Nig H

Just leaving the workbench really, but some pics of my GF WD finescale conversion. Nig H

I've finally finished the conversion, so here are a couple of pics. The loco isn't the heaviest and I reckon it can comfortably handle about 100g, which is about 5 or 6 GF suburban Mk1s -enough for a prototypical train for this loco. Nig H

Hello Tom, I opened out the hole on the GFgear so that it was a firm push fit on a 2.3mm diameter muff, then superglued the gear centrally on the muff. Nig H Hello Chris, I didn't try this as I don't have a drill or files that could get to that diameter, but I don't see why your idea shouldn't work, in which case there would be no need for the Association or you to get involved in producing replacement bearings etc. It would be useful if somone could try your suggestion, but I can't as I've used up all my GF bearing on the Ivatt and the WD and I don't fancy undoing all my work. Nig H

Here are some pics with the revised valve gear assembled on the left hand side. I'll try to thin down the combination lever a bit, but its getting to the limits possible with etching while retaining some strength, and having to be bent out then down to clear the slide bars and crosshead. I think its worth mentioning that there is a fair bit of fiddly work involved in finescaling this and the WD chassis, especially the valve gear. You also need to handle the loco and tender bodies carefully and try not to bash anything. I intend to provide details of all the work involved as part of the instructions for the kits. Nig H

Hello Guy (and others), I measured the Farish axles at the bearings location as 2.9mm. I soldered the Assoc bearings onto a length of 1.5mm rod, put that in my lathe, then turned the outer flanges down until a GF bearing just slid over all of them. It doesn't take long to do. I don't know about Farish wheels in their bearings, but I was referring to GF bearings being a loose fit in the GF chassis slots. Regards, Nig H

Having paused for breath and looked again at the results produced, I will look at replacing the GF expansion link, eccentric rod, and radius rod, and improving the etched combination lever. I'll see if the Dapol Ivatt chasis etch bits are close enough to attempt a test replacement, then amend the artwork for the GF Ivatt. There doesn't appear to be as much slop in the bearings on the Ivatt compared with the WD. Nig H

Hello, Here are more pics showing some stages in assembly, and the basically finished chassis. I decided to retain some of the GF valve gear as it seemed easier to use some of the best bits such as the crosshead, lifting link and expansion link, but I'll be interested to hear what people think about the results. I'm tempted to etch the expansion link and eccentric rod. The tender base and underside with etched chassis. The Assoc frame bearings soldered inside the GF bearings. Muff reduced to about 4mm length. The vave gear with some etched replacement parts attached. The GF chassis with a finescale wheelset inserted. Three pics showing valve gear attached. It runs OK except that the R/H expansion link catches on the back of the motion bracket, so I need to move the return crank back a bit. Nig H

Hello Jerry, I'm not sure about the prototype, but the model is 15mm plus 15mm, which seemed to fit the GEM body. Do you have in mind another loco for the chassis? Regards, Nigel

Here are some pics showing progress to date. This pic shows the underside of the footplate with the hole around the base of the water scoop, and the water scoop after removing the remains of its base. The scoop needs to be removed to accommodate the etched chassis. This shows the drawbar after shortening the pick-up wires, and bending them inwards slightly. Below is the etched chassis. I have made a slot and a cutout in the middle spacer to fit the scoop. Nig H

Here are some pics of a chassis for the GEM L & Y saddle tank. It went together ok, just a couple of tweaks to the artwork needed. The motor is a Nigel Lawton 12V 10mm diameter midi, and it runs a bit fast, but I hope that a decoder can tame it. It didn't take too long to build the chassis. Nig H

These will make a fantastic train Jerry, can't wait to see them when done. The 4F looks great too. What is the origin of the tender? Nig H

Hello Jerry, I built one of these kits about 20 years ago. I scratchbuilt the chassis using a 38:1 worm on the front driving wheel axle, with a Faulhaber 1016 in the tender. I did an article for the Mag c.1992 (the building of 40743) which you could look up to see how not to do it! Please let me know if you do want any more info. Nig H

Much later than expected but now received, latest sheet of test etches from PEC. I've started assembling a finescale conversion kit for the Farish WD 2-8-0, the other test etches to do are a similar kit for the Farish Ivatt 2-6-0, a chassis kit for the GEM L & Y saddle tank, and body and chassis etches for L & Y 2-4-2Ts. Here are some pics of some of the etches. The etched bits for the WD seem to be going together well. The difficult bit is putting everything back together and connecting up all the wiring along the same lines as the original model. Regards, Nig H

They are. After bending rod of appropriate diameter to shape (took me ages), I slipped flanges I'd turned on my lathe over the rod, then inserted the flanges in their respective holes in the smokebox and footplate and soldered everything together. If I had soldered the flanges into their holes without the 'pipe' first, it would have been impossible to then fit the 'pipe'. Nig H

Hello Izzy, Sorry for the delay in replying. The intention is to use the Farish chassis with replacement finescale wheels. I've had the converted chassis running using the original valve gear etc, but I want to try replacing those bits so that assoc crankpins can be used in the drivers Nig H

