Ellerby - 4mm/OO gauge - All photos working, hotlinked.

[Jamiel]

More on the Co-Bo. Cab interiors painted and some back wall details fitted. The drivers might be a bit high but look OK when fitted. One at each end as I suspect this will be a run both ways loco. Even just a tiny bit of dirt on the windows blocks the cab interior from view, so it can hardly be seen, I also put a couple of printed posters, or information lists on the back walls to add a little detail.

 

Bogie and frame weathering, a little airbrush with roof dirt, and then dry brushing. Could have a little more light grey dry brushing to bring out the details there which are really nice. The pipes were blackened quite a lot, but then a lot of photos show them like this.

 

Body and chassis reunited.

I used the supplied headcode discs rather than etched ones, but I filed the backs down so that they are about 50% thinner. It took a little while, but I feel it is important to get the ‘face’ of a diesel loco looking the best you can. I also kept the Heljan discs as they have quite big mounting pins which I would have had to fill the space for if I used etched ones. I always solder a piece of wire on to the etched discs, and to fit into the tight spaces on this cab might have made that very awkward.
 

I have not fitted the air horns, I will probably leave that until I start running the layout and have a lot more of the buildings completed.

I need to weather the buffers more, and maybe a little touch here and there too. I am pleased with how the roof looks. I m not sure if the roofs were painted all over green, or just the dirt built up to cover the light grey. The coat of green which was then weathered into the roof dirt has given the overall look I want. I may airbrush a little more black/soot around the vents, but I feel it is easy to over-do and make the loco patchy.

It is a little heavier on the weathering than I initially intended, it doesn’t feel like I have added a lot, but making it streaky on the big flat sides makes it feel heavier. The grills being darkened also make it feel heavier than it might do. Overall though I am happy with how it is progressing, and it does look like the photos I was copying. Perhaps when on the layout and against a realistic setting it will blend in more.

Must get back to those buildings now.

Good news also, a RMweb member has sold me a Craftsman kit for a Class 120 DMU which alongside the Transpennine Class 124 will give me a couple of slightly unusual DMUs to run. It will no doubt also make the RTR manufacturers release their own just as I get near to completing mine.

I also noticed that Ellerby has 99 followers, thank you all. Hopefully might make three figures soon. Would that make me 2/5 as good a modeller as the great Tony Wright with his 250 plus followers, I think not, but it is good to strive towards modelling of that standard.

Time for some sun.

Jamie

Edited July 1, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

Thank you to the 100^th follower on this thread, and of course everyone before.


 

 

I forgot to post about the chip I put in the Class 28. There is very little space for a chip and I was recommended a Gaugemaster DCC26. I must have bought one for one of my Ivatt 4MTs as well. I had bought both of them a long time ago, so no warranty or receipts still covering them.

 

Unfortunately, the first one I tried would only control the lights and nothing else, I tried the other an it was fine. I also tried a TCS DPX2UK chip, which interestingly worked for the motor but not the lights. I seem to remember that the Heljan Class 28s do have issues with DCC chips.

EDIT. Or as Lez.Z. points out below, chips do need putting in the right way round for light to work. 'Doh' as Homer Simpson would say.

 

I swapped the harness and the two DCC26 chips to check it wasn’t the harness, but unfortunately it is the faulty chip.

 

So, in future when I buy chips I will try them in a loco straight away in case of duff ones. I can still use that ship to control lights on a coach, but I will think twice about Gaugemaster chips in future, or test them as soon as I get them to a loco. Perhaps it is a one off, and they are small which is good for some locos.

Has anyone else had issues with these chips, or Class 28s?

Jamie
 

Edited July 1, 2018 by Jamiel

[lezz01]

Hi Jamie.

I fitted an Olivias trains sound chip to mine which is a ESU 54400. Loksound V4 Sound Decoder- 8 Pin. Which works a treat the only issue I had with it was that the #1 end on the loco is the wrong end so I fitted the chip the wrong way round the first time and the lights didn't work but when I changed the direction of the plug it all worked out fine.

Regards Lez.Z.

[Jamiel]

Thanks Lez.Z.

Of course, I was just swapping the chips quickly to see what worked. You are certainly right that I must have put it in backwards.

Jamie

[Barry O]

The Co Bos have had a bit of a chequered history electically. They needed mods to get them to operate correctly. Having now fitted sound to 3 of them (2 for The Condor set on Carlisle  and one for me for Chapel ) I find them the most frustrating locos I have ever had. To top it all they seem very slow...but that may be me(!).

