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WHATS ON MY WORKBENCH.

 

    Once again members brought forward an amazing variety of projects covering scales from 2mm to 16mm, with items including architecture, trackwork, rolling stock and locomotives of course.

Individual reports are as follows:

 

    Phil Scoggins gave an OHP presentation of his project to build a 4mm scale Royal Saloon as used on the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Railway. The construction comprises a mix of 3D printed items and brass, with additional items made from plastics and surplus kit parts.

 

    Neal Cooper’s workbench contains a variety of 7mm scale wagons including a 3D printed hopper with the body and solebar being a single moulding. The other items were kits from resin and styrene plastic including an LMS tube wagon.

 

    Jim Teague has a well progressed conversion of an 0-6-0 RTR Tank locomotive intended to replicate the 2-4-0 Tank locomotive shown in the 1937 film ‘Oh Mr Porter’. This is in 4mm scale.

 

    Chris Kapolka brought his enthusiasm for card structures to the meeting with an array of 2mm terraces, 4 mm permanent way huts and the goods shed from Wadebridge. The Wadebridge goods shed is demanding a lot of attention to the stonework.

 

    Ian Payne seems to have made the purchase of the year so far, with an LGB limited edition, but non-working G scale Two Truck steam locomotive. Now working this is apparently intended for a lucky new owner.

 

    Paul Bowen brought in a few 00-gauge wagon kits under construction, principally Peco-Parkside and Cambrian. The enthusiasm for the Moat Lane and Wye valley has been fuelled by obtaining a former drivers log of working the line, and the finished train using these kits is intended to reflect the modus operandi of the period.

 

    Phil Hamson presented on of the well-known Hornby Dublo models of Denbigh Castle which is causing a few problems, possibly with a wheel quartering issue. Some work on the chassis had provided some improvement, with suggestions from members to make further gains. The second item was a yet, not started 7 plank laser cut plywood wagon.

 

    Mike Wakefield has found himself in an envious position after working on a 16mm Welshpool & Llanfair wagon kit produced by Woodley Engineering and reviewing it in the 16mm Today magazine. The company were impressed by the article and sent Mike several more kits asking him to build and review. The main problem encountered with the kits appeared to be wheels, but this can be resolved by replacing with steel alternatives.

 

    Dave York presented his LNW 4mm scale station building. Still under construction and able to be partly dismantled, Dave described the construction of the scratch-built roof and roof glazing. The building did require some additional parts from London Road and Wizard

Models. In addition, two coaches were displayed, an LMS brake third and a LNW composite being worked on.

 

    Tim Lewis arrived with the largest display. This was an under-construction board from his P4 model of Coldstream to display the point work kits availably from British Finescale. These are 3D printed sleepers with all rails and pre-formed turnouts included. Some construction issues had been identified but were largely overcome.

 

    David Baxter and his wooden box was the next to demonstrate his workbench project. Apparently obtained from Sainsbury’s, the box with an approximate 6-inch square base and 15 inches long, had been transformed into a control box for his layout – with wires sticking out ready for connection.

 

    Roy Forbes described his 4mm cheap, cheerful and very commendable timber yard model. Picked up for around £5 in total, what was a somewhat distressed model had been transformed into a very useful diorama construction that could easily fit into any model baseboard.

Roy also brought along a Tri-ang Puff-Puff model kindly given by his daughter for repair. Good luck with that Roy!

 

    Graham Dale was able to show his 7mm kit of an LMS Fowler 4F, which was to be accompanied with a David Andres tender. The model looked well advanced and possibly close to it paint job.

 

    Graham Betts provided a short talk about using otherwise unwanted parts for wagon loads. These were plastic gears that had been removed from a broken scanner/printer and in 4mm scale could represent heavy engineering items possibly used in shipping or steelworks.