Albion Yard

Business as Usual

Posted on November 19, 2013 by bawdsey

Oil Burner 3711

Business as usual, being messing around with Panniers. Warley is this coming weekend and it’ll be the layouts last showing in public. I usually try and do a couple of new items, usually rolling stock or motive power, and this is the new arrival for this weekend. I tend not to bend the rules to ‘Its my trainset and I’ll run what I want’ at shows, keeping the layout pretty firmly established in its late 50’s to early 60’s time frame. With that theme I also tend not to have ‘guest’ locomotives or stock, staying with the art of the mundane rather than going for the ‘glitter monkey’ shiny, shiny, specials that some layouts run. This weekend I wanted to add a bit of a change, and to this end I’ve mocked up pannier 3711 which was converted to an oil burner in the late 1950’s. The loco stayed in the Swindon Paddington area, and was thought to be a successful and powerful conversion. By the time the loco was in service the cross over between steam and diesel was well underway, so the writing would have been on the wall even then, for any further conversions. It isn’t an exact replica, I’m still hoping to get drawings or better photos of the engine to make a more authentic conversion, however it captures the look, and for the last show, it’ll be nice to add a little variety, with the loco ‘on trials’ out of Gloucester.

Last year I wrote on return from Canada about a band I’d seen out there, Dawn & Marra, playing at Hamilton’s Festival of Friends http://Canada-post/ I’m pleased to say they appear to be doing as well as I thought and hoped they would, Scooping the HMA Folk Recording of the Year award for 2013.

Any Canucks reading this, put them on your bands to see list, https://DawnandMarra

Posted in Bachmann, Branch Line, brassmasters, British Rail, canada, canon, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, hobbies, Hornby, Kalmbach, Layout, life, Midland Region, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Model Railway Journal, Modelling, music, Nevard, OO Gauge, Scottish Region, Southern Region, Wales, Western Region | Tagged Bachmann, Canada, Canon, Canon G10, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, HO, Hobby, Hornby, Layout, life, model rail, Model Railroad, Model Railway, nevard, OO, Railway Modeller | 2 Comments

We Will Remember Them

Posted on November 10, 2013 by bawdsey

Posted in life, Uncategorized | Tagged commonwealth, legacy, life, photography, poppy, Remembrance, soldier | Leave a comment

Modelling Grassland and Landscape Detailing (Review)

Posted on November 6, 2013 by bawdsey

Modelling Grassland and Landscape Detailing
Price: 24.95
Published by Wild Swan Publications 2013
ISBN : 978 1 908763 068
Written by Gordon Gravett

This book written by Gordon Gravett, is the third dealing specifically with the techniques he and his wife Maggie use in capturing the landscape in model format. The first two books covered trees, both deciduous and coniferous and this volume looks at grassland and detailing the model landscape. The book is typical Wild Swan format, very well printed, illustrated with quality color images throughout and laid out in an easy to read and follow format. Picture captions are adjacent to images, relevant and concise.

The contents cover the techniques used by the author rather than a discussion of various methods and works well with a logical flow from basic scenery structure construction to the final detailing of plant life The book also covers changes through the seasons and the elements which are key to capture when modeling a specific season. The illustrations are primarily of scales larger than 4mm scale but the techniques shown work well in smaller scales too. The use of the larger scale is helpful for the reader when used to illustrate the layering of static grass for example. The reviewer primarily works in 4mm scale, with this in mind I chose to replicate one of the static grass methods shown using a puffer bottle. I had no prior concerns about the method described, but testing one of the methods is an excellent way of trying the book out as well as just reading it. I’m pleased to report that the technique worked as described and illustrated in the text, and is a new skill learnt!

The majority of the text and illustrations deal with grassland, this emphasis initially seemed a little odd, but the more the book was read the better the understanding was gained on how to get the best from the materials used, and how ‘grassland’ forms the base for much of the UK’s scenery. This is illustrated particularly when making a hedgerow, getting a realistic join between the land and the hedge and its immediate environment. This includes elements such as grass length, weeds and foliage coloring and getting the balance correct. When discussing the ground textures, sections are devoted to modeling road and pavement surfaces . Here there are notes and illustrations of making tarmac and unmetalled roads both urban and rural, which leads into modeling lanes, gateways and puddles effectively.

Water modeling is covered with an emphasis on quieter waterways rather than waterfalls or the sea, the author noting his reservations of the difficulties involved in making effective fast flowing and moving water. The technique illustrated for the river scene used in the book clearly works very well as anyone whom has seen the Gravett’s layout ‘Pempoul’ will know. The chapter on modeling water is one of the shortest in the book, as a reviewer I‘d personally liked to have seen more water examples covered, however this doesn’t detract from that section or the book as a whole.

