The Fatadder

I was planning to try and get the issue of MRJ describing the build, though so far haven't had any major issues. Thought I bought a second hand copy of the 4mm coach book again for the description of this build, but it's the wrong volume...

You are probably right that the bogies scare people off, it certainly would have made sense to include a non sprung option Intention is to have the bogies soldered up today (if I can find some wheels) There's something very appealing about a mixed clerestory / normal rake, though I think a corridor coach would be more in fitting with the Holiday special I had in mind, so I think another will need to be built. The current thought with the d14 is to pair with another non corridor, or to add one of my other 2 coach sets to strengthen. Of course if it is plausible for it to be included in a holiday set that would be great.

Next up was the roof, prior to taking drastic action I decided to have a go at the roof. I started by using a couple of Lima ballast weights to pin the roof flat to the workbench. I then glued the end pieces into position, then glued the clesterory side into position. In the centre the roof had bowed by 6mm below the datum point. Once the ends of the side were in position I the forced this up and glued into place I did find the bowing along the length of the side compounded the problem, if (when) I make another of these I am likely to run a length of brass strip along this side blocking the windows (plated over on the prototype) The tops of the compartments needed some fettling to get a good fit, and once painted will need gluing into place. In the below photo it's clear a tad more work is needed to get a good fit at one end. I have also fitted the first solbar along with the two etched plates that sit on either end of the chassis (not exactly sure what for) Finally made a start on the seats, although they don't match the diagram. Really impressed with this kit, the only downside being the bowed parts (though as a 2nd hand kit of undetermined age I won't hold this against it). The instructions are fantastic (right mix of text and diagrams) and the choice of material is spot on with brass used where it's best). Hopefully Coopercraft will have them back in production soon as I rather fancy an all third clesterory and 3 toplights...

Not me unfortunately, I'm supprised how rarely you see these or the toplights built, given how well designed they appear to be I'd have thought a lot more people would be building them! It's the toplights I really need to be building (one working is a pair of them and another is a railcar plus toplight) I need to work out now what else is needed to go with this coach to make a set. Was kind of thinking that a couple of non clestory non corridor stock maybe forming a replacement for one of the usual b sets

Construction has now started, First up I removed all the main parts from the spur and removed the excessive amount of flash present on some parts. Once cleaned up the holes were drilled for all the fittings I departed from the instructions and started with one side and end before adding the floor. This was then followed by the other end and finally the other side. Once complete I added the lookout on one side and a repair panel with no beading on the other (one side of the other lookout was damaged). While I have now exact photo to work from (I don't have the Harris coach book yet), I am working from photos of clestories in the Russell books and following typical modifications Next to be fitted were the internal partition walls, the fit in the slots needed a bit of fettling, but once glued and set with an engineers square Before adding the solbar and the interior details I decided to test fit the roof, this was the worst part in terms if warping, and as can be seen in the photos it's not good. My hope is that adding the clestory will straighten it out as my original plan for two strips of 1mm by 6mm brass will not work with the compartment walls. If this does not work the alternative is to glue the roof on, requiring the inside and body to be painted first... Today I intend to fit the solbar and interior, and depending on time maybe start painting the insides of the coach. Would be so much easier if butanol / enamel paints were more inert as I've got plenty of time sat with baby sleeping (I know I could use acrylics but I am not keen on the coverage), but don't want any nasty chemicals anywhere near her

Thanks, I will give it a go and see how it goes

The side has about 3-4mm while the roof is closer to 5-6 mm A test fit looks like the floor/partitions looks like that will straighten enough, but the roof needs some brass strip I think.

I have the in laws visiting the baby this evening, which will give me a couple of hours off baby duty and let me get into the workshop. My plan is to get on with an eBay purchase of a slatters clestory d14, While it's the toplights I am really after, getting this kit at a good price was too good to miss. The intention being to use it as part of a summer Sunday special. Looking at the kit there's tons of detail, although most of the main plastic parts are badly bowed (is this common with slatters) so some strengthening and straightening will be needed I'm also planning to model it with duckets, and will also be removing some of the panelling. I want an example right at the end of its life in patch painted and weathered in pre war choc & cream Not actually got a photo to work from which doesn't help

Looks very convincing, might even tempt me to have a home at finishing my 4....

