Mountain's Competition Entry for 2018.

[Mountain]

A colour test. A brief paint of the body to test if black looks OK for the fleet of waggons. (Just a rough colour test).

[TimberSurf]

I don't approve
Just my opinion, but I just can't imagine them being black?
NG never seem to put out posh liveries on goods/mineral wagons, should it not just be plain wood?

[Mountain]

I've had an idea... See what you think. The "Distressed" look which one gets when painting wooden waggons and one gets a fingerprint or two on them. (Or around 50+ fingerprints! ). Any good?

[roganty]

I've had an idea... See what you think. The "Distressed" look which one gets when painting wooden waggons and one gets a fingerprint or two on them. (Or around 50+ fingerprints! ). Any good?

Looking good, but by the time you've handled 11 wagons you won't need to paint the last one

An idea might be to give them a light going over with sandpaper, or if the paint is still green dabbing them with newspaper should produce the same effect.

[Mountain]

Haha. Thanks Roganty. I was thinking along the lines of just dipping my fingers in the paint tin!
The wood showing through is where the paint stuck more to my fingers then it did to the wood. It gave a very pleasing effect which if I tried a different material I dont think it would give the same effect.

[Mountain]

Also making more of the little waggons!

[Mountain]

A few more waggons up on their wheels along with a lowered Smallbrook Studio waggon. (Lowered as in smaller 10.5mm wheels with axlebox assembly made from the same castings used on these other waggons, except the castings were cut to extend the wheelbase).

[Mountain]

Waggon bodies painted and the axleboxes filled in with modelling clay where I'd drilled to fit the top hat bearings. Also lead weight added. Progress!

[Mountain]

Just a quick update. While I've been spending time on the diesel, I've also not forgotten the waggons. I've painted the frames of the chassis in a slightly different shade of nearly black. They actually look good. Will have to take better pictures of them in lighter conditions.

[Mountain]

Buffers and the collars now fitted. Will need to make coupling loops again. The buffers are made from drawing pins and the collars are made from thin straw which came from a GT85 spray oil can. While easy to make, they are time consuming to make twelve of the things. I cut eighteen collars to make sure I ended up with enough as they were pinging off in all directions .
Just to say that the buffers have not been glued into position as yet as it is easier to leave them a push fit until after the loops are produced and fitted.
The loco is my loco number 2 which has retained its tension lock loops for now as some of my rolling stock still have tension lock couplings. One of those jobs that I've yet to finish one of these days!

[Mountain]

Also I have another six bodies painted up waiting for me to sand down some more resin chassis frames which I had cast a while ago. I have to say I'm impressed with the way that these have turned out. Twelve waggons from a single pack of farmyard boxes.
I will show pictures of the entire process to recap, from the resin casting done earlier (Before the competition started) to the almost finished waggons.

[Mountain]

I bit more work done. Four extra waggons now have underframes, wheels and weight added. I've also numbered these waggons along with three waggons I'd previously made with metal underframes and rusty metal bodies. I've tried to make the numbers look realistic by giving them the hand painted and weathered look.

[Mountain]

A few more pics. Hopefully the numbers will be visible on the things!

[Mountain]

Part of my waggon fleet has surplus waggons which can be commandeered into use for other purposes. One such waggon is this one. It was origionally built to try the concept of the H chassis design which after drilling axle holes which didnt align, were remedied by drilling much larger axle holes and introducing a spring for suspension. The first photo shows the waggon with its origional body which is listing as the spring needs adjusting. The other three waggons built to the same chassis design are a flat waggon and two slate type carriers which can double up for other uses. Only the open waggon was spare as its body wasn't really weird enough compared to the more generous carrying capacities of the newer built waggons.
Its new use converted a barrel carrier is very much more suitable and fills a gap in finding a suitable waggon dedicated for this use. (The barrel found its way into my collection via a child's toy one of my nephews and nieces didnt play with. It is just the right size and scale).
I've yet to finish the painting, add buffers and coupling loops to this model.

[Mountain]

While touching up the paint, it was decided the upright end pieces of the old body were no longer needed so they were removed and the body was given a thin wash of rescued grey paint. (Rescued as in paint thinner applied to drying out grey paint in the little paint tin). Another coat of paint is yet to be applied and will be done.
I may put little dampers on the suspension so it does not rock and roll so much. See how it behaves in traffic when loaded. Also will repaint the barrel to make it fit in better with its new setting.