7mm + modelling EY UP ! Somewhere in Deepest Devon a 7mm adventure

[bgman]

[bgman]

"I'm Singeing while it Rains, just Singeing while it Rains ! "......

 

Well my fingers are anyway !!!

 

More of those little bits being added that seem to take up so much time, sandboxes, handrails, cab details, backhead, cab roof rails etc.

 

I have to admit to going off on a tangent with some of this and to some degree it's making it awkward, doing that " bloke thing" and not following Malcolms' excellent instructions to the letter, however not insurmountable.

 

Here is the build as of now with various parts just placed to see what she looks like.....

 

 

 

I will use the etches for the toolbox on top of the side tanks rather than the white metal one shown ( taken from my bitsa box ) but then any extra weight may be useful so I may also use the detailing etches on it.

Lots of small areas to clean up where the solder has crept through but not too much to deal with thankfully.

 

 

G

 

Edited December 17, 2020 by bgman
typo

[Guest WM183]

This is a really inspirational thread full of gorgeous modelling. How large is the layout, may I ask? I am building a very similar station and goods shed arrangement.

 

Eager to see your skills at work on some wagons!

 

Amanda 

[bgman]

9 hours ago, WM183 said:

This is a really inspirational thread full of gorgeous modelling. How large is the layout, may I ask? I am building a very similar station and goods shed arrangement.

 

Eager to see your skills at work on some wagons!

 

Amanda 

 

Good morning Amanda,

 

Thank you for your kind words it is very much appreciated.

 

The "proposed layout" is still at an early stage and will be built in a small spare room which dictates the final size. It will be more of an "Adventure" in 7mm modelling than a real location as it is the first time I have modelled in that scale.

I have produced a track plan using Templot to approximately 2.50 m x 800 mm and a fiddle yard / traverser 900 mm long will be placed at one end.

 

Here is a screen shot of my proposed track plan.....

 

 

I have built the turnouts using commercial laser cut items and will also be building the track in the same fashion, nothing has been wired or fixed as yet but I hope to commence in the New Year.

 

The loco builds are being done whilst I am "in the zone" as I tend to flit back and forth to keep my interest going ! 

 

There are some wagons already built but that will be for later as I have some brass ones to either commence or finish.

I have been watching your thread and pleased to see you are venturing into 7mm so keep up the good work too.

 

Hartelijk dank

G

[Guest WM183]

Hi G,

 

It seems we have very similar amounts of space at hand. I have 4m x 50 cm, and will devote 3m of that to scenic area or so. I may do the end of the runaround loop offstage as you're doing just so I can get more scenery in! I like your track plan a lot; I see the top siding is for the goods shed, followed by the platform road and runaround road, but what will the bottom two sidings serve?

 

Also, I am starting to collect my turnout parts, Peco rail and chairs so far; you mentioned laser cut parts, do you mean timbers? I am excited to see how it looks and where it goes!

Doei!

Amanda

[bgman]

1 hour ago, WM183 said:

but what will the bottom two sidings serve?

 

Hi Amanda,

 

That is a very good question, I am pondering on either a Private Siding or just wagon / carriage sidings, not certain yet ?

As it is something of a long term plan I keep looking and place various card mock-up buildings on it. I don't want it to look crowded so there is possibly just one small office / cabin I will use.

 

The laser cut parts I mentioned are from here - https://greenwoodmodelrailwayproducts.co.uk/product-category/o-gauge/

 

I have used the laser cut bases and Exactoscale chairs. The turnouts kits supplied are excellent and the service is also extremely reliable ( unlike another well know supplier of O Gauge track parts - but that isn't for here ).

The kits are competitively priced in my opinion and if I were to be starting a new layout I would definitely use these throughout.

 

I have tried and built turnouts using Peco products satisfactorily but I feel these are better as they are available in 32mm - 31.5mm or 33mm gauge. I am working on 31.5mm FS for better running through the frog.

 

That said I was happy at the time when I built these using Peco Bullhead rail and Peco chairs. The sleepers were cut from obechi and cut to suit the Templot templates beneath them. There are my first ones built as a trial on a previous temporary O Gauge layout prior to moving house about 18 months ago.

 

 

 

I hope this is of interest ?

