The McMullen Coal Company Light Railway

[vjoneslong]

Thats good news Pinzer. Surely having her not by the pool must be a good thing as she won't get chased by grotty little scrotes?

 

Glad to be of some help. 

[Owd Bob]

Not got a lot done over the last week or two with real life & non' railway related topics bugging my spare time Anyhow i've finally got outside and posed these two between the showers just to show i got the brass Swift sixteen steps fitted on both locos' and fitted the swift sixteen sand boxes to 'Warrior' and a tool box on 'Bess'   Hopefully the weather and other problems will get better during the weeks ahead then i can get some proper railway jobs and some running done.   

 

 

[Killian keane]

They look a beautiful pair of locos! I'm fairly agnostic about weathering in this scale, but here it really works well and properly captures the atmosphere of a pair of industrials on shed

[44690]

Bess and Warrior are looking great. Makes my loco look very ordinary.

 

Ian

[Edwardian]

Not got a lot done over the last week or two with real life & non' railway related topics bugging my spare time Anyhow i've finally got outside and posed these two between the showers just to show i got the brass Swift sixteen steps fitted on both locos' and fitted the swift sixteen sand boxes to 'Warrior' and a tool box on 'Bess'   Hopefully the weather and other problems will get better during the weeks ahead then i can get some proper railway jobs and some running done.   

 

2017-06-10 15.16.29.jpg

 

2017-06-10 15.17.00.jpg

 

Very impressive weathering.  Suddenly they're real locomotives; you've added years to them!

[Owd Bob]

Well i finally got the third loco', plenty of time and scope for further improvements on this but i'll keep it as it is for the rest of the summer and have a think about what to do with it in the Autumn, it will stay Green but that's all i know for now.

[Edwardian]

Well i finally got the third loco', plenty of time and scope for further improvements on this but i'll keep it as it is for the rest of the summer and have a think about what to do with it in the Autumn, it will stay Green but that's all i know for now.

2017-06-12 17.42.56.jpg

 

Very nice, though I wouldn't leave it next to that corrugated iron structure; the rust looks like it might be catching!

[Owd Bob]

Very nice, though I wouldn't leave it next to that corrugated iron structure; the rust looks like it might be catching!

In a way i hope it do's Edwardian  It's a basic loco' but it is fitted with a chuff pipe and remote control, it's second hand but is very clean and almost like new, and cost half the price of a new one, the body style is growing on me but i did have ideas of changing the whole cab and body, which i'll still build and maybe keep this one and swap them over now and again    

[ossygobbin]

Well i finally got the third loco', plenty of time and scope for further improvements on this but i'll keep it as it is for the rest of the summer and have a think about what to do with it in the Autumn, it will stay Green but that's all i know for now.

2017-06-12 17.42.56.jpg

that looks a nice loco ;)

[Owd Bob]

Thanks Ossy was great to see you yesterday and all your lovely stuff especially letting me ride on the 5" gauge i'll take good care of this loco' in my own daft way....."now where's the Grinder"   

[77philg]

  Hi Bob

 

      is it radio control on the regulator and still manual control on the forward / reverse?  phil

[Owd Bob]

  Hi Bob

 

      is it radio control on the regulator and still manual control on the forward / reverse?  phil

Opposite phil! remote on the forward/reverse and manual on the regulator, but i'll sort that out and put another servo in one day....unless anybody knows better or thinks its ok and easy to control as it is???

[77philg]

  Nah should be on the regulator .its easy to stick the servo on the forward reverser  Sooner have it on the regulator I hate chasing after manual locos ,that's the wife's job . Hows your daughter , has everything gone to plan no complications ?   phil

Edited June 13, 2017 by 77philg

[Killian keane]

But if the servo is hooked up to the reverse, shouldn't you be able to use that to regulate the speed, albeit with a more coarse speed control, assuming she can be notched up

[Owd Bob]

I think you are both right, i'm with you Phil' and don't want to have to chase loco's around or having them stuck in an awkward place to reach, i did read somewhere on line that you can control the speed by using the reversing lever as well killian, i'll give it a try as it is this week first,   but eventually i'll get another servo fitted and that should solve all my probs' The Daughter is home now and recovering well thanks phil' and has us all running around for her.  

Edited June 13, 2017 by Owd Bob

[77philg]

Using reversing lever as speed control, Wont work well on inclines or emergency stop .Seen spectacular derailments using that way .And to my mind if you are running behind someone's  pride and joy at a garden rail meet and run up the back of it . That's a BIG no no . I normally clear the line to run manual or semi manual locos ive seen too many upset owners in my time .I run my manual coal fired edrigg on its own and not on open day.  Normally a private session if you want to see it running or have a go. All my locos are now radio including my coal fired garrett. I like to control what I'm running ,on my system I can run 2-3 locos comfortably with no problems with radio

DSCF0319 by phil, on Flickr

 

as you can see there is not enough room on edrigg for servos + she gets really hot on the footplate when running.

