Shez

Sam's co-conspirator here. I think the run round loop was removed sometime shortly after the grouping. Berwick NBR shed was closed, and the operation of the branch was transferred to the NER shed at Tweedmouth. They tended to use J21s on the branch, and later J39's. Its probably these larger tender locos that caused the re think. However we will indulge in a little modelers licence, and make the crossover able to take tender locos.

I think I said something on an earlier post about things now looking quite straightforward on the Pickersgill...but then I also said before christmas that HTFC would stay up! .... I should know not to say such daft things!! The splashers proved to be a challenge and took some time to build up - it was awkward to get the iron in, and much of the soldering had to be done from the outside rather than inside which I prefer. However, it was when I came to fit the boiler I realised there were some major issues. Two etched lines on the footplate indicate where the cab front and the boiler front should be located. However the boiler appeared to be about 1mm short! Thinking back now I should have soldered an extension to the boiler, but hindsight is a great thing. However I decided to press ahead and accept that the boiler would be set a little too far back. This however created two further issues - firstly the firebox sides now had a gap, by the rear splasher and secondly an attempted test test run showed there were issues with clearances. I therefore had to undertake some fairly drastic metal removal from the underside of the boiler to accommodate the driving wheels. I then adopted to use some scrap nickle silver etch to make some new firebox sides. This will entail a bit of filler before painting to get the curve where it meets the boiler correct. However, it solved the problems and the loco ran well on the next test. I then went on to fit the cab sides, roof and other details and the front frames. All required considerable filing to get them to fit! The cab roof in particular was considerably wider than needed. The boiler had no holes drilled for handrails etc, so this was now undertaken - a task that was new to me from previous kits. I also found from looking at photographs that some details didn't seem to be included in the kit and were not mentioned on the instructions - so several raids on the scrapbox were required. However, I am in no way despondent after theses tribulations, as she is slowly emerging as a handsome looking loco. She now has an identity, CR No 86. One of the Class 72, 1921 Armstrong Whitworth batch, which were painted a darker blue than the others. There is a nice picture of her on page 42 of Jim McIntosh's book. Caledonian Railway Livery. Given the limitations of the instructions, this will be my main guide for the remaining detailing. The experience of doing the NBR coaches has been really valuable in this build. Perhaps I have been a bit spoiled with the quality of the previous kits I have built, but the gradual problem solving with the coaches has encouraged me not to panic and to get on with it. Its been challenging, but I am learning a lot. Strange thing is that having looked at previous reviews of the kit, there seems to be no mention of any problems - maybe I have got some thing fundamentally wrong somewhere, but apart from the position of the boiler everything else checks out with the drawings. I did notice that Alba Models who now have the kit ( its provenance goes back further) have now withdrawn it to re do the etches. So a good clean up of some messy soldering, and on with the detailing.

Thanks for the comments on soldering - I am always up for trying new stuff to see if it makes the job any easier! In the meantime here are the pictures of the completed cab sides. One aspect of the kit I have noticed is that the holes as drilled for the handrails are far too big for the 0.7mm wire they are meant to take. In looking to get round this I saw a possible opportunity. The close up photographs of the Caley locos have seem to show a collar round the handrail. I wondered if this could both solve the problem and represent the prototype with more accuracy. I therefore widened the hole using a small broach and then soldered in a piece of brass tube so that it protruded slightly. The back of the tube was then cut with a piercing saw. I then inserted the handrail in the tube and soldered it from the back. The whole thing was then filed down from the back. I am really pleased with the result and might use the same technique on other models. The detail is quite small so the photograph might not show it up. Is this an indicator of increased modelling skill, or an indicator that I should get out more? ! So on to curving those splasher tops.....

Thanks very much for the suggestions Jazz. Won't be starting it for a bit yet, so will have a trawl through the forum and look at some different approaches - but yours seems straightforward.. Another of my endless questions for everyone out there. Yesterday I did some work on the cabsides attaching the handrails, beading and the cab side lamp irons that are so characteristic of the Caley. (Pictures to follow) For the first time I used some Carrs 179 Solder Creamt I got at Warley. This made the beading and lamp irons really easy. However, I am not sure I am using it correctly. While it made the joint easily, I still had some solder to clean up. Am I using too much? If so the amounts required must be tiny! Also How do you apply it - the syringe seems to put too much on for a small job - I tried smearing it with a cocktail stick. Also, I assume its correct to use it as you would flux applied to the job, rather than put on the end of the iron.

