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hayfield

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Blog Entries posted by hayfield

  1. hayfield

    Rails now in place

    By hayfield,

    A couple of photos of the junction now all the rails are in place
     



     
    I must make more room on my work bench, using a building board 4' x 1' is a bit large for my bench.
     
    Next job is to cut the isolation slits with a cutting disc and fit the tiebars, at least I can do this with the turnouts off the building board and they come off in half as they have been built as two units.
     
    Now the moment of truth testing with a loco, loco wheels are thicker than my wagon wheels so there may be a bit of tweaking so all runs smooth.
  2. hayfield

    Engine shed

    By hayfield,

    Over the past few weeks work and other things have got in the way of progress. The first turnout is built and tested, this was the easy one as it is a straight B6, nice and simple.
     
    Over the past couple of nights I have worked our where each wall meets the sides and fixed them together. Now on to the roofs.
     

     
    I have started at the rear first with the 2 single spans. The rear gentler slope is easy but it is the steeper one with the north lights I need to work out. I decided to make them in 3 sections, top and bottom in full length and the middle the width required. these are all glued in and waiting for the solvent to harden, so I can file the tops flat to fit the capping.
     
    I thought about makeing the roof a seperate lift off section, but decided to make the whole building lift off. Walls still need the bottom vallance fitting, window sills, windows etc. I an just trying out the different parts wall capping, bargeboards etc to see how they look and they are just lightly tacked in place.
     
    I have 2 tileing sheets which were stuck together to make a double span drying/hardening to start the next section, I will make a couple of the Wills smoke jacks to see how they look and have a go at the north light windows themselves.
     
    Now I know the exact size of the shed I can finalise the curves to the approach tracksEven though I extended the shed by 1 Bay, it seens to have shrunk about 3/4" from my initial estimates. I am still toying about whether to fit inspection pits inside or out.
     
    Hopefully I will be able to do some more tomorrow afternoon.
  3. hayfield
    As the roof grows the structure stiffens up (thankfully)I have enough roof pannels to complete 3 out of the 5 tripple spans. I have also started the capping on both the roof tops and brickwork over the entrances. I will carry on with the foofs until I use up the pannels. I will then order some more along woth some 1mm microstrip to make the north lights with.
     
    I will fit again the barge boards to hide the join where the roof meets the walls. Before fitting the downpipes I will see if a brick pelmet looks any good at the bottom of the walls. I will need to build the chimneys/ smoke jacks. I will try the ones in the kit to see what they look like
     
    I will also try and contact Wills to see if they will sell me some extra sprues for the capping and the smoke jacks if they have the look I am after, I have the capping they sell with the chimney/roof packs and will see if it matches first.
     

     
    I am still wondering about the inspection pits, I guess in the end I will put them in but it will be a pain cutting through the 9mm MDF. I will use brick sheets at each entrance for the floor covering, however as it will be dark inside the shed I will use plain plasticard further in then blend the two together.
  4. hayfield

    slow progress

    By hayfield,

    Not much has happened recently, like everyone else work and social life has got in the way.
     

     
    The shell is now stiff enough for me to finalise the position, I have also now worked out the track positions.
     
    I was hoping to be able to cut out the inspection pits today but have been distracted and it is too dark outside to cut them out.
     
    Still I am now in a position to work on which ever part of the layout takes my fancy.
     
    I can carry on with the shed building, with either continueing the slates, make the northlights/ smoke jacks or detail the building sides.
     
    Or build the 3 remaining turnouts which are outstanding. Or cut out the inspection pits and start track laying.
     
