Focalplane's Workbench (mostly 7mm)

[Focalplane]

Perfect weather for spraying!

 

 

Living in a second floor apartment makes spraying very weather dependent, particularly in winter.  So a couple of really sunny days are here and, having completed the bogies, it is time to paint them.  With any luck I will be able to spray them black later this afternoon.

 

I would really like to have a proper spray booth but space limitations dictate this set up.  Luckily there are not that many humid days here.

[Andrew P]

And as a Bonus it's with a nice view of the distant hills as well.

[coachmann]

No wonder you are out of bed by 11.06am when you have weather like that haha. It's gloomy & cold here in Welsh Wales so I'm sitting by a hot iron building two coaches. Your interior is coming on well. Builder Geoff Holt found some material at a craft mill down the coast here for putting on 0 gauge seats.

[Focalplane]

During warmer weather I have my work bench outside but it's a bit chilly without an 80 watt iron to keep warm. I am finding even 20 second CA is slower than soldering so I think the next coach kit to be opened could be a Sidelines Brake First.

[Focalplane]

Some progress on the Corridor Third Mark 1, but still quite a few castings to add.  The interior is also not yet installed but at least it is now a rolling project.  The 4F (with steam heating) has for some strange reason pulled the unfinished coach onto the 60ft turntable.

 

 

 

 

 

Having fitted the brake rodding under the bogies I then found the bolts that fasten the bogies to the chassis won't fit.  So much for finishing the bogies!  I should have left the bolts in place before fitting the brake rod.  Next time I'll know.

 

Getting there!

[Focalplane]

Horrible weather today with sheeting rain coming in off the Mediterranean, so I have been very much confined to home and therefore committed to some neglected chores.  However, some progress has been made on the JLTRT TK coach with emphasis on the buffer beams:

 

 

I took the opportunity to fit the MagClic couplers while working on the sprung buffers.  The non-prototype magnetic connector will be hidden by the concertina connector but it really does make connecting a rake easy.

 

The two ends of the rake will have standard couplers (as does the locomotive) and these will be positioned at the brake ends of the FKB and TKB respectively.  So the coach I am currently building will have MagClics at both ends.

 

The buffer beam on the JLTRT kits is much thicker than that on brass etch kits but there is still enough spring left for the couplings to operate.  (Note:  I lost two springs while fitting the two couplers, a very easy thing to do.  They are somewhere on the floor)

 

The next photo shows the simple springing for the cast buffers:

 

 

Piano wire was used (nothing else would retain the springing) and was glued with CA Roket Max.  This arrangement will allow additional buffer beam items to be added.

[Focalplane]

After two days of wet weather this morning arrived with dry sunny conditions, so more painting was planned on the loggia.  I have decided to work on both the JLTRT TK and the Sidelines Kitchen Car at this stage so last evening I did some preparation on the Kitchen Car which had been semi-completed and primed.  First the interior was painted and then the undercarriage (all with brush).  I also tackled the tedious and unenjoyable task of painting the plexiglass windows for the JLTRT coach.  I am not all that pleased with the results and think that Sidelines has the advantage of etched brass windows.  However, I do understand the JLTRT approach but I think insertable etched frames would be better than plastic glass mouldings.

 

This morning I sprayed the roofs with French Car Bumper Paint.  After completing the Kitchen Car I remembered that I should have added the thin strips across the roof.  With all the ventilators, gas lamp housing and piping on the roof they are probably not going to be missed.  The colour is a good match.

 

This afternoon I hope to tackle the sides with an all over coat of off white car paint spray as a base for air brushing Humbrol crimson and cream.  That job will have to wait a day or two. for the base coat to harden.

 

A photo of work in progress:

 

[Focalplane]

I could not resist trying this 'pose" of Jinty 47473, balanced on the top of the railing of my second floor loggia.  Unfortunately the smokebox lamp bracket is bent backwards (now corrected).  Today's blue sky has allowed some progress but this is just the window dressing.

 

 

It is probably no coincidence that, when I went to the market this morning, everyone I met responded to the "bonjour" salutation.  Yes, 100%.  We don't get that in the summer when all the Parisians come to the seaside!

[Dan Randall]

Hi Paul

 

Good to see a JLTRT Mk1 build on RMweb, but before you paint the outside, please remove the end steps and fold the the triangular ends down so as to be at 90 degrees to the treads - they shouldn't be flat!

