CXW's NER & H&BR (and Industrial) Workbench

[Worsdell forever]

On 30/09/2020 at 11:09, CXW1 said:

 

OK - I will admit that a photograph with a couple of wires sticking out of the motor doesn't prove that it actually moves, so you will have to take my word for it. 

 

 

 

 

Must be working, I can see the driver...

[CXW1]

More progress with the cylinders this evening. I was going to leave this job until later on but figured if I got it sorted it would be big step forward. Still some small details to add, but we are getting there. 

 

A half-section of brass tube was soldered over the '3-sided box' to give the cylinders their round profile, followed by an outer wrapper. On most of the photographs I have looked at, the outer wrapper seems to follow the profile of the cylinders up to a point and then straightens out to fit flush with the valance.

 

The outer wrapper was made from nickel silver strip and it took a fair amount of fiddling about and filing to get it to be a reasonable fit up against the valance. If I'm being honest this is probably at the upper limit of my metal-working skills and it was a bit of a battle. When the loco is painted the join will be less obvious. The wrapper needs to be kept separate from the valance otherwise it won't be possible to remove the chassis from the body.

 

The ends of the cylinders are thin plastikard discs that were made with a standard-sized hole punch. 

 

The picture is a bit of a cruel close-up and I reckon it looks OK at normal viewing distance. 

 

 

 

Oh, and the other side looks the same. 

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

 

 

 

[CXW1]

I've been making steady progress with the A7 over the past week.

 

The previously pictured Comet gearbox that I use for testing has been replaced with a High Level LoLoader 90:1 gearbox and a Mitsumi motor. It is fair to say that it runs nicely although this has only been via wires going directly from an old H&M controller to the motor - I will fit proper pickups after the chassis has had a coat of paint.

 

The next few jobs will be making the distinctive L-shaped sandboxes, buffer beams, steps, balance weights for the driving wheels etc. 

 

The castings are just balanced in place for the picture.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Chris 

 

 

[MarkC]

On 10/10/2020 at 23:22, CXW1 said:

I've been making steady progress with the A7 over the past week.

 

The previously pictured Comet gearbox that I use for testing has been replaced with a High Level LoLoader 90:1 gearbox and a Mitsumi motor. It is fair to say that it runs nicely although this has only been via wires going directly from an old H&M controller to the motor - I will fit proper pickups after the chassis has had a coat of paint.

 

The next few jobs will be making the distinctive L-shaped sandboxes, buffer beams, steps, balance weights for the driving wheels etc. 

 

The castings are just balanced in place for the picture.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Chris 

 

 

That looks great, Chris - and I like your bogie swing solution. That poor cat - how many different ways can it be skinned?

 

I will be interested to know the minimum radius it will run through once finished.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[CXW1]

More A7 progress.

The chassis is painted and it runs well with a big flywheel fitted. Buffers, steps, sand boxes and a few other fiddly bits done. There isn't much clearance between the front steps and the connecting rods, or the rear steps and the crankpin, but just enough. 

 

To answer the question of the minimum radius curves it will run through, I genuinely haven't got a clue at this stage. They won't be particularly tight though. 

 

The safety valve casing has polished-up nicely so I will leave it as it is and glue it on it after final painting. 

 

 

 

[CXW1]

Well, I reckon the A7 is more or less finished. I've really enjoyed building this and I've managed to overcome my fear of outside cylinders. It will now take its place in the paint queue with the D24. The 'does it go round corners' test will have to wait until I can take it for a run on a layout which has curves. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CXW1]

The A7 has had some black paint and transfers applied. The pictures below show it just after it had a few squirts of satin varnish to seal in the transfers and it looks far too clean. Most of the photographs of A7s show them in a pretty filthy condition, so it clearly needs some weathering (and some cab glazing and coal in the back). 

 

I can also possibly shed some light on the minimum radius curves it will run through. It will happily rattle through a set of Marcway 48 inch radius points but won't go through 36 inch radius points (as expected). I'm not a layout builder and therefore haven't got a clue what this means or whether this is good, bad or indifferent. One day I might get round to knocking up a proper layout so I'm happy to be educated on this matter (by the way I wouldn't use the Marcway points if I ever get around to building a layout - I'll make my own). 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Chris 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2022 by CXW1
Picture added

[CXW1]

The D24 has had a lick of paint, and it now has an owner and a number. 

 

I have made a start on the lining and this is as far as I got before I ran out of red lines/got bored. Each time I get the lining transfers out I tell myself 'I must learn how to do this by hand....'

