Michael Edge's workbench

[Michael Edge]

Not yours Baz, just ones done with paint by others.

[Barry O]

12 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

Not yours Baz, just ones done with paint by others.

Is it worthwhile bringing one back to see if it can be "adjusted"?

 

Baz

[Michael Edge]

Might have been but we’re just waiting in the ferry queue at Ouistreham…..

[Michael Edge]

Back home now in cold, grey Barnsley - we could have done with at least another week in Périgord but I had to be back for the Leeds exhibition.

A few more photos from the last few weeks.

The last few signals were for Forks Junction, this was originally intended to be off scene and is nothing like the actual geography but we thought it would be better to have the trains on view. We already had a model of Currock Junction signal box (from Peter Leyland) which was far too good to waste so I moved it to this location.

Another view looking from where the 2-6-4T was in the first photo, the signals are linked to the junction points, in this case they are off for the B16/3 approaching with a train of tankers. If the junction was set the other way towards Citadel station the other arm would be off. The two home signals operate in the same way if the switch is operated - distants are fixed.

 

Looking down to Bog Junction from the M&C line, the increasing greenery makes more camera angles possible.

A somewhat gloomy shot of the south end of Citadel - the two light units over the station have failed in our long absence making photography a bit difficult here.

This is the view along the Caldew up towards Nelson bridge, goods line and the cardboard box factory in the background.

Finally, we have Bishop Eric taking a photo at the north end of Citadel - again it's a bit gloomy here at the moment.

This week I've got to take down part of Wentworth Junction, pack up the fiddle yard and sort the stock out for Herculaneum Dock next weekend - might even find time to do a bit of work as well...

 

 

[Steve Hewitt]

Thanks Mike for the photos.

Its nice to see the signals in and working.

Are there any plans for some video?

I'd love to see a driver's eye view of the many routes available on this fabulous layout.

 

Steve.

[Michael Edge]

You wouldn't like to see what I have to do to some of the operating mechanisms to get them in place......

This layout isn't exactly the unobstructed flat baseboard that the signal mechanisms are designed for and in many places I'm struggling with a 6in deep sub framework as well.

David is talking about doing some video in the next few weeks, I tried a couple of short clips the week before last but not all that successfully. I was there on my own and it really needs a camera operator and someone to drive the trains as well - the light isn't very good either. A driver's eye view would be good if we can get a camera fitted to some rolling stock.

[Steve Hewitt]

Mike,

This is from a post on the Lime Street topic in 2019.

 

During the day we managed to find time to play with a miniature WIFI Video camera which we mounted on a flat truck propelled by the Station Pilot.

I've put together this video, of three short clips. 

https://youtu.be/XVXTxqeYplk
Clip 1 is a conventional "drivers view"
Clip 2 is an angled view as a passenger might experience
Clip 3 sees the train held at the signal gantry until it gets the road to Platform 6. This view provides some unique views of the station roof and the surrounding buildings.

 

The camera was like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A02854581ERBSEYD8N4N9&qualifier=1634646291&id=8697971528262898&widgetName=sp_detail&url=%2Fdp%2FB09B3WD86L%2Fref%3Dsspa_dk_detail_1%3Fpsc%3D1%26pd_rd_i%3DB09B3WD86L%26pd_rd_w%3DNlem0%26pf_rd_p%3D828203ef-618e-4303-a028-460d6b615038%26pd_rd_wg%3DdKyqX%26pf_rd_r%3DWEGP98BY8VRAWVWG9AYR%26pd_rd_r%3De2beb580-87fa-4ccc-a0bf-c1527673562e

 

Not exactly this model, but things move on over the years........

 

Good luck.

 

Steve.

[Gravy Train]

Hi Mike,

Wow, lovely to see these views of the Layout, nice to see Eric Treacey with camera, it is the work of Karen Rush.

I had forgot about Curruck Box, I remember building this now, unusual roof tile/slate pattern.

Thanks for sharing the photos.

[Michael Edge]

Currock Junction was always (and still is) well off scene but it would have been a shame not to put your model on view. 

[Gravy Train]

Thanks Mike, that’s very kind, I wonder why he commissioned Curruck box, he must have thought that part of the scene would be in view somehow? 

[Michael Edge]

I think he just liked the look of it, he certainly didn't know where to put it on the layout. Looking again at the diagrams the box is at the operational equivalent of Currock Junction on the layout - it's Forks junction which doesn't exist on our model because the building wasn't wide enough to get the curve from Bog Junction in.

[richard i]

36 minutes ago, Michael Edge said:

it's Forks junction which doesn't exist on our model because the building wasn't wide enough to get the curve from Bog Junction in.

We all have to make compromises.

richard 

[Ian Rathbone]

I’ve just finished painting the GWR 1361 saddle tank that Mike built.

 

 

Nice little engine that goes well.

 

Ian R

[Michael Edge]

Looks very nice now Ian, I'm just building the second one of these now.

