Rob Pulham Posted October 2, 2010 Author Share Posted October 2, 2010 Absolutely superb Rob. Are the castings as good as they look? Needs a face looking out of the 'porthole' to finish it off B) Thanks Paul, They are and To DJH's credit they needed very little fettling to get them up to scratch The ones that needed most work were the axle boxes and springs but that was due to a casting sprue that held them in shape. One of them was deformed but DJH replaced it very quickly. Although it doesn't show in the photos I have put a piece of real glass in the porthole as you can't get into it once the castings are in place. I will have to mask it off for painting but you can't have everything. I hope to get started on the chassis tomorrow if I get some cupboards fitted in the garage in good time. All in all so far it has been much better than the Q7 but it wants to be for the money Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted October 16, 2010 Author Share Posted October 16, 2010 A slight distraction from the A3. Until I get my layout built I am building a diorama board so that I can at least take photos of models I complete against a reasonable background. The board itself is an oak door that was fitted wrong in my kitchen so had to be replaced To this end I have spent a bit of time since last weekend building an MSE/51L LNER lattice signal kit and a Mike's Models L&Y Water crane. The signal I bought from Wizard Models and the water Crane was an eBay find. I did a bit of scratch building on the water crane to make the brass frame for the lamp (it comes with precut perspex that you have to file to fit square) once I had glued it together I thought it could do with a frame and my initial thought was to paint the frame on using a bow pen but then having looked in my brass stip stock and found some angle for the corners I decided to make one up. The perspex is removable for painting and I will glue it all solid once it's painted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 The diorama board is now almost complete (just needing coloured lenses in the signal) Thanks mostly to my good lady for her efforts on the scenery. I just build and primed the signal etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted November 6, 2010 Author Share Posted November 6, 2010 Well two weeks later than planned, I finally have a rolling chassis for my A3. Everything was going to plan when I discovered that the 'axles' on my Hobby holidays jig needed quite a bit of polishing to get the Hobby Holidays roller bearing hornblocks to go over them. It's one of those jobs that you only need to do once but with my primitive methods it took about five hours in total over a week and a half to get them how I wanted. But the patience has paid of and it rolls sweetly down my length of track. The conrods fit together with a lovely lost wax 12ba bolt and there are lost wax nuts to fit the ends of the crank pins. So far so good. Next up is to fit the motor and give it a run on the rolling road and then strip it back down to add all the chassis detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 Progress has been slow but steady on the A3. I have completed the Pony Truck, and Cartazzi Truck and the cab. I have also done the basics on the back head. once the back head is complete I am undecided as to whether to continue detailing the chassis or start on the footplate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 A member of another forum was kind enough to let me have some Trevor Charlton sides and ends for an NER 49' all 3rd coach. I have been enquiring of various sources for the parts to complete the coach. I think that I have sourced all that I need (I haven't bought them yet but I do know where to get them, I believe) so I decided to have a go at rolling a roof from brass sheet. The roof is made up of three curves, my rolling bars are not long enough to do it all in one piece and the brass sheet I had wasn't long enough either so I rolled two separate pieces and joined them using a strip of brass. At the moment it needs a bit of tweaking due to the joint not being quite as smooth as I would like it to be. Once I am happy with it I intend to cover the roof with some canvas which will hide the joint on the finished article. I have some Sidelines and Haywood Railway coaches in stock and tried both the roof profiles but they were both too wide. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 I haven't been feeling at my best this week so I decided to have a distraction from the A3 and build one of my stock of Connoisseur Models wagon kits. it's quite a simple design and an enjoyable build the only thing I am not keen on and will need to rectify is Jims method of sprining the buffers/coupling. The idea is sound but the wire provided bend the first time I tested it after fitting Other than that it's a cracking kit and I am sure a stronger bit of wire will sort the buffers. It will be a while before this gets painted - I think I may wait and paint a few together Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravy Train Posted November 28, 2010 Share Posted November 28, 2010 Hi Rob, That's very tidy/quality modelling, did you do the signal as well? cheers Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 I did Peter thanks, it's made from a Model Signal Engineering kit. I decided that I really needed somewhere to show of the stock until I get the layout organised, I have progressed to base boards but no a track plan so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 The A3 is still progressing slowly. I have built up my first set of outside valve gear - admittedly the DJH instructions were somewhat lacking in the detail. I have also done more work on the chassis but can't do too much (particularly the white metal bits) because I have ordered some replacement springs from Ragstone Models - the DJH ones just don't cut it. The springs are quite substantial so will require a bit of heat to solder on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Nice looking A3 Rob. Very neat work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted December 6, 2010 Author Share Posted December 6, 2010 Cheers Ken, It's coming along steadily, once I have the valve gear together and running I will heave a sigh of relief. The rest is just detailing really (he says with fingers firmly crossed) You can't see it in the photo's but I managed to drill one of the castings in the wrong place, due to the fit parts 223 - 235 type instructions. I had to resort to looking at Christian's A3 thread to get some idea of what really fit's where. But above all else I am really enjoying it and that's the most important thing I think.