Brian's 7mm Diesel Workbench, Belated up-date!

[TimC]

Brian

 

When you DCC fit your locos how do you control the various lights? The SWD and Howes decoders both seem to come with a large number fo function keys assigned to various sound effects with only one or two spare functions left for the lights.

 

Earlier in this thread there is a picture of your DCC fitted class 26. On the left of the picture (showing the internals) just above the speaker is that a subsidiary function only decoder? (or is it just a plug/socket or your LED resistors on a piece of vero board).

 

I've got a JLTRT Class 25 which is nearly finsihed and I've been sorting out the DCC this weekend but I want six independent light functions (headcode, cab and tail lights each end) on top of all the sound/DCC control functions on the SWD Loksound XL decoder. This means going over 16 functions and I'm striggling to understand if this is possible (my NCE PowerCab can handle upto 28 functions but I'm not sure that the XL decoder can).

 

What do you do?

 

Thanks

 

 

BTW - Those bulkhead lights in your latest Cl20 are awesome - might have a go at those myself.

[richard carr]

Brian

 

The coupling on the 20 looks very good, who is it by ?

 

 

Kind regards

 

Richard.

[brian daniels]

The coupling Richard is by CPL but put in the JLTRT hook thats supplied as that fits nicely in the bufferbeam.

 

Tim on my 20 I got Howes to make sure I have light functions on F6,7,11,12. F8 will toggle through 4 steps of volume and F9 is shunt mode. F0 is the standard forward/reverse light function and F2-5 are sounds. F6,7 are the tail lights, F11 cab light and F12 the instrument lights (F10 doesn't do anything). On my 26 I have F2-4 are horns, F5, 6 for the tail lights, F7 seagull!, F8 Volume, F9 shunt, F10-11 sealed beam headlights and F12 one cab light. Unfortunatley I don't think you can have all the sounds and a lot of functions but on the 26 I have 5 light functions which is enough. Don't forget you can put both cab lights on one function button.

[Pugsley]

Brian,

I have come to the same conclusion as you on the TTA as we discussed at Warley. Compared it against the Appleby one and there is a big difference!

Out of interest, if you don't mind me asking, what is that conclusion, please?

 

I've noticed that it is a bit chunky in terms of some of the detail, particularly ladders and the edge of the solebars, but haven't had a really good look at one. Something doesn't look quite right in the picture of it above, by the 20, but that could just be the angle of the photo. Could the barrel be a touch small?

 

I like the idea of the axleboxes travelling in the W irons, but don't like the idea of whitemetal W irons. I'll have to take a closer look at the Bristol show in January.

[brian daniels]

Well Pugsley it looks like the barrels are a bit undersized to me.

 

I did not know but JLTRT have done a token catcher for the diesels. So I have tried one in the 20 recess and must say it looks very good. Now this 20029 only has the lower part of the token equipment left so it was out with the cutters and file to make the version I need. So at the moment I have my MkI on one side and this Mk2 on the other. Now have to decide which to do for both sides.

[richard carr]

Brian

 

I thought it is was one of CPLs, you can't beat their couplings, its well worth spending the extra £10 on to get the look right.

 

The class 20 is looking really good.

 

Richard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The coupling Richard is by CPL but put in the JLTRT hook thats supplied as that fits nicely in the bufferbeam.

 

Tim on my 20 I got Howes to make sure I have light functions on F6,7,11,12. F8 will toggle through 4 steps of volume and F9 is shunt mode. F0 is the standard forward/reverse light function and F2-5 are sounds. F6,7 are the tail lights, F11 cab light and F12 the instrument lights (F10 doesn't do anything). On my 26 I have F2-4 are horns, F5, 6 for the tail lights, F7 seagull!, F8 Volume, F9 shunt, F10-11 sealed beam headlights and F12 one cab light. Unfortunatley I don't think you can have all the sounds and a lot of functions but on the 26 I have 5 light functions which is enough. Don't forget you can put both cab lights on one function button.

[Pugsley]

Well Pugsley it looks like the barrels are a bit undersized to me.

That's what I wondered, looking at the photo of yours by the 20. Ironically, that might make it suitable for a little project that I have in mind - would you be able to measure the barrel diameter, please? It'd be a great help if you could.