 

Jamie, I now avoid "cheap" chips as they can be a real pain. While Lenz, Zimo and ESU may be more expensive they do work well. Even got a Ks motored (an original Mark 2 motor) Midland Loco to work in dcc using a Lenz chip.

 

Baz

[Jamiel]

Thanks Baz

I think you are right about using cheap chips. I find that the Co-Bo is a relatively slow runner too, but I don't mind that as I was only planning on using it for goods and local passenger workings.

I have quite a few TSC chips which I have found run well, but then I am not an intense runner yet, almost purely a builder at the moment. This is partly because I know we will move before long and feel it is the next place when the shed is set up there that will be Ellerby’s real home. I also need to turn it 180 degrees so that the station is at the front and not hidden in a back corner.

Jamie

[mullie]

Just found this thread via a link on Wright writes, some impressive modelling and I believe I am follower 100 according to my laptop.

 

Martyn

Edited July 15, 2018 by mullie

[Jamiel]

Thank you, Martyn, you have made quite a landmark for me, 100 followers.

So much of my modelling is due to the inspiration given by threads like Wright Writes as well as the help of the members of Leeds MRS which I was a member of for a few years before moving away.
 

I am very grateful for both the inspiration given by this forum and the interest people have shown in the development of Ellerby.

Jamie

[Jamiel]

I realised that it is not possible to reach 100 followers without every single person who has signed up to this thread over the past few years, so ‘thank you’ to everyone for showing an interest in Ellerby, and I hope to be able to post more interesting material as the years go on.

You must also be a patient lot, as I suspect I am one of slowest modellers on the forum.

Jamie

Edited July 15, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

Just when I was finishing off some projects I had started, I was sold a Craftsman conversion kit for a 3 car class 120 DMU.

I have been buying some bits for it, but also decided this was a good opportunity to try my resin casting stuff.

 

The first guinea pig is the roof of one of DC Kits Class 120 cabs. I filed off the roof light and set it in plasticine ready to have the rubber poured over. I want to use the etched metal cabs, but think that given there are Class 119/120 sides available from Worsley Works, that it would be a pity to waste the plastic cabs just to get the roof shape which is really good on Charlie's DC Kits model. It is filled in solid with plasticine inside the cab roof as I don't want to put too much stress on the resin being a little brittle (I expect).

 

 

The main thing I bought the resin moulding stuff for is the windows on the Kibri kits, so since I am going to be mixing some rubber to make a mould, I got one of those ready too.


 

The rubber mixed and poured on, I hope the bubbles rising are a sign of problems leaving the mould. Still for a first attempt it will be interesting to see how it all goes.


 

In know exactly how long I will be able resist starting the Craftsman Class 120 kit, maybe a whole 10 minutes. I will build it in the same way I did the Class 129, the two end units will sit on Comet chassis, the centre one on a Replica Railways DMU motorised chassis. Lots of other parts to work with from Comet and about to get some bits from Petersspares too.

I am progressing on the Comet Black 5 too, having now got the gearbox working thanks to replies and help from Tony Wright on his Wright Writes thread.
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/64295-wright-writes/page-1053&do=findComment&comment=3231120
 

More soon.

Jamie

Edited July 20, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

The first attempt at making moulds has gone pretty well.

The simple shape of the cab roof worked perfectly.



The more complex shape of the windows had a few airbubbles, but nothing that concerns me that I can't file off or rework when I make resin windows.



I think I could have made the moulds a bit smaller and less deep, but for a first try I am pleased it worked at all.

I am out this afternoon but will get on trying some resin later.

I couldn't resist the Class 120 parts, but will show some photos of them later.

Jamie

Edited July 21, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

Quite a constructive weekend's modelling.

First the casts. The DMU Class 120 roof came out just as I wanted, but it is a simple shape. The section of wall and windows from the Kibri kit had quite a few bubbles, small rises and corners of windows kept some tiny bubbles of air, and I didn't work the mould into the edge of the roof too well, but even so with 10 minutes of tidying with a knife and files I think it is perfectly usable. It was all much easier than I expected so I will probably do another mould in the next couple of days and see if I can improve my results.

 

I did say that I would not be able to resist the Class 120 parts I had got. I started by making a jig to hold the side flat and the right distance apart. It was well worth it as it has made starting the model so much easier.

