Paddleducks
Paddler Modelling => Construction => Topic started by: Mercury on January 24, 2012, 01:08:00 AM
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Having failed to complete my Waverley project (mothballed when I moved house overseas) I'm a touch nervous to start a new build here but have to decided to anyway. Hopefully this will act as a incentive to complete it fairly rapidly.
Having received some great help to find drawings andcomponents I have started to make progress on the new build. As I stated when I was looking for information previously this vessel was ordered as the Kylemore in 1897 but had to wait 10 years before she finally took that name having been the Britannia and the Vulcan in the interim. As the Vulcan she wore the beautiful colours of the Glasgow and South Western Railway - owners of the magnificent Juno & Glen Sannox. Unlike these fliers she was an all year round working steamer of 200' in length - very much a typical vessel for her day.
In 1907 she returned to her original owner, Captain James Williamson and continued to work for Williamson and Williamson Buchanan until she was sunk in WWII in 1940. Her regular route was Rothesay to Glasgow and even today the inside berth at Rothesay Pier is still known as the "Kylemore berth" due to her long associated with it. The Kylemore was used as much for cargo as passengers and interestingly the area on the main deck forward was not fitted out as a lounge but was even used on occasion for the carriage of cattle & sheep!
The model itself is based on a Models By Design Albion hull with modified paddles by Kim at Clyde Model Boats. The drawings are from the originals sourced at the Ballast Trust in Johnstone. I haven't as yet decided if she will be built as Vulcan or Kylemore or if the bridge will be behind or in front of Ethe funnel.
Some pictures attached so early progress - I have built up the hull sides from the original lower moulding and am currently framing out the interior.
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hi Richard,
Glad you have made a start...looking like her already with the bow plated up to prom deck level. As you know I like the Kylemore/Vulcan so looking forward to seeing your progress with her!
regards
Clark
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Good luck wirth the build, i always enjoy reading them
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Progress is coming on now although I haven't posted much. I've had to build completely from plasticard this time around which I have found to be easier than using ply. Anyway, I've completed the hull internal structure, installed the sub decks and built the sponsons. I've gone for detachable sponsons again, same as my Waverley build. Interestingly I found them much easier to build this the around - I guess it's just the practice.
I've purchased a set of paddle wheels from Kim at Clyde Model Boats. Kim was kind enough to resize his Juno set which are 7 bladed and have exactly the same profile so by reducing the diameter of the wheel and width of the blades I have a scale set. Many thanks to Kim for doing this for me and perhaps a suggestion for those others who need a set of wheels which are slightly different from the standard sizes.
I'm still swithering between going for the ship as the G&SWR Vulcan with bridge abaft the funnel and Lavender grey hull or the plainer Kylemore with bridge ahead of the funnel and black and white paint.
Next challenge will be the paddle box fronts. I'm going to try and make them in plasticard - failing this I may get them etched in brass. Kylemore has a simple but very delicate curved slat design which could be quite difficult to get right.
Some pictures attached
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Hi Richard,Now I'm no great fan of Plasticard but have pushed ahead / lead the way in the laser cutting of the stuff ... I'd be interested to hear how in ''Layman's / Kim'' terms how you did the sponsons houses they look very cleanly built!
Regards,
Kim
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It's looking very good, as to the colour scheme/version I think the 'vulcan' sounds more interesting... but either will be great ;D
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Kim - Sponson houses are very simply built. One piece base with hole for the paddle drum cut out. Some simple box structures in the general shape of the houses but without the curves. I then stuck on the top decks and used very thin plastic for the outer skin of the deckhouses. Finally I put in the plastic for the drums - the space creates the right shape - I just needed to get the length of plastic right.
mjt60a,
We had the family vote yesterday. Having attached the sponsons I mocked up a couple of cardboard deckhouses and tried her in Vulcan and Kylemore configuration. Kids and wife all voted for Kylemore - may be something to do with the fact that is the name of our house (yes - it was named after the paddler!) So it will be Kylemore.
Pictures of the mock ups attached:
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As I'm not familiar with this ship I couldn't resist searching out a few pictures
http://website.lineone.net/~tom_lee/kylemoreimg.htm
http://www.paddlesteamers.info/Kylemore.htm
http://www.wrecksite.eu/imgBrowser.aspx?17363
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Nice crisp styrene work indeed!! :trophy..Ahh ...family votes :D
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Hi Richard,
She's coming together very nicely indeed, and as has been said the sponsons look the part, neatly done.
Looking forward to seeing more as you progress,
cheers
Clark
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Hi Richard,
Thanks for the explination... but ... did you heat / form the curves prior to glue or did you use a former?
Either way i'm still impressed!
regards
Kim
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I just bent thin 0.5m plasticard around the curve. The important bit was to ensure I had a good surface to glue either side. Also notching the top into the deck above helped set the point the curve started.
Thanks for the comments Clark. You MoL is looking great!
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Following another gap to move country again I'm now making some progress. The paddle box facings have been completed - I just used plasticard with strip behind to simulate the pattern of vents. An etched brass option would probably have resulted in a finer finish but I wanted to keep it simple given my remote location. Next steps will be to complete detailing the sponsons with doors, windows, lining etc. and then start painting them.
