Little Didcot

[M.I.B]

TY for the explanation of the ballast loads.

 

I also have a pair of Pollen E's to sort when I get home.  Painting looks a little different to the norm - see the piece on the Ebay page of this forum - some one has explained how to get paint to stick to this odd 3d printed medium.

 

I was going to use UPol plastic primer and then Railmatch spray over that. 

[Castle]

Hi MIB,

 

you seem to have heard the same advice I have - Upol Acid 8 etch primer was going to be my primer of choice!

 

I have taken a few pictures of the real things at Didcot and there are a few minor details I am going to add (because I can!) but they look the absolute business.

 

All the best,

 

Castle

Edited July 24, 2013 by Castle

[colinjamesporter]

I have a set of the pollens to build once my layout is up and running. I agree they look fantastic having seen the ones at Didcot quite a few times. Looking forward to your article on the build. The projects you have done so far have been inspirational.

[Castle]

Hi Colin,

 

Thanks for the compliments - if Little Didcot inspires just one person to have a go and attack a bit of RTR or build a kit (or join a 12":1' scale preservation society for that matter) then I will be happy. Railways are a great hobby and the deeper into it you explore the better it gets. There is a sense of satisfaction when you get when a piece of rolling stock or locomotive finished that you have wanted and it has been done by your own hand.

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[M.I.B]

Hi MIB,

 

you seem to have heard the same advice I have - Upol Acid 8 etch primer was going to be my primer of choice!

 

I have taken a few pictures of the real things at Didcot and there are a few minor details I am going to add (because I can!) but they look the absolute business.

 

All the best,

 

Castle

 

Having spent 20+ years restoring and racing cars as a hobby before making the change this year back to modelling, primer and prep is something I do know about. 

 

Acid etch works well on metal.  I have never tried it on plastics.  I think it will be too harsh.  UPol's plastic primer IIRC is the equivalent, but is formulated for 99.99% of plastic substances.

 

 

Sorry I am not able to lay my hands on either primer out here, otherwise I would have used to sprue for a side by side test.

[Dazzler Fan]

BEWARE !!!!

Generally, a warm wash with washing-up liquid and Halfords Spray Can of Gray Primer

is being used safely

In any case, check on something that can be cheaply replaced, like the turntable.

 

Noel

Edited July 25, 2013 by Dazzler Fan

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

Railmotor Refreshment.

 

I took this picture while we were washing out the boiler of Railmotor No. 93 in preparation for its annual cold insurance exam. It passed and now has to undergo the hot exam tomorrow before being unleashed again on the weekend. What you are in effect looking at is the smokebox of the boiler and my colleague is using a high pressure air line to blow the tubes clean. This is a long and laborious process that requires diligence, patience and above all getting filthy dirty - guess who had to climb into the firebox to rod the tubes that were more stubborn than most? Still, it's got to be done and it means more retro auto working fun for all!

 

 

Still, washing yourself after an experience like this is interesting.. If you haven't done it before then imagine a situation that you are not sure where you soot covered overalls end and your hands and face begin... Imagine a situation where you don't think you will ever be clean again... That should about do it!

 

Nice!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

 

Edit: don't worry - rethought the acid etch. Probably a bit too sledge hammer and walnut... Cheers to all concerned!

 

2nd Edit: She passed the first exam and will be undergoing the hot one today. More edits as the news comes in...

 

3rd Edit: We are good to go!

Edited July 26, 2013 by Castle

[richbrummitt]

I've used etch primer on FUD and it is okay more than a year later.

[Dazzler Fan]

I've used etch primer on FUD and it is okay more than a year later.

 

FUD is an acrylic, harder, and not the same as WSF.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Dazzler Fan

[Dazzler Fan]

A Sentinel with a vertical boiler is being rebuilt at Midsomer Norton too.

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

Decidedly Different Driving Day

 

Workers playtime today at Didcot and with the vast selection of vehicles what was put on for us to have a go with?

 

Was it the Railmotor? What about the Mogul? A pannier perhaps? The Railcar?

 

NO!

 

We went outside the norm today and we had a go with something really unusual...

 

 

Class 08 POWER!

 

Having never driven a diesel class before (I don't include No. 22 in that - she is an honorary steam engine!) it was interesting to have a go none the less.

 

A fine time was had by all!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

Edited August 8, 2013 by Castle

[sb67]

Very envious! Fantastic train set you've got to play with there

[Castle]

Hi SB67,

 

We have a giggle or two...

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[Mallard60022]

That Gronk has a little smile on its' 'face'!

Envy from 36E

[Castle]

Hi Mallard,

 

No. 08 604 IS a happy little Gronk - a diet of fresh diesel and oil and the occasional trundle round the yard keeps her in fine fettle. Remember to look after your Gronk, a Gronk is for life and not just for Christmas you know...

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[M.I.B]

That's what 57XXs are for   

[The Stationmaster]

That's what 57XXs are for   

Alas they're more labour intensive to start.  Mind you a 350 (08 to younger readers) can make your arm ache if you draw the short straw and have to put the fuel up to the header tank.

