Justin's Workshop

Any news of your Class 47's Justin?

John.

John,

The news is.... not much really.

I am currently doing the mental gymnastics on the final model for the pack that the 47’s are to go in (Mail by Rail). I have tested them and they passed ok, but they do need further testing before the final ok is given on them.

The pack that they will be in will include the following:
RM 325’s: 325001,325002 and 325003
EWS 67’s: 67004 and 67021
Parcels 47’s: 47474 and 47522
RES 47/7’s: 47733 and 47777

New RES vans: NAA, NBA, NDX, NEX, NHA, NIA, NJX, NKA, NLX, NNX, NOA & NPX

New Royal Mail vans: BG, NNX, NSA (pick up equipment removed), NSA (pick up equipment fitted), NTA & NUA

And the surprise model which is holding things up (besides me needing a bit of downtime): a brand new class 128.

The version in this pack will be the “last few years of service” with the units in RM livery without gangways. I want to do them with opening side doors, so I need to find out what the inside walls of these units were like (wood panelled/painted metal/?) as well as any distinctive internal features that need to be present.

This model will then form the base of the earlier version of the class, which then ties into a secondary project: Alec’s FGDMU project. I have given Alec full clearance to do all the repaints that he wants for the 128’s and to upload them.

Justin

Hi All,

Nothing major, I just thought I'd publish an updated Works Order List.



Note: there are a few "nearly finished" projects not listed.
And for those who have a dectective streak in them,
I have left a clue about a future project in the list. See if you can crack the riddle.

Justin

Hi Guys,

I am currently working on a pair of Australain engines from 1891 (American Baldwins) and I have hit a bit of an issue.
Does anybody have a drawing/know of a model that has Stephenson simple outside valve gear fitted, that I can view the layout of the inside motions of? Most engines that I have seen with Stephenson valve gear are either "fully inside" or don't have the inside motions fitted.

As the Engines have high running boards and the frame beneath the boiler is clearly visible I need to model the correct valve layouts.

Justin

Justin

Have you looked up a black 5 on google numbered 44767 that loco has Stephenson link motion on it that's outside.

Hi Ben,

Thanks for idea, but it is the wrong style of Stephenson link.

Having gone over the engines again I have found that there will be no way of sing the inside motion, so I won't need to worry about it.

Sorry for the trouble,

Justin

Great Job on the pullman observation Coaches

Ok folks,

I know it has been quite a while since I last posted any work (namely because I haven't done any), so I thought it was time to scare everyone again:



What you are looking at is the 1951 build SR Pullman coach Orion ready for service in the Golden Arrow.
That's right, I'm back modelling the Pullmans, in particular the Golden Arrow stock as well as the Devon Belle sets.

I hope to get these out before Christmas.

Justin

Lovely work Justin.......and you've made my day! 

Hi Justin

You will be surprised how handy the Southern Pullman Cars will be many other trains had Pullman Cars as well,on the South Eastern Division,there was also the Thanet Belle,South Western Division Besides the Devon there was the Bournemouth Belle,also a lot of the Ocean Lines trains had Pullman Cars in them.

And of course the South Central Division had EMU Pullman Cars the Iconic Brighton Belle which even carried the reversed Blue\Grey livery,then there were the 6 Pul\Pan sets they either 1 Pullman Car or 1 Pullman Pantry car in the set.

Mike

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the kind words, I have managed to get 11 of the new coaches to running stage in just a few hours (namely because I had the existing models). Had a bit of a strange thing happen though, if you read back over this topic you will find that I had a whole load of issues getting the coaches to show up last time. So I decide that once the coaches were “ready” that I would put them through the 3 stage conversion for MSTS, only to have things not show up in the sim (queue the head scratching and mumbling).

I re-exported one coach and ran it through polymaster only and tried it in the sim (normally MSTS has a fit over my Pullmans), low and behold everything loaded and was perfect (queue more head scratching and mumbling). Re-export the other 7 that had issues and only put them through polymaster, and now all are working.

I do have some texture work to do on the coaches as the windows are too big on the 1951 build Festival of Britain cars. I may remove the Golden Arrow bits off the coaches and put them in with the coach boards so that the coaches can be used for other services. As for the other 100 or so SR coaches, they will come out eventually (excluding the Brighton Belle coaches as there is already a beautiful example in the UKTS file library which I cannot top [file ids: 22193, 22194, 22195 or search for author meonia (Michael Traves)]).

