Hydraulic Heaven

My eyes hurt already just looking at the parts...

The bogies at bottom right do look rather familar.

The bogies at bottom right do look rather familar.

 

Hi Chris,

 

They are certainly inspired by your work for the 2mm Association but they are not the same bogies that the Association sells. They are the short spring, small step variant used for NPCS. The artwork is my own work but I'm happy to give you credit for the ideas.

 

I was hoping that these might become available without any effort on my part but it didn't happen. The last straw was the basic bogie skeletons being discontinued which rather scuppered my plan to use these with plastikard details.

 

Regards, Andy

Indeed they are slightly different. However you have I think misunderstood how the separate axlebox overlays work (at least that's the way it looks, my aging eyes are struggling). The idea is that each layer should be spaced at the correct 9' spacing to match the bogie, so they can be attached both at the same time. Whereas you have created the two sets of three as a mirror image of each other, which means only the centre ones are spaced at 9'.

 

They probably would have emerged if anyone had pointed out to me that the Pressed Steel bogies on the full brakes differed from those on the passenger coaches - it had escaped my attention!

 

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

Having built several of your bogies, I hope that I understand how they overlay and I've tried to get it right on my etches, but I'm sure that I will find out when I try to assemble them... which won't be for a while because those big D600 bogies are calling.

 

I think I emailed you a few months back about the NPCS bogies but perhaps it didn't reach you. There's also at least one other variant - long springs and small footsteps (seen on slip coaches IIRC), but I reckon you could produce that by hacking a few bits off the Association kit.

 

Regards, Andy

That looks mighty impressive Andy.

 

There looks to be more than bogies on said etch though - care to expand a little?

There looks to be more than bogies on said etch though - care to expand a little?

 

Thanks Pete. It didn't make much sense price-wise to get less than an A4 sheet etched so I needed to fill up the remaining space. Not easy in 2mm scale if you're not building a viaduct.

 

The extras are mainly a few signalling bits and bobs that MSE don't do - mostly for St Ruth and some experimental 'spectacles' to try to make the Farish and Trix D800 look more like... a D800. The D800 etches each have several copies with small variations because I don't know what will work best (if any of them work at all).

 

Regards, Andy

Keep us posted on the D800 detailing Andy, I've done one but could always be tempted to do another.

 

Jerry

Keep us posted on the D800 detailing Andy, I've done one but could always be tempted to do another.

 

Are you bringing it on Saturday?... please.

Not easy in 2mm scale if you're not building a viaduct.

 

or even part of a viaduct

 

Thanks to clarify Andy - look forward to see the experiments on D800...

That looks very interesting Andy. Am I right in thinking that those bogies would fit under a Lima siphon body?

 

FWIW, I cut the axleboxes out of the etch surround on Chris's coach bogie etches and stack them up on the sideframe with solder-paste in between. A quick zap with the RSU and they're done. I found it quite tricky trying to cut them out after soldering them in place.

 

I'm part way though a first stab at etch design - a NER wagon kit and some scratch-aid loco frames. Once I've got a few other projects out of the way I will hopefully find time to drop back onto it.

 

It sounds as though we might have a bit of a hydraulic-fest on Saturday at the AGM?!

 

Andy

They are the short spring, small step variant used for NPCS.

Oooh, those could prove useful. Is there any chance you'd be prepared to make the artwork available so anyone else could get these etched, too?

That looks very interesting Andy. Am I right in thinking that those bogies would fit under a Lima siphon body?

Yes, plus Hawksworth and Collett full brakes.

 

FWIW, I cut the axleboxes out of the etch surround on Chris's coach bogie etches and stack them up on the sideframe with solder-paste in between. A quick zap with the RSU and they're done. I found it quite tricky trying to cut them out after soldering them in place.

I soldered mine a layer at a time with electronic solder and Carrs Green Label. It works that way too. I don't have an RSU so trying to solder several layers at once seems a bit risky.

 

I'm part way though a first stab at etch design - a NER wagon kit and some scratch-aid loco frames. Once I've got a few other projects out of the way I will hopefully find time to drop back onto it.

Good luck. This is my first stab too, so I'm finding that some... err... adjustments are needed during assembly.

 

It sounds as though we might have a bit of a hydraulic-fest on Saturday at the AGM?!

 

Hope so. You can't have too many diesel hydraulics.

 

Regards, Andy

Oooh, those could prove useful. Is there any chance you'd be prepared to make the artwork available so anyone else could get these etched, too?

 

Hi David,

 

I don't have any objections to making them available but I'd rather it was done via the Association if they are willing. I'll hopefully have a chat to some of the relevant folks at the AGM tomorrow. On the other hand, Mr Higgs might decide to do them, which would probably avoid any issues arising from my lack of etching experience. Whatever happens, I'd definitely wait until I've actually tried assembling them before going any further.

 

Regards, Andy

 

Hi David,

 

I don't have any objections to making them available but I'd rather it was done via the Association if they are willing. I'll hopefully have a chat to some of the relevant folks at the AGM tomorrow. On the other hand, Mr Higgs might decide to do them, which would probably avoid any issues arising from my lack of etching experience. Whatever happens, I'd definitely wait until I've actually tried assembling them before going any further.

