tapdieuk

Plodding away at the L&Y 0-8-0. I have tried to do a bit each evening, even if it's not completing that small task Balance weights on wheels, they have been painted since, so ready for wheeling. Pads on frames, I have been caught out before so each one was checked for isolation after soldering. One of the pads in the middle proved tricky, but I knew it was that one. Stretchers fitted and checked for isolation on one frame. I find it takes more time but helps pin point where a possible short could be Tacked and checking alignment. It took 2 attempts in the end. Full soldered joints and cleaned up. Foot plate and wheels loosely assembled.

Resisting the urge to 'start' an another project (is it me? Or is there is something satisfying about cutting parts out of a virgin etch?) I dug out the box of parts for a Nigel Hunt L&Y 7F, this had been put aside due to the boiler and chassis. While the tender was mostly complete less body details and motor/drive set. I had got as only as far as the footplate with the loco. The beading and hand rails for the cab sides and front turned into a afternoon battle. Parts dropped on the floor, parts pingle off when trying to hold with the tweezers, solder running to the wrong parts, not square or just not quite in the right place.... Forming the roof went well after I remember I had a pair of half round pliers. These were able to curve bend the areas at the edges. Despite reading the instructions I still managed to solder the end parts wrong when forming the fire box. The forming is not great, but flooding the of the joint with solder fills the gaps and allows for flatting of with a file. Lessons learnt for the next fire box I form. All balance in place It Is a huge fire box, giving the loco a caricature look. The loco will look the part pulling a mix of L&Y and LNWR wagons.

Having pontificated for long enough about the small size of the transfers I just got on and applied when on the ZAG meeting. Thanks to Compound2632 and Bill-lobb for the feed back on livery and details. Numbers wise I went with the letter sets on the transfer sheets. Only had trouble with 2 sets, one getting completely folded over. The Railtec transfers can take a mauling. A sealing varnish is drying so the comparatively easy bit of roof painting and couplings.... blockquote widget

Hope every one has has a good Christmas. I have been working though quite a few part complete projects mostly and wagons. But this trio of Midland NPCS (open and closed carriage truck (David Eveleigh) and Parcels van (shot down etch?)) has been edging forward with painting of the raised beading, roofs to follow. None of My limited Midland books show what and how the lettering was laid out on these vehicles, My question is does any one else know or have a clear photo? I have the Midland Coach transfers from the 2mm shop.

Cheers guys John I pick it up at the Swindon show, Jerry had been dissecting a production prototype, working out how to convert. Kenrow shop/stand was present with 1 of each colour. The main bulk was at the TINGs show. I just like the green colour! Having drilled the rod blanks I want to see if it would run, before spending time on shaping the blanks. I did drill for 3 sets of rods, as predicted I have misplaced 1 set..... Chris, yes you can. EFE have done well with the model, both from the fine body moulding, and the chassis. My only niggle is they do feel a bit light. Having said that when I ran it before the conversion it ran well, but I will try to get some more weight in it. There is a hazy vision of a Cameo style layout. Either a grotty colliery line, with locos in wasp strips scuttling around or an early preserved railway with shabby blue and grey MK1s and brightly coloured Austerity's....

EFE Austerity Wheels skimmed and fitted with Assocation 9mm tyres. Using MK 5 crank pins loctited into the threaded crank pin holes. Wheel base measured at 10.8mm & 11.8mm Temporary coupling rods for now, but shuttling up and down the test plank.

Just fantastic, the colours/tones really blend locos, railway and the scenic elements together.

Having seen it at static at Larkrail (last year?) It was impressive then. But yesterday at Swindon show with the trains rolling through the station WOW. It just works as a moving picture to a past time. It also shows cases that 2mm Finescale is not just about flange widths, back to backs, scale looking wheels and track. But using the scale to its full advantage to build a scene, and convey an atmosphere, to which the trains play a part.

Hi Ian Modbury looked fantastic. I am always spotting details/textures, its inspiring. Will

My first visit to the show. I Really enjoyed it, a fantastic range of scales, sizes of layouts and periods modeled. Thank you

John57sharp I have used these as a guide, when cleaning up, reshaping the n-brass casting that I am using an on my coal tank.

Looking good Jerry, you just need the SDJR shed............. Test cuts on the digital Etch A Sketch. I will bring the samples along tommorrow.

I dug out the etchings and have started my Coal Tank. I have already put together a Chris Higgs chassis, although it has yet have motor fitted. This thread has been a big help to see how others have tackled putting the body together. One of the first bits make was a wooden base to keep the footplate as flat as possible. I have had to make cut outs to allow buffers, steps and smoke box to fit. I am at the stage were the cab has been tacked in place. The boiler tube needs cutting away for the motor and gears. The rear of the loco is fairly strong, the front is quite delicate. Soldering the buffer beams and buffers was a bit traumatic. The font foot plate ended up moving around, after quite a bit of faffing reheating and jigging it looks mostly flat and square...... The set up for attaching the front spectacle rims, after I had forget to attach them.