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted December 7, 2010 Share Posted December 7, 2010 It happens ,Rob. At least I find little cockups like that no big deal to put right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted December 7, 2010 Author Share Posted December 7, 2010 In this case a couple of pieces of strategically placed 1mm brass rod will hide the evidence The beauty of doing things wrong (or making a cock up) in my mind is that what you learn from it stays with you for ever, whereas if all goes right you don't always learn to the same degree. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted December 7, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 7, 2010 Very neat valve gear Rob, despite any well hidden cock-ups. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted December 15, 2010 Author Share Posted December 15, 2010 While staying in Saltburn the last few times I have been working on a Slaters MR/LMS fruit van Kit which apart from couplings is virtually complete (It came with 3 links but the version I have built requires screw couplings). I just need to find out if the brake yokes had guard iron's but I have left my midland Wagons books in Saltburn. So if any one looking can confirm this, it will save me waiting until the New Year when I next go up. No further progress with the A3 apart from taking delivery of a set of Ragstone models spring castings to replace the rather flimsy etched ones provided by DJH. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 I could have sworn that I already posted this but I must be going daft. Well I have finally got back to the A3. I have in theory been waiting for some additional brake parts from Ragstone most of which have arrived but if I am honest I have been distracted with other things having part built an MMP Glass wagon. I have done some of the footplate detailing feeling quite good until I realised that I had to take half the bits of again to drill holes for the pipe work to locate in - I had drilled the holes in the sides of the lubricators but not the castings under the smokebox (I am not sure what they call them but all will be revealed when I add the pipes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted March 3, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 3, 2011 Like the rivet detail on the flanges of the steam pipes. If this is WM Rob then she will be a hefty beast. Probably a good thing for hauling those 15 Gresley 61'ers you will be building/finishing. Superb 'invisible' WM soldering by the way Phil @ 36E Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Like the rivet detail on the flanges of the steam pipes. If this is WM Rob then she will be a hefty beast. Probably a good thing for hauling those 15 Gresley 61'ers you will be building/finishing. Superb 'invisible' WM soldering by the way Phil @ 36E Thanks Phil, On the "super invisible soldering" front the smoke box saddle and the plates that hold the steam pipes are only rested in position at the moment - all small the bits, steam pipes and the splashers etc are soldered on though. You are right the main footplate/boiler is the usual DJH hefty white metal. But to be fair I have just had delivery of a Gladiator Sam Fay Kit (LNER B2) and while it is nickel silver and brass the etches are very substantial and it will make into solid beastie. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted April 17, 2011 Author Share Posted April 17, 2011 Some may recall my having a go at building this following on from Jazz's superb build of the same loco. Sadly mine took significantly longer to build, and an eternity to paint. But here she is in all her glory. Sorry about the picture overload but I have really quite pleased with the way she has scrubbed up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagonman Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 The old girl is looking really sassy. Well done Rob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted April 17, 2011 Author Share Posted April 17, 2011 Thanks Richard, It seems to have been a long time coming but well worth it. The recent good weather has allowed me to get on and paint quite a bit of my back log so there should be a few more updates to come as I finish them of. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted April 17, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 17, 2011 Severn is looking terrific Rob, a real beauty. Is the blue a particular railway livery, or a shade that just took your fancy? Great stuff, Dave.T Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted April 18, 2011 Author Share Posted April 18, 2011 Hi Dave, Thanks you for the kind words. No it's Halfords Ford Royal Blue, having only B&W photo's but knowing the livery was blue I wanted a spray can that was none metallic but not too dark as I will use the rest of the can up under some more authentic railway blues down the line - as minimum A4 and Streamlined Duchess for the Coronation Scot (although I may be tempted to do the loco itself in lake and gold). In reality it has come out a lovely colour and it has been one of the easiest I have tried to get a smooth run free coat from - or perhaps I am just getting a bit better at it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 While I was off last Friday I managed to get a marathon session in on the3 A3 by drilling 71, 0.3mm holes in the boiler top for Scale Hardware rivets. I took the plunge awhile ago but this is the first time I have used them. I still need to clip them off and glue them in place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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