70021 Morning Star

Thanks, Les, I like the idea of fitting the speaker in the cab roof. As the loco and tender are so close-coupled it'll be invisible and no issues with the sound escaping. Very clever. Cheers, Rick

. REAR BOGIE DOESN'T LIKE REVERSING (ALWAYS DERAILS) Generally I'm very pleased with my Britannia - 70021 "Morning Star", of course - but I am having a 'running in' problem, as the rear bogie always derails after a very short distance. Runs great forwards, with all bogies staying on the rails, but won't reverse successfully. I'm assuming this requires a small 'tweak', in common with all n gauge steam locomotives. Only thing I did notice is that the fitting is a bit sloppy, as though the screw is a tadd too long, allowing too much up/down free play on the swivel. There is a small spring under the bogie wheels, that's intended to keep the wheels gently pressed on the track, so I'm thinking there shouldn't be any up/down play (just rotational movement) at the coupling. Would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks, Rick

Hi Al and Les, Good news is that oiling the gears with Al's keeper plate removal procedure does lubricate the worm gear. Just leave the locomotive inverted for a short while, and apply slightly more lubricating oil to the rearmost gear. You can also help things along by using a 9V battery to turn the gears. This was confirmed in conversation with Dapol's repair and maintenance centre this afternoon. Les, how about a few more details on your sound fitting? I'd like to add a sound chip, but until I get a special too that'll allow me to pinch those two lugs holding the boiler to the locomotive, I'm leaving well alone. Cheers, Rick

. RECONNECTING THE TENDER WIRES & DRIVE COUPLING TO THE LOCOMOTIVE As previously mentioned, Dapol got it completely wrong: you DO NOT need to disassemble the n gauge Britannia locomotives when they need lubricating. You simply pop out the keeper plate and apply lubrication to the now exposed gearing from underneath. Similarly, one of the first instructions Dapol give new owners is to uncouple the tender from the locomotive. What they don't tell you is that you'll have an absolute nightmare getting it back together again. So, here's a few tips from the two hours of hair-pulling nightmare I had yesterday. REFITTING THE WIRES - of course, you need to thread that tiny screw through the connector loop on the end of each wire, then persuade the screw to stay on the end of your screwdriver while you also persuade the wire to come across to the fixing point. Great game, where one slip results in 'game over' and the wire acting like a catapult to send that microscopically tiny screw into orbit! AAARRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!! --- OK, here's how to refit the wires without any tears. First, be aware that the wires cross-over [CORRECTION: they don't cross over as such. They're arranged as loops. Each loop originates and terminates on the same side, but to avoid putting too much stress on these very fine wires, and their solder joints, each wire is looped over to the other side before coming back onto it's own side. So, you're *NOT* wiring left-to-right and right-to-left, but simply looping the wire over to the other side, before bring ing it back again. My apologies for any earlier confusion - Rick]. The one coming from the right of the tender into the connection on the left of the locomotive. Tools you'll need are, a heavily magnetized jeweller's x head screwdriver. (If it's not already magnetized, draw it across a magnet. I used the magnet at the back of my HiFi music system.) You'll also need some masking tape. Cut the masking tape into thin strips, about 3-5mm wide. And you'll want something to cradle the locomotive and tender while they're inverted (I used the bottom edge of the clear plastic box lid, the one Dapol supplied the model in (but a foam rubber cradle would be better). To do the job: remembering that the wires cross-over, tape the first wire into place with the masking tape. This should align the loop on the end of the wire directly onto the screw hole, and keep if from moving (particularly not in catapult mode!). You can now insert the miniature screw onto the tip of your heavily magnetized jeweller's screwdriver and bring it across to the screw hole, without risk of the wire slipping and sending it into orbit. It's use of masking tape to keep those wires from moving that's crucial. Use as much masking tape as you need, and you'll find it's best if you take the strips of tape right around the locomotive body, as the tape will stick better to itself than to the paintwork of the locomotive. RECONNECTING THE DRIVE SHAFT - isn't as straightforward as it could be. Yes, it is possible to jiggle it into place and carefully lay the locomotive onto the track. But the coupling should give a soft click when it's properly engaged. This time I used a super-fine flat bladed jeweller's screwdriver to turn both the tender 'cup' and the locomotive cross bar to the horizontal. (It needs to be horizontal for the second stage.) You can then hold the locomotive vertically, so the cross bar connector dangles, and carefully position the tender so that the tip of the cross bar is inside the end of the tender's cup, with the pins in the ends of the slot. You must now use the flat blade of the jeweller's screwdriver to push the tip of the cross bar down, so that it quietly clicks into place about half way down the slots in the cup. Be aware that you won't hear or feel much of a click, but the connection is very definitely made. It won't pull out again unless the connection is subjected to rough handling. One last thing. Do run the tightening tool over those hexagonal nuts on the running gear before going for a test drive, else (like me) you may spend the next half hour, wishing you'd packed a magnet, while you savour in the excitement of looking for a microscopically teeny-weeny screw along the length of your test track! Dapol's n gauge Britannia's are superb. Hope you get one and enjoy it. Good-luck, Rick