    Now to clear up the work bench after a spot of trach building for someone else
  5. hayfield

    2018

    By hayfield,

    Nearly 2 years have past since I started the plan to build a layout at our new home, initially I was to be banished to a large shed in the garden, however this evolved into part of an extension we decided to build. After a good start this time last year the builder became a bit erratic ending up with us parting, we then had to arrange for contractors to do the work beyond my capabilities. Most of the work was done by Christmas with a few bits to be completed at leasure, still I had my work shop/ railway room to fit out, then it was found out I had a medical issue which meant I could do nothing for 3 months, thankfully this has passed and all is OK now
     
    This year I have joined a local model railway club, seemed to have been co opted on to the 0 gauge section and being a bit sidetracked with the senior gauge
     
    What has happened, basically just a lot of thinking and acquiring items
     
    Track
     
    Well I was always going to build my own track, which was going to be to 00SF gauge, as most of the stock will be kitbuilt I decided to change to EM gauge, it does look better and the main cost will be Markit EM gauge axles
     
    Secondly ditched the idea of using ply timbers, why? Well as the plain track will be flexi track with plastic bases it just seemed natural
     
    Baseboards
     
    Well I have a 12' run of kitchen base units plus an extra 2.5 foot available, at the moment this space is required for the skirting board painting for the other down stairs room, plus will temporarily be used for an 0 gauge test track. Once I get round to painting and fitting the skirting boards I can then start on the base boards
     
    Buildings
     
    I have started buying Ratio and Wills kits which will form the basis of the buildings as will be kit bashed as required
     
    Stock
     
    I have been having a major slim down of stock, but also been stocking up on locos and loco parts (mainly in the chassis department) as locos will be on etched chassis with can motors and High Level gearboxes. A nicely built K's Adams Radial tank is being converted (temporarily using the K's chassis) to EM and just got a slimline gearbox to fit it. Also just bought an unmade Southeastern Finecast Collet goods kit for £60 as I wanted the etched chassis, Gibson wheels and gears and Mashima motor, these parts alone would cost more than the £60 I paid
     
    Also just bought an unmade K's 42/72xx kit (spot on for Bodmin) wondering if a 28xx chassis will fit it? otherwise a set of Gibson frames will be needed (at least I have a full st of Gibson wheels for it. Again £50 a good price
     
    Hoping to start Bodmin in earnest in the autumn just because there is still lots to do with the house
  6. hayfield
    I sanded flat the filler I put into the gaps on the SMP turnout, a lot easier with no rails in the way. Now just have to fit the rails.
     
    Also built the common crossing for the C&L plastic turnout
     

     
    Just placed on the sleepers, as it does not show up on the paper plan too well.
     
    The V was soldered up in a simple jig (hi tec engineering)
     

     
    Then the wing rails were soldered to the V with scrap brass shim
     

     
    2 extra bits of shim hold the frog in gauge, then the ends were cut level with the rails. Now for the interesting bit, threading all those chairs. But thats another night.
     
    The postman arrived with some interesting bits. A set of Alan Gibson mainframes for a GWR 36xx (scratch built body I got off Ebay) with some 2mm Hornblocks and a K's 57xx, part built and some of the birs painted. These are now soaking it caustic soda. It was missing one of the axle screws (I had a spare) and also missing the worm gear so will fit a set of Romfords. Won a Jamieson GWR King on Ebay this afternoon, again part built and some parts missing. Will be interesting to see whats there when it arrives.
  7. hayfield

    Starting the detail

    By hayfield,

    The walls looked a bit stark, so I decided to see if a plynth at the bottom of the walls would look better. It breaks up the wall quite well (looks better in real life where depth is more apparent), I will bevel the tops once the solvent fully drys.

    Window sills have been added , and will also be beveled. Windows are tacked in place (well I hope they are).
     
    Have added a horizontal barge board under the capping, as it looks better being there rather than a bare wall. I think I will put this on the front wall under the capping for the same reason.
     

     
    Now to carry on with the roof's and I hust find my microstrip so I can start the north lights.
  8. hayfield
    It seems like I have had nothing but turnouts on my work benck for the past 2 months, thought I would share what has been on the bench over the past 2 weeks
     

     
    Earlier this week I finished a set of 4 EM turnouts using ply sleepers and C&L rail and chairs.
     

