Saturday 16 July 2011

Some Model Shots on Wingham

Hi Guy's

Just down in Newcastle atm with my wife Amanda. Going to watch the Newcastle/Manly Game this arvo. Can't sleep so I thought I might add some model shots to my Blog. One thing that I really like to do when I have finished a model is photograph it, whether it be a finished kit or weathering a RTR model. I will alway set up a High Key shot for a record shot, not matter what it is. This only takes my a couple of minutes at home with a peice of white card board and a camera that is nearly always set of the right settings ready to go. A quick edit and the shots are ready.

But my favorite thing is the set up shots on the Wingham Layout which is house at the Taree and District Model Railway Club Inc Club Rooms. This Layout is now over 20 years old and still a credit to it's builder the Late Rodney James. One day a hope to have my own Home or Exhibition Layout to set photo's up on. This will be a major consideration to building a layout. Making scenes suitable for photographing a Model Train much like a Rail Photographer would.

Their are lots of things that I consider. A train consist is a big one. I will alway put a lot of thought into this. I will make sure that the trains I make up are something that would of run. My Pet Hate is showing up at an Exhibition and seeing things like an NR class loco pulling around S trucks. I guess that is an extreme example but I also notice things small things. I guess the best thing that I appreciate is seeing a layout at an exhibition where the people running it have gone to the trouble of getting all the trains right for the era's that they are running. Wingham was one of these layouts. Beyond Bulliac was another. One day I hope to have an exhibition layout up and running that modellers that really know there research and stuff will really appreciate.

Anyway here is a some shots taken on the Layout Wingham. I look at these shots and still find things or goals that I would like to achieve. One would be fitting blinds to the cabs of the loco's photographed, fitting markers to all the lights and the main one would be to fit P88 wheels to the rollingstock. Taking shots like this really does show up the RP25 wheels as being pretty wide. I know there is a huge topic on this at present on Aus_Model_Rail which I don't really have a opinion on. It would however really make an improvement to these images if P88 wheels were used.  For an exhibition where most people are side on to the model I don't see that the RP25 or P88 would make much of a difference.



This shot has an Austrain's 44239 with a train that could be 6116 express freight. Some of the wagons near the front are ones featured in earlier Blogs. 44239 was the first Candy Jumbo that I did. I have some better idea's now on weathering so this one may go back into the workshops soon.


This is a shot of a Trainorama 4432 on a train that could be 6372. This train could be pretty much anything. It was an extra that run against 6382 empty steal. It usually had empty steel, Lourvers or was the Nitropil heading back to Newcastle. 4432 is a model that I weathered up for Greg Riddel, a good friend of mine. The first wagon on this is the NCQX before I updated it as mentioned in an earlier Blog. It still has the Hanovale Cradles on it and the original steps that I did.



This shot has my Austrains 44233 on head of 6116 express frieght. I will do some more Banana Vans soon and will add a Blog about the whole project when this happens.



EL51 is an Auscision Model that I weathered and photographed for Auscision. It was just a light weathering to show up the detail that I think is still one of Australia's Premier Models. I can say I have seen EL51 passing through Wingham but perhaps not with this shed in the back ground. The era I run is not right for wingham but I can live with this. It gives me somewhere to run my stuff and a great photographic location.



My Weathered NGPF on location. Another Premier Model from Auscision.

Anyway Cheers for now
Justin Moy




    

Sunday 10 July 2011

Some More Photo's

Hi Guy's

Just some photo's of some stuff here and there. This is some stuff that I am really happy with as a modeller so hopefully these will give some inspiration to others.

Firstly my NLKF/NLKY project. I couldn't deal with running my ILM type one NLKY kits with the new Auscision models Type two RTR models. They were just too different. The roof profiles were way different. So I set about converting one of my Auscision models to a type one NLKF version. I did this by cutting in ILM sides to the model. I retained the Floor, Ends, Roof and Doors and just cut out the Quarter Panels I guess you could say. I couldn't replace the complete sides as the ILM's sides were too long. Anyway here is a shot of the complete model. Auscision have since anounced this model so the other two that I had planned are now on hold.
This is a BGB models WBAX that is pretty much just built to plan. I did spend a bit of time weathering. It would be good for these to come out RTR as I have mentioned in a previous post but for now the BGB kits has to do the job.

This is a Auscision PTC Blue NLKY that is all weathered up. For this photo I added P88 wheels for show. I would hope to add P88 wheels to all my rollingstock one day when money permits. After researching photo's of these Vans the weathering was msotly a mix of Rust and Weathered Grey and a little bit of light blue showing on the ends and near the doors.

This one is a Hanovale NTAF fuel tanker. Built pretty to speck. It is a welded framed one. I am not sure it will stand up against all the anounced RTR fuel wagons that are coming. I know that SDS are doing a Riveted Underframe version but Eureka are doing a Welded version I think. I anycase this one will hold out until something better comes along.

A Jumbo from 1993

This Jumbo was for a Client. It was a complete repaint to represent the paint work and weathering for 44213. It and 44214 was a little different from the other Candy Jumbo's with a much bigger White line. It matched Candy Passenger Rollingstock very well but wasn't carried on with other Jumbos. Anyway here is a couple of shots of the complete 44213. I will add 44214 to my fleet of Alco's at a later date.

