Standard gauge interchange...

It's been a scribble in my notebook since a holiday last November, and I've posted before about Roll-wagen interchange points on the blog but today the idea got one step closer as some Peco Code 220 45mm track arrived. My plan was to use this for the narrow gauge track. I have also hopefully sourced a short length of Gauge 3 track to use for the other part...

The initial idea is to just build the standard gauge interchange as part of the Narrow Gauge Railway Modellers forum challenge - I'd have an A4 piece of paper to fit all the relevant details in, which seems do-able, and then I can use this on a future project. The only complication I can envisage at this stage is determining what height difference to use as my current roll-wagen is not functional so can't be loaded and un-loaded. If I build a second I'd look to make this possible, but that might mean fabrication in brass and I don't know what proportions I can get in I beams in that material - so perhaps a little more thinking before I make a start...

An idea is born...

Lyd2 in Spur IIm / G scale...

The June 2013 issue of Continental Modeller has a drawing of the Romanian built Faur Lyd2 diesel. Now I have queries over it's accuracy as it seems a little short in some dimensions (bonnet, and some chassis details) but the wheelbase and cab are accurate.

Some time ago I pondered using the LGB HF130 diesel as a basis for a Lyd2 in G-scale. I contacted a few small scale kit manufacturers to see if they could help laser cut or mill some parts for me but no one was interested or the costs were prohibitive so I'm back wondering if it's possible to achieve a high standard in styrene with some etched brass overlays. 

With that in mind I printed out and then scaled up to 1:22 the Continental Modeller drawings as I have an electronic subscription to the magazine so I can download pages as PDF. I then cut one of these up to allow me to play with the proportions to better fit the chassis. Here you can see the result, and at the bottom is an unmodified drawing...

I think the shortening to better fit the chassis is a comprimise I'd be happy to make, so when the Kof is finished and I have some more modelling time I'll strip down the HF130 and make a start on the chassis.

Kof in orange...

Slow and steady wins the day so another night and another colour. First I masked off the cab sides though, as there will be warning stickers because of the engines remote control capability (as per the Zillertal prototype). These were done using B&Q premium masking tape, a glass clip frame and a metal rule.

The Humbrol gloss orange was lightly thinned and applied by airbrush in two light coats. What I live is how it hi-lights the creases on the panels on the bonnet doors, less happy with how it hi-lights the imperfections where I've not quite smoothed after filling or removing the original moulded detail!

Next up will be grey, and masking will involve the bonnet so I can do the grill, and the bufferbeams so I can do the chevrons. Then transfers, detail painting, varnish, etched plates and assembly!

Kof yellow wagon brown...

Not the most original of titles but it's been a long day. Tonight I sprayed the gloss yellow paint on the bufferbeams (to be masked as stripes) and the cab sides (to be masked for warning messages). I used my airbrush again but as it was damp I only risked spraying the flat wagon brown, as the moisture filter was getting quite wet. The satin green for the coaches can wait for another day!

Into the paint shop...

It's been sat on my shelf in primer for too long! My LGB Liliput Kof bash has now had a coat of Matt white paint as a base for the yellow buffer beam stripes and the orange body shell.

Whilst out in the garage the ex-Zillertal repainted starter set coaches have been dis-assembled and primed along with the low sided open wagon. The coaches will be green and the open wagon brown, to bring some unity to the EJ&KLR fleet. 

I know some of you won't believe I've destroyed my own handywork on the original repaint, but there is method in the madness. They were resprayed before the identity of the EJ&KLR had time to mature.