CXW1 Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 2 hours ago, Asterix2012 said: Fair bit of kit rusting away there That's only about 5% of what they have rusting away there.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 (edited) No progress with locos as I am waiting for motors and gearboxes to arrive. However, this has allowed some progress with my little 2mm Finescale layout. I have mentioned previously that the layout was being built for the 2mm Association diamond jubilee layout challenge and its size is limited by the competition rules. The track plan was (and still is) a classic inglenook but the back corner of the layout behind the house lent itself to something else being there. Several ideas were kicked around - a street of houses, a farm/stables, and a loading dock. I liked the idea of the loading dock with a separate stretch of track as it would potentially add a tiny bit more operational interest to a layout which is never going to be very interesting to operate. To cut a long story short, the loading dock has turned into the end of a station platform which gives me an excuse to use my DMU which has been in its box for the past few years. The new station means that the DMU gets to travel a foot in one direction and then exit stage left in the opposite direction. Exciting stuff!! The waiting shelter is based on the one at Broomielaw, which was on the Darlington to Tebay line. It is important to stress the words 'based on' as it isn't an exact replica. Here is a rather cruel close up of the station building and, because it is 2mm scale, it is of course pictured with the obligatory coin. Weathering will tone down the colours. The windows are made from plastic strip and they look a bit rough in the photo. But, the model is only a few centimeters long and it will be viewed from several feet away - it looks OK at normal viewing distance. And here it is in situ with the DMU Next jobs are to make a backscene and to add some greenery. I said above that the layout doesn't hold much operational interest but, to be fair, it is quite relaxing to shunt a few wagons for half-an-hour or so. Cheers Chris Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Stuff 11 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 (edited) More progress with the very small layout, although not as originally intended. My original thoughts were to make the scenic area exactly the maximum size permitted by the DJLC rules and have everything presented with a proscenium arch and some lighting. Then I figured that apart from the delayed 2mm Association diamond jubilee meeting, the layout is just something for my own amusement and will probably never leave my house again, and therefore the whole proscenium arch presentation is probably not necessary. I have made a start on painting a backscene. I think this is needed to give some depth when the layout is only around 9 inches deep. For a non-artist who probably last painted a picture at school 30 years ago I think it looks OK but with room for improvement. There will be a layer of scenery (trees, bushes etc) in between the goods yard and the backscene to hopefully give a nice progression. The new plan of not having a proscenium arch has given some food for thought about how to finish off the right edge of the layout. The black line on the picture below shows the boundary of the competition size limits and where the arch would have gone. The new solution to fit within the competition rules is to have a small stone wall at the scenic limits, and if the layout ever makes it to the Diamond Jubilee I will just place a temporary backscene behind the wall. Then, when the layout is at home (as it will be most of the time) I will remove the temporary backscene and have a few houses and a pub. The white bit of card behind the houses won't be a permanent feature - it is just there to hide the mess on my workbench. The houses are based on those at the pit village at Beamish Museum and I think the pub is a product of my imagination. These buildings and the tree were made a few years ago for an aborted 2mm layout and have been in a box ever since. I will probably make the street as a separate removable module which can be taken off the board rather than something permanent which is hidden on Diamond Jubilee day. Whether this is in-keeping with the competition rules is open to debate but, to be honest, I'm not that bothered. Cheers Chris Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Picture added 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium RichardT Posted March 4, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 4, 2021 Coming late to this topic - what an excellent little layout idea. With the passenger platform it evokes to me something like the Forcett Railway terminus, if it had had a shuttle passenger service! Great work. Richard 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 (edited) Lintz No. 2 nameplates and works plates arrived in the post today from Light Railway Stores/Narrow Planet and have been attached to the Chapman & Furneaux loco. That's about my only modelling output for March. The works photo that I have of Lintz No. 2 (from 1900) shows the name painted on the tank in what looks like gold leaf. In my parallel universe it has acquired some cast nameplates which I think look OK. In reality