 

G

 

 

[Guest WM183]

Hi G,

 

Yes! This is all of a lot of interest, thank you for taking the time! The point kits on that site are about equal in price to Peco bullhead points ready to lay, but there is no doubt they look much better. As I want to run 0-MF, I will need to build points regardless. I will probably get a couple of them and have a go, and then perhaps attempt a three way point to save some space! 

I want to have enough buildings to hint at life - a cottage and a barn, perhaps, as well as a little weedy stream running through somewhere. I plan to have a fairly extensive goods service with a goods shed and a heavy crane/loading bank for containers, as well as a coal dealer, signal box, and of course a station building and a few PW huts. 

I am building mockups of my stock too, and putting them here and there to get an idea of spacing and space. It's quite a task!

Amanda

[bgman]

I have come to a temporary halt on the 517 build due to an oversight with fitting a motor.

 

Having purchased a 1532 motor and gearbox ( TaffVale models ) I found that it was too long ( should have measured the inside correctly ) for the firebox to fit correctly. 

It would sit approximately 2mm into the cab and almost touch the metalwork of the body thereby resonating once fitted, not acceptable. I did trial the chassis however and found it to run rather nicely so hopefully the replacement will be fine.

I have now ordered a 1525 version which is approx. 7mm shorter, hence the model number, and I know that it will fit when installed.

 

Part of the "problem" is using the Slaters plunger pickups which sort of foul the motors width too but not a deal breaker when the new replacement arrives. Live and learn eh !

 

In the meantime here is another spurious photograph of the almost finished loco

 

 

G 

[bgman]

SUBMERGING MYSELF IN A "RIVER" - but which one ?

 

With my other loco builds on hold I have decided to commence the building of my Sanspareil GWR River kit......

 

The basic double frames have been temporarily placed together

 

 

 

The other etches in the background are to be altered to accept Slaters hornblocks for a sprung chassis, which will need some minor alterations to be done to them. The width of the frames are about 2mm too narrow so will require opening carefully where I have blacked the relevant sides for scribing.

 

Until next time,

 

G

 

( MORE IMPORTANTLY - This evening I received news that I never wanted to hear. My son has been tested + for that Ba$t@rd disease and I feel helpless to do anything.

I need to occupy myself with anything to take my mind off it to cope with this cr@p news !

We haven't seen each other for over three weeks and he has to self isolate in a single room. Our plans for a Boxing Day meal together are now irrelevant, so here's hoping he rides it out safely so we can be together again as soon as it is safe for us too do so.

 

 

[ThomasG]

Hi G!

 

That sucks, especially in these days!

I don't think I can write anything really comforting, but I wish you that your son gets through it well. I keep my fingers crossed!

 

Best regards and best wishes, ThomasG

[bgman]

Trickling along with the River...

 

Main frames with overlays are now completed along with the cab ( the roof is only placed for now ).

 

 

Even at this early stage it is becoming heavy which as a 2-4-0 locomotive is quite pleasing as any weight will pay dividends hopefully once she is running.

On the whole the kit seems to go together well, the written instructions together with a CD of a large amount of photographs helps too.

 

For anyone interested in the actual build or contemplating building one themselves here are a few notes / pointers..... ( The boring bit .... sorry !)

 

The double frame design is very well thought out and comprises of  three separate etches on each side, two main and a cosmetic overlay plus a riveted strip under the running plate overlay ( lots of extra help needed for which I uses aluminium grips whilst sweating them together separately  ).

 

As this is my first curved running plate I did have some concerns initially but I found the separate etch for the curves  ( which butts up to the front  flat etch ) easy to curve between my fingers without distorting......hurrah ! Seems ok to me ?

My only comment would be regarding the hornblocks which are referred to in the written instruction and basically tell the builder to make them up and fit but there isn't a photograph to help. For anyone who has a knowledge of building kits such as this I think common sense will help here.

I am going down the route of altering the chassis frames to accommodate the Slaters product ( as previously mention in my last post ) which are engineered well enough as I don't feel that the casting supplied are suited to my needs.

 

The cab interior provides for S7 and 7mm FS etches, I have opted for the 7mm FS etch as there is a gnats whatsit between the cab sides and frames if the S7 etch is used.

 

Enjoy your Festives everyone and stay safe .

 

G

Edited December 25, 2020 by bgman
my bad...