[brian daniels]

Barrels are 56mm Pugsley

[Pugsley]

Thanks Brian. So that scales out to 2436mm, which is smaller than the 2676mm diameter barrel of the average class A TTA. Fortunately, it is a mere 3 inches more than the diameter of the tank I have in mind, approx 2mm in 7mm scale, so that's really quite useful!

 

I'll definitely be having a closer look at them in January now.

[brian daniels]

I have been doing a little bit more to 20029 recently. I decided to go for the brass JLTRT token casting instead of the plastic one I had. These are now glued in place as is the cab to the hood. I have also made the pipes that run from the front of the cab olong the top of the solebar. The picture I have of 20029 showing these pipes unfortunatly does not show where they go to along the top of the solebar so I guessed that bit but if anyones knows then I will change it. Extra pipes/conduit has been done around the battery boxes. All that's left is the sanding and air pipes on the bogies. There is no rush to finish this as it's a bit too cold to paint it at the moment anyway.

[HealeyMills]

Fantastic - as always! I wish I could work as fast as you and achieve the same results.

 

Cheers

Lee

[Hal Nail]

Brian,

 

Going back a few pages to your 47 and the modifications to the centre tanks, which I think is worth it incidentally, I suspect the cut away at the bottom of the tanks is at too little angle as originally modelled as well. If you look at the real thing, underneath 'disappears' further under the loco? Bit hard to describe! The outer two tanks would be easier to cut/file back to a shallower angle, the inners between the two batteries less so. I thought I'd see if I could tempt you to try before I touch mine!

 

The most glaring problem for me is the cab face though and it is the 'harsh' cab windows which really grate. I've had a go at these by adding a little filler in each corner and then filing to create easier curves. Although this means the frame is franctionally thicker there, if viewed from close up, overall it looks much better. Besides you can always file it out again if not happy. Having tried this I also added a little filler to the bottom edge and filed to create the very subtle curve from the centre down towards outside corner - I can't decide if this actually exists on the real thing or is an illusion but in photos it clearly looks curved from most angles. I'm very happy with this - other than the tiny problem that I now have to re-glaze it!

 

Finally sorry if I'm being dim but I didn't grasp where you got the etched steps from?

 

Cheers

Ian

[brian daniels]

Hi Ian and welcome to the forum I see The cab steps are from Pete Harvey, his add appears on here randomly. As to the cab windows, yes they are a bit "square" aren't they I wonder if it's worth asking Pete Harvey if he could do an etched window frame with the slight curve on it? I keep looking at mine and I think I put too much of a curve into the handrail under those windows which is making the lack of a curve on the window frames look worse. Something to sort out later I think. With the tanks I am happy to leave it at just narrowing them. If you want to go the whole hog MMP does replacements. Any chance you could put a picture up of what you are doing with yours

[Rugd1022]

Brian,

 

Going back a few pages to your 47 and the modifications to the centre tanks, which I think is worth it incidentally, I suspect the cut away at the bottom of the tanks is at too little angle as originally modelled as well. If you look at the real thing, underneath 'disappears' further under the loco? Bit hard to describe! The outer two tanks would be easier to cut/file back to a shallower angle, the inners between the two batteries less so. I thought I'd see if I could tempt you to try before I touch mine!

 

The most glaring problem for me is the cab face though and it is the 'harsh' cab windows which really grate. I've had a go at these by adding a little filler in each corner and then filing to create easier curves. Although this means the frame is franctionally thicker there, if viewed from close up, overall it looks much better. Besides you can always file it out again if not happy. Having tried this I also added a little filler to the bottom edge and filed to create the very subtle curve from the centre down towards outside corner - I can't decide if this actually exists on the real thing or is an illusion but in photos it clearly looks curved from most angles. I'm very happy with this - other than the tiny problem that I now have to re-glaze it!

 

Finally sorry if I'm being dim but I didn't grasp where you got the etched steps from?

 

Cheers

Ian

 

Hi Ian and welcome to the forum

 

Regarding the 47 cab front... do these help at all.... is it the slightly raised bit directly beneath the frame you're refering to, or the curve on the ledge itself?

 

(47 105 on the Glos & Warks line)

 

Cheers,

Nidge.

[boxbrownie]

Looking at this over and over, I know a lot of people say there is a discrepency in the Heljan loco nose and windows shape, but comparing with the real thing the big problem I see (along with many other models) is the window frames are just too thick (by necessity I would guess) the actual basic shape of the cab front looks pretty close to me.....would be nice to compare scans from 1:1 and 1:43 though, might lay this to rest once and for all.

