Modbury

[Mikkel]

On 19/05/2021 at 12:24, Ian Smith said:

 

 

 

Ian, that's not quite how a loading dock works... 

 

The first photo with the look from the front really impressed me, with eyes half closed I see a real loco during construction! 

 

(Of course, OO modellers are easily impressed when they see correct distance between the wheels )

[Ian Smith]

A little more progress on the 517 over the last few days ...

 

The boiler handrail has been fitted, but before it could be secured in place there was the small matter of fabricating the handrail knob--lamp socket.  A piece of 1mm square brass bar was filed down to be 0.75mm square, then a 0.3mm hole was drilled through near the end for the lamp spigot, then a bit further back a further 0.3mm hole was drilled perpendicular to the first for the handrail to pass through.  The bit of bar was then transferred to the mini drill, and various escapement files were brought to bear to whittle the thing into the form required - a cube with a hole though it for the lamp socket, a ball with a hole through it for the handrail knob, and a 0.3mm diameter mounting spigot :

The finished smokebox front handrail knob--lamp socket (not overly large is it?? )

 

The next objects of my attention were the outside frames for the trailing wheels.  A couple of pieces of 0.006" nickel silver were sweated together, blackened with a sharpie and the required shape scribed on.  Piercing saw and fine files were brought to bear before the parts were separated and soldered in place beneath the footplate (I decided that they would be better off as part of the body than part of the chassis).  I had already decided to use a couple of the (relatively) new 3D printed GWR Tender Axlebox/Springs now available from the 2mm Association, but because the spring cups are quite vulnerable (as they extend below the frames), I elected to replace these with some small nickel silver turnings soldered in place on the frames (in the event one of the 3D printed spring cups broke away as I removed the part from the base plate that the parts are attached to).

 

I've also added the Vacuum pipe along the footplate valance, and representations of the pipe fittings on the front and rear buffer beams, and the voids in the back ends of the side tanks have been plugged with milliput (I had purposely left the voids there until I soldered the handrail knobs in place as it gave me a way to get a fine pointed soldering bit in there to attach the knobs from inside the tanks).  Rainstrips on the cab roof are simply bits fine copper wire added over long then trimmed back once secure.

 

Today's project has been to fabricate the front sandboxes.  These are basically a cuboid of solid brass, with extra bits soldered on.  The lids are small simple turnings that I left a mounting spigot on to facilitate fitting in the correct place (via a hole) in the sandbox.  The slightly trickier bit was the operating lever on the top of the sandbox, I decided to file up a representation of the mount and operating arm as a single piece from 0.018" brass, again with a mounting spigot that allowed it to sit correctly (in another hole) on the top of the sandbox.  The holes were filled with solder cream, the parts inserted in their respective holes and a bit of 0.5mm wire was additionally poked into the bottom of the lid hole to provide a mounting spigot for the whole sandbox.  Once a hot iron was applied the whole lot soldered up nicely (but rather messily).  A piece of 36SWG phosphor bronze wire had an end bent over at 90 degrees, and once that end had been filed back so that it met the operating arm, it too was soldered in place on the side of the sandbox. The excess was snipped off and filed flush with the bottom of the box and there completed sandboxes were cleaned up with a scraper and fibreglass brush.

One of the sandbox operating levers--mounting plate

 

The pair of completed sandboxes after a degree of cleaning up.

 

Finally, a couple of shots of the current state of play (the dome, safety valve cover, front sandboxes and buffer heads are attached merely for effect - they are all removable and won't be fixed until after painting) :

 

 

 

I'm not happy with the profile of the safety valve cover so that will be remade if I can't correct it.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Ian

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by Ian Smith
Reinstated all of the photos

[Ian Smith]

With the Risborough and District Railway Club's Virtual Railex now over, I feel that I can now put a link to the video that I filmed of Modbury on my thread here (I will also be putting a link on my website in a few days).

 

Firstly, I must thank the RailEx team for inviting me to provide a video for their show, I must also thank them for the invite to last years no-show physical exhibition, and also for the invite to take Modbury to their 2022 exhibition (which all being well will go ahead in a normal (or near normal) form!

 

 

 

For those interested, the video was shot over 3 or 4 evenings in March.  This ensured that there was no ambient light (it was dark outside), the room lights were off so that the only illumination was from the layout lighting itself - this was to try to maintain a constant light level across the whole film.  My brief from the team was fairly loose, but they were keen to have something 15-20 minutes long - So 20 minutes it was!! 

 

The filming was all done on my iPhone 7, the resultant footages were uploaded onto my iMac and were then stitched together and edited using the iMovie software.  

