Michael Edge

Some of them aren't quite as clean now, and the others will be getting some attention before the layout goes out again. I've found some more old exhibition photos but no knitting needles as yet.

With great difficulty but you'll have to wait until the boiler is on next week.

Two Hunslet diesels in the exchange sidings. No4 is the first industrial diesel I built, from plastikard and including an error in th eengine casing - it should be narrower in front of the cab door. Next to it is a brand new 776hp 0-8-0DH, this is a scratchbuilt one, not our kit. The locos are standing on one of the tracks of the abandoned ADR line, now used for coal wagons. The gradient is apparent, as is the one on the tracks behind the locos which goes up to the pit. At least the loaded wagons only come down this one. An interloper on test, newly built DJH U1 Garratt leaves Cwmafon station towards Blaenavon. The signals do work (most of the time) but they are rather flimsy ones built from Ratio kits. The GWR's one and only 350hp 0-6-0DE, newly repainted as BR 15100 on trial in Clydach yard. This is the test etch Judith Edge model. The same loco at Cwmafon with a loaded steel train. Another loco on trial is Taurus, seen here with coke empties from Ebbw Vale. This runs so well that one of our operators was heard to ask for a fleet of them. Another view from the Newport end of Cwmafon, CISC Garratt arriving in the exchange yard from the steelworks. Behind the loco is the NCB loco depot with HE 16" Dafydd and I think Wee Fergie on the other road. The black coal wagon with the X on the side is one of the internal fleet.

Very interesting, good way to run departmental locos almost anywhere. I have a photo of WR No20 similarly carried on a Weltrol but this is the first time I've seen one of the NE ones on a wagon.

Cab now finished, apart from the backhead which will be made separate (makes painting much easier). The fallplate is one piece, hinged on wire through .8mm brass tube soldered to the back edge of the cab floor. Full size one was in three pieces, but this serves no purpose in a model (marks are etched underneath if you really want to). Cab/tender doors are a real nuisance on a working model, in 7mm I sometimes hinge them so that they can be folded back, in 4mm they are just folded slightly to avoid fouling the tender and brake/scoop handles on our unrealistic curves. Locos for Carlisle are tested down to 3'6" radius although the minimum a Princess will have to work round is 4'. 3'6" radius is ony on the loops representing the Cumbrian coast line. The back handrail is held in a pillar at the lower end, for the upper end a length of 32swg soft brass wire is soldered to the back edge of the cab, turned out and formed into a loop round the handrail wire. Soft brass is the best material for this, stretch it slightly first to straighten it, handrail wire is .5mm, a bit thicker than it should be but in better proportion to the overscale handrail pillars. Finally the parts for the trailing truck, at the top of the picture is the actual shape. This is on the etch but can only be used in P4 and even then barely moves from side to side. The alternative gives much more clearance between the frames and looks much the same in practice. Side pieces soldered into grooves in the top flange, bottom flange soldered on next, then sides and back stretcher (seen on right, this will be on the revised etch). I'll leave the loco now to build the tender (Comet) so more next week.

The next development was to fill in the end of the layout. The plan below appeared in Railway Modeller, their art department made a few "creative" alterations to my plan, including a goods shed at Cwmafon. The layout now filled the available space in my long narrow loft, the strange shape of the baseboards at the LH end are where it went out into the window. I've never been known for wasting space. I now had a complete railway, although it is possible to run trains round on a continuous route this is not normally done apart from testing and the last half hour of some exhibitions. The lower end of the gravity yard has now appeared, with part of a rolling mill alongside. The rolling mill hides the fiddle yard representing the MT&A to Brynmawr. The steelworks traffic now had somewhere to go, previously it was just one road of the traverser and only needed one loco. The traffic pattern ran (and more or less still does, with some alterations/additions) as follows. Passenger trains run from Newport to Blaenavon (sidings under the pit), these normally cross in Cwmafon station and there is a connecting service (LMS push-pull set) to Brynmawr. Coal empties come up from Newport to the colliery, loads down the valley. Eventually the loaded trains would arrive in one of the fiddle yards to be emptied (by hand). Local coal traffic, much of it in NCB internal user wagons runs on the colliery/steelworks system to the tippler which can take up to 21T wagons. With the completion of the circle steel wagons could run on a circuit, empties run anti clockwise, loads clockwise. the loads are mostly real steel and some of the wagons are white metal kits so once again some considerable power is need at times on the gradients. Since the steelworks is at a higher level, one road on the traverser was turned into a rather precarious looking steep ramp - it wasn't unknown for a lift of wagons to drag a light loco back down and bringing the loaded steel wagons down had to be done with care. On the LNW side, passenger trains occasionally shuttle between fiddle yards but the operator was usually kept busy sorting traffic for different routes. One additional working now was iron ore. This arrives (most improbably) from the Abergavenny direction with a banking engine and runs into the yard. The train is now reversed to run anti clockwise to Cwmafon, after arrival in the steelworks the loads are removed and the path reversed. Many more reasons for traffic have been invented, including excursion trains running direct from Newport to Brynmawr (and presumably beyond), too many to detail here but every time we get the layout out some new moves are found. All this needed a fictitious map of the area to show how the routes connect so I drew this diagram up. In practice the Ebbw Vale branch of course joins the Newport line to complete the circle. A few more "ancient" photos (sorry Barry) from the archives.

