Scratch built lanky signal box

[Simon Moore]

Just grabbed the loco from the airing cupboard to have a look at the paintwork. She is looking very nice & shiny, tonight i am going to plough ahead & mask up & spray the matt black & hopefully make a start on the new frames. I best send gibson a new order for some wheels as one axle has gone on with a slight wobble. 

 

[doilum]

1 hour ago, Rhb Simon said:

Just grabbed the loco from the airing cupboard to have a look at the paintwork. She is looking very nice & shiny, tonight i am going to plough ahead & mask up & spray the matt black & hopefully make a start on the new frames. I best send gibson a new order for some wheels as one axle has gone on with a slight wobble. 

 

Very good. Does she get the black tank top and full straw lining? Both options are period and preservation correct although she will need the big buffer heads.

Edited April 11, 2021 by doilum

[Simon Moore]

25 minutes ago, doilum said:

Very good. Does she get the black tank top and full straw lining? Both options are period and preservation correct although she will need the big buffer heads.

 

I am working from a photo of her preserved at Embsay in which she is in her simple form. I am not lining it out thats something i am not the best at so avoid those jobs. 

 

The tank filler & safety valves are painted black & white wall tyres to finish her off.

[Michael Edge]

Hunslet normally painted the tops of saddle tanks black.

[Simon Moore]

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/hunslet-works-no-3715-s121-primrose-no-2-0-6-0st/

 

This is the set of photos i am working off specifically the one in pristine condition with all the white painted parts.

 

Eventually i am going to do the 15inch & that will be done as Airedale in full ncb livery but Warren can paint that for me its not something i want to be involved in doing.

[doilum]

3 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

Hunslet normally painted the tops of saddle tanks black.

It took me years to learn that. I was convinced that it was a rtr manufacturers invention until I was given one of Ron Rockett's books and discovered that it was part of the Allerton Bywater repaint schedule. That isn't to say that some rebuilds lost the lining and black tank top.

[doilum]

2 hours ago, Rhb Simon said:

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/hunslet-works-no-3715-s121-primrose-no-2-0-6-0st/

 

This is the set of photos i am working off specifically the one in pristine condition with all the white painted parts.

 

Eventually i am going to do the 15inch & that will be done as Airedale in full ncb livery but Warren can paint that for me its not something i want to be involved in doing.

Strongly recommend David Smith's article. Airedale was the first in class and has the odd idiosyncratic feature. Her final working years were at Ackton Hall. Before transfer, she had a full Allerton rebuild and was given a footplate to tank top handrail on the offside only. The nearside front footstep was removed at the same time. I guess this was some H&S idea to encourage drivers to use the new handrail. This extra handrail was also fitted to Beatrice and S112 at AH and to Bawtry at Wheldale but not to any others as far as I know. If anyone knows more, please share!

Edited April 11, 2021 by doilum

[Simon Moore]

I had a good evening last night & feel like i got a load of jobs done.

 

Firstly Primrose no2 is now almost finished except for the bufferbeams. The chassis is still to sort out but for now i am happy with how she looks.

 

 

Whilst looking for something i came across a wheelset i got off ebay for a coal tank, i had ordered some 3mm axles from wizard models & so i decided to convert the coal tank to em. A really easy conversion the only major change which i did with my other coal tank is you have to snip off the front steps as they foul the coupling rods.

The wheels will be painted this evening & couplings fitted. It ran beautifully on my layout though.

 

 

Finally i got out a model i have been messing with for ages on & off. Its a little engine company ivatt N1 which is pig a of a thing to build in em with lots of modifications needed. So far the side tanks have needed cutting down, the splashers need filing back & this is before anything is soldered on. I think once those bits are clear it should be plain sailing. Its jobs like this i hate doing. Its a slow burner this project. 

Edited April 12, 2021 by Rhb Simon

[hayfield]

3 hours ago, Rhb Simon said:

Finally i got out a model i have been messing with for ages on & off. Its a little engine company ivatt N1 which is pig a of a thing to build in em with lots of modifications needed. So far the side tanks have needed cutting down, the splashers need filing back & this is before anything is soldered on. I think once those bits are clear it should be plain sailing. Its jobs like this i hate doing. Its a slow burner this project. 

 

Simon

 

Whilst its not quite the answer, the old dodge was to use a set of Romfords 1mm smaller. Looking at the photo the front driver looks not to be directly under the front splasher, or is it the angle the photo was taken. Its one of the problems of using a new chassis on an older kit.

 

We seem to forget sometimes certain things will not scale down, especially when the scale/gauge itself is a slight compromise.  

[Simon Moore]

John 

 

The splasher was just plonked on the frame. The chassis can be moved fore & aft a little its just in basic form to weight it up a little & get some visual idea on how to progress things. I think it will all fit eventually but slowly away with that one because its pain. 

