The Derby Line, Four Track LNER J6

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Thanks, Tony.

 

It will be interesting to see how they compare.

 

Ive been happy with Markits gearboxes to date.

 

ATVB

 

M.

[dibateg]

I used Markits gearboxes and Mashimas in my Derby 2s Martin. The JLTRT kit was designed around the Slaters GB 13/14, so it made sense to go with that.

 

Regards

Tony

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Thanks Tony, always useful to know, a gearbox & motor combo can make or break a model....

 

Kindest regards,

 

M.

[dibateg]

And on to the next project. The text on the etch will give it away, this will be interesting as it's been enlarged from 4mm - the spacers are marked 'OO', 'EM' and 'S4'.

 

This model will have to traverse 4 foot radius curves. So the first task is to temporarily lash up the frames to see what will work. There is a lot of overhang on my test reverse curve.... The Mark Wood wheels are quite tight on the rail, so there will be some careful work to make sure it works properly. I'm so glad GW engines don't have front steps...

[dibateg]

Meanwhile - on with the frames, a picture into the light I'm afraid. I made up the coupling rods to set the chassis jig:-

 

Sometimes, something with a spigot has to go in a hole that is larger. So to avoid trying to line the thing up on a sea of hot solder, I either use a short length of tube to sleeve the item, or if there is no tube of the right size I make a ring from suitably sized copper wire. That then helps with the alignment.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Meanwhile - on with the frames, a picture into the light I'm afraid. I made up the coupling rods to set the chassis jig:-

P1040544.JPG

 

Sometimes, something with a spigot has to go in a hole that is larger. So to avoid trying to line the thing up on a sea of hot solder, I either use a short length of tube to sleeve the item, or if there is no tube of the right size I make a ring from suitably sized copper wire. That then helps with the alignment.

P1040551.JPG

 

I didn't realise Bulldog had so many wheels and axles!

 

Mike.

[PAD]

 

Sometimes, something with a spigot has to go in a hole that is larger. So to avoid trying to line the thing up on a sea of hot solder, I either use a short length of tube to sleeve the item, or if there is no tube of the right size I make a ring from suitably sized copper wire. That then helps with the alignment.

 

Hi Tony,

Good to see you're back on the straight and narrow building a steam engine. Nice work as always.

 

Like you I've used tube to centre a spigot in similar circumstances, but the use of copper wire never occurred to me. Much easier to find a suitable piece of wire than the correct size tube. I'll be filing that one away for future use. Thanks.

Cheers,

Peter

Edited November 13, 2017 by PAD

[dibateg]

I like to get the principle components made up before adding the detail. The smokebox front casting was slightly larger than the etched ones, so a skim in the lathe cured that.Don't worry the front is not fixed in yet. The firebox is easy enough to make up with care. I'll use the disks to set the diameter of the round components, and use a joining ring - a test one in the back ground will be used to join the smokebox on. I wanted the backhead to be removable, so that it can be installed after painting, so studs pass through in to the firebox. Cone boilers are always difficult to form, so I used the hamfisted method of sliding it radially as it pass back and forth through the rollers ( with cardboard on the detail side).

 

I needed more information, so a trip to Bridgnorth turned up, not one, but two manors! I was lucky enough to find a guide who had time to show me around the loco's. So I made a suitable donation to the loco fund - I think it's bad form to rock up, take a load of photos and then clear off without making a contribution to all of the hard work these guys have done to restore a pair of cracking engines - and I'm not even a GW man... Urgent refreshments were then required in the Railwayman's arms...

[JeffP]

You are lucky.

I turned up not once, but TWICE at Peak Rail, once with an invite, and both times after a near 100 mile journey. Not including the return.

 

Despite my asking politely, offering payment, offering to join etc etc, EACH TIME I was denied entry....seemingly at the behest of a bunch of volunteers.........

 

Suffice to say I shan't ever go again.

[steve4rosegrove]

You are lucky.

I turned up not once, but TWICE at Peak Rail, once with an invite, and both times after a near 100 mile journey. Not including the return.

 

Despite my asking politely, offering payment, offering to join etc etc, EACH TIME I was denied entry....seemingly at the behest of a bunch of volunteers.........

 

Suffice to say I shan't ever go again.

I went to Rowsley twice, many years ago, and was treated well.  I photographed the turntable when it was a pile of bits and returned when it was complete.  A donation was left both times.

[JeffP]

Must be me, then.

After the first time, I rang and spoke to the lady who said she was in charge. She agreed it shouldn't have happened and gave me a name and number to ring before going again.

 

I did so, and arranged a time to go back, which I did with my son, aged 22.

