G.W.R. BLT: Almost there.

[jonte]

Very wonderful, Jon. You sell yourself short on the talent front. And all this whilst suffering the vagaries of a tenant modeller, subject of the bestowed grace and favour of your ‘landowner’

Cheers

Jan

I’m really not worthy, Jan, but thank you anyway

There are umpteen little niggles here and there I’ll never be happy with (the odd little bit of the kit, but mainly my ‘handiwork’), and usually, by now, I’d have put it to one side: which is why nothing gets finished and hence my new found approach

I’d claim squatters rights but am not brave enough

Cheers, Jan.

Jon

 

[jonte]

I only get half the table, perhaps good job I’m a 2mm scale modeller at the moment! Canopy looks gret.

John

Thanks for popping in, John, and sincerest thanks for the compliment

Funnily enough (I shouldn’t get sidetracked, I know), I was telling a friend only the other day how impressed I was with an urban terminus design in the late Iain Rice’s book of almost the same name. Designed for N gauge, it possesses everything I love about model railways: large termini, ability to run large passenger trains in a relatively small space and loads of luvly grime The fact that I can’t run proper passenger trains is the main reason I keep feeling more than a little disappointed with the Minories based Monks I’m ‘building’, otherwise, it has everything else.

In fact, with the Rice plan in mind, my last visit to Hattons had me drooling over the tiny kettles in the N gauge cabinet, and luckily I’d brought along binoculars to see them I was sorely tempted to trade in all my OO gauge stuff and the odd O gauge loco there and then, to make a head start. But then reality hit home hard: first, I needed to complete something, anything, to validate my reasons for chopping and changing once more. But I simply can’t help thinking about the plan.

If I converted to the smaller scale, it would realistically be in N, for as much as I admire you 2 milli guys, I still come over in a cold sweat recalling drilling Gibson wheels for fitting crank pins: and that was in four mill

Keep it up, John, knowing you do so with my full respect and admiration

Meanwhile, I know my modelling station, where I’m happy to remain, thank you

Cheers,

Jon

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Jon,

all looking very good, especially as Jan says, that you are having to contend with the landlord. I have been struggling with mojoitis for quite some time now - hence my non-posting other than 'likes' on various threads.

To try and get me 'back in the swing of things' I decided to knock up a small diorama scene based very loosely on Helston shed and have so far come up with this



using the Rail Model kit and my thoughts are now revolving around what to use to represent the lead flashings that will be required at various locations on the roof - what is it that you have used for your 'lead roll', it would appear to be just what the doctor ordered.

The tiling has been completed and the rainwater goods repainted 'Dark Stone', the doors are waiting in the wings to be fitted.

I'll continue this saga on a new thread elsewhere.

kind regards

Mike

 

[jonte]

Hi Jon,

all looking very good, especially as Jan says, that you are having to contend with the landlord. I have been struggling with mojoitis for quite some time now - hence my non-posting other than 'likes' on various threads.

To try and get me 'back in the swing of things' I decided to knock up a small diorama scene based very loosely on Helston shed and have so far come up with this

View attachment 172802

using the Rail Model kit and my thoughts are now revolving around what to use to represent the lead flashings that will be required at various locations on the roof - what is it that you have used for your 'lead roll', it would appear to be just what the doctor ordered.

The tiling has been completed and the rainwater goods repainted 'Dark Stone', the doors are waiting in the wings to be fitted.

I'll continue this saga on a new thread elsewhere.

kind regards

Mike

Hiya Mike, and thanks for stopping by.

Sorry to hear you too seem to have been in the modelling doldrums of late, but pleased to see that there’s light at the end of the tunnel with your current venture.

The shed’s a fine looking model but your painting really sets it off. Liking the Smokey ducts and slates in particular. May I ask which brand of paint/ type you used for the slates please, Mike? Luckily the laser cuts I’ve just bought are pre-coloured, but it’s always good to ferret away good ideas for future projects

Incidentally, I’m sure it was Helston shed I came across during research for my failed engine shed scene. If I remember rightly, there was (unusually so) an LNER liveried tank engine parked on one of the roads outside the shed. Mind you, bearing in mind that locos from New Brighton used to travel to Wrexham where I recall the LNER operating (Geoff Kent’s ‘Black Lion’ being such a model?), it would make sense.

