Wright writes.....

Tony Wright · January 1

More done on the new DJH A1 today................

The tender frames assembled and running. Those who've assembled these DJH big tenders will understand how useful it is to have that third (or even fourth!) hand when trying to hold the wheels in place as the frames are soldered to the centre section.

As was my usual practice, I fitted Peco brass cup bearings to the outer axleboxes; they give a much better ride. The centre pairs of axles just go along for the ride.

I also installed my usual loco-to-tender drawbar system on this class. It provides 'intimate' coupling on the straight, and expands on curves.

Now for thorough testing............

On respective Up and Down 13-car expresses of some weight.

I'm convinced that the reason that so many kit-built locos which pass through my hands don't run properly is that they've never been subjected to this kind of operating scrutiny; during their building!

On one circuit, the cab doors fouled the tender sides. Not too much, but enough to cause poor riding on one end curve. I just bent the doors in just a tiny bit more.

I only carry on with the build until I'm happy with the running at every stage of construction.

Though difficult to fully discern in these images, I've altered the cab so that the higher section (which contains the side windows) rakes in towards the eaves (a cut with a piercing saw does the trick, both sides of the spectacle plate).

Tony Wright · January 1

Running my latest A1 build set me thinking as to what timescale is represented by Bytham's DJH A1s. It's over 30 years!

This was the first DJH A1 I built for myself. Getting to know Ian Rathbone in the early-90s, I asked him to paint it (which he did, superbly!).

I'd previously built DJH A1s for customers, but had painted them myself (to nowhere near the same standard!).

Fast forward 30 years...........

And this is a DJH A1 I built for myself in 2022.

Geoff Haynes painted this one (beautifully); he has a further A1 to paint right now (60158), and the latest one (60126) will be heading his way when I've finished it.

Both A1s' painting were based on photographic evidence (60129 being dirtier).

What do these images 'prove'? That at least my 'standards' have been reasonably consistent?

Also, when I built 60116 Bachmann's RTR A1 was just on the horizon, but the rest of the ECML motive power on offer RTR (and the rest) was wholly dire. Split chassis (which did just that!) and tender-drives, often with the tender roaring like a bull as it tried to push a loco chassis which had jammed-up its motion!

Despite the latest RTR standards now being probably 'better' than anything I might currently build, I'll not be employing them.

Edited January 1 by Tony Wright
to add something

MJI · January 1

I have been working on this over the holiday period.

Will be completing chassis when up to it.

Anyway work stops modelling until next weekend.

davefrk · January 1

And with all the talk about a RTR WD 2-10-0 over the last weeks had me digging out the DJH one I had started for myself some time ago, the chassis frames were scratchbuilt to suit compensation using a template I had made for previous builds, (long before CSB suspension was considered, at least by me). I thought I might try to fit CSBs to these frames so Chris at HighLevel supplied the hornblocks and just before Christmas the 2-10-0 was up on it's wheels all be it as a 0-10-0 at first, turning over nicely on the rolling road.

I'd built a few WD 2-10-0s for customers over the years with the same scratchbuilt compensated chassis in all 4mm gauges, P4, EM and OO (just the frame width varied!). I've very few decent photos unfortunately but here is 90766 in P4 with Sharman wheels. Note the sliding cab windows fitted by BR

As of today the 'Big Yin' has it's cylinders on and the Dave Bradwell drain cocks added, the smokebox saddle was modified to raise the boiler to the correct height at the front, DJH got it wrong by 1mm....
Slidebar bracket made to support the very flimsy slidebars, not enough room to fit a full thickness three part slidebar though but it is a 'layout loco' so it shouldn't be noticed, cough....

With a good sized Mashima motor and a HighLevel gearbox it performs very well down to a slow crawl. To be numbered 90763 as the only big WD shedded in England all it's days, Carlisle Kingmoor and was occasionally seen in Leeds and on the S&C so good for my railway.

Cheers and Happy New Year to all.

Dave F.

