Steph Dale

Hi Mike, First time I've checked in here for a good while and nice to see the progress on the Southern 350hp DE shunter. It's great to see all those drawings evolve into a model. Steph

Pete, It's a very simple contraption - just a couple of rods and removable pin to connect it all to the regulator, or not. Mostly not... One of the two gauges on the right hand side is for the Westinghouse air line pressure, but the second one I'm less certain of, perhaps an indicator for the fireman to control something like the cut-off or even a check on the regulator position? I think the photo of the cab interior is probably John Edward's. It was certainly a very nicely built model. The other two photographs are amongst the worst I have taken, but do show the layout for the pull-push gear that I believe is correct. This is my (in)famous '50hr model' - I built it in a working week about twenty years ago. When you get a chance to have a dig around for photos of your prototype it might be worth looking out for AWS gear under the bunker on the left hand side and if you think you see a second filler on the top of the left hand tank you may well be right; it appears that some locos gained a filler basket for water treatment briquettes - it appears to be exactly the same as that fitted to Bulleid's pacifics. Steph

Only if you look reeeeeeeeaaaaaalllllyyyyyyyy closely...! Steph

I remember shivvering and catching several bits of paper in the ten minutes or so I was visiting your stand. At the very least it must have been a trial. I might try that next time; I'm well known for my sense of adventure. Steph

I've had an A1 version and even tried scratchbuilding one when I realised how the A1 version was likely to build up. So I understand your pain... Steph

I think we had that discussion already, Mike - you may recall photos taken at Eastbourne: http://railphotoprints.uk/p396694077/h2D536E56#h2d536e56 http://www.davidheyscollection.com/userimages/0001-dh-collection-fell.jpg Steph

That might be because it wasn't produced by Shell alone (it was joint with Fell Developments and BR). However it can be obtained through the Shell film unit (details through BFI). The reproduction/copyright control is actually managed through a third-party, but the contact has to be made through Shell. However, if you really want a copy it can be obtained - got a recorded DVD-R from them a few years ago. Steph

And also confirming that at the point the loco was introduced that both sides of the locos were the same... It's worth contacting Shell/BFI for the full film - it's fascinating. Steph

Don't worry Peter! I model the early fifties so, one way or another, we'll cover the later options. Steph

Simon, Richard posted the current guesstimation on Peter's thread a little while ago, so I don't think I'm betraying any confidences: "...starting with me building the pre-production L12... ...then D15, T1, A12, 0395, S11, K10. That's probably 3-4 years work, and the order may be altered. The T1 is substantially drawn, and it's a toss-up whether that or the D15 takes priority." All of these, L12 included, won't be released until the current kits, including LSWR 4-4-0s (T9s, L11) are back in production. I'm pretty much maxxed-out on the re-tooling jobs at the moment so I'll have a good chunk of time available to progress the L12 and other kits during 2018. Steph

Peter, In a scratchbuilt model you'll be building to your own skill set and designing parts to fit the model within the constructional approaches you find easiest. For a kit it's a bit different in that we have to allow for a variety of levels of skill and I think many people would struggle to neatly trim a firebox inside a splasher. There's also the issue of the 'L' angle which joins the splasher top and cab front to the firebox; that would need shaping before fitting whether formed from strip or, as here, two flat features. Steph

Peter, I hope Richard doesn't mind my interjection, but I may be a good person to answer your question as the one who's doing the work to get the artwork and patterns to production and is designing the future LSWR kits... If the firebox drops between the splashers to a straight line then it can interfere with the wheels. In 'Finescale' the firebox cladding is significantly wider than the frames (it's a bit wider on the prototype!). Doing it the way seen in Richard's build, with the firebox sitting just between the splashers, allows that clearance to be maintained and it can still be soldered from inside the body to create a neat seam in an area that would be a real pain to clean up from outside. Providing the interface between the two parts is well developed, as is the case here, it's no harder to get that joint neat than it would be to join two straight pieces of brass. It's also worth noting that even if we attempted to simplify the interface between the splashers/cab and firebox we'd still have a number of complex curves to develop if the angle joining the cab/splashers to the boiler cladding was to be replicated, as it is here. In my mind the quality of the fit and the associated effort put into the design is what should make a kit easier than scratchbuilding. All that hard work should be done, once, by the designer so that the builder has a simpler time in assembling their model. It seems to have been much of Martin's approach and my intention is that all the future LSWR kits which will come from Finney7 will continue in this way. There are a good few modellers of the LSWR who have built these kits and have expectations which we fully expect to meet. Steph

