The Derby Line, Four Track LNER J6

[Suddaby]

Very nice Tony, the references I have show the footstep as you have it.

For the dia 5, there is a picture in Peter Tatlow's Historic Carriage Drawings 3 NPCV's. It is E2356 in XP livery, and the single footboard hangs somewhat precariously by a single stanchion just to the right of the axlebox, and lines up with the hinge side of the door. the footstep itself is not the full width of the door, and as Jim says would not be very easy to use safely.

For the dia 4, I have Larkin's BR General Parcels Rolling Stock (orange cover, not sure if that is the same one as yourself Jim), and there is a picture of a Dia 4 which seems to show the footstep as you have it Tony. Again it's a flimsy arrangement (seemingly, they were not thinking about modellers having to pack stock away at the end of an exhibition!), and sits this time to the left of the axlebox.

I can't find any photos on Paul Bartlett's site of these Dia horseboxes.

 

Cheers,

 

Kevin

[dibateg]

Thanks for that Kevin -yes they look very delicate don't they.

 

A visit to the North East to cycle old railways saw the horseboxes dropped off with Paul Moore and the 40 and 10001 collected. There are just remaining details to add to finish 10001. I think the cab door handrails were designed to be just butt jointed to the body. Thats no where near robust enough and I've seen other models off the twins with them all missing. So they all had to be drilled 0.4mm and pinned with brass wire. So a 0.5mm holes was drilled in the body for the first mounting, then a temporary pin fitted to align the handrail, then the second hole drilled thro' the hole at the other end. The handle is then removed and the wire soldered to the holes in the handrail away from the model. Cleaned up and then glued in with Loctite 480. It's always delicate working on a finished model and I didn't want to spoil Pauls excellent paint job.

 

[dibateg]

I'm stuck on how to make the light lenses - I have some 1.6mm clear rod, but it's too flexible to be turned down. The holes are 1.4mm, any ideas anyone?

[Dave Holt]

I'm stuck on how to make the light lenses - I have some 1.6mm clear rod, but it's too flexible to be turned down. The holes are 1.4mm, any ideas anyone?

A company I used to work for machined seals from rubber by freezing it (probably with dry ice) and working quickly. You could try putting your rod in the freezer. If it doesn't work, you're no worse off.

Dave.

[45609]

I'm stuck on how to make the light lenses - I have some 1.6mm clear rod, but it's too flexible to be turned down. The holes are 1.4mm, any ideas anyone?

 

These....

 

https://www.modellingtools.co.uk/little-lenses-26-c.asp

[dibateg]

Thanks chaps - I appreciate the advice. I ended up using Glue and Glaze. It seems to do the rick.

[dibateg]

More weathering jobs passing through...

 

 

 

 

 

[dibateg]

10001 Has now been delivered and it is in service on Curzon Street.

 

[dibateg]

I've been going in circles trying to get the 40 finished and had various issues with the bogies, mostly due to my bad planning and assumptions ( what did I say about making assumptions? ) . I'm hopefully nearly there after spending an hour or so a day painting odd little bits, which seems to have gone on for weeks.. I finally got to adding the prominent pipes on the bogie. I hate parts that 'float', i.e have no mounting point. So they fit in to holes drilled in the resin frame and will be glued behind the buffer beam. I discarded the whitemetal parts and made them up from copper wire with drilled out 12BA nuts for the unions. All I need to do now is glue back on all the bits I've knocked off getting the ride height set up... Still, I do like the ABC power units.

 

 

 

[dibateg]

I've been away on hols, but now back to work and Shirenewton Hall is back after being painted by Alan Brackenborough. It's been re-assembled and is running in on Curzon Street. I have to say, it is rather nice!

 

[david.hill64]

I've been away on hols, but now back to work and Shirenewton Hall is back after being painted by Alan Brackenborough. It's been re-assembled and is running in on Curzon Street. I have to say, it is rather nice!

 

IMG_2488a_edited-1.jpg

Indeed it is!

