West End Workbench

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, jwealleans said:

The corridor connectors are from a seller on Ebay.

Details please?

[jwealleans]

 

Quote

Details please?

 

 

There you go.   The web address leads me to a blank page, so they may be in hiatus or no longer trading.

 

While I've been building the carriage above, I've also been fiddling on with some other projects, some related and some not.   Time to have a look at some of those.

 

I mentioned after the session on Graham's layout that the Hornby B17 was struggling with the (incomplete) Easterling set.   I looked into adding weight and there isn't a lot of room.   What there is is in the curve of the boiler either side of the motor.  It is possible to stick a strip of lead into the curve (I did this with a Bachmann K3, for example) but I was looking for as much weight as possible.   In the end, I stuck some thin lead sheet at each side, but flat, so there was a void behind it.   I sealed round the edges with the Araldite I used to attach it, then poured that tiny lead shot Eileen's used to sell in behind it, sealing that with runny superglue.  It has done some good:

 

 

Unweighted B17 (this is Rendelsham Hall which runs on Grantham).   The scale is flickering between 319 and 320g.

 

 

Not quite 30g added.   It doesn't sound a lot but it did make a difference.

 

 

Rendelsham Hall would barely move the set, while Middlesbrough took it quite easily.   However there are two more carriages to add, so the whitemetal B1 I have put aside might turn out to be a very sensible idea.

 

 

Testing threw up some unexpected problems - there was an intermittent short on the RF, which has been built getting on 10 years and ran round Thurston hundreds of times.   That needs to be examined.   What is satisfying in the photo above is that the difference in cream shades on the carriages isn't too dramatic.   With a bit of weathering that will give the effect I wanted.

 

Another long running project for the Ely club layouts is a Hunt Special.   We talked about this for years when we had Thurston (and did run one at it's very last show) but Hornby taking up GWR and LMS horseboxes (and Hattons selling them off very cheaply) along with Parkside's LNER kit, gave the project more impetus.   I have 15 horseboxes and an SCV (for the hounds) gathered up, so it was time to think about the coaches.   A couple of Kirk BTKs were available, but you'd need some First Class in the train.    That led to the purchase of an MJT BCK on Ebay, ready built, and I've repainted that over the last month or so.

 

There is another problem, though - coupling.    Coupling vestibuled carriages with 3/screw link couplings is a nightmare and generally to be avoided.   However all the photographs I have of Hunt trains show vestibuled carriages in use - the better to allow access to lavs, I assume.   

The solution came my way a few years ago.  Through the good offices of my friend Ian Fleming, I bought a numebr of items from a collection acquired by 53A Models in Hull.  Among them were a pair of vestibuled coaches but fitted with a homemade single link coupling which allowed them to be coupled to adjacent hook fitted vehicles.   Here's a copy of one which I made:

 

 

The link is 9mm long and the end 2mm is bent up through 90 degrees.   They will couple either with tweezers or a standard penlight coupling hook.  Yesterday was the first time I'd tested them on a running train.

 

 

I found that, in the opposite to what I had thought, the cranked end needed to be at the carriage end or it derailed the following vehicle on curves, I think because it jammed under the downward projecting flanges on the vestibule cover.   Turning it round allowed it to clear those.

 

 

The whole thing (about 2/3 of the final train) had a good jog round the layout and we settled on the best way round to have the couplings at both ends.   Coupling was as easy as any other scale coupling device, so we'll be sticking with these.

 

For those who like their horseboxes, here's a clip of the train running past.

Edited August 7, 2023 by jwealleans

[jwealleans]

A change from carriages now and a loco which is highly unlikely to need any added weight - a NuCast J6.   This came from a collection I helped dispose of and was one of a couple I kept for myself.   Another from the same collection is presently on JamieR4489's workbench.  It had been nicely built - whomever he was was a very good builder - but had been neglected latterly.  The wheels were filthy and the added tender pickups had fallen apart.   Under all that, though, was a smooth running mechanism and a solidly built and square loco.  It has mainly been glued together, but after a couple of days in the paint stripper has remained solidly glued, so I'll go with that.

 

 

I started with the tender.   Old pickups and horrible rigid loco to tender coupling bar removed, new loco end hook and drawhook soldered in place.   One advantage of these hollow tenders is that you have loads of room for top mounted pickups, so that's where we're going.