Anyway, apologies for the waffle, Mike, and back to the point in hand.

I should have mentioned this in the text of my previous, but the lead roll is simply an annealed piece of scrap brass cut to size with a heavy duty Stanley knife (I find masking tape stuck to the surface helps guide the blade, stops the rule slipping and makes marking out easier). It was bent to shape with a steel rule, squeezed with pliers in parts and rolled over a scrap of brass tubing that fell out of the box containing one of the engineer’s squares (no idea what it was doing there but it came in handy anyway). And that was it

Funny though: thin as it is, it looks much thicker on camera!

Hope it’s of some help, Mike, and I’ll look out for your new thread

 

[Roger Pound]

If I converted to the smaller scale, it would realistically be in N, for as much as I admire you 2 milli guys, I still come over in a cold sweat recalling drilling Gibson wheels for fitting crank pins: and that was in four mill

Jon,

I hate to be a devils advocate - but you've known me long enough now.......... If you wanted a smaller scale, what about the TT:120 scale currently coming in to the British market. I have been 'into' TT in my time and have enjoyed the continental material which has always been at 1;120, as opposed to the old British TT3 which ended up like 4mm - narrow gauged track - but I won't go in to that as I tolerate it with my 00 layouts now anyway . Should you seriously pursue this theme I do suggest you could look at Hornby's intentions in TT:120 - a large range is promised........!!

Roger

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Jon,

glad that you like the shed. The walls are painted using various Vallejo Model Air AV acrylics, all brushed on, the louvres are painted using Tamiya 'Smoke' - as are the internal walls, the roof tiles are at present unpainted plain paper laser cut strips (those for the rear roof and office block are in front of the shed, as received with the kit. I have some brass shim in a 100mm wide coil which I will see how/if that can be brought into service for the flashing. I notice over on Larry's thread that he uses masking tape cut to size, again something to think about.

Will try a start a thread over the weekend.

kind regards

Mike

 

[jonte]

Jon,

I hate to be a devils advocate - but you've known me long enough now.......... If you wanted a smaller scale, what about the TT:120 scale currently coming in to the British market. I have been 'into' TT in my time and have enjoyed the continental material which has always been at 1;120, as opposed to the old British TT3 which ended up like 4mm - narrow gauged track - but I won't go in to that as I tolerate it with my 00 layouts now anyway . Should you seriously pursue this theme I do suggest you could look at Hornby's intentions in TT:120 - a large range is promised........!!

Roger

Howdy, Roger

As I’ve said before, I should seek your counsel more often, so all suggestions most welcome

Would you believe that at approximately the time you posted, I was in Hattons ordering some paints and whatnot, so as not to incur those darned postage costs I was moaning about earlier, and whilst studying the N gauge cabinet once more whilst I waited (this time with an electron microscope , the recent news of TT by Hornby suddenly came to mind. Working with rule of thumb, I reckoned that TT would scale out at about one and half times N Gauge, so that my 8’ track plan mentioned earlier, would come out at 12’ (if my arithmetic serves me right), which is still achievable in my humble abode. Additionally, and in true Hornby fashion, prospective releases include A4(?) examples plus Flying Scotsman which my mindset associates with London based termini, upon which the plan is based, and which would be a real thumbs up from my point of view.

Ordinarily, this would lead me to conclude that great minds think alike, Roger, however, asmine ain’t great , your kind and considered suggestion reassures me that my loose thinking isn’t totally barking mad!

So thank you.

Further food for thought indeed.

Best,

Jon

 

[jonte]

Hi Jon,

glad that you like the shed. The walls are painted using various Vallejo Model Air AV acrylics, all brushed on, the louvres are painted using Tamiya 'Smoke' - as are the internal walls, the roof tiles are at present unpainted plain paper laser cut strips (those for the rear roof and office block are in front of the shed, as received with the kit. I have some brass shim in a 100mm wide coil which I will see how/if that can be brought into service for the flashing. I notice over on Larry's thread that he uses masking tape cut to size, again something to think about.

