Chuffnell Regis

[Graham T]

I've also been painting a few figures obviously, and so Dukedog 3206 finally has a crew and can stop doing Marie Celeste impressions.  Although I see from the photo that I need to repaint the driver's cap; seems that the final dark wash I put on the figures have given him a two-tone hat.

 

 

 

I've also been doing a little more work on the ancient Hornby clerestories, as I thought they might make suitable partners for 3206.  So I added a magnet in the corridor connection, some cosmetic screw link couplers between the coaches, and a real one at the locomotive end.  I also added vac pipes and a cover over the corridor connector to hide the magnet.  And that's it for today!

 

 

PS  Yes I've moved the lamp since taking the pictures!

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Graham T

[Kevin Johnson]

Graham nice figure painting, are the figures from Modelu.👍

[Graham T]

7 minutes ago, Kevin Johnson said:

Graham nice figure painting, are the figures from Modelu.👍

The guard is from Modelu, and the engine crew are Hardy’s.

 

[Graham T]

Not much happening at Chuffnell R this morning, but I did manage to successfully open up the Collett Goods tender and add an enclosure for its speaker.  It was a tad on the quiet side before, as some numpty assembled the loco without the enclosure...  Strangely enough, it now sounds much better!

 

I also took a couple of pics earlier, as the sun was shining on the layout.  I do like that first view, might have to try it with a loco at the platform even!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by Graham T

[Graham T]

Hope you're enjoying the Bank Holiday 🙂

 

Although I'm sure that I'll veer off on another tangent soon, this morning I've been staying with the locomotive theme.  Today's victim is the Oxford Rail Dean Goods.  Like a few people here, I think, I've had mixed experiences with this loco.  The first one was such an appalling runner that it was eventually exchanged; the vendor assured me that the replacement had been tested and ran fine for them, and indeed it was a better runner - although not great.  Mind you the Bodgeit and Scarper permanent way at Chuffnell R might be a contributing factor there.

 

Anyway.  The loco wasn't sound fitted, so I ordered a Zimo MS480R from Youchoos, along with a (rather whopping) speaker, and eventually decided to attack the task.  A quick look under the bonnet revealed that there's not enough room in the tender for what I had in mind, so out came the razor saw and files.

 

 

 

As you can see, the speaker enclosure is a bit of a beast, and it obviously wouldn't fit into the existing housing, so I removed that to free up some space.  I also removed any extra wiring from the decoder (for lighting and so on).

 

 

 

A quick test fit - using shoehorns - suggested that everything could indeed be crammed into the tender, apart from the stay-alive.

 

 

So the decoder and speaker were both black-tacked into place.  I removed the wires that the speaker came with, trimmed the wires from the decoder, and then soldered direct to the speaker.  This again saves space, and means that there's no need to join wires, and then also use heat-shrink to protect the joints.

 

 

All that remained was to nail the loco and tender back together, and take them for a spin (remembering to take any other locos off the layout, and to disconnect the fiddle yard, before setting up the new decoder!)  I'm pleased to say that, as I expected, the Zimo decoder is a vast improvement on the one originally fitted by Oxford Rail - something from AE Model (who?)  And the sound is rather good too!  I'd still like to fit a stay-alive though, so am considering this as a possible solution.  Any thoughts please?

 

 

I'm thinking that I could hold it and the wiring in pace with black-tack, then make a mound over the stay-alive using blue-tack, before painting that and adding real coal on top...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Harlequin]

Hi Graham,

 

Really interesting. If you can get yours going reliably I may have another look at mine! (Someone on here posted a really simple solution to make the Dean Goods run better - but I can't remember who or where offhand.)

 

The metal plate on the speaker is, I believe, the diaphragm - i.e. the bit that moves and makes the sound. So it's important that this is not trapped or glued to anything.

 

If you have the diaphragm facing up then it's free to move and moreover it sends the sound up directly towards the listener instead of through the frame and bouncing up again off the track.

 

If you use big lumps of Welsh steam coal supported on a mesh to cover the speaker, and possibly the stay alive, there are enough gaps for it to act as a speaker grille while still hiding the gubbins.

 

Edit: I found my thread about my Dean Goods sound installation here: 

 

 

But all the photos are gone...

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by Harlequin

[Harlequin]

Different loco but the same principle:

 

[Andy Keane]

6 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

Different loco but the same principle:

 

That is a really neat trick for a speaker cover. Definitely one to keep in mind.

