The Calder Vale Mineral Railway

[Ruston]

L&Y Diagram 16 2-plank fruit wagon. I don't know why the L&Y called all of their half-box wagons fruit wagons as they were general merchandise wagons and the L&Y's operating area isn't exactly known for pomology. Alternatively it may yet become a fish wagon, which at this stage in construction is the same.

[Ruston]

[SteelAndSoot]

On 29/08/2019 at 04:34, Ruston said:

Thanks.

 

It's difficult to recommend one particular kit, especially without knowing your level of skill. Can you use a soldering iron for anything other than electrical work?

I can use it moderately well. I can attach things together in their correct positions but it will be a bit messy and I will then need to spend quite a while cleaning the massive clumps. but I have a friend who has extensive experience in using them for kits.

 

Will

[SteelAndSoot]

the best way I can put it is what kit did you find the easiest or required the least amount of work

 

Will

[mike morley]

The DJH Barclay tank is sold specifically as a beginners kit.

 

Avoid the Mercian Barclay kit like the plague!  I'm three-quarters of the way through building one and it has fought me every inch of the way.  To describe it as a scratch-aid would be extravagantly generous!

[Ruston]

1 hour ago, mike morley said:

The DJH Barclay tank is sold specifically as a beginners kit.

 

Avoid the Mercian Barclay kit like the plague!  I'm three-quarters of the way through building one and it has fought me every inch of the way.  To describe it as a scratch-aid would be extravagantly generous!

 

5 hours ago, SteelAndSoot said:

I can use it moderately well. I can attach things together in their correct positions but it will be a bit messy and I will then need to spend quite a while cleaning the massive clumps. but I have a friend who has extensive experience in using them for kits.

 

Will

The DJH kit is all very well but there's almost no soldering required and at something like £60 over the price of a RTR Barclay, from Hattons, it's going to be an expensive lesson that won't teach you much. The truth is that if you want to model industrial engines, you're going to have to learn to solder. Start with a wagon kit or two and when you can solder well enough then move to a locomotive. Something from judith Edge would be a good first locomotive as they go together very well with a minimum of fuss.

 

Agreed about the Mercian Barclay though!

 

 

[SteelAndSoot]

thanks.

 

I was going to do about three or four wagon kits and some cars before I start on a locomotive.

 

Will

[Regularity]

7 hours ago, SteelAndSoot said:

I can attach things together in their correct positions but it will be a bit messy and I will then need to spend quite a while cleaning the massive clumps

Well, that's a start. Many good modellers I know frequently comment on how practised they are at removing the excess!

If you have massive lumps, it suggests to me that you are not putting enough heat into the joint. A more powerful iron will enable more rapid transfer of heat to the metals, and the solder will flow more easily. Also, consider using a phosphoric acid flux if you aren't already.

 

There are any number of opinions about soldering, some preferring to use a multitude of different solders, etc, but ultimately soldering only works well if you satisfy two core conditions:

1) Enough heat. Some years ago I purchased a 50W temperature controlled iron (and Antew model, with analog control: the quality of my soldering improved immeasurably;

2) Cleanliness. All surfaces (including the iron tip) need to be clean. For the tip, I use a little tub of bit cleaner/tinner and a damp sponge on the soldering iron stand. For everything else, I use Scotchbrite pads (purple is best) and 9% phosphoric acid flux. If you tin the surfaces first with a small amount of solder, you frequently need only to apply flux to the joint to effect a good bond. 

 

Personally I now use 60/40 tin/lead solder for almost everything, plus some 70 degree lowmelt for whitemetal, but a friend uses the 60/40 for everything, including whitemetal - a blob of solder is carried to the joint, but the iron doesn't touch the metal. He is braver than me, and also a better modeller than virtually everyone. (Not everyone I know, just everyone!) If I were to make some crank axles, I suppose I might look at silver soldering (or talk someone into letting me use their kit) but I have been very happy with such a simple setup. I suppose there are lead-free alternatives, but I have two 500g rolls of the stuff to use up first!

[5050]

I tend to use 145 degree solder for virtually everything with my temp controlled iron set quite high and Powerflo flux for most jobs.  A damp sponge, a brass 'scouring pad' cleaner and a small tin of the bit cleaner has virtually eliminated my old scourge of a dirty oxidising tip.  And nowadays I NEVER take a file to it!

[jdb82]

On ‎28‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 04:47, SteelAndSoot said:

A couple things.

 

First of all this is a brilliant layout and I can't wait to see what else comes next.

 

And secondly is there a kit of an industrial engine that you would recommend to a starter.

 

Will

 

Albeit in 7mm scale rather than 4mm, I started off with a Hudswell Clarke Canal Tank (short tank) 0-6-0 from the old Agenoria range, which is now available again through Ragstone models. I had no prior experience of building any brass model (including any rolling stock) and while I'd never claim it to be perfect in either outcome or process, it went together into a really nice model. Well fitting parts, good instructions and reasonable castings. I'm currently building (or at least it will resume after an enforced break!) another Agenoria loco - a Manning Wardle L Class, which is going together equally well. More details on the build of the Canal Tank are on my workbench thread at
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/126038-manning-wardle-l-class-0-6-0-agenoria-kit/, and the Manning Wardle at https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/126038-manning-wardle-l-class-0-6-0-agenoria-kit/&do=findComment&comment=3131459

John

[Michael Edge]

If you get a Judith Edge kit you won't need to worry about lumpy solder all over it - all the kits are designed to be largely soldered from the inside - if you follow the instructions of course....

