Henley-on-Thames - GWR in the 1930's

[bgman]

2 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

There’s a piece of packing under the cylinders.... should it be there?

 

Is there a similar piece on the other side or is it a rogue piece do you think ?

[Neal Ball]

12 minutes ago, bgman said:

 

Is there a similar piece on the other side or is it a rogue piece do you think ?

It’s only on the one side... I’ve called Dapol, they didn’t know! Told me to speak to DCC supplies.

 

Ahead of calling them, I have check the YouChoos installation guide and they have the same piece of packing.

[Neal Ball]

I have now been running the loco the other way round, as I did so, re-seating the cylinders and it is now running - forward - which it has now done for the last 17 minutes.

 

I therefore suspect the cylinders were not seated properly on the die cast block. I shall leave it running for the full 1/2 hour and will then run it in reverse, see how we go from there.

 

Edited November 24, 2020 by Neal Ball
Edit: added photo

[Neal Ball]

All sorted!

Sorry no photos, I’m still waiting for the decoder to arrive, whereupon the Mogul will go onto the layout.

 

Having happily run for close to an hour, in both directions on the rollers, with no issues, I put the body back on.... whereupon the loco seized again.

 

It turns out the motion bracket has to align exactly with the moulding spigot on the frames. Whereupon it’s fine, runs like a dream.... Which I guess means it wasn’t correctly assembled from the factory. ... it’s not an easy fit, The bracket doesn’t naturally want to go there..... sounds odd.

 

Note:  when taking the body off, the Next18 socket is actually too big for the boiler, so has to be jiggled into position. It’s a pain when you don’t know that when taking the body off. - bit stupid if you ask me! Why have a socket too big for the bottom of the boiler......

 

Hopefully photos tomorrow of the loco in Platform 1 at Henley on Thames.

 

In the meantime, I soldered up more points / auto frogs in the fiddle yard....

 

PS: I didn’t have any silver foil / Kit Kat wrapper to put in behind the firebox to make the glow stand out... so painted the area white - you still can’t see the Orange or Yellow LED - Kit Kat was the bar of choice from You Choose! I need to revisit this.... They say the LED are bright; I didn’t think so... Orange at least, I didn’t see the yellow. Presumably they will be visible on DCC.

Edited November 24, 2020 by Neal Ball

[john dew]

Hi Neal

 

Glad you got it sorted......thank you do much for providing a step by step investigation. I hope when mine finally arrives that I wont need to use it but it is very reassuring to know what to look for.

 

Thanks again....best wishes

 

 

[Izzy]

Do you think the packing piece under the rear of the cylinders is there to ensure the motion bracket and slide bars go up properly and locate into the footplate? Would being both sides be an advantage if so? This is what seemed to be the problem in the last video. The connecting rod hitting the top of the slide bars at TDC. Another bodge perhaps to help overcome the too narrow slide bars hence them being ‘bent’ in the first place.

 

Izzy

[Neal Ball]

38 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Do you think the packing piece under the rear of the cylinders is there to ensure the motion bracket and slide bars go up properly and locate into the footplate? Would being both sides be an advantage if so? This is what seemed to be the problem in the last video. The connecting rod hitting the top of the slide bars at TDC. Another bodge perhaps to help overcome the too narrow slide bars hence them being ‘bent’ in the first place.

 

Izzy

 I don’t know; although I did think Dapol reaction left a bit to be desired.... he simply said he didn’t know!

This is the photo of the You Choos model, which clearly shows the same packing piece.

 

 

What happens if the packing starts to degrade? Is this the reason the locos were delayed? Someone realised that the frames were lower one side? Most odd.

 

I wonder who will do the review for Model Rail, will it be Chris Leigh @dibber25 perhaps a reviewer will get to the bottom of why it’s there.

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Neal Ball

[Neal Ball]

Back to normal at Henley on Thames and the shape of things to come!

 

Yesterday in between all the testing etc. I ended up finishing more wiring jobs - You know the sort, that I will get round to one day! Yesterday was that day.

 

This morning GWR 61xx 2-6-2T no 6132 was the test loco and performed faultlessly.

 

 

Then I positioned the Mogul in Platform 1 at the head of the train, ready for departure. (I am still waiting for the decoder, hopefully we will have some post today.) As the track power was on, I had removed the DCC blanking plate.

 

 

 

I look forward to getting the proper decoder in the loco and then comparing the sound files with the other YouChoos locos I have. Then I shall be adding coal; crew and some weathering.

[dibber25]

5 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

 I don’t know; although I did think Dapol reaction left a bit to be desired.... he simply said he didn’t know!

This is the photo of the You Choos model, which clearly shows the same packing piece.

 

 

What happens if the packing starts to degrade? Is this the reason the locos were delayed? Someone realised that the frames were lower one side? Most odd.

 

I wonder who will do the review for Model Rail, will it be Chris Leigh @dibber25 perhaps a reviewer will get to the bottom of why it’s there.