The steelworks shed is actually based on Pwllheli - more details later.

No, they are still n/s, it's just the light over my workbench making them look yellowish.

The SCoW diesels you are thinking of belong to another layout, not mine. Our only transatlantic interloper is this EMD SW1000, an Athearn model with UK buffers added but still HO scale. It hasn't seen much use in recent years, the new Hunslets are much more reliable. I haven't done any of the Port Talbot locos because all of them are some way outside UK loading gauge, not just the Alcos but the Brush/Bagnalls as well. Cwmafon locos have to negotiate some very tight clearances in some places. The SW1000 and a Hunslet 776hp 0-8-0 outside the steelworks loco shed.

Cwmafon was extended into a U shape before its first exhibition appearance. This incorporated an even older section of layout (dating from 1976), the gravity marshalling yard which had formed an extension to my earlier model of Wigan Wallgate. The top end of the screens was now accessed so the empties could be hauled up and propelled down through them. Underneath the board carrying part of the spoil heap one of the Blaenavon sidings was extended round, on a fairly sharp curve as the available space in the loft was only 6ft wide. Continuing the same valleys theme the colliery railway was also modelled as a truncated line - leaves room for a future extension to another pit up the valley of course..... The marshalling yard was LNWR in origin so it was easily transposed from South Lancashire to the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny line. This is double track between two small fiddle yards with the branch from Cwmafon joining - supposedly at Clydach, ignoring the very steep hill on the MT&A at this point. The gravity yard at this time ended under the road bridge with a concealed flexible buffer stop arrangement. On more than one occasion spectators have been known to reach over the barriers and catch the runaway train that they thought was about to end up on the floor. I don't have any good photos of the yard from early days, these show the present arrangement. Loco facilities are confined to an ashpit and water column, the yard looks quite full in this photo. Shunting the gravity yard (not a hump, more like the Edge Hill gridiron with a continuous gradient) is challenging to saythe least. The wagons do roll down the yard by gravity, if a little too quickly, this is one factor that can't be scaled. All of the sidings (and much of the running lines) on the layout slope to some extent, all the wagons have to be free rolling so we have to use brake vans with deliberately stiff bearings to hold the trains when left without a loco. Falcon on the arrival road with a short fitted freight, loco is a Q kit. In the background a WD 2-8-0 departs tender first with coal empties for Cwmafon. The main reason for building the layout was to run some of the fascinating variety of locos from the various companies. Outside Cwmafon's small loco shed (actually modelled on Branches Fork) are a Barry railway class B 0-6-2T and an Alexandra Docks 0-6-2ST, both scratch built. In the background is the NCB loco shed which is based on the one at Pontardulais. This is one of the oldest photos of the NCB shed, of these locos only the 4wh Sentinel is still in use, Avonside 0-4-0ST "Rhiannon" and Austerity "Gwyneth" have now retired to permanent static display. Hunslet 16" 0-6-0ST "Dafydd" was the first steam loco built for the layout, this and the RH165DE (MTK kit) are still in use.

Got it in one Barry - and there are more to come.

