Wright writes.....

[micklner]

 Graham,

 

Relating to the actual builds with the DJH Boxes shown in you post.

 

The LNER D class  photo ,

The DJH smaller box  (yes I know it exists) looks like it may just  about fit , it looks like you need to remove all or nearly all  of the rear motor shaft , and probably have no backhead fitted or pushed back into the cab area. The connecting wires will also need to fit in the space between the motor and backhead .

 

As too smaller 0-6-0's perhaps? , I presume you mean with the motor facing to the front of the loco, otherwise as already  said the Gearbox sides will be on view under the Boiler between the Smoke box and the Tank sides . The problem with front facing motor setup  perhaps is then  a Cab full of Gearbox sides instead?. I dont model GER but  I will happily measure some my built  NER tanks if needed by anybody for comparison. My A7 would accomadate one easily as what I would call a large Boiler  Loco

 

The GB2 fitted would be very near to the track surface and would be very vulnerable to any debris etc on the track surface , would the vertical  motor be too high inside the Boiler?

 

The comment by me wasnt intended to be "outrageous"  far from it. I was simply offering alternative advice from my experience with kit building. As said I have'nt used a DJH box and I have no need to do so in the future , there are cheaper alternatives for my requirements, which are just as good. All my builds are on my LNER thread.

 

Nice kit builds, well done !! Enjoy Grantham

 

Mick

[Theakerr]

With reference to Tony's comment about the grub screw on a DJH gearbox, I would mention for anyone who should decide to purchase one as a result of the recent posts or whatever to be VERY VERY careful of said grubscrew.  On my last purchase,  I could only manage about 1.5 turns when trying to tighten said grub screw into the gear and managed to strip the threads.  And, yes I did have a flattened section on the axle.  Upon examination it turned out that the point on the end of the grub screw was very long, such that it prevented the grub screw from going very far into the gear.  After some very careful filing of the point and some very careful refitting of the grub screw as well as making an extension to the threaded section using a two part epoxy with Al particles, i have made it work.  I did send an e-mail to DJH but did not get a response.

Over the years I have purchased many DJH gearboxes because they are so simple to use and they simply work first time.  Apart from the problem referenced above i have only ever had one other problem when a bearing came lose.  I was able to solve that problem. with superglue without having to dismantle the loco.

Edited October 10, 2021 by Theakerr
Extra comment added

[Tony Wright]

I wonder if anyone has watched Hornby's Youtube channel today, where awareness of mental health and well-being have been highlighted. I was asked to make a presentation, which I did.

 

It was edited by Hornby (I just posted off the camera's card) and, unfortunately, references to some still images were rendered superfluous because they weren't then included.  

 

My bit, should anyone be interested, starts at 3hrs 46 minutes into the programme. The whole thing is now available on Hornby's Youtube channel. 

 

I'll ask Chris Walsh to re-edit my footage and then make it available to BRM. It's my standard stuff - how to improve RTR products. 

Edited October 10, 2021 by Tony Wright
typo error

[Tony Wright]

41 minutes ago, Theakerr said:

With reference to Tony's comment about the grub screw on a DJH gearbox, I would mention for anyone who should decide to purchase one as a result of the recent posts or whatever to be VERY VERY careful of said grubscrew.  On my last purchase,  I could only manage about 1.5 turns when trying to tighten said grub screw into the gear and managed to strip the threads.  And, yes I did have a flattened section on the axle.  Upon examination it turned out that the point on the end of the grub screw was very long, such that it prevented the grub screw from going very far into the gear.  After some very careful filing of the point and some very careful refitting of the grub screw as well as making an extension to the threaded section using a two part epoxy with Al particles, i have made it work.  I did send an e-mail to DJH but did not get a response.

Over the years I have purchased many DJH gearboxes because they are so simple to use and they simply work first time.  Apart from the problem referenced above i have only ever had one other problem when a bearing came lose.  I was able to solve that problem. with superglue without having to dismantle the loco.

Many thanks for your comments.

 

I've mentioned the short grubscrews to DJH and they're looking at longer replacements. 

 

It's not that they don't work, especially if a flat has been filed on the driven axle, but it's good to be aware of the need to take care (as with any gearbox components).

 

The contact you need to make at DJH is Trevor Bailey (yes, his dad was a cricket fan!). 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[westerner]

A B&W photo (ala Ben Ashworth) of a new addition to Blackney, the wall and gates to the small Goods Yard.

