Liver & Fry's workbench

[Liver & Fry]

A semi productive night has seen me fit brake shoes to all four wagons.

The first job was to laminate the seperate shoes but then I made a slight modification. The etch provided had the guides as a 2D part of the etch. I've cut these out and fitted some spare guide loops from another fret I had to hand:



Now, admittedly, until the guide loops were secured, removing part of the original etch did considerably reduce its structural integrity. However, I feel the end result was worth it!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

I've spent most of tonight sorting through the etches for the GE opens, getting to grips with what's what and prepping the bits I'm planning to use next by trimming and grouping them together for each wagon.

However, I did manage to put the ironwork on one side of the Dia.48 body and I have to say, it is very pleasing on the eye!



- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

We have a Dia.31!



I did some more filling, inside and out, before doing the ironwork on the body and solebars. It's a much simpler wagon than the Dia.48, but it'll add some nice variety, especially as this can be done in the pre-1902 livery.

I've also continued working on the Dia.48, finishing the rest of the bodyside ironwork and adding the solebar detailing to boot:



I've also started adding springs and GE axlebox covers to the Dia.48, but only on the fixed end as I type this:



Still on course to finish all four by New Year...

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Made some solid progress this evening, physically completing two of the four wagons builds.

End stanchions, buffers, drawhooks, springs, axlebox covers and brake levers were fitted to both the Dia.31 and Dia.48 wagons and these can now go to one side whilst I work on the Dia.17s:



Whilst they are physically different wagons, the practice of building this pair should mean the two Dia.17s go smoothly. I'm hoping to start painting by the weekend!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

And now we have a Dia.17!

Decided to hit these one at a time instead of batch building sections on the two Dia.17s, mostly because I started on one and just kept going...

So with that, here is the first of the pair:



This one took me two nights, so by that logic, I should be ready to start painting by Friday?

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Going to be honest, I didn't expect to do the last one this quickly, but in one night I've managed to do all the detailing work on the final Dia.17. I guess all that practice paid off!




This of course means that, for the most part, all four builds are complete:



I say that because they will all get internal door strapping (tomorrow) and the two Dia.17s need their builders plates, when I've decided which style plate and livery combo I want for each...

Still, pretty damn pleased with the progress I've made this week!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

And they're ready to paint!

The internal strapping and builders plates on the Dia.17s are attached and so after tea I shall crack out the paint!



I've decided to do both Dia.17s in post-1903 livery, as the majority of my GE stock is of that ilk and so they'll fit that ratio better. That said, one will carry the earlier plates and the other the later style, for variety.

I'll likely provide another update later or tomorrow to show paint progress.

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

A first coat of grey has been applied to the main bodies. These will definitely require another coat, but for now they give a good impression of what's to come:



Tomorrow I hope to get a second coat of grey on, as well as the base wood colour inside.

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Second coat of grey and first internal coat of "wood" complete!



Reckon at this rate we might see some lettering by Sunday night... But I do have plans over the weekend, so that may be ambitious. But the painting is certainly coming along nicely!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Reckon at this rate we might see some lettering by Sunday night... But I do have plans over the weekend, so that may be ambitious.

It was indeed ambitious! I've only managed the black on one wagon today, but hey, some progress is better than none at all!



- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Well, I may not have got the wood work painted, and certainly no lettering applied, but I did manage to find time to paint the ironwork on all four wagons over the course of the weekend:



Tomorrow evening will be tight for time, but I'd love to say I could get the internal wood work painted before Christmas. Even if I don't, I'm still on course to finish these by New Year and start 2025 on a clean slate...

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Alas, I did not get time to finish painting the wagons before Christmas, but I did pop the wheels back in now the black has dried.



I'll be back to working on these on 27th. There's time yet! For now, it's time to down tools and enjoy the festivities.

So with that, I'd just like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a lovely time, whatever you get up to!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Big steps forward have been made tonight!

All four GE wagons are finished, so far as painting is concerned, with the wood interiors being painted and the wagon plates being touched up with white:



I'm hoping to make good progress with lettering this weekend, but will likely hold off on an update until Sunday evening.

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Three down, one to go!



The two Dia.17s and the Dia.48 are complete; all in the post-1903 livery.

That leaves the Dia.31, which is mostly complete but will get the final touches tomorrow. This will be in pre-1902 condition.

