Stoke Courtenay

[Coach bogie]

There is a screw next to the bogie pivot)remove this first) securing the boiler/firebox etc.  I cannot remember another. I have another Earl here, never been out of the box. I will dig it out later.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Coach bogie]

There is a screw at the cab end, in addition to one by the bogie pivot. You need to remove the chassis to access the cab screw.  Boiler etc comes off as shown. Can just clips in. Not hand rails feed into cab. If you attempt this, do not discard cab. I reshaped the Bachmann cab to suit a Bulldog. It has to be positioned further back. 

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

[1466]

16 minutes ago, Coach bogie said:

There is a screw at the cab end, in addition to one by the bogie pivot. You need to remove the chassis to access the cab screw.  Boiler etc comes off as shown. Can just clips in. Not hand rails feed into cab. If you attempt this, do not discard cab. I reshaped the Bachmann cab to suit a Bulldog. It has to be positioned further back. 

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

This is both inspirational  and valuable, so thanks Mike .

I fed back the same idea to Bachmann at Warley but feel that their  focus is elsewhere.  So , I feel that melding a whitemetal body to the Bachman Dukedog chassis is the way forward . Or is a 3D printed body a possibility?

I appreciate the calls on your time but would welcome more details, if possible .

 Thanks in anticipation .

[Coach bogie]

On 08/02/2023 at 07:34, 1466 said:

Melding a whitemetal body to the Bachman Dukedog chassis is the way forward . Or is a 3D printed body a possibility?

I appreciate the calls on your time but would welcome more details, if possible .

 Thanks in anticipation .

 

David Geen and I looked into this, several years ago. There was always the chance that Bachmann would announce something at the same time. The combination of moulding cost and it was also a bit naughty using K's parts as masters. put us off going commercial. A good friend's son works in 3D CAD. for the motor industry and offered to draw it up for us. The challenge was the boiler was going to be very thin to fit over the motor mount at the front of the Bachmann chassis. Even on the cast ones I have made the cast is very thin at the base, roughly at the boiler band, just forward of the safety valve. From the pic below, the mount is full width of the chassis nearly touching the splashers. We looked at making a different motor mount shaped for the boiler but it was adding to costs for a low sales item. The alternative was for the modeller to file the motor mount. I did this on one, but it is tricky if you are not used to building kits.

 

 

A previous post mention the thickness of the K's/Nucast casting for the running plate. As an alternative one can be cut from brass to give a thinner plate. It also gives the opportunity to produce a curved frame Bulldog.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

[Neal Ball]

Fascinating stuff @Coach bogie Mike thank you…. Now a curved frame Bulldog would be very nice.

[Dragonboy]

On 04/02/2023 at 19:41, checkrail said:

Was nearly there with the D33 until I started adding the door furniture and started to make a right mess of my nicely painted coach sides.  (Wire and I just don't get along.) Remedial work is underway, and I think I can now downgrade this afternoon's work from 'disaster' to 'disappontment'.  Or lesson.  

 

Meanwhile here's a quiet moment at Stoke C. as 5557 rests after bringing in a train from Earlsbridge.

 

John C.

Really love the misty effect in front of the back scene. Very early morningish 

[1466]

Mike

thanks so much for this , very helpful indeed . And a brass running plate ! Wow !

Truly inspirational.

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by 1466
Wrong nomenclature

[MrWolf]

On 07/02/2023 at 21:11, Coach bogie said:

There is a screw at the cab end, in addition to one by the bogie pivot. You need to remove the chassis to access the cab screw.  Boiler etc comes off as shown. Can just clips in. Not hand rails feed into cab. If you attempt this, do not discard cab. I reshaped the Bachmann cab to suit a Bulldog. It has to be positioned further back. 

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

 

Thank you Mike that's really useful and most encouraging. I think that I was concerned about there being lots of hidden or one shot fasteners as well as plug in detail parts making dismantling awkward o a locomotive that took a while to find a good example of. 

As it also came from a friend I really don't want to bust it whilst backdating to GWR condition.

 

Rob Wolf 

[Nick C]

22 hours ago, MrWolf said:

 

Thank you Mike that's really useful and most encouraging. I think that I was concerned about there being lots of hidden or one shot fasteners as well as plug in detail parts making dismantling awkward o a locomotive that took a while to find a good example of. 

As it also came from a friend I really don't want to bust it whilst backdating to GWR condition.

 

Rob Wolf 

If you do struggle, spare bodyshells are still available from Bachmann - https://Bachmann-spares.co.uk/category/2-branchline-steam-parts/3200-earl-class-dukedog

[checkrail]

These two little Rapido beauties were delivered this afternoon from RoS, a GW iron mink with wooden doors and an ex-SECR van.  It only took a minute or two to change the wheels for Gibsons (luckily I had a small number of both plain and split-spoke types in the spares box, to match the originals).  I also chopped roughly 2.5 or 3mm off the NEM pockets and coupling tails with a Stanley knife, and glued the latter back into the former, reducing the distance between buffer faces from 10mm to something like 3 to 4mm (looks even less when viewed from inside a curve, which most of my layout is).  Makes a big difference and they still go round the inner radius of Peco curved points in the fiddle yard without problems.   I also sprayed the glaringly white roofs with Halford's grey primer.  

