Nile's kitbuilding bench - Midland 1377

[Chas Levin]

Nicely done in both cases Neil. I've had some adventures fixing NEMs to kit builds and it's a source of annoyance to me every time that they're made of that slippery type of plastic that's so difficult to glue!

I tested various types of glue with NEM pockets and found that gel-type cyano does sometimes seem to work, but I couldn't be sure of how long the bond might last.

I think you're right to incorporate a pinning element to the joint on the bogie - it's reliable in a real way.

 

Have you come across the MJT etched brass NEM mountings? In case not, there's a generic NEM box and mounting 'tongue' and one for a rigid bogie.

[AlfaZagato]

Personal experience has led me to desire mechanical & chemical bonds for couplings.  Heljan's Garrett has a way of showing any weakness in your work!

 

You're the better experience in that, Neil.   Just thought I'd share what I've seen.

[Nile]

Nearly there, just a few bits to add and some light weathering.

Crew in the cab, Monty's from Dart.

 

Real coal in the bunker and pipes on the rear, air and vacuum.

 

You've already seen these, more pipes on the front.

 

I think that will do. Some shots of the finished model on the photo plank:

 

And finally here's one I took a bit earlier, with one of those Hatton's coaches.

[46256]

A beautiful locomotive, great modelling 

[AlfaZagato]

They're such curious beasts.   I may seek out a kit for myself, once the backlog is depleted a bit.

 

There will be RTR by then, at the current rates...

[Compound2632]

39 minutes ago, AlfaZagato said:

There will be RTR by then, at the current rates...

 

It's a bit of a surprise there wasn't a RTR version c. 1960 - the Flatirons seem to have been a popular scratchbuilding subject in the early days of 00 - lots of space for the motor!

[Asterix2012]

1 hour ago, Compound2632 said:

 

It's a bit of a surprise there wasn't a RTR version c. 1960 - the Flatirons seem to have been a popular scratchbuilding subject in the early days of 00 - lots of space for the motor!

When did the original white metal kit come out?

 

Back in the early sixties I imagine a lot of the rtr stuff was still around on the mainline 

[Compound2632]

12 minutes ago, Asterix2012 said:

Back in the early sixties I imagine a lot of the rtr stuff was still around on the mainline 

 

Yes, I think that's true. The Flatirons were all long gone by then, of course.

[Buhar]

Why did they fit Washinghoose pumps to a few of these?  Was for a particular joint working? They seem to have all gone when they were rebuilt.

 

Alan

[Compound2632]

43 minutes ago, Buhar said:

Why did they fit Washinghoose pumps to a few of these?  Was for a particular joint working? They seem to have all gone when they were rebuilt.

 

Six, including the one Nile has modelled, were so equipped for use on the LT&S section during the Great War; they were used for goods work there. The implication has been made that that was because they were found inferior to the indigenous 4-4-2Ts but I wonder if there was an increase in traffic through Tilbury Docks for which an engine that was essentially a tank engine version of an H-boilered 0-6-0 was useful. The equipment was removed from most but 2035 retained its for longer, past gaining its Belpaire boiler, as seen here at Kings Norton no earlier than June 1920:

 

 

[Embedded link to Warwickshire Railways mrknpreg244.]

 

Incidentally, I believe the train, made up exclusively of 6-wheel thirds (one of which is badly overdue an appointment with a pot of varnish) is the Austin Longbridge workmen's train.

Edited April 10, 2023 by Compound2632

[Nile]

I've been rummaging through boxes looking for locos and found some more Midland ones, prompting this group photo.

The 1F at the front is a modified Bachmann model. Having completed the Flatiron I'm now trying to progress the etched version I was building.

Midland 1377 1F tank

The body was nearly complete before the pause, while I decided what version and livery I wanted. Just a few detail parts needed to be soldered on before I could glue on the resin parts. I've gone for a rear weather board to make this different to the one above.

Now waiting for priming and painting.

The chassis is still a work in progress, it now has some pick-ups.

 

In other news....... I wanted a small GWR tank loco to pull some 4 wheeled coaches. A metro tank would be ideal but that is more of a long term project (I've a kit somewhere). In my box of 3D printed thingys I found a body designed to fit on the Hornby 0-6-0 chassis, much like their pannier tank but with a saddle tank. This should be a quickie and cheapy as I have spare chassis and it only needs a few parts to complete. But it's printed in that rough Nylon material, oh the horror, the horror. Getting a smooth finish will take some time. Here it is at the beginning of the process, with an initial coat of paint.

Plenty of sanding and painting ahead for this.

[gwrrob]

On 01/04/2023 at 21:03, Chas Levin said:

Have you come across the MJT etched brass NEM mountings? In case not, there's a generic NEM box and mounting 'tongue' and one for a rigid bogie.

 

Thanks for the heads up on these @Chas Levin Does an 8BA pass through the slot ?

[Chas Levin]

2 hours ago, gwrrob said:

 

Thanks for the heads up on these @Chas Levin Does an 8BA pass through the slot ?

Hello Robin, no, an 8BA doesn't and neither does a 10BA - I'd say a 12BA would but I don;t have any to hand. Oddly, the slot is described as 2.5mm wide in the instructions, but it's nothing like that, it's actually 1.45mm:

 

 

I've only used these a couple of times as I didn't know about them until recently and I didn't know about them the last time I built a coach with brass bogies, where they'll really come in handy, but I've modified them in various ways including widening the slot and shortening the assembly, adding a washer, like this, the only photo I could quickly find, showing a modification in mid-process:

 

 

Hope this helps, Chas

[gwrrob]

That’s why I asked as I’d assumed it would be 2.50 mm to suit bogie fitting from the likes of Comet. Your photo is worth a hundred words and confirms my suspicions.

