Ian Smith

A little bit of progress with the 517... The tank top and cab have been soldered into position, but before they were the beading around the top of the tanks and around the cab side cut-outs was added first. To represent this I simply use lengths of a single strand of copper wire from flex straightened by pulling between two pairs of pliers, in this instance 0.007" diameter. I have also managed to "complete" the G1 Loriot and AA1 Brake Van with a bit of paint and transfers... The transfers on the Loriot are Fox Transfers, and the chains are some lengths of brass 40 links per inch that I picked up from BH Enterprises a couple of years ago that I chemically blackened, when I get around to making a load I will fit hooks at each end and fit a turnbuckle in the middle somewhere, the hooks will be located in the holes in the side rail. The "Exeter" branding on the AA1 is from some old Woodhead transfers, that I have strengthened with Decal film. Despite using Decal Sol and Decal Fix the transfer refuses to stick so I apply them to a bed of thin matt varnish - I managed to separate the "ER" from the "EXET" on one side but managed to float the two parts back together satisfactorily! For this wagon I was keen to fit it with cast plate "GWR" and number. I very briefly considered drawing up some artwork for these plates, but realised that I would need an awful lot of them to fill even the smallest sheet of etch (I would also want to etch them in 0.005" so couldn't even add such artwork to a bigger project). As a second choice I did try printing them on my inkjet printer on photo paper, but decided that too was a no-no. In the end I elected to paint a patch of 0.005" plasticard grey, and once dry scribed the lettering on with a sharpened gramophone needle (I thought a pin would be too flexible). Obviously several attempts were needed, and the better attempts were selected. There were fixed in place on a further bed of matt varnish and once secure the white edge of the plasticard was touched up with a fine brush and grey paint. The brake van still needs to be glazed (easy as the roof is removable being held in place with small magnets), and obviously needs side and tail lamps. Thanks for looking Ian

Rob, I look forward to seeing your project develop - hopefully in our zoom meetings. Ian (one of the 2mm Midland Area Group)

A little more progress with the 517 has been made of the last couple of days or so... The tank sides have been attached to the footplate, a tank top has been fretted/filed from 0.008" nickel silver and the cab has been started today by fretting and filing from more 0.008". I intended to make the cab as a front and two sides that folded up, the fold lines being scribed and then filed with a square file. Unfortunately, I had to bend one of the cab sides back flat and when making the bend again it snapped along the fold line so one side (the further in the photos) was bent (and strengthened with a fillet of solder), while the nearer one is a butt joint. Tank sides attached to the footplate, the tank top and the cab assembly As above, but with the tank top and cab posed - the tank top will be fitted much closer to the tops of the sides (just a small gap between it and the top of the sides). The cab spectacles also need to be made much bigger too, but I won't do that until the firebox is in place so that I can judge whether the spectacles are in the correct relative position - I might need to drift the holes as I enlarged them! Yesterdays project was the turning of the splasher disc. This was turned on the end of a piece of brass bar, and as can be seen includes the decorative beading around the main splasher and also the sub-splasher for the crank pins (again with its decorative beading). The depth of the beading is 0.005", the splasher disc is 11.5mm diameter for 10mm drivers (which are 11mm over the flanges). The sub-splasher is 5.5mm diameter. Once parted off, I then mounted the embryonic disc face inwards so that the rear could be faced off and bored for the wheels. This latter operation took somewhat longer than I anticipated because I couldn't find the stepped collet I'd made last time I did this for the Dean Goods, the upshot of which was I had to make a new stepped collet first!! As can be seen in the image below, the inside of the splasher disc was bored to within an inch of it's life (well 4 thousandths of an inch actually). By my calculations the face of the splasher (beading excepted) should be about 0.008" thick (but I won't know how close I was to breaking through until I cut the disc in half to make the two splashers!!!) The splasher disc - as I only need two splashers I only needed to turn one disc. This image shows the sub-splasher for the cranks, and the decorative beading around each. The inside of the splasher disc (clamped in a vernier calliper showing the wall thickness) Thanks for looking Ian

That’s coming along nicely Anthony. I can’t take any credit for the hole-in-the-shaft form of joint at one end of the cardan shaft. I can’t remember where I saw it used (or by whom, although it may have been Jim or Tim) but it seemed to satisfy a need to hold captive the shaft so that it doesn’t get lost should the shaft dis-engage for any reason. Ian

You model the hinges on your windows ???

