Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

Thanks,

 

Poor explanation on my part, I mean of course the coupling rods.  The jig looks a little like this https://eileensemporium.com/images/com_hikashop/upload/avonside_press_release_c2p_2.jpg although mine is the simpler version which has a few less bells and whistles on it.  the spacing of the 3 vertical rods is set with the coupling rod.

 

So leave the coupling rods alone and tweak the brass bearings on the loco chassis until it runs ok?  I assume that it would be best to remove the rear wheelset and focus first on the lead two axles, then add the third axle back once the first two are running freely? 

Have you taken any metal out from the holes in the coupling rods, Rich?

 

As supplied, the SE Finecast rods always need that. 

 

If you've set the frames and bearings up correctly on the jig, using the coupling rods as a guide, the bearings should be in the right place. If so, just open the holes out in the coupling rods - a bit at a time...............

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, The Fatadder said:

No problem at all,

I am referring to the design of chassis jig that I am using from Avonside, 

https://eileensemporium.com/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=product&task=show&cid=2959&name=avonside-chassis2lite-4mm-xp&Itemid=189&category_pathway=1118 

 

I think I am using it in the right way, though I am planning to rewatch the instruction videos tonight and double check that I am not making a silly mistake.

 

 

A very good idea, that I will most certainly be copying going forwards.

I had an Avonside chassis-assembly jig on test once, Rich,

 

I took it with me as a tutor on one Missenden weekend and asked one of my 'pupil' friends to try it out. His report? Too complicated. He didn't succeed in making a working chassis, and neither did I. That could be because of our mutual shortcomings, of course. 

 

Now, I'm sure that others have bought the jig and found it most-satisfactory, but, to me (as well) it's rather complicated, non-intuitive and rather expensive, considering the alternatives. 

 

I've built over 500 loco chassis, from scratch or from kits using my pre-historic Jamieson jig. It's dead simple, always accurate and, in comparison with more complex jigs, cost pence (though it's no longer available). 

 

 

Here it is in use in my assembling a Comet V2 chassis. It consists of no more than three one 8th rods, with studding on their ends, to which are screwed nuts, clamping the frames together. For frames thick enough to need no bearings (one 16th - Jamieson frames), then aluminium turned spacers are inserted. Comet makes a very similar jig. 

 

I now use a Poppyswood MDF chassis jig.

 

 

Here it is in use, in my putting together a SE Finecast A4 chassis. These jigs are around the £25.00/£30.00 mark, are extremely accurate, are much easier to use than systems eight times their price, so why not go this way?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

[The Fatadder]

Thanks Tony, most appreciated as usual.  I will give it a crack tonight, and hopefully get it sorted out with a motor & gearbox ready for a test.

 

I like the look of the Poppyswood jig, it looks a lot more intuitive working on the chassis the right way up.  I think I will add one to my shopping list 

Edited May 30, 2019 by The Fatadder

[APOLLO]

This is what I've been up to the last couple of days. They are O scale Intermountain North American freight car kits, very detailed. They come ready painted and require careful assembly of the many small detail parts. I last built a few of these back in the 80's. They're not manufactured  now but they come up unbuilt on ebay now and again at very reasonable prices, and make up into very nice models.

 

It's now nice & warm in my (north facing) conservatory - time to take over the table !! This is what is in the box.

 

 

The lump hammer is just to scare the small parts into fitting first time - or else !!!!  This one, bought very cheaply has a couple of handrails etc missing - I will fabricate those from staples / wire etc. It takes me around 4 hours to complete one of these - not including time off for sub assemblies to set.

 

 

The bogies are the hard part. 8 bits all snap together the final assembly of the top cross beam is a bit awkward and fiddly - BUT once you have built a pair the next ones are easy - I seem to remember this from back in the 80's.

 

For the rest of the kit I use Revell Contacta Professional cement - the fine applicator is a must on the small bits. I leave the roof loose to gain future access to the small bolts fixing the bogies & Kadee couplers (No 805's). I also have a cheap pair of reading glasses focal distance about 4" - again a boon for the small bits that are out of focus with my normal reading glasses.

 

This Frisco car built up into a nice model indeed - I've been after one of these for years. Another ebay buy for around £20. Cheaper than a Bachmann OO box van !!

