A powered Armstrong Whitworth D9 - plans included.

[JCL]

I think I'll leave it alone. I don't want to break anything I can't fix!

[Clive Mortimore]

The class 31 in real life has a smaller unpowered center wheel, so when Hornby made their's with a driven axle I was very confused.

 

As suggested leave alone.

[JCL]

Thanks Clive. Will do.

 

At the Calgary, Alberta Supertrain today; apparently it's the biggest exhibition this side if the prairies, so I go there every year. You know pretty much all the layouts after a couple of years, but it gives me a chance to relax after a long winter and see a mate or two. So no more modelling until next week now. I'll be tackling the roof next.

 

Cheers

 

Jason

[JCL]

I've managed to get back out of the bush and landed back onto the internet proper. There's not been a lot of modelling going on, but I have made a bit of a headway. First of all, the roof base formers and ends have been built up.

 

 

I've decided to make the middle part of the roof with either a single formed sheet of .020" styrene or two .010" sheets of the same. Probably the latter as I have to get a grill into it and a fan underneath it. The ends have been built up using three layers of .080"x.156" styrene strip. Unfortunately this means that it wont cover the ends so I'll glue three pieces of .020 to each end so that it sits on top of the curved end. (I'll put up a photo). Three pieces because the ends are .050" thick overall.The formers in the middle section of the roof are folded .020" styrene, and are kept square and solid with some .080" strip.

 

I had a look at the underframe again, and decided to form what looks like the oil tanks on each end. This was the .080"x.156" styrene strip again. I carved the basic shape on the end of a piece of strip, cut it off, and then glued it to the back of another piece to double the depth. Unfortunately this seemed to be too deep, do I then cut the back strip in half across the back face to create a tank that just peeps out from underneath the sides. The cap at the top was created from some .080" rod and sits in a groove that I filed out.

 

 

One thing I missed when drawing out the files is a small grill in the front "bonnet" of the loco. I'm not going to worry about it now, but I'll make sure I add it to the drawing I upload at the end of this. Also, if anyone else has a go from my files, the base for my roof is 82mm wide by 134.5mm long and was cut from .040" card. The curved formers are included in the file.

 

The top of the middle, thicker part of the sides has been filed ans sanded back at an angle. While doing this I realised that the area above the side windows wasn't stiff, so I inserted some .020" blanking plates where the glass will be to make sure it all stays in one place. These will be taken out later. Oh, and the axles need to come out a bit more, which should be fairly easy as I have loads of spare disks from the aborted cut!

 

Well, I'd better get on then, or it'll never be finished!

Edited April 23, 2014 by JCL

[uax6]

They are sand boxes Jason!

 

The shape of the loco is looking spot on, and i bet you never thought that you would be putting this level of detail onto any of your models did you?

 

Andy g

[JCL]

Oh! Well I never did. You know, I must seem terribly ignorant at times!

 

And no, I honestly didn't think that I'd get quite this involved. I can honestly say - if you want to get to know a loco well, make a model of it from scratch!

[BernardTPM]

The AW roof fan bosses are quie distinctive, being a streamlined cone shape as on an aircraft propeller. The best shots of the roof fans and grilles in the Brian Webb book are on pages 19, 103 & 108. None are actually D9, but they are, in various respects, similar.

 

I can honestly say - if you want to get to know a loco well, make a model of it from scratch!

 

You're right there!

[JCL]

Hi Bernard, thanks for that. The hatches that come after this that are over the engine, I'm assuming at the moment that they are just about square as I saw similar in photos of a different loco being assembled elsewhere in the book (I don't have the book to hand at the moment). What do you think?

[JCL]

You can see in the first photo that I've started carving the styrene with an Exacto knife. I then grabbed a file from the garage and started using that, first to file the side to side curve, and then to start putting the front curve on. I've smoothed the ends so that they are just higher than the .020" thickness of the main section, and I'll finish them when the middle section is on.

 

 

You might be able to just see that there is a curve section just behind the packing, I'll be using this to give the .010" sheets something to "sit on".

