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Focalplane

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  1. Focalplane

    0 Gauge coal

    By Focalplane,

    I spent today out in the fresh air collecting some coal for Legge lane II. 0 Gauge requires 5.36 times as much coal as 00 gauge to fill the same tender and, the coal has to be in bigger scale lumps. My nearest source of real, natural coal is 85 kilometers to the north at Camplong in the Mountains of the Orb, north of Béziers. Here the coal was mined underground but later by open cast methods which ultimately meant removing mountains. Eventually the mines became uneconomic and were closed. All the equipment has gone but what remains is quite a sight.
     
    (I should stress the danger of visiting such places without taking due care and consideration for loose scree, cliff faces and so on. The rocks can and do move from time to time because they are unstable. Keep away from any area that could be unstable even if that happens to be where the best coal outcrops remain. The good news is that there will always be loose pieces of coal lying around far from such dangerous places)
     
    I used the northern end of Camplong as my starting point and hiked up the mountain, following the zig zag roads that were constructed to bring the coal down. Initially I was very disappointed but eventually realized that I had been looking at areas long since abandoned and now grown over. Only the latest area of mining revealed the true size of the project. I found one safe small outcrop of coal seam and collected some from it. But most of my load came from loose blocks, selected for the purity of the coal and therefore the ease with which it should break into scale sized lumps.
     
    I took lots of photos and here are four of them:
     
    Two distinct phases of "mountain removal" shown, first one east west, then one north south:
     

     
    The last coal face to be mined (very unstable, I got no closer!)
     

     
    A small outcrop of coal seam
     

     
    And where I collected some of the coal
     

     
    My next post will be about my technique for breaking the coal into pieces.
  2. Focalplane
    It has been an interesting year, my first since deciding to retire and my first with serious intent to create something worthwhile with my modelling skills. Looking back, it is hard to see exactly what has been achieved, because there have been some significant changes to the designs and philosophy of the two projects that were under way a year ago.
     
    The most significant change was the decision to switch from 00 Gauge to 0 Gauge. This came about because my eyesight and finger joints together conspired against the fiddly jobs that 00 Gauge modelling often provide. I simply could not fix lamp irons to my GWR locos.
     
    This change of scale also meant that the Shipston-on-Stour branch has gone into temporary storage while the Gauge 00 locomotive collection (RTR and kit built) has also been stored for the time being. I do occasionally come back to these and hope to be able to complete the kits that are under way.
     

     
    But Gauge 0 has taken over and Legge Lane II has been the main thrust of my modelling in the second half of the year. Pivotal to this was my joining the Gauge 0 Guild and visiting their Telford exposition in September.
     
    Earlier in the year I set myself the task of learning SketchUp and this has been put to good use in designing Legge Lane II, its cabinetry and some of the buildings. This virtual aspect of modelling can be most satisfying but I look forward to completing the real layout in the months/years ahead. Planning and research are good but the making of things is better.
     
    Integral to Legge Lane II is the turntable as the layout has no points (even though I have built two C&L kits) due to size restrictions and curve limits (6ft radius).
     
    To get started I was fortunate to be able to spend a small inheritance on a ready built Lee Marsh Jubilee, 45688 Polyphemus and a Sidelines LMS Period III coach, assembled and painted by Malcolm Binns. These top of the line models form excellent go by's for my future modelling efforts.
     

    (Photo by Lee Marsh)
     
    If you have been following this blog recently, then you will know that there have been two ongoing projects - the Connoisseur Jinty, now completed, and the Metalsmith 60ft Turntable. The Turntable should be finished early in the year as I now have all the bits and pieces to complete it.
     

     

     

     
    I have learned that in Gauge 0 there has to be a certain amount of forward planning. This applies to future locomotive kits as much as anything. I have two tender locomotives in mind, one of which already has a £50 deposit paid. These should keep me busy in 2016.
     
    The operation of Legge Lane II will be interesting and will involve DCC. I have promised myself an upgrade to my old DCC system and have been recommended the NCE PowerCab. The person in charge of the layout will be the Shed Foreman and operations will involve receiving and dispatching locomotives to the rest of the system as well as supplying coal and removing ash. The scenic part of the layout will offer an opportunity for populating the layout with shed staff from Modelu.
     
