BetweenTheTunnels
Active Member
Evening all,
Well im a relatively new member to Western Thunder, but have been reading the forum without a membership for a few months, finding my feet. I have a grand plan (well best laid plans and all that) for a late 1950s/early 1960s ECML. I cannot quite do what I want to in 4mm, and having tried 2mm/2mm Finescale, I have concluded it is just not quite right for me. But some experimentations with card models, suggested that 3mm could well suit me nicely, and I must admit I do like the idea of saying, I built everything. Whether im any good at it remains to be seen however, although I like to think I have high modelling standards, impossibly high sometimes.
I have dabbled with plastic kits in the past and touched on (and failed) with an etched brass kit, but that failure was more lack of knowing what I was doing with soldering, and not having the right equipment to hand. I've been away from the active modelling scene for probably 10 years now, but later this year I hit 45, so decided that I want something to do that relaxes me, that I enjoy and can be stepping stones towards a larger goal. So 3mm is currently the plan.
I've joined the 3mm Scale Society, and was amazed (and delighted) that as part of the welcome pack they send new members a plastic wagon kit to get them started. A lovely touch I thought. Mine is a GWR 'Mogo' Goods Van, which will be my first build and finished in BR colours, fitted with DG Couplings. My thought is that this will become my 'guide' vehicle for all future DG couplings to make sure i get them at the same height. Im modelling in 14.2mm gauge, so I will need to acquire some wheels for it, as those supplied are 12mm which I shall not be using, but that is easy enough once the Society Shop reopens from its annual stock take.
It is a shame that the kit is slightly damaged, with one buffer shank having been crushed, presumably in the post. However, I think the society does some cast buffers, so my plan is simply to remove all four and fit cast examples, which may look better as well.
Looking ahead slightly, once i've got this van built, my next challenge will be a Gresley D43 Full Brake, more of a scratchbuild in many respects, although using etched sides/ends and roof from Worsley Works. My plan is to scratchbuild my own compensated bogies for the vehicle, hopefully with pick-ups to power a 'lit' tail light, via a DCC function only decoder.
Beyond that a 3SMR whitemetal body kit of a J50 0-6-0T (which I think offers plenty of opportunity for detailing and visual improvement) will be next, with the aim that im going to mount it on my own chassis. The kit does come with its own chassis, but i concluded that an 0-6-0T was good test example to see if I can successfully design and build by own. I have just about got everything worked out I think, just a case of cross-checking measurements once i've built the body, before the chassis CAD design is finished and then goes off for etching. Hopefully all that will take me through for the next few weeks/months, and a small photo plank may be the next stage, who knows.
Hopefully forum members will be interested enough to follow along, even if 3mm isnt your scale. I welcome any thoughts, (polite!) suggestions and constructive feedback from people, as I am strongly of the view, that that is how we all learn, well me anyway!
Richie
Well im a relatively new member to Western Thunder, but have been reading the forum without a membership for a few months, finding my feet. I have a grand plan (well best laid plans and all that) for a late 1950s/early 1960s ECML. I cannot quite do what I want to in 4mm, and having tried 2mm/2mm Finescale, I have concluded it is just not quite right for me. But some experimentations with card models, suggested that 3mm could well suit me nicely, and I must admit I do like the idea of saying, I built everything. Whether im any good at it remains to be seen however, although I like to think I have high modelling standards, impossibly high sometimes.
I have dabbled with plastic kits in the past and touched on (and failed) with an etched brass kit, but that failure was more lack of knowing what I was doing with soldering, and not having the right equipment to hand. I've been away from the active modelling scene for probably 10 years now, but later this year I hit 45, so decided that I want something to do that relaxes me, that I enjoy and can be stepping stones towards a larger goal. So 3mm is currently the plan.
I've joined the 3mm Scale Society, and was amazed (and delighted) that as part of the welcome pack they send new members a plastic wagon kit to get them started. A lovely touch I thought. Mine is a GWR 'Mogo' Goods Van, which will be my first build and finished in BR colours, fitted with DG Couplings. My thought is that this will become my 'guide' vehicle for all future DG couplings to make sure i get them at the same height. Im modelling in 14.2mm gauge, so I will need to acquire some wheels for it, as those supplied are 12mm which I shall not be using, but that is easy enough once the Society Shop reopens from its annual stock take.
It is a shame that the kit is slightly damaged, with one buffer shank having been crushed, presumably in the post. However, I think the society does some cast buffers, so my plan is simply to remove all four and fit cast examples, which may look better as well.
Looking ahead slightly, once i've got this van built, my next challenge will be a Gresley D43 Full Brake, more of a scratchbuild in many respects, although using etched sides/ends and roof from Worsley Works. My plan is to scratchbuild my own compensated bogies for the vehicle, hopefully with pick-ups to power a 'lit' tail light, via a DCC function only decoder.
Beyond that a 3SMR whitemetal body kit of a J50 0-6-0T (which I think offers plenty of opportunity for detailing and visual improvement) will be next, with the aim that im going to mount it on my own chassis. The kit does come with its own chassis, but i concluded that an 0-6-0T was good test example to see if I can successfully design and build by own. I have just about got everything worked out I think, just a case of cross-checking measurements once i've built the body, before the chassis CAD design is finished and then goes off for etching. Hopefully all that will take me through for the next few weeks/months, and a small photo plank may be the next stage, who knows.
Hopefully forum members will be interested enough to follow along, even if 3mm isnt your scale. I welcome any thoughts, (polite!) suggestions and constructive feedback from people, as I am strongly of the view, that that is how we all learn, well me anyway!
Richie
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I like Class 22s (or D63xx for some) due to their links to the last years of BR trains in the Forest of Dean.
- and Wednesday/Thursday we should have some actual modelling! Yes really!