[dibateg]

At last the 4th horsebox is well under way. This is a CPL kit of the GWR N16 Horsebox. It comes with a nice little etch for a lot of the side detail, so it was out with the resistance tool to apply them. All the bump stops are etched fittings! Its only tacked together here, I took it apart again to fit the door handle plates and add the label clips among other things.

 

The 40 has been having test runs, but getting those plate frame bogies around 6 foot curves has shown up a few minor issues. Clearance for the wheelset in the leading radial truck needed attention. I think they are stately looking machines. Once she's running properly I can get on and finish her - fitting the decoder etc...

[dibateg]

I thought I'd knock up the Connoissoir Tube Wagon that I'd borrowed some bits from for the horsebox project. The resistance soldering unit was still on the bench. I was inspired to do one of these after seeing a lovely job done on one by 7mm Mick. And I did a lovely job too, the sides were fitted upside down absolutely perfectly by me. I only noticed when I started to put the strapping on. Time for some colourful language.... and the blow torch.

 

Anyway - after a clean up and tinning the strapping.

 

 

The resistance tool is great for putting on the strapping. I must admit though I use both irons hand in hand. We are back on track, just awaiting a cleanup:-

 

I also knocked up these rather nice Southwark bridge LSWR sack trucks. I always found this range always fit together will, albeit slightly fiddly. This photo has them about 8 times full size

 

I can't do anything else wrong... yes I can - I can bash my head on the partly open garage door on my way to get the chainsaw to cut some logs..... stars and blood. Good effort!

[dibateg]

Anyway - the head seems to be ok

 

Shirenewton Hall is now on its way after final testing.

 

The tube wagon, with it's rather scruffy solebar is about done. I shall need to try something other than a scraper to ensure I don't remove the rivets. I replaced the etched axlebox strengtheners with strip and added all the brake gear safety loops. The brake handles were very hefty, so those were thinned down as well..

 

 

It looks a mess underneath, but I used Ragstone etched beams for the brakes and that door stop at the top has already been clouted..

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Hi,

 

Sorry to hear about the Tube Wagon, it happens to all of us from time to time, making good often requires the most skill. I keep (hopefully) learning from my mistakes (but my teeth still grind when I make a school boy error due lack of concentration, fatigue etc). I'm sure that the TW will clean up nicely for you though. The Hall looks superb as do those sack trucks!

 

I keep trying to justify a RSU, but end up resorting to my old standby, a range of irons and clean up work....perhaps when the layout is substantially complete I will be building more brass kits?

 

ATVB,

 

CME

Edited October 12, 2018 by CME and Bottlewasher

[dibateg]

Thanks - that's where you learn the most - fixing the mistakes...

 

I'm often humbled by the generosity of fellow modellers, and an appeal for some information on the N16 horsebox led to me being sent a set of photos and a comprehensive set of information on GWR brake gear! There are some very decent chaps out there willing to share their knowledge.

 

 

 

 

So armed with that information I have set to with the N16, fitted the springs and axleboxes. The kit is designed to have a set of rocking 'W' irons, but the axleboxes are hard up against the springs. I don't think it's essential in any case on a vehicle this length. I had to do some fabrication to mount the brakes on the floating axleset. Slaters wheels rusting nicely...but they need to be in there...

 

A days work sees the mysteries of GWR brake gear resolved and some progress. The 'V' hangers were too high and in the wrong position, so they were moved. Maybe there was some variation, but the photos I have show it in this position. The brake cylinder is a Sidelines LMS coach one... it looks the right size. Remaining safety hoops, steps, pipes and gas cylinder with it's associated pipe work to add.

[richard i]

There are some very decent chaps out there willing to share their knowledge.

 

Tony

I would happily share information but I doubt there is anything I know that you do not. I might be able to help some but I learn from you.

Richard

[dibateg]

The GW Horsebox is almost complete - I just need to source the roof fittings. Laurie Griffin for those I think. My thread is quiet, but I have multiple projects on the go at the moment. I'm going to round those up and concentrate on the next loco build.