[bgman]

I meant to add a BIG thank you all for pressing the Supportive / Friendly icon it is very much appreciated.

 

I wouldn't normally make mention of something as personal as I have in my postings but in times like we are experiencing it certainly brings it home when it is a family member.

 

G

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, bgman said:

approximately three

!

[bgman]

7 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

!

 Ooops !

My bad 

 

Three each side is what I should have said.....but I did post it very very late.

 

 

Merry Festives to you matey stay safe and take care of the family.

 

G

[Northroader]

Three axle locos tend to be nose heavy, which is where you don’t want it on yours. Stick anything you can under the cab floor and in the firebox. Cheers to you this happy day. Porchetta going in the oven, sherry coming out of the sideboard.

[bgman]

45 minutes ago, Northroader said:

which is where you don’t want it on yours

 

Agreed and in hand !

 

All the very best,

 

G

[bgman]

STILL WATER DOES RUN DEEP (-er than I thought it would ! )

 

I don't mind admitting it's been decades since I have wanted to throw a loco build at the wall but this one came VERY close last night !

 

I was making good progress with the build, or so I thought, and got the smokebox / boiler and firebox assembled and fitted onto the running frame.....WRONG !

Following the photographs on the CD and written description + the late Raymond Walleys' documented build ( see here  http://wryl.co.uk/loco/gwr/river.html if interested ) I began to see why he had rebuilt the boiler and firebox albeit for other reasons as he describes.

 

There is a very useful frame around which to build these, however the photographs show it to be incorrect for the firebox - problem 1 sorted.

 

With the smokebox assembly and nicely turned brass ring in place I offered up the rolled boiler to fit between the smokebox and firebox........It was .05 mm short of being 1mm oversize....aaaargh ! OK perhaps I should have checked it but having got this far with the build all the etches fitted very well so why doubt it ?

 

I carefully removed the offending 1mm and fitted the boiler between them and voila all ok .....see below which shows it with the smokebox casing removed after said problem.

 

 

With the boiler fitting nicely between the splashers and a minimum amount of solder to the minutest gap I was happier.

 

Cup of tea time....

 

Back again on the build and tested the wheels in the frames to check all is ok.....

 

When placed in the rear all will be fine 

 

 

But when they are placed into the leading driving space......Noooooo !

 

 

Once again maybe I made a schoolboy error and the wheels are stopped from dropping into the splashers due to the boiler etch ( that bl@@dy thing again ) fouling them.

 

At no time do the instructions make the builder aware of this and the photograph on the supplied CD shows this to be a complete assembly ( as I did ) to place on the running frame.

 

 

 

 

Well then,

 

I will now tread water for a while and rethink this build, certainly not happy with it after these problems but hey ho, I will consider fabricating a new boiler and firebox with an area cut out in-between the splashers out of site or I may use the additional etch in the kit ( two versions supplied for the position of the dome ) and modify accordingly.

 

Sometimes we do get problems so I thought I might as well show that it doesn't always go to plan, I could have just altered it and shown a shiny brass kit but I would rather do a warts and all if it presents itself and helps anyone else.

 

Yours,

 

Creek paddle a the up without 

 

G

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Northroader]

It happens, Grahame, I put it down to the wheel flanges being a bit deeper on a model, and then some, but regularly I get driving wheels fouling the boiler. It’s hid behind the splashers, so just grind some out of the boiler to get clearance?

[bgman]

19 minutes ago, Northroader said:

It happens, Grahame, I put it down to the wheel flanges being a bit deeper on a model, and then some, but regularly I get driving wheels fouling the boiler. It’s hid behind the splashers, so just grind some out of the boiler to get clearance?

 

Thank you I totally understand what you are saying.

In this instance it isn't the wheel flanges ( I have had that before in 4mm loco builds when I was new to kit building ) it just happens to be a "bad" design and instructions to my way of thinking. They do leave a bit to be desired even though some of the etches have been remodelled by the current owners I believe. It was originally a Peter Kay etched design kit.

 

Grinding out was my initial thought but it isn't possible due to

a). Causing damage to the etches and splashers and it is difficult to get the tool in there safely. Had it been a whitemetal kit I would have considered that option ? 

 

b). I think it will be easier to unsolder then clean up in the necessary areas and rebuild it knowning I can get the clearances without any stray bits affecting shorting etc. 

