Exhill Works and other adventures in 7/8ths

[John Besley]

4 hours ago, Ruston said:

I saw this in the latest BRM and then discovered it on here. I love the detail and the weathering. The one thing that could be improved upon are the figures - they are very cartoon-like. I think that with some Modelu figures instead it would be almost impossible to tell if the photos are of a model or the real thing.

 

Many thanks for the comments Dave,

 

There is a bit of background to the figures I use, Wayyyy back when I stumbled into 7/8ths modelling back in 2009 the main provider of figures in our scale was Rob Bennett of Busy Bodies, at the same time I was starting to rebuild Wilesco traction engines and provide parts for these as well, at the time Robs figures where spot on to give a sense of scale to what was essentially a steam powered toy so having started down this road I felt they fitted and help set the scale to work to.

It was comparatively recently I started on an alternative to a 7/8ths garden railway with working with 00 track and rebuilding Wren R1 chassis for the two locomotive and rolling stock that now is part of Exhill works, Model Earth also provide their range of figurers as Short Staff these are designed to complement Busy Bodies. A true to scale 7/8th figure is actually taller than the ones I currently use Rob created the cartoon style and this has developed a following as has Model Earth, My view is that Exhill Works is bit Whimsical and allows me not to take life too seriously.

 

Having said which your comments are interesting and need thinking through if only to try the idea for photos …. now there's a thought... just suppose... id only need a couple of figures … 

 

Ill look into this as an idea, the only thing that has held me back is if the figures are available in 4 & 7mm then they would be the same as most model railways, would Modelu provide heads only?

 

Be interesting to gauge what others think 

 

[John Besley]

Well Hello to 2023... 

 

Been an interesting year at Exhill Works, we've gone from 3 pages to now 9 with 28 followers from 10 last year

 

This time last year the backscene was being painted and the Corner Shop built, during the past year the track has been laid, scenery done (it's never complete there's always more to do) more rolling stock created and a restart on the Tinkerbell project oh and the BRM article.

 

So what to look forward to this year... the Tinkerbell build will be hopefully completed, some additional rolling stock built, the Bullied Pacific chassis started for the workshop, maybe a traction engine built as a load.

 

One major event on the horizon which may change everything is an expected house move to cater for my aged Father, will this mean that Exhill may resurface in a different format? who knows, it has been designed to be dismantled into three separate boards as all the structures are free standing and can be reused if we completely rebuild everything - who knows what space I will have, BUT I do need to have a workshop for the traction engine parts and rebuilds etc. so rest assured Exhill WILL resurface.

 

In the mean time we aren't on the market yet so normal service is the order of the day - watch this space

 

Once again Id like to thank you all for following the adventures at Exhill, please join in and help with comments, discussions, feel free to point out where I am going wrong etc, but above all join in

 

Here's to 2023 🥳 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

46 minutes ago, John Besley said:

 

Many thanks for the comments Dave,

 

There is a bit of background to the figures I use, Wayyyy back when I stumbled into 7/8ths modelling back in 2009 the main provider of figures in our scale was Rob Bennett of Busy Bodies, at the same time I was starting to rebuild Wilesco traction engines and provide parts for these as well, at the time Robs figures where spot on to give a sense of scale to what was essentially a steam powered toy so having started down this road I felt they fitted and help set the scale to work to.

It was comparatively recently I started on an alternative to a 7/8ths garden railway with working with 00 track and rebuilding Wren R1 chassis for the two locomotive and rolling stock that now is part of Exhill works, Model Earth also provide their range of figurers as Short Staff these are designed to complement Busy Bodies. A true to scale 7/8th figure is actually taller than the ones I currently use Rob created the cartoon style and this has developed a following as has Model Earth, My view is that Exhill Works is bit Whimsical and allows me not to take life too seriously.

