“WASHBOURNE”

[Northroader]

Just think, though, wonder if those Mansion House teak coaches got cascaded to a country branch line, you could start a punch up at an exhibition with that? I’m going to bed, now, otherwise I get out my Talbot and check, maybe tomorrow. Nighty night.

[Donw]

Interesting project. I think we have all bought things we hadn't exactly planned to buy.

 

Don

[F-UnitMad]

1 hour ago, Northroader said:

you could start a punch up at an exhibition with that?

Oh, I hate it when that happens.  

[Johnson044]

On 30/12/2021 at 23:25, Donw said:

Interesting project. I think we have all bought things we hadn't exactly planned to buy.

 

Don

Absolutely! Why else would there be a non-running, front bogie and tender-less Dublo Silver King on my desk in front of me?! Ok- I had one as a nipper but did I really need to buy another one? 

[John Besley]

Just worked my way through this delightful topic / thread / ramble / build log ... ( cross out which does not apply) 

 

Keep up the good work 

 

 

[Northroader]

Talking of teak, one job has just come to an end, the brass D&S kit for a GER four wheel brake third. I have put a false floor from greyboard in, ply strip seating, double thickness card partitions, and card seat backs, and painted the whole lot a red brown. Then the exterior has had a teak finish. I quite enjoy doing this, but whether I’m improving or just repeating the same mistakes, I couldn’t say. Details and lettering, and a coat of satin varnish to round off.

 

With my goods buckjumper and 3D brake van, a small GER presence is starting to be felt.

 

[brumtb]

29 minutes ago, Northroader said:

Talking of teak, one job has just come to an end, the brass D&S kit for a GER four wheel brake third. I have put a false floor from greyboard in, ply strip seating, double thickness card partitions, and card seat backs, and painted the whole lot a red brown. Then the exterior has had a teak finish. I quite enjoy doing this, but whether I’m improving or just repeating the same mistakes, I couldn’t say. Details and lettering, and a coat of satin varnish to round off.

 

With my goods buckjumper and 3D brake van, a small GER presence is starting to be felt.

 

I really like that little train.

I'd be happy to keep repeating your mistakes!

 

Tony

[Northroader]

Most of my efforts have been going on the LNWR 2-4-2T, sorting out the chassis. First off were the wheels, which had been taken out of the packing, balance weight etches stuck on, and on to the frames. So, trim the dimple off the back, recess the crankpin screws, fill the join under the etches, then paint. Each of the old lines had their funny little ways with liveries, I was all set to line out the wheel rims until I checked and found they weren’t, also most lines painted the inside faces of the frames, usually red, but here they were left black. Another Crewe trick was quartering, the custom was for the left hand crankpin to lead going forwards, but the LNWR had right hand leading.

I’m not a fan of compensation with small finescale locos, this one has balance beams between the two leading wheelsets which I removed, and soldered the leading driver bushes midway, matching the fixed trailing drivers. Check the drivers were sitting foursquare and the frames level front to back. The bushes needed a slight bit of reaming through, and the coupling rods could then move round smoothly.

On to the pickups, Slaters type, one was ok, two sticking, one stuck. I had some spare ones of a similar type but without the tags, and I changed them all. It’s necessary to tin the plunger first away from the plastic top hats, then tin the motor leads. With the plungers in place you just lightly touch the lead and the tail with the soldering iron and whip it away as soon the solder softens. Otherwise the heat runs down the plunger, melting it and the spring into the top hat and you get sticking. The motor leads were also changed, the old ones looked a bit stretched, and I cut some new ones a bit longer, with a slack loop at the pickup end.

Perhaps draw a veil over the motor, I was being dozier than usual testing it, and decided it was a dud, and changed it for a spare one in the stores, with a new support bracket. Then I worked out it was OK after all!!

 

 

[Northroader]

I found the axle bushes for the carrying axles at each end were jammed with paint, and the sliding surfaces needed cleaning up, also the deflection increased. Then add some springing with 22swg phosphor bronze wire (Slaters) Lastly refit the brake hangers.

[Donw]

I like the Teak job. I am sure that too much graining would be visible at normal viewing distance yours seems to hint at grain which seems right to me.