I can't imagine the fancy gold leaf lettering lasting for too long in daily service at the pit so I'm assuming that it was subject to an overhaul and repaint at some point. Fire irons, oil cans and a couple of employees of South Garesfield Colliery Co. Ltd have been fitted, but it still needs a whistle and some weathering before I can call it finished. With all this talk of Lintz No. 2 what, I hear everyone ask, did Lintz No. 1 look like? My understanding, although I could be wrong and often am, is that the John Fowler loco in the picture below is Lintz No. 1. It's a knackered-looking old thing and I won't be making a model of it just yet. I think the best way to achieve the shape of the footplate and steps would be to drop a finished model of it on the floor. I recall my grandfather saying that it was used as a stationary boiler during his time at Lintz Colliery (mid to late 1920s). Cheers Chris Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Spelling 17 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CXW1 Posted March 21, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 21, 2021 (edited) It has been nice to finally have a weekend which didn't involve DIY jobs and gardening. This, coupled with barmy temperatures of more than 10 degrees, meant I've been able to get some painting done. I've been thinking about a livery for the R&W Hawthorn 'Enterprise' loco for some time. The only picture I can find of Enterprise during its working life is the brown 'R&Y Pickering' livery on the previous page. Can't say I'm too keen on brown. It is currently painted a shade of maroon at Tanfield but I'm not sure if this is anywhere near genuine or not. In the end I've used a can of Halfords Rover Brooklands Green (mainly because I have a can of it in the garage). I read somewhere that it is a close match to BR diesel green but I reckon it is too bright for that. Still some way to go, but it is getting there. The daylight above the footplate will be hidden when I get the motor, gearbox and a boiler bottom fitted, and I'll be using some Gibson wheels to replace the oversize Romfords. The cylinders (which are bolted to the frames and can be removed) will be the last job once the Gibson wheels are pressed on. Usually I wouldn't paint the body until I was happy that the model worked and ran OK. However, as it may be a while until the motor and gearbox arrive from High Level, I've ended up doing this one the 'wrong way round'. And, to get back on topic with some ex-NER stuff, here is some progress with the F8. There is still some lining to finish off, and then the usual final jobs of fitting cab glazing, whistles, crew, coal, fire irons etc. Cheers Chris Edited May 27, 2022 by CXW1 Picture added 22 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CXW1 Posted April 7, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted April 7, 2021 (edited) Spent the last few evenings painting the D22 and swearing at Fox lining transfers. I've tried to go for a 'worn' look without it looking too scruffy. The real '1542' was withdrawn during the middle of 1933 and I've been working from a picture in the RCTS book that was taken that year. I assume it wouldn't have been in pristine condition by then. Edited May 27, 2022 by CXW1 Picture added 19 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted August 1, 2021 Author Share Posted August 1, 2021 (edited) Not much progress to report on in the last few months for several reasons. Firstly this has always been a bit of a 'winter' hobby for me as I can usually find other stuff to keep me occupied during the summer - I guess last summer was more productive than usual from a model-making point of view as there wasn't much else to do for obvious reasons. Secondly, I had got a few locos to the stage of needing gearboxes and motors at the same time as High Level was forced to close, so they have just been sat at the back of my workbench waiting patiently for Chris to re-open. And, thirdly, I've been lacking motivation after probably doing too much last year. So, with the excellent news that Chris appears to be ready to recommence trading I have spent the last week tidying up my workbench in anticipation for things to get moving once more. I haven't been completely idle. The Y8 which last appeared a few pages ago had some paint and transfers applied last month and just needs a suitable motor and gearbox installing. The coupling rods have been made up and I have some new Gibson wheels to replace the old set in the picture that I have used for setting the ride-height of the frames. I have ran out of 'LNER' transfers so this one has been done in 'NER' period. The model of 'Enterprise' has had some excellent Narrow Planet nameplates and works plates fitted but is essentially at the same stage of waiting for a motor and gearbox to arrive, then we should see some progress. I think my main winter project might be having a go at making a H&BRly Class A (LNER Q10) but that will be a fairly major undertaking and probably won't be started for a couple of months yet. In order to get me back into the swing of things I am going to build a H&BRly Class G1 - these were basic 0-6-0 tanks which didn't make it to grouping. I've spent a couple of evenings building the frames and cutting out the footplate and I might even have time to get soldering at some