Is Line Clear

Hi Jazz, Thanks it's looking to be great build, I know Standards are not everyone's cup of tea but I like them.

Nice choice of loco to build and I shall follow this build with interest, I do think that Scorpio will post you those missing parts because I'm doing their Britannia at the moment and that arrived missing the smokebox door, when I rang Mr Ennis he told me his local post office where he would send kits from had closed up so he has to go into town now which he only does once a week. Anyway I've just bought the 2-6-2 tank version and am promised the missing casting will be included... I'll let you know what happens when the kit arrives. Are you building the later modified BR2A tender with short cab handrails? I think the diagram instructions on this are not so clear and just make note of refer to history, sorry not being at all critical just interested. regards, York Paul

Hi Ed, A lot of ground work signalling installations on the North Eastern Railway was contracted to McKenzie & Holland Co Ltd of Worcester who supplied the Type 17a slide tappet lever frames and many signal cabins were also to McKenzie specification. The point rodding I think you will find was 1 3/4" diameter round rodding which ran on stools set at 6' intervals, the rod stools were fitted with two curved rollers set in a frame for the rods to pass through, some rodding which pulled heavy points were solid bar whilst other rods which pulled lighter equipment such as FPL's and fouling bars were very often hollow tube. I think you will find the cranks had a 10inch throw whereas LNER / BR replacements had 12inch throws. The McKenzie point cranks had a much thinner centre boss than later replacement equipment, this was because the early post 1872 round rod installations were only pulling point blades of 85lb per yard weight whereas LNER rail was 95lb or 97lb RBS bullhead section which required the much stronger galvanized channel section. The downside with round tube rodding was it had to be painted to avoid corrosion which inevitably cause rot from the hollow insides and at screw connecting joints which weakened the integrity of such installations . Hope this helps. Paul

Hi Duncan, yes the Plasticard micro strips can be sanded flatter if they look too proud on the bodywork, the metal labelling along the bottom edge of the skirting is of differing widths, presumably because of the amount of information needed to be impressed onto the badge. The compartment door locks wire made from 0.7mm brass wire and replaced those very tiny representational pips of the original, Plasticard micro rod make up the hinge outline. The middle hinge lines up centrally with the door lock but the top hinge is set differently from the lower hinge, the lower one having slightly more distance to the door jam than the top one, apart fromt the route box shamfer as I mentioned earlier I think that is about it for bodywork modifications. The exhaust outlet ports are drilled out wider to 5mm and I added the roof panel lifting lugs which I am not too happy with, I think I'll invest in a wire bender and make some more authentic looking ones.

So here are the roof modifications I made the other day, starting with the fan grill which need moving 5mm to the side on the BF Triang Hymek I made a pencil rubbing of the moulded fan impression and taped it on at the new position. Carefully I drilled through the pencil rubbing around the circumferance of the grill using a 1mm bit, the reduntant plastic was removed and the circle cleaned up with a fine file. Here is an overhead view showing the various other appatures cut out and detailed. The fan grill appature was made up with a circle of fine wire mesh held in position with Plasticard formed into the shape of an invert well, this made the carrier for the mesh and also the actual fan when fitted. Some side profile detailing work includes fitting 0.7mm brass wire also cabinet locks for the access doors and micro strip Plasticard glued in position to represent door hinges and along the lower skirt think Plasticard pieces represent the various utility indentification tags The front "slope" can be seen to good effect, this is just one of the other cab modifications that need to be made to the triang bodyshell. another small modification that can easily be overlooked is to form a shallow slope on the bottom edge of the routebox below the glass. On te real thing the cab front is curved but the glass is flat and so this schamfer will be widest in the middle of the route box... I'll take a picture of what I mean and post it up as a guide. And finally here is a closeup of the small engine compartment window which is formed from a cut down window frame etch from PRMPR. cheers for now, Paul

Well really thank you Duncan because you kick-started me back into action on this one,I shall carry on with the build as the next area for attention is the roof and of course pictures will follow, I am hoping to get the bodyshell to a point ready for priming, I'll then be able to see all the bits that need stoppering.Incidentally I fixed the etches using cyano superglue... it works a treat on the old Triang plastic as long as the shine is removed. Both my Hymeks are Blue Fliers (no Novo stuff) but what is interesting is the plastic is a different colour and texture on each, the one I'm working on at the moment will go into green with half yellow warning panels as D7044 the next one I thing will be turned out in Rail Blue, somewhere along this ever lengthening que of jobs I'd like to build a 25/1... maybe 25058, the one that overshot the stop block at Stoke power Box in 1986.