 

 

 

 

 

Regards

 

Dan

Edited December 7, 2016 by Dan Randall

[daifly]

Like this:

Dave

[Focalplane]

Thank you both for the good advice. To be honest I wasn't sure about even putting the steps on as they were often removed as soon as overhead electrification started on the WCML.  In my defense, the "generic" instructions say nothing about folding the sides down!  But this does explain why the holes are spaced closer than I thought they should be.

 

I have a short term solution worked out, to borrow unused steps from the second kit, otherwise this project will be stalled.

Edited December 7, 2016 by Focalplane

[coachmann]

The old modellers maxim: Work off plenty of photos when building a model.  As an aside, a recess only slightly larger than the window in which to glue glazing material is not a good idea. I had high hopes for the JLTRT coach kits but I'm going for etched brass now.

Edited December 7, 2016 by coachmann

[Focalplane]

The old modellers maxim: Work off plenty of photos when building a model.  As an aside, a recess only slightly larger than the window in which to glue glazing material is not a good idea. I had high hopes for the JLTRT coach kits but I'm going for etched brass now.

 

I am coming to the same conclusion.

 

I have Hugh Longworth's book and scanned every photo for details that are not explained in the generic instructions, but missed the one that would have helped.  I have found several useful photos on the internet but again, end of coach photos are rare.

 

As to the windows, this is, in my opinion also, a big let down on the JLTRT design.  Their remaining out of stock Mark 1s are probably going to be substituted with Period III LMS coaches from Sidelines.  I haven't heated up a soldering iron in several days and miss the relative ease and speed of using solder on etched brass.

[Focalplane]

With two coaches now ready for painting (in January/February) I have moved on to a third.  Sidelines' LMS Period III Brake First Corridor.  This will be at the London end of the Midlander rake.

 

It's good to have a soldering iron warming up the work bench.  The build is similar to the Kitchen Car (all Sidelines' kits have the same basic design and structure).  So far I have pressed out rivets, formed the tumblehomes, soldered the fixing nuts and tack soldered the basic box - sides and ends.  I have also prepared most of the lost wax brass castings.

 

This included a near disaster - one of the buffers flew out of my Dremel's chuck while I was filing down the shank.  Think of the procedure as a poor man's lathe.  I could not find it so took the room apart only to eventually see it staring at me from the last place I had planned on searching.  Well, I now have a much tidier work room.

 

But all in all, the build is going ahead nicely.  Nothing much to photograph so. . . next time.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Focalplane

[Focalplane]

Since Thursday's post I have been busy.  All the frets and nearly all the castings have been used up on the body and under frame, leaving the bogies as yet untouched.

 

The build has gone together extremely well, this being the second Sidelines kit I have tackled.  The are some differences between the two and I have got a few minor things right this time.  I have a good go-by in Jenkinson & Essery (although not quite the same diagram) and this has answered any questions I had.  I also discovered that there are some fine photos of the LMS rake preserved at the Severn Valley Railway.  Since when I am in England Kidderminster is not too far away there is no excuse not to visit.

 

After what was a bit of a struggle with the JLTRT Mark 1 I know which I prefer of the two kit makers.  It must be something to do with the five generations of brassfounder and metallurgist in my blood.  But I will admit to one positive lesson learned from the JLTRT kit.  I used Roket CA to fix the aluminium roof to the basic box and then the ventilators to the roof and the results are much more pleasing.  Roket CA adhesives will stay in my toolbox from now on!  I glued the roof on in stages, basically one end then working towards the middle on each side, then the other end and finally completing the two sides.  Much easier than Malcolm Binns' recommendation of a thick epoxy glue that I used on the Kitchen Car.

 

Although the Midlander rake has been described in some detail, there is no reason why substitutions would not have been made from time to time, so it is conceivable that any further additions to the Mark 1 fleet can be made from LMS Period III stock.  A porthole coach might not be amiss.  But being a top link train I doubt if either London or Wolverhampton would have been keen to add an earlier generation of coach, modern being modern but not necessarily better.  So expect some Period III substitutions as the rake lengthens.

 

This coach is a Corridor Brake First, D1910, and will have been located at the Euston end of the rake.  So there will be a standard screw coupler at the brake end and a MagClic coupler at the other end.  The MagClic couplers are thicker and some fettling will be needed for them to fit and slide easily; I am tempted to fettle the coupler rather than the pocket.

 

So, without more ado, here are some photos of the build so far.  I have borrowed the kitchen car bogies for the photios.  I hope to complete the bogies before leaving for England on Wednesday morning.  Then it will be back to a long delayed project, the David Andrews' LMS Compound.