Love the clay liner tank How did you do the walkway?

And there are other ways round it with cranked couplings, longer shaft lengths, body mounting etcParticularly as we are talking the front coupling which a lot of people remove anyway...

Not happy with it, (or the presumably over large splashes) Hopefully brass masters will bring out a replacement, else I will be drawing up my own!

First of all I know the mermaid code is a BR creation, but given the GW didn't even allocate a diagram to these wagons it's a bit tough to know what else to call it As per the thread in help I have been converting the Cambrian mermaid kit into the gwr version, Work has involved New buffers Single side Morton breaks Removal of vac mount New break leavers (once I find something suitable) I am unclear as to whether there are any body details which are different between the original and BR versions, so if anyone knows better please let me know. The body has a little damage (it was built years ago and chucked in the bottom of a bits box) so this still needs repairing. My plan now is to add another 4 or 5 of these to make a bulk working from the quarry en route to some engineering work elsewhere on the network. Also seen in the below photo is my Kirk ballast open, finally fitted with a pair of parkside break leavers. Both are now ready for paint. I have no photos of the gw mermaid, so currently haven't a clue how to letter it...

YesBetween the first and second wheelset

The round bit goes on the tender, there are two round roped bits about half way along the chassis and it fits between these The two long bits go either side of the loco chassis under the horn guides for the two driving wheels. Hopefully that makes sense, I can try and do a photo later on if it doesn't

Very nice!

Must have missed your earlier comment, thanks for the heads up. Will get the black paint out later and correct!

Looks like I need to pop to Portishead on Friday to pick my gw model up from MRD, finally get my reward from work for passing all my cima exams first time Hopefully it doesn't take Gibson long to do those wheels

For me the photo of a Dukedog at Yatton I am working from is on freight, so it will be used on that. Though I will probably also use it on the early morning passenger working with a pair of b sets as well

Will keep that in mind if I go for any more, though I am not a huge fan of white metal for a kit. Much prefer plastic or brass for the body, white metal is best left for the detailing in my mind

A further modification I forgot to describe, which may be of use to you. Pas it comes the kit only has detail on one side of the break moulding, this means one side of the wagon is left with a very poor representation of the brakes. The easiest thing to do would be replacing with an etch, but to avoid the extra cost my approach was to take the second set of breaks and carefully cut off the push rod. The brake shoe was then glued in place before adding the push rod in the correction. This enabled me to get the detail facing out on both sides

Currently on my work bench is a wagon I have been after for some time, a Ratio kit for a GW Open C. I think I am right in saying this is a 30 year old kit, but the crispness in some of the mouldings is still rather good, all be it slightly let down in some of the finer components. The solebars come moulded as part of the sides, I think this has the net result of making them significantly over width (while the body looks like it matches the drawings in Ackins et al). I have chosen to model the example photographed within Ackins (which is also repeated on the Ratio packaging). When finished it will be painted in the post war GW livery and loaded with some large diameter pipes for delivery to the reservoir at Cheddar. Construction started with the 2 piece floor, I removed the necessary ribs from the underside to provide clearance for Bill Bedford springing units, before gluing the two halves together. An inch length of Brass U channel was superglued in the centre across the joint to add further strength. Next the body was constructed, ensuring all was square, before carefully cutting off the corners of the headstock to get the required angles. Buffers were replaced with some castings of the later type (again working from the Ackins photo) Moving onto the chassis, it suffers from an unusual problem. The solebars are too wide apart (by approx. half a mm each side) which makes the etched W irons look a bit strange recessed so far in. To solve this I took the plastic W irons Ratio supply, removed a channel for the bearing to move in, and glued in place overlaying the etching. (God knows how you get this kit to work in OO!) Finally break gear was cobbled together with the Ratio shoes, V hangers and leavers along with various scratch built brackets and rods, working from photos. Not 100% accurate, but good enough for the layout.

Cornish Riveria ltd in gw at speed sounds good, Or anything else in gw!

Some are eaiser than others, but I wouldn't say any more difficult than parkside. Some have a one piece floor/solbar/wirons (not sure about the starfish, but the steel gw open is one) which is a fair step up on parkside for a rigid oo build. Thanks for the heads up on ling and tunney, will start looking for some.