Dad-1's April 2015 Challenge Thread

[skyblue]

That reminds me - I must get some of those at York on Saturday. The Lowmacs are coming along nicely. Have you decided on loads? I know you mentioned farm machinery earlier but have you decided how you'll fix/mount it on the wagon?

[Dad-1]

Hi skyblue,

I'm now contemplating two tractors on the one wagon. Currently I'm thinking of
drilling out the centre of a few of the moulded on anchor rings. using a fine thread
glued on the underside. I can see no reason why such a load would be sheeted. There
are small curved cowlings by each ramp & they look like a cable cover, did these have
a winch under each end to help drag loads on ? If not why are they there ??

I don't have any good pictures of Lowmacs & certainly none of the 14 ton variant
these kits represent. I'm in a quandry as to what colour to paint. Either overall grey,
or grey with a black underframe - I may do one of each, then at least one should be
correct !! All timber decking will be, well a sort of dirty timber colour, whatever that
will be.

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

I've drilled out all 12 of the anchors and found some Barbour waxed linnen thread.
Not certain yet, but this is the way it's heading.





I'll probably order 2 tractors tonight with a few more bits & pieces. This one has lost
it's steering wheel. I know where it is, but currently can't be bothered to sort through
the box it's fallen into.

Geoff T.

[carnehan]

Having had a quick look online it would seem that lowmacs had a range of colours albeit these aren't your 14 ton version. Is it to much of a stretch to assume that the variants would have similar paint schemes? I particularity like the off white or pale blue colour schemes. Whatever your choice they all seem to have plenty of rust too!

For a man who despises painting this will be the real challenge of your April entry. I like what you've done so far and the tractors will look great as loads.

Paul

[Dad-1]

Hi Carnehan,

Thanks for searching ....... mine will stay as they are with just the planking (most of the decking)
painted a timber colour.
As all my wagons have to work for their living I decided to fix couplings on tonight and have a running test. If they
didn't work they were no good to me. This video shows some of the test programme, later followed by pulling & pushing
another 8 wagons.

http://youtu.be/AKCQZnC9Tdc

I'm pleased and now will finish with some confidence they'll work under most conditions. A reason for testing apart from
checking they coupled up to a range of my stock was seeing how the 'fixed' small couplings behaved through pointwork.
I have glued NEM poskets in place on a small plasticard base so there is no articulation.

Not bad for day 1 !!

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

As a miserable old codger .... I'm not happy .... with my own work !!
There is no colour in the Humbrol range which I think suits what I want
so I often throw a few shades in a mixing bowl with additional matt varnish
to try & guess my way to what I want. This time it'snot worked well enough.



In addition I've put one buffer in and somethings wrong ..... with fine detail
of the kit. Probably me being far too fussy - again !! That buffer head can't
depress or it'll strike the loading extension. What is wrong ? should the buffers
be mounted lower ? ignoring the kit holes, or should the buffers on this Diagram
have cut off tops so they would clear as was used on a 21 ton Lowmac ??



Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Back - When the wife says dinner is ready, you move fast in this household !!
A check on Diagram 244 revealed a few pictures on the Paul Bartlett website, one of the best on-line
sources of colour wagon photographs. Such dedication deserves more than just the odd 'Thanks' !!

Anyway they were all newer photos and all in quite a dirty state. However the buffer heads were round,
so to get the look I want I've opened up the mounting holes & attaching buffers a mm, or thereabouts
lower and the wagon ends look much better for it - O.K they are now probably that mm lower than other
wagons in a rake, but as the couplings keep them well away from each other I don't think it'll show. Shame
about the one that was fitted high - suppose I'll have to try & pull off ........

The colours are still unspecified, but as they were unfitted I've gone with grey. I suppose they were retro-fitted
with through air pipes quite early on, but I'll need to find where I can source them. Perhaps retro-fit as prototype.
Dapol show a yellow brake lever ? Very odd the only Lowfit photos I've seen offer the usual black with white handle
which is what I'll do. Dapol also suggest a yellow flash for roller bearing axle box caps ? I might do that and then
swamp with rail grime ?? Oh painting is such a drag !!!

Geoff T.

[Admin4]

i like the use of thread to tie it down.

have a sherman tank project on the go which i want to chain down but the thread looks really effective and will be easier to install

[dougalmac2]

Like the way this is going.

As to the weathered worn wood - I was discussing this with a local model shop owner and we agreed colours like this can be very subjective, and when I was doing old wood I ended up with a very light grey, weathered lightly with green and brown.

Mac

[Dad-1]

No more for a while.
I've painted the black stencil patches with Humbrol gloss black & that won't be dry until
tomorrow and I shall be out all day running the clubs layout at Sherbourne.
Just noticed a lucky streak coming from a Dapol error, in that I have 3 decal sheets. One
kit came with a single decal sheet, the other had two, the reason they only printed one
decal 'LOWMAC EK' and to provide the two required put in two decals sheets. What this
allows me to do is make one with their planned number B905021, then using the two spare
numbers re-arrange to make the other B905050. There were only 52 of these 14 ton wagons
with numbers from B905020 to B905071 inc.

I'll get back to this as & when

Alex3410 the only problem with thread is tensioning to secure the load. Having drilled holes
I intend cyno glue to secure one end then tension, adding glue on the second hole while pulling
to tension. Each tractor will be held by 3 loops.

Geoff T

[Dad-1]

Hi dougalmac2,

Thanks for the comment.

Not only subjective to each persons 'eye', but older worn wood takes on such a wide range of
colours. Heavily into greys as you say, but wagons like these had been creosote treated & that
almost certainly adds a chocolate tinge - the part I feel I've missed.
I do have a couple more washes to go on later and try to add a rust colour to anchoring rings,
as well as track dirt and soot in the washes.
I just live in hope !!

Geoff T.

[carnehan]

Is the wood all a little too clean cut? The timbers are all very uniform and don't look as if they have had a days work in them. Would roughing up the edges and highlighting the grains enhance it in any way?

Paul

[Dad-1]

Hi carnehan,

I don't think you can 'see' the floor timbers in Paul Bartletts pictures, all so covered in crap.
Not certain they did get too roughed up as they were drive on wagons that were quite close
coupled and you could drive down a few wagons without having to "Mind the Gap" unlike
these models that have the standard far too wide a spacing, but then real railways don't have
1st radius curves !!

Geoff T.

[carnehan]

Yes, I think you are right. I had a look at the photos and a couple of the b/w show quite clearly that the boards remain in pretty good condition. It looks like it will come down to the additional weathering you want to carry out to indicate the variations of shade the timbers have.

I will step back and stop meddling.

Paul

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Cor, didn't realise everyone had started their April competition builds - now catching up with your progress
You're doing a fantastic job there Geoff - makes me want a lowmac wagon now . The 'rope' holding the tractor in place looks particularly good