MikeOxon

3 minutes ago, readingtype said:

Excellent! I've seen this track recreated at Didcot but it's only now that I read that the transoms and cross-ties were eight feet apart that I am amazed it all worked in real life, with spindly-wheeled broad-gauge locos rumbling over it at considerable speed. And dare I ask: have you tried curved track?

In some areas, broad gauge track was laid with rail called 'Barlow rail' bedded directly in the ballast and with no transoms at all.  Needless to say, it did not keep to gauge very well and was soon removed!  Curves and Points Bases are on my 'to-do' list.

5 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

That looks like a good print of the tender, Mike, nice and crispy.

I think I have managed to optimise most of the print settings, at last.  The tender top is remarkably smooth and the rivets have come out cleanly.  Small features are difficult because, if they are too small, the Cura slicing software simply ignores them.  It's tricky to get them to appear without becoming 'clunky'.

Good to see you found a way around Brexit problems, Job.  It's more difficult from here - my wife has a greenhouse collection of plants and sourced many of them from Dutch and German nurseries.  Costs, including CITES certification etc. have become prohibitive.  Your challenge models look splendid.  I'm pleased you are finding new sources of inspiration.

Mike

48 minutes ago, snitzl said:

The wagon has four steam driven transverse cylinder's that generate motion for the refrigeration unit inside an internal rotating barrel ( situated behind the large central gear). In reality, I doubt that such a design would be feasible but the project was enjoyable.

Many thanks, Snitzl.  That helps me a lot.  I look forward to seeing Funtown in action

Mike

22 minutes ago, Lacathedrale said:

By the way, hasn't it been a while since you did any trackwork/etc. ? maybe something to consider? Dual gauge baulk road track diorama a-la @Mikkel

I agree that is where I need to go next.  My problem is that my 'North Leigh' layout occupies my very limited space and I am loath to dismantle it.  I don't actually run trains very much but, when I do, I find watching a 'roundy-roundy' is rather therapeutic (like watching goldfish in a bowl ) 

My thoughts are on a simple plank layout - basically, a diorama but I would like to introduce some movement.

Mike

Another amazing model.  I'd love to see a video clip to understand better how it all works.  Perhaps some more explanation of the functioning of this as an ice-cream wagon would help my understanding. 

Mike

Thank you Chris - I enjoy following progress at Traeth Mawr too.

As an afterthought, surface finish in the 1850s wasn't that great anyway 🙂

12 minutes ago, Lacathedrale said:

I must ask - when are you going to plump for a resin DLP?

I chose my Geeetech E180 because it seemed more 'domestic friendly' than most 3D printers - no exposed hot parts or heated bed and it uses non-toxic PLA filament.  I feel I can use it when my grand-children are around and it is easy to pick it up of a shelf and put it on my desk for use.  It reminds me of a sewing machine!  I realise that a resin DLP would give a better surface finish but I don't want to have to manage the various chemicals and deal with all those support structures. 

I make these things for my own interest and enjoy the challenges of researching and designing the models.  I look at them after printing and still feel amazed that I can make something like that   At normal viewing distances, the surface imperfections are hardly noticeable and don't spoil my enjoyment.

I continue to watch how the technology develops and, if something better comes along that suits my needs, then I shall try it out.

Mike

37 minutes ago, Lacathedrale said:

Wonderful models and ingenious techniques - thank you for sharing.

Thank you for looking.  I know you have spent some time yourself researching early railways so I'm pleased you like what I've done.

4 hours ago, Mikkel said:

A very productive year for you, Mike. Looking quickly over your 2021 posts the output is impressive and includes a large share of the models shown in your last photo here.

How time flies!  When I made that reference to my earlier post about lining, I was amazed to find that it was posted 8 years ago.

11 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

That last photo is very nice Mike. Do you have any plans for motorizing an engine in the coming year?

 

Douglas

i have all sorts of plans, Douglas, although whether they get put into practice is another matter!  I think Sir Watkin would be relatively easy to motorise and I've thought of motorised tenders for others.  I had mapped out a few designs when the Mashima range of motors disappeared.  I must review the possibilities again.

On 06/12/2021 at 06:43, Mikkel said:

it's not as if Farthing has much grot and grime!