Thanks for the kind comment Jazz - I think a closer look at the soldering would get a different response! Glad you are following my efforts, its been advice from your self and Sandy that has got me this far. I am really pleased at how your springing method has worked out on this loco. Next up following this one will be an 0 -4 -4 tank loco. What would your approach be there?

Pickersgills Progress.... At last after some delays and setbacks the Pickersgill is back on the move again with some progress during the last week. The last serious work had been getting the tender primed. While i was spraying this I also did the loco chassis and the detachable break gear. First problem - the brake gear got lost! I have therefore had to sratchbuild a replacement using some Slaters plastic blocks form my scrapbox. Not 100% prototypical, so any CRASSOC members look away now! Secondly once I did some test running on the chassis it was clear that something was not quite right - changing the way I mounted the motor and the pick ups seemed to do the trick and the chassis is now running well. I used beryllium copper wire for these. This is the first time I have succeeded with detachable brake gear. I used the usual method of cutting small pieces of brass tube to make the spacers. I the past I have always struggled to get them exactly the same length. However, I great little tool I got from Hobby Holidays allows you to cut hollow tube really accurately. I would really recommend one. So on to the loco body. The instructions stress that it is important to start the splashers form the outside with the coupling rod splashers, and then add to tops on the inside. The main splashers then align with the edges of the splasher tops. I found the soldering challenging as not only are the shapes awkward, but there are no slots and tabs as I have been used to in previous kits. Eventually it was a case of getting a tack in to hold the piece and then re positioning accordingly. Once the splahsers were in place I added the cab front, and so we are starting to get some solidity. Next jobs will be cab sides and splasher tops. Not my neatest soldering job - so a good clean will be necessary. The kit continues to delight and infuriate in equal measure.

Can I complement Taff Vale/ Dragon models on their outstanding customer service. My sister in law was looking to get me an NBR wagon kit for Christmas. Finding the one I wanted was not currently available, I rang them left a message and they rang back within 30 minutes. Following a most helpful conversation, they remembered my sister in laws call and rang her back explaining what was available, and sorting everything out regards payment and shipping. I would like to echo the previous comments on here, and add the usual disclaimer that I am in no way connected with the supplier.

Err? Would they not then be upside down? The number needs to have the shading on the left as you look at it, as do the letters NB. LNER shading was on the right. I think that LMS numbers may have shading on the left side - but they are not the correct pattern of number.

Thanks Nigel - if you get the chance to see Aber Emlyn at any show its a stunning piece of modelling. You see so many GWR layouts at shows but not that many that depict South Wales. One of the things I have realised from looking at the photos is that the shading on the control numbers on the tank sides is the wrong way round! The Guilplates NBR transfer sheet only includes the large yellow control numbers which the photo I used for the livery show would be far too large. The numbers on the coach sheet would be too small. I used early LNER numbers from a Fox transfers sheet - correct colours and shading but on the wrong side. Can anyone suggest any other numbers that would be of the correct pattern that I could use in future?

Thanks to the nice lads from Great Yarmouth who allowed me to take this picture of Number 808 on their lovely Aber Emlyn Layout at Wakefield Show. I wouldn't have though it would have the bunker capacity to make it to South Wales! I have finally finished the decorating so the workbench is back set up and building should resume this week.

Thanks Jamie, Model railways certainly do open up new horizons! Yesterday the workings of a continental goods shipment warehouse as we pallet ed up the crates. I can build brass locos and make them run, but couldn't get the hang of using that plastic wrapping to save my life! As I said to Jamie, yesterday being on the road with Green Ayre has stretched my patience, vocabulary and lower back. I have cursed the cattle train as a re railed it for the umpteenth time, panicked as smoke emitted from the fiddle yard control panel, and publicly declared that I wanted to chuck the Fiddle Yard in a skip. I have questioned my sanity as we wrestled heavy crates back into the church in the early hours of the morning, and once caught a loco in mid air having sent it down the cassette by mistake. However, despite the frustrations I kept coming back for more. ( Bit like following Town really) Why? well partly from the smashing people you get to work with, but also because of the sheer scale and vision of the project. To try to build it is mad, but to take it out on the road and show it people is another level. Despite the layouts shortcomings and imperfections, when you stand at one end and look down from the loco shed, over the cluster of buildings to the sweeping curves beyond, it has presence and an epic scale that's difficult to match. I really hope that its permanent home gives it the chance to develop its full potential. Thanks Jamie - its been a fantastic if sometimes bumpy ride!

