LMS Bess Posted September 24, 2021 Author Share Posted September 24, 2021 So tomorrow is the big day. I'll be screwing together some plywood planks and timbers! In a flourish of enterprise I've created a drilling jig. Looking into leg options, I'm drawn to my old standby, the IKEA Kallax free standing shelf unit which now are available in single column as well as double square. I know the beast well and am fairly sure two of them could support an 180cm length which is what it will be. I may insert dowels from base board to Kallax for stability and removability. I'm also planning on using dowels at back to hold removable chipboard backboard. I was however thinking about nuts and bolts, for either or both of these applications. What I don't know is what you'd call a thing that screws into wood at one end and accepts a nut at the other end. Such a thing must surely exist, do any of you know? I also found a reference to livestock wagons being pressed into service for fruit with tarpaulins covering the airholes. I'm glad this happened at least once in real life as it gives me something to do with the SR sheep wagon I got bundled in with my opens. I have also ordered the bits to complete the crane. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted September 25, 2021 Author Share Posted September 25, 2021 Well, the carpentry went surprisingly well: there's only one little warp height difference and on previous layouts I solved this by having more stringers underneath and screwing the thing right down and/or aggressive sanding. I'm quite pleased with this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 1, 2021 Author Share Posted October 1, 2021 Some clutter, and progress on the crane. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 1, 2021 Author Share Posted October 1, 2021 Almost the right angle, too. I'll take it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 Got most of the chassis for the crane done today. Used the Peco/Wonderful Wagons R20 underframe. Very nice. Slight problem in that the drill guide on the instruction leaflet was printed out 1mm too big. I ended up cutting off the little pegs and just gluing the bits flat to the plasticard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 5, 2021 Author Share Posted October 5, 2021 We're getting somewhere. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 8, 2021 Author Share Posted October 8, 2021 Hook attached. Possibly too big, may remake, but concept holds. And some wagons! The livestock wagon will be getting tarpaulins to represent an ad hoc fruit wagon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 8, 2021 Author Share Posted October 8, 2021 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 10, 2021 Author Share Posted October 10, 2021 Staff. Monty's Miniatures. These are great castings and paint up nicely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 10, 2021 Author Share Posted October 10, 2021 Especially this pose I like. He'll start shifting that lot after his cuppa, not before. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 14, 2021 Author Share Posted October 14, 2021 Here's some gold: Folkestone Harbour footage from about the 5:30 mark. I note: A P class and a Z class turn up at some point. I must NOT be led into temptation. Luggage vans brought separately from their carriages. Nice! I found evidence of three carriage boat trains on the SREMG database and so, a three carriage train, or a couple of vans, are just about manageable in the space I have. Maunsell carriages, I think. I have some of these from an eBay splurge when I didn't realise how cheap they were (I have some of the not exactly prototypical Triang and early Hornby ones ... I think. I'm aware of some much nicer more recent Hornby ones. We'll see.) A car on a palette of some kind being lifted off what must have been a flat wagon. A nice little modelling project there. I think I also glimpsed a mixture of carriages and goods stock being shunted up from the end of the harbour. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 15, 2021 Author Share Posted October 15, 2021 Some more action today. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 15, 2021 Author Share Posted October 15, 2021 And some tarpaulins. Tracing these out of the reference book. Since this was taken I've painted them. Surprisingly happy results. These are to go on that Hornby cattle wagon that has no SR prototype and is for 'fruit traffic'. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 15, 2021 Author Share Posted October 15, 2021 Also I decided to study this tome and yes indeed, three or four carriage Maunsell sets would be seen. Sometimes a boat train proper would consist of several sets and they might split them up for the trip to the harbour from the junction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 16, 2021 Author Share Posted October 16, 2021 Tarpaulin attached to dodgy cattle wagon and SR branding on wagon obliterated with weathering - now it's a plausible looking 'something' to fill up a rake: 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 16, 2021 Author Share Posted October 16, 2021 Another tarpaulin added to an open wagon. I keep getting intrigued by the idea of a tarpaulin removable during operations - but I don't think it's doable really, the ropework is too fiddly. Might put together a rake of covered opens. I'm happy with the way these tarpaulins turned out and I think with some ultra close attention paid to the smaller writing (like the tarpaulin number along the side there) I can get them looking quite good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 16, 2021 Author Share Posted October 16, 2021 And this Ratio covered wagon kit is coming along quite nicely. Read a book on kit building by a Mr Grant iirc who suggests some chemicals to help applying decals - I'll investigate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 22, 2021 Author Share Posted October 22, 2021 The covered wagon is now what I'd call finished - the Micro Scale micro set helped, after some getting