 

 

I have discarded the designed frames to body fixings, so some new ones were needed.  A couple of struts with captive nuts inside the tender body engage with two 10BA bolts up from the frames.   The rearmost one is at an angle due to the internal shape of the tender side casting.  It slopes forward to clear the rear axle.

 

 

Tendr frames with pickup wire in place.  You can see the extra bars I've fitted underneath for the body fixing screws.   It's all just made from scrap etch, but at the end of the day it's only holding the top in place while gravity does most of the work.

 

 

Here's the mech and the front of the loco.   It's old school, but while it works it's fine.   I can very readily make a new set of frames up as and when it expires.  The loco body has had the front buffers reattached and the horrible cast smokebox dart cut off.   I'll fit an etched one in due course.  The base of the casting serves to fill the huge hole it left in the smokebox door.

 

 

It's nice to be able to put it all together regularly and see how it's going to look.   I'll have to check whether any still had Ramsbottom safety valves by the later 1930s.   

Edited August 8, 2023 by jwealleans

[jwealleans]

I seem to have found the intermittent short - the pickup wire which loops over the motor must have been trapped in such a way that the armature was catching it.  It had done it long enough that the insulation had worn through and so there were fireworks each time the motor turned.   It's taped up and also taped so it's routed away from any areas of potential contact.   I spent a while running it round last night and took the opportunity to give it something to work with.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni3i5uuuKDc

 

The wagons are mostly recent construction which i took to Thirsk to start weathering and have finished off last week.  Regular readers will be familiar so can probably look away now, but for those who might be new to the thread:

 

 

I know you've seen the loco before, but who can resist a J6?   Working down the train:

 

 

ABS fish bought built at Newcastle show; Parkside LNER van with a scratchbuilt 9' WB underframe.

 

 

Connoisseur Models Tube - shame this kit is NLA.   It was gift from Jesse Sim.   The NER G2 was red carded on the last Grantham outing - can't remember why.   There weren't many fitted G2s.

 

 

ABS Ofit.  It's pleasing that there are prospects for this range to return.   Bachmann Lowfit with correct underframe (from the PD fitted van seen above) and what I think might be a Riley?   Can't remember and I don't have the packet any more.

 

 

Jidenco LMS Special Cattle Van.  I built this in 2017 but it had not been weathered.   51L G2 - this came from Dave Scott himself (Dave was the originator of 51L, for those who don't know) when he was clearing out his workshop.   It was incomplete, but all the missing parts were available.

 

 

D & S GN open - from the stand at Newcastle Show again and a Ratio LMS van.   This is one of a pair which came from the same collection as the loco.

 

 

D & S LNWR gunpowder van (from 247 at York, I think) and the Hattons warwell.   The bowser is by Dave Parkins and just needs securing to the wagon now.

 

 

51L Furness Railway open.   This came in a job lot of incomplete whitemetal kits and took a long time to identify.   Again all the missing parts were still available.   The Ratio van is the twin to the one shown above.

 

 

Rapido SECR open.   Really nice model, can't really say much more.   LNWR D88 van by Dave Geen - I think I came by this thanks to Brian at 247.

 

 

51L NBR Tube wagon - another from the Newcastle stand, also incomplete but I had the bits for this in the spares box.   The Hurst Nelson bogie bolster is also an NBR wagon.   I made this from a Parkside Quad.  

 

 

Completing the scottish section at the rear, a Kirk NBR van of the type you don't seem to see so often.   Again from Newcastle (that was a good day).  I also learned when lettering this that 'Singer' didn't refer to a place, but the sewing machine factory.    The GNSR brake van was from a set of etches someone did in 3mm and offered in 4mm as well.   I can't recall the chap's name now, but the etches were very good and the missing parts didn't take too much finding or approximating.   It's something you don't see often.

 

Edited August 18, 2023 by jwealleans

[jwealleans]

Loco is now as detailed as I can do from stock.  It's missing a set of cab steps so I'll be on to Brian tomorrow.   I also need a smokebox dart - that'll be the other Brian at 247, whom I expect to see on Sunday.   It still needs tender brake gear adding.  I've used the Gibson plastic shoes here.  They're not quite GN pattern but being plastic they can save a lot of grief and shorting and once painted black and in motion not many are going to spot them.   I found enough material on the tender rear to drill for a self tapping screw and add a Kadee which will greatly increase its usefulness on Grantham.

