North Cranford

[M.I.B]

Yep - red plates that way have been done before in the Little Didcot fleet! Good technique.

 

 

 

I learnt that technique from painting Porsche alloy wheels.  Makes a smoother job than spraying - but does use more paint.  

 

But that's how they used to do it in the factory:  polish the shiny bits, leave the recesses dull, flood the recess , drain, use the paint on another wheel.   When dry - fine polish on the "shiny" hi points.

[M.I.B]

! Like I said, it will probably upset the purists but as quite a lot else does anyway I’m not that bothered. When I run it with the Prairie, 52XX and 28XX that were dismantled in order to build the replica things get even worse but I think it’s a nice way to remember the machines.

 

 

Everyone has a personal "Rule 1" with limits and boundaries.  I also have similar conundrums - certain engines that cannot be seen with other engines - not because they are no longer friends, but the version(s) at the same time did not exist.  My oil burner is one example, as well as some Halls that cannot be seen with my un-named Hall.

 

Rule 1 Applies.  

 

Enjoy.  It's yours and it's well crated, and it's not worth the stress.

[Castle]

Hi MIB,

 

That’s it - Rule 1! I have to say, part of the desire to build the Little Didcot fleet is to bring the collection to life in a way that the cost of boiler certification, restoration, space and funding simply don’t allow. This has to include all of it in my chosen time period and Nos. 4709 and 2999 are part of that picture and they should take their place. The engines were of a real class and those real engines did real jobs so it’s not too great a stretch. I am hoping the ever closer launch of No. 2999 will result in a nice new Saint will result in a new model. There can’t be THAT much work to do to get to one from either of the big two one would have thought? Perhaps the range within the class is a little daunting? My model of No.1014 is a little easier to justify...

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[M.I.B]

A Saint from the Big Two would be great - Hornby's 1980s tooled offering is so far behind all of the other offerings in terms of detail these days.

[St Enodoc]

Thinned enamel to flood the low parts and some 1800 emery when it's dry.  

A ladies' nail buffer works well too.

[M.I.B]

Never thought to use one of those  oblong cube things. - I suppose they do go down the grades of course-ness to a very fine "grit" equivalent.

 

Good choice.

[M.I.B]

Right Chaps, gather round and listen in..............

 

 

I'm back orf to Blighty, and while I'm there, don't go upsetting certain RMWeb threads - and you know who they are....

 

Stay safe and chin up.  I will be back out here next week,

 

And back on here quicker than you realise.

 

 

Carry on please Sgt Major..........

 

 

 

 

RIGHT SIR......................

[lmsforever]

Is Lofty staying behind?

[M.I.B]

Lofty has reached the UK - I got a message a few minutes ago - he left at midnight last night.

 

He's due back in September.

[M.I.B]

An outbreakof modelling occurred for two reasons: mainly because it snowed and I couldn't take the Indian Scout out, And also because I said I would:  I was only Home for a couple of days so not worth launching into major projects - just a loo flush to replace, wood to chop and a dropped double glazed back door to lift back on its  hinges.

 

So on with the modelling.  Hardly an O guage scratch build, but it was great to  do "something".  A session on Ebay a few weeks back sought to  redress the balance of Big 4  "opens" to be fitted with with tarps, and an LMS van fell into one parcel as well.

 

Mainline, Dapol and a Bachmann van.    Smiths tarpaulins and UHU.    The van got sheet ropes on the ends - thick sewing cotton for that.  Knotted round the buffer and glued under the tuck in the tarp at the top.

 

 

One GMR LMS 5 planker got left "tarpless"  (sounds very Wurzel like description of Page 3).  The remainder all have steel floors which needed to be hidden but the Airfix/GMR offering has a planked floor.  So open it shall remain.

 

All will get an airbrush weather at some point.  

 

The eagle eyed may spy the Hornby NE refrigerated van.  Not exactly prototypical, but with some work it will be used to break up the MICAs in the Faringdon rake.  So far it has had blackened wheels and a roof repaint in Revell "Tar" black.

 

 

I also made a decision regarding the short "classic" Hornby goods trucks.  Not because they are rare ( they aren't) but I can't bear to part with, or heavily weather up childhood favourites like "Bestwood" and "Scarwood"and some of the limited editions runs such as "Pugh", "Bodell" and "Burgess & Penfold" .  Hard saved pocket money acquired those.    Most have been extracted from the stock list and will become permanent display items in the cabinet.    There are also one or two vans and wagons which will head South of Exeter for the godsons' layout, including a CROCODILE, "Chance and Hunt"  a "Shell Electrical Oil" and an "Castrol" too.  A Pugh or two may get sacrificed to weathering, but I do have a few of these, and welsh coal for the King appeals.