Will try a start a thread over the weekend.

kind regards

Mike

Hi Mike.

Many thanks for sharing.

Masking tape is good having used it to replicate a version of roof covering in the past in four mill.

In fact, as mentioned earlier, whilst the brass was ideal IMHO for replicating the creases etc of real turned back lead, I rather feel the camera tends to show it as a little too thick for four mill. Therefore, I would support your consideration to adopt masking tape in this instance which I feel would be far more suitable for the purpose.

Go for it!

Jon

 

[simond]

Does masking tape stay stuck?

I guess it has a reputation for being difficult if not removed relatively promptly, so I’ve kind-of answered my own question…

 

[jonte]

Does masking tape stay stuck?

I guess it has a reputation for being difficult if not removed relatively promptly, so I’ve kind-of answered my own question…

Hi Simon.

Perhaps it may in some instances depending on the type of material to which it’s stuck, but frankly I’m not sure which is why I gave it a helping hand with PVA when I used it on the roof here:



However, when I came to dig out the scrap piece of brass for the bent-back lead section in this case, I discovered that most of the tape had come adrift apart from in the odd spot, as can just be seen in the background of this:



Other uses for masking tape include makeshift wet weather covers that crew would roll across twixt cab and tenders of steam engines. @Heather Kay used it for this purpose in one or two examples of her wonderful O Gauge builds.

Perhaps Heather might be able to enlighten you further, Simon?

Hope this helps,

Jon

 

[Heather Kay]

Does masking tape stay stuck?

I have used ordinary household masking tape as a simulacrum of the canvas covers on coach gangways. Once persuaded into place, it seems to stay in place, but I can’t vouch for how Long it remains in place. The adhesive in some tapes does seem to dry out over time, and the tape falls away leaving a dry residue. Others seem to stick too well, and can be all but impossible to remove after some time.

I have also used tape to make canvas tilt covers on various model trucks.

The stuff I use comes from a local family-run hardware store. It’s called EverBuild Mammoth General Purpose Masking Tape. I have to say it’s the best stuff I’ve ever used, whether for masking paint or making fake canvas. I even use it to make temporary jigs and alignment tools.

Hope that is of use.

 

[simond]

That station roof and gable wall is still outstanding…

thx for the thoughts on masking tape. I guess it’s a case of working out if the roll is one that never lets go, or one that dries out and falls off, the clever bit is doing that before you stick it on…

cheers
Simon

 

[jonte]

As far as I can go for now until the building is painted:



At the point of writing, I await the arrival of the brackets which will complete the awning.

Cheers,

jonte

Edit to reorientate a photo. jonte

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Like it . Is the gap in the canopy cornice rail a 'missing section' so to speak?

I see you've put the lone 'valence tooth' on the open canopy end.

 

[jonte]

I see you've put the lone 'valence tooth' on the open canopy end.

Just for you, Dave

The ‘gap’ was one of the ways I made my somewhat dwindling resources go further, but I like to think it was being addressed by building maintenance at the same time as the end repair.
However, sadly, neither repair will be completed before the end cometh (well, in this scenario ).

Thanks for your interest and compliments, Dave.

Jon

 

[jonte]

Jon,

I hate to be a devils advocate - but you've known me long enough now.......... If you wanted a smaller scale, what about the TT:120 scale currently coming in to the British market. I have been 'into' TT in my time and have enjoyed the continental material which has always been at 1;120, as opposed to the old British TT3 which ended up like 4mm - narrow gauged track - but I won't go in to that as I tolerate it with my 00 layouts now anyway . Should you seriously pursue this theme I do suggest you could look at Hornby's intentions in TT:120 - a large range is promised........!!

Roger

Hi again, Roger

Further to your last, I erroneously assumed that the new Hornby TT scale equates to 3mm to the foot. However, further research reveals a correct scale of 2.54mm to the foot, which works out at a little over 10’.

