Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 Some news... not alot to be honest... its now getting very cold in the shed so i can't really do any more jobs down there... -3 it was tonight, Since the last post main focus has been wiring the point motors around Horsted Keynes. The Seep point motors where acquired 2 years ago and have been in situ under the points since. A control panel was designed and switches purchased to complete the job... 2 years later the job has now been completed and they all work... amazingly considering i wired them up! A few other small projects have been on going, after find a website of D&P Models who sell spare white metal castings,I decided to replace the chimney of the O2 tank engine which was damaged in the post as it broken off upon arrival. having fixed it would never sit straight so i replaced it with a new casting... After selling a number of items, I embarked on another Bluebell loco project, this time, I have chosen a Q-class. Having missed out on a few SE Finecast kits, I turned my attention to Golden Arrow resin kits. Unable to afford one, a friend who had a Resin body of a Q decided to sell it to me, as he had a few projects on the go. The loco body sourced a small matter of finding at tender was the next task. This was found only about a week ago from a very kind RM web member LSWRM7 who was kind enough to message me as he had one available, this arrived.. yesterday . The loco will use a Collett Bachmann chassis, and the body and tender will be sold off as spare to raise more funds for the layout. Sadly no images of the Q Class yet but heres the real on i took in April of this year. Also i spoke to a good friend of mine a few days ago, who is looking at another piece of rubbish I brought off ebay, to see if any of the problems could be fixed as the motion seemed stiff, and not having the expert eye on kit building it was found to be a quartering problem with the wheel slipping on the shaft.. hopefully in a few weeks and TLC it will be back and once its returned A new bogie with pickups will be fitted to increase reliability over points and increase smoother running. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglian Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I rather like the way that you buy and sell and restore old engines swapping bits with other railways. Somehow it seems appropriate for your chosen prototype. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 Thanks Anglian, My main focus is the Bluebell stock and engines, I try and use some artistic license to add locos to the collection. Im a member of the Isle of wight railway and the O2 tank is one of my favourate locos... similar to an H class... although still would like on in the future, I try keep it southern and Bluebell related. There will be more swapping new and old for another bluebell loco soon, which will be I hope an E4, Birch grove.. which will be return to service in SR livery at the end of this year. Thanks for your comment Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 12, 2009 Author Share Posted December 12, 2009 Still awaiting the Collett loco i brought some week ago for the Q class now, which is quite fustrating. Another item arrived today from D&P Castings, I decided to add some more detail to the loco in the form of a Back head to the boiler adding some detail to the cab. Also modified the middle tender wheel, as it is the Type from the N class which is known for derailing. Ive given it more play so when going over bumps the wheel will go up and down instead of being stiff and de-railing the front or back set of rear wheels... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preservation Modeller Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Looks good! Good luck on finishing that off Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 12, 2009 Author Share Posted December 12, 2009 Thanks Owen just need my collett chassis... where ever that maybe in the post.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lswrm7 Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Hi Matt. Fantastic layout . The Q class looks great. Keep up the good work. Regards kev Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lost track Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 The new project looks great Matt. Well done getting your wiring sorted out and working. Knowing it took you a fair while to complete gives me good reason not to rush mine and get it wrong. Shaun Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 Hey Thanks Kev, too kind... Im sure you recognise that tender from somewhere too... Shaun good to hear from you, Yes wiring did take a while, mainly cause i couldn't afford the wire... but got some for an early christmas so i got to work soldering it up at last, so it will be ready to use in the spring. Once you come up with a system of how to solder them and wire them up its quite straight forward and also time consuming! But its worth it in the end! Thanks for your comments guys ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preservation Modeller Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 How's the engine coming along? I look forward to seeing that when it's finsihed! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Simon Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Hi, It's all looking very good Matt! Keep up the good work! Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 Hey guys thanks for your comments.. Preservation Modeller, the loco is all but complete... one small hitch, the dona Loco I brought for the running chassis has gone walk abouts in the post... Brought and paid for a week ago... and it still hasn't turned up... Snow has also scuppered any chance of Post so again no progress today its pretty much sitting on my desk... waiting.... One it arrives I can finish it, and link the tender and loco together... and then it will be complete, its very fustrating at the moment but i hope it will be complete in the near future. heres how its looking at the moment... