Mid-Cornwall Lines - 1950s Western Region in 00

[GWR57xx]

4 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

After a late breakfast of hot cross buns with Rose's English Breakfast marmalade, it was time to have a go at 2182's guard irons and sandpipes.

 

I found some old bits of etch - I think they actually came from some Fox nameplates - that are about 1.5 mm wide. A bit more than scale, I think, but the convenience outweighed that. I filed one end to a semi-circle but didn't bother trying to taper them. Next I bent a dog-leg on each one, so that the lower end of the guard iron is in line with the rail. It was then relatively easy to sweat these to the outside of the frames at each end. I did try to work out the scale position but, in the end, the frame spacer screws provided a convenient datum. The rear irons should have a strut behind them but I've left this off at the moment for fear of the whole lot coming undone if I try and solder it in. We'll see.

 

The sandpipes are 0.55mm brass wire, another find in the Useful Box. I drilled through the frames at each corner, so that I could pass the wire through and form a U-shape with the pipe at roughly 45 degrees to the rail and clearing the flange so I can still remove and refit the wheels. My box of drills jumps from 73 to 76, so no 73 it was. Again, the sandpipes are aligned with the rails and I trimmed them so that they end about 1mm above rail level.

 

Here's the state of play so far:

 

 

I think that's it for the chassis until the brake blocks arrive. I could start the body but it's more likely that I'll do something completely different - possibly starting to install the uncouplers at Pentowan?

Have you checked that your sand pipes clear the rollers on whichever rolling road you use?

I’ve had the situation where the sand pipes were causing a short when on the rolling road.

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, GWR57xx said:

Have you checked that your sand pipes clear the rollers on whichever rolling road you use?

I’ve had the situation where the sand pipes were causing a short when on the rolling road.

I hadn't but I have now! They are well clear of the small rollers on the DCC Concepts stools. Thanks.

[drduncan]

2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

English Breakfast - fine-cut orange:

 

https://www.coles.com.au/product/roses-english-breakfast-marmalade-jam-375g-6397687

 

Other retailers are available.

Heretic!

D

[St Enodoc]

22 minutes ago, drduncan said:

Heretic!

D

You've never tried Australian marmalade, have you?

[treggyman]

Hi

 

Reading the link it says it's made in New Zealand from imported ingredients !!!!!!

 

Cheers Bill

[drduncan]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

You've never tried Australian marmalade, have you?

Yes I have, which is why I’d want Rose’s lemon or Rose’s Lime marmalade.

D

[St Enodoc]

21 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Thanks Mike. I could still do that, I think, or possibly remove the spacers altogether and replace them with PCB or flat brass.

I decided to leave the spacers in place, as the front and rear ones are needed for the body fixing screws anyway and there wasn't much point just taking the middle one out, so I've now soldered them to the frames - without the guard irons falling off, so that's a win. I think I'll chop the heads off the screws and thread them back into the spacers, then fill the tops of the holes with solder.

[St Enodoc]

Heads duly chopped, screws duly screwed and holes duly filled.

 

I've run out of time today, so I'll file back the excess solder and take a photo tomorrow, all being well.

 

Good luck to all organising/exhibiting/visiting at York this weekend and, above all, have fun.

[St Enodoc]

Good news:

 

I smoothed off the solder in the frame spacer holes:

 

 

Just the brake blocks to add now, when they arrive.

 

Bad news:

 

For many years I've had a stick of Carr's 70 low-melt solder that's followed me around the world. Now that I want to use it again, it's gone AWOL.

 

I'll order some more from Train World, who seem to be the only people in the country that have it in stock, but until it arrives I won't be able to start 2182's body.

 

Where do other folk in Australia get their supplies?

[BWsTrains]

12 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Where do other folk in Australia get their supplies?

 

https://www.australianmodeller.com.au/products/sapphire-100-solder-low-temp

 

perhaps, I've not tried this myself but sounds to be in the ballpark. It's listed as "Whitemetal LMP Solder" on the pack.

Edited March 31 by BWsTrains

[St Enodoc]

30 minutes ago, BWsTrains said:

 

https://www.australianmodeller.com.au/products/sapphire-100-solder-low-temp

 

perhaps, I've not tried this myself but sounds to be in the ballpark. It's listed as "Whitemetal LMP Solder" on the pack.

Thanks Colin. I'm looking specifically for 70 degree melting point, not 100.

[St Enodoc]

Well, would you believe it? Yes, of course you would.

 

I decided to get my temperature-controlled soldering iron down from the shelf, to see if it still works, and guess what?

 

Yep, the pack of Carr's 70 solder is in the box!

 

I knew it would be in a safe place...

 

To give you an idea of how old it is, it's priced at GBP 2.80 and the address on the pack is Merton Abbey Mill.

[1466]

16 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Well, would you believe it? Yes, of course you would.

 

I decided to get my temperature-controlled soldering iron down from the shelf, to see if it still works, and guess what?

 

Yep, the pack of Carr's 70 solder is in the box!

 

I knew it would be in a safe place...

 

To give you an idea of how old it is, it's priced at GBP 2.80 and the address on the pack is Merton Abbey Mill.

I’m not sure if you are familiar with Merton Abbey Mill , St Enodoc ?

It used to be sites of industrial activity - leather tanning , cardboard manufacturing , a bus garage and the like . Then a superstore Sainsburys took over and the Mill area is now a centre for small shops , small firms  and a lovely riverside pub . The river Wandle flows past it and was the source of water power in  the early Industrial Revolution era .

