Simond Posted March 31, 2019 Author Share Posted March 31, 2019 Bit more progress. The bogie clashed with the front brakes, but a bit of modification (heat up, bent levers) and reinstalled with adequate clearance. The pony truck is now very heavy, and its propensity to derail seems to have diminished... we shall see if that is good enough. I might have to reduce it a bit due to it just touching the speaker support. I’ve also started to add some ashpan detail to the bottom of the firebox, to fill the rather obvious gap, and to further hide the loudspeaker. I’m grateful to Paul for his recent post on WT of photos of City of Birmingham, they’ve been most helpful. I drilled out the tender brake hangers whilst I was doing the chassis mods. I need to make or source a water scoop. Haven't started to do sandpipes yet... best Simon 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted March 31, 2019 Author Share Posted March 31, 2019 Mission accomplished - at least for today... 8 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 Looking good. It's a real pain having to retro fit brakes. I've done it twice don't want to do it again. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 Hi Simon. Your Duchess looks great and I am green with envy. Rod 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 Rod, thank you for the kind comment! The tender brakes are currently in progress, after which, a little more detail in the cab, and a crew, and we’ll call it quits. I’m going to fit a multi-pin connector, so that I can fit R/C gear, and thus disconnect the decoder & pick-ups. I’m interested in BPRC, and as she definitely doesn’t belong in a 1930-era GW locoshed, she’s the perfect test bed. More soon cheers Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatonLodge40 Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Really enjoyed this thread lovely work Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 6, 2019 Author Share Posted April 6, 2019 Thank you Simon, much appreciated. I remain in awe of your work, so your comment means a lot to me. cheers Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CME and Bottlewasher Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Great works as always Simon. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 Tender brakes and scoop fitted. Needs a crew, some seats, a reverser, some other bits in the cab, glazing on the side windows and cinder guards. I think I’ve got one of the injectors wrong & need to revisit that, along with some hoses to the tender. and she still needs sandpipes... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 (edited) Edited April 10, 2019 by Simond 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted May 1, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 1, 2019 7 minutes ago, Simond said: Is this a home made version of Hornby’s ambient sound wagon? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 Hi Ian, no, I don't know what happened, but I wrote a description last night, and posted it, and when I came to add the photo this morning, it had disappeared. Perhaps I didn't hit the "post" button. Anyway, it is a couple of 18650 Lithium cells, arranged 2s style, under the piece of MDF, and the voltage booster (bare PCB) and the Tam Valley receiver, (wrapped pcb), on top, plugged into the loco decoder by means of a rather unattractive umbilical. I was persuaded that perhaps my earlier measurements did not take into account that the cells I had purchased were actually rubbish and that the fault lay there rather than in the booster or receiver. I wasn't convinced that this was the problem, but I was convinced measure the output of the cells I had. They are rubbish - not sure if that's the bottom line, but we shall see. We did a relatively high current draw using a 24V halogen bulb as a load, and looked at the voltage drop, which was much more than expected. So I purchased two "brand name" 18650s and fit them - weather permitting, we can run tomorrow at John's so we will see whether my experiments were less clear than I had at first concluded. It would be nice to be wrong, because that would then mean that the loco could be set up properly as a BPRC, with synch'ed sound. More soon best Simon 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 Forgot to mention, I have now received the Modelu driver and fireman (thanks Alan) and have knocked up a reverser and some other missing cab fittings from brass and plasticard. Will get these painted and installed over the next week or so. Pix to follow best Simon 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 Weather was not permitting. It was grey, cold & wet, so we went to the pub. The beer was brown, cold and wet, and somehow much more pleasant. more soon simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted May 3, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 3, 2019 5 hours ago, Simond said: The beer was brown, cold and wet, and somehow much more pleasant. Isn’t it supposed to be warm? I’ll open a Pride and report back! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Ah brown beer, can't wait for a pint. Only get yellow beer here, as much as I try each brand tastes the same as the others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 Actually, it was quite pale brown, Range Ales’ “Double Tap”, at the Prince of Wales, in Palmarsh, outside Hythe in Kent. Most of the lads drink the mild, but I prefer a good bitter if there’s one going. And it was good. Pete, I know where you’re coming from, we’re in France tonight, where all the beer is the same... not (though it used to be). There’s a very nice early-doors bar about 500m from where we stay, that has over 400 locally brewed bottled beers, and 10 or 11 on tap, ranging from blanche to black, maybe one third of them are organic, and no, I haven’t tried them all. Yet. Anyone in the Hythe locality is welcome to drop me a pm, we’d love to meet fellow modellers. not much modelling this weekend simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdb82 Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 Oh to have beer on hand......Any colour beer would be nice! Living in a dry country, the only way I get beer is by driving an hour and filling my passport with yet more stamps to cross the border It does mean that more of the parts I solder together are actually straight though ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 Crew added to ‘er ladyships cab... And they've got seats, well, there’s posh. (they also serve, who stand/sit and wait) Coal, sandpipes & speedo drive to add, then I think that’s about it. I’ve taken the radio gear out too, so she’s plain DCC with sound now. She doesn’t belong on Porth Dinllaen, and she’s too big for my mate’s garden line, so I think I’m probably going to sell her. atb Simon 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted August 22, 2020 Author Share Posted August 22, 2020 (edited) And this story ends, she was delivered to her new owner yesterday, and I was delighted to watch her lapping his lovely layout several times at speed. I guess, more importantly, he seemed pretty happy too! atb Simon Edited August 22, 2020 by Simond 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeT Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Hello Simon, l have been offered a duchess really cheap, but battered to death, on reading your thread through l am very tempted to buy it, and have a go at resurrecting her back to life, thanks for the encouragement, regards... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 George, if I’ve provided a bit of inspiration, I’m honoured! if your battered cheap Duchess came from a reputable kit supplier, and has the “big bits” in decent order, go for it, but if not, beware, you could spend a lot of time, money and effort polishing a .... if you decide to go ahead, and I can provide any more info, please don’t hesitate to drop me a pm or whatever. atb Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeT Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 40 minutes ago, Simond said: George, if I’ve provided a bit of inspiration, I’m honoured! if your battered cheap Duchess came from a reputable kit supplier, and has the “big bits” in decent order, go for it, but if not, beware, you could spend a lot of time, money and effort polishing a .... if you decide to go ahead, and I can provide any more info, please don’t hesitate to drop me a pm or whatever. atb Simon Much obliged Simon, and thank you.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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