Completing Upnor Castle

The next few weeks will be quiet on the modelling front as apparently it is time to redecorate the lounge-diner. Both Loctern Quay and Hexworthy have gone into storage, and most of my modelling materials are packed away, not that I'd have time to use them anyway. However, before the modelling embargo came into force I managed to complete the model of Upnor Castle. I started this back in January when I fitted the chassis and couplings, and cleaned up the 3D printed body, mainly from the printing supports as the print didn't seem to need much cleaning up. 

As you can see from the painted model, the 3D print is indeed very clean and smooth, with sharp details and no obvious layering. Painting started with a coat of automotive grey primer, followed by Halfords green enamel, both aerosols. Brush painted enamels were then used for the black and red (over a white base), a brown weathering wash (sponged off the panels), and dry brushing rust brown and gunmetal for steps, axle-boxes, exhaust, etc. 

The livery is very simple so painting didn't take long. I didn't try to replicate the 2-tone livery Upnor Castle carried since I'm not aiming for an exact copy. I may give it a name eventually, not Upnor Castle, but perhaps something relevant to Hexworthy - Kingswear Castle guards the river Dart? That said the body sides are rather busy to find space for nameplates. 

The kit came with a separate print for the cab detail, which was painted simply but using brighter colours since it might as well stand out in the cab! The front and rear windows were glazed with clear plasticard; I used 40-thou since the edges weren't to be seen and it stays flatter, making sure it could sit tight into the corners, and with the edges coloured black with a marker. Of course it isn't flush, but painting the surrounding black makes this less obvious. 

Underneath the couplings were refitted, and a couple of layers of lead fitted under the bonnet close to the centre of the loco. This helps pick-up and traction, there's space for more but this should be ample for the smooth running Kato chassis, and I don't need to overload it's motor. Initial tests show it is a good runner. The body just pushes onto the chassis, this seems to work well enough. 

The driver is a plastic Dapol figure, I think he may have lost his hat at some stage. I decided a yellow coat would suggest modern hi-vis and stand out nicely in the cab. He's attached by supergluing his coat tail onto the "seat", having had his feet amputated to clear the chassis. 

Finally the roof is fixed with some PVA so that it can be removed if needed. The coupler screw could use a dab of matt black paint at some point. Otherwise the loco is ready for service. An easy build,, a good runner, and although "just a 3D print and Kato chassis" the quality of the model is much better than expected. I like it's chunky, functional looks - purposeful rather than pretty - and on Hexworthy I can see it running the occasional passenger train as well as PW duties. 

Upnor Castle

As an easy post-Christmas project I looked out a 3D printed loco kit I got for my Birthday last year. It is a model of Upnor Castle on the Ffestiniog Railway which was produced by the Merseyside group of the 009 society in memory of Roger Christian, a long-time member of the group who inspired many with not only his modelling skills but his willingness to encourage others, through articles in the 009 News and Railway Modeller, many exhibition appearances, and the 009 Society groups, along with Stan Williams. When I was a young 009 modeller Roger and Stan were a great help and encouragement to me. What a great idea to produce a model in his memory.

The loco is finely detailed and appears to have a good finish, comes with a separate roof and interior, and was supplied with a Kato 109 chassis. This model had a partially broken and distorted cab step, Stan had warned me before dispatch. There are no instructions, but clearly the Kato chassis would need shortening to fit the body. 

I cut of the balconies leaving the chassis much shorter than the body, it fitted neatly in but I felt the body sat too high. I cut off the clips and a strip from the "shoulder" of the chassis alongside the motor which allowed it to sit much lower, but the chassis rocked fore and aft. I added strips of 40-thou plastic to the flats at the corners of the chassis allowing it to sit level. Finally, plastic end-stops added in the corners of the loco frames stop the chassis moving fore and aft within the body. The chassis is held loosely vertically in the body, though it doesn't fall out I may use blue-tack or a spot of glue to hold it in place when finished. 

The next job is fitting couplings. Opening up the buffer-beams for the Microtrains couplings was easiest with a saw, since the 3D printed resin is sawn and files cleanly but isn't easy to cut with a knife. I passed a fretsaw blade through the slot and opened out the hole, then cleaned up with a file. I drilled a hole for the retaining screw, and made a recess in the bottom of the buffer-beam for the screw head. 

I spent some time checking the body and cleaning up blemishes, which I guess are from the support structure during printing, and were mainly on the bottom of the frames and footplate, and around the window openings. The deformed step was easily superglued back together, and I glued plastic strips across the back of the cab handle recesses which were open into the cab. I also thinned the back of the cab back where it meets the roof, and the back of the protrusion below the cab roof, as it initially sat a little forward with no overhang to the rear. 

Now I need to get some primer to continue, the first coat will show how smooth the surface is though it appears pretty good.