Golden Fleece 30

Cunard White Star entering York South. Again a repaint I did a few years ago and fitted with Kings X plates. Garry

Channel Packet on its first layout run. The nameplates are Kings X ones which are by far the best available, especially since they were made in the 60's, BUT, you do have to cut them out. Garry

I have just bought a Jubilee which is a lovely scratchbuilt loco and tender. I think it is powered by an XT60 but not had the body off yet although it has been tested on Tri-ang small radius curves on which it runs nicely. The valve gear is stunning and even the motion bracket has a front and rear sandwiching the expansion link. Looking at its hand painted numbers, including the smokebox one, and lining along with its construction I have a feeling it is from the same builder as a few others I have obtained. I am torn between touching up and repainting but for now it will just be a touch up. Garry

David, I don't model any specific period loco condition etc just what I like, so regarding emblems I much prefer to see the older tender/tank one than the later type. At times I use the later one just for something different although most diesels only had this one so it is on a few of them. I do prefer double chimneys on A4's but the TT one is a plastic moulding and with no casting available that is how it stayed. Garry

They were in the late 50's and early 60's when I saw them. Garry

Received the 08 chassis etch this lunch time and assembled it the chassis needs a good clean up then painting now that it works. Initially the odd crank wanted moving to get them quartered as best I could eyeing up the wheel and crank holes. Soldered in the crank pins and it ran nicely. Then I found I had them too far out from the body so it was a case of melting the solder and revolving one revolution but now no sighting hole so guess work, took two attempts but got it running again. Now, the crank pin inner protrusion was fouling the body so a little filing to smooth it out and she runs nicely again. Garry

Received the 08 chassis etch this lunch time and assembled it, the chassis needs a good clean up then painting now that it works. Initially the odd crank wanted moving to get them quartered as best I could eyeing up the wheel and crank holes. Soldered in the crank pins and it ran nicely. Then I found I had them too far out from the body so it was a case of melting the solder and revolving one revolution but now no sighting hole so guess work, took two attempts but got it running again. Now, the crank pin inner protrusion was fouling the body so a little filing to smooth it out and she runs nicely again. Garry

My Tri-ang Evening Star had a bit of a hic-cup. 3 of the 4 flanged wheels had too finer flange to run on Tri-ang track, plus 2 of those 3 were different diameters by about .25mm. Now though Evening Star runs around Tri-ang track. I found some old Romfords which are far better than the new ones and fitted them in place of the others. Then I found out the crank throw is different between old and new and found one pair of old flangeless wheels. Great, a good run with just old wheels on straight track, but, Romfords are different thickness to Tri-ang so it would not go around Tri-ang curves. The solution was to set the wheels as flangeless, flanged, flangeless, flanged, flangeless giving a short wheelbase which now goes around Tri-ang curves very nicely. The outer two pairs at the moment are for show as the crank throw is wrong as mentioned and can be seen in the photo, but will suffice until I get 4 more old Romfords to replace them. For those of you who know about drilling and tapping, putting a 1mm drill then 12ba tap into Mazak was not the easiest thing I have done and thankfully did 4 without breaking either drill or tap. All 3 wheels are classed as 15mm. Garry

My Tri-ang Evening Star had a bit of a hic-cup. 3 of the 4 flanged wheels had too finer flange to run on Tri-ang track, plus 2 of those 3 were different diameters by about .25mm. Now though Evening Star runs around Tri-ang track. I found some old Romfords which are far better than the new ones and fitted them in place of the others. Then I found out the crank throw is different between old and new and found one pair of old flangeless wheels. Great, a good run with just old wheels on straight track, but, Romfords are different thickness to Tri-ang so it would not go around Tri-ang curves. The solution was to set the wheels as flangeless, flanged, flangeless, flanged, flangeless giving a short wheelbase which now goes around Tri-ang curves very nicely. The outer two pairs at the moment are for show as the crank throw is wrong as mentioned and can be seen in the photo, but will suffice until I get 4 more old Romfords to replace them. For those of you who know about drilling and tapping, putting a 1mm drill then 12ba tap into Mazak was not the easiest thing I have done and thankfully did 4 without breaking either drill or tap. All 3 wheels are classed as 15mm diameter. Garry

A Lincoln-locos AL1 having it's first test run. It is powered by two Halling motor bogies although at the moment the whitemetal sideframes are not the correct ones. The pantographs are also 3D printed but one day I may find a decent working one although there will not be any OLE on the layout. Garry

As I cannot get on with Evening Star (or others) at the moment I took the time to re-wheel the LNER Coronation coaches. These are done with an internal frame so the wheels just drop in. Some valances will be required soon now as they are runners. The loco body is an untouched Atlas one that should really get a paint job and mounted on a Tri-ang Britannia chassis. The coaches are all Tri-ang with printed card overlays, a suburban coach used for the shorter buffet. I am not doing them articulated though, maybe one day when I run out of jobs. Garry