[Ruston]

Everyone seems to have their own ways and preferences when it comes to soldering and what I never understand is how some people seem to get the stuff all over the outside of the model and then have to spend a lot of time and effort in cleaning it off. I solder as much as possible from the inside and use epoxy adhesive for things such as chimneys, domes etc. I use 145 degree solder and the watery flux from Duncan Models, or Carrs. I'm still using the original tip on the soldering iron that came with it, almost 3 years ago and have never cleaned it. For heavy-duty jobs I also have a Resistance Soldering Unit but, apart from my scratchbuilt frames that use very thick brass, I don't usually need it for 4mm stuff.

 

Changing the subject...

I bought one of Hornby's latest offerings, the Peckett B2. The first one had to go back as it barely ran but, thankfully, this one is OK. I'm quite disappointed at the oversize flanges, which at 1mm deep are .25mm deeper than their previous W4 model. O.25mm isn't much but it's enough to mean that this engine won't run at all on the colliery branch of the CVMR and I've had to go round scratching away ballast on several areas of the rest of the layout to prevent it lifting up and losing pickup. It seems like a backward step for RTR on what is otherwise a very nice model and as an industrial engine, where the prototype would have run on rough track it's not exactly a plus point. It weighs 177g, which isn't bad and will handle anything on the CVMR but is only 11g heavier than my tiny 0-4-0T Bagnall.

 

I'll be fitting 3-links and removing the name and cement company logo, followed by weathering and, in due course, the fitting of new name plates and etched brass works plates. Probably some green paint on the cylinders, too.

 

[Ruston]

I have taken the printed name plates off using T-cut and have given the rest of the paintwork a going over to give it a shine (I really don't like that matt finish that RTR models have) before using weathering powders in various places. I painted the steps, cylinders and valances and repainted the dome, which looked more like bronze than brass. The plastic coal load was removed and replaced with real coal. I replaced the couplings with 3-links but could only replace the rear drawhook with one of my own manufacture as the front one refused to come out. Fortunately the plastic hook is springy, with a slot in the top and the 3-link coupling could be forced in. I also added small touches of brass-coloured paint to the drain cocks and the oilers on the top slide bars.

 

I think that light weathering, and the polishing of the paintwork, really improves the appearance.

 

The Peckett B2 as new in 1905 and before she was named.

[Ruston]

I have made removable loads of clay for the contractors-type wagons. These take clay from the colliery to the brickworks, both of which are owned by the Calder Vale Coal & Clay Co. The loads are made of painted DAS clay.

 

This wagon is a cheap second hand Hornby 5-plank wagon, masquerading as an L&Y Pitch wagon. I repainted it and added some Woodhead transfers that I have been given. The wagon sheet is home-made and printed on my computer's inkjet printer.

[NHY 581]

Evening David. 

 

Could I ask what paint did you use for the cylinders on the B2? 

 

Rob

[Ruston]

6 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Evening David. 

 

Could I ask what paint did you use for the cylinders on the B2? 

 

Rob

Hi Rob. It's Tamiya Deep Green. It's not an exact match but was the best I had. I think a Brunswick Green may be better but although I'm sure I have some Railmatch enamel somewhere, I can't find it.

[Shed82CB]

Hi Ruston,
Out of interest, how big is Hercules compared to the B2?

[Ruston]

5 hours ago, Shed82CB said:

Hi Ruston,
Out of interest, how big is Hercules compared to the B2?

[Ruston]

On 11/10/2018 at 18:05, Ruston said:

Work on this layout is suspended whilst I get White Peak Limestone & Tarmacadam ready for the Wakefield Exhibtion. But I did collect something, today, for the future on the CVMR. Many thanks to 5050 Paul for getting this for me.

 

That's going to be quite a challenge to build.

I made a start, at last!

[5050]

You're my hero!!

[SteelAndSoot]

I can't wait to see how this turns out

[Barry O]

Dave

 

if you get stuck talk to Mike Edge..he built one of those many years ago.

 

Surely the L&Y fruit wagons are for the transportation of Rhubarb from the Triangle??

 

Baz

[Ruston]

As this is the Industrial section, and this definitey isn't industrial, I will post the railmotor build here

 

[Ruston]

16 hours ago, 5050 said:

You're my hero!!

Oh dear.

[Michael Edge]

You will have some fun with the motion, if I remember correctly some of the holes are nearly as big as the ends of the rods (if not slightly bigger) and the geometry was very suspect. However most of the loco goes together quite well. This is a fairly early Jidenco kit from the Graham Beaumont era.

 

 

This is what the last survivor looks like in LMS livery, it did actually become BR property but didn't get renumbered.

 

 

From the other end, they were later modified with gangway connectors to tow trailers but you wouldn't need this on the Calder Vale.