    So, a reasonable TO DO list for 2016:
     
    Legge lane II
     
    1. Complete the turntable kit
     
    2. Cut out inspection and ash pits prior to laying and wiring track
     
    3. Start and complete at least one locomotive kit
     
    4. Complete designs for structures and begin to build basic shells (shed, coal hole, etc.)
     
    Shipston-on-Stour
     
    1. Work on first module (station and goods shed area).
     
    2. Complete modifying locomotives (Dean Goods, 48XX, Dukedog and Midland 3F)
     
    The temptation will also be there to go back to some of the Gauge 00 kits (Royal Scot, Coronation, 4F I bought a few years ago. I probably need to put these all aside for now and focus.
     
    And that is probably my New Year's Resolution in one word!
  3. Focalplane

    3F stripped!

    By Focalplane,

    Research RMWeb and you will find lots of advice concerning the removal of pad printed details on modern RTR products. In this case the Bachmann Midland 3F 0-6-0.
     
    People can get quite heated over what to use and what not to use. To be fair, the latter are remonstrating against those techniques that could cause lasting damage to a plastic model.
     
    Anyway, I decided upon the IPA (Isopropyl alcohol) method which can be time consuming and therefore prone to a "hurry up and spoil" result. Advice on RMWeb is plentiful and I noted that one successful method is to use cocktail sticks to assist the removal of the painted details after soaking in IPA. I can advise that this works!
     
    However, IPA tends to leave a residue. A simple approach is to use a pencil eraser and this worked for me. However, I added a piece of my own invention, a simple application of a soft brush on my Dremel. This seems to have assisted the eraser and then some:
     

     
    So now I can apply some transfers!
  4. Focalplane
    A new loco arrives at Legge Lane:
     

     
    Ivatt 2MT 46512 arrives at Legge Lane from 89A Oswestry Shed. A San Cheng brass loco, painted by Coachmann, and one of his Gauge O locos for the aborted Oswestry layout, it will now run on Penmaenpool. It runs well and the sound file is excellent. it will look just right agead of a local passenger train consisting of a GWR B Set, or on a pickup freight. A future stable mate is Collett 14XX class 1459, also transferred from Oswestry where it was stored on one of the Works bays for several months.
  5. Focalplane
    The LMS 4F is slowly nearing completion. As of this evening the loco and tender chassis have been primed and sprayed matt black. The tender body has been primed. Some progress has been made with wiring the plunger pickups and the wheels have been prepared for both engine and tender.
     
    On the engine's body I am waiting for the second lubricator kit from Laurie Griffin. This is the last detail to be fixed prior to spraying the primer.
     
    Meantime, I received shed code plates from Guilplates, one for Dobbin (3B), one for the 4F (21A) and one for the next project, the Midland Compound (3E).
     
    The DCC wiring will be addressed next, complete with some photos. I hope to add these on the next post which should be uploaded by Wednesday.
     

  6. Focalplane
    The Turntable kit safely negotiated a stormy English Channel along with myself, my car and a lot of other railway bits and pieces. To be honest, the crossing from Portsmouth to Caen was a piece of cake - Brittany Ferries' latest ship, the Armorique, behaved extremely well and I slept for most of the 5-12 hour crossing. I have always used the Tunnel in wintertime but my loathing of the M25 has finally been replaced by a new trust in surface vessels! OK, on with the show.
     
    I am following both the instructions from Dave Smith and the RMWeb Thread by JeffP. JeffP has made some interesting observations and I agree with at least the first few. In fact I had also decided to start with the Turntable Installation Module as this will allow me to finish the cabinetry and baseboards as soon as is practicable.
     
    Actually having the instructions to hand meant that I could getter a better understanding of how the module can be fitted into the IKEA cabinetry. There will have to be some trimming of the various module pieces, but I have limited the amount of cutting by moving the position of the module 20mm to the left. This was accomplished by adding some strip wood onto the right hand MDF baseboard. Eventually I will have to take 20mm off the left hand baseboard but there is no hurry to do that.
     