Unlike this 19th century scene from 'Little London', Wigan, Lancashire.  I doubt whether colour could do much for this, even though the community seems to have turned out in their best for the photographer:

Wonderful gallery, Mikkel, I could spend hours browsing this - nothing by Amy Wilcote though

On 08/11/2021 at 17:32, richbrummitt said:

 

It would. I've frequently pondered the idea of a layout presented entirely in sepia or monochrome. It's no more likely to get very far than any of my other recent (last 20 years efforts).

It's an interesting thought but, for me,  part of the joy of re-creating an earlier period is to see the colours that Victorians apparently enjoyed so much.

On 28/11/2021 at 21:47, Compound2632 said:

Re. the Vastern Road plane trees, a sign of the times: just around the corner on Forbury Road (alongside the former SER goods yard) the Borough Council have recently planted new trees along the central reservation. They're palm trees.

I shall look out for these on my next visit.  To their credit, Reading has an extensive Tree Planting Strategy - see https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/documents/s10637/Appendix 2 Draft Tree Strategy.pdf

On 28/11/2021 at 16:22, Mikkel said:

I do like that extract from the employment record. ...

I like the florid handwritten £ sign.  It oozes the feeling that a pound was worth something in those days

I suspect that it was a fairly gentle bump, so more a fine for passing a signal than actual damage cost.  My interest was that it showed that at least two 'Sir Watkin'-class engines found their way to the Forest of Dean.

Bonsai wire is not too easy to straighten but I've inly used smaller diameters.  Perhaps printing is better after all - it printed better than i had expected.

The engine is now in primer and awaiting paint.  Side tanks on the GWR were rare birds

On 17/11/2021 at 16:18, Mikkel said:

 

I bet the reprimands are more interesting than the promotions 

and occasionally very amusing ... in retrospect.  I expect it took some time to live this one down, back in the shed:

Mike

40 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

Must have been a nice discovery for you Mike. The BG often seems distant, but personal stories like these are a reminder that in the greater scheme of things it was just a few years ago, really.

There's nothing like a personal angle to focus the mind.  We have all their GWR records as well, listing promotions, reprimands, etc.  It was from one of the latter that I discovered that at least two of the 'Sir Watkin' class found their way to Bullo Pill in the final years before local gauge conversion in 1872, after which they went to South Devon, the last bastion of the broad gauge, until 1892.  If these engines had kept their condensing gear from their time on the Metropolitan, it could have been useful for the stiff climb up through the long Haie Hill tunnel.  I have one of these engines on my 'to do' list.

One of the things I really enjoy about 3D- printing is the ease with which I can make modifications.  No messing about with razor saws, files, and the like, with all the resulting swarf.  Just some simple drawing tools, in this case a simple rectangle on the floor, which can be copied and pasted to sit over the four wheels.  I also added the brake hanger that I forgot the first time round. 

Just a few minutes with the computer and I have a new model to print 🙂

Earlier wagons had 4' wheels with boxes over them where they protruded through the floor - which must have been very inconvenient at times.  The wheels were changed later to 3'6" but clearance was still marginal so that plates were placed over apertures in the floor.  I selected just the body and axle guards of the wagon in the last photo and moved the all down a little, using Photoshop.  Later, I shall re-print the floor with apertures for the wheels.  It's all part of the learning curve!

The mention of the 12t load is in a contemporary reference and matches the tonnages reported for coal brought down to Bull Pill.  Incidentally, there were no Break Vans but a guard rode on every 15th wagon, presumably to pin down the brakes on the rather steep incline down through the Haie tunnel.

Mike

13 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Does your wagon want to sit a bit lower on its wheelsets?

Yes!  I made the floor too thick - a problem apparently for the prototype too.  The Prior drawing shows metal plates above the wheels, presumably covering cut-outs in the planking.  I shall correct this in the next print.  I was too impatient to post.

Thank you for your appreciation, Douglas   I'm feeling a lot more confident now, when using my FDM printer and find it is adequate for most 4mm models.  Sometimes, I feel that the slightly rough finish reflects the actual qualities of prototypical 19th century constructions, built from wood and wrought iron.

13 hours ago, ChrisN said:

The information must be out there somewhere as the writers of the book found it.  

sadly "out there" is a very big place