Garden Railway Forum

During the build there were several structural issues to resolve, which I find the most interesting part. The wicker basket appearance of the tender was the very first thing I had concerns about, even before I started. I thought of table mats, other decorative utensils etc. but discovered the image on Google which I printed and pasted onto the HIP tender sides.... simple!
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Towards the end of the build I had to face the construction of the support for the canopy above the driver. This could easily have been its downfall as I struggled to find a way of soft soldering brass rod in such a way it remained strong enough to withstand handling. Bear in mind this 'thing' stands about 11 inches tall and is no lightweight!
Eventually I came up with using electrical cable crimps, the ones with screw holes for securing to contacts. Having stripped off the plastic covering, these can be soldered to brass rod and hooped around uprights at various joints and soldered solid.... very strong.
A jig support was constructed away from the model and the whole framework made....
The canopy itself is a thin HIP 'kite' with plastic rods attached as ribs, filler applied to show material undulations (waves) on the top and then painted
as the coloured postcard image shows. Rigging twine around the edges and final details added as required... .
Look out 'Tate Modern', here I come!

A lot more to it than meets the eye. I wondered how you'd gone about it.

That is so imaginative Peter. Modelling the Emmet locos and trains really gives you the opportunity to test your skills. No wonder you enjoy making them!

During my on-line search for the egg shape for 'Wild Goose' I stumbled across another useful (for me) item, this time Christmas baubles in clear plastic and various sizes. I selected 80mm diam. which were sold in packs of five. Now what could I do with those I wondered?
First thing was to design and construct a chassis from HIP ....
Already you can see the idea forming...
It is another gas container to add to my fleet of fuel delivery wagons, this time LPG, so a chiller plant was required to add to the wagon...

I love this thread and the enormous creativity!

Thanks Hans, glad you approve.
The wagon has been finished with rattle-can cream colour and lightly weathered to match existing wagons on the fleet, also Welsh Dragon logo and cut vinyl lettering to advertise and promote the supply company....
When assembled together the train now consists of three fuel options....

Brilliant has usual Peter

Very imaginative!
I love the way you look at something slightly out of the ordinary and immediately think "wagon" or even "loco".

Rik

ge_rik wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 10:49 am Very imaginative!
I love the way you look at something slightly out of the ordinary and immediately think ..........

Rik

It didn't occur to me before you pointed this out but I wonder how Freud would interpret this...

Oooooh vicar..... !!!

I wonder why I am put in mind of Marty Feldman?

Rik

A good job, you didn't model a couple of pressure relief valves as well, Peter!


Phil.P

So, on to this week's recipe...
Take one portion of Boot Lane's 'LEO'... Two large portions of Jerry Irwin's boiler/firebox/smokebox kit ... And a Bachmann American 'G' scale tender... (sorry no image).
Shake well whilst waiting for inspiration to strike...
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And here it is... this is 'Ballaarat', built by the James Hunt Foundry in Ballaarat (old spelling), Victoria, Western Australia, in 1871. It was built to 1067mm gauge (3'6") and used for logging. Fortunately still preserved in the City of Busselton.
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My version will be based on, not copied from, this wonderful survivor

After separating the Jerry Irwin kit I'm left with just the smokebox and firebox. A new plastic tube with real timber slats attached, which were dyed and French polished, was made to suit the diameter and length required and placed over flanges (not stuck) between them. The reason for that will be made clear later. Some base trimming was necessary for both firebox and smokebox as they were standing too tall on the chassis, but soon looked better proportioned.
The Boot Lane chassis includes a well tank (which appears to be similar to the prototype) but is too short overall. An extension to each end provides sufficient space to fit the smokebox and cab floor....
Due to widening of the tank top it became necessary to relocate the tank fillers in front of the cylinders.
The bunker was cut in sections from the Bachmann 'G' scale tender. It had to be reduced in width by removing a centre section at the rear but keeping the rounded corners on either side. The semi circular fronts of the bunkers were cut away and fitted to shortened side panels. A new section with coal door then made to suit the remaining gap at the front. A lot of careful cutting, filing and fitting was involved, but it looks well suited as a result....
The driver is another figure from Dave Clavey.

Already looks good. It'll no doubt end up looking magnificent

Rik

Having reached this stage I became much more confident of a successful conclusion, so happily continued. Unfortunately, during a prolonged period of time when my laptop refused to speak to my camera, I felt less inclined to take as many pictures of the build as I would like, so I'll try to explain.

As previously mentioned, the boiler and smokebox have been made so I can remove both to install battery pack, fuse and RC Trains receiver, the only fixing is by a bolt underneath the smokebox. To ensure the boiler cannot twist on its retaining flanges I cut a keyway in one end.
The bunkers contain on/of/charge switch and charge point, one either side, with both accessible beneath the cab floor....
The cab floor is scribed HIP to show timber effect and additional cab fittings consist of some from the 'Leo' kit and others scratch built.
The steam dome and steam pipes to the cylinders are from the kit with twine wrapped around the pipes for insulation.
'Duke' is a nameplate from stock.
Boiler bands are self adhesive gold coloured lining tape.

Finally a light weathering using Citadel acrylics and a clear, matt lacquer...
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I do think vintage stock has a particular charm and is rarely modelled. It fits in so well with some of my existing rolling stock running on my preservation line.

Looks great! So your next build will be Locomotion No.1, Novelty or San Pareil inspired next????

Rik

ge_rik wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:04 am Looks great! So your next build will be Locomotion No.1, Novelty or San Pareil inspired next????

Rik

With Peter's modeling pedigree I would expect to see something more off-the-wall like Cycloped... Imagine a horse-powered locomotive pulling the horse and carriage transport wagons!

drewzero1 wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 4:09 pm

ge_rik wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:04 am Looks great! So your next build will be Locomotion No.1, Novelty or San Pareil inspired next????

Rik

With Peter's modeling pedigree I would expect to see something more off-the-wall like Cycloped... Imagine a horse-powered locomotive pulling the horse and carriage transport wagons!

What…

FWLR wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 8:03 am

drewzero1 wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 4:09 pm

ge_rik wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:04 am Looks great! So your next build will be Locomotion No.1, Novelty or San Pareil inspired next????

Rik

With Peter's modeling pedigree I would expect to see something more off-the-wall like Cycloped... Imagine a horse-powered locomotive pulling the horse and carriage transport wagons!

What…

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycloped

An entrant in the Rainhill Trials which used a horse walking on a treadmill to power the wheels. I can't imagine why it didn't catch on.

drewzero1 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:11 am

FWLR wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 8:03 am

drewzero1 wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 4:09 pm

ge_rik wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:04 am Looks great! So your next build will be Locomotion No.1, Novelty or San Pareil inspired next????

Rik

With Peter's modeling pedigree I would expect to see something more off-the-wall like Cycloped... Imagine a horse-powered locomotive pulling the horse and carriage transport wagons!

What…

487ea5f5cbc20fd986cbf4952982c6390db49fa2.jpg
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycloped

An entrant in the Rainhill Trials which used a horse walking on a treadmill to power the wheels. I can't imagine why it didn't catch on.

Haha, nor do I. Still now that you’ve posted this I do remember seeing it on a history program many years back. Memory needs a bit of a jolt now and again