As I cannot get on with Evening Star (or others) at the moment I took the time to re-wheel the LNER Coronation coaches. These are done with an internal frame so the wheels just drop in. Some valances will be required soon now as they are runners. The loco body is an untouched Atlas one that should really get a paint job and mounted on a Tri-ang Britannia chassis. The coaches are all Tri-ang with printed card overlays, a suburban coach used for the shorter buffet. I am not doing them articulated though, maybe one day when I run out of jobs. Garry

Here are the results Wim. Test done on Tri-ang small radius curve with a buffer attached with each loco having its nearest point touching the buffers. The Britannia has the largest overhang both front (BF) and rear (BR) which are slightly different to each other. The 9F front and rear overhangs are the same but less than the Britannia. The SR Z has the same front and rear but slightly less still than the 9F. The arc looks the same but you will see that is because of the greater length of the 9F loco puts it further forward. Garry

I am now in the process of making a "Tri-ang" TT Evening Star. The body is a Tri-ang Britannia (I know not quite correct) and the chassis is my own etch using the XT60 motor. Due to size and looks I have had to use Romford wheels for this but the tender is all Tri-ang still, metal wheels will be fitted later. The body is now down to the correct height after making the chassis last night, it was designed for Jinty wheels so larger ones put it a little high, fitted the motor, tender coupling and folded up the front pony truck. Also cut some of the firebox base off but needs some more removing to clear the rear wheels. The body and tender are in quite good condition finish wise so I may well leave the paint finish as it is to match a standard Britannia. I will fit a better smoke deflector though and looking at making a double chimney from some etches I have yet to draw. Garry

A start has been made on Evening Star, yet another loco added to the long list of ongoing models. As the chassis was designed for Jinty wheels the body is a little high now as I have fitted 15mm ones. A little thinking of how to lower it is in order as a mounting plate is holding it up at one end. Should not be much of a problem though. I am 3 wheels short which is a bigger issue although if I have to I can file the flanges off a pair of wheels. I will also have to think about a double chimney and the possibility of getting some etches made for one when I have the next set of drawings ready as opposed to buying a casting. Garry

Lincoln-Locos 3D Clan body is now painted and lined. The black will have to wait until the nameplates from 247 Developments arrive and are fitted before it gets varnished. Garry

Having managed to fit the XT60 in the Black 5 and WD I thought about trying it in the K3. This is another Leonard Seeney body I bought a few years ago and did not think it possible at the time. Having drawn it out I made a mock up plastic chassis for test and have managed to achieve it, and without breaking through the sides. The real loco had wheels between the Jinty and Castle size of Tri-ang and I had thought of the larger ones but they did not look right so Jinty ones it will be again. This chassis is the same wheelbase as a Peppercorn K1 so who knows one day one of those may appear????? Garry

The Black 5 has a bit of valve gear now although I have had to resort to gluing the slidebar assembly on, it should not be a problem as normal etched ones are all soldered up anyway. I have thought of doing the eccentric rod the Tri-ang way but the return crank seems to slip on its pin so will have to look at replacing the centre set as I do have a few spare. Garry

Regarding the wheels, the ones in the photo I am using are Romford/Markits ones with their extended Romford axles which I will be able to screw the return cranks on to get the quartering right before soldering. Garry

Here is my 08 from Lincoln-Locos, a lovely 3D printed body. I am getting my own chassis etched as I prefer a more solid constructional one as opposed to flimsy thin ones made by others, but that is my preference. If it is satisfactory then I may have a few spare ones available. I am hoping my etch comes in the next week or two. https://lincoln-loco.co.uk/ Garry

Hi Paddy, That is a Fox 00 one I have had for quite a few years and had forgotten about it and found it while searching for 00/Dublo to sell. A little overscale for TT but it will do and save my pennies for something else. Garry

The front bogie frames needed to be lengthened to fit the Tri-ang bogie and to "highlight" their shape I have dry brushed a different colour on top of the black. I am going to try to lower the body but need to replace the coupling mounting screws as the heads are in the way. I am hoping the etched buffer heads appear this week. Garry

Thank you William, there are some further back in the post but here are a couple for now. I have not done anything on the layout for nearly 12 months now for various reasons, mainly home schooling, but there is still a lot to do on it. Garry

The Co-Bo is now awaiting its oval buffers which will hopefully be etched on the 08 chassis sheet then she can get varnished. I will have to look tomorrow to see if I can find a motor bogie to strip and file down for the sideframes. Garry

I also got the Hymek numbers from Railtec today so hopefully not long before she gets varnished now. She is powered by two Tri-ang DMU power bogies which I cannot file down for whitemetal castings to fit on top. Another Leonard Seeney (Lincoln-Loco) 3D printed body. Garry