Auto Trailer Build
- Thread starter jimmielx
- Start date
Trev, I'd love a CNC machine, or a laser cutter! Both somewhat out of budget range at present sadly. However, if I was making more than one coach I'd definitely consider having it cut to a design - seems fairly simple to prep the artwork and I'm learning a lot about templates from this build. It must be said that cutting out the windows for this coach was quite a long task, particularly having to do it for the inside and outside!
And some progress...
The roof has been finished: sanded down, short 'skirts' disguising the planks at either end, strips across the roof and shell ventilators.
Fake hinges added to the doors (made from plasticard cut to a T-shape, with the leg of the T pushed into a hole in the body). Additional holes cut for the door handles.
Bit of detailing at the front. The gong of course!And a funny triangle above the centre window - they all seem to have it, but I've not idea what it is!
And finally I couldn't resist putting the bogies on and checking that it looked ok on the line! (Minus the roof which is being painted)
The roof has been finished: sanded down, short 'skirts' disguising the planks at either end, strips across the roof and shell ventilators.
Fake hinges added to the doors (made from plasticard cut to a T-shape, with the leg of the T pushed into a hole in the body). Additional holes cut for the door handles.
Bit of detailing at the front. The gong of course!And a funny triangle above the centre window - they all seem to have it, but I've not idea what it is!
And finally I couldn't resist putting the bogies on and checking that it looked ok on the line! (Minus the roof which is being painted)
Nodrog1826
Professional Idiot
A bit of snipping of your post
The triangle is a mount for the regulator handle, scroll down to the bottom of this page for a look inside the cab
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/in...e-comet-wr-collett-a44-driving-trailer/page-2
jimmielx said:
The triangle is a mount for the regulator handle, scroll down to the bottom of this page for a look inside the cab
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/in...e-comet-wr-collett-a44-driving-trailer/page-2
Thanks all!
Gordon, thanks for the link - that makes perfect sense, I just hadn't considered that it related to something inside the cab. I thought it likely that if I put it out there someone would come up with the answer. I'll make sure my regulator handle is fixed in position accordingly.
Don, the running gear is two very simple Brandbright plate bogies with 45mm insulated Tenmille wheels. The only complication is that I have a DCC function decoder to run the lights (including directional at the drivers end), so I need pickup from the track. To do this I will collect one rail from each bogie by shorting the metal tyres on one side to the axel making each bogie 'live' to one rail. I have done this for a simple tail light on a similar coach (direct connection without decoder), and the light remains on most of the time only occasionally flickering off. So with the addition of a power buffer I hope this will keep the light on! Anyway I'll take some pictures when I get there.
Currently painting. Also had a delivery today from Fox Transfers. The finish line is in sight - if still a fair way off...!
Gordon, thanks for the link - that makes perfect sense, I just hadn't considered that it related to something inside the cab. I thought it likely that if I put it out there someone would come up with the answer. I'll make sure my regulator handle is fixed in position accordingly.
Don, the running gear is two very simple Brandbright plate bogies with 45mm insulated Tenmille wheels. The only complication is that I have a DCC function decoder to run the lights (including directional at the drivers end), so I need pickup from the track. To do this I will collect one rail from each bogie by shorting the metal tyres on one side to the axel making each bogie 'live' to one rail. I have done this for a simple tail light on a similar coach (direct connection without decoder), and the light remains on most of the time only occasionally flickering off. So with the addition of a power buffer I hope this will keep the light on! Anyway I'll take some pictures when I get there.
Currently painting. Also had a delivery today from Fox Transfers. The finish line is in sight - if still a fair way off...!
Progress Report...
The coach has been in the paint shop over recent days followed by lining today!
The pictures are not great as the sun has finally gone down so I'm a bit short of decent light. So I'll post some more in the next couple of days. In the mean time...
The light for the drivers end has also been installed - it's a bi-colour LED (red and white).
Which will have this lamp fixed over it once it's dry.
Also made a little more progress in the cab with brakes.
And the bogies have been painted.
Still a great deal to do. Finish the cab interior, varnish, wire up the electrics, drop lights, handles, etc. But it does feel good to have it painted and to have got the transfers on (which took hours!)
The coach has been in the paint shop over recent days followed by lining today!
