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Charlie Strong Metals (and Watery Lane Sidings)


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17 hours ago, Ruston said:

I don't see any problem. My plan will be to use the 08 chassis as is, with the false outside frames and running plate being extended. It's a fairly straightforward job. The only problem would be the motor but I'll be replacing the huge Bachmann motor with a 6-pole square motor so there will be no problem with it fitting where the engine casing drops down to the bottom of the cab front windows.

 

I am tempted though to build a new chassis and use an N20 gearmotor. Just think of how much weight can be crammed into one of these things - it would even surpass Hercules' haulage effort of 90 wagons plus brake!

08 wheels are too big as well.

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49 minutes ago, Michael Edge said:

08 wheels are too big as well.

They’re right for the MSC version which had 54” wheels (according to the book on the MSC Railway and the book on Hudswell Clarke diesels). 

HC D1176 for Brush/NCB is also listed with 54” wheels in the latter book. 

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2 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

That just shows I should check before putting my foot in it.....

No excuses, I've got the GA for these - 4'6" wheels, 11' 6" wheelbase - and yes it is something I would like to do a kit for.

And could you do a chassis kit for the Bachmann 08/09 while you're about it please. Pretty please.

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19 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

That just shows I should check before putting my foot in it.....

No excuses, I've got the GA for these - 4'6" wheels, 11' 6" wheelbase - and yes it is something I would like to do a kit for.

Another reason for me to keep fighting the cancer.
I'm waiting for this kit together with the Dorman Sentinel.:lol:

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On 02/02/2021 at 09:55, Ruston said:

Thanks, Rob. They must be the ones I bought all those years ago. A1 models did all the exhibitions around here and it was before the interwebz, so it must have been A1 that I got them from.

A1 still sells them by eBay under the seller name a1 models-Doncaster, I’ve included a pic of two of the take I’ve done for Deepcar (the ones in the pic John used for the listing are also by me)

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Special-Offer-4MM-SCALE-00-TTA-ROOFWALKS-SINGLE-FOR-THE-Hornby-Bachmann/143222551271?hash=item2158bab2e7:g:2PoAAOSw2QZdEMq0

 

 

7569C144-8A71-48CE-95A1-5CE6C1A08C2B.jpeg

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It's T time! Decals added to the Diamond T. There's still a fair bit to do, not least fitting some recovery gear.

AtkiandT-004.jpg.415bd01935dd2490043a2115992ceaad.jpg

Those moulded hand rails are going to have to get the chop.

Meanwhile, Shelby Haulage are about to take delivery of a brand new Atki.

AtkiandT-002.jpg.5d7a9a0b581bb8d1309bfcca1c5d8dbd.jpg

This Atkinson Borderer is an Oxford diecast and started out as the Stobart-livered one. All I have done, so far, is to repaint it and add the fleet numbers. It will be getting a few details added but very little in the way of weathering. It came with a not very good flatbed trailer, which is to be replaced with a Taskers low-loader trailer, for which I have an RTI kit. Decals for the cab doors, reg. plates and the headboard will be applied.

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20 hours ago, Ruston said:

It's T time! Decals added to the Diamond T. There's still a fair bit to do, not least fitting some recovery gear.

AtkiandT-004.jpg.21cadbd044395d5e0c11d7d1c47e285e.jpg

Those moulded hand rails are going to have to get the chop.

Meanwhile, Shelby Haulage are about to take delivery of a brand new Atki.

AtkiandT-002.jpg.5e671352120636a4466a7493b654faca.jpg

This Atkinson Borderer is an Oxford diecast and started out as the Stobart-livered one. All I have done, so far, is to repaint it and add the fleet numbers. It will be getting a few details added but very little in the way of weathering. It came with a not very good flatbed trailer, which is to be replaced with a Taskers low-loader trailer, for which I have an RTI kit. Decals for the cab doors, reg. plates and the headboard will be applied.

Atkis were a quality wagon. That cab could get warm in direct sunlight. 
I had a brief aquaintance with a Cummins engined beast and a tipping trailer. Loads of power and a nice drive. The haulage company died about a week into me joining it.
A little problem of no operating insurance. OOOPS.

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On 11/02/2021 at 07:48, Giles said:

Go on Dave, you know you want to!

 

 

I think that's a bit beyond my skills, Giles! There's no space to run on this layout, even if I could do it.

 

The Judith Edge Ruston 165 kit has advanced slightly. I couldn't get the jackshaft to work properly and it would have been a very tight clearance between the crankpins and the back of the cab steps, so I gave up and it's now a DE instead of a DS.

 

I got it on the rollers, with my multimeter set up as an ammeter. It ran for about five minutes, drawing 0.2 amps at 3.5volts and then became erratic, stopping for no apparent reason in reverse. The motor had developed a lot of end float and so I took it off and managed to get the worm off, too. I substituted one of the Minebea motors that I have in stock but this had to be soldered to the gearbox. It runs really sweetly now, in both directions, and draws just 0.1 amps at the same voltage.

