Narrow gauge diesel comparison...

As the Blauturm (www.blauturm.de) kit for the L45H/Lxd2 nears completion I've pondered if I'll ever do another big diesel. Whilst researching the Lxd2 and comparing it with the OBB 2095, I have also stumbled upon another pair of diesels I quite like, both very different in character, power and use...

The L45H was built in big numbers in Romania and found use across Poland, Romania and to a lesser extent Hungary and Bosnia. A number are now in use on the German and Austrian 750/760mm gauge lines to suplement their steam hauled trains.

The 2095 were built specifically for the OBB - and are capable of quite a turn of speed. One traction motor on each bogie and side rods to improve tractive effort. Now a number are still in use with private operators since the OBB sold off it's narrow gauge lines.

The T47 is a Czech locomotive, used across all of the narrow gauge lines for mixed trains. It had a guard/goods compartment so that they could dispense with seperate vans, and often a train was just the T47 and a single coach.

The Mk48 is a Hungarian locomotive that was used initially on the state owned narrow gauge lines. As these closed they were bought by some of the forestry lines.

I'd like both - but there are currently no kits for either locomotive. The T47 is probably a bit too difficult  to scratchbuild - but the Mk48 would be quite straight forward.

Corpet nostalgia...

Well day 3 and another day of trains on the EJ&KLR. 

  

Morning kicked off with trains on the indoor carpet layout Elly and I put together when we arrived incase it rained  Elly ran her Stainz and a long train... 

We spent the day at Chirk Castle but didn't get to see any of the GVT. However a fine, dry, sunny evening encouraged me to drop Tim a text about the Corpet and get some stuff out... 

  

I decided on the Rugens and a 1950s era train, in my head, the last mixed train of the day as it brings a new tractor destined for one of the forests on the line where it will see use in hauling timber, the main traffic on the line these days. Passengers have to put up with a vintage pre-war carriage - as we've yet to see much investment in the line in the austere post-war period... 

Finally - true nostalgia. Tim and I were childhood friends. We spent a whole summer back in the late 1980s playing trains in the garden after he got an LGB starter set one Christmas. His Dad got him a lot of extra track... and then by chance a Corpet. 

  

We loved that train - and despite only having a pair of starter set coaches we used it so much... 

  

But then we went to high school and it went in it's box, at the back of a cupboard... Fast forward 20 years and we're sat talking last night about it - Tim gets home and digs it out... and here it is... 

How did it run? Like a sewing machine - absolutely incredible and a real testament to LGB engineering. 

So yes - after seeing Mel's he's going to tone down the finish. I'm now looking for one and we kind of talked about both getting a few 'French' items - as I feared a slippery slope... 

  

More tomorrow... Frank S perhaps? 

Irish day on the EJ&KLR...

My good friend Tim popped round this afternoon with his motley collection of scratchbuilt Irish/IOM 3ft gauge inspired stock...

Tim's trains - July 2012

Alex's Stainz running...

So today we're at the EJ&KLR and I brought over Alex's Stainz. Unfortunately the weather hasn't been great but Elly and I have built a carpet railway and Alex has been content watching his train circle the line, seeing and hearing the magic of LGB

Alisendorf in the 1980s...

Well the weather forecast this afternoon is not so great so with Alex waking up at 6am it meant I was out running trains in the garden before 8.30am!

I've been trying out my re-lettered and titivated stake wagons to represent the EJ&KLR in the 1980s. These have had the decks painted brown (Humbrol 98) with some tan colour dry brushed on whilst it was tacky. I used a fibreglass brush to remove the DR and 'Wernigrode' markings to the sole bars, then added EJ&KLR transfers. The whole wagon was then given a coat of satin varnish and the yellow stakes fitted. Mum and I have identified some decent candidates for a timber load - later in the week

Note that the EJ&KLR always puts the passenger accomodation behind the locomotive - that means at Alisendorf that it's a bit of a trek from the station building to the coach.

EJ&KLR 1980s July 2012

Inselbahn day on the EJ&KLR...

Well today is Inselbahn day on the EJ&KLR.



I got my hands on the incredible value Wangerooge set from LGB last week, from Modell-land in the end due to the UK importer not importing enough sets into the UK! Apparently it has been the best selling LGB item for years...

Anyway - for less than £300 you get an oval (12x R1 and 4x short straights), transformer, controller, HF130 diesel and 3 wagons - I just cannot comprehend how this is possible for the price, or at least compared to other items in the LGB catalog! Anyway...

Yes, Inselbahn. Island railway - the Frisian islands off the north German coast are unique in that many have no vehicles. To ferry passengers and supplies to the villages from the ferry terminals a number of the islands have narrow gauge railways. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wangerooge

So my little piece of Austria came, at least in my mind, to be a wind-swept, sand dune island in the North Sea...
Enjoy!

Inselbahn day - July 2012

Alex's Stainz...

So today we're at the EJ&KLR and I brought over Alex's Stainz. Unfortunately the weather hasn't been great but Elly and I have built a carpet railway and Alex has been content watching his train circle the line, seeing and hearing the magic of LGB!

Blauturm unmasked...