. EASING ROUTINE LUBRICATION Thanks to Alan for his suggestion to remove the keeper plate for lubrication of the wheel bearings and gears, rather than routinely undertaking disassembly of the whole locomotive. One thing that I'm thinking is to drill a couple of small lubricating holes into the keeper plate before reattaching it, as this would permit insertion of a needle oiler without further need to remove even the keeper plate. Also, one question: does oiling of the drive gears (as Al describes) give sufficient lubrication to the worm gear from underneath? I'm thinking that the oil will migrate from the drive gears, upwards onto the worm gear, if the locomotive is left inverted or track run immediately after lubricating. Thanks, Rick

Hello D869 If you still have this locomotive, please contact me. If it's n gauge, then I have the parts. If it's OO gauge, then I'd be interested in buying it. All the best, Rick (RMWeb name 70021 Morning Star)

As Richard Rikard said, don't forget the local public library. A lot of people don't realise what a proper 'Librarian' is. They're experts at researching, and can be a tremendous help. Be sure to ask for the Librarian, not just a library assistant. I'd phone the central library to get the name of the best person to contact. Also, as others have said. Follow an Academic approach by keeping a small notebook containing details of the sources you discover. It's all to easy to forget where you read something and, later, you'll want to quote your sources to prove that you're not just working on (unsubstantiated) stories you heard down the pub. You might also try writing to the local old people's homes and old folks societies. There's nothing better than speaking to someone with eye witness stories, and the old folks will love telling you their stories. Good-luck, Rick

. PROJECT RETURNING TO MAIN '7016 CHESTER CASTLE SOUTH WALES PULLMAN (1958)' THREAD I set up this thread to investigate some specific questions about Cab Detailing on the Castle class locomotive. With people's help, I think we've about covered this topic - although additional information is always welcomed - so I'm now going to discontinue regular updates on this thread and will continue the story of modelling 7016 Chester Castle on its main thread at: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94954-7016-chester-castle-south-wales-pullman-1958/ Just one last thing on Cab Detailing of the Airfix/Dapol/Hornby Castle, Cobach47 has kindly sent me a damaged body shell. This shows that the cab section, roof, front and sides, are easily removed from the footplate and boiler section. They're glued at the bottom of the side panels, and the front section slides into a slot between the boiler and the firebox. (I'll add a picture here, next time I have my camera out.) I'd suggest anyone doing detailing work on a Castle removes the cab top, sides and front section, to gain better access when detailing the pipework, dials, and footplate. It'll sure make life easier; especially when adding the locomotive number and shed code to the inside of the roof. Thanks for all your help and hope to see you on the main 7016 thread, Rick

Brian, Wonderful, just wonderful. ...but, couldn't you have sent them before I did the modelling ? Only kidding. Those pictures are just great. I can now go ahead and shorten the fall-plate, so the Airfix can get around the curves, and have the detail correct. Incidentally, I used flexible PVA adhesive to mount the fall-plate. It allows it to move up and down, so that my hinge-brackets are only there as 'eye candy', not functional. Thank you, Rick

. STILL A WORK-IN-PROGRESS... ...and yes, Jan, that is a firebox flap resting on a metal plate ;-) Work Completed: Boiler 'blackened' in semi-matt (unstirred Humbrol enamel matt black) Boiler Black paint, with prototypical lighter green interior paintwork on inside of cab (and various Notices / stencils still to be added) ; Copper/brass pipework picked out with a Sharpie 'brass' metallic pen ; Instrument dials painted white, edged with metallic pen, and 'glazed' with Humbrol Clear ; Floor detailed with etched chequerplate, matchstick wood section, and brass plate/hatch in front of firebox (with a small amount of coal dust spillage*) ; Firebox doors remodelled and 3V 3mm flickering Firebox LED fitted and wired in (resistors to protect 3V LED in 12V DC through 'overload' 18V for DCC, and Bridge Rectifier so LED always receives the correct current polarity in forward and reverse, as well as an application of Tamiya X-26 Clear Orange glaze to enhance the orange glow of the LED) ; Firebox Flap modelled and fitted to the front on the firebox ; Crew fitted, with addition of real coal to fireman's shovel ; Etched brass Fall-plate fashioned and fitted (using 'silver' Sharpie pen with black acrylic wash, for correct colouration of the coal dusted steel plate). [ Additional fireirons, tools, and tea jug, etc.; cab glazing; and remodelled (later Castle production) handrails, to be added later. ] *Note: there's too much coal spillage in the photograph, as the picture was taken just after I'd sprinkled dust over small amounts of PVA before brushing away the excess. There will only be a very tiny bit of dust in front of the firebox, and in a few corners, in the finished model. [ Floor needs sweeping. There's actually only a very small amount of coal dust spillage glued in front of the firebox flap. That's just the dust I sprinkled onto the PVA glue, not the finished effect. Also, the handles, at the back of the cab are being replaced with brass fittings; including the later type under window handles, which should extend to just over halfway up the front window on later Castle builds. ] Rick .