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preservation Modeller Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Still not arrived eh? Hmm... Depends on where you bought it from, but I'd write off to let them know that and see if they have posted it.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 19, 2009 Author Share Posted December 19, 2009 News: After the post arrived this morning again nothing for me.... An hour later knock at the door and he left it in the back of the van! Its now here so I can get on with giving the Q some wheels! It was posted Tuesday... its only had to travel 20 miles... and its taken 4 days.... pretty bad! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preservation Modeller Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 4 days? Might've been the mass of the Xmas post delaying things but still... Looking forward to seeing the fianl thing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglian Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 I'm looking forward to seeing this one come together. Christmas 1991 saw me at HK. It was about 20 December, dark and the Q class was coming up from SP with a full train and the sound of the engine working hard mixed with the Christmas atmosphere was wonderful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 Sounds wonderful! Hopefully one day it will be back in action! Sadly can't say the same for the the project... running in the chassis yesterday as it recommends... the collect chassis hit a problem, it stopped but the motor was still running. taking the chassis appart, Teeth had broken off of the main Brass Gear connected to rear driving axle. Its very disappointing as it was brand new.... so now I'm scratching my head on getting a replacement or trying to find the same gear. The chassis is on the Q but won't be moving for a good while. Very disappointed especially after only 15 mins running. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Simon Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Sounds wonderful! Hopefully one day it will be back in action! Sadly can't say the same for the the project... running in the chassis yesterday as it recommends... the collect chassis hit a problem, it stopped but the motor was still running. taking the chassis appart, Teeth had broken off of the main Brass Gear connected to rear driving axle. Its very disappointing as it was brand new.... so now I'm scratching my head on getting a replacement or trying to find the same gear. The chassis is on the Q but won't be moving for a good while. Very disappointed especially after only 15 mins running. Hi Matt, Sorry to hear that! Perhaps one day the Bluebell Railway & the Southeast Steam Railway should have a meet up? Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 yes Simon would be good i recon I have contacted Bachmann, but i don't think i will hear much until mid week, and even if they do have something i'll have to wait a little while until its running... Again. Just my luck this week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preservation Modeller Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Sorry to hear about the chasis.... slightly concerning about why that happened.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 same.. i messaged the guy today he had test run it before posting.. was fine, it was fine for me for 20 mins or so before it failed. like I say ive contacted Bachmann and wait to hear from them. I have actually found a similar plastic gear and replaced the damaged one for now so at least it will run, reasonably well out of my bodge repair whilst waiting to source another. The chassis is now attached to the body just now joing it to the tender. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preservation Modeller Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Sounds good then Hopefully soon then you'll have a fully working and finished Q Class.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 Well not much news recently, on the loco front still awaiting the new rear Axle with gear from Bachmann, for the Q class. Within the next few days another Bluebell loco will be under construction which im hoping to fund through the remains of the Collett goods. After christmas I managed to get some money which all was spent yesterday on new items for the railway, 5 new coaches, 4 bullied, and one extra Maunsell coach, as well as a loco which will be used as the chassis for the new loco. Not much has happened on the layout as of late, but today I decided to start the last piece of the station, not many of people have said anything about it missing but I haven't got anything to do so... I better do it! The last building on Platform 3 + 4, the WH Smiths stall which has been turned in to a small shop, this is the last building to do. Seeing as a suitable model isn;t available I decided to scratch build. So far the building in its structure is complete and awaiting sanding and finishing. Original timber building:- The scratch built model so far: Still to add, window frames and the top part above the WH smith logo's. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preservation Modeller Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 A Good idea that! Adds interest I feel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebell Model Railway Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Update: 30th December Well some good news yesterday Bachmann came through for me and delievered not just the rear set of wheels for my collet but a whole new wheel set! which is quite impressive. The old wheel set has been taken out and replaced with the new to make it easier. Thanks to Bachmann. More progress has been made with the shop building for platform 3 + 4. Main structure was mainly complete and now fully painted. At the moment I am in the process of making some enamel signs for the building. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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