Atso

Thank you Alan, You'd think I'd be almost finished by now but life, work, the Universe and everything has gotten in the way. The reality is that the layout hasn't progressed much since my last post but I hope to be making up the turnouts and track for the remaining kickback sidings before the end of the year.

I've been reading the gearbox discussion with interest although, as I model in 1:148 scale, it is of limited use to me. Given that nobody makes N gauge loco or tender wheels specifically for kit/scratch building in N gauge (although spare parts from RTR can sometimes be obtained), there is also no need to manufacture gearboxes (although the 2mm Association has just released one for use in 2mm fine scale which might just fit between the frames of an N gauge locomotive). I purchased a milling machine a little while back and have been slowly learning how to use it. I'm recovering from another bout of the 'Black Dog' at the moment so concentrating has been difficult. However, I did manage to spend a few hours each day hacking brass bar about and came up with this - middle of the (poor) photo. This is a tender drive for a GNR type tender and the difference in size to the LNER GST can be seen from the Farish J39 tender to the right. On the left is one of my class B tenders for an Atlantic. The tender drive in the center is machined from brass and uses spare Peco Collett tender wheels and a Tramfabriek 7mm coreless motor driving a 20:1 reduction. As the motor is so low, I've had to make the chassis 7mm wide, rather than the usual 6-6.5mm used for N gauge. That means that clearances and side play are right on the limits of what will go around an 11" radius curve. Amazingly, given that only the center wheelset collects power, it runs reasonable well and this will only improve once a free running locomotive chassis is made and aiding power collection. Getting the motor so low means that it should be possible to model the tender half empty, which would be a nice touch to add to my southbound locos on their last 11 miles into King's Cross. This particular tender drive will likely end up powering a ex-GNR D2.

Hello Tony and everyone, While I've got nothing to contribute regarding that wonderful colliery track, I thought I'd update you on what I've been doing. First up is a case of making do with a lot of spare bits and pieces from Dapol and Farish. A Dapol A3 body married to a Farish A1 chassis with a Farish V2 Cartazzi truck. Quite a bit of the Farish chassis block needed to be machined and ground away to allow the body to fit and it does show up just how much Dapol stretched the coupled wheelbase to fit scale driving wheels. The tender has been temporarily borrowed from an A2 but I'm sure I've got another A1 tender drive somewhere which I'll convert into one of the 1936's streamline non-corridor tenders. The dome is a replacement from DCC Supplies and (so far) is the only component purchased for this Frankenstein's Monster. I modified the A1 drawbar (including shortening it) and epoxied it to the V2 Cartazzi truck. The loco will be backdated to an A1 and will likely become 'Tracery' in 1937-40 condition. I've not forgotten my BFK twin set and have been slowly designing and added 3D printed components to the etched body. I've still got the underframe details to do.

A little more progress on my ex-GNR BFK Twin set. The roofs have been designed, printed, fettled and epoxied onto the bodies. A little bit of filler is going to be needed to hide the slight gap at the out ends but otherwise, I'm pretty pleased with this.

I've not been well for a little while so modelling has been minimal and sporadic. However, I did manage to knock up some artwork for etching and test built my Gresley ex-GNR BFK Twin. Also on the etch are some sides to convert Minitrix Gresleys into some Restaurant Pantry Thirds as well as a chassis for the N1. Far quicker to build than to design and happily, it went together more or less as I intended. Still plenty to design or scratchbuild. I've also got to work out how to do the guard's duckets but I have an idea for this. I'm pleased with this effort and it isn't a set I've seen in N or 2mm scale before.

Maybe John Needs a bit (a lot!) of a clean up but it went together more or less as I hoped.

Hi Alan, I use PPD. https://www.ppdltd.com/ Hope this helps.

Hello Tony and friends! A bit of excitement at my end as I've just received the etches from some artwork I designed! Now comes the fun of finding out how many mistakes I've made in the designs!

I don't know for sure, but I think it may be some type of 'weld' bond (J-B Weld perhaps?). Anyway, I'm sitting 'bolt' upright and absolutely 'riveted' to that 12inch to the foot scale build! Graham, did that particular P2 kit come with wheels and a motor?

