My Q&D N gauge desktop, 25T Covered Bogie Wagon

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PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, J50, J6, etc.

Post by PGBerrie »

Atso wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2017 11:02 am Have you considered joining the 2mm Association and purchasing their etched wagon chassis that have been designed to fit these bodies?
I think I've got too much 1:148 stock to start in 2 mm. For the fish van, I have a "Bug" bending tool that I hope will make things easier.

Since the last post I've painted the wagons and tried a bit of weathering - the rust was in the first coating, but unfortunately just rubbing off the top coatings with a hard brush and thinner just smeared the rust around.
16 T Mineral Wagons Stage 3.jpg
We'll have to see how they look after using artist's chalk. Since the photo was taken, I've also added the extensions to fixed ends again. I was thinking of adding the strut protecting the V hanger from the side door, but this is probably something which will fall off at the slightest touch, so I'll leave that until the wheels and couplings are mounted.

Peter
Atso
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, J50, J6, etc.

Post by Atso »

PGBerrie wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:30 pm I think I've got too much 1:148 stock to start in 2 mm. For the fish van, I have a "Bug" bending tool that I hope will make things easier.
As do I Peter. The chassis can be used with N gauge wheels using the adaptor axle that can be supplied, clearance is tight be totally practicable for N gauge.

The minerals are looking very good already. Please keep describing your weathering techniques - this is something I've not really done much of and am very eager to learn.

Just out of question what is a 'Bug' bending tool?
Steve
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, 16 T Mineral Wagons.

Post by PGBerrie »

The "Bug" is a hold and fold tool. I bought mine from NDetail, who do a mean brass Nissan hut in N, but the instructions say it came from Cammett Ltd in Hay-on-Wye. They are now https://www.scalewarship.com and don't appear to sell them any more.
Hold & Fold Tool.jpg
I did find a US supplier with the full range: http://www.mmodelstore.com/holdandfold.aspx. Perhaps someone knows a UK supplier.

My weathering method is nothing special. Basically the same as in Martyn Welch's The Art of Weathering plus noting what jwealleans does on his thread. The 16Ts started out with an acrylic "rust coat" followed by a grey coat. These were brushed on, although I usually use spray cans.
16 T Mineral Wagon Stage 2b.jpg
The grey was unfortunately lumpy, despite looking smooth in the pot, so I added a coat of Humbrol grey. The rust spots are produced using thinner to soften the top coat (cotton bud or paint brush) and a file point, cocktail stick or stiff brush stick to rub through to the undercoat, depending where I am working. This time I used the "pimples" in the top coat as starting points for the rust.

Peter
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, 16T Mineral Wagons

Post by PGBerrie »

Since the last post I made the coal loads - these are simply snug-fitting pieces of Bristol board with a small piece of wood stuck underneath to give the height. I make a cellotape wrap, coat the top with white glue then add the coal. A syringe and dilute white glue fixes the top bits. I think the basis was Woodland mine run coal with bigger bits from Flockton. If anyone is short of real coal, visit the National Mining Centre there and go down the pit. You're allowed to take a piece away with you. Lasts for ever in N!
16 T Mineral Wagons Stage 4.jpg
I also applied the transfers to the Diagram 108 wagons (Modelmaster). The sheet also includes the signs for bottom doors, although Diagram 108 never had them apparently. Either a nice gesture or misleading, depending on your point of view. I decided not to apply the end door stripes as they seem to be too wide. Looking at photos, it looks like they should be about the width of the lettering, although as usual there seems to be some variation. I'm going to look for a white marking pen tomorrow, or failing that get out the old Rotring or use a bow pen. Modelmaster also do a sheet of Diagram 109 and other numbers, so I now have to order that.

Having spent some time reading about the minerals, I also fancy some slope-sided (Charles Roberts) wagons, which are available RTR from Farish. A couple of cupboard door wagons would also be interesting, but I don't think that they are available in N.

Peter
Atso
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, J50, J6, etc.

Post by Atso »

Those are looking excellent Peter!

I've just rejoined the 2mm Association and purchased some of their plastic wagon body kits. I've now got several LNER six plank wagon bodies amongst others to build while I'm on holiday from the end of next week!

With regard to the Model Masters white stripes, couldn't you just carefully trim the width with a sharp knife? I've done this with Fox LNER green boiler bands in the past as I didn't require one of the white lines and it didn't occur to me that I could have painted them out instead!
Steve
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, J50, J6, etc.

Post by PGBerrie »

Here are the Parkside BR 24 1/2T and GWR 20T wagons I talked about on Atso's thread.
Parkside Coal Wagons N Gauge.jpg
Having built the 16T wagons, I could not resist buying these 16T slope sided wagons (Charles Roberts) to go with the set.
Farish Slope-Sided 16T Wagons.jpg
It's easy to see that this is mass produced weathering and the couplings are far too long. Luckily they are screwed on so there should be no trouble changing them.
Atso wrote: Sun Aug 13, 2017 5:32 pm With regard to the Model Masters white stripes, couldn't you just carefully trim the width with a sharp knife?
I tried this with my X-Acto (previously I had been using a heavier knife which crinkled the edges) and got decent results. I'll post the pictures when the couplings and wheels are on.

