garethashenden

I think the bunker can be adjusted. The flare looks right, its just a matter of shortening the coal rail and adding a couple of curves. I do find it interesting just how much taller the chimney is that the SG/NG versions. Shows just how generous the BG loading gauge was.

I don't remember exactly when I started this project, but the first photograph I have of it is dated 20 September 2018, so it was probably a few days to a week before that. But lets go back to the beginning and discuss just what is being built and why. My friend Duncan decided, as one does, that the ideal thing to build for the Cameo Layout Challenge was a mixed gauge Great Western layout set in Cornwall c. 1890-1892. There's nothing wrong with that per-say, we're all welcome to model whatever odd things appeal to us, but there was a distinct lack of Broad Gauge rolling stock to hand. Existing EM gauge rolling stock could be put to use, and goods wagons are straightforward to build, but something was needed to pull them. Various options were discussed and I, somewhat foolishly, agreed to build a 1076 class Buffalo saddle tank in its Broad Gauge form, starting with the Alan Gibson kit. Some of these 0-6-0 tanks were built to Standard Gauge, some were built to Broad Gauge, some were converted from Standard to Broad and all were eventually converted to Standard after the end of Broad gauge. They were designed for this from the outset, hence the double frames. It seemed like a straightforward job. Long axles, change the valance, build the rest of the kit as designed. If only. The problems I have encountered have mostly been of my own making, I'll admit that. I started with a fairly normal build, CSB suspension with High Level hornblocks on the inside of the inner frames. The desire to keep the motor/gearbox out of both the cab and the space in front of the firebox while driving the rear axle was eventually satisfied by a High Level gearbox and drive stretcher. The real headache arrived when I decided to do something about the empty space between the frames under the boiler. The lack of inside motion was quite obvious and something needed to be done about it. I thought that, since I'm adding inside motion, I may as well make it work right? I'd never done that before but I have had an interest in doing it for a while. A kit for a Dean Goods inside motion was obtained from Brassmasters. It went together quite smoothly, although fitting it to the locomotive proved challenging. The first problem was that the motion plate and the hornblocks wanted to be in the same place. So farewell to the Continuous Springy Beams, replaced instead with hornblocks riding directly in the frame cutouts and some compensation beams. It wasn't as good, but it worked. The inside motion was fitted and everything spun around impressively. I fitted the wheels, the quartering was out, but I wasn't worried. I probably started the body before this point in the story, but that's not too important. The kit's footplate wasn't really suitable for use as all the wheel openings needed to be on the outside, rather than the inside. Still, it did provide some basic dimensions and is still happily sitting in the bottom of the kit box. Aside from the gauge, the most distinctive feature of these locomotives is the nice curvy valance. Its not as curvy as some, but it isn't straight either. Not the hardest thing to make, although I seem to have got it wrong. The front arch on both sides needs to move forward and the middle on one side is far too high, both inside and out. But that's fixable. At some point everything got put away, the table I was working on was needed for Thanksgiving and it was at least six months before it surfaced again. On to the main problem and the reason this has spent so much time half built in its box: The Quartering. I pressed the wheels on the axles with a GW wheel press, which in the past has resulted it nearly perfectly quartered wheels every time I've used it. Not the case this time! I kept tweaking things, the quartering, the crank pin holes, the quartering, and it got better but it still had a bind that I couldn't find. Eventually I started over, pulled off the wheels and pressed them on again. But this time I used three plain axles, I set the crank axle aside. And the bind was gone. Well, buy this point the crank pin holes were way too big, but it ran in a different manner. So I had a look at the crank axle. This was constructed, following the instructions, from a steel axle, brass eccentrics, and bronze cranks. These were silver soldered together, then the axle was cut out from the inside of the cranks. It started out as a single piece of ground steel rod, but while examining it I discovered that the two ends were no longer concentric. My best explanation is that pressing the wheels on bent the cranks. Not so far that it didn't work, there was enough slop in the hornblocks that the inside motion moved smoothly, but enough that the connecting rods couldn't take up the slack. If I build another locomotive with inside motion I'll use an all steel axle, and press the wheels on before cutting the axle. I had found the problem, but wasn't sure of the solution, so back in the box it went. For another year or so. I knew I needed new connecting rods and over the summer I had a suspension brainwave: put the CSB hornblocks on the outside of the frames. That would leave all the space needed for the motion plate but give the sprung character I was hoping for. I tried making a set of rods and failed miserably, so I ordered two sets of Bill Bedford's Pannier Tank rods from Eileen's. I thought it would be a good idea to have a spare on hand, given how this project has gone. I disassembled the chassis, made the rods and put the chassis back together again. It went pretty well but I was unsure how to fix the crank axle. I had been planning on unsoldering it and making new cranks out of steel before putting it back together, but unsoldering silver solder isn't the same as unsoldering soft solder. So I thought I'd try to straighten it. it might work, if it doesn't I'm not in a worse place right? Well it did work. I put it in my lathe and turned it by hand. Gave it a few pokes here and there and the eccentricity went away. Which makes me very aware of just how soft the cranks are. I must have annealed them while putting the axle together. The chassis is now together, the wheels are gauged and quartered and it runs. I will admit that there is a slight hesitation, but I've traced that to the crank rods hitting the top of the slidebars. The pesky motion plate is just a fraction too low. A straight forward fix. Then I need to build a 36" curved test track. If it doesn't get around that I have problems, but it should. Then back to the bodywork.

