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13 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Guess what? They were all N Gauge or OO9. One Minitrix Warship diesel was wired the wrong way - though it ran, it was the opposite polarity. I didn't dare dismantle it, especially as there was one wire poking out just doing nothing! A Farish N Gauge modern DMU had split one of its gears, and an OO9 chassis had a dud motor; fixings way beyond me. 

 

 

 

For info - the Trix Warship would be just a case of swapping the bogies around - that'd invert the polarity. Wire is likely to the lighting PCB, so unimportant for basic running, but probably just needed re-routing back to the PCB on top of the chassis and re-soldered. The split gear is an easy fix now that spares are available (though obviously it's not the kind of thing most folks repairing like yourself are going to have in stock at point blank request).

 

Feel free to push N repairs in my direction as previously discussed - definitely those two would be easy fixes! the OO9 would need its chassis identified to advise further - often folk build on Farish RTR  N Gauge chassis for OO9, so these can often be easy fixes.

 

Cheers,
Alan

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14 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Having not long returned from an absolutely wonderful show at Doncaster, perhaps a brief update from the weekend.

 

Firstly, may I please thank from the bottom of my heart all those who donated so generously to CRUK, either from my loco doctoring, or from liking the recent LB DVD or just because they wanted to make a donation? Mo and I raised over £180.00! I fixed loads of locos, but failed to 'mend' three. Guess what? They were all N Gauge or OO9. One Minitrix Warship diesel was wired the wrong way - though it ran, it was the opposite polarity. I didn't dare dismantle it, especially as there was one wire poking out just doing nothing! A Farish N Gauge modern DMU had split one of its gears, and an OO9 chassis had a dud motor; fixings way beyond me. 

 

I made new pick-ups, cured short circuits, resurrected a couple of ancient Hornby-Dublo locos and, best of all, repaired the mangled valve on his Tri-ang FLYING SCOTSMAN for a youngster. I even fixed a DCC Scalextric car!!!!!!!!

 

What else? Having now attended three shows since my recent 'inflammatory' RM article, would it surprise anyone on here to learn that not one of those anonymous Facebook critics has made themselves known to me? If they've attended these shows, then they've not spoken to me about their 'complaints'. One or two visitors have said that it was a bit 'strong' in part, face to face with me. Good on them; their comments were reasoned, reasonable and made in an adult fashion; 'nough said, I think. 

 

It was great to see Charwelton 'forwarded' and resurrected. My compliments to the team for such a great job. 

 

Finally, a weird request. Does anyone out there have a left-hand footplate/valance/splashers (viewed from the rear) for a McGowan B12/3, please? For the Donny Show, I started building this ancient kit as part of my demo. Lo and behold, it had two right-hand footplates! Somewhere out there, there's a McGowan B12/3 with two left-hand footplates. It might sound a bit daft attempting to build one of these pieces of antiquity, but they make excellent 'learning curves' for beginners. They can be picked up very cheaply and there's plenty of metal to soak up the iron heat. 

 

Alternatively, and I'm asking the experts in the new technologies here; can the right-hand side be scanned, flipped in the computer and then be 3D-printed? 

 

I await any responses with interest. Or, I could just scratch-build what's needed.

 

Thanks in anticipation. 

My apologies. 1st I replied to the wrong post, then I got the name wrong. It's Bill McGowan not Jim. I'm having a bad day.

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1 hour ago, Dr Al said:

 

 

For info - the Trix Warship would be just a case of swapping the bogies around - that'd invert the polarity. Wire is likely to the lighting PCB, so unimportant for basic running, but probably just needed re-routing back to the PCB on top of the chassis and re-soldered. The split gear is an easy fix now that spares are available (though obviously it's not the kind of thing most folks repairing like yourself are going to have in stock at point blank request).

 

Feel free to push N repairs in my direction as previously discussed - definitely those two would be easy fixes! the OO9 would need its chassis identified to advise further - often folk build on Farish RTR  N Gauge chassis for OO9, so these can often be easy fixes.

 

Cheers,
Alan

 

When I was a retailer and doing repairs, Minitrix were my favourites. Beautifully engineered to make everything simple.

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3 hours ago, cctransuk said:

 

Your diagnosis is correct, but your prognosis is most decidedly premature.

 

It is correct that Adrian is no longer with us at RMweb - not voluntarily - but he watches over us, and is active on other groups.

 

I receive periodic missives from him commenting, (in his accustomed acerbic manner), on selected postings here at RMweb.

 

Long may he continue to do so !!

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

Apologies, you are correct. I was confusing him with someone else whose name also began with A, ie Alastair Rolfe, late of No Nonsense Kits.