First I have formed and soldered the cab into position and then filed back the edges to round them off. Here it is sitting next to the DC Kits cab. The detail parts will be added with a lower melt solder.





More soon.

Jamie
 

[Jamiel]

A little more on the Class 120. Cab details being added, some filing needed. I did try and solder the roof front light white metal casting to the mount I made and quickly discovered that even at 200 degrees the reason you can solder white metal is because you need a big enough heat sink for it. This was not, but fortunately I have spare Craftsman light castings from the Class 129. I will glue this one in place when ready.

One thing I do when soldering on grab handles is put a piece of thin card under them so that they don't slip too close to the body. I'm sure others do this too, but it really helps to work as a little spacer.



A view showing a vent made from an A1 pack of spare etches, always worth picking up some from their stand and I have used them on so many models.

Most of this was done last night. It is just too hot and humid tonight to sit over a soldering iron under a spotlight.

Jamie

Edited July 25, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

Three views of roof progress and the unit back being added. Cast resin front filed and put inplace to see how it looks. Front details tidied up a bit. I wrote more but F5 (to update an image) deletes what you have written on the forum and I would rather get back to modelling than more typing.

Jamie

Edited July 26, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

A small update on the first car from the Class 120.

The techniques I, and no doubt many others, use to keep hand rails and similar items separate from the body when soldering them on, simply a piece of card under them to stop them falling too close when the soler lubricates the hole before it sets.



Short bits of wire continue the rain channles to their run off at the ends. Some filing done, but finhsing with Wet and Dry needed. The flat handrils beside the cabs are made from the metal sprue on some A1 etches, you can one of the bits thin enough for this right at the edge of my badly frames photo.









The roof has been glued in placee , Evo Stick, and the vents from Comet added on.



Jamie

 

Edited July 31, 2018 by Jamiel

[Richard_A]

Looking a lot better than mine sat in their packaging in my loft.

 

Did you use comet rooves as well?

[Jamiel]

Yes I have used or will use a fair bit of Comet stuff, the rooves are their aluminium ones. One thing I can't figure out how to do is the slight overhang of the roof at the corridor end of each unit.

I have bought quite a few bits or this build as well as having a stock of parts for this, from the Class 129 and the Transpennine.

Roofs and chassis are Comet, I also have some spare door handle and hinge etches, some MK1 coach unframe detailing kits and the roof vents are the BR shell vents. Replica Railways motorised chassis, which I will put in the centre car, plus some of their detailing parts for underframe and cabs. I have got a couple of sprues of Heljan for their Class 128 from Howes models. I may make a cast of the engine blocks as I will need quite few of those for the Transpennine. Dart castings - I am trying a pair of their bogie frames as well as some detailing parts, I also ordered their curtain castings to give a try. Hornby class 110 bogies from Petersspares (on Ebay I think). A1 packs of etches as well. SLW coupling hooks.

I still need wheels, probably need more DMU lining and whiskers.

I am going to try and get the front outside lights working as I did on the Class 129. I have two options, small bits of clear plastic from Airfix, or Walthers sprues and then a LED behind them, or file flat a couple of LEDs and mount them in the middle of the. I will think on this. I am also tempted to put some LED strips in the roofs to light the interiors, but again will see how that goes.

I am really enjoying this build, adding the roof makes it a lot stronger and easier to handle. The jig/block I made for to hold the sides is good, but once you start soldering on handles and bits they protrude just enough even when filed down to stop the body fitting over. I could make a thinner one, but the roof does the job for strength. I may also glue on a thin strip of plasticard along the lower edges of the sides as I did with the Class 129 to make it more rigid, but I can only do that once I have finished soldering near there and I may want to add some mounting points to allow the body to be screwed to the chassis.

Maybe a bit more today, but do have to work on my PHD proposal as well to get it funded, still that is partly about trains as well and other types of mass transport and how they are used in film narrative. That will be quite heavy I suspect.

Jamie

Edited June 14, 2020 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

The other driving car (DMB?), pretty much the same as the other end, very slightly differently filed roof for the back end, and yet to have filler added. Also need to take the pliers to some hand rails to straighten then a little, but other than that it is the same again.






 

Middle car and chassis next. Hopefully more interest with those. I have also bought some Roxey etches for the doors. Am enjoying this build, but do feel I have jumped away from jobs I should be finishing again.

Jamie

Edited August 9, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

That ugly stage when you have just put filler on and are waiting for it to dry before sanding it down. The centre ex buffet unit is under way now as well.



