Downendian details

[Downendian]

Hmm I’ve converted it to mp4 so should work? I can see it on my iPad ok. 
2nd version uploaded 
Neil

[John Tomlinson]

25 minutes ago, Downendian said:

Hmm I’ve converted it to mp4 so should work? I can see it on my iPad ok. 
2nd version uploaded 
Neil

 

Works on my Firefox now as well.

 

Great video, many thanks!

 

John.

[Phill Dyson (onslaught832)]

Great video Neil ......works fine for me too 🙂

[Downendian]

The anhydrous ammonia rake is still being worked on, the tanks taking a lot of work with 5-6 coats of white going on each. Filler and adhesive blemishes the main cause of this slow progress, but it’s getting there. The tanks will then be gloss varnished then decals, then I can put together the complete wagons.

 

in the meantime between paint drying sessions,  put together two diag 1/583 Mackerel ballast wagons obtained from scale model innovations (on eBay) as a 3D print. It will add a bit of variety to my catfish/dogfish/trout rakes. The 3D print is not the golden bullet it may first seem, a lot of time was spent removing the feeds from the model, and despite great care still managed to dislodge a footstep and two handrail supports on the end platforms. The brake shoes disintegrated on removing from the feed sprue, so I used some Parkside spares I had. The hopper and brake handwheels will probably be replaced with 51L (where’s my dishing jig got to!) brass equivalents (as on the catfish fleet), but overall a lovely little model of a prototype not ever likely to be seen RTR or kit form. They also produce Gannets and Herrings (the BR design not ex-GWR), so maybe these will be added at some point to my fleet. The Mackerel are not currently listed on eBay, but I guess direct contact with Scale Model Innovations via their Facebook page is the way to go. The .stl file is however freely downloadable if you have the luxury of your own 3D printer. I feel myself being drawn towards this area of modelling in the future.

 

transfers applied one side this morning as were instanters , although still to add overhead wire flashes, 17.5T markings and data panel, then to weather and add ballast load to give more weight. The model is not as free running as I’d like, despite taking great care fitting waisted bearings- the width between the axle boxes could be 0.5mm larger may help. Only running will tell if this needs more attention. Photo shows the two Mackerel in question plus one of my Cambrian catfish for comparison.

Neil

[MJI]

Got to be worth getting a printer, are these printed from the Iron Mink designs?

 

I printed 34 of his mineral wagons for about £18 of resin.

[Downendian]

Indeed Martin, Iron Mink on Thingiverse - amazing designs. I wouldn’t know where to start buying a 3D printer, for a start my laptop is past its sell by date and that will need replacing first!

Neil 

[MJI]

1 hour ago, Downendian said:

Indeed Martin, Iron Mink on Thingiverse - amazing designs. I wouldn’t know where to start buying a 3D printer, for a start my laptop is past its sell by date and that will need replacing first!

Neil 

 

chitubox on its own take up around 3GB and slows a PC right down.

 

I have a Elegoo Mars 2 Pro, any of the similar range new ones should be fine.

[Phil Bullock]

7 hours ago, Downendian said:

The anhydrous ammonia rake is still being worked on, the tanks taking a lot of work with 5-6 coats of white going on each. Filler and adhesive blemishes the main cause of this slow progress, but it’s getting there. The tanks will then be gloss varnished then decals, then I can put together the complete wagons.

 

in the meantime between paint drying sessions,  put together two diag 1/583 Mackerel ballast wagons obtained from scale model innovations (on eBay) as a 3D print. It will add a bit of variety to my catfish/dogfish/trout rakes. The 3D print is not the golden bullet it may first seem, a lot of time was spent removing the feeds from the model, and despite great care still managed to dislodge a footstep and two handrail supports on the end platforms. The brake shoes disintegrated on removing from the feed sprue, so I used some Parkside spares I had. The hopper and brake handwheels will probably be replaced with 51L (where’s my dishing jig got to!) brass equivalents (as on the catfish fleet), but overall a lovely little model of a prototype not ever likely to be seen RTR or kit form. They also produce Gannets and Herrings (the BR design not ex-GWR), so maybe these will be added at some point to my fleet. The Mackerel are not currently listed on eBay, but I guess direct contact with Scale Model Innovations via their Facebook page is the way to go. The .stl file is however freely downloadable if you have the luxury of your own 3D printer. I feel myself being drawn towards this area of modelling in the future.

 

transfers applied one side this morning as were instanters , although still to add overhead wire flashes, 17.5T markings and data panel, then to weather and add ballast load to give more weight. The model is not as free running as I’d like, despite taking great care fitting waisted bearings- the width between the axle boxes could be 0.5mm larger may help. Only running will tell if this needs more attention. Photo shows the two Mackerel in question plus one of my Cambrian catfish for comparison.

Neil

More cracking wagons Neil! Can’t wait to see a completed ammonia tank too..

