[kevsmith]

With no chance of any model railway shows on the horizon for months I have had no deadlines to work to getting layouts ready. I've had a bit of a detour back into gauge 1, WW1 military modelling in 1/32nd and exploring WW2 pillboxes and fortifications with our Brooklyn (9) as he is fascinated with them since he found his first one at Sandscale Haws

However, looking disapprovingly me from the corner ot the workshop, were some stalled Z gauge projects. I've made a start on pushing these on and have done some more on the two 3D printed LMS 4-6-0s I had from Shapeways weeks ago. Designed by Ivan Industries, ostensibly as an unrebuilt Royal Scot but in my eyes more akin to a Patriot 4-6-0

The first one in red primer to highlight the areas the layer lines needed some attention

Sat on a Marklin BR38 chassis the wheels don't really line up. Tender chassis came from a Marklin Br24

seen with my old Litho sided LMS 57ft stock

The green one

ordered some yellow and black lining tonight

more soon

Kev

 

[kevsmith]

Don't know what happpened to the other pics, Anyway..

Red one unlined. paint is Hycote Ford Burgundy

Did struggle a bit getting the layer lines out of the firebox sides

So I decided to do it as 5519 Lady Godiva. This was a regular visitor to Sheffield on the York-Bristol

seen at Dore and Totley station in my dad's pic from 1960

painted and lined out and waiting for nameplates. Lettering is from an old, and I mean really old, set of 00 SMS LMS coach transfers

Wheel centres were painted with Tamiya XF 85 'Rubber black' acrylic. This is a bit more subtle than pure black being in effect a very dark grey. On Z models it looks a lot more subtle and realistic.

More tomorrow

 

[kevsmith]

Really needs nameplates

The green one will be 45551 'Unknown Warrior' the new build one

Because of lockdown I've not had chance to see it for a while but this was it at Barrow Hill roundhouse before the boiler and smokebox were fitted

I used Hycote Rover Brooklands green again with Fox lining and crests

seen on the Pullmans on Republic Steel

 

[kevsmith]

The other thing I've been up to is more work on Ivan's HAA MGR wagons. After getting the first three I was pleased enough to get another six to finish as a batch

they come printed three on a sprue in FUD from shapeways

the real things are very well known to us and when I lived in Derbyshire they ran constantly on the line behind my house

The first one I finished is the 'translator wagon'. It has an MTL body mount 'Marklin style' coupler on one end and and an MTL 805 short shank buckeye on the other

At last my Class 56s have something to pull!

56 031 heads a rake on Republic. This train needs to be a lot longer as they typically ran in sets of 30 or 36. Not completely finished as I have to work out how much weight to put in them as they are too light. I will use powdered Tungsten in the bottom of the hoppers

need to get on with the Class 158 now

more soon

kev

 

[kevsmith]

The class 158 is going to use the Rokuhan chassis which is proving to be very versatile but obviously is a set length. So we need to find a way to space it out to fit the wheelbase we require. I found, on Shapeways, these

https://www.shapeways.com/product/9P6RCVCNY...&li=ostatus

Bolsters to take the unpowered bogie. They look better in the flesh than they do in the pic!

trial fitted to the 158, Powered end at the front and dummy bolster at the rear

I'll scratchbuild the underframe details for this one

Should look like this when mouned on the Shorty bits

more soon as the first test fit for the same components in the CMAC Alsthom Class 175 looked equally promising and I will take a first look at the CMAC Class 87 AC Electric

Kev

 

[kevsmith]

The Class 175 is a bit modern for the stock I need for the new layout but doing the original First North western livery should be fun

So the this will be the second trial of the Shorty and adaptor idea

The CMAC Class 87 will have to wait a bit

 

[kevsmith]

The Regional railways livery isn't as simple as it looks as I have discovered over the last few evenings

with the white body, black window surrounds and grey roof done

With the blue stripes and a coat of matt lacquer ready for the tinted windows to go in

The 175 is going to be finished in the new TFW livery

although I haven't found any decals yet

 

[kevsmith]

Shorty chassis thinned down quite a bit. Tapered at the front end to fit the cab taper. Pick-up leads extended and run down either side of motor. These, and the motor leads come out the back through four holes

These wires link up to the pick-up wires from the unpowered truck

Made some progress on the Class 175s as welll

these will have exactly the same mechanism as the 158 which is running really well after some initial problems. When I first test ran it it was rattling and jerky. tested the motor mesh that was O.K and all the pick-ups were working with no intermiitant short circuits.

