I thought I'd start this thread with some unfinished projects that I've retrieved from the storage tub. As someone modelling the end of the steam era in Japan I have a reasonably diverse selection of freight car models, both RTR and kits. But there's always something I want that's not available in either form. So I turned to kitbashing. The first model is a simple modification of a HobbyModel Seki3000 hopper car. By replacing its cast bogies with archbar bogies, I've backdated it to represent a Seki1000 car. The archbar bogies are free-running, beautifully detailed items from Orient Express Model Railways in Adelaide. The next model is a Taki9700 chemical tank car bashed from an Atlas model of a US car. I wanted one of these as they're painted in different colours depending on their lading. These cars can be seen in silver, white or yellow, a change from the usual black. The last project is a "near-enough" bash of a Walthers Airslide hopper into a Hoki3100 covered cement hopper. When I was modelling SG US railroads I was always fascinated by covered hoppers for some reason. Now I'm modelling the JNR, but the covered hopper thing hasn't gone away. As I say, this one's only an approximation of the actual car, but it looks okay from three feet away, so I'm happy with that. All the best, Mark.
Mark something quite different. Very nice modelling going on here, I like your use of items from other areas to get what your after for your modelling era.
I've registered to attend next year's Australian Narrow Gauge Convention in April. Now I have a deadline to motivate me, as I've been asked to bring some models along to show. So tonight I got stuck in to some modelling after dinner, and now I have four freight cars and a passenger car ready for the spray booth. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and the smoke and ash will dissipate so I can start painting tomorrow. The models are all HOn30 kitbashes to represent Belgian Congo prototypes. None of them is 100% accurate, but from three feet away they look good enough for me. All the best, Mark.
Yeah Ron, smoke and ash. This is the view from my back verandah this morning. All that clag you can see is smoke from a bushfire that's been burning in the nearby Holsworthy army camp for a couple of days. The firies are having some trouble containing it, as the fire is right in the middle of the army's firing range. The presence of unexploded ordnance in the fireground means no entry for the firefighters. And having heard a surprising number of loud bangs all through last night, I reckon that's a sensible precaution. So we just have to put up with the smoke until it burns itself out. All the best, Mark.
Frightening stuff. I suppose if they can contain it and let it burn itself out but unexploded ordinance just to add to the mix. Wow. Toto
Oh grief Mark now that is scary stuff , it just shows how vulnerable we all can be at times like that, not a comfortable situation at all so hoping everything calms down very soon for you. Nice rolling stock models by the way... some superb detailing there. cheers for now York Paul
Another kitbash for the Belgian Congo project. It's a Liliput OBB (Austrian) Class 2095 that I'm modifying to look like an Alsthom Outré Mer diesel. So far I've replaced the original headlights with larger units, and removed some of the roof detail to make way for different roof detail. And I've fettled the mechanism to improve its performance , which is now very sweet.
Detailing of the diesel is finished, all of the factory paint and lettering is removed, now is the time for the airbrush and spray booth to come out. Tomorrow’s forecast is fine and 30 degrees, so I should be painting by morning tea time. Hopefully I’ll get the autorail painted as well. Cheers, Mark.
Between work and poor weather, all I’ve managed to do is get some primer on the loco and the autorail, as well as some of the cars. I decided I wasn’t happy with the small diameter headlight on the autorail, so I replaced it with a lens from MV Products mounted in a piece of Evergreen styrene tube. Cheers, Mark.
Although I’m concentrating on the Belgian Congo project at the moment, I haven’t been neglecting the JNR modelling. I picked up one of these Sera1 four-wheel hopper wagons recently on a Yahoo! Japan auction. They were originally produced by Max Model, and are now available from One Mile, whose main product range is 1/80th scale diecast buses. They supply the basic wagon, you apply the details and supply wheels, couplers and numbering. The two cross braces at the top of the hopper body are supplied as etched parts, but they’re just a bit short, and very fragile. So I replaced them with lengths of brass flat bar. One interesting feature of these models is that they can be set up to run on either 16.5mm gauge or 12/13mm gauge. Extra bearings and brake rigging are provided for the narrower gauges. Mine’s on 16.5mm, using Tomix wheelsets. All that’s left to do now is some touch-up painting and some light weathering. The prototype Sera1 hoppers ran almost exclusively in Kyushu, but a few made their way to Honshu to be photographed in service with Seki-type bogie hoppers, so I’ll get one or two more of these attractive little wagons. Cheers, Mark.
