S7 scratch building

[Western Star]

2 hours ago, airnimal said:

 I do have the photograph of this wagon in a Constructor some where in the loft but it would take forever to find it.

The photograph to which Mike refers was published in the Model Railway Constructor in 1986, Len Tavender based, probably, his drawing on that photo / MRC issue.  The same image can be found on the Staffordshire archive website, here .

 

If you access the link you can see how good is Mike's model when compared to the photo.

 

regards, Graham

Edited August 3, 2021 by Western Star

[Regularity]

Hmm. Is that a strengthening rib, either cast with the rest of the bracket, or maybe welded on, rather than a separate piece?

[rocor]

1 hour ago, Western Star said:

The photograph to which Mike refers was published in the Model Railway Constructor in 1986, Len Tavender based, probably, his drawing on that photo / MRC issue.  The same image can be found on the Staffordshire archive website, here .

 

If you access the link you can see how good is Mike's model when compared to the photo.

 

regards, Graham

 

Looking at the image, It occurred to me that if I had seen this on the thread "How realistic are your models? Photo challenge" I would not have been totally convinced. Even the man on the bridge looks like a figurine.

[Compound2632]

2 hours ago, airnimal said:

Compound 2632, it is a modellers drawing from a favourite book by Len Tavender. Both books are full of drawings and information for use early modellers of the pre-grouping era. The wagon here is in the book on the right.

 

I have the Coal Trade Wagons book (I think that's due to your influence, Mike) but not the Railway equimpent one - I'll have to keep an eye open for it.

 

1 hour ago, Western Star said:

The photograph to which Mike refers was published in the Model Railway Constructor in 1986, Len Tavender based, probably, his drawing on that photo / MRC issue.  The same image can be found on the Staffordshire archive website, here .

 

If you access the link you can see how good is Mike's model when compared to the photo.

 

Mike's craftsmanship is never in doubt! Just trying to understand the prototype.

 

Photo is credited to Basil Jeuda. I'm trying to think why that name seems familiar.

 

Edited August 3, 2021 by Compound2632

[laurenceb]

Author of a number of books about the North Staffordshire Railway

[airnimal]

Father Christmas came early today and delivered a 42' Tri-Comp LNWR coach for me. It is one of a pair that were offered to me from a very old friend last year. It would be rude of me not to accept his offer when they came up for sale. He is converting them for me to S7 standards with new bogies and wheels. So we had a railway model day before we went for lunch and a pint. And in a few days we are going on more jollies to North Wales for more of the same. 

 

I am always happy to have drawings of rolling stock especially pre-grouping  wagons. I have many of these magazines myself but they are up in the loft and may not be in good condition after many years in a cold damp space. All offers of help are gratefully accepted. 

[Compound2632]

What a beautiful carriage. I do like the 42 ft stock. That carriage caters for six categories of passenger:

1. First class canoodling, with lavatory.
2. First class prim & proper, with lavatory.
3. Second class, with lavatory.
4. Third class, with lavatory.
5. Third class, with crossed legs.
6. Luggage (vide Pratchett) and other non-sentient beings with strong bladders.

Edited August 3, 2021 by Compound2632
Attempt to make No. 6 more humorous.

[Crimson Rambler]

Looking at the photo via the link kindly provided by @Western Star, I think @Regularity is correct. In place of conventional V-hangers there is an iron casting with a vertical rib on the front that melds into a boss to receive the brake shaft. I predict there will be a repeat of this on its rear face thereby supporting a (probably) longer rearward boss to support the shaft as @Compound2632  commented.

If this is correct then that leaves the 'round thingy' - my thought is that we could be looking at a removable cap fitted to a tank emptying (or warming) pipe that passes through the solebar - but what are your thoughts?

 

It is though a most excellent model.

 

 

Crimson Rambler

[Simond]

I've looked several times at the image linked above, and I can't make my mind up. 

 

It does appear that the vertical feature is a rib which along with the pivot boss at the base, appears to be cast or forged with a triangular plate - which itself seems to be fitted on the front of the solebar as the solebar does not cast a shadow line on it - but what I cannot work out is where the edges of this plate might be - there is no shadow line from the plate on the solebar at either side, or above the plate.  And I can see no obvous fixings for such a plate, where you might expect some kind of bolt head or nut.

 

Is it possible that the round shape roughly half way up the solebar is some kind of through-bolt or tie-rod attaching this plate to the solebar, and possibly the other side of the wagon?

 

atb

Simon

[airnimal]

I am afraid gents that I simply don't know the answer. I am happy with what I have made but if we do ever find the answer I can always put another bracket behind the first one. 

 

Anyway I had a day out with my friend Philip up along the coast to North Wales to see another friend and his magnificent layout.  He meet us at the station because we went by train and he took us for lunch before we went to see his layout.  It's finescale and not S7 but we can forgive him for that. I took along a few wagons to pose them in a lovely setting for once rather than against a plain board. I had to balance them on the track with it being under gauge.  While we were there we did a couple of minor repairs for him on a couple of coaches. I also saw a couple of my wagons I built for him about  20 years ago.