 

 

The second photo shows two layers of 110lb card that I've cut out to test sizes, and a ring of card on top. They are just roughly curved and placed on top of the model. Phew, the good news is that the cuts for the roof seem to be ok, so the next step on the roof will be cutting in plastic and rolling it before gluing it down.

 

The roof hasn't been as scary as I thought it would be!

[JCL]

These are the assumptions that I'm going to make (unless someone tells me I'm crazy person):

• The grill above the fan is curved with the roof
• The fan and the fan bay are black
• The four latches above the motor are square in shape (based on the DT3 picture on page 55 in book)
• There is a short angle just above the foot holes only on the foot hole side
• There is a long angle that runs half the length of the roof on both sides.
• There are rivets/bumps along the seams that I'll recreate in the same way that I did the rivets on the chassis (i.e. push from the back with a blunt pointed instrument)

I'm very willing to change those if I'm wrong on any point as they are guesses - educated in some places - but still guesses!

 

cheers

 

Jason

 

p.s. Just seen the photo on page 108, wow, that really is a huge cone. I think I can recreate it with a pen top.

Edited April 24, 2014 by JCL

[uax6]

Wow, what an amazing result. It's really looking the business now.

 

Have you thought how you are going to mount the pony trucks? I'm not sure how much guiding the driving wheels will need, but if you can have the ponies pivoted and also guiding the body (with a pin in a slot in the floor prehaps) so that they don't swing out too far (say a lateral displacement of 3mm each side of the centre line) then they will actually do a job. You could also arrange for them to pick-up too (one pony picks up on one side the other on the other) which would be quite useful....

 

Great job!

 

andy g

[ozzyo]

These are the assumptions that I'm going to make (unless someone tells me I'm crazy person):

• The grill above the fan is curved with the roof
• The fan and the fan bay are black

 

Hello Jason,

 

a nice looking build of a very unusual prototype.

For the grill, I would say that it would curve with the roof profile.

For the fan and bay. For the fan I'd go with a dirty red with the fan bay black.

 

Are you thinking about making the fan work? If you are don't have it running too fast. About 20-30 rpm should do.

 

OzzyO.

[JCL]

Hi OzzyO, that's exactly what I'll be doing, but I'm afraid it won't be turning. I've got some grill from a model store in Calgary, and even though I'll put the fan in, I can't for the life of me remember if anyone will see it! Only just is my guess.

 

I had a quick PM with Bernard and we pretty much agree on the list. To bring it back to here, one bullet point was this

 

The four latches above the motor are square in shape (based on the DT3 picture on page 55 in book) - The drawing shows four hatches in the manner of the earlier BAGSR mobile powerhouses/locos, but I think it was actually built with a sliding roof hatch in the manner of the later D27/D28 and later types as it has the long angles which I think are runners clearly visible in several shots. Two shots not in the book: http://www.derbysulz...om/awdemobw.jpg and http://www.derbysulz...m/aw800yard.jpg neither of which quite prove one way or the other unfortunately.

 

That's the thing with this loco, there are a lot of photos of the sides, but this is one of those occasions where there seem to be none showing the roof, so we are inferring from other photos. I'll definitely try to get the roof done this week.

 

Andy, I've a couple of axles, and the power bogie has some ledges that I'll be extending so that I can pivot the pony trucks on there. I've only got styrene to play with, so I'll put a bit of weight on them so that they don't bounce around.

[JCL]

Moving on, I've spent a couple of hours on this today, and have got all the "beading" done, added the visors over the windows, the fan, the grill, hatches and steps. The steps were angles, the roof is three layers of .010" styrene, the grill I bought a few moths ago (now that was interesting to try to cut!), and the steps and rails are angle that I've sanded down.

 

At the moment the body is resting on the bogie, and it's pushing the roof up and sitting at a slight angle, but it does all fit really, honest! And I'm really pleased that I can still see the louvres.