Evening all, I'm very grateful to Richard for him offering to do this test build. It will allow me/us to get the full kit available sooner as it saves me a great deal of time understanding Martin's original design and means I can continue with the re-introduction schedule. This kit will be my primary focus in the new year once the existing LSWR 4-4-0 kits have been retooled. A year or two ago I got some way through working up an L12 (and S11 too, although that's a slightly different story), between Martin's retirement and the Finney7 team's involvement. So here I'm looking at a hybrid design, incorporating a number of the details I had worked up with the parts Martin has developed. What you can see here in the frets is a first attempt at converting Martin's original artwork for his P4 model into a 7mm scale version so we can see how it goes together. I've already done the adjustments to the frame spacers and cab interior for finescale and there's a set of fluted coupling rods included for checking too. In terms of additions the most obvious parts to complete are the post-rebuild details; extended smokebox, different brakegear and injectors. As Richard works through I'm adding details and further enhancements to the design (as befits a 7mm, rather than 4mm scale model). So what you'll see here is a good indication of what's to come, but there is a lot of work to do to get to a complete kit. Not least the castings... Steph

Mike, I had a dig around yesterday evening and I think that, as built, the loco had a window both sides. Have you been in contact with Shell for any info or photos? Steph

Mike, On the 'Fell', the 'resilient' wheels you describe were only on those wheelsets connected to the gearbox - the outer driving wheels were conventionally spoked. The mechanism allowed the (sprung) wheels to move relative the (fixed) gearbox; they form part of the drive coupling. Oh and when it's ready in 7mm... :-) Steph

Steve, That looks superb. I'm admiring the spec, the price and also strongly support your work with a preservation group. There's some really good ideas in there and you wish you the very best of luck with the project. Steph

Al, Dave, The sidecontrol effect of the springs is the same in either case shown in the diagram - both result in the same rotational forces around the pivot. In the diagram it's anticlockwise around the pivot in both cases. But - I don't think you need the second lot of springs at the bogie end of the pivot arm - I usually allow the bogie full freedom to rotate, but with side control to make it self-centre from translational forces. It is, afterall, the way the prototype does it...! Steph

It looks very impressive to me (actually so do all the Heljan 7mm scale diesels), I'm going to have a think about how to do a conversion to the Ice Cream Cart with sound, smoke and whirly fans before I put my order in. No doubt there's someone hereabouts already eyeing up a DP2 conversion...? Brian, do you known if it will be available undecorated? Steph

Harry, Quickly breaking down the costs makes it look like roughly £10/plate for original artwork, £3 or so for film and number changes, then £3/plate production. Difficult to work out in detail; I'm having 6 sets, each of three plates, for two different types of vehicle and some of the plates are common... However, I certainly don't think it unreasonable in terms of value for custom plates that you know are correct for your models, even down to the works order number if necessary, if that sort of thing floats your boat. Steph

Reading my post back I can see that I was far from explicit, so let me spray that again... Diane Carney can probably help you out with custom plates for your vehicles, if you can provide her with the information. Steph

If the 'fun' I had trying to get hold of etched tare plates for my 'Continental' were anything to go by, you could be led a merry dance... In the end I dropped an email in to Diane Carney: loco.nameplates@uwclub.net The exact plates I wanted are now being produced to my requirements. So now I've just got to think a bit harder about the finishing of the model... Steph

I thought some locos were re-engined with 645 units to get rid of the turbochargers. In which case the exhaust system would need changing (maybe even to 'liberated' exhaust with four stacks). Thanks to the roof cowls/styling I'm not certain how visible this would be unless you've got a fairly high-level view of your chosen loco. Oh, and you'd need a different sound decoder; the difference between a turbo 567 and conventionally-aspirated 645 is pretty obvious. Steph