Wright writes.....

[Steamport Southport]

Not a J11, but I bought an unbuilt Little Engines D11/2 not long ago and I'm very pleased with it on first impressions.

 

It was a very good price from one of the so called "boxshifters". Less than half the price which the same retailer sells the Bachmann version and even had a full set of Romford wheels and a motor/gearbox. The motor looks a bit small for it though. I might swap it for something a bit beefier when I eventually build it.

 

 

I must admit I've enjoyed the brake vans over the last few pages.

 

 

 

Jason

[landscapes]

I also finished painting this Thompson CL this evening. It should be ready and running at Spalding next weekend.

Hi

 

Fabulous model and excellent workmanship.

 

David

[micklner]

I also finished painting this Thompson CL this evening. It should be ready and running at Spalding next weekend.

 

Beautiful .

[Tony Wright]

A quick question, if I may, about the yellow smokebox numbers: I haven’t seen this before... ?

That's another job, Phil!

 

And attach the shedplates.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Tony Wright

[Tony Wright]

I've built the Little engines J11/3, I thought it came out OK with a bit of twiddling. I also have a Gibson kit stashed away, that is very good. Derek Shore built the J11/1 seen below, also from the Gibson kit. I think it is a little cracker.

 

Photo courtesy of Chris Nevard and Model Rail.

 

Edit Derek also built the signal box and the vans.

Thanks Andrew,

 

Very realistic point rodding as well.

 

I'm still not convinced about the sharp curves going on/off scene (I know, I have too many bees in too many bonnets), but the overall modelling is outstanding. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Edited to include a question. Is that a nylon Hornby-Dublo coupling? 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Tony Wright

[Tony Wright]

Tony,  which Mashima motor and gearbox did you use?  I also have an ancient Little Engines J11with a D10 motor that I built years ago and is now somewhat less than reliable.  I really would like to get it back again because it was the 1st loco I ever built and has a bit of sentimental value.  Thanks

They're the smaller, short Mashima - 14 something, I think - and Comet's appropriate little gearbox. Very sweet-running indeed. All I had to do was cut off the rear extension to the armature to clear the backhead (driving off the centre axle, of course). Regarding this, I've been alarmed at how some folk 'recommend' achieving success - biting through it directly with cutters - it'll knacker Xurons! The best way (and I've done dozens), is to grip the end of the armature as near to the rear bearing as possible with a pair of robust, snipe-nosed pliers, then cut through adjacent to the pliers with a corundum disc in a mini-drill. That way, you put no strain on the bearing (other than the weight of the motor) and the pliers also act as a heat sink. Don't do it in one go - just little cuts at a time to prevent generating too much heat. It's best done BEFORE the motor is installed.  

 

John had used a pair of DS10s with a Branchlines worm/gear mount. Noisy and the opposite of sweet-running, though, as mentioned, both original motors were on their way out. 

 

I've come across these motor/gear combinations before in other locos, and none have been entirely satisfactory. I fitted a replacement (like-for-like) DS10/gear mount in a B2 for Jesse Sim (down under) and that wasn't too bad, and only last week did the same with a mate's M&SWJR 2-4-0 - which he was delighted with, though I found it too noisy. 

 

Have others had success with DS10s? I can't say I have. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tom F]

I've built the Little engines J11/3, I thought it came out OK with a bit of twiddling. I also have a Gibson kit stashed away, that is very good. Derek Shore built the J11/1 seen below, also from the Gibson kit. I think it is a little cracker.

 

Photo courtesy of Chris Nevard and Model Rail.

 

Edit Derek also built the signal box and the vans.

 

 

You see this is something I can not get my head around. I often see this too..... LS is OO, but when OO track is photographed, to my eyes it looks far wider than it is. That looks easily EM or P4 to my eyes!

 

Maybe it's because a loco isn't directly in front of the camera. What a stunning layout.