 Yes yes yes!!!! I am a very happy man,  tonight I got a second coat of Humbrol Matt 100 on the Blauturm Lxd2,  and once it was touch dry I removed the masking tape to reveal what I'd created....... always a tentative step...

After I got a nice crisp edge on the first piece there was no stopping me...

Yes it needs touching up in places, yes there is some glue residue from the tape but my oh my, it is really impressive and I'm very happy with the finish!

Blauturm burnt orange...

Well I've worked out why I've been struggling with my airbrush recently, it appears I have damaged the needle so I'll need to pick one up from Expo tools again.

With a bodge repair effected, I managed to get a good solid coat of Humbrol Matt 100 on the chassis and body. Despite itching to remove the masking tape to see what I've created I'm resisting the urge and will get a second coat on tomorrow!

Birthday present early...

My LGB Wangerooge starter set has arrived from Modell-land.de and I'm very impressed. I don't know how LGB can put this together so I can get one importers to the UK for less than £300. Full review soon!

Blauturm Lxd2 masked...

Well a tedious but rewarding hour and a half spent tonight cutting and applying masking tape to the Blauturm L45H/Lxd2 this evening.

I always use B&Q Premium Grade tape, and cut it to the right size using a scalpel and steel ruler. You stick the tape to a sheet of glass which means you get a nice sharp neat cut. I use an old clip frame for this, although tonight I could have done with one a touch bigger, however the shorter pieces were probably easier to handle.

To prove I've done a decent job here is a snap of each end so you can see they're even and the same height both sides. I started on one can side, worked down the short hood to the nose, then the same the other side, added the V pieces and then moved on to the long hood.

I also have done the chassis buffer beam stripes. All ready for a coat of Humbrol Matt 100 tomorrow night, I'm very excited!

I hate yellow paint...

Finally after about 5 trips to the 'paintshop' (I.e. my garage) the yellow is complete. It's always the hardest colour to spray and get a consistent finish with, lessons learnt, I'd do it differently next time! Roll on masking so I can spray the red...

Close but third coat needed...

I got a second coat of yellow on the Lxd2 tonight but the airbrush and paint weren't playing ball, do although the finish is ok, the yellow is still a little too patchy to move on to the next colour so I'll try and get another coat on before the weekend...

Lxd2 driver...

I've been watching YouTube videos for inspiration on painting figures. So many amazing techniques, truly quite incredible results. I'm not going to even try to emulate their results as the base figure I'm using isn't the greatest of detailed models.

He started out as LGB leaning driver, used in absolutely tons of their models. I shaved off the rough spots with a knife and have started to repaint him. I will be using different tonal washes to bring out the folds and some wear in his jacket and cap before some detail painting of buttons, cap peak etc. the face has been started with a darker shadow added around the eyes, nose, ears and chin. Pretty pleased so far, more to show at the end of the week I expect!

Railbus buffer lopping...

Ever wondered what a Piko railbus looks like shorn of it's buffers? Well now you know. Detail removed ready to be rebuilt and replaced, just the other end to do now!

Blauturm yellow stripe...

A fine dry morning today so I masked the cab windows and grey roof and applied the first of two coats of yellow to the body and chassis parts that will be yellow stripes. When dry I'll then mask where the stripes will be and paint the red. Getting there slowly, steadily and giving each coat of paint a decent time to dry...

Stake wagon branding...

I'm slowly progressing the pair of LGB (ex DR) stake wagons in between changing nappies, feeding the baby and my other modelling projects. It's good to have a range of projects with different complexity and at different stages, it usually means you can always find a little job to fill your available time. These wagons are now waiting satin varnish and then I'll wash the decks over with a diluted black to further enhance the dry brushed and painted planks.

Garden Rail 215...

I've had my second article published in Garden Rail 215. This time I talk about modifying and refurbishing My collection of LGB rolling stock. You can pick up a copy in plenty of WHSmiths across the country, or subscribe online at www.exacteditions.com or via the Newstand app on your iPhone or iPad.

Piko VT98 bash...

Well as the Lxd2 progresses towards completion (second coat of grey on the roof tonight) I have made a start on the Piko VT98 railbus by stripping it down ready for some body modifications.

The buffers will be replaced by a central buffer, the electrical connections plated over, handrails added, a repaint into silver and fit LED interior lights for dusk running.

I found an interesting article about spraying using silver paint, from an aero Modeller blog/e-zine. This is of particular interest as intend to model the VT98 based on examples that found further use in Serbia after retirement in Germany, as I've blogged previously.

Blauturm Lxd2 painting...

Well it dried up a little this evening so I've begun painting the Lxd2.

Tonight I applied a first (of two) coats of Humbrol Matt 64 with my airbrush to the roof areas. I've masked the cab to avoid over spray getting inside the cab.

Better Faur in primer pics...

As promised in my last post, here are a few better photos...

Blauturm in primer...

A major milestone in the Lxd2 kit from www.blauturm.de - I've primed all the parts with Halfords plastic primer. I love this stage of modelling, when all the constituent parts come together for the first time and you can see what you've really created. More photos later when I pose the chassis and body together.

Alex's first train...

I picked up a second hand starter set Stainz for Alex last week, which arrived today. As you can see, like rather like son...