West End Workbench

[PGBerrie]

I'm quite pleased with the way these have come out.

They really look super - how do you get the sun-bleached bare wood effect? My attempts always look painted.

Peter

[jwealleans]

Thanks, Peter. It was largely Martin Welch - his weathering book is never far away from the bench. Initially the woodwork was painted with Humbrol 29. Some of it was then touched in again with either 29 or 110 and a spot of grey 64 or one of the light beige colours, 93 or similar. This was done plank by plank to give a varied effect (and I might add it looked a right mess at this stage).

When this had thoroughly dried I gave it a plank-by-plank wash with dilute shades of light grey, mainly 64 and 106. This is where MW recommends drybrushing but I found washing as effective. The wash needs to be translucent but not so thin it just collects in the plank gaps.

Once this had dried the whole thing was smeared with my weathering mix (62/64/27004) which is then allowed to dry for about 20 minutes and rubbed off with kitchen roll and cotton buds. This gives the whole side a uniform overall colour and tones it down a lot.

The wagon was then sprayed with a similar mix from below with an airbrush and has had a bit of powder thrown about the underframe and inside. I'll add some oil leaks from the boxes and chalk marks and probably a load and then they're ready to roll. It's a bit hit and miss but if you don't like the effect of something you do you can always rub it off with a cotton bud and white spirit (for enamels). I'm not sure how you'd get on with acrylics.

[PGBerrie]

Thanks for the recipe - I've got the MW weathering book, so I'll take a look at it again. Unfortunately, Humbrol paints are difficult to get around here, so I will look for the equivalents in Revell acrylics.

Peter

[marksouthcoast]

Hi, ithink revell do a conversion chart or look on aircraft moderlling forums or web sites and see if anyone has listed eqiverlents for one manufacturer or other paint makers web sites. Hope this helps.

[jwealleans]

The other fairly straightforward project I've finally got round to is this Roger Chivers low roof CCT. This came to me in a job lot of parcels stock some years ago and after dealing with the high roof version a few pages back this one is finally getting the treatment.

The prototype is the LNER version of an NER design, drawings on about page 114 of Nck Campling's Historical Carriage Drawings Vol 1 (the yellow one). The kit is still available from Matt Chivers, Roger's son, although I see he's moving house at the moment and so not taking new orders. It dates from the late 1970s or early 1980s.

The alterations required are detailed in MRJ No. 102 by Peter Tatlow. Essentially the brake gear has been mirror imaged from one side to the other, which is incorrect. A brake lever needs moving, one or two bits need making and adding and other components are shuffled about. I did the same thing to a pair of the high roof NER versions last year and Mick also did one way back in his thread.



Here the altered vehicle with roof vents and lamp tops added and the extra body brackets also visible along the solebar.



Here the alterations needed to the brake gear shown. Matt will supply the castings as a a separate pack and I see my replacement bolster has slipped while the glue dried.

[PGBerrie]

Hi, ithink revell do a conversion chart or look on aircraft moderlling forums or web sites and see if anyone has listed eqiverlents for one manufacturer or other paint makers web sites.

I spent Sunday morning surfing and found a lot of colour and conversion charts, so now I have an Excel file with all the details. But we shouldn't hijack the thread.

Peter

[jwealleans]

Bit of painting and decorating tonight.

CCT now lettered - according to Nick Campling's book this one didn't have the dimensions panel on the right hand end corner, or any running restrictions.



The nature of these Chivers kits means I'll have to varnish and glaze before I can fix the roof on, which isn't my preferred approach.

A couple of other refurbishment jobs: Parkside NE Bogie Bolster getting a repaint and lettering backdated to the early style. The handbrake wheels have come adrift at some point as well.



ABS NB Gunpowder van; the roof was in a right state so it was scrapped and a new one made up.



Evergreen strip for the ribs and when it's gone off it will get a few rivet transfers as well. The photo makes the bend in the roof look far worse than it is.



While we're on Gunpowder vans, I picked this up for a quid from a bargain bin at a show.



