Inspired by Brent June 1947

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, steve fay said:

I was discussing matte varnish recently and I’ve been told that tamiya offer a very good spray 

Don't know what brands are available over there but I use a spray polyurethane from the DIY shop (Wattyl's, for the benefit of those in these parts).

[The Fatadder]

Another coach ready for glazing 

 

while the wartime brown pair are now both glazed.  The compo is ready for service, while the brake still needs couplings, I need to confirm if it needs a hook or loop on the inner end while a Dingham is needed for the outer.   

[The Fatadder]

Annoyingly I have made a slight error in process on the Slip.  My usual approach is to paint, line, add handles/door hinges, then varnish.   This means that if there is any issue with clouding from the superglue, you can easily fix with Klear before varnishing.  Likewise the varnish helps blend the separately painted hinges in with the main colour.

This time I varnished first (mostly because a tin of Army Painter satin varnish arrived this afternoon and I wanted to test it, it’s very good!)

 

So after varnishing I then lettered up the coach (HMRS for the sides and CPL for the SLIP lettering on the end).  Before remembering there were no hinges on the model.  I’ve now painted all the hinges ready to go, and will start on the door handles etc now…

[The Fatadder]

Now fitted with all of the handrails and door handles, I nearly started on the hinges but thought better of it.  They will be added tomorrow, as well as hopefully glazing the model.  Then it just needs the couplings added (as does the rest of the rake)

 

theres not a lot of work left to be done, the H33 needs new buffers, door handles etc, numbers adding and the other side needs lining.  The concertina just needs glazing and couplings, while the two Hornby Bowends just need couplings. 

[Siberian Snooper]

I'm hoping it's only the camera angle, but the end photo of the slip, seems to show the RH end of the buffer beam hanging down, with a gap between it and the body.

 

 

[checkrail]

Not for the first time Rich I'm gobsmacked by your work rate.  A great set of coaches coming to completion. Looking really good,

[The Fatadder]

2 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

I'm hoping it's only the camera angle, but the end photo of the slip, seems to show the RH end of the buffer beam hanging down, with a gap between it and the body.

 

 

I think it was just a result of me not putting the body on properly for the photo and the camera angle.   I have just finished gluing the glazing into the body so will double check once it has dried.  
 

I still can’t decide the optimal way of fitting these hinges, soldering them in (followed by filing off the tails) makes glazing a lot easier) while gluing after painting and lining makes the masking /lining easier…. Either way I really hate separate drop lights, particularly pointless ones like the centre window on the slip where it seems to always be closed unless actually slipping the coach…

 

2 hours ago, checkrail said:

Not for the first time Rich I'm gobsmacked by your work rate.  A great set of coaches coming to completion. Looking really good,

no doubt once this set is finished progress  will drop back to its usual much lower level for a few months.   I’ve just discovered that the transfers for the lining on the centenary’s has failed so the whole set needs relining!   Hopefully the weather will pick up soon so I can get back in the garage and start on the point rodding.  Probably ought to have a bit of a running session as well as it’s been a while since some locos got a proper run.

 

While I think about it, I’d best check on the goods shed as well.   Hopefully won’t be much longer until Intentio have the kit ready…

[The Fatadder]

Now checked and the buffer beam looks ok I think 

 

the coach is now fully glazed and just needs couplings adding.  I may do something about the steps (which clearly are too low), they are soldered in place so can’t easily be removed and relocated, but could be thickened up with a plasticard overlay which will help I think.   Something I will have to live with in the end, but shouldn’t be too noticeable when the coach is with 6 others powering through behind a King
 

The concertina is also glazed, and awaiting couplings

 

so it’s onto the H33, the aim being to finish lining the other side, varnish, glaze and add the missing numbers.  Also adding the door handles / grab rails 

The first job is to add my 3D printed buffers in the place of the rubbish Hornby moulded…  I suppose I should be thankful it has a straight bufferbeam unlike the Airfix B set….

[Siberian Snooper]

The buffer beam of the slip looks much better, in your last photo.

 

 

[The Fatadder]

Having spent an hour or two working on the H33 I am now convinced that it’s ultimate destination will be eBay.  It’s a nice enough model, but just not quite up to the standard of my current work.  It would need a new underframe, bogies and door hinges redoing (given it has mk1 hinges at the moment).

