4mm An EM Workbench: n shades of grey
- Thread starter AJC
- Start date
AJC
Western Thunderer
Back in 2012 I started a pair of wagons... and in the intervening period they have actually gone backwards before, in the last week or so, having suddenly shot forwards. The pair of wagons in question were Coil S, one of many ways in which BR turned various bits of its open wagon fleet into wagons more or less suitable for carrying various types of coil. In the case of Coil S, these were open highs from various constituent companies and BR itself heavily knocked about to ship rod coil that had previously been transported in said opens, pipes or tubes. They did much the same thing to plate wagons. I think this happened in the very late '60s when lots of other things were tried.
I had come to the realisation that plastic wasn't going to work so obviously brass angle work was required and for that reason these wagons have been sat at the bottom of the 'in progress box'. There are still lots of fiddly little details to do but this is the state of play this evening.
There are quite a few detail differences between the pair indicating their origins. the top is based on an SR-designed open built in the early days of BR and an LNER version below. The LNER version will be modelled loaded, the SR empty. The various raves and stanchions are all heavily pinned into solebars so should remain where I've put them. The boltheads, however, can wait until another time.
Adam
I had come to the realisation that plastic wasn't going to work so obviously brass angle work was required and for that reason these wagons have been sat at the bottom of the 'in progress box'. There are still lots of fiddly little details to do but this is the state of play this evening.
There are quite a few detail differences between the pair indicating their origins. the top is based on an SR-designed open built in the early days of BR and an LNER version below. The LNER version will be modelled loaded, the SR empty. The various raves and stanchions are all heavily pinned into solebars so should remain where I've put them. The boltheads, however, can wait until another time.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
No, nothing to do with Thursday. Having been so blasé about chassis painting up the thread, I realised that my little North British was missing some fairly substantial brackets behind the buffer beams. It also occurred to me that the brake standard was also a bit floppy and rectifying this would be a good idea so it was subjected to a bath in cellulose thinners and all the paint came off again...
On these locos, the sandboxes at the cab end also form seats for the driver and since they have quite a small area for gluing and resin does not take solder well I drilled a couple of holes through the cab floor to keep them in place. While I was at it I reshaped and detailed the resin control desk. As supplied I felt that it was both a bit big and not quite the correct shape based on the prototype shots so I cut the thing down, added some scraps of wire and plastic. The various control levers still want some blobs of epoxy on the ends to represent the appropriate knobs. I doubt anyone will actually be able to see all of this, of course, but in the scheme of things I reckon this is less bonkers than adding working inside motion to, say, a Jubilee.
The console will only go in properly after I've made the chassis work. Before that, I need to get the paint back on!
Adam
On these locos, the sandboxes at the cab end also form seats for the driver and since they have quite a small area for gluing and resin does not take solder well I drilled a couple of holes through the cab floor to keep them in place. While I was at it I reshaped and detailed the resin control desk. As supplied I felt that it was both a bit big and not quite the correct shape based on the prototype shots so I cut the thing down, added some scraps of wire and plastic. The various control levers still want some blobs of epoxy on the ends to represent the appropriate knobs. I doubt anyone will actually be able to see all of this, of course, but in the scheme of things I reckon this is less bonkers than adding working inside motion to, say, a Jubilee.
The console will only go in properly after I've made the chassis work. Before that, I need to get the paint back on!
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Small news on the NBL front which has made a tiny step forward in the form of a little paint. North British painted anything below the waist of the cab in livery colour (cream above, black line between) so you now know that the loco will be a drab mid-green. The console is fairly obvious, the other item is the cab heater which sat bottom centre of the cab backsheet. Yes it's tiny, but I did go and model the cab door open, didn't I?
Adam
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
The next 'thing to prod wagons about with' has gone green (and black). Further detail painting is also under way and silver, dark grey and very light grey, the latter undercoat, applied. The chassis needed a little persuasion to go back in again and following a bit of scraping and filing, all is well.
The battery boxes and sandboxes look a slightly different green: they need varnishing.
Adam
The battery boxes and sandboxes look a slightly different green: they need varnishing.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
One little job that I've been meaning to do for a while is to do something about the 'see-through' nature of etched diesels. This used to be a standard feature of etched diesel models (and quite a few steam ones) and was most spectacularly evident on things like 7mm scale EE Type 3s/class 37s. I have seen more that several models where looking over the roof fan or at the side grills where one was rewarded with a nice view of the drive system or the track. Such things happened in 4mm as well but bigger models offer more visible problems.
On the NBL this is simple enough: behind that big grill at the front there should be a radiator rather than the back end of a Mashima with a flywheel hanging from it. I could just have plonked a lump of plastic sheet in there but well, how hard can a dummy radiator be?
