What's on your workbench?

[stephen_o]

Class 25 No 1 is on the bench at the moment to have its underside drilled for the usb charger port connection and also a hole to hopefully be able to flick the on off switch, and then fix the components inside the loco and tidy up the wiring. Also the lights are to be reconnected to the motor wires. If this goes well then Class 25 number 2 will be done the same except its lights are already wired up. 

then its HST servicing with the same needing to be done to the power car and the dummy car i need to look at the wheelsets, check back to backs and oil them to see if I can reduce or eliminate the friction they seem to have. 

[81F]

/media/tinymce_upload/b966234a7082460a7d46cfe3355a3f4c.JPG

Having jhust bought 12 1:76 scale Morris Minors for my Triang car transporters I thought doing something simpolar to replace the cars on My Hornby Railroad Transporters would work out a bit expensive so I have opted to dismantle and respray the original cars 

 

The resprayed car is at the back. As they look a bit like a Ford Capri, I got a couple of Ford Colurs from Halfords for the main body and used silver paint for the chassis and a beige colour for the interior. Although the respreyed car looks a bit plastic in the photo it looks a lot better in real life. Just need get the wife to do the wheel centres and pick out the rear light clusters (she likes doing that kind of detail!)

[atom3624]

Hornby Lord Nelson, of all things.

 

I had a few problems with the tender, for which I ended up respraying it ....

 

Lining's just arrived from Fox's - will get around to it later.

 

Anyone looking for a 'rattle can' green to match Hornby's green, it's NOT Coniston Green - it works for most, but the green on this locomotive has a fair chunk of beige / brown in the mix.

 

I found out there is another Land Rover rattle can green which very nearly matches, called 'Eastnor Green'.

Match is pretty close.

 

Al.

[atom3624]

I had mentioned I had received 46115 Scots Guardsman the other day, but that one of the 'window slithers' had broken off in transit, and had replaced quite adequately with some carefully cut clear plastic I had lying around.

 

Now I have R3677 Duchess of Hamilton - new tool - from last year, and now R3857 Coronation recently received, my older tooling City of Birmingham, superb runner and pretty potent, seemed a little out of place.

 

She already has draincocks on the cylinders, but with my recent experience, I've added the dust / ash deflectors to the cab sides, to better match the new tooling locomotives.

Not perfect, but looks more than acceptable.

/media/tinymce_upload/b0430fe3c6588caeb5f60d7a6aed9d41.jpg

 

Crew now added to 6220 Coronation as well:

/media/tinymce_upload/d9fa6bb3a8f7de460382043f28d86465.jpg

 

Al.

[Bulleidboy]

I'm currently working on the branchline signal box interior - very fiddly. Ratio signal box interior kit gives you everything you need, but the parts are very small. I gave all the levers a quick once over with Halfords white primer (that's all that was in the garage) and blew them all over the place 😆.  I have been using the Corfe Castle signal box interior for inspiration - several very good interior shots on Google Images.

[Rana Temporia]

Currently working on three industrial diesel shunters. The Bachman one was less buffers so now has some cast ones fitted. The other two are BMR kits destined for Hornsby 0-4-0 chassis. The near one has the chassis fitted and is modelled as a non-runner under repair or being robbed for spares, The other needs fitting with handrails, detailing etc. And both need weathering. 

/media/tinymce_upload/32b4ed1fb0e949d56a46f23b6a3eb54a.jpg

/media/tinymce_upload/9d32a37fae042fd5a420013bd1eb262c.jpg

[atom3624]

Gluing up the cylinder drains for one of my Merchant Navy locomotives ... after the replacement valvegear arrived.

 

Somebody sells them on Ebay, but £10 more than they would be if 'available' - captive audience I suppose, but at least that's one more locomotive 'out of the sheds' in the next few days.

 

Detailing pack arrived for 46115 Scots Guardsman, and that's next on the list ... then the 'new to me' S15 which just arrived today - running-in around the 'test track' for a little while.

 

I've been adding synthetic coal to the LN, the 1st new tool Coronation 'Duchess of Hamilton' and 46115 as well.

Mentioned by BB 'real coal' would be better, I just find the sizing far too inconsistent - either too small, or far too big.

 

Al.

[96RAF]

Been doing a bit of scenic work on the layout. Making odd shaped platforms for the top station, building retaining walls for the cross-over area either side of the removable section, working out which materials to use for adjacent bridging, etc.

