Warehouse Wednesday: Glasgow Plumbers

Wandering around Glasgow a few weeks ago, I spotted this interesting, and to my mind, very modelable, plumbers yard. 

None of the buildings is remarkable, but that's no bad thing. The temptation to stick lots of unusual items, be it buildings, road vehicles, or items of rolling stock, is strong for most modellers, but needs to be resisted for a realistic scene. 

Despite the ordinary outline, modelling this requires some skill in the yard area. Lots of detail is required to bring the scene to life. There's quite a bit going on on the walls too, with both pipework and wiring to add texture to the model.

At the time, it reminded me of Iain Robinsons' sketch builders yard. Still one of my favourites.

Going quackers in May's BRM

 

I do get handed some odd projects for work. This time I found a duckpond kit handed to me, with the instruction to put it together. The result looks pretty, and could find itself used as an interesting little detail in a corner of a layout. The sort of thing normal people will get excited about, ignoring all your lovely trains!

There's also a quick platelayers hut build. A nice project for a few evenings, you get a result, without too much effort. 

 And finally, my camera has been pointed at the N gauge layout "Pothole City". 

Subscrbers will also recieve a link to our videos, my contribution being a little discussion on layout backscenes. 

NGRS haul

 

I like to play a game after a show - what would I have done differently if I'd been a millionaire? 

More often than not, the answer is "Not much", and that makes me feel good. The NRS is different though, there is soooo much temptation there. I mean, who wouldn't like to come home with a Garratt under their arm? 

As it was, I had to be fairly retrained. I've pointed out many times on here that I have more than enough projects knocking around, and don't need to add to the pile for a while. 

But, there is a Timpdon steam railmotor kit. This has been on the list since I first saw one last year. I love railcars, and this will be perfect for the club G1 layout, and anwhere where we need a quick train between the chuffers.

Strictly speaking this is a Garden Rail project, and so I'll be building and writing it up in the magazine in a couple of months time. 

A personal project is the Phil Sharples Hudswell Clarke Loco kit. This is a hangover from the last NGRS. Such an ugly loco surely has a place in my fleet. The only thing that stopped me was that Phil sold out of kits last year!

I think this is a Blog project, so watch this space, but don't hold your breath!

There are a few other goodies for the magazine too, but these will appear on the page in due course. 

National Garden Railway Show 2025

Three and a half hours work, and I'd built yet another garden at the Stoneleigh 16mm Association show. An extra three feet added to our display length allowed me a bit more flexibility with the track design. At least the 32mm gauge enjoyed some straights this time!

The trains ran pretty much flawlessly all day - working on the IP engineering coach seems to have solved the problem there. In fact, all the 32mm stuff worked well. 

On the 45mm, I tried the new Porter with some Hartland Loco works wagons, and found them less than reliable. It seems having a coupling hook on each end means they can shove each other off on the R1 curves. Should I remove the hooks? After all, they work fine on the more generous curves outside on my line. And I like the idea of two hooks for each coupling, less chance of unwanted uncoupling. 

My feeling is that the show wasn't as busy as previous years. The gaps semed to be local modellers. Everyone I talked to seemed to have travelled a distance. A friend on another stand had the same exprience. Where were the locals? 

It's a pity, because otherwise it was an excellent show. There were several layouts I'd never seen before. The trade was good too, I can't think of many who weren't there. 

Our stand was pleasently busy, with some subs sold, and lots of chat. I've, hopefully, inspired a few people to write for Garden Rail, on some very interesting topics. A fuller report will be in our June issue, complete with photos.

Saturday Film Club: This is York

All being well, I'll be spending this weekend in York, eating Yum-Yums, watching buskers, and perhaps popping in to the little model railway exhibition. So, let's enjoy some classic British Transport Films action from the days of steam.

Finished Mini

 

It's a Good Friday to show a finished project - in this case, the Mini. 

Sitting on my NG7 layout, it looks the part, although I've yet again failed to find a modern car, this is a 1991 model!. 

Somehow, the whole thing is a bit twisted, so I filed the bottom of the tyres hard to ensure it will sit flat on a road. Maybe the suspension is playing up on the car I've modelled...

Bearing in mind the "stick something together and get it down" criteria of this project, it's OK. On the layout, it doesn't look bad. Yes, with a lot more care and attention, I could have produced a better model, but that's not where my head is right now. I'm just happy to have completed something - and that's a win.