I have been persuaded to start a topic on this layout, it's been around for a long time now but it still exists and and I have plans to improve and develop it. First of all some history, Cwmafon was originally planned in 1978 as a small fiddle yard to station layout with a colliery, in this form is was straight, about 18ft by 18in. The fiddle yard was a traverser, hand operated originally but later powered, the station wasn't a terminus, the line was presumed to go on up the valley to Blaenavon. The colliery exchange sidings were inspired by Mountain Ash where the NCB used a former branch line running parallel to the reamining one. Place names were taken from the map, all track layouts are entirely fictitious, most of the buildings were based on real locations. This ancient photo shows about half of the original layout, past the road bridge is the traverser at one side and the working tippler on the inside. This was in the 1980s in the York Assembly Rooms, (anyone remember the pillars?) after Cwmafon had been extended a bit. The other end looked like this, colliery on a higher level with exchange sidings on the former line at the right. These sidings drop down quite steeply, in fact there are hardle any level sidings on the layout, quite a lot of power is required to lift a raft of full 24T wagons out - and the operators have to be very careful pushing them down. The line to Blaenavon has disappeared under the pit - two dead end sidings in fact. The screening plant was designed to load the wagons with coal, initially on one road only but now on two. We don't use real coal though, it tends to crush to dust and jam the mechanism, the "coal" is Woodlands scenics cinder ballast. More to follow.

I'd like to know more about the two Naysmith Wilson 0-8-0Ts, I've never seen any drawings (and not many photos either), basic measurements would be a help. Michael Edge Judith Edge kits

Yesterday's work on 46204 Parts laid out for next stage, front and rear footplate drops curved to match the etched angle. Front footplate drop attached with two tack joints, RH angle tacked on. Both angles, buffer beam and drag beam fully soldered on - splasher faces not folded out yet, makes it easier to keep the footplate flat. Frames now tacked in place (after folding out splasher faces), tiny little tack on one frame at each end. Holes drilled in spacers and footplate for fastenings, 8BA under the cab (this will be the drawbar pivot later) and 12BA at the front where there isn't very much room inside the valve chest cover. Top view with nuts soldered to top. Trailing frames now added, soldered to the mainframes behind the trailing wheel and spacers soldered in between the two frames at the drag beam end. These spacer plates will be on the revised etch, I think all this (+ the injectors which will be mounted on the spacers) is best fitted to the loco frames, although some will prefer to attach it to the body. End of the day's work, splasher tops added from .006" n/s and rivetted surrounds solderd on. Not much visible solder on top here, these are fitted by tinning the underside and then holding the iron under the footplate. Underneath is a bit messy but no-one sees that. Small handgrabs fitted at the front before making up the inside valve chest cover. I have put an extension piece on the top of this, it will be altered in the revision. Sides of the valve chest filled in with Plastic Padding, quicker and cleaner than soldering. The Comet bogie has had the side bearers added, these are on all these bogies but you can't see them on most as they are behind the cylinders, very prominent on the Princess so I'll add something for this as well. In case anyone is wondering the loco in the background is the test etch 7mm 01.

In answer to the last two posts, Frames and wheels, with brakes/sand gear etc. fitted, are sprayed black, turning the wheels round by hand to get the paint behind the spokes. When dry the wheels are run against a rubber wheel and the paint scraped off the treads and backs (if pickups are going against them). Motion work is fitted after this stage as most of the customers like it bright and shiny. With my etches I can fit the slidebars after painting as well since they slot into the cylinders, just needing a little spot of solder to secure them to the motion bracket. I've used this method on a few thousand locos over the last 37 years or so. Dont cut the crankpin excess off with a cutting disc, this will produce more heat than soldering. Snip the excess off as close as you can with cutters - some cut a lot closer than others - then file the face flat. You can use the face of a cutting disc for this but quickly and carefully.

I don't use nuts in 4mm scale, crankpin fasteners are thin slices of 1mm ID brass tube soldered on. You do this quickly with a well tinned big enough soldering iron making sure the job is clean and well fluxed first, this doesn't heat the wheel centre up too much. When you have done a few thousdand of these it's easy enough. More of a problem is soldering the return crank on - solderd in the same way but even more carefully..

