Upcoming O gauge sale - End of the line at Marsh Lane

[brossard]

I can recommend the tip tinner Rich, I have something similar.  The method I have adopted to control the amount of solder that goes on is to cut tiny amounts off the roll and then either pick them up (a dirty tip won't pick up) or place the solder on the joint, flux and apply the iron.

 

John

[Jintyman]

Hi Rich,

 

Glad you've made some headway.

The flux you are using is a plumbers flux paste, and as Simon says is very corrosive and will leave a green mess in no time unless cleaned off thoroughly.I soak and clean my work in Acetone, and then a good scrub in warm soapy water.

Simon's idea of the citric acid flux sounds good, but I'm going to try the Flux that Jon Fitness suggests.

A brass tip cleaner is essential, and I use mine in between every soldered joint (Stainless Steel scourers are excellent too!), and after a good while, when my tips get dirty, firstly I will clean up with a rotating wire brush in the pillar drill and then re-tin, or if its very corroded I will re-dress up the tip with a series of files. Re-dressing tips like this was a very common practice in days gone by, and an art too as you don't want to leave a poorly finished surface to the tip. Start with a coarse file and work down to fine sandpaper. Copper based tips are susceptible to corrosion, and will need re-dressing.

 

I use Carrs 188 liquid solder to re-tin my iron, I just dip the tip into the liquid about 5mm or so, whilst cold, and then switch the iron on, once warm, the iron is then tinned.

I also get a number of items ready for assembly, then switch the iron on and solder the items, then turn it off when done, till the next few bits are ready. This slows down the carbon build up on the tip which is why your solder forms little balls.

 

Hope that all helps

 

Jinty

[Jon Fitness]

I definitely agree with the tip cleaning between each soldered joint. Those "pile of brass shavings" type scourers are the best although cheaper silver coloured ones (available from most supermarkets !) are almost as good. You just drag the tip through 2 or 3 times and it gently removes all the crud without scratching it.  Once you get one and start using it, it becomes a subconcious action!

I've found over the years Weller tips aren't very robust and once the coating goes on them they crumble away fairly quickly, especially if your flux is a strong one!

The safety flux I put a link to is a good one and very gentle on tips too. I havent had to file one or even replace one for years now.

To tidy up any joints you aren't happy with, re-clean them with a fibreglass pencil (including the solder, scratch over it but don't scrape it off) re-apply some liquid flux and run a hot iron over it, and the solder will flow further into the joint.

For clean up afterwards I usually use CIF stainless steel cleaner spray (available from most supermarkets again!) applied, scrubbed with an old toothbrush and rinsed with plain water.

HTH

JF

[MarshLane]

I definitely agree with the tip cleaning between each soldered joint. Those "pile of brass shavings" type scourers are the best although cheaper silver coloured ones (available from most supermarkets !) are almost as good. You just drag the tip through 2 or 3 times and it gently removes all the crud without scratching it.  Once you get one and start using it, it becomes a subconcious action!

I've found over the years Weller tips aren't very robust and once the coating goes on them they crumble away fairly quickly, especially if your flux is a strong one!

The safety flux I put a link to is a good one and very gentle on tips too. I havent had to file one or even replace one for years now.

To tidy up any joints you aren't happy with, re-clean them with a fibreglass pencil (including the solder, scratch over it but don't scrape it off) re-apply some liquid flux and run a hot iron over it, and the solder will flow further into the joint.

For clean up afterwards I usually use CIF stainless steel cleaner spray (available from most supermarkets again!) applied, scrubbed with an old toothbrush and rinsed with plain water.

HTH

JF

Hi Jon,

Thanks for that. I'd forgotten about the flux you suggested. Has now been ordered, so we'll see how that goes. I presume you just paint it on with a small brush? Will also get one if the brass tip cleaners that you and others have mentioned.

 

 

Hi Rich,

Glad you've made some headway.

The flux you are using is a plumbers flux paste, and as Simon says is very corrosive and will leave a green mess in no time unless cleaned off thoroughly.I soak and clean my work in Acetone, and then a good scrub in warm soapy water.

Simon's idea of the citric acid flux sounds good, but I'm going to try the Flux that Jon Fitness suggests.

