scanman

Steve I've been following this thread for some time with interest. Your request for more info about the Harris Factory leads me to suggest the 'Access To Archives' programme - (www.a2a.org.uk) which lists the documents, maps etc lodged with ALL the UK records offices. a Basic search on 'Harris Factory, Calne' revealed 13 hits - most at the 'Wilts & Swindon Record Office' in Chippenham. I've not listed them here (some were obviously not relevant) - you may want to do your own search. A more detailed search engine is available from the results page. As a matter of interest, Wlits & Swindon Records Office is also the respositiory for a huge amount of Great Western archive material from the works... Hope this helps Ian

Hi Neill Finally got around to repaying the visit... 5am and the 'Saturday Night Follies' are over (I think)(you'll understand.....) Nice layout chum - and a very interesting comment about using pot. permang. above. I'm actually going to carry on 'Ambridge' using ply sleepers rather than 'C&L' plastic (I think they look better) but I still want to use 'C&L' chairs. Pre-staining with a wood dye might lead to adhesion issues - but your comment has given me paws (after all that's what black rats have G>>) for thought! CYL (and keep the shiny side up) Scanman

Nice work Mozzer - and really quick! I built one when Fred Blackman first released it (must have been in the late '70's) My overwhelming memory was carefully ensuring that all the valve-gear rivets were only soldered to the mechs they were supposed to (the thing flopped about like jelly until I fitted it to the wheels) - only to find that (IIRC) half the valve-gear doesn't move anyway! Now that I'm back modelling 'Gods Wonderful' I'll have a go at the other one I've got (which is also in it's original 'Mallard Models' box)! I'll be watching with interest! Regs Scanman

Its a 'Brio' tram G> (I know - it can't be - it's got a motor! Well done Will - I'm still guesing! Regs Ian

I know what you mean - I cannot wait to get the track-building phase out of the way so I can get on with the '*real* modelling!

Hi bomp there's loads of info out there on kaydees but I'd also look T systemsike 'sprat n winkle' - a little more time consuming but not so intrusive and *definitely* cheaper! Regs ian ps where's your brewey based? I'm in the throes of building one myself based on the Burton breweries- my favourite two subjects - Rails n beer!

WEll, the baseboards are now complete (including removing about 25mm off each end). I've taken the opportunity to make the 'end boards' high enough to take the scenic work. However, most of the last three days have been spent 'EM'-ing a Bachmann '08', using the 'Gibson' conversion kit and the instructions form the EMGS sheets. *Not* as straightforward as it seems. The 'EM' instruction sheet is written for an earlier conversion lit (based - I think - round 'Ultrtascale' wheels.) Re-wheeling is quite straightforward - press-fit the wheels on the plain axles to the 'back-to-back, not forgetting to fit the Bachmann gearwheel on the driven axle and spacing wahsers on all! I used two washers on the driven axle, positioning them inside adjacent to the gearwheel. i poitioned one washer each side of the centre (sprung) axle and two each side on the front axle. Within half an hour the loco was progressing nicely up and down the test track. Sans coupling rods... Here was where the problems started. The use of Gibson crankpins is barely discussed in the instructions, and the original extension cranks do not fit the 3mm axles provided. However. the kit included a Gibson variant. First job - remove the original extension/crankpin unit. Next problem - the 'Gibson' crankpin bushes are too small in diameter for the holes in the conn rods... Answer - bush them out with the brass bushes provided - except they were too *big* in diameter! Ream out the conn rods to match, and I soldered the bushes in position (I think they're designed for 'Gibson' conn rods, as they are slightly thinner than the Bachmann conn rods. Screw the crankpin from the back of the crank extension (not forgetting to countersink the back first)then assemble the extenssion/crankpin/crankpin bush/conn rod/securing nut (in that order. The crank extensions are plastic and push-fit over the axle ends. I fitted the front and centre units first, working on the principle it's easier to quarter an 0-4-0 then add the other two! Which I did next. Quatering initially wasn't an issue - the loco ran well first time out. The the driven axle crank slipped... The solution I used was to 'pin' the two cranks by drilling a '76' hole through both, then epoxy-ing a small length of wire as a cotter pin. I also took the opportunity to wipe the crankpin ends with epoxy to retain the nuts. An impatient six hours later and the loco was off up the test track at it's renowned slow speed! Unlikely to get much done over the next 5 days due to work - so the next update will probably be in a weeks time. Any spare time will be spent point-making. Four left to build!

Works better if you press 'attach this file..

Well almost! Three things failed - first, I had to de-ice the shed, getting the wife to work (but she's been very good, working from home!) and ordering the Pannier chassis. With no post reaching us, it seems pointless ordering a package from Chris & then trusting it to the vagaries of the Post Office storage system! However, all is not lost - I've got a conversion kit for the Bachmann '08' which will be the next 'target'. After all, I need something to test the trackwork! Talking of 'pointless', the first one - the 'yard throat' has been built (see image' courtesy of 'Templot'. For the technically minded it's a curved 1:5.5 crossing angle sitting on a ruling radius of 4'. The other image shows the linking system for the two baseboards - pattern-makers dowels courtesy of the 'EMGS' and removable-pin hinges courtesy of 'B&Q'! This required a 'slight' design modification in that the 9mm ply used for the end frame didn't hack it with regard to holding the dowels - so I 'beefed' them up with sone 25mm white wood I just happened to have lying about (under a foot of snow). An unintended consequence is that this has now increased the baseboard area by 24 square inces - so I'm now going to have to 'mod' the outer end of each board losing - you guessed it - an inch off each! However, the end-plates will also now carry the backscene, so mixed fortunes really... Looking forward - six days of 12-hour shifts (snow permitting) will leave little time after today for modelling, particularly as I have to prepare for a prenetation to Farnham MRC next Wednesday evening. If you want to know what it's about - follow the link on my 'profile page'!

Little modelling content at the mo' Im afraid - having been trapped in London for the last four days, all I could do was dream about the layout! At least in dreams the locos run smoothly, the point motors operate & the wiring works! Anyway, I now start 3 days off (the beauty of 12-hour shifts!). Plans include ordering a 'High Level' kit for a Bachmann Pannier, finishing off baseboard construction (need to link the two boards with pattern-makers dowels & 'removable pin' hinges), then start on point construction. Should keep me happily employed - hopefully the wife will be at work!