Black Notley - BR Eastern

[pwr]

5 hours ago, boeing7572t6 said:

Hello Paul,

Not sure of its provenance, all the etches are marked as Ace products. It is the earlier N7 with arched rear windows.
I have another, bought s/hand which is (now) a good runner but as bought wallowed all over the place due to wheel issues. Alas it is a mix of the earlier version, (low bunker,) but the rear windows are round and the side window and bunker steps are matched to that. The big error is the door aperture which does not reach the roofline. It is beautifully painted and hand lined and I am loth to wreck it. But I do need 62713, the B Stortford pet.

Not thought of asking Jim for the etchings, I’ll try

Good luck with your build.

Bob

 

 

Bob

I also have the Ravenscale N7 which I bought long before Jim's kit came out. Its quite basic but has a milled chassis and I have some Walsall wheels and a motor of dubious provenance in the box. I thought I might make it alongside. 

 

I'll get the body to the same stage as the Connoisseur model before moving on with the latter. Its more complicated because unlike Jim's kits the Ravenscale has no tab and slot nor grooves etched for the valances.

 

Watch this space

 

Paul R

[pwr]

For anyone out there that wants a bargain this is available in Aldi's middle aisle for £22.99 with a three year warranty

 

 

Thats about a third the price of a Dremel cordless.

 

It's not got a separate battery like the Dremel and this could be a problem longer term but it is still a lithium version. Supplied with a charger to  with a USB C plug to link to the drill for charging purposes. Most of the accessories are thiner diameter stems than I am used to seeing but a full range of chuck collets is included so this doesn't matter.

 

Grab them whilst stocks last - as they say when they are gone they are gone!

 

Paul R

 

 

[pwr]

Started on The Ravenscale N7 today. The etches are pretty good but its not a patch on Jim's kit. However by building these together I can adapt and enhance the Ravenscale and hopefully get to the same place.

 

This shot shows the footplate, buffer beams and valances track soldered together.

 

 

There are no half etch lines to locate things so I resorted to scribing to locate the parts. 

 

Here are the two side by side

 

 

Amazingly the dimensions are the same but you can see the different treatment of the footplates. The rear one is the Ravenscale and the front the Connoisseur.

 

Paul R

[Guest]

Following this with interest. Comparing the pic above with my Ace version, my footplate seems to have some features of both.I don’t think it has evolved from the Ravenscale version.

Bob

[pwr]

Sorry about the lack of progress and posts. I had a total knee replacement in my left leg two weeks ago so I have been recuperating and doing the exercises. I am doing well and can now walk up stairs normally which is big progress. The Physio is pleased with me and talked me to get back into my workshop!!!!

 

Updates as and when

 

Paul R

[jcarta]

Good to see that you are on the mend Paul 👍🦵

[Baggies1961]

Great news Paul, wishing you a very speedy recovery.

[pwr]

3 hours ago, jcarta said:

Good to see that you are on the mend Paul 👍🦵

 

Thank you Jim

[pwr]

2 hours ago, Baggies1961 said:

Great news Paul, wishing you a very speedy recovery.

 

 

Thank you

[pwr]

With Heljan's announcement of the Southern PMV I thought I would share a photo of mine which I built from a Slaters kit 29 years ago.

 

 

It's fully functional, the sprung buffers still work as does the suspension. 

 

I will not be buying the Heljan version which appears to be priced higher than Dapol's MK1 coaches.

 

Paul R

 

 

[Guest]

Hi Paul, glad you’re on the mend. Coincidentally I’ve just finished a PMV. The sides and ends are zinc, roof Slaters and the rest from my odds and sods box. Total cost <£25. It’s a bit rough and ready but I can’t afford £250 for a van. I also have a Staters one, finished in carmine red and filth, bought in auction for £21 with a Siphon G in the same lot. 
All the best

Bob

[Hal Nail]

When I saw someone asking for smoke units in 7mm the oher day i did realise the extent to which r-t-r has shifted things and not necessarily for the better.