[Simon Moore]

I decided to have a go at making the frames this evening for Primrose & its been a productive session. I have various grades of nickel silver sheet in stock so dug out a appropriate piece. Once i marked it up i cut it in the guillotine & soldered 2 frame plates together. I then glued the frame section cut from the scale drawing in the instructions & glued this to one side of the frames. This gives me a filing & drilling jig for the frames. I cannot go any further until the new drill bits turn up. Once they arrive i will take the frames to work & use the pillar drill in the workshop to finish the frames off before assembly. I have also filed the radius on each end of the frames .

 

 

[doilum]

Not an original idea but one I always use. Use the coupling rods to set the wheel centres.

[Simon Moore]

That is the plan Doilum. I am going to make the cut outs for the hornblocks & drill for a fixed bearing & the set everything off the rods in a chassis jig i have. I think i know how i went wrong last time around so with my own frames under the model i am hoping all should be well. 

The first time was not thinking before doing & rushing with the wife in my ear which equals a mess. I am taking my time with the mk2 frames so it turns out correct & i have a lovely running model at the end of it. 

[doilum]

If you have any good photos of Primrose No2 in her working days I would be pleased to see them. A 7mm model is in the pipeline!

[Simon Moore]

Between jobs & the build up to our wedding last Saturday I made a start on a few projects but my mind was on other things so I have not got far. The rt models sentinel has had the most work on it & it is now running smoothly. 

 

 

The single in a LRM bloomer which is in EM. I only got as far as the frames for that one although it is going to progress more now I am back to normal service once again now all the wedding things are done.

 

[Simon Moore]

I built a rumney models / parkside 16t mineral a while back & decided to follow Paul Hutfields mineral weathering on the s4um.  My model was painted with precision paints br wagon grey. It is a bit green but it was my first wagon I painted. I have used Paul's techniques along with a few of my own to weather the mineral. Its turned out rather nice I am pleased with it. Its the first weathering I have done in yonks.

 

 

This morning I have been working on a Noneminstre Coles rail crane which is nearly finished. A nice interesting model.

[Simon Moore]

So here is my other project for the weekend. Its a Coles rail crane in p4, I know i am certifiable!

 

Nice little white metal kit that's making a lovely little prototype. Not that it will fit the collieries I like but I am sure it will fit in somewhere down the line. 

 

 

Such a shame this range of kits are no longer available.

[sb67]

The crane is looking good Simon and the Mineral wagon is just superb! Very subtle weathering, nicely done. 

[Simon Moore]

1 hour ago, sb67 said:

The crane is looking good Simon and the Mineral wagon is just superb! Very subtle weathering, nicely done. 

 

Thanks Sb67 for the kind comments

[2mm Andy]

On 17/07/2021 at 19:57, Rhb Simon said:

Such a shame this range of kits are no longer available.

 

Is that definitely the case? There is a website for Nonneminstre which was last updated in mid-2020;

http://www.nonneminstre.co.uk/

Very nice work on the crane btw.

 

Andy

Edited July 19, 2021 by 2mm Andy

[Simon Moore]

2 hours ago, 2mm Andy said:

 

Is that definitely the case? There is a website for Nonneminstre which was last updated in mid-2020;

http://www.nonneminstre.co.uk/

Very nice work on the crane btw.

 

Andy

 

I didn't realise they were back Andy thanks for the link. I fancy the planet they do at some point.

[Ruston]

I bought the Hibberd kit last year, so they are in production. I had to wait a while for it though as they're done in small batches.

 

I presume the body of the crane is whitemetal, but is the jib also made from the same material?

[jonhall]

1 hour ago, Ruston said:

I bought the Hibberd kit last year, so they are in production. I had to wait a while for it though as they're done in small batches.

 

I presume the body of the crane is whitemetal, but is the jib also made from the same material?

 

Yes it's whitemetal.

 

Jon

[jonhall]

I thought the jib was probably the lest satisfactory part of the kit, and I might consider swapping it for the Corgi diecast one or even the airfix plastic, although I have two and haven't bother myself... 

 

I have also been able to order two superstructure only kits, with the intent of doing a SR TRU based on a warwell - heading for the heaviest wagon in 4mm because its based on the Genesis warwell. I needed shorter jibs so have designed my own etch.

 

Jon

Edited July 19, 2021 by jonhall

[halfwit]

'Tis a nice kit. Mine was built to EM (seen here), re-gauging the spud is easily done and the weight of the body tames the thing.

I've built a Planet and the Sentinel as well (now out of production I believe), and there's a second Planet kit awaiting its day (I may just scratch up a chassis for that one).