4mm An EM Workbench: plastic steels

[AJC]

Downing tools for a week of conferences and holiday. Underframe metalwork mostly completed (the outlet pipe will be made and added later - it's pretty obvious that the tank isn't on properly). The combination of quite soft whitemetal, and brass components not designed for the purpose has not made this a terribly enjoyable experience thus far and as you can see some of the fixings have suffered. This is all repairable but irritating.



It’s a bit untidy, to be honest. I might well park this for a bit and do something less fraught!

Adam

 

[AJC]

A little something before I head off for a week. A Bill Bedford (Mousa) mineral, of GNR origin - another for the, now quite long, ‘30s freight. You’ll note that I’ve made a few changes, some of preference (axleboxes, end door chains), others for durability. The latter are based on my experience with an earlier Mousa kit, most obviously the replacement lever and guide and, still to come, door springs, which failed to survive handling, so certainly won’t live in traffic.



There’s some extra door strapping to add, too. A good dose of lead beneath the floor.



Adam

 

[readingtype]

Though haven't come across photos of BR VIX Ferry vans or any BR Ferry vans or wagons operating in Europe.

Have a look at Carstens, S. (2015) Fritz Willke: Fotograf und Archivar. Fürstenfeldbruck: Verlagsgruppe Bahn and Essen: Klartext. I suspect I may understate the case if I claim that it will provide satisfaction on both those points. It's currently still in print and on offer at half price, but note that my more recent attempts to order books from this publisher within the UK, either in dead tree or electronic form, have been politely but firmly rebuffed. ISBN: 9783969680735.

Ben

 

[AJC]

Have a look at Carstens, S. (2015) Fritz Willke: Fotograf und Archivar. Fürstenfeldbruck: Verlagsgruppe Bahn and Essen: Klartext. I suspect I may understate the case if I claim that it will provide satisfaction on both those points. It's currently still in print and on offer at half price, but note that my more recent attempts to order books from this publisher within the UK, either in dead tree or electronic form, have been politely but firmly rebuffed. ISBN: 9783969680735.

Ben

Very interesting indeed, Ben (though German is not a language I have, I do have family over there, so the acquisition issue is not as stark as it might be…).

Adam

 

[Tim Hale]

Verlagsgruppe Bahn and Essen stopped supplying the UK after the UK effectively closed the trade about three years ago. You could try MSL/Modelbahn Union who still trade with the UK to obtain the book or simply use the Bay.de and hope for the best.

No doubt someone will argue but as a regular importer, I am happy to ignore them.

Tim

 

[AJC]

Back to the bench, and a couple of things ready for paint. I’ve decided that the open will go back to the ‘30s, and so needs a repaint, while the GNR open is going to represent a conversion of a similar vehicle (different strapping) converted into a Sleeper wagon. The latter was shown in the first version of Tatlow’s LNER wagons. It’ll go nicely with the cast NER sleeper wagon I’m rescuing.



Must remember to mask off the works plates.



The latter gained extra strapping and alternate LNER axle boxes (which another, slightly different, GNR mineral had in a picture I’ve seen). A bit of a compromise either way.

Adam

 

[Suffolk Dave]

Hi Adam.

Can you tell us who's etched brake levers and Vs you're using there? Apologies if you've mentioned it before but I'll have had a few sleeps since I read it!

Dave

 

[AJC]

Hi Adam.

Can you tell us who's etched brake levers and Vs you're using there? Apologies if you've mentioned it before but I'll have had a few sleeps since I read it!

Dave

Hi Dave - in this particular instance (on the LNER open), Rumney Models. For the GNR open, Masokits. That's just what I happen to have in hand - the oil tank was a complete Masokits etch as most suitable for the job.

Adam

 

[Suffolk Dave]

Hi Dave - in this particular instance (on the LNER open), Rumney Models. For the GNR open, Masokits. That's just what I happen to have in hand - the oil tank was a complete Masokits etch as most suitable for the job.

Adam

Thanks Adam.

