Pi Sentinels in OO...

I was reading one of Gordon Edgar's books, I think it was the Midlands album, and spotted a little 4wDH chain driven Sentinel at Courtaulds works near Derby with some tank wagons, crossing from the BR exchange sidings to the works and was immediately drawn to it, it reminded my of my own Mollington Road micro and reminded me of the Judith Edge Sentinel I built for Meadow Lane many moons ago before the Hornby model was available...

I spent a little time looking around at OO models and realised the potential in the Hornby model, especially combined with some of the excellent detailing parts available and decided that I'd add one to the 'Corona' modelling project list, which so far has seen 2.5 industrials finished, nothing wrong with adding another. A quick sketch on Paper showed the potential of developing a faux Planet Industrials livery and a chat with fellow Pi conspirator Steve led me to push the button on buying a Hornby chain driven model and agreeing to re-finish Steve's existing model at the same time.

Once the model arrived the skirts were quickly pinged off, to see how the thing was assembled and what work might be needed to fit the RT models side skirts. I made a start on mocking up some graphics for size, before I ordered them from my usual excellent supplier.

Whilst waiting for them to arrive, I stripped off the side plates and glued them to the cab, and filled smoothed and primed the body. In the meantime Steve's model arrived, a side rod driven model. It was interesting to compare these side by side. The Hornby model actually uses many different parts - the chassis block is wider, the wheel spacing is different, the side frames are different and the side skirts are different. The body shell is consistent on both though...

I stripped Steve's model down, removed the livery and did the same side panel modification before fitting the RT skirts to both models. The sand box sections of the original Hornby skirts were cut out and cut down to fit behind the RT skirts. The buffer beams were smoothed by using plasticard to fill the coupling mount, superglued in place, and the edges filled with Humbrol filler, before being smoothed with a sanding stick. The brake pipe mounting was also carved off with a file. The lifting eyes were drilled out with a 1mm diameter drill bit.

Both models were primed and smoothed to ensure the side panel seemed to be one piece, worthwhile taking your time on this and whilst they were drying the transfers arrived...

Steve and I had a few chats about colours, nothing seeming quite right out of the tin, so the light grey was Humbrol Matt 28, the only colour not custom mixed by me during application. This was masked, which was a bit of a pig around the cab, before adding the yellow orange that was mixed approximately 60% gloss 69 yellow and 40% gloss 18 orange.

The dark grey was going to be Satin 125, but this seemed too light, so once the buffer beam wasp stripes were masked, I added some gloss 21 to the 125 to darken the mix. At this stage the models could be re-assembled and checked over...

...before the transfers were added, and handrails picked out in black. The pair looking just as I had imagined although far too clean and toylike...

The next stage was to add the superb Shawplan 'Laserglaze', which despite Brian's out of date website, is still readily available. I found some parts needed adjusting to fit, and the front windscreens aren't perfect as I suspect the prototype ones are slightly curved, but they look good and rewarded patience. The looser panes were held in place with Deluxe Materials Glue N Glaze.

Finally it needed bringing to life, and although I still need to add a touch of exhaust and road dirt with the airbrush, as well as weather No.1, here is No.2 posed on Mollington Road looking every bit the picture I imagined when I started. It goes to show that not every project needs to be difficult and this one only really required a knife, needle files, sanding stick, filler and super-glue - and although the airbrush helps with a fine finish, it could also have been brush painted. Infact, the Hornby model and the way it splits, means you could probably fit the glazing to a body without re-painting, and then just add the RT skirts and repaint the chassis. I'll grab a few more photos, when I weather a few more of the locos sat here on the workbench, in the meantime, enjoy the bank holiday weekend. More soon...