I have this vision of the low melt solder being sold from a craft shop rather than being manufactured in a dark , satanic mill .

[St Enodoc]

2 minutes ago, 1466 said:

I’m not sure if you are familiar with Merton Abbey Mill , St Enodoc ?

It used to be sites of industrial activity - leather tanning , cardboard manufacturing , a bus garage and the like . Then a superstore Sainsburys took over and the Mill area is now a centre for small shops , small firms  and a lovely riverside pub . The river Wandle flows past it and was the source of water power in  the early Industrial Revolution era .

I have this vision of the low melt solder being sold from a craft shop rather than being manufactured in a dark , satanic mill .

Yes, when I was on a weekly commute to Croydon about 30 years ago, I used to go out to Merton Abbey Mill every few months when they had a swapmeet in the evening. A very interesting place. Wasn't it connected to the Surrey Iron Railway at one time?

[BWsTrains]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

I'm looking specifically for 70 degree melting point, not 100.

 

According to the DCC Concepts product advice in the link

 

"Sapphire 100 is an exciting new solder which is designed for use on white-metal and similar alloys. ...... It react (sic) differently and it can be re-worked… Because unlike 70 degree solder it will not combine with the white-metal and produce a weak ‘sludge’, so joints end up stronger."

 

It occurred to me that possibly the technology has advanced. Then, as I've zero experience on this topic it was just to bring it to your attention it case it might be of use,if your Carrs had not reappeared!

 

 

 

 

[1466]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

Yes, when I was on a weekly commute to Croydon about 30 years ago, I used to go out to Merton Abbey Mill every few months when they had a swapmeet in the evening. A very interesting place. Wasn't it connected to the Surrey Iron Railway at one time?

Yes the river Wandle was the midwife to early industry hereabouts so the Wandle and the Surrey Iron Railway were intertwined. There is  still a path/alley called Tramway Path in Mitcham which lay alongside S.I.C. The line is now the Croydon Tramlink .

There was also a goods only spur ( when I were a lad) from Tooting Junction to Merton Abbey . The erstwhile passenger station became a goods shed depot . Tooting Junction was still called Tooting Junction locally long after the points were lifted .

Finally Lord Nelson had a home close to Merton Abbey Mills . 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, BWsTrains said:

 

According to the DCC Concepts product advice in the link

 

"Sapphire 100 is an exciting new solder which is designed for use on white-metal and similar alloys. ...... It react (sic) differently and it can be re-worked… Because unlike 70 degree solder it will not combine with the white-metal and produce a weak ‘sludge’, so joints end up stronger."

 

It occurred to me that possibly the technology has advanced. Then, as I've zero experience on this topic it was just to bring it to your attention it case it might be of use,if your Carrs had not reappeared!

 

 

 

 

I know that's what they say but for my money 100 degree solder's getting a bit warm for whitemetal. I'd rather end up with sludge than a hole!

[Oldddudders]

There was still a weekly freight trip to Merton Abbey, via Merton Park, into the very early '70s. I think it was SO. 

 

A friend had lived in the station house at Tooting Junction, where his dad was SM, 1960-ish. After that I think they were at Lenham, but dad (Roy) retired as SM at London Bridge. 

[1466]

35 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

There was still a weekly freight trip to Merton Abbey, via Merton Park, into the very early '70s. I think it was SO. 

 

A friend had lived in the station house at Tooting Junction, where his dad was SM, 1960-ish. After that I think they were at Lenham, but dad (Roy) retired as SM at London Bridge. 

Yes I saw the freight once when my car broke down and I had to walk to work . It was a C2X if I recall correctly.

[1466]

Just now, 1466 said:

Yes I saw the freight once when my car broke down and I had to walk to work . It was a C2X if I recall correctly.

This has prompted another memory of Conflats parked outside the Triang factory at the very end of the spur . I may  have misremembered the Triang Pram stickers on them 

[Pete Haitch]

Merton Abbey Mill

[St Enodoc]

The brake fret arrived in this morning's post - thanks Mike @Coach bogie.

[St Enodoc]

Now I am in a quandary.

 

The fret that Mike so generously sent me is one of two such in the Wizard/MT range. Unfortunately, it is the other one - for locos with larger diameter driving wheels. Nevertheless, I had a little play and I think that one style of brake gear would suit 2182.

 

However, as one might expect from a product from the late Iain Rice, the fret is designed so that the brake blocks sit authentically close to the wheel treads - highly commendable, except...

 

My preference with kit-built locos is that I can remove the wheels if need be in future. If I were to fit the brake gear as intended, that wouldn't be possible as the blocks would get in the way of the flanges. At the moment, I haven't thought of a way to get round this and unless I find one I might well leave the brake gear off, at least for the moment. My usual bible, Guy Williams' compendium of his MRC articles, is silent on this. Some of my other locos, especially those I built from kits a long time ago, don't have any brake gear at all and at "normal viewing distances" it doesn't really show, especially when the loco is moving.

 

So, once again, I seek your advice before deciding what, if anything, to do next.

[Michael Edge]

They are Romford wheels, you can wriggle them off (if you ever have to) with very close fitting brake blocks - they don't have to pull straight out.

[drduncan]

Do what Mike says! You could also solder brass tube across the frames where the hangers would be (say 0.7mm id) and then trim back to just inside the rear faces of the flange. Then just have a stub of 0.7mm wire from the brake shoe which located in the tube and you can spring the brake gear off.

Duncan