Tony Wright · January 1

A few more pictures of DJH A1s I've built..........

60116 first appeared on Leighford, but it was used extensively on Stoke Summit (maybe not on the 'Queen of Scots').

Those gross lamps have long gone.

A couple of other A1s which appeared on Stoke were.............

60117.

And 60130 (both painted by Ian Rathbone).

60117 is still going strong on Little Bytham.

As is 60130.............

She once appeared.............

On Charwelton (but only for photographic purposes).

An A1 which was built later.................

Was 60128 (also painted by Ian Rathbone).

West Riding-allocated A1s were very common on the Pullman services (other than the 'Tees-Tyne Pullman' and 'Master Cutler').

Another later-build A1 was.............

60156 (painted by Ian Rathbone).

And an even later-build was..........

60157 (painted by Geoff Haynes).

When Geoff has painted ABERDONIAN and the under-construction SIR VINCENT RAVEN, that'll be 15 DJH A1s running on LB; plus the others from different sources, making a total of 20 (is that enough A1s?).

Out of all these, my personal favourite is...........

ALCAZAR (also painted by Ian Rathbone).

And a previous Stoke Summit A1.

Edited January 1 by Tony Wright
clumsy grammar

Jesse Sim · January 2

Howdy all,

I’m after some help regarding a L&Y Family Saloon, I have the DS kit and I need to build it for someone but I can’t seem to find much information on the vehicle. I’m really after a photo or tow, can anyone point me in the right direction?

Compound2632 · January 2

1 hour ago, Jesse Sim said:

I’m after some help regarding a L&Y Family Saloon, I have the DS kit and I need to build it for someone but I can’t seem to find much information on the vehicle. I’m really after a photo or tow, can anyone point me in the right direction?

Have you tried contacting the L&YR Society? https://lyrs.org.uk/

St Enodoc · January 2

2 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

Howdy all,

I’m after some help regarding a L&Y Family Saloon, I have the DS kit and I need to build it for someone but I can’t seem to find much information on the vehicle. I’m really after a photo or tow, can anyone point me in the right direction?

22 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Have you tried contacting the L&YR Society? https://lyrs.org.uk/

Jesse, the L&YRS has a number of members in Australia. I can put you in touch with the relevant person.

Woodcock29 · January 2

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

Jesse, the L&YRS has a number of members in Australia. I can put you in touch with the relevant person.

Jesse

They are generally quite responsive. I've been in touch directly with them via their website contacts. They sent me a heap of photos of the steam railmotor when I built that and several times I've got info on certain wagons from Noel Coates, their wagon guru.

Curiously I've just finished a number of L&YR wagons in LMS livery. I have 5 of the D&S 6 wheelers to build one day including the family saloon but they're a long way down the list!

Andrew

Tony Wright · January 2

Having been busy today checking/subbing/proofing BRM, I've only done a little bit more on my new A1.

Details frequently omitted from kit-built A1s are the conduits/rods running from the fireman's side alongside the firebox. The top one was the cable for the electric lighting (removed on some locos later in their lives) and the lower one for operating the cylinder drain cocks. I formed these from 15Amp fusewire and .45mm brass wire respectively, passing through holes drilled into the cab front.

My alteration to the cabsides are evident here as well, and my fitting of the handrails and cinder guards.

Tony Wright · January 2

Mention of A1s (my favourite steam loco) set me off searching for images (after I'd finished with BRM) of those model ones which have appeared on Little Bytham. Along with those I've featured recently, how about the following? If I've got muddled up as to their origins, my apologies.

Because there are so many, I'm splitting the posts............

One of John Houlden's layouts prior to his 'graduating' to O Gauge was East Ranford.

Here, his DJH 60114 speeds through with the 'Yorkshire Pullman' It later ran on his Gamston Bank.

When that layout was 'cremated' he sold 60114...........

To Geoff West, who gave it a spin on LB (my under-construction 60129 is to the right).

