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Derails Models

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  1. Derails Models
    Afternoon All!
     
    Welcome to this first edition of the Derails Diary! I hope this will become an informative, informal, fun diary surrounding interesting things going on here at a retailer; a little bit behind the scenes, but mostly use messing around!
     
    This first post revolves around the garden railway side of our business and our visit to the UK's largest (and best, in our opinion) Garden Railway locomotive manufacturer, Roundhouse Engineering Co of Doncaster. Leaving the Forest at 8am on Sunday, after a traffic and road-work free 3 hour trip to Donny we pulled into their car park. They're based on an interesting industrial estate, with a fishing tackle shop on one side and a gym on the other!
     
    The Roundhouse 2019 model is the iconic Ffestiniog Double Fairlie, never produced 'en masse' in 16mm scale form before. The prototype loco's were designed by Robert Fairlie in the early 1860's and despite what you might think, they weren't actually first seen on the FR - standard gauge versions were produced first. The first Narrow Gauge variant 'Little Wonder' was delivered to the FR in 1869 and Fairlies have been in constant on the railway ever since.
     
    The Roundhouse model is a £4100 fully working model, gas fired with a twin-boiler setup. The only common connection between the two boilers is the steam regulator and the gas regulator, both of which consist of one central valve controlling both boilers - in fact you are effectively steaming two locomotives. 
     
    Now I've been asked a lot how Roundhouse loco's are actually built and my answer has always been the same simple one liner; "Hand-made in Doncaster Sir" - but now I can elaborate further. So here is a simplified production timeline surrounding one of the new Double Fairlies!
     
    Step 1 - Design! 
     

    A - Design Shop by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    Design is done in a 3D format on a CAD software from scratch, only using measurements and 2D line diagrams - no scanning parties here! Once design is completed the designer will head into the machine shop and start to make the prototype model himself. If you look on the screen on the right, you can see a more advanced stage of production - setting out the etchings. These have to be sent in 2D format to the etcher for production.
     
    Step 2 - The Machine Shop!
     

    B - Machine Shop by Derails Models, on Flickr
     

    C- CNC Machine 1 by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    So, in our simplified version of production, our prototype model has been extensively tested and any changes have been made. We're now producing our first customer model! Here, the CNC machines are running almost autonomously, machining all of the parts needed to build the models. Above, we see the Cylinder Stretchers (nope, I don't know what they do either) for the Double Fairlie being machined from a block of brass - this machine can produce this part in 1-2 minutes! Here's the finished piece: 
     

    D - DLG Cylinder Stretchers by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    There is a vast stores of parts here, here we see cylinder blocks and thousands of wheels!
     

    E - Cylinders by Derails Models, on Flickr
     

    F - Wheels by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    Step 3 - Part Assembly
     
    Cylinders by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    Individual parts are now assembled into working parts of the model - items like the cylinder. The pic above shows the seperate parts and the stages required to machine them, and the finished item at the bottom there. At this stage the body etches (which we saw earlier on the design screen) are delivered to the factory and soldered together.
     
    Step 3 - The Paint Shop
     

    G - Paint Shop by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    This room is where the parts that need to be painted, are painted. Roundhouse use an industrial grade two-pack paint that is very durable and gives a great gloss finish! Here we see a Double Fairlie body being painted into Crimson Lake.
     
    Step 4 - The Chassis Man
     

    H - Frames by Derails Models, on Flickr
     

    I - Chassis Testing by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    I've always though that the Roundhouse Chassis assembler must be a skilled man! If you've seen my other blog, you'll know I'm building a loco using their chassis. Can I get the timing correct? No I can not! Here we see some Fairlie chassis being constructed. Due to the small size, these are tight loco's to build and Marlou (the chassis man) informs us that they are incredible fiddly!
     
    Step 5 - Final Assembly
     

    J - Final Assembly by Derails Models, on Flickr
     

    K - DLG Assembly by Derails Models, on Flickr
     

    L - Derails Alco by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    Where all of the hard work pays off! Four gents sit around a table and hand-assembled the finished loco. In the first pic you can see the layout including the "Lazy-Susan" of parts in the centre. Pic 2 shows a Double Fairlie in various stages of construction. Last but not least, you can see an Alco with the body on and one with the body off. The Alco on the left, wearing the War Department livery, is actually a loco bound for us here at Derails - we'll be welcoming it into our stock in a couple of weeks time! In fact it was good fun going around the factory and seeing our name on different cards....
     
    Step 6 - Testing
     

    M - DLG on Track by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    Each Roundhouse Classic Series loco, such as the Fairlie, are steam-tested to ensure all is well. Here we see one such locomotive on test on the showroom track. The loco is towing an estimated 20lb, and was handling it with ease! At this point the loco is cleaned, packed up and label before the dealer is informed it is ready. We then arrange delivery to it's new owner, and the process is complete!
     
    It was really good for us to meet to meet the guys and girls at the factory and seeing how things were done, seeing things behind the scenes and finding out how much work actually goes into one of these locomotives - in-fact, even if you're not really that interested in Garden Railways, if you're in the area around their next open day I really would recommend going along. There's a buffet lunch too, if that's an incentive......
     