 

 

The underside, seldom seen, has all the brake rigging applied - again a bit fiddly but worth a couple of hours "work".

 

 

These days I find O scale sometimes "fiddly" so making such things for my OO layout is just not for me anymore. I have some old time O scale kits yet to build, some all wood, some resin castings, and some wonderful Athearn & All Nation wood with pre printed steel side  box cars.

 

Whilst I am "in the mood" and set up in the conservatory (till I'm chucked out !!) I have now set up a "car clinic" - all those items of stock with broken bits, wobbly trucks, couplings that don't couple (or keep uncoupling cos their height above rail level is wrong) are to be seen to. About a dozen "offenders". I've a few locos to service & fit Kadees to also.

 

Tony is always saying "This is a builders thread" - and I've got a bit of a kick building these two cars, I've enjoyed building them. 

 

Brit15

[Jol Wilkinson]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

I had an Avonside chassis-assembly jig on test once, Rich,

 

I took it with me as a tutor on one Missenden weekend and asked one of my 'pupil' friends to try it out. His report? Too complicated. He didn't succeed in making a working chassis, and neither did I. That could be because of our mutual shortcomings, of course. 

 

Now, I'm sure that others have bought the jig and found it most-satisfactory, but, to me (as well) it's rather complicated, non-intuitive and rather expensive, considering the alternatives. 

 

I've built over 500 loco chassis, from scratch or from kits using my pre-historic Jamieson jig. It's dead simple, always accurate and, in comparison with more complex jigs, cost pence (though it's no longer available). 

 

 

Here it is in use in my assembling a Comet V2 chassis. It consists of no more than three one 8th rods, with studding on their ends, to which are screwed nuts, clamping the frames together. For frames thick enough to need no bearings (one 16th - Jamieson frames), then aluminium turned spacers are inserted. Comet makes a very similar jig. 

 

I now use a Poppyswood MDF chassis jig.

 

 

Here it is in use, in my putting together a SE Finecast A4 chassis. These jigs are around the £25.00/£30.00 mark, are extremely accurate, are much easier to use than systems eight times their price, so why not go this way?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Poppy jig is somewhat different to the Avonside (Eileen's Emporium)  or Hobby Holidays jigs. The latter two are designed to hold the bearings in place (aligned to match the coupling rods) while the frames are assembled around them, so making them suitable for sprung or compensated chassis that use hornblock guides. The instructions for the Avonside jig can be downloaded from the EE website for those interested. I have not used any of these jigs, having found I can satisfactorily assemble a compensated chassis using  just axle alignment jigs, either the old Perseverance parallel end or the London Road models taper end versions.

 

The accuracy of any of these jigs comes from using the coupling rods to align the bearings and hence match the axle centres to the rods. It is therefore important to assemble and ream the rods to fit the crankpins as the first stage in my experience.

 

Binding at two positions of rotation usually indicates a quartering issue, but that shouldn't happen(?) with Markits wheels, so Tony's suggestion of lightly opening out the coupling rod holes (with a taper broach) should help. It may also be worth rotating the wheels until they bind and then loosening the crankpin nuts, where the crank pins are the bushed type. If the bush is a loose fit on the threaded crankpin then loosening and re-tightening the nut should centralise it on the pin. That has a similar effect to opening out the holes. I have found this to be a bit of a problem with some of the Sharman Wheels bushes which are a loose fit on the 14BA crankpin.

 

Of course that may not be relevant in this case and I apologise if anyone is upset by the heretical reference to plastic centered driving wheels.

[Headstock]

I too have successfully assembled compensated chassis with axle alignment jigs. However, I'm not clear if the Fatadder chassis is compensated or rigid?

[Tony Wright]

For most of the time I take pictures of Little Bytham, I concentrate on the fast-moving, prestige trains, or the long goods trains. In most cases, these are hauled by heavy motive power.

 

However, there are bits of the layout which hardly get a look in, so, this evening I decided to take a few 'candid' shots, the results of which are shown below. 

 

 

A view looking across towards Marsh Bridge at the south end, with Tom Couling's little barn sagging nicely. John Houlden built the farm gadget in the foreground, though what it is I have no idea. It came from his Gamston Bank layout. 