There are a lot of GPVs which follow the lines and dimensions of the iron Mink. I was going to make this up as a GE one, but theirs had angled corners instead of curved, so this one will be a GN example.



Doors need to be flush and the vents have been removed from the ends. We'll address axleboxes and buffers in due course.

Finally, in a corner of the yard something else is preparing....



This was one of the cheap B1s which popped up a few months ago. Of course, after we bought a couple for Thurston thinking the price would never be repeated, everyone did them at that price, including an early crest BR one which would have been ideal... but there you go. I shall be collecting another at Telford this weekend and they will then become 61058 and 61059 of Ipswich shed. I've seen a picture of one or other of the pair with the full 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' on the tender and possibly the curly numerals as well which will make a bit of variety of I can track it down. Watch this space.

[52D]

Was 1059 the one that was withdrawn quite early after an accident?

[jwealleans]

61057 at Witham in April 1950.

[PGBerrie]

I've seen a picture of one or other of the pair with the full 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' on the tender and possibly the curly numerals as well which will make a bit of variety of I can track it down.

LNER 4-6-0's at work, by Geoffrey Hughes, BLP? 61059 in early BR livery in 1951, page 85, and 61058 with BRITISH RAILWAYS on the tender standing next to 34059 at Norwich on 18th May 1949, page 105. 61057 is in the green book with BRITISH RAILWAYS on the tender.

Peter

[Robpulham]

There are a lot of GPVs which follow the lines and dimensions of the iron Mink. I was going to make this up as a GE one, but theirs had angled corners instead of curved, so this one will be a GN example.



Doors need to be flush and the vents have been removed from the ends. We'll address axleboxes and buffers in due course.

I do believe that I have one of these lurking in a drawer that I rolled a brass roof for as practice when I first got my rolling bars.

[2002EarlMarischal]

Very interesting rolling stock!

There is info fairly readily available on the make up of passenger trains, but I cannot recall seeing similar information on Pre-WW2 mixed goods trains which were perhaps inevitably unique in the combination of vehicles involved.

Black and white photos of goods trains, which naturally focus on the locomotive, generally give the impression of nondescript heavily weathered wagons with very little lettering on view.

I would be interested if there are any publications which describe "typical" goods trains. Does anyone know of any? How often for example would other big four wagons appear in LNER freight trains?

[jwealleans]

Peter - that's the photo I was after, couldn't recall if it was 1058 or 1059. Hard to see but looking at the cylinders, I'd say that's lined out.

EM - I don't know of any such sources surviving for the LNER. For the GWR, however, Pendon have very detailed notes about the makeup of goods trains taken by Roye England. I don't think they're published and I only have one example in my possession but as far as I know they are used as the basis for the goods trains on Pendon. I can dig it out and post it if anyone's interested?

Personally I find myself more and more peering into the corners of old photos trying to see what's behind the loco and pick out different wagons in consists.

[2002EarlMarischal]

EM - I don't know of any such sources surviving for the LNER. For the GWR, however, Pendon have very detailed notes about the makeup of goods trains taken by Roye England. I don't think they're published and I only have one example in my possession but as far as I know they are used as the basis for the goods trains on Pendon. I can dig it out and post it if anyone's interested?

Personally I find myself more and more peering into the corners of old photos trying to see what's behind the loco and pick out different wagons in consists.

Thanks, I would be interested in that please. Perhaps a dodgy assumption, but all the companies must have had similar mixed goods? Marshalling yard records would be interesting if they still exist.

I've often wondered about the practicalities of private owner wagons being returned to their owning company yards. Presumably individual wagons would have been a rare sight - groups being more likely. Would there have ever been whole trains of one company's wagons?

[notascoobie]

I would be interested if there are any publications which describe "typical" goods trains. Does anyone know of any? How often for example would other big four wagons appear in LNER freight trains?

EM,

I'm aware of a book that was published a while ago entitled "Goods Traffic of the LNER." I don't have a copy but you might like to try it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Goods-Traffic-L ... 117&sr=8-1

Regards,

Vernon