Ratch's 2016 WIP

[celt]

You are mine of information Ratch,,well tidy.

[Clashcityrocker]

Nice work Ratch, and thanks for the information on the use of brake vans also.

Nigel

[IronMan129]

Fantastic job Ratch!
This brings back alot of memories from my childhood when my Nan and Grandad bought, built and maintained a huge OO Guage ModEl Railway for me!

[beany]

Lovely build and great info. Ratch. The one thing I'm really short of on my layout is Brake Vans. I went made and brought four of the Bachmann long wheelbase Queen Mary bogie types when they first came out - mine is a Southern layout after all - but seeing your build here makes me think I should bulk buy some Airfix wagons and brake vans (not so keen on the soft plastic Dapol uses) and get a decent freight yard or exchange sidings going. Looking forward to more progress on this one mate.

[Ratch]

Thanks very much for your interest guys. Work is interfering with my weekday modelling time at the moment, but I hope to get more done over the weekend

[skypirate]

Wonderful real-world history!

cheers,

David

[Ratch]

Thanks for stopping by David
I've crudely scratchbuilt a stove and the brake handle


I decided to use Humbrol Acrylic 160 German Camouflage Red Brown for the floorboards and had this happen


Disregard the white and maroon, they'll do for what I want. I often hear folks cry that their paint won't adhere to the plastic, that the paint is expelled by the plastic. That's exactly what appears to be happening here. With quick drying acrylic paints it takes not long and just a few coats to cover - a second coat.



Not quite right yet, but an improvement, so a third coat



Much better coverage, adequate for my job.

[ShaunW]

Nice one Ratch, there's enough detail there to satisfy the curious I think. I've seen old films showing crew members on loco footplates applying brakes by spinning large wheels like that and it must have taken a fair degree of skill to apply the brakes smoothly as opposed to, say, pressing a pedal.

[Ratch]

Yes Shaun, I understand it did. I didn't work unfitted freight, but there were plenty of old hands with lots of tales when I was on freight work
This is what happens when you don't rub the masking tape down properly


Careless, but not a disaster

[celt]

Well tidy mun.

[Dazzled]

Looks terrific mate. Nicely done

[ShaunW]

Looks like you managed to save the paint job and that is now a great looking brake van

[Ratch]

Cheers guys, still a bit to do, detail painting, fitting the running boards and weathering. Before the end of the year I hope.

[PGAS]

Very nice work on the fire engine Ratch! Some striking colours there and the figures look great. Interesting subject the brake van. So it is a caboose? Are they still used today?

Cheers,

[Ratch]

Only the Sharks continue on Engineering work AFAIK