 

Speaking of stunning layout, yesterday I visited my good friend Geoff Taylor. Geoff kindly let me photograph his layout of Penmaenpool and Barmouth Junction.

Just like on Little Bytham, you feel transported back in time to the real place!

 

Approach to Barmouth Junction from Barmouth

 

Preparing to depart from the Junction for Harlech on the Cambrian Coast.

 

2217 crosses Gwynant Bridge alongside the Mawddach Estuary

 

Before passing in front of the George as she approaches Penmaenpool Station

 

The Old Oil Depot at Dolgellau sidings 

 

Finally, 75074 depart Dolgellau.

Edited October 27, 2018 by 9793

[Tony Wright]

Being pedantic, Tony, all the tractors I’ve ever looked at on wagons are roped, not chained. There’s an excellent picture on Paul Bartlett’s site showing how it was done.

Interesting, Jonathan, and many thanks,

 

Only this week I've had two groups over and, when running that wee train, asked the question. 'Chains, always' was the unanimous answer.

 

As an aside, when I see Red Leader tomorrow, I'll bill him for a new pair of trousers. I went through the knees of one pair scrambling all around the floor beneath Little Bytham (along with Mo) trying to locate that lost B16. It wasn't the loco which was lost, but hours! I'm delighted it's found, though, and I believe it'll soon be yours?

 

 

 

 

I had visions of having to post these images with a request to look out for this 'stolen' locomotive. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Mallard60022]

I also finished painting this Thompson CL this evening. It should be ready and running at Spalding next weekend.

That is stunning. Prizewinning standard. 

Phil

[davefrk]

They're the smaller, short Mashima - 14 something, I think - and Comet's appropriate little gearbox. Very sweet-running indeed. All I had to do was cut off the rear extension to the armature to clear the backhead (driving off the centre axle, of course). Regarding this, I've been alarmed at how some folk 'recommend' achieving success - biting through it directly with cutters - it'll knacker Xurons! The best way (and I've done dozens), is to grip the end of the armature as near to the rear bearing as possible with a pair of robust, snipe-nosed pliers, then cut through adjacent to the pliers with a corundum disc in a mini-drill. That way, you put no strain on the bearing (other than the weight of the motor) and the pliers also act as a heat sink. Don't do it in one go - just little cuts at a time to prevent generating too much heat. It's best done BEFORE the motor is installed.  

 

John had used a pair of DS10s with a Branchlines worm/gear mount. Noisy and the opposite of sweet-running, though, as mentioned, both original motors were on their way out. 

 

I've come across these motor/gear combinations before in other locos, and none have been entirely satisfactory. I fitted a replacement (like-for-like) DS10/gear mount in a B2 for Jesse Sim (down under) and that wasn't too bad, and only last week did the same with a mate's M&SWJR 2-4-0 - which he was delighted with, though I found it too noisy. 

 

Have others had success with DS10s? I can't say I have. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Hi Tony, I have to agree with you that the old fashioned DS10 is a very poor motor for our needs and along with the D11 and D13 open frame motors should be cast into the abyss for something better like a decent can motor. I've lost count of the number of these motors I've replaced with a Mashima can motor with or without a gearbox. Customers who get one loco remotored then come back for more saying the difference in the slow, steady and powerful running of the loco puts all their other locos to shame. The DS10 et al rev far too high in the region of 30000rpm whereas a Mashima can motor revs between 9000 and 17000 depending on type so the maximum torque range is at a more usable rpm making them suitable for slow powerful slogging at realistic speeds without the risk of overheating and damage. My personal favourite can is the Mashima 1626 or 1630 if it will fit, these motors will slog around a big layout like Retford with 60 wagons all day at under 20mph and barely get warm. The equivilent flat cans 1426 and 1430 for a narrow firebox loco are almost as good. Mashima motors are still available from Highlevel and I wouldn't fit anything else, fortunately I have a small stock of them for my future needs in case they do disappear forever.

