7 completed 3 L&Y & 1 Midland loco in progress.

[Simon Moore]

I've not done a great deal recently because i've been packing for a holiday & sleepless nights with a baby but I have got a quick video of the J3 on a freight on the club layout.https://youtu.be/vc1YI3oOAn4

 

When I come back from somerset the plan is to start the N1. I have started to scratch build a boiler & belpaire firebox for a aspinall class 28 which will be a critter from sowerby bridge when done.

 

That's all for now

[t-b-g]

Will you please stop it!

 

You are making me feel entirely inadequate at getting on with things.

 

Nice work!

 

Tony

[Simon Moore]

Cheers Tony

 

I will try but I can't promise anything I've plenty to make yet ; )

[Simon Moore]

I thought it might be a good time to get my page up to date.

I've just returned from a nice break in Somerset & whilst the weather is still nice i thought i would get some images of the locos i have built. The J50 & N7 have been finished with weathering & lining. There now ready for service on the club layout. The J3 has been finished off & is ready for weathering although i need to change the emblems round. 



Thats the J50 finished as a Ardsley loco & weathered just needs a crew fitting but thats a later job.



N7 ready for service which is a Copley hill loco. My favorite model so far i think it looks super.



J3 ready for weathering then final bitas like real coal & crew.

Next up is going to be a little engine company N1 in white metal which i am looking forward to building. The castings on the model look nice & i did a trail run placing parts on the footplate with everything looking good.

I've also converted a Bachmann Jinty to em using gibson wheels so i have been busy along with my 6 week old daughter keeping me awake.

Thats all for now 

Simon

[45609]

Nice work Simon. Glad you've remembered the J3 totem.  I'll be very annoying now and say the N7 totem is also back to front but that is quite understandable given that you've a young'un keeping you busy.

 

Morgan

Edited September 16, 2015 by mlgilbert30

[Simon Moore]

Hi Morgan.

 

You pointed it out & the N7 had already been weathered so couldn't fix it. My fellow members at the club didn't notice so I think thata a pass ; )

 

Simon

[Simon Moore]

Plenty of sleepless night just recently with our new born but things are afoot. I've got the aspinall out today & as my J3 has been finished it's time to return to finishing this model.

 

Before this challenge finishes i have the following kits o want finished.

 

N1 not started.

C12 not started

Barton wright class 25 chassis needs finishing plus a motor/gearbox

Aspinall 242 50% built.

Aspinall class 28 given to me part built without boiler or smoke box. I've rolled the boiler & I need to redo the smokebox.

 

As we have around 3 months left of this year I better get weaving. I think I can get all this done fingers crossed.

 

Once I have a bit of spare money I will order all the parts needed to finish the kits.

 

Tomorrow I'm going to clear the workbench, it's a mess. Once that's sorted, on Monday I can start building the aspinall again. I plan on tidying up the body then getting the chassis ready.

 

Simon

[Simon Moore]

Well everything didn't go to plan !

 

The workbench is still a tip & the aspinall never came out of the box.

 

I have however been working on a model or 2. Firstly I had a 7mm quarry hunslet that had to be finished off & I've been working on a Lancashire & yorkshire class 28 boiler & firebox.

 

The hunslet is now out for lining & complete. I shall add photos & more details about this when it returns.

 

The class 28 is a craftsman kit that was given to me with some wagon kits by a o gauge modeller at the club.

Because I'm a fan of the Lancashire & yorkshire he knew I'd make good use of the kit, the snag being it had no boiler or firebox.

 

When I started this challenge my first model was a Jim McGowan j83 060 which needed the boiler rolling. This was a real test because i've never rolled a boiler so I bought some brass to learn. Since then I built 3 of jim kits each needing the boiler rolling so I learnt a new skill. How far I have come since then I've now scratch built a boiler & a belpaire firebox for my class 28. I must admit I am so pleased with what I've done. I've come along way since I started this thread, this is something I love about this forum. I've learnt so much from this website & I have to keep reminding myself I'm disabled with only 1 working arm & 1 mangled elbow that's constantly in pain. I'd say I'm not doing too bad.

 

I shall upload some photos tomorrow of the class 28 progress. I'm in 2 minds now of what livery to do the model in should I do br or do 3 pre grouping models in the class 25 the 28 & the 242 aspinall.

 

That's all for now.

 

Simon

Edited October 4, 2015 by Rhb Simon

[Simon Moore]

Right time for a update on the Craftsman class 28!

For the past couple of days i have been working on the class 28. I've slowly but surely been getting the loco to a finished state. I am still unsure on the livery of this model i cannot decide if the time is right to go for the dream of a pre grouping layout or to stick to early BR. I have some transfers for both liveries so i can cross that bridge when i come to it.