     
    Today I have completed a pair of EM copperclad turnouts again using C&L parts
     
    Both sets of turnouts were a pleasure to make, the copperclad one made a change as they were quite quick to build and see working, where as the Ply and chair ones took much longer and the crossings had to be made as a stand alone item.
     
    I now have 8 common crossings to build as stand alone units, at least 3 are 3/4 built.
  9. hayfield

    K's GNR Atlantic

    By hayfield,

    The second attempt to secure the gear wheel to the axle seems to have worked, as there is no slipping. I took each wheel off in turn, trimmed and adjusted the pickups, greased the bearings and replaced the wheels.
     

     
    As I watched the loco go up and down the track the rear drivers were not turning, the 2 small rear wheels were lower than the rear drivers by a fraction so a small amount of fileing sorted this out. The front bit of the footplate where the cylinders go needs building up,as its been badly filed. So some filler had been added, this needs to dry for a day or so.
     
    Tomorrow I will sort out the front bogies, start building the tender and do a bit more to the body
  10. hayfield

    Last weeks work

    By hayfield,

    Junction still on the workbench
     

     
    Had a busy week at work and done very little on thursday or friday, but finished laying the timbers.
     

     
    For ease of posting the junction is being made in 2 parts, see the red line in the right hand side. It would have been easier to build as 1 unit then cut in 2 but this leaves a gap made with the slitting disc which would have to be filled to keep all in line.
     
    Yesterday I have fitted all the 5 V's and the crossover stock rails, with joints made where needed.
  11. hayfield

    To nights jobs

    By hayfield,

    A few little jobs done to night
     

     
    The crossover is finished, sleepers gapped, tiebars fitted and isolation breaks cut through the rails. A right selection of locos used for testing, Mainline J72, K's Terrier, Wills Pannier and a Comet Auto tank chassis
     

     
    The SMP turnout has had the sleepers gapped and filled prior to fitting the rails, the idea is to see if its easier filling the gaps and sanding them before fitting the rails.
     

     
    Building a C&L turnout in 00 to a B6 size. I build these on tracing paper and use 2 thin strips of double sided tape to hold the sleepers in place. Sleepers cut and fitted, next job is to build the common crossing. The V's are soldered together in a simple jig, then the crossing/wing rails are soldered to the V with 3 pieces of scrap brass shim which is positioned to sit on the sleepers.
     
     
    Once I have finished these two turnouts I can get on with an etched Pannier chassis I want to build in P4, so have been re-reading Iain Rice's etched chassis book in my lunchtime
  12. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)10

    By hayfield,

    Now I am happy that the turnout off the main road and slip are what I require I have printed off  their plans and stick them on to a building board, next up will be cutting and fitting the timbers, hopefully Christmas will provide the time to build it
  13. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)3

    By hayfield,

    I have finally started the trackwork, at Scaleforum I bought a bag of part used Exactoscale turnout timbers, which equated to the best part of 3 complete frets, I have in my cupboard a box of PSM code 75 NS rail and a few bags of C&L 2 bolt chairs. I also bought a pack of C&L baseboard alignment dowels and time has come to start building the layout. In addition I have a 2 meter pack of Exactoscale EM fast track bases
     
    First up will be the platform trailing crossover. Temporarily I will fit it on a length of 9 mm ply to give me a test track for some locos I am both building and converting to EM gauge, I will also use it to test platform heights and distances
     
    I made a plan in Templot with 10' track centres as there will be a row of water stand pipes between the platform road and the run around track. Still a few chairs to be added. Tiebars initially will be copperclad timbers for testing, also bonding wires will need fitting
     
     
     
     

     
    A very untidy work bench and a close up of the crossing
     
    I have used 2 bolt chairs on the crossover though the Exactoscale fast track bases have 3 bolt chairs. I will see how noticeable they are on the test plank
     
    I will go and get the birch ply tops and ends cut to size in a week or so.
     
