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

[two tone green]

Yes, very nice.

 

Got the window frames today from Easy Build to do my JLTRT BG. They do make a difference to it and so easy to fit. Even with the original glazing.

 

Bogies made up, body next.

[Webbo]

Thanks for the info Webbo but I think you meant to say HEA's and not HAA's with those numbers

Brian,

Just caught up with this thread again and you are quite right, I did mean HEA. Probably didn't read it before I posted.

Webbo

[ozzyo]

Hello Brian,

 

have you tried painting the sides in the flat then fitting the glazing and fitting them to the floor pan?

 

OzzyO.

[richard carr]

One job on my "to do" list week was to fit the windows in my latest JLTRT MkI. If you can remember I used Easybuild etched window frames on this coach which look great. But their clear moulded windows did not sit in very well. So I filed a bit off the top ans side and then they fitted a lot better. As you can see in the first picture there was a bit of a gap under the horizontal framework. This did reduce with a slightly smaller window after the filing. I glued the windows in with diluted Kristal Klear and a small brush to flood the inside of the window hole as the window moulding a bit smaller than the bodyside hole. I am pleased with the results. Looking at the pictures though it does look like the windows are scratched. Trust me they look ok in the flesh. I used up all the "No Smoking" window stickers on the HMRS sheet so had to use a set of the old triangulay ones in one seating bay. At about £20 a sheet, and these and the First Class stickers are all I use on it, I am not going to worry as the real coaches ended up with odd stickers at times. So at last another coach joins the rake, now 5 finished. Managed to get a couple of pictures of it outside between the rain,hail and snow showers here in Oxfordshire. For coach 6 I have an SK to do but am debating whether to use these window frames on it or not as glueing the Easybuild windows in when it's painted would be next to impossible on the coridoor side, it's ok putting the JLTRT windows in though. So I could leave the interior until the windows are in, pre-paint it and then glue it all in, tempting. I am soldering up a set of the etched bogies from these coaches at the moment (3 days work so far!) although these are for my first SO I did that has a set of old plain Cavalier Commonwealths under it for the time being. I am waiting for a set of JLTRT Commonwealths to go under the new SK and I will add some ETH boxes under the ends I think.

 

 

 

 

 

They look a lot better Brian but that looks like it adds a considerable amount of work to building one. I am sticking to building pre 58 version without the window frames, plenty of those survived into the 80s.

 

How did you do the lining ?

 

 

Richard

[brian daniels]

Ozzyo, I did do the sides and ends seperate on the MkII's as there is a nice door frame where the sides and ends meet. On the MkI's the side and end seam is a nice smooth corner which I think is easier to fill and rub down before painting.

 

Richard, it's not too much extra work, now I have done one I know what to do on the next one so they should be easier. The lining is the HMRS presfix stuff. I put it on in about 4 inch lengths. All the transfers on these coaches are from HMRS.

 

Brian

[brian daniels]

As my subtitle says I am onto a JLTRT class 17 at the moment I think I better show the latest bit done to it.

 

As I am doing the Derby Research 8598 I have had to put a set of jumper cables on one end and a little box next to it. Also added is the airpipe going down one side to a set of airbrake pipes on the bufferbeams (was this one duel braked?). The cab has been glued together and glued to the hoods. The whole assembly is screwed to the running plate now. I have to add 2 orange electrical conduits running down the solebar on the opposite side to the airpipe one. I have got the wheels and motors but I still need the wheel bearings from JLTRT to finish the bogies.Still waiting for the rest of the castings to finish it now though

 

I have had a good week off work and completed the JLTRT MkI SK in record time The interior is painted as well :locomotive:which I am waiting to put in after the windows are fitted after painting. The eagle eyed amongst you will no doubt have noticed that the vac cylinder is on the wrong side of the V hanger. This is because it will be having Commonwealth bogies on eventually and the straight sided V hanger and vac cylinder are round the other way on these. I decided to make this an end of the rake coach so I fitted a JLTRT dropped buckeye and I also sprung the buffers. I will be useing the supplied corridoor connector as well with a springy cardboard one on the other end. Weather is getting warmer this week so might even get some paint on it soon.

 

I picked up some CPL etched mirrors at Reading to go in the compos above the seats but does anyone know if you can get a casting for the lights that were either side of the mirror?

Edited December 18, 2011 by brian daniels

[Pete Harvey]

Brian

 

Are those working knuckle cuplers?

 

Pete

[Jon Fitness]

Oooh that Clayton's looking well Brian.

JF

[two tone green]

Brain, getting on with the BG and note that the buffers according to the destructions are retained in their stocks by a spring wire. Is the spring wire normally in the kit.