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3 hours ago, chris p bacon said:

 

I was under the impression this was him.

 

https://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12161&start=150

 

He has posted since the above, and always refers to his casting for himself and others.

Age and failing memory on my part, as noted in previous post, I was thinking of a different person.

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4 hours ago, robertcwp said:

Must be a different person. Adrian Swain died several years ago after having cancer for several years.

Since I was at his house talking 0gauge trams with him last week and having spent my working life as a flight surgeon, I believe I would have noticed if Adrian was dead.

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Couple of technical questions for the loco builders.  1) when constructing a chassis/motor assembly, do you fix the motor in place (glue) or do you allow it to pivot depending on loco direction? and 2) why is an all brass pin (rivet) recommended for assembling valve gear if one is using the soldered pin approach rather than the riveted approach?  Note I have access here in the GWN (where we are scheduled to get up to 40cm os snow tomorrow) to brass coated steel pins of the correct size but will have to order pure brass pins from the UK.

Thanks

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2 hours ago, Arun Sharma said:

Since I was at his house talking 0gauge trams with him last week and having spent my working life as a flight surgeon, I believe I would have noticed if Adrian was dead.

As noted above, I got him mixed up with someone else.

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4 minutes ago, Theakerr said:

Couple of technical questions for the loco builders.  1) when constructing a chassis/motor assembly, do you fix the motor in place (glue) or do you allow it to pivot depending on loco direction? and 2) why is an all brass pin (rivet) recommended for assembling valve gear if one is using the soldered pin approach rather than the riveted approach?  Note I have access here in the GWN (where we are scheduled to get up to 40cm os snow tomorrow) to brass coated steel pins of the correct size but will have to order pure brass pins from the UK.

Thanks

I'd never glue a motor/gearbox in place in a set of frames. I've heard folk advocate the use of silicon bathroom sealant to hold a drive in place, but I can't say I've ever tried it. 

 

Almost without exception, I make a live chassis. This means finding a return route for the electricity from the motor back through the frames. I achieve this by soldering a piece of fine wire (.45mm brass/nickel silver or 15Amp fusewire) between one brush connector and the frames. This acts as a return route and also anchors the motor/gearbox, preventing it flapping about inside the loco body. 

 

506818256_SEFinecastA407.jpg.5313869192a0044807fe14330392f986.jpg

 

The wire here is .45mm nickel silver.

 

575507934_B16motorfixing.jpg.6588f6bd72e366870886e82eae180257.jpg.

 

If I make a dead chassis, I anchor the 'box to the frames with the same type of wire, fixed between the frame of the 'box and the frames themselves; as here.

 

Why all-brass pins for valve gear? Much easier to cut. How many Xurons can one find with the jaws destroyed because of trying to cut steel wire with them?

 

Hope this helps.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

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28 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

I'd never glue a motor/gearbox in place in a set of frames. I've heard folk advocate the use of silicon bathroom sealant to hold a drive in place, but I can't say I've ever tried it. 

 

Almost without exception, I make a live chassis. This means finding a return route for the electricity from the motor back through the frames. I achieve this by soldering a piece of fine wire (.45mm brass/nickel silver or 15Amp fusewire) between one brush connector and the frames. This acts as a return route and also anchors the motor/gearbox, preventing it flapping about inside the loco body. 

 

506818256_SEFinecastA407.jpg.5313869192a0044807fe14330392f986.jpg

 

The wire here is .45mm nickel silver.

 

575507934_B16motorfixing.jpg.6588f6bd72e366870886e82eae180257.jpg.

 

If I make a dead chassis, I anchor the 'box to the frames with the same type of wire, fixed between the frame of the 'box and the frames themselves; as here.

 

Why all-brass pins for valve gear? Much easier to cut. How many Xurons can one find with the jaws destroyed because of trying to cut steel wire with them?

 

Hope this helps.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

That last picture looks suspiciously like a PDK B16/1, Mr Wright. If so,will you illustrate how to organise the leading bogie to go round curves. It took me about 3 attempts.

Best wishes

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49 minutes ago, Headstock said:

Evening all,

a couple of carriages rolling off the production line for my five set. The essential Gresley CK (corridor  and compartment side views of these asymmetrical carriages) and a five compartment BTK presently under construction.

Gresley 5 compartment BTK.jpg

Gresley CK corridor side.jpg

 

Gresley CK corridor side.jpg

 

Those look amazing Headstock! There is something about Gresley stock that just sings out to me.

