Wright writes.....

[Bucoops]

I  think it's time to drag things down to the small N/2mm level with some more of my efforts to replicate buildings around London Bridge - although fortunately it is scratch-modelling and in the spirit of the thread. For the latest project I've been trying to make a version of Denmark/Emblem House. It's obviously far from complete ATM and is very compressed (for example two columns of windows are left out) and also much simplified (it's a complex and ornate building).

 

My approach to building construction tends to be by making separate parts (or rather sub-assemblies) which are detailed and painted before being glued together as a kind of easy build kit. Obviously throughout the process I regularly double check the fit of the sub-assemblies but without gluing them in place until ready. And many of the parts are wall panels so until glued in place they are only placed in position and look rather wobbly. Anyway here's how far I've got. First the real thing:

 

P1090707a.jpg

 

And now my efforts to replicate it. Hopefully it looks something like it should and has the right atmosphere even if it's not a drop dead exact replica:

 

2018-06-07-08.33.23 ZS PMax.jpg

 

G

 

Wow

[micknich2003]

Only four are required, one for each tie rod.

double slip.png

Clive, in full size practice there would be six stretchers,   one for each switch, and one each for the Diamonds. Addmitedley, in model practice one long stretcher for both point ends may be  used.

[MJI]

Good morning Alexandra,

 

Where a rake runs as fixed (as on Little Bytham), and where it doesn't run into a terminus, the ends can be 'detailed' as much as one likes, because they don't have to 'work, except visually. 

 

The following pictures show how I arrange some of mine...........

 

Bachmann carriages 11 rear end detail.jpg

 

Bachmann carriages 18 complete.jpg

 

Hornby & Bachmann guard's ends.jpg

 

Hornby Mk.1 BSK end.jpg

 

Hornby Mk.1 modified end.jpg

 

The dummy buckeyes are from MJT or Bachmann, the gangway covers from Comet, MJT and Bachmann and the pipes from a variety of sources. 

 

I hope these help. Some have been seen before.

 

Little looks worse to me than the end of a passenger rake, with a gross tension-lock sticking out from the bogie, no gangway cover and no tail lamp!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

I have recently started on W34666 (next one on) based on Triang side roof and part underframe.

 

They are cheap, and scrub up well with MJT buffers and roof vents Replica glazing.

 

Underframe will be detailed and the vacuum cylinders sorted as on this lot they are towards the centre from the V hangers.

 

It is a lot of work getting the brake gear right on Mark 1s, just found half my Bachmanns are wrong for what they need to be. All others crude enough to start again

[Enterprisingwestern]

Excellent. What a super pic. More please.

 

G

 

http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/layout_wibdenshaw.html

Also Google is your friend.

 

Mike.

[grahame]

http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/layout_wibdenshaw.html

Also Google is your friend.

 

Mike.

Yep, thanks. I've long had that website bookmarked - it's inspirational. I was wondering if there are other pics not available on the internet and where Google doesn't reach.

 

G

[Clive Mortimore]

Clive, in full size practice there would be six stretchers,   one for each switch, and one each for the Diamonds. Addmitedley, in model practice one long stretcher for both point ends may be  used.

Hi Mick

 

The original question related to point motors, which is four. It would be four point machines to work a real one. And model practice unlike prototype we normally leave out the additional stretchers because on a switched diamond with double slips there are 10 stretcher bars.

 

Edit or three point motors if you have an arrangement like Kier built for Wibdenshaw

Edited June 7, 2018 by Clive Mortimore

[St Enodoc]

Only four are required, one for each tie rod.

double slip.png

Clive, that's true if you only have one tiebar/stretcher at each end but often that is not practicable as the two pairs of blades move in different planes. That's the reason I use two tiebars at each end - one per pair of blades - with an equalising lever linking them so that I can use a single motor at each end. Some people use a separate motor for each tiebar though.

 

See http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94350-mid-cornwall-lines-1950s-western-region-in-00/page-45&do=findComment&comment=2863624.

[micknich2003]

Clive, I was making the point each set of switches has its own Leading Stretcher and not one long one driving two sets of Switches, which I know is sometimes employed in model work.

[Michael Edge]

I always use separate tiebars on double slips and each one has its own motor, makes them much easier to set up and adjust/repair later. So for a double slip with switch diamond that would be 6 motors as John says, however I think they are all single slips on Carlisle so only 4 per slip.