A few scraps of 40 thou' with a 15 thou' overlay and here we are. I made no effort whatsoever to seek out a shot of a real NBL radiator. The 'detail' is pure speculation, though I did take the trouble to scribe some impression of the vanes. There's a baseplate with a hole that locates over the fixing nut and in time it will be painted and epoxied in place. Job mostly done.
Adam
On the NBL this is simple enough: behind that big grill at the front there should be a radiator rather than the back end of a Mashima with a flywheel hanging from it. I could just have plonked a lump of plastic sheet in there but well, how hard can a dummy radiator be?
A few scraps of 40 thou' with a 15 thou' overlay and here we are. I made no effort whatsoever to seek out a shot of a real NBL radiator. The 'detail' is pure speculation, though I did take the trouble to scribe some impression of the vanes. There's a baseplate with a hole that locates over the fixing nut and in time it will be painted and epoxied in place. Job mostly done.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Moving back to the NBL, we find the chassis mechanically complete, wheeled, quartered, gearbox fitted and ready for wiring up. And rewiring the correct way about, too no doubt...
... and not just rewiring. I've just had to cut an additional section out of the footplate so as to get the flywheel in. Oops.
Adam
... and not just rewiring. I've just had to cut an additional section out of the footplate so as to get the flywheel in. Oops.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
After rather too long an interlude, back to Scottish-built diesel hydraulics. The 'little' NBL is now more or less complete barring the process of lead lining, front sandpipes, a bit of touching up and weathering. It was even wired up the right way about at the first time of asking (testing courtesy of my trusty length of EM Ratio track and a spare 9V battery for the smoke alarm). I can't remember the last time I managed that...
First, however, the last of the paint on the wheels and rods has to dry.
Adam
First, however, the last of the paint on the wheels and rods has to dry.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Something a bit different from the earlier loco projects, in that it's a bit more dainty and rather older in origin. It's a Branchlines chassis for a Terrier, in this case destined to go under a much-detailed (well, it will be...) Hornby body. The compensation method is directly pinched from Tim Shackleton's example in his Plastic-Bodied Locos (Wild Swan, 1999) but is very similar to that Mike Edge employs in his kits and having built one of those in a Thomas Hill 0-6-0DH I know it works. The front axle rocks in the usual way about a pivot while the rear pair are linked together by twin beams resulting a a fully compensated 0-6-0. Not 'true' twin beam compensation, but it does what I want it too. Anyway, that's not what the post is about which is one of those little details that Brighton Terriers picked up over the years, namely, injectors. The lightweight nature of the frames mean that these are all too visible and besides, it's the fiddly kind of detail I like.
It's all quite simple, just bits of copper wire and brass tube. The cut-outs in the frame around the centre and rear axles are a bit big so since taking these pictures, I've added blanking plates to reduce the visual impact a bit. Behind the wheels no one will ever know...
Adam
It's all quite simple, just bits of copper wire and brass tube. The cut-outs in the frame around the centre and rear axles are a bit big so since taking these pictures, I've added blanking plates to reduce the visual impact a bit. Behind the wheels no one will ever know...
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
A little further on. It all looks a bit crude at this juncture, but it's more or less complete and ready for priming and fitting out with all the working bits and sandboxes (which will be knocked up from plastic later). Painting properly, now, that will be a bit trickier for reasons that will become apparent...
Adam
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
The latest wagon project, the first for 2015, is another mineral wagon and after a good quantity of 'ordinary' 1/108 types I fancied a change and happened upon a picture of P 144303 in part 2 of the Modellers' Backtrack opus on steel mineral wagons. Now, P 144303 was a fairly unremarkable 1/100 built by Chas Roberts for its own hire fleet in 1947 and, unlike some of its earlier sisters, operated all its life on British metals before being withdrawn presumably shortly after it was photographed at Poole in 1967. Somewhere along the line it was partially replated along the sides and ends but the reversed channel solebars were original, if unusual.
All this makes its key distinguishing features - continental pattern 'W' irons - the more baffling. Body by Parkside, 'W' irons by Ambis Engineering, brakegear by ABS.
Adam
All this makes its key distinguishing features - continental pattern 'W' irons - the more baffling. Body by Parkside, 'W' irons by Ambis Engineering, brakegear by ABS.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
A few little extras for the Chas Roberts mineral; axleboxes, inner vee hangers, blob of epoxy to secure the couplings, that sort of thing...
And, thanks to Hornby's 'Black Friday' (how I hate that term) sale, a Coil J breeding programme. I think that's up to 7 and one more that will be longer in gestation. More of that anon.
That and the Rumney Models Strip Coil and that should make a nice rake.
Adam
And, thanks to Hornby's 'Black Friday' (how I hate that term) sale, a Coil J breeding programme. I think that's up to 7 and one more that will be longer in gestation. More of that anon.
