A New Emett

[Peter Butler]

This one is taken directly from Emett's book,'The Early Morning Milk Train'. It is a model I have been promising myself for many years but chickened out dut to the complex curves and structure of the vehicle. But now I have been encouraged by my on-site responses and success at Telford Exhibition, so here it is....

First, the image...This is what it should turn out to look like when finished...You can see the challenge!
Photographs show devellopment of the smokebox, boiler, chimney, firebox etc... Also, the motor under the chassis.
It will be powered by a 3v motor and 2xAA batteries which I have never tried before. This is because it will be run on a garden layout in a forward direction only and not pull any load other than itself. Following trials I might need to add a speed controller, but I haven't reached that point yet!

[MDLR]

That's looking suitably off-the-wall......................

I think you'll find you won't need a speed controller - IP Engineering stuff manages very well without one...........

[spoz]

That's marvellous - I'm very much looking forward to seeing the final product. Agree you'll probably not need a speed controller if you're happy for it just to trundle around the railway doing its own thing.

Steve

[Peter Butler]

The next chapter in the creation of my New Emett... I have posted this on another forum too, so for those of you who subscribe to both, you are twice as lucky!!!
The photographs show the 'cab' front attached to the main body and the construction of the passenger compartment in sections. I have done this to gain strength in the individual parts to allow for shaping the awkward curves and corners. The doors and side panels of the rear section have inward sloping sides towards the bottom which are an important design feature. I also wanted the doors to open on tiny hinges so made them double skinned.
The leather-look seating and door panels are from 'DAS' modelling clay and the folded down hood from Miliput using plasticard shapes as formers and smoothing out the finish with a wet finger.
I am very pleased with the result so far and I feel ready to take on such a project at this stage. Look out for more as it happens.....

[MDLR]

To coin a phrase.............................. FWOOORRRRRRRRRR!!

[spoz]

That's absolute artistry; the effect of the linings is just excellent

[planty]

That is just fantastic!

[Peter Butler]

Having made the separate units, the next step was to fit them together. First thing was to hinge the doors with doll's house brass hinges stuck in with tiny flat headed pins and superglue. Once in place the spacing between the front screen panel and the rear seating pod was established allowing the doors to open.
Framework above the doors hold everything in place and act as support for the sloping fixed roof. This is made from Plasticard with Miliput infil at the edges.
Eventually the roof will have curly brass rails and two suitcases as in the original sketch.
Next stop is to the paint shop for primer which will blend everything together without the distraction of different coloured materials.
I am pleased with the progress so far and hope you find it convincing too when compared to the sketch.?

[Peter Butler]

More photographs as the previous entry did not allow.....

[FBGR]

Looking very good.

JOhn

[Peter Butler]

So.....here we are in primer. I think it ties everything together quite nicely and gives a better impression of the overall model without the distractions of diverse materials and colours as before.

It shows the various textures of what are pretending to be metal, ie. boiler, smokebox, bodywork etc. and the softer materials, eg. leather seating, roof covering and door panels.

The folding roof material effect is also becoming more convincing.

Well I like it.........

[MDLR]

................... and so do I!!

[invicta280]

work of art!

[Annie]

Beautiful modelmaking, an absolute work of art.

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

Bravo! Looks brilliant, what colour will it be?

[Peter Butler]

As all of Emett's cartoons of this era are in black and white there is no way of knowing if Emett even thought in colour?
I fancy a dark colour to give some body to the skeletal nature of the model. I think a light or pastel shade would not show up against the open nature of the build. Also, because the model represents a taxi type, the majority of such vehicles, particularly at that time (1950's) were either black or dark coloured.
When I get a first coat on I will know whether it's right ,or not!
As painting and detailing progress I will certainly keep you posted.

[invicta280]

Agreed about the colour. Royal blue would look nice or deep plum.

[DaveWatkins]

I do think a dark blue would suit. The late Colin Binnie used a light blue for his take on the Emett drawing.

[Peter Butler]

Where have you been all this time??? I have been enlightened to the wonderful work of Colin Binnie during this exercise but completely unaware of other models of this Rail Taxi until recently.
It looks like 32mm gauge?
It is well boxed and looked after (as it deserves).
Is it in your own collection?
How long have you had it?
What is it made of?
I want to know more.........

[DaveWatkins]

I took the photo when Colin exhibited the model at the 16mm AGM (AKA National Garden Railway Show) in 2004.

I seem to recall he wrote something about building it but I regret I cannot remember off hand whether this was to the 16mm e-mail group or in a magazine.