Thanks Paul - the buffers on this wagon are entirely incorrect in any case. I used them for no other reason than because I had them. Now they annoy me but I can't remove them without destroying the wagon so I'm leaving well alone! Matt
I know and I wasn't going to say so as you are making such a solid job of building these well turned out models ... I only wish to offer support and share info from a time period where I had direct associations with a now long gone railway practice which may or may not be useful to those in our fine hobby. Great weathering skills you have developed there btw please keep posting up progress pictures as you do mate, this is going to make a fine layout.
Cheers Paul, your experience and knowledge is much appreciated - I need to find a picture of these green buffers now! Matt
Congratulations Matt on being picture of the week , a great subject matter to model, an incredibly fine standard weathering technique and a thoroughly enjoyable project to follow. Well done mate.
Wow, thanks for the Picture of the week! Big honour for me! Wagon is nearly finished now, I'm away from the bench for a few days but there's only a couple of bits left to do. Matt
Enjoy it Matt because you deserve it and POTW is there to promote good working practice in the making process of our hobby. We all look forward to your next projects and the build of your layout as time permits for you.
Thanks for the messages and support you've given my random modelling efforts! It's appreciated. Next up, a Ratio Clayhood with an attempt to rectify the underframe issues. Why a clayhood for a layout set in Wales you rightly ask? Well I've got an urge to make a China Clay micro layout and this first wagon is going to be a test before committing to the idea any further! Matt
Well here goes nothing, my toe in the water to test the viability of a China Clay micro layout. I've used the Ratio kit - the only other Ratio kit I've ever built was probably as a child, and it didn't come with wheels and bearings then. Pleasantly surprised with the quality of the moulding because I really didn't know what to expect. Holes have been drilled in the bufferbeams for some replacement, cast buffers. The underframe is by Parkside, my attempt to address the incorrect kit axle boxes. Not 100% accurate, but better than the Ratio parts and I can more than live with them. Matt
Here's today's progress: Replacement buffers are from the ever useful Lanarkshire Models. One of the sides bowed inwardly overnight hence the piece of plastic inside the body. Just after taking the picture last night, I broke the loops for the hinge so have made a representation from some plastic strip and offcuts - basic only because hopefully it'll be hidden by the hood anyway. Matt
Hi Matt, been following your thread since I joined the forum beginning of the week. Being a novice at all this I find your work inspirational and will follow this with great interest, and well done on picture of the week. Malc
Thanks Malc! If your Scalescenes boat is the work of a novice, then you have nothing to worry about! This is a great forum you've joined and it's kind of you to say that my work has inspired you. If there's anything I can help you with, just ask! Matt
Hi all, I don't want to labour this any more than is necessary but here is the finished wagon: I've done some final weathering to tone down the centre stripes, added some dust over the wagon body to take the edge off the markings and added some oil to the axleboxes. Matt
Morning all, Work on the 08 has paused while I await delivery of buffers and couplings. Not wanting to waste the momentum I've built up recently, my attention turned to a Parkside SR CCT I built about 2 years ago for Talerddig. I was never happy with the paint and weathering job at the time so thought I'd use it as a project. I added some small details to the brake gear I'd missed the first time around and some grab rails to the ends. One of my biggest disappointments with it was the colour blue I'd painted it - after weathering it was far too dark and had an unpleasant green tinge to it (to my eye at least). The underframe weathering was also poor and I was sure I could improve on my efforts. So, I repainted the blue, directly over the previous paint job which was a good start. I reweathered the underframe too with a mix of washes and airbrushed paint. The underframe weathering is a big improvement: Just needs a few bits touching up and some new markings now. Matt
Looks a great repaint and weathering job on the CCT Matt, just how I remember them in all their filth and glory. Other typical weathering elements to the sides of these vans would be splash marks dripping along the timbers as if someone threw a cup of coffee out of a train window, chalk makings with zone numbers such as 174 (Bradford) usually for Grattons return catalogue traffic or some cartoon obscenity aimed at poking fun towards an unpopular supervisor or platform chargeman. You can use imagination here but a selection of printable nicknames for some of the men at Stoke was, Artorus Spooner, Mad Monk Ken , Milky, Klimie Klimsac, Thunder Thorley and Chalky White. Oh and a simple character who was a shunter his surname was Sutton, he got called Sootie for his troubles... his only vocabulary was to say "Arhh" all the time.