S-Club-7
Western Thunderer
Another couple of wagons that have rolled across the workbench during the past few years that haven't yet been documented on WT. Currently they are residing in the fiddle yard on Love Lane for the duration of the lockdown (hence the dust!) so photos were kindly taken by @Oz7mm - many thanks. Both wagons are from Slaters kits with replacement etched (and working) brake gear.
P.150663 is a standard RCH 1923 design with a few modifications including the London top-plank above the side doors and a smaller end door. Lettering was drawn in CorelDraw, printed by Precision Decals and applied at various stages during the weathering process. Based upon the photos on page 98 of "The 4mm Coal Wagon" by John Hayes.
SMBP 2152 has the injection moulded tank replaced by one rolled from 10thou nickel (only 666 rivets) as I failed to remove the sprues without damaging the parts supplied. Lettering from PowSides and Fox.
The wheel spokes look a bit chunky in this view. Anybody fancy manufacturing some proper-looking scale wheels?
P.150663 is a standard RCH 1923 design with a few modifications including the London top-plank above the side doors and a smaller end door. Lettering was drawn in CorelDraw, printed by Precision Decals and applied at various stages during the weathering process. Based upon the photos on page 98 of "The 4mm Coal Wagon" by John Hayes.
SMBP 2152 has the injection moulded tank replaced by one rolled from 10thou nickel (only 666 rivets) as I failed to remove the sprues without damaging the parts supplied. Lettering from PowSides and Fox.
The wheel spokes look a bit chunky in this view. Anybody fancy manufacturing some proper-looking scale wheels?
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7mmMick
Western Thunderer
I really love these two Dave. I forever find myself looking through the John Hayes book and wanting to work on some ex PO wagons as I have a pile to complete ! I’d be very interested to know about your weathering techniques, especially the bleached bare wood on the replacement end door.
The Slaters tank wagon is superb and the scratch built tank really was worth the extra effort with all those rivets. Do you have details of the decal supplier for the tank?
The PO wagon decals are lovely as well. I’ve often thought I’d try the hand painting method in the John Hayes book but I’m not sure it would translate to 7mm. It maybe would for a really worn paint finish but not for a finish as you’ve captured. Are the ones ones you’ve had printed here commercially available ?
Looking forward to more updates on here
Mick
The Slaters tank wagon is superb and the scratch built tank really was worth the extra effort with all those rivets. Do you have details of the decal supplier for the tank?
The PO wagon decals are lovely as well. I’ve often thought I’d try the hand painting method in the John Hayes book but I’m not sure it would translate to 7mm. It maybe would for a really worn paint finish but not for a finish as you’ve captured. Are the ones ones you’ve had printed here commercially available ?
Looking forward to more updates on here
Mick
Michael Osborne
Western Thunderer
I too would like have finer looking wheels but Slaters S7 wagon wheels can be improved with a scalpel. I have started to cut the excess webbing back which do give a finer appearance. A pair of wheels does take about ninety minutes to do but it's time well spent IMHO.If you do loose any rivets when assembling Slaters tank wagons you can always replace them with MasterClub resin rivets. They need other glue rather than Mek-Pak because of what they are made of.
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Michael Osborne
Western Thunderer
Further to the wheels with better appearance here are a couple of my scratch built wagons with before and after photos. The Midland wagon I have just completed and the Buxton Lime Firms I made last year. If you look at the left hand wheels you can see quite a difference.
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S-Club-7
Western Thunderer
Mick, The "bleached bare wood" is supposed to be a few previously enjoyed grey painted planks
achieved by leaving them in the grey primer and just adding some coloured weathering washes over the top.Those on the tank sides are from POWsides and the remainder from Fox -- the 4mm scale ones used around the tank filler are a bit too small.
These were drawn specifically for this wagon (and the next few through the workshop!) and custom printed for me by Precision Decals and applied at various stages during the weathering process to get the different worn effects. The whole process is so simple (follow the Precision Decals instructions) that there is no need for them to be commercially available.
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S-Club-7
Western Thunderer
Six years and eleven months after the start:
Disasters since the last posting include building a new roof and partially melting one of the ventilators; primer going on like pebble-dash; weathering powder application causing the roof to need painting for a third or fourth time; and a major prototypical blunder (totally my fault) which I haven't corrected as that would need all the paint and plastic bits removing.
Anybody know why the GER had a GWR-style lamp bracket as well as a proper one on each end of these brake vans?
Disasters since the last posting include building a new roof and partially melting one of the ventilators; primer going on like pebble-dash; weathering powder application causing the roof to need painting for a third or fourth time; and a major prototypical blunder (totally my fault) which I haven't corrected as that would need all the paint and plastic bits removing.
Anybody know why the GER had a GWR-style lamp bracket as well as a proper one on each end of these brake vans?