I built 60114 from a DJH kit for a friend, and ran it in on Stoke Summit.

He later asked me to sell it, so I gave it a run on Bytham before it went off to its new owner. Ian Rathbone painted it.

Bytham's current 60114 is provided by this wonderfully-natural DJH example, all the work of Tony Geary (apart from the now-removed squeak - a TG 'signature').

I acquired this DJH one from the collection of a deceased modeller. Apart from just a few tweaks to ensure good running and a dusting-over of weathering by Geoff Haynes, it's as acquired.

Another DJH A1 from another deceased modeller's collection was this one. I completed it, made it go and Geoff Haynes painted it.

60119 was unique among the class in retaining its incorrect '6' and '9' on the front numberplate to withdrawal. Others either started off with the correct Gill Sans numerals or had them altered.

Another DJH ex-Gamston A1 is KITTIWAKE, bought by Geoff West from John Houlden.

My 60120 was built originally from a Pro-Scale kit by the late Geoff Brewin. I bought it from his estate, completed it and painted it.

Tom Foster then weathered it; perfectly!

I saw SILURIAN many times (sadly, at the end, dumped at 50A in the autumn of 1965), so I had to build a model of her; the usual DJH kit, painted by Geoff Haynes.

This DJH example came from another deceased modeller's collection, and was bought by Geoff West (if I recall correctly). Unfortunately, the cabsides have not been altered.

If my memory is correct...........

He then weathered it............

Bringing it back for a run.

I can't recall who brought this DJH model of 60122.

More A1s in my next post...................

Tony Wright · January 2

More A1s............

Believe it or not, Geoff West bought the item below off Ebay........

Has anyone ever assembled a DJH A1 kit so badly?

Nothing daunted, he dismantled it............

And started rebuilding it.

When he'd finished it, Geoff Haynes painted it.

Remarkable, I say!

When Bachmann's RTR A1 came out, I set about detailing/altering it.

I then ran it on Stoke Summit.

And on Biggleswade.

And it now finds (not much) work on Little Bytham.

'Improvements' included new bogie wheels, etched brass deflectors, renumbering/renaming (from 60158 ABERDONIAN to 60125 SCOTTISH UNION), adding lots of wiggly pipes, jacking up the rear footplate to match the tender's soleplate's height and Ian Rathbone's weathering.

David West also altered his Bachmann A1 to 60125.

I took another Bachmann A1 (this time a Darlington-built example), conducting the same alterations (I think this started off as 60130).

It ran on Stoke Summit for a time, until I sold it (I didn't take its picture running on Bytham, unfortunately).

Ray Flintoft brought along this DJH one he'd built as BALMORAL.

Another John Houlden-built DJH A1 bought by Geoff West was 60145.

PEREGRINE was another 50A A1 I saw regularly, so I built her from a Crownline kit, and Geoff Haynes painted her.

She made an interesting comparison with.........

Ray Flintoft's 60146, which he built from a DJH kit.

NORTH EASTERN was another DJH A1 built by a deceased modeller. It sounded like a group of Banshees when running to start with, and I sold it to Geoff West. He weathered it (beautifully), but, not being deaf, decided it wasn't for him. So, I bought it back off him, stripped the frames down and re-motored it to give silk-like performance.

My oldest A1 is AMADIS, built from a much-altered Wills A2 kit/scratch. Over 40 years ago (as a Fordley Park loco) it was just about all right (I didn't know any professional painters then!).

It still runs very well, but isn't in the same league as current A1s.

This very-natural Bachmann A1 was brought along by (I think) Eric Kidd.

More A1s to come............

grahame · January 2

Here's something a little different. Not A1s or A3s but more akin to A2205 (Bermondsey Street) and the block on the corner with Crucifix Lane (the A2207). It's a N/2mm model consisting of an office building and vinegar brewery located along the front of the viaduct (not yet built) on the layout.

