Great Southern Railway (Fictitious) - Signalling the changes...

[Regularity]

An American visiting Yorkshire took a wrong turn and ended up in Rotherham (if you are from Rotherham, you can substitute Sheffield.)

He goes into a pub, to ask for directions and comments that, “Rotherham must be the a55hole of the U.K.”

A local quietly retorted, “And you’re just passing through, are you?”

[RedGemAlchemist]

One from my neck of the woods:

How do we know Jesus didn't come from Norwich?
Because in Norwich there ain't three wise men and a virgin!

[Edwardian]

The Third World ....

 

Yorkshire

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eciDVOAIXHc

[Regularity]

Definition of a Norfolk virgin?

Girl who can run faster than her brother...

[BlueLightning]

Definition of a Norfolk virgin?

Girl who can run faster than her brother...

 

Not sure if I should click "funny" or "agree"!!

 

Gary

[Regularity]

All ratings gratefully received.

 

I do know a much ruder version, but even I know there are some lines one does not cross, at least in public...

[Edwardian]

Definition of a Norfolk virgin?

Girl who can run faster than her brother...

 

That does seem rather unfair on Norfolk.

 

The Cambridgeshire Fens, on the other hand ....

[Skinnylinny]

As much as I hate to drag the topic kicking and screaming back to modelling... A sudden change of plans today gave me a free evening so I decided to see if I could produce some rods for my Manning Wardle. Thus far I have laser cut some card ones to confirm dimensions, and after playing around with them I'll probably etch them up using the laser cutter to draw up some masks from tape. However, in push-along mode, they seem to work!



[Edit: I have no idea why the picture shows up as a tiny thumbnail. It definitely shows at full size if you click on it!]

Edited May 15, 2018 by Skinnylinny

[Skinnylinny]

And back off-topic, it looks like I'll be in the south of England (specifically West Sussex, Horsham area) on the weekend of 26th/27th of this month. Is anyone down that part of the world who'd fancy a pub meet or similar for an evening? I don't drive, so would be limited to places within walking distance of a mainline station (accessible from Horsham, ideally!) but it would be lovely to put some faces to screen names!

I might even manage to find my way to Gaugemaster in Ford...

Edited May 16, 2018 by Skinnylinny

[BlueLightning]

As discussed last night ME!!!!

 

If there is more interest and a possible meet up with more people then I could potentially pick you up from a station in the van to meet with others!

 

Gary

[mikeandnel]

And back off-topic, it looks like I'll be in the south of England (specifically West Sussex, Horsham area) on the weekend of 26th/27th of this month. Is anyone down that part of the world who'd fancy a pub meet or similar for an evening? I don't drive, so would be limited to places within walking distance of a mainline station (accessible from Horsham, ideally!) but it would be lovely to put some faces to screen names!

 

I might even manage to find my way to Gaugemaster in Ford...

 

Hello Linny

If you can manage the west  side of Horsham, Somewhere like Pulborough, then I could join you on the evening of May 26th

[RedGemAlchemist]

And back off-topic, it looks like I'll be in the south of England (specifically West Sussex, Horsham area) on the weekend of 26th/27th of this month. Is anyone down that part of the world who'd fancy a pub meet or similar for an evening? I don't drive, so would be limited to places within walking distance of a mainline station (accessible from Horsham, ideally!) but it would be lovely to put some faces to screen names!

 

I might even manage to find my way to Gaugemaster in Ford...

I'd love to meet up with a bunch of you guys but social anxiety and my location don't help.

[Lu4472ke]

And back off-topic, it looks like I'll be in the south of England (specifically West Sussex, Horsham area) on the weekend of 26th/27th of this month. Is anyone down that part of the world who'd fancy a pub meet or similar for an evening? I don't drive, so would be limited to places within walking distance of a mainline station (accessible from Horsham, ideally!) but it would be lovely to put some faces to screen names!

 

I might even manage to find my way to Gaugemaster in Ford...

 

It would be nice to meet up, but locations a bit of an issue.

[Skinnylinny]

Well, this is decidedly not pre-grouping, but I spotted a certain loco designed by a certain Mr Gresley (is he not the Assistant Superintendent of the Carriage and Wagon Department of the L&YR?) would be passing through Edinburgh (several times today, in fact!) so I went to have a look at the old footbridge at Morningside Road station, now sadly closed with the platform on the outside of the curve removed to allow C3 stock through.

However, rather than the 25mph coast-through that everyone there was expecting, we were treated to 60103 coasting to a halt at the old, closed platform to allow some train crew off - apparently they were searching for a fire hydrant to allow the loco to water on her return journey, and alighted carrying crowbars, hydrant keys and rather a lot of hosing!

I managed to get a little video (viewable here) but it was rather eclipsed by this lovely shot taken by my partner:

 

 

Back on the modelling side, work is progressing slowly on the scenic-test board, and I'm realising quickly how much of a difference can be made by painting the board appropriate colours before laying scatter, something I had forgotten about. This is what this board is about - re-learning the techniques I had forgotten!