[dibateg]

I've been working away on various projects. This one - the Finney7 Adams Radial to represent 30583 is coming on nicely. I've not really documented as it's already been done here:-

https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/index.php?threads/richards-workbench-adams-radial-tank.5865/

 

 

[dibateg]

So it was time to return to the Radial - the white metal castings are just plonked on for the picture, so ignore the wonky chimney. One of the things I noticed was that the buffer stocks have a set of extra nuts top and bottom, so these were added using Scale Hardware ones.

 

She's a pretty little loco...Here you can see the panelled up rear windows.

 

I love engine picking and found that there was a two port oiler just behind the toolbox. Maybe this replaced the one on the boiler side, and studying the photos there was no evidence of this pre the late '50s boiler change on 30583. However, the later boiler has a pair of rivet heads where the oiler used to be... There were no lifting brackets on the tank top either.

 

 

The rear of the engine still has its Drummond lamp irons with plug in mounts. I must of nudged that chimney!

 

Anyway, that's the body nearly done... It has to be ready for Reading in a week...

Edited November 23, 2018 by dibateg

[dibateg]

It was ready, so we've said goodbye to this attractive little loco for a while whilst it visits Paul Moore.

 

[dibateg]

I remember childhood holidays in Weymouth, also a holiday to Jersey by boat train, I can just about recall the panniers with the bell taking the train through the streets to the quay. Later holidays there we saw 33s and 03s... happy days.

Anyway, I digress and so here I join the Finney7 SR pacific party, I'm lucky enough to follow the two Micks as they have documented their work very well, so that's a great help. As you'd expect there are a lot of little parts, but they do fit...

 

The frames are under way, there have been lots of rivets to press out.

 

The ash pan is the SR original, made of a lot of fiddly bits. I modelled them closed, which seems more common than open.. Yes... you can see some solder....

 

I had fun with the injectors the injectors and it took me a while to work out what the hell is going on. What I thought was a control rod is a feed pipe - I couldn't understand why there were only three pipes! I also forgotten that the clacks are on the same side of the boiler, which explains the pipe runs. There are a lot of separate bits and so I utilised 179 degree solder for some of the construction. The castings are very nice and I pre-drill them all before assembling. The back of that ash pan needs a tidy. I've still got to work out what to do with the drawbar...

 

The bogie - all goes together nicely. Yes I know the block is the wrong way up. I'm not keen on mechanisms that cannot come apart, so rather than solder the baffle plates for the side control in they are held with 'staples of 0.7mm brass wire. Yes - I had to take the staples out and rotate the square block:

 

Pony truck, bogie and slidebar bracket all fit together nicely. There is a touch of cleaning up to do. The white metal castings are of excellent quality and they didn't melt when I used 145 solder to put them in. That's a one way ticket I know..

[Dave Holt]

Looks to be another very fine build under way which I look forward to following.

You're absolutely right when you say the arrangement of the injectors and associated pipe work on Bulleids is complicated. Believe me, it's no better in the full size (my experience is on a MN rather than the light pacifics) where the sequence of assembly is critical to getting all the flange bolts in and even then, getting access to tighten some of them is, well, interesting and warrants the creation of some modified spanners!

In case you don't have the information to hand, the pipe sizes are:

steam feed - 1.75" o/d

delivery to boiler clacks - 2.25" o/d, and

water feed and overflow pipes - 2.75" o/d.

 

Dave.

[dibateg]

Thanks Dave - that's helpful.

 

Yes working on that pipework looks as tricky as working on the original BMC mini engine - cut off spanners, and other modified tools, and no room!

 

Regards

Tony

[dibateg]

Cylinders and Slidebars

A couple of cruel enlargements, with bits of fine cleaning up to do. I like kits where you add the detail as you go along, rather than do all the heavy work... then add the detail. It's more interesting for starters.