'The Odiham Branch' a new project in 2mmFS

[DavidLong]

Moving on to the upperworks...  The instructions require the modeller to drill 0.3mm holes in the 'splashplate to take the strapping.  I left this 'til later!  I did however CAREFULLY drill out the buffer locations in the pre-marked positions.

 

Next stage is to fix the end supports (whitemetal) to the baseframe  (whitemetal).  I actually used superglue for this - but a word of warning.  The end stanchions are VERY delicate!  I actually dismembered one whist cleaning it up (and I have to thank Steve Simms, the 'No2 Shopkeeper for a very speedy replacement).  However, I may have a solution - see the end-note.

 

at-04 - END SUPPORTS.jpg

 

The half-assembled base frame can now be attached to the etched running gear.

 

The next stage is to fit the 'splash-plates' over the 'anchor straps'.  I cleared the etched slot with a 0.35mm drill and the process went fairly well - then the anchorstraps have to be bent to 90 deg to lie flat on the splashplate.  At this point I used the pre-exisiting hole in the anchorstrap to drill the hole in the splashplate.  I very quickly learned that the torque associated with the process snapped the end of the anchorstrap!  These were then soldered down with 'Carrs Solder Paste' (no connection!).  The beauty of the paste is that any excess can be removed with a fibreglass brush after the process.

 

The drawback with this method is that things like pin-vices and fibreglass pens are working very close to those delicate stanchions!

 

AT-06 - a delicate drill-job.jpg

 

Still, I got the job done, and the unit is now very nearly ready for a swim in 'nickel-black' - after visiting a certain stand at the Southampton Show tomorrow!).

 

Now a recommendation.  If I make any more of these little beauties, I will leave the end stanchions off until I've fixed the baseplate etc to the underframe.  This would also allow the option of making a much firmer soldered connection.  Right  -just the V-hangers  and brake levers to fix....

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

Ah yes, Steve Simms! Tony's lesser known 'alter ego' 

 

About the photos, Ian. In 2mm scale, even more than in larger scales, depth of field is important. The aperture setting needs to be as high as the camera will take it. My ten year old Minolta will go to f8 on the aperture setting and this has turned out to be ok for our scale. Here's an example:

 

 

Hope this helps

 

David

[Caley Jim]

Nick - I'm always loathe to do that in case it interferes with the folding process - although having aquired a 'Hold & Fold' those fears are receding! They actually wern't too difficult - I think it took about 20 minutes to do all twelve. The beauty of batch-building. Hick, hick (that works too!)

I like to fit the bearings first, along with as much as possible - solebar overlays and axleboxes at least - while it's still in the flat. In fact I often keep the underframe attached to the fret for all of this as it gives you more to hold. I find no problem in bending down the solebars after this as they are well stiffened by the overlays. Just don't add lower footsteps on brakevans before bending. I made that mistake - once!

 

Jim

Edited January 27, 2017 by Caley Jim

[scanman]

Ah yes, Steve Simms! Tony's lesser known 'alter ego' 

 

About the photos, Ian. In 2mm scale, even more than in larger scales, depth of field is important. The aperture setting needs to be as high as the camera will take it. My ten year old Minolta will go to f8 on the aperture setting and this has turned out to be ok for our scale. Here's an example:

 

010.JPG

 

Hope this helps

 

David

Re Tony Simms - OOPS - type in haste - repent at lieisure...

 

The photos were taken with a new macro lens - still playing...

 

Regards

 

Ian

[scanman]

Morning everyone - a quick (?) question (which I've just posted on the 2mmVAG as well).

 

I'm currently building a rake of 'PO' wagons based on the 2-327 chassis.  The etch comes with three variants of brakes - Type 'A', which I can understand, as it is the 'usual' type of one-side double-shoe system.  However types 'B' & 'C' are less than clear in their application.  As there are two etches of each - both with different-sized locartor pegs, I take it these were twin-side/single shoe applications, OR were they used in conjunction on both sides (i.e. one wheel having a type 'B' and the other having a type 'C' - which is feasible given the peg locators).

 

I've checked all the usual sources but cannot find any answer either model (or preferably) prototype.

 

Any assistance gratefully received.

