New Loft, more BR Blue models.

[5Bel]

Hi All,

 

I haven't posted on here for ages, mainly due to work commitments with the RAF When I had my house rebuilt, part of the specification was this loft, 19x13ft. As you can see it is still a bit of a mess but it's getting there! 

 

 

In all that time I haven't done much in the way of modelling but haven't been completely idle. The 25/3 is the old Hornby model with a Craftsman conversion kit and the chassis cut down and rebuilt and fitted with a fuel tank from a supplier on Ebay. I'm going to experiment with spraying acrylic paint on this one so the paint patches will be hidden.

 

 

Next is a Class 115 DMU, converted from a Lima 117. Quite a lot of cutting and shutting for one of the trailer coaches but the other three coaches are quite simple.

 

I have also fixed the incorrect window in the driving cars and built up the headcode boxes. It will be finished in the mixed liveries I used to see back in my spotting days around Ickenham Green.

 

Finally, 10 years after selling my 4Epb to fund a cricket trip to New Zealand I have another one. All from Replica bits with their chassis fitted into a trailer car. Just couplings to sort and it's done. I'm pretty certain I saw the last one I made in a post on here some time ago but can't remember who's post it was.

 

 

 

 

Hopefully soon the loft will start to get into some shape and I will get it insulated and baseboards put in. 

 

Cheers for now,

 

Ian

[young37215]

12 hours ago, 5Bel said:

Hopefully soon the loft will start to get into some shape and I will get it insulated and baseboards put in. 

 

 

Insulation will be money well spent, fit as much as you can and your dividend will be a loft that is inhabitable for a lot more of the year as well as being a better environment for valuable models.  I additionally recommend investigating upgraded lights to replace your flourescent tube, I have several LED light battens which create a daylight like effect.  

[5Bel]

 

Hi All,

 Thanks for the advice on insulation, I will look into the LED light battens.  It's definitely dark up there!! It's ok on the workbench because I have a daylight lamp.  I have fitted the couplings to the EPB. They are Hornby magnetic type slotted through a hole in the bogie on the unpowered cars. For the powered car the couplings were modified by cutting off the vacuum pipes and sticking the magnets back on the tail, then superglueing them into the NEM pockets on the bogies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've also finished a couple of wagons. Firstly a reworking of of the old Airfix 5 planker. I have used tie bars from Cambrain and a vacuum cylinder from my spares box.

 

 

 

Something I have noticed over the years when reworking these chassis is that there are two holes in the just in front of the original coupling mount and two moulding pips on the bufferbeam. These are in the places where you would fit a spratt& winkle coupling. Makes me wonder if Airfix were planning to use this system rather than their version of the tension lock.

 

 

Last up is a Cambrian Pillbox van that I've had for years. Both the wagons are painted with Humbrol roof lead enamel, I don't think you can get it anymore but it is a good match for Engineers olive green.  It's nice to actually finish some models and put them away, clearing room on the workbench.

 

Cheers for now,

 

Ian

[Northmoor]

Nice work; I wish my loft was as spacious and tidy as yours!  My wife won't admit to being as bad a hoarder as me......

 

Much of my modelling is a similar era (and source material) so will be keeping an eye on your projects.

[Richard_A]

On 24/07/2024 at 06:00, young37215 said:

 

Insulation will be money well spent, fit as much as you can and your dividend will be a loft that is inhabitable for a lot more of the year as well as being a better environment for valuable models.  I additionally recommend investigating upgraded lights to replace your flourescent tube, I have several LED light battens which create a daylight like effect.  

For insulation,  look at a company called seconds and Co, they sell factory seconds insulation boards at a fraction of the cost from a builders merchants. 

