Different Scales

Having for the past 15 years or more not built a kit in an other scale than 1/35-1/32 I'm currently going completly bonkers. I have bought kits in two other scales. One well-known from many years ago (1/87) and one completely new (16 mm scale). I'm I loosing the interest in 1/35? Probably not as I know of a range of other modellers happily modelling in many different scales, so why not me?

1/87 two-way excavators for a project at work. Being a modeller can't be kept a secret for ever when working for a railway contractor. Some of these will probably be rebuilt with larger cabs and buffers. Proper painting and custom made decals will definately be needed.

16 mm scale Glyn Valley Tramway wagon from Binnie Engineering bought in the museum shop at Tywyn Wharf station. It sort of just fell into my hand together with a number of books.

While the small excavators are destined to become an Autumn project at the real work table, the granite wagon seemed like a good project for the cottage, where I can ony bring the most necessary tools.

Having never built anything in 16 mm scale and never even seen a 16 mm scale model in real life, I had no idea how large the wagon would become once it was assembled. I was baffled by the size! The wagon was close to four times larger than a 1/35 skip.

The parts were moulded without any flash and fitted well. Without any fuss the model was assembled in no time. I had planned to simply assemble and paint the model, but once started I couldn't help distressing a few planks and removing a bolt head and drilling a hole to represent a missing bolt. Decals were ordered (and a few additional 16 mm scale wagons mysteriously 'fell' in the shopping cart as well).

Most of the parts in place. My usual size rubber bands would hardly reach around the model without splitting!

Primed and with the first layers of paint on. As the Danish Summer has produced more than two months' worth of delightful warm days and evenings the model has been built exclusively out of doors.

Work on the wagon will now have to await the decals arriving. In the meantime I'll be checking out the great garden railway blog about the Peckforton Light Railway. I wish you all a happy Summer!

Heavy load trailer and tractor (1/35)

I have had a few requests for more info on the trailer and tractor seen on 'road plank' in an earlier blogpost. Both are more than 10 years old now and both of them are suffering moderately from age.

Ruston & Bucyrus excavator

The trailer is a German army Sonderanhänger 116 with a 22 t load capacity built from a resin kit from the French manufacturer DES Kits. I built the trailer back in 2003 as part of a project to build the transport seen on the image below.

Danish contractor O. M. Hougaard transporting a O&K excavator with what is most likely former German army equipment left behind in Denmark after the occupation.

The trailer is ready for primer and paint. The DES Kits resin parts were thin and nicely cast with no warpage. Over the years the wheel axles have begun to warp a bit under the weight of the model. Perhaps it's time to exchange the model with a Tamyia trailer, where the injection plastic parts are mixed with an aluminium profile reinforced load bed.

Trailer in German Panzer Grey and tyres with basic weathering.

The Faun ZSR was a heavy tractor designed for the German army with a 150 hp engine. Special versions of the tractor could be fitted with railway wheels. I built the Elitemodell resin kit in 2004, replacing a considerable number of parts with home made ones. Contrary to the trailer, where there is now an injection plastic version available, the Faun is still only available in resin.

Quite a few home made parts in this view of the model in an unpainted stage. The cab has been detailed and painted.

A short break during the transport of an excavator. Possibly the crew (driver and helper) is checking if the Ruston & Bucyrus excavator stays safely on the trailer.