2FS - Smokey Bacon

[Kris]

waiting for tree ideas etc!!!to wing there way to me.

Trees need to be planted not flown

 

Kris

 

p.s. sorry for making you have to work harder

 

 

[Calnefoxile]

Steve,

 

The way you're cracking on with this, when do you want our Exhibitions Manager (Geoff Endacott) to pencil this in for its debut at the Calne Show/Trainwest 2013 or 2014 or should we be really mean and say 2012

 

Actually you're fortunate, I think Trainwest 2012 is full already.

 

Many regards

 

Neal

Chairman

Bentley Model Railway Group.

[SteveBedding]

Steve,

 

The way you're cracking on with this, when do you want our Exhibitions Manager (Geoff Endacott) to pencil this in for its debut at the Calne Show/Trainwest 2013 or 2014 or should we be really mean and say 2012

 

Actually you're fortunate, I think Trainwest 2012 is full already.

 

Many regards

 

Neal

Chairman

Bentley Model Railway Group.

Neal,

 

Thanks for the optimistic encouragement, I'm only cracking on with the bits I'm comfortable with so far - I suspect I'll drop back to a snails pace when I start getting to the difficult bits ie all the work that changes a few bits of wood to a model railway... ... The target I've actually set myself is for the 2mmm Associations 60th Anniversary in 2020

 

As it happens, I'm looking forward to CMRS 11 so that I can get to see Chris Hewitt's EM version of Calne - I'm sure that he will have included some superb details that I can imitate. Also with Chris Leigh's Black Dog there it will be nice to see the next stage of the line - all it needs is for someone to have done Stanley Bridge Halt and the whole of the Calne Branch would have been represented.

[bcnPete]

... The target I've actually set myself is for the 2mmm Associations 60th Anniversary in 2020

 

Yo tambien

[Pilgrimsjulie]

Yes I know the trees need to be planted but in order for me to make some I need to have the bits....I am also hoping to start the buildings too!!! I hope to be there to see the CMRS 11 as well so long as I know the dates and can book the time off!!! I am looking forward to see more photos being posted on this as well to see how much has been done this weekend!!!

[Calnefoxile]

Neal,

 

As it happens, I'm looking forward to CMRS 11 so that I can get to see Chris Hewitt's EM version of Calne - I'm sure that he will have included some superb details that I can imitate. Also with Chris Leigh's Black Dog there it will be nice to see the next stage of the line - all it needs is for someone to have done Stanley Bridge Halt and the whole of the Calne Branch would have been represented.

 

Steve,

 

Well actually Black Dog Halt will be at the Chippenham Show at Sheldon next Saturday, http://www.chippenhammrs.org.uk/ as well as Hedges Hill Cutting, even though I'll be on Ashton Depot, (which is 'Orribly Oversize) do pop along, make yourself known and say hello.

 

Regards

 

Neal.

[SteveBedding]

Yo tambien

¿Qué?

 

Steve,

 

Well actually Black Dog Halt will be at the Chippenham Show at Sheldon next Saturday, http://www.chippenhammrs.org.uk/ as well as Hedges Hill Cutting, even though I'll be on Ashton Depot, (which is 'Orribly Oversize) do pop along, make yourself known and say hello.

 

Regards

 

Neal.

 

Neal,

 

I'm supposed to be going away for the weekend... ...however, if SWMBO permits , I'll swing by the show first thing Saturday morning before heading off and say Hi. (note to self - don't forget camera! )

[Geoff Endacott]

I hope to be there to see the CMRS 11 as well so long as I know the dates and can book the time off!

22 & 23 January 2011, www.calnemrs.org.uk .

 

Geoff Endacott

[Geoff Endacott]

Actually you're fortunate, I think Trainwest 2012 is full already.

No it isn't - there are only 12 layouts booked so far!