Work has restarted on the 517 class 0-4-2 Tank engine... The Footplate and Buffer beams had been fretted and filed from 0.010" before I misplaced my mojo. Over the last couple of days, a couple of bits of 0.010" were sweated together, one edge trued up and the valance and leading step marked out. A little work with fretsaw and fine files gave me a pair of footplate valances with the front step. The step hanger was made over-long to allow me to mark and file a bend line, which then allowed the step proper to be folded at 90 degrees. This bend was then well fluxed and an iron with a small amount of solder introduced at one end edge, capillary action drawing the solder into the bend line and strengthening the joint - doing this way meant there was absolutely no excess solder to clean up. The Buffer beams were initially tack-soldered in position on the underside of the footplate, and once happy that they were vertical and parallel to the footplate edges the joints were made good. The valances were then attached between the buffer beams, again tack-soldering at each end and in the middle before making good once satisfied with their positioning. Because the cab steps sat on the outside face of the footplate valance on the 517 that I am trying to model, the uprights and lower step were fabricated from a strip of 0.006" nickel silver - again a scribed line, deepened with a triangular escapement file made a suitable bend line. The top step was made from a narrow strip of 0.004", scribed (deeply) lengthwise to provide a fold line to bend up an L angle strip for the step. A piece somewhat longer than required was tinned, floated into place with the aid of a sharp point and soldered in place on each step hanger. A further strip of 0.004" was cut and soldered immediately above the lower set-to simulate the upright part of the L section of the lower step. Once these pieces were secure, any excess was carefully filed back flush with the edge of the step hanger. It was then a "simple" matter of soldering the completed step sub-assemblies in place against the footplate valance - the backs of the step hangers and area of the valance necessary were tinned, then small marks were made to indicate the correct positions of the hangers on the valance. The steps, footplate assembly, soldering iron and a sharp point were then juggled simultaneously trying to introduce sufficient heat (and extra solder) into the join while ensuring the parts stayed in the right place and didn't disintegrate back into their component parts! Luckily, everything remained as it should! Possibly (nay probably) helped because the steps had been assembled with 188 degree solder, and 145 was used to secure them to the valance! Todays task has been to make a start on the tanks. I decided to use 0.008" for the tank sides, so a couple of over-long strips were cut (score and bend method for these) and one long edge of each trued up with files (holding the piece against a set square up to the window allows any high or low spots to be spotted and addressed accordingly). A vernier calliper gauge was then used to scribe a parallel line from the trued edge to the height of the tanks. Further filing down to the scribe line ensued using the same locked off calliper to regularly check that the top line of the tanks were the correct height and parallel to the trued bottom (as the strips are filed they are removed from the vice and tried against the calliper jaws, any sections that won't slide between the jaws are then carefully addressed with the file (or more probably my diamond sharpening stone) until the whole length can be slid between the jaws). Once the two strips were the correct height, one end was marked perpendicular to the long edges and further filing ensued until I had one good end. The 90 degree bend at the tank end was then made in each piece. My method of doing this is shown and described thus... I have a piece of tufnol into which a 1.5mm hole has been drilled perpendicular to the surface. A short length of 1.5mm steel is pushed into said hole, and the thick part of one of my set squares is double-sided-taped to it against the peg such that the end of the set square is exactly at the mid-point of the peg. A fine scribe line on the part to be bent is then aligned with the end of the set square against the peg and another set square is used to form the bend around the peg while the part is held firmly against the peg with the fixed square. Obviously almost anything could be used against the peg to form the bend, but this method works for me (especially since the parts I am bending are not too tall and pretty thin). The photo below shows the arrangement and the two tank side/ends formed today. The tank ends are significantly over-length at the moment (to aid the bending process), but will be cut to size before fitting on the footplate. Thanks for looking. Ian