    The return trip istelf was uneventful (apart from the fact we may have driven into one of Doncasters 'bus-gates' - here comes a fine!) and we arrived back in the Forest of Dean at around half-past four; enough time for a cup of tea before dinner! 
     
    We hope you've enjoyed reading this, and we'll be back soon with our next tale!

    Cheers!
  2. Derails Models
    Good Evening Everyone,
     
    After a long hiatus from garden railways, things have just been given a kickstart in the way of a loco kit I ordered about 12 months ago. DJB announced their coal fired saddle tank kit back at the Peterborough show in 2016 and I thought it was a lovely little engine - I'd always wanted a coal fired loco to complete my fleet for now and and this was my go time. I decided to go into kit form as it was A) Cheaper and B) More satisfactory when the loco was completed. It arrived last week and construction began in earnest.
     
    The chassis was purchased separately through my work, Derails, who conveniently are a Roundhouse dealer. This arrived a few months ago and a trial assembly of it was done before it was disassembled to await the rest of the kit, as a DJB axle-driven water pump and separate exhaust T's had to be fitted during the build. The frames had to be sent off to Paul at DJB so he could modify them slightly to accommodate the ashpan, a couple of frame spacers were moved for this purpose.
     
    The rest of the kit arrived and was laid out in the man cave-come-workshop:

    1 - Parts by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    First things first, a dry run of some of the major components was carried out, this also gave a little flavour of how the engine would look. Here it is minus valve gear, saddle tank, cab sheets and paint....

    2 - Dry Run by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    Once re-arranged back into parts, the chassis and associated parts were primered, ready for painting. The chassis would later be disassembled so the buffer beams could be painted red with rivet detail, and the frames painted into satin black. Still undecided on loco colour.

    3 - Primer Chassis by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    With the frames now sanded, primed then top coated in satin black, proper construction could start. This started with the fitting of the cylinders, steam tee and exhaust tee:

    Frames by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    With the tees in the middle, the fitting of the deadleg lubricator (big box on the right) and axle pump assembly (pipes on the left) commenced - the wheels, axle pump eccentric and strap will be fitted when I can find my 6BA Allen key, which is conveniently the only one missing from my set, and is required for fitting the axle pump eccentric onto the axle........

    Front End by Derails Models, on Flickr

    Chassis Full 2 by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    And this concludes part one! So far all nice an simple - next up, bufferbeam detailing and painting before moving onto the valve gear, watch this space...
  3. Derails Models
    Hi there!
     
    Some of you may know me, some not - as you can see I'm Little Dan and I run Derails Models model railway shop. Despite this, I do still like to model now and then (although sometimes after a hard day its the last thing I want to do!). This blog is the show my...attempts? Exploits? Whatever you want to call it, its going to be here.
     
    This post is an introduction of sorts - I'm writing it in the shop during my quiet moment see - just to show you what to expect..so without further ado, here's what I currently have:
     
    Layout No.1 - Winterdan
     
    Devised in 2008/9 when I was 9/10, the layout is an exhibition layout of a mainline station complete with shunting yard. The layout is set in the winter (although my surname is Winter too so it does confuse people...) and is basically two ovals and the aformentioned yard. It becomes an instant hit with the kids at pretty much every exhibition it goes too, despite trying to wire the layout on the morning of the exhibition being harder than trying to figure out how the universe is held together and actually transporting it anywhere is harder than moving a white elephant. I suppose it is white so there is something in common there...
     
    The layout has been to about 10 exhibitions I think, and is book so far for one more. This is all to do with the kids thing - kids layouts are getting harder to come by and for dragging the kids into the hobby, its what we need.
     
    Layout No.2 - Crooked Lane MPD
     
    This one is a more recent exihibition layout, one planned as I grew out of the roundy roundy type layouts and wanted a 'boring' (according to my Dad, Big Dan) shunting layout. Built over the course of two years or so, it appeared in unfinished states for ages before going to last years Thornbury MRC show (the small one in November) in a state which I could call 'finished', but are they ever?
     
    Its a diesel depot + single platform terminus station, based in the North West with a large station nearby, albeit not modelled, which means a large variety of traction appears. The years represented by the layout are 1978 - 1983ish. But as always some unprototypical things do happen, such has air braked stock running with vac braked stock - my response to a comment like this at an exhibiton was the train was running unfitted - and Scottish 26's 'holidaying' in England - shoot me someone!
     
    The layout has been to about five exhibitions and is booked at one more. Being an easier layout to handle sometimes we offer a small trade stand along with it, and don't claim expenses. This always goes down well.
     
    Layout (if you can call it that) No. 3 - Garden Railway
     
    When I first joined the model railway club I am now a member and supply to, I got friendly with a chap who ran 16mm SM32 live steam in his garden. I would attend steam ups and drive locos, knowing one day I would take the plunge. In 2013 I finally did just that - when Derails became Roundhouse Engineering dealers I ordered on of their basic loco's, a Bertie, and ran it on boards in the garden up and down five metres of track. Since then, the railway has grown to 20 yards long with run-round loops on either end, and the fleet has grown to include a high powered battery electric and a Roundhouse Stanley steam tram.
     
