Atso
-
Posts
1,627 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Blogs
Gallery
Events
Exhibition Layout Details
Store
Posts posted by Atso
-
-
1 hour ago, Adam1701D said:
I am really sorry about the delay to the O Gauge 66, which is partially my fault, taking over the project half way through. The first EP unfortunately contained a number of errors, which has meant a complete retool.
We are making a number of improvements, including backing to the engine room grilles with lighting, smoke and DCC sound provision. The new EPs should be ready in a couple of months and the artworks are all done and ready to go.
The 66 is the biggest loco we have ever tackled and will be well worth the wait. Please keep the faith!
As the other person that had to make the difficult decision to redesign and retool alongside Adam, I can only echo his comments.
However, I feel that he is being very modest about the amount of work he has done to be able to get to the point where where we are now expecting the new EP.
While my own direct involvement with this particular project ended last year, we both greatly appreciate the disappointment our decision to delay may have caused but we are both confident that a better model will be the result.
Many thanks for your continuing patience.
Steve Da Costa
Development Manager, Dapol
Edit: Just to clarify (in case of confusion) that Richard is still with Dapol and is now overall Development Director of our expanded team.
-
4
-
1
-
1
-
-
10 hours ago, Compound2632 said:
Well, that's what @McC was saying. But perhaps Accurascale doesn't pay its designers the six-figure salaries other firms do? (!)
Who is paying six-figure salaries to designers? I'd like to apply!
-
4
-
1
-
-
Wow, quite awhile without an update!
To prove that progress hasn't completely stopped on Hadley Wood, I'd like to present a couple of screengrabs of my work on the main station building.
A fellow modeller in Australia managed to find some of the original architect's drawings and was kind enough to share them with me. This reveal some errors in my own assumptions about the long gone station building - mainly the heights of things.
Nothing more happened for several months until I suddenly got the urge to try rending brickwork in CAD again! Those who know me will tell you that I detest doing brickwork in CAD as it takes forever for the computer to do it's work and seriously slows everything! This time, I've worked in small sections, piecing everything together in STL format which has proven just about quick enough for me to maintain my sanity. Also, I only draw half the station and mirrored the STL file, saving it under a different file name and then importing the original and joining the two halves together.
All of that has taken most of my spare time over the last couple of weeks...
Anyway, enough waffle (typos and all!) - to the pics!
As the screengrabs show, very early days and much more to be done!
-
7
-
5
-
-
22 minutes ago, t-b-g said:
For those that don't know, Ian Rathbone's "trick", apart from his skill, is to avoid using a bright orange paint in the lining. From memory, he uses "tan" colour paint instead. It would be interesting if either the RTR people or the transfer providers did something similar. I think it would improve the appearance of such lining considerably.
I've only painted one BR Green locomotive and used Ian's recipe of Humbrol gloss tan with a little red mixed in. I cheated by spray a piece of decal paper with this mix and then ruling on the black line before carefully cutting out to leave a thin strip of 'orange' lining on either side. No prototypical in the lining style (missing the tiny green lining between the black and orange lines)but, in N gauge I don't think it is noticeable. I still had to hand paint the corners though.
After getting matted down, the 'orange' looks better than RTR to my eye but I'm bias!
Sorry about the poor quality photos (again!) but I can't get any better as I don't own this locomotive.
-
14
-
3
-
-
- Popular Post
- Popular Post
Hello everyone,
I've not been doing much modelling recently but the discussion regarding RTR vs Kit/Scratch building has been interesting. Tony, your K4 scratch build is very good; as the the painting an lining on it.
While my knowledge of the items available in 4mm scale (and larger) is limited, I have found that available items for my chosen period (1930's) and scale (N gauge) is limited. Therefore I had a choice of not bothering at all, making do with what is available or designing/making my own bits and pieces as well as adapting RTR/kits where appropriate. Through this, I've designed my own models using CAD and realised them using 3D printing and/or etching. More recently I have become the owner of a small milling machine and lathe (both manual) and I am slowly learning how to use them.