 

Geoff Endacott

[Clagmeister]

Steve,

 

Wow thats neat work! Puts my heath robinson base boards to shame. If the modelling is only half as good, it going to be spectacular. Looking forward to some 57XX's.

 

Claggy

[SteveBedding]

Thanks everyone for the comments and encouragement, it both extremely useful to discuss issues as the arrive and entertaining at the same time ; especially thanks to Geoff for giving SWMBO the dates for CMRS 11 - if she goes it means I can - without having to forfeit some form of penance...

 

Track-Bed (Continued 2)

 

Work on the boards has been progressing steadily with board 1 now structurally complete and matched with board 2. I had hoped to get a bit further but was diverted by having 2 growing teenagers home from school for the weekend. The boys (aka the Two Jimmy's - they think they are the the cultural descendants of Messrs Paige & Hendrix) set up their 'studio' upstairs which gave me the perfect excuse to hide in the garage... (actually they're were not too bad, but I had hoped that they would try a bit of Sabbath or AC/DC rather than Metalica which I don't know ) Anyway, it was not the music/noise (delete as appropriate) that caused the interruptions, rather the constant need to keep them fed - five loaves and three fishes wouldn't cut the mustard for that pair...

 

...Anyway, the progress...

 

The underside of the track-bed for board was was treated exactly the same as for board 2; the mirror image of the Templot plan was fixed and varnished and copper tape applied before the track-bed was fixed to the rest of the frame...

 

 

...this time it was easier as I had 'discovered' how to move the point of origin for printing the track plan and was able to produce the output as a single run A3 wide - so much better than trying to join up 2 alternating rows...

 

...Joining boards 1 and 2 turned out to be extremely easy. As I had planned (hoped) the assembly jig allowed for the two board to aligned together and I was able to fix the track-bed using board 2 as a reference...

 

 

...the top surface still needs its final sanding, but that'll wait until board 3 is in the same condition and they are all mounted on their legs.

 

A quick check of the underside gave reassurance that I had managed to mark the alignments correctly; the track plan on board 1 lined up perfectly with that of board 2 - and the straight lines still looked straight over the joint!

 

 

And lastly for those who may have noticed that the car in the background is different to normal, here's a bit of culture...

 

 

... unfortunately its not mine, but it does bring back fond memories of my Father's Moggies and Woodies.

 

Sadly, I expect progress to slow down over the next few weeks, finishing board 3 could take almost as long as 1 & 2 put together ; another training course next week, and railway shows at Chippenham, followed by Aldershot and Didcot (helping Mitzblue with Witney Euston) will limit my time available to get in the garage... ..oh well, I'll have to find some 'indoor' modelling to do in its place

[bcnPete]

¿Qué?

 

"I'm so sorry...he's from Barcelona" would be the appropriate response

 

The recent progress is great - I really admire the thinking through which has been done and well made baseboard construction will pay dividends long term. I reread your first posts again as I had forgot that there was a significant change in level either side of the incoming lines - its going to have a great 'train in the landscape' feel - look forward to see the next progess.

[Pilgrimsjulie]

Well I like the photos...all of them including moggy.... It really does seem to be progressing really well, a lot faster than what I thought was going to be happening at this stage as SWMBO was under the impression it wasn't going to be constructed just yet- though she doesn't mind!!!As for the remarks about not much progress being made for all the shows that are coming up well SWMBO is a tad jealous at the fact that she cannot come:( not only that but the visits to her seem to be going amiss too!!! Though she really doesn't mind the fact of your (helping Mitzblue with Witney Euston) though does wish she could come too!!! though guess I must work to aid the finance of the construction of 'Smokey Bacon'

[SteveBedding]

Rolling Stock – Initial Thoughts

 

Too cold, wet, and dark to get out into the garage, so I thought I’d look at some of the other aspects of Smokey Bacon; there are three main threads to the project:

 

1. The layout – baseboards (including track-work and scenery), the legs/supports, and the control system.

 

2. The rolling stock – locos, carriages, and wagons (covering GWR, PO, and other ‘common user’, plus WD…)

 

3. The ‘timetable’ of operations or workings.

 

…and lastly, but equally important, maintaining the thread on RMweb…

 

Whilst work on the layout is progressing steadily, little or no work has been done on the rolling stock! Over the past few years we have ‘accumulated’ a fair amount of N gauge RTR stock that can be adapted to suit 2mm finescale – some to be fair cannot !