And just to tease everyone, here is the set under testing (with Devon Belle observation 13 on the end) sitting at Kings Cross:



Justin

Once again excellent work. I shall have to study very hard to get anywhere near!      

Great work Mate!   
If you want me to test before hand, please send them over! I think the Golden Arrow Signage should stay on them personally. But that is only my opinion. Maybe we can get to work on the Desiro 444's when you have a bit of time on your hands?  
Cheers
Andy

Hi Folks,

I’m still working on the Golden Arrow Pullman’s at the moment, just one coach left to do the body work for and then all the textures.

I do happen to have a question, I have a few models (road vehicles) that I made years ago for another “game” that I want to try and bring into MSTS. Now here is where the fun comes in: I have read that if you can convert the files to fsc (a flight sim format) then you can import them into TSM. Now I have gotten to this point (the fsc format) but whenever I try to import my file into TSM I get the error message: “The file version is newer than your version of TranSim Modeler Contact Abacus for an upgrade”. Does anybody know of a work around that is possible? I don’t have the commercial version of TSM.

Justin

Hi Justin

I may be wrong, but I think that you need the commercial version with the free upgrade applied, I have never used the free or trial versions but I do believe they have some limitations on their functionality which is probably why you are having problems importing non native file formats.

Hi Mark,

That’s what I was worried about, that I’d need the full $300 commercial version rather than the normal retail “Pro” version that I brought back in 2005. Oh well, there goes that idea then.

On another note, I have just finished the models for the Golden Arrow set:



The set is Aquila, Aries, Carina, Cygnus, Hercules, Isle of Thanet (Parlour brake), Minerva (Parlour brake), Orion, Pegasus, Phoenix, Car No. 34, Car No. 35 , Car No. 36 & Car No. 208 (Parlour brake).

I hope to have these out for testing soon.
Justin

Hi Justin, I thought you were using a free or trial version, you should be OK with the version you have.

Mark

Mark,

I think the problem comes from my converted file being for FS Design studio being version 3.5 (I think).
Anyway, i have enough of a back log as it is to get through to worry too much over this.

Justin

Some more good looking coaches there Justin.

Brilliant work on the Pullman's Justin, they really do look the "biz"!  

Looking good Justin!   
Once released I might have to try and get my Dorset Coast Act finished with this set!   
Cheers
Andy

Pullmans are looking good.
Rich South Eastern passengers will enjoy them

The plebs will just have to put up with some old Maunsell coaches.

Hi Ian,

They're a nice surprise they will also useful for other Southern routes
Thank you for doing them

Mike

Ian,

Those Maunsells look really good. We really are now getting spoilt for choice.

Justin

Well, I know everyone seems to think that things have gone too quiet lately and that usually means that I have something due out of the workshops.

Keep an eye out for UKTS File ID: 32504 poping up shortly.

No clues, no hints.

Justin

. . . and very nice too they are!

Thank you.

when is the devon belle pack coming out ?  

FlyingScotsman1234 wrote:when is the devon belle pack coming out ?  

Justin,

Is working on these and they will be ready when ready Just keep watching and you'll see none of us give dates on our work myself included. Just keep watching and checking.

Hi Guys,

Bad news I’m afraid: over the weekend (22nd & 23rd March) I stressed (read over-worked) my right wrist at work. From Monday (24th) til today (27th) the pain had started to get worse. I have been to my doctor and he has informed me that I have acute Tendinitis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendinitis) . Unfortunately this will mean that I will be out of modelling action for some time (probably 6-8 weeks). I will be keeping up with the forum though.

Justin

Hi Justin,
Sorry to hear about your wrist concentrate on getting better your health is far more important than model making for MSTS.
The enforced rest will give you a chance to recharge your batteries as well
Take Care
Mike

Very sorry to hear about your wrist, and the inability to model, but as Mike said the more important thing is to get that wrist right.

Sorry to hear about your Wrist Justin! Rest up your wrist and concentrate on getting it better! TSM modelling can wait......  
All the best buddy!
Andy

Hi Justin, your health and well-being comes first, and you should should get that right before taking on anything else. Best Wishes for a speedy recovery.

Hi Guys,

Thank you all for your words of support. Unfortunately the main injured tendons are the ones to my thumb, which can make gripping things difficult, but hopefully I should have a quick recovery.

Justin

its be four months and no new posts ?  

