4mm Llanfair ....

[Geoff]

Geoff, have you looked at Brass Pins as Knobs?

I've only come across the bog standard plated ones in my wife's sewing box Phil, and none were really suitable. So being a glutton for punishment I filed some handrail knobs down and filled the holes with brass wire. They aren't too bad from a distance but I'm sure Larry will want something better for his masterpiece, as do I.

Geoff

 

[LarryG]

I was going to use Peco track pins but haven't any. The Intentio door knobs certainly look the part. I have some kits on order from Intentio at the moment and would have added a couple to the order had I known about them.

 

[mswjr]

I am into model engineering as well as oo gauge, for doorknobs in oo an o gauge, i have used brass snap head rivets, they will come in 1/32. 3/64. and 1/16, this is the pin size so the head will be bigger. A company called EKP will sell you a 10 pack, I can give you the head size of rivets that i have. They will look good.

 

[King Crab]

Ha! I see the doorstep into the building is a little worn in the centre!
Well spotted, and modelled.....

 

[pricei]

Re the door knobs, I found some small brass balls on eBay (link below). I used the 1.5mm size for the door knobs on my 7mm station building - you can just see them in the photo below. They're just stuck onto the door.
Bearing Warehouse Brass Balls - Metric & Imperial Sizes G500 | eBay
Ian

 

[LarryG]

It being doubtful I will ever build another 4mm coach, I have been tipping bogie castings out of drawers into a box ready for recycling. Only a few drawers are needed for my own modelling, so I brought my very first set in from the garage, sanded them down and sprayed them cream for on the wall in my room. They were made in Denmark in the early 1970's long before manufacturing went elsewhere. The drawers are large enough to get a hand in to pick things out, unlike later purchases from China where I had to use tweezers. The redundant drawer Unit on the desk...



The 1970's drawer carcase sprayed cream ad wall mounted for screws and 7mm parts....


On the modelling front, the gents lavatories were carefully removed and the wall tidied up and repainted. Blemishes have been covered by Western Region poster boards although much of the wall wont be seen once the new block of ladies & gents toilets is built....

 

[paulc]

Geoff, have you looked at Brass Pins as Knobs?

I second that and if you look around there are not only brass ones but different size heads as well .

 

[Geoff]

It being doubtful I will ever build another 4mm coach,

That is so sad to read Larry, but I live in hope that you will perhaps build one in 7mm scale.

I was reading back through your account of building your station building and how much you enjoyed 'kitbashing' . Our generation were brought up on cutting and carving the old Tri-ang Princess and B12 bodies if we wanted something different. The Railway Modeller was full of many clever conversions at one time. I remember one talented chap who made a stud of ex LMS / L&Y locos from styrene sheet and mounted them on Tri-ang chassis, they went down very well with my friends and myself when they appeared in RM.

Geoff.

 

[Focalplane]

Geoff

Larry has built at least two Gauge O coaches! I bought them from him a few years ago. Needless to say they are lovely models, assembled from Sidelines kits. They are the first two coaches in this short video of a "Midlander Express". The rest are Dapol RTR Mk.1s

Paul

 

[Geoff]

Very nice Paul, I'm rather envious!

Geoff

 

[LarryG]

That is so sad to read Larry, but I live in hope that you will perhaps build one in 7mm scale.

I remember one talented chap who made a stud of ex LMS / L&Y locos from styrene sheet and mounted them on Tri-ang chassis, they went down very well with my friends and myself when they appeared in RM.

Geoff.

Wow, that's going back a few years Geoff. They were all built in the early 1960's when I was on Oldham buses. As for 4mm coaches, I have no use for them and ceased trading some years ago. But yes, I do intend building a 7mm Parcels coach, hopefully a K42, but I can only find a K38 Ocean Mails.

 

[Geoff]

Wow, that's going back a few years Geoff. They were all built in the early 1960's when I was on Oldham buses. As for 4mm coaches, I have no use for them and ceased trading some years ago. But yes, I do intend building a 7mm Parcels coach, hopefully a K42, but I can only find a K38 Ocean Mails.

That article is still fresh in my mind Larry

Hope you come across a K42 soon, I'll keep my eyes open.

I believe you were responsible for the models in the showcase at 31A Rhos Road, is that correct or did George and Jumbo build them?

Geoff

 

[LarryG]

George Mellor asked me to paint his showcase models when I moved to North Wales. He introduced me to low melt solder and flux and I then built his kits as well. One weird job I did was painting panelling on brass patterns for I.O.M coaches....... His office stank so much of cellulose paint that he and his wife buggered off home!

 

[Geoff]

I was modelling in 3mm scale in the sixties and was a frequent visitor to the factory / showroom at Rhos, once we had sat our exams at Tech. I used to bunk off and would leg it down to Warrington BQ to catch a train for Llandudno. Which was usually a six car DMU made up of Met. Cams, Cravens and BRCW units, I would get off at Colwyn Bay and walk along the prom to Rhos, spend my hard earned cash and walk back to catch my train home. Which was usually the Holyhead- Manchester with an EE Type 4 or a pair of Sulzer Type 2's in charge, we didn't call them Class 40, 24 or 25 in those days. The noise they made as they climbed out of Colwyn would awaken the dead! I remember admiring the new Royal Scot in the showcase and once came home with a set of those LNWR card coach sides, still got those tucked away somewhere!

Happy Days

Geoff

 

[LarryG]

They were happy and unusual times in the hobby back then. At the Rhos-on-Sea GEM factory, Tony Colbeck (Anbrico) would turn up driving a borrowed brandnew Leeds Corporation Atlantean on his holiday! Imagine being able to do that today.

 

[Geoff]

They were happy and unusual times in the hobby back then. At the Rhos-on-Sea GEM factory, Tony Colbeck (Anbrico) would turn up driving a borrowed brandnew Leeds Corporation Atlantean on his holiday! Imagine being able to do that today.

We could get away with anything in those days Larry, no elf and safety to clamp down on us yet I don't recall any workmates suffering serious injuries. As a young senior engineering apprentice the Atlanteans used to keep us busy, unlike the Daimler Fleetlines and Bristol VR's that were more reliable. As a former Leyland man I shouldn't say that but it was true!

Geoff

 

[LarryG]

Intentio GWR weighbridge hut on the go now. Assembled around the floor to ensure squareness, but not glued to it....


Roof truss pegs carefully pressed into holes in roof then Loctite glue run round them....


Roof glued to hut with UHU Wood glue...


Interior walls attached to block of wood ready for spraying with primer....


Sprayed Ivoy and GWR dark Stone with brown lining at waist.... RH wall cut to clear door frame....


Finished except for roof slates. Removable floor to facilitate fitting of interior & glazing.....

 

[LarryG]

The window frame was rebuilt so that the middle sliding window is proud of the outer ones and a piece of glazing cut to slip behind it...



New window frame will fit in the window aperture with glazing glued to the back of the wall...


Window in place just for photo.....

 

[LarryG]

A bit higgledy-piggledy but that's slates for you. Spray shop now...

 

[LarryG]

Painted and weathered. Any slight sheen will disappear tomorrow under Dulcote. Then all the component parts can be put together.....

It's a GWR weighbridge. The story at Llanfair road is the GWR replaced the outdoor weighbridge with this building using sandstone colour bricks in place of blue engineering bricks for trim to copy the station building.....