 

I didn't get round to putting the nameplates on the King, although the beam renumber is done.  72XX Brassmasters kit will have to wait etc etc    But I did get the TCut out to the LMS Diner glazing and it has made a world of difference after the "SuperGlue fogging".   Many thanks for that tip Mr Castle.

 

But some modelling is better than no modelling, especially as I could not bring anything back out here - too  much work stuff to bring out on this trip.

 

I hope that you are all happy and healthy.

Edited April 3, 2018 by M.I.B

[john dew]

Nice job Tinker.......I particularly like the tarp on the van......suspect a leaky roof might develop on a Granby van.

 

Have a good trip.

[M.I.B]

Thanks John.

 

Leaky vans with tarps are more common that most folk would think.   but in our period, it was "make-do-and-mend" as you know.

[M.I.B]

Condolences to the family and friends of John Flann.

 

His Hintock layout was incredibly detailed and beautiful, and even though I am not the biggest fan of panniers and branch lines and "Shirtbutton", I was inspired by his work.

[M.I.B]

At last.

 

Someone has opened up a parcel from Heljan and done some "laboratory" style measuring and testing.

 

It's on the 47XX thread.

 

A nice piece of work.

 

I look forward to coming home, for many reasons, including seeing a parcel from Liverpool..........     they have't asked me for my card details yet tho.......hmmmmm

[M.I.B]

I may actually beat the 47Xx to my house - the late GWR version of the 47XX are due out in May.

 

I didn't realise that they are being released in batches according to logo/livery.

[M.I.B]

I am indeed home at last, well before the 47XX.

 

On ANZAC Day, I hope you are all happy and healthy.  I shall raise a glass to my digger mates tonight.

[M.I.B]

A month and a half of no updates.  Not a lot has happened due to building works.

 

The good news is that power has been laid to the site of the NC "home" in the form of 40 Amp armoured cable buried three feet deep.  40 Amp because:

 

1.  The run from the house to the "Big Shed" and beyond is rather long, and I'm told that some of the amps and volts will leak out of the electric pipework along the way (or something like that).  It's 200 feet from the house to the shed in a straight line and the cable diverts off to where the MT shed & workshop will be, and it avoids a few prime trees on its route as well.  May be a 250 foot run when it's all connected.

2.  Beyond the "Big Shed" are the new stables complete with electric heater (feed room frost protection) and washing machine and lights.

 

A new Oxford Dean Goods has been ordered as well as some plates from Ayrshire.  (Jackson Evans)  2568 was a Swindon engine at a time when a few of the larger sheds managed to hold onto one as the rest migrated to Wales to see out their days.  A black early BR version has been acquired while will become a black GW engine with very little work.

 

In a week where England are soundly beaten at rugby and (by us) at cricket (!!!!!!!!) I hope that you are all happy and healthy.

Edited June 11, 2018 by M.I.B

[john dew]

I needed a qualified like button......you could hardly expect me to like the last para ......but I remain friendly and supportive!

[M.I.B]

Thanks John.  

 

You can't win them all and without a bit of "banter" as it is referred to these days, the World would be a duller place.

 

 

WOW nothing for nearly two months and then two in a day:

 

Fresh from Liverpool:

 

 

 

Heljan 4782 Class 47xx 2-8-0 'Night Owl' 4707 in GWR green with post-war GW lettering 

Our latest information from the supplier suggests this item will arrive with us on or after Wednesday 13th June 2018

[M.I.B]

Having read this evening about John Dew's Oxford Dean Goods woes , I ran mine up on the test track(DC) and all is well.

 

My second King still isn't finished and I have decided to finish that at the same time as I backdate and re-number the black Dean Goods.

 

So up into the loft to find some crew for the Dean and to my surprise I find that I have not only got a pair of crew painted and wrapped, and ready for the 47XX, but there is also a pair painted up for Bachmann's 94XX if that ever happens.

 

I found a gentleman in a bowler hat in the unpainted crew box, and he will become a second Inspector.  There is already one riding Tre Pol & Pen I believe, or perhaps the green Dean Goods.    The cabs on some of the larger 4-6-0s aren't big enough to squeeze an Inspector in as well, so this second one will probably go in the black Dean Goods, where he can be seen - observing and taking notes on the trainee fireman perhaps.