Hi Mate,

Unfortunately my job has been quite hectic and problematic resulting in basically no time for modelling beyond small fits and starts.
I am currently attempting to get something started (namely a business of my own) that will enable me more time for modelling and thus also open up new areas for both myself and the future of MSTS.

I have been quiet as there has been no major work achieved asides from tutoring and messing around with a few ideas.
I haven't forgotten about MSTS, I have managed a few moments of an evening to drive some engines whilst sorting through different projects.
But unfortunately most nights when I come home I cannot concentrate enough to do the work properly.
I did try a small project but ended up making more mistakes than progress.

But don't fear, I am try to plan a comeback tour that will shock a lot of people.

Justin

We all have to make adjustments for "work-life-play" balance.

Hello World,

I know it has been a long time since I posted anything about my own modelling work so I shall start with something small.




Now I know most of you will be going “Yes and what is so special about these 2 coaches?”
Allow me to explain: these coaches were not originally designed for MSTS, they were designed to be 3D printed in 1/29th scale.

Now I can here you all scratching your heads with confusion so I shall try to explain further.

I would assume that some of you have heard about 3D printing but most would have no idea as to what it is actually about. Let us start by looking at a 3D printer (namely the one that is sitting on my desk currently making some parts for these coaches):



This little fella is a basic “home” 3D printer that is capable of turning your models on your computer into a reality (with a little bit of fiddling of course). Now whilst it is a “basic” version (it squirts out strings of plastic) it is capable of doing really good work. I had been messing around printing out a few “trial” things that I had downloaded and got thinking to myself “wouldn’t it be great if I could make my own model trains..” and I set about creating my first prototype model of an LNER guards van, which took almost 40 hours to model in the “specialty software” that you are supposed to use. Despite my best efforts the van ended up being out of proportion and not that good if I’m honest.



This got me thinking “If I could use TSM as my modelling program I could get an accurate model with high detailing in less than half the time…” So I searched the web and found that I needed 2 extra bits of software and I could convert my MSTS work to a 3D printable model.

My first attempt at a serious model was this:





This is basically an enlarged Hornby conflat and container (the 3D model still needs a little work before it can go into MSTS). As this was a success I then tired a Gresley 51ft Non-Corridor Third Brake (pictures to come at a later date). In a bid to make the BT easier to print I made it up out of individual panels (i.e. how it would have been in real life). After I had put this together I began tinkering with the idea of being able to cross over 3D printable models with MSTS. The 2 coaches above are the first attempt with this cross over.

I have run these in MSTS without any issues (which is a surprise on the first attempt) and I was wondering if anybody would be interested in these coaches as they are not of any particular prototype (they are actually made using the passenger section panels from the BT placed on a stretched wagon chassis). One I have printed out the remaining 2 print jobs and glued the models together I shall post pictures of what the “real things” look like.

Justin

Hi Justin,
That is most fascinating!!
Although I'm not into model railways (these days!) the use of TSM as the design medium is very interesting. The use of 3D printers is still in its infancy, so who knows what quality they will be capable of in a few years time

Well done!!

Cheers,
Ged

slipperman12 wrote:
That is most fascinating!!

Indeed it is, and just goes to show what can be achieved by a bit of lateral thinking! This is starting to look quite impressive.

Fantastic looking models Justin! Did you get the Inspiration from the MET 313 Coach that I was going to do!?
So what Software is used to make these coaches and how long does it take?
Maybe you can help me work around with this 444 Desiro with it?
Cheers
Andy

Very intriguing, those printed out parts remind me of the airfix kits we had as youngsters. I like the look of those 4 wheel coaches too. it will be interesting to see how this develops.

Guess who’s back, back again, Justin’s back, tell a friend,
(With apologies to Eminem)

Can it be over 1/4 of a year since I posted in here? My how life has gotten the better of me.
Unfortunately of the Christmas period thing were rough for me on a mental level and thus I haven’t been exceptionally productive over the last few months.

The 3D printable coaches are ready for final testing in MSTS, as soon as they are done expect them to be uploaded quick smart. I have done some testing of models and activities for others. And heaven forbid, I have actually been creating some activities for the Australian Main Illawarra V3 route (so far 3 but there will be more to come).