 

The actual need (as opposed to the wish-list…) in terms of rolling stock falls out of the timetable and operating schedule and as much as possible I intend to replicate the real schedule of the prototype as far as possible. There are two very good books, both titled “The Calne Branch†(G Tanner and Colin Maggs) which are absolutely essential to researching this line; these along with Jack Slinn’s “Siphons†give enough information to reconstruct the ‘normal’ working schedule of the line in the late 1930’s and 1940’s.

 

 

 

In addition to the GWR’s scheduled passenger and goods services, the products of the C&T Harris factory were worked to a regular schedule of their own as they covered almost all of the country - destinations ranging from Penzance, Portsmouth, and Paddington, to Cardiff, Manchester, and Glasgow…

 

 

Just to support the ‘normal’ scheduled workings, the basic rolling stock roster will have to include:

 

Locomotives: 14xx, 45xx, 54xx, 57xx.

 

Carriages: Autocoach, Collett Corridor stock, B-Set.

 

Goods/freight: The full range of GW open, flat, and box wagons; RCH PO wagons; and of course Siphon’s C and F.

 

Added to this, the ‘unscheduled’ movements such as engineering works trains (Collett 2251 and PW wagons) and WD movements (troop trains and ‘leave specials’, war materials and equipment - Dean Goods & Q1?) further increase the rolling stock requirements. Finally, whilst the majority of the stock would be in the 1942-47 livery (unlined green or black with GWR), there will be some instances where the pre-’42 livery (with the ‘Shirtbutton’ monogram) was still present, and increasingly, the wartime ‘austerity’ livery caused by shortages of paint would be present.

 

(…and then there will be those models that are just too nice not have and will have to be justified somehow… )

 

This just scratches the surface of the diversity of rolling stock that will eventually be needed. Some will be available from RTR models, with additional detailing and re-wheeling (ie Autocoach and B-Set), however, much (ie Siphons and Minks) will have to be scratch-built or constructed from a range of plastic and etched brass kits. There is still a considerable amount of work to be done in identifying the loco running numbers and allocations etc that would be appropriate (I’ll admit here I am not going to be a perfectionist and firmly believe in the 80% solution…) but this will be for another day..

 

 

Hmmm, looking back at this, am I really going to be ready by 2020?

[Kris]

The B sets and Auto coach will need new bogies as replacement wheelsets are not available for these. In some ways this is most likely the better way to go. I have rebogied one of my B set coaches and really should get round to doing the other one. If you do this it is easy to open up the new bogies attachment hole to accept the original Dapol pin. If you do this then it is easy to replace the original bogies should this be required.

[Pilgrimsjulie]

Well by the looks of it SWMBO shopping list could be longer than what she thought!!!! Of course when I am nearer I will be helping and I must admit that I am really looking forward to doing:rolleyes: Must admit I know it seems all one sided at the minute and that your doing all the work on 'Smokey Bacon' though I really wish I could be there to help...then again my working so much is at least helping to finance this:P Do I get a plaque with my name on it as a sponser!!!!

[SteveBedding]

The B sets and Auto coach will need new bogies as replacement wheelsets are not available for these. In some ways this is most likely the better way to go. I have rebogied one of my B set coaches and really should get round to doing the other one. If you do this it is easy to open up the new bogies attachment hole to accept the original Dapol pin. If you do this then it is easy to replace the original bogies should this be required.