I have completed the body of the tender & so i decided to get it into the paint stage whilst the weather was still fine. 



I still need to paint the chassis but it is complete & i think when i was given this it has Sharmen EM wheels for the tender which need to be cleaned up & blackened.

Moving on to the body of the loco. When i was given the kit it was minus a boiler & belpaire firebox which was a bit worrying because i didn't think i could make both of these components. I managed to get a copy of the kit instructions which was great to get the dimensions & after a deep breath i started hacking some brass. The boiler was a 1 shot deal & i managed to roll one first time without issue which was a real pleasing feeling. The belpaire on the other hand was a ballache. The first attempt was a epic fail, the problem was i had only 1 former which is what you get with the kit. What i had to do was solder the former to a sheet of brass then cut it close with tin snips before using a coarse file to get it to shape finishing it with a fine file to clear the burrs. The first attempt at making a second former didnt go to plan i drew it on   & tried to cut it which was a fail only soldering & filing did i manage to get it to work. 
The belpaire is by no means perfect but i am no metalsmith & i struggle to handle metal properly because of my arm.

 

 

The chassis is built up, which was how it came. i wasn't sure if it was true but after checking it on the avonside jig it seemed fine only time will tell ( Fingers crossed )

Anyway that is all for now i will try to get the last few bits done tomorrow & that is as far as i can go. I need to add the handrail but i have no handrail pillars to add so i will have to wait until next week when i make a order with Colin for a load of wheelset's My shopping list contains five motors, five gearboxes, 4 sets of loco wheels & wheels for coaches & wagons. The next few weeks i am going to be busy busy busy

Thats all for now

 

[Corbs]

I'm in awe at not just the speed at which you can build these kits (which are like witchcraft to me), but also the quality, which is superb. 

[Simon Moore]

Thank you Corbs for the kind comments it spurs me on to build more & there is more to come ; )

[Simon Moore]

I've been busy working on models for the past few days. Firstly the chassis for the 2-4-2 has been built into its basic form. I have also 2 craftsman kits sat on the bench. Firstly I got a box of parts for a craftsman johnson 0-4-4 which was a mess to say the least. I've used what I was given to cobble together a loco which I'm hoping to have running again tomorrow & finished by Tuesday.

When I started this craftsman I thought I might still have a craftsman 1f in the cupboard which I thought I made a hash of, turns out it's not bad I just messed up the paintwork. It's taken a bath in nitromorse & it's now shiny brass again ready for primer. I wasn't sure I had all the parts for the 1f but after looking in the box I think most of the bits are there although I'm guessing something will need scratch building. I've now actively got 5 locos on the go in varying states of completion with more in the post.

 

I shall update the thread tomorrow possibly with photos I'm just that busy building I have hardly any spare time to upload updates of the builds.

[Simon Moore]

Right a quick progress report!!!

The lads down the club have christened me " Crewe " simply because i am churning out locos as fast, i have shunned this off until now!

I have 5 loco kits in various states of completion on the workbench currently which are now resembling the erecting shop at Crewe.

First up the Barton Wright Ironclad. I've been ummmmm & argghhhhing as to which direction to go with this model. Firstly it was going to be 957 as it is now in Oxenhope shed. Then i was steered towards a early BR loco to use on the club layout but it didnt sit correctly in my head. 
My railway passions are far & wide but the thing that really gets me is Victorian England & railways from the pioneering to pre grouping eras. I have decided to go full pre grouping Lancashire & Yorkshire railway. If i don't go down this route i never will & i think it is something i would regret greatly in the future. I have plates for 957 & the body is out at my friends for lining & the plates adding. I cannot carry on with the model until i get a motor & gearbox which will be later this week or early next week.

Right moving on.

We didn't have a club night last Thursday because they was setting up for the 7mm festival so i went to one of the members houses for a night of modelling. I was having fun with the Aspinall 2-4-2 chassis which i will get too later, but whilst i was there my mate showed me another of our groups models that was a right mess. The model is a craftsman Johnson 0-4-4 that had been badly put together & to my surprise even had wood jammed in the boiler, yes you read that right WOOD.

The model was in pieces & needed some serious restoration to get it back to something like. My mate wasn't really keen on touching it & i know it had gone by the by. I Give our friend a lift home every club night because he is elderly & its on the way & he is a really decent bloke but with the greatest of respect to him is too old to model & i doubt he has the skill to build the kit although i know he didn't make this kit himself.
I know this one is a special model for him because the loco is the one that took him to school on the worth valley line in the early 50's so i determined to surprise him with a fully working, painted model of said loco & see what he thinks before i tell him that the model is his.

