4 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Batch produced tenders, not something we see every day. Really brings home that this is no laid-back branchline!

 

I suppose you could build the tender first next time, to save the best for last. But then there's a risk that the project never gets going because the tender bores you! Dilemmas, dilemmas. Funny how this hobby involves a lot of management. Of space, time, energy, motivation. Not sure I like that, but I suppose it's inevitable if we want to make something happen.

 

I do like the DX Goods. Very workmanlike. A hopelessly Swindonesque question: Why the square cabsides? 

 

Thanks Mikkel.  I meant to have said that I have now resolved to build the tender first! One of the three tenders is for a small Jumbo/Whitworth yet to be started.  The other tender is for a Coal Engine.  I also have 3 uncomplete Coal Tanks one of which is lined and is now just missing its plates!

For me there is a challenge in maintaining the discipline in this "hobby".  A couple of years back my new year's resolution was not to build things on a whim but to stick to a plan to stop having unfinished projects.  I am STILL trying to complete the stalled projects in my cabinet of shame!  It was always tempting to build the latest kit or respond to something that was in vogue on a forum.  A lot of what I have half completed was to test techniques such as springing.  Others have stalled whilst I get to grips with the art of lining.  I only finished the Dean Goods when I realised goods engines were no longer lined at my period.  I built an outside cylinder County to test clearances.

The PLAN is to build the trains in the order as they appear in the timetable.  My hope is to eventually replicate a day's timetable from 1912.  This might sound over ambitious but there were 90 train movements through the station of which most went and came back.  So that's 45 trains.  Some shuttled up and down all day and some formations were identical so the actual number will be fewer.  I think I can get by with 30 locos.  That is a lot less than some peoples RTR collections!  But being pre-grouping and LNWR/GWR all mine have to be built.

The starting point is a branch line train which was the first through the station in the morning and is quite simple.  The loco and carriages for this are all built and almost ready.  The next train was a GWR fast goods for which I have a choice of 3 Dean Goods but only one break van.

The problem with his approach is that managing it does become more like a job.  There is always the temptation for me to start something new and I have erred now and then with a few more new projects but otherwise the mojo might completely disappear.  I am hopelessly behind in carriage building.  The truth is I need the stock to test the locos.

However, the Special DX was the first LNWR loco I attempted.  I thought an 0-6-0 goods engine would be quite simple; how wrong I was.  When the instructions have a sheet of "special instrucions for P4" you are in for a challenge.  I won't bore readers with all the details but last night it ran superbly with a tender attached.  I had to raise the body slightly to match the tender which Im think has helped with the clearances which are TIGHT in P4 on such a slight loco.

The cab sides were quite a feature of Webb and pre-Webb locos.  Unlike a GWR engine like a Dean Goods, there are no internal springs in the cab.  The internal cab box shaped splashers form seats for both the driver and fireman.  On the left hand side of these was installed the screw reverser of which quite a lot of the associated workings were the other side of the spectacle plate which is why that was boxed in.  On the fireman's side there was other pipe work.   Anyway that's what it looks like on the GA drawings.  I have modelled the screw reverser (which casting comes with the kit) and you can see the reversing lever in the picture coming out of the box in front of the spectacle plate.  Pic of cab interior to follow showing reverser.  I have also since put on the cab roof and the buffer housings.

After almost 10 years the DX Goods is nearing completion:

This has been hard to build in P4.  I found that when I fitted the rear steps the cranks fouled on these so off they came and back on slightly further apart.  I think this was due to my having changed the valance for 1mm brass angle.  That was also due to clearance issues.  The kit was missing the blower valve but LRM supplied one.  I also slimmed down the wheels and wondering now whether the balance weights on the wheels might foul on the rods.  Still got to fit the cab details.