Hi Kris,

 

Thanks for your comment - I'd been considering replacing the complete bogies and wheels and your timely observation has reinforced that idea for me. I've looked at your blog and your "B-Set bodging" does give some good pointers on changing the bogies and the effects on couplings - the height difference is quite noticeable - I'll need to get the books out to see what the correct height should be to set any spacers on the bearings... ... that said, if I do the same 'bogey mod' to the B-Set, Autocoach, and Collet's, then they will all be about the same height and any differences wont be noticeable...

 

...I take it you've seen the article by Maurice Pearce on gwr.org.uk (Detailing the Dapol B-Set coaches in "N") where he addresses the improvements that could be made to the shell-vents on the roof, the 'outer-end' buffers, and the missing dynamo... ...I can't comment at this time on the issue with the window, I need to look up the differences between the B-sets to diagrams E.140 and E.147 - that's another little task to keep me occupied in the evenings (I reckon an hour or so with a ruler and Russell's GW Coaches should resolve the question... )

 

One quick question, which bogey etch did you choose to use (are they complete etches, or mixed etch and cast sides) - I can't tell from your pictures?

[Kris]

HI Steve.

 

Lets start from the bottom, well that's where the bogies are.

 

I used etch 2-171 the 9ft Plate, this was only used on the later batch of B sets. The earlier ones used 7ft. When I convert my other pair of B sets I shall use the 7ft. The etches are the complete etch.

 

I have seen the article on GWR.org. I have several dynamos spare at the moment, the buffers are an issue at the moment. I currently have some on back order for the top lights that I have.

 

If they are a little high then a few swift strokes with a file should solve that problem. I have not looked into the correct height but I think that it's currently not to far off when compared to 2mm stock.

 

If you want any different photo's of the bodging that I have done, fire away and I shall see what can be done.

[SteveBedding]

Kris

 

Thanks for you answers - I'll look forward to seeing you progress with the Toplights Could I ask you to update your B-Set bashing blog with some pictures of the fitting of the new bogies - with details on how/where they needed to be fettled to fit the exiting Dapol mounts? Cheers

 

Track Board Joints - PCB Milled Sleeper Strips

 

At last – something other than woodwork ! (Though I still have got some more work to do there… )

 

In previous efforts in building model railways, I had not addressed the issue of how to ‘properly’ lay track over board joints – in not expecting the layouts to be ‘mobile’, I had adopted the approach of move first => repair later … … However, over the years I had started to notice different (and far better!) methods on layouts at exhibitions, such as using PCB sleepers or soldering the rails to small screw heads.

 

OK, what good idea’s could I steal for Smokey Bacon… … the common practice for many of the members of the Oxford 2mm Group (Highclere, Witney Euston, & WSI) is to use sheet PCB, cut and milled to represent a number of sleepers – a strip of between 6 & 10 sleepers is laid across the joint and recessed into the track-bed/’underlay’ at a height matching the normal ‘single’ PCB sleepers. Sounds simple, but something I have never tried before. New skill needed here – how to mill PCBs…

 

The 2mm Association very conveniently publish the sizes and spacing for sleepers in their member’s handbook, which was essential to getting the sleeper strips right – I originally fought shy of finescale modelling due to fears about lack of knowledge (and, more honestly skill), but I have been very pleasantly surprised by how easy the track aspects are! With very limited knowledge (and abilities) it is relatively straightforward to produce your own track work; there are simple jigs available or by using Templot it has been reduced to a modest level of ability – and this was even before Easitrac was developed!

 

2mm Milled Sleeper Strip – Basic Dimensions

 

Having got the outline size of each strip, I could work out how many I could reasonable produce in a ‘block’. I am fortunate to have a (very) small milling machine which is ideal for this task – however its working area is limited to about 135mm x 60mm. Allowing for a small oversize for clamping, it is possible to work on a panel of 140mm x 50mm which can produce 6 sleeper strips at a time.