I had always planned to include a very rough and freelance representation of the Sarson's malt vinegar brewery on my layout and the plot next to the office building was available. . . . I know it's not in the right place but at this end of the layout there is a lot less adherence to the actual geographic area. And, of course, it's all far from finished.

Tony Wright · January 2

The last (for now) A1s...............

Phil (the famous 'Duck') started this DJH A1. I bought it off him, completed it and Ian Rathbone painted it.

I'd altered it to produce one of the roller bearing-fitted examples, BORDERER.

This is an earlier Bytham shot.

It's always wise to consult prototype material when making a model.

Though this is from an earlier period than the one depicted by my 60156............

I didn't try and replicate that wonky deflector handrail!

She's seen in company with 60119.

I built her from a DJH kit, altered to a roller bearing example, and Ian Rathbone painted her.

Yet another John Houlden-built DJH A1 was bought by Geoff West. John also altered the kit to make roller bearing-fitted GREAT CENTRAL.

I built another roller bearing-fitted A1 from a DJH kit, this time painted by Geoff Haynes.

Who also hand-painted GREAT EASTERN's crest!

Eric Kidd brought along two very nice Bachmann A1s he'd altered.

60159.

And 60162.

Examples I never saw.

Thanks to all who've given me the opportunity of photographing their A1s.

I'm sure there'll be more...............

Tony Wright · January 2

Looking at my A1 pictures above, I think it's fair to say that the modified Bachmann examples are the equal, if not better, than several of the equivalents. Of course, the pro-paint jobs lift the kit-built A1s, but, with the 'waspish' Bachmann lining toned down, then the RTR A1s look fine in a layout setting.

However, one thing which annoys me is the wrong 'lean' of the return crank on the nearside (the offside is fine).

It leans to the rear at bottom dead centre, and, in motion, it looks more like a rebuilt Bulleid Pacific.

It should lean forwards on this side.

As on this DJH example.

Has anyone tried to alter this? I have on Hornby locos (which have the wrong 'lean' on the opposite side), but not Bachmann ones with outside valve gear.

LNER4479 · January 2

Easy enough, Tony (for a man of your calibre). Simply remove the return crank and big end of the conn. rod to expose the main crank pin. There's a couple of notches that engage with pips on the inside of the crank pin. With a piercing saw (suggested), carefully saw a new set of notches on the end of the main crank pin - if necessary, dress / deepen with suitable needle file.

I've not done it on an A1 per se but have now done quite a few LMS 4-6-0s and it's exactly the same procedure.

If the above is unclear, I'll strip one of mine down and take some photos.

Tony Wright · January 3

11 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Easy enough, Tony (for a man of your calibre). Simply remove the return crank and big end of the conn. rod to expose the main crank pin. There's a couple of notches that engage with pips on the inside of the crank pin. With a piercing saw (suggested), carefully saw a new set of notches on the end of the main crank pin - if necessary, dress / deepen with suitable needle file.

I've not done it on an A1 per se but have now done quite a few LMS 4-6-0s and it's exactly the same procedure.

If the above is unclear, I'll strip one of mine down and take some photos.

Thanks Graham,

Since I only have the one Bachmann A1 (and it's rarely used), I probably won't bother.

It's a similar case with Hornby's locos with outside valve gear; those few I possess, never get used much. I did alter the motion of a Hornby K1............

As supplied, the return crank's angle on the offside was absurd (in motion, resembling a maniacal violinist!).

I was given this little tool when I visited Hornby in Margate on one occasion. It's a small box spanner which exactly fits the hexagonal head.

Undo and adjust, and Bob's your uncle. One just turns the return crank through 90 degrees.

I renumbered, detailed and weathered the finished model, wrote about it for BRM, then sold it. Why?

Because, despite the excellence of today's RTR locos, I still prefer to make my own.

The same procedure was applied more recently.............

With regard to Hornby's latest P2 (which I also wrote about for BRM). In this case, the return crank (both sides) was at no angle at all to start with, 'leaning' neither backwards or forwards.