The pictures are not great as the sun has finally gone down so I'm a bit short of decent light. So I'll post some more in the next couple of days. In the mean time...
The light for the drivers end has also been installed - it's a bi-colour LED (red and white).
Which will have this lamp fixed over it once it's dry.
Also made a little more progress in the cab with brakes.
And the bogies have been painted.
Still a great deal to do. Finish the cab interior, varnish, wire up the electrics, drop lights, handles, etc. But it does feel good to have it painted and to have got the transfers on (which took hours!)
This is fantastic work James.
Just the sort of idea I was looking for, these latest pictures are really awesome.
Thanks for showing them. I like the pic of the plate bogie, I only need to know where I can order these bits and pieces ?
take care
Don W
PS I suppose there are specialist stockists of these parts ?
EDIT Ignore the last remark, I found the link for Brandbright etc.
Just the sort of idea I was looking for, these latest pictures are really awesome.
Thanks for showing them. I like the pic of the plate bogie, I only need to know where I can order these bits and pieces ?
take care
Don W
PS I suppose there are specialist stockists of these parts ?
EDIT Ignore the last remark, I found the link for Brandbright etc.
Andy Worsfold
G Scale Railways</br>Disney</br>The Prisoner
That's a great build there. A work of art!
Thank you so much for the comments, they are very much appreciated!
Progress...
The cab interior has been further detailed with tip up seats and regulator handle.
I thought I'd show how these simple seats were made. First I have a box of offcuts of wood (most the obeche which is my material of choice) - even the smallest bits can be very useful! These are the basic components, I've already glued together the bracket which will attach the seat to the wall. I should also say that the seats will be non-functional. I did toy with using a couple of pins as hinges, but in the end I don't think the result would be strong enough and would be bound to break in the end.
Next the fabric is glue to the seat cushion (you are seeing the reverse).
Here the pieces are brought together.
Finally the base of the seat has it's edges rounded with a sanding block, the base and bracket are stuck together and the seat is stained before adding the seat cushion and finally fitting in the cab.
One was fitted tipped up and the other down.
I've also fitted a regulator handle (pretty crucial!)
Progress...
The cab interior has been further detailed with tip up seats and regulator handle.
I thought I'd show how these simple seats were made. First I have a box of offcuts of wood (most the obeche which is my material of choice) - even the smallest bits can be very useful! These are the basic components, I've already glued together the bracket which will attach the seat to the wall. I should also say that the seats will be non-functional. I did toy with using a couple of pins as hinges, but in the end I don't think the result would be strong enough and would be bound to break in the end.
Next the fabric is glue to the seat cushion (you are seeing the reverse).
Here the pieces are brought together.
Finally the base of the seat has it's edges rounded with a sanding block, the base and bracket are stuck together and the seat is stained before adding the seat cushion and finally fitting in the cab.
One was fitted tipped up and the other down.
I've also fitted a regulator handle (pretty crucial!)
The exterior has also been varnished with humbrol satin. I've used gloss in the past and I'm still not sure which I prefer - certainly the satin seems to make the transfers (black against brown in particular) more pronounced which I like.
And I've added door handles (GRS) and various grab handles made from brass rod.
And I've added door handles (GRS) and various grab handles made from brass rod.
Next to the electrics.
I am attempting pickup from the rails to via a Massoth 8FL decoder (thanks to Muns for the usual super-fast delivery!) to run the lights, mostly so that I can have an automatically operating head light - a bi-colour LED in the front lamp.
To get pickup from the rails I use each bogie to collect one rail. The tyres of one side are shorted directly to the axel. In a little extra complication I use current detection for my computer controlled running so a 10k resistor is added between the axel and the opposite tyre allowing a small current to flow from one wheel to the other which allows the coach to be detected.
Then a pickup (in this case a folded brass picture hook!) was added below the bogie. The washer is there to give a bit more clearance from the chassis.
I had anticipated the wiring requirements and allowed holes in the chassis support when building the chassis...
The decoder was fitted on the underside of the chassis too. This section will have a cover screwed over it eventually (miniature screws on order!).
Interior lighting is currently from grain of wheat bulbs fixed to the brass rods in the top of the coach.