    I also removed the rear IKEA rail from the central unit and cut back the hardboard rear panel. I may have to remove the front rail but until I am certain of this it can stay where it is. I have noted that the upper right door hinge to this cabinet is definitely in the way and some surgery is going to be required.
     
    Befor starting Step 1 I made sure I had all the pieces. At first I could not find the pre-formed race rails but these are cleverly hidden within the grooved drive disk. Unfortunately I had already sent Dave Smith an email before I discovered them, so I quickly sent a follow up email. Sorry, Dave!
     
    The kit after unpacking:
     

     
    Step 1 is the subject of this entry. I attached the middle board to the lower board with 20 screws and 8mm spacers. The screws pass through the middle board, then the spacer and then into the lower board, the holes of which are a tight fit so that the screws cut their own threads. 16 screws around the well, plus one in each corner. I chose to use the inner corner holes which turns out to be correct.
     
    This photo also shows the 8 "dished" plywood pieces placed into the base of the well:
     

     
    The plywood was then glued down and held with appropriate weights:
     

     
    The base is now ready to attach the circular race rails, the subject of my next two posts.
  7. Focalplane
    Yesterday saw a start on the bridge detailing. This is interesting as all the photos I have of turntables show subtle differences. On top of that, it is clear that, even in the these days of "preservation perfection" not very much attention is paid to keep turntables in the same condition as the locomotives that they turn. (One exception may the one at Minehead because that has become a prominent attraction because of its location).
     
    Just like in the real, good old days, turntables are utilitarian. They serve a purpose and therefore tend to get worn, damaged even. As long as they work, that is all that is really required of them. My photos taken at Didcot certainly support this observation.
     
    So I tackled the detailing as an exercise in customization. I am not, after all, building an exact replica of the turntable at, say, Bushbury or Monument Lane.
     

     
    The locking lever and the winding mechanism on the winding platform were the main achievements of the day. Much of the work is not visible as it involved adding extra strengthening below the winding platform to support the various components. The winding control box was fabricated in a way that emulated the one at Didcot. The double winding handle, fabricated from wire and etches, is free to rotate but does not connect to anything below. Neither does the locking bar actually lock anything. However, this has prompted the thought that the holes for the locking bar should eventually be added to the well wall.
     

     

  8. Focalplane
    Working to a deadline I decided to press on with the bridge detail with the intention of spraying it with primer tomorrow, At 11:30 p.m. the task was complete and a few photos were taken.
     
    The wooden bridge deck was easier to install than I had thought, using contact adhesive. The stanchions and railing came together even easier. This is always a good sign of kit design and I must say here (and will do so in my final summary) that the kit really does come together very nicely. Someone recently commented that this kit is micro-engineering at its best and I would agree.
     
    Of course, showing off my handiwork beneath a Lee Marsh Jubilee does mean that there may be a few hidden errors, but actually I don't think so. I am really very pleased with the outcome. So, the photos:
     

     

     

     

     

     
    The next jobs include priming the deck, fitting the drive wheel and rubber band drive and then the DCC decoder. Final painting may not happen this week, I already have some other priorities, That may be a good thing anyway.
     
    Once the turntable is up and running and some approach tracks are laid, I will write up a final review. As you may imagine it is going to be positive and I can certainly recommend the kit to anyone with basic kit building skills.
  9. Focalplane
    Well, I had some spare time today, so out with the paint brushes. White railings and control handles, Railroad tie brown on the planking and some more American paint colour on the metal sheeting - the same colour Union Pacific paints its smoke boxes!
     

     
    That being done, I decided to connect up the turntable to my old Digitrax Zephyr. I didn't do any coding to the TMC M1 decoder, just tested the controls. I have taken a short movie but the light levels are too low so it really is not worth showing. It is going to be left alone for some time while I tackle some pressing domestic obligations. So, back to England, then Sunday at the Bristol 0 Gauge show.
     
    With the turntable a proven, if not quite complete, project, I might just find something new to work on! Stay posted.
  10. Focalplane
    Before the race rail can be fitted, the central shaft and its bearings need to be installed. (As I will be using the MU6 motor drive, they will stay in place afterwards, whereas the optional stepping motor set up does not need the lower bearing.)
     