 

Windows, paint, finished roof buffers, handrails and two more sets of wheels to go, so I'm almost on the closing straight.

 

[Buhar]

Now, if that was sitting in the Forthcoming Releases display case at Warley we would be drowning in drool.  That really looks excellent, the sections of relief all round you've worked on really brings it to life.

[JCL]

Thank you Tren!

 

I forgot to show the fan, so here it is

 

 

I've also been learning a new skill today. Bout two years ago I bought an airbrush at a show, but I've never used it; my fear of breaking it led me to use paint brushes and aerosols. Well that's just stupid, so I watched a couple of videos on YouTube, then I set to with some spare bits of plastic. Finally I attacked the AW.

 

The roof is white with some New York Central dark grey, accented with flat black. The sides are MO Pacific Blue, and the buffer beams are Canadian Pacific Action Red. The red isn't quite right, but unfortunately it's all I have, and because all of the paints are Badger Modelflex, as a beginner I didn't need to worry about dilution. I'm so pleased I got the airbrush out and gave it a go. I'm assuming it's red based on this photo

http://www.derbysulzers.com/aw800passengerfront.jpg

 

I've some remedial work to do, you'll notice that the body doesn't sit right as one of the, erm, long point bits under the chassis at each corner (sorry), broke off. I also don't have enough handrails, so I'll do one side now, the other in a few weeks. I have sprung buffers from Markits (16" with square bases as per the photos), but I need to get a drill bit the right size to fit them.

 

Anyway, enough blather, here's some photos:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2014 by JCL

[JCL]

I try to be organised, but sometimes on a long build like this plans go awry at times so I've been reorganising them. Anyway, I'm at a point when the main build has been finished, and I'm "accessorizing". This means that, to all intents and purposes, the cutting phase is done. Below is the first page of plans that I've come up with. In the next few posts, each file name will tell you which type of styrene I used for that part. I've not identified all of the pieces, but hopefully the photos on this thread will show you where they need to go. I'll produce an image of each file so that you can see what's in it, and I'll provide the files in both the SVG and DXF format. DXF is good for importing into the free version of Silhouette Studio, and the SVG format is better featured and is interchangeable between different drawing programs. Of course, you could just print it out ad cut the parts by hand. I'm afraid I drink too much coffee for that.

 

The first file is the roof. I know it'll be obvious, but I've marked which layer goes where. In all of the files to follow, the lines in red should be cut, the lines in light blue (cyan) can be scored. In the file below, the cyan lines are just there to show where the hatches should be located, so you don't need to cut them if you don't want to. The only things I haven't marked are:

• the location of the grab rail, but it's just below the first hatch,
• two small round hatches, one at the front, and one between the fan and the first hatch. These are .080" rod.

The grill that I used is 3/64 diamond by K&S Engineering, is .020" thick (hence the roof is .030" thick), and rests on the smaller circle on the lower layer, but given that I'm in Canada, I'm sure that there are others in the UK that will be easier to buy. There are no good photos of the roof, so your guess is as good as mine! As you can see, this is .010" styrene.

 

• aw1co1 v3 roof skin and parts .010.svg
• aw1co1 v3 roof skin and parts .010.dxf

[JCL]

Next up are the sides, the ends and the chassis in .020" styrene. In each case, I've labelled the parts starting from the inside moving outwards. This sheet gives you the basic structure, and each side, end and chassis part will be faced with .010" styrene that will contain the details. Also on this sheet are the roof formers for the middle section of roof as I decided not to make it absolutely solid. These should be folded and glued together. Again, red is cut, black is cut, and cyan is score. Black lines are cut to help remove the parts except in the radiator. Here the black just shows deeply scored lines. The Silhouette cutter, cannot cut through .020" styrene, so it's score and snap on this sheet. If using the cutter, the green holes above and below the radiator grill should only be cut once as they are indicators only. Cutting them more than once might cause problems, and the yellow lines in the radiator should be lightly scored.

 

I finished the windows and holes in the chassis with small files. The rows of holes above and below the radiator were drilled out with a .025" drill bit, and filled with .020" rod (see the earlier posts).