  14. hayfield

    GNR Atlantic

    By hayfield,

    This picture shows the lumps of Milliput which I have used to build up the gap on the corner of the coal rails on one side and level up the poor fit on the other side. Also some other bits filling the joins above the buffer beam.
     

     
    I used a mini drill to level the tender sides on the inside, then I filed the filler flat with the body. I used a razor saw to start the gaps between the coal rails followed by a needle to open up the gap. All looks fine now.
     

     
    Poor picture but shows the cylinders taking shape, should have been 5 parts but ended up as 8 parts. I will fit the slide rods before attaching the cylinder sides. Then try and fathom how the fit the cylinder assembly to the chassis
  15. hayfield

    GNR Atlantic

    By hayfield,

    Well I have given the gears 1 more go, I took the 2 wheels off and took the axle out, degreased all the parts including the chassis and motor bearings. Re-drilled the holes, then reassembled the parts. I dropped epoxy down the holes and rotated them hopefully dragging the epoxy down arround the axle. I will now give it a day to cure.
     
    Had a few bits arrive in the post yesterday. I brought an old Eames Prairie loco some time ago. Someone decided to rebuild the chassis, well they got as far as fitting a new set of Romfords but lost all the other parts. I notiiced on Ebay an Airfix plastic kit with a motorising chassis on it (minus motor and gears) took a bit of a leap of faith. Well the chassis seems well built and the wheels and motion run freely, the front fixing is in the correct place just need a new rear fixing plate.
     
    At the same time brought a Comet coach part built, poor photo and description. Well it turns out to be a BR mk1 compo. Needs buffers roof and underframe details, its been very well put together.
     

     
    Also I brought a Southeastern Finecast M7 with wheels and motor along with a Wills etched M7 chassis (need this to replace an old Wills cast chassis). So been looking at my new bits.
  16. hayfield
    A few more doors and windows fitted, the chimney stacks are in the process of being fitted and the canopy at the front has been made by cutting and splicing two kits parts together
     

     
    Stink pipes fitted but gutters and down pipes will have to wait for the roof to be finished. Also other thing like posters and various boxes still need fitting
     
    I am still putting off the canopy roofs which need quite a lot of kit bashing, they are not the easiest things to build anyway, let alone making them into a U shape
  17. hayfield
    With the cast part of the chassis unglued, the first (cast) part now fits flush with the footplate when glued to the main part of the chassis. With no cylinders it still looks a bit high, but it now matches up with the tender buffer height as well as other locos buffer heights
     

     
    The 4 sides of the tender have been stuck together and I have just used Milliput to fill the gaps and rebuild a broken corner of the sides. Hopefully I will not make as many mistakes on this part of the build
     

     
    These are the parts of the cylinders, the front parts of the cylinders have been stuck to the chassis block. This was the easy part as it was only in 2 bits. The rear one which is in 3 bits will take a bit more effort in gluing to the block in lineing them up.
     
    Recently I have not had much spare time to model, however when driving to and from work and other spare moments I have been able to think about the problems and come up with a solution. Much better than thinking on your feet with the items in front of you.
     
    Nice to have a session that has all gone well, normally its 2 steps forward and one back.
  18. hayfield
    For the past 2 weeks I have been building turnouts for others, I think it was 5 00 and 3 EM ones and repaired a 3 way. So I fancied a change.
     
    A friend gave me a K's GNR Atlantic kit. It had been built and then dismantled. Well on monday once I had finished and posted everything I decided to have a go at it. The motor turned the wheels but the cylinders had been badly built and they faced a bit inwards so the crossheads rubbed against the drivers. After one of the piston rods snapped I decided to dismantle the cylinders and rebuild them once I had new crossheads.
     
    I decided to get on and rebuild the body. As some of the parts were still stuck together I tried to fit them together, as the fit was not to good I got out my old saucepan and dunked the parts into boiling water. Now they were all seperate. The footplate shoud have been in two parts however the larger part had been broken. After a little fettling I got all glued in place except where the footplate had broken in 2 which I soldered back together.
     