 

however that will be for the future, at which point I will have to decide between another 58ft example (probably a H25 rather than another H33), a 61ft H57 on 12 wheel bogies, or maybe an unclassified  70ft H15….  That said I have added my standard couplings to the H33 (but left the Airfix coupling pockets on the bogies) so that it can be used until I eventually get round to building a replacement 

 

 

so far today I have lined the other side,

Added comet door handles and grab rails (I’m not wasting my last few Slaters castings here!)  And added numbers to the ‘finished’ side. 

 

on the underframe I have added my round buffers in place of the crude ovals it came fitted with, and added the missing tie bars to the bogies. 
 

it still needs the bulk of the transfers adding to the other side, glazing one side (and repairs to the glazing on the other)

 

This was my first GWR coach conversion, (the hinges came from my modern image scrap box not knowing better).  

[The Fatadder]

I have posted the full formation for the Plymouth - Paddington set here: all be it with a little minor finishing still to go.

 

I have started looking at the Centenary set to work out what is required.  
- There are issues where the transfers for the lining have lifted completely.  I don’t think I ever varnished them, something I am now regretting!

- None of the coaches have numbers, naturally I can’t wait to add 7 more sets of 4 coach numbers…

- The restaurant and the thirds all need interiors

- Most of the set need glazing

- Add loop/ bar couplings and outer end Dinghams

- Add roof handrails (and end handrails where required)

- Upgrade kitchen car with new roof details / gas tanks

- Decide how best to tackle missing window frames on the LH brake third

 

Lots of work to do in other words….   

[The Fatadder]

Some further lunctime thoughts on the Centenary set,  When I originally finished the set I only had enough transfers available to letter one side., further to this about half the set was lined with the HMRS product and the rest with ModelMasters.   The coach was not varnished prior to lining, and the chocolate is lacking a bit of depth / richness.    One of the kitchen coaches has an issue where the masking lifted the cream, im not overly happy with the repair here.  Some damage to the "Great" side of one coach's branding, and a little tidying up of filler on the brake third.

 

The answer I think is two fold, first up all of the Model Masters lining needs to be removed, I dont want to wait for further damage to occur in the future and was never overly happy with it.  I will mask and paint new black lines / use the gold pen to finish.

 

Everything will get a coat of the Army Painter satin varnish, once that is fully cured for a few days I plan on masking and respraying the cream on the couple of coaches which show imperfection.  There will be a slight colour mismatch between coaches as a result, not exactly an unprototyical situation with the post war GWR.   That said I think one of the issue coaches is the Kitchen First, so I will also paint the 3rd Class Diner at the same time as I think they were outshopped together...  

 

All of this is made a lot easier by the fact that I had never gotten round to fitting glazing, a task which I am not exactly looking foward to given the coaches consist of holes in the plastic side with a brass overlay rather than my now preferred method of a complete replacement side.   I dont fancy making up 56 4 digit numbers for it, but as I am about to send off a sheet of Serco transfers to be printed for one of my modern projects, I am planning to fill all the gaps on the sheet with Centenary numbers to finish this set off!

 

Edited February 21, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Quick test of the new coach formation on the layout this afternoon highlighted a few issues.  There is something problematic with the H33 underframe steps.  Almost as though the underframe is too wide, I have a couple of bits to double check (in particular if there is lateral slop in the new bogie bolts.)   I can’t recall if the steps were on the base RTR model or were my addition.

 

The second issue was with the Slip.  For the first time I had fitted the 4 corner steps on this, however they needed to stick out slightly to clear the bogies.  Net result, they also hit the platform edge.  I’ve removed the etch from the North side of the coach which has done the job without any visual impact.

Finally was grey Dingham coupling between slip and last coach, it needs adjusting as there is insufficient slack for the curves.  A simple fix at least 

 

[checkrail]

2 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

Quick test of the new coach formation on the layout this afternoon

Nice to see them in action.

[The Fatadder]

11 hours ago, checkrail said:

Nice to see them in action.