Comet chassis for the two driving units have been made up.



I put the plates to form the destination boxes on. I was thinking that I might leave a gap to slide in paper and some clear plastic, but it is too small. I will print off the destinations and then probably put some Glue and Glaze over to make the glass.



Still lots to do.

Jamie

Edited August 13, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

Work on the bogies. The frames are MJT 2556 Rigid Bogie Frame 8ft6in Wheelbase from Dart Castings, just waiting for another pair as I wanted to see how these worked before going down the etched frame route.

I am very pleased with the etches, easy to assemble, and good to add details to. I also like the simple pivot in the middle for the bogie to rock. I went for the rigid mount for the wheels rather than the sprung horn blocks and am pleased with that as well.

I have used Alan Gibson waisted bearings and their wheels. Here you can see the frame assembled and two outer edges cut off from Hornby Class 110 bogies (Peterspares). I am also adding Comet C14 Brakes shoes (from Wizard Models), which have the base bent and soldered on to the frames. The waisted bearing together with drilling out the bearing hole from the Hornby frame make a good pin and hole to make the bogie outers level and solidly mounted, glued with Evo Stick Impact.





The 120 has quite a different middle to the bogie outsides, so I have cut off the detail there from the 110 bogies and have cut these bases for that detail from some spare brass sprue. I never throw any brass or plastic sprue away, I am always finding uses for it. The outer springs on the 120 look as though they have covers, but that is one bit of detail I am going to leave as it is.




 

Here is an original Hornby bogie (with Gibson wheels clipped in) next to one of the ones I am building. Not only are they much finer in detail, but with the Alan Gibson bearings the wheels run far more smoothly.




 

I have realised that I have made two cab end bogies with the guard irons, which have to be very carefully soldered to not dislodge the soldered brakes, so the non-driving end bogies will have to be done when the Dart order arrives (not quite as quick as Alan Gibson in sending things out, but the first order came through the same week).

Here I have used plasticard to add to the centre pieces in the bogies.

 

I also have to add the cab steps and what I suspect is a speedometer cable to these bogies as well. I also have to mount them to the chassis, but if that goes as well as the little rockers then it should work well and be fun to do.

 

I have ordered enough Class 110 bogies and also Class 124 bogies for the DMU projects I am doing, but I am also going to have a go at making resin casts of the bogie outers for both, as after doing the cab roof and the building casts I really feel I can make exactly what I want for those that way. I am also going to try casting off some of the underframe details like the engine blocks as I will need quite a few of those for upcoming projects.

More soon, and hopefully also working on the projects I was supposed to be finishing. I have realised that once I get a craftsman DMU kit to work on I cannot resist it.

Jamie

Edited August 18, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

A little more on the Class 120. Adding the front bogie steps.


 

I added the bogie mounts, but have realised they should sit cross ways, not lengthways to offer side support to stop the body tipping to the side. Still the good things about working with brass is that you can always unsolder and do it right.


 

The other thing I have noticed is that the bogies sit too far from the body on the Replica chassis, so I will have to sit the body lower and add a side frame piece (which I forget the name for) below the chassis as it currently is.

 

On the plus side the driving trailer runs beautifully, far better than a bought coach with the Alan Gibson bearings and wheels.

I have also started casting moulds of a few bits to see how it goes. Mostly DMU bogie sides and underframe details. I will be interested to see how the grease proof paper trial goes. I didn't have enough silicone to do the turret end to the building, but did a couple of small architectural bits as well.

 

That is all sitting for 24 hours to set. I will then continue casting resin parts, including the remaining cab roof I have promised someone.

Jamie

[Jamiel]

First the results of the latest castings I have done. The building/windows is broken because I had a little resin left over and poured that little bit into the mould I wasn't planning to use. I think even that could be easily glued together if I wish to use it. Better that than throwing away resin mix.

All these are straight out of the mould, no trimming or tidying. They have too much at the back which is just cut away with a Dremmel before I would do anything with them.

Interesting to see how the bogies have come out, two from Hornby 110s, with the just the sides cut off, and two from the Heljan spares sprue. To some extent they have all lost the bit of detail in the middle and some of the edges and springs. They will also be pretty brittle being resin (or at least the one I have been using). I will keep them as spares, but my gut feeling is that they will not be a good to use as bought spares, and those are not too expensive.
 