 

Full marks to Rapido for using standard size axles (unlike some of the other newer manufacturers) - the wagons roll beautifully on both the original wheels and the Gibsons.  Also for making the roofs removable - saves all that tedious masking malarkey when spraying them.

 

Next stage will be some weathering.

 

John C.

[gwrrob]

If I remember correctly John didn't you also purchase the Rail's  Mink version a couple of years back as it would be great to see a comparison.

[checkrail]

As per Robin's request.  Rapido to the left, Rail to the right. What's the verdict?  I think the Rapido one has the edge.

 

Rails to the left in this one.

 

And here's the old Ratio one between them.

 

John C.

[Coach bogie]

I am still not sure whether to purchase the minks yet. I like to support any new GWR venture but  I have so many minks already. I have some advance orders with Rails that are due and will probably add a couple of minks to the order. I like the sand vans as they do not duplicate what I already have

 

Finished the three cattle wagons. The W3 from a cut down Airfix really stands out length wise. A lot of work but I am happy with it. I have just noticed the W curling with the heat despite varnish. I have not started the two Geen kits yet.

 

another project finished is the unique siphon 1777. This was made from a laser cut body kit in card. Back to the days of ERG- remember them?. It was a different way to make but this is the best I could make of it, It has a scratch underframe from the spares box with a Brassmaster's cleminson 6 wheels system. I was unsure if it would work but runs very well on tight curves. If anyone wants one go to-

 

https://www.diagram3d.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=108

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

 

 

[57xx]

On 12/02/2023 at 11:06, checkrail said:

As per Robin's request.  Rapido to the left, Rail to the right. What's the verdict?  I think the Rapido one has the edge.

 

Rails to the left in this one.

 

And here's the old Ratio one between them.

 

John C.

 

I'd say it has a lot more than the edge. Starting from the top, the roof is a lot finer, the body colour looks a lot better, no printing striations, buffers are better, axleboxes and springs are much more defined, better brake gear and lever.

[checkrail]

On 13/02/2023 at 22:50, 57xx said:

I'd say it has a lot more than the edge. Starting from the top, the roof is a lot finer, the body colour looks a lot better, no printing striations, buffers are better, axleboxes and springs are much more defined, better brake gear and lever.

Having now given it a more thorough examination, prior to a bit of weathering, I'm in total agreement.

[checkrail]

6027 King Richard I sweeps majestically through Stoke Courtenay with an express for Penzance.  Not many more miles until the King comes off at North Road.

 

 

John C.

[OnTheBranchline]

On 12/02/2023 at 06:06, checkrail said:

As per Robin's request.  Rapido to the left, Rail to the right. What's the verdict?  I think the Rapido one has the edge.

 

Rails to the left in this one.

 

And here's the old Ratio one between them.

 

John C.

 

Not really a surpirse that a brand new model has the edge over a long in the tooth kit, is it?

[MrWolf]

The Rapido version definitely has the edge in the roof department, especially when seen end on. I the roof on the Rails version fitted correctly? Although I would have to dig out one of my old Ratio models, I'm sure that even they are better looking from the ends, although it obviously took elastic bands and a bit of profanity to achieve.

[checkrail]

15 hours ago, OnTheBranchline said:

Not really a surpirse that a brand new model has the edge over a long in the tooth kit, is it?

No, but the comparison was actually not with the long in the tooth Ratio kit, but with the 2021 3D printed version released as a Rails of Sheffield exclusive  in 2021.

 

Having said that, if the Ratio kit is included i'd rate it second out of the three. 

[checkrail]

Not long out of North Road another King, 6019 'King Henry V', comes the other way heading for Paddington.

 

 

John C.

[Harlequin]

Have you got a milk train, John? I can't remember seeing one.

 

It would be coming through from Plymouth early in the morning and maybe stopping to pick up some vans brought down from Earlsbridge.

 

[gwrrob]

There’s another suggestion for Rapido, the GWR milk tanker to their standards.

[OnTheBranchline]

8 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

There’s another suggestion for Rapido, the GWR milk tanker to their standards.

with real milk on the inside 😆

[57xx]

15 hours ago, MrWolf said:

The Rapido version definitely has the edge in the roof department, especially when seen end on. I the roof on the Rails version fitted correctly? 

 

It looks like it has warped, I'm sure I've seen posts on the roofs warping on either this or the other van they did. 3D printing still has a way to go I feel. 

[MrWolf]

Of course, warping is a very real problem which has to be countered when printing and items do seem to suddenly let go.

We are I suppose at the same point in materials development with 3d resin as Rovex were in the 'fifties with thermoplastics.