 

 

 

After that it was a few odd jobs.  I've put a little more weight into the Hornby B17  - when the glue has set I'll see what else I can squeeze in.   Otherwise, I was talking Perseverance GC clerestories with Red Leader yestereve and then as if by magic mine came into view this afternoon.   The clerestory section has been a bit of a problem with this build - it developed a bend and has over time pulled and broken the solder joints on both securing screws.  I've remade the joints and then had to replace the glazing material which had behaved as you'd expect from plastic heated to over 300 degrees.  Remarkably the paint finish is unmarked now it's all cooled down.

 

 

Final job was to attach the cast car to the Lowfit.   It has a self-tapping screw up from underneath, then the ropes and sacking cosmetically on top.   We'd also managed to lose a buffer head, so that has been replaced with one from Wizard Models.

 

[mozzer models]

ST 1 & ST2 are in stock

 

[jwealleans]

In the spirit of tying things down, I attached the bowser to the Warwell this evening.

 

 

It's actually held on by two lengths of steel wire twisted round the axles and then taken through holes drilled in the floor, bent through 90 degrees and superglued in place.   That's to try to keep it in place as it bounces round the country between shows.  They're behind the wheels so not obvious unless viewing end on. Cosmetically it's attached by a pair of chains round the chassis crossmembers and tightened with a turnbuckle, pulling in opposition to each other.

 

 

I've deliberately photographed it before blackening everything so you can see the means of keeping the chains taut.   I use fine copper wire (from multicore mains cable).  I've drilled out the moulded lashing rings on the wagon floor at each corner and one strand of copper is bent round a fine wire ring and then twisted along it's length.   That twisted length goes through the floor and is superglued up against the underside.  The ring is .33 wire wrapped in a spiral round a screwdriver and then cut to form a series of rings.   I threaded this onto the turnbuckle (Roxey) then soldered the ring shut.  The fine chain (Ambis) is attached to the turnbuckle with another short piece of the copper wire.  The chain goes under the tank to the other side where it's attached to another copper loop, the end of which goes through the floor again.   The advantage of the copper is that should the chain go slack, you can bend it to tighten the whole thing up again.  Once it's all blackened the small subterfuges are much less apparent.

[jwealleans]

A splendid day out at Expo EM Summer today - met up with a number of LNER Society mates, saw some excellent layouts and superb modelling and had a good old natter about all sorts of things other than railways.

 

The Dick was in evidence:

 

 

Posed on Adrian Walby's Kyle of MacAllan Shed layout.   Thanks to him for tolerating all the schoolboy sniggering and blatant innuendo.

 

I was handed two unexpected gifts when I arrived.   The first was a set of cab steps for a J6.   Along with a smokebox dart from AGW, both have been fitted and since painted.   K3 120 was also missing a dart so that has been corrected as well.  

 

 

The second was a box of wagon kits from Brian at 247 which he's asked me to review.   I'm very happy to do so and will report in these pages next week.   For the moment attention turns to Grantham.   However, to give you a tease of the first one:

 

 

This is a GWR Coral A.  It's almost, but not quite a one piece kit.  I need wheels for it - the Hornby ones above have flanges which are too deep - so while those arrive I'll keep it to one side.   First impressions are very good, but I have to hold my hand up and say my knowledge of GWR wagons extends only as far as the book shown and the excellent website at http://www.gwr.org.uk/.   I am, therefore, open to advice and correction in this area.

Edited August 21, 2023 by jwealleans

[BoD]

11 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

The Dick was in evidence:

Do you have to keep bringing your Dick up?

 

Can we not run it round Corfe a few times. 
See if anyone notices.

[jwealleans]

4 minutes ago, BoD said:

Do you have to keep bringing your Dick up?

 

It was requested.   Anything to avoid disappointment.    Pictures on Corfe and Pilmoor are on the agenda.

[St Enodoc]

4 hours ago, jwealleans said:

A splendid day out at Expo EM Summer today - met up with a number of LNER Society mates, saw some excellent layouts and superb modelling and had a good old natter about all sorts of things other than railways.

 

The Dick was in evidence:

 

 

Posed on Adrian Walby's Kyle of MacAllan Shed layout.   Thanks to him for tolerating all the schoolboy sniggering and blatant innuendo.

 

I was handed two unexpected gifts when I arrived.   The first was a set of cab steps for a J6.   Along with a smokebox dart from AGW, both have been fitted and since painted.   K3 120 was also missing one so that has been corrected as well.  