 

On arrival I was met by a gang of volunteers who seemed somehow hostile.

I explained why I was there, offered to join us both for the day/whatever. They just didn't want to listen. When I mentioned I had spoken with the manager before coming, they told me to wait in a public area as she was on her way.

 

When she got there, it was obvious she had been primed. She came over and refused me entry. Quite brusque too. Same lady I'd spoken to on the phone. When I pointed this out, she refused comment and walked away.

 

I will NEVER go back and I seriously hope they go bust. They do not deserve customers.

 

Sorry for the sidetrack Dibateg. Back on track now...

Edited November 20, 2017 by JeffP

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Lovely work Tony!

 

I have always had a good response from various heritage railways when wanting to photo items...perhaps I have been lucky, Ive always left a donation or paid entrance fee etc etc. I have, Jeff, encountered similar treatment to yours with aviation museums and others, treating a public museum they work for like their own personal collection '.....it's my ball and youre not playing....'. Very narrow minded and it puts folk off, which doesnt do the museum, hobby etc any good - an approach alien to me.

 

Back on topic now.

 

ATVB

 

CME

[dibateg]

Thanks for you comments chaps - it's useful to hear how others got on. 10 minutes to help someone get some photos I don't think is too much to ask.

 

But anyway lets move on.

 

I had the boiler together today - then blow torched it apart as I wasn't happy with the join to the firebox! It is back together now..

[Michael Edge]

Must be me, then.

After the first time, I rang and spoke to the lady who said she was in charge. She agreed it shouldn't have happened and gave me a name and number to ring before going again.

 

I did so, and arranged a time to go back, which I did with my son, aged 22.

 

On arrival I was met by a gang of volunteers who seemed somehow hostile.

I explained why I was there, offered to join us both for the day/whatever. They just didn't want to listen. When I mentioned I had spoken with the manager before coming, they told me to wait in a public area as she was on her way.

 

When she got there, it was obvious she had been primed. She came over and refused me entry. Quite brusque too. Same lady I'd spoken to on the phone. When I pointed this out, she refused comment and walked away.

 

I will NEVER go back and I seriously hope they go bust. They do not deserve customers.

 

Sorry for the sidetrack Dibateg. Back on track now...

 

This sounds like the lady that Pete Briddon is having so much trouble with.

[M51625]

This sounds like the lady that Pete Briddon is having so much trouble with.

 

and several other people/companies it seems, had dealings with this railway when i arranged to collect a DMU many years ago, it was a farce! and it seems hasn't changed at all.

 

Buxton seems so far away...

[dibateg]

It now looks like a Manor, but it's not progressing as fast as I'd like. I replaced the etched washout plugs with cast ones - Laurie Griffin I think. I'm just waiting for the SDKs to come. Anyway - I'm enjoying it. The chimney is stopped up at the bottom, and I'm toying with the idea of opening it up, but's it's a difficult item to grip without damaging it or me... There is a little more tidying needed round the top of the feed pipe cover. They are tube, so that the upward projecting pipe from the running plate can poke into the hole at the bottom..

[CME and Bottlewasher]

It now looks like a Manor, but it's not progressing as fast as I'd like. I replaced the etched washout plugs with cast ones - Laurie Griffin I think. I'm just waiting for the SDKs to come. Anyway - I'm enjoying it. The chimney is stopped up at the bottom, and I'm toying with the idea of opening it up, but's it's a difficult item to grip without damaging it or me... There is a little more tidying needed round the top of the feed pipe cover. They are tube, so that the upward projecting pipe from the running plate can poke into the hole at the bottom..

P1040667.JPG

Faster than my work Tony! VERY nice!

[dibateg]

It has to be - it's my job!

I constantly check as I go along to make sure everything is square/ in line etc, but this didn't show up until everything was screwed together. I noticed that the top feed had one shoulder higher than the other in a form of dismissive shrug. I didn't fancy torching out the boiler end disk again to rotate it a smidgen, so resorted to slotting the holes in the front of the firebox. It wasn't out be very much, and only needed a rotation at the cladding of a bout a 'mill or so. That fixed that. The smokebox is just a press fit into the font of the boiler at the moment. I'd love to give the impression that I get it all right first time...

 

For some reason the casting that represents the part of the saddle that has all the bolt heads was too short. So I cut it in the middle and filled the gap with some flat brass sprue ( from Griffin fire irons I think ). The join will hidden be behind the steampipe. It's only soldered to the smokebox so that the boiler can come off. The oil feed covers on the smokebox differ from the preserved locos to the arrangement in the late 50s - its always worth checking contemporary photos..

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Ahh, yes I see your point Tony!