 

Having said which your comments are interesting and need thinking through if only to try the idea for photos …. now there's a thought... just suppose... id only need a couple of figures … 

 

Ill look into this as an idea, the only thing that has held me back is if the figures are available in 4 & 7mm then they would be the same as most model railways, would Modelu provide heads only?

 

Be interesting to gauge what others think 

 

Hi John, it’s an interesting thought - having followed Exhill Works since it was in the Narrow Gauge Forum, I guess I’ve got used to the ‘cartoon’ style of the figures as part of the wonderfully immersive experience this layout offers. My thought is that it might change the character of the layout quite a bit if you swapped the figures for Modelu (or equivalent), so one suggestion could be to try a scene with a replacement figure.  Take a few photos - and see if you like it.  Just a thought, Keith.

[Graham T]

I have the feeling that the figures are supposed to be that way - it's part of their charm.  

 

 

[John Besley]

8 hours ago, Ruston said:

I saw this in the latest BRM and then discovered it on here. I love the detail and the weathering. The one thing that could be improved upon are the figures - they are very cartoon-like. I think that with some Modelu figures instead it would be almost impossible to tell if the photos are of a model or the real thing.

 

2 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Hi John, it’s an interesting thought - having followed Exhill Works since it was in the Narrow Gauge Forum, I guess I’ve got used to the ‘cartoon’ style of the figures as part of the wonderfully immersive experience this layout offers. My thought is that it might change the character of the layout quite a bit if you swapped the figures for Modelu (or equivalent), so one suggestion could be to try a scene with a replacement figure.  Take a few photos - and see if you like it.  Just a thought, Keith.

 

Its interesting to see the reaction - I can see the point in Dave's comment and will look into this as an option photographically

 

2 hours ago, Graham T said:

I have the feeling that the figures are supposed to be that way - it's part of their charm.  

 

Dont worry the existing residents of Exhill will always be there as well (others to follow at some point)

 

[John Besley]

Just looked at Modelu web site... all very nice … costed up a shed worker as an idea in 16mm this would be around £30.00 at a guess going by other prices for 3.1/2" scale guessing this will be about £40.00 for a 7/8ths 

 

Am tempted at some point as a one off but cant justify the cost at the moment - the figures I currently use cost me about £18.00 for a resin casting 

[John Besley]

This is / was the next phase after the hole in the wall building... and could have added to the operational interest as I said other events have now loomed on the horizon so will see how it works out.

 

 

 

The original idea was the track would come through the portion wall - which was going to have a traction engine boiler and spare parts built into it, bit like a 'ship in a bottle' then enter this section from a open fronted tractor shed onto a run round loop with a siding off this. The whole area would have been a concrete pad for ' Yer Tiz' to stand on when required.

[John Besley]

And jn other news here we are in BRM, Thank you Andy 

 

[John Besley]

WESTCOUNTRY WITH A DIFFERENCE 

 

While the Tinkerbell build is carring on slowly I came across a Hornby Battle of Britain that sparked an old idea again...

 

Some time back I thought about building a 10.1/4" Westcountry, having hunted up a couple of old Airfix BoB kit along with a Kemilway Chassis kit I brought back in around 1976/78, so today having a couple of spare tender kits knocked up one with a false floor to get an idea of what I have in mind.

 

 

 

To keep with the theme I am contemplating using the Chassis kit and a HLK gearbox and motor along with a number of etched detail parts available on this build - sprung buffers, brass front foot steps, wide cab, etc. The cab will have a scale backhead in keeping with a live steam loco along with a cut back cab roof for access to the controls.

 

Watch this space...

 

I really must try to finish one job at a time...

 

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by John Besley

[John Besley]

Back onto the Tinkerbell build now...

 

The last couple of week saw the footplate cut open for the footwell and a section of nickel silver sheet cut and folded to form three sides of the footwell this was silver soldered in place, then the angle brackets cut for the buffer beams and soldered in place, these are for when I get the engine on its wheels so I can set up these for the buffer beams to be fitted to and then the correct coupling height can be worked out.

