Little Midland

[Chrislock]

Hi again Mark.

I've just been to look at Frankland, and I have to say it looks fantastic.

You've chosen an evocative peiod with the semis and Art Nouveau. You can amost hear the air raid sirens...

Looks like you could give me a fair bit of help when I start my own layout - youre streets ahead of me in that respect!

Chris

[Mikkel]

Hi Chris, really impressed at your progress with these locos - the class 2 is looking great and the 2-4-0 looks like it will top them all. Looking forward to seeing it progress further, even without that extra half mm

[Chrislock]

Hi Chris, really impressed at your progress with these locos - the class 2 is looking great and the 2-4-0 looks like it will top them all. Looking forward to seeing it progress further, even without that extra half mm

 

Hi Mikkel, nice to hear from you again.

I trust all is well in the Farthing world? I dod pay a visit a couple of weeks ago for some more inspiration.

 

Work on the Kirtley has temporarily slowed while I strip the chassis from the tank engine, and rework it yet again

It does seem to at least pull away with two coaches now, at least, though no doubt I'll continue to dabble with it trying to improve its performance.

 

All I have managed on the 2-4-0 in the past week is to finish off the axle extensions, and drill out a few tiny axle bearings to fit through the new cranks when they're made.

I'm taking this one s-l-o-w as I want it to work more or less first time...!!

At least I know the UM tender will work!!!

 

Here is a state of play photo:

 

Now its a deep breath and back to another easitrac turnout...

 

Regards

Chris

 

[Mikkel]

Thanks for the update Chris.

 

Look at all those half-cabs in the last photo. Great! (although the crew probably didn't think so!)

[Chrislock]

Greetings.

Well this afternoon my other half decided to go off to a well being fair, leaving me time to donate to my own well being haha.

I spent a couple of hours working on the Kirtley. I realised that I would have to change the back end of the footplate, because the rear ( 6ft) driving wheels are almost level with the end of the footplate meaning that they would not clear the edge, necessitating the cutting of the wheels slots to the end of the footplate. This then made the sides of the footplate assembly with the splashers unstable, so I decided to add the cab sides and solder it all up to strengthen it. Once this was achieved, I could file away a little more to accomodate the rear drivers.

 

This little engine is already giving me problems, and I've only just started it.

You think you've planned it out and then..

 

Chris

 

 

None of the fixtures are attached. I am leaving the smoke box door off until I have packed out the boiler with lead.

[Kris]

That loco is looking great Chris. As you are using a UM tender for the drive on this do you need the lead?

[Chrislock]

Thanks for the update Chris.

 

Look at all those half-cabs in the last photo. Great! (although the crew probably didn't think so!)

 

Nay my friend, the crew are from hardier stock than us and can take a little wind, rain and soot... At least, none of them have complained as yet..and woe betide they do!

I can always find more enginemen!

 

[Chrislock]

That loco is looking great Chris. As you are using a UM tender for the drive on this do you need the lead?

 

Hi Kris,

Yes, I am hoping to persuade Colin to sell me another tender only.

If not I'll have to strip one from one of my other UM locos, which would be a shame.

I have toyed with scratchbuilding a "proper" tender, which wouldn't be so hard, but I'm in the middle of other things and am going to take the easy option at this time.

I think building my own would be the longer term way forward though, because those UM tenders as I'm sure you know, are of larger capacity then was common pre 1910.

 

I have some self adhesive lead strip which I was going to slide down, as I threw my liquid lead away after my youngest grandson discovered it - luckily no harm done.

What lead do you use?

 

Cheers,

Chris

[mitziblue]

Hi CHRIS

 

Coming on nicely. Instead of lead you could try tungsten putty sold in fishing tackle shops, it is a tad expensive but adds more weight than lead and you can get it into awkward spaces.

 

Mark

[Chrislock]

Hi CHRIS

 

Coming on nicely. Instead of lead you could try tungsten putty sold in fishing tackle shops, it is a tad expensive but adds more weight than lead and you can get it into awkward spaces.

 

Mark

 

Hi Mark,

How'd your exhibition go? Bought Model Rail yesterday but no WE yet!!

Good article on goods yards though...

 

You mentioned this putty to me at TINGS - is this what you've been using in your 1F?

What happens when it comes in contact with heat, ie in brass heating up when soldering?

You poisoned yourself yet?

 

I had the peculiar sensation of inhaling hot superglue vapour yesterday - I decided to solder a coupling onto a coach, forgetting that I'd previously glued one on...

Certainly stung the nostrils and made the eyes water!

 

Regards,

Chris

[Kris]

Hi Kris,

Yes, I am hoping to persuade Colin to sell me another tender only.

If not I'll have to strip one from one of my other UM locos, which would be a shame.

I have toyed with scratchbuilding a "proper" tender, which wouldn't be so hard, but I'm in the middle of other things and am going to take the easy option at this time.

I think building my own would be the longer term way forward though, because those UM tenders as I'm sure you know, are of larger capacity then was common pre 1910.