Many of the photos below have been shared here before so apologies to those who have seen them previously and for my poor photography skills.
Above is possibly my favourite locomotive, or rather the one that I am most satisfied with. Very much a learning curve getting her to run and haul well - and a crash course on the importance of balancing a 4-4-2 wheel arrangement. 3D printed body on top of (mainly) adapted RTR components. The tender chassis and bogie were originally 3D printed as well but have since been replaced with machined brass components (the bogie is sprung).
A much better photo (thank you Tony!) of my D49, "Yorkshire". Again, 3D printed body on adapted RTR components.
A buffet car for my Cambridge "Beer Train" set. 3D printed body, interior and solebars with a mix of etched and scratch built items below the solebars. The figures are cheap 160 scale ones found on eBay.
A part complete GNR 8 wheel brake van spliced together from two BHE etched kits of the 4 wheel version and W irons/axle boxes from the 2mm Association. I really must finished this one!
Some etches I've designed for a few bits and pieces but mainly to obtain an ex-GNR BFK/FK twin for one of my KX - Leeds expresses.
Amazingly, it when together pretty much as designed on first attempt! I've recently returned to this project and filled the gaps in the roofline with Milliput. Another piece of rolling stock long overdue for finishing!
I'm not sure that I'm a convert to only kit building or scratch-designing (I can't really say I scratchbuild!) as I happily use RTR items (usually modified) wherever they available.
-
19
-
14
-
3
-
1
-
This is what happens when I'm bored and get a crazy idea...
Two Peco brake vans (one NE and one LMS) cut and shut to scale length (1:148 scale) and narrowed to something approaching scale width. The roof is the Peco mouldings similarly cut and shut. To keep with the theme of this model, the chassis will also be a shortened Peco product but using the 15ft wheelbase brake van chassis which is on order.
Not up to the finesse of the 2mm etched kit (of which I've built two so far) but a fun and quick 'layout' model.
-
10
-
-
8 hours ago, CF MRC said:
After a busy day at Missenden, the frames are now cut out.
They will probably be erected tomorrow.
Hopefully get the coupling rods underway as well.
Tim
Impressive Tim! I wish I could build chassis that quickly!
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, queensquare said:
I thought I'd leave it as a fun quiz to see if anyone spotted the clues! 🤔
What's the prize Jerry?
-
1
-
-
- Popular Post
- Popular Post
On the subject of weight, may I please share my progress on my N gauge O2 build?
The current state of the locomotive with its test weights fitted. These are made out of tungsten rods and took three diamond cutting discs and a hammer to cut/break to the required length! The chassis is milled brass and the wheels are 3D printed and pressed onto steel tires.
Slightly earlier photographs showing the 7mm motor and gear train. The chassis was placed on some old Farish wheels at this stage for testing. The gears are also Farish spares (from a 4F) and freely rotate on brass pins soldered to on side of the chassis. The gear reduction is a smidge under 70:1.
-
22
-
25
-
1
-
Having not read Simon’s book yet, nor many of the other books cited, I have hesitated on commenting. I still hesitant about commenting but wonder if the following may be insightful or helpful.
First off, a disclaimer; I am not an academic, just somebody who has been in various management roles from a young age. I later got my degree equivalent in management studies and came across the ideas and teachings of Professor Edward Deming (1900-1993) during this time.
For those who don’t know, Deming is generally regarded as one of the father figures of modern ‘Quality Management’ practices – his contributions certainly had a very big impact on the post WW2 Japanese economy and, much later, for Ford.
Data is highly important, but I think it is a mistake to place 100% confidence in it. This is because data is generated from a variety of sources. The more sources (i.e. employees) generating that data, the higher the likelihood that there are errors, omissions and falsifications and the harder it becomes to successfully manage the system that generates it. This is because of human factors and pressures of (or on) the system they operate in (see the talks on Youtube by Behaviour Economist Dan Ariely about his experiments). This is not necessarily because people are overtly dishonest but rather due to fear of the consequences of delivering bad news – those little ‘white lies’ that we all tell from time to time can have an accumulative effect.