 

 

Now faced with a 3 axis set of movements and some fairly precise measurements I thought I’d better work out exactly what the cutting path would be – I could just see myself blissfully bodging away and producing something which spectacularly failed to be what I wanted !

 

 

Two very useful bits of advice were given:

 

1. Cut along the length first – this reduces the risk of snagging the corners and damaging the ‘sleeper’.

 

2.

DON’T FORGET THE WIDTH OF THE CUTTER

when advancing along the strip!

 

With the planning done (and the coffee drunk) there was no excuse to delay attempting this further. My learning points here were to take it slowly – remember which way to turn the handle – and keep the Hoover going!

 

 

Much to my surprise, it actually was far easier than I had feared – like many of the modelling I have tried over the past year, it was the unknown anticipation that was the hurdle to overcome, rather than the actual difficulty of the task!

 

 

A finished sleeper strip (one down 10 more to go…); once milled and cut down to size, all it took was a quick once over with an old file to tidy it up AND a scoring down the middle of the copper to isolate the two sides electrically (I used single sided PCB for simplicity here). One last tip on this – after lightly scoring with a sharp knife, carefully run the edge of a triangular needle file along the score line to ‘break’ the copper (don’t file too deeply).

 

Final observations - cheap (?) PCB sheets (from a well known high-street electronic component chain) do contain air-pockets in the base material and this can lead to holes in the sleeper strip. Also, having done one side, the strip has a tendency to curl up slightly which leads to cutting 'deeper' than expected - easy to address if you are aware of it.

 

Well now I better go and hoover the carpet to get rid of all the PCB swarf...

[Kris]

Not a problem at all to update the bodging bits. It might even make me build the other set so I can do you a blow by blow account. I'm about 75% of the way through a standard van. That should be finished this weekend then I'll get on with the bogies.

 

The board joints that you have been milling so carefully. Is there a reason why you have made your own? The association do the same thing (1-060) I can't remember how many sleepers that it comprises of, but it looks very similar to yours.

[SteveBedding]

The board joints that you have been milling so carefully. Is there a reason why you have made your own? The association do the same thing (1-060) I can't remember how many sleepers that it comprises of, but it looks very similar to yours.

 

Combination of sheer 'bloody-mindedness' combined with the fact that I thought I had ordered a couple and they seem to have fallen off the bottom of the last order...

 

...more simply, I have the mill (ostensibly for doing chassis frames) but even though I have an engineering background, I'm not that confident in using it yet. Making the sleeper strips seemed like a nice and simple way of getting it out of the box and actually using it - rather than just having 'plans' for a future date...

 

Things are progressing at a fair rate now - the Easitrac arrived this week; but without the ABS sleeper strips - not in stock - hopefully someone will be able to get some at the AGM tomorrow from the central shop. Also my local model store got the 3mm ply for me today so the 'track-bed/underlay' can be worked on... ...this is just as I'm going into a busy period with reduced free time

[Kris]

Hello Steve

 

I have just popped up a couple of posts about the bodging of B Set Bogies on my topic in the Scratch / Kit building area quick link here. I hope some of this is of use. If you want more info / pictures just ask. I think that I have highlighted most (all) of the pitfalls that I came across when building these (not many). I'm sure I have added more information than you needed on the construction phases, but never mind. These bogies are nice to build, better than some of the other GWR ones that I have used.

[SteveBedding]

Well its definitely a Oh buggrit !!! day today ; with various tasks at work and exhibitions to attend, I knew that any progress on the layout was going to be in small doses - but what the heck, that merely extends the enjoyment....

 

One simple task was to put the 'mirrored' track plan on the underside of the board 3 track-bed; a simple task, I've done the 2 difficult ones and this one is only 1 1/2 sheets - what could go wrong? So...

