Topic: Admiralty Train Ferry Number 3 (Read 119458 times)

raflaunches · « **Reply #125 on:** July 12, 2016, 06:47:06 pm »

Hi Derek

Many thanks for the advice, I think we have some black patina in the garage we could use.

Hi Robbie and Sandy

You're more than welcome to post your build on this thread, I look forward to seeing your progress and wish you the best with the floating tests

Yarpie · « **Reply #126 on:** July 12, 2016, 07:40:13 pm »

Hi Nick and Steve, many thanks for the permission.

The Hampshire TF3 nears completion without float/ballast trials and is looking the part now, or at least so we believe.

Here she is as of last Friday, ready to have her aft stubby bulwarks fitted.

A representative few items of rolling stock are placed on the tracks (strategically placed to hide blemishes!) and some lumber and chains have been glued in position trackside. Bollards have been placed between the tracks to secure the holding-down chains in place, but most of this will be obscured when all of the rolling stock is in place.

However, and we all know this, the "anoraks" out there will have their mobile 'phone searchlights on looking for evidence of detail when she is displayed.

Up to now we have figured out the colour scheme for the STARBOARD side, and, although I have a photo downloaded from the French site of what PURPORTS to be TF3's PORT side, it is clearly TF2's camouflage pattern, slightly "doctored".

Do you, by any chance have an image of TF3's port side camouflage scheme that you could post on here please. It doesn't really have to be in glorious colour as I can read monochrome into colour.

Many thanks for submitting your Dad's build of TF3 on this website, it really is an interesting build, attention to detail is absolute and the job, as they say, is a good 'un.

We wish you both continued success with the build and will be following each stage closely.

Kind regards,

Sandy and Robbie.

ballastanksian · « **Reply #127 on:** July 12, 2016, 07:43:16 pm »

Lovely work chaps. It would be great to see both ferries on the pond at Wicksteed next year perhaps recreating a ro ro service demonstration.

raflaunches · « **Reply #128 on:** July 12, 2016, 09:25:31 pm »

Hi Sandy and Robby

Beautiful work, can't wait to see her on the water

Hmmm I don't think we have one either, I'll ask Steve but I think that most pictures we have are of TF2. I'll have a look just incase.

Yarpie · « **Reply #129 on:** July 14, 2016, 07:22:59 pm »

Many thanks Nick.

By the way, the black patina will not be necessary on the project. The holding-down chains did rust because the freeboard of these vessels was only 4 feet above the waterline!! The car deck was constantly awash during any proper sea state (even the English Channel) and the evidence of it is the six automatic scuppers positioned just above the lower fender each side of the vessel.
Also, these vessels were constantly employed with as little as 20 minutes for turn around (Disembarking and Embarking). In fact, the team which secured the rolling stock would proceed to sea with the ferry for expedience sake, and when job done, would be picked up mid voyage by tug or suchlike in order to get them back to base (not "port" as the three ferries were manned mainly by Royal Engineers and Merchant Seamen) who were drafted in to the ships and generally dressed as soldiers. Some crew members actually came from inland railways as well, Chatham being one.

There are figures relating to the amount of crossings and transport of war materiel tonnage from inception to end, and it certainly gives no time for ship husbandry or general cleaning-up at all.

Well worked ships were never "tiddley", the bullsh1t was reserved for Capital Ships.

On which point, we may have to loosely base TF3's port camouflage pattern on TF2's, which is eminently detailed in various images.

Kind regards,

Sandy.

raflaunches · « **Reply #130 on:** July 17, 2016, 03:46:30 pm »

Hi Sandy

Definitely only have images of TF2 from the sides required. Will do a similar thing with the camouflage as you'll do as it can't be too different.
Some more pictures coming tomorrow as they upload to my cloud account, these are of the scupper detail and the big door on the hull side presumably for crew and passenger to walk through when not boarding via a train.
Can't wait to see it for real when I get back home in 7 weeks time.

Yarpie · « **Reply #131 on:** July 17, 2016, 08:46:02 pm »

Hi Nick,

great thinking on the TF2 camouflage scheme. If we both do the same "trick" port side, who is going to argue that it's not right. (Apart from many members who follow these Train Ferry build blogs on two differing websites of course).

Anyway, there's safety in numbers eh?

Looking forward to seeing more pictures of your build soon. You mention being away, would that be in Penguin Land again? My son had a "cruise" down there in 1982 aboard HMS FEARLESS. Bit hairy at times but was the making of him.

Wish Steve all the best please.

Sandy.

raflaunches · « **Reply #132 on:** July 17, 2016, 09:19:11 pm »

Hi Sandy

Thoroughly agree, nitpickers will find it difficult to find fault if there is two of us with the same scheme!
Unfortunately I'm not in the Falklands, although I wish I was- it's much cooler there-, I am on a hot and sticky island but not in the Atlantic , can't say more than that but I think you could probably work it out! I had a brilliant time in the Falklands, I managed to get an exchange with a AET on HMS Edinburgh for a day, got to give some serious respect to anyone who sails in the Royal Navy living in such close company.

raflaunches · « **Reply #133 on:** July 30, 2016, 05:20:13 am »

At last Ive found the decent wifi signal to upload the pictures again!

Steve will be filing down the hinges because he couldn't get the correct sized ones into position with the tweezers, so he made over-sized items to glue into position and will then sand them down to the correct thickness.

Only six weeks until I can come home again!!!

ballastanksian · « **Reply #134 on:** July 30, 2016, 02:32:18 pm »

Look after yourself in the meantime and thanks for putting the progress shots up of Steve's work. She is coming along really fine.