 

One thing which has worked out OK is the brass beading on the splashers. These were made by forming the curve with 1mm thick brass strip and then setting the splasher sides back ever so slightly, thus forming a recess. When the paint was still fairly soft it was scraped away to leave the bare brass. Unfortunately I managed to scrape away some paint where I didn't mean to and the picture shows a few areas of touching up. However this won't be obvious when it has had a coat of varnish. 

 

I still need to line the splashers with transfers but initial attempts haven't been very successful in forming the curve. Any ideas/suggestions on how to do this with Fox or HMRS transfers?

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

 

 

[micklner]

I cut and gently push HMRS lining using the curved sections , into place with a wooden Cocktail Stick . Fox is too thick in width for me.

 

Model looking good.

[CXW1]

1 hour ago, micklner said:

I cut and gently push HMRS lining using the curved sections , into place with a wooden Cocktail Stick . Fox is too thick in width for me.

 

Model looking good.

 

Thanks Mick - I'll give that a go. 

 

I agree with you about the width of the Fox lining. The lining on the D24 is the thinnest stuff that Fox sell (0.35mm ?) but it still looks a bit thick. I have found that it seems to stand out even more on photographs but matt or satin varnish and some light weathering seems to tone it down a bit. I do get on better with waterslide lining than pressfix though.

 

[Jon4470]

Nice looking locos - I have been following your builds for a while .. really enjoy them and the end results look great.

 

Ref lining - missenden modellers web site currently has the Activity Media “DVD’s” available to watch. One of these is Ian Rathbone showing how he does the lining. He makes it look so easy!

 

Jon

[CXW1]

35 minutes ago, Jon4470 said:

Nice looking locos - I have been following your builds for a while .. really enjoy them and the end results look great.

 

Ref lining - missenden modellers web site currently has the Activity Media “DVD’s” available to watch. One of these is Ian Rathbone showing how he does the lining. He makes it look so easy!

 

Jon

 

Many years ago I knew someone who did lining with a bow pen / ruling pen, and it amazed me how easy he made it look, especially things like BR mixed traffic lining with 3 different colours. It seemed like it was 50% ability and 50% having the confidence to just do it and not ruin a perfectly good model. I'll check out the video - it is something that I would like to get better at.

 

Thanks for your kind comments. 

 

Chris 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by CXW1
Correction

[pete_mcfarlane]

Don't worry - you won't ruin a perfectly good model trying to line it with a bowpen. If you've given the paint a few days to harden before starting on the lining then any mistakes can be wiped off with a cotton tipped earbud soaked in thinners, and you can have another go. 

[CXW1]

After spending far too much time making locomotives of late I fancied a change of scenery - no pun intended.

 

I am a relatively inactive member of the 2mm Scale Association and decided to have a go at the Diamond Jubilee Layout Challenge which had a deadline some time back in June. Lockdown resulted in this not happening which was useful given that I hadn't made much progress. I think the DJLC has been postponed for 12 months so with 9 or so months to go I thought I'd better get my finger out.

 

To anyone not familiar with the DJLC rules, you need to make a layout which has a scenic area no more than 60cm in length (representing 60 years of the 2mm Association) and no more than 9.42 inches wide (representing the 9.42mm track gauge). Yes I know it is bad practice to mix metric and imperial measurements but I didn't make up the rules. I think there has to be at least one working point or something along those lines. I am happy to stand corrected on the measurements and rules if anyone from the DJLC committee wishes to bring me into line.

 

A few DJLC efforts that I have seen are fairly complex but my effort will be an imaginary goods depot with an inglenook plan based 'somewhere in Co. Durham or Northumberland', i.e. goods shed, coal drops etc. and built on the KISS principle. 

 

The scenic area will have a depot manager's house as a view blocker (idea completely nicked from the Croft Depot P4 layout - sorry) but I have based it on the station house at Whittingham in Northumberland.

 

 

 

The grey bit at the bottom will allow the building to be 'planted' into the ground so hopefully there won't be any gaps.

 

As I said, the house will act as a view blocker so the back wall has been left plain.

 

 

Walls are embossed plastikard, windows are from Brassmasters and the paper on the roof is the same as was used on many of the buildings on St Ruth - it is printed onto white paper and then painted with water colours. 

 

The layout is currently gathering dust on a shelf in my garage. I'll give it a clean and stick some pictures on here - there isn't much to see though.....

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1
Stuff

[CXW1]

Following on from the previous picture of the house, here is a picture of it acting as the view blocker on my embryonic 2mm Association Diamond Jubilee layout. As you can see there is still plenty to do, but following on from Boris's latest update it looks like I might have a bit of time on my hands to hopefully make some progress. Next job is to make a backscene and build up the terrain at the back of the scenic area, then make some progress with the scenic bits. What you see below is about 18 months-worth of glacial progress. 