I am also using a Massoth Power Buffer (the old capacitor type), in an effort to keep the lights on during what is unlikely to be perfect pickup. Testing has shown that pickup is indeed very dicey, but the capacitor buffer does a lovely job of smoothing the LED headlight. It will hold it on for around five seconds after removing the coach from the track. However, as soon as the interior lights (5 GOW bulbs) are turned on it really doesn't make much difference any more and there is flickering galore.
I've come up with a few options to try to correct this.
? Replace the GOW bulbs with LEDs - I think this would cut the current draw by about a half, maybe not enough. But I have some LEDs so maybe worth a go.
? Get on of those fancy new power buffers - currently out of stock at Garden Rail Outlet! also a fairly sizeable outlay.
? Butcher the existing power buffer - remove the existing 10000uF capacitor and swap it for a 47000uF super cap (£7 from eBay). Frankly this is a total stab in the dark, I have absolutely no idea if it would work! I guess it might...
? Provide additional pickup from the loco - I'd really rather avoid having cables/connectors running between the two if possible. It would also limit what I can run the trailer with
Any thoughts on that would be appreciated!
I am attempting pickup from the rails to via a Massoth 8FL decoder (thanks to Muns for the usual super-fast delivery!) to run the lights, mostly so that I can have an automatically operating head light - a bi-colour LED in the front lamp.
To get pickup from the rails I use each bogie to collect one rail. The tyres of one side are shorted directly to the axel. In a little extra complication I use current detection for my computer controlled running so a 10k resistor is added between the axel and the opposite tyre allowing a small current to flow from one wheel to the other which allows the coach to be detected.
Then a pickup (in this case a folded brass picture hook!) was added below the bogie. The washer is there to give a bit more clearance from the chassis.
I had anticipated the wiring requirements and allowed holes in the chassis support when building the chassis...
The decoder was fitted on the underside of the chassis too. This section will have a cover screwed over it eventually (miniature screws on order!).
Interior lighting is currently from grain of wheat bulbs fixed to the brass rods in the top of the coach.
I am also using a Massoth Power Buffer (the old capacitor type), in an effort to keep the lights on during what is unlikely to be perfect pickup. Testing has shown that pickup is indeed very dicey, but the capacitor buffer does a lovely job of smoothing the LED headlight. It will hold it on for around five seconds after removing the coach from the track. However, as soon as the interior lights (5 GOW bulbs) are turned on it really doesn't make much difference any more and there is flickering galore.
I've come up with a few options to try to correct this.
? Replace the GOW bulbs with LEDs - I think this would cut the current draw by about a half, maybe not enough. But I have some LEDs so maybe worth a go.
? Get on of those fancy new power buffers - currently out of stock at Garden Rail Outlet! also a fairly sizeable outlay.
? Butcher the existing power buffer - remove the existing 10000uF capacitor and swap it for a 47000uF super cap (£7 from eBay). Frankly this is a total stab in the dark, I have absolutely no idea if it would work! I guess it might...
? Provide additional pickup from the loco - I'd really rather avoid having cables/connectors running between the two if possible. It would also limit what I can run the trailer with
Any thoughts on that would be appreciated!
Oh, sorry Gareth - just spotted your post! I've just gone one more to go!
Seriously though, I'm not a particularly skilled modeller. I do like making things, mostly this has taken a lot of patience! The way in which it's made is very similar to a Brandbright or similar kit - all I've done is cut out the bits myself. Tools are very: simple, scalpel, metal rule, cutting mat, dremel, tiny drill bits, sanding blocks (sandpaper glued to bits of wood!), tweezers. Those are the main things. So I think if you're happy with putting together one of those laser cut kits then I don't see any reason why anyone shouldn't give scratch building a go - it's just going to take a whole lot longer. Start with something simple, find some pictures of the prototype if one exits, and give it a go!
Seriously though, I'm not a particularly skilled modeller. I do like making things, mostly this has taken a lot of patience! The way in which it's made is very similar to a Brandbright or similar kit - all I've done is cut out the bits myself. Tools are very: simple, scalpel, metal rule, cutting mat, dremel, tiny drill bits, sanding blocks (sandpaper glued to bits of wood!), tweezers. Those are the main things. So I think if you're happy with putting together one of those laser cut kits then I don't see any reason why anyone shouldn't give scratch building a go - it's just going to take a whole lot longer. Start with something simple, find some pictures of the prototype if one exits, and give it a go!