 

And by strange coincidence I drove one up from Wallingford to Cholsey not so many weeks back, first time I'd driven one for getting on for 20 years!

[Jaz]

Post 486.........I've heard of my dads bigger than yours.....but that is definitely a trump card. 

So what size is the layout.............

[southern42]

Post 486.........I've heard of my dads bigger than yours.....but that is definitely a trump card. 

So what size is the layout.............

 

A lovely day's walk...round and about....up and down...in and out....

[Mikkel]

Hi Castle, I've just read your P17 and Grampus build. Very nice work as always, with some clever and creative kit-modification and -bashing. Very inspirational for me as I would like to have some of these types on "the sidings". I really like your finish on the wagons, it somehow adds weight to them and makes them look real - especially the light but effective weathering on the P17.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Mikkel

[Castle]

Hi Mikkel,

 

Sorry for the late reply but I have been away (of which more later). Thanks for the kind comments on the builds. The weathering is a careful mix between the use of powders and acrylic washes and knocking it back with spray matt acrylic varnish.

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

Wolsztyn Experiences Part 1

 

Where has Mr Castle been for the last week? Well, a group of 4 members of the No. 4079 Pendennis Castle team have been on a little jaunt to sunny Poland! We had a total of 5 steam turns in Poland. Due to a public holiday, our fantastic host Howard Jones had organised 3 main line runs, 1 run on a narrow gauge line and 1 turn at the Polish equivalent of Didcot (quite appropriate for us lot we thought!). Over the 6 days we did well over 300 miles of steam driving and firing and the grins just kept getting bigger and bigger... We started off with the main line runs. These are on the route between Wolsztyn and Poznan. This used to be a heavily used freight line with se passenger traffic but most of the freight is now gone. It does however still have a vital part to play int the areas economy as it is a vital commuter route between the little towns and villages of the outlying area and the major town of Poznan. There are 2 steam diagrams per day, one is the 05:30hrs and the other leaves at 13:20hrs. Per trip you get to fire one way and drive the other and your crew member will stay with you throughout the trip.

 

The day starts at Wolsztyn shed and the loco that we used was Ol 49 class 2-6-2 No. 59. These engines are about a class 4 mixed traffic machines in terms of UK practice (think Churchward Mogul) but that is where the similarities end. They are built to the continental loading gauge so they appear very tall to UK eyes with the odd looking smoke deflectors stretching way into the sky. They are very utilitarian and in stark contrast to the GWR engines I am used to. All the working parts are on the outside and are easy to get to. There is no quarter given to decoration or fine finish, they are all business - but they have a certain industrial charm because of it. The tender is a stark, slab sided affair on two 4-wheel bogies. The leading and trailing wheels are very small and look almost out of proportion with the rest of the machine. Here is our machine on the turntable at Wolsztyn shed at the end of the morning shift.

 

 

The cab is welded steel and has not only two side doors but also a door that goes onto the running plate. It is not unknown for crews to go out on the running plate to fettle the air pump in motion... The cab can be made relatively weather proof which is vital in the harsh Polish winters.

 

 

The all welded boiler is very free steaming which is helped by the fact that it has multiple rows of superheater elements as you can see here on classmate No. 69 undergoing work in the roundhouse. The certification in Poland is on an 18 year cycle, at the end of which the steel inner firebox MUST be replaced. They also use telltale stays that have a hole drilled up the middle of them and if they fracture, a wisp of steam gives the game away.

 

 

No. 59 is also fitted with the unusual Trofimoff Valves. To save a full description here have a look at this page to get the idea:

 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trofimoff_valve

 

The net result is that you have to shut of steam and then wind the reverser to 60% to allow the steam chest pressure to be exhausted and the valve heads to find the neutral centre position and before restarting, you have to carefully flick the steam on with the engine in mid gear to force the valve heads out to their operating position. The net result is a slight complication while driving her but she will just coast and coast for miles after steam is shut off. Here is a set of Trofimoff valve in Wolsztyn shed's workshop.

 

 

So, what is it like to be a crew member on a Polish Prairie Tender Mogul on the main line? As a fireman, the controls are easy to use (except the injector, which takes a bit of getting used to and a light application of witchcraft to get to work!) and the biggest difference being that the fireman operates the blower and not the driver. The grate is about 10' long and flat and requires firing mainly to the sides as the motion of the engine tends to spread the coal out. You only have a 2 coach train so the engine has lots of steam to spare as well.

 

 

As driver, apart from the Trofimoff valves and the air braking, it is pretty similar to UK practice. The engine is responsive if a little light on its feet if you aren't careful with her. You only drive the sections where it is safe for you to do so (your driver goes past the major signalling points and will start and finish the journey quite reasonably) but there is plenty of action including the flying sections where you hit 55 - 60 mph! There is nothing in the UK to prepare the average punter for this and the closest you will get here is to be the owners representative on main line steam which is only a very few of us ever achieve. It bucks and rocks around, some sections of the track are a little rough and the smoke deflectors are not as effectual as you would hope. Net result? It is absolute magic! Put this on your bucket lists people! The sensation of being in command as you flash through the beautiful Polish rural countryside leaves me without words to describe it. You had to be there I guess!