 

[Ben Alder]

9 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

am quite pleased with how this train turned out, It makes me proud when I look at it as its all my own work and nothing is quite as satisfying as that. Is it perfect? No, but its mine! Now to finish the other train project...the meat train. 

 

 

Great piece of work... and you have revealed your membership of that elite modelling fraternity - a H&M  Duette lurking in a photo -

[railroadbill]

On 06/10/2021 at 10:18, Tony Wright said:

Geoff Haynes has varnished the Hornby 'Duchess' now.

 

It's remarkable how it 'lifts' the green from as-supplied. 

 

 

 

Much closer to Brunswick green in my perception.

Looks really good. What type of varnish was used on the loco, looks gloss rather than say satin, but acrylic, or lacquer,  etc. that won't affect the existing finish?  Thanks.

[PMP]

On 09/10/2021 at 23:23, Jesse Sim said:

more worried about making sure I finish a layout by the time I’m 60.

Why, have you got something else planned?

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, railroadbill said:

Looks really good. What type of varnish was used on the loco, looks gloss rather than say satin, but acrylic, or lacquer,  etc. that won't affect the existing finish?  Thanks.

I believe Geoff Haynes used enamel varnish, applied via an airbrush. Not too glossy, just natural.

 

I've now asked him to apply some light weathering. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited October 11, 2021 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Barclay]

23 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Gearbox/motor choices: put it this way. I'm thinking of getting an LRM Coal Engine or maybe the re-introduced Nucast Partners (ex-Ks) 700 Class (on the whole I might feel more confident with an etched than a cast kit; moreover the 700 Class has the complication outside frames). As a tyro, how do I go about choosing a suitable motor/gearbox combination?

High Level are our friend in this scenario, with their gearbox planner you can print off profiles of the different gearboxes and over lay them onto a drawing to be sure everything will fit. I haven't yet found a loco. that a High Level gearbox won't fit, even though obscuring daylight under the boiler is out of the question. One of the most difficult have to be tiny saddle tanks where the gears have to go in the firebox - a little trim and it just fits!

 

 

Pre-Grouping 0-6-0's can be tricky too with all that lovely daylight under the boiler, and narrow fireboxes. Here a HL gearbox and one of their new motors just fit into this J17:

 

 

 

[Barry Ten]

18 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

 

 

 

Well I'll rise to the bait then (just once), partly because an outrageous statement has been made which should be challenged, and also responding to the invitation to show one's work for the benefit of others.

 

Let's start with a 'large boilered locomotive' shall we? I have featured it on here before - scratchbuilt 40 years ago by my dear departed model making 'mentor', Peter Sykes. Originally powered by a X04 and in many respects crude by modern standards (eg where's the brake gear?). But of considerable sentimental value.

 

Now rejuventaed with a DJH GB1 motor / gearbox. Could have used another option - yes - but, given that the loco itself cost me nothing, I decided to splash out, partly because the loco means so much to me but also so that I could try one out for myself (rather than comment about something I've never actually had any first-hand experience of). I'm still in the post-Mashima phase of trying out different options to see what works for me.

Now before Mick (and others) jump in and cry 'foul!' I will readily concede that the gearbox is only completely hidden by the fact that the builder has added a non-prototypical skirt around the rear of the boiler (between middle and front splashers). Without that, a small section of the gearbox would be visible (although some black paint would have largely 'sorted' that) - so I'll give you that one. However, and in case you're wondering about the slightly odd orientation of the motor, this was the only orientation that would work given that I was dealing with an already built loco. There's lots of structure at the top and rear of the firebox that I would have destroyed in order to get it in any other way. Weighing it up just now, I reckon that you might just get the thing in driving on the rear axle (with the motor pointing forward). I have recently acquired a Gibson 'Scot' kit off Tony so might one day put that theory to the test.

However, the REAL reason for showing this loco with its top off is ...