     
    Last night all I had time to do was to repair one of the splashers with Milliput, as it had been reduced in size!!. To night I filed it to shape and found that the bottom and other end also had been reduced, so I have built it up and will file to shape tomorrow. I also filled in the hand rail holes which were too big and did a bit of gap filling where the footplate had broken.
     
    The tender needs a bit more dismanlting, so the pan will come out again in a bit.
     
    I am working in the dark as the kit has no instructions, and I cannot see that any of the mags have done a plan. Still that half the fun.
     
    A Bullied coach plan book came in the post this morning that I won on Ebay. The cost of posting it was more than I paid for it including postage, I might send the guy the difference as I feel a bit guilty.
  19. hayfield

    Shelf layout

    By hayfield,

    I have had some time to do some modelling today, I finished off an EM faceing crossover and gave a K's J72 a final coat of LNER green then picked up the Wills 2 road enging shed I started building last week.
     

     
    This is where I finished last week with the 1st wall propped up against the mockup. Tonight I managed to build the second wall
     
    I have taken out the first two bays of the mockup just to see how the progress todate fits in with the temporary track plan. The plan is still OK but the point work will need adjusting as I have built the 1st shed wall 1 window bay extra.
     
    I need another shed kit to finish off the walls and several roof packs. I went into the loft and found some Wills packs. Wall sections with windows, plain bond brickwork and tiles, great I thought I can get on with the build without waiting for the extra kit to arrive. Wrong as the wall sections I have with windows are English bond not plain bond. Still it will give me time to add extra details and work on keeping the roof in the air where the interior of the shed will be open without walls.
  20. hayfield
    The station walls have been primed ready for painting, these two photos show the forecourt and rear of the building
     

     
    This is the platform area and the primer hides the joins and the small amount of filling. Next up will be my laughable efforts in painting the walls.
     

     
    Half of a standard canopy kit has been built, I was worried that being 1/2" narrower than I expected would make the platform too shallow, as it happens its not too bad. I have 4 kits to play with so I may extend the canopy down the platform a bit.
     
    Thoughts about the roof will also have to be firmed up, I was going to use tiles, but I might give the kit roof a try first
     
     
  21. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)7

    By hayfield,

    As I was working yesterday I had a late start today, first I looked at as many photos of Bodmin General station as I could just to get the general arrangement of the building with doors and window placement just to see how I can kitbash a couple of Ratio stations into a similar size and style, certainly not an exact replica
     

     
    I have started to lay the trackbed with 3mm closed cell foam from C&L next up is to build the platform. I will be using Peco platform edging. Rather than use the brick paper in the packs, I will use brick embossed plasticard. For the platform surface I am thinking of using Wills sheets
    Next up will be to work out the platform height 
     

    Also I will need to work out the final position of the crossover, temporarily I am using 00 track and stock either side of the crossover to check lengths 
  22. hayfield

    GNR Atlantic

    By hayfield,

    All I seem to do is add a bit more filler and sand it.
     

     
    This evening I sanded those parts I filled last night.Pity I had not read the other threads first, however this kit had been hacked about a bit and I might have ruined the footplate had I tried to solder it up on its own. Its not a 100% square, the photos make it worse though
     

     
    Every time I look at the loco I find missing parts, for some reason a lump of the footplate has been sawn off, back with the Milliput.
     
    Also you can see the state of the cylinders is a bit of a problem, as they have been hacked about, I will have to think what to do with them.
     
    I will now read the info I recieved this morning.
     
