Compton - 7mm narrow gauge

[Goose95]

14 hours ago, e30ftw said:

excelent stuff, for what ever reason 7mm narrow gauge dosnt seem all that popular but this has the makings of a lovely layout.

 

Thank you! I think it struggles as a scale because of the popularity of 009 (particularly on the continent) meaning its been much easier to build locos with a proper chassis. Shame really because as a scale it strikes me as having all the benefits of 0 gauge but but without needing the space. 

 

For me I really want the main motive power to be outside framed as per most real narrow gauge lines but I have no idea if or where there are parts available for scratch building these. 

[Giles]

Very nice start - and very nice stock......

You can scratch-build outside frame chassis using extended axles and cranks from Romfords or Markits quite successfully. It's certainty worth the effort. You can also occasionally pick up a Wrightlines Quarry Hunslet kit with all the gubbins (outside frame) for under £200 - which, although sounding a lot,  can make up to a nice loco.

 

I used to live in Cwmtillery  - just over the top from you....

[Goose95]

2 hours ago, Giles said:

Very nice start - and very nice stock......

You can scratch-build outside frame chassis using extended axles and cranks from Romfords or Markits quite successfully. It's certainty worth the effort. You can also occasionally pick up a Wrightlines Quarry Hunslet kit with all the gubbins (outside frame) for under £200 - which, although sounding a lot,  can make up to a nice loco.

 

I used to live in Cwmtillery  - just over the top from you....

 

Thanks! I'll have a look at Romfords/Markits then, I've heard them mentioned around so I'll see what parts they have available. 

[Goose95]

An effective way to reduce your alcohol consumption during lockdown is to use your stockpile whilst glueing down the track base... 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Goose95

[Goose95]

The Leek and Manifold van is now complete and ready for priming, it will have to wait a little bit though as I purchased a few other L&MVR items to make up a full train. The wagons are mostly done now and the brake composite coach is slowly taking shape, it does seem to dwarf everything else though! I have no idea if these kits are supposed to be easy to build or not but as a complete beginner I've found them very enjoyable and where I've made mistakes I've found they're very forgiving when it comes to correcting or re-shaping them.

 

 

 

Point motors have been ordered as well as a pile of parts from LCUT creative for the engine/carriage shed so things are at least moving forward. On testing placement I'm unsure about whether the wind pump will be ok where it is or if it's too close to the track, my concern is if it is moved further towards the corner it might become obscured by the cottage at the front of the layout.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Goose95

[Goose95]

I hadn't intended for there to be such a long break in updates but lockdown and a new job have made it quite a hectic year since February! Anyway, here are a few updates.

 

Firstly I've been trialling the chopper couplings from Zamzoodled as an alternative the the 7mmNGA ones, they are slightly dearer but after a successful few trials on the test track using their flexible coupler fittings I've decided these will be the couplings used on all stock for the layout. Unfortunately they've been out of stock for a while but at least I have plenty of other projects to carry on with while I eagerly await their return!

 

 

 

While awaiting the restocking of Zamzoodled couplings, the Leek & Manifold stock have now mostly been painted and are just awaiting a few finishing details. The coach still needs the interiors and glazing fitted but I'm a little stuck on the lining, I've modelled them as they would have appeared towards the end of their lives but I can't tell from photos if they remained fully lined in the 1930s. Early LMS-period photos clearly show the lining but in later years it's hard to tell if the dirt and grime is covering the lining or if they were re-painted plain.

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Goose95

[PaulRhB]

On 06/02/2021 at 13:43, Goose95 said:

I have no idea if these kits are supposed to be easy to build or not but as a complete beginner I've found them very enjoyable and where I've made mistakes I've found they're very forgiving when it comes to correcting or re-shaping them.

Yes Kevin designed them to be logical rather than simple and you look to have made a very nice job of them, especially impressive considering you said you only started soldering stuff last year! (I’ve been Kevins helper at shows for many years but I didn’t design any of the kits) 

[Goose95]

As a little break from rolling stock I've been progressing with the cottage to sit at the front of the layout to hide the exit to the fiddle yard.

 

 

 

It was suggested I use pieces of cork to bring out the flints as dry brushing wasn't working (bit too enthusiastic with a few coats for the cement), I tried it out on the sides that weren't going to be visible and liked the result so carried on to the front and side. I think it could probably do with a little more work before I'm totally happy with it but I like where it's heading so far. Had a test run of the roof and chimneys and found a slight fitting issue between the guttering and the soffits, might mean re-doing the roof to make a cleaner fit but at least I haven't started painting that part yet.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Goose95

[Goose95]

I wasn't overly happy with the buildings I had planned for the station, even for a light railway they seemed too small for the station that also featured the company's engine and carriage sheds. So I've assembled one of 422 Modelmaking's light railway station kits which I think suits the layout better.

