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RNAS Glencruitten - Relocating Lenabo


Argos
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Beautiful modelling there.  Even with the benefit of modelling at twice the size I am left wishing I could achieve such precision and such tonesl

 

4 minutes ago, CF MRC said:

 

I have an incomplete Hippo Models 1:144 resin model of a P class Zeppelin that scales in at 44.5" long.   .....  If we ever take the layout to Germany again, then I might finish it.

 

Tim

 

 

I am sure that will be a major contribution to post-BREXIT diplomacy.

 

 

 

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Having taken a few days off over half term I was looking forward to some modelling time.

Unfortunately the man-flu I caught had other ideas, so a few unproductive days were spent in bed instead.

 

Still, I have managed some progress.

Boundary fences for the airship bases aren't well detailed. The only image I have found is post war and shows a post and wire fence with vertical intermediary strainers.

The bases don't appear to have been that secure, the incoming rail line at Longside bisected the boundary with the gate being situated across the first point into the yard.

So for any shunting activity the gates had to be left open.

None the less a boundary fence is needed.

 

I decided to try an etch brass product form Peedee models.

The wire is over-scale but hopefully not to noticeable.

 

Once cut to length the verticals and diagonal staining posts were laminated to give some thickness (although still a bit 2D):-

 

743744975_fences1.jpg.b159e5c178868b51d9311fd62b450985.jpg

 

Once painted in in position though the effect is quite pleasing:-

 

729448593_fences2.jpg.c0a1b7e522e9783e95ce3f01eb2f2969.jpg

 

1186239405_Fences3.jpg.555523e00f7cc8a32b4e1730c704e9ac.jpg

 

I also took the opportunity to add some more ground cover to give a wilder appearance outside the fenceline.

The base's sheep will keep the greenery under control inside the fence.

 

I've also been attacking some plasiticard:-

1787063070_anyquesses1.jpg.809d6b83bf10a145abb9f0df5184d25d.jpg

 

Any guesses?

772670209_antguesses2.jpg.1a566df541d13dd045666d00f8a40ede.jpg

 

How about now?

 

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I decided this weekend that enough was enough with my current fiddle yard arrangement.

 

As designed I had a 3 road turntable that nicely filled the fiddle yard:-

 

turntable.jpg.74b22de4f878bc69996906f44f336a89.jpg

 

This arrangement had worked well initially but the 6mm MDF base of the turntable was becoming increasingly warped.

 

The edges were around 4mm higher than centre and, despite a bout of vigorous sanding to reduce the bowing in the centre I could not get the connection to the scenic section rail perform reliably.

Having every train derail as it left the fiddle yard was unacceptable.

Time for a change!

 

I decide to try cassettes using aluminium angle, as the trains are only short manipulating them inside the restricted confines of the fiddle yard should not be a problem.

A couple of 25mm angles were duly purchased form B&Q and made up into to cassettes.

All was not well though and it took a bit of head scratching before it dawned on me that I had bought anodised aluminium, hence why it would not conduct current!

 

The second attempt was made this time with some 9.5 x 19mm raw aluminium angle purchased of ebay.

Much more successful!

 

I now have reliable running again and play trains is a back to a pleasure rather than a hassle.

 

835725447_Cassettes1.jpg.c2256a77cfd65f0733577e59c16da224.jpg

 

96962482_Cassettes2.jpg.1226b02e64ddf2dea5e0a6ae915b86be.jpg

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Fix strips of card down the centre of each cassette with it's top surface just below 'rail' level and leaving around ¾mm flangeway gap between it and the aluminium.  That will help to not only reduce derailments when handling the cassettes, but also make it easier to re-rail anything which does come off.

 

Jim

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Thanks Jim,

 

I was considering such a move, I might also add something to the uprights to narrow the width of the cassette to reduce the wobble when handling.

So far this hasn't proved to be much of a problem though.

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I am determined, that by the time RNAS Glencruitten attends the 2mm Scale Association supermeet in June (8th since you ask....) , I will have some appropriate Caledonian Railway stock to run.

 

I set myself the task of getting the scenics up to scratch by focusing on them until the end of Feb, then turning my attention to the rolling stock.

I am happy with the progress of the scenery although there is still a lot to do.

 

March is here so on with the stock!

I have a 439 class 0-4-4t almost built although I'm not happy with the  chassis and will probably rebuild it.

Instead I thought I'd build a Drummond 294 class Jumbo.

My wife bought me the Worsley Works etches for Christmas 2017.

Starting from scratch with a simple 0-6-0 will give me the opportunity to follow Nick Mitchell's excellent video guidance step by step and hopefully avoid the pitfalls of previous builds.

Tradition dictates we should start with a picture of the etches:-

604754153_294kit.jpg.8c2276b3069098dc6d2f02baa9743222.jpg

 

If it looks to you that there are too many parts...you would be right. Allen didn't have the chassis for the 294 class in stock so sent a Drummond LSWR 0-6-0 etch which has the same wheel base (although, as I found out after I had built the chassis, it has a longer chassis :banghead:).