 

A length of fine L angle was soldered to the running plate and then the chequered plate cut and folded up for the footwell base with a support bracket silver soldered to the plate first.

 

There is still some cleaning up of solder and adjustment to be done...

 

 

[John Besley]

Marked out and cut out the aperture for the motor to protrude through the running plate and soldered a couple of 8BA nuts in place to secure the chassis to the running plate.

 

 

Set up and drilled a centre hole for the pony truck – this pivots from the bottom of the footwell – will see how the pony truck works as I am using the resin casting from the original kit, might have to fabricate my own to give it some weight.

 

 

Drilled a couple of holes each side in the cylinders to fit some drain cocks – when I make them...

Then set about fine tuning the bushes for the front compensating axle and assembled this, next off assembled the rear axle set up and threaded this through the frames along with getting the wheels on the axle and final drive gear with shim in place – bit of a three handed operation somehow it got done without too many naughty words...

 

 

This is what Tinkerbell looks like on the track, pleased to see that at the moment despite a lot of overhang the weight is balanced, even with the brass running plate might have to add some lead to counterbalance.

 

 

The other point this exercise threw up relates to coupling – buffer beam dimensions I expect I will have to resort to making a running wagon with different buffer heights, bearing in mind that a Tinkerbell is designed for passenger haulage on miniature railways.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by John Besley

[John Besley]

These are rather timely in showing what I am sort of aiming for my version will be slightly different but this is the Granddaddy of them all (if a female named loco can be called a Granddaddy)… Enjoy 

 

First off the original in 1968

 

 

Then the Moors Valley Railway with Tinkerbell 

 

 

 

[John Besley]

Fabricated a set of buffer beams from 60thou brass, silver soldered the brass chopper coupling mounts in place and added a set of dummy rivets, the rear buffer beam is intently higher to in my mind give some protection to the back of the cab area.

 

 

As can be seen the difference in the works coupling heights and the miniature railway set up, requiring a barrier wagon to solve this issue

 

 

 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

3 hours ago, John Besley said:

Fabricated a set of buffer beams from 60thou brass, silver soldered the brass chopper coupling mounts in place and added a set of dummy rivets, the rear buffer beam is intently higher to in my mind give some protection to the back of the cab area.

 

 

As can be seen the difference in the works coupling heights and the miniature railway set up, requiring a barrier wagon to solve this issue

 

 

 

Hi John, my guess would be a small ‘barrier’ wagon might be quite common in this type of works setting - somewhere to carry a toolbox, re-railing bars, and other essentials around too (lunch / flask, etc..).  Looking good, Keith.

[John Besley]

26 minutes ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Hi John, my guess would be a small ‘barrier’ wagon might be quite common in this type of works setting - somewhere to carry a toolbox, re-railing bars, and other essentials around too (lunch / flask, etc..).  Looking good, Keith.

 

That's pretty much what I was thinking, at some point I want to build another loco ... really would love to find an outside frame 0-6-0 chassis preferably with Walschaerts valve gear and bigger wheels, not sure what might be available from America for 3' narrow gauge as a bassis... or a chassis kit

[John Besley]

As an alternative a USA Dock tank would be a nice start ... but the only one I remember seeing was the Rivarossi version that had wheels like a pizza cutter... can't remember what the chassis was like as it could be of use by changing the wheels 

 

Other than that Roundhouse MDC kits where usefull - built one or two that worked well back in late '79 - 81' think they did a Dock tank

 

Are Roundhouse MDC kit's still available?

 

NOTE TO SELF...

Finish off what you've started first...

[Keith Addenbrooke]

32 minutes ago, John Besley said:

 

Are Roundhouse MDC kit's still available?

Me again, sorry.  I think you’re looking at second hand for a Roundhouse / MDC kit (I think Athearn now own the brand but no longer make the locomotive kits).  They are still around though, and in your hands it’d be good to see what could be done.