    I then soldered a brass bush onto the upper bearing plate (the one with countersunk screw holes) and attached it to the center of the lower board using countersunk screws, washers and nuts.
     
    Next, the transverse beam was attached below the lower plate using spacers and bolts/nuts/washers. The lower bearing plate was then prepared with its brass bush and bolted to the transverse beam. Some fine tuning of the soldered bushes was necessary to get good alignment. “Next time” I would solder the two bushes in place with the shaft installed, as in loco frame bushes. Once I was happy with the alignment I coated the steel shaft with lithium grease and slowly rotated the shaft in the bearings with my power drill. This resulted in a tight but smooth fit.
     
    The upper bearing at the center of the well - again, note the countersunk screws:
     

     
    The next steps were time consuming and hard on my finger joints. I decided to follow JeffP's* procedure to file down the heads of the brass pins to a more prototypical size. Each brass nail was placed in the chuck of my Dremel and filed down to a reasonable size. I needed 160 of them but actually did all 200!
     
    The white metal chairs also needed fettling and had to be opened up in order to thread on the race rails (which come in two semi-circular pre-formed bullhead rails). Again, a lengthy procedure that left my finger joints a little stiff. I also opened out the fixing holes with a 0.8mm drill. The kit contained exactly the right number of chairs (40 keyed left, 40 keyed right) so it was important not to lose or damage any of them.
     
    I also blackened the brass pins, using an acid dip followed by brass black (both sold by C&L).
     
    By this time I was ready to start installing the race rail and this will be the subject of the next post.
     
    -----------------------
    * JeffP is a fellow RMWebber who also has a place in France and is also building a turntable - in his case the 70ft version. We have been running in parallel in other threads, including photos of French railways. Thanks Jeff, for trailblazing your kit construction techniques on line. Every bit helps (and I hope this thread will help others in the future).
  11. Focalplane
    With all the parts prepared and the radius arm fixed onto the central axle, I was ready to start pinning the chairs to the well base.
     
    First I used a pencil to draw a circle using the radius arm notch. Then some trigonometry to work out the chair spacing. 80 chairs means an arc of 4.5º which relates to a chord slightly less than 15mm at the 60ft scale radius. But the four chairs at the joins of the two halves of the race rail need to be closer, so a slight adjustment was made to accommodate this. I needed two attempts to get the spacing right, despite all the planning.
     
    I am going to run the turntable with DCC wired with a reversing module, so the race rail will have one polarity, the other feed coming through the central axle But I decided not to use rail joiners; instead I will wire each half, allowing a small gap for expansion during the summer months. The wires will be directly soldered to the bullhead rails. The design can always revert by insulating the gaps, but I doubt if I will ever do this.
     
    The following photos show the progress:
     

     

     
    Half way!
     

     

     
    Completed:
     

     
    This task, including the significant preparation of the nails and chairs, took me quite a few hours, with frequent breaks to rest sore fingers, etc. I am hoping this is the most arduous part of the installation module because I really want to crack on with with the turntable bridge so that track laying can begin.
     
    The next post will be all about attaching the upper board which may involve some trial and error as I am using C&L track whereas the design is for Peco track. Does anyone know if there is a height difference between the two? Also, I may decide to use cork sheeting as a track underlay, and this will also have to be taken into account. It looks like I may have to make a whole lot of packing washers!
  12. Focalplane
    As noted, my weekend was somewhat spoiled by feeling under the weather, but today I have been able to get through one of the more repetitive tasks, that of pressing the hundreds of rivets in the bridge's bracing angles. There is no doubt that having a rivet press is a definite advantage and I would recommend this "luxury" tool as verging on a "necessity" if constructing a kit of this type. My tool happens to be a Metalsmith model but any of the available rivet presses out there would suffice.
     

     
    Having pressed hundreds of rivets (I didn't count!) the nickel silver strips then have to be folded through 90º. Folding bars would be useful but I don't have any, so the combination of a small vice, large pliers and thumb pressure was used. I also found it worthwhile to deepen the folding etches with a craft knife.
     
