One of the main things I want to achieve with this layout is testing out the new one piece etched chairs. To finish Long Melford, I need to build quite a lot of complex pointwork that will need to match with Bill Blackburn's track system. I tried using some of his etches, but they were so fiddly with two extra thin layers, it drove me nearly insane. The new ones seem to give almost the same look, and while still fiddly, they're certainly more manageable than Bills.

Quickly, when I started building the pointwork for the plank, I decided to save time and fiddleiness by using a hybrid of the etched and plastic chairs, which seems to work really nicely.

Inspired by a recent article in the 2mm Magazine, I 3D printed a jig to help with opening out the chairs. This works really nicely and should save time building the remaining point.

The other feature I want to experiment with here is inset paved track - on the siding closest to the distillery itself.

Here is a little test piece made with DAS clay and stamped with an offcut of squeezed and slightly hollowed out brass tube. This was quite therapeutic! 

I'm really pleased with the result, although I'm slightly concerned about how I'll keep the track clean without damaging the cobbles. Perhaps a filed down checkrail inside the rails might help set a level that stays below the rail height? Any tips gratefully received!

Justin

Recently I bought a Farish Jinty. As others are also looking at and undertaking conversion of these newer models with split-chassis construction and coreless motors to 2FS, and there are some uncertainties as to the actual construction and parts dimensions, alongside the best methods of conversion, I thought I would start a thread dealing with this particular model. I have included as many dimensions as possible for those that might find them useful.

It's a nice loco, and weighs about the same as the Farish 08 at around 40gms thanks to the footplate and side tanks/bunker being metal castings. The wheels are 9.5mm and the wheelbase 16.5mm x 17.5mm. The coreless motor is 7mm x 16mm and the gear reduction is 47-1. It runs very nicely under DC, but issues have been encountered when attempting to fit a decoder to run under DCC, which I will detail at a later stage for anyone interested.

Removal of the wheels is quick and easy. Undo three screws, remove the keeper plate, (on which are the brakes, outside brake rods, NEM coupling sockets, and guard irons), and the wheels can be lifted out. 

Here is a shot of the wheels before removal. There are circular flanges on the rear of the square bearings which locate in slots to retain them in place.

And another shot of the chassis showing the slots where the bearings fit. You may also just spot the drive gear peeking out in the middle rear of the central axle slots. This engages with the 15 tooth gear on the middle axle. This is of the standard Farish gear size, is 5mm OD, and a significant factor in the 2FS conversion possibilities. The chassis, assembled, has an overall width of 6.3mm.

Also arrowed here are the two clips on the smokebox moulding retaining the front of it in place on the footplate which need releasing when removing the body for decoder fitting.

The coupling rods are retained on the wheels by what appear to be 14ba hexagon headed bolts. Despite their small size they look large on the model, as do the rods. I find using small flat faced tweezers best for undoing these.

These are the wheels, axles, and bearings after removing one wheel from an axle. The new wheel design is an adaptation of the previous one and achieved by adding a boss of 2.9mm diameter and 2mm length to the rear of the casting. This is set in about 0.3mm from the rear tyre face. The axles are plain shafted 1.15mm diameter. The plastic insulating bushes are thus about twice the length of before, and help to ensure truer running wheels as well as making it easier to remove/replace them on the axles. This I found, is best achieved by gently twisting them on the axles.

The bearings are phosphor bronze, 1.5mm thick, with a 3mm bore. The figure over flats 3.95mm. The circular rear flange portion is 5mm diameter, and 0.5mm wide. The square portion is thus 1.0mm wide. Inner bore faces and the outside of the flange are chamfered.

The wheels are an easy running fit in the bearings, and the bearings a loose fit in the chassis. It's all very sloppy. Despite, or perhaps because of this, running qualities are very good, and current collection doesn't seem an issue even without the benefit of 'Simpson' springs.

On the face of it there would appear to be two main methods of conversion to 2FS. Machine the current wheels to reduce the flange width so they pass through 2FS flangeways with ease and re-set to the 2FS 8.5mm b-t-b. Or replace with 2FS wheels. Neither can be achieved without modification to the bearings, whilst the latter option brings additional issues with it of what diameter muffs can be used and either finding a suitable replacement 15 tooth final drive gear or adapting the current one, either of which also directly affects what size muffs can be used because of the 5mm OD.

Taking all this into consideration, and as new couplings rods of the correct size would have to be obtained as well if 2FS wheels were used, and I don't know if they exist, I elected to try the first method since it would cost nothing, (as I have the means to undertake it), and being non-destructive it should be possible to re-set the loco to N standards if it didn't work out.......and if it did, then I could go on from there should I wish.

I'll detail the conversion in the next post.

Izzy