West End Workbench

[jwealleans]

IQuick trip up to Grantham last night to do some final testing and while I was there I took some pictures which I thought you might all like.

 

This is the 6 wheel GN brake van Dan Pinnock released earlier in the year.

 

 

This one might well make it for Warley - a resurrected 8 wheel van made up from the bits of two Ebay wrecks bought separately. Dan, bless his cotton socks, has kindly provided the missing bits to make up the second one so eventually they may both be seen.

 

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[jwealleans]

Been a bit under the weather since Warley, getting the last effects of my funny turn out of the system, but I'm feeling a bit more chipper today. I managed a couple of hours this evening, suitably armed with the fresh supplies I brought back (good job I wasn't planning to shop on Sunday, I'd have been scuppered).

 

This included more correct 8' Fox bogies for the triplet, which has also had the roof made and added to the 3rd. Ideally we'll be on to the Composite before long.

 

 

I've slotted the MJT articulation components so we can space these as closely together as possible allowing for some of the rather taxing pointwork in the Grantham fiddle yard.

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[jwealleans]

The triplet has now been 'hybridised' with the addition of the J & M Models Luggage Composite to the set. The etches aren't too dissimilar, although the beading on this one is a raised flat etch, so it will have to be Evergreen strip rather than rod on the other two to match. The J & M designer also thought it was a good idea to etch sides and roof as a one piece unit - must have been a living nightmare to bend up - so they were snapped apart and my preferred method of construction followed with a separate roof to be added at the next session. Using brass angle for the solebars and steps has turned out to be a sound idea and once the strip is added along the top of the sides and the whole thing screwed together it's satisfyingly rigid.

 

 

I've used the trussing from the David Gray etch - there was none in the J & M - so that will also match. The whole thing rolls along through reverse curves and pointwork nicely.

 

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[LNER4479]

Fantastic stuff!

[jwealleans]

Pleased to say that the roof was fabricated relatively quickly this morning, so some detailing work has been begun. First, though, a chance to pose the set together with the major structure complete.

 

 

I've worked along the set fitting the underpinnings in preparation for a trial run round one of the Ormesby layouts tomorrow.

 

 

The trussing is what was on the David Gray etch, so it matches the other end. Gas tanks have been robbed from D & S NE Clerestories, because I had a few handy and I'll build them all with electric lighting. The brake fittings are all on the outer carriages - MJT, with Parkside cylinders (I seem to have pinched the MJT ones for another project at some time.

 

 

The central T looks quite sparse underneath. Trussing is .45 wire, queenposts from short lengths of tube with handrail knobs in the end, turnbuckle is just a length of small tube slipped over the wire.

 

 

The BT has had most work done: gas lamps and roof vents by Roxey (yes, one vent has fallen off). Gas pipe runs, roof lights (51L), vac pipe. The buffers are MJT early sprung ones; they're a bit short, but the right general shape and this set will have to negotiate some quite sharp curves in and out of the North Yard on Grantham. The heads will probably have to be filed to the quite distinctive shape although I have seen some round buffers on these vehicles.

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[jwealleans]

Still adding bits. We've almost reached the end of the set, just a few bits to do on the CL and it's there.

 

 

You can't really see very much from the side, but there are gas pipes and handrails on the roof and alarm telltales on one end.

 

Jol Wilkinson came up with a top idea for the gas valve control handle - Roxey door handles soldered to a bit of fret. As it happened I had some and it worked really well.

 

 

I have yet to see a photo of the end of one of these, so it's a bit approximate but I think all the major parts are there. There were variations between sets in positioning of steps, some having them both ends. One end is quite enough for me and I had to make two steps as some were missing from the etch. Needs a tidy up and a bit of judicious bending, but once primed I think it will look OK.

 

Speaking of looking OK once primed, I made a start on the beading. This is 10 x 20 thou Evergreen held with thin superglue.

 

 

Not a job to do when you're short of patience. Again, a tidy up with a file and a waft of primer and - while it won't look as good as a modern kit with proper layers and etched beading, it will look more like the CL, which is the important bit.

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[micklner]

Have you tried poly cement for the beading ? much easier and surprising how well the plastic bonded to the Brass. Good idea re the Control valves.

[gr.king]

After several years of simply sitting in a box, the plastic surface layers bonded to the brass body of my "master" for the GC bogie coal wagon have started to lift in some awkward places, so solvent isn't always to be relied upon for such "off piste" uses. The narrow beading in the case of this coach of course should also be retained by the layers of paint. Maybe it's a case of "six of one, half a dozen of the other" in that superglue is unlikely to reduce the beading to a mush if over-applied, as too much solvent can, but it can leave an annoying residue on surfaces, whereas the solvent evaporates leaving a clean surface?

[richard i]

Stick with solvent, seal in with superglue on a pin.

Best of both worlds

Or

Both sets of problems.

Richard

[gr.king]

The beading appears neatly cut and aligned anyway, as I should have said earlier.

[jwealleans]

The problem isn't sticking the beading, it's cutting it to exact lengths.  Repeated tasks have never been my strong point, I lose interest very quickly.  However I have managed to concentrate on this long enough to get it to a stage where I thought it was worth priming:

 

 

Having taken the picture, I then realised I hadn't done the ducket.  That has been corrected.  Overall I think it's worked quite well.

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[jwealleans]

Progress was abruptly halted this weekend when I ran out of Evergreen strip. Having finished the BT, I started to paint it and the CL so it felt as if I was getting somewhere with it all.

