Hornby TT120 kitbash

Last post I had a chassis from a Hornby TT120 4 wheel wagon seperated from it's body.
This post it gets a new body!

What started out as a copy of a Chiver's Finleines O16.5 wagon, that I redrew, stretched, changed details ready for O14, and never did much with. It has since been cut and shut again, rescaled, lengthened, redetailed and prepared for printing for HOn3½.

In the slicer, ready to send to the Form2 printer I use. I'm afraid FDM printers just aren't good enough for fine detail work. I'm also afraid of the cost of Formlabs resin and consumables!

Fresh out of curing, and with support truss removed

It's great to knock out a quick wagon to get an idea on size of details and how much detail to include. I have a bit of a problem with people making fantastic 3D models, incredibly detailed, but nearly impossible to get all the supports off cleanly and for the details to not be too flimsy.

I will have to decide on couplers shortly! Buffers, and hence bufferlock on curves, is going to be a problem. The PVH diesel loco has prototypical screw couplings, the existing fleet from Andrew Collier has a mixture of Greenwich and Roco couplers (and not all wagons can currently couple together due to coupler lengths), and of course this new wagon has a Hornby dilemma slung below it. Paint will hopefully happen this week too!

TT120: Thy lord Hornby giveth to HOn3½ modellers

I wouldn't have considered moving to HOn3½ if it wasn't for Hornby and Peco introducing their ranges of TT120. I had always kept an eye on the various HO narrow gauges, HOn3½ always seemed just a smaller version of my tribulations in Sn3½ and O24.5. I like the idea of building a lot of stuff. I like the idea of having fairly unique models. I don't like the idea of getting my grandfather's watch making equipment out to build models. I almost tried Nn3 when younger, but even the best models in magazines and online still looked like rough castings.

My biggest issue with O scale was space. Loco construction was enjoyable, the quality of details parts amazing.
My biggest issue with S scale was availability. While building locos and rollingstock is fun, not being able to buy basic detail parts, figures or even corrugated iron for structures is quite problematic. Stagnation was the flavour of Sn modelling to me.

Enter HO narrow. Space is not a problem (well, it always will be, but it isn't all the same). There is very few useful kits on the market for Tasmanian locos or rollingstock (yet I have managed to acquire kits for an SAR T class and a GMA(M) Garratt as well as the previously posted scratchbuilt models by Andrew Collier). 3D models are available for a few items that are of use to me, the Mt Lyell M wagon by Jamie Mac and the TGR 6 wheel B class carriage, also by Jamie Mac, on Thingiverse in particular. I will post my printed copies in a later blog.

Now Hornby and Peco have taken a long-almost-extinct scale and gauge and revived it. With considerable luck, it's a gauge that suits 3'6" gauge models in the most abundant scale around. Thus HOn3½ re-entered my radar.

I procured this example from Woodpecker Model Railways to see how TT120 can assist me. TGR and EBR predominately used 2'7" dia wheels, or 9mm in HO scale. I knew Peco's wagons used 8mm dia holey disc wheels, not ideal. Hornby wheels are at least properly spoked, but are unfortunately also 8mm dia.
No matter, this underframe will still see some use. At $37.90 per wagon I won't be buying many if any more. The wheels may be useful for log bogies and freelance gap-filler rollingstock. Not sure that i'm keen on the couplers either!

Emu Bay Railway Collector Coins

Yesterday I attended the Forestville Model Railway Exhibition with my friends Geoff and John. For a small exhibition, there was a decent number of layouts, displays and traders with a variety of products, the bring and buy stand had some gems amongst the junk, but as always the junk heavily outweighed anything of actual value. A good number of modellers were demonstrating techniques, I was keen to see Lee Styger building some KB Models skips, of which I have built dozens in the past, although he was assembling them to 9mm gauge rather than my beloved O14.

One trader I was keen to see is Railway Coins, who make beautiful enamel coins of various railway subjects. I have been following their activites on FaceAche for a while and saw a coin featuring the Emu Bay Railway's 10 and 11 class diesels on one side and the Dubs 4-8-0 No6 Murchison on the other. For $15 (+3 for the stand) it was the best money I spent at the show.

Railway Coins also sell by mail order and will be attending other train shows in the future. Their website is railway-coins.square.site or click here for their facebook page