2mm 25 ton SR brake van

[Kris]

First of the bogies completed Pete, so as requested a photo. This is a panelled Dia C32. I have not yet added the door handles and grabs. These will be added after painting, I'm hoping that it should make that easier. As I have said earlier the buffers are the biggest sticking point to fully completing this model.

 

 

 

 

 

Additionally I have been looking at the potential for coach lighting. There is a very limited amount of space in the coach, so I have discounted the Dapol light strip and other LED strips that are generally available. So it's on with building my own solution. Well it should be cheaper if nothing else.

 

Looking at these photo's, I think I need to do a little lens and sensor cleaning on the camera

[bcnPete]

These are looking very nice Kris - are you going to put interiors too? I guess so if you want to light them - how will you go about the interiors?

[Kris]

All the partitions are in place, these are provided. All I need to do is add some seats and people. Given that with lighting the visibility into the coaches will still be minimal the seats will be lumps of plastic with some paint slopped on.

 

Right now back to the bogies before I need to make tea.

[Kris]

Just soldered up the first of my home made coach lighting strips. Could not purchase copperclad to do this today so have been bodging out of scrap etch. This appears to have worked, just need to sort out the power flow from the wheels and the future is bright. No pictures at the moment, maybe tomorrow.

[-missy-]

Hi Kris

 

They look fantastic! You have really put them together well and looking at those photos it certianly is tempting me to get hold of some. I could post you some thin copper clad PCB stuff if you like as I have plenty of 0.5mm double sided stuff here or alternatively if you were planning on going to Warley next weekend Im sure you could pick some up from C&L.

 

Missy

[Kris]

Thanks for the offer Missy. I shall see how I get on with my bodged solution but might contact you re pcb. I'm not going to Warley, I can't justify the £60 - 70 in fuel at the moment that this would cost, and a 4 hour drive each way is not overly appealing.

The etches are very nice, so far having built 7 of these I have only found a couple of minor issues. The holes on the chassis for the securing bolts don't quite match up with the holes on the body, time to get the files out to sort this one, - 20 -30 seconds per hole. The suggested positions for the V hangers on the 70ft brake I have don't match up with photos of these coaches - solution, file the slots off the etch and put the V hangers in a different place matching the photo - 2 mins research , 30 seconds with a file. (I can't comment about the other 70ft brake versions as I didn't purchase any of these). I guess this just reinforces the need to get a photo before starting to build the coach.

[Kris]

Well I didn't get the photo of the lighting unit on here did I.

 

Things have not been still on these builds. The 70 footers have had a basic paint job added and the roof vents have been added. After some confusion about this I think I managed to work out where these should go. The guide provided caters for the initial build. I think that the later layout utilised some of the same positions, so it was a case of working out which.

 

I have also completed the second lighting unit for one of the 70ft coaches.

 

 

 

My experiments with getting power to the coach using conductive paint seem to be working, but this is still a little hit and miss at the moment, so more perseverance needed here I think.

[Kris]

Well the toplights are on hold whilst I await the delivery of some screws to hold them together. So as a gap filler, and because they came through the door last week I'm having a bash at what looks to be a lovely little 25 ton SR brake van. Yesterday I completed the main body. When I looked at the instructions I though no problems 21 pieces for the body that won't take to long, wrong! After about 4 hours work I reached this stage.

 

 

 

It's size makes it a little fiddly and getting the veranda doors to drop far enough into place has been fun . I've not got these perfect, but I think they should be close enough, well for me anyhow. Once painted the very small gap that is left should be hidden.

 

Seeing as I don't have any work again today I'll have a bash at the roof and see how that goes. I may then proceed with the lower bits.

 

The etch has been developed for David Long by Stephen Harris and was offered to 2mm society members some time back.

 

edit to correct etch info.

[2mm Andy]

Hi Kris,

 

That brake van is coming on well. I picked up 2 from David at the Wigan show on Saturday. The etch design was actually done by Stephen Harris for David. I had a quick read through the instructions yesterday, but haven't got as far as folding/soldering anything yet. I might be tempted to start one tonight, although by rights I ought to finish the two dozen other wagons that aren't finished before I start another!

 

I look forward to seeing some more postings on this.

 

Andy

[Kris]

Now Andy you know it's bad to start a new project when you've not finished the one(s) you were already doing, I'd never do anything like that .... whoops it's not April 1st so that's a great big lie from me then.

 

And now the update on todays trials and tribulations.

 

Why did I bother to look at the instructions, because I obviously did take anything in?

 

Build roof, find out that roof does not fold over as far as I made it, unbuild roof, try to bash the roof into shape, rebuild roof. Result it's not perfect and having seen the photos I will do a little more fettling tomorrow to see it I can get it to sit better.

 

Build up axle boxes, work out why what seemed to be a logical stage to put in the bearings was not, force bearings out.

 

On the plus side the soul bar channels folded up very nicely given that I don't own anything vaguely suitable for doing this sort of thing. It's amazing what can be done with 2 small off cuts of ply.

 

 

 

 

 

To make things even harder for myself I found that the 3mm bit for the soldering iron has corroded at little too much so I'm now poking at this with a 5mm bit. Hmm might need to go and get an other 3mm bit.

[SteveBedding]

Kris

 

This looks like an interesting challenge... ...I see that you work on the 'optional' instructions approach too!

 

But I do have to ask why you're building an SR brake van - it should be a Toad for Avonwick

[Kris]

But I do have to ask why you're building an SR brake van - it should be a Toad for Avonwick

 

 

I do have a 16 ton toad half built and another couple awaiting factory desk space for construction, along with a converted Farish 20 tonner.