Edited August 7, 2021 by airnimal

[Regularity]

Llanberis?

[airnimal]

Llanberis indeed. I have known John for over 30 years. It's still one of the best layouts I have ever seen. 

A fitting post for my 100th page. 

[Western Star]

In the first photo, that drystone wall is worthy of a dribble or two.

 

The trackwork looks exemplary, particularly the treatment of the rail joints.

[airnimal]

The tank filler I will have to scratch build because I don't know of any commercial offerings. But how to space the rivets holding the filler to the tank top. I am sure in the dim and distance I knew how to get the correct pitch with maths but those days have long gone from my memory.  

So I came up with a simple solution. I had a brass casting from an unknown source that was nearly the correct size. So I put a piece of 20 thou plasticard and the brass together and squeezed them together in the vice which left an impression of the bolt heads in the plastic. The diameter was to small so I drew a outer ring with a compass and redrilled them again but with another piece underneath.  

This has left the right diameter with the correct spacing of the holes. 

I just need to cut out the ring and fixed it to a offcut of tube before making a lid.

Edited August 5, 2021 by airnimal

[Derek Russan]

Drilling that many holed is a real bind. I certainly recommend higher quality drill for NS, the DRHM series on Eileens lists, this will geive better life than the DRCM series. Breakage is a pain. I would strongly recommend having a smaller protrusion from the Minidrill. Less protrusion, less risk of lateral force, just enough for the job. Drill out the solder with the cheaper economy drills.

[airnimal]

Derek, thank you for the information regarding drills. When I next get to a exhibition ( probably Reading trade show in December ) I will come and buy some.

 

 I have made the tank filler from plastic with a brass lid. The light for photographs is poor at the minute but I think you can see what it looks like.

[airnimal]

Before I do any more work on the tank wagon I have gone back to my LNWR cattle wagon. 

I used a grill given to me by the late Peter Korrison for bars on the bottom part of the bodywork.  

Peter was one of the pioneer people of etch brass for models. Peter gave me these grills many years ago and didn't specify what they were intended for and they could have been for something else and not a cattle wagon. It was myself that decided to use them for this cattle wagon because at the time I didn't have anyway of making them myself.  It was only when I made the NSR cattle wagon that I looked more closely and decided that the bars were too wide apart. That was the reason I made a jig to make my own bars that matched more closely the photographs. 

So I have decided that the bars on the LNWR would be changed for some new ones from my own jig. 

So I have made a couple of new one and trial fitted them before I paint them.

So a couple of photographs of the old and the new. Why I didn't notice that the old ones were to wide apart in the first place ?

[Western Star]

Mike,

 

If it helps you, we can alter the drawing and re-run the etch cattle bars....  consistent result, no hassle, time for a cuppa....

 

regards, Graham

[airnimal]

Graham,  very decent of you to offer but would you have to have the whole sheet done again just to do the bars ? 

 

A small amount of progress on the tank wagon with the start adding some bolts along the solebars. 

I tried using .8mm bolts but they looked to small compared with the photograph.  So I have settled on 1 mm instead which look more like the prototype photograph.  

I also made a better attempt at the handle on on the tank lid. This isn't very clear with the angle the photograph is taken from so a bit of modellers license has been used. I am sure I have seen another photograph of this wagon from another angle but I can't remember if fantasy or not.

[airnimal]

I had to move a couple of the bolts on the solebars because I put them in wrong place.  

I haven't put the bolts on the side timbers that locate the tank yet until I'm ready for painting because I don't want to damage them as they are quite soft being resin not plastic.  The handrails have yet to go on before I start the BIG job on applying the rivets ! 

[airnimal]

Decisions ,Decisions , Decisions. 

Which rivets do I use ? Flat spherical or spherical ?

Will the spherical domed ones be to much or will the flat variety be better and not over fussy. 

I suppose I should make up a couple of test pieces and paint them before committing to the full application. 

[Mol_PMB]

Spherical.

They are far easier to form that way, the flatter they get the more difficult it is to form the head. With a tank like this there's no reason to go for anything other than spherical.

Come to Boston Lodge and help us rivet together some old wagons!

Mol

[airnimal]

Mol, I have gone with your suggestion about the rivets. I could of course messed about with test bits but that would have only slowed me down. 

I did the first row and then flooded the back with superglue which was a big mistake because the glue came out of the holes around the rivets. So I have gone back to dipping the tip in the superglue before pushing them home. Once they were dry I then ran a drill through the corresponding hole on the other corner and did the same again. This is going to be a long job.

If anyone ask me once it is finished and painted if this is a Slaters kit I might not be responsible for my actions !

[Mol_PMB]

I know the feeling! I have a couple of Slaters kits in stock which for me have the opposite problem - they are too old and small! I have a plan, will get there eventually. 

Thanks for putting me on to Masterclub and Ambis which are useful for my models too. 

[airnimal]

I have got as far as this when dec.................stopped play. I have my boiler suit on and painting the bathroom ceiling  with the boss keeping a very close eye on me. It worst than having a foreman or Sargent  Major watching over you.