Garden Railway Forum

Looks great. Presumably, a timber frame and cladding mirrors how the originals were constructed.

Rik

Thanks Rik - yes indeed, they were surprisingly flimsy construction but it mirrored general coach-building of the time. Also explains why several were completely destroyed in fires.

Slow and steady wins the race (allegedly.) Rear cab is being built and I’ve made a test section of bodyside panelling. The tricky bit will be to get the tumblehome below the solebar right - some pre-scoring and strong glue / clamping should be adequate.

That's very impressive, I like it a lot!

Like it!

My ignorance of the prototype doesn't stop me seeing the craftsmanship you're putting into this.

Old Man Aaron wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 3:29 pm My ignorance of the prototype doesn't stop me seeing the craftsmanship you're putting into this.

That’s very kind, thank you

I’ve successfully attached the first piece of bodyside. Whilst superglue has proven plenty strong enough to secure the tumblehome to the sole bar without needing to score the rather thin ply sheet, the angle around the side corner of the cab proved too tight so I decided to cut it into two. As always, learning as I go along. The glazing will be interesting, as I’m minded to cut individual panes for each light to achieve a flush finish rather than the easier cop-out of glueing it to the inside which would look rather coarse. A steady patient hand and quite a few hours will be required I think!

Wow, that sounds fiddly to get all of the individual window panes in place... but I have noticed that coarseness in my own models, and I have no doubt it will be worth it!

A bit of progress including cab detail. The driver looks constipated so I might touch his face up, it’s not my strong suit

The driver looks constipated

Either that or he just drove through a red signal!
Grant.
PS figures and faces are not my strong point either.

LNR wrote: Thu Jun 27, 2024 1:25 am

The driver looks constipated

Either that or he just drove through a red signal!
Grant.
PS figures and faces are not my strong point either.

Get a female relative or friend to suggest some judicious make-up. Slightly rosy cheeks make quite a difference.

Rik

The photo of the railcar in your hand shows what a chunky beast it is (the railcar, not your hand...) - very impressive!

Various hiatuses (hiati?) and life events later, progress is steady if occasional. Bodyside panelling and most glazing is in place, a Swift Sixteen railcar motor bogie is mounted. Trailer bogie is a placeholder, I’ve got another SS unpowered example to assemble. Still need to finish the rear cab detail and cladding. Still pondering how best to construct the roof, any ideas?
Unfortunately due to severe storm damage earlier this year, the railway is basically semi-deconstructed at the moment - next door’s tree blew down and the uprooted roots took down our fence and the middle section of the line. Some heavy engineering repairs and rebuilding required which will probably be next spring although aiming to get the fence replaced this autumn.

I'd think plasticard/styrene would be the way to go on the roof, with a bit of filler on the panel joints.

Looks good! Sorry to hear about the railway..

Thanks Aaron, sorry for the slow reply. Yes it is frustrating about the tree and a somewhat down-heartening experience walking down the garden at the moment. Thanks for the suggestion re roof construction, I will definitely be looking into that option.

Railcar is now mounted on both its bogies, and both ends are streamlined with glazing and cab window surrounds still to add at the brake-van (no.2) end. I ended up repurposing a random plastic-framed bogie I’d inherited, with resin SS bogie frames cosmetically added, which meant I could avoid learning all the wrong ways to drill out resin axleboxes. Roof-aside this project is getting perilously close to actual successful completion and I’m now thinking about the battery-box assemblies for beneath the floor.
I think the centre-buffer suits the Swindon style!

I do love the front end profile. Well worth the extra effort it must have taken.
It's looking great!

Rik