 

 

The second was a box of wagon kits from Brian at 247 which he's asked me to review.   I'm very happy to do so and will report in these pages next week.   For the moment attention turns to Grantham.   However, to give you a tease of the first one:

 

 

This is a GWR Coral A.  It's almost, but not quite a one piece kit.  I need wheels for it - the Hornby ones above have flanges which are too deep - so while those arrive I'll keep it to one side.   Firstt impressions are very good, but I have to hold my hand up and say my knowledge of GWR wagons extends as far as the book shown and the excellent website at http://www.gwr.org.uk/.   I am, therefore, open to advice and correction in this area.

'Twould be interesting to compare it with this one:

 

https://www.bygone-wagons.com/448184374

 

(usual disclaimer)

[Jesse Sim]

Please don’t ever stop posting photos of your dick. 

[jwealleans]

4 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

'Twould be interesting to compare it with this one:

 

It would, and I have some of Amanda's wagons to put together, but not that one.  All I can compare it with is a Ks one which I acquired built.

[BWsTrains]

6 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

'Twould be interesting to compare it with this one:

 

https://www.bygone-wagons.com/448184374

 

(usual disclaimer)

 

Amanda gets my "vote". 👏

 

What a great concept, design all your own layout's wagons for just the resin cost then sell them as well.

Her Youtube channel shows various offerings running on her layout. Bravissima!

 

You will not get Rapido fine detail but my Cordon from Bygone-wagons scrubbed up very nicely, meeting my requirements without too much work.

 

Cordon DD5 3D kit build - Bygone Wagons

 

Colin

 

[jwealleans]

Grantham is up at the moment (at least, most of it is) so I sneaked a test run of the Easterling onto it today.   A single Hornby B17 won't haul the set even in its incomplete state, but two of them are quite capable, so that is probably Plan B.    I took a video of this:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXZGo_NyQM

 

My Hornby B1, 61059 did move the set much to my surprise, but only on the level - it didn't have enough to get over the south end hump, so I imagine that with the full 9 cars it'll be over stretched.

 

Another loco which did move it on the flat and made a much better fist of the climb was this one:

 

 

I built 61645 almost 20 years ago before the new Hornby B17 was conceived.   It's a Hornby body with Comet undergubbins and gearbox and a Dave Alexander tender.   With a bit more weight, especially at the rear end, I'd give it a chance with this train.   Owned by Ely club, it's back with me for a bit of tlc (you'll have noted the missing nameplate and paint chips).

 

The other engine I had with me was one I was told was DOA at Ely show, which concerned me a little.   However, not only did it run, it took the train without breaking sweat.

 

 

61571 was built by the late Graham Varley from the PDK kit and I acquired it from the modeller Graham had sold it to.   It's a lovely piece of work and a fine example of what a very skilled craftsman Graham was.   It's worth a closer look.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by jwealleans

[Mike 84C]

I rather like the loaded wagons but securing a car around the windscreen seems an odd thing to do even with the large amount of padding.

Surely ropes around the wheels/tyres would be less likely to cause damage?

[MrWolf]

39 minutes ago, Mike 84C said:

I rather like the loaded wagons but securing a car around the windscreen seems an odd thing to do even with the large amount of padding.

Surely ropes around the wheels/tyres would be less likely to cause damage?

 

The same thing occurred to me, but at the time I thought, don't be picky...

Cars of that era have a separate chassis and solid axles. I would expect to see a lashing to the ends of the chassis around the spring hangers or over the axles. Or a rope doubled across and around each wheel, secured fore and aft. The bodywork was nailed to an ash frame and probably wouldn't be too happy about being lashed that way and could probably pop those front doors open with sudden fore and aft movement, it was the days before anti burst catches.

Not sure if I have a suitable picture, I'll have a look.

[jwealleans]

The car is chocked, the ropes are only there to hold the sacking over the windows.    I did look at roping the axles, which I agree would be the way it would be secured, but it would barely have been visible.  

[Nick Lawson]

As a general aside on the subject of load securing - when I was young chained loads on trucks used to have ratchetted lever tensioners, known sometimes as "sylvesters". I don't know whether these were ever used on rail loads, and if so, when.

[Compound2632]

41 minutes ago, Nick Lawson said:

As a general aside on the subject of load securing - when I was young chained loads on trucks used to have ratchetted lever tensioners, known sometimes as "sylvesters". I don't know whether these were ever used on rail loads, and if so, when.

