Much more exciting than waiting for the X factor results. OK This competition has been difficult due to a mixture of very high quality submissions and circumstances. First out of the trap was our very own master of the scalpel ( and soldering iron ) Rob Pulham. Rob chose to undertake a conversion which I think was just as much a test to the eyesight as it was to his modelling abilities as it really grasped the super detailing element of just what could be done in terms of not only changing the purpose of a kit but taking the kit to another level altogether. It was a joy to watch the progress. However, I did mention circumstances and unfortunately due to personal reasons Rob had to forgo the completion of his build to look after his good lady Chrissie. I hope she is having a speedy recovery Rob and there will always be other opportunities going forward I'm sure of that. Next to throw his hat in the ring was Paul_l who decided to take a perfectly good Dapol open wagon and subject it to an excruciating ordeal. his rendition of a military defense wagon ( which was very prototypical as confirmed by the accompanying narrative ) was a pretty involved conversion which exemplified his ability in a few modelling areas from butchering, 3D design and production and the final completion of the model in terms of military livery. Paul intends to run this as an alternative " era " on another bridge, his O Gauge layout. However, not to be given an easy time of it, Pete ( Jakesdad ) came into the fold with a slightly later entry with his stationary boiler build and ( which I thought was very clever ) accompanying workshop with dependant plant and started to throw the cat amongst the pigeons. However, by his own admission he hadn't left himself much time to complete the build and slid out of the running due to incompletion at the last gasp. There really wasn't much left to do but I do appreciate that our time does get pulled to other things so please don't take my comment in anyway flippant. So ...... I think I'm fair to say that forgetting the excellent modelling itself, Paul_l ( better known in affectionate circles as " his nibs " ) takes the title of Platform 1 Xmas competition winner for 2018. Now ....... all he has to do is look out his airbrush to get rid of the BR blue on his MK1 Darstaed coach prize, and start rehoning his soldering skills for the Y7 kit build as supplied courtesy of Ellis Clark and Jim Mcgeowan respectively. Your prizes will be hand delivered personally by you royal floundership but technically aren't free as they will cost you a coffee and a jam donought. Many thanks to all entrants for all your efforts and for keeping up the fantastic job of entertaining our readership with your progress submissions. As I have said earlier, there will always be further opportunities to bag yourself a prize so I hope to see more of the same as the competitions present themselves. A big pat on the back to you all. Cheers Toto
Congratulations Dundee Paul on what is a very ingenious build with a difference, now all you need is an army of soldiers to defend Another Bridge from attack.
Well deserved Paul, congratulations. You just need to make all the other wagons, buy, make and camo an engine.............
Whoo hooo This is my first ever competition win - thanks very much, I really enjoyed doing something different, something I wouldn't normally given a second glance at. Of course, now I will need to make a second one, plus spacer wagons and loco to form up the train. York Paul - Toto has already suggested that I build a Pill box, with the same foot print as the buckie and have them interchangeable for a war years alternative period. I may look at using the Lima 4F along with two additional wagons (with tarps) and a second gun wagon, this one being entirely 3D printed but using the Resin printer (DLP) rather than the filament extruder (FDM), to save cutting up another wagon, and to learn how to make chassis etc. Once again thanks very much. Paul
Top modelling Paul congrats on the win was looking forward to this comp but have seen little or no modelling time over the last months The prize is a nice little kit to add to the collection
Santa Toto arrived at the door at 06:30, but needing a strong coffee before delivering parcels. I will post piccies up later, the Darstead coach looks amazing, and the information booklet and transfers accompanying the model are very professional and round off an impressive model. The Connoisseur LNER J79 model is another from Jim's Starter / Skills builder models, the instructions (all 32 pages) are comprehensive, assuming little or no previous experience and will be an ideal progression from the Nellie. In the final Body detailing, Jim introduces techniques to super detailing the already impressive model. Many thanks to to both Ellis Clarke and Connoisseur Models for donating these excellent prizes and to Toto for arranging the competition. Cheers Paul
Managed to get time to un-box the coach. Supplied in the box are a pair of door end for the corridor connections. Standard connector And with the end plate Note the brake end has a Kadee coupling fitted, the non brake end has a screw link coupling. Also on pick 1 notice the bare metal on the left hand side of the corridor connection, and the black raised section to the right of it. The raised black piece is magnetic, which will keep the connectors coupled as the connectors also pivot. Maybe this is common on O gauge coaches, but as this is my first O gauge coach, I'm impressed. It's going to be tight getting a 26, and 2 x Mk1s on the 4ft traverser table, that Kadee coupling may just help. Paul
And then I turned it over to put away in the box and found this and the lighting pcb can be seen through the window It just keeps on getting better ........ Paul
Darstead are certainly going to corner the market with this high level of quality... very nice coach Paul ... me thinks you may well need to consider extending the traverser length in future.
Thats my fear as well, because it would need doing to both traversers Maybe time to model the S&D - I remember seeing a photo a Parliamentary train consisting of a 9F plus 1 coach, that'll fit (just) Paul
You won't have to extend the traverser if you pull the bogies of the coach, mount it on a stack of sleepers and converting it to a static camping coach.... Cheers, Gary.