It also provides some spare parts if I louse anything up :good:

 

Follow Nick's tutorials and some careful work I now have a chassis built.

The reamer span freely in the bearings with no need to take off any metal, which is a good sign everything is right.

 

730195818_294chassis1.jpg.2e68d6a4e0f723d376453facc19d6604.jpg

 

Mounting the wheels will be the real test though!

Edited by Argos
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Good progress has been made with the Jumbo.

 

As usual any progress is mixture of stuff that falls together and frustration.

After I cut the chassis down to size I had to replace one of the frame spacers, when soldering in the replacement I've managed to introduce a banana curve into one end of the chassis.

Still, a few minutes with the soldering iron will hopefully sort this, if not I'll just replace the spacer.

The other annoyance was finding I only had 5 crank pins in stock, so unless I've built a loco with an odd number of drivers recently, I must have sacrificed one to the carpet monster at some point.

Some new ones are hopefully winging their way from shop 3.

 

The other emerging issue was how to motorise the loco.

My original thought was to use a 8x16 Nigel Lawton motor in the firebox powering the rear axle.

This seemed to work fine off the drawings but as the body came together it was clear major surgery would be required.

That and the fact the worm gear would intrude into the cab rendered that idea unacceptable.

I did briefly consider a smaller 6mm motor but I was worried this would render the famous pulling power of the Jumbos impotent.

 

To compound matters the 2500 gallon Stroudley style tender are not the biggest to hide a motor in.

Having build up the tender body I think the 8mm motor can be successfully hidden.

 

1399214047_294build1.jpg.40e84bf9d30cdf78be0fbcb5ba9becca.jpg

 

The boiler is just slotted in place here, the wheels aren't fitted yet either. 

Still it is starting to look the part.

 

1933884867_294build2.jpg.edbd339f25de60e8b848f75502823c2a.jpg

 

I need to make some tender frames to carry the wheels as one is not included in the kit.

I also need to work out how to make the tender splay curves, there were etched "fingers" in the kit to form the curves but these were way too fragile and disappeared during the forming on the tender body.

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I wouldn't worry too much about the pulling power of the small motor.  What would concern me more is the adhesive weight, which is what I find limits hauling capacity of small 2FS locos.  Putting the motor in the tender, driving the loco via a driveshaft, and then fitting as much lead as possible into the body is, to my mind, a more practical way to go.   That is what I did with all my tender locos and what Alisdair Campbell has done with his recent Jumbo.

 

I would add that I never, ever, build the body of a loco first, but get a working chassis built and then build the body around that.  Doing it that way, you can check after you add each part to ensure that it isn't interfering with the fit of the chassis or causing a short.  Clearances are so tight in 2FS that it can be difficult to determine where the problem lies in either case.

 

Jim

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Thanks for the advice Jim.

 

The reason for building the body out as far a I have is to check the clearances for the drive components.

I also need to drill access for the drive shaft in the backhead and need this in position to establish the location.

This was a bit fragile so was strengthened by the cab sides and roof. 

 

Whilst it all looks fully assembled in the photos above, most of it is just staged.

 

In true Master Chef fashion we have a de-constructed Jumbo:-

 

1251785631_294build3.jpg.a56f690ec2194127332f29a34718b876.jpg

 

The plan is fill the boiler barrel with rolled lead sheet to give the adhesive weight.

This avoids any issued with lead corrosion with adhesive, although as I understand it only PVA causes the corrosion issue, but then why take the chances?

 

To provide insulation between the chassis and body I am thinking of using a layer of 5 thou plasticard.

 

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I have my mechs all drawn out in CAD before I start, so I know pretty well how things are going to relate to one another and what the clearances are like.

 

Another (thinner) way of providing insulation it to place a piece of tissue paper over the underside of the footplate and flood it with cyano, cutting away the excess once the glue has set.  This can also be done on the insides of splashers etc if there is an issue with shorting.

 

Jim

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Like Jim I draw my mechanisms out but use pencil and ruler over a photocopy of the drawing as I can't drive CAD!

I also use a similar method for insulation but with cigarette paper and superglue.

 

Like  you I tend to put the bare bones of the body together alongside the chassis so I can check clearances as I go.

 

Jerry

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Thanks gents,

 

I'll see how much height I've got to play and may adopt the cyano soaked paper approach.

 

Any advice on forming the curved tender top splays?

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21 hours ago, Argos said:

Any advice on forming the curved tender top splays?

On my (scratchbuilt) Jumbo I made the tender sides and rear as one piece, including the top flares, in 5 thou brass.  At the curved rear corners I cut the flare into four or five 'fingers' before forming it and then formed the curved rear corners, round a suitable rod, at which point the 'fingers' splayed out.  I then soldered a length of fine wire along the outside of the top edge all round to form the beading and this allowed me to fill in between the 'fingers' with solder.  The corners of the flares were then tidied up with fine needle files.