I am sure if the window frames were to be thinned down there would be much less controversy over the cabs.

 

But then I am not worried if the driver had turn ups on his trousers or not!

[brian daniels]

Done a little more to the 20. Added the speedo cable and MU cabling from rubber tubing. Also made the sand pipes. I found a casting for an AWS reciever in the spares box from a DJH 31 so thought I might as well use it. It's a shame JLTRT don't do a casting for this. Trouble is though will it show when it's all black under there . I have also had a go at making the coupler banging plate thingy thats under the coupling. Well I have done the token recess so I thought a few more bits won't go amiss. Trouble is the other 3 20's I have done should get these mods as well, we will see. Nearly forgot, I have put the windy wipers on it as well. Still have to make a pair though for the front as JLTRT don't make the little un's.

 

Last thing now are the bogie air pipes which I absolutly hate doing

[boxbrownie]

Much as I do NOT want to do a JLTRT cl20.....that is looking quite splendiferous

 

I really must get on with my cl40 over the crimble break.....looking forward to loosing all the little castings on the shed floor

[Hal Nail]

Gents,

 

Thanks for the replies and those 47 shots - absolutely perfect.

 

Funnily enough I was about to say that I'm surprised no one has done an etch as it seems a simple (or maybe not?) solution and given this area has been commented on a fair bit presumably there are plenty of takers.

 

I actually drilled new holes for all the handrails (and then filled them and then drilled them and then filled them - there's probably a btter way of doing it!) to line the curve up with the nose.

 

Will post some pics when I get a chance - camera is elsewhere at the moment. I'm under no illusions that the standard is up to the stuff on here but the ideas might be useful.

 

Cheers

[brian daniels]

I am at present painting 20029 so in the mean time i have dug out a long stored project spurned on by all this talk about Easy-Build DMU's. This is a Westdale 128 that can be made with either style front. I am going to make this one of the Reading allocated units that in the dim and distant past I did drive I have just about done what I can on this at the moment. I have ordered some CPL corridor connections that should make the ends look better. Whilst this body looks like a 128 the underframe is a bit lacking in the castings being of the correct style But I just want to get it out of the way so it's going together with what was supplied or else it will get stored again! The headcode boxes and exhaust pipes are only Blue-Tacked on at the moment untill the corridor connection is sorted.

[Ressaldar]

Hi Brian,

 

looking good as ever. Have you replaced the double doors from the supplied whitemetal ones with plastic/resin ones? I must get another of these kits, as I still have a set of Post Office transfers to use for 55994.

 

regards

 

Mike

[the penguin of doom]

Hi Brian.

 

Some nice models here. I've just read page twelve, but I will have to take the time to catch up from page one.....

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[DavidB]

I am going to make this one of the Reading allocated units that in the dim and distant past I did drive

Love the 128 Brian - RG's W55991 and W55992 were favourites of mine from my earliest spotting days, as per the attached picture (from the Old RMWeb) of me at the ripe old age of 2 in a red woolly hat enjoying the Leyland Albions ticking over in platform 5 at Didcot in 1967.

 

 

I recently bought a part-finished Westdale 128 off eBay, which will also become one of Reading's duo. I'm looking forward to seeing your version finished - proper tatty banger blue, I hope? They looked far too flash for me in their final shiny Post Office red!

 

David

[brian daniels]

Well Mike the resin doors were as supplied in the kit.Must have bought this one when they were in their process of doing resin bits as the MkI's have resin ends now instead of the ally ones.

 

That's a cracking picture David. Now is that rail blue or this "other" shade that only seems to show in pictures Do you have anymore pictures of these 128's?

 

This one I am doing will be banger blue with dominoes, can't be doing with all these tecnicolour liveries

 

I have finished the chassis bar 2 buffers at one end and a speedo which will have to try and get hold of. It also neds some steps on the bogies.

[Ressaldar]

 

This one I am doing will be banger blue with dominoes, can't be doing with all these tecnicolour liveries

 

. It also neds some steps on the bogies.

 

 

Hi Brian,

 

come on, you know that you like a challenge

 

Dick Taylor does the steps but as 'extras' to the kit, like the buffer beam detail, which incidently is for one beam only!!

 

Looking forward to seeing the progress.

 

regards

 

Mike

[Pete Harvey]

David

 

Yes that is a great picture is that you in the push chair?

 

Brian

 

It could be garter blue.

 

Pete