    The garden railway takes quite a bit of my time now - the loco's, being real working steam engines, require maintenance, as does the infastructre, which you can understand as it is left to the elements for most of the time. Another extension is on the cards, by the way.
     
    So there we are. A roundup of whats going on modelling wise at the moment - all this whilst running a business and also volunteering at the local Dean Forest Railway.
     
    Watch this space for updates (and hopefully pictures if my damn camera will work)!
     
    Many thanks,
     
    Little Dan
  4. Derails Models
    Hi all,
     
    The first post of some actual modelling! Oh well...
     
    Recently I uncovered a large scale coach that I scratchbuilt back about a year or so ago. Back when I built it I was so proud, despite having no detail, a poor paint job, the roof was crooked and theh fact it slanted to one side, to me it was damn good.
     
    My Roundhouse Stanley and a mixed train, coach visible, with 'Big Dan' fighting with the 3-link chains...he prefers 'Chopper' couplings now...

     
    After ignoring its bad quality whilst running it over the past season, I found it curled up in my rolling stock box a week or so ago, and decided it needed some work.
     
    First job was the interior - this had really bugged me. So one evening and one half of the coach was turned out with Coffee Stirrer style parrellel seating, other half to follow:

     
    As well as this, the interior was painted with a green colour my mother said was "like something a your baby niece deicied to give back", roof access steps (more coffee stirrers), a handbrake (yep, more stirrers) and door stepboards (you guessed it...) were added. Left to do is the other half of the interior, doors (guess what they will be made of...), interior lighting and a new roof, which now I have all the components for there is no excuse not to get on with it...oh wait my car theory test is in two days so nothing but revision until then..! So more on that in the next post.
     
    Sticking with the large scale coach theme, a new coach was purchased cheap on evil-Bay the other night (sorry for the fuzzy image):

     
    Already dubbed the "German coach" it should fit with the Roundhouse Stanley tram quite nicely. The plan is to slip some Roundhouse Arch Bar bogies underneath, rebuild the interior and add lighting, which should make for a nice easy conversion, however with space for only one coach in the works at the time, that one's on the back burner until the scratchbuilt coach is finished.
     
    That's all for now folks, thanks for reading!
     
    Regards,
     
    Dan
  5. Derails Models
    Hi all,
     
    Long time, no post. Been a bit busy, with work and all that. Would love to retire, although probably not best whilst I'm in my teens...
     
    Work has progressed a little on the two large scale coaches, with the German coach now entering service - for those of you who don't know the German language or can't be bothered to look it up on Google translate (like I did), the title says "New coach in service...".
     
    The Roundhouse bogies fitted a treat, some 2mm dia. bolts secured them in place, the only extra work required was drilling the holes in the floor to accommodate them. Coupling hooks were created by using the original buffers and drilling a small hole through them, then gluing in a small brass hook.
     
    Here's some pics of it out and about:
     
    The German coach on its first test at the BCLR First open day of 2016, with Stanley the tram

    Coach @ BCLR by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    Back at home, finishing touches are being applied...Little John (aka Electric Lemon) is in charge on the first train of the day.

    Coach @ Home by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    I leave you with this image of one of the new Roundhouse DHR Garratt's pulling a substantial load at the BCLR open day...there were two of these running at once however the first one ran out of gas before any pictures could be taken. This one has been fully lined to represent DHR condition, and looks wonderful - unfortunately my budget won't stretch that far, not even at trade price...

    DHR Garratt by Derails Models, on Flickr
     
    That's all for now folks, thanks for reading!
     
    Regards,
     
    Dan
  6. Derails Models
    G'day everyone...
     
    I've been working slowly through this kit for a number of reasons, the main one being that I did not want to rush, the other being that I simply had to fit it in around other things. The past two months progress has been with the chassis and working parts, as you can see below:
     
    Firstly, the axle pump was fitted:

     
    Followed closely by the painted bufferbeams:

     
    WIth these parts in, I could being to construct the valve gear, probably the bit I dreaded most...

     
    And we're done! Having been tested and extensively run on air, she's not perfect but it'll do for now, fine tuning can be undertaken after running on steam:

     
    A quick test fitting of the unpainted boiler gets us a little closer to the complete engine look:

     
    Back to painting, the two footplate assemblies and the first stage of the cylinder covers:

     
    And the last picture for today, the boiler, finally painted in Rustoleum Black:

     
    Not much to say really at this point, the pictures can say more than I can explain! I've now got hold of some high-heat silicon and therefore the boiler can now be fitted to the engine, that'll be the next step - hopefully in the not too distant future. Lastly soldering up, painting and fitting the saddle tank/cab will mark completion, estimated to be before the end of 2017. Then the 2018 job is the build a tender and look into making a removable cab roof, as build she's only an open cab and I wouldn't fancy that in the rain...
     
    Cheers for now...
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