The Dyfrdwy Tramway: stock progress...

I've not been posting much over the past week, but grabbing modelling time when it's available. The 7/8ths stuff is a welcome distraction to the smaller scale modelling I am often commissioned to work on, and I enjoy being a little more creative in the process...

The Motor Rail estate coach really needed some passengers and there isn't a great deal of choice for semi realistic figures in this scale. Luckily there are Model Earth figures to choose from though, and although their heads are perhaps a little larger than I'd like (I much prefer the diesel driver) with the coach roof on it's less noticeable. These two are from the Penryhn Payday set, and I've glued them together to sit with their arms resting on the arm rests. I had to modify their bottoms to sit nicely on the bench seats, but with the gaps and this work then blended in with filler, once painted this won't be noticeable.

Next up on the coach is fitting brake gear under the chassis, and these parts are due from Shapeways this week.

I also picked up one of the new 'skip chassis' from Model Earth. This is a bargain if you ask me, and does require a little modelling too, drilling holes and fitting the axle boxes with tiny bolts. I've fitted it with a Model Earth 'Welsh Flat' deck I had lying around which is a perfect fit. I'm planning on adding a brake wheel upstand and brakes to one axle as well.

Also on the flat are some new bits and pieces, all bar the chain from Model Earth, which will need painting and finishing.

I've spent a fair amount of time trying to make plastic and resin look like wood, so I thought I should try out one of the Bole Laser Craft kits to see if i could make wood look like wood! These multi media kits are very clever, if a little expensive. The chassis is MDF, I have filled and primed this to look like one piece, but there is a little more to do in places. The body is plywood with sintered Nylon 3D printed metalwork, pre-died in black. It goes together very nicely and I'm looking forward to painting and weathering it. The question I need to decide on, is will this be the first of a few, to form a 'Trefor' set, or do I letter it up for 'Coal' to use on the Dyfrdwy tramway?

Finally, I've been building another flat wagon into a Churchwater style slate wagon using 80 thou styrene planks, 30 thou for the steel corners and then Cambrian 16mm rivet heads. This still needs quite a bit of work and is a little out of square so I need to see if I can correct this or if it needs stripping down and starting again. I plan to fit a brake to one of these as well, this one is rolling on an unmodified Model Earth budget flat chassis, but fitted with 24mm diameter Binnie disc wheels to drop the ride height a touch.

More soon I'm sure... and news on some more commissions as well!

LINKS:
https://paxton-road.blogspot.co.uk/p/modelmaking-commissions.html
https://modelearthdesign.wordpress.com
http://bolelasercraft.com