 

I have some self adhesive lead strip which I was going to slide down, as I threw my liquid lead away after my youngest grandson discovered it - luckily no harm done.

What lead do you use?

 

Cheers,

Chris

 

 

 

If you can't get hold of a tender could you make use of any of the tenders the Bob Jones produces for his locos? I guess that some of these might be a bit smaller than the UM ones and you would have to work out how to get a small gear box into your locos (with the skills you have shown I don't think that this would be a problem for you).

 

 

[Chrislock]

If you can't get hold of a tender could you make use of any of the tenders the Bob Jones produces for his locos? I guess that some of these might be a bit smaller than the UM ones and you would have to work out how to get a small gear box into your locos (with the skills you have shown I don't think that this would be a problem for you).

 

Kris, I ordered a Johnson style tender off Colin at UM today.

I think if I was not using one of these, I would probably just scratchbuild, as that way I get exactly what I want.

I am going to look at the UM drive in more detail though, and see if it could be easily accomodated into a more Kirtley styled tender body, although I expect it to be too wide.

( see tender, photo above)

Anyway, for me the weight/performance ratio of the basic UM tender drive is unbeatable.

Chris

[2mm Dabbler]

My question was probably too broad and I'd be better posting more specific queries elsewhere as and when.

I do belong to the 2mm Association and subscribe to the VAG.

 

As you are a member of the Association you can download the publications 'Building an 0-6-0 in Two Millimetre Scale' by Dave Holland and The 2mm Handbook. The former does have a slightly offbeat loco chassis construction and the latter is more of a collection of methods and suggestions but both are useful.

 

There have been seminars on loco construction in the past and if you are in an area group, or can visit one, there is often a resident loco guru with advice and guidance. It's still true that you learn with every model you build.

 

I'm enjoying Frankland too!

 

Michael

[Kris]

As you are a member of the Association you can download the publications 'Building an 0-6-0 in Two Millimetre Scale' by Dave Holland

 

Michael

 

I hadn't realised that was on there. Downloaded it this afternoon and have had a good read of it. Defiantly some food for thought in it. Thanks for making me aware of it.

 

 

 

[Chrislock]

As you are a member of the Association you can download the publications 'Building an 0-6-0 in Two Millimetre Scale' by Dave Holland and The 2mm Handbook. The former does have a slightly offbeat loco chassis construction and the latter is more of a collection of methods and suggestions but both are useful.

 

Michael

 

The Association also produce an introduction to split frame design publication, which I found quite useful as it deals with chassis and gearbox design, which is the trickier aspect of scratchbuilding in my opinion.

However, all of the aforementioned assume a certain degree of knowledge and skill, and if you are a beginner, they can raise as many questions as they answer.

The idea of actually getting to talk with an established builder is a good one, as is the idea of seminars etc. and I hope to see them in the future.

 

Regards,

Chris

[Southernboy]

Apologies Chris - I don't mean to interrupt your thread. Just thought it would be rude to not follow through on a couple of posts made in response to mine:

 

2mm Dabbler:

I have downloaded most of what I can on 2mm from the site, and learned quite a bit from it But as Chris said:

 

"..all of the aforementioned assume a certain degree of knowledge and skill, and if you are a beginner, they can raise as many questions as they answer."

 

So yes, I'm grappling with questions raised by the answers, but as I now realise, posted too broad a question on this thread in the first place.

 

So thanks for suggestions - and lessons learned End of interruption.

[Chrislock]

Greetings.

 

Work on the Kirtley OF stopped for a while for this reason:

 

 

I have now built 4 of the 7 I need, and 3 metres of Easitrac.

In the meantime, the wheels from this Union Mills tender have been sent off for reprofiling to finescale :

 

The tender needs to have the coal cut out and filed clean, the railing replaced with brass wire and a fraction shaved off height and width before real coal is added.

 

Tonight I did get to spend a couple of hours on the Kirtley. The boiler has been packed with lead ( didn't get around to buying any putty stuff Mark), and the front boiler/ smokebox door soldered on.

 

Handrails also added, and some cab detail.

 

Not sure why I did this before the buffer beams and outer frames!

Regards,

Chris

[Kris]

It looks like you have been busy. Have you used the point bases for all of your points?

[Chrislock]

It looks like you have been busy. Have you used the point bases for all of your points?

 

Hi Kris,

Only an hour here and there I'm afraid. I have been otherwise engaged for a week or three.

 

Yes - those milled bases are expensive at £5.50 each, but as I am a novice and only need a few I decided to go with them.

I reckon the cost of base + rail + chairs must still undercut the cost of a Peco 55 point.

I might have a go at something more complicated of my own later, if I feel brave enough!