So here is the result of todays progress of the Hymek conversion, progressing with the bodyshell and concentrating mainly on the cab profiles. The first photo shows how I plotted out the depth of the forward sbelf before filing out the excess plastic, using thin lining tape I followed the lower edge of the cabside line round and across the front to meet the other side, the tape was a guide and also helped protect the surfaces I didn't want accidentally scratching. Here the cab floor and bulkhead have been sawn away, this will make glazing easier after painting and also allow for the subframe to be fitted at a later stage . Oh look a Vic Berry stack ! This photo shows the difference in a before and after condition, this is the small compartment window that needs to be enlarged. Another before and after type comparison of the front cab windows. Here I am shaving the plastic to form the correct angle shelf profile using a Stanley blade, again the black lining tape comes in handy as a guide, I am using the tip of my index finger against the model to keep the blade at the correct angle, it is a bit of a similar action to like planing a piece of wood, The aim is to trim the blue plastic to below the white plastic and to just marginally trim the white plastic to meet the new profile angle which show now gibe us that obvious Hymek front slope. The end result is finished off with wet and dry paper to smooth the surfaces. The inside of the roof showing the extrusions to hold the batteries now removed, these bits are unwanted so they had to go, one of them was directly under the fan grill position anyway and a view showing the new window frame etches in pace, the smaller window on the left has been trimmed to the size of the narrower compartment window.The next area to be dealt with wil be the roof, this involves cutting out the exhaust ports, moving the fan grill apperture, various other air intake ports and fitting twenty roof panel section lifting lugs.

No please don't do that Duncan... the four white metal castings in the wrap are not window frames! Phil Dyson put me right as these castings are very crude looking representations of the bogie footsteps... he advised me to buy the footstep detailing pack for Hymeks from PH Designs, the pack comes with the correct shape footstep etches that just fold to and solder but also included are a set of Timken roller bearing axlebox covers. Here is the link:- http://www.phd-design-etchings.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=25_35_67&product_id=179 I think the brass window frame surrounds are on a seperate etch in the PRMRP kit. BTW today I am going to file the front shelf profile ! cheers Paul

Hi Duncan, Well you've certainly rebooted my Hymek build, so a big thank you for that, So this evening I've been studying cab profiles and conclude the following:- You are absolutely correct in saying the window / roof unit will need to be glued to the main bodyshell first, also remove the cab bulkhead for easier access when glazing. I have sawn away both the floor and the bulkhead, in fact the PRMRP kit says to carefully remove the floor and buffer beam in order to fit the new buffer beam casting. From studying pictures there is a good 1mm of removable blue plastic below the front cab windows that will allow for a 30degree forward slant, the slant should follow the line of the inward side slope along the cab side windows and door, in other words on the BBT Hymek there is simply too much plastic in that area. I think also that the distance between the continuious front end grab rail and the start of the "shelf" curve will be more realistic. At the moment the amount of flat cab front above the long cab grab rail and the existing curve to shelf on the model is too much by at least 1mm to almost 1.25mm, so that becomes the amount of plastic that can be fettled away. Probably a case of stop when it looks right. Another helpful observation is that if we strike an imaginary line from the top of the cast loco numbers then the line should extend through the centre of the cab door handle quadrant insert and going the other way the line should meet the cab front grab rail... this should all help to get the shelf profile correct. it is only the one engine room small side window that must be enlarged, it is the one above the two parallel frame bars and next to the double engine room access doors.. I'll post a few pics tomorrow Duncan of what I've done. Cheers for now Paul

The repair looks great, I saw the original damaged side and later when you had prized the old side off... I thought oh dear that looks like a long job, so glad everything is now back on form again.

Hi Duncan, now thanks for drawing this to attention, I'd noticed the cab shelf slope on the real thing but have now realised why the model's shelf is flat... its those flippin' windows again or rather the whole window roof insert piece... the shelf is flat but the body shell does have a slight slope. So yes I'll improve this to suit but having just studied the model I'm thinking there must be an easy way forward without making problems for later on in the build. If the window insert was built up on the shelf to meet the bodyshell this would make the distance between the lower window edge and the shelf too narrow so the lower front window line must stay equal the the cabside window lower edge. I think it is possible to glue the window roof unit into the bodtshell just marginally higher and then file away the flat shelf face to meet with the bodyshell and thus create a smooth seamless union. I am also wondering if the bodyshell cab bulkhead should be cut away as well... this will make access to glazing easier. A proper replacement bulkhead plus cab desk can be ordered from Laurie at JLTRT... maybe also order the fan grill etches as that bit of gauze PRMRP sent with their kit conversion looks like it makes for very hard work in order to get the top of the model to right. Another thing also that I noticed (and have corrected) is that on the BBT bodyshell the smaller side window next to the double access doors should be a wider one like the middle windows, the other narrow window next the the side vent grills and single access door is the only smal bodyside window... this will need one of the PRMPR side window frame etches cutting down to suit. Oh for the challenges of scratch building. One final thing I have noticed is that there is a subtle difference on the second batch of Hymeks (D7045 - 7100), on these the cabs are fitted with a pair of brackets just above the train describer box, presumable the Western Region specified this as an additional item to fix nameboards. Just as a matter of interest Duncan what are your thoughts on making a sub frame? I'd wondered about something from brass sheet with bogie cut outs that could screw/bolt onto side strengthening bars on the bodyshell, the bogie brackets could solder to this and the sub frame could carry the cab detail... desk seats back bulkhead... maybe four bolts/screws that undid to release the bodyshell when the cab window units and roof are permenantly glued fast. I like the video BTW thanks for posting it. cheers Paul Paul