Also, I am expecting a pre-grouping loco model to arrive this evening for a clean-up, rebuild and repaint - a 5-inch gauge Worsdell E class (later J71) which is to be stripped, cleaned, partly rebuilt and repainted into T W Worsdell NER livery. This will be a rather marked departure from my usual 4mm scale southern-area stuff!

Finally, I am expecting a parcel with a couple of 3D-printed bits from Shapeways tomorrow, including an LBSCR well wagon as well as a surprise addition to the display shelf (which will be run, but probably not (often!) on Linton)

[BlueLightning]

Lookng forward to seeing the LBSCR Well Wagon!! I have been eyeing them up.

 

And as for the surprise........... I wonder what that could be

 

Gary

[Skinnylinny]

Well, the E class is here, but is going to need a bit of work before I can do any painting - the side tank on one side has become detached, as has the cab side and I was presented with a bag of "mixed fittings" including coal rails, chimney and dome (!) but it's here now, and this is likely to be a long-term restoration...

 

Pictured below with a Bachmann J72 (I didn't have a 4mm scale J71 sadly!)

 

[Skinnylinny]

Well, it's been a busy week so far, with only very brief moments of modelling time. I found out my presence is required in London this Monday, so I have arranged a trip down to Sussex to visit family over the weekend. This, along with the AGM of the model railway club and various other things, have led me not to be able to do much modelling. I did, however, manage to get a nice photo of my shiny new P class from Hattons on the club's 0-16.5 layout, alongside the H class from Hornby. Unfortunately, while the P ran beautifully, the H class after a few turns of the driving wheels stopped with a small puff of smoke. I somehow suspect that I won't be able to get a replacement chassis for this, and the spare part number for the motor doesn't come up on any of the usual spares sites, so the H class was bundled off to another club member who is much more experienced with these things than me. 

 

Work on the J71/Worsdell E class has sort of started - I've taken some wet-and-dry to the tank sides, and tried a few paint strippers on the existing paintwork. ModelStrip doesn't touch it, nor does new-formulation Nitromors, though I found out that the active ingredient in old-recipe Nitromors was dichloromethane. Hang on a minute, isn't that Plastic Weld? Sure enough,a bit of tissue dampened in Plastic Weld and the paint lifted straight off the boiler. However, if I'm going to use much more of that, I'll need to take the thing outside and wear a respirator - the fumes are nasty...

 

However, the cab and tanks, which seemed sort-of half disassembled, came off in (mostly) one piece, so those have been put to one side for repairs and further work before painting. I took the opportunity to have a play around inside the cab, and noticed a threaded fitting that looked the same size as an airbrush hose, underneath the regulator handle.

 

 

Hmm... I wonder... yes, the hose from my compressor fits! I screwed it on, opened the regulator, put it into forward gear and... Hisssssssss... Nothing. Opened up the smokebox door to find that the main steam pipe from the boiler to the cylinders is missing! Another threaded connection from the front of the boiler, and a hole behind the blastpipe. Hmmm.

 

 

On the plus side, the wheels turn (albeit a bit stiffly) and all the valve gear seems to wiggle correctly... however, with no pressure gauge (perhaps this is what the threaded fitting was for?), no firebars, and no main steam pipe, I don't foresee this loco running anywhere under her own steam any time soon... With the amount of dust on her, I'm very tempted to stand her in the bath and spray down inside the frames with the shower head!



On a lighter note, the 3D printed surprise arrived, alongside my LB&SCR well wagon - a rather nice Liverpool and Manchester "Lion", sitting on Hornby 08 wheels and propelled by a Tenshodo motor bogie under the tender. She won't bear the closest scrutiny, but there is a plan for a Mallingford-Titfield branch service train to be built up.

 

[Edwardian]

Linny,

 

A great update.

 

I must say, I wish I had read the text "on the club's 0-16.5 layout" before looking at the picture, because I found myself extremely visually disorientated until I worked out why it looked odd!

 

Sorry to hear about the H - I hope that is not a common or incurable problem - and very impressed at you tackling the big E.

 

Also, very impressed with Lion.  Only lack of sufficient funds and the need to prioritise the WN roster (says he who has just bought a brace of Ps!) have prevented me from ordering the Lion and the Bury from this Shapeways shop.  I'd love to give these a go, and they'd look good on T's school project layout.

 

I assume this is the FUD.  I would be interested to see detail of 'the build'.

 

P.S. I think the tender takes the same motor bogie unit as Derwent, IIRC, though the details are helpfully included on the Shapeways.

Edited May 24, 2018 by Edwardian

[Annie]

Bad luck with the 'H' Class, - I hope it can be mended without too much difficulty.

 

And do please be careful with using dichloromethane as a paint stripper as it's nasty stuff.  Your idea of giving the old Class E a good scrub in the bath isn't as silly as it sounds, though cleaning the bath afterwards might be a bit of a bore if you're wanting to stay on the good side of other members of your household.

 

And the best for last.  I do like that 3D print of 'Lion'.  By the look of the print it should paint up very nicely.  I was absolutely delighted the first time I saw the 'Titfield Thunderbolt' and for a while I used to have a VHS tape of the movie which I played often until it shredded itself and died.

