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Great Southern Railway (Fictitious) - Signalling the changes...


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On 27/01/2018 at 10:02, Killian keane said:

Sounds very interesting, I recommend you read the fictitious history of the South British Railway by mr R.R.J. Plummer as published in the Autumn and Winter 1968 editions of trains illustrated

Interesting, has this article been reproduced somewhere online, or does it require searching around for a copy?

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On 18/10/2019 at 00:34, GWRSwindon said:

Interesting, has this article been reproduced somewhere online, or does it require searching around for a copy?

I'm not aware of it being published elsewhere, but the magazines do show up for as little as £1.50 buy it now on eBay. No comment on international postage, though. I might have to have a look at getting hold of copies myself.

Today was the first day of the Uckfield show. An excellent show, as per last year. With it being very busy today, I didn't get a chance to get many photos of the layouts, as it was very busy, and amongst my stewarding duties, I spent an hour co-operating Aerodrome Park with Gary (@BlueLightning). However, I did manage to get around some of the stalls, and have walked away with a nice little haul:

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A copy of Southern Style, Part One:  London & South Western Railway, a copy of Private Owner Wagons by Peter Matthews, which has lots of useful drawings as well as notes about private owner operations, a Chatham Kits LCDR 3-plank drop-side open, a Prickly Pear SER 4-plank open and a SE Finecast Billinton brake van. These should keep me busy for a while!

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44 minutes ago, Skinnylinny said:

I a Prickly Pear SER 4-plank open and a SE Finecast Billinton brake van. 

 

Oh dear, I fear I will be following in your footsteps. Do you know if the SEF brake van can easily be adapted to the 4-wheeled version? As far as I can see, the 6 and 4-wheeled vans are virtually identical above the water line, though the 6-wheeler is shown as 2" taller. I missed out on the Prickley Pear SER wagon at Scaleforum as I was out of cash...

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5 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Do you know if the SEF brake van can easily be adapted to the 4-wheeled version?

 

Answering for @Skinnylinny as they are currently sat at my workbench building the brake van! The instructions say it can be "converted to a diagram 1568 4 wheel brake by removing the centre axle boxes"

 

and Paul of Prickley Pear was only around as a visitor, although he had a few kits with him allowing Linny to grab one.

 

Gary

 

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13 minutes ago, BlueLightning said:

 

The instructions say it can be "converted to a diagram 1568 4 wheel brake by removing the centre axle boxes"

 

 

Hum... the diagram shows 9'9" wheelbase as against 5'0"+5'0"... I'll look forward for a report on the build!

 

Am I seeing the axleguards/boxes/springs cast as one piece with the solebar?

 

13 minutes ago, BlueLightning said:

and Paul of Prickley Pear was only around as a visitor, although he had a few kits with him allowing Linny to grab one.

 

 

My wallet escapes again...

Edited by Compound2632
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Well, that went surprisingly well - Gary showed me the basics of whitemetal soldering, and a thoroughly pleasant couple of hours later, I was the proud owner of a substanially-complete (it needs couplings, handrails, painting, glazing and the roof adding, plus brake handles for the verandas as the ones in the kit were a bit tall) Billinton brake van. 

So pleased am I with this kit that I'm going to go back to them tomorrow and buy a bullion van and possibly a set of single bolster wagons from them too!

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Great to meet you today, Linny, though a blow that SEF had sold out of the Billinton brake van! I consoled myself with a Parry dumb-buffer from the opposite corner of the hall. Can't go to an exhibition and not come way with a wagon kit!

 

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It was excellent to meet you, too, @Compound2632, as well as @TurboSnail and others. I ended up walking away with a fair few kits:

The SEF Billinton brake van, plus a bullion van and a pair of single bolster wagons from them too, a Chatham Kits LCDR 3-planker, a Prickley Pear SER open (as an exchange with another Uckfield club member for two of my 3D-printed wagons. Plus, another few trades have ended up with me having a few resin LSWR van kits, an LSWR cattle van, and a D&S SECR brake van to add to the collection.

Modelling time at home is a little limited right now, although I'm waiting to hear back about another flat (still looking to move fairly soon), which I'm hopeful about - this one has space for Linton as planned, plenty of storage, a dishwasher (hurrah!) and is less than a five minute walk from the office, so... I'm trying not to be too hopeful, but still...

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So, good news first: I got the flat! Move-in date is still uncertain, but should know by Tuesday. There's space for Linton as planned (although I may end up mirroring the track plan, we'll have to see), which is good, because when I came back to Scotland from the Uckfield show by train to London and overnight coach, I was bringing something with me that I haven't mentioned yet: 

 

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Three of Linton's baseboards (the scenic ones, for now, while I work out how to arrange the fiddle yard), which Gary ( @BlueLightning ) very kindly provided. I must admit, the coach driver gave me some funny looks as he loaded them into the luggage compartment, and there are a couple of scuffs to the edges as a result of the journey, but nothing which won't be hidden away at the back, under scenery. 

It feels kind of weird knowing that I already have the track, and in a week or two I should have somewhere to place the buildings I've build so far... Linton begins?

Edited by Skinnylinny
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Minor update: Move-in date will, in fact, be tomorrow! Given I've not started packing things yet, I'm expecting to take about a month to move during evenings after work. However, the boards, being temporarily located nearby, might actually be one of the first things to move in. Exciting times for the Great Southern Railway.