Tony, I too love the Dean Goods, and added one to my stud last year as my "lockdown loco". Started in March and complete by Summer. She features in a couple of the photos I posted. Buckingham has always been one of my favourite layouts, I too fell under its spell in the 1970's. I have many of the articles Peter Denny wrote about it from the Railway Modeller (and other magazines) - I tended to keep just the pages that interested me and the Buckingham lines feature predominantly in those retained. Even now I regularly read those old back numbers (and the Wild Swan books) for inspiration! Ian

Tony, I'm quite happy to be shot down in flames, at the end of the day it's my toy train set and as such I don't worry myself too much (or at all) if others don't like it. I get enjoyment and satisfaction from my hobby which to me is what it's all about. On a brighter note, it has been visited by Tim Watson's beautiful P2 "Mons Meg" when exhibited at Stevenage a couple of years ago Ian

In illustrating various magnificent N/2mmFS layout photos, I hope that Tony will forgive my posting a few of my own first humble effort in 2mmFS... Unfortunately, it probably doesn't sit too well here as it's both GWR and pre-grouping. However, in my defence it's all my own work, locos scratch built, coaches built from etched kits (some designed by myself) and painted in the c1906 livery. For info, the scenic section is about 6'0" x 1'6". Oh, and it's Brunel's baulk road too. Ian

A few more days work on the AA1 brake van ... The stanchions on the ends were assembled pretty much as the sides were, and once complete were assembled around the floor (with the verandah partition helping to keep everything square - I attached the verandah partition first to ensure it was vertical and to give me something to tack the sides on to. A tack solder joint at the top of the partition enabled me to ensure that the first side was in the right place. Once happy, further tacks were made between side and floor. The van end was then similarly treated, followed by the other side and finally the verandah end. When I was satisfied that all mated up correctly the tack joints were made good with proper joints. During this assembly, I found that the corner plates came slightly adrift, so had to be made good with plenty of flux and a little more solder, indeed one or two had to be floated slightly to make a better join around the corners. The handrails were added from 0.25mm (0.010") nickel silver wire, each individual handrail folded to a staple shape and secured in the corresponding holes in the body sides. The lamp irons were "fun" to do, and luckily Chris has designed the etch so that twice as many appear on the etch as those required! I sacrificed the first trying to remember the best way to fold these little things up, and a further 2 were sacrifices to the carpet god (although I think one is probably somewhere on the workbench!) I have attached a diagram of how I folded these little items up - the resultant tail fits in square holes etched into the sides/ends (these holes needed to be opened out a bit with the finest square escapement file I had). Diagram to show how I folded up the lamp irons (for future reference for me as I have a further AA3 to build at some point!) Because I want to add glazing once the van is painted, I've left the roof removable. It is simply held in place with small (2mm diameter) magnets. There are 2 magnets glued to the underside of the roof, and a pair of transverse members added from scrap etch inside the enclosed area of the van with similar magnets glued beneath them. The magnets do not actually touch each other but the attraction is great enough such the the van can be picked up by the roof. I need to add some little blocks of plasticard at the corners of the roof which will ensure that the roof is engaged squarely and in the correct place with an even overhang around (although in reality my placement of the magnets was pretty good so the roof is held on squarely and in the right place anyway). Roof fixing magnets, the two on the underside of the roof can be plainly seen, a corresponding pair lie beneath the transverse beams in the guards compartment. Finally, a couple of shots to show the van almost ready for the paint shop. The body has been secured to the underframe with 24hr araldite, a couple of wheel bearings being used in the holes Chris kindly designed into the kit for the purpose of ensuring accurate registration between the pair. Before the van goes to the paint shop though, I do still need to turn a brake standard, and fabricate the sandboxes for the open end. Thanks for looking. Ian

Looking really good Anthony. Finding your posts really interesting, and if I ever decide to produce an etched kit for a loco (rather than my usual scratch build) then I will be revisiting your blog! Ian

