Rob's 7mm Rolling Stock Workbench

[Robpulham]

The Wakefield Weathering Wizard has weaved her magic again on my sand wagon.

I had read that these wagons sat in sidings and were mostly covered with a tarpaulin sheet to keep out the worst of the weather so I asked Chris if we had anything that we could make one from.

Not only did she come up with the material, she attached the ropes and weathered the sheet before tying it onto the wagon using the etched rope rings that are supplied - a very fiddly job.

[Robpulham]

Due to other distractions and general lack of Mojo I haven't done much modelling for a couple of weeks.

I did spend a couple of evenings on these though.



They are replacements for the whitemetal pipes that are supplied with their kits by Parkside. They look nice enough but I find them a bit vulnerable.

So some 1mm rod, some 28 gauge brass beading wire and some of the infamous scrap etch and we have these - apologies for the not too cracking photo. This was the second attempt and at that I gave up.

A bit like wheel blackening, I find making these up to be very therapeutic.

[Robpulham]

Following on from a request on another forum for details of how to make the vac pipes I thought I would share these.

While up at the cottage last, I put together a Slaters 8 ton Midland van. It was a kit that I picked up 2nd hand and when I got to them I realised that the castings for door handles/hasp and staples were missing. I had the vague idea that I had some plastic ones left over from another kit but a search amongst the spares boxes didn't turn them up.

I thought about ordering some from Slaters while kicking myself because I had just had a delivery from them of some of the fine chain that MMP use in their kits (an email to David P kindly revealed the source). Having just finished making up the pipes posted earlier today I decided to have a go at making some myself. A look in Midland Wagons Vol 1 gave me a decent photo of what they looked like and this is how far I have got.

First I got a length of 0.8mm wire and flattened one end in a pair of pliers. I then drilled a 0.3mm hole in the flattened section and doing the same through the dimple in the van door used this as the datum to determine the length. I drilled a second hole and soldered in 2 pieces of 0.3mm brass wire one of these I left long to go through the door to locate it and the other I filed flush. I then filed the 2 front pieces to represent the bolt heads on the face of the handle.

Having determined the length I cut it and flattened the other end again drilling 2 holes but a bit closer together. I bent a piece of 0.3mm wire into a U shape and fed it through the holes to make the staple for the pin or padlock. Again after soldering I left one end long and filed the other flush.

I did a similar exercise to create the vertical handles

Giving these - the handle has only been drilled on one end in this shot.



Fitting it to the van side looks like this. The brake lever and guard are from Bill Bedford via Eileens Emporium.



And both fitted on the other side.



Next up now I have my Mojo back is to make the hasp part. The plan is to make one closed and one open. Details to follow once I have wokred out how to do it - more scrap etch to the rescue me thinks.

[Robpulham]

A bit more fiddling with scrap etch has sorted the hasps for the Midland van.

















They just need gluing in and a bit of filling where I made a mess of drilling one of the holes and then off to the paint shop.

[Robpulham]

In the background I have also been working on this Dragon Models L&Y 30 Ton Bogie van. Which is now finished apart from lettering and that I am struggling with.

I painted it bauxite because it's fitted but having made enquiries as to the layout of the lettering there are suggestions that they might have remained in grey. I don't plan to repaint it unless I get something a bit more concrete. I would be happy just to get the layout of the lettering right.













I have always heard good things about Dragon Models kits but this is my first, although I have built some of the former Majestic range that now sit with Dragon. It's an excellent kit and one that I would recommend. I have added a few extras from scrap etch but you will have to wait for details on that.

[1H was 2E]

Regarding the GE Loco Sand wagon; hope that I can make an observation that won't be taken as a criticism but there were still a few of these wagons lying about at Stratford and Cambridge at least in the late '60s, and these had sacking over the axleboxes presumably to keep sand and bearings apart. Probably about the size of a standard sack. Only mention it because the detail is so lifelike. I did take a colour photo of one so will try to post it if it's not v. underexposed or been attacked by those mould-like spots that bedevil old colour slides.

[Robpulham]

Hi 1H was 2E,

No criticism taken and funny you should mention it. I did think about doing just that, then completely forgot as I was finishing the wagon off.

[Robpulham]

All has been quiet on the modelling front due to my preparing for and having an interview. I was thankfully successful so I start my new role in late July.

This was followed by taking Chris's paintings along to be adjudicated for membership of the Guild of Railway Artists by the guild council (she had already been told that she would be accepted based on the photos that we submitted but it was nice to have it confirmed and have the opportunity to meet a few of the top railway artists in this country

So all in all the only bit of modelling that I have achieved in the last month has been fitting a roof hatch to the Midland van and painting it ready for transfers.

I got the idea for the roof hatch from the Midland Wagon book by Bob Essery in which he has a drawing but no photo (and none in existence that he knows of). So I am not 100% certain that it it strictly accurate but it looks okay to me.













One of my first successes in scratch building with plasticard.....

[Robpulham]

While doing the transfers on the L&Y van a couple of weeks ago I also put some on the Midland 8 Ton van. It just needs the coupling hooks blackened and weathering before joining the fleet.





Chris also finished weathering the Midland brake van that has featured here a few times - this need the roof sticking down and the buffers blackening before it too joins the fleet.

[Robpulham]

Since the 2nd of Jan I have been side tracked yet again. This time I have been a bit selfish in that I have built this straight from the pack, following the instructions and without taking any photos along the way - just for the pleasure of building it.

The only problem that I encountered was when drilling out the buffer shanks, the only 4mm drill bit I had wouldn't cut butter so I had to buy a new bit, the rest of it went together just as the designer intended. It is worth mentioning that because of the amount of rivets in them some of the strips need to be straightened after rivetting but I would expect this so I don't see it as a deficiency of the kit.

This is the Dragon Models Cambrain/LMS Leeds Forge 30 Bogie Coal wagon which I have fancied ever since seeing it on the Dragon stand at various shows. Chris bought me it as a surprise for Christmas so it would have been rude not to build at least one of my Christmas pressies.

I have even managed to get it primed too.

[Robpulham]

Painting is still progressing and Chris seems to have the bug too - she has finished weathering the L&Y bogie van while I have the coal wagon ready for it's transfers.

[Robpulham]

All today's modelling time has been spent putting the transfers on the bogie coal wagon. Unusually these wagons seem to have had four sets of numbers on sides and ends. Thankfully I have quite a few sets of partially used Slaters MR/LMS wagon transfers in stock that I was able get the numbers from. I must admit that I much prefer methfix transfers to pressfix these days. When I first tried them I didn't really get on with them but by chance I discovered that the recommended 3:1 mix of meths was too strong. I probably use 5 or 5:1 now and find them really user friendly allowing much adjustment to take place before letting them set.

So here it is just awaiting coaling and weathering - which Chris is just about to start on.

The white stuff just visible in the first photo is a piece of the plastic foam that electrical goods come in these days in place of polystyrene.

[Royal Lancer]

These are some incredible models Rob. I like the bogie van, sand wagon and coal wagon in particular. The canvas covers on the van roof are a nice touch as well as the lifelike fading on the sand wagon. Keep up the excellent work.

[1H was 2E]

You may perhaps find the attached of interest. Just a shame I couldn't afford to take many colour photos of all the interesting stuff about. Hope the attachment works; 'preview' doesn't show it.

[Robpulham]

These are some incredible models Rob. I like the bogie van, sand wagon and coal wagon in particular. The canvas covers on the van roof are a nice touch as well as the lifelike fading on the sand wagon. Keep up the excellent work.

Thank you, I cannot claim credit for the fading that was my good lady's doing.