to come across a Cavalier Railcar kit one day. I`ve managed to find a complete Cavalier B set. At least I won`t have to boil the resin roofs to straighten them up ,and then pin them to the sides to prevent them `shape shifting` back again.

 

[Dikitriki]

Hello John,

Nice to see you here. You've got a lovely build and finish on those locos. It is satisfying to take something less than perfect, and make a good job of it.

I too followed the build on the Guild site, and was impresed at the time. Still am

Richard

 

[djparkins]

Thankyou all......

Adrian..... I`m hoping to come across a Cavalier Railcar kit one day. I`ve managed to find a complete Cavalier B set. At least I won`t have to boil the resin roofs to straighten them up ,and then pin them to the sides to prevent them `shape shifting` back again.

Hello John -

Welcome. You have certainly made a great job of that railcar, despite whatever difficulties you had with it along the way.

Mention of the Cavalier railcar takes me back 30+ years, when I drew the etchings for him. I think ABS has it now. It all seems a very long time ago!

Regards,

DJP/MMP

 

[David Taylor]

You're pretty good at this.

As others have said that railcar is impressive!

 

[Ressaldar]

Hello John,

welcome to WT. The finish that you have achieved, especially on the railcar is excellent, I look forward to your next batch of photos.

As slight aside, my father-in-law worked for Jidenco - fortunately not the part that tried to produce model railway kits

cheers

Mike

 

[40126]

Welcome John

Steve

 

[flexible_coupling]

That Large Metro tank looks brilliant!

 

[John TAYLOR]

Before I carry on down this trail, I must clarify that not all Jidenco 4mm kits were infamous. Some of them made into very nice models indeed.

Jidenco. Drummond 700 Goods.

From non GWR period. Sharman wheels, Portescap/MJT drive, Dome, chimney and buffers from South Western Circle parts....the rest is pure JIDENCO including the coupling rods.

 

[John TAYLOR]

There comes a time when making loco kits has to stop in favour of making a world for them to function in. Having read the books and scribbled on large drawing pads, my plan is to build two layouts. The first to be a simple set up based on an actual location and to be made in `fish tank` modules style, trying new techniques and ideas as well as getting to know how to do things in a bigger scale and generally to get something running and `finished`. The second will be a larger terminus set up and unlikely to be built for exhibitions and not directly based on an actual place.

So.................. " Logically it should have been named ` Churchill Halt ` but the landowner, Earl Ducie, who lived at Sarsden House beyond Churchill, requested that the little halt be ` Sarsden Halt` and so it was " The Banbury and Cheltenham Railway. J H Russell. p62.


The Banbury and Cheltenham Railway. J H Russell p63 Fig 106



The Banbury and Cheltenham Railway. JH Russell. p64 Fig 109.

T`wern`t right !! so I have changed it back to Churchill Halt and for the sake of my shed, I have also straightened the platform. Obviously the real halt is long gone, but by studying the photographic evidence, I have used plasticard and a set of Churchward Models 7mm window etches to make the signal box first.









She has a detailed interior and is lit with miniature GOW bulbs

 

[John TAYLOR]

I had in my minds eye to use balsa wood to construct the wooden platform, remembering that balsa wood and dope tissue soaked Spitfire I had put together aged 16..... could`nt afford the fuel driven motor !!!! However, never found a supply of suitably sized balsa and Hobbycraft had a limited stock of Bass wood which probably turned out to be a stronger wood.
The GWR pagoda is a heavily improved Skytrex resin kit, particulary the guttering and roof edging. Lamps are S&D parts attached to the wooden posts which have been grooved and then filled at the rear to take the wiring of GOW bulbs. I made a crude metal stamp to highlight the track timbering used for the platform. I`m quite pleased with the outcome.

 

[John TAYLOR]

The track plan for Churchill Halt is very simple, and hopefully will not take too long to lay and apply point mechanisms ( Fulgurex ). One major project will be how to make the GWR Springside Models crossing gates function. I`ve already completed all the C&L point kits for both layout projects, but I`m not sure whether to add an extra point into the plan.........

This

Or... This

Total diorama layout length will be 14' by 2' 6'' plus a 4' fiddle yard at either end. There will be 4 display units 2 x 3' and 2 x 4'
I`m hoping to make the units similar to those I found in an article in Railway Modeller by Neale Burrows.



Baseoard Options 2. Railway Modeller August 2012.

 

[flexible_coupling]

Excellent looking little halt, a great validation for "sensible" sized trains in 7mm! Wonder if you could replicate tiny turnbuckles on your fencing wire once you plant the platform, and tension the wire up?

 

[John TAYLOR]

Hoping to start the baseboards in early spring. Meanwhile back to studying photographs and decide on lineside structures.



Top right hand corner shows a typical GWR platelayer`s hut. Although I enjoy scratch building, I will modify suitable kits to save time as long as the quality is there.
In this case I had already purchased a suitable building kit from Lasercraft Devon.




Lasered MDF parts is a new experience for me, and I wonder how the finished item will model and paint up. On opening up the parts are crisp and accurate. I used a `quick grab ` white PVC glue ( Vel O Set ) as supplied by C&L.







It is so enjoyable to be able to assemble a quality kit. Perfect alignment of parts. I have used a `surgical tape ` on the roof to simulate felt covering





As it`s winter I chose not to set up my spray booth so decided to try Halford`s spray cans. I`m not usually an advocate for spraying rolling stock with `cans` as you can`t control the amount of paint or the desired finish. However, as this is a wooden structure I thought I would experiment.

I chose white and `brick red` in primers and a plain matt black.



At under £7 a can I thought quite reasonable........

I warmed up the shed and kept the cans at room temperature and away I went................



To be continued ..............

 

[John TAYLOR]

 

[Osgood]

...It is so enjoyable to be able to assemble a quality kit. Perfect alignment of parts.….

That's a relief to read - I recently bought a Lasercraft MR signal box - but became alarmed when I realised that the courage to do something with it has to be found from within

 

[John TAYLOR]

Just open the box again Osgood !!! and get stuck in.... you only need to decide what might need painting at each stage along the way.....