Yarpie · « **Reply #135 on:** July 30, 2016, 03:40:27 pm »

Thanks Nick for the photo-update.

Great to see the progress on this vessel and we're in love with the auto-scupper hinges, even as they are at present.

She's taking shape well and your Dad is a wizard with wood mate! It seems that he can cut a straight edge with microscopic bits of wood as well as large lumps. A great skill to possess.

Keep up the good work.

Kind regards,

Sandy.

unbuiltnautilus · « **Reply #136 on:** July 31, 2016, 01:15:11 pm »

I agree, very tidy woodwork there. Puts me in mind of an Edwardian railway station!
Both very interesting builds, I look forward to seeing at least one of them before the end of the year, if not both. keep up the good work.
Were these the vessels re-tasked as Landing Craft Transports in the early part of WWII?

ballastanksian · « **Reply #137 on:** July 31, 2016, 05:14:20 pm »

I think that Nick put up a potted history further back in the topic. They had a busy life:O)

Yarpie · « **Reply #138 on:** July 31, 2016, 07:53:40 pm »

Quote from: unbuiltnautilus on July 31, 2016, 01:15:11 pm

Were these the vessels re-tasked as Landing Craft Transports in the early part of WWII?

I would venture to say yes UBN, she carried quite a few of them and I believe the rail layout was changed back aft to facilitate this. Later on in WWII she was further refitted to become purely a locomotive transport with her integral link-span.

Robbie and I have gained permission to test float the Hampshire effort at Heath Lake, Petersfield in the near future. You can be assured of a personal invite to the float/non-float test UBN, purely because of your underwater skills.

Sandy.

raflaunches · « **Reply #139 on:** August 01, 2016, 05:26:44 am »

You're quite correct

Can't remember which one as there were three TF's but one was definitely modified at the stern to slide landing craft off the back and stayed looking like a standard TF, and TF3 was heavily modified in WW2 being closed in and a single central funnel being erected, she was named HMS Daffodil and sank in 1945 off Dieppe by a mine.

raflaunches · « **Reply #140 on:** August 10, 2016, 01:17:29 pm »

Hi everyone

Thought I'd share the next batch of pictures whilst I'm re-cooperating from either a badly sprained foot or a 'cracked bone in my foot'- don't know which until later on!!!

Steve has been busy over the last weekend showing off his brass skills making the funnel rings and hawsers. He has laid the track and started to fill up the gaps with wood to represent the masses of walkways around the tracks. He has even practiced spraying paint and has done quite a decent job for a newbie.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #141 on:** August 10, 2016, 02:13:27 pm »

Hey Nick!

Ouch!

Will you using stainless steel rail?

ballastanksian · « **Reply #142 on:** August 10, 2016, 09:45:27 pm »

Fabulous chaps. And get well soon Nick.

raflaunches · « **Reply #143 on:** August 12, 2016, 06:28:34 am »

Thanks Guys

Swelling has gone down but foot still rather tender to stand on. Get some funny looks when I do the see-off and see-in servicings from the aircrew and my liney's!

Dad is using brass for the rails because they were the new type of flexible track and he is going to paint them so it shouldn't corrode.

derekwarner · « **Reply #144 on:** August 12, 2016, 09:47:54 am »

Nick.......brass narrow gauge train track is 99.?% brass...it will oxidise and blacken naturally....however will never rust......

SOur colleagues at Illawarra Live steamers have recently installed 150m of Gauge 1 brass track and left it to the elements via mother nature

The natural oxidation creates its own blackish patina.......painting will not enhance the track in any way

Derek

ballastanksian · « **Reply #145 on:** August 12, 2016, 01:58:34 pm »

Quote from: derekwarner_decoy on August 12, 2016, 09:47:54 am

Nick.......brass narrow gauge train track is 99.?% brass...it will oxidise and blacken naturally....however will never rust......

SOur colleagues at Illawarra Live steamers have recently installed 150m of Gauge 1 brass track and left it to the elements via mother nature

The natural oxidation creates its own blackish patina.......painting will not enhance the track in any way

Derek

Is that 45mm gauge Derek? For a minute I envisaged a larger gauge with the inherrant huge cost in non ferrous metal!!!

Re, rusty tracks, I would paint them in Rail match 'Frame Dirt' and then wipe the track top down to a shiny finish to recreate the regular use they are getting. I use the colour for all my model tank tracks with various weathering techniques. Its a multi talented colour.

derekwarner · « **Reply #146 on:** August 12, 2016, 02:58:46 pm »

Yes Ian...I understand Gauge 1 was originally an American imperial 1.75" gauge nomination or now a 45mm gauge soft conversion for European/Chinese engines and rolling stock...........

All of the pneumatically operated points & crossovers were imported from USA, although I am not sure of the actual origin of manufacture ......

Some rail from Asia is electro brass plated steel.....so it would be capable of antique style rusting with a light polish with 1200 W&D to remove the 3 Um thickness plating......Derek

ballastanksian · « **Reply #147 on:** August 14, 2016, 10:49:24 am »

Ta Derek.

raflaunches · « **Reply #148 on:** August 18, 2016, 01:19:47 am »

Hi Guys

Shown some video footage of the ferry via FaceTime and it looks very good too. The track walkway boards have been stuck down and some paint applied very professionally by Dad. Hopefully some pictures soon.

On another note my foot luckily isn't broken but very badly sprained caused by the heavy landing after I left the aircraft steps in a rather urgent hurry! The bruises are quite spectacular as they develop!!!

raflaunches · « **Reply #149 on:** August 23, 2016, 10:43:40 pm »

Hi everyone

Pictures as promised...

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Author Topic: Admiralty Train Ferry Number 3 (Read 119458 times)