O9 4-Wheel Coach using kit coach Sides

 

The coach numbered "6" just about finished.

Just built (Dec. 2021) is this 4-wheel coach using the coach sides from the kit below, it's a saloon seating 5 passengers and is modelled narrower at 27mm, perhaps more prototypically than the earlier coaches I built.  Coach ends are made of Wills 4mm Sheet & Batten Roofing sheet.  It runs on an old Egger 4w chassis as I thought this would better deal with the sharp 8 and 9 inch radius curves as it has swivel wheel "bogies".

The 1/45th Minicraft kit that the coach sides came from.

The fret containing the coach side mouldings, they are well-detailed, even with the interior panels moulded.  The kit contains three complete coaches (including seats) plus the loco and display track.  To make them into O9 vehicles, a 009 chassis would be needed and they would have to be narrowed.  Many cuts have been made to make the small 4w coach, but I hope to make a couple of short bogie vehicles too.

The coach in the "paint shop".

A photo of the new loco and coach No.6.

The coach can seat 5 at a push, on a transverse seat across the end, a 2-person side seat, and on the opposite side near the door a single person side seat.

O9 Dapol Pug "bash" - 2

 Dapol Pug conversion

A photo of the model with most of the painting done.  Painted using Revell 350 satin dark blue, and also Revell Matt 9 charcoal.  One or two little touches required, plus a driver and name plates which I have to order.

After years of painting using Humbrol enamels, I am now taking to Revell.  I am finding Humbrol colours inconsistent recently, some of which won't even dry for three days, and also some of the tin lids do not even fit correctly and fall open.

O9 Dapol Pug "bash" - 1

 Dapol Pug conversion

I decided to try an old technique of making an O9 scale tramway locomotive using the Dapol Kitmaster "Pug" as a basis.  Here is the basic body using the tank/boiler and footplate from the plastic kit, a resin chimney, and a cab and skirts from (mainly 1mm) plasticard.  Other small parts of the kit were also used.  The footplate was cut so that it would fit a Kato 11-103 chassis, as I have a couple in stock.

A pre-curved aluminium roof was exchanged for the original plastic one fitted, which flattened on the back edge.  Here is the loco now in primer.  

The general size and shape matches the Shapeways/Tebee 3D prints that were completed earlier.  

O9 Work on the Works - 2

Work on the Works - 2 

"Drake" is seen passing the works yard.  The buildings and water tower are all now fixed down, a yard gate has also been made, and also a diesel pump for fuel which was added to the old Hornby tank wagon.

We use the tall 5 - 7" Woodland Scenics Tree Armatures for small moorland trees, however for O gauge they really do not have enough branches.  I thought about extending each branch if I could.  I used some green garden twine cut into short lengths and untwisted the very end of each section to five me 3 or 4 extra branches.   They were glued to each and every branch of the armature with UHU.  When dry, I stiffened them with p.v.a. with a little acrylic black paint added, which also helps to tone them down.  Then I added the foliage.  

The result is a much fuller looking tree.

The only place to install a platform was the outside of the 

right-hand end.  A curved 6mm high platform made of ply-wood was cut to the same profile as the track curve and some "stone" card glued around the edge.  A short length of rustic fencing was added (made by Renedra No. RN14, grey) and a simple shelter.  The shelter has a shell of 5mm foamboard with Slaters large stone courses added and a roof using Wills Corrugated Asbestos.  A wooden bench was also made with plasticard for luxurious seating.

A small station nameboard needs to be added.

I will have to find what small details I have in stock to place around the layout as the yard especially needs some railway junk.   

Books on the Minimum Gauge

Is it me? Or are there fewer books on the narrow gauge being published in recent years?  I much prefer to sit down with a good book than to sit there on the computer or laptop trying to read detailed information.

I thought that I had very few books on the 15" (or 18"), but a look through my bookcase has un-earthed quite a few, some now a few years old, so I took photos of them in an attempt to summarise them for this blog:- 

The first selection shows a wonderful book on the Fairbourne Miniature Railway: 

"Rails through the Sand", W.J.Milner, H/B, 270 pages, with b/w photographs, a full history on the 15" gauge era. 1996

"The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway" Railway World Special, P/B, 48 pages, b/w, short pictorial history. 1985

"A History of the Bure Valley Railway", A Vaughan, P/B, approx. 110 pages, colour and b/w photographs. 2000

"Rails to Jaywick Sands", I Banks, P/B, 40 pages, b/w, a lovely little history of this unique 18" gauge seaside line. 1988

"Sian and Katie" - The Twining Sisters" S Buck, P/B, 32 pages, b/w and colour. 1995. 

 

Selection two includes the definitive history on Sir Arthur Heywood.