 

 

Looking south with the stationmaster's floral garden prominent. This was 'planted' by Richard Wilson. Ian Wilson built the stationmaster's house. 

 

 

Looking across from the goods yard towards the south end of the station. All the buildings/structures in this view (apart from the cottages to the left, which I built) are Ian Wilson's work.  

 

 

Bob Dawson's lovely little station cottages are featured here.

 

 

Coal was unloaded from the wagons in this way at LB. John Houlden provided the wagon and the figure.

 

 

A view of the same scene from lower down. David Ray made the wagon on the right.

 

 

A general view of the goods yard area, with both Geoff West's and Paul Marshall Potter's little figures busy at work. 

 

 

Tom Wright's little track gangers are busy as well, attending to this buffer stop. 

 

 

I'm so fortunate to have so many marvellous modellers contribute to LB. Ellen Sparkes' beautiful little gardens for Bob Dawson's cottages are well-maintained indeed. It must be Monday!

 

 

Bob Dawson's Willoughby Arms welcomes customers. 

 

You can tell there's a railway presence in all these scenes (with the exception of the last one), but they do show how much of LB is actually not just railway. That was very important in attempting to achieve the 'feel' of the real place, as it was 60 years ago. 

[Barry Ten]

1 hour ago, APOLLO said:

This is what I've been up to the last couple of days. They are O scale Intermountain North American freight car kits, very detailed.

 

Tony is always saying "This is a builders thread" - and I've got a bit of a kick building these two cars, I've enjoyed building them. 

 

Brit15

 

Nice to seem some American stuff on here as well. Those look to be very satisfying kits.

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

 

The Poppy jig is somewhat different to the Avonside (Eileen's Emporium)  or Hobby Holidays jigs. The latter two are designed to hold the bearings in place (aligned to match the coupling rods) while the frames are assembled around them, so making them suitable for sprung or compensated chassis that use hornblock guides. The instructions for the Avonside jig can be downloaded from the EE website for those interested. I have not used any of these jigs, having found I can satisfactorily assemble a compensated chassis using  just axle alignment jigs, either the old Perseverance parallel end or the London Road models taper end versions.

 

The accuracy of any of these jigs comes from using the coupling rods to align the bearings and hence match the axle centres to the rods. It is therefore important to assemble and ream the rods to fit the crankpins as the first stage in my experience.

 

Binding at two positions of rotation usually indicates a quartering issue, but that shouldn't happen(?) with Markits wheels, so Tony's suggestion of lightly opening out the coupling rod holes (with a taper broach) should help. It may also be worth rotating the wheels until they bind and then loosening the crankpin nuts, where the crank pins are the bushed type. If the bush is a loose fit on the threaded crankpin then loosening and re-tightening the nut should centralise it on the pin. That has a similar effect to opening out the holes. I have found this to be a bit of a problem with some of the Sharman Wheels bushes which are a loose fit on the 14BA crankpin.

 

Of course that may not be relevant in this case and I apologise if anyone is upset by the heretical reference to plastic centered driving wheels.

Thanks Jol,

 

I think it's safe to say the jigs you cite are far more sophisticated than those I mention. However, the end result (for a rigid chassis at least) is the same, at a fraction of the cost.

 

I've also assembled chassis with great success using John Redrup's LRM tapered jig axles. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[PMP]

@Jol Wilkinson

Perseverance chassis jigs and Sharman wheels, #oldschool , jumpers for goalposts etc etc!

 

 

I’ve still got my Percy jigs too!

[CF MRC]

13 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

For most of the time I take pictures of Little Bytham, I concentrate on the fast-moving, prestige trains, or the long goods trains. In most cases, these are hauled by heavy motive power.

 

However, there are bits of the layout which hardly get a look in, so, this evening I decided to take a few 'candid' shots, the results of which are shown below. 

 

 

A view looking across towards Marsh Bridge at the south end, with Tom Couling's little barn sagging nicely. John Houlden built the farm gadget in the foreground, though what it is I have no idea. It came from his Gamston Bank layout. 

 

It’s a reaper/binder, Tony, for cutting cereal and binding into sheaves.  On the way out by your period, but could be quietly becoming derelict in the corner of a field. 