Thanks Phil, your link was my first port of call in research as I knew you'd want to see the job right and your project work is inspirational... sorry about a late reply to you. cheers for now Paul

No probs Fastdax, just bare with me if I get a little slow in replying, I'm not ignoring anyone as is the usual case with me I just seem to spread myself to thinly. Now to the windows... the widths seem correct to me as the "A" pillars and the central pillar between the front windows are good, it is the top and bottom edge profile that is not, these two edges (as far as I can make out from studies) need to be parrallel and follow the line of the remade cab front gutter strip, the lower edge of the front windows need to follow the lower edges of the cab side windows. I think I may have got my cab gutter strip slightly wrong in the centre as there seems to be a slight rise in the middle that makes the whole thing look odd... this will have to come off to be re-done properly. There is a great colour picture of what I mean on the front cover of John Scott-Morgan's book The Heyday of the Hymeks.Ian Allen Publishing 2011 : ISBN 978-0-7110-3503-4.The front cover shows D7092 in green with white cab suround and just at the right angle to see how the window profiles are, I do hope this helps. Yes the wire I used to form rainstrips was filed flat on the leading faces, the two pictures I took show the work at quite a rough stage... (I will give a pictorial update soon) and 4mm scale square point rodding would work better ... gosh if only I'd thought of that one. never mind I do have a second Hymek to do. To be honest Fastdax I haven't done much to progress my Hymek recently as the layout build has had my attention instead. cheers for now Paul

Oops Fastdax I'm sorry I've completely missed your post, here is a picture of the cab alteration so far. I started by removing the plastic gutter and then filed the corner cabroof and front edge contouring to a more realistic profile, attention was then turned to the windows which are too tall in the centre but need "opening out" a bit in each upper and lower outer corner. So the main fault on the original plastic is the oncorrect front cab roof shape above the windows and the windows themselves. Next I made a new gutter from 40thou wire profiled to the proper cab shape, I superglued the midpoint between the windows then when set I superglued the corners , at this point if doing this there will be a slight gap between the wire and the original plastic form (which was moulded flat) above each window centre... at this point this is fine because the wire wants to make a slight curvature between the glued points... this will make the correct cab roof front profile. Next the sides are pulled in flat and glued in position above the side windows and cab doors, the end of the wire can be sliced off at the correct point using a minidrill disc cutting wheel. Now I used believe it or not, Cuprinol Two Pack Plastic Woodfill Natura White as a filler to hold the wire and complete forming the cab roof edges, this produce is more friendly to work with then car body fillerand sets better too, sanding it is also better as unlike P38 it does not "flake" off at its fine edge with wet and dry flatting. The windows are basically gently filed in the areas I described earlier and the central ends of each window were built up with Cuprinol Woodfill which can be flatted back when hardened. I left the Woodfill 24 hours to cure and harded before attempting to start the flatting. Another thing I experimented with Green Clay as a fine fillerbut wonder if it is not as good as the Cuprinol produce. Cuprinol Plastic Woodfill is a two pack product that can be purchased from builder merchants, I buy mine from Travis Perkins.

The Hymek detailing steps arrived this morning from Peter Harvey and look great, Steve I really am impressed with those Timken axle covers you had commissioned, pretty much got all I need now except the raised numbers and some extra detailing bits from JLTRT which I'll order when I get back off my hols. So far I have reprofilled the cab windscreens and leading edge cab roof slop, the gutter strip has been replaced with .7mm fine wire formed and filed to shape and this has enhanced the front end look enormously, the Big Train front end cab roof shape was just not correct, anyway I have plenty of good colour Hymek photos to work from as references. I fixed the wire gutter channel by tack taping into position and running superglue into the top edge of the gutter profile, a final fix was made when the glue had dried and the tack tape removed by building up the cab roof edge profile with Squadron Products green Putty. I have also discovered that Cuprinol Natural colour two pack Plastic Woodfill works equally well but must be left to harded over night before shaping with fine files and wet and drying. Pictures will follow when I get back off holiday. Kind regards, Paul