The L&Y tanks runs! With the body held inplace with bluetac it's been running in after some fettling. I did make the motor mount removable, which was fortunate. The first run showed up a stiffness. This was traced to the worm being to tightly engage, it was a matter of unscrewing the mount inserting a shim from a bit of paper. The loco was happy running in on the roundy roundy. Finished the letter up of the LNWR open wagon and brake van, a a coat of varnish, both are still a bit shiny. A productive couple of days.

The L&Y tank on its wheels. 2 of the muffs were not as tight as I would have liked so a drop of thin loctite will be used to double secure the wheels With the rods on the chassis rolls ok no tight spots, but not quiet as free as it could be. Wheels without balance weights and the chassis blacken as per Tim's Raven Pacific. It's definitely a lot quicker than painting.

Balance weights for the L&Y class 23, having soldered crank pins in the wheels the balance weights are next to be fitted if needed From 'An Illustrated History of LMS Locomotives Vol 2' It shows the locos with weights fitted and not fitted. While they are in LMS and BR condition. I am looking to finish the loco in L&Y condition, what would be correct? Will

Fantastic work and write up. It shows what's achievable in this scale. Will

I have been chipping away at the work bench. The output not as refind or as much as others, but a small pile has been worked on, an emphasis on finishing off projects not starting anything new. From the left, a pair of bolsters from shot down etches picked up at the Derby from the central shop. Not great, would have been easier to make the top from plastic card. Chassis cobbled up from assocation bits LNWR brake van, strapping finished and handrails LNWR open 3D print design by Kevin on a Assocation 9'9" chassis 2 1880s PO wagons 2 Midland wagons 3 plank & 5 plank Midland brake van getting couplings One of the more boring jobs is making up DG couplings. I am working though a etch a time, even that's a bit of a chore Also a Nigel Hunt chassis for the L&Y Tank the body from a Gem kit A different way of putting the chassis spacers in for me. A bit more care needed, the rear one did not sit down quite right. But the chassis is square and isolated. Coupling rods were next. The half etchings got a bit mangled before soldering up. To ensure aliment, the rod centres were drilled in the soldering board. A pair of crank pins used to hold the etches together. The key was not to solder the crank pins in the rods! .

Is there a replacement etched chassis for the Dapol 4500? The shop 3 does not list one, has someone else produce one? Thank you Will

After a sort out on the work bench tidying up offcuts of rail after the point work. I have had a bash at a 4 wheeled Midland Parcels Van, to this is from a set of shot down etches. I had picked up the Association's W irons etch for 7mm wheels for another attempt at the LSWR horse box. These had been seen during the tidy. A quick build to get a feel and see if the W irons etch would work. All of it just lightly tacked to check all looked ok. Looking ok for ride height. To be finished tomorrow.

The Barry slip works electrically! Apart from 2 shorts from the copper clad sleepers not being gaped fully. Lesson learnt check the sleepers before soldering rails. While the wagon rolled through ok, some adjustments were need to get the testing loco ( Terrier ) to run though. It needs a better way of switching the frog polarity (interlocking both switches for movent with servos), but it's progress. Up next is a interlaced turnout. The blades being thinner, much quicker with no chair plates to faff about with. It still needs the frog isolating. I have gone with soldered sleeper tie bar for now to testing, but time to look in to TOU! The sleepers are stuck down with Pritstick I guess it just needs wetting for it to come off the board? Another small test/shunting layout feels likely with some of this track. Definitely based around a light railway with a mixture of track types and less than ideal sleepering.

Mark I thought those were crank pin washers, not for soldering to the rods. Will

Jumping around a bit, I had been working on and off on a Barry slip. I thought it would be easier (relative) than a true slip. I have struggle with the etched chairs at times, so it a real mix of bits of etch fret and etch chairs. But a wagon rolls through all routes. The tie bars being a temporary soldered sleepers. I have yet to to sort out any wiring and isolating the frogs to run a loco though, but lots learnt on the track marking front.

Some thing a bit different for me, a coach. 6 wheeled Midland type. The body is a from a set of etches passes to me, the chassis is from a set of etches by Richard. It's al bit rough in places, and I have a better idea how to tackle the next one. Time to sort out a roof and figure how to paint the Midland livery.

The roundy roundy test is proving useful for bedding in the locos. It was set up in the front room after getting back from the Portsmouth show yesterday. While I tinkered at the work bench, one of the locos was left to run. Speed and direction were changed along with turning the loco around. The slower running did show up a couple of tight to gauge places in the loop. All sorted quickly with the hot iron from the bench. The Terrier did start to test my patience, after gluing in the lead weights in the side tanks, a crank pin started to catch a foot step. By the time the glue had a hold of the lead weight one of them had move and was rubbing on the middle wheel. The loco stated limping. At that point I walked away for dinner This was traced back to the quartering slipping, after re setting the loco would trundle around at 4ish volts. It is the noisiest sounding loco a bit of a coffee grinder even after cleaning and oiling. The only ready dud was the Flat Iron Chassis. After insulating the frames from the body with Rizzla paper and super glue, the running is not great. The wheels were a set of whitemetal centred wheels. It will run slow but with a slight lumpy gait. Possible just a new set of wheels.