TS's lockdown diary

Which kind of brake is this: passenger or goods? It looks a bit like an 1860's passenger brake. Either way, I'd like one please,  if you get to selling the prints.

1 hour ago, Guy Rixon said:

Which kind of brake is this: passenger or goods? It looks a bit like an 1860's passenger brake. Either way, I'd like one please,  if you get to selling the prints.

 

It's a diagram 1553 10/13-ton goods brake - loads made  from 1879 to 1903 with all sorts of variations for different purposes and routes. Some very similar ones made before and after too (more info in Illustrated History of Southern Wagons, vol 3). I've been having difficulties printing these to high enough quality, but it will get there at some point

 

OK, then I'd like two, please, in due course. If you have any more with broken buffers I'll take those off your hands as I have sprung buffers to fit. 

Sure - though in this case, managed to snap off half the bufferbeam with it! I might be able to make a special with guide holes instead of buffers, but I'd have to re-export and set up the print again

I'm probably good for a couple in the fullness of time. I hope you won't mind if I mention some points re the guard's door, from looking at photos in Southern Wagons Vol. 3. The lower panel, whether plain or planked, is flush with the framing but has some raised beading around its edge. The top panel, above the droplight, is not inset to the full depth of the framing, unlike the planking on the body sides and ends, which is fixed behind the framing. See plates 148 and 150. 

 

I've just spotted something I've missed before - the ends are different. At the guards end, the windows do not extend right up to the top rail of the framing, whereas at the other end, they do - but they are, I think, the same size, it's just that they sit higher - plate 147.  Altogether a fascinating vehicle!

 

The continuous upper stepboard seems not to be an original feature - plates 147 and 148 show separate stepboards for the guards door and the double door. How much faff would it be to change the CAD to represent this (and the plain-panelled door)? It would mean that the two solebar/axlebox prints would be different - opposite handed.

6 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

I'm probably good for a couple in the fullness of time. I hope you won't mind if I mention some points re the guard's door, from looking at photos in Southern Wagons Vol. 3. The lower panel, whether plain or planked, is flush with the framing but has some raised beading around its edge. The top panel, above the droplight, is not inset to the full depth of the framing, unlike the planking on the body sides and ends, which is fixed behind the framing. See plates 148 and 150. 

 

I've just spotted something I've missed before - the ends are different. At the guards end, the windows do not extend right up to the top rail of the framing, whereas at the other end, they do - but they are, I think, the same size, it's just that they sit higher - plate 147.  Altogether a fascinating vehicle!

 

The continuous upper stepboard seems not to be an original feature - plates 147 and 148 show separate stepboards for the guards door and the double door. How much faff would it be to change the CAD to represent this (and the plain-panelled door)? It would mean that the two solebar/axlebox prints would be different - opposite handed.

 

Corrections always welcome, especially before I start putting things on sale! I'll have a look into those bits when I get a chance. I don't really want to model the separate stepboards, as it reduces the strength of the print and isn't too hard to cut out if not required. The solebar prints are already opposite handed, as the stepboard hangers aren't evenly distributed! There may have been some coarse language when I first noticed that... The ends are also different on the model, a pain to do as I couldn't do my usual trick of just mirroring the other end. I've left the external gears off too for now, that's a bit fiddly to do at scale.

I'm considering to do the hand-brake wheel, bevel gears and associated crank as an accessory pack in my Shapeways shop. I suspect that they were standard parts in the full-sized railway and one model will do for most goods brakes, PBVs and brake coaches of the SER/SECR; but I need some drawings to check this. I want these bits for some coaches I'm building.

 

Branchlines had a casting for the gears, vertical shaft and crank in some of their kits. This might be available separately.

Edited June 12, 2020 by Guy Rixon

Hi Tom.

 

I would certainly be interested in a couple of these if you can sort out the production issues.

You mentioned the broken buffer and I was wondering just how brittle this material is. I have an exhibition layout and rolling stock tends to get a bit of handling, so anything too fragile might be a problem. Many moons ago Ratio used to sell the turned buffer heads separately, but no more. I think Slaters might do, but they do not include the collar, which is usually a moulded plastic ring in their kits.

Even whitemetal buffers are susceptible getting their heads broken off. I have had some Chatham kits where they have been broken even before opening the packet. I like the MJT ones with the whitemetal bodies and blackened turned shafts and heads. Unfortunately, they do not do all the types to suit S.E. & C.R. wagons.

 

All the best

Ray

8 hours ago, wainwright1 said:

You mentioned the broken buffer and I was wondering just how brittle this material is.

 

I've not found it too bad actually - it's brittle, but reasonably strong and careful handling has never caused me an issue so far. The problems I've had, and the times I've broken things are either when removing them from the support material, or when modifying bodyshells later on (usually to remove old weights when I'm messing about with chassis). Both of these situations usually involve levering something, or bending it, thus putting a lot of force through the part.

 

In terms of strength, my rough estimate would be equivalent to a plastic kit, except it will snap instead of yield under high loads.

 

However, if you can find the bits that ping off, they usually glue back on very cleanly!