 

Don

[Northroader]

In between jobs for the other lines, I’m pushing on with the “renovation” of the LNWR 2-4-2T, concentrating now that I’ve got a running chassis on fitting the superstructure to it. The smokebox had been removed to get at the nut centred inside on the footplate which gives the front attachment. This was loose, and was soldered to the footplate. At the rear end there were two self tapping screws for the same job, (self tappers!!) and I found a place to put a 6BA screw and nut near the front of the bunker. With the top fixed to the bottom I could look at clearances between the two. The footplate needed more clearance filing round to accommodate the new motor, which had a larger gearbox, and I found one of the wheel slots was near the back of the wheel and needed a file

You'll see that the boiler assembly had come loose, which suited me, as I could do the filing in between the tanks, and also I need to sort out the handrail knob fitting. Even by my standards the paintwork was rough, no primer, a grey undercoat, and a very scruffy layer of Matt black, so I brushed on some Revell paint remover. This was interesting, normally I use it on commercial diesels on my American line, and it’s a real struggle to get it to work. Here it lifted the paint off no problem, and even went on to attack the glue in the joints. Yes, it’s a nice brass etched kit, and the bulk of the body has been glued! I do wish folks weren’t frightened of soldering, it’s a simple effective operation, and easy to do. When I was a kid, I used to watch my dad performing on household tasks. No electric irons then, just a big block of copper with a pointy end, strapped with an iron bar at the back to a wood handle. Then you heated it up on the gas ring, not too much, and you were good for a minute.

The back end of the body looks firm, but the front of the cab and the tanks are all in need of redoing, as you can see in the pictures. I’m now cleaning out as much glue as I can, then trying to brighten up the metal, then try and get some solder in. Usually with an etched kit,  I rub it over with emery paper before I detach any parts, then as I use them put a bit of flux on, and tin round the edges where the joints will be.  Luckily the white metal detail castings can be persuaded to come off with a bit of a tweak, then I can tin a patch back where they go, including the front end buffer beam. So that’s where you’ll find me for the next week or two.

 

[Caley Jim]

58 minutes ago, Northroader said:

 When I was a kid, I used to watch my dad performing on household tasks. No electric irons then, just a big block of copper with a pointy end, strapped with an iron bar at the back to a wood handle. Then you heated it up on the gas ring, not too much, and you were good for a minute.

That's how I learned to solder too.  Wouldn't like to try that on a 2MM scale etched kit, mind you!  

 

Jim

[pete_mcfarlane]

Surely it must be harder to glue an etched kit together than to solder it?

 

[Northroader]

You’re right, Pete, I wouldn’t like to say what glue was used,  I suspect a five minute epoxy, which would probably be likely to offer the best chance of doing an assembly. But NO!, solder every time, except where you’re a bit unsure of whether you can attach a white metal piece without melting it, and there I use 24 hour epoxy.

[Donw]

On 05/02/2022 at 13:18, Caley Jim said:

That's how I learned to solder too.  Wouldn't like to try that on a 2MM scale etched kit, mind you!  

 

Jim

 

I had been soldering up some Stuart Hine etches for a  2mmToad  using a small iron that my Grandad used for crystal radios which I was heating up on the gas ring in the back of the van during lunch. I asked Stuart a question about doing the corner bits the look he gave me was priceless when I said what kit I had been using.

 

Don

[Northroader]

Not much modelling activity to report on this thread, most has been happening elsewhere, but just an add on to the Irish gallivanting we’ve been doing. IrishSwissErnie, the go to man for Irish photos, has just placed an album covering the Valentia Harbour Line on Flickr, with the most lovely colour photos taken just as it was lifted. To me they capture the wild beauty of the far west of Ireland, and maybe they will give some inspiration to folks.

 

[Northroader]

“I’m sorry, but how can one possibly pay attention to a book with no pictures in it?”

[F-UnitMad]

4 minutes ago, Northroader said:

I’m sorry, but how can one possibly pay attention to a book with no pictures in it?

No piccys? And I got a new set of crayons to colour them in with, too!! 

[Donw]

Hilda seems to have lost a bit of weight.

 

Don

[F-UnitMad]

7 hours ago, Donw said:

Hilda seems to have lost a bit of weight.

 

Don

No, must be her neice. I was going to say daughter, but Hilda is far too pure & innocent for any of that malarkey!!!

[Metropolitan H]

Possibly a bit over-dressed for Hilda - especially as it is now supposedly "Spring", but I shall not be shedding my coat - let alone my vest - for a while yet.

 

Regards

Chris H

[Caley Jim]

22 hours ago, Metropolitan H said:

Possibly a bit over-dressed for Hilda - especially as it is now supposedly "Spring", but I shall not be shedding my coat - let alone my vest - for a while yet.

Ne'er cast a cloot til May be oot!*

 

Jim

* as always, translations freely available on payment of a glass of amber nectar.

[Compound2632]

42 minutes ago, Caley Jim said:

Ne'er cast a cloot til May be oot!

 

Then put it on when June be done.

 

Risky business, two-timing.

[Nearholmer]

There was a lot of rubbish music in the 70s, but then there was this:

 

 

[Northroader]

Oh, the haircuts back then.