The latest kit from True Line Models is for the CR Diagram 6 brake van. Build dates range from 1883 to 1889 and cover three known body styles across possibly 55 vans. Kits are available for two body styles, the narrow and wide panelled builds.
So a pic of the bare etch.
You might think that these look very like the NB D33 vans. Well, the link is that man Drummond again. So since NBR developments do an etch for that it seems sensible that TLM asked them to d
I have been reading “Operating the Caledonian Railway”, volume one, by Jim Summers. It is an excellent book, explaining many of the technical, economic and social reasons that led the railway to operate in the way that it did, and I have learned a lot from it.
Let me give you an example. Here is a picture of a goods train passing through Kelvinbank. It might be argued that it is a bit on the short side and that there should be a few more sheeted opens, but generally the stock and the
I have had a couple of weeks sorting out a few problems on the layout. I have had some difficulty with the long crossover to the storage sidings which had decided to get themselves out of gauge a bit. Add to that a couple of other electrical problems and all in all it has taken a while to fix.
Of course getting it all sorted meant running a few trains to test it all. Which led me to improve the traverser control panel a bit. I haven’t really mentioned the traverser much, its not the
Scenic work is not something I am very good at, but there we are a gap filled. I wanted it to look like one of the old estates that got enveloped by the progress of Glasgow to the west but has yet to be developed. The result is some lengths of very old boundary wall in some odd locations if you dig about in the area.
Anyway, it fills a gap.
If you are going to have a gate, you might as well have a working one.
The D 34 trolley is now finished and in service. I think it captures the look of the original though without a drawing I cannot be sure it is dimensionally correct. Wheelbase and overall length are from the diagram.
I decided to fit a rather narrow load so as not to lose the open frame look of the trolley and an out of gauge load would foul the platforms. Well sheeted and chained down it gives some mass so that the springs do not make it all too bouncy.
Some photos
Right, back to some modelling. I have said painting is not my forte, add full size painting to that too. Anyway, a scotch derrick. I made this a long time ago for the previous layout, but I haven’t got round to fitting it since its a bit vulnerable as it is towards the front of the layout.
Scotch derricks are a simple crane, they were used in large numbers throughout the railways and industry in general. Drawings of the size preferred by the CR were published in “The true line “ and
I’m not a very christmassy person, so it gives me a bit of time to make things. I decided to have a shot at this odd looking thing.
This photo has appeared on rmweb before, but if anyone has copyright issues I’ll remove it. Built 1868, scrapped 1917, lived in Glasgow. It is in the diagram book which gives basic dimensions but not much more. Only one built and had the number 1. Should save on transfers.
The original method of construction seems to be flitched. Four he
A bit of progress. Four bodies are now on frames and I have been playing on the layout to iron out any running issues.
I wanted to try and get it to look as if the coaches are properly coupled. Even with springs I found that screw couplings didn’t really keep the buffers together on curves, and I wanted the buffers to compress to take up and rattle.
I came up with this. Essentially half an aj on a diamond spring it is stiffer then the buffer springs but can be extended to
2022 was the year in which the politicians told us it was all going to bounce back to normal. Instead we have production and supply chain issues which are affecting far more important things than model railways whilst the politicians bounce off into financially comfortable obscurity.
However the Caley staff at Kelvinbank continue to work day and night to get the goods delivered. A few pictures on that theme.
Coal from the Lanarkshire collieries to the north Clyde ports wa
These two are wagons built by Pickerings of Wishaw. The bodies are in resin from True LIne Models, available through the CRA. A straightforward build, my usual copperclad sub frame with compensation, mainly 51L parts, the buffers are correct RCH pattern in brass from Gibson.
I have good ex works photos of two suitable candidates, Wilsons and Clyde 2329 in a brown livery and Oakbank OIl Co. No 132 which looks to me to be a varnished wood finish. Could well be a yellow pine so some s
Another go at a sheeted wagon. Fair criticism of the way my early attempts at roping sheets down led me to consider a more realistic way of doing things.
Looks a bit better in terms of roping, but I think I could improve the sit of the sheet itself.
The starting point is a CR D15 dropside whitemetal kit from 51L. This is made up in my normal fashion. However in order to tie the ropes down I ne
Well there we are, No. 203 in service. It looks all right from a distance, but harsh close ups show my lining inabilities. I did try some of the 2 part Fox transfers where you overlay black on a red/white line, but I just couldn’t get them to look right. The CR red/black/white was subtle with fine lines, hopefully one day a transfer maker will take pity on us.
Then again what matters is how it runs
The painting and lining seems to have gone fairly smoothly with this one. I used the same double transfer technique developed for the Grampian Corridor stock which helps. Certainly not as sharp as an expert painter could achieve, but I know my limitations.