Windows in, brightwork on

 

I'll give Heller/Airfix this, the front and back windscreens, and single clear piece, are an excellent, postive, fit in the body. The sides aren't nearly as good. They fit, but don't slip into place in the same way. 

At the front, the headlights are great, but I sill can't work out if the inidicators are in back to front. They didn't seem to fit properly either way. 

For chrome, I've used Humbrol aluminium because it's the right colour, but not too shiny. Application looks a lot worse in the photos than in real life. I tried to dry-brush the radiator to avoid a solid lump of silver, and was only partially succesful. 

At the back, the light cluster is painted, and then stuck to a slightly flat area on the rump of the car. Again, no positive location, so much eyeballing, trying to get the spacing and height the same on both sides. 

At least the bumpers fit properly.

Inside the Mini

 

I feel cheated. Underneath the chassis on this kit is the word "Heller". Yes, this isn't a proper Airfix kit, it's from their French arm. Presumably this also explains the steering wheel being on the wrong side. 

Assembly isn't hard, except there isn't a positive location guide for the sides. Looking at the exploded diagram in the instructions doesn't help much either. The trick, as far as I can tell, is to set them so there is equal space around the wheels. Follow the pictures, and the rear wheels are partically covered. 

Oh, and as with pretty much every car kit I've ever built, the steering wheel is a pain to fit. Glue it in place, and prop the model up so gravity keeps it in place, instead of drooping down into the footwell. What can't kit designers put a longer stalk in these things so they stay put? 

Fitting in with the just sticking it together vibe, I might have painted the tyres anthracite, to contrast with the rest of the Humbrol black, but I can't be bothered to fill those gaps around the tyre, which appeared, no matter how hard I pushed the two halves together. Still, I doubt they will be visible when the body is on. 

Airfix Mini

This is to be a simple stick it togther job. Not a major project with lots of fiddling, just glue and basic paint. I bought the kit for hardly any money, and so if it all ends up in the bin, then so be it. 

I'd normally start a write-up with a photo of the kit, but if I did take one, it's lost in a folder on the computer. Not to worry, I always hate cleaning up the background on these shots anyway, so the pain can be restricted to publications paying me money.

The body is mostly a one-piece mouding with just the front and back to be attached. Part fit isn't bad, but I do wonder if they could have been included in the main body. Did the designer feel that this wouldn't be "kit" enough? To my eye, the shape appears really nice, and the detail has a finesse that diecast models lack.

Colour was decided by the handiness of an old can of Halfords ArtFix paint. Not in the current range, I thought a red colour car would be fun, and stuck the body on my painting stick with some Blu-Tack, then applied a few thin coats of paint. 

Initially, this looked like a bit of a disaster, there was a definite hint of orange peel to the finish, but overnight, this settled down to an acceptable semi-matt finish. Not perfectly smooth, but not bad enough for me to want to attack it with T-Cut. The lesson here, is not to panic I suppose. 

 

SWAG haul

 

Well, there was a second-hand stall, and funds from this help to support the event. Since we don't charge an admittance fee, someone has to help fill the coffers. 

The Peco book has been on the list for a while. I'm always interested in the wider aspects of parts of the hobby, and Peco do a good job with this sort of thing. For three quid, how can I go wrong? 

Fair Price is a brand I've looked at on eBay many times, and trying one of thier kits would make sense to me, possibly as a magazine project. 

Finally, a plastic kit wagon. I know I've got loads in my stash, but I thought I could perhaps just stick this one together as a blog piece. A bit of fun, with no great purpose in mind. 

Oh, and a Hornby Railroad Class 121 DMU. I've a soft spot for single-car units, and despite being in the cheaper range, this one looks pretty good to me. Some dangly bits on the buffer beam wouldn't go amiss, and dirt on the chassis and around the exhaust pipes. 

I think it might be fitted with a Ringfield motor too. If so, there is a remotoring kit looking for a suitable test piece in my magazine pile. 

Best of all, I can see me finding a use for this. A short halt-based layout perhaps. 

SWAG 2025

 

I've not been to the South West Area Group of RMweb's annual meeting for a couple of years, but happily accpeted the invite this time. And then a few months later, attendance became compulsory for me, to celebrate RMweb founder Andy York's life. 

We'd agreed this wasn't to be a solem occasion. We'd have a group of friends, some excellent model railways and fine pasties with cake. Exactly what he would have wanted. 