 

I deliberately removed all sound (I live on a main road so there was always the constant hum of traffic noise in the background), and decided to not apply a backing track of any kind (I feel that music is a very personal thing and what I might enjoy would most certainly drive others up the wall!!)  I also felt that a background of birds twittering, etc also had the potential to not be appreciated by the viewer.  I also considered applying a voice over, but in all honesty I don't like my own recorded voice, and again there was the problem of potential background noise, so have tried to describe the movements with subtitles.  Therefore, please feel free to put on your own musical favourites, sit back, and imagine that it is a bucolic summer day in South Devon in 1906!

 

Ian

 

 

[richard i]

Superb work there. Thank you for sharing it.

Richard 

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Fantastic, thank you for sharing. Some lovely stock and the layout is  just so atmospheric. 

[bgman]

Absolutely superb Ian a total joy to watch.

 

G

[Mikkel]

Excellent Ian, I really enjoyed that.

 

FYI I took your suggestion and found my own backing music. Works a treat with Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil" 

[Darwinian]

Just caught up with your video, absolutely superb. The running is so smooth it's hard to believe it's 2mm scale and the scenery is beautifully captured. Fascinating mixture of liveries on the stock in this period too.

I especially liked the half loaded open with parts of the load individually roped at each end. Not seen that done before. I might steal the idea for Cwmhir.

[Ian Smith]

Back to the 517 ...

 

Over the last few days I've been working up the smaller bits and bobs.  Firstly, the tank fillers : These have been made in my usual fashion by turning up the main body of the filler (with a small mounting spigot), the top of the filler is then cut laterally across with a piercing saw.  This slot is to accommodate the closing "strap" which is formed from some sheet material, in this case 0.008" as that was to hand (in the past I've used 0.010").  Once soldered securely in the slot, files are brought to bear to shape the "strap" - This time I elected to also include the locking handle in this fretting operation, in the past I've always soldered on a bit of fine wire to represent the handle but this time I thought I'd try fretting it as I thought it might be a bit stronger and also a damn sight easier!!

 

The embryonic Tank Filler cap, the turned element held in the end of an Archemedian drill showing the slot sawn across the top.  The bit of 0.008" which will be whittled away to form the closure "strap" and handle lying next to it.

 

 

The bit of 0.008" shown in place in the slot to show the starting point (the sheet wasn't soldered in place for this shot).

 

The completed pair of Tank Fillers after all the fretting and filing operations were complete.

 

The other little bits included the Tank Toolboxes.  For these I took a length of 3mm square brass bar and filed it down along its length to bring it down to the width and height of the toolboxes (the height was actually a little below the eventual height as I intended to form the lids from 0.004" nickel silver sheet).  The top was then filed to the curved profile of the lid.  It was then a simple matter of cutting lengths off this bar and truing up the ends to give me half a dozen toolbox shaped pieces - why half a dozen?  Well, obviously I needed 2 for the 517, I still needed 2 for the Dean Goods tender and while I was at it I thought I might as well make an extra pair for a Duke that will be my next loco project.

 

Once I had a basic toolbox shape, I tinned the top, tinned a small over-sized piece of 0.004" and fixed the latter on top of the basic box (obviously, I had previously bent the lid around a drill shaft so that it sat snuggly on top of the box).  Files were then brought to bear on the edges of the lid to bring it down to size so that it just overlapped the edge of the box all round.  Rather than faff around trying to solder tiny bits of shim on to represent the hinges and locking hasp, on these I decided to try a different approach - I found a piercing saw blade that would cut about 0.010" wide, and proceeded to cut little slots across the corners of the lid/side where the hinges and hasp would be.  Then small offcuts of etch waste were soldered into these slots, and finally the etch waste was filed down so that it was a little proud of the lid and sides.  Hopefully, the photos below will illustrate.

 

A pair of Toolboxes, one with the lid soldered in place and filed down to size, the other with the addition of the 3 saw cuts plugged with 0.010" etch waste.

 

A pair of the completed Toolboxes after the etch waste had been filed back to leave something to represent the hinges and the locking hasp.

 

Today, the relevant bits have been through the first part of the paint shop - they've been primed.

The various parts of the 517 after priming.

 

Finally, a pair of posed shots with all of the little bits plonked in place :

 

 

As may be noticed, the drivers have also had their balance weights added, these are simply arcs of 0.010" plasticard cut and filed to shape/size and superglued in place.  Also I've filed and bent up the front guard irons, and again these have been superglued in place on the side of the chassis (the rear guard irons are part of the outside frames for the trailing wheels).

 

Thanks for looking,

Ian

Edited April 5, 2022 by Ian Smith
Reinstated all of the photos

[richard i]

I keep having to remind myself......it is 2mm, it is 2mm!

great work here, as always 

richard 

[drduncan]

Simply breathtaking.

Duncan

[chrisveitch]

I was just congratulating myself for getting the axlebox overlays soldered onto an Association wagon chassis straight, then I read this...

 

Seriously though, it's brilliant stuff as usual Ian and I greatly admire your patience and ingenuity, especially with the toolbox hinge/strap method with the slivers of scrap etch. Also the fit between the bunker/floor assembly and the footplate is perfect with no sign of it being a separate component. 