 

Given (Mick) your vociferous dislike of the product on the grounds of cost, you might not be aware - or have conveniently chosen not to mention? - that there are in fact TWO motor/gearbox combos in the DJH range, as I illustrate here. As I got on so well with the GB1 (not least because I now have a treasured loco added to the Shap / Carlisle stud), I've splashed out for a second time to see how the GB2 compares. As you can see, noticeably smaller (same price, mind - give or take!). I purchased it with the idea of this being the prime mover for the Millholme 'Patriot' I have under construction ... however, now I've seen and handled the thing I'm thinking it might actually be too small! But if your 'simply not suitable for anything other than large Boiler Locomotives' is at best contentious for the GB1 then it's simply blown out of the water for the GB2 ... as I shall now attempt to demonstrate.

 

 

 

 

 

For what it's worth my Patriot is powered by a GB2. It's perfectly fine for such an application provided you're not looking for a high top speed. The GB2 was originally

in a Castle but I wanted a bit more pace out of that one so I put in a GB1 and donated the

GB2 to the Pat. GB2s are also sitting in my S15, Schools, E1, Fowler 4MT, S&D 7F and two Prairies - not exactly huge locos but not tiny either.

[gr.king]

3 hours ago, PMP said:

Why, have you got something else planned?

 

60 probably looks like the last stage before the grim reaper, from the "younger" perspective...

 

I hope it isn't in my case, otherwise I'll greatly regret my failure to retire even sooner!

[LNER4479]

9 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

 

For what it's worth my Patriot is powered by a GB2. It's perfectly fine for such an application provided you're not looking for a high top speed. The GB2 was originally

in a Castle but I wanted a bit more pace out of that one so I put in a GB1 and donated the

GB2 to the Pat. GB2s are also sitting in my S15, Schools, E1, Fowler 4MT, S&D 7F and two Prairies - not exactly huge locos but not tiny either.

Thanks for that - useful.

 

I'm not so much looking for speed as power in reserve. She could end up tackling Shap with 10 bogies - including kit-built sleeping cars. Plenty of adhesion weight, being surrounded by large lumps of whitemetal. GB2 might be OK but I wouldn't want it to be at the limit of its capabilities. I haven't got the balance right on the Scot yet. Plenty of power but she's just slipping with any more than eight on. Bit nose heavy at the moment ...

[60526]

On 07/10/2021 at 08:21, Tony Wright said:

A fascinating summary Andy,

 

Please thank Richard.

 

Borchester? Though none of my locos ever ran on Borchester during Frank Dyer's day, some did after the layout was bought by a group of friends to continue its exhibition life. I photographed it for BRM, and the group was a little short of locos at the time, so I took some of mine down. They ran the 'conventional' way when power was applied (as did the group's locos), which suggests that Frank had wired his locos the 'right way round' to begin with. 

 

What has happened to Borchester now, I have no idea, but I don't believe my friends had to alter the control system when they bought it (perhaps a comment from 60526?). 

 

Borchester, one of the most-influential layouts of all time.............

 

 

Well we were not actually short of locos, we just didn't have all the right types that we were looking for or those we had were misbehaving.

Here is a photo of your J6 64234 leaving Wellow East Tunnel, taken when you came down to Borchester Towers for the BRM annual photo shoot. 

 

 

Again one of your locos, K2 61738 at the Southwold show in 2015

 

 

 Control system? I've written before on the extensive re-wiring we carried out. On the main station board we only replaced the yard controller with a like for like H&M mechanism. For all the point polarity switching we replaced Franks mechanical system with microswitches for reliability. We had a bit of a problem on the station approach, couldn't immediately solve the problem so replaced two relays and the problem went away, they looked in good condition, put it down to a life expired soldered joint. Frank had made two large relay boxes for controlling sections, points, signals etc from outside the main station through to the GN fiddleyard or Wellow Park, these were located under the GN fiddelyard. We had the original sketches which showed the logic of what was going on with the wiring around this area, an amazing bit of work, spent some time looking at what this trying to tell us and we eventually made some sense of it. We had to start from a point of view that it was right in the first place, don't fix it if it doesn't need fixing. We replace all the wires going to or coming out of the relay boxes and then sorted out the odd wire that had been soldered into the wiring loom at a later date, we either traced it back or remove it and looked to see what didn't work, that was the solution.

 All the GN fiddleyard was rewired and the existing controller replaced by a Gmaster unit. We added a small board off the end of the turntable to store some loco and replaced the rear storage sidings, added an extra one which incidentally was in Franks original plans and lengthened them slightly.

 All the GC fiddleyard was replaced, boards, track, wiring and controllers, it had to be made simple for casual users and it worked well.