 

 

 

 

Jury's out on solebar detail - I've come into a drawing from which I can probably work it out, but I'm not sure it will be visible. I have forgotten the gas tank gauges, I notice now.

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[salmonpastures]

With a Jidenco kit, just about anybody.

Definitely "NOT Essential Reading" in my experience.

 

SAD

[jwealleans]

Been a bit of a hiatus and frankly not the greatest Christmas one could have wished for. Back to the bench now, though and starting to pick things up again. Earlier in the week Mrs. W and I had the pleasure of an afternoon with 9793 of this parish. He asked me to bring some goods stock to run on his layout which as the sharp eyed will note represents the little-known GWR branch through Amazonis Planitia, in the shadow of Olympus Mons.

 

We ran my weedkilling train - maybe on a trial with the GW with an eye to taking over the contract?

 

 

 

 

We also ran some goods stock.

 

 

 

 

Note the excellent ModelU figures visible in this shot. Having met both subjects, they really are very lifelike.

 

 

For my own part I have been doing bits and bobs with one eye on the next Grantham outing. The triplet (Diagram 218K) is pretty much externally complete and the interiors are in progress. Running trials to follow.

 

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[St Enodoc]

Been a bit of a hiatus and frankly not the greatest Christmas one could have wished for. Back to the bench now, though and starting to pick things up again. Earlier in the week Mrs. W and I had the pleasure of an afternoon with Tom Foster, formerly of this parish. He asked me to bring some goods stock to run on his layout which as the sharp eyed will note represents the little-known GWR branch through Amazonis Planitia, in the shadow of Olympus Mons.

 

We ran my weedkilling train - maybe on a trial with the GW with an eye to taking over the contract?

Looks as though the weedkilling train did a great job.

[Mikkel]

That must be train of the week on here. Loads of interest on every wagon/van, and the combined effect is fascinating.

 

I actually like the landscaping, once the Mars effect is done away with those contours are going to look very good indeed.

[grob1234]

Very nice Jonathan, I particularly like the old articulated stuff. One day I shall be brave enough to try similar. Keep up the good work!

[jwealleans]

I've been catching up on a few jobs for other people this week. I was asked to fit some extra pickups to the G5 we use on Pilmoor. While I was on I also wanted to replace the 'slipped' number which has been irritating me for quite some time. This should make the problem apparent:

 

 

I've not seen one do that without coming off, but there is was. They were all removed, replaced with the correct size numerals and varnished.

 

 

We had a session stock testing on Grantham at the weekend, where the triplet was tried out successfully. Also under test and being marshalled into replacement sets, two carriages I built to replace the ones we lost after Warley:

 

 

GN D 277 BT. I'd like to thank Bill Bedford for making this available to us. It's been built very much as intended except that I used brass bogies. No issue with the resin ones, but I had modified these to take a Kadee box.

 

I also had access to the Luggage Composite kit which Bill does. Here it is along with a brass one, also by Bill, for comparison.

 

 

 

I can see the attraction of these resin kits, they're very quick to put together and fit really well. I still enjoy the process of soldering personally, but these are a very good idea well executed.

 

There haven't been enough wagons recently, so here's a very garish one.

 

 

 

This is the tool van (or whatever it was used for) from the Chipman weedkilling train illustrated a few posts ago. I found pictures in a collection of photos of Southern wagons some time ago and have been awaiting the Cambrian kit to butcher it. I still have to make lettering for it and tone down that very bright colour (it was described as 'mid green'). It will darken down once I set to on it. The original van is an LSWR outside framed meat or butter van (you can tell by the extra vents).

 

While I was up at Grantham I was able to browse through a large collection of wagons brought by Barry and relieve him of a few. I thought some of you would be interested (Dave?)

 

 

ex-GE gas tank, very nicely scratchbuilt in plastic. Once the brakes are sorted out I'll probably run this on Wickham Market. This is illustrated and drawn in LNER Wagons Volume 1.

 

 

Flat DV, again nicely scratchbuilt in brass with D & S castings. You can see where I've reattached the brake lever.

 

Lastly, a question. Did Dan Pinnock build wagons on commission? I will ask him when I next speak to him, but the reason for the question is this.

 

 

It's unmistakably an MAJ Lancs & Yorks one plank wagon, but underneath...

 

 

I shall be intrigued until I find out. I'm assuming the '78' indicates the year of building.

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[247 Developments]

Nice work as always

Are you at Doncaster ??

[jwealleans]

Thanks, Brian. I usually make Doncaster on the Sunday.

[LNER4479]

We had a session stock testing on Grantham at the weekend, where the triplet was tried out successfully.

 

Certainly was ...

 

 

With my 6-wheel BT, makes up to a delightful 'pseudo-Quad' set.

Edited January 20, 2017 by LNER4479

[jwealleans]

Bit of a diversion this weekend onto another Great Western vehicle, this one a diagram E157 (I think) BC. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will correct me if that isn't the case.

 

 

This is a hybrid using sides from Worsley Works on a Comet kit. It all fits pretty well except that the Comet droplights only just fit over the window apertures so there's almost nothing top and bottom to attach them. They also cover the hinge slots, so they'll have to be drilled again to have the hinges fitted.

Edited June 15, 2018 by jwealleans

[grob1234]

Love that "quad-trip"!

[Barry O]

Great Western coaches.. whatever next?  a GNOS coach or two??

 

 

Baz

[jwealleans]

Is that a firm order, Baz?