Focalplane Posted April 8, 2017 Author Share Posted April 8, 2017 Ha! A bit of a setback but it does not include the Castle. While cleaning the roof of our glass extension this afternoon the ladder slipped from under me and I ended up like someone on a cartoon cliff edge, fingers gripping the Cotswold Stone parapet with all sorts of stuff below ready to impale me. Fortunately my good lady wife was not far away and came to the rescue, removing the ladder and helping me down. Cotswold stone is quite abrasive so my forearms are a bit painful this evening and no modelling is anticipated tonight. The good news is that I had just finished cleaning the glass before the ladder slipped, so I won't have to be going back up for a while! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 Having largely recovered from the ladder incident of yesterday, I have been quietly adding bits to the Castle chassis today. Most of the parts are to do with the locomotive braking system. This is slow work but suddenly things became a lot more satisfying when a parcel from Amazon arrived (yes, on a Sunday!) This contained an Ersa i-con pico temperature controlled 80 watt soldering iron. I would not say it is goodbye to the two existing irons just yet, in fact I may dedicate the Antex 25 watt iron to electrical soldering while the Camping Gaz 80 watt could become useful for major soldering jobs until I buy a heavier chisel bit for the Ersa. What I really like about the Ersa is the light weight of the hand held component. It weighs very little and the connecting cable is also very light. It is, quite simply, easier on my already damaged wrists, etc. I have it set on the default temperature, 360ºC, and note that it goes to sleep at 250ºC, quickly rising again when the iron is picked up. I have also prepared the driving wheels, sanding the backs, gluing the balance weights and fitting the crankpins. These will need to be installed when fixing the brake hangers. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 Paul Sounds like a lucky escape. Very interested by the new soldering iron. Please keep us updated with your experiences! Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 Simon I will certainly update my experiences with the new iron once I have used it more and also worked with white metal castings, etc. Last week, before we left Borth y Gest, we spent a day on the north coast of the Lleyn Peninsula, first at Nant Gwrtheyrn, then at Porth Dinllaen. It was a glorious day if colder than more recently and the views of the coast were spectacular. Porth Dinllaen was most interesting when seen in the history of the competition with Holyhead for the Irish Packets. I have to admit being somewhat pleased that Porth Dinllaen remains as it was. I was also surprised that the distance from Pwllheli to Porth Dinllaen is only a few miles, so the extension of the Cambrian line would not have been too costly. Making it all (Shrewsbury to Porth Dinllaen) capable of handling Castles, however, would have been a huge task! Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 9, 2017 Share Posted April 9, 2017 (edited) Ah yes, but what fun!!! Meanwhile something more commonly found in those parts is taking shape... Best Simon Edit/PS- just in case you're not aware, don't use the same bit for w/m solder and normal stuff. The normal stuff will alloy with the w/m left on the bit, you'll have lousy joints for a while, and it's the very devil to clean off. Swap bits, keep one for low temperature stuff. Apologies if teaching granny... Edited April 9, 2017 by Simond 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 I did a quick survey of kits and RTR locos that would be relevant to the Cambrian main line and this is the short list I came up ith for an early BR era, that is mostly pre1960: Passenger express: Manor 78xx 4-6-0 Warren Shephard Mogul 43xx 2-6-0 Warren Shephard, Heljan Standard 75xxx 2-6-0 DJH Passenger local: Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 DJH Standard 80xxx 4-6-2T MOK Collett 2251 0-6-0 JLTRT Passenger branch 14xx 0-4-2T MOK, Warren Shephard Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 DJH Goods main line Mogul 43xx 2-6-0 Warren Shephard, Heljan Collett 2251 0-6-0 jLTRT Goods local/branch Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 DJH 64xx Pannier 0-6-0T MOK There are others and more than one maker in some cases, but I have chosen the kits I would buy. This list reallt shows what can be done in Gauge O if kit building is included with RTR. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 I have one of Warren's moguls to build. You know he's one of your neighbours? (You probably don't know that he also taught me to fire on the FR) Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 Simon Yes, i have been in contact with Warren and have an invitation to visit. I saw one of his Manors at Bristol and would definitely have it on my list. A lot less expensive than the JLTRT kit and all brass as well. Your 4-4-0 (Dukedog?) looks great! I saw 9017 in store at Oswestry Works, the story goes that it was hidden from Swindon so that it did not get scrapped. And where did it end up? On foreign tracks far from Oswestry, just like 46512. I bet the Cambrian Society would like to have them back. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall5 Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Paul, I'm pretty sure there were no 80xxx on the Cambrian pre 1960. They all arrived (ex LT&S section) after the LMR takeover in 1963 and gradually replaced the Western region 82xxx. The RTR model from Lionheart looks very interesting but the 82xxx also used to be available as a kit - Jim Harris maybe? Don't forget that there were several 55xx based on the line during the 50's and (just) into the 60's even working the Pwllheli section of the CCE. Cheers, Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 0 gauge is certainly more bountiful than 00 gauge when it comes to lightweight GWR locos. Now I am back in 4mm I can't even find kits for a Large Prairie, 43XX Mogul or Manor. The Bachmann and Hornby offerings are 1980's toys. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MarshLane Posted April 10, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 10, 2017 IMG_0205.jpg Wow the work on that chassis is superb! Just catching up with your progress. I've seen reference a few times to these Poppy wooden chassis boxes, I presume they are all about keeping things square? Regards Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Simon Yes, i have been in contact with Warren and have an invitation to visit. I saw one of his Manors at Bristol and would definitely have it on my list. A lot less expensive than the JLTRT kit and all brass as well. Your 4-4-0 (Dukedog?) looks great! I saw 9017 in store at Oswestry Works, the story goes that it was hidden from Swindon so that it did not get scrapped. And where did it end up? On foreign tracks far from Oswestry, just like 46512. I bet the Cambrian Society would like to have them back. Paul Thanks Paul, The Dukedog is a Javelin kit, but modified to resemble Tre Pol & Pen as that was the only one running at the putative date (pre shirt button) of my layout - There is a kit for 3265 theoretically available, but I could not obtain one, not even for ready cash, so I took the fretsaw to the standard kit. Revised cab front windows and no "curve out" at the back of the cab sidesheets, and a different tender (should be 3000g but I have one of Warren's 2500g Dean tenders at the moment). The 3500g tender from the Javelin kit will go with the Mogul, and I'll get round to building a 3000g one of these days... Warren's kits are excellent, particularly if you enjoy rivet-punching I'm very happy with this kit too. Progress is slow but steady at the moment. I might get inspired over Easter and speed up a bit ! best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 Paul, I'm pretty sure there were no 80xxx on the Cambrian pre 1960. They all arrived (ex LT&S section) after the LMR takeover in 1963 and gradually replaced the Western region 82xxx. The RTR model from Lionheart looks very interesting but the 82xxx also used to be available as a kit - Jim Harris maybe? Don't forget that there were several 55xx based on the line during the 50's and (just) into the 60's even working the Pwllheli section of the CCE. Cheers, Ray. Ray I think/know you are right on the 80xxx standards. The MOK is just crying out to be built! I certainly don't remember seeing any Standards at Oswestry, only the Ivatt precursors. I did forget the small prairies though which was a serioys omission. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 Wow the work on that chassis is superb! Just catching up with your progress. I've seen reference a few times to these Poppy wooden chassis boxes, I presume they are all about keeping things square? Regards Rich Rich Poppy's jig is all about keeping things square as you suggest. It is still important to keep the two sides in line otherwise banana shaped chassis can be the result. I keep one side frame next to one side of the box. My box was custom made to allow my build of the David Andrews Compound as its axle spacing exceeded the spacing on the box. With sprung hornblocks it is also important to align the chassis with all the springs compressed. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 Simon I knew it might not be a basic Dukedog and thought the cab front a bit odd! I have a Metalsmiths riveter, so bring them on! Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 I remember the BR Standard Class 3 tanks arriving on the Cambrian Coast line circa 1960-1....A right downer after the delightful 45XX's. The 2251's continued though as did the 43XX Moguls, but then the filthy Std 2-6-4T's arrived off the Tilbury Section and it seemed no effort was made to clean them. Mind you, I wasn't aware of politics on BR at the time, but I should have known something was changing when some Manors also looked decidedly 'orrible in 1964. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 Larry I suppose there is another way to look at which era to model - both! The land and the infrastructure didn't change much until the station closed, and in the case of Carrog there is even the preservation era as well. So. Have two sets of locos, one for the late 1950s, one for the early 1960s. Kit makers and box shifters would both like that idea! Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Larry I suppose there is another way to look at which era to model - both! The land and the infrastructure didn't change much until the station closed, and in the case of Carrog there is even the preservation era as well. So. Have two sets of locos, one for the late 1950s, one for the early 1960s. Kit makers and box shifters would both like that idea! Paul And about a quarter of the price of O gauge too! JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 And about a quarter of the price of O gauge too! JF A fraction actually haha.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 (edited) Larry I suppose there is another way to look at which era to model - both! The land and the infrastructure didn't change much until the station closed, and in the case of Carrog there is even the preservation era as well. So. Have two sets of locos, one for the late 1950s, one for the early 1960s. Kit makers and box shifters would both like that idea! Paul I think my memories of preservation at Carrog make it easier to live with less than authentic engines. But an heritage funny hour could also be fun. I'm not at home with the despair of the 1960's after seeing it unfold first hand. Edited April 10, 2017 by coachmann Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Simon I knew it might not be a basic Dukedog and thought the cab front a bit odd! I have a Metalsmiths riveter, so bring them on! Paul Odd cab front... http://rlkitterman.deviantart.com/art/GWR-Dukedog-3265-Tre-Pol-and-Pen-546413510 Actually, difficult to get good info, and there aren't a lot of photos, this seems to be fairly typical GW Rivetter Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Too many years ago for me to remember, one of the magazines published a fine article on the Dukedogs showing many of the variations so beloved by modellers. One ran with a very old narrow Tender. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 When I see how quickly some people (e.g. Tony Wright) build OO Gauge locomotive kits and how long it takes me to build an O Gauge kit, then I would say that O Gauge is less expensive in the long run. Others will, I am sure, disagree! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 (edited) riveter or rivetter? As someone who wrote American English for a living from 1977 until 2014, I can assure you that my spell checker still doesn't like me spelling "modeler" the English way. In fact it just changed the damned spelling while I wasn't looking! Edited April 10, 2017 by Focalplane Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Looks like the double "t"is US usage, but that icon of egalitarianism, Rosie the Riveter only has one... I'm not sure how the concept of "US English" came to be - according to one of my primary teachers, there was only "English" and "Wrong". Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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