 

I have looked in the TPO kit I bought at the same time and there appears to be four coil springs but no spring wire. In fact I'm not sure what the springs are for.

 

The bogies are B1's so the springs are not for them.

 

One thing I have noticed about the kits is that the end walls need some work to make sure they fit into the roof when the sides are fitted. I found this out after I made up the sides and end walls all nice and square and then tried to offer it all up to the roof and the end walls are too high but if you file the top of the end wall down you lose the molded on riveted strip that goes around the top of the end walls. So I think I will have to work on the recess on the underside of the roof to make it all fit.

 

Shame as the rest of the model does not seem too bad so far. Got the Easy Build window frames & security bars which go nicely with it.

 

TPO is the same. Oh well, who said O gauge was simple.

[ozzyo]

Brian

 

Are those working knuckle cuplers?

 

Pete

 

Hello Pete,

 

yes the knuckle couplings do work.

 

OzzyO.

Edited December 19, 2011 by ozzyo

[brian daniels]

As Ozzyo has replied Pete, yes the couplings do work after a fashion. They can be lifted up and a lost wax pin inserted to retain it in the horizontal position. But one big problem with them is the knuckle does not open automatically when you try to join two together. You can "slot" two together but that defeats the object of a buckeye. I only use these for the outer coaches and use Kadee's for the other ends that are coupled up to each other.

 

TTG, I see you are finding out that these coaches need a little bit of TLC to put together! I have been filing off the bottom of the ends to lower it a bit and file the top off a little as well down to the rivets. Allso a bit extra to do is solder a couple of bits of strip on the footboards under the doors as there is nothing to locate them with. You will need to drill a couple of holes in the solebar to fit them as well. As you can see I use a CPL 1C GW Emergency Brake Telltale equipment on the end. Split pins are needed to locate the water filler pipe up the end. On the roof I use a small length of tube for the water filler pipe to locate into so I can remove it from the tube and take the roof off. I will take some close-up pics to show what I mean later. Also need a piece of Plastruct or brass L shape strip for the roof gutter strip by the water filler. There are a couple of castings for the water tank vents that are whitemetal. I brake off the pipe and replace with a bit of bent wire. It is a bit hit and miss where to put these vents as it's a job to get a picture showing the roof area around here clearly enough for all MkI coach types. I made my buffers work by inserting a spring inside. Then cut a slot horizontally in the locating boss on the back of the buffer housing. To stop the buffer rotating insert a piece of wire in the buffer shank that locates into the slot, a picture will follow! The ETH gear is from the DJH spares box. Nearly forgot to say one other little problem to overcome is the wheel tyre rubbing on the roof securing bolts as these are fitted off centre (god knows why). I recess the hole in the floor a little bit and file a little off the screw head, as they say, every little helps. I have also added a bit of plasticard between the bogie and floor to increase the gap.

 

Hope this helps and does not put you off as they are a nice coach when finished and I do actually like building them, well I have done 6 now and still look forward to doing another.

[Softvark]

I only use these for the outer coaches and use Kadee's for the other ends that are coupled up to each other.

 

Hi Brian, could I ask what sort of Kadees you are using? There seem to be so many! I've been using buckeyes on my JLTRT Mk1s but they are a fiddle and I think that Kadees would be a better solution.

 

Julian

[brian daniels]

Hi Julian

 

I am useing the plastic #804. You need to mill out a bit of the bufferbeam to fit the dragbox but it's no problem, just messy with this resin stuff. I just use a milling tool in my handheld dremel drill.

[brian daniels]

ok I have been taking a few close-ups of the MkI coach.

 

The first image shows the Westdale dynamo threaded through the underframe. To do this I cut the side strut and bent it just clear and threaded the dynamo over the underframe and then soldered the strut back together

 

 

CPL etched mirror placed on the compartment wall, still not fixed yet.

 

 

Hopefully this picture shows how sprung the buffers and stopped them from turning.

 

 

The next three show the buckeyes. The JLTRT ones do not auto couple unfortunatly. Also when you have coupled them they stretch out a long way. The last picture shows the Kadee's stretched out.

 

 

 

 

This picture shows the Kadee in it's slightly wider recess and fixed in with an 8ba bolt. Also shows the soldered on strips on the steps to fix them into the solebar and the roof fixing screw head slightly recessed.

 

 

This shows the waterfiller un-pluged from the little bit of tube so you can remove the roof.

 

 

For some reason one side does not have door hinges cast on but the other side does? So I have used some Easybuild ones on the plain side.

 

 

And lastly I just got fed up looking at those JLTRT window frames on the CK so I am soaking the joint and removeing them. I am painting a set of Easybuild etched frames and hope to glue these on instead. Should be fun putting the windows in later though.