The book is recommended as a worthwhile addition to a modelers library. The techniques are well described and illustrated with easy to read text, and makes those same techniques accessible for a beginner as well as those with more experience. It’s re-assuring having tried one of the examples myself, that it is easily replicated, and gives good results. That for me is the making of an excellent guide, and encourages the reader to try out or adapt skills and materials to work for themselves.

Posted in Airfix, Bachmann, book, British Rail, canada, canon, Eastern Region, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, Great Western, hobbies, Hornby, Ian Futers, Kalmbach, Layout, LMS, LNER, media, Midland Region, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Model Railway Journal, Modelling, Narrow Gauge, Nevard, OO Gauge, review, Scottish Region, Uncategorized, Western Region | Tagged Bachmann, Canada, Canon, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, Gordon Gravett, HO, Hobby, Hornby, Layout, model rail, Model Railroad, Model Railway, nevard, Railway Modeller, wild swan | 2 Comments

Night of the long knives …

Posted on October 31, 2013 by bawdsey

This hobby is one of those where you pick up all sorts of skills, even if its only becoming an expert on packaging and opening the aforementioned items. I don’t know about my regular readers but I often get asked can you do this, or can you do that, because my hobby has a practical element to it, so simple DIY tasks are often pointed my way. Such a day was today, with instructions to bring kids (ours, rather than a random selection), home and get the knives out.

What do you want to make? I says looking glumly at a large fruit, pumpkins of course aren’t vegetables despite how they may look like one and grow like one, they are like tomatoes a fruit. Well the smallest wallet lightener isn’t really into hammer house of horror, and is into cartoons big time, so a quick look through her favourite books brings out one of Britains finest. ‘Ok then you draw it and I’ll cut it’, or certainly the bits that would lead to an in depth knowledge of the local hospital casualty department ~~when~~ if it all goes horribly wrong. I have to admit it was actually good fun refreshing my knife and carving skills, I’ll likely need them soon. In the next week or two I’m soon going to be doing a similar task on foam board insulation for scenery, and the practise is actually going to be very handy, a pumpkin and foam board having a similar texture. Now you wouldn’t have thought that would you, so if any of you are thinking ‘what will I get out of this I’d rather be opening boxes’, when she offers you a sharp knife, resist the temptation and go and carve a pumpkin instead. The wifes literally walked in and said you’ve got to do the other now, so back to the chopping board rather than the drawing one!

So about an hour or so later we’ve got our pumpkin in front of an appreciative and attentive audience!

Posted in canada, hobbies, Hornby, Kalmbach, life, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Model Railway Journal, Nevard, Uncategorized, usa | Tagged Canada, Canon, cartoon, Exhibition, halloween, HO, Hobby, Model Railroad, Model Railway, pumpkin, usa | 2 Comments

You can’t always get what you want

Posted on October 30, 2013 by bawdsey

Well it’s true, not just in the world of toy trains, but life. One common wail across the interweb and to a degree at shows I’ve been to is the comment I’m waiting for such and such to be made, or painted in that livery. Its not been that long ago that there were cries for the Bachmann suburbans should be re-tooled to contemporary standards. Well that’d be nice I agree, but is it worth it? For Bachmann, commercially, I very much doubt it. These two pics show how my second revised coach has turned out. Its not brilliant, but its a big improvement over the out of the box coach in terms of the windows and underframe detailing. From 60cms or so the inadequacies are largely hidden, and put into a layout environment they are masked further.

What has it cost? Not a lot, just the underframe etch at a couple of quid and Brians laserglaze windows at £8.00 (Oct 2013). So for the cost of the coaches (used around a tenner) and a further ten pounds in details Ive got a nice coach for £20.00, and I’ve actually made something!

Speaking of making things, it’s not hard if you want to make things, its mind over matter. Of course it’s not as simple as that, but the only thing you can be sure of is if you say ‘I can never do that’, then you’re right. You do have to think differently, along the lines of ‘I’d like to try that’. Then you’ve got past the biggest hurdle, the ‘mind set’. I’ve built a good number of kits and things in the past from various media, and this week I’ve dug out a Craftsman 02 shunter kit. I did this because another building project had stalled, so I put it to one side and got the coach out and this kit.