 

Points are operated by wire-in-tube and there is a magnet behind the house to operate the DG couplings - and that's as complicated as it gets. The goods shed is based on a few similar buildings on the NER Cornhill branch and the yard office/weigh bridge is similar to the one at Alston. 

 

I'm not going to start a layout topic because it is small enough to fit on my workbench, so it is still technically a workbench item. The overall length of the picture below is 60cm. 

 

 

I've also stuck a few more red lines on the D24 tender. Other than fitting couplings and coal, that's about as much as I'm going to do to it. I've got some Kitson works plates on order from Narrow Planet - these will go on the front splasher. 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Chris 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1
Correction

[CXW1]

I wasn't planning to build another loco, but with another period of not being able to do much else I thought 'why not?'

 

When I built the D24 I made the error or ordering two sets of driving wheels. The first set of drivers was ordered directly from Markits. I have done this before without any issues but this time my order appeared to go into a black hole. After noticing that Wizard stocked the same wheels (which I knew would turn up within a few days of ordering) I got impatient and placed an order. Then, right on cue, the order turned up from Markits. I know there is a thread on here giving Markits a bit of flak, but I've never had a problem - the double order was entirely my own doing. 

 

I consulted the RCTS book to see if there was another North Eastern 4-4-0 which had the same size driving wheels as a D24 (give or take an inch or so). The best thing I could come up with was a D22 (ex NER Class F).  

 

So, here is the start of a D22 propped up with blue-tac. 

 

 

 

The whitemetal roof is a spare part from an old kit. I won't use this as it is the wrong pattern for the period that I am modelling. I will make the correct roof from brass. 

 

No. 663 was (I think) the only member of the class which got LNER group standard buffers. I think the D22s look better with the smaller NER tapered buffers, so I will probably replace the GS ones with these. 

 

The beading around the splasher and on the cab was made from various sizes of wire and then filed flat. 

 

The castings and some of the pipes are just plonked on for now. 

 

The mobile phone photo seems to make the sides of the smokebox appear square - it isn't and has the correct profile based on the photos that I can find. 

 

I have borrowed the tender from my Dave Alexander J27.

 

 

 

A proper looking Victorian engine if ever there was one.

 

Cheers

 

Chris 

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2022 by CXW1

[Jon4470]

On 07/11/2020 at 23:00, CXW1 said:

 

A proper looking Victorian engine if ever there was one.

 

Cheers

 

Chris 

 

 

 

 

I absolutely agree with that statement! A lovely looking locomotive and one that is on my “one day I’ll have one of those” list. I’ll have to build up the courage to scratch build.......

Your model is looking really good - looking forward to seeing it complete.

Will you go for lined black or for green?

 

Jon

[CXW1]

9 hours ago, Jon4470 said:

 

I absolutely agree with that statement! A lovely looking locomotive and one that is on my “one day I’ll have one of those” list. I’ll have to build up the courage to scratch build.......

Your model is looking really good - looking forward to seeing it complete.

Will you go for lined black or for green?

 

Jon

 

Green would be nice (and a challenge) but my plan is finish it off in lined black with the number on the splasher. 

 

Thanks

 

Chris 

 

[CXW1]

I have made a bit of progress with the D22 in the past week. The bogie and front frames have been fitted although they still need some detailing.

 

The main development is the fact it now works. I have gone for a High Level Roadunner Compact Plus gearbox and one of Chris's cheaper 1020 motors. The small gearbox allows the motor to sit low down in the splashers which gives plenty of room for lead in the boiler and some much needed weight. 

 

I have decided to stick with the whitemetal roof shown in the previous picture. At the end of the day it is a good fit and adds additional weight, but I have filed off the detail and made it into something more appropriate for the LNER period. The 'spares box' LNER group standard buffers of unknown origin  in the previous picture have been replaced with some better looking ones from Lanarkshire Models. I have decided that the loco will be based on No. 663 which had GS buffers and a polished brass safety valve trumpet in the period being modelled. 

 

Cab handrails and brakes next. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CXW1]

Not much progress to report with the D22. I will hopefully make a start on the tender shortly. I have bought a tender from Arthur/North Eastern Kits as I don't see the point in making my own when an excellent kit is available. 

 

A few years ago (probably more) I built a F8 2-4-2 tank. The body was scratchbuilt but I used Alan Gibson frames. The chassis never really ran as well as I would have liked for several reasons. I originally used Gibson sprung hornblocks which I found had too much 'slop' within the horn guides. I ended up ditching the Gibson frames and making my own. There is a picture of the F8 sitting on its home made frames earlier on in this thread (I think on page 2 or 3). 

 

The result was of course that I had a spare set of Alan Gibson F8 frames which I kept looking at thinking that I really ought to make use of. 

