Grizzly Flats Rolling Stock Adaptation

[DafyddElvy]

Thought I'd start the year by sharing what occupied me (other than domestic duties) during the seasonal holiday period.

Initially I was looking for a couple of flat wagons to accompany my trams, however when they arrived my grey cells drifted to other ideas, why waste what the models were intended to be.
So with a splash of paint and the addition of a step I am not displeased with my work so far, their are still a few things I plan to add to to the model, but it's getting their.

 

[PorknBeanr]

Thought I'd start the year by sharing what occupied me (other than domestic duties) during the seasonal holiday period.

Initially I was looking for a couple of flat wagons to accompany my trams, however when they arrived my grey cells drifted to other ideas, why waste what the models were intended to be.
So with a splash of paint and the addition of a step I am not displeased with my work so far, their are still a few things I plan to add to to the model, but it's getting their.

evry nice....good work!

 

[DafyddElvy]

evry nice....good work!

Thank you, so far it's just been some paint work, handrails, safety chain and new couplings are the main items I still have to finish.
On one of the wagons I am also experimenting with internal planking detail, and thinking about a canopy for the third wagon I have.

 

[DafyddElvy]

That's the first fixing eye for the doorway chain made, just a few more to make now.

They will all get blacked before fixing in place.

 

[DafyddElvy]

While the paint dries on the other two I've tweaked, I thought I'd do something a little different with the next one.

Looking at the model afresh thismorning I think another couple of posts each side are required.
It's an idea in the making, and I suspect a different coloured body to the others is likely, possibly a shade of red, we'll see.

For the roof I am undecided on whether it would look better with a wooden or canvas cover, if canvas what would others suggest using for canvas.
In 7mm scale I would use a piece of vernier with some think like crepe paper scrunched up and laid flat again on top, in the larger scale, if I do try to simulate canvas I think something a bit more realistic is required.
If I fit a wood roof it'll be fairly standard in construction, decisions decisions

Working in the larger scale definitely brings it's own challenges, in the smaller scales you can cover things with a spludge of paint, and cover things up, in the larger scale you cannae cover things up but on the flip side I can put more detail that I don't need to worry so much about getting damaged, and clumsy fingers are adapting well to the larger scale.

 

[playmofire]

In the past, I have used a form of canvass for modelling for various items. I'll see if I can find some to illustrate what I mean.

 

[viaEstrecha]

In the past, I have used a form of canvass for modelling for various items. I'll see if I can find some to illustrate what I mean.

Interested. I would like a rolled canvas blind for the back of an open loco cab and have been wondering what to make it from,

 

[DafyddElvy]

A wee package arrived this afternoon which should keep me occupied for a wee while. And without knowing it I beat my record for unpacking and stripping down a model to see what I might do with it/them.

I have 3 Grizzly Flats 4 wheel coaches, so 2 of them are destined to be a bogie coach. The roofs are too long to allow the lower part of the bodies to be put end to end, it looks fairly straightforward, the bodies fit nicely end to end, I just need to cut the roofs back a wee bitty and build the underframe, the piece of wood the bodies are sitting on are the start of the underframe.

Having proven the idea its probably a good idea to put them out of sight until I get a couple of things finished.

That's me a happy chappy for a wee while.

 

[dunnyrail]

Interested. I would like a rolled canvas blind for the back of an open loco cab and have been wondering what to make it from,

Slight thread drift, I used some thin material. As I recall it was leftover material legs had been shortened on Rohan Bags.

 

[DafyddElvy]

Slight thread drift, I used some thin material. As I recall it was leftover material legs had been shortened on Rohan Bags.

I'd have said that was bang on topic, although I'll admit to having to look up Rohan Bags. I was stopped from opening the old clothes bags on Sunday before taking them to the recycling centre, my wife even put sticky tap over them to make sure I didn't do a sneaking opening of the bags

You have got me thinking though

 

[dunnyrail]

Ok a couple of roofs by me on Gauge 3 stock.
This has used quite thick material on a ply roof, full strength PVA to start then watered down once initially dry.

This one has used cleaning paper on top of planks using same glue method, on second thoughts though brown wrapping paper would work possibly better. Though I do loke the aged look created with the imperfections.