Apart from a chat with the owners son at Railex Aylesbury a few years ago and me posting the detail about the signal indicator battery we haven't had any feedback.

Charlie

[Barry Ten]

 

Dear Agony Aunt

 

Writing for a friend. He recently visited a large model railway accurately depicting a part of the East Coast Main Line. Other than the outstanding modelling, he was particularly impressed with the beefy, slide--operated DC controllers. They seemed to make even his own engines run more smoothly and powerfully. On returning to his own layout, he found that his puny little rotary knobs don't cut it any more. Feelings of model railway inadequacy have now ensued. What can be done?

 

best,

 

A. Modeller

Tunbridge Wells (not South Wales).

 

[Tony Wright]

Thanks for that Charlie,

 

By gum, doesn't that J6 of mine look dreadful? 

 

It's built from a WSM kit (if that's an acronym, just use the naughtiest words you can think of!), running on a scratch-built chassis (I built it and it got scratched) with an open-framed motor and (visible) Romford 40:1 gears. Amazingly, despite its being near 50 years old, it still runs (though I have subsequently replaced the prime mover with a Comet combo - less-visible). 

 

 

Can I still just about get away with it?

 

Thankfully, my later-built J6s are a bit better..........

 

 

 

Nu-Cast Partners with a London Road tender.

 

 

London Road.

 

 

Nu-Cast.

 

 

Nu-Cast Partners, with Geoff Haynes' weathering. 

 

 

Part scratch-built and Nu-Cast Partners, with  Geoff Haynes' weathering. 

 

My annual 'coming down' was always coincidental with my being on a cricket tour in the district, playing at places such as Arundel (not the posh ground), East Preston, Worthing and Hove. Great fun, but I'm afraid I'm now too old (a bit like Borchester?). 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

For those who watched my Hornby piece and wondered what had happened to the still images I mentioned, here they are............

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[andytrains]

16 hours ago, Ben Alder said:

 

Great piece of work... and you have revealed your membership of that elite modelling fraternity - a H&M  Duette lurking in a photo -

I gave my H&M Duette to the son of a work colleague back in the noughties.

Work colleague was not into model railways, but his son was just starting up.

[jacko]

5 hours ago, gr.king said:

 

60 probably looks like the last stage before the grim reaper, from the "younger" perspective...

 

I turned 60 this summer and took up skateboarding again (not really been on a board since 1979).  Having the time of my life and feeling much fitter than I have for years. 

Graeme

[woodenhead]

6 minutes ago, jacko said:

I turned 60 this summer and took up skateboarding again (not really been on a board since 1979).  Having the time of my life and feeling much fitter than I have for years. 

Graeme

Just remember our bones can take less punishment as we age and broken hips are a harbinger of the man with the scythe.

 

Not that I trying to put you off 

 

[FarrMan]

24 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

Just remember our bones can take less punishment as we age and broken hips are a harbinger of the man with the scythe.

 

Not that I trying to put you off 

 

Is that the voice of experience?Lloyd

[woodenhead]

Just now, FarrMan said:

Is that the voice of experience?Lloyd

Ha, I wish I could stay on a skateboard, never been able to.

 

But it does strike me that a skateboard like skating (wheeled or icey) are both activities best suited to the younger body unless accompanied by lots of padding.

[St Enodoc]

7 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

My annual 'coming down' was always coincidental with my being on a cricket tour in the district, playing at places such as Arundel (not the posh ground), East Preston, Worthing and Hove. Great fun, but I'm afraid I'm now too old (a bit like Borchester?). 

Lovely. I played for Lancing Manor for a couple of seasons in the 1980s. Arundel (with its thatched pavilion) was a favourite ground. Of course, away fixtures were generally rated according to the quality of a) the tea and b) the ladies who served it....

[Barry Ten]

 

 

Readers of Wright Writes will remember that a few months ago the opportunity came to make an offer on the fine collection of Midland models kindly built and donated by Dave Hunt. I put in a bid for the items and was very pleased to have it accepted. The models rested with Tony until it was feasible to collect them, but they are now with me and I've begun test-running on my own layout.

 

The collection includes four locos, a number of fine Midland carriages, and quite a large selection of goods vehicles. From the outset, Tony advised that two of the locos in particular might struggle with less-than-generous curves, so I made my offer in the full knowledge that the two passenger engines - the Compound above, and a Single - might have to remain cabinet cases. Pleasingly, however, it turns out that both engines are able to run on my layout. The Compound will go around both clockwise and anti-clockwise roads, while the Single needs to be confined to the former, but that's still a very good result as far as I'm concerned.

