sem34090's Workbench, Layout and General Wittering

[sem34090]

Thank you, Dr Newman!

 

Some day that may happen, we'll see.

 

In the meantime, work on the Fox Walker has started in earnest, though has hit a few issues, and work on the terriers should start within the next few days.

[sem34090]

Unfortunately I haven't done all that much CAD work since that post. The Fox Walker has hit an issue with the motor being potentially too big to fit inside the saddle tank, and the terriers have hit a very similar problem.

 

These things never go how I plan them!

[TurboSnail]

Unfortunately I haven't done all that much CAD work since that post. The Fox Walker has hit an issue with the motor being potentially too big to fit inside the saddle tank, and the terriers have hit a very similar problem.

 

These things never go how I plan them!

 

If you're really stuck, could you try remotoring the RTR chassis you're planning to use? I generally use one of two motors, found on eBay by searching for '030 motor' or 'n20 motor', which are smaller than most of the original motors. Those terriers are very compact though, I'd be surprised if Dapol/Hornby didn't compromise on the body dimensions to get something to fit.

[RedGemAlchemist]

Unfortunately I haven't done all that much CAD work since that post. The Fox Walker has hit an issue with the motor being potentially too big to fit inside the saddle tank, and the terriers have hit a very similar problem.

 

These things never go how I plan them!

Why I don't plan anything!

[Edwardian]

Unfortunately I haven't done all that much CAD work since that post. The Fox Walker has hit an issue with the motor being potentially too big to fit inside the saddle tank, and the terriers have hit a very similar problem.

 

These things never go how I plan them!

 

I have PM'd our Noble Designer.  I think these issues are likely to be resolved upon further examination. 

Edited September 12, 2018 by Edwardian

[sem34090]

Unfortunately these issues have yet to be resolved - life has left little time for such things as CAD, and my motivation has been suffering a bit in that regard too.

 

Normal service may be resumed at some point, we'll see. I took the decision, with prompting from James, to drop the Fox Walker commission and leave that to someone of greater motivation and talent. The terriers may yet see the light of day, however. In that regard, if anyone is interested in my planned terrier bodies (intended to cover as many variants as is feasibly possible eventually) for the Dapol/Hornby chassis then I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to PM me with your requirements. If there is no interest at all in a variant then it will, naturally, be postponed. I intend to produce the A1 first, then the A1x if enough interest is shown.

 

If no interest in any variant is shown, as I hope won't happen, then I will only produce the variants that I require for my personal needs.

 

I am hoping to have at least one variant printed, if not available, by November 3rd. I am no longer promising this though.

 

The current planned list of variants includes the IOW, SECR, LSWR and Col. Stephens variations, along with more standardised LBSCR, SR, BR and Preservation modifications.

Edited September 24, 2018 by sem34090

[sem34090]

Okay, so another update...

 

The terrier project, due to a lack of interest, will now only consist of the variants I would like or that others have specifically requested, and may or may not be offered for sale. It is planned, therefore, to do the following, at some stage:

 

LBSCR Condition A1 (Of some description)

SECR Wainwright-Boilered A1 No.751

LBSCR Condion A1x (Of some description)

SR (IOW) Condition A1x with Drummond Chimney.

BR(S) Condition A1x (Of some description)

 

In the meantime, CAD progress has stalled due to a lack of motivation and time. That said, I have a private commission (for some BR(E) Wagon Builders Plates in 12"/ft scale) which I'll be sorting soon, but that isn't exactly news.

 

On the 'physical modelling' front, I have made yet another purchase - At the weekend I bought one of these:

Namely No.852 'Sir Walter Raleigh', in Maunsell Olive with no Smoke Deflectors. And, curiously, fitted with a Urie Tender! I don't know how incorrect or otherwise the tender is, but I much prefer it to the Maunsell design shown above, so for now it will be retained.

Now, the provenance of the model is unclear. The tender is easy - it's a finecast one - but the loco is stranger. It's certainly brass, I know that from having had to remove a small amount on the inside of the body, but I'm unsure whether it is a kit or a scratch-built. The motionwork also begs this question, though at the moment I think the chassis is certainly a kit, and most likely the body too. It's fitted with a Triang X04, which runs sweetly enough and would be easy enough to replace if it didn't, but the aforementioned motionwork has a few issues that I need to resolve before the thing will run properly.

 

Still, at £30 I couldn't resist, despite it not being Pre-Grouping or BR(S) - It can sit alongside my SR Green 'P' for now! It does, however, fulfill part of my ambition to have a model of each class of locomotive currently on the Mid Hants Railway, if not the specific loco preserved there.

