My Workbench - Potters Bar and South Mimms

[MikeTrice]

It is hard to tell from the photos but your attempts to remodel the joint at the corners of the rear windscreen and sides look pretty good. I for one would certainly appreciate a close up if you could manage it.

[Phil Brighton]

Mike,

Will give getting a close up a go as soon as I can but its all remasked now so I can varnish it when I get a spare moment.

I think how I have done the windows is an improvement on how it would normally be painted but the shape of the real back windows is really that the they are are a continuous wrap around. How you could achieve that with the mailcoach kit i dont know. Mine could be improved however if the bottom of the window on the sides was more curved.

[Phil Brighton]

Oh dear! The varnish has made the fox transfers crumple! I really hope this will be ok when it dries but it doesnt look like it.
Am using humbrol satin varnish from a spray can, its never reacted with anything before...

[Manxman1831]

Is it the spray varnish for ACRYLIC paints or ENAMEL? I think Fox are more preferable with the enamel one. I've had that sort of reaction before with my Reid-MacLeod, fortunately it is slab-sided and was easy enough to sand down and do again with the right varnish second time around.

[Phil Brighton]

I was acrylic varnish. will see if i can repair the damage without having to strip back but doubt it...

[jukebox]

Oh dear! The varnish has made the fox transfers crumple! I really hope this will be ok when it dries but it doesnt look like it.
Am using humbrol satin varnish from a spray can, its never reacted with anything before...

You might find it is the propellant. I had a similar issue with a spray can of Testors Dullcoate on some Fox coach lining - it puckered like a debutante when I tried to seal it on a coach side. Switched to the same stuff, but airbrushed - no issues.

[Phil Brighton]

Well the decals settled down after the varnish dried completely and with a couple of more coats don't look too bad.
I can live with it for now and if in the process of making the rest of the set I mess up more decals and need to buy another sheet from Fox I will redo the observation coach ones. Will pop up pics of this and a few other bits and bobs I have been working on as well when I can.

Am starting the 3rd/kitchen 3rd set and a clear photo of the side and the inside of these coaches would be very helpful. Anyone got ideas where these can be found?

[Phil Brighton]

Close up of the front as requested. The camera is not forgiving at this range! You can see how the front decal is a bit funny but the camera makes it look worse than in reality. Bought some Microsol and Microset now for the next set hopefully these will help.

[Phil Brighton]

Also a couple of vans and a brake van. The fruit van was one of two half built parkside wrecks off ebay. It came out quite well with one missing buffer being made from a large old lima buffer stuck in the mini drill and filed to a decent shape. It also needs its spoked wheels swapping for discs.

The brake van is the airfix/dapol kit converted to toad d as described in the David Adair book. Lovely kit to put together.

[Phil Brighton]

As you can see things have gone poorly with the observation coach...
Decided to fit Keen close coupling system to the rake and while this has proved relatively easy to do on the open 3rd/kitchen 3rd as I am making them, it caused for various dull reasons a need to cut the observation coach apart.

I am going to make sure there is a silver lining and going to detail the observation coach more, add in the handrails I forgot, do a bit of repainting.

I must admit I am finding the internal details of the coronation set a pain to pin down. Does anyone know if there are compartment partitions in the 3rd class coaches? I am sure I read there was a partiion every two sets of seats but can't remember where!

Finally a J50 in the process of being detailed, hopper bunker fitted and a Bachmann pannier chassis. I know the wheelbase is not correct but it improves the model immensely.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Is the J50 bod K's? In which case the body is underscale to begin with.

It doesn't look half bad - I did one a while back. Post a piccie when I get round to it...

[Phil Brighton]

No, its the body of a Lima J50, with wire handrails, new steps, hopper bunker, smokebox door handle and lamp irons added.
I am quite pleased with how it is looking so far. When the paint is dry I will pop it on its chassis and take another picture.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

My K's J50 on the Pannier chassis:

What ya think?

[Manxman1831]

Ay up!

My K's J50 on the Pannier chassis:

J50.JPG

What ya think?

Lovely looking machine

[Atlantic 3279]

I apologise if I'm repeating a previously answered question, being too lazy to find the original, but what are the Pannier wheelbase figures? I know what the J50 should be in the ideal world.