 

In that regard decent kits are even more important to you than the hobby modeller then.

 

Its similar when some have asked me to weather models....many think that its just splashing on thinners and paint-for me it isnt and I like to take my time, which wouldnt be good business, thats why its a hobby for me.

 

You make a very good point ref. viewing (or modelling) restored or preserved items of stock/locos......heritage railways are a useful resource, yet it's very much a case of 'buyer beware' (so to speak).

 

Kindest regards,

 

M.

Edited November 24, 2017 by CME and Bottlewasher

[dibateg]

I 've neglected this thread... so an update:-

This locomotive will have to negotiate 4 foot radius curves, so inevitably there will be a few compromises. One prominent feature I wanted to represent the ATC pick up, so I scratched up a representation of the mounting bracket and added the connection cable - I know it doesn't go back to the top of the bogie, but that will hidden from most view points. I've moved the relief valves out, at least they are there and hopefully deceive the eye. Actually the cylinder cut outs are not too noticeable when the loco is sitting on the track. A little more cleaning and tidying to do - that camera is cruel!

 

Without having full inside motion, the frames looked a bit empty, so I also scratched up a representation of the weighshaft, I'm sure I've seen a casting for the return spring - David Andrews maybe. The brakes have to move to release the wheels so you can just see the end of the 14BA screw that joins the cross shaft to the pull rods in front of the middle driver. The brake hangers should have a bracket over the top. I've not worked out a tidy way of doing that...

 

It doesn't look so rough and ready when it is together, nearly there... I've built it with 2 live steam injectors as I couldn't find any info on the exhaust steam one. Nice looking loco though, isn't it?

[Western Star]

I've built it with 2 live steam injectors as I couldn't find any info on the exhaust steam one. Nice looking loco though, isn't it?

Tony,

 

The only GWR locos likely to be fitted with an exhaust injector today are those which either entered preservation / museum status directly or which run / have run main line (regularly)...  so the following:-

 

* Burton Agnes Hall and Cookham Manor at Didcot;

* Caerphilly Castle at Swindon;

* Pendennis Castle at Didcot;

* KGV (and brothers?)...  wherever they are at this time;

* Clun Castle (and sisters?) at Tyseley.

 

I am not aware of any preservation group which has had the resources / information / will-power to re-create an exhaust injector from scratch so you need to look at locos which entered preservation from BR without going via Barry.  Whilst I am reasonably sure that my list is accurate I am happy to be proved wrong in regard to the two Kings and five Castles which spent time in Barry.

Edited December 18, 2017 by Western Star

[Western Star]

Gentlemen,  my apologies, I nodded.

 

There are two more to add to my list:-

 

* Lode Star at Swindon;

* 2818 at NRM Shildon (yes, a slow and plodding freight locomotive with an exhaust injector).

 

Both of these engines went direct from BR to the BTC museum collection rather than a seaside holiday at Barry.

[mswjr]

Dipateg, I needed some injector info when i built my 5 inch gauge manor.I was told by someone at Didcot railway, That GWR Manors had two steam injectors,One just behind the cab step, and one on the other side behind the frame, Later BR manors had them behind both steps,  Inside the cab you will notice that on the manifold that has the steam inlet taps,The middle one has got its feed pipe running behind the steam inlet pipe that comes from the tap on the left ,So from the first glance it looks like it only has 2 pipes,but has 3 . ,2 to the live steam injectors and the third one that runs behind them, Goes  to the  exhaust injector,which is under the floor on a manor,I have some photos somewhere i will dig them out, But you can not see unless you go underneath, so your model is right as a B R Manor

            This picture,if it works,is a star class ,but the manifold pipe work is the same on a gwr Manor and shows what im on about,look at a western Manor and you will see only one live steam injector. Garry

[dibateg]

Thanks Garry - and Western Star!

[dibateg]

I enjoy making up the backheads - in many cases, it is more representational than a truly accurate rendering. I do try to get it as close as possible. I generally but the tea can shelf and the fire doors on and then spray the basic assembly.

The manifold in the kit lacked the mounting flange - so that was made from a spare exhaust injector pipe union. I also drilled out and fitted a 1mm mounting spigot.

 

Some of the castings have quite chunky mounting flanges, so I counterbored the mounting points to reduce the amount that they project.

 

The finished item - bar a little cleaning up of the messy solder joins. So what was that - about 4 hours work after the painting stage. There are a minor bits missing, and a few less pipes. It's a pity the Hobbyhorse range of castings is not available now.

 

Just the posts to add that are attached to the tender sides. The brakes will go after the chassis has been painted and the wheels put in. The 'fin' is just off centre... The toolboxes are incorrect and will be replaced.