I know there are some parts missing but i am going to do what i can with what i have, i think Harry will be happy to see a running model more than anything so i spent some time cleaning the parts & putting it back together.

This is what i have done with it so far.



Hopefully tomorrow i can get it finished off & hand it back tomorrow evening but it might possibly be Thursday.

Next up an old friend.

When i started the 0-4-4 it then rang a few bells, i had in a previous attempt at building locos started a craftsman johnson midland 1f half cab. I actually wasn't sure if i still had it so i went digging under the bathroom to find the craftsman box. I dug the model out & to be honest i had done better than i thought i had & most of the parts are there in the box. I still have a set of wheels from markits in my spares box so i need a motor & gearbox to complete the model. I've done a bit of work to the model firstly stripping it. I had painted the model by hand (badly) in midland lake & it was a mess. I also didn't originally fit handrails to the tanks & some of the parts were glued on. I removed the paint & today i have re soldered most of the parts back onto the body. I've a few bits to solder to the chassis & then it is job done. I am keen to learn hand lining so at my second attempt this is going to be done in midland livery & i will use this as my first attempt at lining it out under the watchful eye of my mate from the club.



The Aspinall 2-4-2 

I must admit this i put off because the chassis is a complete pig of a thing. Why it was designed for compensation rather than adding the etched cut out lines & bearing carriers in the frames i will not no. The chassis i must admit was a bit too far for me so i asked my friend down the club for help. We had a look at it thursday evening & between the pair of us we got the chassis built in its basic form. My mate also found a set of markits drivers that was the correct diameter with 1 extra spoke which i can live with. Again i need some pony wheels & a motor & gearbox which is coming so then i can get on with the model.

I've just turned the iron off for lunch after a morning on the bench & this is how the aspinall is looking.



I am hoping to get the 2-4-2 finished next week hopefully because it is slowly driving me nuts because it has been still for too long.

Finally ......

I have been working mainly on the boiler & firebox for the Hughes rebuilt A class. As i have run out of supplies i can't really do much although i have managed to get the tender finished on this on & this is ready for lining out. As the chassis on the loco only needs wheels adding plus pick ups & brakes its a mornings work which i will do once the wheels arrive.



I think this nickname i have been given is going to need changing to Horwich, i'm not churning out products of the LNWR but more L&Y. I have in the pipeline at least another 3 loco kits coming although 1 is a christmas present from the wife & the other i am planning on doing at the show in March next year but never say never.

That's all for now, Hopefully the production line will be in full effect once again next week once i have stocked up on supplies.

Cheers 

Simon 

 

Edited October 12, 2015 by Rhb Simon

[Simon Moore]

Right a quick update.

Been busy today painting! I've got the midland lake & black on to the johnson halfcab & it isn't  looking too bad. Its not brilliant but then again i am no master of the paints. neither. I'm going to let it cure off a little while then add some transfers & touch up a bit where the spray has missed. Then the model will be ready for lining & sealing with some varnish to hopefully tone down the satin from the paint. 

The L&Y coaches i am going to be building are a right nightmare when it comes to paint. I'm not a fan of phoenix paints i find them a real pain when it comes to drying times plus i really don't like enamel paint. I have a feeling though that they are going to be the paint i end up using because there is nothing out there that matches. The halfords list of paints done to match with railway colours are daewoo dark red. This is firstly red not plum & secondly it is not possible to buy any more as daewoo are long gone.

Hopefully on thursday i should have supplies arriving & also kits too. I'm at a loose end now for the next few days unless something turns up.

Simon

[Jol Wilkinson]

Right a quick update.

 

Been busy today painting! I've got the midland lake & black on to the johnson halfcab & it isn't  looking too bad. Its not brilliant but then again i am no master of the paints. neither. I'm going to let it cure off a little while then add some transfers & touch up a bit where the spray has missed. Then the model will be ready for lining & sealing with some varnish to hopefully tone down the satin from the paint. 

 

The L&Y coaches i am going to be building are a right nightmare when it comes to paint. I'm not a fan of phoenix paints i find them a real pain when it comes to drying times plus i really don't like enamel paint. I have a feeling though that they are going to be the paint i end up using because there is nothing out there that matches. The halfords list of paints done to match with railway colours are daewoo dark red. This is firstly red not plum & secondly it is not possible to buy any more as daewoo are long gone.

 

Hopefully on thursday i should have supplies arriving & also kits too. I'm at a loose end now for the next few days unless something turns up.