A brass tip cleaner is essential, and I use mine in between every soldered joint (Stainless Steel scourers are excellent too!), and after a good while, when my tips get dirty, firstly I will clean up with a rotating wire brush in the pillar drill and then re-tin, or if its very corroded I will re-dress up the tip with a series of files. Re-dressing tips like this was a very common practice in days gone by, and an art too as you don't want to leave a poorly finished surface to the tip. Start with a coarse file and work down to fine sandpaper. Copper based tips are susceptible to corrosion, and will need re-dressing.

 

I use Carrs 188 liquid solder to re-tin my iron, I just dip the tip into the liquid about 5mm or so, whilst cold, and then switch the iron on, once warm, the iron is then tinned.

I also get a number of items ready for assembly, then switch the iron on and solder the items, then turn it off when done, till the next few bits are ready. This slows down the carbon build up on the tip which is why your solder forms little balls.

 

Hope that all helps

 

Jinty

Thanks Jinty! All helps as ever! I'm trying to remember the key points everyone has said!! I'll also get some Carrs 188 liquid solderonce the new website is up and running.

 

Rich

[Jon Fitness]

 I presume you just paint it on with a small brush? 

 

 

 

 

Yes, splash it on with a small cheap model painting brush. Megga cheapo plastic one with nylon bristles is best as there's no metal parts to be attacked by the flux.

 

JF

[Pete Harvey]

Evening all,

Well, as you might have guessed from the last couple of messages, I've had an evening soldering!  Not helped by the fact that I'm full of cold and spent the day half shivering and half boiling, but the solder recommended by JInty turned up today, and the new Weller 40W soldering iron (also a Jinty recommendation) turned up yesterday, so I thought why not!

 

Whether it was the solder or the iron that was causing my problems, I don't know, but the new kit works a treat!  Had about an hour or so tonight, and really enjoyed it!   Never realised bonding two pieces of brass together could be so much fun ... despite a couple of burnt finger tips!  So, where have I got to, well to recap this is the Judith Edge Kits NER Bo-Bo electric shunter, ES1 kit in 7mm, and its the first brass kit I've tackled.  I managed to get the two side solebars on quite quickly, then the end inner buffer means took a bit of sussing out until I realised that they went on the end of the solebars and not between them!  Having realised that, I then looked at the position of the four cross-spacer beams and decided it would be easier to solder those to the frames first - well that started a merry little dance to find the sods!  I appreciate the at the frets are designed to make best use of the space, but it took me a while to discover the fourth one! All on different frets and in different places!  No criticism of the kit, probably me just not being used these kind of things.

 

However, all were found, soldered in and the entire assembly is now rock steady with no flexing at all.

 

IMG_5180 (1).jpg

 

IMG_5181 (1).jpg

 

IMG_5184 (1).jpg

 

When its sat with the frame on the bottom there is a very small amount of rocking, but absolutely none, when turned upside down and sat on the solebars, so while I'm thinking I may have got a little too much heat into it at times, I think it will be ok.  There's no visual warping of the brass at all.

 

IMG_5186 (1).jpg

 

The one thing I have noticed is that the soldering iron tip is corroding very quickly, probably only get one solder join, before I need to take a file to it and clean it - is that right or am I doing something wrong?

 

First impressions are I like this brass kit building, although I'm only on what most people would consider the easy stages at the moment, so I guess there could be plenty of opportunities ahead for me to change my mind on that outcome lol!!  But certainly eager to do it a bit more tomorrow!

 

Rich

As other have mentioned it's the Flux and the solder you are using that is giving you the corrosion and I feel that you won't get as stronger as using other fluxes and solders, if you can do not use lead free solder it's a pile of S**T and use C&L Red or Green fluxes, you can use both of these with 40 or 80W without any problems.

[Jintyman]

As other have mentioned it's the Flux and the solder you are using that is giving you the corrosion and I feel that you won't get as stronger as using other fluxes and solders, if you can do not use lead free solder it's a pile of S**T and use C&L Red or Green fluxes, you can use both of these with 40 or 80W without any problems.

 

He's using a solder that was recommended by me, 60/40 Tin/Lead solder, 185 degree.

 

Agreed, lead free solder is CARP!!!

 

Jinty

[Rob Pulham]

Hi Rich,

 

I hate to chuck a potential spanner in the works but since I have one of these in my stash it's in my interests for you to get it right.

 

Looking at your photos can I ask if you have the solebars the right way around? - I ask because it looks like on what's currently the outside of your solebars, there are half etched rivets that need pressing out? If that's what they are then generally the rivets would be to the face of the solebar rather than inside.

 

Mine isn't easy to get to to check at the minute but I thought it worth mentioning before you go too far.