The reason for an SR van on Avonwick -

• well it's a preserved line so anything goes,
• or it's modelled in the 50's so an SR van although very unusual would not have been impossible
• however real reason is that it fits in with the next layout (some way off) which has an SR element. This has also been the excuse for needing 13 Toplights, somehow I can't see Avonwick ever needing that many

 

[bcnPete]

next layout (some way off) which has an SR element.

 

next layout SR element Go and wash your mouth out

[nick_bastable]

oy you leave the SR alone

[Kris]

next layout SR element Go and wash your mouth out

 

The main focus will still be very much Western Region but it does so happen that SR comes into play.

 

 

 

[bcnPete]

oy you leave the SR alone

 

Nick - seeing as I was born in 'Souf London' and then moved to sunny sussex until my mid 20's....I do actually have a soft spot for a bit of SR....sccchhh

[Kris]

Brake van update time.

 

I have now added all of the underside gubins, still needs a tidy up but as it's sunny at the moment I thought I'd snap off a pic or two.

 

The instructions suggest that the van body is held in using a screw the bolts into the roof section. I have ignored this and gone for the soldered on option. The roof may well also end up being soldered on, once I have glazed the windows. At the moment I see this as being the best way that I can get a join between the van body and the roof that I am happy with.

 

I have modelled the brakes in their earlier form.

 

 

What is left to do on this one construction wise.

 

Rain strips to add to the roof.

Buffers to build.

Coupling hook to add.

Hand rails to add.

Extra lamp irons in the centre.

 

 

 

 

 

This has been much less of a straightforward build than I expected, but over all I'm reasonably pleased with the result.

 

When I build the second one of these I am sure I will end up with a better finish as I will hopefully have learnt from the mistakes I have made this time. (Well you got to hope haven't you )

[Kris]

Hmm just tried making the buffers, apart from loosing one of the bits of tube I was using (eaten by the carpet monster I fear) all was going well. I then looked at the pictures of the buffers on the real thing, drat I have the wrong sized buffer heads (randomly purchased way back when) and it just look, well, wrong. They are only 0.25mm over sized but I think that I'll be ordering some more of the correct size. That'll delay the completion of this until after Christmas then.

[bcnPete]

looks the part though Kris - why not give it a wash of grey primer and add the buffers/coupling hooks in the new year? it might feel more finished then...

[Kris]

Tempting Pete. Hooks could go on now as those were included in the etch. All I have to do is decide what else to order to justify the postage and packing!

[Kris]

A quick bit of holiday modelling has been going on today. A couple of 16t mineral wagon bodies.

 

 

 

I'll leave the glue to dry overnight then see about attacking them with paint, I might even try going down the weathering / battering route. With a bit of luck and some better light I might build up the chassis for these tomorrow.

[Sailor Charon]

2mm 3 link couplings

 

As a break to coach building (something to do whilst glue is drying) I thought that I would start to convert some of the couplings on my freight stock. I have decided that my freight stock will not be used for shunting purposes, so 3 link couplings are the way to go. Now this might be an admission that I have

1. to much time on my hands
2. need to get out more
3. exceptional eye sight
4. a need to find ways of making things difficult for myself

or any combination of the above....

 

You know, I was just thinking about 3 link couplings the other night. Partially because I've ordered a couple of coaches from Ultima and the bogies don't come with couplings fitted (Or should it be some other sort of couplings for coaches?) and partially because at the moment my head's buzzing. So it's nice to see that I'm not totally hatstand.

[Kris]

Coaches haven't used 3 links for a very long time, the ride they gave was to rough for passengers. Screw couplings were the norm for many years before these became displaced by Buckeye style couplings. What type of coaches have you ordered? For my coaches I am going down the route of a hook and bar system. With corridor coaches this is suitably hidden by the corridor connection. On non corridor ones it's a little more conspicuous but is not to bad. You really would not want to go down the 3 link route in 2mm trying to couple those under the corridors would be nigh on impossible (It's bad enough with wagons! )

[Sailor Charon]

Coaches haven't used 3 links for a very long time, the ride they gave was to rough for passengers. Screw couplings were the norm for many years before these became displaced by Buckeye style couplings. What type of coaches have you ordered? For my coaches I am going down the route of a hook and bar system. With corridor coaches this is suitably hidden by the corridor connection. On non corridor ones it's a little more conspicuous but is not to bad. You really would not want to go down the 3 link route in 2mm trying to couple those under the corridors would be nigh on impossible (It's bad enough with wagons! )

 

Thanks. I had a feeling that it wasn't 3 link couplings, but my mind went blank. As to the coaches, they're an LMS kitchen car, and a full brake. I'm looking forward to them arriving... Hopefully I'll be organising my coaches (and my wagons as well) into fixed rakes, so I'll just need a 'normal' coupling on each end.

[Kris]

Right, so has the mojo returned? I don't know but after several months that I never ever want to go through again things are getting a little easier.

 

Earlier I put a little tempter on my status about a small parcel dropping through the letterbox. This contained the following.

 

 

It's a Langley GWR railcar along with the required chassis. Now the simple way of dealing with this would be to build the model as suggested by the instructions however having run a ruler over the kit and considered the instructions it is obvious that this would build in some errors. At the moment I am still considering how I am going to approach this, something to sleep on I feel.

 

As this kit came into my possession through a very generous offer I feel that I really need to do my best to bring out the best in this kit.

 

The things that I do know are that I will finish the kit in Blood and Custard and that I will be aiming to model unit No 20 (one of the preserved ones) so if anyone has any nice photos of this unit I would be grateful.