Inspired by Brent June 1947

[The Fatadder]

22 minutes ago, Bluemonkey presents.... said:

Looking really good Rich, nice sharp distinction between chocolate and cream.

I am very pleased with it, some of the best masking that I have done I think.  
 

im planning to spray some 1998 stock needing more complicated lining later in the year so this bodes well for that. 
 

I now have a big issue with the castings, as mentioned I have 3 sets of the Hammond / 247 developments castings, but my while my L23 was built during the war without them, it had gained nets and transducer arms by October 47.   I had asked 247 if there was any likelihood of supply resuming, but it doesn’t sound like availability any time soon.

 

I could use the Peter K etch, but that is a) rather flat compared with the casting) and b) doesn’t include particularly convincing parts for the bits around the door (or any lights at all) 

if I can’t get the 246 bits I’m not sure what I will do to resolve it.  (So if anyone has a set of 247 or Hammond TPO castings available please drop me a pm)

 

[Siberian Snooper]

Would it be possible to scratch build the apparatus using the etch as a pattern?

 

 

[The Fatadder]

1 hour ago, Siberian Snooper said:

Would it be possible to scratch build the apparatus using the etch as a pattern?

 

 

I think that would be ok on the net (I actually plan on doing that to make a new net for my LMS example), it’s the bit around the door that will be a pain.   I will have a go in plasticard and see how close I can get

 

Speaking of those parts, I have ran into an issue there as well in that the flange plate that attaches them sits under the body and will prevent chassis removal.   So the can’t be fitted as planed until the final step.

 

brown lines along the top edge were added today, so just the underframe left to paint now.   The first two nets are also ready for fitting, as are the spot lights

[The Fatadder]

It still needs the arms adding, and the underframe painting, but the L22 is nearly done.

 

the lights will get a blob of PVA in the centre to add a lens (rather than the blob of white metal provided)  I need to source the coach lettering still as well

 

[The Fatadder]

And the same coach a couple of hours later after some work at lunch.  Hopefully the body doesn’t need removing again as it will be a nightmare to remove the door details and the buffers!

speaking of the latter, I had best get some ordered as I borrowed two coaches worth for other projects over the winter!

 

the L21 is next up

[The Fatadder]

And now the L18 joins it, parts are now on the bench for painting prior to installing on the L21 tomorrow.  

 

 

[The Fatadder]

Slowly getting through painting the castings for the L21, although its complicated by the fact that unlike the other two packs the quality of this one is awful.  the flange plates broke off two of them while straightening, while the top came off a third. to top it all this one does not have the the lights. 

 

So I think that its getting close to drawing up a new set and printing them, will see how i get on over the Easter weekend.   In the mean time the L21 chassis is now painted. 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, The Fatadder said:

Slowly getting through painting the castings for the L21, although its complicated by the fact that unlike the other two packs the quality of this one is awful.  the flange plates broke off two of them while straightening, while the top came off a third. to top it all this one does not have the the lights. 

 

So I think that its getting close to drawing up a new set and printing them, will see how i get on over the Easter weekend.   In the mean time the L21 chassis is now painted. 

I might have some 247 lights spare, as I didn't replace the ones on my Bachmann Mk1s. I'll have a look for you.

[The Fatadder]

On 01/04/2021 at 22:45, St Enodoc said:

I might have some 247 lights spare, as I didn't replace the ones on my Bachmann Mk1s. I'll have a look for you.

Thanks, will let you know how I get on with the cad for 3D print replacements.  I think I’m short by 6 spotlights in total thanks to the L23 having them on both sides!

 

For now I’ve taken the set out to the layout in its current semi complete state, the upgraded L23 chassis, missing buffers and missing lamps can be added later.

 

It must be the height of summer to have a chance of seeing a TPO through Brent in daylight.   Thinking about it that’s two of the trains currently on the layout which would only run at night (the sleeper being the other), maybe loco and coach lighting is needed as a future upgrade...  The up TPO passed through Brent at 21:40, based on info I found on the internet May - August 47 sunset would be after this point.  (Though of course I don’t have a summer 47 timetable to refer to, and as pictured here it is the down TPO which passed the rough Brent at about 3 am!)  I need to swap the sleeper which is currently in the up fiddleyard (and should be a down working) and the TPO. 
 

after a few photos (the fiddleyard is too full of tools for any running). It was back to track building.

 

the next vee was installed, in turn allowing the next length of flex track to be fitted.   I also fitted the first length or the runaround loop, the track at either end will help align the vee on the slip and crossover points respectively.

 

tie bars have been soldered in place on the first two “complete” points, along with the installation of my only available tortoise. An order for more motors is desperately needed now. 
 

need to decide now if I am going to use the steel switch rails that are ready made or file some more up, I’m fairly sure I am going to run out of nickel silver rail soon and switch to the steel which will make it an easier choice.  Of course at that point the clean up after soldering becomes a lot more onerous) and I plan to cover all completed rails with masking tape to protect from flux while working near by.

 

the view from the points towards Brent, my trusty unpowered saddle tank is of course on test duties.  In the foreground are the first two of my stand in plastic sleepers

I am quickly approaching having to tackle the double slip...

[The Fatadder]

One extra thought while I remember, I am fairly sure that the storage line currently containing the sleeper formation in the up yard holds 8 coaches, so I can add the Plymouth siphon onto the rear of the train 

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

One extra thought while I remember, I am fairly sure that the storage line currently containing the sleeper formation in the up yard holds 8 coaches, so I can add the Plymouth siphon onto the rear of the train 

Only one way to find out!

[The Fatadder]

7 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Only one way to find out!

Agreed, definitely on my list for this afternoon. Now I will need a decent model of an O11 siphon G to add to it... 