[Chas Levin]

On 04/06/2023 at 18:40, gwrrob said:

That’s why I asked as I’d assumed it would be 2.50 mm to suit bogie fitting from the likes of Comet. Your photo is worth a hundred words and confirms my suspicions.

No problem - I should have said by the way that the slot was measured very carefuly and accurately to get that 1.45mm reading, but in order to put down the micrometer, fret and instructions and take the picture, I had to allow the micrometer jaws to slip out of the slot, so in the photo it looks as if my measuring was very slapdash!

[Nile]

Meanwhile.....here's one I made earlier, last year I think, but forgot to take any photos or notes at the time.

It's the recent LRM kit. All I remember is making the chassis rigid as it makes no difference in OO and avoids any clearance issues with the springs.

I recently acquired a Coal tank for a very reasonable price, so I bought some numberplates from 247 and toned down the 'bling' these models come with.

[Nile]

Back to the saddle tank.

After about two weeks of sanding down succesive layers of paint it was transformed from this:

 

To this:

I managed to loose the filler cap so made a replacement from some plastic tube and a disc of plastic covered with filler, sanded into a dome shape. More details will be added.

I wanted to minimize expenditure on this model, so mostly using parts I already have. The old Triang buffers aren't  quite right but are close enough for me. This is more 'Railroad' than 'Finescale' .

[Chas Levin]

On 11/06/2023 at 12:27, Nile said:

Back to the saddle tank.

After about two weeks of sanding down succesive layers of paint it was transformed from this:

 

To this:

I managed to loose the filler cap so made a replacement from some plastic tube and a disc of plastic covered with filler, sanded into a dome shape. More details will be added.

I wanted to minimize expenditure on this model, so mostly using parts I already have. The old Triang buffers aren't  quite right but are close enough for me. This is more 'Railroad' than 'Finescale' .

 

That is extremely impressive Neil! Getting rid of those striations is one of the things that puts me off this kind of printed material, but that result is enough to renew faith, I think...

Edited June 12, 2023 by Chas Levin

[Buhar]

As Neil demonstrates, it's ok for producing a shape that may be difficult otherwise, Crewe/Allan front end, Stroudley cab roof, or a saddle tank. But if the design has rivets, other printed detail or there are bits in the way of sanding you're onto a long frustrating job.

Alan

[cctransuk]

14 hours ago, Buhar said:

As Neil demonstrates, it's ok for producing a shape that may be difficult otherwise, Crewe/Allan front end, Stroudley cab roof, or a saddle tank. But if the design has rivets, other printed detail or there are bits in the way of sanding you're onto a long frustrating job.

Alan

 

If this is intended as a comment on 3D printing in general, it's a little behind the curve.

 

I have quite a number of 3D printed wagons running on my layout which had zero striations as printed; required zero preparation beyond removing from the support pins; and were completed by simply fitting brass bearings into the correctly printed sized holes, and the addition of wheels and couplings; followed by painting.

 

CJI.

[Nile]

Some points:

1.This model was printed at least 5 years ago, maybe 10. It hasn't warped or changed in any way .

2.It was relatively cheap compared to other higher quality prints of the time.

3.There were no print layer lines or 'striations' apart from those on the smoke box door. The lines on the saddle tank are present in the design file, due to not enough segments in the circle used to draw the curve of the tank. If this was printed in a modern HQ printer these lines would be even sharper and still need sanding down.

[Buhar]

1 hour ago, cctransuk said:

 

If this is intended as a comment on 3D printing in general, it's a little behind the curve.

It was a comment about what appeared to be something produced by additive PLA printing. I am pretty up to speed with the developments in the resin side of things although I don't think we're quite there for reliable, blemish free prints. That said, I think PLA still has a role in modelling where material strength is required.

 

That said, I note Neil's additional information below.

 

Alan 

[cctransuk]

24 minutes ago, Nile said:

Some points:

1.This model was printed at least 5 years ago, maybe 10. It hasn't warped or changed in any way .

2.It was relatively cheap compared to other higher quality prints of the time.

3.There were no print layer lines or 'striations' apart from those on the smoke box door. The lines on the saddle tank are present in the design file, due to not enough segments in the circle used to draw the curve of the tank. If this was printed in a modern HQ printer these lines would be even sharper and still need sanding down.

 

The curved rooves of the 3D printed containers that I have must be of a similar radius to your saddle tank; no sanding was required prior to painting.

 

Clearly, any 'stepping' is a function of the definition of the design; my point was that modern design software, when combined with an appropriate printer, has virtually eliminated the need for 'finishing' the prints - be that by adding or othe means.

 

CJI.

[Nile]

Even 10 years or more ago in Sketchup it was possible to change the (rather low) default setting for the number of segments in a curve, if you knew how. This had to be done before drawing the curve. The quality of a printed model can depend as much on the skills of the designer as the actual printer.

Another thing about this model - the Nylon material is very tough. The body won't break if I drop it. Some bits I add may break off, but the body will survive.

[Nile]

Back to the actual model, the only new parts I needed were - dome & safety valve cover (AG) and numberplates (247) , bought at the recent Railex . The crew are Hornby figures, the driver had to be shortened by 2mm as his head was hitting the roof. He was originally 6ft tall, I removed the 2mm from the top of his legs.