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Tewkesbury Shed and Quay Branch Exhibition Layout in EM Gauge.


lezz01
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2 hours ago, MJI said:

 

White metal kit of one car and a modded Lima for the other.

 

The layout is more 1980s and most steam locos are very clean. But I do like a few older ones.

If you run short on spares for the white metal one , I have an incomplete Westward kit … sold as completed (!)  .So I did a cut and shut  on Lima ones .

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Evening Lez had an hour at York sat in the sun so Just caught up with everything on this thread, some excellent work there, you make converting steam locos look easy!  I’m dreading doing my one.

 

Keep up the great work 😃👍🏼

 

Paul

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1 hour ago, PjKing1 said:

Evening Lez had an hour at York sat in the sun so Just caught up with everything on this thread, some excellent work there, you make converting steam locos look easy!  I’m dreading doing my one.

 

Keep up the great work 😃👍🏼

 

Paul

Thanks very much for the kind comments Paul. If only they were true mate. I'm having a mare with this 3F, everything I do I have to do at least twice. I'm hoping that I've cracked it now and all the jigs and correcting errors with my workstation will pay off in making the next one easier. The 3F was always going to be a learning curve as I've never converted a RTR loco before only having built locos from kits. The difference between Gibson wheels and the one's in conversion kits is frustrating as they have not got crankpin holes due to issues in the tooling as the one for the sets doesn't have a pin for the crankpin holes so you only have a dimple and this makes for issues as the old mince pies ain't what they used to be. Now that I've got things sorted out in my head things should go more smoothly with the next one which is totally different as it's a 4F and they have drive on the rear axle and split axle pick ups. The drive on the rear will make quartering easier but I'm not sure about the split axle pick ups on the tender. The instructions for the conversion are interesting to say the least. But hey ho I'll sort it out I have no doubt.

Thanks again Lez. 

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1 hour ago, lezz01 said:

Thanks very much for the kind comments Paul. If only they were true mate. I'm having a mare with this 3F, everything I do I have to do at least twice. I'm hoping that I've cracked it now and all the jigs and correcting errors with my workstation will pay off in making the next one easier. The 3F was always going to be a learning curve as I've never converted a RTR loco before only having built locos from kits. The difference between Gibson wheels and the one's in conversion kits is frustrating as they have not got crankpin holes due to issues in the tooling as the one for the sets doesn't have a pin for the crankpin holes so you only have a dimple and this makes for issues as the old mince pies ain't what they used to be. Now that I've got things sorted out in my head things should go more smoothly with the next one which is totally different as it's a 4F and they have drive on the rear axle and split axle pick ups. The drive on the rear will make quartering easier but I'm not sure about the split axle pick ups on the tender. The instructions for the conversion are interesting to say the least. But hey ho I'll sort it out I have no doubt.

Thanks again Lez. 

Your very welcome, thankfully I’ll only have one or two steamers, can’t the original wheels be pulled out Lez like on the more modern diesel locos?

 

Paul

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16 minutes ago, PjKing1 said:

Your very welcome, thankfully I’ll only have one or two steamers, can’t the original wheels be pulled out Lez like on the more modern diesel locos?

 

Paul

It all depends on what the make and models are. That's not the case with the 3F as it has splined wheels and axles. There are many conversion sheets on the EMGS cd and more sent out in the newsletter mail shots. What do you have to convert? Let me know and I'll see what's available. You are a member right?

Regards Lez 

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Hi guys.

A bit of an update. As I mentioned elsewhere I've been waiting for supplies to arrive. This has now happened so I hope to post some progress soon.

One of the things I've been struggling with is this.

20230801_154323.jpg.003d7c29d78e3f46db40e0369a0d152a.jpg

Allegedly it is an 00 gauge loco servicing cradle. Now I've long been a fan of Peco products, they produce a plethora of wonderful products, however amongst the glowing jewels there are one or two steaming t**ds and sadly this item comes in the latter category so whilst reading through the trade announcements in the toddler I spotted that Chesterfield Models had brought out a Lasor cut kit for a much better option. It isn't perfect but it is a huge improvement. Here it is built in all it's glory.

20230801_154355.jpg.706cd25566e15b3d0e975648c31a4bc8.jpg

Now it comes as a kit and for 2 quid more ready built. I suggest that you invest in the extra 2 quid as I don't think it has quite enough slots and tabs cut into it and as a result it's a bit of a pig to put together, it will also benefit from a couple of coats of varnish. 

One of the other items that arrived at the same time was something posted on another thread which I thought would be useful as well.

20230801_154412.jpg.d8e5cbd7b202190dbd3baef291107bd9.jpg

These little beauties. Now these do have enough slots and tabs and are very cheap and accurate into the bargain.

I've also decided to fit tender pickups to the 3F so I invested in some wired 6 pin mini micro JST connectors which came from China hence the wait. I won't waste a photo on them as they will be seen in due course fitted to the 3F. Why from China you might ask, well because they cost for 5 pairs what they cost for 1 pair from a British supplier.

Some of you might have noticed that I've mentioned that the old mince pies ain't what they used to be and whilst I have a magnifier on my bench light it tends to get in the way so I invested in this little beauty.