[5Bel]

Hi All,

 

Richard, thanks for the tip. I had a look at the website and will consider them when I start to order the insulation. On the modelling front I have started to revive this old Lima class 50. This was my first loco when I got back into 00 after a brief stint with TT. I got it on FA cup final day in 1983 from Percy’s in Uxbridge, just before the shop closed for good. I converted it to a refurbished loco many years ago, using a Craftsman kit and it used to run on Lima 37 bogies. As you can see I have rebuilt the chassis using up to date Hornby spares acquired from Lendons. I have used parts from a class 47 chassis spliced in to the original Lima one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The buffer height is slightly too tall and I am thinking of rebuilding another original Lima chassis that I have to correct it. The spliced in 47 chassis is slightly too wide and pushes the ends of the body out slightly. I can’t believe this loco is over 40 years old and I am looking forward to getting it finished, it’s going to be 50 008 Thunderer large logo blue. I have quite few diesels of this ilk to do, Lima class 40, 73, 2 class 47’s (one of which is on a slimmed down Heljan chassis), Hornby class 25 and class 104 from a class 110. Plenty to keep me busy!!

 

Cheers for now,

 

Ian

[John Tomlinson]

On 28/07/2024 at 13:37, 5Bel said:

 

Hi All,

 Thanks for the advice on insulation, I will look into the LED light battens.  It's definitely dark up there!! It's ok on the workbench because I have a daylight lamp.  I have fitted the couplings to the EPB. They are Hornby magnetic type slotted through a hole in the bogie on the unpowered cars. For the powered car the couplings were modified by cutting off the vacuum pipes and sticking the magnets back on the tail, then superglueing them into the NEM pockets on the bogies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've also finished a couple of wagons. Firstly a reworking of of the old Airfix 5 planker. I have used tie bars from Cambrain and a vacuum cylinder from my spares box.

 

 

 

Something I have noticed over the years when reworking these chassis is that there are two holes in the just in front of the original coupling mount and two moulding pips on the bufferbeam. These are in the places where you would fit a spratt& winkle coupling. Makes me wonder if Airfix were planning to use this system rather than their version of the tension lock.

 

 

Last up is a Cambrian Pillbox van that I've had for years. Both the wagons are painted with Humbrol roof lead enamel, I don't think you can get it anymore but it is a good match for Engineers olive green.  It's nice to actually finish some models and put them away, clearing room on the workbench.

 

Cheers for now,

 

Ian

 

I particularly like your 4-EPB, presumably using the Replica glazing which now seems available again?

 

Very coincidental, I was looking at your 2009 posts on this subject, just a few minutes before stumbling across this entry. Funny how things work out!

 

John.

[5Bel]

Hi John,

 

Thanks for your comments. It is indeed the Replica glazing, apart Tom the cab ends as I’m not sure they are available at the moment. I tried to have a look for my 4Epb blog entry after your comment, but I can’t see the photos. I am tempted to do a 4Epb with BR motor coaches and SR trailers. 
 

Cheers for now, 

Ian

[John Tomlinson]

1 minute ago, 5Bel said:

Hi John,

 

Thanks for your comments. It is indeed the Replica glazing, apart Tom the cab ends as I’m not sure they are available at the moment. I tried to have a look for my 4Epb blog entry after your comment, but I can’t see the photos. I am tempted to do a 4Epb with BR motor coaches and SR trailers. 
 

Cheers for now, 

Ian

 

Sadly, like so many others, the photos  have been lost after the web change.

 

Helpful nonetheless, and I looked as well at Replica's cutting diagram for a 4-EPB.

 

John.

[5Bel]

12 minutes ago, John Tomlinson said:

 

Sadly, like so many others, the photos  have been lost after the web change.

 

Helpful nonetheless, and I looked as well at Replica's cutting diagram for a 4-EPB.

 

John.

I cut down the door cracks with no hinges, that way you can save all the door furniture. I do mine different from the Replica diagram cutting the cab off completely. I did put a step by step on here, but that has gone as well. I’ll try and take some photos of my 501 which has been done along the same lines.

 

Cheers for now,

Ian

[5Bel]

Hi John

 

This is the way I do it now, I use super glue as filler. As you can see the door furniture is retained. 
 

 

 

This is for a 501 project. This being a Replica body, the other two coaches are Bachmann, so the correct length to start.

 

Cheers for now,

 

Ian

[John Tomlinson]

14 hours ago, 5Bel said:

Hi John

 

This is the way I do it now, I use super glue as filler. As you can see the door furniture is retained. 
 

 

 

This is for a 501 project. This being a Replica body, the other two coaches are Bachmann, so the correct length to start.

 

Cheers for now,

 

Ian

 

Very helpful Ian, thank you.

 

John.