Peter
Atso
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, J50, J6, etc.

Post by Atso »

Those wagons look great Peter, nice job.

I always use a new scalpel blade for cutting transfers as any nicks at all in the blade will either cause a ragged edge or tear the transfer.
Steve
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, J50, J6, etc.

Post by PGBerrie »

Thought I would bring this up to date. I ordered the transfers for the Diagram 109 wagons and then waited four weeks for the post to get them to me. I then ran out of couplings and had to assemble some more - hence the delay in getting everything (almost) finished. Here's a picture of them with a couple of Peco wooden ones.
16 T Mineral Train Panorama.jpg
Sorry about the shadows and out of focus engine.

Peter
PS: Happy Christmas everyone
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, J50, J6, etc.

Post by PGBerrie »

It's a long time since my last post, but I spent most of my time last year downsizing flats - although I kept my cellar, so did not have to downsize the layout.

Last weekend was the 25th Anniversary of our interest group "N'ler in Dreilandereck" (where Switzerland, Germany and France meet) and we celebrated by having a two day running session. I counted around 50 m of modules, with a running length of over 70 m. Here are a couple of pictures (sorry about the quality):
WP_20191013_005.jpg
Here's Mallard running wrong line (engineering work further up the line?) with my Minitrix Gresleys. I don't know whether teak is too late for the early BR totem, but who cares! The model is a limited edition Modelbahn Union commission from Dapol and runs very well.
WP_20191013_006.jpg
Here's a Farish J39 pulling Minitrix wagons. It did very well - over 20 without slipping. I also noticed that the vacuum pipes have not been fitted, so this is my next to-do.
WP_20191013_009.jpg
J50 with part of my coal train - I was not sure how it would run with DG couplings as there were a lot of large gaps between the modules further up the line. It ran OK, especially after a couple of the wagons were treated with a magic teflon-containing oil.
WP_20191013_011.jpg
Finally a D11 with the Gresley coaches. I built this around 30 years ago - it's a GEM kit on a Farish 2P chassis with front bogie from some German Minitrix loco - don't ask me which, it's a long time ago. This had not moved for five or more years but, surprisingly, ran very well. Due to my cackhandedness it always had very tight tender wheels which limited it's pulling power. At the weekend it had no problems with 6 coaches and with a bit of magic oil, who knows. One day I might get around to adding the name!
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, Where's Wally

Post by PGBerrie »

The lockdown has finally forced me to do something model railway-like. I decided to go into the cellar hunt for my layout, which got buried during downsizing and module building - it's under here somewhere:
Cellar chaos
Cellar chaos
A couple of hours later I found the large fiddle yard:
P4212507.JPG
Followed by the small fiddle yard:
P4212512.JPG
Let's see what I find next!
Peter
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, J50, J6, etc.

Post by PGBerrie »

I got sidetracked building a new controller, but better late than never!
Here's what comes after the big fiddle yard:
Station Approach East.jpg
Or looking from the other direction:
Station Approach East 1.jpg
The main station building, roughly based on Halifax:
Station Building.jpg
G Woolhouse and Sons Engineering Works (I never got around to putting the name on the building). In the background is the Printer's Devil pub and the printing works (must put the chimney properly on its base):
G Woolhouse and Sons.jpg
More later.
Peter
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, 25T Covered Bogie Van

Post by PGBerrie »

Another year gone with virtually nothing done except the greening of half my modular fiddle yard. At the moment I've got the modelling bug again, after nearly buying a secondhand GF O6 that was to have donated it's chassis to my Foxhunter O4 kit. Unfortunately, the dealer could not find it, so as compensation I bought three of these:
Graham Farish 25T NE Covered Bogie Van 1.jpg
I have decided to lower the body, move the bogies and change the wheels. I have a drawing (Roche), but before I start I need a good photo. I don't have Tatlow and the RCTS one I found is an end view.

Can anyone help? I need to know more about the underframe. Photos of models or links to them very welcome.

Peter
jwealleans
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, J50, J6, etc.

Post by jwealleans »

Last one I built is here, if it's of use.
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, 25T Covered Bogie Van

Post by PGBerrie »

Excellent, especially the photo of the underside of the van. The drawing has a V hanger on the left between the truss and the stirrup, but I'll leave that out and try to do it as you have done.

Peter
PGBerrie
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Re: My Q&D N gauge desktop, 25T Covered Bogie Wagon

Post by PGBerrie »

I saw that Rob Pulham has also just built one of these, which also helped. Here's the first attempt, not quite complete and with quite a learning curve.
Graham Farish 25T NE Covered Bogie Van 3.jpg
Still to add the braces on the side as well as the stirrups. I'm not sure about handles. I'm also thinking about adding vacuum pipes. One thing I'm not 100% happy about are the truss rods. At 0.6 mm they are probably too thick for N gauge, but I could find nothing on the web about how thick they actually were. I'm sure someone here can answer that. I also left out the double ones as they foul the bogies, but I have two more of these to convert and will try with thinner wire.

I decided to leave one with faded NE markings (above). The others I'll do in BR bauxite and maybe departmental black.

Peter
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