Three quotes by Deming that I think are relevant here are:
“Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets”
“Fear invites wrong figures. Bearers of bad news fare badly. To keep his job, anyone may present to his boss only good news.”
“85% of faults lie with systems, processes, structures and practices in an organisation and only 15% is down to operator skill and it is the responsibility of management to fix this.”
I have used these three quotes to attempt to illustrate how a bad system can affect the generation of accurate data from the lower levels of an organisation.
Professor Brian Joiner explained this is further detail:
“There are three ways to get better figures... Improve the system... Distort the system... Distort the figures”
In my experience, distortion of the system and figures happens quite a lot on a daily basis but is either purposely ignored at lower levels of management or simply goes unnoticed. The result is that more senior managers unknowingly receive a distorted picture that they are quite likely responsible for generating. The activities of Nick Leeson and the effect it had on Bearings Bank is an example of this at an extreme level.
Intangible human factor should not be underestimated, and I think it is also relevant that previous CEOs of successful businesses often spent a lot of time seeing how the data was being generated. Jack Welch’s (another divisive figure) management of GE is an example of this. Or as Deming stated:
“The most important things cannot be measured”
This may have already been considered here or in the various publications mentioned and, if so, please accept my apologies.
-
7
-
3
-
3
-
1
-
-
Hello Tony,
So sorry to hear about your bother. Please accept our condolences as well.
Best regards
Steve
-
1
-
-
- Popular Post
- Popular Post
2 hours ago, spamcan61 said:Ah if we're including kits then it would be much easier / less difficult to build the layouts in 3mm then! I've not seen much 3D printing in scales as small as 2.5mm that would be good enough quality for this "no compromise" scale.
I'm not sure I'd agree but it depends on where your expectations of good enough quality are.
N gauge 1:148 scale C1 printed loco and tender bodies on some heavily adapted commercial spare parts and aftermarket bits (i.e. buffers and handrail knobs). This one was printed a few years ago and affordable hobby printers have improved in resolution since then.
-
9
-
11
-
1
-
With regards to Jesse's weathered A4, I think that he has captured the look pretty well. My only (constructive) criticism would be that the cleaners would have probably done a better job of getting behind the handrails, just leaving the immediate area around the handrail knobs as a dirt trap.
With regard to photographs, I can think of two that show the weathering on fairly new A4s. The first is on page 55 of 'The Big Four in Colour' which shows 'Sparrow Hawk' approaching New Barnet with the 10:15am from Edinburgh in the summer of 1938. The top of the tender shows some great staining from (I assume) coal dust which almost creates the illusion of a black panel in that area.
The second is on page 69 of 'LNER Locomotives in colour' which shows 'Dominion of Canada' departing King's Cross with the Down 'Westriding Limited' in 1939. The caption even makes reference to the locomotive's 'less than pristine condition' and goes on to suggest that 4489 may have been covering a failed A4 at short notice.
I offer my own take on a work stained (n gauge) A4 representing the prototype 'Silver Link' following an Up run with the Silver Jubilee. 'Silver Fox' will represent the return working and be much cleaner than this (apologies for the derailed 'cartazzi truck'). As this is a quick repaint of a garter blue model, there are some incorrect features on this model - it'll do as a 'layout loco' belting through Hadley Wood at 80ish!.
-
15
-
-
Just catching up properly after some time not posting. Tony, I am glad that you are feeling better and I hope that Mo will be in the near future too.
-
3
-
1
-
-
Hello everyone.
Yesterday I attended my first model railway exhibition since late 2019 at Ally Pally. It was great to see some familiar faces as well as being able to be inspired by the fantastic modelling on display.