    The end result of all this pressing and folding:
     

     
    Meantime, the basic bridge was put together using the side frames and nickel silver stretchers. This went together reasonably well but my fingers did have problems with locating and tightening the M2 screws and nuts. Also, two holes of the inner frame stretcher needed to be drilled out, which I did after loosely tightening all the other screws - needless to say the vibration undid several of the nuts. I have now put some solder on each bolt thread to lock them up.
     
    The instructions for stretcher T2 are somewhat vague (to me at least) saying that the tabs should be folded back to form a triangle so that an opening is formed to accept the drive bar with a smooth fit. My drive bar is not a smooth fit and I think some whittling down will be required.
     
    I have not fitted the deck piece yet, as there seems to be no need until after the deck rails are fitted. Also, the bracing angles will solder on to the side frames more easily without the deck.
     
    I think that a call to Dave Smith will be required when I am ready to install the bridge as there are a number of questions about the which-way-up, etc. of various components. I will wait to make that call so that I can have all my questions answered in one go.
     
    The bridge frame prior to attaching all the bracing angles, sitting on the turntable well:
     

     
    Next, the first serious soldering of the kit with all the bracing angles, a total of 24 pieces (I think) and some of them need trimming, the fret being designed for either the 60' or 70' kit. My soldering always looks messy at this point, before having a serious go with knife, fibreglass brush etc. However, in this case I decided to have a good clean up before taking any photos. Next post!
  13. Focalplane
    Good progress has been made but the day ended on a frustrating note - I can't find the 8 countersunk M1 bolts and nuts to mount the deck onto the bridge. As they are metric I hope to buy some replacements tomorrow at the local bricolage. Otherwise the project will stall.
     
    EDIT: I just re-read the instructions which says to use cheesehead bolts and they are included in the kit. For some reason the holes on the top of the deck look as though they are countersunk and that would seem to be logical as the frame sides are.
     
    The bracing angles have now been fitted and most of the extra solder has been removed, so a photo is justified. In a moment.
     
    I also started on the running rails and deck. The instructions say to slide Peco rail joiners onto the rails. Slide? More like brute force is required. I opened up the ends of the joiners and also filed down the rail end and eventually got all 12 fitted, 6 to a rail, equally spaced. The rails are then fitted to the copper clad deck using gauges provided in the kit (which when returned give the owner a rebate of £5). The Peco rail joiners are then soldered to the deck, leaving the rails free to expand and contract. Electrical continuity is provided by each side of the copper clad paxolin.
     
    The photo shows the state of affairs at this point - cleaned up bridge and deck with rails in jigs prior to soldering:
     

     
    Here's a close up of the deck:
     

     
    And here is the soldered deck with tank engine and wagon, staged on the MDF drive disk.
     

     
    Before installing the deck on the bridge I decided to put a blob of solder on each of the bridge's brass bolts. This is because I found the nuts were coming loose from vibration while drilling and sanding.
     

     
    After five posts I am well pleased with the kit and my handling of it. There is something of a steep learning curve for someone who has only built Peco plastic turntables before and as JeffP has noted, the project is definitely "model engineering". I am also getting to grips with the occasional gaps in the instructions, the project becoming more intuitive as time goes by.
  14. Focalplane
    The back ordered parts have still not arrived, possibly a combination of Christmas mail and the French security clamp down. But I did do some work today on the deck:
     

     
    The deck still doesn't rotate on the outer track because I am waiting on the brass bearings to hold the wheels. However, the 20 walkway supports have been added. The first side was easier than the second side as the whole structure started to become a little unwieldy. Plenty of solder was used and some clean up will be required later, once all the additional pieces are soldered onto the deck.
     
    I will then need to add the locking levers and guides but I am far from sure as to their exact location. I may have to visit some preserved turntables before proceeding further. The next step should be to add the wheel frames once the bearings have arrived. So it looks as though there won't be much progress before the end of the year.
  15. Focalplane
    The Turntable Saga continues after a break of around one month. The last post noted that the back ordered parts finally arrived as I was leaving France. Now back for a week or so, I found myself looking at a half completed kit of parts and was not quite sure where to start.
     
