Building an MMP RMB - a box of delights

The Penguin Of Doom

The Penguin Of Doom

Western Thunderer
This is looking good!

I have one of these to build (infact it is sitting on the table in front of me having been liberated from our club this evening to have a ponder over the many parts), so I'm going to enjoy reading over the full thread to see how it's done!

Cheers.

Sean.
 
Heather Kay

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
You'll never guess, but I found my stash of Evergreen strip. I guess there's no excuse to avoid repairing the corrosion strips now.

You may have noticed there is no panel detail on the kit roof. It would be hard to do well, with half etching on both sides. The question is, should I try and create something using, say, thin tape?

While the panels were supposed to be all but invisible, does the team think it's worth the effort?
 
D

djparkins

Western Thunderer
Heather Kay said:
You'll never guess, but I found my stash of Evergreen strip. I guess there's no excuse to avoid repairing the corrosion strips now.
think
You may have noticed there is no panel detail on the kit roof. It would be hard to do well, with half etching on both sides. The question is, should I try and create something using, say, thin tape?

While the panels were supposed to be all but invisible, does the team think it's worth the effort?
Click to expand...


If you do, they should be represented IMHO by something like thin strips of waterslide decal before painting - certainly nothing thicker.
 
Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Heather Kay said:
While the panels were supposed to be all but invisible, does the team think it's worth the effort?
Click to expand...
djparkins said:
If you do, they should be represented IMHO by something like thin strips of waterslide decal before painting - certainly nothing thicker.
Click to expand...
Heather Kay said:
An alternative might be pencil marks after painting.
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This team of one thinks that the effort has to worth expending if the result is acceptable. Looking at the photos in BR Mk.1 Carriages by Parkin there are many photos where the panel joins are visible either before or after painting. If before painting then I think that we are observing the weld line, maybe before slag removal. If after painting then I think that we are noticing either a shadow from light or the effect of weathering.

I like you idea of drawing the panel joins in pencil after painting... how are you going to "preserve" the markings so that the lines are not suspect to smudging? I have been thinking about drawing on the roof before painting so as to produce a weld line of something approaching scale proportions.

Maybe Bob (@Bob-65B) can tell us what the official drawings say about weld preparation and finishing.

regards, Graham

[BTW - I think that this aspect of construction might be just a tad easier than producing a neat stack of maxi-pak cups behind the counter in your RMB]
 
Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Dikitriki said:
What about using Archer's transfers - they do weld lines.
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This suggestion seems to align with Mr DJP observation about transfer film and how I have been thinking re marking the roof before paint. One day I shall be brave enough to spend the dosh to try... pain is that if successul then there are seven or eight Mk.1s here and that is serious money.
 
Heather Kay

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Taking into consideration the roofs of coaches this model will run with, it has to have something representing the weld lines. As David says, just a hint is all it needs.

I think Archer transfers may be a little overdoing it. A pencil line hinting at shadows thrown by a raised seam might do it, protected by some varnish. Very thin slivers of decal film, or perhaps Scotch "Magic Tape" might also serve.

I shall consider options and perhaps try a couple of ideas before committing to anything.
 
Steph Dale

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Heather,
The odd non-railway model I've built in the past has required weld lines, which can be done with stretched styrene sprue and solvent, although it's probably easier with plastic base-models. For what you're doing wouldn't just running a scalpel across the roof after priming do a suitable job?

Steph
 
Heather Kay

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Bob-65B said:
I meant to add - a couple of small detail points - on the kit there's a heater control between each seating bay - in reality there were perhaps only two per saloon, not all the heaters being manually controlled, in general they were near the end partitions. Lastly, the use of mirrors in the saloons - didn't happen in BR days - the mirrors were confined to the toilets along with those awful green or cream soap bars. (p.s. word on the street is that a certain Mr Beare is adding Towelmasters to his Mk1's and maxpax dispensers in the RMB's...)
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Thanks for this Bob, and my apologies for not picking up on it earlier.

While the interior is still accessible, I shall consider pinging a couple of the heater controls off. It would be a shame to take mirrors off, but if I'm aiming for as accurate a portrayal of an RMB in the early 1980s, and mirrors weren't generally a thing in open saloons, then off they must come.
 
Bob Reid

Bob Reid

Western Thunderer
If you hang fire till this afternoon Heather I should have a plan of the heater controls somewhere!

Bob
 
Heather Kay

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
No problem. I'm at the ASLRM show in Reading today. further works on this build are scheduled for tomorrow or perhaps Monday if I decide to make the most of the warm weather and get outside for a bit!
 
Heather Kay

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
image.jpeg

Phew!

image.jpeg

A little fettling required to get the roof to sit down properly at the gutter levels, but the home-brew threaded rod is doing exactly what I hoped it would.

The "rod", incidentally, is actually tube, which I drilled and tapped for 12BA. I soldered suitable bolts into the ends, trimmed off the heads, and breathed a sigh of relief when I managed to get the length right on the third attempt. The top is left loose in a slightly oversize hole in the cross bar so the rod can be guided into the hole in the floor.

So, repair the corrosion strips, sort out some primer and paint for the body shell, fit out the interior, glaze, fit the roof, finish things off, fit the body to the chassis and - deliver!
 
Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Heather Kay said:
So, repair the corrosion strips, sort out some primer and paint for the body shell, fit out the interior, glaze, fit the roof, finish things off, fit the body to the chassis and - deliver!
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Just do not forget the Maxi-Pak cups and water urns, the pork pies and sandwiches, the rubbish left on the tables.

Really glad to see that the end of your tale is nigh.
 
Heather Kay

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Dog Star said:
Just do not forget the Maxi-Pak cups and water urns, the pork pies and sandwiches, the rubbish left on the tables.
Click to expand...

I wish, but Richard declined.

I feel I ought to point out for newer viewers who, perhaps, haven't been following the roof saga from the early stages, this whole shenanigans has been to overcome problems of my own making. The kit ought to go together properly if you follow the instructions - and don't cause the heat distortion to the roof while assembling it in the first place. Perhaps my solution may help someone that has encountered a problem like I did.
 
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