 

1) Measure, trial fit, and sand plank - check,

2) Prime and re-sand plank - check,

3) Mark plank with datum lines - check,

4) Print Templot 'pages' (and allow time for ink to dry) - check,

5) Stick pages to plank (Note to self - used up last of spray mount - get more) - check,

 

...Looking good so far... ...the paper templates stuck perfectly, no bubbles or ink runs

 

6) Sanity check before varnishing - che...? - Oh buggrit

!!!

 

Not looking quite right? Hmmm, datum lines OK?, right side of plank (sounds daft but looked anyway)?, Ah, lined up wrong Templot grid line with datum . Oh well, as previously noted, most things can be solved with a belt-sander .

 

What this has reminded me, is that I have been lucky so far with no major blunders (well none that I've noticed), and I have to expect that just when you think everything is going smoothly, Murphy will strike with a vengeance

[Kris]

At least you found out before the varnish went on Steve. Given the amount of mistakes I seem to make, you are doing very well

[SteveBedding]

As expected the past week or so has had too many distractions and too much fun which has got in the way of quality modelling time (oh, and that work thing gets in way as well... ). Last weekend I was able to get to the Chippenham Model Railway Show - was made very welcome by Neal and the other members of the BMRG - many thanks indeed . The layouts were most impressive, but my particular interest there was to see Black Dog Halt; as this was part of the Calne Branch, it has an especial attraction - many photos taken for future reference, but these two pictures (travelling from Stanley Bridge towards Calne) give a feel for the simplicity and clean lines of the station.

 

It does show that (for a future project ), it is very straight forward for Smokey Bacon to be developed further along the line of the Calne Branch... ...though a 20ft L-shaped layout has not been given design approval by SWMBO!

 

This weekend got even better as I was allowed out to go to the Farnham & District MRC show at Aldershot on Saturday. I went as an 'apprentice driver' with Mark Cox who was exhibiting his layout Witney Euston for the first time (it has been 'out' before at the 2mm Association Expo earlier this year, but that was a mainly in-house event and not fully exposed to the harsh realities of public scrutiny...)

 

 

It was a highly enjoyable day - spent most of it laughing! But more importantly, it was very useful in getting an appreciation of working the exhibition circuit. Also, it was a valuable experience in gaining some 'best practice' pointers:

 

• If possible, set up the night before - allows the layout to 'settle' and 'acclimatise' in the room/hall,
• Loco's need to be kept warm overnight - minimises 'running-in' time first thing in the morning,
• Keep cassettes to a manageable length!
• DG couplings work best if there is only one 'loop' in operation - make rolling stock single-ended,

...and lastly...

 

• Red Bull and Jelly Babies seem like an effective way to kick-start the day .

Definitely a big thanks to Mark for allowing me the pleasure of a days playing trains - now looking forward to Didcot even more

 

Despite these distractions, some progress has been made on the layout, though sometimes not always goings as well as hoped - thanks Kris for the moral support and words of encouragement...

 

The minor snafu on the trackbed for board 3 was straightforward to recover and allowed work on the bard to continue - the cross beams and scenic support have now been fitted. I had noticed that the vertical pillars on the legs were a bit of a tight fit and needed to be sanded to ease placing the boards; after an initial sanding, all 3 boards were assembled on their legs and the 'fit' checked.

 

(it was difficult finding a bit of path flat/level enough to complete the assembly - I would have used the kitchen (nice level floor...) but I think SWMBO would have been mightily unimpressed if I fired up the belt-sander there )

 

 

It all fits level and true; some further thinning of the legs is still required and the floor to the cassette area needs to be fitted, but this will have to wait until the scenic divide is put in - I did spend a fair bit of time at the two exhibitions looking at other peoples back drops and have now got a way forward for mine. The two clamps visible are there to hold board 3 at the right height on the legs, these have since been replaced by softwood strips and bracing blocks to support the cassette area.

 

This still leaves lots of little jobs that need to be completed before I get to the exciting stage of laying some track, but on the whole, things are still progressing rather nicely.