"Sir Arthur Heywood and the Fifteen Inch Gauge Railway", 

M Smithers, H/B, 178 pages, b/w, detailed history, 1995.

"The Ratty Album - Volume 1", S Jenkins & D Jenner, P/B, 74 pages, historical b/w pictures of the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway", 2002.

"The Ratty Album - Volume 2 - The Ferreira Years", D Jenner & A Smith, P/B, 74 pages, historical b/w pictures of the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway", 2003.

"The Fairbourne Railway", P/B, 28 pages, b/w, short history, no date, but 1960's.

"One Man's Railway", J B Snell, H/B, 128 pages, b/w, the story of the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway and one of my favourite books, 1993.

"Romneyrail", V Mitchell & K Smith, H/B, 96 pages, b/w, pictorial. 1999.

"Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway - in colour", D Smith, H/B, 64 pages, pictorial, good colour photographs. 1993.

"Ratty", W. McGowan Gradon, P/B, 50 pages, b/w, a nice history of the line. 1997. 

"Britain's 15-inch gauge Railways - Duffield Bank to Perrygrove", 

D R Jones, P/B, 192 pages, colour, a comprehensive survey of 15" gauge in Britain, history, descriptions, locos and stock. 2013.

"The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway", W.J.K. Davies, H/B, 216 pages, b/w, complete history. 1988 edition.

This selection features two volumes containing old picture postcards, with some of my favourite images.  I think simply because they are photographed by many non-railway enthusiasts.  With generally good quality cameras for the time, they feature unique and sometimes run-down railways, many in a scenic, or even quaint, setting.

"A Survey of Seaside Miniature Railways", D.J.Croft, P/B, 136 pages, b/w, another comprehensive survey book of all small gauges, maps, historic photos and history's. 1992.

"British Miniature Railways", N.R. Knight, H/B, 176 pages, photos with short history and descriptions of the lines.  The first chapter is on the 15". 1999.

"Narrow Gauge and Miniature Railways from old picture postcards". A Neale, P/B, 60 pages, b/w, pictorial with descriptions. 1986.

"Steam on Britain's Miniature Railways", R. Butterell, H/B, 96 pages, b/w, pictorial - good images. 1976.

"The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway - A journey through historic postcards", D Jenner, A Smith, P van Zeller, P/B, 88 pages, b/w, pictorial postcards with descriptions. 1991.

"Ratty's 100", D. Ferreira, P/B, 72 pages, b/w, historic pictorial. 1976.

"The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway", W.J.K. Davies, H/B, 205 pages, b/w, full history. 1981 edition.

"Romney Remembered", L Jacques, J Emmins, RH&DR Assoc., P/B, 118 pages, b/w and colour. 75th anniversary compilation.

"Narrow Gauge Railways - England and the Fifteen Inch", 

H Household, H/B, 176 pages, b/w, general histories of lines. 1989.

"18 Inch Gauge Steam Railways", M Smithers, H/B, 176 pages, b/w, detailed, well illustrated history. 1993.

"Fifteen Inch Gauge Railways", D Mosley & P van Zeller, H/B, 96 pages, b/w, Illustrated History, locos, stock and equipment. 1986.

"A Single to the Seashore", L Little, NGRS, P/B, 50 pages, b/w, a history of this unique 18" line. No date.

"Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway", W.J.K. Davies, P/B, 160 pages, b/w, full history, a re-issue of the book in the previous selection. 2000.

 

 

Work on the "Works"

 A bit of work has been done on "Pye Rigg Works".  It will be a ramshackle group of buildings near a farm on the North York Moors where the 15" gauge stock are maintained for the Penny Howe and Peak Light Railway.

A low group of rocks made with cork bark and a mix of sawdust, p.v.a., acrylic paint and lightweight filler are added to the left hand scenic side.

Colouring with acrylic paints.

A modified 00 Dapol Water Tower, which has thicker and taller support columns, a new 7mm scale ladder, and larger inspection hatch.

Today I've been playing around with the arrangement of the buildings.  The rocks have received some greenery, the water tower has been painted.  A grounded van "storage shed" has been added along with a coal bunker and diesel oil tank from an old Hornby tank wagon.  The Invertrain resin kits have been painted, and the mdf maintenance shed made earlier in the year is on the right. 

40 Years of Narrow Gauge Modelling

 

40 Years Narrow Gauge Modelling 

It occurred to me recently that I have been modelling exactly 40 years - since1981.  I had actually started to model narrow gauge (H0e) when I was around 14 years old, but that all failed - within a few months!  My layouts have been in 009 scale up until 2015, when I felt the need to model in a larger scale - Gn15 then later, O9.  Here is a picture of each layout, they are all shapes and sizes, some are micro's and some are modules that I made for the Norfolk 009 Group projects.