Hi Jan, Do you mean this? I'd assumed it was just a plate, rather than wood, because it was in front of the heat of the firebox. So, what is a blowdown valve? Thanks, Rick

Love those pictures, Ozzyo. Especially the one that top view which shows how shiny the fall-plate was. Rick

Hi Jan, That's most interesting and informative. Hmmm, should I draw a chalk line onto the footplate of 7016 ? :-) So, you appear to be saying that checquerplating type fall-plates were not the norm, but are more a part of today's health-and-safety world, and that the original 1958 era fall-plate would more likely be smooth steel? Can you also explain a little more, please, about the "cut out for the brake standard". I take it you're referring to this bit? In which case, I'm not sure that 7016 Chester Castle had a cut-out in her fall-plate. It's there to accommodate the vertical brake handle on the Colette tender, right? So, as Chester Castle was fitted with Hawksworth tenders, it would serve no purpose. I have this video outtake of Chester Castle (I think from when she was being manufactured) which has no cut-out. This appears to support my thinking that she did not have a 'brake standard' cut-out in her fall-plate. Yes, it might have been added later, if she were mated to a Colette, rather than a Hawksworth, tender; but that seems an unlikely manufacturing sequence. Do you agree, Jan? One other thing. As you had your foot trapped between the fall-plate and the tender's footplate, did you happen to notice what the tender footplate was made of? I'm thinking that it was probably just smooth metal? Many thanks for a tremendous contribution, Rick

. HINGING THE FALL-PLATE Does anyone have any suggestions on how best to hinge the fall-plate? I could just leave a sufficient gap - unhinged (like me ;-) - as I doubt there's much vertical movement; but, that's a bit shoddy, and I'd like it to move. Maybe, I could drill a couple of holes through the cab sides, solder some pins to the fall-plate, prize the cab apart (to get the pins through), and do it that way. Alternatively, I guess I could glue heavy-duty aluminium foil under the plate and onto the footplate (simpler, but would it hold up to wear and tear)? Very thin copper strip hinges would be good, if anyone knows a supplier. I'm sure I've seen them somewhere. ==> Apparently they're called "cigar box hinges" ! Anyone know a cigar smoker who might like to support a good cause ? Thanks, Rick

Hey ho, Ozzyo, They most certainly are ! And darned good timing too. The etched brass chequerplating and fishplate have just arrived, along with a proper brass safety-valve bonnet. So I'm needing these picture references. Actually, that first picture looks kind of like 7016 as I try to squeeze in the electro gizzmos: flickering firebox LED and smoke-generator. Thank you, Rick

Wow, ZiderHead, That's superb! ...and precisely what I needed. Until you sent that link, the best picture I had was of a King class cab floor (plus Phil's confirmation the Castle cab floor is wood and chequerplate): Anyhow, I've finished in my workshop, and now have the wood planking for the floor. Note that I'll only need the front 1/3rd of the piece, as there's chequerplate goes in front of the firebox. Hopefully the chequerplate will arrive tomorrow, and I can finish detailing 7016 Chester Castle's cab; meanwhile, here's some pictures for your amusement: You need to sand, and sand, and sand those matchsticks until they're really thin (same thickness as the etched brass chequerplate). Top view shows the scorching and ingrained coal dust from around the firebox. Of course there's some chequerplate directly in front of the firebox, and so I'll need to add some fine coal dust spillage. (Click on image to enlarge.) And, finally, note that there's not just an accumulation of coal dust between the boards, that coal dust glistens. The process for painting the matchsticks used various weathering washes, the aforementioned re-gluing to highlight the gaps, and a lot of scraping with a blade to get the matt weathered 'bare boards' effect. If anyone's interested, I can add a post giving details of technique and materials. Just one immediate tip, make wider than you need - about four additional matchsticks - as some will split during the sanding process, and you'll need to cut out and discard these. Hmmm, I might even lighten the colour of the boards near the firebox, to show the drying effect of the fire. Easy enough, just a bit more scraping... Rick