They are indeed 2mm scale, the thread for my layout (Modbury) can be found in the 2mm section of RMweb, a link to which is in my signature (there is a similar link to my website dedicated to Modbury there too). When I compiled my original response, I forgot to add that I always drill a 0.3mm hole up the leg or dress of my figures into which I glue a piece of brass wire. I then use a pin chuck to hold this peg while painting the figures. The peg allows me to place the figures on the layout (in a suitable sized hole of course), my plan being that I could ring the changes by moving the figures from time to time, although in reality once placed that is where they have stayed. I tend to use a magnifying lamp when doing this sort of work as good light and magnification is crucial at my time of life Ian

With my modelling mojo being somewhat restored, I have made a start on another wagon - a 6 wheeled brake van to diagram AA1. This is another 2mm Association kit designed by Chris Higgs. The underframe went together fairly easily, as usual I had a little trouble with the multi-layer spring/axlebox. The first layer of springs was fine as that was self-jigged by the wheel bearings, but the second layer having part of the axlebox on it required the bearings to filed off flush before the sole bar overlay including outer layer of springs were soldered in place. Unfortunately I invariably have one overlay that decides to move very marginally after my initial tack-solder and this one was no exception - in the end however I think they went on alright. Then comes the fun of building up the depth of axleboxes with further layers of etch, surprisingly for me I managed to complete this operation without having to make any sacrifices to the carpet gods, and even managed to get the various layers of axlebox secured without too many problems (although it is always "fun" trying to float these little devils around on a bed of molten solder to get them on square). Luckily, a brake van having lower footboards can disguise a multitude of sins!! One thing I did notice on building the underframe is that the solebar overlays are identical (rather than handed), which means that the slot for the tab of the top step is in the wrong place on one side (as is the hole to position lower step hanger). Not it has to be said an insurmountable problem!! Todays fun has been to build up the sides. I have already built a 4 wheeled version of this kit (an AA3 brake van), but it was constructed 2 or 3 years ago now and I had forgotten the amount of enjoyment one can have trying to build up the T section stanchions on the sides and ends. Chris has designed the kit so that the back plate of the stanchion is jigged in position on the sides by holes around the fret. This approach has much to commend it, but today I struggled getting the flipping things sweated into position and at least 3 came adrift when I removed the parts from the fret. A little careful work with asbestos fingers and mild industrial language managed to see the blighters more firmly affixed though. The uprights of the T section stanchions have tabs that fit through slots in the backplates and into corresponding slots in the body sides, and apart from needing to file the tabs down a bit (both in width and length) so that they would fit easier into the slots were added without too much fuss. A couple of photos to illustrate where I'm up to ... Hopefully, tomorrow I'll be able to get the ends built up. Ian

When painting my Edwardian period figures (Andrew Stadden), I initially prime them white, then use enamels to paint them. I always mix up colours (never using anything straight from the tin), and mix up 3 shades of the same colour, a base colour, one a little darker (by adding slightly more of the darkest colour used in the mix) for the shadows, and one a little lighter (by adding a touch of white) for the highlights. I tend to apply paint where it is needed with a very fine brush in the shadows rather than an all over wash, and dry brush the highlights. A few photos of my endeavours follow : I perhaps should add that these are all 2mm scale, so do look somewhat better in the flesh than they do blown up to huge proportions on screen!!! Ian

Mikkel, Thankyou, it was indeed selected as a quickie project to try to re-engage the mojo! Obviously, had I built it as the kit designer intended it probably would have been! However it served its purpose, as I thoroughly enjoyed building it and do feel the modelling mojo has been rekindled. I love Sir Francis Wobblewhite’s bathing machine, but fear the finial would foul the loading gauge (even loaded on a low Loriot The thought of such a contraption trundling along what later becomes the A379 behind Modbury is quite appealing though, perhaps with a queue of various farm carts and drays waiting “patiently” behind it Ian

