jazz

Here are some of my efforts on layouts new & old.

Neither could I Ian. Problem is Geoff asked for the steam heat pipes to be fitted???. She is to be County of Worcester as running in her last days. I am starting an LMS Claughton next but will switch to one for for myself after I have met with Geoff, it's a Park 0-6-0T I also forgot to post the weight of the model for Miss Prism. I'ts just 2lbs 8ozs in it's stockinged feet.

Hi all. Sorry I've been a bit slow finishing this build, been doing a few chores around the garden for the winter. Anyway, she is now ready for the off. Been running on the rolling road for and hour and is running very nicely with a Ron Chaplin 2 stage unit installed. The ony real problem was not enough clearance for the drivers under the splashers. Solved this by fitting a thin shim of Plstikard between the footplate and the frames by the fixing bolts. It's actually brought the loco footplate to the exact height of the tenders anyway. So all is fine and dandy. Here she is in her finery. (I will be able to see some of my work in a painted condition painted next week. I'm going over to Geoff's to play trains, my first visit to his place in all the years we have been friends. Remarkable really. 'Still it is a fair drive from here to Coventry)

Crickey!! Fancy building one in 7mm? Just for interest, I recently took this on our local boating lake. She is just 12' long. Uses a car battery. Has a pipe band playing. full lighting, smoke from stack and ships siren.

A bit more progress on the County today. Surprising for a Scorpio kit, the boiler/smokebox took a fair bit of time to get it to sit properly. When rolled and soldered anlong the half etched seam the front and rear edges were way off verticle. Anyway, I finally got it all right in the end. I bolted the firebix to the cab front and drilled from beneath the footplate and through the bottom of the s/box. Then solders an 8BA nut over the hole in the s/box and secred with an 8BA bolt. I will probably solder the wole unit to the footplate before painting anyway. The rest of the body should now fly along. Tomorrow is another day.

Will do. Ken

'Morning guys. Ian, yes that should be a rectangular filler, thanks for noticing it. The kit does have both types included. Pete & Rick. I have always used regular Halfords grey primer with great results. Models I have painted many decades ago that have had heavy use are still in great shape. Hi Mike. The hip is coming along very nicely. Just come back from a week in Kernow enjoying some cliff top walks, so can't be bad. Regards to all Ken

Happy to say I have now got a full handle on the new forum. Here are some photos of the GWR County build. (I started this build whist the chageover of the forum was under way and did not take photos from the start.) Anyway this is the Scorpio kit. I am very fond of these kits as they are very well detailed and assemble with little trouble. I have not completed the chassis as painting it will be easier in this state. Completion will require very little addition painting. I do not bother with springing on the bogies now. I find packing with loads of hidden lead works MUCH better. An added bonus is not having to spend time adjusting springs to get a good ride. The bolt Scorpio give for a centre post for the bogie works much better with a brass tube sleeve over it. The thread tends to bind in the bogie slot otherwise. The bodywork has gone well today. I add as much detail as posible before making up and fitting the firebox/boiler/smokebox unit. A dislike trying to add detail when the body is almost complete. Much easier doing this way. I have installed the Scorpio compensation beam on the rear two axles. Doing this meant I could not fit the cast internal axle journals. It is not noticeable when the body is fitted. There is room for the Gladiator pickups on all the drivers. The tender I have already completed. I have used my usual piano wire springing for the centre axle.

Here's an update on the N8. Finally got her primed and ready to go along with the Park tank and the Patriot.

Certainly is, BlackRat. From the Javelin range now sold by Gladiator.

Hi all back to the workbench after a nice break in Kernow. I have the cute Park tank loco all ready for despatch. Here she in primer. This is the Javelin kit. Very nice to assemble. I like it so much one is on order for my line. Although a NLR tank they ended up all over the place including Shropshire so just right for an excuse to be seen on P y Cwm branch.