Turned out it was the two traction tyres tha had come off and were jammed between the wheels and the sideframes. Little sods to get back on but after re-seating it ran as sweet as a nut

Kev

 

[hoonsou]

Good pic's Kev. I don't know how you manage to see to work on Z scale, although you've made a good job of those that you've done.

 

[kevsmith]

Now Hakuho has been pretty much completed it is time to get some projects finished on the British stock. I havn't touched the 175s and 158s for ages but the 158s are running well together now coupled with Rokuhan Short Rapido couplings

Now the class 76 has been on the back burner for ages. CMAC shrunk his 3D one on Shapeways down to Z for me with a view to fitting it on a Marklin E44 chassis but there was no way it would fit even after I milled the chassis sides down. That body was put to one side and I asked him to enlarge the 76 to fit the chassis but it turned out massive ( The E44 is continental loading gauge) and towered over everything else

And so is stayed until I started to test locos on my newbuild layout "Port Shaughty" which has a really evil curve on the back left hand corner to see what will get round.. All the Rokuhan Shortys went round with no problems and I started to wonder if motorising the original 76 with a stretched Shortry might be the way forward

This was it after cleaning it in the Ultrasonic cleaning bath

One of my dad's pics of the original on a transpennine coal train seen at Nunnery Junction, Sheffield

The smaller original version, the second enlarged one and a real blast from the past, A Newstead models Class 77 which was plastic body with printed overlays

Now the Rokuhan bogies are really short wheelbase whereas the 76 was quite a bit longer so the prominent sandboxes will need to fill the gaps to some extent

Fitted with buffer beams (Body mounted not bogie mounted unlike the prototype) and the Pantographs

The Class 87 is also going to be fitted with a Shorty derived chassis. Behind them is Ivans's 1366 saddle tank printed in Brass of which more anon.

Kev

 

[kevsmith]

The chassis painted. Forgive the wiring but I can't tidy it up completely until I get some more ballast weights in it. A short section of polystyrene is bonded on the rear of the Shorty chassis block, The 3D printed bogie mount has been bonded on and the pickup plated has been reverse engineered off the original but with the wires coming out of the outer end. Two sections of square polystyrene barare glued as braces

The Class 87 is the same but longer and obviously the Class 158 and 175 are even longer still.

The Americans are following this stuff keenly on Trainboard and were most impressed with how many different British locos you can do in Z. Robert Ray in particular believes we have an amazing choice to go at so I did a list

starting with ones I've done in Bold and the ones I hav'nt at the end. My HST power cars are resin ones I got off Graham Jones but Ivan has them in 3D on Shapeways