 

Too many snags to fix here following Winchcombe but can start on them now family are back in Estonia and this weeks fishing is done… 😉

[Downendian]

Finishing touches on the pair of Mackerel ballast hoppers today. Final transfer application, weathering and ballast loads. Annoyingly one tiny 17T decal went adrift during the weathering, never to be seen again. I only had four on the transfer sheet so no spares grrr. Test running next phase, ballast still drying so a bit white in places. 

Neil 

[MJI]

I don't think I have ever seen a Mackerel (wagon)

[Enterprisingwestern]

12 hours ago, Downendian said:

17T decal went adrift during the weathering, never to be seen again.

 

Have you got the HMRS sheet for BR wagons?

 

Mike.

[Downendian]

Ah good point Mike - I have it somewhere!

[Downendian]

Progress report on the anhydrous ammonia tanks.

All have now been painted, ivory white tanks, gunship green chassis and black bogies. Five have now been assembled with five to go. Tanks are attached to the chassis with super steel epoxy - brilliant stuff, my araldite days are over.

Next to the long process of applying transfers and the tank supports. The yellow wrap around band I’m sure will be fiddly so patience needed I’m sure. Fisons tanks had a yellow warning band, later when ICI branded this was orange.

Neil 

[Phil Bullock]

56 minutes ago, Downendian said:

Progress report on the anhydrous ammonia tanks.

All have now been painted, ivory white tanks, gunship green chassis and black bogies. Five have now been assembled with five to go. Tanks are attached to the chassis with super steel epoxy - brilliant stuff, my araldite days are over.

Next to the long process of applying transfers and the tank supports. The yellow wrap around band I’m sure will be fiddly so patience needed I’m sure. Fisons tanks had a yellow warning band, later when ICI branded this was orange.

Neil 

These are going to look jolly impressive Neil! Did you see the Facebook post I linked you to?

[Downendian]

2 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

These are going to look jolly impressive Neil! Did you see the Facebook post I linked you to?

Thanks Phil, no I didn’t see any Facebook tag 

[Downendian]

More progress on the anhydrous ammonia rake.

All ten tanks have had their yellow warning stripes added - quite a fiddly job using fantasy workshop decals (golden yellow), cut carefully with a scalpel to 4mm strips. Still some tidying up to do on them, but fixed with decalfix overnight- they are very flimsy when first applied and handling often resulted in decal moving or sticking to hands. Orange strips were supplied with the kits - correct shade for later BR periods but these early Fisons Fertilizers branded tanks had yellow stripes. I think I’ve got the shade just about right. Unfortunately I committed the sin of not referring closely enough to prototype photos when positioning the yellow bands, 3 had to be redone. Only a few mm out, but when the Anhydrous Ammonia and Fisons Fertlizers decals are applied would stick out like a sore thumb.

I’ve still to finish the artwork for the required transfers-and my retirement has meant that my mastery of Microsoft word and PowerPoint has nose dived, a learning curve restablished. Still to apply the brake/discharge wheels, screw couplings to a few, paint the under frames and buffer beams black, a few tarpaulin ties (to be painted yellow) have become detached and need attention, but project getting there. Will definitely need carefully varnishing to protect the decals.

 

My sole SLW class 25/3 has just arrived, and I’m pondering a new identity. My ICRS shed 78 book has details of all 25s with snow plough brackets fitted, so 25 324 will inevitably change its identity- I don’t like to keep what everyone else has got but the snow ploughs look rather nice. Two Accurascale class 37s incoming too in the next week or so again will change their identities to carry TOPS numbers.

Neil

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, Downendian said:

More progress on the anhydrous ammonia rake.

All ten tanks have had their yellow warning stripes added - quite a fiddly job using fantasy workshop decals (golden yellow), cut carefully with a scalpel to 4mm strips. Still some tidying up to do on them, but fixed with decalfix overnight- they are very flimsy when first applied and handling often resulted in decal moving or sticking to hands. Orange strips were supplied with the kits - correct shade for later BR periods but these early Fisons Fertilizers branded tanks had yellow stripes. I think I’ve got the shade just about right. Unfortunately I committed the sin of not referring closely enough to prototype photos when positioning the yellow bands, 3 had to be redone. Only a few mm out, but when the Anhydrous Ammonia and Fisons Fertlizers decals are applied would stick out like a sore thumb.

I’ve still to finish the artwork for the required transfers-and my retirement has meant that my mastery of Microsoft word and PowerPoint has nose dived, a learning curve restablished. Still to apply the brake/discharge wheels, screw couplings to a few, paint the under frames and buffer beams black, a few tarpaulin ties (to be painted yellow) have become detached and need attention, but project getting there. Will definitely need carefully varnishing to protect the decals.

 

My sole SLW class 25/3 has just arrived, and I’m pondering a new identity. My ICRS shed 78 book has details of all 25s with snow plough brackets fitted, so 25 324 will inevitably change its identity- I don’t like to keep what everyone else has got but the snow ploughs look rather nice. Two Accurascale class 37s incoming too in the next week or so again will change their identities to carry TOPS numbers.

Neil

 

Hmmm, interestingly a member of the Accurascale staff has liked this, get your poker cards out!!

