On My Virtual Workbench...

[Rob R]

You need to start your own thread - with pictures.

And welcome to the Funny Farm.

Wrist duly slapped.

 

[iploffy]

Yes go there loads of fun

 

[iploffy]

Wrist duly slapped.

Blue eyed boy got his wrist slapped he's only just arrived

 

[Buckjumper]

Wrist duly slapped.

It wasn't a wrist slap - I'll leave that to the Flying Squad - but an exhortation to see more!

A green 134...mmmm!

 

[iploffy]

your gonna get into trouble go there for colours

 

[Rob R]

Blue eyed boy got his wrist slapped he's only just arrived

Start as we mean to go on!!

R

 

[Rob R]

A green 134...mmmm!

For those of you not fluent in early Stratfordian, the 134 class was Mr Johnson's first 0-4-4T.

R

 

[S-Club-7]

Questions have been asked; hopefully the following answers at least one of them. All paints, except one, are Phoenix Precision enamels (other colours are available).

1. I started with the rails. This is a mix of P977 Rusty Rails and P991 Track Dirt roughly 2 to 1. If brushing then dip the brush into the open pots, dip the brush further into the rust than the dirt. If spraying (as I did) the neat paint is drawn up into some disposable syringes from whence small amounts can be measured into the airbrush cup ensuring that each mix is slightly different. White spirit is added from another syringe to taste.
2. Chairs next. Also a mix of Rust and Dirt but this time the proportions are 1 to 2 as cast iron seems to colour differently to steel. See the notes above about rough mixing to obtain slightly different shades of the same colour. Try not to get too much on the rails but do ensure the sleepers are covered as well.
3. Then the sleepers. P979 Weathered Sleepers diluted so that the brown colour shows through. Applied by brush.
4. Followed by the keys. P961 Sleeper Grime with a dash of P991 Track Dirt applied by a fine brush.
5. By now the chairs will be a multitude of different shades so they'll need touching up by brush with mix 2. Whilst you're at it do the fishplates and any other cast iron parts.
6. Dry brush the sleepers with P990 Weathered Wood and the lighter P979 Weathered Sleepers. Some distressing with a small wire brush at various stages can also add a bit of variety.
7. Dry brush the steel bits (e.g. bolt heads and nuts) with some of mix 1 just to highlight them.
8. Some P978 Oil Leakings around the fishplates to represent the grease; not sure if it's quite the right colour without the addition of some dark grey (must remember next time).
9. Ballast is then laid dry and tamped into position. Sorry, don't know the brand as the packet is unlabelled after at least 20 years under my workbench. Ash cess is by C&L. Another syringe to dispense the PVA and water mix (not forgetting a quick squeeze of the green Fairy). When dry, soak again with another helping of the glue mix.
10. Add the greenery (Noch tufts; individual badger(?) hairs for the long grass; real Cornish moss and lichen for the scrub).
11. At this point the track looked too dark so it was given a misting of diluted acrylic Lifecolor UA706 Dust Type 2 which sprayed too coarsely. Maybe a bit more air pressure next time.
12. Finally, dribble some diluted P978 Oil Leakings along the centre of the track.

A week to build and a week to decorate -- but it's only 6 inches square. So the S7 Society's 33sq ft challenge should only take me a little over 5 years to complete...

One fairly important stage that I forgot (not applicable for live-steam, clockwork or string powered trains) is to wipe the railhead with a cloth moistened with cellulose thinners at regular intervals(*). If doing a layout-sized piece of track then get an assistant or two to do this job.

(*) That's every few minutes, not every few inches...

 

[S-Club-7]

For Mudhen and Buckjumper (Sopwith may be interested as well),

As discussed earlier today at West Mersea HQ; here's a "work in progress".

 

[Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen]

That really looks amazing.
Tim

 

[Dog Star]

Please - what is the prototype?

 

[Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen]

A Great Eastern chair,
Tim

 

[Dog Star]

Interesting, thank you. I thought that there was a similarity to Met. Rly.

 

[Buckjumper]

That looks smashing Dave.

 

[Stevesopwith]

Put me down for 984 please.

 

[S-Club-7]

Put me down for 984 please.

Mudhen and Buckjumper decided that they wanted to try seperate tapered keys so how many of those do you think you'll need to go with the chairs? I have visions of 10/20/40/80/160/320%(*) of keys going into orbit as they ping out of tweezers during the insertion process; that should increase sales of replacement keys though!

Note to self: can sprue be designed so that seperate key can be inserted before removal from the sprue? Think cartridges/bandoliers for nail-guns etc.


Does anybody know how long a GER key was in about 1910?


(*) delete as applicable. %age will depend on the number of single malts (it's gluten-free!) sampled before tracklaying starts...

 

[Buckjumper]

Does anybody know how long a GER key was in about 1910?

7". Want a drawing?

 

[Buckjumper]

'Twas a silly question, I suppose...

Pre-digital photo of the official drawing. The images are a little blurred, but that's how the original photo was passed to me so I've tried to sharpen the one with the dimensions of the key, though it's not perfect.

 

[Dog Star]

Now that is an interesting drawing Adrian, looks like GER keys can be used on either side of the track.... the GWR compressed oak key was marked LH or RH because a key, asymmetric in cross-section, would only fit on one side of the track.

 

[Dog Star]

Buckjumper decided that (he) wanted to try seperate tapered keys...

Jordan, I am with you on this one - separate keys for track which has chairs in the ash ballast is probably a bit left field. For once I am not sure that I understand the BF supremo.