    Then I remembered that the missing parts were the bearings for the wheel frame assembly. These have to be mounted using a total of 32 M1 bolts and nuts. M1 size is almost microscopic and the location of the inside holes makes one wish that the movie "Honey I shrunk the Kids" could be feasible. But all it takes is patience and a variety of techniques developed on a hit and miss basis. One technique for getting the nut to thread onto the bolt is to balance it on the end of the bolt thread and carefully nudge it in a clockwise direction. Getting the nut to balance may take a while and then there is the chance that the nut will flick off and it's "start all over again, again".
     
    Another technique is to hold the nut over the hole with a thumbnail nail and pass the bolt through the hole to engage. This works some of the time but not on the inside of the wheel carrier as my thumb is too large. Each bearing is held with four bolts and there are four to each wheel carrier, making a total of 32. So far I have successfully attached 12 and feel quite pleased with myself.
     
    I have tried the blu-tak trick with no success at all.
     

     
    The photo shows one wheel carrier with a loose bolt and nut to show how fiddly this part of the assembly is.
  16. Focalplane
    The wheel frame assemblies are basically complete, other than tidying up and attaching feed wires for electrical continuity.
     

     
    A few comments.
     
    Mainly a result of me not reading the instructions properly, I failed to note that the M1 bolts attaching the insulating plates to the assembly should be countersunk. By the time I had installed the plates I decided not to disassemble them but ground down the cheesehead bolts instead. Strips of electrical tape will be added to provide good insulation.
     
    Should I ever build a second turntable (quite why I am not sure) I would probably learn a lot from reading these notes. Build time would be quicker and easier - so much for experience and on the job training!
     
    The turntable will be DCC controlled so a couple of departures from the instructions are now required. The first will be to wire one bridge rail to the central spindle and the other to both sets of wheels. In addition a Digitrax reverser will be wired into the bridge so that shorts will not occur. The reverser essentially detects a short as a loco crosses from track to bridge (or v.v.) and immediately switches polarity. The DCC chip will be a TCS M1 I happen to have; this is a bit of an overkill decoder but it has excellent back EMF control which should give good slow motion control. There will be no indexing as I am not using a stepping motor.
  17. Focalplane
    Construction is moving ahead nicely. I attached the wheel assemblies to the bridge to see how things fit. It is a good idea to do this prior to adding details to the bridge - as it is I managed to bend a couple of the railing brackets - but it is also important to check on the alignment of the bridge rails to future approach tracks. According to the instructions the bridge should match up exactly with Peco Gauge 0 track. But as I am using C&L track this might not have been the case. Adjustments are possible to both raise and lower the bridge assembly but in my case the raising of the bridge by about 1 mm was possible by adding shims of plasticard between the wheel assemblies and the bridge. Adding yet more insulation was a bonus.
     
    With the spindle inserted I found that everything aligned very nicely (the jigs do work!) and the bridge rotated evenly. This being done I am still reluctant to consider laying any track as there could be some final adjustments to be made and the entire turntable assembly needs to come off the layout so that the motor can be set up.
     
    The project now can be tackled from several directions. The circular wall of the well needs to be glued in place, wiring can be started, and the motor, belt and drive disc can be prepared. Then there is always the deck to detail.
     
    So, after a few hours of modelling, here are some photos:
     
    First the fitting of the bridge:
     

     
    Matching the bridge to the C&L track, note the 1mm offset before fitting the shim to raise the bridge to track level:
     

     

     
    Next, the well walls:
     

     
    And the rails with wiring for the polarity reverser (both sides of the circle are wired to one terminal on the reverser, they are also both wired to one rail on the bridge deck:
     

     
    I have made a start on the wiring. All components are located on the front underside to allow reasonable access. The reverser is fitted and wired to the hub (red) and running rail (black x 2). This will be fed directly from the DCC main bus. The motor is in place but not yet wired to the decoder.
     

  18. Focalplane

    7mm scale men

    By Focalplane,

    Lots more small tasks completed today, including tender transfers, a shed code plate, sprung buffers, and little red and silver men!
     
    The latter include two figures from Modelu and two that were included in the Connoisseur 4F kit. The former are 3D printed scans of real people in period clothing (i.e. they volunteer on either the SVR or the Llangollen Railway, I am not sure which). They come in red 'plastic' straight from Alan's 3D printer. The latter are traditional white metal figures which Jim McGowen includes in his kits. I have already painted up two of his for the Jinty (a.k.a. Dobbin).
     