I discovered some unusual kits on the BH Enterprise stand under the label Kestrel Brass. They were some end of production etches and a steal at £10 for four kits. Some research when I got home revealed that these were shot down from 4mm scale etches by Jidenco Models. Having read some of the posts on here recently, I realised that I would likely have a challenge to build these vintage kits. So, after several hours doing battle, I've built the first of these (at least as far as I can with what was supplied).
This is the 'LNWR/LMS Chemical Pan' wagon which, in hindsight probably wasn't the best place to start. I'll be adding some fold up 'W' irons from the 2mm associate to support the wheelsets as I doubt that I've assembled the plates accurately enough to mount the wheels directly. I'll also source some appropriate springs and axle boxes from the same source.
Very much a product of its time and there are a lot of things I would have done differently if I was designing the etch to make things easier. However, there is a certain satisfaction having to achieved something that looks vaguely as it should.
I've got an awful lot of stock that I've either designed/scratchbuilt myself or built from kits. I can't even begin to imagine how I would feel if somebody stole and/or vandalised my efforts. My heart goes out to The South London Area group and I hope that they are able to recover/repair as much as possible. I really don't understand what drives some people to act in this way.
-
13
-
2
-
1
-
-
21 hours ago, 65179 said:
Looks great Steve. Have you employed the usual 2mm dodge of moving the plane of the slidebars and piston rod outwards (whilst leaving the prototypical width over cylinders) ?
Simon
Hi Simon,
Yes, I've moved the position for the piston rod out quite a bit to fit everything in. In theory there should be sufficient clearances now, but the 'best laid plans'.....
-
Good morning Tony and everyone.
It has been awhile since I last posted. This is partly due to having a lot on at work and partly due to catching the 'dreaded lurgy' which kept me out of commission for a little while.
I have been following Tony's Royal Mail Carriage build and the subsequent discussion with interest. As most of you will know, I am a big fan of 3D printing but also understand that there are limitations to what can and cannot be done using this method. With regard to the 'three foot' rule, I think that what is acceptable is totally up to the modeller in question. Certainly, what will be acceptable to one will not necessarily be acceptable to another. Therefore, the question surely should be: Did the builder gain personal satisfaction with both the build and the finished product? If the answer is yes (and, if appropriate, they learnt a new technique) then surely this is a win.
Moving on to my own efforts, I've been working on designing a new N Gauge locomotive from the ground up.
To those of Eastern Region persuasions, it needs no introduction. However, due to the lack of a suitable RTR chassis that won't require distortions of the loco body's dimensions (and/or heavy modifications), I've been slowly working out my own chassis for this which will be etched (eventually!). The loco will make use of the Peco Collet Goods driving wheels that are presently available. While undersize for a K2, they do provide some much needed clearance under the running plate. Also (as I'm finding out), by keeping the loco's width dead to scale, I've found that clearances for the motion is extremely limited. Therefore, compromises have also had to be made regarding some aspects of the motion and the share of the slide bar brackets. An unacceptable compromise to some I'm sure but a necessary evil that I personally am prepared to accept to create a representation of something that isn't available from any other source (yet!).
-
14
-
1
-
-
32 minutes ago, t-b-g said:
They don't look as black as the edging on the lining. I saw them as dark green but as usual, I don't claim any special colour vision and I am prepared to be wrong about it. I am sure somebody must have bought one and can confirm what colour they are without all the problems associated with digitised images, photography and screens etc.
Hi Mr Gee,
I believe that Woodcock39 has already confirmed this.
Might I also suggest an analysis of other areas of the photo - maybe the firebox and boiler handrails to see how they compare. Also reviewing other colour photos of LNER green liveried locos may provide more information to provide a rounded conclusion.
-
1
-
-
19 minutes ago, 3rd Rail Exile said:
Incredible! I've just had to prove this to myself by "snipping" portions of squares A and B and putting them next to each other.
I know I've got dodgy colour vision (the red/green version), but this illustration just tells me not to trust any colours I see! Or, to put it another way, not to dispute any colour renditions, as they might be absolutely perfect to whoever produced them and I'm just "seeing them differently".