used to it, and considering how bad I am at decals plus each line of writing was a separate decal ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted October 26, 2021 Author Share Posted October 26, 2021 (edited) Now then - I'm getting towards the point of purchasing and laying track. This is an area where I could use some advice. I've decided to use flex track because it's needed to do one particular curve, so I might as well use it throughout. Also better conductivity. Also, as with the soldering, I'm gonna have to tackle it at some point. This will be the first time I've used it, I've used Kato sectional track on all previous projects. I've redrawn the plan using flex track and it looks like anyrail can print this out at 1:1 scale to use as a guide. Q1. I'm going to get one of those Peco tracksetta templates to make sure the curve is correct radius - needs to be 91.4mm to match the turnouts to accommodate my three link couplers. Unless you don't need the track setta and there's an easier way? Q2. Cutting the stuff. I was thinking of those Xuron track cutters but, I read an article saying it's better to have some of the track pinned down flat and cut it with a Dremel (so it can only move side to side). Is one way better than the other here? How's best to mark the cut before cutting? This was the article in question and I've read Stu's thread on here: https://modelrailwayengineer.com/laying-flexitrack-how-to/amp/ It's looking like a razor saw might be the best option for cutting. Q3. I bet my cuts are not going to be perfect and that there'll be a gap of some mm between sections where they join. That being the case, how big of a gap can I get away with? Edited October 26, 2021 by LMS Bess Adding a bit of explanation Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted November 25, 2021 Author Share Posted November 25, 2021 (edited) So. Some tracklaying has happened. It's actually gone quite smoothly. However, I have a question. I find I'm able to saw the flex track to near enough the right lengths, but, I've ended up with a case where there is a slight gap between sections - maybe 4mm, and the rails, and the gap, sit within the joiner. I hooked up some power and ran the locomotive chassis over this gap to see if the gap caused a problem. The chassis was not in a good mood generally and kept cutting out even on a powered, non gapped bit of rail. Probably needs cleaning and running in. I did manage to get it to run, when it was running, over the gap. Does that I mean I can leave the gap or should I endeavour to close it by cutting a bit of flex more precisely? The problem is I'm not sure I can cut it any more precisely ... Edited November 25, 2021 by LMS Bess Gap not gal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 48 minutes ago, LMS Bess said: So. Some tracklaying has happened. It's actually gone quite smoothly. However, I have a question. I find I'm able to saw the flex track to near enough the right lengths, but, I've ended up with a case where there is a slight gap between sections - maybe 4mm, and the rails, and the gap, sit within the joiner. I hooked up some power and ran the locomotive chassis over this gap to see if the gap caused a problem. The chassis was not in a good mood generally and kept cutting out even on a powered, non gapped bit of rail. Probably needs cleaning and running in. I did manage to get it to run, when it was running, over the gap. Does that I mean I can leave the gap or should I endeavour to close it by cutting a bit of flex more precisely? The problem is I'm not sure I can cut it any more precisely ... Buy these https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=xuron+track+cutters+uk A 4mm. gap will cause endless problems. CJI. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted November 25, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 25, 2021 Haven't visited it for a while, but if anyone were to be looking for evidence of the value and abilities of this website, there is no better example. LMS Bess bought an old HD R1 on the 'Bay, and wasn't sure what it was. He now has a very satisfying small but operationally fascinating layout project based on Folkestone Harbour, and on the way has encountered cranes, goods stock, figures, tarpaulins and loads of other interesting matters, and (hopefully) thoroughly enjoyed himself. Because he bought an R1 from 'Bay and asked a question... 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted November 27, 2021 Author Share Posted November 27, 2021 Indeed. It was from a charity shop and also I do American N simultaneously but yes, had I attempted to sort out the R1 and do some British OO stuff without you lot, I'm almost certain I'd have appeared on crimewatch, walking the streets, barking at people 'What is link and pin? Who is Flex Track? Aaargh!' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted November 27, 2021 Author Share Posted November 27, 2021 Also I managed to close my gap by sawing another length. It's now down to 1mm. There's also another possibly gnarly gap I found but that can be done later. I found it easier than I thought it would be to slot the new length in to place. And I've also started soldering the wires underneath. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMS Bess Posted December 11, 2021 Author Share Posted December 11, 2021 (edited) So. Today I connected power, tested all the lines, and ran the R1 chassis up and down them successfully, including over points. I pinched myself, and appeared not to be in a dream. Once I've added track bumpers at one end, and staging area at the other, I'll attempt to run an actual train. Coming up next, which I shall try to document, is making the track look embedded in tarmac (which it looks like it was by 1938). Then there are some railings along the back, which will be fun and fiddly to figure out, then a backdrop and of course interchangeable ships. Edited December 11, 2021 by LMS Bess And Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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