 

Mike.

[Downendian]

Lightning can’t strike twice Mike surely! I guess it’s because I mentioned their 37s which have just now been dispatched. Not that I wouldn’t like to see Accurascale do some chemical tankers - they are few and far between both RTR and kit form, Avonmouth received a lot of this traffic.

[young37215]

On 28/05/2024 at 16:10, Downendian said:

Quick video of recent running session with the Stone 21T hopper rake. Sound chip switched off!

 

 

 

I am interested in the signalmans platform to the bottom left of the picture, can you please advise who makes this? 

 

[Downendian]

40 minutes ago, young37215 said:

 

I am interested in the signalmans platform to the bottom left of the picture, can you please advise who makes this? 

 

It’s a scale model scenery item

https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/lx148-oo-relay-boxtrackside-platforms-mixed-pack-oo4mm176-1579-p.asp

Neil

[Downendian]

A busy couple of weeks, especially with  the anhydrous ammonia rake. I’ve fabricated my own transfers for the Fisons fertilizers (noting prototypical small f on fertilizers and American spelling) and Anhydrous ammonia. Getting the font size was the difficult bit, mainly due to the extreme shortage of prototypical photos of anhydrous ammonia tanks in Fisons livery. I think I’ve got the proportions right. Applied the Fisons fertilizers decals this morning, they are currently air drying and will be bedded down with decalfix probably later today. Quite a few more decals to apply - I made up my own TOPS TCA  panels, in 1974 they may not of carried them but unless anyone can provide photographic evidence to the contrary that’s how they’ll stay. Some painting brake/release wheels to fit, those extra decals (including all important Hazchem symbols, incoming from Railtec) and some tidying up still to do before weathering/varnishing. I hope to run the rake on Abbotswood’s next outing in November after running trials on my layout. 
One extra fiddly job was application of the rivet strips that form the tank supports - I managed to damage a few, fortunately replacements are available from Wizard models, from the ex Mainly Trains etches, one tank done yesterday more to do. Now I must find out the barrier wagons and a suitable brake van.

 

Motive power wise, two Accurascale 37s have arrived, will be renumbered to TOPS then headcodes for typical South Wales freights we used to get passing through North Bristol. One will be a straight number to 37 292, the other probably 37 230, a 37 that made it to green TOPS.

 

Another pair of 20s added to the fleet 20 003/049, With four pairs now that’s all for now. I still haven’t cracked programming their HM7000 chips away from the Hornby app - as far as I can see they cannot be DCC programmed with an ECoS. I’ll try at some point with my old Lenz system to at least give them a DCC address and then attempt to consist them using the ECoS. Hornby still hasn’t sorted out consisting from the HM7000 app - I’d be happy with that as a solution but very strange interactions with my ECoS. A few others have reported similar problems so I’m not alone here. If it’s not resolved soon I may sell the HM7000 chips and invest in Zimo sound decoders- I’m very happy with my SLW 25 and the functions that are on that Zimo chip- the loco behaved flawlessly straight out of the tin.

 

Neil

[Downendian]

Finishing touches today on the Anhydrous ammonia rake. Had their first coat of varnish which needs to dry overnight. They will all get another coat on Wednesday, as fishing tomorrow. The home-brew decals I’m rather pleased with, not the quality of my go-to Railtec, the backing film is robust but visible in certain light (as in this photo), but they are rather large so difficult to hide. I’m hoping another coat or two of varnish will blend them in a bit better. I’ll get more photogenic pics on the layout later this week. I’m still unsure about UK specific decals, so used ones provided in the kit- close up photos of them in Fisons fertilizers livery are few and far between, which is surprising really as they were often present in Stoke Gifford yard.

A bit of light weathering to the bogies (they are modelled in almost new condition in 1974) still to do then running trials when I’m confident to handle them - I found without varnish the decals were fragile despite bedding in with decalfix.

An excellent kit and service from Des Sullivan at Studio Scale Models, who responded rapidly to my requests for extra bits and transfers to complete the build. Thanks a lot Des! 

http://www.studio-scale-models.com/Freight.shtml

Next on to renumbering my two recent purchases, Accurascale 37s which will be 1974 condition and freshly TOPs numbered, transfers obtained from Railtec.

Neil 

[Phil Bullock]

Looking great Neil! Will they be getting a trundle at the Churchdown show? 

[Downendian]

If they behave themselves Phil I hope so! 
Neil 

[Downendian]

Well the ammonia tanks behave themselves. On the naughty step is the lead barrier wagon which although has added weight, still needs more and some attention in this department and to the couplings. I had to extend the accurascale screw couplings by adding more brass rings, but hopefully can be shortened again when I correct the track geometry. Edit :still to add to the rake a rear barrier wagon and air braked brake van, all fits in my passing loop with room to spare.

 

in the foreground is my new Accurascale class 37, renumbered to green TOPS 37 230 and waiting to have more extensive running trials after a bit more attention.

 

Edited October 9 by Downendian