[HonestTom]

On a lighter note, the 3D printed surprise arrived, alongside my LB&SCR well wagon - a rather nice Liverpool and Manchester "Lion", sitting on Hornby 08 wheels and propelled by a Tenshodo motor bogie under the tender. She won't bear the closest scrutiny, but there is a plan for a Mallingford-Titfield branch service train to be built up.

 

IMG_20180524_102729448.jpg

 

Make sure the couplings are compatible with your other stock, I heard that can be a problem.

[BlueLightning]

Linny,

 

Progress on the E is looking good!!

 

I have heard the same issue with the H from a few people, I believe it is something to do with excess grease and the flywheel catching on the body!

 

As for Lion, I am looking forward to it visiting Oak Hill at the weekend!!

 

Gary

[Skinnylinny]

The H class doesn't seem completely dead - the motor still hums, and it will run in short bursts but only for a second or so. It's in the hands of a very capable member of the model railway club now so I am hopeful!

The P class being so small certainly magnifies how huge the 7mm gentleman looks in the background!

Lion's a lovely little thing. She is indeed a FUD print, although not the best one I've seen - there are some very pronounced printing lines on the tender rear and the loco front. They've both been printed diagonally too, meaning the striping gives the look of "wasp stripes" on an early BR diesel! As to the build, all I've done is slotted in the wheels and motor bogie. These will be retained by strips of plasticard on the inside bearings. The wheels came pre-quartered with the cranks already fitted. Total time spent so far - about 5 minutes pinning the rods to the cranks! This evening I'm hoping to get a chance to give "Lion" a quick spray of primer and see how she looks.



Annie,

I'll be being very careful with dichloromethane as a paint stripper. It's one thing to use a small drop here and there to build a kit, but quite another to souse a 5" gauge loco in the stuff! I will definitely be taking the loco body downstairs and outside for various bits of the work to be done, as well as finding a decent respirator. There's rather helpfully a 3' tall wall which is about a foot thick in the back garden, with an earth bank behind it - a perfect workbench!

My flatmates also use the bathroom for strange things (one etches his own printed circuit boards, the other hand-washes some very "alternative" clothes!) so they're very understanding of strange things in the bathtub! 

HonestTom, as for the couplings, this particular 3D printed kit has a mount for a screw-in tension-lock coupling, so no need for ropes or steamroller steering chains! 

Edited May 24, 2018 by Skinnylinny

[Edwardian]

The H class doesn't seem completely dead - the motor still hums, and it will run in short bursts but only for a second or so. It's in the hands of a very capable member of the model railway club now so I am hopeful!

 

The P class being so small certainly magnifies how huge the 7mm gentleman looks in the background!

 

Lion's a lovely little thing. She is indeed a FUD print, although not the best one I've seen - there are some very pronounced printing lines on the tender rear and the loco front. They've both been printed diagonally too, meaning the striping gives the look of "wasp stripes" on an early BR diesel! As to the build, all I've done is slotted in the wheels and motor bogie. These will be retained by strips of plasticard on the inside bearings. The wheels came pre-quartered with the cranks already fitted. Total time spent so far - about 5 minutes pinning the rods to the cranks! This evening I'm hoping to get a chance to give "Lion" a quick spray of primer and see how she looks.

 

IMG_20180524_112710119.jpg

 

Annie,

 

I'll be being very careful with dichloromethane as a paint stripper. It's one thing to use a small drop here and there to build a kit, but quite another to souse a 5" gauge loco in the stuff! I will definitely be taking the loco body downstairs and outside for various bits of the work to be done, as well as finding a decent respirator. There's rather helpfully a 3' tall wall which is about a foot thick in the back garden, with an earth bank behind it - a perfect workbench!

 

My flatmates also use the bathroom for strange things (one etches his own printed circuit boards, the other hand-washes some very "alternative" clothes!) so they're very understanding of strange things in the bathtub! 

 

HonestTom, as for the couplings, this particular 3D printed kit has a mount for a screw-in tension-lock coupling, so no need for ropes or steamroller steering chains! 

 

Very helpful, thanks, as I fully intend to follow in your foot steps here.

 

Is there a way to acquire 08 wheels without acquiring an 08?

[Skinnylinny]

I can happily recommend Peter's Spares - that's where I got them from... through eBay, as it happens! The kit also uses the 08 rods (shortened to give four-coupled coupling).

Incidentally, the coupling rods were stripped of their bright yellow paint (I couldn't get them unpainted) by hanging them in an old bottle of plastic-weld (dichloromethane again!) on a bit of wire for a few minutes. The paint just fell off! Rinse off with plenty of water, and fit. Doing the same to the crankpins was not so easy, but I'm sure a way could be found.

Edited May 24, 2018 by Skinnylinny

[Skinnylinny]

I'm still wondering what to do for nameplates - the loco will be finished as "Thunderbolt" but I can't see anything on the Narrow Planet site that would be suitable... Google is, meanwhile, being very unhelpful in getting a photo of the nameplate used for filming.