[Tony57]

Finish repairing my Wrenn R! NTG livery loco (just got to bend new wheel pickup into place and solder a new wire on).

 

After that clean and service the motors, oil the motion gear and photograph all the Wrenn locos in my collection,  followed by the Mainline, Lima,  Airfix, Bachmann and Trix/Lilliput locos, if any time between Christmas and New Year available after that the Triang then Triang Hornby  then (Margate) Hornby then (China) Hornby (only 240 locos in total to do)

[atom3624]

Another repair nearing completion is the repair of a step on the tender of my Earl of Mount Edgecumbe.

 

I had repaired it before, but had forgotten and happened to catch it where I shouldn't, and lost the lower step and part of the upright.

 

Fortunately Comet Models make replacements in brass.

Amazing how much bigger they appear when bright and unfolded!!

 

This repair is in position, and painted ... 

Superglue didn't take with the mix of materials and glue I had, so good old Araldite 2-pack is 'curing' - probably overnight, but job looks acceptable.

 

Al.

[96RAF]

Further to my initial test mule for a DIY motor driven point actuator detailed over on my Russet Lines page, I have found that the motor slips into this cheap cable conduit. The overall length will be made as short as possible and the cover, which is yet to be cropped to an optimum size, is a nice sliding fit and can easily be driven by attaching the motor shaft ‘nut runner’, then made to actuate the points tie bar with a suitable link to a bell-crank nicked from a Hornby R8243 surface point motor. Provision will be made for the slider to actuate limit switches at either end of the travel to avoid over-driving the points mechanism.

This may save me having to learn how to draw up parts for 3-D printing, a skill I do not yet have, nor do I have such a printer.

 

/media/tinymce_upload/f619703f2402f644b411fc694bda1b8d.JPG

[atom3624]

Now then ...

 

There's the challenge for 2021 !!

 

Looks good.

3D printing will make things interesting for you.

 

Al.

[Rana Temporia]

/media/tinymce_upload/6370bca2745b9db524201edd603873fe.jpg

Having half an hour to fix a few clockwork locos that have just had two donors arrive from the magic online auction site as spares were never made available. Two non-runners are now fine and with a bit of sewing machine oil running like new. Good fun, serious modelling will be next time I have the opportunity. 

[96RAF]

I have had a light bulb moment in the design of these point motors which makes it much simpler to make, to instal and to operate.

Details as they happen will be on my Russet Lines post.

[atom3624]

A couple of years ago I agreed a price on a used Class 56 with a major - non Ebay - retailer.

 

It supposedly had faulty lights one end, but I read up on this - very sensitive contacts on removal / replacement of the body - and bit the bullet.

 

It's an EWS one I've 'substantially fatigued, but with a little nurturing, I got the lights working reliably in all directions, and has always worked perfectly - what a superb model!!

 

As I'd had it running on quite moderate loads - less than half power - and for up to 10 hours at a time (last Saturday) almost silently - I decided it was 'dab of oil' time.

Body off, touch of oil here and there, body on again ... LIGHTS!!  Naughty words!

A little tinkering here and there, and she's back to full operation again, and near silently - including the fans, which I enjoy, from slow speeds up to full (which should be avoided as it's really quite fast!!).

 

Noted elsewhere, I've placed a pre-order for a blue, small logo TOPS new 56, 'due December '21' - we'll see - perhaps the following Easter ...

 

Al.

[atom3624]

Nearly admiring the relatively simple and good access for general lubrication of 2 locomotives I've had trundling the rails a lot in the last couple of weeks:

1. Class 87 Robert Burns.

2. Class 67 Brlmond Pullman - super detail.

 

All key areas, after a little work, were quite easy to access, including the motor bushes.

Now back in their boxes, in storage.

 

Al.

[Twintop]

Two Dapol 10T meat vans and two DAPOL brake vans. I enjoy building these kits even though I know they are over 50 years old. The brakes are just about finished apart from transfers and the lamps on one. One meat van is painted but will need touching up and the other is mainly assembled an a start made on the painting. paintedyon.  The meat vans are assembled but need more painting 

 

Also a few PECO buffer stops being assembled/painted and around 9 Airfix WW2 military vehicles and a dogfight doubles Spitfire/ME109. Slow progress due to the multiple colours on most, hence why I have around 10 at various stages. It surely is great to play !! 

 

I have about 6 WW2 military vehicles and a Revell Ford Mustang unopened. 