 

Tim

[landscapes]

9 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

For most of the time I take pictures of Little Bytham, I concentrate on the fast-moving, prestige trains, or the long goods trains. In most cases, these are hauled by heavy motive power.

 

However, there are bits of the layout which hardly get a look in, so, this evening I decided to take a few 'candid' shots, the results of which are shown below. 

 

 

A view looking across towards Marsh Bridge at the south end, with Tom Couling's little barn sagging nicely. John Houlden built the farm gadget in the foreground, though what it is I have no idea. It came from his Gamston Bank layout. 

 

 

Looking south with the stationmaster's floral garden prominent. This was 'planted' by Richard Wilson. Ian Wilson built the stationmaster's house. 

 

 

Looking across from the goods yard towards the south end of the station. All the buildings/structures in this view (apart from the cottages to the left, which I built) are Ian Wilson's work.  

 

 

Bob Dawson's lovely little station cottages are featured here.

 

 

Coal was unloaded from the wagons in this way at LB. John Houlden provided the wagon and the figure.

 

 

A view of the same scene from lower down. David Ray made the wagon on the right.

 

 

A general view of the goods yard area, with both Geoff West's and Paul Marshall Potter's little figures busy at work. 

 

 

Tom Wright's little track gangers are busy as well, attending to this buffer stop. 

 

 

I'm so fortunate to have so many marvellous modellers contribute to LB. Ellen Sparkes' beautiful little gardens for Bob Dawson's cottages are well-maintained indeed. It must be Monday!

 

 

Bob Dawson's Willoughby Arms welcomes customers. 

 

You can tell there's a railway presence in all these scenes (with the exception of the last one), but they do show how much of LB is actually not just railway. That was very important in attempting to achieve the 'feel' of the real place, as it was 60 years ago. 

Hi Tony

A truly wonderful set of photos, some lovely landscape modelling and very realistic as well.

 

Regards

 

David

[StephenB]

Thanks for posting these photos of the landscape that the railway runs through.

 

Stephen

[Dave Hunt]

Tony,

 

Thanks for posting those superb photographs of Little Bytham. Along with other masterpieces such as Copenhagen Fields your layout has to be one of the most inspirational things in railway modelling. Much power to your elbow!

 

Dave 

[Tony Wright]

38 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

Tony,

 

Thanks for posting those superb photographs of Little Bytham. Along with other masterpieces such as Copenhagen Fields your layout has to be one of the most inspirational things in railway modelling. Much power to your elbow!

 

Dave 

Thanks Dave,

 

And thanks to the others, too, who've commented so favourably. 

 

Though it's true to say it's 'my' layout, it must be always acknowledged that it's the work of a team. Though I've done the majority of the 'groundwork' in the pictures, much of the general scenic work's 'excellence' is down to Richard Wilson, Rob Davey and Gilbert Barnatt, all of whom have contributed in both materials and time, entirely without payment. As have so many others, all without any 'arm-twisting'.  Indeed it's a privilege that so many have 'donated' stuff to LB, asking no stipend at all. For instance, figures from Tim Elcock, Paul Marshall Potter, Geoff West, Tom Wright and Philip (can't remember his surname, I'm afraid). Ground signals from Roy Vinter. Various items of rolling stock from Keith Pierce. All sorts of lovely little bits and pieces from Ray Chessum. Gardens by Ellen Sparkes. Rolling stock by Tom Wright, John Houlden and David Ray. And so it goes on. Not to mention the huge contributions from WMRC members - Rob Kinsey, Mick Peabody and Norman Turner, all of whom have given their time entirely FOC. 

 

Much, of course, has been achieved by the expedient of horse-trading, and Norman Solomon, Mick Nicholson, Graham Nicholas, Bob Dawson and Scott Waterfield come into this category, not to mention the expertise of Tony Gee who's done much in the way of signal work on the M&GNR section - all for just the cost of the bits. I still owe him my time in exchange.

 

Many of my locos are now painted by Geoff Haynes, all in exchange for my photographing his work, and the likes of Ian Rathbone and Tony Geary have both contributed for very desirable 'mates' rates'. 

 

'Chief', of course, among all the contributors is Ian Wilson, ex of Prototype Models and now Pacific Models. Without his initial contribution is designing the whole thing, LB would never have got off the ground. Many of his buildings grace the layout as well.