 

motorandgearbox1.jpg.774d026f6309d44735575da8f248002b.jpg

I forgot to fit the balance weights to the wheels before painting them. I'm still hoping that there will be a proper 88DS sound project availabe soon, with the Hornby model due this year, so I'm going to rob the DCC gear from my Judith Edge 88DS, and put it in this loco as the project on it is for a 165DS. Before I do that I need to make some pickups and test the it on track. So far it has only run with wires direct to the motor.

Edited by Ruston
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I had that end float issue develop with a Mitsumi and it had to be replaced. Kept me guessing for about 6 months and resulted in an unnecessary chassis re-build before someone pointed me to the problem. Of course ebay is awash with fakes or I might just have got a bad one. Can I ask what Minebea motor you have used? I used the 15mm square motor recently but the smaller ones I've found all seem to be for a lower voltage. 

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43 minutes ago, Barclay said:

I had that end float issue develop with a Mitsumi and it had to be replaced. Kept me guessing for about 6 months and resulted in an unnecessary chassis re-build before someone pointed me to the problem. Of course ebay is awash with fakes or I might just have got a bad one. Can I ask what Minebea motor you have used? I used the 15mm square motor recently but the smaller ones I've found all seem to be for a lower voltage. 

I don't know exactly what the motor is as far as any designation, or part number, is concerned but it's not a square one. I have some of those but haven't tried one yet. These were sold as 12v.

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15 hours ago, Ruston said:

I think that's a bit beyond my skills, Giles! There's no space to run on this layout, even if I could do it.

 

The Judith Edge Ruston 165 kit has advanced slightly. I couldn't get the jackshaft to work properly and it would have been a very tight clearance between the crankpins and the back of the cab steps, so I gave up and it's now a DE instead of a DS.

 

I got it on the rollers, with my multimeter set up as an ammeter. It ran for about five minutes, drawing 0.2 amps at 3.5volts and then became erratic, stopping for no apparent reason in reverse. The motor had developed a lot of end float and so I took it off and managed to get the worm off, too. I substituted one of the Minebea motors that I have in stock but this had to be soldered to the gearbox. It runs really sweetly now, in both directions, and draws just 0.1 amps at the same voltage.

 

motorandgearbox1.jpg.b0ea029e6be6e9e86ee5eb321e7c0032.jpg

I forgot to fit the balance weights to the wheels before painting them. I'm still hoping that there will be a proper 88DS sound project availabe soon, with the Hornby model due this year, so I'm going to rob the DCC gear from my Judith Edge 88DS, and put it in this loco as the project on it is for a 165DS. Before I do that I need to make some pickups and test the it on track. So far it has only run with wires direct to the motor.

Dave

 

I fitted pick ups under the chassis for mine.. now moved to the top of the wheels as they can "touch" point work as they are very low slung..

 

Are you plating over the flycrank axle hole (at the back of the bearing?

 

Baz

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16 hours ago, Ruston said:

I couldn't get the jackshaft to work properly and it would have been a very tight clearance between the crankpins and the back of the cab steps, so I gave up and it's now a DE instead of a DS.

Could you not simply extend the coupling rod to make it look like there is a jackshaft, even if it doesn't have a crank?

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1 hour ago, Barry O said:

Dave

 

I fitted pick ups under the chassis for mine.. now moved to the top of the wheels as they can "touch" point work as they are very low slung..

 

Are you plating over the flycrank axle hole (at the back of the bearing?

 

Baz

No, I will be leaving the hole as it is. Rustons built them all with the hole, regardless of what type of transmission was fitted. I plan to fit my usual style of pickups, which consists of a square of copper clad, filed down the centre and with 0.5mm wire soldered to it. The wires run on the backs of the wheels, as on this Manning Wardle.

image.png.317ebd48e5c92b33b471c28874ef0c01.png

 

17 minutes ago, Regularity said:

Could you not simply extend the coupling rod to make it look like there is a jackshaft, even if it doesn't have a crank?

There are two different set ups. One has a cranked rod that connects the wheelsets and the jackshaft, This type wouldn't have caused any clearance issues. I could have fitted this but I had started out with the intention of modelling a particular prototype, which didn't have this set up.

 

The other set up has the connecting rod between the wheelsets and a separate rod on the outside that connects the leading wheelset to the jackshaft. This takes up a greater width and caused the clearance issue.

 

It's done now and as it's running well I won't be changing it.

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18 hours ago, Ruston said:

...

The Judith Edge Ruston 165 kit has advanced slightly. I couldn't get the jackshaft to work properly and it would have been a very tight clearance between the crankpins and the back of the cab steps, so I gave up and it's now a DE instead of a DS.