 

Have a good weekend, Keith,

[John Besley]

1 hour ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Me again, sorry.  I think you’re looking at second hand for a Roundhouse / MDC kit (I think Athearn now own the brand but no longer make the locomotive kits).  They are still around though, and in your hands it’d be good to see what could be done.

 

Have a good weekend, Keith,

 

No worries Keith,

it's good to have some input from others, however I guess the secondhand market for these is going to be the otherside of the pond ... maybe a USA model train show... no idea how I am going to find them from this side.

 

I've looked on eBay for these for some time now without any luck and trawled through Walthers online catalogue.

 

When I modelled a USA shoreline back in the 80's Victors of Pentonville Road was my usual first call. Otherwise post from Walthers.... back in the day when you had to ring the US in the evening to get hold of them, then wait for a posted order acknowledgment requesting payment, go down to the bank to do a wired money transfer...

 

Oh well I'll keep hopeing 

[Graham T]

There a quite a few RMweb members based in the US, perhaps one of them would help you find what you’re looking for?

 

[John Besley]

1 hour ago, Graham T said:

There a quite a few RMweb members based in the US, perhaps one of them would help you find what you’re looking for?

 

 

Hmm now thats a thought, I suppose I could put out an appeal for any USA members....

[CameronL]

2 hours ago, John Besley said:

Hmm now thats a thought, I suppose I could put out an appeal for any USA members....

Hi John.

 

Have you seen JZ's thread: D&RGW narrow gauge: Back to scenics? He's this side of the pond (Somerset) but models American HON3 and gets US stuff for his layout on a regular basis. He might be worth asking, especially as he's in the UK and has a lot of experience in getting items here from the US. 

 

(It's also worth a look for some breathtaking scenic modelling).

 

Best wishes.

 

Cam

Edited February 11, 2023 by CameronL
Added a bit

[John Besley]

9 hours ago, CameronL said:

Hi John.

 

Have you seen JZ's thread: D&RGW narrow gauge: Back to scenics? He's this side of the pond (Somerset) but models American HON3 and gets US stuff for his layout on a regular basis. He might be worth asking, especially as he's in the UK and has a lot of experience in getting items here from the US. 

 

(It's also worth a look for some breathtaking scenic modelling).

 

Best wishes.

 

Cam

 

Many thanks for the tip, I am following his thread so as to keep a contact 'live' otherwise I'll forget ... 

 

Just realised I have a K's 0-6-0 chassis frame kit knocking about... now if I made up some 7mm / 0n30 frame spacers these could become outside frames... then find a set of cylinders and valve gear... food for thought

 

REMINDER TO SELF... FINISH ONE JOB AT A TIME...

 

You have two traction engines to complete first... 

[John Besley]

Psst Guv that nice Mr Cuneo is going to be visiting shortly... shall I find the works cat to get rid of the...

 

[John Besley]

Bit more work on the Tinkerbell build now...

 

Carefully filed down a couple of spare top hat bushes to act as spacers to keep the drive axle central between the frames , this now gives 0.25mm end float allowing the axle to revolve freely when attached to the final drive gear and gives 1.72mm equal each side for the crank web.

 

 

Washed the chassis side frames down in cleaner ready for etch primer so these can be painted before the motion is assembled further.

[John Besley]

One of the problems of a fairly involved project like the Tinkerbell build is unless your working on it all the time other ideas and projects bubble up ....

 

For some time now I'd been looking at how to build a larger diesel loco... finding an old Lima Class 33 (brought second hand about 40 years ago) dug it out and weighed up the prospects...

 

Some 60thou plasticard and a couple of hours work and we have the makings of No 5  No4

 

 

Checking coupling heights

 

 

 

Checking for cab height

 

 

The engine covers taking shape

 

 

The cab roof was formed over a block of plywood with plasticard heated up in the oven and pressed into shape

 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by John Besley
Reshuffle photos