I need to check, but I do have a pair of Bachmann Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0s which are used 'up top'; from memory, I think the return cranks are correct both sides on these as supplied.

Whether most folk are bothered with which way a crank 'leans' or not is a moot point. Obviously, it matters to you and to me.

Regards,

Tony.

Captain Kernow · January 3

One wonders whether such things as the correct angle for the return crank actually form part of the design spec for any given RTR model, or whether it's somehow 'left to chance' for the workers in the Chinese factory to decide?

Compound2632 · January 3

6 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

One wonders whether such things as the correct angle for the return crank actually form part of the design spec for any given RTR model, or whether it's somehow 'left to chance' for the workers in the Chinese factory to decide?

Perhaps this is evidence that the trade would be better off focusing on nice simple small inside-cylinder locomotives rather than these complicated outside-cylinder Walschaerts-geared behemoths?

Edited January 3 by Compound2632

Captain Kernow · January 3

1 minute ago, Compound2632 said:

Perhaps this is evidence that the trade would be better off focusing on nice simple small inside-cylinder locomotives rather than these complicated outside-cylinder Walschaerts-geared behemoths?

You surely don't mean more panniers?! 😉😉😄

Compound2632 · January 3

10 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

You surely don't mean more panniers?! 😉😉😄

You are correct - that is most surely what I do not mean. Perish the thought. Now, the same engines with saddles...

Bucoops · January 3

Please don't saddle us with more tanks.

Methuselah · January 3

On 29/12/2023 at 16:16, Tony Wright said:

Where would I be without RMweb?

In blissful ignorance, I fixed those etched brass window guards to Rapido's Dynamometer Car; assuming that brass would have been used on the prototype. Not the case - it's a steel mesh and frame, painted the solebar colour!

So..........

I mixed up a colour using matt black, matt brown and matt red enamels to as near as I could, then carefully (very-carefully) sable-brushed on the paint. However, over a thousand Watts of studio lighting has revealed it's not an exact match.

However, a further however................

has revealed that under more-subtle lighting, the colour match is much closer.

At both ends - not a perfect match, I admit, but much better than the shiny brass guards.

I also took the trouble to weather the solebars and headstocks.

Perhaps I should weather the roof as well..............

Thanks to all who provided the evidence; making this a more-accurate model. Which begs the question - is it now devalued from its 'mint boxed' status? Certainly, no collector would touch it currently, but I'm not one of those.

I've ended-up with both the original unlined (Argh...) and the newer lined versions of this model. I was thinking that it'd be interesting to convert the first version to it's as-built (NER...?) configuration. Where might I find suitable guidance/drawings/livery etc...? I think replacement bogies would be required....? Who might make these....? TIA.

Tony Wright · January 3

4 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

One wonders whether such things as the correct angle for the return crank actually form part of the design spec for any given RTR model, or whether it's somehow 'left to chance' for the workers in the Chinese factory to decide?

Good afternoon Captain,

I don't know the answer, but I'd imagine most workers who assemble these complex locos don't really have a clue about return crank leanings/angles.

From observation, Bachmann's method of securing the cranks is dependent on two 'lugs' and 'slots' in the centre crankpin/return crank. Since it's the same pin both sides, and it's fitted by a jig(?), it means it's right one side but the (wrongly) opposite the other (however, as I'll show, this is not always the case). Hornby's are easier to adjust, but they come set at various angles, meaning the fitting at source is probably arbitrary.

As I mentioned before, most folk who buy these things won't know (and probably don't care!). My take is that I do notice such things, particularly the motion in motion. Obviously, my being partisan means that the motion in motion on, say, an A3 is aesthetically pleasing - probably more than any other type. In contrast, because it's got outside admission valves (I think that's the right way round), a rebuilt Bulleid Pacific's motion in motion looks decidedly awkward, because its return cranks lean backwards at bottom dead centre.

Anyway, a few RTR examples................. Not all of these are photographed at bottom dead centre, but the angles, right or wrong, can be worked out.