Time to build a railway...but where?

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Nov 15, 2015 11:36 pm

Sorry Jim but I can't share your enthusiasm for BR Blue, I find it hard to believe anyone selected that colour from a range.... more likely it was left over from another mammoth job which was cancelled.

IrishPeter · Post by **IrishPeter** » Mon Nov 16, 2015 3:17 pm

The rarer uninspiring shade of Brunswick green which preceded it was not a lot better, though the two tone green used on the Duffs and the Hymeks was pretty spiffy.

Peter in AZ

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Mon Nov 16, 2015 5:09 pm

I've just dug out my copy of "British Rail - a journey by design", which insists that a lot of thought and many months/years work went into the corporate look - although that extended to typefaces, logos etc as well as coming up with "Monastral", as Rail Blue was apparently also known. The writer (Brian Haresnape) seems to think they did a pretty good job, although does concede that all-over blue looked pretty drab on locos previously in two-toe green.

Actually, I nearly crashed the car the other day as I drove past St Philip's Marsh depot and found my head involuntarily turning to better take in the sight of a freshly-outshopped "Thumper" unit in all-over blue (possibly there for tyre-turning?). It was quite a sight, but I think my wonderment was largely because it's been thirty years since I saw an all blue multiple unit (and I saw an awful lot of 'em growing up in South East London) rather than because of the awe-inspiring beauty of Rail Blue...

Anyway, back to your lovely Fairlie Peter. I reckon you could do worse than trying out a lining pen - it took a little practice and patience, but I really enjoyed getting to grips with mine and was pleasantly surprised by the results on my first attempt. I found Ian Stock's article (http://gardenrailwayrealism.pbworks.com ... ng%20stock) a useful introduction, and my own experiences are recorded on here somewhere...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 10:04 pm

More scratch building took place yesterday evening whilst listening to the wind howling around my train shed.
Inspired by the SMT Ffestiniog modelling magazine I undertook some quarry type stock to add to my sidings. Page 61 has a wonderful picture of two bolsters in well worn condition...

Recently I purchased a load of Binnie wheels and axleboxes for such a project and found I had a scale drawing (by Colin) of similar bolsters. Once I had started it seemed to fall into place, with more time spent on them today they became working models, just waiting for paint.

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 9:49 am

Absolutely fantastic! I liked those little bolsters too when I saw them, and you've captured the look of them beautifully! Perhaps they'll move up my "to build" list a little now, although I ought to build some NWNGR/WHR ones first - I intend to resurrect the NWGNR's timber traffic on my imaginary Welsh Highland branch, adding a siding at Penlan to serve my wood store...

Looking forward to seeing the paint job...

Andrew [/code]

Daven · Post by **Daven** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 5:58 pm

Those look great Peter.

Narrow Gauge & Industrial Review 85 published an article by Stuart Baker on these with drawings and photographs. One photo shows a 2 ton slate wagon being used as a match truck which possibly explains the height of the bolsters. The theory put forward in Stuart's article is that it would be easy to find spare slate wagons to use whilst purpose built match trucks would add to the cost.

Regards

David

Post by **ge_rik** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 1:42 pm

Excellent modelling. Really love the woodgrain texturing. Very realistic!

Rik

Soar Valley Light · Post by **Soar Valley Light** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 7:25 pm

Hi Peter,

Once again I find myself in complete agreement with Rik. Did you carry out the wood graining yourself, It's very striking. Lovely wagons and I can't get over how quickly you created them!

Andrew

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:30 pm

Hi Andrew, I think I have explained my wood graining technique on here before but I don't mind saying again how easy it is to create a convincing effect.
Firstly cut the card to size then run the teeth of a razor saw blade along it in the direction of the grain. Then take a Stanley type knife and using only the tip, scrape it freehand along the grain. You can be brutal with this as it can be sanded later. (Always work pushing the blade away from you for safety reasons). To create the worn sides and joins between planking, scrape the blade at an angle along the top and sides and make dips in the sides to make them uneven so that there forms a gap between them when laid side by side. The exposed ends of planks are scraped at an angle and 'v' cuts made to show signs of wear. I go to the trouble of scraping my razor saw along the ends to make grain, but that is just me!!!
Yesterday evening I cut a few 'kits' to batch build some flat wagons for the quarry. By the end of today I now have four completed and three just waiting for axleboxes which I have now run out of.
I will post pictures of these tomorrow.
The bolsters have been primer and base coat painted, more detailing to follow......

Soar Valley Light · Post by **Soar Valley Light** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:17 pm

Thanks Peter,

You make it sound so simple but I'm sure my efforts would be hard pressed to compare to yours! As and when the time comes I look forward to experimenting and developing skills such as this.

Please, keep the inspiration coming.

Andrew

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 7:27 pm

Here are the other flats I mentioned yesterday....

Four are ready for paint and three waiting for axleboxes to arrive from Binnie.

As they are so lightweight I always add lead sheet underneath the chassis but like to hide it from view. I always think the underside should look as tidy as the top.

However..... due to my hurry to complete the trucks I have discovered I made a mistake by mixing curly and straight spoked wheels resulting in me having to take the axleboxes off and refitting with the correct wheels. That's what happens when I buy job-lots on ebay and mix them up.... my own fault!

Post by **ge_rik** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:31 am

Peter
I'll bet that somewhere there's a prototype wagon with mixed wheels - assuming that over the years a quarry will have mixed and matched bits from wagons to keep them running.

A fine looking rake that - really great detail, as ever.

I do envy you your inside section - especially at this time of year.

Rik

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 10:46 am

Many thanks Rik, I had given thought to leaving them as they were, firstly to see whether anyone noticed, secondly so that I could use your excuse so not to risk damage whilst swapping them. In the end I couldn't live with them that way and had to take a chance.... it worked out just fine and all is now well with my world!

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:35 pm

Amongst other things I managed to complete the paintwork on my bolsters today. They now have weathering and rust to show a lifetime of hard work and carry chains, just as the prototypes in the original photograph....

rebelego · Post by **rebelego** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 4:57 am

Impressive and inspiring.

Really like the way you make plastic look like wood.
I must try this.

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:22 am

Really lovely, inspiring stuff - thanks for the photos!

Andrew.

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 4:43 pm

I'm always amazed when I see how much one can do with plastic card. That looks even more like real wood than it would if you had used real wood!

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 9:53 pm

While I'm in the mood for making quarry type stock I dug out a drawing from my collection of a Penrhyn coal wagon, drawn by Colin Binnie in 16mm/ft. scale.

I really like to make models which are not usually available as kits (not that I ever buy kits anyway!) and this stands out from the norm being unusual in its construction.
Not content with making just one, I made two...

The same method of wood graining is used and dozens of bolt heads from Cambrian Models stuck on for effect.

They are currently in grey primer...

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:59 pm

Wow! They look good, Peter. Very good.

Rik

Post by **philipy** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 7:17 am

ge_rik:114543 wrote:Wow! They look good, Peter. Very good.

Rik

Seconded!

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