Will be better still once I get it going under power, but that will require those final few tweaks sorting first, particularly with the H33 (the disposal of which is becoming an ever more tempting option to get rid of the issues...   Its still too cold out there for a prolonged running session (not to mention the fact that all the track will need a good clean first).

 

My hope is that warmer weather is not too far away, after which I can crack on with adding the backscene / grass to the hills at the Exeter end of the layout and finally at least have a basic grass covering everywhere that needs it.  Then it will be onto the point rodding and the two missing buildings.   (which I should really be building rather than more coaches.)  Hopefully Intentio will have the bits finished for the goods shed soon as I think that will really spur me on to get the other structural modelling finished 

[The Fatadder]

After a couple of weeks distracted with modern projects, I have something for Brent…..

 

My Mitchell 6300

has caused no end of trouble, bought as a built P4 loco (with the massive red flag of being supplied without motor and wheels) I eventually tried rebuilding the chassis with OO spacers.  This has never reliably worked and I think is in need of a completely new chassis build, the big issue being the attempt at fixing the sliding horn blocks solid (having been unable to refit the compensation bits when rebuilding the chassis). 
 

At Ally Pally today Dapol had various returns of both the 63xx and the 51xx.  (I could easily have been tempted by both if I hadn’t bought a class 47 already this week)…. Do I ended up coming away with the GWR branded 7301 with its BR smokebox door.  I think a little work with a scalpel  tomorrow should get rid of the BR bits, while the plates I bought for the Mitchell kit can be fitted.  The latter will go back on the shelf until I eventually find the inclination to try and get it working. 

the only issue was the right hand boiler support is snapped, should be a very easy fix

the Mitchell one before I start liberation through motor to fit to my Manor.

there are two odd bits of black plastic in the detail pack for the Dapol model, need to work out a good budget decoder to fit to it as well as unlike the other non 8 pin locos in the fleet (14xx/64xx) I’d actually like to get this one running a lot sooner…

[Neal Ball]

In the meantime, would it be easier all round to throw the 63xx onto eBay and move it on?

[The Fatadder]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

In the meantime, would it be easier all round to throw the 63xx onto eBay and move it on?

It probably would, and if I was as unscrupulous as the person who originally sold it I’d expect to make at least what I paid for the Dapol one back.  
But I would have to describe it properly which would lower that return no doubt…

 

 

One day I will get it working properly I’m sure.  In the mean time, it’s nice to have a working engine.  (And something different to all the 4-6-0s that make up most of the fiddleyard

[The Fatadder]

In my lunch brake today I have almost finished the preparation of the 63xx.  the damaged smokebox support rod was a 2 minute fix with some scrap brass rod formed to shape then painted black.  The smokebox took a little longer, carefully cutting off the BR bits, tidying up the surface before adding a new bracket and painting black.  (I know I could have just purchased a replacement GWR part, but I have done this sort of conversation so many times now it just doesnt seem worth the extra expense buying the replacement part.  A set of HMRS transfers for 6316 and Narrow Planet plates gave its new identity (the original plates were a tad over large, but rubbed off easily with a cocktail stick.)  Finally I painted the exposed wheel rims black.  It now awaits a delivery of a decoder before heading out to the layout for some test running while it awaits its turn in the weathering queue.  It will probably take the West Country's spot on the M Set to start with...

[The Fatadder]

And we are back.....

As per Andy's post we have lost all the images from the past year.  I dont have backups as I usually delete as soon as its uploaded, but thankfully a lot of the images  were also posted up on my Facebook page.  My plan is to go back through the blog entries on "Stock for Brent" and replace those over the next few weeks with new photos ( a quick check and it looks like about half the posts are missing).   

 

Finishing up where I left off on the 63xx

The loco is now in service fitted with couplings, a coal load and its new identity.  I have also fitted a Dapol next18 decoder to finish it off and get it running.

 

 

 

At the same time I also purchased one of their 6 pin decoders to fit to my DJM 1470, this has proved a lot more problematic and despite running well on DC its now a bit of a dog and clearly needs the CVs tweaking to get it running effectively. 

