4mm Jan's 4mm WB: Hello, Old Friend

[Lyndhurstman]

Until your chronicling, Jan, I never considered such mundane articles as ‘goods wagons’ worthy of such finery.

I’m still learning

jonte

Hello @jonte
I hope you're surviving this weather.
Ah... thank you. there's nowt so fascinating as the variation in "run of the mill" for me. These little lumps of loveliness (in the prototype, not in my lumpen creationist moment) are inherently fascinating. And - I think - one of the aspects to benefit from the rise of the interweb, what with all the photos that have surfaced.

I have a penchant for goods/brake vans, it has to be said. Especially the unfitted variety. As these are. And I have some nice images from the HMRS to use as a basis for my fumblings; especially this one for weathering: https://hmrs.org.uk/-aab802--20t-goods-brake-br-e139693-at-teignmouth-.html . It would be rude not to!

Be well. And safe.

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Couldn’t agree more, Jan, especially with regard to all the wonderful sources of reference on’t ‘web these days, as you’ll have no doubt guessed from kindly visiting my lingering thread

Talking of sweltering, it’s overcast and cool with an increasing Nor’westerly here, as per usual in the IRL (I’ve just had to return my tortoise to his vivarium after a brief half hour escape to the garden).

Still, your shot of Teignmouth had me recalling fond memories of jolly daily visits there during the early seventies (including the big one of ‘76) with relatives who lived in Sunny Devon, including the nearby beach of Shaldon. Then, in the eighties, another sister owned and ran a restaurant in Teignmouth itself, which provided an ample excuse for my brother in law to display his fleet of sailing ships, most having constructed from plans in books of old sailing ships. Many a customer, mainly from over the Pond, left the restaurant more than a little disappointed when their offers to buy one or two were gracefully denied

Apologies for the trip down memory Lane, Jan, and keep up the good work

(Sincerely hoping this ‘niche’ interest isn’t catching )

jonte

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Greyed Eastern
I’ve run out of handrail knobs, so work in the NZR Guards Van has shifted hemispheres, back towards the Parkside Toad B. I’ve fixed the Extreme Etchings lamp irons (5 on each end) with some Zap-CA, and given it a blat of rattlecan grey (it’s going to be unfitted..) to tie it all in. Next will be the glazing in the doors and lookouts.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Windows Upgrade
An exercise in stillness; mind and motion. The Parkside LNER brake van gets some draught excluders fitted. It’s always bugged me that this model is let down by the ‘open to the elements’ duckets, so I thought I’d try to do something about it. Fortunately, I had some 2mm Perspex in Stores, so an unconscious hour of marking, cutting, and filing, has resulted in 50% of the holes being filled. They're just a push fit, for now. And could be pushed in a tad more..


Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Neat work once again, Jan

Jon

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Neat work once again, Jan

Jon

Hello @jonte
Thank you. On so many levels.
There is no hill of beans locally, but just being able to get something done (and relatively successfully to boot) is satisfying. Baby steps.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

All Four Won

The window quartet are completed. I’ve fixed them in place on the inside with a little ZAP CA on the end of a cocktail stick.

I’ve also painted over the rattlecan grey with a layer of Railmatch BR Early Freight Grey let down with a little white to reduce the greenish tinge. It’s still a bit darker than I’d like, but I’m going to live with it. The roof is Railmatch roof dirt, applied in the bare plastic. I’ve also made a start on the veranda floor; a thin wash of Vallejo wood.

This is my inspiration (and yes; I know it’s a steel ducket ) https://hmrs.org.uk/media/catalog/p...41ae7eb9d8659df164/A/A/AAB802_small_image.jpg


EDIT: I’ve just noticed the solebar and body don’t sit together. Why do these things only come to light when you’re showing off your efforts? I may (other three letter big words are available) see if I can take a scalpel to the join of the floor/solebar and see if I can remove it cleanly and resite it.
Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Great paint job, Jan

It’s difficult to believe this is a plastic model. Loving the wood colour too.

I didn’t notice the ‘join’ (and I’m a natural, apparently, at spotting wig-wearers) until you pointed it out. Would you be able to overlook it? Would be such a shame to damage it (damn you, electronic cameras ).

Thanks for the tip re the application of CA via the handy cocktail stick. Most timely, indeed, as I’ve been wondering how to apply some plastic numerals to my makeshift ‘panel’ without getting glue everywhere

Cheers,

Jon

 

[Simon]

Great work on the Toad, I must finish mine.

The picture you linked to is a bit special too, as there is a Siphon H in the background.

Any idea where it was taken? I can't find the image on the HMRS website via a search, too many results the way I'm doing it(!)

Simon

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Great work on the Toad, I must finish mine.

The picture you linked to is a bit special too, as there is a Siphon H in the background.

Any idea where it was taken? I can't find the image on the HMRS website via a search, too many results the way I'm doing it(!)

Simon

Hi @Simon
Thank you. That’s very kind of you.
The photo was apparently taken at Teignmouth. It’s here: https://hmrs.org.uk/-aab802--20t-goods-brake-br-e139693-at-teignmouth-.html
The HMRS site isn’t the easiest to navigate!

Cheers

Jan

 

[Simon]

Hi Jan

Thank you very much, I have just bought a copy of the image from the HMRS site.

Apart from the Siphon, it is a good reference picture of one of the later (or at least modified) versions in BR grey livery, which is what I am modelling. And even better, pictured pretty far down in the West Country.

Several of the type were used on the Bodmin and Wenford line and the whole thing fascinates me more than it probably ought to......

I am at the bending up handrails stage on my van, which I keep putting off(!)

Simon

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Great paint job, Jan

It’s difficult to believe this is a plastic model. Loving the wood colour too.

