The Fatadder

I have the 2mm pins, (useful for tender building?) For the time being at least all the locos needed for the layout plan have 3 driven axles. The only possible thing will be if I am tempted to buy a 28xx or 72xx and decide to re chassis... So 3 axles worth should certainly be adequate for my needs for the time being.

Interested to hear you say that, as it matches up with my impression of of the jig, the main thing I wanted it for was the pegs Like the idea with 4mm bolts, will definitely add that to the list along with the Tufnol. I think as you say a ruler and engineers square should sort the rest...

Having debated buying a jig for some time now, I have finally taken the plunge and bought an Ultralite version of Avonside's Chassis2 jig Which I think with a couple of modifications (such as adding my own Tufnol plate), should serve my needs well at a fraction of the full jig's cost. As a quick test, I have taken my Mitchell 43xx chassis (purchased off ebay without wheels). Thankfully after setting the jig by the con rods, it sits perfectly (so I am hopeful that once I add the wheels this should prove for good running.) Now either need C&L to start selling Exactoscale (so I can get some 3mm ID hornblocks for my 2251) or else its going to be a wait until Christmas when I should be getting the chassis for the 58xx and pannier The second photo shows the start of my new work station, (saved from a skip). The intention is to add a 1.5 inch width shelf on the back (at the top hight), and a lower shelf half way up with holes for files, glue bottles etc. Once I buy the 4mm ply for baseboard construction, there aught to be ample left for this. Once finished it will let me work on models downstairs (and hence keep an eye on the dog at the same time.)

Given the amount of work that needs to be done decorating the house before I get to start work on modifying the garage to get it prepared for the layout, thoughts have turned to an interim project to give me somewhere to run stock in the mean time. The size of Cheddar prevents it from being built inside, however I do have space for approximation a 12ft by 1ft6 layout along one wall in the forth bedroom. Conversation with Dave (DeeV) about his automated traversers, has got me thinking about a small end to end project with approximately an 6ft baseboard with a treverser at each end which is sized on the length of a 43xx and a B Set The idea being that I will be able to sit at the work bench and play trains, without having to keep moving away to operate the treverser. Sticking with the Cheddar Valley theme, I have been playing with a plan based on a slightly shortened Draycott, adding a second siding below the through line to add a bit more interest. (along with plans for a few more buildings, and potentially adding a signal box) One thing I would like to try is working point rodding, along with a first attempt at working semaphores. Feedback on the design is very welcomed

Interested in applying csbs to mine (and my 2251 when I come to build the chassis) Will be interested to hear how you get on as the pannier will be my first attempt at csbs

Chassis is going to be from High Level

Fantastic news, Really wanted a riveted one, so will get some archers rivet transfers

On the mainline model there is a circular raised area around the bolt which is only accurate for one loco in preservation (a repair job post preservation) The actual bolt has been left alone

Going to look at keeping it but it all depends on how tidy the interface between the moulding and the pipes looks, I have scratch built the equivalent on my 2251 which has come out well, but i would definitely prefer to keep the moulding Going to make a start on the upper pipe work on Sunday

The top feed will be needed on this one, but the pipes are definitely going to be replaced. Will give that a try. Will bare that in mind regarding the hand break rodding.

A little more work this afternoon, Exams are now finished, so back to work tomorrow (and the long wait for the results in January!) Today's work has focused around the cab, the new floor was added from black 40 thou and then added a bulkhead on the back of the cab. It now just needs an appropriate back head adding (something else to add to the Gibson order.) I have also added the 10 thou firebox sides While I had the camera out, I also got this photo of what is currently going through the works Starting from the bottom: 7723 Collett goods - awaiting the etched parts finishing off, and a chassis build Mitchell 43xx, - the body only needs paint, the chassis is just waiting for a set of wheels 58xx 4575 I am still trying to get the chassis to work reliably, dodgy crank pins and slightly off quartering is the current issue (I will never touch gibsons that are not ready drilled again!) Finally an airfix large prarie, given to me by a friend at school (whos sister had trampled the chassis) The intention is to rebuild it and fit to a Comet chassis. Its something of a long term project, the intention to use it on an excursion rake.

Moving on from my last post, I have now made a good start on 7723 All the moulded on details have now been removed, along with all logos and numbers. The original handrails were also removed with the intention of replacing with scale handrail knobs and finer wire Starting with the cab, the roof has had the hatch removed carefully and been replaced with a small piece of 10 thou plasticard cut to size. I have removed the glazing from cab windows, (one popped out nicely the other had lots of glue and cracked in removal) I am thinking about trying to fit Shawplans laser Glaze, depending on how well my experiment fitting open windows works (using a couple of brass surrounds) either way this will of course be post painting. On the dome I have carefully filed back the 'nipple' to blend it into the profile of the top of the dome. I think I am nearly there with it now, certainly a big improvement over how it came. Sticking with the top of the tank, I havent done any more yet, but I am getting very close to removing the pipes running to the top feed and replacing with brass rod. It just doesnt look quite right in a n profile instead of being round I think looking back to my original photo the bonnet cover looks to be a different colour to the green of the tanks, so it looks like it needs a polished version. In which case I will chop off the moulding and replace with a brass casting. Moving below the tanks, I have now drilled out the centre of the brackets at the end of the firebox, along with cutting out the injectors from each side. While I was at it I also removed the lower few mm of the top feed pipe to replace with brass linked up to the Gibson injector castings (once they arrive) The firebox will now be made up from 10 thou plasticard (ensuring it doesnt get in the way of the new motor). I think it makes a big difference, adding another mm of depth under the tanks, along with bringing the injector slightly forward into its correct position. I am really looking forward to getting the castings so that I can see how it all fits together! The final job is to remove the pipework between the injector and the cab steps (which will be replaced at the same time as fitting the injectors), after which I will be removing the infill above the sandbox filler in the cab steps. Along with probably replacing the pipe that runs along the underside of the footplate Finally I need to add the sandbox linkage to the right hand side, rather than copy the left hand in brass rod, I am debating fabricating in flat sheet.