There is a logic to the kit I selected, I took something that I knew I’d be able to make progress on, (same with the coach), and that I knew at the end of the session I would have achieved something, that gives me a spur to return to the stalled project. The task I did on the chassis was setting up the gearbox and drive train.

The gearbox is a high level kit, and not for the original kit design. This means that I had to cut and adapt the chassis for the gearbox to fit. Again that’s not a big task, the original Craftsman kit is very simple and the high level kits gearbox is straightforward too. One good thing about Chris Gibbons from High Level is his level of service particularly at shows. He will be able to advise which of his gearboxes will suit. There is also a download which shows gearbox dimensions that you can compare to the kit you’re building. There isn’t a one size fits all option for kits and gearboxes regardless of whose kits and gearboxes your looking at, and some adaptation may be required.

So this is the final fit which now needs fixing and then wheels, connecting rods and then a test run. What working on both these projects did was to give me a ‘win’, which I knew I’d get even before kick off. The point being, rather than getting frustrated with the problem project, the time I spent was profitable, I got what I wanted. In a similar vein Max has been working on some of the ‘traditional’ white metal kits http://probably-the-worst-kit-in-the-world/ and shows another way to deal with these stalling points or stumbling blocks, basically just persevere and make it happen for you, theres value in both approaches.

For me, (and Max), it would have been easier to follow the rest and bleat about not getting anything handed to me on a plate, but at the end of the day I’d still have an empty plate.

Follow the herd?
Nah, that’s not for me,

With the positive feeling you get from an easy win its way, way, easier to visit the stalled project and make headway with it. That’s what I’ll be doing later, I will get what I want, but I may take a few detours to get it, but I will get it!

In the meantime I’ve got:
A 95% finished coach,
A significant step forward with the 02 kit,
An organic orchard full of sheep, and apples,

Lots of them.

High Level Kits
http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/

Posted in Airfix, Bachmann, Branch Line, brassmasters, British Rail, canon, DCC, dcc sound, Eastern Region, Exhibition, Great Western, hobbies, Hornby, humour, Ian Futers, Kalmbach, Layout, LMS, LNER, media, Midland Region, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Model Railway Journal, Modelling, Nevard, OO Gauge, Railex, Scottish Region, Southern Region, Uncategorized, Western Region | Tagged apples, Bachmann, Branch Line, Canon, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, HO, Hobby, Hornby, Layout, model rail, Model Railroad, Model Railway, nevard, OO, orchard, Railex, Railway Modeller, sheep | 3 Comments

Mark One Suburbia

Posted on October 16, 2013 by bawdsey

Revised underframe

One of the typical coaches for the British Rail era that covered commuter and suburban train stock is the British Rail Mk1 suburban coaches. There are two manufacturers in 4mm scale that produce this as ready to run, Bachmann and Replica. Both of the ranges models are a bit long in the tooth nowadays, and starting to show their age, particularly when compared against some of the newer releases like Hornby’s Gresley and Thompson suburban stock. For one of my projects there’s a good chance that both types of stock would be seen together, so rather than go the etched kit route, I decided to see what I can make of the Bachmann suburbans.

The overall appearance of the coach is good, its shape and proportions are well captured, so its a good starting point. There are two areas that stand out on this coach that would benefit most from a makeover, the chassis, and the windows. This isn’t a finescale representation I’ve made, it just looks better for a reasonable compromise in time/effort/cost Vs. visual improvement.

The windows are taken care of using Shawplans’ laser cut versions, which are designed specifically for the Bachmann model, see the header picture and how to fit them here http://window-dressing . The seats have been painted and internal pictures added, with no smoking stickers on appropriate windows. The sharp eyed will see the green label on one pair of windows, this indicating a ladies only compartment. The underframe pictures relate to both the brake end and composite coaches as both were assembled as a batch.

This gives an immediate improvement above the solebar, so what can be done to sort its bottom out so to speak. Well, there are three options.

1/ Discard the original chassis and replace it with an etched kit and components from Comet.
2/ Discard the original chassis and replace it with a 57′ chassis robbed from a Bachmann MK1 GUV or BG
3/ Work with the original chassis and upgrade it

Masokits who’s products are only available mail order, produce the etch used here for detailing the Mark 1 coach. The same etch can be used for the suburban underframe so that’s what I’ve done. Details are here http://www.scalefour.org/masokits/ Item 10.08 The instructions are simple annotated sketches which work well in my opinion for the whole detail kit.