I thought I would put a few photos and building methods on here with this one. The frames were originally assembled on screwed spacers, L shaped spacers then soldered in in various places. I have etches for these in 00 and EM gauges but they are very easy to make from sheet. Cylinder ends have been added, one slidebar built up to check the fit and alignment through the cylinder cover (not soldered in yet). 1mm ID tube through the cylinders for the piston rod. The leading wheelset has now been fitted - permanently, it won't come out again, Gibson wheels work best if they are fitted on the axles only once. Quartering for this set done by eye, the exact angle is not important, no-one can ever see it. I know these wheels have too many spokes but the crankthrow is correct and they have the triangular rim section. Markits wheels give problems in some locos since they are too thick and in this case I wanted to use steel tyres for better adhesion. Crankpins are plain Romford ones screwed into the wheels after tapping 10BA (and adding some Loctite). Clearance isn't great behind these slidebars but adequate. Coupling rods have been built and finished for this stage. Put the two other wheels in the frame and check that the wheels revolve freely like this - and check the other side as well. Next axle with the second wheel pushed half way on, checking quartering with both rods before pressing the wheel home, verniers to set the gauge. This is a fairly large machine vice, better than an ordinary bench vice for this job. Trailing wheelset on, again only halfway. this one will come off once more - to fit the gearbox after painting - but it's worth setting it up right at this stage. With both rods on the wheels are turned by hand, they were binding at this stage. Look at the cranks and twist the last one only until everything runs smoothly. both sides were checked individually so the only fault now must be in the quartering. Final check now with all wheels fully on and both rods, this is actually done on the track but photo is easier to take on the bench. This has taken longer to photograph and describe than to actually do, no specialised wheel press or quartering tools are needed, the wheels are accurately gauged and two sets are fixed permanently now. The other one could have been but the Portescap motor would get in the way too much while building the body, which is the next step now, I'll come back to the frames later and motion/slidebars will be fitted after painting.

I agree about the steampipes but I can't do resin mouldings for them either. It won't be a kit, these are just minor tweaks and additions, revised version will be substantially the same as what we have already sold. In answer to an earlier request for the original boiler, I haven't drawn or built this - all these Princesses are for Carlisle in the early 1960s.

This is getting to be quite a list biut very welcome, Horsetan - union links are near the radius rods Philbax - I'll look at these points, I'm still not thinking of doing any mouldings but I might see what I get with the one I am building at the moment. etches The box cover over the expansion link extending the front 'piano'cover further back under the smokebox the other set of reversing rods (can't remember which set is on the etch which I don't have to hand at the moment) Doors under the firebox above the rear frames For lamp brackets our kits usually include a strip of half etched material to bend them out of - quite simple really, we put a diagram on to show how it's done. All the etched lamp bravkets in other kits with bend lines etched on are completely useless - they always break off. The nearest wheel match I can find (other than waiting for Ultrascale) are Gibson 4878S. I'll post some photos of my next one later.

I can put another layer in for the expansion link, 6200/1 type is already a box link arrangement. The back of the firebox is already on the etch, with register holes to the cab front, I can add the shape of the front end of the firebox as well.

The Princess etch revision is underway at the moment - if anyone has any more comments/requests please let me know asap. Mike

I've already got that one - this was part of a layout proposal by Andy Ross but he's changed his mind since then.

This is the J69 we use on Herculaneum Dock, Brunswick had a few of these in the 1950s. Lightly weatherd by Barry Oliver, 68601 is more or less the Wills kit with Sharman wheels.

Towards the end of a reasonably successful Manchester show we suffered the theft of one of our display models. This is the first loss we ahve had in 11 years of exhibiting. The model in question had been deliberately targeted, it was my PWM650 RH 0-6-0DE, fully finished with DG couplers fitted and a working lubricator drive. I do hope the thief was extremely disappointed to find that it isn't actually powered. If anyone does happen to see such a model anywhere, please let us know. Michael and Judith Edge

All the first batch of BR 05s had the same buffer beam, although some industrials of this type had deeper ones - not to make jacking up easier but to prevent the loco falling in the gauge and turning over in the event of a derailment. The later ones with the higher cab have a deeper buffer beam with smaller cut outs in the corners but there are few dimensions in common with the earlier locos - which is why we do two separate kits for these. Incidentally the first batch includes two completely different sized engine casings and front cab windows. I can't wait to see what sort of a mixture the rtr version might be. Michael Edge Judith Edge kits