Hi Phil, I've been doing that for weeks. Castle, cab, floor, footplate, you name it... But, as you may be aware, Google has changed. They now keep a log of your interests, so one search will affect another. You may have noticed, you have to completely shut down the browser, before you can start a new search. Anyway, that was a brilliant 'find' Phil. Work-in-Progress: I've now clued (or glued) the Swans together, and am in the process of taking them down to the required veneer like thickness. By serendipity, I discovered that what I first thought was annoying - namely, some of the bonds breaking - is actually what's needed. If you just glue and sand, you can't see the gaps between the planks. But, if you break the bonds and re-glue, then bits of the wet-and-dry graphite get in with the glue, and clearly delineate the separate boards with a very realistic looking black line. --- If anyone else is doing this, I'd suggest mixing a little black powder paint or weathering powder in the glue from the beginning. Anyway, I'll post some pictures when they're done. ==> Anyone else, I'm still looking for Castle cab pictures, otherwise I'll have to assume the fall-plate is the same as that used on the King class, which it may not be. And I'm thinking that the tender-plate is just plain metal, not chequerplate, as the fall-plate has to slide over it. The corrugations of chequerplate would present a problem there. So, more pikkies, please. Many thanks, Rick

. Interestingly, in oo-scale, a Swan Vestas matchstick is precisely the correct width for those flooring timbers. Of course, I'll have to sand the finished timber floor so it's ultra-thin, otherwise humidity expansion and contraction of the wood will buckle the floor and probably crack the cab sides open; yes, even at this scale! ...guess who's spending the evening cluing matchsticks together? Cheers, Rick

Ah, a photograph of 5029 Nunney Castle*, including a tiny bit of wooden floor and some protective metal plating ! Many thanks, Phil. This is a big step forwards. Now, if you could just nip back and, this time, tilt your camera down a little more... Many thanks, Rick *No, I'm not really knowledgeable, I just Googled the "5029 PDN" seen on the cab roof, top right of picture.

Hi Everyone, I'm trying to detail a Castle Class locomotive, 7016 Chester Castle. Problem is finding out what material the Cab Floor was made of. Not many photographs include the cab floor. I've found a few of Stars, Kings, and County class locomotives, but none of the Castle class. I suspect it's made of heavy wooden planks with some areas protected with chequerplate. If this is correct, I think the wooden planks would be laid longitudinally, but some locomotives appear to have crossways planking. Anyone no for sure, ideally with a picture? Thanks, Rick

Hello Ray, Now that is a very nice silk purse; err, 'County' class Pullman locomotive! I see you followed the same process to fit a Flat-sided Hawksworth tender as I've used on 7016 Chester Castle; albeit, I've still got a little fettling to do, to get the body shell to sit completely horizontal on the frame. The correct locomotive to tender gap is 8ft, which you appear to have achieved. My Castle is a scale 9ft to ensure she goes around 3rd radius curves. And the first Pullman carriage - Car No.55 - has her buffers retracted on the Hornby close-couplings I've fitted. Only criticism: those coal lumps are far too small ! ...and you could lose some of the traction weight to facilitate a slope on your coal; otherwise, she looks superb. (I've purchased some ex church roofing lead to replace the 1/3rd of the traction weight I cut away but, surprisingly, my Airfix tender-drive Chester Castle isn't losing any traction with a rake of 9 coaches even before the extra lead is added.) How about fitting a flickering firebox LED to compliment the lights in those superb Pullman coaches? (I've PMed you the wiring link.) (Now, please PM me, how did you get that tender-drive to run so quiet??!) All the very best, Rick

St Endoc, I've just stumbled across your posting #25. That's my loft ! Fantastic. I was wondering about building a layout in the A-frames. Now you've shown me how to do it. Cheers, Rick

The 'dining' cars used on BR Western Region in the 1950s were 'rebuilt' GWR catering stock. Various 'dining pairs' appear to have been assigned to specific named trains, such as the Red Dragon and the Capitals United Express. For further information, take a look at the following rmweb threads: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/92858-h-33-restaurant-carriage-nearly-there/ http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/93882-brw-h39-dining-first-h36-composite-dining-saloon-dining-pair/ The Mk1 based RUs (Restaurant Unclassifieds) didn't come on the scene until around 1960. Rick