[Graham T]

2 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Hi Graham,

 

Really interesting. If you can get yours going reliably I may have another look at mine! (Someone on here posted a really simple solution to make the Dean Goods run better - but I can't remember who or where offhand.)

 

The metal plate on the speaker is, I believe, the diaphragm - i.e. the bit that moves and makes the sound. So it's important that this is not trapped or glued to anything.

 

If you have the diaphragm facing up then it's free to move and moreover it sends the sound up directly towards the listener instead of through the frame and bouncing up again off the track.

 

If you use big lumps of Welsh steam coal supported on a mesh to cover the speaker, and possibly the stay alive, there are enough gaps for it to act as a speaker grille while still hiding the gubbins.

 

Edit: I found my thread about my Dean Goods sound installation here: 

 

 

But all the photos are gone...

 

 

1 hour ago, Harlequin said:

Different loco but the same principle:

 

 

Thanks for those Phil.  I'd seen your thread before actually, no doubt when I was trying to sort out my Dean Goods before.  Sorting out chuff rates is something else that I need to get my head around at some point.

 

I like your idea of using mesh; where did you source it, and how did you fix the coal?  CA glue?

 

I've just gone for the blue-tack route on mine, along with some plasticard at the front of the tender, and after a test the loco is still more than LOUD enough 🙂

 

 

 

Next stage will be to add the coal and some screw link couplings, followed by paint and then a crew.

 

[BWsTrains]

9 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Really interesting. If you can get yours going reliably I may have another look at mine! (Someone on here posted a really simple solution to make the Dean Goods run better - but I can't remember who or where offhand.)

 

The metal plate on the speaker is, I believe, the diaphragm - i.e. the bit that moves and makes the sound. So it's important that this is not trapped or glued to anything.

 

There was an entire topic on here on the woes of the later release(s) of OR Dean Goods. I still bear the scars!

 

It took me two goes to get one that operated well, without jumping like a kangaroo. This after the kind folk at "Rails" tested several to find a smooth operating one. I have videos somewhere I can resurrect but key point IIRC is it does seem to have been mostly mechanical not electrical issues.

 

My saga was not over, I'd bought a factory installed sound system model and it blew after about a year, thanks to a screw left in during assembly, magnetically held against that foil membrane. OR replaced the whole DCC / speaker for me.

 

Finally at least one possibly more others here reported motors shorting under load and finding yet a different way to wreck the Sound DCC system.

 

My Solution: DCC Sound swapped out into my Collett Goods, bog standard DCC into Dean, now reserved for only lightest duties. The whole saga is earmarked for a prominent chapter in my forthcoming memoirs  "Reminiscences of a small wheelbase Railway Model Operator" (with apologies to Edwin Lefevre)

 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by BWsTrains

[57xx]

10 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Really interesting. If you can get yours going reliably I may have another look at mine! (Someone on here posted a really simple solution to make the Dean Goods run better - but I can't remember who or where offhand.)

 

Same as BWsTrains, Rails took 3 goes to get a decent one to me, they phoned me up for the third and asked what specific tests I would like them to run before sending it. 

 

One think I noticed is that the middles wheels on the bad runners were not touching the track, most easily seen by running them in a bit and seeing no wear on the tread. The 3rd one, you could see slight wear, but still not 100%. I've never got round to fixing it, I was thinking of filing the bearing slots so it had proper 6 wheel drive.

 

i seem to recall some people had issues with drag on the tender pickups, though mine weren't ever that bad.

[Harlequin]

8 hours ago, Graham T said:

 

 

Thanks for those Phil.  I'd seen your thread before actually, no doubt when I was trying to sort out my Dean Goods before.  Sorting out chuff rates is something else that I need to get my head around at some point.

 

I like your idea of using mesh; where did you source it, and how did you fix the coal?  CA glue?

 

 

 

Setting chuff rates with Zimo decoders is much easier than with ESU - but it can still frazzle your brain a bit! I have a hard time trying to work out if the chuffs are too slow or too fast when they are nearly in sync with the wheels.

 

The mesh is "insect mesh" used in house building to stop pests getting into ventilation spaces. The coal is fixed with Copydex because it seemed a good idea to have something "softer" in the sound path... Not sure that really makes any sense and I should probably try CA but using Copydex to hold the mesh in the tender does allow it to be removed completely with no sign it was ever there, if needed. It takes a few passes to get the density of coal you want, filling in gaps, pushing bits down and pulling off bits that won't lie naturally.