I chose the easy option which is ‘3’. Replacing the chassis with Comet components will give you arguably the best result but at the greatest expense. Using a GUV/BG underframe is also expensive, but isn’t a straight swap, still requiring modification to make a suburban chassis. What you will get with the first two options is the framework of the chassis looking better. I decided that as the coaches won’t be seen at eyelevel for significant amounts of time, I could live with some of the trusses on the suburban underframe being solid, see the header pictures. The brake gear and replacement V hangers I’ve fitted draw attention away from them, and they are partly hidden by the battery boxes too.

Scrap view, Note battery box moved

On the brake, one battery box requires moving as they are opposite each other, the composite coach underframes are correct in their layout. All I did was to use a scalpel and score a cut between the battery box and chassis, once the battery had been removed I glued it back on opposite its partner.

The Vacuum cylinders are removed and the V hanger cut off, as well as the actuating arm for the cylinder push rod. The cylinders look a little undernourished, however keeping this simple, I retained them. Comet list white metal cast replacements in their range if you want to change them. Once they’d been cleaned up they were glued back in place and the etched V hanger glued alongside. The design of the V hanger means you don’t need to cut away any of the floor.

Modified Vac. Cylinder, ‘V’ hanger and Dynamo belt

I’ve used dress making pins for the cross brake rods as well as the longitudinal ones. The relevant holes in each etch were drilled for clearance prior to solder assembly. You can use Superglues for this sort of work, however I prefer solder for its strength and adjustability.

Brake Pull rod assemblies

I make the brake pull rods over length, and then cut them back, to clear the axle, once finally fixed. This allows you to give the impression the pull rods actually go into the bogie structure to perform a function.

Drilling Dynamo for electrical cables

Dynamo Electrical cable fitted

The dynamo again looks a little on the small side like the vacuum cylinders, but with some careful cleaning they look ok. I’ve fixed electrical cables to them using florists wire, and the etched dynamo belt glues easily around the pulley.

Dynamo End complete

I’ve got three more of these coaches to do to complete my set, the couplings will be masokits screw type. I’d like ideally to use sprung buffers on these models, but that’s a good bit more work and I’ve other priorities for the layout project these are headed for. If you want to change more of the components for whitemetal versions, contact Geoff at Comet, who’ll be able to help. http://www.cometmodels.co.uk/

Posted in Bachmann, Branch Line, British Rail, canon, DCC, dcc sound, Eastern Region, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, hobbies, Hornby, Ian Futers, Layout, Midland Region, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Model Railway Journal, Modelling, Nevard, OO Gauge, Railex, Scottish Region, Southern Region, Uncategorized, Western Region | Tagged Bachmann, Branch Line, Canon, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, HO, Hobby, Hornby, Layout, model rail, Model Railroad, Model Railway, nevard, OO, Railex, Railway Modeller | 4 Comments

Rock ‘N’ Roll Star

Posted on October 7, 2013 by bawdsey

Perhaps that genuine buzz looking at the who’s who of names from the history of our UK branch of the hobby engraved in the Visitors Cup, is a touch of what it feels like to be a rock and roll star! The layout won the Manchester Model Railway Societies Visitors Cup which was a real surprise, and thank you to all those whom voted for the layout. My toy train history follows on from my late father, and the MMRS show has always had a very high reputation for quality, deservedly so in my opinion. Receiving the cup was one of those occasions where you just wished Dad was still around.

We were privileged to have some very special visitors at the show

The Twins

Two new releases …

I can report they ran beautifully, almost silently gliding across the trackwork, seeing them close up has sold one twin set at least! The real stars of the show though are the visitors who come through the door, we were frequently asked about many aspects of the layout, DC vs DCC & sound (we ran both, DC Sat/DCC Sun), the trees, the backscene and the display ‘concept’ including the height, seamless backscene and hidden fiddleyard. It was very pleasing to meet and answer the questions so thank you for taking the time and interest in the train set, it really does mean a lot!

Posted in Airfix, Bachmann, Branch Line, British Rail, canon, Chris Nevard, DCC, dcc sound, Eastern Region, Exhibition, Great Western, hobbies, Hornby, humour, Ian Futers, Kalmbach, Layout, LMS, LNER, Manchester, Midland Region, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Model Railway Journal, Modelling, Nevard, OO Gauge, Photography, Railex, Scottish Region, Southern Region, Uncategorized, Wales, Welsh Marches, Western Region | Tagged Bachmann, Canon, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, HO, Hobby, Hornby, Layout, life, media, model rail, Model Railroad, Model Railway, nevard, OO, photography, Railex, Railway Modeller | 8 Comments

Manchester, Wonderwall, Eeee, Cup of tea anyone? ….