Marklin	Class 07 0-6-0	BR blue	07 001		Marklin V60
Marklin	Class 07 0-6-0	BR Green	D2985		Marklin V60
Shapeways	class 24	Rail blue	24 031		RE 4/4 IV chassis
Shapeways	Class 25	Rail blue	25 319		RE 4/4 IV chassis
Shapeways	Class 35 Hymek	Rail blue	7027		E40 chassis
Shapeways	Class 35 Hymek	Rail blue	7031		E111
Shapeways	Class 37 Co-Co	Rail blue	37 013	Vampire	Tapered BR 103
Shapeways	Class 37 Co-Co	BR Big arrow	37 025	Inverness TMD	Tapered BR 103
Shapeways	Class 37 Co-Co	BR Green			Tapered BR 103
Shapeways	Class 37 Co-Co	Early railfreight	37 008	Hornet	Tapered BR 103
Shapeways	Class 42 Warship	Rail blue	815	Glory	SBB 460
Shapeways	Class 42 Warship	Rail blue	870	Zulu	SBB 460
Shapeways	Class 42 Warship	BR Maroon	821	Greyhound	SBB 460
Resin/marklin	Class 43 HST Power car	Intercity
Resin/marklin	Class 43 HST Power car	Intercity
Resin/marklin	Class 47 Co-Co	DRS	47 829		BR103 or 151 chassis
Elmar	Class 47 Co-Co	BR blue	47 170		BR103 or 151 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 47 Co-Co	BR Railfreight Grey/Big arrow	47 302		BR103 or 151 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 47 Co-Co	BR Blue/Big arrow	47 172		BR103 or 151 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 47 Co-Co	Virgin red/black	47 822	Pride of Shrewsbury	BR103 or 151 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 47 Co-Co	Intercity	47 676	Bnorthamptonshire	BR103 or 151 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 47 Co-Co	Unlettered rail blue			BR103 or 151 chassis
Elmar	Class 47 Co-Co	unpainted			BR103 or 151 chassis
Elmar	Class 47 Co-Co	BR Big arrow	47 712	Lady Diana Spencer	BR103 or 151 chassis
Shapeways	Class 55 Deltic	Railblue	55018	Ballymoss	MTL SD40-2 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 56 Co-Co	Dutch	56 048		BR103 or 151 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 56 Co-Co	Big arrow	56 031		BR103 or 151 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 56 Co-Co	Railblue	56 006		BR103 or 151 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 56 Co-Co	undec			BR103 or 151 chassis
Resin/marklin	Class 57 Co-Co	DRS	57 002		BR103 or 151 chassis
Shapeways	EMD Class 66 Co-Co	DRS	66 436		MTL SD40-2 chassis
Shapeways	Class 86 AC Electric	Rail blue	86 102		BR 120 chassis
Shapeways	Class 86 AC Electric	Virgin	86 205	City of Coventry	BR 120 chassis
Shapeways	Class 87 Electric		87 xxx		Modified Shorty
Shapeways	Class 73 Electro diesel	Rail blue	73 177		BR111 chassis
Shapeways	Class 86 AC Electric	Intercity	86 234	City of Lancaster	BR 120 chassis
Shapeways	Class 86 AC Electric	Intercity	86 208	City of Chester	BR 120 chassis
Shapeways	Class 76 DC Electric		76 xxx		Modified Shorty
Z-club/Marklin	LNER A4 4-6-2	BR green	60027	Merlin	BR 18
Atlas	LNER A4 4-6-2	Garter blue			unmotorised
Atlas	LNER A4 4-6-2	Garter blue			unmotorised
Z-club/Marklin	LNER A3 4-6-2	BR green	60062	Minoru	BR 18
Atlas	LNER A3 4-6-2	BR green	60066	Merry Hampton	BR 18
Atlas	LNER A3 4-6-2	Apple green	4472	Flying Scotsman	BR 18
Marklin	LNER K3 2-6-0	BR Black	64003		Ex BR24
Diecast	GER 0-6-0T Tram engine	LNER			unmotorised
Atlas	SR West Country 4-6-2	Malachite Green	21C110	un-named	BR18 chassis
Atlas	SR Battle of Britain 4-6-2	BR green	34066	Spitfire	BR18 chassis
Shapeways	SR Merchant navy 4-6-2	BR green	34018	Axminster	BR18 chassis
Shapeways	USATC 0-6-0T	BR Black	30012		BR 89 chassis
Shapeways	USATC 0-6-0T	BR Black	30018		BR 89 chassis
Shapeways	SR rebuilt Merchant navy	BR green	35020	Bibby Line	BR18 chassis
Atlas	SR Merchant navy 4-6-2	BR green	35017	Belgian marine	BR18 chassis
Atlas	King 4-6-0 BR green		6000		Unmotorised
Shapeways	GWR 0-6-0ST
Shapeways	WD 2-10-0	BR Black	90756		Marklin BR 44
Shapeways	LMS Patriot 4-6-0	BR green			BR 38 chassis
Shapeways	LMS Patriot 4-6-0	LMS Crimson Lake	45519	Lady Godiva	BR 38 chassis
Shapeways	Derby Lightweight DMU	railblue			Plus Z
Shapeways	Derby Lightweight DMU	Blue/red		Test Coach IRIS	Plus Z
Shapeways	Class 158 DMU	Regional Railways			Modified Shorty
Shapeways	Class 158 DMU	Regional Railways			Modified Shorty
Shapeways	Class 175 DMU	TFW			Modified Shorty
Shapeways	Class 175 DMU	TFW			Modified Shorty
Shapeways	USATC 0-6-0T	Plain green	3		BR89
Marklin	Vanguard 0-6-0DH	BSC Yellow	5		Marklin V60
Shapeways	Barclay 0-6-0T	NCB Green	1		BR 89
Shapeways	GE 70tonner	BSC Yellow	6		Shorty
Shapeways	GE 70tonner	BSC Yellow	8		Shorty
Shapeways	BTH Bo-Bo	Ford Mid green			Shorty
Shapeways	GE-Ingersol Rand	Mid green	2		Shorty
Shapeways	Class 101 DMU
Shapeways	GWR Single railcar
Shapeways	GWR Double railcar
Shapeways	GWR Parcels
Shapeways	GWR 0-6-0PT
Shapeways	EMD Class 77
Shapeways	Class 180 DMU
Shapeways	Class 71 dDC electric
Shapeways	Metrovick Co-Bo
Shapeways	Class 707 EMU
Shapeways	NS 1500 (BR class 77)
Shapeways	Class 717 EMU
Shapeways	Class 700 EMU
Shapeways	Class 08 0-6-0DE

Plenty of choice!