1982 - 1986:  "Tregony & Newbridge Railway" (Mk.1).  My first successful layout, a static 7ft x 4ft layout with a "U" shaped track plan.

"Pinnock". A home layout to test sharp curves, it was 5ft x 15".

1988 >.  "Tregony & Newbridge Railway" (Mk2).  Another static home layout, it was 8ft x 2ft with an involuted track plan and several levels.

1991>.  "Newlyn", a 42" x 18" module built for the Norfolk 009 Group.  Several modules could be joined together as the ends and track had common measurements.

1992>. "Goldoch".  A 2ft x 2ft corner module based on Dolgoch, built for the Norfolk 009 Group.

1993>. "Whitemoor Junction", another module 48" x 18" for the Norfolk 009 Group project.  This had a village street, rocky gorge, passenger station, engine shed and carriage shed, but did not look cramped.

1995>. "Scronkey/Lakeside".  A two-sided module 42" x 18" built for the Norfolk 009 Group project.

"Church End" an end module 18" x 18" built by us, but owned by George Gleadhill. 

2000> "Castleby", a 3ft x 1ft module for the Norfolk 009 Project (Mk.2)

2000 and 2002 >  Originally called "Cruk Bridge" but scenery was re-modelled and re-named "Kirk Tor" in 2001. A 3ft x 1ft module for the Norfolk 009 Project (Mk.2).

2002> " Fotherbrook", when Norfolk Group member Ray Fothergill became ill, he asked us to build his module, and Fotherbrook was the result. 3ft x 1ft module.

2001> "Grumblewick Coombe". A layout for a Chelmsford exhibition competition which had to be A3 paper size. We were honoured to win competition.

2002> "Sampson Vale" another layout for a Chelmsford exhibition competition which had to be in the space of 30" x 20", it was two-sided.  We came second in the competition that year.

2002> "Carne" the first exhibition layout to be built and run with my wife. 7ft x 3ft.

2006> "The Whitsend Tramway",  based on North Yorkshire coast scenery, the layout was 9ft 9" x 23"

2009> After being given a lovely little baseboard, we built this 27" x 14" layout named "Hawkins Tower" - an old Victorian Park scene.

2009> "Fotherham", a shelf layout 54" by just 7" wide.

2010> "Nibley Knoll", a table top layout on two levels, 38" x 26".

2014> "Raven Gill".  Built for a Norfolk & Suffolk Narrow Gauge Modellers Group Challenge and based on an earlier layout "Grumblewick Coombe".  

19" x 17". Challenge winner.

2015> "Ellerbank", 48" x 9" approx. A riverside station scene.

All layouts so far were in 009 scale, but around 2016 I tried a new much larger scale: Gn15, 1:24 scale, 15" gauge:-

2016>  4ft x 1ft operating diorama "Longstone Maintenance Shed", a test piece in Gn15 scale, using Smallbrook Studio loco kits.

2017> "Longstone", the Gn15 exhibition layout, it was 7ft 6" x 3ft 3" with three scenes,  village, upland scene with bridge over a beck, and a mill.

2018>  Returning to 009 scale for a while here are three pictures of " Shortwaite Hill", inspired by a Cyril Freezer design.  The layout is 44" x 24". 

Looking for a new challenge, and finding it a really nice scale, I started modelling in O9, being 7mm scale, 15" gauge:-

2019> To get used to "O9" scale I built this operating diorama in a drawer.  The scenic area was just 20" x 4.5".

2020>  The latest project (at the time of writing), an O9 scale exhibition layout "Raven Hill", it is 7ft 2" x 20".

I am hoping very much to continue with this scale, and another O9 project is being built, a table-top sized layout.

All the above layouts were built for me to run, all 24 of them.  Many of them were dismantled after I got tired of them, with some of the buildings kept plus all details, figures etc. for later layouts.  Some were sold on and are still used or exhibited.  There were a few we built that were for other people, either being requested, or for re-sale: 

 

1996> "Ty-Morau" - 009. This was a unique revolving layout with automated train control featuring three seasonal scenes, a village scene in summer, a canal scene in the autumn, and a hillside mine in winter.  The baseboard and it's drive was built by another Norfolk Group member, we built the scenery. 3ft diameter.

2015> "Chapel Hill" - 009.  Built for a customer. 3ft 3" x 20".

2019> "Newby" - 009.  Built for a customer. 4ft x 1ft.

2019> "Eastfield - 009.  Built for a customer.  3ft 6" x 20" approx.

2019> "Roxby" - 009.  Built for a customer.  3ft 6" x 20" approx.