Car Train

120503_4-track_DSC_4363, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

As an alternative to a long wait for the Aust Car Ferry or a long drive via Gloucester, the 4.40pm Severn Tunnel Junction to Pilning car train is captured speeding up the 1/100 grade towards its destination on a dull summer day in 1958.

The opening of the Severn Bridge saw the end of this service aimed at the more affluent car owner which had been running since 1924. The new bridge also saw the end to the quirky Aust Car Ferry, however those that wish a trip down memory lane can visit the derelict terminal, but beware it is on private property. For the train, well you'll just have to gloat at the toy chuffer here sadly.

BIGGER version HERE!

Scammell Tri-Van

nevard_110909_scammell_IMG_1178_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

Few of us need an excuse to pick up yet another diecast road vehicle for the price of a pint (though this one is the price of 2 pints because it has more bits than usual).

So here we have a Scammell 'Mechanical Horse' aka 'Tri-van' (Oxford Diecast 76MH006 British Rail) sat posing in the cobbled yard at Brewhouse Quay. This one has been de-railwayised with the removal of 'British Railways' and toned down with Testors Dullcote matt varnish. It has also been re-glazed due to difficulty of removing the cast glazing supplied. Usually drilling out the rivet that holds it in place will do the trick, but the clear plastic moulding was rather stubborn. I needed to remove it to avoid having to mask the windows before spraying with Testors Dullcote. In the event I ended up having to break it up, but replacement was simple with a little clear plastic sheet and some Microscale Kristal Klear for the quarter lights. I decided to leave the side windows unglazed because it is always a sunny, hazy, hot day in Brewhouse Quay Land!

I hope you'll agree it makes a nice quick and easy embellishment to the brewery yard. The wooden ale casks from Cornwall Model Boats are not fixed for this shot, but I might fix them in place with a little water based PVA to allow removal should it be desired.

Used Motors

nevard_110709_cars_DSC_2811_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

We all love those ready-to-push diecast model cars that can be bought for the price of a posh pint (well in Surrey anyway!). Whilst they are probably better than what can be made from a white metal kit costing 4 or 5 times as much, everybody else down the railway club will own a whole set of cars identical to yours.

A full sized car will be shiny when clean and new, for some reason gloss does not scale down well without the result looking toy-like, however we can create a better looking miniature effect. These cars from Oxford Diecast and Pocketbond Classix are the result of about 30 mins sat at the table under the sun in the garden and here's what can be fitted into that time......

1. Dismantle (you might need to drill out the soft rivets)
2. Wash over the body  with a brown/grey paint mix (any old paint, I like acrylic and emulsion).
3. Dab off, leaving just enough pigment in the recesses, the amount depending whether you're going for banger or beauty.
4. Remember to treat the wheels too.
5. Reassemble temporarily without the glazing.
6. Blast over with some Testors Dullcote aerosol matt varnish - Google for a supplier.
7. Once dry, dismantle and reassemble with the glazing.
8. I didn't like the glazing on the left had car, a Ford Popular because it was set far too deep inside the car so I discarded it and used Krystal Kleer Glazing fluid instead.
9. Add a dab of super glue where the drilled rivet heads were to hold the car together.
10. Place on your layout in a parked pose - unless of course you add a miniature driver, in which case queue it at a level crossing or traffic lights so the lack of movement does not look silly (unless you are modelling the M25 of course).

Further reading: there is of course a lot more than can be done, so much so that ace modeller George Dent and your's truly penned and article for Model Rail 156 (for back-issues tel: 0845 121 4000).