I have two of those kits, this is definitely something else.

Its a great description of why standardization and regulation are a good thing.

Instead of completing the building, would it be better/possible to remove the wall and model the interior? Since the layout slices through the building it could be a cool effect to see inside in that way. Then maybe a piece of plexiglas for safety.

What do you use to trim the steps that doesn't break them off in the process?

Close, but for old decals the product that's really called for is Liquid Decal Film. Brush it on, let it dry, use as a waterslide transfer. Be careful with the brushing on though, it can add thickness quickly. https://www.amazon.co.uk/MicroScale-Industries-Liquid-Decal-Film/dp/B06XNZ8Y3H/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=liquid+decal+film&qid=1596688229&sr=8-1

What is your source for transfers?

I think this thread should be renamed to "2ml Distillery: Dail-uaine" Excellent work as always Justin!

To further complicate things, even modern cameras aren't free from colour distortion. All digital cameras do some software interpretation. They have to, that's how they work, but some do more than others. Stand alone cameras are pretty reliable, but a lot of smartphones are programmed to produce pictures that look good, rather than are 100% accurate. iPhones and Google Pixels do the least, with some of the cheaper android phones doing the most.

Be careful of matching colours to old photos, particularly ones that have been reproduced in books. Kodachrome loves red, it always comes out very vibrant. So if the original image was taken on Kodachrome slides it will look brighter than it was. Similarly book printing is usually done by layering colours, each layer can be adjusted by the printer, often to produce an attractive image, rather than an accurate one. Finally, there probably wasn't one colour used throughout the NCB system. I suspect that the various collieries would paint the wagons themselves with locally sourced paint. Even if it was all called "Oxide Red" or whatever there would be variations. If I were you I would pick a red oxide paint, paint everything with it, then weather individual wagons to add variation to the colour. I'd be inclined to start with Halford's red primer. spray it lightly to not obscure the detail, then weather. Or use some other red oxide paint.

I’m not too familiar with the prototype, but is the smokebox door supposed to be that low? It doesn’t look centred at all...

Which brake vans? Without know which specific class you’re trying to model I can’t offer much advice I’m afraid.

Not much recently. There’s a failed build of a LSWR van in the printer that I haven’t felt like dealing with, the printer needs some maintenance I think. Just sound equipped an N scale diesel, needs final weathering and then that three year project will be done. Currently trying to see why the gearbox on your Buffalo doesn’t want to move, one of the shafts seems to have rusted and is not letting the gear turn, so that will come apart and get cleaned up, possibly replaced with something less prone to corrosion. Then a new chassis, rods, and crank axle I think. But mostly I’ve been working on the XJ-S, it’s taking longer than anticipated...

I’d missed this thread Duncan, great work!

When I click a link while using my iPad (which is the main way I look at RMWeb) I have to tap the link twice. The link will be highlighted when I tap it the first time, but it won’t open. Sometimes it will provide a summary, as if I were hovering a mouse over the link, but that’s not what I want. Every other website works fine, so I don’t think it’s me. Just to be super annoying, about 5% of the time it works as it should with a single tap opening the link. Any chance of fixing this? Cheers, Gareth

You really don’t waste any time do you? Probably would have taken me 6 months at least to get here.

The iron itself will probably work, but probably more important are the flux and solder. Don’t use lead free solder. It’s technically healthier, but does not stick nearly as well as leaded solder. I’d avoid rosin/flux core solder as well. Get some liquid flux, Carr’s yellow or green are popular, dilute phosphoric acid works well too and is cheaper. Use a small paintbrush to apply it. When you’re done soldering for the session, wash the parts. Soap and water with an old toothbrush. Otherwise the flux will cause corrosion.

Still picking away at this. The smokebox door went pretty well. The chimney, not so much. The first one was good, but I forgot to allow material for the bottom flare. The second one was much better, but the top has an incorrect dimension. The inner lip is 0.5mm too small, and I forgot the taper, so it’s a bit too stout looking. The flare is too thick, but obviously that can be fixed. Think I’ll just make a third.

I put together the underframe for my LSWR van, 10’6” RCH shop number 2-239. I seem to have accidentally bought the whole stock as they’re now TOS, sorry about that. Had to make a change to the printed file, I forgot that the underframe would need to sit inside the body slightly. I fixed that and printed another, unfortunately it didn’t quite print properly. About a third of it didn’t attach to the build plate, so it’s got a curve at the bottom. Only really noticeable when fitted with the underframe. Shall try again. I may try drawing up some LSWR axleboxes at some point.

Dan, It needs a few more seconds than the green, the advantage of the thinness is you can have very small holes and otherwise sharper detail than any of the other anycubic resins.

The Anycubic Black is a bit thinner than the grey, I’ve had good luck with it.

Take two. I printed three more vans, one tipped at 15 degrees in two axes, one tipped at 29.5 degrees in one axis, and one tipped at 29.5 degrees in two axes. As expected, the last one was the best result. I had another look at the first one I printed, at 0 degrees. It’s arguably the best so far actuallu. The roof has accidental ribs, but the sides and ends are better.

Drills, especially small ones, are something that’s definitely worth paying a bit more for. Find an industrial supplier if possible that sells to the general public.

Yup, they sure do! This print was by far the best of the three. I’m going to adjust a few things, and see how primer helps/hurts.