[N15class]

I  think it's time to drag things down to the small N/2mm level with some more of my efforts to replicate buildings around London Bridge - although fortunately it is scratch-modelling and in the spirit of the thread. For the latest project I've been trying to make a version of Denmark/Emblem House. It's obviously far from complete ATM and is very compressed (for example two columns of windows are left out) and also much simplified (it's a complex and ornate building).

 

My approach to building construction tends to be by making separate parts (or rather sub-assemblies) which are detailed and painted before being glued together as a kind of easy build kit. Obviously throughout the process I regularly double check the fit of the sub-assemblies but without gluing them in place until ready. And many of the parts are wall panels so until glued in place they are only placed in position and look rather wobbly. Anyway here's how far I've got. First the real thing:

 

P1090707a.jpg

 

And now my efforts to replicate it. Hopefully it looks something like it should and has the right atmosphere even if it's not a drop dead exact replica:

 

2018-06-07-08.33.23 ZS PMax.jpg

 

G

Very nice Grahame. I was just wondering if there was a reason for putt a separate roof on the left hand tower an not the right, when the original has none?

[Enterprisingwestern]

Yep, thanks. I've long had that website bookmarked - it's inspirational. I was wondering if there are other pics not available on the internet and where Google doesn't reach.

 

G

 

I would say Kier is the man to answer that!

 

Mike.

[grahame]

Very nice Grahame. I was just wondering if there was a reason for putt a separate roof on the left hand tower an not the right, when the original has none?

 

Thanks - although I'm not quite sure what you mean about the roofs. The two fawn block 'towers' at each side of Emblem House's façade don't have separate roofs, either on the model or real thing, and are toped with coping stones with a single pitched roof behind over the central section. Denmark House, the red building tacked on the left (west) side of Emblem House has it's own separate pitched roof. Perhaps this pic makes it clearer:

 

 

G

[Clem]

Hi Tony,

I thought I'd post this having looked at your lovely B1s - many with Comet chassis - a hundred or so pages back. That really inspired me to get on with this Comet B1 chassis kit that I bought a while back. I decided that I'd like to know whether it was possible to build one of these in EM using Markits wheels (a bit wider than Gibsons) and to make it even more challenging, whether it could also be built with triple layer expansion links similar to the prototype. Here (below) is a picture of the result. The loco is fully sprung as per the Comet system and although it's still under test, it now runs pretty well to say it hasn't been run in. However, clearances are frighteningly small and after assembling the finished main components, It took me a couple  of days to get it running at all. When I originally measured the distance across the front two crankpins, I must admit it didn't look achievable. But steadily working through ways of easing the clearances, I've finally got it up and running. I also wanted to do it without splitting the cylinders and motion support bracket and this was achieved also. I needed to have fall back positions and splitting them, as i know you advocate, was one of them. 

 

I fully agree with you that it's a lovely kit to build albeit a little challenging in EM the way I've done it. If anyone else is wishing to do one of these, a couple of tips on the springing. Paint the chassis before you fit the springs and then just clean the the guides until they're a sliding fit.  If you paint it after the springs are in situ any paint leaking on to the hornblock guides - which are part of the chassis and open - will invariably stop the springing working. I did this and even with them masked off some paint seeped in and caused a couple to cease working. Also, I found the stops on the dummy leaf springs which act as keepers aren't long enough and allow the springs to slip out. It's simple enough to add a short extension to them to cure it. When I first tested the chassis as an inside cylinder 4-6-0, the front bogie shorted on the chassis when going round curves but this was cured with a single longitudinal spring which acts both downwards and sideways and helps guide the loco into curves. One further note of caution: the body has to be weighted heavily and this will push the front wheels up and on to the edge of the motion support bracket giving an intermittent short on one side. This can be avoided by simply removing about 1mm from the front of the insulating wheels side of the bracket where the flange would have  caught it.

 

This B1 will become a model of one of Colwick's finest - probably 61188 when numbered. Unlike Little Bytham the B1s along with the K2s, K3s, O4s and WDs are the biggest locomotives set to work my layout. 

 

BTW, referring back to a more recent discussion, I use Tortoise motors and haven't had any problems over 10 years plus of using them apart from them being a little bit weak (being stall motors) for a couple of my hand built copper clad double slips in the hidden sidings. I'm not the best track builder in the world so that's probably down to me and not the motors.

 

Thanks for the inspiration Tony and also to everyone else who contributes. It's a great thread. One of the few things I seem to read these days!