 

Great to have more choice but as kit manufacturers etc increasingly cant compete, a lot of us will actually be worse off.

[pwr]

On 03/09/2022 at 15:25, boeing7572t6 said:

Hi Paul, glad you’re on the mend. Coincidentally I’ve just finished a PMV. The sides and ends are zinc, roof Slaters and the rest from my odds and sods box. Total cost <£25. It’s a bit rough and ready but I can’t afford £250 for a van. I also have a Staters one, finished in carmine red and filth, bought in auction for £21 with a Siphon G in the same lot. 
All the best

Bob

 

 

That looks great. I am all for a bargain and this looks the bees knees

 

Paul R

[pwr]

On 03/09/2022 at 22:11, Hal Nail said:

When I saw someone asking for smoke units in 7mm the oher day i did realise the extent to which r-t-r has shifted things and not necessarily for the better.

 

Great to have more choice but as kit manufacturers etc increasingly cant compete, a lot of us will actually be worse off.

 

I am sad to say I agree with you.  However I think if some manufacturers continue to charge mouth watering prices this may backfire. 

 

I am glad I put aside some kits for my retirement.

 

Also I saw some sad news this week in that the only model shop here for miles has now permanently closed due to retirement and an inability to sell the business as a going concern. I am afraid we are going to see more and more of this.  Very sad.

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Was down in Eastbourne last week and visited Train Times Model Shop. Picked up this Morris Commercial in Royal Mail livery for a bargain price second hand.

 

sorry about the poor quality photo

 

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Well not much to report. Still recovering from the knee op and doing my exercises religiously.

 

Been trying to get to grips with the wheels for the Ravenscale N7 which I have struggled to get apart. Colleagues on the 7mm group have identified these as Les Hoffman wheels which are made from two axles - one slots in the other and the pin keeps them tight. However over the years they have seized up and although I could get the pins out OK all attempts to get the inner axle from the outer have failed. I have now managed to get one of the wheels off each axle but in doing so the quartering has gone so will need careful fitting back. Also there seems to be no real way of getting the coupling rods mounted and secured. 

 

I have been sorely tempted to order up a set of Slaters wheels until I saw the price. They were £13 per axle last time I bought any!

 

So moving on to soldering the bearings to the respective frames. The Connoisseur being the easier of the two as the Ravenscale has milled brass frames.

 

Anyhow here is the latest of the wheels

 

 

Paul R

[pwr]

So this is where we are with the frames for the N7's

 

I've got the bearings soldered in and the milled frames of the Ravenscale screwed together.

 

I need to cut out the slot for the rear truck on Jim's kit as I am going to be using his pony truck solution rather than fixed wheels. This will in theory go round tighter corners - not that there are any on Black Notley!

 

 

Noably absent are the springs on the Ravenscale model and I don't think these are in the kit so will need to be sourced.  No guard irons either or firebox detail!

 

So on we go

 

Paul R

[Hal Nail]

Just saw these 7mm containers and thought might be of interest....

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354311463278?hash=item527e9be16e:g:MdMAAOSwsR1jOrZ8&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsGFvObIhmp86gSvxdROslqpCXab2lg4HzLfHeq99iQhQeCKbrq5klG7UOKgUwv9XMI%2FS1BKD%2B2531thCPHZjQ0jmDP1JFIh1cTY%2BKMHs6m2k8wiFrn%2BJ7sZcDSnyHMZnWJJI3B%2BlOxIdsL1kU1wwVOR2MtBdZc4ESsjeD%2BloSmMM3gqzMN%2Bi0hX%2BwpCeQdM1s0bqfPrWcqlD6btoIFbDVqkEF88UJUCtMH%2FGwvVn18ku|tkp%3ABk9SR9TI7YH0YA

 

Edited October 4, 2022 by Hal Nail

[pwr]

On 04/10/2022 at 00:14, Hal Nail said:

Just saw these 7mm containers and thought might be of interest....