[MarshLane]

Hi Rich,

 

I hate to chuck a potential spanner in the works but since I have one of these in my stash it's in my interests for you to get it right.

 

Looking at your photos can I ask if you have the solebars the right way around? - I ask because it looks like on what's currently the outside of your solebars, there are half etched rivets that need pressing out? If that's what they are then generally the rivets would be to the face of the solebar rather than inside.

 

Mine isn't easy to get to to check at the minute but I thought it worth mentioning before you go too far.

 

 

Hi Rob,

Welcome! Thanks for the post, looking at the photos, I hate to say this, but I tend to agree - a rookie mistake on my part!  Micheal mentioned some rivets that needed pushing out when I first spoke to him about the kit, but while it occurred to me when I read through the instructions there was nothing about it, it never occurred to me to actual look at the brass etches.

 

Illness has prevented me doing anything over Easter, so I'll hopefully have a look those solebars the next few days.  How is the best way of pressing the rivetts out?  

 

Rich

[brossard]

Hi Rich, disappointing to discover an error, it happens to us all.  Rivets are best pushed out before assembly with the piece laid on a piece of hardish wood, like birch ply.  I use a pointed steel scriber pressing and twisting to bring the rivet shape out.  Perhaps someone has ideas to do it when assembled.

 

John

[Simond]

Rich,

 

The best way is a rivet press. This forces a sharp hardened steel point into the brass, and the brass squeezes out into the die which is a hard steel "hole" concentric with the point. This way all your rivets are the same size. Most rivet presses have some means of keeping them in a straight line too, for the things that don't have pre-etched half-holes. Prices from maybe £50 up.

 

Next best is a "drop weight" rivetter. You get a length of say M4 threaded rod, and sharpen the end (lathe, or just file it) and find a bit of steel bar (say 20mm diameter 20mm long) and drill a clearance hole up the middle. A couple of nuts lock-nutted together by the point, and put your weight on, and fit a third nut at the back. You put the point in the etched hole, with the bit of brass on a cutting mat or piece of hardboard/MDF, and drop the weight. It's the same distance every time, and will produce consistent rivets. You need half etched holes, or good marking out. Price a couple of quid.

 

Next best is a sharp scriber and a tiny toffee hammer, or hand power. Needs good marking out and lots of practice!

 

All of these techniques require a flat, unassembled bit of brass, and the half-etched holes are on the back. If Rob's right (and I think he is), you have four options that I can think of.

 

1) Say 80770cks and ignore it,

2) disassemble the work you've done (blowlamp and brass wire brush), rivet using one of the above methods, reassemble

3) drill each half-etched hole, solder in wire, cut off short

4) buy transfer rivets and apply over the holes after priming.

 

I guess you don't want to go there, but #2 is the best option, by several million miles. The blowlamp will make short work of the solder, whilst the bits are hot, brush off the remaining solder with the brass brush. Try not to over-cook anything, and be careful because the brass will be rather soft. Give it all a bit of a clean, it'll be tinned ready to reassemble when you've done the riveting, and be a much better job when soldered back together.

 

There's a very good book on 4mm etched loco construction in the Wild Swan series, Iain Rice, I think. Applicable to any scale.

 

Hope this helps, good luck!

Simon

[3 link]

Hi Rich,

 

I totally agree with Simon's number 2 option, luckily you haven't got that far so drift a blow lamp flame across the work until it falls apart and then just clean the old solder off, soon be like new.

 

We've all done it, just some are '' too professional '' to admit it. : )

 

Martyn.

[Rob Pulham]

We've all done it, just some are '' too professional '' to admit it. : )

 

Hi Rich,

 

Another option similar to option 3 is drill out and instead of brass rod, insert brass dressmakers pins - they will give you consistent rivet sized heads.

 

I have to agree with Simon and Martyn in that I would go with option 2. But I note from reading earlier posts that you are not yet that confident with soldering and using a variant of option 3 might save you a bit of hair pulling and heartache if you struggled to get the solebars soldered in place the first time.

 

If I might make a suggestion, if you plan to build future brass kits then it's worthwhile investing in a few cheap items that you can use as heat sinks to prevent bit's that you have just soldered on from falling off when you add the next bit.

 

For this purpose I use a combination of aluminum hair clips (£1.80 for 5 from Eileens), self locking tweezers (I have several cheap pairs from the pound type shops - they go a bit rusty from the flux but a periodic brush with a wire brush keeps them from making too much mess) and forceps (forceps have serrated jaws and are great for holding/soldering bits of wire rod for hinges etc.). I bought the forceps from eBay.