Even better

Jon

 

[Roger Pound]

Hi again, Roger

Further to your last, I erroneously assumed that the new Hornby TT scale equates to 3mm to the foot. However, further research reveals a correct scale of 2.54mm to the foot, which works out at a little over 10’.

Even better

Jon

Quite so, Jon,

The accuracy of track gauge compared to TT3 was one of the reasons I 'went continental' with my foray in to TT:120 - happy days now long in the past, .

Still admire the scale, though....... !

Roger

 

[jonte]

Track laying at long last has begun in earnest; actually no, just begun.

On this occasion, I’ve veered from attaching bonding wires of closure rail with adjacent stock rail and also to isolated crossing, at this juncture, as a move to the recent Twistlock motor requires marking out for tie bar operating wire and locating lugs completing first.

Thus far, the point at which the crossing feed protrudes below the frog has been measured and transferred to board for drilling, and sections of below rail webbing have been removed: first by way of a piercing saw, and then the final pieces via the use of a Stanley blade so as to bond the closures with stock rails (the piercing wasn’t required for the medium radius types as these weren’t obstructed by sections of reinforcing like the small radius variety I’m using on this occasion). The bonding wires twixt crossing and closures have also been cut and removed, and the outsides of the sleepers drilled at four points to help locate the turnout on the board, rather than in the centre of the rails. Once glued down, these will be removed and the holes filled.

Here’s a glimpse of proceedings:



The removable backscene has proved it’s worth even at this early stage as can be seen.

Elsewhere, the building has had its gables and architraving given a base coat of dark grey enamel (second actually as the first was that ‘orrible Humbrol slate grey mixed with black which I keep forgetting isn’t slate grey at all, even after Heather kindly took time to explain why it isn’t



The airbrush will be given an airing next before moving onto the walls which will be given a brush applied base coat of Humbrol light stone (121?).

Cheers for now.

jonte

 

[jonte]

An early start saw me anxiously placing the template that accompanies the motor beneath the point.

What perturbed me somewhat was that in most of the (helpful) online videos about fitting this new type of motor, none was specific about the orientation of the switch blades when lining up the hole in the tie bar with the pin ‘target’ on the template (which was made a little more difficult by my age-ing eyesight ).Past experience has shown that the blades need to be centred to avoid a bias which usually results in the pin ‘catching’ on one side of the hole, but in all the videos I watched, it appeared that alignment was simply achieved by switching the blades either to straight ahead or diverging road: whichever lined up with the target on the template below

In practise, it transpired that (allowing for inevitable plus or minus tolerance in all my failing accuracy ) alignment of tie bar hole and ‘dead centre’ target was achieved when the blades were indeed centred. Peco have probably allowed for leeway with their specification of a 6mm hole, but I didn’t want to stray too much to reduce disappointment later.

Thankfully, the hole cannot be seen when the point is replaced.

Template fitted and the three holes drilled through with a 1.5mm bit. The centre acts as a pilot for the 6mm bit:






Baseboard turned over and the below board holes displayed:



The plastic lugs, to which the ears on the point motor body attach, in place:



The motor attached to lugs and here I met my first minor issue (the below board pin is a tad too long for the standard 2”x1” frame I’m using):



The snips weren’t up to the job with the motor in situ, so it was removed, placed in the vice and back out with the piercing saw (this is the joy of this new motor: it’s so easily removed and replaced ):



Template revealed excellent accuracy when board turned back over (and I can’t even knock a nail in straight ):



And finally, the point replaced to its starting point with pin easily slipped into tie bar hole:



First (manual) testing results are good: free movement of blades in each direction. Now it’s a case of marking pin, and back into the vice for cutting to length with the piercing saw again.

Apologies if this was a bit boring, but hopefully it might be of some small assistance to those thinking of purchasing this new type of motor, and who like me, have a skill set second only to the very basic tools available to them.

No connections to Peco (usual disclaimer).

Only another four to go…..

jonte

 

[Roger Pound]

Looking forward to further reports your progress in this field Jon . Don't put yourself down on the skills front - I am one of those guys who is more than happy to use things straight out of the box without a lot of further work, so who am I to talk about skill sets?
Please keep us informed - your audience awaits .

Roger