 

Dave Franks 

[Tony Wright]

The Little Engine J11 is not a patch on the Bachmann one in terms of accuracy or fineness of detail.

 

Yet I have a Little Engines one, which gets a run when my EM layouts are exhibited, whereas my better detailed and more accurate Bachmann, with better GCR livery than I could ever do, one stays in its box. Mine has a 1616 can motor mounted vertically in the firebox, a Branchlines 50:1 single stage gearbox with a lovely quiet nylon/plastic worm, superbly true running Ultrascale wheels (which have never yet slipped on the axles) and is one of my favourites!

 

The kit built ones win for me, even when they may not be quite as accurate or good as a RTR.

I couldn't agree more, Tony,

 

The moment I acquired John's pair of J11s, I sold my Bachmann one. 

 

Is this a sort of 'perversity' among loco-builders like you and me? Although I cannot claim to have made my pair, at least I've made them work to my satisfaction, and, to be fair, you can't get a J11/3 RTR.

 

Speaking of RTR, over on Peterborough North, Gilbert is trying to decide which A4 he's going to ask Tim Easter to 'create' for him, using a Hornby one as a starting point. 

 

Though I have several A4s (not as many as Gilbert), I only have one Hornby one? Why, I wonder? 

 

 

This is it. All I've done is close-couple the loco to tender, change the (awful) bogie wheels, add a crew, coal the tender, remove the superfluous guard irons from the bogie and ask Ian Rathbone to paint it (perfectly). I then fitted the lamps. 

 

Despite this being a far 'crisper' model than the Wills/SE Finecast A4s (which make up most of my A4 fleet), it hardly ever gets used, even on lighter trains (which it will pull). There's so little of 'me' in this model. I think that's the reason it's not used.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Two lovely models - what are the two variants?  Reminds me that in the "Projects Box*" is an Airfix 4F, a white metal dome, chimney and a pile of plasticard awaiting conversion into a J11.

 

*Otherwise known as "most of the loft".

The top one is a J11/1 (also made by Bachmann). The bottom one is a J11/3 (the real thing modified by Thompson to, to be fair, produce a better loco). It's not available RTR. 

[Clive Mortimore]

I thought Mashima motors were no longer produced, so where do us who do not have a stack of them get them from?

[MikeTrice]

I also finished painting this Thompson CL this evening. It should be ready and running at Spalding next weekend.

Beautiful painting. Are you any nearer to publishing your technique?

 

BTW the large "1"s in the windows should be white.

[davefrk]

I thought Mashima motors were no longer produced, so where do us who do not have a stack of them get them from?

 

Like I said, Highlevel (and others) still have them and received a delivery not long ago. Yes, certain ones are out of stock but Mashima's can still be had all be it quite pricey these days.

 

http://173.254.28.51/~highlev3/chris/Pages/motorspage.html

 

Dave Franks.

[Headstock]

Beautiful painting. Are you any nearer to publishing your technique?

 

BTW the large "1"s in the windows should be white.

 

Good morning Mike,

 

no plans at present, with the layout under constant threat of scraping I'm trying to do as much as I can before the axe falls. That said, next years exhibition dates have been canceled, so I will have little else to do from a modeling point of view but write articles.

 

With regard to the numbers, I've run out of no smoking signs and white numbers, or at least misplaced them. The yellow ones will have to do until after Spalding.

 

Edited to add that shows are booked in for LSGC for 2020.

Edited October 27, 2018 by Headstock

[Tom F]

though, and I believe it'll soon be yours?

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

 

Already is Tony. Money exchanged hands yesterday!

 

I can now plan the Cwm Prysor layout extension!

 

[grahame]

Interesting, Jonathan, and many thanks,

 

Only this week I've had two groups over and, when running that wee train, asked the question. 'Chains, always' was the unanimous answer.

 

 

In the current issue of 'Model Rail' is an article about modelling a tractor load. In it, it says research reveals that tractors were secured to railway wagons by ropes and wedges, and with baulks of wood laid both across and down the wagon bed.