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354311463278?hash=item527e9be16e:g:MdMAAOSwsR1jOrZ8&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsGFvObIhmp86gSvxdROslqpCXab2lg4HzLfHeq99iQhQeCKbrq5klG7UOKgUwv9XMI%2FS1BKD%2B2531thCPHZjQ0jmDP1JFIh1cTY%2BKMHs6m2k8wiFrn%2BJ7sZcDSnyHMZnWJJI3B%2BlOxIdsL1kU1wwVOR2MtBdZc4ESsjeD%2BloSmMM3gqzMN%2Bi0hX%2BwpCeQdM1s0bqfPrWcqlD6btoIFbDVqkEF88UJUCtMH%2FGwvVn18ku|tkp%3ABk9SR9TI7YH0YA

 

 

 

Thanks for that I'll have a look

 

Paul

[pwr]

Started on the Connoisseur coupling rods. These are laminated together from three separate etches. I first tinned the inside surfaces with a conventional 188 degree solder. Then using the drills as a fix they were put together as a sandwich with solder paste between the layers and then sweated together with the RSU.

 

They now just need cleaning up and a rod inserted in the joint.

 

 

The Ravenscale in that respect is easier because it has milled rods. These have been drilled out to the diameter of the crankpins on the cast wheels.

 

I have also sourced some springs for the Ravenscale N7 as these are not included in the kit and the frames are milled brass. These will be soldered behind the wheels. They are in fact better than the etches in Jim's kit as they have some substance.

 

The main problem with the Ravenscale is the absence of any firebox detail and the hole in the frames that is on the Connoisseur kit is absent. I have thought about drilling it out but this will weaken the frames so I am pondering what to do.

 

In the photo you can see the made up trailing bogie for the Connoisseur kit to allow the loco to go round sharper curves. It just needs soldering. This option not available on the Ravenscale which has a rigid chassis. I don't think this will be a problem on Notley where the only curves of any substance are the points.

 

Paul R

[pwr]

These are the Slaters wheels for the Connoisseur N7 and have just been through the metal blacking process using Caseys Super Gun Blue.

 

They are now sitting in the sun in the conservatory to dry off and will later be placed for a few hours in the airing cupboard.

 

 

Now to clean up the coupling rods

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Ok so I have now soldered the springs to the Ravenscale N7 kit. These came from Laurie Griffin Minitures as they are not included in the kit.

 

 

I have had the wheels in the bearings and the chassis is true and straight and the wheels revolve freely enough. 

 

Now need to start thinking about the brake gear some bits of which are in the kit and also wheeling the Connoisseur chassis. 

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Ok so I have fitted the wheels to the Connoisseur N7 and like the Ravenscale its straight and true so all good there.

 

 

 

I also refitted the wheels to the Ravenscale as a comparator. They are not pushed rilght down to the axles as they need to come off for painting once the brake gear and details are fitted.

 

 

So far very pleased with progress.

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Next on the list is the brake gear. These are the Connoisseur brake shoes after having been sweated together. They still need cleaning up at this point.

 

 

These will now be fitted to the chassis although I will leave off the pull rods until the gearbox is in place as it interferes with the rods and Jim advises this in his instructions.

 

Of any brake gear in the Ravenscale kit - there is none. There are holes in the chassis where the brake supports are supposed to go but nothing. So I need to get some from Ragstone Models who do the appropriate bits for this loco. Thats another £30 on top of the £20 I spent on springs. I have some to the conclusion the Ravenscale kit is not much than a scratch builders aid!

 

As Ragstone don't have an online ordering system I have sent an e-mail order so it may be a few days yet (post strike permitting) before these turn up. Once the Connoisseur brakes are on I will go back to the bodies. 

 

All for now

 

Paul R

[brossard]

Very cool to see this progress.  Kind of a shame that so many major parts have to be sourced.  More of a challenge that way I suppose.

 

John