I have been working on finescaling a Farish WD 2-8-0. The first option was to retain the existing motion and just replace the wheels in the loco. I did this by soldering turn down frame bushes into the existing Farish bearings.Using the Farish coupling rods meant using 1.4mm o/s diameter rod or in my case, tube. I had to turn some 1.5mm tube to get to the 1.4mm. Re-assembling the wheels with the bearings on the axles meant using a quite short muff (c. 3.5mm) , and the gear carrying axle needed a pony truck muff. For the tender, I am waiting for a simle etched chassis to arrive from the etchers. Most of the block holding the tender wheels will need removing, just the front end forward of the front axle being retained. The second option for the loco is to replace almost all the motion with etched parts (also on their way). This will enable Association crankpins to be used. I've just managed to re-attach all the motion for option 1 and test run the loco. Performance was OK apart from a tight spot at one point in the wheel's revolution. I think this approach will work, and that the problem I encountered was due to execution rather than the method itself. I think I'd prefer option 2 though. Some pics attached. Note the large 'crankpins'. I didn't bother cleaning these up as I will be dismantling it all to carry out option 2. Nig H (having problems with the topic reply form)

I am half way through finescaling a WD Austerity. I've got Assoc wheels in the chassis, sort of quartered. Next step is reattaching the connecting rod and return crank. I am waiting for etched parts for the tender chassis, and for various bits for the Ivatt 2-6-0, which has a chassis designed similar to the WD for finescaling purposes. I am hopeful that the approach I am testing on the WD will work, and on the Ivatt too. Nig H

I always araldite dooms and chimneys in place. You can make small adjustments before the araldite sets. I usually fit domes etc after all soldering work on the boiler has been done. And I have never had a dome etc fitted this way get knocked off, or come loose. Nig H

Thanks Julia. Ian Rathbone's paint job on the loco and coaches certainly helps hugely to the overall result. In a way I'm relieved that I've built all the LMS pacifics I wanted to model as I found much of the work quite stressfull, although I don't think any 2mm loco construction is a piece of cake. Nig H

Here are some pics of part of my model of the Caledonian Express. The headboard on the loco is blue tacked in place and is probably a bit wonky. Nig H

Here are some pics of my newly-finished porthole brake first corridor. Less disasters than usual, but those that occur seem always to be in the later stages when its a bit late to do much other than scrap the whole lot and start again. Ian Rathbone's painting and lining is way better than I usually achieve. All that remains to do is some light weathering, and adding some 'Caledonian' destination boards. Nig H

I once used what I thought was Railmatch etching primer, and it flacked away easily. It seems that the jar had the wrong label on it and wasn't etching primer at all. Maybe your can is also wrongly labelled? I suggest, as did Alan, trying a different primer. Nig H

Here are some pics of a 'Porthole' BFK I've started building. This coach is the last one I need to form the 'Caledonian' express. The sides (Bill bedford or Ultima) look pristine, having been painted and lined for me by Ian Rathbone. They can only get worse, and probably will, during asembly! The underframe is a Bill Bedford etch, with some Ultima fittings. One issue with it is keeping it straight and level when you solder the solebars and other bits in place. It might have been easier and quicker to use my normal plasticard floor and solebar approach. The part built body is plasticard, and can be seen to be part painted. I've now completed the paintwork, and I've glazed the sides and added curtains to the compartment windows, so I can now glue the sides to the floor/ ends assembly. Nig H

Hello Chris, You can see the radial truck etch itself in my pic of the etch ealier in this topic, c. end April. Its top left between the two loco frames. The trucks themselves are fold up boxes, with curved front and rear surfaces, the radius through the axle hole being equal to that between the pony truck centreline and the middle of the driving wheels wheelbase. For the 2-4-2 its 12' 3" or so. I suspect for our purposes, an approximation will do. The truck runs between guides folded in from the loco frames, and set at an angle corresponding with the radii of the front and back of the truck, and a small gap for clearance. The truck is kept in place in the frames with wires soldered either side of the PCB blocks in the middel of the truck, top and bottom. The wires are bent and tweaked into place under tabs which fold down behind the truck. The PCB blocks keep the left and right sides of the truck together when the halves are separated electrically. I thought it best to leave the wires free under the tabs to allow as much unhindered movement as possible. At the moment the width over frames is 7mm. Nick Mitchell and I are considering reducing the width of the frames around the radial truck to say 6.5mm to allow more sideplay, and increasing the width of the radial truck to the maximum possible so that all sideways movement is in the truck rather than some in the truck and some sideplay of the wheels within the truck. I hope this helps, but if not, or if you have more questions, please let me know. Nig H

Here are more pics of a L & Y 2-4-2T, built from a test etch. It has been hard work! For example, the motor mounting screws were to close to the gears, so I had to slot the fixing holes in the motor mount spacer to move the motor back. Then the rear edge of the motor mount fouled the rear axle muff,the spur gears were fouled by the flange on the gear muff, and so on and on. But I got the chassis sorted and it runs nicely now, but what curves will it get round? At Nick Mitchell's suggestion, I tried using radial trucks for the pony wheels. I thought it was his idea but he tells me its from London Road Models. I was dreading doing the body after so many problems with the chassis but it went better than expected, though I haven't got a useable end product. You might be able to make out the radial truck arrangement - a bit hit and miss in some ways and it still needs extensive testing. Some of the detail was only added on the left side, just to see if the parts worked. I must get round to doing the roof. Nig H