 

 

[Chuffer Davies]

The Ian Allan publication ‘LNER passenger trains and their formations 1923-68’ by Banks and Carter (ISBN 978-0-86093-649-7) gives many examples of split sections off expresses going on to their final destinations. There’s a great picture on page 178 showing two Pullman cars being hauled by a N2, hauling a split section to Halifax that was detached off the rear of the Yorkshire Pullman in the 1930’s. Sadly though you can’t see if it’s running with express lamps on this stage...

Phil

Hi Phil,

 

I don’t think anyone replied to your inferred question about headcodes on the separate portions of the West Riding Pullman service?

 

I’ve just come across a picture of the Halifax portion (2 coaches) at Wakefield Westgate which clearly shows that the locomotive carries an express headcode i.e. a lamp atop each buffer. This confirms what I suspected but I wanted to be sure before I posted anything.

 

Unfortunately as I’m unsure of copyright I can’t attach the picture.

 

We are planning to model this train for our new club layout Clayton EM. The Halifax portion passed through Clayton in both directions once each day and was usually hauled by an N2.

 

Regards,

Frank

[Chamby]

Thanks, Frank. It’s quirky little workings like this that research just throws up once in a while, that adds genuine character to our modelling. Nice find!

 

Phil

[N15class]

Thanks - although I'm not quite sure what you mean about the roofs. The two fawn block 'towers' at each side of Emblem House's façade don't have separate roofs, either on the model or real thing, and are toped with coping stones with a single pitched roof behind over the central section. Denmark House, the red building tacked on the left (west) side of Emblem House has it's own separate pitched roof. Perhaps this pic makes it clearer:

 

DSC_5930.JPG

 

G

For the life of me it looked like there was a separate roof on the left hand protrusion. I'd better go back to the optician.

[Tony Wright]

Yesterday, was a bit like Christmas!

 

As part of my taking pictures for his forthcoming book on painting models and my acting as a sub-contract builder for him, Geoff Haynes has painted the following locos for me, and delivered them yesterday morning. I've spent part of today completing them (glazing, coaling, crewing, lamping-up - that sort of thing) and putting them back together. 

 

 

This is the ancient BEC D11 which a friend bought for me, which I built. It's a bit 'wobbly' in places (as befits the venerable), but it's not too bad, if not as good as the Bachmann RTR one (other than the painting, of course). Though not a Little Bytham loco (it would do very well for Kiveton Park), the real thing does have a fond place in my memory. It's probably the first loco I can really remember seeing, off Newton Lane bridge over the CLC in Chester, in about 1951. 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an original Model Loco (DJH) 9F, I built some little time ago, coupled to a Bachmann BR 1F tender. Normally, I paint my own plain black engines, but Geoff needs some plain black ones for his book, so that's why he painted this. It represents the loco just ex-works (note the Darlington big cabside numbers), as it appears in Irwell's 'Book of' the class, shedded at New England. 

 

 

 

 

 

He also painted my latest A2, York's 60526 SUGAR PALM. I built this from a DJH kit, modifying it to represent one of the multi-valve regulator ones. He also weathered the CCT for me, which I built and painted.

 

Once more, in the images above, the camera has highlighted some of my less-than-perfect building, and quirks in the painting such as transfer halos (not really visible to the naked eye). Still, they're all just 'layout locos', and do their jobs as such without fuss or failure. 

 

Geoff has also painted some carriages/vans for me, which I'll be glazing tomorrow. I'll post pictures when they're done. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Flyingscotsmanfan]

I've managed this with my Pullman and Maunsell stock so far, and plan on expanding it to all stock so fitted with Pullman gangways. It looks infinitely better. On the ends of rakes I've planned to use the 'loop' section of Dinghams and to retain coupling hooks on locomotives so I can have automatic coupling/uncoupling. For freight stock, three-link or, where appropriate, screw-link is the order of the day. This video contains a rather clever idea for three-link couplings, notably a small bar across the top-most link so that is is, in actuality, a two and two-half link coupling, the top 'half' being closed around the coupling hook and providing resistance when running in reverse, similar to how many modellers would place thin-gauge wire over buffers to make the surface area bigger. It's less visually intrusive (of course I'd use finer-scale chain).

 

The use of a dummy knuckle coupling hadn't occurred to me for the ends of rakes; I'll have to consider that when I get around to fitting scale couplings.