 

 

 

 

More tales from deepest, darkest Poland later in the week...

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[Castle]

Hi All,

 

More Tall Tales from Poland - Wolsztyn experiences Part 2

 

The most amazing thing about Polish steam is that there is so much of the locos and infrastructure left. It isn't that long since the end of steam in Poland so it really still is about 1969 in UK terms! Wolsztyn shed is a case in point. The roundhouse, turntable, coaling stage, watering facilities, workshops and everything else is still there and in working order. This is the view from the turntable. The loco men's hostel is just to the right of this and is now used as accommodation (where I stayed - how cool is that?!).

 

 

This is the coaling plant, watering facilities and ash plant. Unlike Didcot, it's all very labour saving with cranes and conveyor belts and so on to make life easy for shed crews.

 

 

There are one or two treasures in the shed too. At the rear is Tr 5 No. 65 which is a 2-8-0 freight design and another Ol 49 - this one is No. 69.

 

 

A third Ol 49, No. 7 is also in the shed. There is another one in scrap condition in the yard too! This is appropriate as Wolsztyn used to be home to over 20 of these machines. Note the wheel drop and the shed heater.

 

 

There are two of the Prussian designed mixed traffic 4-6-0 class Ok 1s at Wolsztyn. Closest to the camera is No. 359. The next engine on is Ok 22 No. 31 which is another mixed traffic 4-6-0 type of German origin.

 

 

The last treasure in the shed is a biggie - this is Pm 36 class pacific No. 2 otherwise Known as Beautiful Helena. This holds the same place in the hearts of Poland's enthusiasts as No. 4472 does here. Sadly she is out of ticket and it seems to be requiring a great deal more negotiation before overhaul can begin. She is one of only two of her class built and the other loco was built streamlined but disappeared during WW II. Perhaps it is in Box tunnel with all those Granges?

 

 

Outside there are more locos on display or stored. These include some Ty 43 class 2-10-0, this is No. 92, which is a version of the German WW II Kriegsloks.

 

 

Also outside are two of these monsters, one restored, the other a bit ropey. The Pt 47 is a 2-8-2 passenger design and while No. 106 here is slated to remain as a static exhibit for now, the good news is that No. 58 is undergoing overhaul at the moment. Imagine that on a 2 coach train - they were designed for loping along the main line with 600 ton sleeper trains at 60 mph ! I think I might be going back...

 

 

Well, that's enough for now...

 

More Polish prattle from myself later in the week and perhaps with a sample of British POLLEN too!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[Mallard60022]

Luck man..it is brilliant isn't it?

Not much changed since I went in 2003 and 4. That fireman is a really good bloke; lets you get on if he sees you are confident and competent.

The OL49s are excellent; superb acceleration and easy to fire/drive. I was lucky to be on PM36 2 on the Poznan & back on one turn but what a pig to fire! I reckoned it was like having Scotsman on the Robin Hood Line from Worksop and then over to Grantham. She was light on her feet; just a touch on the reg and whoops!

The 'early turn in 2003 was the 04.30 ish to Poznan. That was a OL49. racing through clear October night/dawn at 60 was something else and leaning out of the cab at Poznan with 400 your commuters crowding past without a glance at the loco was quite interesting.

Did you get to drive any of the 2.8.2s? They are really rough at speed but great in a shunting yard situation! There was still freight when I went; logs out of the forest. I also did a 'mushroom pickers special' one Saturday when I stayed on an extra two days. That was really excellent.

There were also turns to Lezno and the other way out of Wolsztyn to the main Berlin/Warsaw Line in those days.

I too stayed in the loco shed accommodation; brilliant stuff and very comfortable. Far, far away from the conditions the 'real crews have to endure although they seem to truly love their jobs. 

This is, as you say, a truly great experience. Make it whilst it is still there lads.

P

Edited August 22, 2013 by Mallard60022

[Castle]

Hi Quacks,

 

No passenger main line 2-8-2s, the Pt 47 is away being overhauled unfortunately. There were only 3 main line turns too due to a public holiday but the two other driving turns were, although hugely different, just as enjoyable! Lezno isn't used much these days for W.E. trips but it will be over this winter as the second section of the Wolsztyn - Poznan route will be relaid. It was all Ol 49 action this time round too as the pacific is out of ticket now and there needs to be extensive negotiations between W.E. and her owners, Warsaw Railway Museum, to get the right deal in order to ensure the correct usage contract before overhaul can begin. I am sure they will get there though. I drove a TKt 48 (think Polish 72XX) at their Didcot and the sweetest little narrow gauge 0-8-0 you ever did see for the final turn.

 

You are right about the experience - there really is very little to match it for the average punter here and those early morning turns are simply brilliant. Anyone even vaguely interested in steam HAS to go ASAP!

 

I hope you are feeling better - I am still coughing, sneezing and spluttering a bit but I don't feel like I have been run over by an Ol 49, err I mean a 43XX, anymore!

 

All the best,

 

Castle

Edited August 22, 2013 by Castle