point this week. This will have my usual set-up of driving off a rigid rear axle with beam-compensated hornblocks on the front and middle axles. Cheers Chris Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Stuff 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Corbs Posted August 2, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 2, 2021 (edited) Hi Chris, I may be a bit late but I have this photo of your R&Y Pickering loco in my stash in case useful. Likely 1950s-1960s. The top of the dome looks like it is open so the safety valves likely nestle in there. According to the Preserved British Steam website: This locomotive was built by R & W Hawthorn in 1884 and delivered new to Tredegar Wharf Co in Newport. Here it was named Enterprise. Around 1937 the locomotive was sold to the dealers A R Adams & Son of Newport. They rebuilt the locomotive and sold it to RY Pickering & Co Ltd who were a wagon builder based in Wishaw in Lanarkshire. At Pickering the locomotive became No 3. In 1953 the locomotive was registered with the Railway Executive so that it could operate over BR tracks in the exchange sidings. The locomotive was moved to Marley Hill on the Tanfield Railway in July 1979. So the brown livery would likely have been 1937-1979? Edited August 2, 2021 by Corbs 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted August 2, 2021 Author Share Posted August 2, 2021 49 minutes ago, Corbs said: Hi Chris, I may be a bit late but I have this photo of your R&Y Pickering loco in my stash in case useful. Likely 1950s-1960s. The top of the dome looks like it is open so the safety valves likely nestle in there. According to the Preserved British Steam website: This locomotive was built by R & W Hawthorn in 1884 and delivered new to Tredegar Wharf Co in Newport. Here it was named Enterprise. Around 1937 the locomotive was sold to the dealers A R Adams & Son of Newport. They rebuilt the locomotive and sold it to RY Pickering & Co Ltd who were a wagon builder based in Wishaw in Lanarkshire. At Pickering the locomotive became No 3. In 1953 the locomotive was registered with the Railway Executive so that it could operate over BR tracks in the exchange sidings The locomotive was moved to Marley Hill on the Tanfield Railway in July 1979. So the brown livery would likely have been 1937-1979? Hi Corbs, Thanks for the picture - I haven't seen that one before. I agree with you that the brown livery would have probably lasted during the period you have suggested. But I think brown is a nasty colour. It might look OK on an Austin Allegro or some other 1970s British Leyland offering but I'm not sure about a steam engine and, as I mentioned before, I had a can of green paint in the garage and was too tight to buy a different colour. Here is the current state of play complete with name and works plates, awaiting motor, gearbox and the correct wheels. In my parallel universe the loco was sold by R Y Pickering to another industrial user who painted it a proper colour and gave it some TLC (and, it would appear, a slightly different shaped dome and a chimney that doesn't look like a flower pot). Rule one and all that..... Hopefully it won't be too long until it moves under its own power, then I can sort out the cylinders. Cheers Chris 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CXW1 Posted August 22, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 22, 2021 (edited) Managed to find enough time over the past week to make a couple of gearboxes for the Y8 and Enterprise, so both of them now run. Enterprise has had some correct-size Gibson wheels fitted and now looks more in proportion compared to the old oversize Romfords that I had used to set-up the chassis. The cylinder covers aren't fixed in place yet and need straightening up - they also need one or two more coats of paint and will be lined the same way as the tank etc, but hopefully this shows the general idea. I have used a high ratio Lo Loader gearbox (I think 90:1) with one of the cheaper High Level 1015 motors which gives nice slow running. I also need to make some brake hangers. I have used a Road Runner Compact Plus gearbox with a 1015 motor in the Y8 - this has a 60:1 ratio which actually works fine with the small wheels. This just needs some brakes making, Gibson crankpins finishing off and some cab glazing, then I think it is more or less done. Cheers Chris Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Stuff 20 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted August 31, 2021 Author Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) I think this one is more or less finished (until I spot something I haven't done). Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Stuff 12 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted September 16, 2021 Author Share Posted September 16, 2021 (edited) I've found a bit of time over the past week to make some progress with a few things that have been kicking around the back of my workbench for a while, some for a lot longer than others. I made the frames for the Hull & Barnsley G1 a few weeks ago and also cut out the basic shapes for things like the cab sides etc. The past few evenings have seen some progress with starting to solder it together. The side tanks are just balanced in place for now and will be made as separate fabrications before final fitting. The dodgy soldering at the base of the smokebox will be hidden by the splashers and piano front. The wheels are some old scrap Gibsons that I use for setting up the chassis - it is free running when I shove it along my test track so it should in theory run nicely when I get round to getting a motor and gearbox fitted. Still lots to do on this one. The old Dapol Austerity has been on my workbench in one way or another for many years. I must have had this for 30 years and it was always a very noisy and crap runner - I believe this was normal. The first 'modification' was to fit an Alan Gibson EM conversion wheelset - not entirely successful. It ran OK for a bit until the old Dapol motor gave up. The next attempt was to build an RT Models replacement chassis complete with hornblocks and a High Level/Mashima combo. Running was greatly improved but the body still looked a bit rough despite a repaint into NCB livery. The latest modifications have been to get rid of the very visible seam/gap on the tank by changing how the body clips together, fit some RT Models castings, fit a bottom to the boiler, replace the oversize handrails and some of the plastic mouldings etc. I need to fit a few more handrails then the tank can be repainted. It looks like I haven't properly clipped the cab into the footplate on the photo below. I'm not that interested in Austerities but this one was just sat there looking in need of some attention and I felt sorry for it. I haven't bothered with some of the other RT parts like replacement steps and window surrounds. I'm of the view that you can only polish a turd up to a point although some may disagree..... And for something completely different to scratch building steam locos I've had a go at making a Judith Edge NBL MAN shunter - a lovely well-designed kit. This has been another long-term project that I've dipped in and out of since the start of the year. Definitely needs weathering. I'll admit to not knowing a great deal about early diesels apart from being able to tell the difference between one class and another, but I've always thought these were a nice looking prototype. It boasts a High Level 90:1 Loadhauler gearbox and one of Chris's cheaper 1020 motors, and it runs nice 'n' slowly. Cheers Chris Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Correction 15 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 17, 2021 Share Posted September 17, 2021 Chris, a few pictures of the real thing, some may be new. I have others. Mick. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted September 17, 2021 Author Share Posted September 17, 2021 3 hours ago, micknich2003 said: Chris, a few pictures of the real thing, some may be new. I have others. Mick. Thanks Mick - I may have seen a couple of these pictures before but not others. One thing that I've been pondering is the livery. I assume that the lining would have been the standard grey and vermillion? I know that red tends not to show up on old photographs and although the lining appears to be a single solid grey line, I'm guessing it probably wouldn't have been. The alternative is course to just make it very dirty so nobody can tell. Have you made any further progress with your Class K? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 Chris, I have looked at several photo's and I conclude the red is there but does not show very well. Attached a works photo' and obviously in grey, but all lining is represented. All engines were well kept until The Great War, it seems likely about that time engines were turned out plain black. No progress with the K for some months, I will get back to it. 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 Chris, here are three tinted postcards, they may owe more to the artist then rail life, but they are consistent, I will leave you to draw your own conclusions. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted October 25, 2021 Author Share Posted October 25, 2021 By now I would have hoped to be able to post some pictures of the Hull & Barnsley G1 moving towards completion, but it has been a frustrating case of one step forward and more than a few backwards. In one of my previous posts I suggested that I had got to the stage of having a rolling chassis which was free running, and that I didn't see why it wouldn't work once the motor and gearbox was fitted. I fitted a High Level gearbox and motor, and some Markits wheels. Unfortunately it ran like a clown's car and I spent two or three evenings fiddling about with the chassis and not being able to solve the problem. I got to the point where frustration kicked in, I admitted defeat and I pulled the chassis to bits. But I was still puzzled why the thing bounced around and wouldn't run true after early indications suggested it would be OK when I had it set up with some old scrap Gibson wheels. Earlier this evening I cleaned up the frames and rebuilt the chassis. Then I realised what the problem was - the Markits wheels weren't round. They aren't massively out of true, but enough to cause a problem. I'll chuck them out and order some replacements from Alan Gibson, and will probably give Markits wheels a wide berth in the future. So, after farting around for a few nights being unable to work out what I had done wrong, it was nice to finally work out that I hadn't done anything wrong and that I had bought a set of oval wheels. I'm a bit pi$£ed off, and about forty quid worse off, but hey ho.... I've also had a problem with not being able to get some brass wire to fit through the holes in some handrail knobs. The problem here was the 0.45mm wire that I had bought from a well known supplier was actually 0.49mm. Hopefully some meaningful progress to report on soon. Cheers Chris 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 Contact Markits , he should replace them. He also needs to know about the fault as well. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted October 26, 2021 Author Share Posted October 26, 2021 44 minutes ago, micklner said: Contact Markits , he should replace them. He also needs to know about the fault as well. Good luck. The one thing in my favour is that I bought the wheels from Wizard, so I'll mention it to Andrew - far easier than dealing directly with the supplier in my experience. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 I spoke to Andrew at Wizard about the Markits wheels and he said that the fault was a known issue with some wheel types. The wheels that I have are a newer design and apparently the fault had not been identified - until now. A refund has been offered - top service as usual from Wizard Models. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted December 6, 2021 Author Share Posted December 6, 2021 (edited) A not-so-busy day at work has allowed me to get the Hull & Barnsley G1 back to where it was prior to the non-circular-Markits-wheels debacle. I have fitted some alternative Alan Gibson wheels (which happen to be round) and it runs nicely. Now I know it runs OK I can get back to finishing off things like boiler fittings, lamp irons, handrails, brakes and what not. Here it is alongside a Wizard/51L Hull and Barnsley van that I made last year and painted in post-1923 livery. There is a bit of poetic license here as the G1 locos didn't make it to grouping. Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Stuff 19 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted December 9, 2021 Author Share Posted December 9, 2021 (edited) I always like to have a couple of projects on the go at the same time and tend to go between one and the other as my mood fits. I lost a bit of motivation with the Hull & Barnsley G1 after the issue with the wheels. This is now very much back on track (excuse the pun) but while the G1 was sitting at the back of my workbench in disgrace I finished off my attempt at a model of ‘South Durham Malleable No. 5’. The real Malleable No. 5 is sat quietly rusting away at Beamish Museum. Since the photo was taken, I have stuck a driver and fireman in the cab and ordered a nameplate from Narrow Planet. This loco has already appeared over on the Standard Gauge Industrial section so I won’t repeat myself here. Carrying on with the industrial theme I have also started a model of ‘Coal Products No. 3’ (also known as Glasshoughton No. 3). The real one, which is a 1923 Hawthorn Leslie, is based at Tanfield Railway and is in a bit of a sorry state. The first thing I attempted was rolling the saddle tank. I don’t have any rolling bars so getting the basic shape right was a bit of an effort, but I think it has turned out OK. The castings are just blue tacked in place for now and need a bit of tidying up. The dome is a regular shaped dome with the top filed flat - it is almost the correct shape but not quite just yet. The gearbox is a High Level roadrunner compact plus, with a 1015 motor mounted horizontally in the firebox. However, the question is ‘will it fit’? Fortunately it does, but only just. Size-wise, the loco is approximately 15mm shorter than a J94/Austerity and it has outside cylinders. More anon. Cheers, Chris Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Stuff 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CXW1 Posted December 14, 2021 Author Share Posted December 14, 2021 (edited) I've made some steady progress with 'Coal Products No. 3' this week - here is the current state of play..... The cab roof is just plonked on for now and it needs some front sand boxes, a cab interior and a few other details before it gets painted. I'm not sure what colour to paint it though. There are a few pictures of the loco on the internet in a slightly questionable blue livery - somewhere between the prototype Deltic and Thomas the Tank Engine. The picture below was taken a couple of weeks ago and clearly shows what we think might be the original black livery underneath the fading bright blue. What does anyone think? Sensible and smart black or 'Thomas' blue? Edit - to add that the bright blue livery had yellow and black wasp-stripe buffer beams - so basically a right dogs dinner (in my opinion). Cheers Chris Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1 Update 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Corbs Posted December 15, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 15, 2021 (edited) This is a colour photo I bought of Coal Products No.3 if that's any help? Looks darker than the faded brighter blue but might just be the film stock as other pics seem brighter. Looking great so far! Edited December 15, 2021 by Corbs 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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