That and the Rumney Models Strip Coil and that should make a nice rake.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Brakegear complete, safety loops from staples, brake levers and guides 'Craig Welsh' via the Scalefour Society public e-shop, vee hangers by Masokits. Several tiny bits of 5 thou', 10 thou' and rod later...
The solebars need a selection of rivet heads and, obviously, some buffers but we're in shouting distance of a complete wagon.
Adam
The solebars need a selection of rivet heads and, obviously, some buffers but we're in shouting distance of a complete wagon.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Another update? Well, I've got the week off and to break up the writing I have to do the workbench has produced the following, a stack of Coil Js in the first pass through the paintshop.
Note the roller bearings on the top one - which need modifying as it happens - and the gap between the curb rail and the side that needs filling.
The modification is down to the fact that the MJT bearings were intended for a rather larger wagon - the riveted reinforcements to the journals needed removing so, been there, done that, touched up afterwards.
Adam
Note the roller bearings on the top one - which need modifying as it happens - and the gap between the curb rail and the side that needs filling.
The modification is down to the fact that the MJT bearings were intended for a rather larger wagon - the riveted reinforcements to the journals needed removing so, been there, done that, touched up afterwards.
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
Probably the messiest modelling job I can think of is distressing plastic to make it look like baulks of roughly-cut, ill-used timber. Yes, I know that strip wood is available, but it's expensive and can't be had off the shelf anywhere near here. 80 thou' plastic sheet, however, is in stock and can do the job so if a mess is going to be made batch production is the way forward. Five cradles have been produced all at once; three for the Coil Js in progress, one for the Coil J without a chassis as yet and the last for the final wagon in the rake, a pig iron conversion which will use the remaining Hornby chassis.
The end of the strip coil rake project is just about in view... EDIT: I've just come across (or re-found) this useful overhead shot of a mixed rake of Coil J and Coil C at Newport: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rivercider/6635481867/in/photostream/lightbox/
Note that Coil Cs - the wagons closest to the camera - have a noticeably different pattern of cradle. Back to the workbench...
Adam
The end of the strip coil rake project is just about in view... EDIT: I've just come across (or re-found) this useful overhead shot of a mixed rake of Coil J and Coil C at Newport: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rivercider/6635481867/in/photostream/lightbox/
Note that Coil Cs - the wagons closest to the camera - have a noticeably different pattern of cradle. Back to the workbench...
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
Misled how Simon? I don't think that I've seen your Coil J, is there any chance of pic'? One of the interesting things to me about building this rake are the differences in approach used when it came to expanding the fleet of wagons for carrying strip coil. The first conversions from Pig Iron wagons - the Coil H - was specialist and quite sophisticated with new bodywork, fixed hood and a complete new paintjob. The Coil C converted between 1964 and 1968 had moveable bolsters on baulks with pins for location: the Coil Js (and most of the other conversions from Highs, Palbricks, etc.) just got great big baulks of timber, crudely shaped and pinned together more or less any old how.
My rake - in case you're interested - will be 7 of the Coil Js, a Coil C and a bogie strip coil and my Coil H. With a dedicated brake van that should fill a boxfile. The next problem, of course, is that I'm a bit short of suitable motive power: a type 3 is obvious but dad and I have but one between us. A 14 or a Western will have to do for the minute...
This is the Coil C version - there's some strapping and the pins to add. Oh, and the small matter of building the wagon.
Adam
My rake - in case you're interested - will be 7 of the Coil Js, a Coil C and a bogie strip coil and my Coil H. With a dedicated brake van that should fill a boxfile. The next problem, of course, is that I'm a bit short of suitable motive power: a type 3 is obvious but dad and I have but one between us. A 14 or a Western will have to do for the minute...
This is the Coil C version - there's some strapping and the pins to add. Oh, and the small matter of building the wagon.
Adam
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SimonT
Western Thunderer
Adam,
mine are in 7mm and started as Peco sand wagons. They have Exactoscale suspension and the brake gear is a mix of Exactoscale and some of my own etches.
The cradle is rather wrong as we now have better information. Trouble is that the cradle is securely glued in!
The plastic strip used for the top rib is rather delicate at the corner.
Simon
mine are in 7mm and started as Peco sand wagons. They have Exactoscale suspension and the brake gear is a mix of Exactoscale and some of my own etches.
The cradle is rather wrong as we now have better information. Trouble is that the cradle is securely glued in!
The plastic strip used for the top rib is rather delicate at the corner.
Simon
AJC
Western Thunderer
The fundamentals are there Simon - this is another useful picture:
BR Coil J wagons converted from Iron ore tipplers KJO SJO | B386077 KJO
Note how the end planks are bolted to the wagon ends and everything else looks to be bolted through the floor.
Adam
BR Coil J wagons converted from Iron ore tipplers KJO SJO | B386077 KJO
Note how the end planks are bolted to the wagon ends and everything else looks to be bolted through the floor.
Adam
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