 

[MrWolf]

Interesting experiences. I very nearly bought a DC OR Dean Goods from the model shop at Carnforth station as he had it running in nicely on a demonstration track.

 

Unfortunately the B33 decided that it didn't like it's rear tyre anymore in the middle of Preston, so the money went on a new Dunlop K70 instead.

 

Probably just as well. I think, given that I have er, several... I will stick with and detail the 1980s "washing machine full of nails" versions until they blow up and I'll put in a new chassis with loco drive.

 

[Kevin Johnson]

16 hours ago, Graham T said:

 

 

Thanks for those Phil.  I'd seen your thread before actually, no doubt when I was trying to sort out my Dean Goods before.  Sorting out chuff rates is something else that I need to get my head around at some point.

 

I like your idea of using mesh; where did you source it, and how did you fix the coal?  CA glue?

 

I've just gone for the blue-tack route on mine, along with some plasticard at the front of the tender, and after a test the loco is still more than LOUD enough 🙂

 

 

 

Next stage will be to add the coal and some screw link couplings, followed by paint and then a crew.

 

Graham can I ask which Dean goods locomotive this is. BTW I like the improvements you have made.

[Neal Ball]

Morning @Graham T and Phil @Harlequin - I too had issues with my OR Dean Goods in common with many on here. My first issue was that I couldn't get into the tender to add the decoder!

 

When I took it back to Gaugemaster - they couldn't get in - we tried 3 before we could open it up. Other issues of course followed....

 

I would suggest taking a lot more of the coal space out to get that stay alive in. Remove as much as you possibly can. Btw I haven't been able to find the metal mesh in Spain that Phil talks about. Everything here for Mozzies seems to be a flimsy plastic. So generally the original plastic coal goes back on with real coal added.

 

You would have thought, now that Hornby own Oxford Rail it would be ripe for a refit.... but of course I would also say that about the old 1980's Hornby Saint class 4-6-0 😎

[MrWolf]

Are Hornby going to be producing versions of the OR models or has it gone quiet?

[Graham T]

12 hours ago, BWsTrains said:

 

There was an entire topic on here on the woes of the later release(s) of OR Dean Goods. I still bear the scars!

 

It took me two goes to get one that operated well, without jumping like a kangaroo. This after the kind folk at "Rails" tested several to find a smooth operating one. I have videos somewhere I can resurrect but key point IIRC is it does seem to have been mostly mechanical not electrical issues.

 

My saga was not over, I'd bought a factory installed sound system model and it blew after about a year, thanks to a screw left in during assembly, magnetically held against that foil membrane. OR replaced the whole DCC / speaker for me.

 

Finally at least one possibly more others here reported motors shorting under load and finding yet a different way to wreck the Sound DCC system.

 

My Solution: DCC Sound swapped out into my Collett Goods, bog standard DCC into Dean, now reserved for only lightest duties. The whole saga is earmarked for a prominent chapter in my forthcoming memoirs  "Reminiscences of a small wheelbase Railway Model Operator" (with apologies to Edwin Lefevre)

 

 

 

11 hours ago, 57xx said:

 

Same as BWsTrains, Rails took 3 goes to get a decent one to me, they phoned me up for the third and asked what specific tests I would like them to run before sending it. 

 

One think I noticed is that the middles wheels on the bad runners were not touching the track, most easily seen by running them in a bit and seeing no wear on the tread. The 3rd one, you could see slight wear, but still not 100%. I've never got round to fixing it, I was thinking of filing the bearing slots so it had proper 6 wheel drive.

 

i seem to recall some people had issues with drag on the tender pickups, though mine weren't ever that bad.

 

My first one was awful.  I got it from The Model Centre.  They were good about exchanging it for me, as I think I mentioned.  But as I don't live in the UK returning stuff for exchange is something I prefer to avoid, as it costs me in postage charges and of course taxes when the item finally gets back to Austria...

 

[Graham T]

11 hours ago, Harlequin said:

 

Setting chuff rates with Zimo decoders is much easier than with ESU - but it can still frazzle your brain a bit! I have a hard time trying to work out if the chuffs are too slow or too fast when they are nearly in sync with the wheels.