 

- Alexandra

It’s reassuring to know that my ideas have been tried and tested and also inspiring to the same person.

Now to get round to building those coaches, why did I choose late 1930s LNER, teak takes ages to paint

Edited June 7, 2018 by Flyingscotsmanfan

[davidw]

Yesterday, was a bit like Christmas!

 

As part of my taking pictures for his forthcoming book on painting models and my acting as a sub-contract builder for him, Geoff Haynes has painted the following locos for me, and delivered them yesterday morning. I've spent part of today completing them (glazing, coaling, crewing, lamping-up - that sort of thing) and putting them back together. 

 

BEC D11 62662.jpg

 

This is the ancient BEC D11 which a friend bought for me, which I built. It's a bit 'wobbly' in places (as befits the venerable), but it's not too bad, if not as good as the Bachmann RTR one (other than the painting, of course). Though not a Little Bytham loco (it would do very well for Kiveton Park), the real thing does have a fond place in my memory. It's probably the first loco I can really remember seeing, off Newton Lane bridge over the CLC in Chester, in about 1951. 

 

DJH 9F 92042 01.jpg

 

DJH 9F 92042 02.jpg

 

DJH 9F 92042 03.jpg

 

DJH 9F 92042 04.jpg

 

This is an original Model Loco (DJH) 9F, I built some little time ago, coupled to a Bachmann BR 1F tender. Normally, I paint my own plain black engines, but Geoff needs some plain black ones for his book, so that's why he painted this. It represents the loco just ex-works (note the Darlington big cabside numbers), as it appears in Irwell's 'Book of' the class, shedded at New England. 

 

DJH A2 60526 01.jpg

 

DJH A2 60526 02.jpg

 

DJH A2 60526 03.jpg

 

DJH A2 60526 04.jpg

 

He also painted my latest A2, York's 60526 SUGAR PALM. I built this from a DJH kit, modifying it to represent one of the multi-valve regulator ones. He also weathered the CCT for me, which I built and painted.

 

Once more, in the images above, the camera has highlighted some of my less-than-perfect building, and quirks in the painting such as transfer halos (not really visible to the naked eye). Still, they're all just 'layout locos', and do their jobs as such without fuss or failure. 

 

Geoff has also painted some carriages/vans for me, which I'll be glazing tomorrow. I'll post pictures when they're done. 

 

Aren't the numbers on the 9f slightly large? SUGAR  PALM looks the business!

[cctransuk]

Aren't the numbers on the 9f slightly large? ............

 

See the caption.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Headstock]

They are even worse to do in 7mm.   I solved the problem by having a loading siding that juts up to the edge of a board.   Run the loco up to the edge then hold the coach vertically and catch the loco's coupling with the hook.   Then bring the coach upright and let the loco pull it forward, then repeat with the next coach.   The point to the siding has it's own switch which cannot be reached from the control panel and thus is only used for coupling and uncoupling.  The fact that the heavy Janick and PC coaches weigh quite a bit can make this a but tricky.

 

There was at least one set on the exit from Leeds to before the 2000 rebuild to allow the Kings Cross trains to go onto the ex LNWR viaduct line from the old Platform 5.

 

Jamie

 

Evening Jamie,

 

that sounds like a good idear. I was of the impression that 7 mm might be easier, no such luck. The weights involved and the springiness of the buffers and coupling hooks is a real bind when trying to couple gangway stock. In comparison, 7 and 4 mm wagons are as easy as pie.

 

My method is to place wagon A on the track, grasp it with the left hand, position wagon B at an angle of about 45 degrees in the right hand. Then put the link on wagon B over the hook on wagon A and then place wagon B on the track and repeat for wagon C etc. I am usually able to assemble about thirty wagons using that method in the time it takes a colleague to couple up five wagons while faffing around with a set of tweezers. The same applies for coupling locomotives to trains, though fixed formations of gangway stock employ the Wight method, at least within the body of the train.

 

At the end of the day, screw link couplings are hardly visible on gangway stock. However, nothing beats the look of screw or three link couplings on freight/goods trains (should that be Froods trains) if they are appropriate. 

[davidw]

Yesterday, was a bit like Christmas!

 

As part of my taking pictures for his forthcoming book on painting models and my acting as a sub-contract builder for him, Geoff Haynes has painted the following locos for me, and delivered them yesterday morning. I've spent part of today completing them (glazing, coaling, crewing, lamping-up - that sort of thing) and putting them back together. 