 

Screw couplings (or similar) were used. 

[MrWolf]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Screw couplings (or similar) were used. 

 

Usually referred to as a turnbuckle, it has a hook at either end, one with a lefthand thread, the other with a right, turning the central part with a bar draws the hooks together.

[Nick Lawson]

34 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Usually referred to as a turnbuckle, it has a hook at either end, one with a lefthand thread, the other with a right, turning the central part with a bar draws the hooks together.

Yep, as indeed modelled recently in this thread by @jwealleans which was what started me wondering.

[jwealleans]

10 hours ago, Nick Lawson said:

... chained loads on trucks used to have ratchetted lever tensioners, known sometimes as "sylvesters".

 

I have a couple lying about at the yard.   My recollection is that my dad referred to them as 'Warwicks'.   I use small etched screw couplings when I'm attaching model loads.  Most of the suppliers seem to refer to them as shackles, but a shackle is just the U shaped part with a threaded pin through it as far as I know.   Hooks may be more prototypical, but a closed loop won't fall off.

 

20 hours ago, MrWolf said:

... securing a car around the windscreen seems an odd thing to do ...

 

I have put a rope around the front axle.  It's all but invisible even from above.   I shan't bother at the back.

 

I have completed the first of the wagons from 247, the Coral A.

 

  

 

It took me about an hour and a half and most of that was experimenting with wheelsets and bearings to get a free running combination.   From which I have concluded: Hornby wheelsets have too deep a flange and will rub.   I used Wizard Models ref. 16000, 12mm spoked.   I used Wizard waisted bearings. but you have to file the little nipple off the back to get them to sit right down inside the printed axleboxes.   I took just a little off the axle pinpoint on one wheelset to allow it to run freely because the bearing was fractionally proud (and glued).  The axleboxes and hornguides needed dressing to be a free fit, but nothing I'd consider excessive.  I cracked one axlebox but you are supplied with two spares.

 

Use a round file to open out the buffer holes - I just spin them backwards and forward in my fingers, using progressively larger diameters.  A drill will fracture the resin.   I used a drill bit rubbed back and forth through the coupling hole to start the slot, then a very small file to finish it.   Superglue to attach everything.   I was looking for any small details to add just to personalise it and the only thing I found was the D-C handle.   Older diagrams had what looked like a tommy bar to action the brakes, but I'm guessing that would have been replaced over time.

 

It's not as light as I expected but will need weight - it'll have to go in the well between the crates, but will barely be visible in there.  It's now primed, so expect to see it finished in due course.

 

All in all a nice little wagon for not really very much effort at all and my thanks to Brian for asking me to build it.    Next up will be a Hydra, if I can find any information or photographs about it.

 

 

 

 

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, jwealleans said:

Next up will be a Hydra, if I can find any information or photographs about it.

Russell is your friend - "Great Western Wagons Appendix" and "Great Western Wagons Plan Book".

[BWsTrains]

On 28/08/2023 at 04:28, jwealleans said:

Grantham is up at the moment (at least, most of it is) so I sneaked a test run of the Easterling onto it today.   A single Hornby B17 won't haul the set even in its incomplete state, but two of them are quite capable, so that is probably Plan B.    I took a video of this:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXZGo_NyQM

 

My Hornby B1, 61059 did move the set much to my surprise, but only on the level - it didn't have enough to get over the south end hump, so I imagine that with the full 9 cars it'll be over stretched.

 

Another loco which did move it on the flat and made a much better fist of the climb was this one:

 

 

I built 61645 almost 20 years ago before the new Hornby B17 was conceived.   It's a Hornby body with Comet undergubbins and gearbox and a Dave Alexander tender.   With a bit more weight, especially at the rear end, I'd give it a chance with this train.   Owned by Ely club, it's back with me for a bit of tlc (you'll have noted the missing nameplate and paint chips).

 

The other engine I had with me was one I was told was DOA at Ely show, which concerned me a little.   However, not only did it run, it took the train without breaking sweat.

 

 

61571 was built by the late Graham Varley from the PDK kit and I acquired it from the modeller Graham had sold it to.   It's a lovely piece of work and a fine example of what a very skilled craftsman Graham was.   It's worth a closer look.

 

 

 

following on from your video was this fascinating one about banking the Lickey Incline. Great detail on the processes involved, well worth the 10 min if you don't know the clip.

 

https://youtu.be/Gt1djf1s-5w