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

And that's a wrap! With one day of 2024 to spare, I've finished the Dia.31!




This one is probably my favourite of the four, simply because it's a bit different!

Lettering for the Dia.31 is a generic Fox alphabet (FG1003) to allow me to write the various words needed. The G in GER is somewhat unique font wise, but I got round this using a C, tilted backwards to the end of the tail was horizontal, and then squared off by overlaying a 'full stop'. It's not perfect, but I do feel it works! Equally, the solebar G's on all four wagons are simply a C, because at 1mm, they pass for the GE font G. The rest of the lettering (I.e the large 'GE' on the post-1903 wagons) is by Powsides.

Credit to @Herb Garden for the designing and giving me the opportunity to build these. I do also believe I've significantly increased the percentage of finished wagons this week!

I think I may have to do a little photoshoot with a C53, some vans and these at some point!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

I didn't do one of these last year, but it became apparent to me during the Autumn that it might be nice to look back on something positive from this year, considering how much my modelling activity seems to have increased.

In 2023 I completed 10 wagons (GE lowmac, GE gunpowder van, E.O.L open, GE meat van and 6 HR opens) but in 2024, 21 wagons have passed over the workbench; in that time I started learning to solder, built my first whitemetal kit, experimented with other mediums such as wooden bodied wagons and built what was essentially a scratch aid wagon. I also demonstrated at my first exhibition, which was a new but fun experience.

It has, from a modelling perspective, been a good year for me; even with the time off due to my wrist being in cast and the subsequent focus on my PgCert coursework.

So, from the top, this year's achievements include:

A GNR 4 plank and a GNR 5 plank:



A GCR open:



A Midland Dia.299:



A reworking of an Oxford Rail GE van:



A Highland Railway Jones van:



An L&Y Dia.1 open:



A Highland Railway cattle wagon:



A pair of Highland loco coal wagons:



That takes me up until July. Due to file size, the second half will follow in their own post...

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Obviously there was a bit of a pause during the summer months, but upon my return to the workbench, the following wagons made it through:

An M&GN ballast wagon:



A pair of M&GN open wagons:



A GNR goods van:



An LDEC 6 plank:



A repaint of a Rapido Dia.O21 into GWR red:



And M&GN brakevan:



And finally four GER open wagons to diagrams 17, 31 and 48:



And that's without considering 'Project Holme Hale' and the Middleton Towers 03!



I appreciate these posts may seem a little self indulgent, and in some ways they are! But it's nice to be able to look back on everything I've achieved this year and feel a sense of pride in that work. It's been a tough year. Throwing myself into modelling, at times, almost acted like a form of therapy, so it's nice to have something positive to show for it!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me this year, followed my thread and left me 'likes'. It means more to me than you could know!

Happy New Year everyone - Here's to 2025!

- James

 

[Dog Star]

I approve of your indulgence.. in doing what has pleased you and in providing us with a record of your success.

Let 2025 be as pleasing.

Rgds, Graham

 

[40057]

Obviously there was a bit of a pause during the summer months, but upon my return to the workbench, the following wagons made it through:

An M&GN ballast wagon:

View attachment 230210

A pair of M&GN open wagons:

View attachment 230211View attachment 230212

A GNR goods van:

View attachment 230213

An LDEC 6 plank:

View attachment 230214

A repaint of a Rapido Dia.O21 into GWR red:

View attachment 230215

And M&GN brakevan:

View attachment 230216

And finally four GER open wagons to diagrams 17, 31 and 48:

View attachment 230218View attachment 230219View attachment 230220View attachment 230217

And that's without considering 'Project Holme Hale' and the Middleton Towers 03!

View attachment 230221View attachment 230222

I appreciate these posts may seem a little self indulgent, and in some ways they are! But it's nice to be able to look back on everything I've achieved this year and feel a sense of pride in that work. It's been a tough year. Throwing myself into modelling, at times, almost acted like a form of therapy, so it's nice to have something positive to show for it!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me this year, followed my thread and left me 'likes'. It means more to me than you could know!

Happy New Year everyone - Here's to 2025!

- James

That’s a really impressive output.

 

[Liver & Fry]

I approve of your indulgence.. in doing what has pleased you and in providing us with a record of your success.

Let 2025 be as pleasing.

Rgds, Graham

That’s a really impressive output.

Thank you both!