 

[AJC]

One more, again, for my ‘30s train. A fairly straight build of a Parkside kit for a GW open. This one stalled because of the brakegear, more specifically the DC lever assemblies. Simply, the vees wouldn’t take being drilled for wire so I had to make my own, which is doable but tricky. The ratchet assembly was spare from a David Geen milk tank and the other bits of linkage from scrap etch. Best not to look too closely!



Underneath are some of the linkages - I really don’t like DC brakes, they seem over-engineered for the job and are a right pain to make.



Adam

 

[AJC]

I hadn’t meant to build a batch of opens (this time), and there's another one that's not quite finished, but here we are. Only the GWR one is in its livery colour thus far, the red oxide is misleading, and that, along with the big ‘N’ will be mostly covered up to represent a fairly well-worn wagon. They'll otherwise all be shades of dark grey.



Adam

 

[AJC]

And now in shades of grey. Humbrol 67 let down in various proportions with white for the LNER, a slightly more bluish hue for the GWR open. It’s pretty subtle, but you can make out the ‘N’, and hints of red brown on the D&S open, and a bit more depth on the - relatively new - LNER open.



Lettering is a job for next week. All quite harmonious. I really ought to stop building general merchandise types at this point, but that means private owner minerals which are equally addictive, more complicated, and expensive. Now, about those nice Rapido models...

Adam

 

[Matt.S.]

looks like a gaggle with some good variation Adam!

 

[AJC]

looks like a gaggle with some good variation Adam!

That's the aim! And sticking to a self-imposed 'no specials' rule (quite easy, those kits tend to be expensive). I do have a hankering for some cattle wagons, however...

Adam

 

[Matt.S.]

That's the aim! And sticking to a self-imposed 'no specials' rule (quite easy, those kits tend to be expensive). I do have a hankering for some cattle wagons, however...

Adam

Nothing like some porridge modelling for realism.


...he says eyeing up a rake of Grampi.

 

[AJC]

And another one that I was working on last night, or the lettering on the sheet (it needs a shopping date on it and a bit of tidying up prior to weathering).



A Cambrian kit for a Brighton open, very nicely rendered by @Barry37. Another I wouldn’t be able to justify in BR mode.

Adam

 

[AJC]

A marathon (by my standards) lettering session comes to a conclusion.



The GWR open needs some tare and weight lettering that actually fits in the space: the HMRS transfers I have in stock are a bit big.



The 1/202 has also been lettered - a much easier job - and an experiment in patch painting, with faded original livery, touched up with fresh lettering.

Adam

 

[AJC]

A diversion, and hopefully a quick one. Some time ago I scratchbuilt a pair of steel cool carriers that had been (in reality) converted from Bogie Bolster Es, and had meant to get hold of a Lima version of the latter to improve. I only got as far as a set of Colin Craig (Stenson Models) bogies and forgot about it. A month or so ago, I saw some silly reductions on the Dapol model of these short, vac-fitted bolsters and succumbed. Now the bogies supplied are far too narrow for EM wheels and so I fished the Stenson version from their hiding place.

EDIT - the Stenson bits (though not these specific bogies, Davis and Lloyd 5' 6", which are currently(?) sold out) can be had here: Shop — Will's Workbench Model Railways.

An hour later:



Compare and contrast:



One note - I thought, initially, that the etched frames might be a bit flimsy. Not when the cosmetic sideframes were soldered on they weren't: I had to take one off to get the wheels in... The result is exceptionally free running, which is great.

Adam

 

[AJC]

And now on those bogies. Fitting was fairly simple: I sawed off the bogie pivots on the chassis casting so about 1mm was left. At one end there are some bearers to keep the body level and these were filed to match the pivot.



Pop the screws back in and job done. Now to stick the loose fittings on properly and add couplings, vac’ pipes, etc.

Adam

 

[ullypug]

Very nice. I’ve a pair of the sprung Stenson bogies made up too. Just need a suitable project to put them under!