[CF MRC]

On 04/06/2021 at 15:46, Ian Smith said:

 

 

As may be noticed, the drivers have also had their balance weights added, these are simply arcs of 0.010" plasticard cut and filed to shape/size and superglued in place.  Also I've filed and bent up the front guard irons, and again these have been superglued in place on the side of the chassis (the rear guard irons are part of the outside frames for the trailing wheels).

 

Thanks for looking,

Ian

Elegant little engine, Ian. 

I always make balance weights from black styrene. Shows less if the paint rubs in service. 
 

Tim

[Ian Smith]

The 517 has now been painted ...

 

After priming, I utilised some Archer's Rivet Transfers (3 different spacings) applied to the tank sides and around the bunker - closely spaced ones along the top and bottom of the tanks and around the bottom of the bunker, a strip of slightly wider spaced rivets were applied vertically midway along the tanks and also down the rear of the bunker in line with the strengthening steps on the inside, finally even wider spaced rivets were placed on the tank sides where (what I assume were) internal baffles/bulkheads within the tanks were fitted.  Further waft of primer was then applied to secure the rivets.

 

Over the last couple of days the rest of the painting has been taking place, and once finished the buffer heads, tank fillers and toolboxes were attached with superglue.  The Dome and Safety Valve covers have been polished and given a coat of gloss varnish and secured with their bolts.  I've also scraped the paint off the handrails.  The boiler bands are simply strips cut from some transfer film that I'd brush painted with body colour (I brush painted it to get a slightly thicker paint layer than I would have got by spraying).

 

A couple of photos of where I'm at :

 

 

The lining is predominantly Fox transfers, the curved lining around the cab side cutouts being brush painted freehand.  Turned spectacle plates have also been fitted, secured with dabs of varnish.

 

I've still got to make and fit the whistles, backhead and brake gear and of course source some number plates for her.

 

Thanks for looking.

Ian

Edited April 5, 2022 by Ian Smith
Reinstated all of the photos

[Donw]

Looking georgeous Ian

 

Don

[-missy-]

Fantastic Ian!

 

Is that the beginnings of another layout I see?

 

Julia.

[Ian Smith]

On 15/06/2021 at 14:49, -missy- said:

Fantastic Ian!

 

Is that the beginnings of another layout I see?

 

Julia.

Kind of…

 

I had a piece of 3.6mm ply 4’x6”, so I decided to put it to use and make myself a “proper” test track (instead of the 18” long one I have at the minute). Original intention was a run round loop and siding, ie 3 turnouts.

 

The idea has developed to give me a potential little terminus that fills the piece of board. The current plan is to build it as my test track then bolt on scenic bits to widen it to provide platform, etc. I intend to build it with a built in controller and ammeter (probably running off a battery) so that it fulfills the role of a test track.

Since the above photo, I’ve moved the siding point North to give room for a catch point to protect the main line.  I had half a mind to do a quicky for the “60th” anniversary but I’m afraid the footprint of the challenge is just too small for anything I would want to keep.

 

It will still be in keeping with the Edwardian period I favour, but this will be cross-sleepered track with 29’0” rails from the 1870’s period.

Edited April 5, 2022 by Ian Smith
Reinstated the photo

[Regularity]

So, how much of this detail are you going to incorporate into the cab?

[Ian Smith]

1 hour ago, Regularity said:

So, how much of this detail are you going to incorporate into the cab?

Beautiful engine!!!

 

I'm afraid that I won't be putting much of a backhead in mine - in 2mm with a driver and fireman in there you really can't see very much of the backhead!  I can't remember putting a backhead  in either my 1854 or my Metro and no one has ever commented that they're missing.  My Buffalo and Dean Goods both have very rudimentary backheads, but with the cabs populated you really can't see that much of them.

[Regularity]

I should add that it is not my work, just a Lee Marsh Models RTR loco in Scale 7!

 

Hope these two additional photos shed additional light on things, although in 2mm scale, I think a suggestion of detail is all that is required.

[MinerChris]

18 hours ago, Ian Smith said:

It will still be in keeping with the Edwardian period I favour, but this will be cross-sleepered track with 29’0” rails from the 1870’s period.

 

Last night's suggestion from the area group to lay a third rail at 7'0.25" fell on deaf ears... 

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by MinerChris
smiley

[-missy-]

I so want to do some BG stuff!

 

Julia.

[2mm Andy]

44 minutes ago, -missy- said:

I so want to do some BG stuff!

 

Julia.

 

 

Andy

[Donw]

There is plenty of info available from the broad gauge society.

 

I think 2mm scale would be ideal for modelling BG.

 

Don

 

[Sithlord75]

14 hours ago, -missy- said:

I so want to do some BG stuff!

 

Julia.

When you say "BG" do you mean Broad Gauge or Broooaaadddd Gauge?