 

G

[Barry Ten]

 

Before passing in front of the George as she approaches Penmaenpool Station

DSC04417.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

It's a testament to the quality of that layout that when I drove over Penmaenpool bridge earlier this summer, I immediately thought "I know this place!" even though I hadn't

been there before. The evocation of atmosphere is spot-on for the location.

 

Al

[Headstock]

I would agree with what others have said with regard to tractors being roped on to a wagon, usualy via the buffer shanks. I don't think I've ever seen one on a Conflat, though others may have.

 

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/saffron_walden/saffron(1961)walden_old14.jpg

[Staffordshire]

   Saw the above post #28602 concerning A4's  and couldn't resist adding the attached photo ...

 

   Two kit built 'streamline' locos in BR condition awaiting final coaling etc ...

 

  A4 (Finney) in the guise of 60018 Sparrow Hawk  and  WC (Westward) as 34011 Tavistock ....  

[Baldyoldgit]

Here is an ex GER brakevan built from a D&S kit

 

Regards Tony.

[Tom F]

It's a testament to the quality of that layout that when I drove over Penmaenpool bridge earlier this summer, I immediately thought "I know this place!" even though I hadn't

been there before. The evocation of atmosphere is spot-on for the location.

 

Al

 

 

Absolutely... maybe it's because Geoff is an architectural modeller.... but there is so much to look at, it doesn't need the trains for interest!

 

 

[gr.king]

J11s? I think it does wonders for the appearance of kit built J11s if the builder takes the trouble to depart from the kit-manufacturer's usual incorrect arrangement and instead move the angle-irons in from the extreme edges of the roof, to where they really were (inboard from the edges) on the actual locos, and to carefully make the top front corners of the cab the right shape. That done, I don't think the Little engines J11 for instance gives much if anything away to the Bachmann loco in terms of appearance and it will certainly pull with a decent can motor fully hidden upright in the firebox - with no gear housing of any sort intruding unrealistically into the space that should be empty under the boiler.

 

Accepting reality, my thinking has already moved on from Mashima motors. What hope, if any, is there that they'll ever be manufactured again? Will those already in existence start to command ridiculous price like whining Portescaps? There are plenty of other motors to be had, very cheaply, on eBay, some of them very good. Use of them simply calls for willingness to be flexible and inventive regarding fitting arrangements.

 

That teak-finished non-vestibule coach on the previous page is beautifully modelled, even though it's a Thompson item!

[t-b-g]

J11s? I think it does wonders for the appearance of kit built J11s if the builder takes the trouble to depart from the kit-manufacturer's usual incorrect arrangement and instead move the angle-irons in from the extreme edges of the roof, to where they really were (inboard from the edges) on the actual locos, and to carefully make the top front corners of the cab the right shape. That done, I don't think the Little engines J11 for instance gives much if anything away to the Bachmann loco in terms of appearance and it will certainly pull with a decent can motor fully hidden upright in the firebox - with no gear housing of any sort intruding unrealistically into the space that should be empty under the boiler.

 

Accepting reality, my thinking has already moved on from Mashima motors. What hope, if any, is there that they'll ever be manufactured again? Will those already in existence start to command ridiculous price like whining Portescaps? There are plenty of other motors to be had, very cheaply, on eBay, some of them very good. Use of them simply calls for willingness to be flexible and inventive regarding fitting arrangements.

 

That teak-finished non-vestibule coach on the previous page is beautifully modelled, even though it's a Thompson item!

 

Mine got a new cab roof, with a thin metal sheet detailed with T and L section brass rather than the thick and incorrect casting. The Gibson roof is wrong in this respect too. Although it is a flat etch with an overlay for the angles, it also goes right to the edges.

 

I am also a bit puzzled by the whistle placement on the two kits as illustrated. I have never seen them anywhere but on top of the cab roof but maybe there is a variant I haven't seen before. Perhaps one for TW to include in his "upgrade".