Building a Cambrian Seaham in 3mm/ft scale

[NCB]

Took a week to locate the chimney and dome. Couldn't find them on the very cluttered work bench, so started on various boxes and shelves, tidying up things as I went along. No joy. Finally went back and decluttered the workbench, and them found more or less where I thought they might be in the first place, in a small plastic sachet hidden under a larger plastic sachet. At least things are a lot more tidy!

 

So, set to to fit the buffers, gluing them with Araldite:

 

 

Next thing is to clean up the 3D prints. Toothpaste has been suggested.

 

I also need to order the tank fillers and smokebox door from the 3mm Society.

 

Nigel

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by NCB

[ChrisN]

2 hours ago, NCB said:

Took a week to locate the chimney and dome. Couldn't find them on the very cluttered work bench, so started on various boxes and shelves, tidying up things as I went along. No joy. Finally went back and decluttered the workbench, and them found more or less where I thought they might be in the first place, in a small plastic sachet hidden under a larger plastic sachet. At least things are a lot more tidy!

 

So, set to to fit the buffers, gluing them with Araldite:

 

 

Next thing is to clean up the 3D prints. Toothpaste has been suggested.

 

I also need to order the tank fillers and smokebox door from the 3mm Society.

 

Nigel

 

 

Nigel,

I am glad you found the parts.  Also, it gives me hope.  I often do just what you have done, except I find things when I am not looking for them or want them, but when I do........

 

It is looking good.

[NCB]

17 hours ago, ChrisN said:

 

Nigel,

I am glad you found the parts.  Also, it gives me hope.  I often do just what you have done, except I find things when I am not looking for them or want them, but when I do........

 

It is looking good.

 

Chris

 

Things seem to go in phases The pic above wasn't the one I intended to post; I thought one taken from a lower angle would be better. But the battery on the camera ran down, and I couldn't find the spare, and then I couldn't find the charger either...

 

If they don't turn up then I'm going to have to dig up a different camera. But that one, a 10 year old Panasonic G1, seems to be very good at snapping models, so it sits on a tripod waiting to be used.

 

Nigel

Edited October 2, 2021 by NCB

[03060]

On 01/10/2021 at 21:00, NCB said:

Took a week to locate the chimney and dome. Couldn't find them on the very cluttered work bench, so started on various boxes and shelves, tidying up things as I went along. No joy. Finally went back and decluttered the workbench, and them found more or less where I thought they might be in the first place, in a small plastic sachet hidden under a larger plastic sachet. At least things are a lot more tidy!

 

 

You didn't by chance find the windscreen from my Dad's diecast model car that I'm supposed to be mending in that plastic sachet did you ! I know I had it somewhere after the first gluing attempt failed ....erm ....erm ??

[NCB]

1 hour ago, 03060 said:

 

You didn't by chance find the windscreen from my Dad's diecast model car that I'm supposed to be mending in that plastic sachet did you ! I know I had it somewhere after the first gluing attempt failed ....erm ....erm ??

 Afraid not    Try looking where you've already looked. I'm sure these things have a strategy to avoid detection.

[NCB]

The bit I'd been waiting for; cleaned up the 3D printed boiler fittings and glued them on  using Araldite:

 

 

 

Only tricky bit was removing the stems on the bottom side of dome and chimney as there were no holes for them to fir into. I used a combination of drills and burrs in a Proxxon drill.

 

The 3mm Society was out of the tank fillers I wanted, so I'll use some Pannier tank ones; not even Mike Lloyd knew what they should look like or where they should go The smokebox door was the smallest they had and even that was too large, about 11mm rather than the 10-10.4mm I wanted. As it stood it sat too low but I've filled the top a bit so that it partly slips under the handrail, and that'll have to do. Part of the problem is the handrail being too low, but it's too late to rectify.

 

Nigel

[AndrewJ]

Nigel,

I've been following this thread with great interest and enjoyment, it's been inspirational stuff and the loco is a credit to you. The way you shared each step, complete with the ups and downs, made it most interesting. I'm just getting going in 3mm scale and would love to build this loco as the Cambrian is/was my "local" railway. Have you given any thought to the possibility of making the etch file(s) available to others?

 

Andrew

[NCB]

2 hours ago, AndrewJ said:

Nigel,

I've been following this thread with great interest and enjoyment, it's been inspirational stuff and the loco is a credit to you. The way you shared each step, complete with the ups and downs, made it most interesting. I'm just getting going in 3mm scale and would love to build this loco as the Cambrian is/was my "local" railway. Have you given any thought to the possibility of making the etch file(s) available to others?

 

Andrew

 

Not sure at the moment. I have a sheet of alterations to do to the etch to correct the mistakes and make improvements! I don't want to think about it until I've properly completed the loco, which includes drawing up the transfers to finish it off. And I need to get some of the other projects out of the way, including the test build of a GWR signal box I've promised to do, a set of 4 of Chris Higgs' LNWR open wagons, and finish off my Rhymney Class M, which needs me to do some 3D printed fittings. Think they'll take me to beyond next Easter. But it's possible.

 

Cheers

Nigel

[NCB]

More or less done. Smokebox door and tank fillers fitted.

 

 

 

Smokebox dart, vac pipes and coupling hooks needed, but they can wait.

 

Next stage is painting, using Halfords grey undercoat and gloss black (gloss for transfers). My "spraying shed" collapsed and was removed a few years ago, which means I have to brace myself for indoor spraying.

 

After that it's applying transfers. Ah... transfers. There aren't any! I'll have to draw up some. A job for the winter months!

 

Will probably give this a rest for a bit. I have a laser-cut signal box to build and some 3D printed boiler fittings for my Rhymney M to do. And ... the list goes on

 

Nigel

[corneliuslundie]

Might Richard Evans be able to help you with artwork for the transfers, rather than starting from scratch? I don't imagine that he would want to produce 3 mm transfers commercially.

Jonathan

[NCB]

4 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

Might Richard Evans be able to help you with artwork for the transfers, rather than starting from scratch? I don't imagine that he would want to produce 3 mm transfers commercially.

Jonathan

We (the 3mm Society) talked to him after the WRRC transfers were done, but we didn't manage to do a deal. In the event, we were already investigating doing our own transfers, so followed that route. For the Cambrian wagons I produced A6 sized sheets which were crammed with artwork, which we sell for £10, so very good value for money. We used Wessex Transfers to do them, which were very good and priced to be attractive for short runs. Unfortunately following the death of Rob Horton Wessex is no more, so I'll have to find another printer; think I may have one.