Thanks, that was the only one I had spotted. Will live in hope that Dapol choose to release the streamlined model in post war condition!

Silly question (in case I have missed the obvious) Were there any photos in the Colin Judge GW railcar book showing the post war livery?

Other than the logo, how much difference is there in the lining etc between the 27 - 34 and the 42 - 47 livery? Just wondering if should it be the earlier livery if I will be able to easily rebrand it to the 40s livery. Of course I still havent found a photo of a streamlined railcar on the Cheddar branch, but on my layout it is certainly going to happen!!!

Another thought re that pipe work at the bottom of the firebox which links to the top feed Going to try 2 approaches, firstly soldering up from brass tube / wire If that doesn't work, the alternative is 3d printing, though even at uni when I actually used the program, doing pipes on solidworks was always the most difficult bit. Of course with the latter I can make as many as I need easily Anyway, enough model talk. Exam is in an hour.... More later with some photos of work so far

I have a part built modelex 45xx kit which suffered major damage when I moved house, given it looked beyond repair I have used various parts on other projects, so far the tank fillers, and vents along with the cab doors have ended up on the 58xx

Having reached the limit of work on 5813 (at least until I am able to get a small diameter drill so that I can get the handrails drilled and fitted) I have decided to crack on with another project, 7723 from a Mainline Pannier tank. This was decided by a single undated photo of a pannier in one of the Cheddar books which did not have a BR smokebox number plate, I will also be following a similar route on a second pannier (all be it working from the more recent Bachmann body). I'm undecided on the prototype yet (as yet to find another photo, but I quite fancy one of the later cab type with no topfeed) The model was picked up from Tim Easter who had started the detailing a very long time ago, adding sprung buffers, the linkage for the some of the wire handrails and making a start on the underside. My intention, Remove the rest of the fictional infill over the top of the middle driver. (I'd have ideally liked to do the same on the section either side of the fire box, to get full depth of detail on the pipework. But that is a step to far and would likely look worse than as it comes, that said, the more I look at it the more it bugs me........ Another job I'd have liked to sort, but will be leaving is new pipe runs on the top of the tanks, heading to the top feed. While I think having a separate pipe would look a lot better, it crosses so many bits of detail I think there is just too much chance of damage Then its onto the easier bits, re-profiling the dome (or replacing it if that falls through) Add cab floor/ bulkhead / backhead along with any other easy to model cab interior bits High Level chassis As with other projects, given the summer setting (and research indicating that it was a particularly hot summer) I have also modified the roof to open the hatch, removed the 1mm of part closed shutters from the open part of the cab side, and I am thinking about having a crack at modelling the cab front windows open. As ever I am interested to hear if there is anything else worth changing on it.

Modelling in 1947, so will have to get the ATC bits fitted. Not being to aware of these things, which conduits do I need to keep (hoping against hope that you do not say the long wide down the right hand cab side (looking towards the chimney) Which I spent ages carefully carving off last night.... Will get the bell added this afternoon, I assume the box is the one included with the mainly trains bits which fits next to the right hand cab step? I have now fitted the cab doors, which has really brought it together. Wish I had somewhere warm to spray......

In an attempt to distract myself, having reached saturation point revising for next weeks Strategic Cima exams, I have spent a bit of time working on 5813 today. As discussed in my previous blog, I had completed work on the boiler adding the mainly trains detailing bits along with scratch building the missing lower boiler (probably the most noticeable modification) After finding some suitable etched doors in my scrap box, I have decided to model on door open and the other closed. It seems that a lot of 14xx photos (along with the few 58xx I have found) have the cab door open. looking at the sole photo I have found of 5813 on the Cheddar branch, it does look as though the door may be open... At any rate, this will give a better view as to the detailed cab interior. I decided to rectify another issue with the airfix model while I am at it, the gap between the cab door and the footplate. (moulded flush with the door) The next job was to add the cab floor, I started by adding the missing front bulkhead, adding the materiel surrounding the backhead (which will be added post painting). Once this was fitted I glued in the new floor. This was formed in 2 parts, a 40thou base (resting on 2 supports that were measured to get the high correct). On top of this is an overlay of 10thou which sticks out to form the cab steps. Once the floor was finished, I added the rear bulkhead, this was again formed of a couple of bits of 40thou. Detailed with a couple of etched seats, a plasticard coal hole cover, and the break leaver recessed in as per Castles photos in this thread It has also had the box shown in Castle's photos on the left hand side. (again made from laminated plasticard) This is all a bit of a guess, but will hopefully look close enough. The next jobs: There is still one pipe remaining on one side that should be removed for a 58xx. I'm a little concerned with this one, as there is so much rivet detail near to it that will make removal difficult... I also keep looking at the sandbox operating leavers on the front, thinking about replacing with brass strip. At the moment I am thinking against it, but I suspect given how long it is going to be until I can paint the loco I will attempt it at some point... Finally, the boiler washout plugs still need to be added. I have successfully replicated Buffalo's method, but the brass tube I have has walls which are too thick. it either takes a lot of fettling to thin them, (or more likely I wont get the rest made until I buy some thin walled tube!) Photos:

Why do I suspect this is going to cost me a fortune in paying for weekends away before/after in order to get enough points to make it to the show. Out of interest whats the date this year (and is it still in Cheltenham?)

Not until August Have a feeling the wedding is rather inconveniently around the time of stormex preventing my attendance again

What's the plan for so many warships them?