I have painted the interior in a simple fashion and added a guard and some parcels, mail bags and a tandem. Very little of that can be seen , but it gives the impression of use.
Anyway, a couple of posed pictures.
The signal box on Kelvinbank consists of a photo of Boness box stuck to a light bulb box. Ok, its the right style and size, but time to make something a bit more accurate.
So the silhouette has been busy. The windows are all done as a single layer, the frames both sides laminated onto that. Cutting all those soffit brackets took a while, but I’d never manage it by hand. This is the second attempt, I got my dimensions wrong on the go.
Some brickwork for
I have been sorting out the western end of the layout so the boards have been wheeled out for access. Getting a bit chilly this time of year so pvas do take a while to dry for the scenic stuff.
Anyway, a few pics of that corner. I’m not entirely happy with the brick gable end of the factory. I keep an eye open for something more suitable but as ever its the problem of getting a good square on photo of it.
I have had some Worsley Works etches in the kit stash for a while, so I thought I’d have a shot at building one. This is a 45 foot Diagram 35 full brake, first lot built 1897. Worsley Works only provide the basic body, though it is a very accurate and nicely etched set. Slots for the guards duckets do need widening a little. The builder supplies the rest.
Bogies are Comet 8 foot SR pattern converted to Drummond style by removing the top flange and adding small inserts to give the cu
Happy new year to everyone.
So not one for celebrations and fed up with the dead time twixt Christmas and New year I decided to make something. I looked about and ferreted in various boxes, what did I have at my disposal? One last sheet of 10 thou styrene. An idea formed, a brake wagon. Something that has been sitting in the back of my head for a while. So I dug out the wagon book, scanned and sized the the drawing and re-read the section about them in the book and the CR forum.
I have pushed on a bit with the brake wagons, just about ready for some primer. They are small, but I have managed to get enough weight in there for them to run smoothly enough and keep the compensation working properly.
Here’s a harsh picture of the underside, nothing particularly special but the use of a copperclad sub chassis does give decent fixings for W irons, ajs and the buffer springs and allowed me to get a slab of 1mm brass in as a spacer. Brake gear is a chopped up etch fr
Some photos of the brake wagons. Both have a rather rough appearance, but I doubt they were high up the list for maintenance.
I have made a few guesses about the final finishing.
Firstly, I’m not sure about the running numbers. I know that No. 185 was of this type so I have just used a couple of close low numbers. Being built on early wagon frames they might just have been painted on rather than having number plates.
Secondly,
Following the excellent discussion on the storage of lamp oil I have built a combined lampmans hut and coal store.
A dimensioned sketch of the type favoured by the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire ( and other CR lines built later on ) can be found in "Signalling the Caledonian" by Jim Summers. A very common feature in many stations and yards, clearly having a separate small building for maintaining signal and general lamps would minimise damage by fire should an accident occur.
A pair of these control movements across the trailing crossover beyond the platforms. The Stevens pattern dropflap signals themselves are the 51L etch, I had them powered with a servo via a linkage. It was designed to cope with servo overthrow under transient conditions, but it didn’t. So for quite a while now they have been cosmetic. Time for a rebuild.
The signals are mounted on a bit of double sided copperclad with some 6mm U section brass on the other side. The flap and conterwig
These are made from the latest True Line Models resin body produced by the CRA. Many thanks to all involved.
The description pre-diagram means that they were built bfeore the introduction of the official diagram book and therefore don’t have a diagram number. More details here;
https://www.crassoc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1479
I have built them in my usual way, copperclad sub chassis, rocking W irons, internal sprung buffers, all the bits from 51L
So like many I’m stuck inside unable to work, so keeping optimistic I’ll treat it as a rehearsal for retirement. Time to take stock, have a good dig through all the boxes and see what I have available to make things with.
Signal parts come on frets or bags of several bits. Of course all the spare bits are put away, so having sorted through them I realised that I had enough bits for a couple more signals. An ideal project, fiddly and time consuming. Takes the mind off other things.
I have been with pottering on with the far corner of the layout, signals are installed, then unplugged and a lightweight scenic extension knocked up from foamboard and card. All a bit rough at the moment, but taking shape. I think it will enhance that corner and take the eye round to the storage yard in a more transitional way. Some sort of wooded area perhaps.
I also painted a couple of figures and added them to this very odd thing that I made quite
I have added a bit of scenic detail to that corner. Much improved in taking the eye round at the end of the viaduct. I am going to have a go a tree making to disguise the rather abrupt end of that big retaining wall, but for now thats the layout back together and some trains running again.
A couple of rough snapshots.
Hope everyone is managing in these strange times.