After a hiatus in modelling activity since November due to a complete loss of mojo, about a week ago I decided to try to rekindle a bit of interest with a bit of wagon building. The object of this entry being an Association Loriot kit. The kit is from the Chris Higgs Masterclass stable and as such is well thought out and goes together well, and provides parts to construct about 6 diagrams of Loriots/Lowmacs from the earliest in 1890 to a BR version built between 1949-57. For my modelling period of circa 1906 though, only two diagrams (G1 and G2) are suitable candidates. What became G1 when the diagram index was set up in 1905 was built in 1890 and only 10 were built, and the G2 was built in 1889 with 40 examples being constructed. Both were 26'6" over the headstocks, but the G1 (rated 15 tons) was 8'0" wide with the G2 (rated 12 tons) being 8'6" wide. It was originally my intention to build the kit as a G2 as that way I would be modelling the more numerous diagram and also the floor of the kit wouldn't need narrowing (for both diagrams the floor would need to be slightly shortened). However, when I started looking for photos of early Loriots two things became very apparent - 1. Photos were extremely rare, and 2. The G2 being rated 12 tons had a shallower frame compared to that provided in the kit (at least in as built condition!) With that in mind, my hand was forced as it were to try to model the narrower (but heavier rated) and somewhat rarer G1. I followed the build instructions provided on the 2mm Association website for the kit, but I did have to make a few modifications. The structural floor/sideframe needed to be shortened (as the same component is common to the other 4 diagrams that can be built from the kit, all of which are 27'0" over the headstocks), but there are half-etched lines marking the shorter length to make this easier (although thinking about it now as I write these notes I do wonder whether these lines were an alternative bend-down point for the headstocks that form part of the structural floor/sideframe component - either way, I cut off the headstocks at the marked point and dispensed with them!). The side frame overlays, and spring details were soldered in place on the structural floor/sideframe as instructed, but I decided to leave off the oil axlebox etches as I intended to fit my model with grease axleboxes anyway. The side frame overlays were carefully filed back to the length of the structural floor, whilst maintaining perpendicularity to the horizontal ends of the floor. Similarly, I followed the instructions when adding the cross-members with the triangular gussets on the end which support the floor. Before fitting the lower floor base, it was necessary to reduce it in width, which required the same amount removing from both long edges (rather than removing all of the material from just one edge) as there are cut-outs in the floor which fit over raised sections in the previously folded up structural floor/sideframe. Once bent to profile the floor was fitted in place, this immediately highlighted the first problem - the floor support gussets on the previously attached cross-members were now too wide for my narrowed floor! A few minutes work with a small file soon sorted that out though! The next component to be fitted was the cosmetic planked floor, again this needed narrowing, but fortunately all of the material can be removed from one edge on this. Once narrowed this too was bent to profile and soldered in place. It should be noted here that I decided to narrow the planked floor by 0.010" more than the "structural" floor below - the reason for this is that the side members have a 0.010" recess along their length which I assume is to accommodate the depth of the cosmetic planked floor (unfortunately, the instructions don't tell you whether these side members should be fitted on top of the floor or on the edge of the cosmetic floor or on the edge of the floor base, so I chose on the edge of the cosmetic floor mainly because the holes in the side member would be fouled by the cosmetic floor if fitted on the edge of the floor base, or the sides would simply be too tall if fitted on top of the cosmetic floor). When it came to fitting the brake components, once again I felt I was on my own - the instructions describe bending up the brake ratchets and fitting them but with no indicated fold points on my etch and the fact that there is an etched ratchet along one edge meant that I simply could not work out what etch origami I needed to undertake to make these components. I therefore filed off the ratchet and bent it up in a way that seemed suitable to both fit the holes in the sideframe and allow the lever to pass through a slot where the ratchet should be. Another issue I had with the brakes was that the instructions indicate that the brake blocks should be on the outer end of the wagon (i.e. between wheel and headstock), now while that may be correct for the later diagrams, as far as I could see on the couple of photos I had of the G1 and G2 there were no brake blocks in that position, indeed on the deeper framed G1 it was virtually impossible to see any brake blocks at all!! In the event I decided to leave the brake blocks off altogether!! I also took an executive decision for fit a brake handle on one side only - all other contemporary GWR wagons had single-sided lever brakes so why would a Loriot be any different! Unfortunately the only 2 photos I could find of G1 / G2 both showed the same side with a brake lever on the right hand end, so I have no photographic evidence to show that I am right (or indeed that I am wrong). Before fitting the headstocks, it was necessary to file back the double depth floors to the length of the side frames / structural floor. It was then a "simple" task of soldering the buffer beams in place making sure that they were both central and level with the top of the floor. Association plain buffers have been fitted. A quick once over showed that I needed to remove the lower fixing point for the brake ratchets that were surplus (the DC brake hangers were removed when the structural floor was removed from the etch). The photos below show the current state of affairs after a coat of primer. It looks like I need to add a bit of filler between the side rail and floor base, but I'm pretty pleased with the result. Haven't decided what load to put on it yet, potentially something covered in a sheet or two before being chained down. It will receive its top coat when I've got a couple more wagons to do. Next on the list is a 6 wheeled brake van... Thanks for looking Ian