20230801_162317.jpg.cae2290b0306a5e7c6870496b977da75.jpgFully adjustable and comfortable, it doesn't get in the way, has 3 LEDs that have 3 brightness options and can be aimed, it has multiple magnification options and is rechargeable via a USB cable, also from China because it was cheaper than from a British supplier and the British supplied one's aren't rechargeable, oh yes it also had free postage, £21 all in happy days.

So that's what I've been up to and I hope to get back to the modelling and post some actual progress soon as the Ashes are over and it's cooled down in the railway room.

More soon.

Lez.         

    

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Well guys I'm back. I've had enough sitting on my backside feeling down and have decided to crack on with things who knows how long I have so it's time to get things moving. With this in mind I've spent a couple of hours a day for the last two days in the railway room at the bench getting on with the 3F conversion. I've finally figured out how to sort out the balance weights and using brass ones from a 4F chassis kit as a pattern I've managed to make some in black plasticard which I will finish off and fit to the wheels tomorrow. I cut some plasticard down to approximate size and stuck the brass pattern s to the card with pritstick leaving them to dry overnight. I then cut around the pattern with a fresh scalpel blade and finished it off with a file. I'll post pics of that tomorrow. In the meantime I've also fitted pickups to the tender.

I started by fitting some 3mm wide copper clad strip to the underside of the tender chassis having first filed them to shape as there are some things that got in the way of a simple straight run.

20231202_152535.jpg.7d8b1fa6c64223d3c6399c2415fe05d3.jpgI then made a little jig to allow me to solder small gold pads to the end of some phosphor bronze strip.

20231202_152458.jpg.3f4664752d9d53b9c4e79d895400cf70.jpgUsing this I was able to solder thin slices of gold from my old wedding ring that had to be cut off my finger a few years ago.

20231202_154917.jpg.43a99df843ffbc252b66162f05193e06.jpgI then removed the PB strips and replaced them with another three and then soldered the other end of the gold pads to the three new PB strips.

20231202_160607.jpg.ad635c03bd35e23bf164df4a5933293f.jpgI then cut through the centre of the gold pads with a razor saw giving six PB strips each with a gold pad on the end.

20231202_161138.jpg.4d452a3e71f70f3a0f13e6b3d316bbd3.jpgI then put a bend on the plane end.

20231202_163716.jpg.5fbdab3057709c66b01ddd11561bd69c.jpgI then soldered them to the copper clad strip and wired the tender to the loco using a two pin micro JST plug and socket and then refitted the wheels.

20231203_011548.jpg.6d203eacbb0b27ed66064d22ab9713a4.jpg

So tomorrow, once I've done a bit of pond manetainence, I'll sort out the wiring and finish the balance weights and see if she'll run.

More soon.

Lez.   

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Right then balance weights. As I mentioned in the previous post I used etch brass ones from a Comet 4F chassis kit removed from the fret and stuck to oblongs of black plasticard with pritstick.

20231203_161714.jpg.f0dc7cb467e3b21d9a4150a8867c6243.jpg

I then cut them out using a #11 scalpel blade. I first tried clamping them to my jewellers pin but this detached them from the plasticard.

20231203_161932.jpg.7e9ebf690f88b92df9eaf6c0f816ae18.jpgSo after regluing them back on the plasticard I used my finger instead of a clamp and even managed NOT to cut off the end of my thumb. I removed the wheel and glued them in place with MEK and refitted the wheelsets.

20231203_184505.jpg.9ff8d36d71d83ad4eea3159fbedcbf84.jpg

  

 Now she will run but there is a slight issue with the centre drivers I don't think that the gearwheel is quite in the right place so I'll have to have the wheels out again and measure everything up. It's a bit of a pain but it really is nearly there. The tender pickups are working a treat and she runs even if I lift the loco off the track. I hope to get her running properly and the body back on sometime in the next few days.

More soon.

Lez.   

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Well here she is in all her glory.

20231207_174406.jpg.1e91a11f448142477c02fd02dcf0d41c.jpg

Since taking this last pic I've fitted the brake rods and dummy screw couplings. Eventually she'll have AJs but for now all that needs doing is trimming down the crankpins with the razor saw and a little dot of super glue onto the ends to fix the nuts so they don't unscrew themselves. She was a bit jerky to start with but once I lubed the axles and crankpin bushes and ran her for a while in both directions she now starts first time and runs well both slow and fast in both directions. Happy days! 

 

 

So what's next? Well I don't fancy doing her sister just yet or the Bachmann 4F for that matter but I did get a WM 4F that has a broken tender drawplate but she's well built and just needs that part replacing and a proper chassis and I have all of the parts for it so I might do that first although I have both a Bachman 1F and a Jinty 3F body that both need chassis which I have together with wheels and gearboxes and motors. I may just build a few wagons first and then think about doing a proper track plan and building the boards.

More soon guys.

Lez.    

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12 hours ago, lezz01 said:

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all.

TMWedding020.jpg.cd6677c7b20c8fdb2ab38eb5a3133b78.jpg

Just one of the joys of being a cat owner.