 

Anyway, all that said I will be back on it when I have collected my thoughts, I won't be beaten with it + its an expensive item !

 

Now I am beginning to compare this, in a strange way, with all those recent 4mm locos just released that are causing problems, very frustrating !

 

Room / lay / down /  dark comes to mind at the moment, but not beaten 

 

The River will flow.....eventually !

 

G

Edited December 27, 2020 by bgman
my bad

[Northroader]

No, I mean as the boiler isn’t fixed in yet, put it in place, scribe a line on the boiler following the top of the splashers, then take the boiler off, mark a line about 2mm down from your scribe mark, then grind in below this to make a Dshaped hole, then put the boiler back and check you’ve got the flanges in the hole, and hopefully, the hole don’t show above the splashers. Crudity is my middle name.

[bgman]

I think the tide has changed for the RIVER .....

 

After my last post and few hours later I have removed the boiler and flattened it. Scribing a line around the splashers gave me the necessary cut area.

 

The scribed lines were carefully cut out on the original etch before putting them through the rollers again. and then whole boiler / firebox was reattached .

 

Here is the result, not a pretty image but it shows the areas marked with the arrows......

 

 

And attached to the running plate......

 

 

A successful trail fit of the wheels now gives me the room to carry on with the chassis build with a bit more confidence !

 

57 minutes ago, Northroader said:

 put it in place, scribe a line on the boiler following the top of the splashers, then take the boiler off, mark a line about 2mm down from your scribe mark

 

 I had that in mind and carried out the work prior to receiving your suggestion ! 

Thank you.

 

Crisis averted !!! 

 

Lets hope the next stage for the RIVER goes swimmingly eh ?

 

Until next time.......

 

G

 

 

 

 

 

[bgman]

Just a trickle in the RIVER ( build ).....

 

Having put the previous alteration to the boiler behind me I have slowed down slightly with the build.

 

With the boiler being altered I have filled in the handrail holes and will re-drill them in the correct positions once I have fitted the handrail knobs to line up with the cab. The boiler alteration now works with the wheels in the correct position and I am happy to start on the chassis soon.

 

Small items around the cab area and smokebox are being added and here she is with the chimney / dome and safety valve bonnet put on temporarily to get an impression of the loco posed with the part completed tender from my Armstrong Goods build.

 

 

 

 

Onwards and upwards and now starting to swim again !

 

G  ( Ann Amateur ) 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by bgman

[bgman]

2021 Class in.......2021 - well why not ?

 

I have been saving this specifically for this year as the title suggests.

 

It will be my first resin kit build and has been languishing amongst the brass kits, speaking of which, the works foreman has sent off several acquisition chits for addition parts therefore he is currently awaiting delivery of them before recommencing the builds.

 

Turning to the 2021 Class kit, overall the main parts in the box are all well cast however the running plate wasn't too brilliant. The instruction sheet does mention the fact if it is slightly twisted then all would be fine once it and the other parts are fitted and fixed to the chassis.

 

I did try a dry run with the saddle tank casting etc in place but one major concern I had was that the rear wheels were just over 1.5mm off centre towards the back and that is unacceptable. Maybe this was at the end of a run in the manufacturing, who knows but I can't accept that and it wouldn't obviously work.

 

My answer to the problem......make a new running plate from 0.015 nickel silver sheet which can be seen with the various body castings placed on top.

 

 

 

The offending running plate casting which also has a droop at each end and isn't worth carrying on trying to use for the sake of a few hours work.....

 

 

I was expecting this to be a "quick-ish" build but as usual they never are, new valances, buffer beams, splashers plus associated riveting , fretting out of the running plate below the saddle tank will now need to be done but you probably know I do enjoy a challenge. There will be some other small alterations to the resin cast cab especially the handrail which I think is both too thick and flimsy.

 

As an aside, there is a short but interesting article written by Tony Reynards in 1988 MRJ No.22 on his build of the same kit.

 

 

Well so much for an easy 2021 eh !

 

G 

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by bgman

[NHY 581]

If anyone can sort this out, it's you, Grahame. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

[bgman]

50 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

If anyone can sort this out, it's you, Grahame. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

 

Thanks Rob, I'll give it a damn good go ! 

 

Saddle Up ! 

 

G