 

I have the model upstairs on my layout. Wouldn't normally investigate such things but now I know it's there I'll take a look. Haven't we WR modellers done well recently - Hornby Prairie, Bachmann 94XX, Model Rail 16XX, Dapol Mogul, and for the diesel fans, Dapol and Bachmann 121s, Bachmann 117 plus Heljan railcars and 18000 can't be too far off. Plus I've heard rumours of at least one new 4-6-0. (CJL)

[Neal Ball]

41 minutes ago, dibber25 said:

I have the model upstairs on my layout. Wouldn't normally investigate such things but now I know it's there I'll take a look. Haven't we WR modellers done well recently - Hornby Prairie, Bachmann 94XX, Model Rail 16XX, Dapol Mogul, and for the diesel fans, Dapol and Bachmann 121s, Bachmann 117 plus Heljan railcars and 18000 can't be too far off. Plus I've heard rumours of at least one new 4-6-0. (CJL)

Indeed yes Chris.

 

Careful of the decoder socket when you take the body off!

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, dibber25 said:

I have the model upstairs on my layout. Wouldn't normally investigate such things but now I know it's there I'll take a look. Haven't we WR modellers done well recently - Hornby Prairie, Bachmann 94XX, Model Rail 16XX, Dapol Mogul, and for the diesel fans, Dapol and Bachmann 121s, Bachmann 117 plus Heljan railcars and 18000 can't be too far off. Plus I've heard rumours of at least one new 4-6-0. (CJL)

Absolutely Chris - and don't forget the D600s.

[Neal Ball]

9 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Absolutely Chris - and don't forget the D600s.

Plus of course the lovely Collet carriages from Hornby.

 

I wonder when Bachmann will replace their carriages.....

 

New 4-6-0; is that the new Bachmann Manor that Mike aka @The Stationmaster alluded to a couple of weeks ago? Or maybe Hornby are going to announce a new Saint 4-6-0 in January.

[The Fatadder]

2 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

I wonder when Bachmann will replace their carriages.....

It’s not too hard to do a rebuild of a Bachmann/Mainline Collett coach with a Comet body to get any of the 60ft variants, solder up the ends and sides, slightly shorten the Bachmann roof and glue in position.  Remove the buffer beams to shorten the chassis, along with a coat of paint.  I was really impressed with the A22 conversion I did earlier in the month, and will be looking to convert the rest over the next year or so.    Maybe based on the usual RTR appearing after finishing a kit, that will prompt Bachmann to get on with it

[Harlequin]

8 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Plus of course the lovely Collet carriages from Hornby.

 

I wonder when Bachmann will replace their carriages.....

 

New 4-6-0; is that the new Bachmann Manor that Mike aka @The Stationmaster alluded to a couple of weeks ago? Or maybe Hornby are going to announce a new Saint 4-6-0 in January.

Not so much for us inter-war GWR types, though...

Mogul, Prairie, Collett coaches. That's it unless I've forgotten something.

We desperately need more coaches from the period, as you've said before, Neal. Would it be too much to hope for a set of RTR Toplights? Or Dreadnoughts?

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by Harlequin

[The Fatadder]

9 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

Or Dreadnought

Please please please please please.......

[Siberian Snooper]

1 hour ago, Harlequin said:

Not so much for us inter-war GWR types, though...

Mogul, Prairie, Collet coaches. That's it unless I've forgotten something.

We desperately need more coaches from the period, as you've said before, Neal. Would it be too much to hope for a set of RTR Toplights? Or Dreadnoughts?

 

 

Probably be released as soon as I finish building the kits in my to-do stash.

 

 

 

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, The Fatadder said:

It’s not too hard to do a rebuild of a Bachmann/Mainline Collett coach with a Comet body to get any of the 60ft variants, solder up the ends and sides, slightly shorten the Bachmann roof and glue in position.  Remove the buffer beams to shorten the chassis, along with a coat of paint.  I was really impressed with the A22 conversion I did earlier in the month, and will be looking to convert the rest over the next year or so.    Maybe based on the usual RTR appearing after finishing a kit, that will prompt Bachmann to get on with it

Having been reading about your TPO project; I need yo resurrect my Centenary project. It’s been stalled for far too long.

 

1 hour ago, Harlequin said:

Not so much for us inter-war GWR types, though...

Mogul, Prairie, Collet coaches. That's it unless I've forgotten something.

We desperately need more coaches from the period, as you've said before, Neal. Would it be too much to hope for a set of RTR Toplights? Or Dreadnoughts?

 

 

Not forgetting the AEC Railcars of course.

 

But you are right Phil; Inter war carriages are a must. Dreadnoughts; Toplights; or even new Sunshine excursion carriages would be good.

 

Not forgetting that Rapido are about to announce something GWR; although that’s unlikely to be carriages.

[The Fatadder]

3 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Having been reading about your TPO project; I need yo resurrect my Centenary project. It’s been stalled for far too long.