 

BEC D11 62662.jpg

 

This is the ancient BEC D11 which a friend bought for me, which I built. It's a bit 'wobbly' in places (as befits the venerable), but it's not too bad, if not as good as the Bachmann RTR one (other than the painting, of course). Though not a Little Bytham loco (it would do very well for Kiveton Park), the real thing does have a fond place in my memory. It's probably the first loco I can really remember seeing, off Newton Lane bridge over the CLC in Chester, in about 1951. 

 

DJH 9F 92042 01.jpg

 

DJH 9F 92042 02.jpg

 

DJH 9F 92042 03.jpg

 

DJH 9F 92042 04.jpg

 

This is an original Model Loco (DJH) 9F, I built some little time ago, coupled to a Bachmann BR 1F tender. Normally, I paint my own plain black engines, but Geoff needs some plain black ones for his book, so that's why he painted this. It represents the loco just ex-works (note the Darlington big cabside numbers), as it appears in Irwell's 'Book of' the class, shedded at New England. 

 

DJH A2 60526 01.jpg

 

DJH A2 60526 02.jpg

 

DJH A2 60526 03.jpg

 

DJH A2 60526 04.jpg

 

He also painted my latest A2, York's 60526 SUGAR PALM. I built this from a DJH kit, modifying it to represent one of the multi-valve regulator ones. He also weathered the CCT for me, which I built and painted.

 

Once more, in the images above, the camera has highlighted some of my less-than-perfect building, and quirks in the painting such as transfer halos (not really visible to the naked eye). Still, they're all just 'layout locos', and do their jobs as such without fuss or failure. 

 

Geoff has also painted some carriages/vans for me, which I'll be glazing tomorrow. I'll post pictures when they're done. 

 

 

See the caption.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

oops! Moral of the story don't speed read on a mobile screen.

[St Enodoc]

BTW, referring back to a more recent discussion, I use Tortoise motors and haven't had any problems over 10 years plus of using them apart from them being a little bit weak (being stall motors) for a couple of my hand built copper clad double slips in the hidden sidings. I'm not the best track builder in the world so that's probably down to me and not the motors.

If you have all four blades at each end attached to a single tiebar, that is probably at the root of the problem. However, you could try a tip given to me by Mike Edge which is to use thicker operating wires in the Tortoises. The wire they come with is a bit thin - try 0.8 mm or 1/32 inch.

[jamie92208]

Evening Jamie,

 

that sounds like a good idear. I was of the impression that 7 mm might be easier, no such luck. The weights involved and the springiness of the buffers and coupling hooks is a real bind when trying to couple gangway stock. In comparison, 7 and 4 mm wagons are as easy as pie.

 

My method is to place wagon A on the track, grasp it with the left hand, position wagon B at an angle of about 45 degrees in the right hand. Then put the link on wagon B over the hook on wagon A and then place wagon B on the track and repeat for wagon C etc. I am usually able to assemble about thirty wagons using that method in the time it takes a colleague to couple up five wagons while faffing around with a set of tweezers. The same applies for coupling locomotives to trains, though fixed formations of gangway stock employ the Wight method, at least within the body of the train.

 

At the end of the day, screw link couplings are hardly visible on gangway stock. However, nothing beats the look of screw or three link couplings on freight/goods trains (should that be Froods trains) if they are appropriate. 

 

It worked out quite well in practice.  I needed to have a siding that went off scene to represent the connection to the Lancaster Carriage and Wagon works that was reopened and enlarged during WW1 when it became a shell filling factory and the design of the baseboard in that area made it quite easy to incorporate.  yes the springy couplings can be a bind but are needed.  I had to fit an extra long last link so as to prvide enough clearance on 6' radius curves to prevent bufferlocking

This shows the arrangement.   The operating switch can be seen near the down main.  It sits just behind the scenic break. 

Fortunately the fiddle yard finished just past the down main.

This is what it looks like from the viewing side.

A little bit of artistic licence produced a view of Ingleborough that isn't really visible.

 

Jamie

 

 

 

 

Jamie

[richard i]

Help please.

Building the running gear for this loco. It freely runs if I spin the non motor fitted wheels, after easing the crankpin holes a little more it freely runs turning the motor fitted wheels, but sit has a spot it catches on if spinning wheels forwards. Any tricks, solutions I am missing?

 

It is in position of tight spot.

Thanks

Richard