 

Regards, Andy

 

Now it has been pointed out that I have been selling the wrong bogies with my full brake kits, I probably will be doing some. It is probably only 10 minutes work to modify the artwork. I have dug out my Slinn book on Siphons and see the error of my ways. Mind you, it didn't help that the book printed a photo of a long spring version (but with short footsteps) in its section on Siphon bogies.

 

That also reminds me that I have some half-done artwork for Siphon underframes somewhere.

 

Andy, if you are coming to the AGM I will bring your Maunsell kits with me. The roofs are still at my brother's house so will have to follow by post the week after.

 

Chris

 

 

 

Chris

FWIW, I cut the axleboxes out of the etch surround on Chris's coach bogie etches and stack them up on the sideframe with solder-paste in between. A quick zap with the RSU and they're done. I found it quite tricky trying to cut them out after soldering them in place.

als

 

Geoff Jones did it that way and then complained to me it was almost impossible to get them all lined up correctly. Do you have some trick that us mere mortals don't know about?

 

Chris

Now it has been pointed out that I have been selling the wrong bogies with my full brake kits, I probably will be doing some. It is probably only 10 minutes work to modify the artwork. I have dug out my Slinn book on Siphons and see the error of my ways. Mind you, it didn't help that the book printed a photo of a long spring version (but with short footsteps) in its section on Siphon bogies.

That's good news. One suggestion (if I may) - I put the fold-up steps on the first detail overlay layer with a full thickness outline (sans folding bit) on the layer behind. I reckon that this will be stronger - these steps have just a single skinny support. It also allowed me to do something to try to convince the viewer that the step support is bolted or riveted to the face of the bogie sideframe.

 

Andy, if you are coming to the AGM I will bring your Maunsell kits with me. The roofs are still at my brother's house so will have to follow by post the week after.

 

I'm planning to be there and I've promised to bring my diminutive layout 'South Yard', so if you look for the smallest layout then I'll probably be nearby.

 

More stuff to build!

FWIW, I cut the axleboxes out of the etch surround on Chris's coach bogie etches and stack them up on the sideframe with solder-paste in between. A quick zap with the RSU and they're done. I found it quite tricky trying to cut them out after soldering them in place.

 

If you do them one layer at a time the axle boxes seem to be attached at sensible points to separate them neatly and easily from the surround on the ones I have built. That said I haven't assembled this particular type (too modern) but am well into the pile of 1914 and American types to go under the pile of toplight etches.

Geoff Jones did it that way and then complained to me it was almost impossible to get them all lined up correctly. Do you have some trick that us mere mortals don't know about?

 

Chris

 

No, but it only works with the RSU - I use the probe holds everything in place until the solder paste has cooled again. I wouldn't like to try it with a soldering iron - I have visions of small rectangles of nickel silver pinging off in all directions!

 

The only reason I do it that way is that the apeture in the etch that the axlebox sections sit in is small, and I struggle to get the craft knife in there to cut the tags cleanly if I solder it in place first. I've just done one of the 9ft pressed-steel bogies for an Ultima A38 autocoach. I'll try the recommended method again on the second bogie and see which I prefer.

 

Anyway, Andy's etch looked as impressive in real life as it did in the photo above. And I believe he went home with some more shiny metal objects too....

 

Andy

 

No, but it only works with the RSU - I use the probe holds everything in place until the solder paste has cooled again. I wouldn't like to try it with a soldering iron - I have visions of small rectangles of nickel silver pinging off in all directions!

 

The only reason I do it that way is that the apeture in the etch that the axlebox sections sit in is small, and I struggle to get the craft knife in there to cut the tags cleanly if I solder it in place first. I've just done one of the 9ft pressed-steel bogies for an Ultima A38 autocoach. I'll try the recommended method again on the second bogie and see which I prefer.

 

Anyway, Andy's etch looked as impressive in real life as it did in the photo above. And I believe he went home with some more shiny metal objects too....

 

He did indeed. And a good day was had by all as far as I could see.

 

I've usually managed OK cutting the axleboxes off the etch but I agree that space is at a premium. I usually use my X-Acto knife for this because it's beefier that the Swann Morton. I also keep a stone nearby because it needs regular sharpening while being abused in this way. Probably my worst problems are that I often bend the retaining strap at the bottom of the hornguides while cutting the axlebox tags. Occasionally I also manage to solder the etch frame to the bogie while doing the axleboxes too, but it's not too difficult to undo.

 

Chris pointed out what he meant about my axleboxes on the NPCS bogie etch and he's right. It will make life slightly trickier for two layers of the axleboxes but it's not a major problem. It's certainly a big learning experience for me doing my first etch.

 

The in/out balance for the gloat box was definitely heavily in the 'IN' direction. Between AGM acquisitions and the recent arrival of some tank wagon kits from Stephen Harris, I now need a bigger box.

 

Regards, Andy