I found one or two things besides the D49 material that I was originally looking for, and I thought it best to group these here, rather than interrupt the A1/1 flow that currently occupies my workbench thread, or scatter them around, or trample all over other contributors' threads. THESE ARE ALL PRE-DIGITAL ERA PHOTOS FROM A TIME WHEN I HAD EVEN LESS SKILL WITH A CAMERA AND LESS IDEA OF HOW TO LIGHT SUBJECTS THAN I DO NOW, so I apologise for the quality!
FIRSTLY THE D49
As you can see, I made new larger plastic cylinders and some brake gear for the loco, scraped down the heavy boiler bands to take white-black-white lining transfers, added other missing pieces of lining and one or two ther oddments also. The tender copings were made "stepped out" by cutting off the original copings then using plastic strip and angle, laminated with solvent and filed to shape to construct the flares before reattaching the copings.
That extra midddle rod in the brake rigging is simply there as a convenient mounting for the side-control spring for the bogie!
Before and after:
Unless I find a better one, or get persuaded to take a better one before I re-do the chassis in Maunsell style, this is the only picture I can cuurently locate showing the finished loco
Last edited by Atlantic 3279 on Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Most subjects, models and techniques covered in this thread are now listed in various categories on page1
Dec. 2018: Almost all images that disappeared from my own thread following loss of free remote hosting are now restored.
M & GN "D Rebuilt" (I think) from Triang 3F chopped and shaped, fitted with Romford/Markits wheels (then cheap!) and London Road Models (ex George Norton) tender.
Most subjects, models and techniques covered in this thread are now listed in various categories on page1
Dec. 2018: Almost all images that disappeared from my own thread following loss of free remote hosting are now restored.
I think I failed to notice earlier this year that this loco had reached the ripe old age of fifteen. Chopped V3 chassis and a spare Replica B1 tender, lightly modified. Creating the wooden former to hold the partly heat-formed layers of running plate in shape until well bonded and well bolstered by other structures took ages. Now that I can "do" brass, life is at least a little easier in that respect. At least the shape has held fairly well, compared to some wonky running plates I've seen!
You could have saved yourself all that trouble with the running plate curves by carving one off an old V2 body. With a J39 cab and new boiler it made a decent K3 on the V1 chassis; and then Bach went and did a K3 anyway...
Nearly every conversion I do ends up in RTR, hacked about B1 parts on a Stanier 8F chassis for an O1 (already decommissioned as the chassis is now to become the powerplant for my Gresley 2-8-2T) and the remains of the J39 boiler from making the K3 massaged into J6, hope, hope,... But I don't expect my blend of Lima J50 and Hornby parallel boiler Patriot parts on an old USA eight coupled chassis for a sort of Thompson Q1 to yield anything.
Awsome work Graeme! I can't believe the lengths you'll go to getting accurate looking models!
I'm surprised you modified the D49 tender, Bachmann would have just released the stepped tender around then - or would that not have worked with the tender drive unit? Either way the way you got the coping done is incredible and inspiring!
The K3 reminds me of my (poor) effort about the same time (as a spotty 15 year old!) to build one using the V3 chassis and a cut up B17 body. Wasn't a great effort but is one of the few OO locos I've still got (still unfinished too!), having seen yours I don't think mine will ever see the light of day again!
I can't remember when the Bachmann stepped-coping tender first appeared. The D49 was done around April 2000. I think I considered the (then) Coopercraft/Mailcoach replacement resin tender tops, but they were quite expensive for the time and in the end I found they had already sold out - not such a bad thing as I've since learned that quality was said to be dubious. I suppose with no knowledge of things such as eBay in those days, only a dim awareness of EKM, few local swapmeets/toyfairs and Bachmann's unhelpful refusal to supply separate tenders, I wouldn't have considered it possible to get a Bachmann tender top even if it would theoretically fit. The decision to scratchbuild the K3 loco body including the running plate was probably also influenced in part by belief that suitable spare bodies might not be readily and cheaply available, partly by having seen some unsatisfactory results of "crossbreeds", and partly by sheer determination to have a go at something dimensionally correct that wouldn't leave me too badly out-of-pocket if it was all a complete failure - which some of my previous loco building attempts had certainly been.
Most subjects, models and techniques covered in this thread are now listed in various categories on page1
Dec. 2018: Almost all images that disappeared from my own thread following loss of free remote hosting are now restored.
Atlantic 3279 wrote:..... I considered the (then) Coopercraft/Mailcoach replacement resin tender tops, but they were quite expensive for the time and in the end I found they had already sold out - not such a bad thing as I've since learned that quality was said to be dubious......
For the sake of completeness, whilst using the camera for other things, I took these today to tie-up the D49 story. In light of recent discussion, the lining at the joint of cab and firebox is probably wrongly present, whilst there should be some lining on the cab front which I failed to apply - lack of skill/confidence at the time or lack of knowledge, who knows? I did as you can see line all of the edges of the box covering the expansion link, the wheel rims and bosses, and the front buffer beam, along with applying fuller red lining to things such as steps and tender frame. The nameplates were simply photograhic prints at reduced size of a hand painted larger effort. Cost consciousness, ignorance of what might be available etched, and keenness to have a go myself all contributed to choice of method!
Last edited by Atlantic 3279 on Sat Dec 31, 2011 11:38 am, edited 2 times in total.
Most subjects, models and techniques covered in this thread are now listed in various categories on page1
Dec. 2018: Almost all images that disappeared from my own thread following loss of free remote hosting are now restored.
Another blast from the (not so remote) past. My now, thanks to Bachmann, entirely out-dated major re-build from almost 4 years ago of my earlier (late 1980s) plastic attempt at an O4. Basically, everything above the original running plate and splashers was re-made in new material to get better detail, better finish, and correct size, my original model having been too small. Extra details and revisons to detail were also applied to chassis, with a new Mashima Can replacing the venerable and loud XO4 that had intruded into the cab and dispalyed its worm gear below the boiler. Sentimental attachment to a loco with my first reasonably working home-made chassis dictates that I keep this, whatever its faults and the modern alternatives.
Most subjects, models and techniques covered in this thread are now listed in various categories on page1
Dec. 2018: Almost all images that disappeared from my own thread following loss of free remote hosting are now restored.
The 3F looks Triang-ish - that's certainly a Triang chassis.
Maybe you should have called this thread "All our Yesterdays." Or "The Way we Were." Or.....
You get me drift!
Whatever happens, it will take dynamite to prise 4470 "GN", and 8F 48448 from my paws. First conversion and first kitbuild respectively.
I did have a go at a Comet Ivatt 2MT before Bachmann announced the tender engine which has a Triang body and a Crownline tender. It took 2 attempts and a replacement chassis, motor and gearbox but it goes to exhibish while my Bachmann one gathers dust.....
If I ain't here, I'm in Bilston, scoffing decent chips at last!!!!
Yes the 3F is definitely Triang. I was being cautious instead about calling it a "D Rebuilt" - just in case some M & GN expert jumped in with a correction......
Most subjects, models and techniques covered in this thread are now listed in various categories on page1
Dec. 2018: Almost all images that disappeared from my own thread following loss of free remote hosting are now restored.