And that's what happened. The hall filled with small layouts, and then people. We all talked an awful lot. Many reminisced about our recently departed friend, but mostly a good time was had. 

I managed a photo shoot of the ex-Iain Rice layout "Trerice" for a future BRM, but otherwise was too busy to do more than graba few shots on my phone. 

For better photos, keep an eye on the RMweb thread for the show. 

We did have a short break to remember Andy properly. I think it does him justice. 

Thanks to Jamie Warne for the video.

Saturday Film Club: Smells like White Spirit

This caught my eye on YouTube, inspired by trying some new sanding sealer, which is washed out of the brush with methylated spirits, and not cellulose thinners. It doesn't smell as exciting as the old stuff either...

Off to the National Garden Rail Show

 

I'm off today to collect my van, which will be filled with plants to make up the "Layout in a Day" at the National Garden Rail Show. 

As ever, I don't know what the display will look like, until I build it. Fingers crossed it OK - and if you are visiting the show, I'll be the one wearing tweed. Well, the one wearing tweed hanging around the Garden Rail stand anyway. See you there!

The "Garden Rail Flyer" appears in the May issue of Garden Rail

 

Garden railways don't just appear, they grow over time. Paul Duncan may only have a modest garden, but the G scale Woodlock Railroad has developed over a decade, getting better each time.

On the workbench:

• Restoring a Saltford Ruston
• Building a FR Quarryman's coach
• Rehabilitate a steam locomotive paintwork
• Improved track clamps
• Modifying a cheap plastic steam loco
• Building a propeller-powered railcar

We take a look at Merlin steam locos, and of course, there is the latest news for the large-scale modeller.

Warehouse Wednesday: Fix that windmill

 

It's not often you get the chance to photograph serious windmill repair, so when I did recenlty, I couldn't resist. 

Chesterton Windmill, has been without its sails for a couple of years, since it was discovered they were rotten. Walking around it is a popular passtime, and the council don't want lumps of wood falling on anyone's head. 

All this takes time, no matter what the locals posting on Facebook think, but the work has now been completed by a specialist firm. There are some nice in-progress shots here. The finished job can be seen here. 

Now, if you use an Airfix windmill kit, this scene would be quite eye-catching on a layout, and if you can find a suitable vehicle, not too difficult to do.

3D printed Garratt

 

A few days ago, I posted some photos from my local club night, one of which was a G1 3D printed Ruston diesel by Big Chris. The model had been enlarged from a TT scale file, and looked pretty good. 

Well, he's been at it again, this time enlarging a 009 Garratt file to G scale after a slightly random conversation with a mate. 

Printing, and curing, took 50 hours, but the result is a nice solid-feeling body, that should stand up to outdoor use. Maybe it lacks some of the finesse of a body created from scratch in the scale, but not much. Using the "6 foot rule", you'd be hard put to notice anything. 

Obviously, the model needs a chassis. In 009, it runs on a pair of RTR units, but for the bigger scale, Chris is talking to Ed the laser about a few options. Watch this space for more details.

Fitting a point lever

A big missing detail on the NG7 layout, at least in my eyes, was a way of operating the point in the scenic section. What I wanted, was a nice casting for a hand lever, but couldn't find anything suitable in this scale. 

Asking at Northumbrian Painting Services at the 7mm NG show a few weeks ago, they said they had a mould for something suitable, so I said if they cast it, I'd buy one the next time I saw them at a show. 

Well, a few weeks ago, a box arrived. It contained some TT:120 figure, a 7mm bench, and my point lever. Not just a casting, but a laser-cut base to go with it. Oh, and four Empire Bisuits!

Happy days. As I chomped on delicious baked goods, I gave the lever a quick coat of paint, on the Thursday eveningbefore the show no less, and popped it in the box with the rolling stock. 

On the Friday, while rocking the hi-viz look (a requirement for shows in exhibition centres during setup) I scraped away some of the car park, so the lever and base could be stuck down with PVA. I had to work neatly, as the materials to patch things up were a couple of hours away, back up the M1!

After all this, you'd expect a finished photo, but sadly, I forgot to take one. Trust me though, it looks great. And yes, I did finish the buscuits!

The fallacy of "Future Phil"

 

I'm terrible for thinking that some time in the future, I'll pull it all together, and become a powerhouse at getting things done. No more looking at projects, and deadlines, and seeing them rush towards me. No, I'll not only get ahead, there will be time to dig in to the pile of kits and ideas that seems to grow all the time. 

