Liver & Fry's workbench

[Liver & Fry]

And that's a wrap!



Lettering done and varnished; I can generally say I'm pleased with how this went together and if Three Peaks Models keep this up, they're definitely worth a look. I've heard whispers that they might consider an L&Y brake van next...

So, now what? Well, a small pause as I need to get a few other jobs done, but the options are:

Highland loco coal wagons
L&Y fish van
GE brake vans
M&GN opens

But, knowing how these things go, I'll probably find something else to do!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

But, knowing how these things go, I'll probably find something else to do!

And thus it'll be no surprise to anyone that I found something else to do...



Recently acquired from a well known auction site is this Model Wagon Co. Highland Railway cattle wagon. This is a Drummond design introduced in 1899. The kit looks fairly straight forward but I'm going to take my time on this one, doing this amongst other (non-modelling) jobs.

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

I've been dabbling at the cattle wagon last night and today, getting the body together using Araldite and then working on a floor section... Plank by plank... I'll probably never see it once the roof is on but I'll know it's there!



These photos are of the test run to make sure I had enough strips, but you get the idea...

I'll likely continue Monday as it's meant to rain all day in true bank holiday fashion!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Update one of two to come today (you lucky people!)

I've cracked out the soldering iron again and had another (unguided) go at w-irons and I hope you'll agree with me that it's gone OK:



I have done some more detailing work since I took this photo, but as this is ongoing, I'll post a full update later...

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Late in the day but as promised, here is the fruit of todays labour:



Essentially all that's left is to paint and fit the roof!

Aside from the w-irons, todays work included:



Adding batons to the floor - losing a lot of the plank effect but ultimately being more prototypical to the wagon.



Adding wire to the lower windows (Do we call then windows on cattle wagons? Seems the most appropriate term...)



Drummond style buffers and drawhooks



And finally springs, axleboxes and brake gear. I removed the original moulded springs as they were warped and somewhat less detailed than the ones I picked up at the York show.

I have an evening lecture tomorrow so no work on this for a day or so now but I'm really pleased of how this has come together!

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Now, if I said "Pat" and "red van" you'd probably think I was getting nostalgic for children's TV shows about postmen, however, those words perfectly sum up this evening, for the paint came out for the cattle van!

Yesterday I did the base colour for the wood and painted the ironwork below the solebars black. Today I finished the wood effect on the interior (see below) before essentially covering it up again with progressively lighter/whiter layers of grey to give a lime wash effect inside the van.



Did I need to paint a full wood effect first? No. But I like to build things up as they would be in the real world. Even in 4mm it adds depth if some of the undertones show through; this is the same as me asking did I need to make a fully planked floor, or add the batons when this will mostly be hidden once the roof is on? Also no, but it's nice to know it's all there.

So, leading on from that, did I need to model cow pat? Also no, but I did it anyway! Tiny balls of liquid lead, glued in place and painted brown. Works a treat!




And, as you can tell, one side got a coat of red oxide as well...



Once the wagon has been fully painted and lettered, the outside will get some lime wash staining as well.

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

Not much progress to report as I made the most of the weekend sun, but I have now painted the body in its main coat of red:



Detailing such as black ironwork and buffers will follow, then I will varnish, letter and weather*

It's getting there...

- James

*Weathering insofar as external staining of lime wash, which even with my current "not weathering" mentality is something that can't be ignored with such a wagon...

(I can and have weathered stock before and I will get back to doing so one day but whilst these are confined to being display pieces for lack of a layout, I prefer to look at them in display condition)

 

[Liver & Fry]

And now we have black ironwork...



Need to check my lettering sizes but all being well, that's tomorrow's job...

- James

 

[Liver & Fry]

It has been a productive evening! Lettering and a roof have found their way onto the cattle wagon...



These features alone seem to have completely transformed how the wagon looks, I think for the better!

And how appropriate it seems that it's (almost) complete just two days before I take a solo jaunt up to Inverness for a wee tour of the Highland lines (a little treat to myself as I see out my twenties next week...)

(I promise my goal is still to model the Lynn and Fakenham!)

- James