    Modelu's figures are perhaps the more realistic in that the shovel in the fireman's hand is actually being used rather than leant on (though all firemen lean on their shovels, don't they?) I am, however, not sure if Modelu's driver has his hand stretched out in the right place for the 4F's regulator. These are not criticisms at all, just that getting the perfect static pose for every situation is just not going to be possible. One of Modelu's characters has longer hair than was customary in the 1950s so he is not going to be on my list. But isn't it good to have choices?
     
    I found that the white metal figures painted better with some etched primer on and so did the same with the 3D printed figures. By the way, a quick word to the couple who run Porthmadog Models in North Wales and who specialize in military figures. Mrs. "PM" took the time to give me a quick guide to selecting paints and then on how to apply them to small figures. If you are ever in Porthmadog, look them up if only to see the huge display in the centre of the shop. They do not carry much railway stock but have the full range of paints, etc.
     
    So here are some before and after priming photos:
     
    First the Modelu men unprimed:
     

     
    And primed (I didn't use flash for this shot and it has some camera shake):
     

     
    Next the Connoisseur men unprimed:
     

     
    And primed:
     

  19. Focalplane
    I have been discussing my idea with the authorities and they have indicated that an 0 gauge track does not fit in with the Regional Natural Park rules. Not even if I renovate a dilapidated cabin, rebuild stone walls and plant an orchard, all of which would be acceptable.
     
    So it's back to the drawing board.
     
    I suppose this blog is going to be dormant for a while until I can come up with a new plan.
  20. Focalplane
    Moving on with the DJH 4mm Coronation kit, K70, I found a small conundrum concerning the driving wheels. At the time I bought the kit I was able to order everything, including wheels and motor. This is no longer the case, by the way, the choice of wheels is now left to the kit builder.
     
    After some very useful email conversations with Stephen Widdows at DJH, all is now clear with the collection of wheels included in the box.
     

     
    The photo shows the problem. At the time DJH wheelsets included a live and an insulated driver on each axle, this using the live chassis principle for simple DC wiring to the motor. I ordered an extra three insulated drivers to replace the live drivers. But these are bigger, as shown in the photo above (left).
     
    The problem was easily cleared up - Romford never made a Duchess wheel (as I understand it) so the K70 kit was designed around the slightly smaller wheels that fit the Royal Scots, etc. When I ordered my kit, Markits had introduced Duchess wheelsets and that is the larger wheel size on the left in the photo.
     
    DJH no longer stock wheels, so I plan to order three more insulated Duchess wheels from Markits. This means I will have some spare 6'9" drivers which just happen to fit a wide range of LMS tender locomotives.
     
    Once these are delivered I will be able to progress on the loco chassis. The tender is nearly complete. Next part will be the frame and boiler so that a good fit can be made with the chassis. Once the wheels have arrived the difficult part (for me) will begin - the valve gear.
  21. Focalplane
    Beautiful weather (hope it was wherever you, the reader are) and perfect for spray painting. The Compound tender got its primer coat (Halford's etch primer, what else?)
     

     
    While the 4F finally got a matching gloss black loco to go with its tender:
     

     
    And a more "down to earth shot":
     

     
    Next there will be some touching up to do before painting the buffer beams red and brass/copper fittings. Then it will be time to install the DCC sound. The 4F is a tough looking loco, ready for almost anything you throw at it, just let it take its time getting to its destination! Together with the Jinty a nice contrast to the passenger locos on shed.
  22. Focalplane
    Now, I am sure there are lots of improvements to be made and I think there may also be a few hidden errors, but I am beginning to understand Templot and have drawn up my initial interpretation of the branch line terminus layout.
     

     
    The branch line enters the station at upper left (the lower track is a headshunt) with the single station platform top right. The release loop has an end loading dock at the right hand end. The third track down passes through the goods shed and also serves the cattle loading dock. The bottom siding serves the coal merchants and gas company. The short spur to the left was to the small engine shed.
     