 

The original frames had cut-outs for sprung hornblocks on all 4 axles. I have found over time that I prefer to have the motor/gearbox attached to a fixed axle, so I've blanked off the rear driving axle cut-outs and fitted rigid frame bearings. The front driving axle is now in my preferred High Level hornblocks with a beam for a little bit of compensation. The rear axle uses the pony truck dodge that I described a couple of pages ago. The chassis is basically a 0-6-2 but without the front wheels coupled to the middle wheels. I also thought that the Alan Gibson frames as supplied made the original F8 body sit 1mm to high, so they had this much shaved off the top before being soldered back together. 

 

Everything else that you see below was stuff that I found in my spares box including the wheels, motor and gears. The gears are a single stage 50:1 Branchlines motor mount - slightly 'old school' compared to a High Level gearbox - but it runs well enough after sticking lots of lead in the tanks and boiler. 

 

The driving wheels were also out of the spares box and eagle-eyed North Eastern Railway aficionados might notice they have a couple too many spokes but this is barely noticeable, especially when it is moving. 

 

So, here is the 'Spares Box Special F8' which has effectively cost nowt to build up to this point. Admittedly I would have bought the parts that I've used at some point but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I haven't bought anything specifically for this model this time around.

 

I am going to have to spend a few quid to buy some castings to finish it off though.....

 

Cheers

 

Chris 

 

 

 

[micklner]

My F8 still is a poor runner .

I am considering a Gibson frame version with London Road truck etch (which I have already) for the rear only. One problem is the body, on mine it maybe wrong . What height are your side tanks please as I think my kit ones are too low?

 

Can you post some photos of the chassis only please, it will give some me more ideas on altering mine .

[CXW1]

4 hours ago, micklner said:

My F8 still is a poor runner .

I am considering a Gibson frame version with London Road truck etch (which I have already) for the rear only. One problem is the body, on mine it maybe wrong . What height are your side tanks please as I think my kit ones are too low?

 

Can you post some photos of the chassis only please, it will give some me more ideas on altering mine .

 

Mick, the side tanks are approximately 16mm. 

 

I have used a drawing which was published in the September 1972 Railway Modeller magazine. I don't have the magazine but Peco charged me a few quid for a photocopy of the drawing - worth having for what it costs. I assume the drawing is accurate....

 

According to the RM drawing the cab sides are approx. 26mm, and the measurement from footplate to the highest point of the cab front (i.e. in between the 2 cab spectacles) is approx. 30mm. 

 

I'll take a picture of the frames this evening but please be aware of the point I made earlier about the loco sitting too high on Gibson frames if you were thinking about getting some. The other issue with the Gibson frames is the fact they are made from very thick brass, so you might have to use slightly thinner spacers if you want the loco to go round tight curves, or somehow narrow the frames at the front and rear. 

 

 

 

 

[micklner]

Thanks , I might be better off cutting some slots into my chassis at each end for the LRM trucks , and use that still. It will be as easier as well, as mine has Gibsons fitted . I never have any luck removing them.

[Pebbles]

A better side view drawing of the F8 is on page 91 ln  Vol 3 of the "North Eastern Record", the Railway Modeller drawing appears to have followed the weight diagram with regards to the cab cut out. The F8 RCTS quotes the tank capacities of the F4/5 and the  F8 as 1241gals. As the GER 2-4-2 tanks and the F8 were very closely related, for modelling purposes  the figure of 4ft (16mm) quoted on the GER Society drawing for the height of the tank side sheet from the footplate for the F4/5 would appear to be applicable to F8. 

[CXW1]

2 hours ago, Pebbles said:

A better side view drawing of the F8 is on page 91 ln  Vol 3 of the "North Eastern Record", the Railway Modeller drawing appears to have followed the weight diagram with regards to the cab cut out. The F8 RCTS quotes the tank capacities of the F4/5 and the  F8 as 1241gals. As the GER 2-4-2 tanks and the F8 were very closely related, for modelling purposes  the figure of 4ft (16mm) quoted on the GER Society drawing for the height of the tank side sheet from the footplate for the F4/5 would appear to be applicable to F8. 

 

Thanks for the information. I don't have any of the North Eastern Record books for reference but I agree that the cab cut out on the Railway Modeller drawing doesn't look quite right when compared to photographs of F8s. I can't put my finger on what the issue is - is it too large, or is it something to do with the radius of the corners?

 

I tend not to use drawings that much although if I can get my hands on a fairly accurate drawing I will use it. I usually start out by doing my own drawing, using the RCTS books for the key measurements like wheelbase, size of wheels, length over buffers etc, and then scale the rest from photographs.