[The Fatadder]

I have been playing with Fusion 360, the interface is pretty similar to what I learnt previously in SolidWorks, which although I havent used in 10 years the knowlege is coming back quickly.  I am going to try and find some time to work through some proper tutorials, as I think there are quite a few simple applications that I would like to have a play with.  Maybe a home 3d printer will be needed before too long...

 

For the time being here is a first attempt at the light (working very roughly from a couple of photos).  My plan now is that I will need to make a visit to Didcot later in the year armed with a tapemeasure and sketch pad to take some accurate dimensions and then have another go.  I think given a bit of time in CAD I could get a much more detailed replication of the spot lamps (including the brackets and bolt holes), along with doing the linkages around the doors.

 

I think with a bit more thought a hole could be left in the centre for an optic fibre and an LED mounted behind to get them to light up.....

[St Enodoc]

On 02/04/2021 at 08:45, St Enodoc said:

I might have some 247 lights spare, as I didn't replace the ones on my Bachmann Mk1s. I'll have a look for you.

Sorry Rich, they aren't where I expected them to be so perhaps I didn't keep them after all.

[The Fatadder]

Thanks for looking, 

 

[The Fatadder]

Now that the TPO is finished, (or at least as finished as it can be until I source castings or can go to Didcot to measure up the lamps / arms on 814) it’s back to the A22 which has now had the roof and ends painted, along with weathering the underframe

 

next up will be lining and fitting the door handles / grab rails before it can go outside. Initially I think it is going to take the place of the third that is currently standing in for the composite in the rake before eventually swapping with the A20 First that is currently used.  (This coach will likely end up in a stock box as from memory it is coach 8 in the formation which wouldn’t work unless you could also add another third and brake third behind it to complete the Plymouth portion.

 Both firsts still need interiors building, I wasn’t happy with cutting up the comet etch to get the right size pieces, so my plan

is to draw up a new corridor partition to cut on the Silhouette  

[checkrail]

3 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

it’s back to the A22

A handsome coach with that first class window spacing.

[The Fatadder]

It’s a little more complete now, having been lined, varnished and fitted with door handles etc (along with correcting a step that was in the wrong place on the donor chassis).  It just needs to be fitted with glazing and can be added to the riviera.

 

I have used the wrong number, after picking 8099 at random from the range in Russell.  After varnishing I remembered the numbered formation I was working from was 8101....

 

 

for the time being it will take the place of the Mainline third which is currently pretending to be a composite.  Eventually once a composite is built it will get swapped with the A20, which in turn will join the redundant third and a spare Hawksworth brake third in the Plymouth portion of the train.  One day I will have a layout long enough to run 10 coaches....

[The Fatadder]

Couplings were the wrong way round, so that has been corrected.  Flexible gangway fitted, along with glazing so the coach is now ready to move out to the layout tomorrow.

[checkrail]

11 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

the coach is now ready to move out to the layout tomorrow.

Lovely bit of work Rich.  I get more excited by coaches than by locos these days.

[The Fatadder]

I know what you mean, further still I am finding i cant get much enjoyment out of RTR coaches.  Giving serious thought to clearing out a chunk of my Hornby Colletts at some point to fund kit built replacements in different diagrams.  The main thing stopping me is that I know at some point in the next decade there is a high chance we end up moving, and a key requirement of that move will be space (either in a double garage or in the garden) for a new home for the layout to be built.  With scale length trains being a fundamental requirement in Brent mk2, all of these spare coaches will likely have a use.

[Siberian Snooper]

Add a bit to the mortgage, I'm sure no one will notice! 

[The Fatadder]

A little more point work today, with the outer rails added to the next point along with the length of track into the buffers.  Originally this was set for the length of a 45xx, which along with panniers will handle all of the traffic on the branch as per the prototype.  But after a quick check of dimensions and clearances, I stretched it to take a Manor thinking that there’s always a chance that I will want to run a 2251, Bulldog or Manor in on a summer special....

 

I am still waiting on two deliveries from Amazon for staples (which are very late) and modroc (due any day), along with deliveries from scalelink (etched platform canopy valance) and Derails (due tomorrow) with the last Dapol signal (the final signal, the up starter, is short under the bridge and will have to be scratch built). 

The diagram A22 first has now been added to the riviera set (pulling out the spare Mainline third which will now go in the M Set freeing up another third for conversion (likely into a brake third).  At present I only have three designs of brake third on the layout the Hornby Collett (LH and RH), Hawksworth and Centenary.  And the last two are only in use on my two riviera sets.  Adding a toplight, Large Window and 70ft brake third is a priority now kit building wise, along with the L25 and the composite for the riviera   

[checkrail]

18 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

freeing up another third for conversion (likely into a brake third).  

A year or two back I had the same wish for a brake 3rd that wasn't a Hornby Collett, Centenary or clerestory.  The answer in my case was a low-waisted D121 - Comet sides on Mainline/Bachmann donor coach.  Makes for quite a distinctive model.

[The Fatadder]

1 hour ago, checkrail said:

A year or two back I had the same wish for a brake 3rd that wasn't a Hornby Collett, Centenary or clerestory.  The answer in my case was a low-waisted D121 - Comet sides on Mainline/Bachmann donor coach.  Makes for quite a distinctive model.

I was going to do a 127 with comet sides /ends on a Mainline roof/chassis as per the A22, but I see the 121, 124 and 127 are all 61ft coaches.  So these will have to be saved for composites, (and thirds of if there was a 60ft one) 

 

I will probably do a 127 or 121 as a full kit later in the year, a Wolsey dreadnaught brake third is also on the shopping list.  But first I need to sort the composite for the riviera (which I may have now arranged to purchase via the GWR Facebook group...)

 

No signal installations this evening, I was out and missed the postman!  So back to track building once the children are asleep...