Best wishes Lez.

Merry Xmas Lez, and a happy and healthy New Year.  We've got three of the critters, for some reason they are not interested in the Xmas tree, thank goodness.  Two of them are quite old (15 and 16), so have a "been there, done it, got the T shirt", attitude 

 

Best Wishes

 

Clive 

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So I'm converting the other 3F. Yes I know I wanted to do something else but I've spent almost a year making jigs for converting Bachmann locos and decided that the only way to see how much faster they made the job I really should do like for like as a comparison. Anyway with jigs in hand I made a start and the tender is complete except for the brake rigging which goes on last after the loco and tender have been reconnected. I've built up the coupling rods and fitted and quartered the wheels on the non driven axles. It then dawned on me that I wasn't happy with the method of knurling the drive axle for the final drive gear. Everything else is precision right but the method of knurling the axle is to mark the place on the axle where the gear goes and then laying the axle flat on the bench roll it back and forth with an edge of a file pressing on the axle and that my friends is about as precision as throwing a dart over your shoulder whilst facing away from the dartboard. SO I built another jig.....

It's in two parts first part is to mark the centre line or the position of the gear on the axle.

20240202_224459.jpg.963a18594e0de4c9fda01e1937dde1dc.jpgonce marked you then fit the axle onto the knurling jig with two collars fitted with grub screws with the centre line just covered by the left hand angle.

20240202_224658.jpg.94b8f537f75f13484db2223e0e78d431.jpgthen run back and forth with the edge of a file between the two angles.

20240202_224724.jpg.0cce07b755bf683091d54c0d8217cded.jpgand hey presto one accurately knurled axle in less than one minuet that hasn't had the file wandering all over the place.

20240202_224921.jpg.9cf9d900d143fbc7776e5b1f124e2cd3.jpgBingo!

I've now stripped the loco and retrieved the final drive gear and fitted it to the axle and tomorrow I shall fit and quarter the wheels and spacers and drop in the wheelsets and see how it runs.

More soon guys.

Lez.        

 

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I have made progress, the second 3F is nearly complete. The wheels are back on and it ran first time with only a very slight tight spot in reverse, one of the coupling rod crank pin holes was a bit tight on the the bush. I've opened it out a little and refitted the rods and it's much better. I've painted the wheels and they look quite good. Later today I shall fit the crank pin nuts and secure them with a dab of thread locker and trim the crankpins then lube it up and fit the body. I'm going to change the number from 3205 to 3204 which was a Bristol engine. I have 22A Gloucester and 22B Bristol shed plates coming which I will fit once they arrive. I think I will keep the other 3F as 3205 which was a Leicester engine as the Midland Provender store was at Ashchurch so an engine on that duty would have come through to Tewkesbury for consumables and any servicing it might require as it's the closest shed to Ashchurch. The Bachmann 3F has additional steps in the detail pack but the instruction sheet is mute about them all together so I need to have a look in the 3F book I have as to where they go but given the shape I suspect they are rear tender steps. The fall plate needs fitting as do the dummy couplings, eventually they will be fitted with Alex Jackson couplings but until I start building stock there is no rush and I like to do AJ's as a batch as fitting them can be fiddley so you need to get into a groove with them. So it looks like the jigs were worth all of the effort as it's only taken me 3 weeks an hour here and an hour there to get the loco close to being finished and overall I'm very pleased. I'm going to do the 4F next as it has tender pickups fitted as standard and I don't agree with the suggested method in Gibson's crib sheet on how to convert it to fine scale wheels. The original wheels are split axles and the wiper bares on the axle so I'm going to keep that and use shorting strips on the plastic centred Gibson wheels.

More soon.

Lez.        

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Hmm on fitting the loco body back on I've run into a small problem. One of the crankpin nuts is hitting the hitting the edge of the valance so it has to come off again and I've either got to file down the nut or ease the inside of the valance a bit. I think I'll check the B to B first just in case as the other 3F didn't do this.

More soon once I've sorted the problem.

Lez.  

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Well the back 2 back was a little out on the rear drivers and the front drivers were slightly out of quarter she runs well in reverse but has a very slight knock going forwards but it's improving as she runs, over the next few days I'll run her in properly and fit the accessories. I'm not that unhappy with the way she's running as this was the original set of wheels that had the crankpins out of true that I managed to salvage by filling the holes with super glue and re-drilling. The very worst case is I'll buy another set for her next time I see Gibson's at a show or put an order in. I've also managed to remove the number five from the cab side with very little damage to the paintwork I need to do the same to the smokebox door number but I need to see if I have any of the correct sized numbers for that I suspect that I do as I have a couple of new unused HMRS sheets in stock.

I've also had the Clipper apart as I was going to replace the switches but once the cover was off I found I could adjust the old switches with a tweak of my angled needle nosed plyers and now all is good and the switches also do something when I slide them so I can now get really slow running so I'll keep the new switch as spares. I also replaced the plastic feet as one was missing and it was just stood on a screw so my trusty Clipper just keeps soldiering on.

More soon including photos and maybe a video.

Lez.        

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