 

 

 

I also had a selection of castings and parts from which I've cobbled a basic canopy from (excuse the metal ruler used to test how it would line up). I quite like it with the canopy, it has a feel of the Kent & East Sussex stations I think. 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Goose95

[DLT]

Very nice indeed Mr.Goose.  How have you found the 422 kit? 

You may find you have an issue with the long thin resin parts bowing.  I have a 422 kit, and I've had to add internal bracing.

I guess if you add internal walls to the station building, that should do the trick.

All the best,

Dave.

[Goose95]

14 hours ago, DLT said:

You may find you have an issue with the long thin resin parts bowing.  I have a 422 kit, and I've had to add internal bracing.

I guess if you add internal walls to the station building, that should do the trick.

 

Agreed, I've added internal walls to mine across the length and width of the building as the sides were already flexing a little. Has the added bonus of not showing the building won't have any interior detail.

 

Otherwise I've found it a very nice kit, a little challenge making it square since none of the parts have a bevelled edge but nothing a little filler hasn't solved. 

[Goose95]

Update on the cottage, the roof has now been painted and fitted in place along with the chimneys. I'm confident I can put this in my finished jobs pile for now, at least until it comes to installing it on the layout when there'll be some vegetation added to hide some of the joins in the brickwork on the corners.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Goose95

[Goose95]

Progress on the loco front is going slowly as a few months back I decided it would be a great idea to bash a Branchlines Hunslet chassis into a 2-4-0t to sit under a Manx Northern Railway Ramsey from Mannin Models. The body has been shortened as at full length it seemed out of proportion to the other stock, in its new condition there's definitely more of a Southwold look about it (which makes sense when comparing photos of the Southwold locos against their MNR equivalents). The body has also had the chimney, dome, safety valves, filler caps, and other fittings replaced with brass ones as I felt they had just a bit more detail to them.

 

There's still a lot of work to do on the chassis and I suspect that by the time I've finished I won't want to go through it again to build a sister loco, we'll assume it's sister has already been dismantled and used for spares.....

 

 

 

The station building now has it's canopy fitted and just needs detailing and weathering, after fitting it I noticed it has a slight lean which I can't fix now but is less visible when on the layout (hopefully it'll give it more of a slightly run-down look). I haven't yet got onto laying any track yet but I can at least get a good feel for where everything will go while still being able to move the track about. Just creeping in from the left, the carriage/engine shed is also starting to take shape.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Goose95

[NeilHB]

I like the look of the 2-4-0, it has a nice chunky feel to it and looks like it will fit in nicely with the rest of your stock.

 

The layout is coming along nicely too. 

[hayfield]

Superb finishes on the buildings and the stock looks to be coming on nicely

[LDM34046]

Really coming along lovely! Looking forward to seeing future progress. The modelling on the house is just superb.

[Jeff Smith]

Regarding couplings for O-16.5, I tried the Branchlines ones but found them hard to set up and not good for 18" rad curves.  I settled on Kadees which on the Peco kits are just the right height to match Bachmann On30 stock (HO height).  The Bachmann On30 side tippers and V tippers are acceptable for British practice NG.

[Goose95]

Little update regarding the station buildings and goods shed as they've now been painted and their first few washes to weather and tone the colour down and also an attempt at building a water tower for the shed area. I ended up bracing the parts for the tank with off-cuts from some 7mm-scale clapboard I had laying around as I couldn't get the joins as smooth as I would have liked. For a base I've started with a timber base, I had considered a concrete style similar to Beddgelert in later years or in brick but neither quite worked with the timber bracing. Let me know what you think as the it hasn't been attached to the tank yet, I'm just playing around with it to see where it might fit best.

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Goose95

[Goose95]

Ok, now RMweb is back up and running I've gone through and re-uploaded all the photos I'd uploaded that I'd saved with minimal losses. One positive is that I really had to go through all my previous ideas and see how the project has developed over the last year.

 

Now onto the main updates!

 

Recently I attended my first show as an exhibitor as part of my local group (Newport Model Railway Society) at Nailsea with the 7mm scale layout Frecclesham (RM Sep.2014). Having joined the club just before the 1st lockdown is was nice to see the layout fully assembled rather than covered up in the clubroom and a thoroughly enjoyable weekend was had operating the layout.

 

 

Whilst I'm not ready to make the move to DCC, operating with delayed uncoupling using Dinghams made me look into other options to use on Compton and the best option (given the lack of buffers) seems to be D&G couplings. A few were ordered (and very nicely priced they are too) and following some successful trials on a few wagons I'm sold. They may not be as prototypical as the zamzoodled couplings, but the ability to use minimal electromagnets under the layout (and thus reduce some wiring) and the delayed uncoupling more than make up for that for me.

 

 

The track still isn't down yet on the layout (some frantic re-drawing of the wiring diagrams first) but hopefully that won't be too far off as sections are currently being drawn out on the boards for final adjustments. The baseboards have only just been put back up after all as the modelling room has recently had extensive shelving put in, makes quite a difference when the floor is no longer covered in boxes and I can actually find the tools or kit I'm planning on working with!