 

Simon

If you are spraying your models, get the PPP paint and spray a test panel. Take this to a local auto paint supplier and get them to colour match it for you. Some can even produce spray cans for you (I don't know if that applies to Halfords).

 

I use LNWR coach plum in (cellulose) obtained that way.

[Simon Moore]

Thank you for the tip, I shall have a look tomorrow to find a local auto paint supplier.

[Simon Moore]

This morning i had a packet arrive from 247 developments which had the em axles & crankpins i needed for the johnson half cab. I've fitted the wheels & coupling rods to the chassis along with the sandboxes. I've also painted the safety valve a golden brassy colour. I am really pleased with this model it look terrific. I really am looking forward to getting this kit finished off & running because it looks beautiful.

Lnwrmodeller,

Thanks for that tip, i did a bit of ringing round this morning & after a few calls i have found a company who i am taking a pair of colour swatches too & there going to get me a set of aerosols made up so thats the L&Y coaches sorted.

I've also been working on the johnson 0-4-4. I've managed to unmangle the bunker rails & fit them. It is by no means the best work i can produce but it is a restoration using what i have. Hopefully once it has paint & some transfers it will hide some of the imperfections.

That midland livery is really rubbing off on me & i think i am going to have one of those London rd models Kirtley well tanks next year but i also think maybe there might be another after that too. 
A L&Y saddle tank & a small boiler L&Y 0-8-0 should arrive tomorrow along with coaches, motors/gearboxes & wheels for most of the kits that are sat on the bench awaiting finishing. 

That's all for now

Simon

[Simon Moore]

Since picking up the Johnson 0-4-4 & the can of worms that opened i have been progressing on both these models.

Firstly the Johnson 0-4-4

When this arrived it was in a very sorry state, there were parts missing & it was in a 100 pieces. I was doubtful that it was ever going to run again but against all odds i seemed to have made a running model. The first thing i had to do was replace the motor & gearbox. Its amazing model making has come so far when gearboxes like what came with this kit was on the market. The only place this motor & gearbox are fit for was the skip & that is where they went.

Its not a complete loco as i didn't have all the pieces but it is damn close & looks good enough for most.



So that's now finished & off to work the local on the club layout & hopefully its owner will be happy with the finished result even though he has no idea i have it

Right next up was the second craftsman kit that was under the banner of restore. This is a kit i started when i started in the dark arts some time ago. I wasn't sure i actually still had it & was certain parts were missing. Most of the parts for the Johnson 1f halfcab were there & so i did what i could to revive this old friend. I dug around on rmweb to find the original build thread & found a photo of what state the body was in the first time i attempted midland livery.



Hand painted with a crap brush & phoenix paints...... A mess to say the least.

Anyway with what i had left in the kit box i have progressed with this model some what into what i think is a beautiful model. The paintwork took around 4 hours to do. A lot of this time was spent masking in between coats of paint but the finish is brilliant & i am really pleased to see it how i originally envisaged.



I am really pleased with this model & how it has now turned out. I have a few parts to add to the chassis still then it is ready for paint & lining out which i willo be doing myself with a little help from a friend.

On saturday morning i took delivery of a rather large box.



Also not shown was a l&y small boiler 0-8-0 but that is a christmas present from the wife. The loco i will be building in this thread but i will start a separate thread for the coaches. I have another 2 coaches to come along with some ratio midland coaches & a bill bedford etch.

Finally!!!

I have progressed far in my kit building exploits so far & have learnt many new things along the way & it is time to progress to the next stage .... Scratch Building !!!!

But what to scratch build???

Well i think it has to be this badboy



It is the L&Y Hoy tank. I've chosen it for 2 reasons, A because i like it & B because it is a boxy shaped beast which should make scratch building it a little bit easier. I've purchased a whole host of new tools & a book covering scratch building which should help me create this monster of a machine. If i can pull this off i can do anything.

I doubt the hoy tank will be finished by the build deadline but i am hoping to have it started.

I'm still waiting on the motors & gearboxes which should arrive next week along with a kirtley well tank kit. I doubt that will be included in this thread as i have enough on but hopefully it will be in my pre grouping thread once i start that off.

Thats all for now.

 

[Simon Moore]

Right quick update.

 

I'm currently working on the l&y class 28. Yesterday I finished the chassis off except for the brake blocks there next up. I've got the body finished this morning with all the remaining bits fitted. I've got the body undercoated & i'm just having a quick brew before I get the matt black on. I should have photos up this afternoon.

[Simon Moore]

Time for a little update as to where I'm at.