 

DSCF0918 b by phil, on Flickr

 I don't own this but its a Peter Angus geared loco ,this you set running and it stays at a set speed ,  slow and constant. Definitely on my wish list  phil

[Killian keane]

I think you are both right, i'm with you Phil' and don't want to have to chase loco's around or having them stuck in an awkward place to reach, i did read somewhere on line that you can control the speed by using the reversing lever as well killian, i'll give it a try as it is this week first, but eventually i'll get another servo fitted and that should solve all my probs' The Daughter is home now and recovering well thanks phil' and has us all running around for her.

I read it in one of the Reverend Awdrys books, but that man was a real stickler for accuracy

[Owd Bob]

Just finished the extension! Well! it's just an handy storage siding for now and who knows just how far i could extend it yet?...maybe after the chickens and their run has served their purpose   .....but don't tell swmbo!  As yet i've not fully decided what to do with the details and buildings around it but i'm thinking along the lines of a tall factory, mill or brewery to act as a backdrop to hide the fence, i'll try and get it ballasted & painted up by the weekend.   I've moved my only signal box to a better suited and busier place.

[Narrow Minded]

Welcome to the "Caradoc Owners Club" It looks a nice example, and an ideal bare canvas for you to work your magic on  

No doubt you've already noticed the difference in 'feel' compared to the Roundhouse loco's, but don't let that fool you - from experience I'm sure you'll find it a real workhorse and a worthy addition to the MCCLR roster!

You can get a water top-up filler valve for it, but running it as built on the "single fill" keeps things simple and is completely stress free - think along the lines of having a couple of 'collectors cars' and a 'daily runner' for tootling about in and you'll get the idea

(and I know plenty of folk who end up prefer driving their 'daily runner' to the more exotic examples in their fleet )

 

Great to hear your lass is doing well, and the extension is looking grand - the new location for the bobby's box is spot on!

[DavidB]

But if the servo is hooked up to the reverse, shouldn't you be able to use that to regulate the speed, albeit with a more coarse speed control, assuming she can be notched up

You're right to use the word 'coarse' Killian.  My Accucraft Lyn came with single servo r/c on the reverser - it was a right b*****d to drive smoothly and pulled several couplings out through lumpy starts and stops (despite only having 4 driving wheels, it's a seriously strong engine that can easily take my 18kg 7 car Welsh Highland rake round my line).  I tried all of the tips on the internet about trying different regulator openings to make it run more smoothly.  I nearly sold it, but in the end I gave in and arranged for Rod Blakeman to fit a second servo to control the regulator.  It's now a completely different engine - smooth, sophisticated and highly controllable.

 

David

[Owd Bob]

Thanks David! That's great info' and i've already ordered another servo and the related bits i'll need for it,   the only prob' i'll have is maybe having to add extra batts' and finding the room for them. How much voltage would you say i'll need to work two servos? At the mo' the single servo is powered by a 4.5V. rechargable pack of three AAA sized batts' is this enough for two servos? or will i have to add more power? Thanks! 

[77philg]

Thanks David! That's great info' and i've already ordered another servo and the related bits i'll need for it,   the only prob' i'll have is maybe having to add extra batts' and finding the room for them. How much voltage would you say i'll need to work two servos? At the mo' the single servo is powered by a 4.5V. rechargable pack of three AAA sized batts' is this enough for two servos? or will i have to add more power? Thanks! 

 

  Your receiver and battery pack should be enough  to power 5 servos, so you don't need to add anything .just a servo mount and arm +the actuator on your regulator that's about it .The receiver that your servo plugs into has normally 5 sockets ,you want the middle one this will give full travel which is what you want for the regulator if you get stuck pm me will sort somat owt  phil

[Owd Bob]

Well whilst awaiting the bits to arrive for this loco' i've been busy with the grinder!   As its a very angular loco' i thought i'd cut out the cab side and front windows to suit, i also removed the cab handrails and opened up the cab entrance area to a better scale width, and then drilled out the holes for future handrails. The buffs were drilled and rivets were soldered in then painted up with the much better looking pound shop Red, the smoke box and cab area were given a waft over with barby paint.

[aussiebrfan]

Great stuff as always.

 

G.

[Donw]

I think there is usually a difference in the thread on the regulator needle between manual and radio controlled locos. The servo operated one has a more restricted range of movement so needs a coarser thread. It can be tricky setting the throttle manually if the thread has been designed for radio control. Roundhouse list REGM and REGRC  for manual and radio control.

 

Don