Back to Basics with Blink Bonny!

[Blink Bonny]

Actually, the N15 is from the same collection as Jonathan’s F4 (West End thread). I don’t know whether the same paint was used, though think it's likely. If so, it could be a useful comparison between chemicals.

The loco's looking good now, fine work BB! (You wouldn't care to have a go at the 144 others left in the collection would you?)

Simon, if you're serious about this then yes I would! Talk to me....

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

I'm currently waiting for paint to dry / harden so I thought I'd do a loco chassis and the next is one of the most maligned chassis ever produced - Mainline. Our "mule" is this very early 4MT, possibly dating from the late 1970s.

All the body needed was a good dust. The tender could do with an even better dust!!!

The body on most Mainline locos is held on with two crosshead screws, front and rear, and the body just lifts off. It may need "persuasion" - my Collett Goods has a very tight fitting body indeed. The exception is "mission Impossible" - the J72. This miracle of packaging needs two crosshead screws removing from front and rear couplings then the body rear easing over the tongues protuding through the rear bufferbeam.

First job is to dribble some oil down the axle bearings. Ease the wheels to one side and this will reveal the axle journal. One drop on each is plenty.

The biggest cause of problems with these chassis is corrosion of the faceplate screws. These are of brass, in a Mazac block so, over the years, bi-metallic corrosion can set in. This was the case with this chassis. Simply put your finger on the silvery strips and, using a fine screwdriver, Loosen off then tighten the screws again. Be careful not to over tighten them. The mazac thread will have corroded more than the brass screw and will strip easily.

A tiny trace of oil on the bearing in the middle of the faceplate. Too much and the commutator inside could be contaminated and this could lead to the destruction of the armature and replacements are not available If in doubt. get in touch with your local model shop or, if all else fails, little me.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up[!

Mainline Chassis Part the Second!

Next up is the rear bearing. The tiniest drop of oil in here. If you contaminate the windings which are right behind the gear with oil, you will wreck it. Also a trace of oil on the gear teeth. Again, very little lest you contaminate the windings.

A good drop of oil on here and we are almost finished.

Put the body back on then lubricate the valve gear very lightly. Not too much as oil can get everywhere and will ruin a weathered finish especially.

Your Mainline loco should now run well, if a little noisily compared to more recent offerings.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

B2B returns.

Well, it will once I can get Mole End set up in the Garden.....

EDIT:

Need to complete the loco chassis thread 1st! Doh.....

[Iron Duke]

Welcome back BB.

[Saint Johnstoun]

If anybody wants a box of Mainline chassis bits for the cost of the postage please send me a PM!

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

I'm sure a few of us have bought those coaches that came with "Your Model Railway Village" or whatever it was called. Anyway, the coaches were fundamentally pretty good, if a little overscale in length! To improve them, merely add numbering. Here I am using the HMRS Pressfix transfers although waterslides are also available. Methfix are similar but need diluted meths to dissolve the gum.

Cut round the emblem, keeping fairly close to the outline. Press down just hard enough to go through the tissue top layer, but leaving the backing layer intact. Not the top of the transfer.

Take the transfer to the model on the tip of a blade. Ensuring that the top cut is at right angles to the vertical axis of the transfer which makes it easier to make sure the transfer is upright.

Use a stiff brush to dampen the transfer and dissolve the gum. The reason for the stiff brush will become apparent.

Please excuse the less than photogenic digit of BB! Press the transfer down firmly to bond the transfer to the model. Dampen again and leave for 30 seconds or so. Then.....

Slide the backing paper off. Leave for 5 mins or so for the gum to reharden. Surplus gum can then be removed with a damp cloth or one soaked in the meths solution if you're using methfix.

Numbers next.....

[Blink Bonny]

Cut as close as you can to the number, paying attention to the orientation. Note that a 6 is not an upside down 9 and the 8s and 0s are definitely "handed." Put the transfer on the model using the tip of the blade as before.

5 digit numbers are easier than 4 digit ones to place. Get the middle digit in the right place and the rest can be aligned on that. Adjust the position of the transfer with a screwdriver tip or cocktail stick. Then dampen, press, dampen and slide as before.

Leaving the transfers to dry before adding more is the key to success here. DO NOT RUSH!

The 5 in place with the Regional prefix - in this case I'd chosen M prefix Nos.

Now the stiff brush? This is where you need it.

Those steps would prevent fingers from pressing the transfer down. So use the stiff brush to do this. It works, believe me. You can buy suitable brushes from The Works (in GB) very cheaply. No good really for painting a model but excellent for this!

[Blink Bonny]

And finally!

On Mole End behind the NRM's 28xx. Someone must have snuck in a boiler overhaul while they weren't looking!

Incidentally, the brake behind is a Hornby RTR item. OK, the lining isn't quite on the same level but the profile and colours match well I think.

Loco numbers work in the same way but are rather easier being larger transfers. And loco numbers can be used for SR set numbers.

Have fun....

[mick b]

I find it much easier with HMRS sheets to remove the decal sheet from the backing sheet place back on the shiny non stick side with the decal then to the upside and the right war around. You can then cut from sheet as required using a Swan M blade without guessing which number etc you need to use.

[manna]

G'Day BB

Glad your back, feeling better, but did you have to darken these pages with a thing from the west

manna

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all
Thanks for illustrating the use of Pressfix transfers. I have always used Methfix, and perhaps a little nervous of using Pressfix. Now I have the details of how to use Pressfix, I shall happily use them if methfix are not available.
Earlswood nob

[strang steel]

Yes, I also have tried pressfix, but with variable success.

Single large items such as coach roundels and tender emblems are ok, but I find aligning individual small numbers precisely into a position (that is not only vertically and horizontally correct, but is also at the right spacing from the adjacent one), to be almost impossible when the backing paper tends to obscure the correct placement area.

I realise that you can see through the backing to some extent, but I find it really frustrating if one numeral is just fractionally mis-aligned compared to the others. Maybe I am just too critical?

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Yes, sorry about the Green, Wet and Rusty. Thought it'd make a change and stir up out Antipodean friends!

If the backing paper is just dampened, then the paper becomes more transparent, allowing better positioning. It is also worth dampening the surface of the model with saliva because this allows the transfer to slide on the surface but I did not find this necessary with these numbers. The other tip is to cut as close to the number as possible, keeping the cuts square to the item. Every little helps.

I've never got on with Methfix for some reason and dislike individual waterslides intensely. But the "made up" sets are pretty good I have to say.

[mick b]

They can be adjusted slightly with a wooden cocktail stick.