 

I'm bound to have missed some names out, and for that I apologise. 

 

Why do I mention (and keep on mentioning) all the above? Because I cannot stand credit being taken for work which is not that of a layout's owner, whether it be the whole thing or items on it. Unless observers are (always) made aware of who did what, then it's not right and it's definitely not fair. I'm afraid I've come across too much of this sort of thing. Ask Norman Solomon! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited May 31, 2019 by Tony Wright
to clarify a point

[The Stationmaster]

13 hours ago, CF MRC said:

It’s a reaper/binder, Tony, for cutting cereal and binding into sheaves.  On the way out by your period, but could be quietly becoming derelict in the corner of a field. 

 

Tim

My grandfather in Berkshire was still harvesting that way in 1958. (But in 1961, at a rather young age for such tasks, I was driving a combine harvester on another farm in Berkshire.)

 

Back to railways if I may and there might be some useful detail from my posts in this thread for those who are interested -

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/144958-corridor-connection-end-plates/

 

Edited May 31, 2019 by The Stationmaster
correct typos

[Tony Wright]

Looking at the pictures I posted yesterday, it's significant (at least to me), with a more 'mature' outlook (difficult in my respect), how much of Little Bytham's space is not occupied by actual railway. 

 

In my younger years (like many?), I crammed as much track and railway infrastructure as I possibly could on to modest-sized boards. I think that's been a significant change over the last few decades with regard to the building of model railways - to include much of what is not railway. Pendon, of course, does it magnificently, and Barry Norman was one of the principal exponents (of my generation) in creating a 'railway in a landscape'. Others have done the same. 

 

If nothing else, it removes the temptation to try and cram too much in. Though the railway itself is the dominant feature of LB, there is a fair bit which is not really railway-related, and it's much the better for it in my opinion. 

 

Pendon - the ultimate 'railway in a landscape?

 

 

 

 

I think so.

 

I hasten to add, I'm not comparing Little Bytham with Pendon! 

Edited May 31, 2019 by Tony Wright
to clarify a point

[LNERandBR]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

 

I hasten to add, I'm not comparing Little Bytham with Pendon! 

 

Why not? Whilst I've seen neither in the flesh the images of both that I've seen are simply stunning.

 

To my mind, both are exceptional examples of railway modelling and both extremely inspirational in their own ways.

[Tony Wright]

18 minutes ago, LNERandBR said:

 

Why not? Whilst I've seen neither in the flesh the images of both that I've seen are simply stunning.

 

To my mind, both are exceptional examples of railway modelling and both extremely inspirational in their own ways.

That's very kind of you, but I think Pendon is the 'zenith' of railway modelling.

 

In order to become a model-maker on Pendon, one has to pass a sort of 'exam'. It used to be (maybe still is) build an outside privy. I've built several to go with the cottages I've made for LB, and I don't think they're anywhere near Pendon's standard.

 

That said, Pendon isn't an actual prototype location, so, in that respect, is it less 'accurate' than prototype-based layouts? I have to be careful asking this question because I almost had to go into hiding some time ago for NOT listing Pendon in my personal top ten of model railways I've photographed; because it isn't an actual prototype. Some of the subsequent comments were vituperative!

 

All the above said, I don't think this could be mistaken for anywhere else but Teignmouth and its environs.....................

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Tom F]

Anyone recognise these two trouble makers? 

 

4mm Modelu, superb painting by Claudia Everett.

[Headstock]

1 hour ago, 9793 said:

Anyone recognise these two trouble makers? 

 

4mm Modelu, superb painting by Claudia Everett.

 

Mmm, it must be .........

 

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, Headstock said:

 

Mmm, it must be .........

 

I've never been likened to Boris Karloff before!

[t-b-g]

The jeans and the "fashion model" pose look like pure Geoff Taylor. As for the other guy.......

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, 9793 said:

Anyone recognise these two trouble makers? 

 

4mm Modelu, superb painting by Claudia Everett.

I didn't realise my eyebrows were so bushy! 

 

The characteristic stoop is there...........................

 

I'm trying to decide who the other chap is. Any clues? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

 

Seen before, but me painted by Tim Elcock.

 

I'm wearing (as always) glasses here.........................