 

Jim

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It might not look like much progress but a lot of work has gone in to get the chassis this far!

 

682047982_294chassis2.jpg.503f2c29bfde3837a8a81ace4c5f4558.jpg

 

The dummy tender chassis caused me some grief as I snapped the end off a drill bit in the centre hole.

I thought I had removed all the debris but after drilling found the centre bearing sited low creating a rocking motion between the front and rear wheels.

Some judicious filing using the flutes on a 1.6mm drill bit elongated the hole and created enough movement of the centre axle for the chassis to sit flat.

 

By comparison the engine chassis fell together.

It is the first chassis I have built that ran freely, first time with no adjustment needed to the rods.

I've no doubt this was helped in the larger part by using the 2mm Scale Association quartering tool.

It's the first time I've used it and would thoroughly recommend it!

 

Obviously I had to drop the body work on, such as it is...

 

1152563337_294buid4.jpg.f7cbc1d53d00f084e5468b780fb8cf51.jpg

 

Next job is to install the worm (ensuring a good mesh) and sort the drive shaft and electrics.

 

Then I can focus on the cosmetic aspects of the build.

 

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It has been a while since I've posted, progress has been made, but most work has been concentrated on getting the Jumbo mechanism installed and all that entails.

It really isn't a spectator sport!

 

With the Tutbury Supermeet looming I really need to get on with some of the layout's scenics.

 

First up the airship, after all an airship base without an airship, is, well, just a base........

The build has been in abeyance for a few months  due to this:-

 

560803773_Bubblyblimp.jpg.c5bd41ed249bfdc296fdbba32a6a50b9.jpg

 

I'm not sure what happened here.

I was repairing some decorative Victorian plaster work in the house with a mixture of polyfiller and PVA.

As I had some left over I decided to use this as the final smoothing coat on the airship.

Once dry it was sanded smooth and given a blast with Halford's grey primer and left to dry.

This was the result the next morning, quite disheartening.

 

The result is actually worse than the picture, not only has the primer bubbled but the filler underneath has cracked.

Clearly there has been some kind of reaction between the paint and the filler.

 

Once I had plucked up the courage to attack the airship again with the sandpaper the surface layers soon came off but left a lot of filling to do.

Four rounds of filling (with decorator's caulk this time) and sanding back got me this:-

633307404_SmoothBlinp.jpg.5b2e78693a9bf94be125b6ab0f93b74e.jpg

 

This time around the priming was a lot more successful

 

88691212_primedblimp.jpg.c3f3445d79459ae76372ba4afcde1d9b.jpg

 

There are still some small imperfections to sort but overall I happy with progress now.

 

The other area attack is the buildings, both the airship shed an the power house need finishing, both requiring the louvred roof vents adding.

The shed in now done all it needs are the external walkways constructing but I don't want to rush these so they'll probably wait until after Tutbury to be completed.

Instead I'll get the building painted up to remove the stark white Plastic look.

The shed door is also progressing.

 

1980142028_sheddone.jpg.3bc8cc5c77469580b58547da20fbf8db.jpg

 

Another couple of evenings work should see the power house finished and ready for paint too.

 

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Angus,

One of the nice things about the 2mm meetings (Expo's, Supermeet's, etc) is that they are very informal affairs.  Not being "public events", where the paying public is paying to see completed layouts and lots of running to entertain them, 2mm events tend to involve little running but lots of talking to people who are interested in small scale modelling, what you've done and how you've done it - that's my experience anyway.  In short, people will almost certainly be more interested in what you're modelling and how you're doing it, so don't rush to get things "ready" for Tutbury!

 

Ian

 

PS I'm looking forward to this years event to see not only RNAS Glencruitten but the various other layouts and demonstrations on offer.

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Thanks Ian, 

 

I'm trying to use the event and incentive to get more done.

Glencruitten was due to appear at Chelford last year but I managed to balls up hiring a van of the right size so I feel obliged to John to bring along to Tutbury something at least  partially complete!

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And the shed is primed

 

225413004_shedprimed.jpg.319404c86e490c147a43e9a1bfc49adb.jpg

 

There are a couple of joints that need attention with a bit of filler and the primer seems to highlight that a couple of window frames are not central in the opening.

Still there is nothing I can do about that now. 

Hopefully as the final colour scheme is patchy it will disguise the error.

 

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The Powerhouse is now complete and primed following completion of the vents and some detailing.

 

1973999699_Poweerhouseprimed.jpg.e2e5091f686847bd31332361068f3694.jpg

 

The swan necks on the down pipes are probably a bit low but they are less noticeable on the layout so will remain.

 

It just needs painting now.

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36 minutes ago, Argos said:

What do you mean you can't find it? It's a bloody great hanger 300 feet long and over a hundred feet high! :search:

 

 

1649798326_shedpainted.jpg.ad2852bd531b1edf01934995addc3da6.jpg

I like it a lot but the devil on my shoulder is saying Naval it should be Dazzle  :o

 

Nick

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