Is the valve gear designed to work Rob?

Really enjoyed my lunchtime operating session today on Deffors, even if I couldn't get the sequence right! There was lots of interest in the layout, and those I talked to were really impressed when I explained that Sam had scratch built almost everything. One visitor just smiled and said "great to see real modelling!"

Only problem is we would need a layout the size of Jamie's Green Ayre for a train of that length! Seriously, I must give a big thank you to Jamie, who without his kind offer to do the original etches and put the hours in drawing the CAD, these coaches would not have been produced - I would still be messing about with bits of plasticard and failing miserably. Lots of help from lots of you on here, the NBR study group, and advice from Peter Mullen and Laurie Griffen about suitable detailing parts. I hope it encourages people to do the same - I have started from a zero skills base. There are 200 years of railway history to go at and all sorts of stuff you can model if you take the plunge, are prepared to learn from what goes wrong, and accept it will get a bit better each time. I must say that I am looking forward to subsequent builds - Although I am pleased with the final result, I know that now I have worked through the first one I know the pitfalls and can do far better. This is particularly true of the underframe which is best not looked at too closely! The build sequence will be quite different next time round.

Good luck at the show today Sam. Will be along sometime this afternoon and am really looking forward to seeing the layout. An earlier post referred to the Axholme Joint. Ran across the great flatness East of Doncaster. Joint effort between NER and L and Y who later provided stock to replace the joint companies various museum pieces. I have some stuff on it if you are interested. There was hope of eastward expansion of the coalfields - and talk of a new Humber Port, but it all came to nothing, and it remained a rural backwater. A very interesting railway. AL Barnett, Railways of the South Yorkshire Coalfield is a good reference point. I can assure Mr Nearholmer that it is not permanent night in Wakefield this time of year - we get at least an hours daylight!

Having not contributed for months, I now find myself contributing to two threads on the same night! While work on the Pickersgill is still stalled, as my normal space for soldering is currently still unavailable its been on to the kitchen table to finally finish off the Class D - the first loco I did on this thread. While she has been painted black for some time I had not got round to lining and final detailing - so here she is. Finished as NBR 808 in the later goods livery introduced after 1915. As its unheard of me to complete two models on the same evening, I couldn't resist a picture of both together, though 808 is an unfitted goods loco. If anyone would like to say hello I will be helping out at Wakefield show this weekend - and the two models will be there as well.

I cant quite believe I am typing this but one of the coaches is actually completed! In the end I went along with the suggestion from Nigel and used the LNER commode handles from Laurie Griffen. Squeezed out a bit with pliers, they are only slightly too short and look convincing. It was then just a case of brake blocks made from card, as was the simple interior. I junked the plasticard interior I had made before as I was not happy with it. Glazing was then fitted. I then added westinghouse pipes form 62C, NBR crests from Guilplates, and all was put back together. Apologies for the quality of the photo - it gets dark so early at this time of year. So its now on to complete the brake third. So after delivery well behind schedule its into revenue earning service - now when am I going to get time to build a layout?

Just a quick update. Progress has slowed to a halt over the summer, due to a combination of holidays and family issues. What time I have had I have concentrated on the North British Six wheel coaches on the other thread. Belated thanks to Sandy for the very useful photograph of how the lubricator fits through the footplate. Before going on holiday I did manage to get the Pickersgill tender and chassis sprayed with their priming coat. I was also very pleased with my self as I had made the loco brake gear removable for painting. However pride always goes before a fall, and somehow I managed to lose the brake gear in transit ( the college where I used to work kindly lets me use their spray booth.) However yesterday I dusted myself down and began to put together a scratch built replacement. It will probably be a couple of weeks at least before I am able to get really up and running again with workbench, but I look forward to resuming posts. The family issues mentioned has meant that I have missed every O gauge event this year - including Telford. I am hoping to get to the Keighley O Guage show in October. Anyone who is going and wants to meet up and say hello please message me.

Great to see this thread back - always lots of interesting and inspirational stuff!