Kev

 

[kevsmith]

Been busy

CMAC designed Class 76 on modified Rokuhan Shorty chassis. Pantographs off Marklin E44

On a rake of empty MGR wagons

Finally finished the Class 87 by CMAC. Again a modified (Stretched) Shorty chassis. Pantograph of marklin BR120. Needs nameplates

And the 158 now runs really well

 

[dwb]

The 158 looks very good. I'm not so sure about the pantographs on the two electrics but maybe it's the way they've caught the light in the photo.

David

 

[kevsmith]

The E44 ones aren't bad. there is video footage on youtube that shows them running high under the wires. I agree, the 87 one is a bit big and far too bright but will be toned down .

Bizarrely, My layouts I run British stock on have no OHL but I've still ended up with four class 86s and now an 87 in Z.. perhaps some time in the future I should model Norton Bridge when a gang of us used to trek across from Chesterfield in the summer of 19787 trainspotting

Having a blitz on finishing long term projects tonight

Going back to numbering 97 303 now, The Network Rail class 37 fitted with ERTMS. God the numbers are so small ! More on that and DRS 37 259 soon

Kev

 

[kevsmith]

97 303 based on one of Ivans modified 37s with the blanked off headcode panel. this one was a request by our Brooklyn after he saw the unlettered yellow bodyshell in the projects box

After I took the picture and looked at it in Photoshop I was really not happy with the Orange cant rail stripe so I'm tidying it up tonight

The other blanked headcode shell with yellow ends was also sat in the projects box waiting for me to decide what to finish it as

Then I remembered our 25th Annivesary Settle and Carisle train

37 259 (Champaigne on the train and a very nice lunch in Carlisle!)

Need to work out how to do the mini plows

more soon

Kev

 

[kevsmith]

I'm doing some updated photos of Republic Steel with a view to getting it into one of the Model railway magazines and I'm having great fun getting everything out!

47 170 (an original Elmar one )on a rake of new MGR wagons pass a Class 158

The 158 passes 37 008 and 37 025 on the Enterprise s 47 302 waits with the Steel coil train

You've seen this 25 before but I still think Ivans 25 and BGs and GUVs make a really good train (All 3D printed on Shapeways)

 

[kevsmith]

Over on the Z forum on trainboard.com, which seems to be the most inclusive Z forum, I've been keeping them updated on my British, Japanese and U.S Z. they are fascinated by the variety of Loco classes and liveries we have in the U.K and have realised that we are pushing the boundaries a lot to get what we want. So I posted them this picture

This is on my light desk in the office upstairs (Far too cold outside in the Workshop)

Four Elmar Class 47 resin cast clones (The Intercity, Virgin and DRS ones and a DRS class 57 ) Six Class 37s all Ivan's 3D printed on Shapways, four are split headcode ones and the latest two have the blanked headcode panel. I am not really satisfied with the DRS 47 and 57 but they do date back to 2014 and we've moved on since then.

So....
The oversize numbers have been carefully removed not to damage the paint (Micro-sol and a gentle use of a Fibreglas pencil) and the Kristak Klear glazing is being softened with warm soapy water to get it out.

In other news Charlie from CMAC has asked if I want the Woodhead EM2 Class 77 Co-Co uploading onto his site on Shapeways in Z. Of Course, I have said yes

More soon

Kev

 

[kevsmith]

Turnes the whole layout round the other way to get the natural light from the window and carried on

56 031 on TTA tanks, 47 170 on the Freightliner. The GWR King escaped the cutting torch and waits restoration

47 676 'Northamptonshire' passes 'Test Coach Iris'

47 170 heads back to Great Heck with the empty PNAs as 47 822 Pride of Shresbury passes

The BG at the front is a translator wagon with a Marklin coupler at one end and one of my Magnetic couplers at the other to couple to the Magnetic equipped Mk IIfs

more soon

kev