 

In use, just clip which ever fits best over or adjacent to the bit that you don't want to fall off and then solder away the grips/tweezers absorb enough of the heat generated to prevent the solder holding that item from remelting or on the rare occasions when it does (usually when using a microflame a bit vigorously!) they hold it in place until it cools again.

[MarshLane]

Evening guys,

Firstly, many thanks for all the feedback and comments over the past couple of days, much appreciated.  I will desolder the whole thing and start again, I'm determined to get this right!  

 

I mentioned I'd been ill previously, having caught this cold bug/virus thats doing the rounds, unfortunately being asthmatic means that such things always seem to affect me worse and pull me down.  Easter weekend wasn't great, and for the first time in 30 years of having asthma, I was within a few minutes of calling 999.  Thankfully, not required in the end, and the inhalers did their stuff, but hence why progress appears to have stopped.  Feeling much better now, and back to work on Sunday, but its always a two steps forward, one back scenario, and case of taking things steady!  But we'll get there.

 

Once I feel a bit more like things, I'll go back through the responses and reply, but thanks to Rob for spotting the error!  Then set about taking this apart, cleaning it up, dealing with those bloody rivets and desoldering!  The new flux that JonF recommended, together with the tip tinner and cleaner have arrived in the past 48 hours so I'm hoping I'm all set once I feel like sitting down with the iron!  Hopefully not too far off, might even see how I feel tomorrow.

 

Rich

[brossard]

I think it's sensible to have a clean start Rich.  Your joints look like they were tacked so shouldn't be too difficult to undo.  Don't try to flatten half etched bends, they'll break.

 

John

[Simond]

Good advice from John

 

If you find that you've bent a half- etched bend the wrong way (99% of them have the half etch on the inside of the bend) then get it very hot with the blow lamp, and then quench it in water

 

Brass will go very soft if you do this and you'll save the part from cracking

 

Steel, on the other hand, would be hardened by this approach - but nobody makes etched kits from steel!!!

 

(Strange, it is dead cheap and solders well. But it does rust!)

 

Best

Simon

[PjKing1]

Hope your feeling better soon Rich, no point rushing back just take your time and try and enjoy it.

 

Cheers

[MarshLane]

Evening all,

Well its been a few weeks since I last updated the thread, or indeed, did any modelling Unfortunately one bug or illness (very unlike me) after another seems to have pulled me down and April was just a blur one way or another.  Im still not 100% but feel up to doing some modelling.  This post therefore is a general update on a couple of things, then today's work!

 

Industrial Diesel CAD design

This one has generated a bit of interest, to my surprise.  A few people have messaged or emailed me to ask what it is and how its going.  Well I didn't want to say too much until we actually got to measure the thing, but thanks to a huge amount of help and kindness from a couple of friends in GBRailfreight, and the support of the Traffic Department at British Steel, myself and a mate had a few hours measuring up and taking endless detail photographs of one of the GBRf ex-Norweign imported Di8 locomotives at Scunthorpe Works a couple of weeks back.  For those of you who may not know what I'm talking about, its one of these (thanks to another friend for allowing me to post the image below, which has been cleared by British Steel for release)

 

 

We had a great couple of hours, measuring and photographing 8716 - the locos are actually 2,300hp 75mph main line European diesels, but they potter around the Scunthorpe site at 10mph acting as shunters.  There really is just something about them that makes me want to model one, but they have a very complicated front end and a huge amount of equipment under the running plate, around the bogies.  We came back with over 150 measurements, and around 400 photographs, which I'm gradually naming and working through.  The plan is to create a detailed 7mm scale CAD drawing of the loco, which can then be produced as a brass kit.  It will take time, and its one of those jobs to be done on a rainy day.  But to Joe and Bob at GBRf, and Richard at British Steel, I am immensely grateful.

 

​The 'BIG' Project

Some of you may recall way back on this thread I had plans to create a 1980s layout.  Everything was progressing well with clearing the loft out in preparation, the track plan was worked out and had been passed over my 'signalling authority' (alias JonF) to confirm the signalling would work.  Then the whole thing went on hold with the prospect of a house move on the horizon.