 

In the brief video below, both locos are shown running as-is, with nothing but a touch of lubrication on the Compound. Both need a bit of attention with regard to pickup, being wired on the American style with loco and tender at opposite polarities. The Compound runs fine in forward, but shorts out in reverse. The Single runs well both forward and reverse but is prone to dips in power at various spots on the layout, which I think is due to it only picking up on two axles on either rail.  For that reason I've cranked it up to nearly top speed on the layout, but it should run much more slowly once the pickup is amended. My intention is to modify the arrangement to the normal style, both to give more collection points, but also to enable both engines to run independently of their tenders. This will be done in as "minimally invasive" a style as possible, so as to preserve the integrity of the models.

 

As it happens, I do now need to do a bit of surgery on the tender of the Single. A captive nut inside the body has come loose inside, meaning the rear bogie can't be attached. I've devised a repair plan which will involve a bit of keyhole surgery, but nothing that will harm the details or beautiful finish. I think  once I've done that, I'll have no qualms about adding a few extra pickups and wiring, all of which should be invisible.

 

My video work isn't the best, but hopefully some of you will enjoy seeing these fine models running under power. Thanks again to Mr Hunt for this generous donation, and to Tony for facilitating it.

 

 

cheers,

 

Al

[Tony Wright]

12 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Lovely. I played for Lancing Manor for a couple of seasons in the 1980s. Arundel (with its thatched pavilion) was a favourite ground. Of course, away fixtures were generally rated according to the quality of a) the tea and b) the ladies who served it....

I didn't play at Lancing, John, but other places included Angmering and grounds further inland such as Steyning. All great fun. I guested for an Essex team. 

 

We'd set off on the Sunday, play at a ground on the way down in the afternoon near Billingshurst (if my memory serves), then book into our hotels at either Bognor or Worthing, then play on Monday through to Friday, returning for a league game on Saturday. One either played twice or thrice, dependent on the numbers on tour, though by Friday too many heads were sore (we travelled by mini-bus, so much was supped!). 

 

Yes, the teas. Some were legendary (I'm talking about those in my local leagues in the Borders and West Midlands now). Some of the most-exotic were provided by Asian teams - absolutely delicious and exciting. 

 

And the ladies providing them - can one be that sexist these days? I rather think something might have been lost nowadays. The blokes played and the wives girlfriends provided the cricket teas. It was never demeaning to the fairer sex. At times, the teas' standards were as competitive as the cricket, because many wives/girlfriends used to accompany the team to away grounds (never on tour, though!). An opposing team's tea would be scrutinised for its quantity and quality. Often teas were provided at pubs, the landlord being a player in many cases. Good business indeed!

 

I was captain of a couple of Codsall's teams for a quarter of a century, and our scorer was the wife of one of my opening batsmen. I have never seen such wonderful scorebooks. When she and her husband went away on holiday (not often in the season), we were banned from writing up the scores in her scorebook. Pages were torn from old 'books for a day's score to be recorded, and then she'd fill the data into her book on her return. Nobody was allowed to deface her peerless work. 

 

What's the link between cricket and railways in my case? Quite a bit. Playing in and around Chester in my formative years, I recall being told off for not concentrating as a 'Semi' bowled (a good analogy?) by Waverton's ground. Playing on the teacher training college's ground off Parkgate Road, I'd often delay my run-up slightly to  watch an ex-GC 2-8-0 chuff its way past on its journey to Dee Marsh. During my days in Wolverhampton, grounds where a railway went close by on which I played included many on the Cambrian line from Shrewsbury, including Welshpool, Abermule, Newtown and Caersws. Along the Marches, many grounds were near to the main line as well. Staff cricket games at my school would often wait a moment for a Class 40, 45 or 47 to rumble by on the line to Shrewsbury. Latterly, when I finished my cricketing days in this part of the world, one had to wait for the passing of ECML trains at Claypole if one were bowling from the 'railway end'. Trespass was even necessary to retrieve a ball when a burly 'six' took it over the boundary fence! 

 

Ah, happy days.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited October 12, 2021 by Tony Wright
to add something