RMweb Premium Jason T Posted November 29, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 29, 2014 Problem was, we'd looked at a couple of whitemetal wagon kits at Chris's before setting off and decided they were a pain in the ar$e. We were hoping for a box full of etched brass D&S kits but they were all whitemetal so we politely declined. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-GNR Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Evening all..... Here are said pics of our progress so far. On looking back at these pics they are pretty naff but as Jason said we were literally dashing out the door as I took them on my phone. Now we've made a real start hopefully we can progress at a decent pace now. We have everything we need 'in stock' as it were, turnout motors, electro magnates & the relevant DCC wizardry. So watch this space..... Cheers. Chris 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 1, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 1, 2014 I got an ex LNER van built up (but not yet painted) yesterday which brings the total rolling stock of BR period wagons up to the heady heights of seven I took longer drilling out tiny holes and making the underfloor brake gubbins out of bits of brass wire, tube and filed up spare etch than I did on the plastic parts of the kit itself. First time I have had to use a soldering iron for a Parkside kit Three of them (21 ton hoppers) are weathered now, three open wagons of various vintages are painted and the van is bare. No photos though, as I am in the office and at the end of the day, they are just Parkside kits. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted December 1, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 1, 2014 Nice to see progress. I think some people might be interested to see what you have added to the Parkside kits. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Evening all..... Here are said pics of our progress so far. On looking back at these pics they are pretty naff but as Jason said we were literally dashing out the door as I took them on my phone. image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg Now we've made a real start hopefully we can progress at a decent pace now. We have everything we need 'in stock' as it were, turnout motors, electro magnates & the relevant DCC wizardry. So watch this space..... Cheers. Chris I got an ex LNER van built up (but not yet painted) yesterday which brings the total rolling stock of BR period wagons up to the heady heights of seven I took longer drilling out tiny holes and making the underfloor brake gubbins out of bits of brass wire, tube and filed up spare etch than I did on the plastic parts of the kit itself. First time I have had to use a soldering iron for a Parkside kit Three of them (21 ton hoppers) are weathered now, three open wagons of various vintages are painted and the van is bare. No photos though, as I am in the office and at the end of the day, they are just Parkside kits. Hi Guys, hanks for some great track shots, it all looks good and WIDE but then it is EM after all, hahhah All the best guys and more build pics please. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 3, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 Here you go, the van (in blur-o-vision). This is some of the under-gubbins I made from bits of brass. And yes, 'under-gubbins' is the technical and proper word for it Most of this will never, ever be noticed 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted December 3, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 Improvement is well worth the effort, nice one. There's a useful etch in the Mainly Trains range with brake gear detailing bits (aka under-gubbins) also do a complete etch for LNER clasp brake gear in both 9' and 10' wheelbase. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 3, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 Cheers Mark, I wasn't aware of the Mainly Trains under-gubbins etches; will get some ordered. I was basically guessing with this one although saw a photo of a Tube wagon *somewhere* that helped Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted December 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 3, 2014 (edited) Nice work Jason. You could try just blackening those bits. Don Edited December 3, 2014 by Donw Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 3, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 Cheers Don. The whole wagon will be getting an undercoat of primer soon before painting, although I usually wait until I have a few things ready for spraying because digging the spray booth, airbrush and everything out is a pain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Morning Jason, nice Wagon, I assume that's EM Gauge ready to The Mill otherwise it would be on Bacup but have you decided on your coupling system yet? Looking neat mate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 3, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 Yep; the dreaded AJ's, which is why this and the other wagons have Lanarkshire dummy hooks and not 3 links on them. Chris is fitting the electromagnets when he gets the chance; the holes for which (and the turnout actuation wires) have already been drilled. As much as we both like three links, using them would mean that we 'd be blocking the view of anyone who is looking at the layout and AJ's are the most unobtrusive couplers I've seen to date. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 3, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 Oh, and it also means that the stock can visit BCB 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted December 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 3, 2014 ... As much as we both like three links, using them would mean that we 'd be blocking the view of anyone who is looking at the layout ... Oh, don't worry about that, I've tried to look at some small shunting layouts at exhibitions where the operators follow the 'action' leaving the viewer with no chance at all of seeing anything... