Here is a class 20 that I've been working on for a customer. It's only a gentle 'in service' weathering as the loco would of still been quite young whilst working alongside its steam counterparts at the end of their lives. So some restrain was given and it really only shows the grime of daily life on the rails in the early 1960's. It is fitted with a Zimo MX645R and has had one motor removed to enable a large bass reflex speaker to be mounted in the body, facing downwards. I tested the loco with a really heavy load and it performed faultlessly, with no problems at all. The loco is set with the head code for a parcels train, which is what it will be doing full time. Here is the test video: http://youtu.be/QGz8NfPRYFo More soon David
Me too Rob, I've got an Ivatt 2-6-2t to weather up as a preserved example next, but with a slight accumulation of road dirt on it, and still retaining the sheen!!!! Should be interesting, the sound fitting will be the easy bit! David
Well the Ivatt class 2 has been fitted with a Zimo MX645R and one of my own Twin Speaker set ups, similar to my Jinty. A songle 16v 1000uF capacitor has been fitted, but I will be increasing this to 3000uF with another two, now that I've found some more room! Here is a quick video of it in action on Talyllyn Junction. Thye sound project has the wrong whistle as it should have a Stanier hooter, but that little issue is being addressed. More soon with a bracket for a removable headboard made for the front and a gentle 'in service' weathering as a preserved example. David
It's not my model. It is a customers, but it is a very nice model of the Ivatt 2MT. It was built by DJH for my customer, and their factory builds are very good. David
Hello all, Been a bit quiet recently as the day job has been getting in the way of the modelling!!!!! Anyway a recent item to come off the work bench is this DJH built Ivatt class 2, 2-6-2t in BR lined early crest livery. My task was to replace the ESU and 26mm dia speaker for a Zimo MX645R and one of my own twin speaker systems. The next thing on the to do list was to make up the unique bracket carried on these for the North Wales coast 'Welsh Dragon' named train. The bracket was made up of brass section, soldered together and dressed with files to as close to the original as possible. Next up was to weather the loco as an 'in service' preserved example, so considerable restraint has been shown and I've gone over the 'cleaned' areas with the airbrush with a weak mix of satin varnish in it to highlight them. Here are some pictures, and one at the end of one of the locos that worked the Welsh Dragon from Rhyl to Llandudno. This was a very popular train along the North Wales coast and I believe it was also the shortest named train in the UK at the time. David
I remember as a youngster looking down from the road bridge at Prestatyn and seeing Owen Glendower at the head of a Holyhead bound passenger train, Easter 1966 it was, there was a Caprotti Black 5 passing on the Up line for Connors Quay with a rake of fitted vans. Another top quality finish there David .
I had the chance of taking my little photo plank out into the sunshine on Tuesday morning to have some natural light photos of the Ivatt and a Dapol RTR 5-plank wagon I've been playing around with. The description of the work on the Ivatt is noted above, but the wagon is a standard Dapol RTR item. I used a small hot air gun (for heating shrink wrap) to warm gently the angle irons each side of the central door, then bent them gently out of shape, representing damage. Then a judicious rusting of the area and also where the 'deliberate' missing door banger was situated. Anyway, here are some photos: That's all for now folks. David
Amazing to see how natural light alters a diorama setting and brings it to life I always think... the medium high corrugated 5 plank wagon looks great.
Anyway, I've had a couple of days re-modelling my workbench to make it more useable. I've also been fettling this BR blue class 25/1, as 5202. I've straightened the buffer beams and she's fitted with a Zimo MX696S & adaptor board and twin bass reflex speakers. Marker and tail lights are directional and I've fitted it with cab lights too. Weathered as an 'in service' loco, just needing a bit of a wash!!! Here are a few photos............................. I'll get a video up over the next couple of days as I haven't done one for a while David
Hi David, Nice job of the 25. A low but convincing level of weathering. Spot on. I have one in BR green.
The sun decided to stick its nose out this afternoon and I thought I'd set up the plank outside and introduce some real sky to the proceedings. I apologise for the photo whoring, but I thought the pictures came out quite well. My friend Craig suggested earlier that I should of tried some moody photos whilst the sky was anything but sunny. I think next time I will take him up on his suggestion, just for some tonal differences. Anyway here are today's results. Maybe 5202 is getting too much attention!!! David
Oh look its 10 Trip going light engine up the Cauldon branch to collect a raft of limestone tipplers to make up the 9T10 Cockshute - Witton. Nice one again David.