Hello Tony, It has been a while since I posted here (or anywhere) as work has been hectic. However, I've still been slowly building away and offer the following humble N gauge efforts. A D.114 Brake Third. Ultima Models etched sides glued to a butchered Minitrix Brake Composite. A D.113 Full Brake from the same sources. This one will be no. 4040, one of the cinema cars. A D.40 Brake Third. D.144 Restaurant First (although this will run representing a D.10C). I need to design some etches for a Pantry Third to go along with this one. Finally, a D.34 Brake Composite. This one was cut 'n' shut from two damaged Minitrix D.143 Brake Composite bodies. I'll get all the coaches painted before lining them out. Then I'll have to do something about the roof ventilator positions and extra battery boxes (where required).

That's look fantastic Tom. I would be most interested to know what exposure times and orientations you are using for the Mono (I've got one now, but not the X!).

Another PO wagon being designed. I was looking at the prices of new RTR wagons and decided I needed a different route to the remaining c. 50 I need. Kit's, while cheaper, still ended up totaling an eye watering amount so I decided to have a go at the CAD. I've still got a way to go, but I think it is shaping up nicely so far.

I've not been doing too well with keeping this thread up-to-date recently. While the new job has been taking up much of my time, some things have been slowly progressing. Such as the CAD for these O2s. On the left is one of the GNR built O2/1s, while on the right is Gresley's prototype O2 as it was c. 1933-35.

My own recent efforts have been limited recently due to having finally started a new job. However, I have been able to get somethings done including the CAD for these two 2-8-0 locos. A pair of N gauge O2 bodies. On the left is an O2/1, while on the right is Gresley's prototype O2 '3461'. I don't recall seeing a model of 3461 before so this may be unique (almost certainly in N gauge). Both will end up with scratch built chassis using my newly acquired Proxxon MF 70 mill - surely a merging of new technologies and more traditional techniques(?). An O2/2 and O2/3 will eventually follow this pair.

Ask Tim, I'm sure he'll include it on his next 2mm model!

I've been getting the hang of my new Proxxon MF70 mill and, as I'm starting to gain confidence with it, I've made a start designing a loco that will need a scratch built chassis. I've not quite finished the CAD yet, but it is getting close.

I recently purchased a Proxxon MF70 milling machine and have been learning how to use it by machining up a tender chassis for one of my C1 Atlantics. Very much a warts and all photo - especially where I managed to drill one of the fixing holes in the wrong place! The top of the chassis needs 1.1mm removing from it to get the tender frames at the right height and then I'll drill out the holes for fixing the frames to the chassis and for the tender drawbar. This has been a big learning process and there are a lot of things (techniques) I'll do differently on the next one. However, for a first attempt, I am happy. All the wheels sit level on the track and it sails through the hand built pointwork in the fiddle yard.

Hi Julia, Actually, it was your one that led to me wanting one of my own. Maybe it'll be converted to CNC one day, but not today! I would have purchased that vice last Saturday if my budget would have allowed. The one I have came with the machine and, while OK, I can see that it isn't the best in the world. I'll see about getting one next month.

What a great idea Julia! My latest purchase due to the combined factors of receiving my first paycheck (new job) and Axminster having a sale on. Purchased this morning and I hope to start playing and learning how to use it tomorrow.

Hello Tony, According to the Graham Farish website, the RRP for the N gauge Coronation is £184.95.

So this weekend saw the next two coaches glazed, gangways made, couplings added and a repaint of the Brake Third roofs. Below is a photo of the four coach set (one still to make) undergoing testing with an appropriate bit of motive power. Since the photo was taken, I've addressed the lifting vinyl roof brackets in the end coaches by securing them with a sport of superglue. I've still got the footboards, corridor handrails, etc to make up but their pretty close to complete now!

I've spent a good part of my weekend painting some cheap plastic figures to populate my Cambridge Buffet Express coaches.

Going back a little I present, not a Restaurant Car but another catering vehicle. This is my Buffet Car (based on the LNER rebuilds of the GN 58' Open Thirds) which I populated this weekend. Still a way to go, but my Cambridge Buffet set is (ever so) slowly making progress.

Having reassembled the tender drive components and resolved a couple of clearance issues, J6 No. 3602 moved under its own power this evening. I've still got the whistle and new (shorter) drawbar to make, along with a little more detailing and weathering, but I'm really happy to finally have this one running.

The J6s have now received their identities. I've still got quite a bit of detailing to do and rebuild the tender drives, but I think they're coming along nicely.