[Edwardian]

Seems to me that you might want to think about scaling back ambitions for new projects in favour of ones previously announced and into which people have bought.  Some of us literally.

 

If things are hectic and your mojo/energy is limited, I'd worry that you might spread yourself too thinly.

 

There is no dimensional inaccuracy affecting fitting the Dapol chassis into a replacement Terrier body as you believed; the tanks match the published drawings.  That said, unless you want to do the later-condition IoW variants - different bunkers and hybrid appearance - or the LSW or SE&C re-boilerings, it's just not worth it with the new NRM/Rails/Dapol modelling the offing.

 

In the premises, I would retain the SE&C and IOW versions on your list but not bother with anything else, unless you want the Drummond boilers for the SW as well. 

 

None of the announced Dapol versions ran with a Drummond chimney, so producing this as a separate component for converting the new Dapol Terrier in due course might be worthwhile.

 

So, what happened with the G6 and the LNW 4-4-0?  Are they perfected now?

 

And of course - cough -Derwent - cough?

[sem34090]

In answer to your points, James:

 

- The Builder's Plates are a longstanding commission that actually pre-dates 'Derwent' in its origins.

- The Lord Nelson isn't a CAD project - It's an existing Brass model that I'm trying to get running, as I enjoy that sort of thing.

- I know that we established that I'd messed up the terrier measurements and you are correct.

- What you suggest for the terriers is the plan that I am most likely to follow.

- As I have said throughout, my main intention with the replacement terrier bodies is because some of us can't afford one, certainly not more than one, new terrier but still want something better. I don't have £110 to be spending on locos, and I have 6 Dapol/Hornby, in addition to a non-running K's, terriers... £660 is too much money, and is indeed a sum I have never actually had.

- The G6 is very much on the back-burner, and would require new CAD.

- The LNWR 4-4-0 was never intended to be made for sale, but I may make the required revisions to this one at some stage.

- 'Derwent' will, as I keep saying, materialise but I can no longer say when.

 

In short, time and motivation for CAD work has been dwindling. I will be working through stuff, and if I make something to a high enough standard then I will offer it for sale. Of course, where there has been specific demand for a product then I will try and get that done first. But I am no longer promising anything. What time I have for modelling these days I would far rather spend doing some actual modelling rather than on a computer. Selfish, that it is indeed, but it's the way I feel currently. I still intend to do CAD, but on a far more 'as I need it' basis. That said, I will try and spend some time at some point finishing off what has been started.

[sem34090]

So, another project that will be consuming much of my CAD time: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/137726-an-educational-display-on-signalling-was-westinghouse-l-type-miniature-lever-frames/

 

It will, however, probably involve drawing up CAD for loco bodies. Unfortunately those ones will all be post-grouping (well, certainly post-1920) but doing those may get me back into the swing of things. That said, the Wainwright 4-6-0 may appear first. Still, it promises to be an interesting project even if I won't be posting much about it on here, I shouldn't think.

[Ian Simpson]

Somehow just pressing Supportive didn't seem enough, Sem! I just wanted to let you know that I'm really impressed with everything you've done, and that you should be very proud of your talent. 

 

And if you need homespun philosophy to go with the praise, then,I'll add it is a hobby and no one actually dies if a model takes a bit longer to develop than originally planned.  

[sem34090]

Meh - Thanks, but you'll find others on here of much greater talent! I can think of three people within the pre-grouping section (SkinnyLinny, Turbosnail and Dr Newman) who are far more competent at CAD stuff than I am!

 

Nevertheless, thank you for your kind words.

[Ian Simpson]

Never mind the three people with more talent. Compare yourself with the rest of us who have less talent, Sem!

 

I can't do one-dimensional design, much less three of 'em.

Edited October 9, 2018 by Ian Simpson

[Edwardian]

Your problem, Sem, is not a lack of talent.  Those of us lacking these skills can only marvel; I have barely mastered PAD (pencil aided design)

[sem34090]

Once again, I thank you all for the kind words - they're flattering, but occasionally I feel they may be untrue!

Edited October 9, 2018 by sem34090

[Edwardian]

Once again, I thank you all for the kind words - they're flattering, but occasionally I feel they may be untrue!

 

Quit now, before I tell you what I think your problem is!!!!!

 

Seriously, I'd like to see your talent come to fruition, and for such effort as you can presently bring to bear to be focussed, rather than dissipated.

 

Above all, only politicians are judged on promises, rather than results.  For the rest of us, good intentions come a poor second to concrete achievement.