 

Cheers,

Chris

 

I had a late session last night, as it was bothering me that I had not fitted the buffer beam , so a couple of updated shots to show the state of play with this little engine:

 

 

 

As you can see (and as I described upstairs), the floor of the cab has had to be reduced to a narrow strip, albeit a reinforced one, to accomodate the rear drivers. I don't think I am going to risk doing anything else here until the chassis is compleated and fitted, as I may get clearance problems if I do.

Anyway, a crew in this scale hides a multitude of sins

 

As usual, there are a few things which irk me, but overall I am quite pleased so far.

 

I now need to switch to the chassis, which is likely to be fun, methinks! I need to do this before I look at the outside frames, to make sure it all goes together.

[Kris]

I'm not totally sure that the points cost less than code 55 ones, especially given the amount of chairs that are needed.

I have a feeling that the bases are a good idea, but the limited amount of variation that is available does restrict there use.

 

It looks like the loco is coming on really nicely.

[Chrislock]

I'm not totally sure that the points cost less than code 55 ones, especially given the amount of chairs that are needed.

I have a feeling that the bases are a good idea, but the limited amount of variation that is available does restrict there use.

 

It looks like the loco is coming on really nicely.

 

Kris,

 

I haven't really costed it out before, but 5 mins work suggests that the cost breakdown is :

 

milled Easitrac base ... £5.50

52 chairs ..... 6 sprues approx = £1.75 ( half a set)

1x500mm of bullhead rail = £6.50/20 = £0.32

 

So we are looking at an overall cost per turnout of around £8.00, but that of course does not include the initial start up outlay of £18.50 for filing and assembly jigs and Butanone.

 

Hattons have a Peco turnout for £9

 

So on the basis of just producing 7 or so points you are right (£10.60), Easitrac is more expensive per point than Peco ; but you would only have to go to 10 to bring them in at £7.45 each!

 

However, I take your point that building points in situ has to be the better route to take, if you are not happy with using regular points.

In fact, all mine are 1:6 !

 

Regards,

Chris

[Kris]

I hadn't look at the price either, but quickly looking about shows how much the Peco points have risen in price since I last purchased them .

I had based my guess on the price of 2mm wagons. It's cheaper to purchase a farish BR standard van and new wheel sets compared to building one from 2mm kits.

 

Going back to the points, what have you used to work as the tie bar?

[Pyewipe Jct]

I had based my guess on the price of 2mm wagons. It's cheaper to purchase a farish BR standard van and new wheel sets compared to building one from 2mm kits.

 

I don't think that's quite right, Kris.

 

I've just been totting-up the cost for a 2mm BR van (body/etched roof/chassis kit/top hat bearings/wheels/buffers/vac cylinder/DG couplings - i.e., everything but glue/solder, paint & transfers) & it comes to around £6.90 per unit compared to a Farish van with wheelsets & DGs that would be at least £7.50 (best price I could find for the van was around £6 last time I looked), so honours are even, really...

 

 

Kevin

[Kris]

If you want to build lots of wagons they do become cheaper, but if you only build a couple the costs don't compare as favourably especially once you start adding in the cost of transfers. It becomes even less favourable when you look at BR mineral wagons. Saying that this has not stopped me purchasing and building the 2mm soc wagons as the running properties are significantly better.

[Chrislock]

Noone spotted the *deliberate* mistake in my turnout calculation.. ahem!

 

Of course, the cost of a turnout can never drop beyond the 8 quid the bits cost!!

( Well not unless one got significant bulk buying reductions anyway.)

 

Kris, I have postponed the tie bar issue for the time being as I am nowhere near layout building.

I soldered the switch blades to the tie bar on the first trial one I made ( to 9mm gauge), which seemed to work ok; though I believe the existing wisdom is to use drop wires to allow some give?

 

I spent a couple of further hours on the 2-4-0 but didn't really have a lot of success and ended up with a worse job than when I started...

It was all to do with the springs above the axle boxes, which of course are outside the splashers.

I had been contemplating buying maybe some white metal castings or etches for these, but a search didn't reveal any, so I was forced onto my wits.

 

I thought about pinching them from my association coach bogies, but then happened to discover that a piece of rail filed at each end and then in the top middle gave a reasonable likeness. With 2 bits of brass wire soldered to these, I soon had 6 ready to attach.

 

The first couple went on ok with a tiny bit of solder just to hold the posts in place.

Unfortunately while working on the other side of the engine, one fell off and attempts to reattach led to too much solder smudging everything. Grr!

 

This happened again on the other side, and then one of the legs came off the rear splasher and sank into the solder at the wrong angle ( forming a definite pi symbol!)

To compound matters, while later trying to straighten a buffer with a touch of the iron, the buffer beam shifted and I ended up taking it off, and leaving the whole thing for a few hours

I guess you just have days like this.

 

After a break I went back and managed to repair some of the damage.

 

You can see a reject spring in this piccy and how small it is.

I'm not as happy with the work at the moment, but hopefully in the fresh light of a new day it will look acceptable. If not...

 

 

Hmm..don't know why the cab roof looks crooked in this shot, it isn't!

 

Regards,

Chris