Truth is this "Future Phil" is going to be just as useless as current day Phil. I'll still aquire projects with the vain hope that I'll crack on with them quickly. And those dealines will still catch me out. Sadly, I don't have the unique talent of Douglas Adams, who could say, "I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by." Normal people can't get away with that...

Anyway, the "Future Phil" project that is in my head right now is building a 32mm gauge steam engine, for next weekend's NGRS. As in other years, I should be building a small garden railway with 32 and 45mm gauge tracks. Every year, I decide it would be nice to have a battery-powered steam engine intead of just the diesels in my fleet. 

And every year, for many years, I've failed to find the time to build one. So, we'll be using the diesels, including the mobile wardrobe I built during the year. A loco as far as you can get from pretty. 

However, I have found time to investigate the brake coach in my IP Enigineeering set. A few years ago, it ran perfectly. Then it took to leaping off every few circuits. I've added weight to it, checked the B2B's, but never taken a proper look. No time. 

But, this year, I've extracted the train from storage early, and had a look. Almost imediatly, I spotted that the axles weren't at right angles to the sides. Measuring, it's less than a couple of mm out, but I can't see any other problem. 

Weird this, as the axleboxes are integral to the solebars. Maybe the wagon isn't perfectly square. 

Removing an entire solebar wasn't easy, but a sharp knife and some waggling with pliers did it. I took a bit off one end, and fixed it back. The axleboxes are now square. The chassis sits flat, and I'll reset the B2B's. 

Fingers crossed I've found it, as this is an attractive train that runs for a long while on one set of batteries - making it very useful.

Saturday Film Club: QED - Testing Testing

I remember how much I enjoyed the BBC TV series QED from the early 1980s. Here's one that came to mind when having a discussion on social media a few weeks ago.

Taunton, for the pasties and cake

All being well, on Sunday, I will be in Taunton for the South West Area Group of RMweb's annual extravaganza. It's a fun little show, with some top quality modelling, and even better refreshments. 

Obviously we will be missing Andy York, but very quickly after the announcement of his passing, we agreed that he would be very upset if the event was cancelled. Andy loved the people and the models on show, and so it's very much in his memory the event continues. I'm sure he will be looking down on us approvingly. 

More details can be found on the RMweb thread.

Down the club

Regular readers will know I'm a big fan of model railway clubs. Yes, you have to work a bit to fit in, and there are some "characters" who might be a little offputting, but there are also many really good aspects. 

Here's a selection of things spotted at the Leamington & Warwick MRS last Thursday. 

A group were running a production line building Airfix cement wagons. They are being improved with brass bearings and metal wheels. The aim is an attractive train for the OO layout. 

A group were watching a figure painting demo using military modelling techniques, lead by one of our newer members. 

This is a Gauge 1 Drewery Shunter, 3D printed in one piece, and based on a file for a TT scale model. We think a fully running locomotive should cost around £150, including a chassis from Model Engineers Laser. 

In addition, several layouts were being worked on, and people were chatting over tea. 

Not a bad way to spend an evening. 

Warehouse Wednesday: Lisbon warehouses

 

Spotted near the Lisbon waterfront - don't these just look like something Faller would produce as plastic kits? 

Since we were hunting food at the time, I only had the chance for a single quick phone shot, but you can have a better look on Google Streetview.

Little Lisbon trams

Did I go all the way to Lisbon to see trams, and not bring back some souveniers? Don't be daft!

Ryanair luggauge limits, obviously reduce the amount of tat I can put in my suitcase. Useful, as there is a LOT of tat for sale in the city. 

However, I wasn't going to come away entirely empty-handed. So, in the middle, we have an Atlas originals tram bought before the holiday in an Oxford Diescast sale. I like the Atlas trams, it was cheap, and meant I didn't have to find space on the plane. Handy, as there wasn't one for sale in the city itself. Oh no. Nothing nearly as accurate...

At the front, a fridge magnet, to join my collection including the train from Switzerland. 

Behind that, a little model, complete with a bit of overhead, for my mate Tim. He's passed on a couple of little Australian trams from trips, so I return the favour. 

And at the back, a drawing (print) bought in the market, from the artist. I took a photo of him, and will stick it on the back. There's quite a bit of art featuring trams, and some of it is quite fun. I liked this as it's small (A5) and different from anything in the tat shops. 

I did manage to avoid the horrors such as models with bogies though! Maybe next time.