I did manage to get back to the UK a couple of weeks ago and had a sail at Rouken Glen with the Model Steamer Club. One of the models sailing was a really excellent Marchioness of Graham at 1:48th. This was the first time I've seen one of these sailing in a long while and it reminded me what a great model this ship makes. Will try and get photos next time I am back.
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Finally added some pictures. Paddle box fronts now added and I'm currently detailing the sponsons with doors, lining etc. It looks a bit scrappy at the moment but will look better with paint. That will have to wait for a while until I get back to the UK for some materials.
In the backgrounds are the drawings. A bit faint but not bad for photocopies of drawings from the 1890's.
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Hi Richard,
I'm so glad your relocation hasn't stopped you building and have to say she is looking good!
Now settle down in one country and get builing!
hope to see you soon,
Regards,
Kim
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I have now managed to get the boat partially painted. I have gone for the Williamson colours so she is now definitely Kylemore. I've completed the basic red, black, white. I need to complete the brown lining between the black and the white and the deck edge. After that I'm not sure. She had a white water line from the late 1920's, a blue mourning line around the hull I think in 1924 (when her owner John Williamson died) and gained 2 gold lines when Williamson Buchannan was taken over by the LMS railway in 1935 (the ventilators changed from brown to silver then as well). I think I will add the white water line and quite fancy adding the blue line as well but it will depend on finding some lining tape and confirming that both existed at the same time. (I admit I may not build perfect models but I quite like being an anorak sometimes!!!)
As you can see I've started marking out the decks on birch veneer - cheating I know.
Anyway I'm reasonably happy the way she is coming out although she looks quite short - something I wasn't expecting.
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Hi Richard,
Looking good with the hull painted, she (her hull) looked quite distinctive in photos, you have caught her really well.
Trimline do several blues in their lining range...light, royal and dark I think. I have seen a pic of Queen Empress with the blue line and white water line, but cant find a clear one of Kylemore at the moment. Will let you know if I find any.
I know what you mean about hull length...I thought that also with my MoL, but then I supose 200' was at the smaller end of Clyde steamer sizes. My Fair Maid hull looks huge beside it.
Keep the pics coming, enjoying your progress
regards
Clark
PS just found an undated pic of Kylemore with one line round the hull at sponson belting level, don't know what colour, and no white waterline.
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Hi Richard,
Your build is looking good!
I have an unanswered question which maybe you can help with. On the Paddle box there is a coat of arms (beloning to a family which i can't remember the name of .. it was about two years ago when i last researched this)
If you can find a pic of that detail i'd be very gratefull if you'd share the answer.
Regards,
Kim
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Just detailing the paddlebox and now looking for the coat of arms mentioned by Kim above. Does anyone have a good picture of the Kylemore's paddle box?
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Hi Richard,
I had a search several years ago (through my own book collection), and didn't turn up any clear close-up pictures at that time unfortunately.
Clark
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Having been working on the model over the past few weeks I've become increasingly unhappy with the humbrol white paint which has already yellowed. Finish isn't great either. Add in the fact that I've just be asked to go back to the UK so I can get proper spray paints and I've decided to strip the hull back.
I've also decided to improve the overall quality of the build. There are so many excellent builds on this site that I've decided to try and push the standard a bit. As part of this I will build to the plans I have so will go with the Vulcan - recently found photo attached.
Any views on the correct colour gray for G&SWR. It appears to be somewhere between french grey and a lavander grey like Union Castle. Not sure of the exact shade.
Richard
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Hi Richard,
It will be interesting to see her come together as the Vulcan...the GSWR livery was/is eye catching. The colour is described as "french grey" and likened to the Union Castle shade in several books.
The 1898 Juno build, by Martyn, in the construction section, looks really good and he may be able give you advice re the correct shade to use.
I mostly use "RailMatch" paints for brush painting, the quality is really good in my opinion - I only use humbrol now for things like decks where a smooth even finish is not that important.
In fact I had to use a fifteen year old tin of humbrol no.7 for my MoL funnel as the new one I bought wasn't even the same shade anymore >:(
Good luck with the colour hunting- she will look the part in GSWR livery
Clark
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Finally after a long hiatus I've decided to update. Since the last post I stripped down the hull to remove the old humbrol colours and prepare to paint the ship as owned by G&SWR rather than Williamson Buchanan. I repositioned the portholes on the forward lounge and used brass inserts to get a better circle. I plan to machine perspex inserts for the glass. I have made up the paddle wheels, etched brass from Kim at Clyde Model Boats. The sponsons and paddle boxes have also been replaced - I'm much happier with the new versions which are permanently fixed to the hull. I have also added the outside handrails, portholes and eyebrows.
Recently I've started to make up deck fittings, beginning from aft. There are a lot of deck seats to make - in the photo you can see my first efforts but I think I will replace the seat legs with brass rod - at least for the seats around the deck edge as this appears more correct from photographs of similar steamers. My plans are to continue to make fittings working from aft along the deck. I've yet to make a final choice on how to paint the hull but would prefer to use car aerosols if I can find he correct colours. Failing this I'll look to use Railmatch or similar.
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Hi Richard,
Good to see you back!
All the best,
Kim
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Thanks Kim. What latest magic are you conjuring up at Clyde Model Boats?