 

Well I'm glad to say, that the house move is off, but its now been confirmed that the garage, which is beyond its useful life (even though its rather full of junk at the moment) is to be demolished and replaced by a new structure, for which the overriding authorities have given permission for it to become a dedicated O gauge room! Yay! So instead of a 20'x11' layout in the loft, it will be a little further delayed, but become a 30'x12' layout in the garage.  Ive started reading up on the various rmWeb threads related to these things, to ensure that its insulated and built in such a way that it can be used in a high summer and mid-winter!  The downside is that having cleared the loft, I now have to clear the bl**dy garage in order to demolish it, not to mention a further delay in actually getting on with the layout, but the end result will be worth it.

 

Now .... Today's work

However, I've had a day off today, and decided to make the effort and do a bit more on the ES1 kit.  You may recall, I'd got the core chassis soldered together, and in the process discovered that the iron wasn't hot enough, the flux was too corrosive and the solder was the wrong type! In addition, I'd soldered the side frames inside out and hadn't pushed the rivets out ... oh dear!  So today was a new start, new modern Weller iron, the correct solder, JonF's recommended flux and some metal bits in a holder to clean the tip of the iron.  

 

I got the chassis out of the box and as several people on here predicted it was somewhat green thanks to the other flux, so out with the iron unsoldered everything and back to basics, then the CIF and an old toothbrush came out, for a good clean up and remove all the old flux.  Good start.

 

Have to say the new solder, flux and iron are wonderful - still getting to grips with how to solder properly, but when it does go right, it really is easy, and while a few less than public words have been muttered at times, it has come together.  As a result, my soldering isn't the neatest, but its better than the first time I soldered a wire to track, so I guess I'm making progress.  The new iron gets a lot hotter, as evidence by the burn I sustained while holding the frame plate for the first time!  Note, I said first time .. it wasn't done again!! . 

 

Have pushed the rivets out with a bradall and toffee hammer, which seems to have worked well.  Having not done brass rivets before, I'm not really sure how pronounced they are suppose to be, but they are visible.  So with everything now resoldered, I'm back where I started in essence, but with a very flat flame - taking it apart and putting back together seems to have cured the slight rock that I had when on a piece of glass, so thats an added benefit.

 

 

 

 

So that is moving forward steadily, I might be able to do a little more tomorrow, but slowly but surely is the way.

 

Hope you've enjoyed this update - sorry for the radio silence in recent weeks, hopefully things will get back to normal and move forward a bit more now.  If you've stuck it out and are still here at this point, thanks for reading!!

 

Rich

Edited May 11, 2017 by MarshLane

[PjKing1]

Glad your on the mend Rich and a very interesting update the 30'x12' man cave is not making me jealous at all!

 

Cheers

[Jon Fitness]

Nice to hear life is restoring itself to normal. Good work with the soldering, you have jumped in straight at the deep end and after a splash round, quickly started swimming well! A 30x12 room will certainly help getting the big project started but I don't envy you the garage clearance especially if it's as bad as mine.

Cheers

JF

[Simond]

Rich,

 

Yeah, wot 'ee said. Big area. Nice...

 

One thing you might find useful is de-solder wick or braid. It's basically braided, fluxed copper wire, and you can apply it to your model, with the big iron, and draw off any excess solder, then pull it and the iron off together. You'll find you need three hands, but it's great for cleaning up. Buy the cheapest you can get. eBay is a good starting point!

 

If you have slot cars, it does for pickups too...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/desoldering-braid

 

And if you want to really shine, a fibreglass pencil or stick - use it outside, wear rubber gloves, wash the model after cleaning, otherwise you'll have horrid bits of glass stuck in your skin (or worse, don't blow the dust off, and get it in your eye!) for days.

 

I found these but there are bigger ones wrapped in string, rather than "propelling pencil" type

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=fibreglass+scratch+stick&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xfibreglass+scratch+brush.TRS0&_nkw=fibreglass+scratch+brush&_sacat=0

 

Hope it helps

Best

Simon

[MarshLane]

Glad your on the mend Rich and a very interesting update the 30'x12' man cave is not making me jealous at all!

Cheers

 

Cheers Paul, don't get too jealous got to build it first! That 37 of yours looks the business!

 

 

Nice to hear life is restoring itself to normal. Good work with the soldering, you have jumped in straight at the deep end and after a splash round, quickly started swimming well! A 30x12 room will certainly help getting the big project started but I don't envy you the garage clearance especially if it's as bad as mine.