...

Do you have any insights into why the jackshaft didn't work properly? I ask because I have one of these in the stash and your experience will be helpful.

Cheers

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There is very little clearance behind the steps for the version with drive on the leading crankpin and you should really send the axle back to exchange for a longer one if you are buiding this type. As Dave says all Ruston frame plates had the gearbox cut out regardless of what drive was fitted but it isn't properly represented in our 165 0-4-0 kit (it was after all our first kit, the only one from the last century!)

DSCF2980.JPG.126b0fd9edfd869480fc99fb3828002b.JPG

This is PWM650, electric drive, no jackshaft - a strengthening plate is bolted in behind the gearbox cut out.

Even narrow gauge (1000mm and 3'6") 165DEs have frames like this - and they are outside the wheels.

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4 hours ago, PenrithBeacon said:

Do you have any insights into why the jackshaft didn't work properly? I ask because I have one of these in the stash and your experience will be helpful.

Cheers

Laziness is why it wouldn't work properly. It would have still worked even without the extended axle that Mike mentioned. I could have faffed about with spacers and what not, and filing the crank pin nuts to within a thousand of an inch of their lives but after one try I gave up and settled for a Diesel-Electric instead of a Diesel Mechanical.

 

 

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This thing has never before pulled a train, until today. I took it in exchange for some wagons that I built for use on River Don Works. I ran it up and down, on the other layout, on DC, to test it and then painted it. I put a plain decoder it it, today, and hooked it up to some minerals...

 

It couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding! My wagons are heavily weighted but a Hornby Peckett can take 6. The tiny Hornby 48DS Rustons can take 3, but this thing just sat there with it's wheels spinning with 4 on the hook. It weighs 90g - a 48DS weighs 82g and a W4 Peckett 127g. It's a joke. If I can't get enough weight into it for it to be able to pull at least 6, and still have space for DCC sound gear, then it's as much use to me as a chocolate fireguard.

 

pepper2-007.jpg.63e55ce5b2d20619eeca99d5a9050fbc.jpgpepper2-002.jpg.989fb708c20447a5ceda66edbf9ea5fc.jpg

 

Edited by Ruston
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3 hours ago, Ruston said:

Laziness is why it wouldn't work properly. It would have still worked even without the extended axle that Mike mentioned. I could have faffed about with spacers and what not, and filing the crank pin nuts to within a thousand of an inch of their lives but after one try I gave up and settled for a Diesel-Electric instead of a Diesel Mechanical.

 

 

Thanks for that, I will be doing much the same! Extended axles on P4, perhaps but probably not.

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2 hours ago, Ruston said:

This thing has never before pulled a train, until today. I took it in exchange for some wagons that I built for use on River Don Works. I ran it up and down, on the other layout, on DC, to test it and then painted it. I put a plain decoder it it, today, and hooked it up to some minerals...

 

It couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding! My wagons are heavily weighted but a Hornby Peckett can take 6. The tiny Hornby 48DS Rustons can take 3, but this thing just sat there with it's wheels spinning with 4 on the hook. It weighs 90g - a 48DS weighs 82g and a W4 Peckett 127g. It's a joke. If I can't get enough weight into it for it to be able to pull at least 6, and still have space for DCC sound gear, then it's as much use to me as a chocolate fireguard.

 

pepper2-002.jpg

pepper2-007.jpg

Adhesion is as much dependent on wheel profile as weight.  Are the back-to-back measurements OK?

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18 hours ago, Ruston said:

This thing has never before pulled a train, until today. I took it in exchange for some wagons that I built for use on River Don Works. I ran it up and down, on the other layout, on DC, to test it and then painted it. I put a plain decoder it it, today, and hooked it up to some minerals...

 

It couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding! My wagons are heavily weighted but a Hornby Peckett can take 6. The tiny Hornby 48DS Rustons can take 3, but this thing just sat there with it's wheels spinning with 4 on the hook. It weighs 90g - a 48DS weighs 82g and a W4 Peckett 127g. It's a joke. If I can't get enough weight into it for it to be able to pull at least 6, and still have space for DCC sound gear, then it's as much use to me as a chocolate fireguard.

 

pepper2-002.jpg

pepper2-007.jpg

Well, the 0-4-0 that I would have thought would pull loads doesn't.
Interesting.
Did wonder about getting one. I *really* couldn't justify one.
A pretty model, but if it doesn't 'deliver', has to go.
OH Yes. Glad to see a 'Melon' on the layout.
My parents downsizing car was a 1500 Allegro Estate in cat puke light khaki.
I was very pleasantly surprised. It was quick and reasonably comfy. The handling was a bit 'interesting, but I got used to that.
Contrary to popular opinion, well, that Cock Clarkeson, opinion, I have very happy memories of my time with the Melon.
Chris.

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