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S7 scratch building


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It happens all the time in ship building. Sections of submarine hull out by 180 degrees. Water tight doors on the wrong bulkhead. One of the original Polaris subs had a 3degree set in its rudder as it was bent.

Marc

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13 hours ago, Dave John said:

if the rest of us that  actually make stuff pulled our own legs every time we made a mistake most of us would would be legless by now.

Well, turning to drink is one response to the problem, but hardly an ideal solution.

Edited by Regularity
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There is a picture in Noel Coates and Martin Waters' Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Album (1971) of a fish train where one of the vans has the external frames in V formation at one end and as an upside down V at the other.

Edited by Adam88
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A bit more progress has taken place today. The van is up on it's wheels and the correct shape V-irons found and applied.  I did managed to find another vacuum formed roof which has been cut down to size but may need a little trimming near the end of the build.

 

We have not been able to find a house that fits our needs ( her indoors needs ) in a location we would like. With it not being a large area there is not a lot on offer that we can afford. 

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On 18/03/2021 at 20:24, airnimal said:

Well I have got back to where I was before I decided that the planks were not correct but this time I hope I have it right. The wrong one will hopefully become a line side tool shed along with the brake van. Thinking about the NSR wagons I have recently made, they are amongst my favourite in all the wagons I have. I find the livery very pleasing and the wagons very simple in design. Coupled with the area of the Potteries with there canals and bottle kilns in which these wagons would  operate has it all for me. One problem I have I don't have a NSR engine to pull them. I did have a kit for a D class but I sold it because I didn't feel I could have make a good enough job of it. Loco building isn't for me although I have made plenty in the past I can never make them to a standard that pleases me.

Perhaps if there was a really good kit of an early NSR loco I might be tempted to have another go 

but I don't think that is very likely as I don't think that there are many NSR modellers about to warrant anybody a kit manufacturer to go down this route. I will have to keep my eye out for a second hand loco that could be converted to S7 standards.  Perhaps I could commission one from a good scratch builder, but who ?

 

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One option for a NSR loco is the Gladiator kit for the LNWR SDX. The NSR bought two or three of these babies and so it is quite correct to finish one in North Stafford livery. (It is a (very) long term project for me.) I did have a photo of one of these engines in NSR livery, but I am not sure where it was published or where it has gone. However, I'm absolutely sure it was published somewhere. Whether the NSR made any detailed changes to their SDXs or just repainted them I'm afraid I have no idea.

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Thanks Brian, I was aware of the LNWR SDX but I think it would be to big for my needs. The is a photograph in NSR locomotives by Ken Hopkins. According to the text they were delivered in NSR livery with a NSR chimney.

 

I have put a bit more ironwork on including the crown plates. These have been made by my usual method of punching a hole with a paper punch and then cutting around with a pair of cutters on a turned mandrill. Cleaning up by hand has always been a bit hit and miss so I have made a tapered mandrill to lightly sand with a fine file in the mini drill. This was a lot quicker and the results were a lot sharper. 

 

 

 

 

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The wheelbase of this van is 9'6" and I am going to use 10' etched brakegear with a bit of manipulation 

It will be perfect. I will have to remove the bottom of the shoe to make it into a single hanging  type of shoe. These are a single sided etch so I have double them up but it means there isn't any detail on the back. I don't  think it's worth the effort to add another layer on the back where it won't be seen. 

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The brakegear has gone together well and fits the wheelbase with just the right amount of clearance between the wheels. Just the brake rack and handle to clean and fit and the rest of the body details.  

I am not sure where the brake handles come from but I will get them to fit.

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Edited by airnimal
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I have used an Ambis brake rack that fitted the bill. I think it is a GWR one but they all look pretty much the same to me. One of the things I do is I solder a bit of scrap etch at the bottom of the fold to prevent the rack being squashed when handling any model. Then a couple of lace pins were were soldered in after the heads were reduced in the mini drill. When everything was bent to shape and placed on the van the position was noted and marked before removing back to the bench to be soldered up. Doing it this way makes the brakegear quite strong. I think there is nothing worse than squashed and flattened brake parts. That is the reason I never use plastic brakegear.

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Mike, 

Thanks for the tip re making of crown plates.  Re: your post of last Thursday on making/obtaining a suitable loco.  You might like to consider the battery electric loco that used to reside at Oakamoor.  There are some good broadside views in the various NSR books.  The loco in glorious NSR livery is now in the NRM I believe. For you it would be  just like making one of your lovely wagons but with a cab in the middle of the body.   As an alternative starting point - as it is a similar loco - Jim McGeown 's Connoisseur Models have a very similar Midland Railway loco that might be worth exploring.  His instructions for the MR loco, which are available to download,  show some very simple ways of motorising using 4mm scale gears and motor on the 1/8" wagon axles as well as a chain drive for both axles.  It might be worth considering?

Best wishes and keep up the great work.

Rich

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Back to work after being a grandad yesterday.  

I have made a locking bar but putting it on the van I think i have made it from a wire that is too thick

I will make another from thinner wire and compare.

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Mike,

 

It's worth remembering that in 7mm scale an inch is only (in round terms) 0.6mm or 22 thou. I've often looked at a piece of wire I'm abouit to use and thought, "That's too thin," only to find when measuring it that it is the correct size or even too thick.

 

Dave

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Mike,

So glad you have good news re your cancer.  News like that puts modelling matters into perspective.  The van is looking really crisp and neat. Looking forward to seeing the axleguards and lettering completed. The NS wagons book is full of beautiful drawings that deserve to be modelled. I think I have 'need' of a ballast train for my little layout - a good opportunity to try batch production techniques.  Thanks for the continuing inspiration.

Best wishes

Rich

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Rather than start a new build I'd thought I would do a little more work on some unfinished wagons that have been hanging around for some time. 

So I have added all the bolts on the last of the 4 loco coal wagons and given it a coat of paint. I need to finish the underframes on 2 of them and find some axleboxes and springs as well as ordering numberplates. I am finding it stressful not be able to go to exhibitions and buying parts I need. 

Some people find it easy to order stuff on line, but I am not one of them. 

 

At least the is a little movement on the house move front because we have engaged a company to replace some windows in our present house that needed attention before we put it on the market. 

Now the question is do we put ours on the market before we find a new house or do we try and find a new house and then sell ours ?

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You need to sell yours first before looking for another. 

 

I build and sell houses, I don't take an offer seriously until the purchaser is in a position to proceed with a sale. I've seen so many that want the house I've just built, but because they're not in a position to proceed I don't fully accept they're offer.

I tell them it will be acceptable but only when they can start the process. It's not nice but I could be hanging around waiting for months and occasionally people change their mind when they don't get the sort of money they want for theirs (too many overvalue)

 

Moving house is very expensive, and even though there is no stamp duty below £400k(?) you'll still fork out £15-20,000 in removals, fees and associated costs of new furniture, carpet and fittings.

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