I didn’t notice the ‘join’ (and I’m a natural, apparently, at spotting wig-wearers) until you pointed it out. Would you be able to overlook it? Would be such a shame to damage it (damn you, electronic cameras ).

Thanks for the tip re the application of CA via the handy cocktail stick. Most timely, indeed, as I’ve been wondering how to apply some plastic numerals to my makeshift ‘panel’ without getting glue everywhere

Cheers,

Jon

Hello @jonte
Thank you. As ever.
The previous assembler used some kind of plastic-deforming glue in the assembly, so I can't get it out without damaging it, I don't think. The other side is OK, so I'll have to make sure that when (if ever.. ) it runs, I'll present its best side.

I am quite pleased with the colour. Fingers crossed I don't stuff it up in the weathering...

You're welcome. Zap CA is tricksy stuff. I spent Saturday evening picking it off my hands, having no clue as to how it got there! You Have Been Warned... The downside of its flowing ability, I guess!

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Hi Jan

Thank you very much, I have just bought a copy of the image from the HMRS site.

Apart from the Siphon, it is a good reference picture of one of the later (or at least modified) versions in BR grey livery, which is what I am modelling. And even better, pictured pretty far down in the West Country.

Several of the type were used on the Bodmin and Wenford line and the whole thing fascinates me more than it probably ought to......

I am at the bending up handrails stage on my van, which I keep putting off(!)

Simon

Hi @Simon
Not a problem. Glad I could help.
Yes; I knew that these beasts got past the Tamar, but I don't know the numbers. I read somewhere that these vans (Toad B's) with their wooden duckets spent a lot of their time in Scotland. So getting one down to Blackwall is a bit of a stretch The Toad E (steel duckets) like the one in the HMRS image I referenced, were much more pervasive.

I too have the handrails in my purview; I'm trying to make a jig for soldering them up. Here, Steve Banks' work inspires me.. LNER goods brake van: Toad B - Steve Banks . One thing (well, four things) I need to do is add grab handles to the ducket sides... it may be that a soldering iron will be the only way..

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Grab A Handful
A 60 minute tussle with 0.3 mm brass wire, some holes, and a soldering iron.

The handrails on the Toad are many and various. I thought I’d start with the hardest ones; the single length that goes over the ducket between the ends. The prototype is apparently shaped like this; with the rise to the ducket, and the handrail being hard against it.


Having plotted the path by trial fitting the assembly to the side (above), and drilling some 0.3 holes for the uprights, a small mark was made with a red felt pen where the ducket supports should go. The handrail wax then taken off, and the dimension transferred to the jig, in which holes were then drilled to match the marks. The supports (more 0.3mm brass) were then soldered on to the handrail. These supports then became the locators for the holes to be drilled in the body side.

A slow process, this…

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Well done, Jan, especially in overcoming the angle of the ducket

Not a task for the faint hearted.

Jon

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Well done, Jan, especially in overcoming the angle of the ducket

Not a task for the faint hearted.

Jon

Hello Jon
Thanks. I only hope all this pays off! I did try making the verticals in one with the lower grab handles - as per prototype - but couldn’t get a consistent, repeatable, outcome.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Handrail Haranguing Iced in yesterday ; the rain of Saturday created its own black run down into the village overnight. So I spent the time attempting to fettle the four stand-alone handrails into some kind of shape. I’ve also fitted the longitudinal ones that bend around the duckets.


Now I need to get some more Extreme Etchings lamp irons from Shawplan. But that will probably be after Christmas…

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Back On The Train, Gang
Don’t fall behind, Chrissie.
Happy New Year to all.

First bit of modelling in a while. Back to trying my hand at weathering (will he ever learn?). A small ex-Midland Railway dropside 3 plank from Slaters (via a contact on Instagram).
I had to disassemble it almost entirely because the pinpoint axle of Gibson P4 wheelsets was just slightly longer than the 00 one, and the wheels wouldn’t turn freely. Anyway, it’s back together now, and being painted with some Vallejo acrylics, and being wiped occasionally with some stain. Unusually for me, and the knockings thereof, I’m quite happy with how it’s going. Fingers crossed it carries on that way!

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Happy New Year to you too, Jan, and that’s a better representation of wood than wood

May I ask if you used the designated wood effects set or if it’s of your own recipe? I have the set myself but have yet to put it to the test. Whatever, it looks great.

Jon

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Hello @jonte
Thank you. Coming from someone who can make weathered wood ‘talk’ I’m very chuffed.

I actually made a note of what I used, this time.
The wagon was repainted in BR Early Wagon Grey (Railmatch acrylic). The Slaters instruction say the Midland Grey

“… is a difficult colour to pin down as its exact 'make-up' is not known. What is known however is that new vehicles were usually painted pale grey and repainted stock was painted in a dark grey called 'smudge'. The latter was made up from government surplus battleship grey and various scrapings and left overs of other colours, resulting in a colour that could change from day to day.”

So anything goes, really .
I used a very very thin wash of Vallejo 74.517 (Dark Grey) to try and pick out the plank joints. Once this was dry, I used the same colour, but painting along the boards horizontally. This was lightly dabbed at with a cotton bud to give variance. The floor was washed with 71.075 after scribing (I dolloped too much of this in my ‘mixing tub’ (a supermarket takeaway latte lid) hence the appearance of the Palbrick in the background!

I used the same technique on the inside, but after I had tried again with a 2B pencil to give some attempt at that elusive silvered sheen of old wood.

The ‘new’ plank at the bottom is just straight 71.077 (wood) applied with an 5/0 sable brush I got from Secret Santa

I hope that helps; you know where I am if you need clarification.

Thanks again

Cheers

Jan