Where did you get to with your formation? 

Mine is still somewhat lacking an interior in the Thirds, restaurant pair and one brake coach.  But at is at least painted, lined and glazed running on Brent.

[Neal Ball]

6 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

Where did you get to with your formation? 

Mine is still somewhat lacking an interior in the Thirds, restaurant pair and one brake coach.  But at is at least painted, lined and glazed running on Brent.

Having made a mess of making up the 1st class Restaurant carriage, I paid someone on here (apologies I can’t remember his name) to build another one for me (complete Comet kit). The interior is largely complete.

It all needs to be finished off and then painted.

 

I then need to source the Third class Restaurant and Correct handed Brake Vehicles. I intend to utilise the Comet sides over the top of the airfix carriages.

 

Long way to go.

 

Plus, I have a Comet sunshine brake 3rd; Westdale x2 and a BSL Toplight... plus 2 x Slaters Toplights all in various stages needing to be finished.

 

As well as a Mallard models Clerestory sleeper Carriage, which is a long way off being finished.

[The Fatadder]

35 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

Having made a mess of making up the 1st class Restaurant carriage, I paid someone on here (apologies I can’t remember his name) to build another one for me (complete Comet kit). The interior is largely complete.

It all needs to be finished off and then painted.

 

I then need to source the Third class Restaurant and Correct handed Brake Vehicles. I intend to utilise the Comet sides over the top of the airfix carriages.

That was the route I went down for mine, keeping the Hornby doors (so on the LH Brake it took a bit of cutting to rearrange the doors to the new locations.)  For I originally kept the Composites as they came, but in the end reskinned them as well for consistency (and to get the updated window frames).  The restaurant first was a real pain to assemble, but good practice for the TPO!

[Neal Ball]

7 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

That was the route I went down for mine, keeping the Hornby doors (so on the LH Brake it took a bit of cutting to rearrange the doors to the new locations.)  For I originally kept the Composites as they came, but in the end reskinned them as well for consistency (and to get the updated window frames).  The restaurant first was a real pain to assemble, but good practice for the TPO!

Thanks for that Rich, looks as if I will be picking your brains as I go through this!

 

Thanks again, Neal.

[The Fatadder]

52 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

Thanks for that Rich, looks as if I will be picking your brains as I go through this!

 

Thanks again, Neal.

One other bit of advice, once you have added the etched sides to the Airfix body, glue a length of Evergreen strip (from memory 40thou by 10 thou to

the edge of the gutter channel, as the new sides are pretty much flush with it.

this blog (and others around that time) showed the build.  

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blogs/entry/20377-more-centenarys/

 

[Neal Ball]

7 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

One other bit of advice, once you have added the etched sides to the Airfix body, glue a length of Evergreen strip (from memory 40thou by 10 thou to

the edge of the gutter channel, as the new sides are pretty much flush with it.

this blog (and others around that time) showed the build.  

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blogs/entry/20377-more-centenarys/

 

Thanks Rich, I’ve just spent the last 1/2 hr reading through the various posts. It seems I did the same in 2018 as I’ve commented on a couple.

 

Now I need to set the time aside to pick up the project again.

 

Thanks for the details.

 

Regards, Neal.

[Enterprisingwestern]

On 23/11/2020 at 18:16, Neal Ball said:

(Seur is probably the worst delivery company in Spain!)

 

Delivery, luxury!

Correos have now abrogated responsibility for delivering mail, and that was to our post box not the house, so I now have to guess whether there might be something in the mail for me and go down to the Ayuntamiento in the village between 1015 and 1045 and beg for my post, a denuncia is in the process of being filed. As for parcel deliveries, Seur operate a 50/50 system as to whether I get a house delivery or have to collect from the office in Villajoyosa for which I get an email warning and a couple of the other parcel companies only deliver to random shops in Villajoyosa for me to collect.

It makes me smile when people on here complain about Royal Mail/Hermes et al!

 

Mike.

[Neal Ball]

21 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Delivery, luxury!

Correos have now abrogated responsibility for delivering mail, and that was to our post box not the house, so I now have to guess whether there might be something in the mail for me and go down to the Ayuntamiento in the village between 1015 and 1045 and beg for my post, a denuncia is in the process of being filed. As for parcel deliveries, Seur operate a 50/50 system as to whether I get a house delivery or have to collect from the office in Villajoyosa for which I get an email warning and a couple of the other parcel companies only deliver to random shops in Villajoyosa for me to collect.

It makes me smile when people on here complain about Royal Mail/Hermes et al!

 

Mike.

Definitely worse than our situation here Mike. That’s why we use a Postroom address though.

 

Seur, have to be the worst delivery company I have ever had the misfortune to use.

 

I think Correos deliver on Monday; Wednesday and Friday. Hopefully today my decoder will arrive from a YouChoos and also a pack from Fox transfers. Both ordered on the same day nearly 2 weeks ago.

 

You are right though, Royal Mail are Terrific, compared to other countries post!