Evening all,
been a while hasn't it?
Wheal Elizabeth's glacial conversion to incorporate a running line is almost complete. We now have a dividing railway fence, facing point lock with protection bar, lever frame, rodding etc and all the details I've been meaning to get round to. I'm sure someone out there can tell me what colour the levers should be for a point lock and point lever (which operates a pair of points in case you were wondering). Fencing is EZ line and the track details a v
Evening all
With the T9 virtually complete, at least for now until I can buy some number plates, I've turned my attention to the next project. This is a Peckett 0-4-0ST E class, a couple of which were acquired by the GWR via the Swansea Harbour Trust. MIne's going to be an industrial version for use as the works shunter on Wheal Elizabeth (at least for now anyhow). Haven't decided on a name yet. Might be Munchkin, might be Minion.
The kit itself is from CSP Marketing and is going
Just like buses eh?
The Van B Link here needs something to pull it and rather than start on the Finney T9, I've gone for the quicker option. I want to have something ready for Manchester in October.
So this is a (hopefully) straightforward conversion of the Hornby West Country pacific, using 605 Squadron as the donor engine and following the EM Gauge Society manual sheet as the basis of conversion.
First step is to take everything apart. It's quite scary when you get to this stage:
N
Glad to report progress with the prairie at long last, to the point where it's progressed to the final painting stage.
The last bits and pieces have been added and the chassis now runs smoothly. Thank goodness!
Cylinders have been painted and the wheels and motion blackened. Think that'll need another coat though and I'll give the chassis a light dusting of grime too. I need to get some screw link couplings at Wells in a couple of weeks, along with a loco crew.
Both the prairie and the 57x
The ongoing addition of a running line continues. Here you can see the new bridge with a bubble car where the new platform will be on the viewing side.
A shot without the bubble car and the addition of a background blocker. No photoshop here! The bridge was made from cut and shut sections of the existing retaining wall, so the colours match the original bridge exactly. I didn't fancy trying to replicate the stonework from fresh.
The change in levels from the original to new bridge is unfo
Wheal Elizabeth is out and about this coming weekend at Cheltenham. Do come and say hello if you're going..
The modifications to the layout are all but complete, just some point rodding, facing point lock and a lever frame to add.
The slurry loading facility has been relocated, allowing a rake of tanks to be filled, so expect to see the bullet train this weekend.
Also, Wheal Elizabeth has secured the lucrative contract to supply Tulis Russell, the papermakers so expect to see their own privat
In the end, we decided Minion was a better name than Munchkin and the loco has emerged from the finishing shop for running in. I daresay it will get grubbier after such exertions.
Happy that it seemes to work ok. The pickups are going to give a bit of grief but I wanted to avoid using top bearing wipers as recommended in the kit. Time will tell if I have to revert to this system.
Saddle tank is full of lead which helps. Nameplates are from Narrow Planet and the works plates something I
One of my long standing 'round tuit' projects has been a Triang bogie luggage van that was given to me by the late Bob Haskins. As is the way, I was looking for something else in the modelling room when I came across a box containing a number of wagons he'd given me, some years ago now.
I knew I'd picked up a detailing conversion pack for it from Roxey Mouldings at a bring and buy so I thought why not?
I guess Bob had this coach from the early seventies and the Roxey kit was also in a suitab
In advance of the EMGS skills day at Kidderminster next weekend (hope the snow thaws), I've been finishing off a number of projects. They're all in P4 by the way.
I'm doing a demo about the various springing systems for wagons that I've used/or not.
First up is the Craig Welsh chassis for a RCH under frame. These are sold by the Scalefour society and fold up in a single unit. I really like them. I've posted pictures before and this sits under an ECC body I originally built (badly)
Don't know if I was inspired by Dave at Scaleforum, but next on the workbench is a long planned conversion of an Airfix 14xx/48xx I've had for about 30 years.
I'm not going to describe every last detail or provide lots of updates because there are other more worthy examples on this forum elsewhere.
Needless to say all the usual components are there: High Level chassis kit, Mainly Trains body detailing kit and a few other bits and pieces.
So far I've built the chassis as per the in
With 1454 finished (don't panic, we have 2 independent witnesses confirming it was indeed in unlined green with the early emblem), I'm now working on the Autotrailer.
I reckon I bought this when I was about 13, which is a long, long time ago. I know there's a new RTR model in the pipeline but that's not the point. I really enjoy updating all the old models in my collection. In some cases it's quite poignant to see what I managed to achieve as a teenager (or not as was frequently the case) a
Not much progress in the last couple of weeks due to work commitments, but I have managed to complete the bogie and get the wheels quartered.
The wheels trial fitted in the chassis block. I used a mixture top hat bearings and ordinary 1/8" washers to suit. The wheels were quartered using my NWSL quartering jig, which I find easier for RTR conversions than the GW Models one. I'm wondering whether to fit cosmetic sides from plasticard. I might make some up with slots than can be put in later o
Evening all. Haven't put an update on here for a while as I've been out and about at the odd exhibition and finishing off some track work for a friends layout. But I have been slowly making progress on the prairie.