 

Edited December 20, 2011 by brian daniels

[two tone green]

Brilliant Brian, thanks. Not sue the BG and TPO have water pipes etc but I could be wrong.

 

Odd about the off set screws, I noticed them last night as I was waiting for some glue to set on the BG.

 

The Easy Build window frames make such a difference. They just fall into place and the JLTRT windows still fit in, The glazing Easy Build sent is a bit small for the cutouts so will use the originals I think.

 

I'm in Cologne right next to the big rail river bridge on the other side to the main station. Great view out of the window so fully occupied watching the trains go by so no BG or TPO for the next few days.

 

 

But thanks again for the photos, hye will be good reference source.

[boxbrownie]

Nice close ups Brian, great to see the details.

 

TTG, when I stayed in Cologne I always tried to go for the APPARTEL AM DOM which looks directly out over the main station throat, great for passing a few hours when your bored away from home, and then go out drinking !

 

Good time of year there too with the Christmas fairs going on.

[ozzyo]

Hello Brian,

 

just one small point, why not put the captions above each photo. The off set screws, if both ends are offset to the same side you wont be able to put the roof on the wrong way round.

 

OzzyO.

[brian daniels]

Hello Brian,

 

just one small point, why not put the captions above each photo. The off set screws, if both ends are offset to the same side you wont be able to put the roof on the wrong way round.

 

OzzyO.

 

So that's what the "add to post" does

 

I can see what you mean about the roof Ozzyo when it's finished but when you buy the kits the roof is totally bare so it does not matter which way it goes on.

 

Just glued the Easybuild etched window frames onto the CK. It needs a bit of touching up with the paintbrush round the frames but I must admit it went better than I thought it would.

[two tone green]

The roof on the BG will only go one way due to the securing screws being at different distances from the ends. Same on the TPO and offset but it can only go one way anyway due to the cutout in it for the mail catcher etc. Would look silly the other way around.

 

I'm in the Hyatt Regency on the opposite bank to the station but you can see directly into the station throat and across the bridge nicley. The Dom Market is very good with some nice things to eat and drink, Hic !

 

Back via Brussels tomorrow and then Eurostar to London.

[ozzyo]

Hello all,

 

some of yous know me some of yous don't, I'm normal a loco builder so this may be a daft idea.

Could you build the sides and ends on to the roof and then fasten them on to to the floor pan? That way you are pulling a box down onto a floor and not pulling the roof onto a box.

 

It may work, it may not.

 

OzzyO.

[two tone green]

Yes OzzyO, that is one option and it may well work but some fettling will need doing the the bottom of the end walls then.

 

I think its a combination of the way the recess is created for the end wall to fit into that is on the underside of the coach roof and possibly the arch of the end walls being to high with the depth of the wall at the top being too much.

 

So with some care with correcting the recess a bit, trimming the top of the end walls, it will all fit together. It must as Brian has done it a few times now.

 

Its just disappointing that yet again the best scale reproduction models on the market are not quite that. We keep getting told they are the best and yes that may be in plastic but they are still not right and it's only the skills of people like Brian who make them as good looking as they are.

[brian daniels]

I have been busy during the down time on here building a JLTRT plywood van into an airbraked version with the help of some castings from Appleby. I still need some Slaters Oleo buffers and Exactoscale couplings to finish it.

 

I have also finished JLTRT coach number 6 so took them to a local running session over crimble for a test run with a Heljan 33.

 

I have got round the image loading by useing Imageshack by the looks of it

 

http://

 

 

 

http://

[Ian G]

I could of done with those castings when i built my 3 VEA's, but i still have enough for another 4.

 

Ian G

[boxbrownie]

Brian, bee-jeezuz thats a long train in "O".....so sad so few of us can replicate it! I think indoors for sure I will be limited to a couple of FNAs and a 108 vibrating at the platform waiting for a clear road.

 

Over the down time I am ashamed to say the only reason I ventured into the train shed was to retrieve a pair of scissors ( why do we call them a pair when clearly there is only one? )

 

So nothing happened here....although early in Jan I shall be in for a knee op so I will get a few weeks with any luck ONLY able to sit at the modelling table...wooohooo....

 

Happy New Year to you all.....

[brian daniels]

Oh good I just thought I would try a picture upload and I see we have lift off again

 

Here's a couple from the running session I had a couple of days ago. A nice little nuclear train with the Heljan 26 on it's way to Dounray?

 

I am the same as you David in that I too can't run a train indoors (welll apart from my US layout in the loft). Luckily I have built the railway round the garden but it's a bit brass monkeys standing outside this time of year. I have to go 25 miles to run on this indoor test track when it's put up.

 

I will add a couple of more pictures of the wagon conversion later.