John R Smith Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 (edited) I haven't got a shunter's pole handily propped against my desk, but I have used the real thing ("learning" shunting at Newton Abbot) and it is not noticeably thicker or more awkward to deal with than the average hand tool. Popping out to my garden shed and using as an example my Cornish shovel, which has the thickest handle of any of my garden weapons and is 6 foot long overall (about the same as the shunter's pole), the diameter of this is 36mm. So in O Gauge this would scale out at 0.827mm OD. I would reckon that is a good figure to aim for - 0.8 to 0.9mm. John Edited due to poor proof reading . . . Edited February 17, 2016 by John R Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 17, 2016 Author Share Posted February 17, 2016 (edited) David, How did you make the pigtail? And how on earth did they use that (presumably clinker) shovel in the cab of a tank loco??? Best Simon Edited February 17, 2016 by Simond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 17, 2016 Author Share Posted February 17, 2016 Thanks John, Your 36mm handle would be not a million miles from the advertised 1 5/8" which would be 41mm http://richardcarterltd.co.uk/product/66-hickory-shunt-pole/ If the finished model pole is a shade shy of 1mm diameter, it'll be good enough, I think! Best Simon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Hi Simon, I made a few too from cocktail sticks, The pig tail is made from the shank of a brass pin that I used the head as a rivet - tight Yorkshireman doesn't throw anything away. The metal end that the pig tail sits in I made from some half etched nickel sheet that I had - both blackened with birchwood casey 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 18, 2016 Author Share Posted February 18, 2016 Thanks Rob The use of the sharp ends of pins.... As Huxley said, "how extraordinarily stupid not to have thought of that" particularly as I just cut up a dozen or so pins to make the rivets for the lamp irons on the Peckett. Not sure about the conical but around the end of the pole. I suspect paint is my preferred option here. Best Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Isambarduk Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 "How did you make the pigtail?" As far as I can remember, I turned up the ferule and the pointed business end in one piece from brass and then curved the hook with round-nosed pliers."And how on earth did they use that (presumably clinker) shovel in the cab of a tank loco???" Yes, I had wondered that. Clever people Yorkshire folk, or maybe it wasn't used in the firebox but rather for shovelling ash away from under the loco - I really don't know. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John R Smith Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 "And how on earth did they use that (presumably clinker) shovel in the cab of a tank loco???" Yes, I had wondered that. Clever people Yorkshire folk, or maybe it wasn't used in the firebox but rather for shovelling ash away from under the loco - I really don't know. David Or perhaps for emptying the smokebox? But usually shed staff did those sorts of jobs . . . John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Isambarduk Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 "Or perhaps for emptying the smokebox?"Yes, quite possibly ... but I'd have said that it was a bit big for that, too."But usually shed staff did those sorts of jobs . . ."Hmmm, I think that at the NCB engine staff most probably were the shed staff! But, again, I don't know. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 I'm waiting for some nice weather to take some outdoor photos of the Peckett, which is more or less completed. Meanwhile I set about a Dragon Models Cambrian Brake Van kit, which I think I picked up from Chris Bastien at Reading the December before last. The kit is clearly quite old, indeed, quite "fin de siecle", and the slots are on the (extremely) generous side, making the assembly rather more fiddly than it would ideally be, but I am hopeful it will build into a characterful little van. I have used the brake hangers supplied, despite them being a single layer of etch, I did consider thickening the shoes up a bit, and may yet still do so. I'm a little puzzled by the gap between solebars and W irons. I will see how things progress when I look at fitting the springs & axleboxes. The floor and chassis is now ready for the body to be assembled. I have pressed more than a few dozen rivets, and am ready to go, but my trusty 75W soldering iron has bitten the dust. It gets warm, but not hot, which is a curious failure mode. I shall try to obtain a replacement elephant, meanwhile, the RSU will take care of anything that needs a bit of thrutch. Best Simon 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 (edited) Well, the sun was shining when I stopped for a coffee break, so I took the Peckett outside. I hope you think I've added something to an already good RTR loco. I'm well pleased with her, she sounds wonderful, and the "shunting on the brake" is such fun. I'm still in two minds about a fireman, and I haven't put a heap of coal in the front corner of the cab, but I might! And she still needs cylinder drain cocks and lubricator taps. Looking forward to the next Minerva instalment... Best Simon Edited February 24, 2016 by Simond 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Looks great Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daifly Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 I have pressed more than a few dozen rivets, and am ready to go, but my trusty 75W soldering iron has bitten the dust. It gets warm, but not hot, which is a curious failure mode. I shall try to obtain a replacement elephant,SimonI'm not sure how that will help! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Hi Simon, You've done a lovely job on that little Saddle Tank, subtle but impressive. Jinty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 Dave Mrs Malaprop is not dead. Best Simon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 I zoomed the hi res original of this... Thanks for the kind comments Best Simon 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daifly Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Simon I don't want to spoil your day, but..... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted February 25, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 25, 2016 Simon I don't want to spoil your day, but..... post-20369-0-66469700-1456332112_thumb.jpg968 copy.JPG Dave Yep, the original did not have a driver. Stunning model, and a really nice view. I bet it is chilly in winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarryscapes Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 (edited) I'm waiting for some nice weather to take some outdoor photos of the Peckett, which is more or less completed. Meanwhile I set about a Dragon Models Cambrian Brake Van kit, which I think I picked up from Chris Bastien at Reading the December before last. The kit is clearly quite old, indeed, quite "fin de siecle", and the slots are on the (extremely) generous side, making the assembly rather more fiddly than it would ideally be, but I am hopeful it will build into a characterful little van. I have used the brake hangers supplied, despite them being a single layer of etch, I did consider thickening the shoes up a bit, and may yet still do so. I'm a little puzzled by the gap between solebars and W irons. I will see how things progress when I look at fitting the springs & axleboxes. The floor and chassis is now ready for the body to be assembled. I have pressed more than a few dozen rivets, and am ready to go, but my trusty 75W soldering iron has bitten the dust. It gets warm, but not hot, which is a curious failure mode. I shall try to obtain a replacement elephant, meanwhile, the RSU will take care of anything that needs a bit of thrutch. image.jpeg image.jpeg Best Simon Remember to slot the folded over top bit on the sides to take the internal partition! Raymond Walley has a nice piece on this brake van but the website is not currently working. I've built the 4mm version, didn't think a lot of it. The 7mm version looks a lot better designed though. EDIT: Here we go, the archive version: https://web.archive.org/web/20150305020105/http://www.raymondwalley.com/wagons/other/cambrake.html I have no idea what those axleboxes are meant to be, but they are most definitely not something that's ever been seen on a Cambrian wagon, it should have plain old Cambrian Grease axleboxes. Edited February 25, 2016 by Quarryscapes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 25, 2016 Author Share Posted February 25, 2016 thanks, I will look at this carefully when I get back to it. Mine is the double-veranda version. best Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 25, 2016 Author Share Posted February 25, 2016 Simon I don't want to spoil your day, but..... post-20369-0-66469700-1456332112_thumb.jpg968 copy.JPG Dave that's just b y typical. my old chemistry master would ask if a given compound exhibited covalent or ionic bonding and upon hearing my inevitably inept reply would say "eeeh lad, fifty - fifty, yuh allus get it ronnng" (you'll have to imagine the accent) so the back story is that when it was repainted, and the put the side shutters on, they moved the works plates up... They must have done it then, because earlier... : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daifly Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Dave, Do you have a date for that photo of 968? Also, what is the source of that photo? My Peckett will be 968 when it makes its way to the top of the 'To do' list. I can't recall where I got the image but it may have been from here. The date is 1947. If you do build it as 968, please invest in some Severnmill numberplates. It was kind of Minerva to provide some but they are just not good enough and let the model down. 968 was still wearing its 'old' plates until at least June 1951. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 Well, rather mixed day today. On the brake can, I felt it would be easier to solder it with the RSU if I built the walls separately from the chassis. To my irritation, I discovered that despite clear instructions, the floor is too long. This is not a major issue, as I can file it down, but the slots for the inner partitions do not line up. Then I noticed that the inner partitions, rather than being handed, are identical. This is silly, as the mechanism is only on one side, opposite to the stove, and the shaft from the hand wheels needs to go right through from one end of the cabin to the other. I have to state that I haven't found a photo, but there is no realistic way to get the drive shaft across from the wheel on the other side and still walk through the cabin. I therefore cut the partition into four pieces, and reassembled it on a couple of bits of scrap etch, and cut the tabs off. I'll solder the partition in later, and then file the solebars/floor assembly to fit. Then I'll start on the details. And I got a new toy.... And England won the rugby 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 (edited) Progress Somewhat fiddly getting the top angles onto the verandas but not looking too shabby. Ran out of time (actually, couldn't be bothered to start soldering again after supper) to finish the stanchions. Tomorrow... Looking at the photo, they need to come off again to get them to sit down flat. No bother, only tacked. Best Edited February 28, 2016 by Simond 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 It looks to be coming along nicely. It looks like it has a short wheelbase or is it just an illusion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 29, 2016 Author Share Posted February 29, 2016 thanks Pete 11 feet 15 ton twin veranda and if anyone has a picture of one, I'd be grateful for a reference / weblink / copy - I'm ploughing through my library without success so far! best Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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