The body's actually quite good I've come to think although there's a fair bit of cutting and carving required.
The new firebox has been formed from the plasticard carcass made from 80 thou and I've added the bands and lifting covers from a mixture of plasticard and white metal par
OK, I have reached the point where I wished I'd gone down the etched chassis route. So I'm going to stop and have a think about whether I should.
Have spent the evening b*ggering about with the drawbar. All ok after several attempts to solder 2 wires the correct way round. Body put back on. Binds have reappeared on the cylinders again, where previously there were none. Hmm. I have a sneaking suspicion that something's moving around which shouldn't be. I've also decided that there are quite a
Decided to open the Impetus R&H 165DE kit that's been lurking in the cupboard as it's too cold to start spraying the 03 just yet.
This kit is my best ever bargain, ??8 on a second hand stall at a local show including wheels. I thinks there's a couple of bits missing but nothing insurmountable.
Spent yesterday evening soldering - it's nice to build an etched brass kit body again. I can't think but just about everything I've done recently has been whitemetal or plastic. After the compl
Have had a bit of a modelling spurt and finished off 1454. Should be released to the operating department for Wheal Elizabeth's forthcoming appearance at the Sodbury Vale show on 31 January (though what the engine is doing in that part of Cornwall is anyone's guess...). Minion will be making it debut too. Hmm note to self, must build a new stock box.
Anyhoo, the numberplates and smokebox plates were attached with Johnsons Klear and the final details (buffers, couplings, balance weigh
OK, so as I've mentioned in earlier posts, the intention is to convert Wheal Elizabeth to through running, whilst still being able to run as terminus when the mood takes me.
Those of you who know your Cornish railway history will be aware that there were several schemes to link the Bodmin and Wadebridge line with the Par to Newquay branch, via an extension of the line from Ruthernbridge up to Roche (Victoria). I've never actually seen the confirmed route, but analysis of the OS maps show a coup
As my son has had a friend over for a sleepover (curious expression that, very little sleep seemed to occur) I've spent the best part of the day in the modelling room listening to the mayhem downstairs and intervening as and when critical mass approached.
The outcome is some significant progress on the Peckett. I had done quite a bit since the last post, but things are moving along very nicely.
The wheels have been fitted and quartered. All works so happy days.
The t
Whilst I was waiting for ExpoEM to come around, so I could buy some body fittings, I turned my attention to the Comet chassis. Ive used the Brassmasters sprung hornblocks and I have to say I've been very impressed with them so far.
The chassis is being built pretty much straight as per the instructions and I've got to the stage where I've got the rods on and am turning my attention to the motion. For some reason the motion / slide bar brackets don't appear to be the same width as the slide bar
With the weather pretty awful down here in Somerset (though nowhere near as bad as it is in some parts of the country I grant you), I've just had to retire to the modelling bench and make a bit of progress with the 57xx.
5757 has reached working chassis stage and it's always a relief when things work. I put it down to Chris' design but this is the third kit I've built and the third which has run straight away without the need for tweaking/swearing/reassembly etc. I did quarter this one by e
Things have progressed a bit to the point where I'm getting ready for painting the loco and chassis.
I've spent a while detailing the body with an assortment of bits and pieces, wire and rod. I think we have a presentable representation. All I need now is a bit of good weather over the Christmas holiday period and we should be in business.
Obviously the auto tank has to pull something so I've made a start on my old Mainline auto trailer. It must be at least 32 years old... I've got a D
Pretty much finished for now. Needs some grills adding behind the guards compartment. I've got some somewhere but do you think I can find them?
May have to add handrail to the guards door yet and it needs a driver hence the tail lamp for now but otherwise done.
Toned down the paintwork with lifecolor acrylic washes removed immediately with moistened cotton bud.
Coupled with 1454 (though I see I've chipped a bit of paint off some of the pipe work) I have to say I'm pleased with how
I've been making good progress with the Collett Goods chassis.
The coupling rods were made up using my Avonside Chassis2 jig for the first time in anger. It's an impressive bit of kit.
I've made up the High Level hornblocks and tags (normal for the rear two axles, space savers for the front axle to allow space for the slide bars) and fitted the handrail knobs as the anchor points. I amended the 3rd anchor point to improve weight distribution as per comments in the last entry. I assembled eve
I was doing a demo at the recent Railwells show and was pleased that I managed to do virtually no modelling. Always the sign of a successful 'demo' weekend.
I did get as far as dismantling an Oxford models AA3 ex GW Toad in BR livery.
Several people pointed out the errors in the model (apart from the chassis being supplied in the wrong scale as the wheels are too close together obviously), so I didn't do much more than take it apart and compensate one axle with a low profile MJT unit. The ax
I decided to fit a brass sleeve to the piston rod. It was during the exercise I discovered that the cylinder ends can be removed from the main cylinder moulding and so a cunning plan was hatched.
With a bit of filing, the ends were pushed out 0.5mm allowing the sleeve to be fitted further away from the main chassis. I was still debating whether I'd need to move the slide bars out as well, but on reassembly it all seemed to work quite well. The black plasticard spacer is to push out the cylind
