Ruston Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Regarding the uncouplers, I think it's a lot of money for what they are so I'm experimenting with a home-made manual uncoupler. It's made from plasticard, a bit of plastic tube and some wooden dowel - all stuff I have lying around. The eccentric will be fixed to a length of rod, which will be rotated to push the cam follower up. The rod will run front to back of the baseboard so will allow operation from both sides. All I need now is a bit of springy wire to fit in the hole in the dowel. This will retain the uncoupler and also pull it back down when the eccentric is rotated back to the normal position. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 I said that making individual pigs would be tedious and it was! But in the absence of any better plan, and the avoidance of spending money on resin casting, that's what I did. The idea, suggested by Fat Controller, of using sprues is what I used. The sprues from a Wills 'varigirder' bridge kit being flat and wide enough for the machine-cast pigs that Arthur supplied the info on. I cut the lengths, filed the ends and then filed a notch halfway along. They were then stuck to a false floor, painted with a mix of gunmetal and grey paints then dry-brushed with orange to represent a light rusting around the edges and to highlight the individual pigs. I've also rebuilt and repainted the Langley Scammel Highwayman. The glazing is flush and was done by putting masking tape on the outside of the cab and painting micro krystal clear from the inside. When the stuff had set I peeled the tape off. The sticky surface of the tape isn't perfectly smooth to the windows ended up with the appearance of a matt finish so I gave a coat of gloss varnish to the outside to restore the shine. 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 The pig iron has come out really well Dave, I shall be hunting down appropriate sprue..... Always good to see a Scammell, that's an interesting way of flush glazing, not come across that before. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthesnail96 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 That Scammell is ace Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium figworthy Posted January 29, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 29, 2014 I've also rebuilt and repainted the Langley Scammel Highwayman. The glazing is flush and was done by putting masking tape on the outside of the cab and painting micro krystal clear from the inside. When the stuff had set I peeled the tape off. The sticky surface of the tape isn't perfectly smooth to the windows ended up with the appearance of a matt finish so I gave a coat of gloss varnish to the outside to restore the shine. Scammel1.jpg I'm sure that I saw something almost identical to that pulling out of the Aldwarke works in 1986. It looked dated then. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 1, 2014 Author Share Posted February 1, 2014 Today's efforts... I gave the trackwork a spray of a suitable base coat and also painted the rest of the baseboard top. Spot the difference? After I posted the pic (page 2) of beginning to hack to baseplate off the 24-ton hopper wagon, Mark Saunders later pointed out to me that the model is 4mm too long, both in overall length and in wheelbase. I'd been caught out by RTR! I'd already rebuilt and weathered both wagons but it was now niggling at me that they were so wrong. I had planned to leave it until I could get hold of a couple of Parkside 9-ft. chassis kits but today I was fortunate to get hold of a pair of second hand but unmolested Bachmann slope-sided minerals. One a M.O.T. bauxite version, with double brakes and end door, and the other a grey BSC tippler with brakes at one side. The BSC chassis was swapped with one from under one of my other mineral wagons and the M.O.T. one removed from the body. The Bachmann chassis isn't suitable for a chassis where the top of the solebar channel is visible so I added strips of plasticard. The V-hangers are also different from those on the hopper so I added tiny strips of plasticard to the solebar to rectify this. The main problem with the alteration is the cutting out of 4mm of bodywork from the hopper. Having studied BR diagrams it appears that the extra 4mm has been put into the model in the centre panel so just two cuts with a razor saw are needed. The first cut is made next to one of the stanchions and the other is made on the now long panel end. Both halves are checked and adjusted by a little sanding and then placed, inverted, on a granite table mat and MEK run into the joint. The smaller triangular pieces have already been cut off and glued on when the baseplate was removed but they had to be broken off and glued on again. I'm happy with it now and can sleep at night again knowing it's the correct length The original chassis will be used for another Palbrick and the second chassis will go under an old tank wagon body. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 That does make a surprising difference to the overall look of the wagon, it looks more squat and ready for a heavy load. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Dave, you really have got your weathering down to a fine art - it's superb..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 1, 2014 Author Share Posted February 1, 2014 Thanks, Giles. There are people far better than me at it but I'm at a point where I'm happy with it and can achieve a consistent finish across the board. Mind you, I'm not yet happy with weathering wooden-bodied stock but, fortunately, there isn't much need for it on this layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Saunders Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 This is the only complete Chas' Roberts Ore Hopper left it is currently at Cottesmore. A great job the cut and shut on the rtr one really makes the difference and looks good on the finished model! Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 Thanks, Mark. That reminds me that I need to fit a tie bar between the axle guards... and some footsteps. I've fitted and tested the uncoupler and I'm pleased to report that it works. I am, however, going to change the wooden dowel for a turned brass cam follower so it will definitely drop under its own weight and I won't need to pursue the spring idea. I've also fitted the Gaugemaster electro-magnetic uncoupler. It works well but I really don't like the horrible buzzing noise and vibration that it makes. I still have 4 more uncouplers to add and at least two of them can be operated using my own system but the position of others in relation to point motors and/or baseboard framing means I may have to come up with something else because I don't like the Gaugemaster things. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastworld Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Well that pretty much determines the livery of the Highwaymen then! http://www.flickr.com/photos/fryske/3452812257/in/set-72157606910419367 Long-established steel haulers around Sheffield. They were still running these until only a few years ago i believe. Plus they had an industriam tank loco in their yard for years too. Stu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgood Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) They were still running these until only a few years ago i believe. Plus they had an industrial tank loco in their yard for years too. Stu And if I'm not mistaken - the link to Ruston's previous layout is that the loco in Harrison's yard came from the Yorkshire Tar Distillers works at Kilnhurst? Edit: Yes - here it is from www.evra.org.uk Croda refused to allow Henry Ellison to go for scrap. She was bought in1975 by the haulage contractor Brian Harrison, put onto a low-loader and transported the short distance to his yard in Tinsley, Sheffield. She was stored outside for the next 30 years, the rust kept at bay by a periodic dousing of old sump oil from the transport fleet. On Brian Harrison’s death Henry Ellison, together with Ferrybridge No 3 and Cathryn were offered by the family to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway on an extended loan, arriving in the Autumn of 2005. Edited February 3, 2014 by Osgood Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 Setting out the outline of the main buildings and seeing that there is enough space for road vehicles to turn etc. Work has also begun on the canal bridges and tow path. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 Considering this is supposed to be just a stopgap until I can get on with the big O gauge layout I'm getting right into this! Arthur has been a great help with aspects of the industry but I need some more general information pertaining to OO gauge/4mm scale. I've not had anything to do with it for so long that I haven't a clue about what's available and who supplies what so thanks in advance if anyone can help with the following... Stillages - steel cage type (for various engineering stuff) - ISTR etched brass items being available but I've no idea who supplied them. Buffers for wagons - suppliers? Window frames/drain pipes.gutters for industrial buildings? 1960s/early 70s fork lift truck? Figures - 1970s period, suitable for a steel works? Chain link fencing? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 Cheers, Mickey Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) Now, apparently, molten steel wouldn't be transferred like this as the teeming ladle would be moved from the electric arc furnace, by gantry crane within the same building, to the foundry. But my excuse is the buildings are seperated by the canal so I've used my modeller's licence to have molten steel transferred by rail. The teeming ladle is freelance, based on general photos, and scratchbuilt from plasticard and a lid from some household goods or other and a thing that once contained Slaters 7mm couplings. The bogie is freelance but loosely based on one that carried a charging clam at Brown Bayley's works - again built from plasticard. The buffers are turned brass and were rescued from an old wagon. The ladle is, of course, removable from the bogie. Edited February 6, 2014 by Ruston 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Nice bit of imagineering, it certainly looks the part. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 Don't worry, Mickey. It just means one crane in each building so your grandad (and the unions) would approve. Can you tell what it is yet? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Yep! I'll say no more! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkea1 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Some kind of forging ingot? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) Correct! You win a cigar. Apparently they're called multi-faceted ingots. Here's one in a forging press - http://www.ellwoodgroup.com/images/77-ton.png Edited February 9, 2014 by Ruston 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
12CSVT Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Hi, A little modern but I thought these might be usefull. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 Thanks for posting those. Here's a video, found by Arthur, that I think is worth sharing. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Thanks for posting those. Here's a video, found by Arthur, that I think is worth sharing. Thanks for posting that; I'd always thought that rolls would have been cast 'round', then milled and turned to finished shape. Is there a particular reason for forging them, rather than casting? Does the hammering somehow impart strength? I've probably mentioned it before, but my father's first trade was as a roll turner with Richard Thomas and Baldwin- the 'end-product' in the film above would have been the starting point for him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now