    The layout is 9ft by 2ft in three 3ft by 2ft boards. Plus a fiddle yard. As drawn there is not enough space for both cattle loading dock and goods shed, but there could be if the two turnouts circled in red were to be collapsed into a double slip. I know that double slips are not a feature of small, insignificant branch lines, but this has to be the one major concession I need to make.
     
    The problem is, I have yet to work out how to make a double slip in Templot!
     
    For some photos of the prototype:
     
    http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrss539.htm
     
    http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrss538.htm
     
    http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrss1002.htm
     
    http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrss950a.htm
     
    And an old survey map:
     
    http://warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrssmap.htm
  23. Focalplane

    A little progress!

    By Focalplane,

    After a long hiatus, there is reason to add an entry. Poor lighting of a model is an important reason for not being as active as one might be. Certainly the current setting of Legge Lane only works at certain times of the day, so some additional artificial lighting is very necessary, particularly during winter time.
     
    I decided on a wired system but finding a good source proved to be difficult. The local bricolage stocked a few items by a German company Paulmann. Finally I tracked down a supplier (Paulmann themselves it would appear) who would sell me a packaged system to England, but not to France. Another supplier could deliver to France but at a premium of about 40%. So, as I am driving back to France soon I decided this was a good time to improve Legge Lane and today I received the package. The lights can be adjusted in any direction and can therefore be fine tuned to illuminate not only the layout but also the pictures above. A win win situation!
     
    In addition the lamps are now LEDs so the energy savings will be considerable over halogen bulbs.
  24. Focalplane
    The branch line model is coming together, at least in my mind. As noted yesterday, warwickshirerailways.com is a really valuable resource and well deserving of financial support. While scanning through various photos I was reminded of the long gone branch line from Moreton-in-Marsh to Shipston-on-Stour. The history of this line actually goes back to the Stratford-Shipston horse tramway which still has some evidence of its existence in Stratford on Avon, the footbridge was built for the tramway to take goods from the canal basin to (eventually) Oxford and by the River Thames to London. The entire system never materialized but the horse drawn tramway was completed as far as Moreton-in-Marsh.
     
    Later the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway (known to locals as the Old Worse and Worse) came through Moreton and actually severed the tramway from its terminus. When the GWR took over the OWWR the tramway line to Shipston was upgraded as a steam operated branch line. Unfortunately operations were never economically viable and passenger operations ended after WWI while goods operations lingered on for another 30 years.
     
    Shipston station is no longer there but there are good records available (including a book of the branch line which I have ordered).
     
    The Windows on Warwickshire site includes maps of the area dating back to the GWR days and I have put together a montage of the entire line which I will post later. Meantime, here is the station plan, lifted from an old Ordnance Survey map:
     

     
    Numerous photos are available on the warwickshirerailways.com site.
     
    The only problem I now have is that to be absolutely correct I would have to abandon more modern GWR locomotives (such as the 14XX and 57XX) and go back further in time. I don't want to do this*, so the alternative is to take some poetic license and pretend that the line survived as a passenger and goods branch line up until 1939. This way I can faithfully reproduce a theoretical layout set in 1935.
     
    *Not just because I have the wrong locomotives, but because I feel I can do justice to a later time period that would more closely approximate to the times when I was an avid trainspotter.
  25. Focalplane
    The remaining list of to-dos for the Jinty is now relatively short and I have sent off for various additional parts to add detail. The body can't be painted until these are fitted, so I have decided to open up another box acquired at Telford last month.
     
    This is a Sidelines LMS Period III Kitchen Car, Diagram 1912. Such coaches were used on the Wolverhampton-Birmingham-Euston run. Several of these were also modified to be part of the Coronation Scot rakes. Being a kitchen car with frosted/opaque windows on the kitchen side, the interior is relatively simple as it can't be seen, so this seemed like the best first kit to tackle. Later options will need seats, tables and curtains.
     
    So far I have formed the tumblehome and added some etches to the coach sides. All is going well.
     
    This coach, along with one I bought from Malcolm Binns (Sidelines' owner) earlier in the year will not feature on Legge Lane II but will be available to run on test tracks and, one day, my own outdoor layout.
     
    Edited a typo
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