[Michael Edge]

It's been a while since I put a test track photo on here so there has been some movement.

The Barry 0-8-2T hasn't changed but the second 1361 is well underway. I started on a 7mm EE1 this week as well, we've sold a few of these but this is the first time I've built one and I'm taking the opportunity to do all the pattern making for it - so in future this will be a kit, not just "etches only". Two finished Sentinel steam locos now, production etches on order. The Compound is in for some weight adding to it, it couldn't pull a train on Chapel en le Frith last weekend - the experimental tender is now going on a production etch so there will be a small supply of these. I wasn't going to but the loco was on Herculaneum at the Leeds show and I got quite a few enquiries about it. NZ Eb genset loco is nearly finished but still waiting for some pattern making and the shunter's steps/cowcatchers.

[Sandhole]

Great to see the Dormans Sentinels are getting closer to being a kit.
Looking forward to getting two of those, Mike.
Regards,
Chris.

[New Haven Neil]

OOohhhh 13 in 7mm  - temptation get thee behind me.

[Barry O]

59 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

OOohhhh 13 in 7mm  - temptation get thee behind me.

go on, go on!  you know you want one.. in fully lined out NER green.. or BR steam loco lined blue.. or.....

 

Baz

[Michael Edge]

This one is going to be in fully lined out NER green, whether it ever actually carried this livery is open to considerable doubt but a painting diagram exists. The only photos which exist show it painted for the Stockton & Darlington centenary in 1925 and it was never repainted after that, just renumbered twice. There are photos of No13 working test trains but these are in works grey finish, not proper paint.

It will be powered quite prototypically with three n20 motor/gearboxes, one on each axle, I'm experimenting with different gear ratios at the moment, the ones I have are a bit slow and I've ordered some more.

2 hours ago, Sandhole said:

Great to see the Dormans Sentinels are getting closer to being a kit.
Looking forward to getting two of those, Mike.
Regards,
Chris.

All being well we should have this early next year, just the instructions to write now.

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

OOohhhh 13 in 7mm  - temptation get thee behind me.

We don't have any in stock now but there will be some in our next order.....

[Barry O]

2 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

It's been a while since I put a test track photo on here so there has been some movement.

The Barry 0-8-2T hasn't changed but the second 1361 is well underway. I started on a 7mm EE1 this week as well, we've sold a few of these but this is the first time I've built one and I'm taking the opportunity to do all the pattern making for it - so in future this will be a kit, not just "etches only". Two finished Sentinel steam locos now, production etches on order. The Compound is in for some weight adding to it, it couldn't pull a train on Chapel en le Frith last weekend - the experimental tender is now going on a production etch so there will be a small supply of these. I wasn't going to but the loco was on Herculaneum at the Leeds show and I got quite a few enquiries about it. NZ Eb genset loco is nearly finished but still waiting for some pattern making and the shunter's steps/cowcatchers.

that compound is far too clean!!

 

 

Baz

[Michael Edge]

Still ex works......

You'll get your dirty hands on it sometime.

[Michael Edge]

That's the most difficult part of the EE1 done, the roof formed and soldered on with the body remaining square. It looks curiously low and flat without the pantographs but it's still a very big loco.

Beading round the doors still to be done in this photo, next job will be the wheels. This job might stop here for a while after that while I wait for some more n20 motors - there's one in it at the moment and I have another two the same but they are fitted in another loco.

I've been puzzling over the interior this week, there don't seem to be any photographs and the only equipment drawing is from "Engineering" - these are notoriously inaccurate in places, probably because they were based on advance information at the time.

The only thing shown in the cab area is a controller, I am assuming it was driven standing up which determines the height of the cab floor. Nothing shows in the drawing apart from a clear corridor down one side but I think there were probably bulkheads behind the driving positions. In the centre the frames came up above the driving wheels with all the equipment fitted on a platform on top, some of this should be visible through the windows but the only identifiable piece is the compressor. 

The "hutch" on the roof now appears to have been the air intake for the traction motor blowers which are directly below it, I think probably in a sort of clean air compartment.

[AlfaZagato]

I'd imagine you're aware of this, but a lot of very old electrics I've been inside will have surprisingly exposed machinery.   One preserved dump motor I've seen had a bank of rectifiers (I think) right behind the driver's stand, protected by chicken wire.

[Michael Edge]

I certainly am aware of this - the open knife switch (changes overhead/shoe beams)  in the preserved ES1 is frankly terrifying. Even more scary is this one in Dresden museum.

The whole loco is presumably live to the overhead and the handrails are on insulators.

A lot of No13's electrical equipment was inside No2 end and I think the air reservoirs may have been in there as well, I can't see any anywhere else in the diagram,

 

[AlfaZagato]

I'll pass on the insulated handrails, thanks.

 

I don't fancy working near pneumatics at all inside metal boxes.   Our air compressor used to wake the dead.