 

The mesh is "insect mesh" used in house building to stop pests getting into ventilation spaces. The coal is fixed with Copydex because it seemed a good idea to have something "softer" in the sound path... Not sure that really makes any sense and I should probably try CA but using Copydex to hold the mesh in the tender does allow it to be removed completely with no sign it was ever there, if needed. It takes a few passes to get the density of coal you want, filling in gaps, pushing bits down and pulling off bits that won't lie naturally.

 

 

I've never tried fixing chuff rates, so will need to do some research first.  But good to hear that it's easier with Zimo (not that I'm surprised).  I'll have to get myself some Copydex, it's available over here fortunately.  Like many here, I expect, I have vivid memories of the stuff from school days!

 

I've glued the coal onto the white-tack mound in the Dean Goods with Roket card glue, which seems to have done the trick.  And this method has added a fair bit of weight to the tender, which can't hurt I suppose?

 

[Graham T]

3 hours ago, Kevin Johnson said:

Graham can I ask which Dean goods locomotive this is. BTW I like the improvements you have made.

 

It's the Oxford Rail one Kevin - now apparently owned by Hornby?  If you decide to get one, make sure you see it running first if possible!  As you can see, they are something of a mixed bag in terms of running quality.

 

[Graham T]

2 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Morning @Graham T and Phil @Harlequin - I too had issues with my OR Dean Goods in common with many on here. My first issue was that I couldn't get into the tender to add the decoder!

 

When I took it back to Gaugemaster - they couldn't get in - we tried 3 before we could open it up. Other issues of course followed....

 

I would suggest taking a lot more of the coal space out to get that stay alive in. Remove as much as you possibly can. Btw I haven't been able to find the metal mesh in Spain that Phil talks about. Everything here for Mozzies seems to be a flimsy plastic. So generally the original plastic coal goes back on with real coal added.

 

You would have thought, now that Hornby own Oxford Rail it would be ripe for a refit.... but of course I would also say that about the old 1980's Hornby Saint class 4-6-0 😎

 

Actually getting the tender opened up was one of the few problems that I didn't have!  And I did remove a lot of the tender interior, but still put the stay-alive on top - it seems to be hidden well enough though.  Just a well topped-up coal load!  I'll add some pics in a bit.

 

[BWsTrains]

59 minutes ago, Graham T said:

I've never tried fixing chuff rates, so will need to do some research first.  But good to hear that it's easier with Zimo (not that I'm surprised).

 

I've always used Zimo from Youchoos and they have straightforward instructions to adjust chuff rates. Never had any problem at all.

[Graham T]

Thanks Colin, that's encouraging.  Another job added to the to-do list!

 

[Graham T]

And a bit more of the typically glacial progress to be found here at Chuffnell R.  Here's the coal load in the Dean Goods.  Hopefully you can also see the results of the Mig dark wash over the green paintwork too?  I wanted this loco to look a bit harder worked, as it would have been about 40 years old in the timeframe I'm (very loosely) modelling.

 

 

I also added some lamp irons on the footplate, as I've seen in photos of the Dean Goods, and screw link couplings.  Next will be a mix of black and leather brown over all the black areas.  I'm inclined to paint all the brightwork too - the handrails and so on - as they seem a bit glaring as they are.  Any thoughts one way or the other?

 

Then some more weathering, of the chassis mainly, fire irons, and a crew.

 

[Graham T]

Speaking of old timers, this has been on repeat for the last few days at Chuffnell Towers.  Cracking!  (And, as they say, made to be played loud at low volume).

 

[Graham T]

Slowly but slowly...

 

Most of the blackwork has been painted this evening, and the brightwork too.  Now I need to wait for everything to dry a bit before I can reconnect the tender and loco, then spin the wheels a little so that I can finish painting the edges of them; I think that makes a big difference to the look of the engine.  I can see from the photos that I've missed the odd bit of the brightwork too.  I find it difficult painting stuff like that under an artificial light, as of course the paint is shiny too when you apply it!  That's my excuse anyway.  I'll re-attack in daylight...

 

 

 

I'm quite pleased with the grimy look so far.  I don't think it's too dirty though?  And the OR Dean Goods is nicely detailed, even if some (a lot?) of them run like three-legged dogs.  And it's nice to see a manufacturer who can make a tender where the brake shoes actually have a fighting chance of making contact with the wheels!

 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Graham T