 

Friday I was painting the body on the class 28 & it's now done. I turned my attention to both the chassis on the 28 & the half can. Both chassis has been built to oo gauge, 1 by myself in a previous attempt at kit building & 1 came built. I thought it would be a straight job of spacing the axles on both chassis with washers & running chassis, how wrong was I!

I've re done the pick up a least 6 times & fought with both to try to make them work with no smooth running chassis after all the work.

 

Anyway after much fighting my modelling mojo has taken a massive hit. My mental state isn't brilliant as I am still recovering from the accident & the slightest things can set me off & this was starting me down that route.

 

Anyway a post in the motor section of this forum & Kenton to the rescue!

 

He pointed out about spacing axles in bearings & frictions caused as a result. I changed the half cab back to oo as it's on markits wheels & it's running sweetly down to a crawl. It's running characteristics have changed instantly & the problem is solved. On the one hand I'm elated it's solved but peeved on the other hand because they need re building in em.

 

Because they need a tonne of work I've decided to put them on the back burner for now. I need some em spacers which I've not got in stock so I'm going to get back on with my ironclad. The chassis I've built in em & that's also running sweetly with blow power. I didn't continue the build because I had no motor so now I have 1 it's getting finished off. It's a days work at best to get the brakes, painting & pick ups done. Once this is finished I can move on to finishing the aspinall 2-4-2 which I keep putting off. To try raise my spirits I started a tin tabernacle brake van kit which is a lovely kit. It's the d & s models kit now sold by John at London rd models. I shall start a new thread elsewhere on the forum for my pre grouping stock kits. Tomorrow I'm expecting around 50 axles of coach & wagon wheels yo arrive so I have plenty to be getting on with.

 

Never thought I'd be working towards a pre grouping layout but I've enough stock to keep me going now & the baseboards are starting this next Saturday coming.

 

Over the coming months I should have a layout thread & 2 kit building threads. How the hell I'm going to keep everything up to date is beyond me.

 

Anyway that's all for now.

[Simon Moore]

I've had the barton wright out today. I had a really nice rolling chassis when I built it a while ago.

Today I set to finishing the model off. I first fit the brake hangers & the few parts I needed to finish off the chassis. I then sprayed the chassis & then got on with assembling it & to be honest I'm not happy. The chassis is running but the gearbox sounds rough. It's also lifting when put into forward motion. It seems to run fine in reverse. I've checked the quartering everything is fine. I think I might take a bit more off the crankpin hole in the motion which hopefully will cure the problem.

 

I shall do a full update once i'm happy with finished model & it's running properly.

 

Simon

Edited November 3, 2015 by Rhb Simon

[Simon Moore]

Right update time !

I've put the barton wright to one side for the time being. It needs a bit of fine tuning & then it is done & off back for lining out. I've had the Aspinall 2-4-2 tank half finished in a box because the chassis etches frightened me, a few weeks ago i put together 1 of the frame etches with a friend to try & get it up & running. I've already mentioned about the chassis being a bit over complex, anyway i built the first of the 2 chassis etches & it didn't work. I built it as the instructions show but none of the screw holes line up so you can screw the chassis to the body. I couldn't get the flexible chassis to work with the rear pony so i decided to have a go at the compensated frame with my own spin. I've compensated with hornblocks to the 2 pony wheels & left the drivers solid. I have no idea if this is going to work yet but i am hopeful :S

Anyway it is coming together.


Firstly the original chassis i built which i couldn't get to work properly.



The second attempt



This is sweetly rolling along & i hope that it runs through pointwork because i am going to loose the last bit of hair i own if it doesn't

I think it looks really nice though once the castings were placed on the body. I've to solder the boiler up properly because its only tacked at the moment & then the rest of the bits need adding to finish it off.



I really think that once this is painted & finished it will really look the part. I am going to keep plugging away at it for the rest of the week & get it finished. I'd like to hand over the 3 i have built in L&Y colours at once for lining out then it saves me going back & forth.

Thats all for now.

Simon

[Simon Moore]

Well I've just tested the chassis on a piece of flex track bent to the same radius of a A5 turnout. It derailed which I had a sneaking suspicion it would because of its length. I'm going to make a flexible rear pony truck from some bits on the etch which look like they can be wittled into shape.

 

Tomorrow I am going to make this work even if it turns me into a alopecian along the way.

 

Simon

[mark axlecounter]

Hi Simon, Hope all is well

I made the 2 pony wheels flexable and it works over set track points. Here is the way i do them.

Sorry about the poor pic I haven't got mine to hand

Edited November 4, 2015 by mark axlecounter

[Simon Moore]

Hey up mate

 

Cheers for the diagram I might end up down that route if my first plan doesn't work. How's the new arrival ????