Thank you for those encouraging words Peter and to others who have commented. It's been a long road of trial and error - but I am getting there. I was wondering whether to do the window frames - I will now. I have made a note that on the next build I will do the lining before adding the vents - don't want to spoil the look - this model is very much a test for the others to follow. I am not sure about the lower panel lining - having looked at a lot of photos I am not sure if all these six wheelers had the full lining - certainly the main line bogie coaches had. By 1923 some six wheelers had lost their lining completely. Would be interested in the expert view on this! I did a little more research on the numbers using the NBR study group site, and it seems that there is no definite evidence on this. The only coach of a similar diagram where the number is known is number 414 which went off the Tay Bridge! Not wanting to tempt fate I have numbered mine 412. I must admit it has turned out better than I expected - I just hope it encourages others to have a go at building their own stock and locos.

Here is some evidence of the latest progress on the First Class carriage. I have added the lining, which is my first effort with my new bowpen. The caravan proved to be excellent for this as the natural light is really good to see what you are doing. I used Humbrol Gloss number 7 for this. For a first effort I am pleased with the results. Lettering is the NBR transfers from Guilplates. They seem slightly over scale but the overall look is good. If you read my previous post I still have to add the numbers to the currently empty waist panel. The T handles are LNWR pattern from Laurie Griffen. Close enough! At this rate I am getting surprisingly close to a completed coach!

Despite other stuff meaning I am getting very little model making done I have managed to get the two coaches lined while at the caravan and am now putting on the lettering. Can anyone help with the following. Despite trawling through all my books and NBR articles I cant seem to find what numbers the coaches would carry in NBR days - any ideas anyone? The position of the lettering and crests on the brake third. Was there a single crest on the guards ducket or did they carry two on each side on the doors? There seem to be loads of good views of four wheelers but most of the pictures of the six wheelers seem to be in LNER days or two far away to be clear.

The first and the brake third have had another visit to the paintshop and are now in their NBR colours As I have said before, I am not going to get into arguments about exact shades in use almost a century ago! I first sprayed the coach body with a can of Halfords Rover Damask Red. Once dry I then brush painted a thin coat of Phoenix Precision NBR coach crimson over the top. This gives a nice faded look to the paintwork. Its just a personal thing but I tend to spray for steel, and brush paint for wooden bodied vehicles. The underframes were sprayed with Halfords satin black. The result is a colour that looks quite different in different lights from purplish to brownish - so that's the effect I wanted. It looks nothing like the colour in the photo! I have not decided if I am going to line them yet as by the post world war one period the lining was often discontinued. I have however included the red end to the brake third which also seems to have disappeared about this time. But then evidence is contradictory and they are my coaches! We are off to the caravan in Scotland for part of the summer hols, so they can come with me for final detailing. Given they are the test etches I am pleased with how they look, and I am now getting a much clearer view of how I will tackle the next batch.

Thanks so much for this both John and Sam. That makes sense as to the workings of the rods. Now need to try to identify what fixes to the loco. Might have to do it by going through all the parts and going through a process of elimination.

After a lot of thinking I decided to take the plunge and complete the bogie by attaching the axleboxes. In the end I tinned the outer face of the bearings with 145 and then used a small amount of whitemetal solder to attach them. I don't know if this is recommended, but it does seem to have worked. The bogie rolls nice and freely. It was then a case of adding the sidesprings and the compensation beams. The holes for the fixing screws and the rod to hold the compensation beams appeared to be oversize for soldering them in, so I substituted small bolts instead. Sometimes with this kitbuilding business you just need to stop stressing and get on with it! With the bogie completed that meant that all the basic chassis components are complete and run freely. I decided therefore to move on to the loco body and began with the footplate. The first impression after cutting this out was that it was very flimsy. After attaching the fixing nuts. I then soldered on the front buffer beam which is located with a half etched line. Then it was attaching the valences which again were long and very flimsy. I tack soldered them from the front taking care that the footplate wasn't pulled out of shape. Once I was happy all was square I ran the seems along to fix them in place. I always like to make the initial tack from inside, but the pieces were so tricky to keep in place I had to go from outside and then clean up. I then checked the footplate over the chassis. It is obvious that clearances are going to be very tight! The bogie fixes on to a separate sub assembly for the front frames which fixes under the footplate. This is the next job so in the photograph the bogie is just sitting underneath without being fixed. With the bogie sorted the rest of the build looks fairly straightforward. ( No doubt that phrases will come back to haunt me) However, I am still confused by the lubricator on the front right hand driver. The attached photo from the drawings is all that is given, there being no mention of it in the written instructions. What moves here, and what is fixed? How does it fasten to the loco? I think I have located the parts on the fret but am none the wiser as to how to put it together, and how it functions. I hope someone out there can give some guidance!