Posted on October 4, 2013 by bawdsey

This weekend its the Manchester show, and Albion Yards penultimate showing. Its been a couple of weeks since Model Rail Live at Newark where Albion Yards own ‘wonderwall’ the seamless backscene, was one of the features of the layout that generated a lot of interest. More on the backscene in a future posting. I’ll be packing my northerner/cockney handy phrase book too, so I can translate such phrases as ‘Eeee lad, that’s grand, that is’ etc.

Manchester has a well deserved reputation as one of the really good shows on the circuit, and Easington Lane, http://www.easington an EM layout is also having its last showing before passing to new owners. The Em gauge 70’s http://www.emgauge70s site included on the links, is well worth sitting down with a cup of tea and having a rummage through. Even if you’re not into D&E modelling there’s plenty there to be inspired by.

Come and see us at Manchester and say hello, there’s a new addition to the roster of a Dapol 22 in green. I’ve only done a little to it so far, but I think there’s quite a good little type 2 hiding behind some ‘interesting’ design features.

http://www.mmrs.co.uk/exhibition/exhibition.htm

Posted in Airfix, Bachmann, Branch Line, British Rail, canon, Canon G10, DCC, dcc sound, Eastern Region, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, Great Western, hobbies, Hornby, Ian Futers, Industrial, Kalmbach, Layout, Manchester, media, Midland Region, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Model Railway Journal, Modelling, Nevard, OO Gauge, Scottish Region, Southern Region, Uncategorized, Wales, Western Region | Tagged Bachmann, Branch Line, Canon, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, HO, Hobby, Hornby, Layout, model rail, Model Railroad, Model Railway, nevard, oasis, photography, Railex, Railway Modeller, wonderwall | Leave a comment

Model Rail Live Visitors …

Posted on September 23, 2013 by bawdsey

Model Rail Live was a really nice exhibition to do, not only because it was so near! We had a good few visitors who came and said hello which was very nice, myself and John, Ian and Phil appreciated that. Greg from Kernow also allowed a couple of visitors to sneak across the aisle on Sunday afternoon, for a quick photo session too.

The back end of the year often has some very good exhibitions and one good one coming up is the Leeds show, where you can see Simon Thompson’s Scale 7 ‘Aberbeeg’, (pictured below), which in my opinion is worth travelling to see. http://leedsmrs.org/exhib1.html

It’s nice to see some really good quality diesel modelling coming to the forefront of the hobby now, a touch overdue, but better late than never!

http://www.kernow

Posted in Bachmann, Branch Line, British Rail, canon, DCC, dcc sound, Eastern Region, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, Great Western, hobbies, Hornby, Industrial, Layout, LMS, LNER, Manchester, Midland Region, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Model Railway Journal, Modelling, Nevard, OO Gauge, Photography, Scottish Region, Southern Region, Uncategorized, Welsh Marches, Western Region | Tagged aberbeeg, Bachmann, Branch Line, Canon, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, HO, Hobby, Hornby, kernow model centre, Layout, model rail, Model Railroad, Model Railway, nevard, OO, photography, Railway Modeller | Leave a comment

Model Rail Live 2013, Newark

Posted on September 19, 2013 by bawdsey

This weekend the layout is at one of its last shows, Model Rail Live at Newark Showground. http://www.modelraillive.co.uk/

Today has been spent testing, and hopefully over the weekend we may be able to configure the layout to run with DCC sound GWR Panniers if time allows. The layout is normally operated as ‘plain vanilla’ 12vDC. In that mode, (12vDC), I’m hoping that we’ll be able to add to the interest by running Phil Ramsay’s Class 22, a prototypical addition to the fleet mix, as the 22’s ran up to Parkend in the Forest of Dean in the final years of operation.

If you’re interested to see how the Panniers were sound fitted, you can read how I did it here http:///dcc-sound-pannier/

Come and say hello if you’re there!

Posted in Bachmann, Branch Line, British Rail, canon, Chris Nevard, DCC, dcc sound, Eastern Region, Exhibition, Forest of Dean, Great Western, hobbies, Hornby, Ian Futers, Industrial, Kalmbach, Layout, LMS, LNER, media, Midland Region, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Model Railway Journal, Modelling, Nevard, OO Gauge, Railex, Scottish Region, Southern Region, Uncategorized, Wales, Welsh Marches, Western Region | Tagged Bachmann, Branch Line, Canon, Forest of Dean, HO, Hobby, Hornby, Layout, model rail, Model Railroad, Model Railway, nevard, OO, Railex, Railway Modeller | Leave a comment