 

 

• aw 1 co1 sides ends and chassis 020 v2.svg
• aw 1 co1 sides ends and chassis 020 v2.dxf

Edited to add the small louvres on the side casing of the secondary motor.

Edited April 29, 2014 by JCL

[JCL]

This is the last file, and contains all of the details on the .010" sheet. Again the cyan layer should be scored and the red layer should be cut. I've included multiple copies of some parts as I didn't know how many of them I'd need - springs, axlebox covers. In other cases they were fragile parts so I printed more than one for insurance - beading for the secondary engine cover and window frames for the flat end for example. One part I didn't use, this is the four L shapes grouped together into two groups. The tear drops are used to hold the brake rigging and will be obvious in some of the photos further back.

 

Chassis layer 2 is the outermost, so glue layer 1 to the back of layer 2 and use a spike or something to gently push through the holes to create rivets. If you don't want to create your own louvres, then you can get transfers with them on. I've tried to indicate the locating of the "special" springs, but again, the photos should help here too.

 

• aw 1 co1 sides ends and chassis 010 v2.svg
• aw 1 co1 sides ends and chassis 010 v2.dxf

[JCL]

That should be everything. As far as I can see, it should all fit onto 3 A4 or letter size pieces of card. I'm only human, so if there are any problems with the file, either in format or some part isn't fitting properly, then please let me know. I've tried to keep everything up to date, but an older part might have been kept in there by mistake. I will keep going on my now until the end so that you can see how I get on. Basically I need to glue in more hand rails and a few odds and sods, glaze, and sort out the power chassis and wheel.

 

Does anyone have a 1-co-1 sound file I can download onto a sound decoder?

 

Hopefully the files will be of use to someone. If you do download them to have a go, it'd be great if you can let us know how you get on!

[MikeOxon]

Thank you, JCL, for a fascinating insight into how much more can be done with the Silhouette than just coach sides!  I shall have to start looking into making my own bogie sides, springs, etc.

 

I didn't know the AW diesel at all but you have made a remarkable model.  Perhaps I shall try turning my 'fantasy' Dean GWR electric locomotive for the Severn Tunnel into a reality!

 

Mike

[JCL]

Thanks Mike. I'm still on the fence about the bogies though, but that might be my skill level in getting them to roll properly. I'm erring towards using a brass "kit" for the actual bogie and using the cutter for cosmetic sides to keep everything stiff. A 'fantasy' Dean GWR electric locomotive though, now that I'd like to see! The Armstrong-Whitworth book is a mine of information for ideas for other locos, a lot are simple shapes, but one or two are straight from the Jetsons!

[MikeTrice]

No idea how I missed this thread, but glad I have finally found it. Watching with interest.

[JCL]

Hi Mike, this was my downtime as a break from the Barnum. It got a bit involved. That said, I'll be finishing the Barnum off after this. Hopefully I will be able to take photos of both of them on the layout before I take down the last board.

[JCL]

Here are the latest photos.

 

First of all I put together some rudimentary trucks for the outer wheels. Since taking the photo I've curved the bolted end. The wheels will need some adjustment, but are close at the moment. I'm also considering wheels with shallower flanges, and/or filing larger arches so the outer wheels can get around my 24" radius curves.

 

 

You can also see that I carried on adding .080" square strip either side of the hole for the bogie so that I could jack the loco up. In the end I went down the non-scientific path, and carried on adding styrene until the buffers were the same height as those on the coaches on either end.

 

 

I also added handrails and over painted some patches.

 

 

I'm going to use Kadees for coupling, so I'll get some low centre ones to keep the amount I need to take out of the buffer beam to a minimum. I also have to glaze, add lamp brackets and a handrail on the bonnet end, and most importantly, I need to reattach a couple of wires an get it rolling.

 

One question, the buffers, which are just pushed in at the moment, would they have a red square plate at the back and red shanks?

Edited May 1, 2014 by JCL