 

I think there is  some round ball kicking going on somewhere, but as it will never be as great as Archie Gemmell putting one in the back of the Dutch net in 1978, it's probably not worth watching.

 

This time next week the nights will be drawing in (unless you are in the Southern Hemisphere.......)

 

I hope that you are all happy and healthy.

[M.I.B]

My 4707 turned up today.  Ordered the day that pre-order books opened: it has been a long wait.

 

I am very very pleased with the engine.  It runs quietly, there are no real defects (loose front bogie wheel - clipped back into its cradle).

 

The packaging really is something special - but I sort of expected that for the price.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the G**W logo'd version gets 10/10.

 

Well done Heljan.

 

On midsummer night, I wish you all sweet dreams.

 

And beware of hippies, druids and virgins on the lawn at dawn in the dew.

[M.I.B]

Copied from ANTB - here's my dream sheet in case you are reading this over in HQ Hornby/Dapol/Bachmann.......

 

Coming One Day

 

New 94XX 

 

New steam crane

 

 

Maybe One Day (please) - to too much to ask and all would sell well........

 

New Manor - this is well overdue a re-tool and with mixed traffic service in a few liveries over a long period.........

 

New Saint - with the full scale 2999 due out in the not to far off future..............

 

Some small logo (fairly) realistic looking 5 and 7 plankers - in three wagon packs.

 

Grey Vans in 3 packs.  Need a fair few now that 4707 has arrived.

 

 

Hahahahahahahahaha - No Chance But I have to Say It...........

 

Condensing 97XX  ( fat chance of getting that given its geographic limits and only 11 in class)

 

A couple of different Toplights - no need to do every diagram.  But a brake third, a compo and an all third.........

Edited July 5, 2018 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

I have just come across this link on Mallard's SOS Junction thread:

 

Everything you need to know, plus probably some things you don't need to know, are in this free book. Read from page 105 onwards. 

 

I will freely and frequently admit that I am an electronics dullard, despite scraping through the electronics module of my engineering course, so I have been struggling with the transition to DCC.

 

I know DCC is the way ahead for a large layout which will probably be 1 man op 99% of the time,   There are some who enjoy the Buckingham style layouts with bells and calls and cards and timetables, but that's not my cup of tea.  Running sections and banks of sector switches alone isn't my idea of fun.  No objections for those who do like that sort of thing - and I can appreciate team working.

 

But grasping the details and terminology, and separating my woofers from my tweeters hasn't been easy.   Huge credit and thanks to John Dew for assisting and:

 

a.   Confirming that DCC is the way ahead.

b.   Explaining terms and solutions.

 

But the linked guide is the cherry on top of the cake.

 

I just need to learn to solder electronics (how many times have I said that?)

 

 

Concrete laying for 2018 is over ( 200 square meters at significant depths in most cases).  Paul's 25 ton super-HIAB truck came over the other week to move my shipping containers around and not a scratch or crack in the grey stuff.

 

Nights are drawing in, and there are a set number of projects to do this year, which means winter modelling will occur in 2018.   The Indian has been out and about more this year and will go away after a trip to the North East of France at the end of Sept.  More to follow on that as the trip is Cranford related.

 

I hope that you are all happy and healthy.

Edited August 23, 2018 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

PS

 

Anyone want to buy loads of mini SPDT toggle switches - ideal for isolating track circuits etc...............

Edited August 23, 2018 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

A little "taster" of motive power developments at NC:  

 

 

 

full story to follow, but this 97XX is headed over for a "rework":

 

The body will hopefully be transplanted onto a Bachmann 57XX chassis, which in real life had the same dimensions/wheel base etc.

 

The question is: "How much did K's * adjust their model to fit the available RTR chassis of the day (late 60s early 70s).   Hopefully by not too much.  If the transplant is successful, I have a Lenz Standard chip allocated to this project.

 

A million thanks to Phil "Mallard" for his assistance and willingness to part with this.

 

Not often modelled due to their very limited geographic spread, and small class size.  Perfect for NC tho.

 

 

 

For the un-initiated, this is a Class 97XX condensing pannier, built as close cousins to the 57XX/87XX panniers, and worked the London Underground lines to and from Faringdon (for Smithfield market).

 

Class numbers were only just into double figures, and all based in West London.  So zero chance of this ever becoming available in RTR.

 

 

LATE EDIT*   This may have been a Wills kit not a K's kit.  Does anyone know?

Edited August 30, 2018 by M.I.B