3D Printed Signals And More

Faller make a single floor ultra-modern station but it does not have the extra high frontage and costs a small fortune - circa £100. Ouch!

After a long delay (working on the website instead) I've spent a day modelling ... built a second platform for my tube station.

What I've realised is just how far apart the platforms are at some subterranean stations with island style platforms and centrally located accesses- its not really appreciated when one is using them as there are no outside spatial clues. The platforms at stations where the escalators extend all the way to platform level have to be that far apart to create space for the escalators, stations with stairs* need less width.

(* whether below ground with stairs and passageways to the escalators - as per many central London tube stations - or with just steps to the surface, eg: Redbridge)

The station I'm building will have three escalators!

As I do not have a proper baseboard I am going to adopt the Scale Model Scenery 'baseboard in a box' concept - their baseboard range includes a kit of baseboard modules which when joined up are about a metre in length - they designed them this way as then they will fit inside a 77 litre 'really useful' plastic box / container.

Although what I'm building will therefore be like a diorama it is my hope that eventually it will be extended - when I have somewhere with space available (perhaps garden shed).

I have used XTC-3D and a filler primer on two different Shapeways passsenger coaches. Neither impressed me as the solutions I am hoping for.

On my Standard Stock tube train DM I painted the ventilation grilles black, and of course I masked the red paint around the grilles. But some black still managed to escape to where it was not wanted....

I've tried to get rid of the black by repainting the whole area in red but rattle can paint is so thin that the shape of the area with black paint is clearly visible.

Especially in earlier days they were black but it seems that eventually the whole train (roof excepted) was red.

The window surrounds were originally cream, but these too ended up red. Oh and the doors were something like LNWR plum (dark purple) and this too ended up red.

One livery variation unique to the Bakerloo was the blue stripe which (in theory) identified trains going north of Queens Park.

There there were the Isle of Wight liveries, thankfully however 'Dinosour' was not on these trains!! In the future I might yet make a second train of Standard Stock in something like BR Blue. Something easy to paint!

Finally I have wheels! 9mm for the Standard stock, 10.5mm for the 1967ts.

I would welcome advice on the best way to make the bogies.

1) superglue the white metal bogies plus wheel bearings, then paint, then add wheels?

2) superglue the white metal bogies plus wheel bearings and wheels, then paint?

3) paint and then superglue the white metal bogies, adding the wheels at this stage?

I have a rattle can of black etch primer but will probably paint the bogies in a mix of black and grey paint using a brush.

I need the wheels to collect electrickery for internal lights. I *might* get really adventurous and use short Marklin power collection skates to collect power for the internal lights from the 4th (return) rail. Then it would be easy to have the internal lights go off whilst traversing points without interfering with the electrical circuit for the motors.

I have no plans to use the outside third rail for power collection. That would be far too challenging!


Then comes perhaps the hardest part. Transfers. I have London Transport underlined but ideally need Underground plus car numbers in whatever font was used pre- P22 London Transport font. In addition I need Morden - Edgware Line and Bakerloo line (both underlined)


Thanks

Simon

Note that sadly people have been having trouble with Modelmasters of late. Long discussion on rmweb (7 pages) scroll to end.

www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/172774-modelmasters/page/7/

Might be worth considering Railtec and asking if he'd do something. He has a huge following and his work is excellent. I've no idea what he charges for bespoke work but if he'll produce it it will be good. No idea either about lead times as I've never needed anything bespoke.

You'd need to specify EXACTLY what you want as he would have no knowledge of LU (he doesn't know steam either but produces great work when he knows what's wanted).

www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=2996

I believe Modelmasters gave up doing anything TfL licenced as it didn't pay (could be wrong of course but eg they stopped doing the numbers for Met Bo-Bo electrics).

I guess the trick would be to see if you can find a suitable font that's not Johnston or P22 for doing wording like Morden-Edgware and car numbers which I'm pretty certain wouldn't be copyright.

P22 is the best publicly available typeface - it isn't perfect but, especially at a small scale, will cover the use-case being suggested here. It has much more in common with the original Johnston typeface (it is, effectively, an evolution and modernisation) and is still available commercially.

There are a number of 'freely available' alternatives also, most prominent of which are Paddington (based more on New Johnston) and Railway Sans (a bit of a hybrid; this one is also open source). They will also, likely, cover most of the use cases envisaged for modelling purposes.

Whilst there is the important caveat of 'I am not a lawyer', there is generally no issue with using typefaces, roundels etc. for non-commercial, private use - modelling has often been featured as such. Whilst having products made commercially likely would infringe TfL's intellectual property, designing appropriate decals and having them printed at cost for a specific purpose where the user isn't profiting is very unlikely to attach any adverse attention.

Finally... there's a difference between a typeface and a font! References to Johnston, P22 etc. are all referring to the typeface. The specific use - e.g. small caps or bold - is the font. Clarity is important, particularly when discussing accuracy for modelling.

According to a tweet by Halfords, the branches can order-in bespoke paint colours. I shall have to go to one and ask...

Any use?
www.riolettcustomaerosols.co.uk/ral-paint-colours/

Thanks for the suggestion, I've bought paint from Riolett before and if Halfords cannot help me then I will again. Riolett's paint is very good, the only reason for trying Halfords first is that Halfords are cheaper and my travel costs to collect their paints are significantly less than the carriage costs for paint from Riolett. It really does feel like a case of 'buy one, but pay for two'!

As it happens the RAL 9001 cream that I need will be used on Standard Stock trains (around the windows) as well as my 1937 Tyneside Electric EMU.

I'm hoping that Phil Radley will advise me of the Halfords paints required for the A stock train I recently ordered from him - I've asked for this information when he supplies the models, which will be once he has received a fresh delivery. I intend to paint it silver / unpainted aluminium livery (without any graffiti!). Otherwise I'll be buying RAL colours 7048 (roof), 7047 (main body) and 7004 (cab doors) from Riolett.

Sorry to say this but there are reports elsewhere claiming that Shapeways have filed for bankruptcy.

This is where I bought my 3D printed London Transport signals and one of the other retail shops there has a very large range of rolling stock which includes many different types of Metropolitan Railway, District Railway and London Transport trains.

I think that they are still trading 'at present' and so far what happens next remains to be seen.