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

(PS - 'blow by blow account' is to follow (you have been warned!).

[Ian Morgan]

Not a bad introduction to wagon brakes can be found here:

 

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gansg/4-rstock/04arstock2f.htm

[Chris Higgs]

Morning everyone - a quick (?) question (which I've just posted on the 2mmVAG as well).

 

I'm currently building a rake of 'PO' wagons based on the 2-327 chassis.  The etch comes with three variants of brakes - Type 'A', which I can understand, as it is the 'usual' type of one-side double-shoe system.  However types 'B' & 'C' are less than clear in their application.  As there are two etches of each - both with different-sized locartor pegs, I take it these were twin-side/single shoe applications, OR were they used in conjunction on both sides (i.e. one wheel having a type 'B' and the other having a type 'C' - which is feasible given the peg locators).

 

I've checked all the usual sources but cannot find any answer either model (or preferably) prototype.

 

Any assistance gratefully received.

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

(PS - 'blow by blow account' is to follow (you have been warned!).

 

The etch is not one of mine, however, it looks like there are two types of early brakes, where the lever was mounted on a  pivot attached to the bottom of the solebar, and actuating a single brake shoe, typically wooden. Something like this: http://www.lnwrs.org.uk/Wagons/open/Diag001.php There even seem to be two different lengths of brake lever in to the two pohots on this page.

 

The third set are a later typical set of morton brake gear, which mount on a central V Hanger.

 

Chris

Edited March 1, 2017 by Chris Higgs

[Yorkshire Square]

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/65499-whats-on-your-2mm-work-bench/?p=2575684

 

Hi Ian, see the post above for the single shoe with support bracket. These are identical on the other side, but I believe some earlier wagons had one shoe on one side only. Precarious!

[Caley Jim]

...... These are identical on the other side, but I believe some earlier wagons had one shoe on one side only. Precarious!

But very common in the 1880's (and later).  It wasn't until 1899 that the Board of Trade issued a requirement that wagons be fitted with brakes which could be operated from either side.

 

Jim

[bécasse]

But very common in the 1880's (and later).  It wasn't until 1899 that the Board of Trade issued a requirement that wagons be fitted with brakes which could be operated from either side.

 

Jim

 

And even that statement is marginally misleading as in some cases the BoT's requirement was met by providing independent brakes either side of wagon - so some wagon braking could be initiated from either side of a wagon but could only be released from the side where it had been initiated. Where this was done with wagons that already had brakes on one side but operating on both wheels, it was by no means unknown for the brake added the other side to work only on one wheel.

[MarkAustin]

And even that statement is marginally misleading as in some cases the BoT's requirement was met by providing independent brakes either side of wagon - so some wagon braking could be initiated from either side of a wagon but could only be released from the side where it had been initiated. Where this was done with wagons that already had brakes on one side but operating on both wheels, it was by no means unknown for the brake added the other side to work only on one wheel.

The BoT requirement was that brakes could only be released from the side on which they were applied, which has always struck me as being rather bizarre.

 

The GWR took them to court over this as the DC series brakes could be applied and released from either side, and got an exemption. For their earlier lever brake, and some where the DC brake was on one side only, they did indeed fit a single independent brake applied on one wheel only, which met the letter, if not the spirit, of the BoT requirement.

 

From the late 1920s, the GWR adopted the Morton brake, which met the BoT requirement, but never (to the best of my knowledge) converted any DC fitted wagons to be BoT compatible.

 

Mark A

[scanman]

First -my thanks to those of you who responded both here and on the VAG regarding the brake systems, Details duly noted for subsequent builds!

 

Right - on with the story...  With a competition coming up, and the necessity of some 'P.O.' wagons, I decided to batch-build some from 'Association' kits.  Two variants (5- and 7-plank) were planned.  The kits are very good, being in two parts - a pack of bodies and a separate pack with chassis in etched brassl  The usual small tools were used...

 

 

I had been recommended by two contributors (and veteran 2mmSA members) to build & detail the chassis 'in the flat'.  I thought I could see some pitfalls in that - but they might be overcome by the use of jigs to hold everything steady so -

 

 

The first jig allows the insertion of the axle-bearings into the w-irons thus -

 

 

where the bearings are held in location by the merest trace of solder-cream and a dab from a hot (375C) iron -

 

 

As I expect to have several jigs over time, it makes sense to be able to identify them!

