Spitfire2865

Looks good.

By that message, it sounds like hes trying to register a new account with his old name rather than requesting a new password?

There's a question.

 

I'm asking because I have been given an oil hand lamp. I was told that it was a guard's hand lamp, and that it would have been allocated to a brake van. It has a plate stamped Midland Railway, and the number 6556B. I was wondering whether that would be the number of the van it was allocated to.

I wouldnt think a lamp would be allocated to a specific van.  Much more likely they traveled around to different routes and vans, similar to how a wagon tarpaulin was treated. 

A long time ago one of the customers in the model shop I was working in bemoaned the demise of broad gauge "as by now we could have nuclear-powered trains". Mankind dodged the bullet on that one methinks.... 

Current Nuclear tech could make that work far safer than in the past 60 years.  Plus, it would allow electric traction without considerable infrastructure to power it reliably along many miles in areas less populated such as Middle America, Australia, Russia, etc.

Only problem is the past 60 years of poor nuclear planning havent done much to its image.  

Why would it need etching  they seem to be rectangular sheets, 0.010" brass could be cut with a heavy duty craft knife. The holes you can drill as you did for the panels anyway.

Problem with that is I dont like drilling metal if I can avoid it.  Thats why all my metal parts are either lasercut or etched.  Ive also never been very good at hand cutting metal sheet.

It wouldve been interesting having it in 1/4 mil stainless though.  Would make a strong body.  

Looking very good - mine, somewhat smaller, is progressing through the paintshop...

 

I confess to being just a little disappointed that you haven't actually used sheet metal for the sides!

Oh I considered it, however it would have to be etched.  That wouldve skyrocketed the price for my etch sheet. I do regret it a bit though as the extra strength wouldve been welcome.  

What livery are you painting yours in?  Do you know if the footboards were body colour or unpainted?

Well its coming.

Interior moving slowly along.

Anyone know of any more photos or drawings for the interiors of these vans besides whats in L&Y Wagons Vol 2?

I'm sure you are aware of the article on the 1121 Class engines by Fred James, David Hunt and Bob Essery in Midland Record No. 11 (Wild Swan Publications). The 1121 Class were, of course, the later, longer-wheelbase development of the 1377 Class. They were built with the A1 boiler, which was the same as the A boiler fitted to the 1377 Class engines, but with 4" deeper firebox. So in the absence of the Derby drawings for the 1377 Class, you could make a reasonable inference from the drawings reproduced in that article. 

 

To produce the detailed articles on locomotives in Midland Record, along with the Midland Engines and LMS Locomotive Profiles series of monographs, James, Hunt and Essery worked in collaboration with the NRM, so my understanding is that the NRM holds the collection of surviving Derby Locomotive Department drawings, whereas the Midland Railway Study Centre's collection is from the Carriage & Wagon Department.

Thanks.

Ive since had contact from the Midland study center as well as HMRS whom both have access to the specific drawing I was looking for of the 1377 class.  They both did say there would be several weeks until they could access them.  Should probably check back with them...

Thanks for reminding me!

It's true the kit shows its age in several ways, lack of interior detail being one. At least there's less heartache when loading to the brim or covering with a sheet! Spitfire's Gauge 3 version is a work of miniature engineering. However, I don't think the amount of interior ironwork on these wagons is any more than on any other 4 to 8 plank open goods or mineral wagon. The main structural members, the side knees (and end knees for an end-door wagon), are on the inside. Most of what we see on the outside is there to stop the bolts heads or nuts digging into the timber, though the corner plates do give some structural strength.

There is no shame in a tarpaulin.  

From what Ive examined from my scratchbuilding, the corner plates usually didnt have matching internal strapping for most companies, while the D299 had 5 separate plates inside to match the corner plate outside.  Rather excessive if you ask me.  

Carriage bolts alone seem to have been enough to stop internal gouging on most wagons. So you are correct for most wagons.  

Id definitely like to see finescale wagon building in 3.5" gauge.   Im doing similar in 2.5" gauge.  

It is kit 4030 that I have and I can see the issue with the solebars, hopefully I will soon get around to sorting them out.

 

I have ordered the book and it's due after Easter.

 

I might have to acquire a couple of more kits, to add some variation.

 

Thanks for the postings.

For the Slaters D299, remember the slaters kits are smooth on the inside.  And for some reason the Midland really went to town on internal strapping for this diagram.  Check my workbench thread for my Gauge 3 scratchbuild of one if you need help deciphering the drawings.  

Regarding making one, beware the very distinctive wheelbase on the drivers. I plan to use a roundhouse old timer kit. But the one i purchased on a well known auction site has a significant fault, the chassis supplied is for the 2-8-0. All other details are the same.

My problem with building one is finding the wheels for them in G3.  Hope Slaters makes something similar.