Edited March 31, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

A short update on the 14xx, at lunch today given a desperate need to get a way from the computer screen, I headed out to the garage to stare at a DCC controller instead...   Searching through the forum I found a CV set up for the 14xx provided by Hattons which supposedly would give improved running.  Alas I think if anything it has made it worse, Despite having used DCC for the best part of 20 years this is the first time I have tried to change CVs that impact the running (in the past it has only been address, direction, lighting or reset).

 

If anyone has a CV set up for a Hattons/DJM 14xx which is effective please let me know (particularly if you used the Dapol decoder).  I think the Bachmann 64xx also uses a 6pin decoder,  so if I cant get the 14xx running well I will swap the chip into the 74xx.  Its particularly frustrating as it worked so well on DC.

 

I will try and clear some space and get the SPROG set up on my desk (which annoyingly means clearing enough space for a second laptop seeing as I dont have the software on my work machine).  If only it would run off an ipad....

Thinking a couple of hours running on the rolling road might help loosen it up...

 

[The Fatadder]

Another attempt at 1470 this lunchtime trying another set of CV values that I had been recommended, but still no luck.  it is still very unresponsive.   I think the next steps are a factory reset before trying the programming again (just in case there is something kicking around that  isnt working properly).  A quick service, and then a prolonged period on the rolling road before I next try programming it...

 

More pressingly now that the weather is starting to improve, I need to get under the layout and rewire the tortoise for the double slip which has the failed microswitch so that I can finally use the branch (wiring up Kingsbridge would also be sensible).  I think I might book a of days off work in May (and not tell the wife!) so that I can crack on with a few of these jobs...

[Neal Ball]

Re: 1470 have you tried a different decoder in the loco? Might be worth a shot. Apologies if that’s been suggested already.

[The Fatadder]

39 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

Re: 1470 have you tried a different decoder in the loco? Might be worth a shot. Apologies if that’s been suggested already.

No I havent, purely because it uses a 6 pin decoder and I only have the one of them.  If all else fails I will try it in my 74xx which I think is also a 6pin chip and try the Zimo decoder in the 14xx 

 

It was a toss up between these two locos as to which I would install the decoder into.  In the end the fact that the 74xx needed a screwdriver and the 14xx didnt governed the choice as to which got chipped... 

 

Edited April 13, 2022 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

After the factory reset the 14xx is showing a bit of an improvement, but is still very clunky at slow speed.  next thing to try is going to be giving it an oiling (knowing that i havent oiled it in the time I have had the model and with no knowledge as to how its previous owner treated it).  It is starting to feel more and more like the remaining issues are now purely down to Dave Jones moronic chassis design.     I do wonder if it is possible to brake it down and remove one of the axles gears, then replace the rods with some that have round rather than oval holes.....  (though for now I am becoming very tempted to strip out the decoder and fit it to the 74xx and retire 1470 back to the display shelf for the time being).

 

After a lot of track cleaning it was time for some running, 7316 was first up, again this loco is a bit of a disappointment in that its haulage capability is awful.  Running with 2 RTR and 2 brass coaches it struggles on the 4ft radius curves.   A few other locos were also tested (4587/4547 and 5798) two of which were rather reluctant runners to start with having not had a run in a while (but loosened up nicely after a run on the rolling road).    Over the next few days I want to try and give everything a good run and loosen it all up, thinking about it I think a spreadsheet detailing when each  loco was last ran (and when it last had its wheels cleaned) would be useful. 

 

The final bit of work was around the double slip at the London end, as I have mentioned previously this has been the bane of my life.  I wish the Peco product had been available when I was planning the layout as I would have adjusted the track plan to use it!  Eventually last year I though I had got it working finally, only to find the tortoise motor was not switching the polarity of the vee.  So today I unsoldered the wires and switched it round to the other microswitch on the motor which appears to be working.  There does still seem to be a short dead section, although I cant quite work out where the multimeter is so fault finding will have to wait.  However I was able to do a bit of testing, the slip is still problematic going from the station to the branch, maybe 50%-60% effective now rather than always failing.   I am at a bit of a loss as to what else I can try now so I may have to just live with it.  Saying that the approach check rail has broken off, so fixing that might help.  I certainly found previously that having stock forced towards the right hand rail made a big difference so maybe that will be the cure....

Edited April 13, 2022 by The Fatadder