So why have I chosen NOW to make an announcement? Simple, the outstanding coaches of the 2 Devon Belle sets are going through the paint shops…. That’s right I can here you groaning now “not more Pullmans!!”, well its 23 more to be precise. Again as normal no delivery date promise, but as this is mostly naming and texture work it shouldn’t take a year…. Funnily enough when I did the original LNER coaches I accidently made a few of these coaches (the problem of working on models and trying to consolidate info at the same time). So a few of them are already to go.

Justin

Humm.....

Despite being a little rusty remembering the codes that I used to id the models in my projects folder I have managed to get all 23 coaches ready fro MSTS testing:



So now for trials in MSTS.

By the way, who's up for doing the coach boards and the "wings" for the Bullieds?

Justin

It's good to hear that your workshop is back up and running, and it can be categorically stated that one can never have enough of a good thing and in particular more Pullmans. These together with the recent route uploads - plus several more to come - suggests 2015 is looking to be a good year for MSTS.

j3801 wrote:Guess who’s back, back again, Justin’s back, tell a friend,
(With apologies to Eminem)

Can it be over 1/4 of a year since I posted in here? My how life has gotten the better of me.
Unfortunately of the Christmas period thing were rough for me on a mental level and thus I haven’t been exceptionally productive over the last few months.

The 3D printable coaches are ready for final testing in MSTS, as soon as they are done expect them to be uploaded quick smart. I have done some testing of models and activities for others. And heaven forbid, I have actually been creating some activities for the Australian Main Illawarra V3 route (so far 3 but there will be more to come).

So why have I chosen NOW to make an announcement? Simple, the outstanding coaches of the 2 Devon Belle sets are going through the paint shops…. That’s right I can here you groaning now “not more Pullmans!!”, well its 23 more to be precise. Again as normal no delivery date promise, but as this is mostly naming and texture work it shouldn’t take a year…. Funnily enough when I did the original LNER coaches I accidently made a few of these coaches (the problem of working on models and trying to consolidate info at the same time). So a few of them are already to go.

Justin

Good to hear of the Australian route activities. I am beeping my fingers crossed that they are "steam".

j3801 wrote:Humm.....

Despite being a little rusty remembering the codes that I used to id the models in my projects folder I have managed to get all 23 coaches ready fro MSTS testing:



So now for trials in MSTS.

By the way, who's up for doing the coach boards and the "wings" for the Bullieds?

Justin

Justin,
Long time; no hear buddy! If you need a hand with the boards for the coaches then give me a shout! Not sure what you mean about wings??? But I am sure it will all come clear!!
Anything Bulleid related I am more than keen to help with!!!
Cheers
Andy

35005CP wrote:[quote="j3801

By the way, who's up for doing the coach boards and the "wings" for the Bullieds?

Justin

Justin,
Long time; no hear buddy! If you need a hand with the boards for the coaches then give me a shout! Not sure what you mean about wings??? But I am sure it will all come clear!!
Anything Bulleid related I am more than keen to help with!!!  
Cheers
Andy
[/quote]

As clear as a Belle Andy, The Unrebuilt Merchant navies as well as carrying the Devon Belle Headboard on the front of the Loco Also carried the name on the side of the smoke deflectors.
Search for Devon Belle and you will find photographs of the train, to help you.
Of course You will need an unrebuilt MN as well.
Cheers
Andy

j3801 wrote:.............................................. And heaven forbid, I have actually been creating some activities for the Australian Main Illawarra V3 route (so far 3 but there will be more to come)...............................................Justin

My current program of route building, stock building and scenery building doesn't leave me with enough time to delve into Activity making.

When I originally released Main Illawarra V3, I was hoping that some enterprising sole would build a series of good activities for it. Justin ,would it be possible for you to 'fire' preliminary copies of these activities over to me to test ?

Regards, Brian

ShortNorth wrote:

j3801 wrote:.............................................. And heaven forbid, I have actually been creating some activities for the Australian Main Illawarra V3 route (so far 3 but there will be more to come)...............................................Justin

My current program of route building, stock building and scenery building doesn't leave me with enough time to delve into Activity making.

When I originally released Main Illawarra V3, I was hoping that some enterprising sole would build a series of good activities for it. Justin ,would it be possible for you to 'fire' preliminary copies of these activities over to me to test ?

Regards, Brian

Interesting Brian. I have just downloaded some NSW routes from Steam4me, including Illawarra, together with stock, and am very pleased with their quality. However, I am very disappointed to find that there are no activities to run on them. I am sure you will agree that they can not be fully appreciated without running activities.