Edited by Skinnylinny
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MInor update: Most of the rolling stock has been moved over to the new flat, along with various other bits and pieces. No modelling progress to report, but the new flat features, built-in, what is definitely a workbench. Not quite in frame is the set of four kitchen-style cupboards on the wall above the shelves. Plenty of storage for the kit stash!

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As can be seen, Linton Station Road is slowly coming along, although I'm not convinced by the station building, and I'll probably build another one... I'm actually quite tempted by one of the old Hornby semi-detached house kits, although I get the feeling I should probably have a small group of similar houses, to represent a few that were built at the same time by the same builder. Would this be likely?
 

I've been discovering just how much rolling stock I've already accumulated for this project (I dare say photos will appear once I've moved in), and, of course, being mainly kitbuilt/bashed, most of it is unboxed, so... lots and lots of delicate wrapping. Also discoveries of long-forgotten projects, including this little 009 Lister Auto Truck, on a Kato Portram motor bogie. A whitemetal body kit, it actually pulls surprisingly well, and runs beautifully smoothly and slowly. It still, strictly speaking, needs the handbrake handle needs replacing with a wheel, rather than the plastic handbrake off a Hornby tender drive tender!

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Edited by Skinnylinny
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Ooops...

I may have spent a bit of money that I found in a forgotten-about bank account (which, it must be said, was a very nice surprise!). The postman brought me a nice brown cardboard box to the office this morning.

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The usual Gibson wheels have been swapped out for Scale Link (self-quartering, Romford-style) ones, and it should do very nicely as a first build to try out the new workbench. 

I also received messages from two different people, informing me that there was a set of three decently-built PC Models LSWR 48' carriages on eBay, for £40 Buy-It-Now. These have also mysteriously found their way through my PayPal account. They'll need a few finishing touches (one rainstrip is partially missing, and I will probably retro-fit gas lighting), but they'll certainly fill another gap in the carriage roster until I get around to making my own. 

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...as I say. Whoops! My poor wallet...

 

Edited by Skinnylinny
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In this particular case, yes. Not so much if it's accruing interest on an overdraft! 

Ever have that feeling you might have bitten off more than you can chew?

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I know the old adage of "you're only ever sticking two bits together at once" but... The castings are generally lovely and crisp, but I do have to wonder if this was necessarily the best feed point for the dome, especially given that the feed for the chimney was up the threaded rod at the bottom. I've already tried putting it in the smallest lathe we have at the Hacklab, but have had no joy, as the chuck doesn't grip very well at so small a size. Incidentally, there's no nut provided, so I'm not sure why the rod is threaded!

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20191115_205949.jpg.b43e1237f530eaf6ad92c7bc8c768b71.jpg

Dome trued up and cast screw machined off. Base drilled, counter-bored and tapped. Mandrel made up and casting feed machined off.  Just needs final cleaning up!

And your wheels are done as well :-)

Edited by JeremyC
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10 minutes ago, Regularity said:

Probably used whilst making the pattern.

That would make sense, I suppose. Explains why the chimney also has a threaded rod.

 

12 hours ago, JeremyC said:

20191115_205949.jpg.b43e1237f530eaf6ad92c7bc8c768b71.jpg

Dome trued up and cast screw machined off. Base drilled, counter-bored and tapped. Mandrel made up and casting feed machined off.  Just needs final cleaning up!

And your wheels are done as well :-)

That looks brilliant, thanks Jeremy! If anyone's in any doubt about the practical advantages of joining a club (beyond the like-minded company), skill-sharing is definitely one of the advantages. A propos of which, if you fire me those files you were wanting lasered, I'll try to get them cut ready for the next club meeting - I should have time on Monday evening to do a few quick cuts!

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  • 2 weeks later...

So a little more work has been done on the Adams Radial, which is now looking very smart (on one side!), needing only the footsteps lined out. I must admit to a fair amount of cursing while trying to align all five bits of lining transfer on each of the toolboxes, but I'm pleased enough with the result. Just needs an identity now!
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I've also spotted something of interest on eBay - a Triang clerestory which has been rather nicely modified into a twin-coupe.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MUCH-MODIFIED-TRIANG-CLERESTORY-COMPOSITE-COACH/352865993649

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This set the gears in my brain turning... I like the idea of a GSR family saloon which could visit other layouts. 

Ten minutes in Microsoft Paint on a work lunch hour has produced a possibility with fairly minimal carving about of this nicely-modelled carriage. I'd be interested to hear peoples' thoughts. Even if I don't win the auction (which seems likely, as it's a nice model of an unusual type of carriage, even if freelance) there's probably enough of an idea there for me to set about one of the Triang Clerestory Firsts in my stock box...

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Of course, it would end up in GSR blue/white, possibly fitted with NEM pockets to allow the use of tension locks/Kadees, and also fitted with at least drawhooks to allow use on layouts with scale couplings.

Edited by Skinnylinny
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It does look rather Highland-y, doesn't it? 

 

I couldn't figure out how to have a saloon with seats facing the end-view, so I plonked the servants there to allow a half-compartment at the other end for the parents to escape to! I could easily swap those around though, give the parents the nice view and have the servants in the middle, although I'd imagine the end view would be very popular with young boys at the time!

Edited by Skinnylinny
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Spotters' compartment? When I was very young, I used to be taken from Shrewsbury to Birmingham to see my Gran - first generation DMU, with view through the driver's compartment. I can remember vividly one place where there was a change of gradient under a bridge and it really did look as if the line vanished! Also, I'm told I called Cosford "Moblems" - the windsock was a landmark.

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