 

 

 

 

 

[coachmann]

Looking good there Paul. Like you, I find the Sidelines coach kits a pleasure to build. If I had one wish though, it would be for a roof more appropriate for the LMS. I thought I had seen one once some years ago on a coach that came in for painting. 

Edited December 10, 2016 by coachmann

[Focalplane]

Looking good there Paul. Like you, I find the Sidelines coach kits a pleasure to build. If I had one wish though, it would be for a roof more appropriate for the LMS. I thought I had seen one once some years ago on a coach that came in for painting. 

 

The first time I cut a Sidelines roof to fit I had my heart in my mouth -  hacksaws are not one of my favourite tools, the blade always seems to wander.  That being said, it better to cut long and file down than cut too short.  This time I got it right first time.  I can live with the profile after that success!

 

I notice that the compartment partitions are not included in this kit - no problem since I have plenty of plasticard.  The seats are, however, bench style or Third Class, whereas JLTRT supply moulded three seats with armrests.  But when you consider that the Sidelines kits are just over half the price that is something again that I can live with.  I will also have to address the issue of adding curtains.

 

Other components not in the box are the vacuum and steam heating connector pipes.  I can live with this also.  In fact, Tony Wright recently pointed out that a lot of coach stock details can easily be omitted as they would only be ever seen if the coach derailed and ended upside down in a ditch.  And Tony was quoting David Jenkinson.

[coachmann]

Yes, David J. did leave a lot of detail off. His choice of course, but i think his coaches would looks plain today.  The attraction of 0 gauge for me is I can see the detail and so I want it. When placing an order with Sidelines, I always ask for vac and steam pipes, as there is no way I am going to leave them off.

 

You mentioned those magnet couplings. Do they remain touching on reverse curves?

[Focalplane]

Larry

 

I re-read my post and what I was trying to say about Sidelines was that for the price it is not unreasonable to exclude some parts, such as the steam and vacuum pipes.

 

What I now realize is that it is a simple matter of ordering those extra pieces from the Component lists.  Thank you for pointing this out!

 

My test track is not long enough to test the effect of reverse curves on the MagClic couplers.  My plan is to have a minimum radius of 6 feet and it does look as though the MagClics will work to that specification.  When I laid my test track I put the reverse curves at one end, which is fine for testing 6 coupled locos.  I should have put them in the middle for bogie coaches.

 

On with the bogies!

 

Paul

[Andrew P]

Hi Paul, As I said in Beale St, Your Coach Building is superb, I greatly admire people like you and Larry that can look at Coach etc and know right from wrong, I watch and admire.

[Focalplane]

Hi Paul, As I said in Beale St, Your Coach Building is superb, I greatly admire people like you and Larry that can look at Coach etc and know right from wrong, I watch and admire.

 

Hi Andy

 

I really am just an amateur determined to become a jack of all trades, and you are very kind!

 

First bogie almost soldered up. . . .

[Focalplane]

In the past 72 hours I have soldered up the coach, watched several episodes of Outlander, did my daily walk of 5 kilometers, cooked two suppers and started to prepare the car for a journey back to England, then Wales for Christmas.  The festive project will be to continue with the LMS Compound and get ready for a small shopping spree at the Bristol Gauge O Meeting.

 

While in Wales I may well be able to meet with Warren Shephard to find out more about his kits and castings.  His Manor kit might be an appropriate addition to the "to do" list.

 

As if all this isn't enough, my research into the Midlander rake suggests that I could stretch to 14 coaches!  This would be the Friday late afternoon departure from Euston.  During my time frame the main motive power would be a Bushbury Jubilee but the heavier trains were often double headed, with either a Compound or a Mickey added from Euston to New Street.  There is where the Compound comes into play, because 41168 was a Monument Lane regular.  It was also the last Compound to survive.  It would be a good candidate for piloting the Midlander.  But with a planned rake of 6 or maybe 8 coaches this might just be overkill in the tractive effort stakes.

[coachmann]

It will be interesting to see how you get on with the Warren Sheppard all brass GWR 'Manor' kit.

[3 link]

It will be interesting to see how you get on with the Warren Sheppard all brass GWR 'Manor' kit.

Warren also does a 73xx Mogul, I'm very tempted but the wallet says " no " at the moment.

 

Martyn.

[coachmann]

Warren also does a 73xx Mogul, I'm very tempted but the wallet says " no " at the moment.

 

Martyn.

I'll be very happy to buy the RTR plastic 2-6-0 in due course, but there being no hint of a Manor being done, I am watching any kit building with interest.