Cattle Dock Part VI

So painted today and weathered tonight.  Not particularly happy with the gates - slab timber ones for those curious - but not sure what to do about them.  May revisit them if they bug me enough once the cattle dock is in place on Swallow's End.  The cows in the pictures are just for show - I am planning on leaving it empty as with green diesels and 108s operating, the likelihood of cattle being shipped is slim I think.  Certainly not a regular occurrence.

All up it has taken about 40 hours to get this far - and 7 drill bits!  The annoying thing about the drill bits is the first one got me through 10 of the 26 posts - and bit number 6 broke with only 3 holes to go.  Still, that I guess is the price you pay for a) working late at night when you should be in bed and b) hurrying too much and applying too much downward force on your pin vice.

Next project is to do something about the fodder and straw store which seems to have been a feature next to a lot of cattle docks.

Land side

Rail side

Cattle Dock Part V

A little while back I posted that replacement drill bits had arrived so work could continue on the cattle dock.  As it turned out, these (at 0.2mm) were a bit too fine for use with a pin vice so I had another look at the collection of fine drill bits I have from Shesto Tools (who very kindly offer a discount to 2mm Members - have a look in the Members only section (or join up to get access to this part of the website) for the code) and found that while some were a little larger than I needed (i.e. 0.35mm for a 0.2mm bit of wire) they would at least allow work to continue while the real replacements came from the original supplier.

After a couple of days on and off at it (and while on school holidays for a week leading up to Easter) I have finally finished with the drilling of the little holes and wired it all up.  The gates still haven't been done but I have decided to fabricate them out of off cuts of etch and then put them over the wires to allow for the continuation and strength of it all.

The photos below were taken tonight - poor light at 11.15pm so I apologise for the quality - before I had given it all a clean.  That will happen, along with some painting and the gates, over the weekend - with the various holidays for Easter and ANZAC Day, I don't have to be back at work until Wednesday and SWMBOs job list is pretty much knocked over.  So better photos probably Saturday and painting and whatnot on Sunday/Monday.  Then there is the fodder shed to build...

PS - remember to have a look at Missy's effort on the RMWeb showcase here as this is what inspired it.  Mine isn't as neat (nor as grotty yet) but for a first up scratch build (ok, I didn't scribe the stone work nor the flags) I am pretty happy with myself!

Birthday loot

I officially started down the other side of the hill today (assuming three score and ten), turning 36.  The loot included the latest collection of PoWs from the Darling Daughters (now out to 24 multi coloured wagons in the train which they think is very impressive) and, courtesy of DD1 wanting to "give daddy a steam engine" 61139 has joined the stud.  Mind you, since SWMBO thinks presents should be surprises, I had to provide the DD's with a choice - 61139, the black Std 3 tank or the Peco 2251 in GWR green were their options which the B1 winning the vote.  Currently doing laps of the Kato track running in (and commencing to wear out!) and going very nicely.  Thanks girls (and Amity for organising - how many other wives have their own login at Hatton's I wonder??).

Weathering Wagons

A week or so back I posted about almost finishing two W&U trains and mentioned that the 16 tonners for The Last Tram needed to be weathered.  Tonight they were.  The one of the right is to demonstrate the before look (obviously!) while the one on the left was done using my preferred Tamiya stuff - in this case the B pack.  I am pretty sure they were empty on the last run from Upwell to Wisbech and as such the interior probably needs a bit more - presently it can best be described as grime but I am thinking of doing some shiny bits by dry brushing some silver then weathering again - coal having scrapped the bottom/sides as it was emptied for the last time.  Good idea or not?  Would love to hear some thoughts either as comments or via email.

Friday Night Update - 8 April

Work has got in the road of trains this week but I have managed to get a bit more painting done on the LNWR signal box.  The photos below were taken to enlarge and see where bits needed tweaking but I thought I would share them just for fun.  Still haven't done the interior.



Wisbech & Upwell Progress

I seem to have managed to get some mojo going since Thursday.  I did manage to get the outstanding chassis for the Fruit Van's built and this, together with finding some Humbrol 21 still in working order (gloss black rather than matt - but some matt varnish will soon fix that) I got stuck in with painting and, today while watching Amity's team get a trashing in Melbourne, I got the skirts on D2201.  I even managed to get some photos so...

 The Last Tram.  The W&U closed with the last train on Friday 20 May 1966.  This consisted of D2201, three 16t mineral wagons, and for reasons I don't understand a SR brake van.  My unfinished rendition is seen above.  D2201 needs the 01, the brake van needs transfers (and some painting to be finished along with vents and a chimney) and the whole needs couplings and weathering - especially those wagons!!!!

The Fruit Van train.  Currently it also needs couplings and weathering.  The brake van is a Minitrix one (standing in for the unbuilt LNER Toad E kit I have in the to do box) and the 04 at the front is in fact Mavis rather than 11102 - which is awaiting the fitting of skirts and what not.  This may happen later this evening as it isn't a particularly hard chore.

So a little over a year since the W&U etches arrived from Darkest Essex two trains of the 6 Amity and I plan on modelling are almost complete, ironically neither requiring any of the etches.  However stay tuned...