 

A similar theme but a different designed and a much earlier item of rolling stock:

 

1493578746_HowldenLavComposite1.jpg.22c3705649447cd287488bb0df235be5.jpg

 

My attempt at an N Gauge Howlden lavatory composite. This has just gone on the printer and is actually two parts (the roof being separate). I've based this on the drawings published by the late Nick Campling in his volume of 'Historic Carriage Drawings' and it is the first of six coaches I need to make to represent the 1934 2:04pm Cambridge-Kings Cross service (there is a clerestory in the set as well!).

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1 hour ago, Headstock said:

Evening all,

a couple of carriages rolling off the production line for my five set. The essential Gresley CK (corridor  and compartment side views of these asymmetrical carriages) and a five compartment BTK presently under construction.

Gresley 5 compartment BTK.jpg

Gresley CK corridor side.jpg

 

Gresley CK corridor side.jpg

 

Lovely! Do you mind advising the major component suppliers? Thanks :)

 

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3 hours ago, rowanj said:

That last picture looks suspiciously like a PDK B16/1, Mr Wright. If so,will you illustrate how to organise the leading bogie to go round curves. It took me about 3 attempts.

Best wishes

It is John,

 

The problem is  can't remember how I configured the bogie (I don't own the finished loco). 

 

From memory, I think I restricted the bogie's movement, at the same time giving a bit more sideways slop to the centre and driving axles. It was imperative to make the chassis electrically-dead as well, otherwise there's the inevitable risk of shorts. For good measure, I think I smeared a little Araldite on to the inside outer faces of the cylinders. 

 

The minimum radius it'll go round is 3'. 

 

Hope this helps. 

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Could Jamie Guest get in touch with me, please?

 

I seem to have 'lost' your email Jamie, and I've tried sending you a PM but I keep on getting 'inbox' full' (despite my having just deleted dozens of messages).

 

The reason is, I had a chat with a chap at Doncaster who'd like to obtain a set of etchings for the MR/M&GNR girder bridge you so kindly designed. I told him it would be courtesy to ask you first before contacting Grainge and Hodder.

 

Many thanks in anticipation,

 

Tony. 

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The only supplier of the 5 compartment BTK I could find when I was building them for Grantham was Bill Bedford (Mousa).   Is that the D. 7 Composite as well, the less common type?  I had to source mine from him as well.

 

Ian Kirk used to do one but I understand the masters were irreparably damaged some time ago.

 

Tony, is that the B16/1 which is now in my possession?  If so I'll photograph the bogie arrangement and send John pictures when I'm next at home (which will be in a week's time).  It runs on Grantham and is fine round 3' curves (but struggles a little with the short radius points in the fiddle yards).

Edited by jwealleans
Vestibules.
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1 hour ago, Bucoops said:

 

Lovely! Do you mind advising the major component suppliers? Thanks :)

 

 

Evening chaps, I've just been chucked out of the software again while composing a reply. Dose anybody know how you report such things, or where the recovery software is? I shall try again later.

 

1 hour ago, Atso said:

 

Those look amazing Headstock! There is something about Gresley stock that just sings out to me.

 

A similar theme but a different designed and a much earlier item of rolling stock:

 

1493578746_HowldenLavComposite1.jpg.22c3705649447cd287488bb0df235be5.jpg

 

My attempt at an N Gauge Howlden lavatory composite. This has just gone on the printer and is actually two parts (the roof being separate). I've based this on the drawings published by the late Nick Campling in his volume of 'Historic Carriage Drawings' and it is the first of six coaches I need to make to represent the 1934 2:04pm Cambridge-Kings Cross service (there is a clerestory in the set as well!).

 

Lovely stuff, you can see the family resemblance. Some years ago I use to work as a 3d artist in the likes of 3d Studio Max, it's funny that I spend my time in Railway modeling burning my fingers and sniffing glue.

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27 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

The only supplier of the 5 compartment BTK I could find when I was building them for Grantham was Bill Bedford (Mousa).   Is that the D. 7 Composite as well, the less common type?  I had to source mine from him as well.

 

Ian Kirk used to do one but I understand the masters were irreparably damaged some time ago.

 

Tony, is that the B16/1 which is now in my possession?  If so I'll photograph the bogie arrangement and send John pictures when I'm next at home (which will be in a week's time).  It runs on Grantham and is fine round 3' curves (but struggles a little with the short radius points in the fiddle yards).

 

Evening Jonathan,

 

quick reply, if I type for any length of time I get logged out of the forum.  The BT 5 is the Comet sides but with MJT droplights, it may be the BT 6 that you are thinking of from Bill Bedford. The CK is diag 130 (3 1/2-4), very common on the GC in the five sets post war. I think that they were the only composite of that type on angle iron underframes.