And for viaEstrecha my Corpet rear canvass.

 

[DafyddElvy]

The first two wagons are now only waiting their couplings being delivered and fitted, and the footboards getting a soak in my own mix of liquid shoe polish which I use as wood stain, the same mix I use for my 7mm scale sleepers.
The doorway chains are un-hookable which took some time to make but I think they look worth the trouble. The loops for the doorway chain proved much easier than I expected which is down to the larger scale of the models.

The couplings are of the same type I'm fitting to my Groudle Glen rolling stock but from a different supplier, these ones come from Bole Laser Craft, they're fine for these models.

I sourced the handrail knobs from a link obtained from another thread.

 

[trammayo]

I have used handkerchiefs glued down and painted .....

But I can't remember which trucks or vans I used that method on so, instead, a pic of rolled up canvas (hanky material) on my thresher's G scale haulage .....

 

[DafyddElvy]

I'm glad I asked about the canvas substitute when I did, a few days ago I found a pair of trousers buried away at the back of the wardrobe, and the zip is gubbed (that's a technical term for un-repairable), they were quickly removed from domestic eyes as they are a perfect canvas substitute

A wee bit of progress has also been made on building 2 four wheel coaches in to a bogie coach. The new wood underframe has been progressed as far as it can be until the new bogies arrive, the roof has been cut to length, for some reason it looks dipped in the centre but should be fine once it's been glued to be one piece, I have faith anyhow.

New couplings have been fitted to a few items of the Grizzly Flats stock, they seem a bit fiddly but I'm happy with them and they look much better than the LGB style.

The other advancement has been the preparation of a 4 wheel chassis from one of the bogie coach coach bodies, the new wood deck has been made ready for staining and the step runner supports fitted, just need to clean and prime before painting.

 

[DafyddElvy]

The new fine scale wheels arrived today, and I thought it would be rude not to fit at least one set to an adapted coach under frame, this wagon is loosely based on one I saw in the Prague tram museum, I'm happy with the way its turned out anyhow.

 

[DafyddElvy]

I wasn't entirely happy with the newly adapted wagon not having sprung axles, and I've been trying to think how I can fit springing to the axles on the underframe.

The attached picture is what I've come up with, the following text is written to be read with the photo, square brass section with a piece of wood plugging the lower end, with one side of the upper section cut away for the axle bearing to slide freely, a spring sits inside the box section between the wood plug and the axle bearing, and we have a simple sprung underframe.

Now I just need to find where I put the weights and refit the deck.

 

[dunnyrail]

What you have is near right, you do not need all
4 bearings done. Just leave 1 set as is and use the brass bits created one end with a bearing centre of axle to create 3 point suspension.

 

[DafyddElvy]

What you have is near right, you do not need all
4 bearings done. Just leave 1 set as is and use the brass bits created one end with a bearing centre of axle to create 3 point suspension.

I am using slaters wheels with shorter axles than the LGB ones, so I'd need to do something for the other axle ends anyhow to keep them in place.

I'm quite happy with what I came up with, just need to hope it works as intended.

 

[Eaglecliff]

Interested. I would like a rolled canvas blind for the back of an open loco cab and have been wondering what to make it from,

I used a very, very old and thin white handkerchief.

 

[DafyddElvy]

The lengthened coach took another step forward today.
I am now happy with the 6 wheel underframe, it works and negotiates my track without any problems, so it has been stripped down and given a coat of leather repair paint, which I am trialling for the first time.
Bole Laser, a wee plug for a friendly manufacturer who has helped me, redrew his link and pin coupling with a shank so I can use it on the longer coaches which will have a pivot to overcome the extended end throw, that's the plan anyhow.


One of the 4 wheel Grizzy Flats coaches also took a step forward in the tweaking process. Sprung underframe system now sorted that is being applied to all the Grizzly Flats stock, and a trial fit of the steps to make sure I'm happy with them before proceeding with the footboard brackets.


And not forgetting the open passenger wagons which now have their steps fitted, I think the inside will probably get a coat of something before I'm happy to say they are finished.