This shot on the Layout Wingham on what would be 6116 express freight

Anyway cheers

Justin Moy

Wheat Wagons

Hi Again,

Just though to post about RTR wheat wagons that are out now for the NSW modeller. There is some great stuff. I guess Trainorama got things kicked off with their BCH/BWH project. The detail was just great and mostly there. As I model the early 90's the BWH's didn't interest me that much. But the NGMA's did so I have a 4 pack of them. Now a wheat train isn't really going to be suitable for running on the north coast but there was examples running mixed in trains now and them. The NGMA though I haven't ever seen up the coast. As a modeller it is hard to ignor the detail that a wheat train can bring so I am going to model one even though it is not right for my Killawarra Layout.
This is one of the NGMA's that I have. Still need to give it a weather. For the wheat train that I model I am going to set a standard for all the rollingstock. These are Number 58 Kadee's fitted, AR Bogies's fitted with SEM P88 wheels and the bogies fitted with SEM brake shoes.

Another fine model to the market is the Auscusion NGPF Wheat Hopper. ATM I have 15 of these to detail and weather. Again I have bought this model up to the standard that I have set with new bogies and couplers. The detail is exceptional on this model and in my view this is the best RTR model getting around.

Still needs a bit of a weather but the detail is just great.

The third contender for my wheat train is the Austrains WHX. It is a fine model in its own right. I wouldn't go as far to say it is as good as the Auscisions model but it will have a home in the wheat train. I only have one of these atm that I swapped a friend for a NGPF. I hope to get a 4 pack when I can afford it and add this to the wheat roster. I am looking into what is required to modify one or two of them to represent the earlier WHX version that AR Kits have produced. The main reason for this is so it all blends in together. Anyway more on this if it happens later on. Here is a shot of the one that I have. Again the bogies have been changed.
Here is a shot of all 3 together.


I have weathered on Auscision NGPF in the past and I have made notes about the work that I have done. If you are a member of Aus_Model_Rail, I have a word document saved in the files section. Here is a link http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/0BIaTvs9cjodL_ppS-19L2qS7XmRDlDr3WNTotapjn74FarQBZgi2yNml0joNPBCSh6tSAQbyHNXSL0j4f9pmmbVnOvp/NGPF%20detail%20Photo%27s/Weathering%20an%20Auscision%20NGPF.doc
Anyway here is a shot of the model
Anyway happy wheat hauling
Cheers Justin Moy

Some Fiddling Around

Hi Guy's,

I have had plenty to do atm, mostly for other modellers. But I have fit a little in for myself. Some of these have been going for a year or so. I got the Camera out tonight and just took a couple of quick shots of these.

I have had some Austrains VOBX wagons sitting for a while. The Ribbed version is a reasonable model but has some problems with the rib detail. Mostly between the door and ends. The spacings are way out but I can't be bothered to to anything about it. It is funny that the lima version has the rib detail about spot on for a model that has been around for about 25 years or so.

The Austrains Version has much better floor detail and the tie rails are done pretty well. I have done a bit of research on the prototype and found that a number of the early version flat sided ELX wagons had been rebuilt with ribbed sides mostly due to corrosion. The  metal under frames on the Austrains model can be removed by a number of screws. So to do a version of the early ELX fitted with Ribbed sides I have simply changed the floors over. The deeper fish belly under frame has been placed under a flat sided version and sat aside for later on. It will finish up being a VKEX when I get some time. I have given the VOBX a bit of a weather but I haven't changed the number as yet. I have to give it a number that matches in with one of the modified flat sided ones.
Ohh and I have changed the location of the Vline Panel. I have looked at all my research materal and various publications and I still haven't found a shot of a VOBX with the Vline Panel placed in the middle of the wagon where Austrains have placed them. It is good that the Brass Panel is easy to remove and relocate. The only other major modification is I replaced the bogies with SEM and AR versions. This is a standard modification for me. Anyway the result is a wagon that is a little different and will stand out at an Exhibition for people with a eye for detail.

This VOBX is another one that was in the 3 pack. The only modifications is moving the Vline panel and new bogies. A bit of a weather and it is pretty much ready for service.

I did redo the Vline with a decal on this one so I could fade the panel a bit.
This VOBX is a plain sided one that I have weathered up. It is a early version with a 3 letter code that I haven't changed to a 4 letter code as yet. It had a VR logo which I have sanded back and painted over in the weathering process. Anyway with new bogies and after a code change it is ready for service.
Something a little different. This is what will be a NQSF when complete. The model is a IDR casting. I have two of these and I wish I had more. Other than a code change, I don't have much to do. I am not happy with the colour as yet. I think I will lighten it up a bit. If I don't get more of these in the future this one will probably finish up with milk containers on it. Need to make them first in any case so this one will be in shipping service for a while.
They are a great looking wagon and I hope that I can get some more off IDR Models one day.

This NCQX coil steel wagon I built about 6 years ago. I have just finished reworking it a bit. I have just added a bit more detail. New Steps, grab irons and uncoupler bars. The biggest modification was the removal of the Hanovale Cradles and adding the new Auscision Models Cradles. I have repainted it into a blue but I am still not that happy with the colour. I mate has some photo's coming of these wagons not long after they were introduced into traffic in the early 90's so I will get a better idea of the colours then. The underfloor of this wagon is based around an AR Kits NOBX. I found this was a good choice as the deck height is about right and the Bogie Wheel base is pretty much right as well. I stripped down most of the original detail and redone the fish belly to suit with styrene and the side detail. I have enough Cradles to make 11 of the wagons so if no manufacturer brings one of these out, I have my work cut out. It would be a good opening for someone like IDR to give modellers something to put their Auscision Cradles on. Maybe a good one for Auscision to do also. Think of all the possibilities of  NODY Project?????
Anyway happy modelling
Cheers Justin