[sem34090]

Fair comment...

[sem34090]

I think the trouble is, especially here or at a show (public areas!), I become perhaps too modest? I'm less convinced but others seem to think so. Personally, I see my so-called 'abilities' and 'talents' on the CAD side of things as being fairly mediocre - there is much that I can't do and quite frankly I'm much happier doing physical railway modelling than its virtual equivalent. Others, including (it would seem) you lot, seem to dispute that but I see it that the only remarkable thing about what I've done with CAD is that mine generally doesn't work and suffers from a multitude of issues! Added to that is the fact that, unlike the others I've mentioned, I make promises then don't deliver because something normally intervenes, be that a lack of willpower and motivation on my part or something else, and prevents me from fulfilling the promise!

 

Also, regarding modesty, I am always fearful of possibly boasting and being proud about something! I don't want to be that person who fails to see the wrongs in their work, but to that effect I now worry I may have done the opposite.

Edited October 9, 2018 by sem34090

[Edwardian]

I think the trouble is, especially here or at a show (public areas!), I become perhaps too modest? I'm less convinced but others seem to think so. Personally, I see my so-called 'abilities' and 'talents' on the CAD side of things as being fairly mediocre - there is much that I can't do and quite frankly I'm much happier doing physical railway modelling than its virtual equivalent. Others, including (it would seem) you lot, seem to dispute that but I see it that the only remarkable thing about what I've done with CAD is that mine generally doesn't work and suffers from a multitude of issues! Added to that is the fact that, unlike the others I've mentioned, I make promises then don't deliver because something normally intervenes, be that a lack of willpower and motivation on my part or something else, and prevents me from fulfilling the promise!

 

Also, regarding modesty, I am always fearful of possibly boasting and being proud about something! I don't want to be that person who fails to see the wrongs in their work, but to that effect I now worry I may have done the opposite.

 

In terms of your design talent, there is no need to run yourself down.  We all lack confidence in our abilities at times, and need others to offer praise and encouragement; witness my attempts to build track.

 

I think, though, that you have no need to be diffident or doubting about your ability.  Perhaps, if you could gain the confidence in your abilities, you might find motivation less of a problem?  You do have the ability to see the things you have started through to a successful conclusion, and we are here for the bumps along the way. 

[sem34090]

What more can I say - Friendly/Supportive sums it up nicely. Thank you, James.

[TurboSnail]

We all have to start somewhere - I have been doing CAD at school and Uni for over 10 years, and you haven't seen the string of failures that produced... I too prefer the physical modelling, and 3D CAD/printing is just a tool to help me do that, nothing more. I think the freelance 4-6-0 might be a good place to start, so no-one can call you out for the details and the bigger picture is more important.

[sem34090]

I think you're right, Tom.

[sem34090]

So, a random query...

 

Does anyone have any ideas for a loco that could fit a (Mainline, tender driven) Dean Goods chassis, preferably LBSCR, LSWR or SECR but LNWR, GER, Midland, CR or pretty well any other pre-grouping company (besides the GWR!) to be honest?

 

I have a Dean Goods spare, and it occurred to me that tender drive would probably be easier to design for than loco drive as a way of getting my skills brushed up.

[Devo63]

So, a random query...

 

Does anyone have any ideas for a loco that could fit a (Mainline, tender driven) Dean Goods chassis, preferably LBSCR, LSWR or SECR but LNWR, GER, Midland, CR or pretty well any other pre-grouping company (besides the GWR!) to be honest?

 

I have a Dean Goods spare, and it occurred to me that tender drive would probably be easier to design for than loco drive as a way of getting my skills brushed up.

Hi Sem,

The biggest problem with the old Mainline tender drive is the height of the motor so you would need a fairly deep tender body. If you are planning to stick with the 0-6-0  wheel arrangement you could try an LNWR 18" Goods (Cauliflower) with a very big coal load.

 

A couple of suggestions for other wheel arrangements using just the tender drive could be Midland locos such as the Johnson 4-2-2 'Spinners' or Johnson 2-4-0 type (as turned out by Ratio). The tenders on these are have taller sides so that it would be easier to hide the mechanism.

 

Dave R.

[sem34090]

Interesting... I may yet make the loco loco-drive.

 

In other news, some CAD happened this weekend. The worksplates for this wagon were finally drawn up:

Admittedly they're not very interesting, and they're not even pre-grouping, but it'll be quite satisfying seeing the plates that I drew up (and by then) will have printed running in the MHR Demonstration goods train.