S-Club-7
Western Thunderer
The latest wagon to roll across my workbench. Fortunately, it didn't roll too far as the (working) brakes were on!
Resin body (HMRS I think) with Slaters coil-sprung axleguards, bearings and springs. Buffers are Peco and brakegear is from various etches - mostly Ambis but some anonymous. Lettering and chalk markings were drawn in CorelDraw, printed for me by Precision Decals, and then applied at various stages during the painting and weathering process.
Resin body (HMRS I think) with Slaters coil-sprung axleguards, bearings and springs. Buffers are Peco and brakegear is from various etches - mostly Ambis but some anonymous. Lettering and chalk markings were drawn in CorelDraw, printed for me by Precision Decals, and then applied at various stages during the painting and weathering process.
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Superb Dave....not heard of this John Birch & Co. coal merchant before ? , thought he owned the newsagent 
Col.
Col.
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
S-Club-7
Western Thunderer
One more to join the fleet - a 14ton anchor mounted class B welded tank wagon by Rumney Models. In progress photos and discussion re the development of these kits may be found here. WARNING: photo overload (I was trying out the new phone to see if it gave any better results)...
Shopping list:
Shopping list:
- Rumney Models: OB.71 14T underframe with BR type axleguards
- Rumney Models: OC.72 6’7” tank parts
- Rumney Models: 3d printed fittings (only manhole cover and discharge valve used as I lost one of the axleboxes
) - Slaters: 1923 RCH 3½ rib sprung buffers
- Peartree: 3'1" 3-hole disk S7 wheels (must remember to align the holes in the wheels next time)
- Exactoscale: RCH axleboxes
- Off The Rails: 3d printed bearing springs, buffer springs and buffer rod tails (complete with cotter and split pin; but all hidden by the buffer trimmer once fitted
) - Fox Transfers: 7mm - logos, fast traffic star, numbers on solebars and ends, electric flashes. 4mm - numbers on manhole (too small, S scale ones may be better). These are for a 20T tank so the logos were too wide so needed parts removing with a scalpel - spot the joins!
- Precision Decals: load, tare, repairs notice and "PETROLEUM PRODUCTS" were drawn in CorelDraw and then printed by Precision Decals. All those included in the Fox sets are for 20T tanks or in a stencil font so were not suitable for this vehicle.
- Some 10thou nickel silver sheet to make and roll the tank from (dimensions given in the Rumney instructions)
- Some 2mm plastic sheet to laminate and turn the tank ends from (dimensions given in the Rumney instructions) using the techniques described by @Ian_C here Ian_C's workbench - P4 and S7 allsorts.
- Cherry Paints: matt black, lots of it. My can was last opened 40 years ago but sprayed much better
than the newer Halfords etch primer 
. - Phoenix Precision: gloss varnish (to go beneath the decals), matt varnish (to go on top of the decals), frame dirt, dark earth, quick drying thinners, slow drying varnish thinners.
- Lifecolor: various rust colours washed onto the underframe.
- Humbrol: metallic gunmetal and steel, dark grey. The 40 year old can of gloss black was unusable hence the need for a layer of gloss varnish.
- AK Interactive: engine oil (a.k.a. brown tinted gloss varnish). Can you spot where i used this?
- Time: about 18 months. Anybody know where I can buy some more of this as I seem to be using my supply quite quickly?
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Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Dave,
These people 35ml Fresh Engine Oil AK Interactive AK-084 – Scale Model Shop
seem to be advertising AK .
Simon might need some also for his Guzzi over on the Hairy Bikers thread.
Col.
These people 35ml Fresh Engine Oil AK Interactive AK-084 – Scale Model Shop
seem to be advertising AK .
Simon might need some also for his Guzzi over on the Hairy Bikers thread.
Col.
john lewsey
Western Thunderer
Wow this is stunning
Ooops!
S-Club-7
Western Thunderer
The next of my half-started/half-finished projects to get onto the workbench was a Minerva Manning Wardle K class. The wheels had been re-profiled by @eastsidepilot (thanks again Colin) and adjustments made to the spacing of the cosmetic frames. The brake gear and guard irons also needed some attention so that they would work in Scale7. Then I thought I'd give it one more test before re-uniting body and underframe which is when this happened:
There is a column of six dark grey squares about 6mm from the left hand edge but the 3rd square down should not have a molten corner
. My fault entirely as I didn't double-triple-check the external wiring before applying power.
I have contacted Minerva and am awaiting their reply regarding the availability of a suitable replacement.
There is a column of six dark grey squares about 6mm from the left hand edge but the 3rd square down should not have a molten corner
. My fault entirely as I didn't double-triple-check the external wiring before applying power. I have contacted Minerva and am awaiting their reply regarding the availability of a suitable replacement.