    I also recieved a Lima Prairie today in the post. It was advertised as a K's kit, the photo was not that good so I took a gamble. I emailed the seller with the problem and he has already sent my money back and will pay for the return postage, can't ask for a better service than that. Pity it stated that it had Romfords as my 44xx has old K's mk2 wheels
  23. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)4

    By hayfield,

    A Stephen Poole 54xx loco kit has now joined the queue of locos to be built for Bodmin,
     
    I  went to my clubs local show and there on the members sales stand was a Stephen Poole 54xx box, being priced at £15 I wondered why no one else had bought it
     

     
    I had a quick look and saw it had hardly been started and at £15 was worth buying without a another thought
     

     
    All the body parts are there, looks to have been superglued, so will be easy to disassemble, the main parts are well cast, some of the smaller ones are not so good and may need replacing
     

     
    It has a Stephen Poole brass bar chassis , missing the coupling rods and crank pin bosses, Has a Mashima 1224 motor with a flywheel, Branchlines motor mount and gears and Romford wheels. The pickups work, but as there is no coupling rods and the centre wheels are slightly raised, the centre wheels just spin
     
    I could do a simple conversion using Markit EM chassis spacers and axles, but still would need coupling rods, I could  buy Alan Gibson Mainframes and coupling rods. But I see High Level Kits do a 64xx chassis, I have a  Pug and 57xx High Level chassis made by someone else and they are stunning, Only negative is they look a bit daunting to build.  Plenty of time to think about this one, I would have bought a High Level gearbox anyway, plus needs coupling rods so the extra spend is not too much
     
    Also bagged a box of Peco 009 track (18" lengths)for a tenner for anther project
     
     
  24. hayfield

    Railcar's chassis

    By hayfield,

    Following a question I have shown my simple chassis arrangements. Its not going to please the rivet counters but then again I do not think they would use a MTK kit. The seats are old MTK ones for a DMU so are not quite correct.

     
    The main part of the chassis is a piece of PCB board,I then soldered 2 coach W irons to it. I made a motor mount from some brass sheet and added a DC10 motor with 30/1 Romford gears. I added 2 square bits of brassbetween the W irons for added stiffness. 8ba bolts soldered to bits of brass, which were then stuck to each end of the body. A hole is cut into the PCB board to allow the worm gear into the body and part of the motor, which fits flush with the floor, a High Level kit may keep all below deck but once the seats are in place nothing can be seen
     

     
    All I now need to fit are PB strips to act as wipers on the wheels, and cut the very botom part of the W irons off to hide them.

    For the Bristol Railcar I may use the High Level kits PaceMaker traction pack http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/ The good part about these kits is all you have is 4 sides so you can fit what you want to it as its up to you what you do. The floor can even be 1 piece which is either stuck or soldered in place.
     
    Its nice to have something a bit different, and in fact could command a small diorama layout of its own. The diorama could be no more than 3' long and 6" to 9" wide, I could use 4 different railcars, 1 rail bus, a GWR and LMS push pull units. A bit bigger then 2 car DMu & EMU could be used.
     
    A good site is the Railcar Ass http://www.railcar.co.uk/.
  25. hayfield

    MTK Railcar resurfaces

    By hayfield,

    Re the J52, I put on the wrong size letters and decided to remove them, There was something wrong with the Humbrol paint from the can I used, and in takeing off the LNER transfers it affected the black paint. I gave the damaged parts a sand and have given the loco a respray of black from an older Humbrol spray can. If this does not work then I will have to strip it down and start again
     
    Anyway last night after having the problems with the J52 I decided to do a bit more with the Waggon und Maschinenbau rail bus.
     

     
    I cannot remember how long ago I started building it, last year I painted it Green (Malachite)and built up the roof. Last night I masked off the central band and painted it aluminium as I did with the roof (roof should be grey though)and painted the seats and internal body brown.
     
    Chassis needs pickups, body will be varnished so I can fit the glazing. Once its all running OK I will fix all the seats in place, glue on the roof and seal the joins. Must get back to the transfer company as I want a set of wiskers and numbers (I ordered them but some how my cheque was not cashed and the order not delt with).
     
    Have a MTK (No Nonsence kits now) Bristol Rail Bus to build, well its 2 sides and 2 ends. What year will I start it? well I only brought it last year.
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