Beany's Builds - including "the Poles are coming..."

[beany]

...well, they're here in fact, looking very classic and British to me!


I will have to experiment with colours because most poles I've seen at lineside are anything other than brown, but more a range of grey through to olive or green drab. Likewise, the insulator pots will be cream rather than white.

I may glue a few to the baseboards and then use fishing line as the wires between them - I've tried elasticated thread but the tension required to eliminate sagging made the poles bend too much.

I like the way the ends of the cable drums are printed on the header and can be cut out or copied then cut and glued to the drums.


Cheers
Al.

[JohnRatzenberger]

EZ-Line was created for that very purpose, and that if you accidently hit the line it would bow, not tear down all the poles.

[PaulBradley]

Ah, but John - that's not "Just Like the Real Thing!" then, is it?

[fredk]

Here in N.I. the poles are bitumen tarred to about 10ft [where the climbing cleats begin] then the top is soaked in old engine oil. All the cable has an amount of sagging, to allow for winds.

[ShaunW]

For a moment there I though you were having some walls built or something in your garden Al, or maybe the bathroom done up. Poles seem to do most of the building work around our parts these days!

[beany]

I got up into the loft today and found the little diorama or vignette I made a few years back for the Airfix Modelling SIG display at SMW. I believe this was a step on the road towards the display idea we are all currently working on.
I am not happy with the build quality of any of the models so will not be recycling any of them into the CBK display, but I think the idea stands and was good practice at "landscaping" and weathering trying to bring life to a collection of otherwise static models. It is not 100% Airfix in this case, as I have used some Peco fine scale rail and their excellent insulators to add the electrified 3rd rail as this is a Southern Region scene if you hadn't already guessed. The driver and fireman on the Pacific loco are Hornby figures rather than Airfix.
It was certainly a useful exercise at the time I think and helped me developed some ideas for future use and to see where my modelling skills and techniques can be improved - can anybody say "replacement wire handrails..." with me!





The Orange Lining decals were some I have had for years.
















The Dapol re-pop of the Airfix Schools Class 4-4-0, in this case the decals supplied were for engine No.30931 Wimbledon (actual loco name was King's - Wimbledon as in King's College Wimbledon). Loco was not completed in time for the original display hence missing decals and detailing.


Dapol re-pop of Airfix/Kitmaster 0-4-0 "Pug" loco, again not completed in time for the original display hence missing decals and detailing.


Cheers
Al.

[chrism]

Come on Al mate!! Don't be hard on yourself, as I cannot see anything wrong from here with what I can see of that lot. I appreciate We all improve etc etc or in my case go backward, as stuff I did a while ago seems better than some stuff I done recently.

Would it not be an option at moment to keep it available, as we don't know yet how much "stuff" might be needed to just add a little more something to the overall scene and there is a fair bit yet we have not got covered in terms of buildings etc.

[ShaunW]

The models don't look too bad to me either Al, although I can see some moulded on handrails that need to come off and be replaced by wire, but that's my AMS kicking in! Actually, railway subjects make great dios and I like what you've done there.

[splash]

I think it looks brilliant.

[beany]

My apologies for not being around in recent days, I've not been feeling too flash as my Aussie colleagues used to say,
and when I have had some energy it has been expended on decorating and other domestic chores. I have finished work
now and am away to Wales for my holiday on Friday so should be able to recharge my batteries there and be fighting
fit when I return.
Last night I cleared the modelling bench and took a look at my two latest purchases: the Dapol 2-6-2 Prairie tank engine



and the Dapol Prestwin Silo Wagon



I made a start on the Silo first. I immediately saw some flash on the smaller parts, but in fairness, Dapol do mention this
in the instructions and explain about the provenance of the kit and the age of the moulds etc.





What has impressed me is that Dapol supply metal wheels with this kit to replace the plastic Airfix ones, and explain
as much in the instructions. They also supply proper Hornby style couplings to replace the weird Airfix kit style ones if
you choose (they needed a rubber band fitting to tension them, something I never likes, and could never seem to find
rubber bands small enough!).

What I didn’t like is the lack of painting instructions or even colour call outs – all you get is a nice colour photo of a built
up and painted kit, but nothing else. Fortunately I have a tin of Precision Paints B.R. Bauxite (rusty red/brown) that has
been in my stash for over 20 years and looks like I will finally get to use it – it should be OK shouldn’t it…

I very much like the Locate and Cement type of written instructions – they immediately took me back nearly 50 years.
I have made a start and have ticked off each step as I go and crossed through each part number on the diagram as they
are used, just as I did all those years ago.

When I got to adding the brake cylinders under the frame I took one look and thought, that bit sticking out looks like it
will get knocked off very easily if I’m not careful. I wasn’t and it did



I was going to leave it thinking you probably wouldn’t even notice once the wagon is turned upright and stood on the track,
but then I considered the amount of excellent scratch building and detailing going on elsewhere and felt shamed in to
addressing the problem, so out with the pin vice and brass rod. Not a brilliant job but better than nowt.



I am really enjoying this little build so far, even cleaning up all the flash with my tame scalpel – kept sharp enough to scythe
through flash but not to actually cut things – e.g. me!

Cheers
Al.

[ShaunW]

A good start Al. I must admit I am quite impressed with the Dapol Class 9F, although I have elected to replace most of the moulded on detail which of course is personal choice. The actual quality of the base kit is really pretty good and, yes, there is some flash present but not too much and is to be expected given the age of the thing. I doubt very much it will be my last Dapol build.

[beany]

Work on the underside is now complete. The eight brake blocks - two per wheel - were a pain to tidy up and install,
but they do look good once there.


The coupling holder clips together, then you insert and snap the coupling into place. In the model railway world this is to
make them interchangeable with other types of couplers, e.g. buckeyes. They simply locate into the hole provided for the
original kit couplings. I superglued them just in case.




I gave the underframe a quick squirt of Pound Land grey primer. I didn't shake the can for too long so the finish is a bit
patchy but that will all be weathered over anyway so the patchy effect will hopefully contribute towards that.


Next was to add the silo parts. The fit onto the base is not great, but shouldn't be too noticeable once painting and
weathering is complete.

[ShaunW]

That is looking really good Al. Do these, presumably lightweight, kit wagons run OK built more or less OOB behind model locos or do they need some built-in ballast to help them adhere to the track?

[Ratch]

A bit of ballast always helps

[beany]

Do these, presumably lightweight, kit wagons run OK built more or less OOB behind model locos or do they need some built-in ballast to help them adhere to the track?

Damn, I completely forgot, I was going to put one or two 1p pieces inside the silo halves for weight before gluing the tops on.
Having said that, it feels pretty sturdy, but I'll have to wait until it is finished and I can run it on my layout and see how it performs.