Reduce reuse recycle…
Reading Olly and Chris's blog recently I was reminded of a project I've been working on now for several months on and off, a re-working of a Lima PCA tank wagon...
Olly's words struck a chord with me - I've been inadvertently treading a similar path with some of my H0 modelling, taking older models bought cheaply and doing them up. That is what had sparked this particular project, and I wondered if we could frame it under the three R's?
Reduce / Re-use / Recycle
Reduce - do we really need that latest locomotive?
Re-use - what can we make use of already in our collection (my Class 08 is a recent example)
Recycle - what are others selling on, and what can we sell on to others - and then apply the detailing to?
10+ years ago I began working in OO again and, as Olly remembers, used to scour Hattons for bargains. You could pick up both wagons and locomotives at bargain basement prices and then apply some lovely aftermarket white metal and etched details from S-kits and the like, to bring them up to scratch. Nigel Burkin even penned a wonderful book on the subject 'Modern Wagons in 4mm scale' (of course, not so modern now), and this is an excellent instructional manual for those who find this sort of thing a stretch beyond their comfort zone!
This PCA was originally bought with my Corkickle Brake cameo in mind, but could equally find a home on the wagon repair / tank cleaning depot layout, or even Mollington Road. The basic Lima model was sound, and quite well detailed. I stripped it down and worked out what to keep, and what to replace. The roof walkways were replaced with etched parts from Stenson models, whom also provided the brake discs (previously I've used S-kits ones), as well as, via Shapeways, the brake gear on the under frame. The under frame was stripped down and cleaned up, holes filled and smoothed and buffers carved off leaving just the pad remaining - centre punched and drilled for replacements from Accurascale. Instanter couplings from Smiths and air hoses from the bits box (I think Hornby) finished things off.
The model was finished with some custom transfers I drew up including the PiChem markings. This will run alongside the Accurascale PCAs I have also labelled up for PiChem for a future layout, and these small changes have transformed the model bringing it very much in line with current offerings. The wheels are a little coarse, but for now, they'll do, the weathering job a little caricatured but hopefully reflective of a well kept prototype with staining from some dubious chemical spillage! I enjoyed putting it together, and I love the fact it took something old, and probably destined pretty much for the bin, where I could breathe new life into it. What models do you have that you no longer need and can sell to others, what can you re-use and how will that enrich your hobby? More soon...
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I think that this is a great approach to the hobby. Whilst there is an undoubted joy at picking up a new super-detailed model, there's a great sense of enjoyment and personal satisfaction with upgrading, detailing, painting and weathering an older model. Not only will you end up with a model that is specific to what you need for a particular timescale or location, but there is the development of modeling skills and simple fun of doing this. I suspect that some people lack the confidence or skills to do this, so blogs like this one play a huge part in encouraging people to get involved.
ReplyDeletePerhaps this could have been more instructional, but yes, I’m glad you echo my sentiment, and beginners can definitely benefit from a good instructional book and I can heartily recommend Nigel’s example for the British market.
DeleteI’m actually sat typing this looking at a Walthers Mainline SW1, I.e. cheaper older model, like the Hornby Railroad series, that I’m working over with details before repainting.