Cheers

JF

 

That's very kind of you Jon - not sure I'd say swimming well more a case of doggy paddles with much spluttering and water intake I think!! I'll reserve judgment until I'm further on. I agree totally on the garage clearance too much junk! Good thing is that a lot can simply be moved from garage to car boot to rubbish tip! But it's going to take a while. My aim that I'm clinging to is to have the garage emptied and down by late summer, so I can get some one in to lay a concrete pad and get four sides and a roof built before the cold weather sets in. That's the aspiration.

 

Rich,

Yeah, wot 'ee said. Big area. Nice...

One thing you might find useful is de-solder wick or braid. It's basically braided, fluxed copper wire, and you can apply it to your model, with the big iron, and draw off any excess solder, then pull it and the iron off together. You'll find you need three hands, but it's great for cleaning up.

<snip>

And if you want to really shine, a fibreglass pencil or stick -

Simon

Thanks Simon always useful advice and much appreciated.

 

Rich

Edited May 12, 2017 by MarshLane

[Dmudriver]

Hi Rich.

 

Glad to hear you, too, are on the mend.  And that you've got plenty lined up to do: that shunter looks a real beast!!!

 

A 30' x 12' garage is heaven!!  As for the clearance, can you not organise a Midsummer Garage Clearance Evening for friends and family - you provide the food, they bring the cars, with trips to the tip thrown in!!  Drinks available later.  On reflection, an afternoon may be better, in case the tip's shut in the evening!!

 

Once you get the hang of soldering, it's really enjoyable!!  My first tentative steps were at a demo at an exhibition - I learnt how to solder white metal to brass!!!  After that, brass to brass is easy!!!

 

Onwards and upwards!!

 

Rod

[MarshLane]

Thanks Rod!  Hmm, a mid-summer garage clearance afternoon and BBQ - sounds like a good plan!

 

Just for reference for people, over in the Scenery, Structures and Transport forum, I've created a new 'Modelling Inspirations' thread.  Im working on a new website that will be just that - Modelling Inspirations, with the aim of providing a photographic reference for the railway, scenery, buildings etc.. something that can be built over time, and give people points of reference or inspiration for creating layouts, buildings or scenes.  To start this off, I've posted a few bits tonight ... and will follow up with more over the coming weeks.  Hope people may find it useful and contribute themselves.

 

Rich

[MarshLane]

Afternoon all, well I was going to try and do so more work on the kit tonight but its too hot to solder for long periods, so it looks like I'm finishing off the fitting a DCC decoder instead!

 

Just thought I would join the club of 'O gauge' modellers who have been showing pictures of their latest acquisitions and add my 'Peak'.  The 'Peak' has been a story of bad news followed by good news, and my grateful thanks go to Chris Stafford (North Eastern) for all his help in sorting this one out.

 

The 'Peak' was ordered, and as people will be aware, Heljan have changed their method of packing to try and avoid the problems of damage that have occurred in the past ... unfortunately with mine it didn't work!  Not sure what had happened between leaving Denmark, passing Chris and arriving with me, with one of the screws in the bottom of the Peak so tight, that it couldn't be moved even with a power drill!  As a result, both  screws had broken through the MDF retaining board in the bottom of the box, allowing the 'Peak' to roll about causing some damage, and also breaking all the retaining clips within the power box.  Unfortunately, when the one screw that could be removed was .. the power box dropped out!

 

It didn't make for a pretty sight

 

 

 

 

 

A conversation with Chris ensued, and after a couple of emails back and forth with Heljan it was agreed to return it to Denmark.  At that point, given the sell-out nature, there was a concern that a refund may be the only option, but thankfully Heljan came through, and a big box with a new '45' arrived on the doorstep yesterday afternoon.  As a result, this is now sitting on my test-bed gleaming way too much for a 'Peak'!  It needs wearing, numbering and the headcodes replacing with dots but plenty of time for that to happen!  As usual, please excuse the background.

 

 

As a very happy customer, I can heartily recommend Chris (North Eastern on here) for anyone wanting to acquire Heljan or Dapol O gauge.  His prices are superb, and as evidenced by this, customer service is second to none.

 

In other news, work has started on clearing the garage, and I'm starting to think about drawing up the plans the new wooden building, complete with a number of safety/security features gleaned from various people on rmWeb, either copying what they have done, or what they have suggested based on unfortunate experiences.  The brass kit will continue, oh and work on the CAD design of the Metrocar is progressing, hopefully be able to show a finished cab unit shortly!

 

Rich