Kris, one of the things to be aware of when estimating the size of the Saltash goods shed is that it was originally built for the broad gauge, so the rail entrances would be somewhat wider and possibly taller than contemporary ones built for standard gauge. I may be wrong but your shed rail entrances don’t look wide enough for broad gauge. Ian

Tom, given the colour should that be an open choc wagon?? I couldn't help but notice though that there appear to be rivets/bolts on the near corrugated end, but the other end (showing the inside) there is nothing into which said bolts/rivets would fit. Is that an oversight on your part? Are the two ends different? Clearly, since this type of wagon appeared long after 1906 (and almost certainly on a different railway system) I have absolutely no knowledge of the prototype so please feel free to ignore my observation! Ian

Just catching up on this entry. It is interesting to see that the Buffalo in the first photo is fitted with a spark arresting chimney - not surprising I guess with all that hay and straw around! Ian

Richard, is the stiffness caused by one of the tie bars rubbing on the underside of a stock rail? If it is then doing so will pull the switch rail down onto one or more of the slide chairs causing additional friction. Ian

Valentin, I would think that opening up the holes manually is fine, especially if only opening up through say 0.5mm material - it's not too difficult to maintain perpendicularity (is that a word?) through thinnish material. However, one side of my chassis blocks are 6mm thick, so for me it makes sense to do them on the machine as with the other side of the chassis bolted in place I'm going through around 7mm of brass and I know that I'd not maintain a truly perpendicular hole through that. Ian

Valentin, That made me smile. I would agree totally with everything Tim said. When making my chassis, I don’t tend to drill very deep with a 0.5mm drill, effectively making enough of a hole as a pilot for centring a larger drill (small drills have a tendency to wander alarmingly in my experience). When it comes to opening out the holes, I use the original drill (with the blunt end poking out of the chuck) to “find” the hole making minute adjustments of the hand wheels until it slides into hole without catching the edge of hole, then replace with larger drill bit to open out hole. The process is repeated for each hole that needs enlarging - I hope that makes sense. Ian

Dave, there were a couple of articles in early BRJ by John Lewis on GWR coach lighting. I will dig them out tomorrow as I seem to remember a chart that showed the numbers of coaches that still had oil lighting in our period of interest. From memory I think that pretty well anything 1st or 2nd class had been converted, a fair proportion of 3rd class likewise, but brake vans retained their oil lighting longer. The all 3rd that I completed a couple of weeks ago I fitted with oil lamps for variety (I posted some photos in my Modbury thread). Ian

Mike, The grab handles are etched brass ones from N Brass. I solder them onto the mouldings of the coach so are actually very secure (any that aren't will come adrift in the cleaning process before any painting occurs). But the scraping paint off is quite a delicate operation anyway - it has to be as the last thing you want to do is allow the scalpel to slip off onto the paintwork that you want to keep . I tend do do it under good light and magnification too! Ian

Richard, is the rail actually level? If what I take to be shadows on the next two sleepers to the left it looks like there is a progressively bigger gap between rail and shadow indicating that the rail is sloping down towards the joint. Although I must admit that such a slope doesn’t look like it would account for the amount of step at the joint. Ian