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted December 3, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 Oh, and it also means that the stock can visit BCB And return visits for big blue diesels? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 3, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 A 25 would fit in the headshunt off the run round but those massive things with too many wheels? Forget it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Yep; the dreaded AJ's, which is why this and the other wagons have Lanarkshire dummy hooks and not 3 links on them. Chris is fitting the electromagnets when he gets the chance; the holes for which (and the turnout actuation wires) have already been drilled. As much as we both like three links, using them would mean that we 'd be blocking the view of anyone who is looking at the layout and AJ's are the most unobtrusive couplers I've seen to date. Hi Jason, What is "dreaded" about AJ's, please? Like your later comment, I too think these are easily the least obtrusive couplers I've ever seen? Nice wagon btw! Cheers, John. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 3, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 Not much actually John, as sorting them out is one of Chris's jobs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Anotheran Posted December 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 3, 2014 Most of this will never, ever be noticed If you let some of the kids, that were allowed to operate one of the layouts at Warley, to drive it around your sharpest curve, I think there's a chance that you would notice it. And given the quality of the work, surely you should give it a go as it's worth noticing Kind regards, Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted December 3, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 A 25 would fit in the headshunt off the run round but those massive things with too many wheels? Forget it You mean you've commited the ultimate layout design sin of not allowing enough room for a pair of 20s?! AJs need a bit of careful set up, careful handling and storage and a bit of maintenance, but it's a small price to pay for such inobtrusive, reliable and cheap couplings really. Good choice. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted December 3, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2014 If they are unreliable, I can blame Chris, just like everyone blames you on BCB P.s. I ordered a ton of under-gubbins from Mainly Trains. After also spotting that comet do a chassis kit for the Stanier 2-6-4T and clicking on the link to see more details, I have bought one of those as well by mistake 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Jason. I have used A-J couplings since about 1960, having seen them in action on one of the layouts from Manchester. I wouldn't use any other. My early couplings were made from 11 thou plain steel wire. This on a train of scratch built Midland 5 plankers. Unfortunately after all this time they have rusted so will need replacing. It was quite some time before the penny dropped to use 11 thou guitar strings. I went for some in Whitby to the local music shop. His reaction was "not ANOTHER railway modeller". I never found out who had been in before me. Used them on Kirkby Malham mk1 on the exhibition circuit. To see the bafflement on spectator faces was very funny. There were no other automatic couplings like the A-J's at the time. Sprat and Winkle were around but with those you had to shuffle the engine backwards and forwards to be able to uncouple and then push the stock forward. Don't forget this was 1980's/90's. Carrying the wagons to a show can easily couplings out of alignment, so be careful how you transport them. Derek 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-GNR Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Oh, and it also means that the stock can visit BCB And return visits for big blue diesels? Nice ideas, but why don't we just bolt 'The Mill' on to the front of BCB & joint it up to the brach on the over bridge? Then all the rolling stock can be one big happy family. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-GNR Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 AJs are for me the best looking of the auto-coupling methods but do require that bit more attention when installing & setting up. Being new to them myself the first one i did was a bit of a pain in the arse but after a couple you get in to the rhythm. Chris 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted December 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 3, 2014 (edited) Yep; the dreaded AJ's, which is why this and the other wagons have Lanarkshire dummy hooks and not 3 links on them. Chris is fitting the electromagnets when he gets the chance; the holes for which (and the turnout actuation wires) have already been drilled. As much as we both like three links, using them would mean that we 'd be blocking the view of anyone who is looking at the layout and AJ's are the most unobtrusive couplers I've seen to date. You can get away with operating 3 links out front in 0 gauge because it is so much bigger but even better is to hand the uncoupling hook to one of the punters, kids are good at doing it. Don ps I have seen hoops of carboard (cut from a bog roll inner?) used to protect the AJs in transit looped over the buffers. Edited December 3, 2014 by Donw Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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