 

Too cold in the loft at this time of the year to run trains around really.  

[atom3624]

I recently - this week - received a 'new' BR Brunswick Green 'Tornado' - Bachmann - for a good price.

Locomotive condition genuinely did / does look as described - box perhaps not quite - but for considerably less than would be paid elsewhere - all happy.

 

I gave 'the once over' with dabs of oil, and grease on the worm / gears. Motor's really quite a decen-sized motor which goes some way to explaining the performance! Very good runner - slow, through to quite fast.

 

Despite a reasonable weight - cast running board and footplate - I still added a fair bit more, as I did to my Apple Green Bachmann - another favourite.

Tender is featherlight, so this was fully 'corrected'.

 

All detailing was fitted when when looking at it, I realised ....

Somehow, without recognising, I had broken off and lost the front lamp on top of the smokebox, in front of the chimney - totally lost! NOT HAPPY!

 

I had some Springside jeselled lamps lying around, so trimmed one down, painted it - bronze/copped fronted, black surround, then glued into place.

A little touching up on the lamp, and ... all looks great!!  Very surprising, but happy outcome.

 

Alan.

[81F]

 On my bench is a LIMA HST power car in Virgin Livery. I have bought it to replace the LIMA dummy car in the original Blue Grey since a single power car will not get six Mk3s around my layout. AQll I hope I have to do is fit a DCC chip and swap the bodies.

[Bulleidboy]

I have been painting some "cab crew" - they are 3D figures from Hardys Hobbies. They, along with Modelu have a fantastic range of 3D figures - the detail is amazing - I can highly recommend.

 

https://flic.kr/p/2ks5f5K

[Rana Temporia]

I have had a Dapol Bof B and an old Hornby chassis in a box for some time and so decided to have a go at fixing the two together today as I had a few spare hours. It actually wasn't that difficult but during the process every soldered joint on the chassis disintegrated. I have no idea why as in most cases there was no reason for it to happen. I also got near to the end and realised one of the smoke deflectors is missing. I can't send it back as I have had it for years so will have to wait until I can find a scrap body and take one off it. 

 

What actually prompted me to start it was last week I managed to get a repro cylinder block off eBay. It needed drilling to take the screw but other than that I'm glad someone has had the idea to Manufacture one. 

 

Looks like the soldering iron will be out again this weekend! 

 

I'm not sure what to do with the tender. I have assembled the wheels and left them to harden but not sure whether to use them or wait until I can get some better ones. Has anyone any experience of running the Dapol/Airfix ones? 

[The Duke 71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67 - The loco workbench.

/media/tinymce_upload/0c22bd71f24898b4063e5aab35f6f860.jpg

ABOVE: The other side of ex GWR 0-6-2T No 6654 on the workbench, looking decidely filthy.

 

The Duke 71000

[atom3624]

Bit of a short story long situation .... !!

 

Intention was to simply remove the early period logo, replacing with a late one, to bring 'Tornado 2' up to date - the Bachmann Brunswick Green Tornado has an early emblem, the newly painted one has a late one.

 

Unlike other Bachmann tampo printed details, this one was VERY reluctant, even with gentle, careful and persistent application of Brasso ... then FINALLY it seemed really quite acceptable.

 

Late logo applied, then some satin varnish .. which fogged!!

 

Ended up gently sanding down, masking off the tender lining - so over some early fogging at the top which I'll live with for now - and resprayed using Land Rover Coniston Green, which is an excellent match - but is so fine, it shows through all slightly rougher 'sanding', so had to be flatted again, and painted ... much better - both sides, and here's a couple of pictures.

 

/media/tinymce_upload/4be244cb0f3d40f318ee6d6fb36e1859.jpg

/media/tinymce_upload/67058600c40698dba673da0aceec81fc.jpg

Non-standard upper front lamp - which when compared with the all-standard Apple Green A1 Tornado, is obviously a little larger, but not too obvious. I could remove and trim down further, then paint up again ... not just yet!

 

Scottie behind, and Scottie in the middle!

 

Al.

[GER-Fan]

I came across this last week https://bit.ly/3iigBg8

Spent the weekend fitting a small speaker under the station and linking my laptop. Ordered the full software and a custom station announcment for £24. The sound effect is amazing! especially with the TTS fitted trains running around.

Going to try uplaod a YouTube video of the layout later

George

[atom3624]

That looks very neat.

 

Al.