I'd go for one of the Baldwin engines, as I can neither spell nor pronounce Shenektadey Schenenekady Schenectady. But at least the tenders for the latter are available off-the-shelf being standard Midland 3250 gal tenders later coupled to Class 4 goods engines.

 

EDIT: oops, no they're not - non-standard shorter 12'3" wheelbase, apparently. 

 

Thinking about the Baldwin moguls and that rather nice Roundhouse HO one, if anyone happens to have one could they post the leading dimensions? The Midland's Baldwin engines had coupled wheelbase 6'3" + 8'6", and 5'0" diameter wheels - 25 mm + 34 mm and 20 mm diameter at 4 mm scale. The Roundhouse model looks to have about the right proportions though the leading and centre drivers look a little close together. In HO, these dimensions would correspond to 7'2" + 9'8" and 5'7" diameter - perhaps a little tall in the wheel for an American mogul?

Skeh-neck-tedy.  I have a friend from around there.  Beautiful theatre there as well.  

As Id be building in G3, there aint anything off-the-shelf for me!  Im thinking the Schenectady one simply due to the city. However I do like the 8 wheeled tender and minimal footplate.  

Well, Ive ordered the Midland Supplement book from Amazon.  Now to decide which loco Id prefer to build, the distinctly American or the strange hybrid.  

I was unaware of the company up until yesterday.  A great loss indeed.

My surprise when I saw they have some unique 1/2" scale items.  Put in an order via email, hoping to hear a response soon. 

 There was a network of 6’ Gauge lines in the US (mostly in New York State)

I thought the American broad gauge was used in the South, not North.  Hell, the American Civil War was as much about ripping up and relaying railroads as it was about the fighting.  

These. For full details see the standard works on Midland Engines! Likewise the Great Central and Great Northern examples. Many years ago there was an article on converting an O Gauge plastic "Casey Jones" kit (possibly this Rivarossi kit?) to represent one of the Baldwin engines - the article was entitled "Casey Johnson".

Do you know if there are plans for this loco anywhere? Fits perfectly in my G3 scope and Ive been wanting to build an American loco to G3.  

I miss being in the Utica area.

Wow, been quite a while.

After a detour to aircraft modelling, Im back to trains.

So far in 2018 I planned Gauge 3 builds for an L&Y D1 and D21. 3 months of issues for getting the wood has finally paid off.

Starting with the D21 tintab.

It will have a full detailed interior and working brakes. Got a lot of parts sitting around for that.

But in those 3 months, I planned, designed, and built a G3 Neilson 12" mineral engine.

Still have to sort out the RC gear but in time.

Havent really been active around here much, though I do still read daily.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Western-The-General-Train-Set-HO-Nomura-Japan-Vintage-1960s-4-Pieces-w-Track-/352231507021?_mwBanner=1

This looks like the ticket. Thats all I could find honestly. Photos in the description.

Of what I know of UK practice, and a bit of US practice, its exactly that.  Some sidings are only operable from a certain direction. 

If you want something interesting to do on google maps, search the Matt Brewing Company in Utica, NY, USA.  Theyre still railserved and Ive had quite a bit of fun trying to figure out how to actually get from there to any mainline as the area is peppered with defunct sidings, old rail served industries, and different arrangements of sidings and access. 

The HMRS will be wondering why there's a run on this volume! Somehow I find it's easier to justify the purchase of books than wheels...

Books are resource materials and therefore educational.  Thats my justification on spending close to $50 US on some of them.  Compared to what I paid for some of my textbooks at college, practically a bargain!

You are very lucky. The only problems I've had with buyers have been those from overseas. Total PITA. As a seller, UK bidders/buyers only for me too. If I eventually shoot myself in the foot with that attitude and am unable to purchase something I want from an overseas seller, it's just tough really, and hardly the end of the world. I doubt my life will ever depend on being able to purchase an emergency model train part...

Especially in this hobby where many products are only sold by a single entity or rarely come up on online auction sites.

Well W&ARR stands for Western and Atlantic, a US railroad made famous by the locomotive "General" along with its historical significance.

Im assuming this was a General trainset. I havent a clue what manufacturer it could be though. And from the date, it probably wasnt a particularly good model.

The coach is a nasty bastardization of what is called an Overland coach in the US. Wooden construction, open air ends, made for ground level platforming, etc. In modelling circles, the term Overton refers to a shorter version of an overland coach, even though I believe they never actually existed.

Just had a look. Very strange indeed.  Just the first 3 pages alone, looks more like Linked in users than Shapeways!  Not to mention almost all the suspicious ones have nothing but suspicious links in their bio.  Inspecting them shows its all linking to different websites.  Looks like you got targeted as a potential customer by some bot.