Some of the underframe details look OK, but again are probably not really worth casting off. The exception being the main body of the engines. The pipes are not worth bothering with, but the centre bit of the engine has come out pretty well. I will see if I need them as the 120 and Transpennine develop.

There is also an artectural piece from a Kibri builing and one of the Class 120 cab roofs I am casting for someone (number 4 I think).
 

I have been doing the first buffer beam for the Class 120. Cut from brass strip.

 

 

I looked at both the Craftsman details and the Heljan ones. The Craftsman parts all seem oversize to some degree, but the Heljan ones seen too small. Since the Craftsman ones are metal and can be soldered, and since I have the right number of parts for those I have gone with the Craftsman. Quite a busy buffer beam. The coupling is from Sutton Loco Works.

 

The body is just sat on, it hasn’t been properly centred.

More soon.

Jamie
 

Edited August 21, 2018 by Jamiel

[Richard_A]

Looks really good this build Jamie.

[Jamiel]

I put this image together to print out to have reference for the underframe details on the driving units. The white show the cab ends, as when cropped it can be hard to tell sometimes.


 

The driving units are progressing. Front buffer beams done, back bogies added, the bodies sitting on the chassis with screws to fix them in place, washers are needed to make them sit level.

 

 

 

 

I was two brake etches short as I had used a couple on another build, if you look at the far bogie left brakes you can see they are filed down from spare brass sprue. Given how hidden these will be I doubt anyone will tell the difference when all is done.

Footsteps added to the chassis, again cut from the brass sprue, supported by wires through the chassis edge.



Just matching up some of the underframe details I have from the Comet packs and the Heljan spares. I will have to make quite a few as well, but having thse ready moulded ones gives a nice level of detail to some of the parts.



A day at the seaside tomorrow, so probably very little chance to model, but might see some puffins on the cliffs I we are lucky.

Jamie

 

Edited August 23, 2018 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

Lifting brackets for the Class 120 chassis, folded out unused bits of the Craftsman etch, intended for the side steps, which I made from the Comet parts.







Now a bit of a moan.

I thought using Kadees would be a really good answer for the couplings. They have been useful for testing the units on the layout, but trying to find the best solution to using them had lead me to deciding to make my own couplings between the units. I am using the bolt that holds the body to the chassis, so am tied to the positioning of that as the pivot point.

First I tried a pair of No16s. Too wide.



I fitted the buffers and beams. I also found a better way to make the footsteps, by accident when my cutters folded the very end. Nicer than the front/cab end ones, but those are in place, and are next to too much low melt solder. I could try (low melt) soldering on the steps. I might or might not. There are some oversize details around there, so the small footsteps make it not too cluttered. I will see.



Then a pair of No5s, great close coupling. Sadly just too close with those big DMU buffers, they push off on the tightest curves.



One No5 and one No16, works brilliantly, 27mm apart from pivot to pivot.


 

So far so good, but when I came to wanting to find the best Kadees to use and work out the shank length between the two I hit a mass of confused information, and nothing that gave me what I wanted. It appears the No16s have been superseded, but there is no information on the shank length, just pivot to end. For the No5s here is shank length information. I wanted to find one between the two, but since I couldn't find comparable details that wasn't possible. To add to this, it is all imperial in fractions of an inch. Not only that but not all in 32s, or 64ths, but swapping between different fraction denominators, so again a real pain to compare. Maybe somewhere someone has made a chart in millimeters which would be far more sensible, I accept their market is the US so they are stuck with imperial. I gave up. I like Kadees best of the commercial couplings, less obtrusive than most of the others and you can cut of the drop wires, or leave them looking like pipes. I will use them on my RTR coaching stock.

I have decided to make a brass tender style coupling, and thanks to the test with the Kadees I know the length.
 

I also found that the units need some weight, any tiny discrepancies in height on the layout at points and board joins could lift them off, but just a little eight from my finger would solve that. It did let me see where I need to tidy some rail joins though.

Now to something that is really fun. Under chassis details. I have a load of options, Comet white metal Mk1 coach packs, Heljan detailing sprues, lots of bits in jars from other builds, A1 grills, brass, plastic, and now some resin bits I cast. Here is the start on one unit, pretty accurate, but some bits improvised to have the feel as I can't quite make out what is there and some bits that have the right detail but are not 100% accurate, but have the right level of detail and clutter. This is a really enjoyable part of the process.
 

More later.

Jamie

Edited August 27, 2018 by Jamiel