 

P.s. this is the second atempt at posting this, I think I shall retire for the night. fortunatly I copied the text so that I could paste it back in after the forum went up the spout again.

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23 minutes ago, Headstock said:

 

Evening chaps, I've just been chucked out of the software again while composing a reply. Dose anybody know how you report such things, or where the recovery software is? I shall try again later.

 

 

Oh nuts :( I can't see anything about it autosaving like it used to. There is a thread here to report issues - 

 

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1 hour ago, jwealleans said:

The only supplier of the 5 compartment BTK I could find when I was building them for Grantham was Bill Bedford (Mousa).   Is that the D. 7 Composite as well, the less common type?  I had to source mine from him as well.

 

Ian Kirk used to do one but I understand the masters were irreparably damaged some time ago.

 

Tony, is that the B16/1 which is now in my possession?  If so I'll photograph the bogie arrangement and send John pictures when I'm next at home (which will be in a week's time).  It runs on Grantham and is fine round 3' curves (but struggles a little with the short radius points in the fiddle yards).

It is the same one Jonathan.

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4 hours ago, Atso said:

 

Those look amazing Headstock! There is something about Gresley stock that just sings out to me.

 

A similar theme but a different designed and a much earlier item of rolling stock:

 

1493578746_HowldenLavComposite1.jpg.22c3705649447cd287488bb0df235be5.jpg

 

My attempt at an N Gauge Howlden lavatory composite. This has just gone on the printer and is actually two parts (the roof being separate). I've based this on the drawings published by the late Nick Campling in his volume of 'Historic Carriage Drawings' and it is the first of six coaches I need to make to represent the 1934 2:04pm Cambridge-Kings Cross service (there is a clerestory in the set as well!).

Steve that CAD looks terrific, good luck with getting a good print.

 

I built the Bill Bedford 4mm version a couple of years ago and it came out really well.

 

Andrew

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3 hours ago, Bucoops said:

 

Oh nuts :( I can't see anything about it autosaving like it used to. There is a thread here to report issues - 

 

 

Good evening Rich and apologies.

 

I shall type elsewhere and paste and post. My standard gangway Gresleys are a cross mix between MJT and Hornby. I can get the Hornby carriages cheap enough that the components that I use gives a considerable saving over sourcing the individual items separately. This is despite effectively scrapping the sides and the underframes. Up until the present time I have constructed around about forty five carriages in this manor plus five full MJT builds.

The basis is the MJT floor pan, these are produced in standard, brake and full brake configurations. The Hornby underfame is dimensional incorrect and is far too much work to make it right. I constructed the carriages like a Comet kit rather than the recommended MJT way so that the body separates from the underframes. I started off building full MJT kits, they are very good, not cheap and very heavy. A friend of mine has had a couple running for many years, he had to replace the original white meal bogies because they sagged under the weight. Much of this weight is in the domed roof ends, the carriage ends, the bogies and the angle iron.

 

My problem, bearing in mind I had no experience of such things, was getting a kit built locomotive to haul ten of these behemoths plus a Tavern car up a continuous 1/75 gradient. When the Hornby Gresleys came out, I thought great, problem solved, a simple brass side job. Imagine my disappointment, having bought one, to discover what a pig in a pope it turned out to be. Eventually I decided to experimentally rebuild my unwanted purchase. It turned out to have quite a silver lining as it was virtually indistinguishable from the MJT builds but had a number of advantages. These were in no particular order, a considerable saving in weight, Quicker to build and cheaper to purchase in the first place. In addition, I had established a standard way of doing things so that all my Gresley used an identical set of components and looked like the product of one companies workshops, rather than a hotch potch of different models purporting to be the same type of carriage.

 

I use the MJT Floorpan and inner ends, the underfame components ( the Hornby components such as battery boxes are dimensionally wrong) and some small white metal components such as roof and door ventilators. From the Hornby I use the ends and roof as one unit, the interior, often remodeled, the bogies and the underfame trussing. The latter is remodeled as Hornby cocked up the dimensions here, a bit of brass angle widens out the distance between the queen posts and two cross trusses are soldered to the top of it  to join the narrowed dimensions between the sole bars. This makes the whole thing nice and solid. I reuse some items such as the vac brake cylinder and the extended buffers on the end of brake carriages but some components such as the gangway is so dimensionally hopeless that they are better chucked in the bin. The sides come from almost any manufacturer depending on the diag required, though MJT are the best IMO. Hopefully this little lot will post and will be of some interest to yourself.

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