What a minefield!
I know this example is used by behavioral scientists as an example of cognitive failings (cognitive bias). As I understand it, you cannot tell they are the same colour because our brain's quick reaction system's logic is programmed to know that they must be different colours (due to the pattern of the board). I came across the subject while trying to manage my mental health and find it fascinating just how often the logic of our brains can make mistakes.
It may also explain why we can all sometimes get entrenched in a certain view and no amount of evidence/discussion can dissuade us from it (not that this is ever a problem among railway modellers!
).
-
7
-
2
-
-
Interesting to read the discussion about Sir Hugo's handrail colours. Personally, I believe that the shadow on the underside of the handrail is causing an illusion which makes some of us believe that it is a different colour from the cab.
I think that this could be a real life (though not identical) example of Adelson's chessboard illusion.
Believe it or not, squares A and B are actually the same colour. However, your brain will probably be disagreeing with this.
-
1
-
1
-
3
-
9
-
-
A happy New Year to everyone on Wright Writes!
While still more or less in wagon building mode, I've finally gotten some reasonably successful prints of the 65'6" Restaurant First and Pantry Third for my c. 1934-35 Scarborough Flier set.
The toplights are still a little wonky but I've compensated for that by making the lower part slightly thicker so that I can gentle sand them flat(ish). The underframe for the RF hasn't been given a coat of primer as it is actually a failed print (other side is a bit of a mess). I'll be looking to reprint this once the six wheel bogies have finished printing.
I'm looking forward to doing more on this set as it is a mix of 52'6", 58'6", 61'6" and 65'6" GNR/LNER Gresley stock which I think will give it some character.
-
16
-
3
-
-
21 hours ago, 65179 said:
Hi Steve,
Some lovely work there as usual. Can I suggest the SR van body stl files available through the 2mm Scale Association 3D CAD exchange as an alternative to the chubby NGS kits as you have a 3D printer? Here's a couple of the plywood vans:
produced by @Sithlord75 and printed by my brother at 1:148.
Best wishes, Simon
Hi Simon,
Many thanks for making me aware of Kevin's van - it looks very good. I'll get in contact with him (I need to anyway as he got in contact with me and I've been remis in not replying yet!).
-
Hello everyone,
All this talk about various company's wagons making their way around the system is interesting. May I please share my latest efforts building various plastic kits of non-LNER wagons.
Some Southern Railway vans (since painted) build from N Gauge Society kits. These will be fitted with 2mm Association etched chassis (but with N gauge wheels) rather than the generic Peco ones. These vans (and/or variations of them) seem to crop up quite often in photographs of 1930's LNER fitted goods trains.
A pair of 2mm Association LMS vans, also awaiting etched underframes. Due to the slight difference in scale between N and 2mm scale, these will run next to some open wagons.
An LMS cattle wagon from the same source as above. I understand that the LNER build versions were not highly regarded and that other company's wagons ran where possible.
An LMS tube wagon built from a Roger Chiver's kit (plastic filings since removed from the end!).
Some nice quick builds to pass the time over the last few days.
-
15
-
1
-
-
22 hours ago, Bucoops said:
It was a very tongue in cheek comment - I enjoyed the challenge. I still have no idea what train they are intended for. I assume ECML and that's way outside my (limited) knowledge
As was my reply Richard.
I'm pleased that you enjoyed the challenge.
Further clues as to the formation (spilling over from our discussion elsewhere) the RF will be part of. It isn't a ECML formation, but is a named express and did make it's way off former GN metals onto the NER for the final leg of the journey.
.jpg.71e77c3880326f93ebbd2e8927b9588d.jpg)
.jpg.eaa6c1528869f5d79e40c0817239255e.jpg)
).
I'm pleased that you enjoyed the challenge.
Wright writes.....
in Modelling musings & miscellany
Posted
What a great find Robert! Any idea what the working is?