 

 

Now for the rest of the detail - solebars, axleboxes etc.  To hold it steady another jig (simply four 2mm wire rods) were inserted adjacent to the original jigs, passing through holes in the chassis -

 

 

The third jig was the easiest of them all - a cocktail stick -

 

-for making the axle-boxes -

 

 

which fold up on three parts. Having made four - and folded up the two-layer solebar overlays using my trusty 'Hold n Fold', it was time to put it all together -

 

 

Et voila - all done 'in the flat' -

 

 

Following the advice acknowledged above, simple one-side' brake gear was then attached,  Just four more to make...

 

When all were complete, they were cleaned of excess solder (a beauty of this solder cream is that it can be removed with a fibreglass brush).  A swim in the ultrasonic bath, a dip in 'Acidip) and a plunge into 'Nickel-black', followed by a warm dry on the coffe-pot heater(!) and the chassis were ready -

 

The bodies were a fairly simple matter, bearing in mind they are styrene and respond well to solvent adhesive.

 

On then to the liveries.  The 'Odiham Branch' of course never existed in real life.  So an internet search revealed the names of a couple of coal-merchants in the area who might have owned a small fleet.  Of course there were also the major coal-factors who would supply smaller concerns.  The airfield would of course demand other 'govermint owned' wagons.  Next port of call was a well-thumbed series of 'The Modellers Sketchbook of P.O Wagons' and several liveries suggested themselves.  But how to create them?  In this scale and lack of steadiness in the hand  -plus time restraints - led me to creating my own waterslide transfers.

 

First job was to paint the wagons in the relevant base-colour.  At the same time paint swatches were put on a sheet of paper and then scanned into the computer - at the same time scanning in a set of wagon-sides.  Using an 'image-handling' program ('Paintshop Pro') the scanned wagon-sides were copied several times and then 'flooded' with the relevant base-colour.  With me so far?  Good!

 

Next job was to import the 'jpeg' into a 'Desk Top Publishing' program ('CorelDraw' Essentials) and create the liveries...  I then printed them on 'Crafty Computer Paper' - who also do 'white'. -

 

 

From there it was a 'simple' decaling job (trimming the decals as required.  'Simple'?  First 'gloss' the wagon and let it dry.  Apply the decals using 'Microsol' and let them dry...  Apply a satin varnish (I use 'Purity Seal' from 'Games Workshop') and let it dy..  Then apply A matt varnish (I use 'Testors Dullcote' in a VERY well ventilated area!) and let THAT dry!  Why the additional layer of satin?  I find that applying 'Dullcote' over a bare decal leads to it crazing...  Others will choose a different route - but this works for me -

 

 

Ahh yes - the Competition...

 

 

RESULT!

 

(I even created the logos on the shields using layered acrylic and my laser-cutter!)

 

Right - next job... (but not in 2mm!)

 

 

[Crosland]

Nice!

 

How well does the gloss applied to the wagons match that which was scanned and printed onto the decals.

 

Is it the case that you might not notice any variation as it will be on a different face of the wagon? Or just disguised by weathering?

[scanman]

Nice!

 

How well does the gloss applied to the wagons match that which was scanned and printed onto the decals.

 

Is it the case that you might not notice any variation as it will be on a different face of the wagon? Or just disguised by weathering?

Hi -

It doesn't really matter - the subsequent layers hide the initial gloss coat - which in any case is only applied where the transfers are applied.  I don't apply a complete side as a transfer - they are cut into individual sections  - main/part of the main logo, return location, tare weight etc.  Fiddly but it avoids larger deformation caused by wagon strapping etc.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Regards

 

Ian

[ess1uk]

Interesting read.

We go down to Lord Wordsworth in Long Sutton once a month to scuba in their pool.

Looking forward to seeing the layout progress

[sem34090]

Interested in this, having named a 4mm (00) layout 'Odiham', and also interested in the potential use of things from my beloved Medstead & Four Marks (I'm a porter there and very proud of it - We'll show Ropley up any day. ).