Dave Holt

1 hour ago, Traintresta said:

Thanks for the replies. I suppose that makes modelling it easier. I went looking for valve gear yesterday but I can only find the comet crab chassis with reidinger gear.

The Ivatt Black 5 model is by Comet, but was a full loco kit, rather than just a chassis or valve gear kit.

As a matter of interest, I also have a BR Standard  Caprotti Class 5, with the outside drive shafts you mentioned earlier. The centre axle drive gear box and slide bars are from the DJH kit but all the shafts, universal joints, reversing gear boxes, brackets, etc., are home made from brass sheet, wire and tube.

Dave.

On 14/04/2019 at 14:18, Traintresta said:

Where does the rotary drive come from on this version of the Caprotti valve gear? On the later Ivatt class 5's and the BR standards there is a drive shaft from the centre axle outside the coupling rods that goes to the cylinders, but I cannot see anything similar on these. 

Yes, as Regularity says, on the earlier Ivatt locos, the drive was taken from a gear-box fitted to the leading coupled axle, on the loco centre line, to a cross shaft under the smoke-box saddle, which drove the cam shafts in the Caprotti valve gear boxes on top of the cylinders.

I have included the main drive shaft and the top portion of the bevel gear-box in the model, but it's not very visible in the finished model.

Dave.

David.

Very convincing, indeed. I had wondered about representing the wire in this type of fencing, but your Ez-line looks very good. Have you thought about how to cross base board joints, or doesn't the fence cross any? Or perhaps the joints are now permanent?

Dave.

Looking good, David. Was the new body reasonably easy to get to fit?

Dave.

David,

The J20 looks to have had an incredibly long wheel base for an 0-6-0. An interesting looking loco, though. Just a thought, if you don't mind - I think you need to add a front to the firebox, between the boiler and foot plate. There's a rather obvious hole there.

Like what you've done with the tree armatures - a vast improvement. They look to be a useful base for smaller trees, such hawthorn, flowering cherry, etc.

The bridge is also looking good.

Dave.

David.

I have no personal experience with Sculptmold but was introduced to it at Leamington Model Railway Club and was impressed enough to intend to use it on Delph/Holt, if I ever get that far. So it's good to see you using it here to good effect. The scenic base really is coming along and looking very good. That and the track ballast do make a major transformation from a flat board with track to looking like a railway in the landscape.

Are you sure using sieved soil is a good idea? I'd be a bit wary of using organic materials, such as natural soil, in case it is not inert and leaches some corrosive residues over time.

Enjoying seeing progress, as always.

Dave.

Andrew,

Don't think I agree with you. From what I've seen, you're progressing well with a superb, realistic layout which will be populated with good looking and appropriate locos and stock. You will probably have it finished and out on the circuit while I'm still messing about with the footstep brackets or other trivial detail on my Ivatt.

It's a hobby and all approaches are equally valid. Some of us a just a bit more OCD (or nuts, as John puts it) than others.

Dave.

Very nice, David. It seems that 3D printing is a very useful tool, indeed. A couple of thoughts though. The rivets just look a little too prominent to my eyes. If they're the right diameter, perhaps its that the prototype are domed and the printed ones cylindrical?

With the old, cast girders, they look rather too close together to have carried track. Was it just a pathway?

Dave.

David.

I don't think your track looks too bad at all. There is a noticeable kink at about 37 seconds, at the toe of the training point which you might be able to correct since it isn't ballasted yet, but otherwise OK. The key thing is stuff stays on. Hard enough, itself, in P4 from my experience.

I'm intrigued by the short, curved siding under the bridge. Is it just a lay-by siding?

Dave.

Very nice indeed. I wonder how the builder (the late Phil Bax?) overcame the splasher clearance issues in P4?

Dave.

Very nice, David, but the re-built Scot is more my scene.

Dave.

18 hours ago, Portchullin Tatty said:

That i a fine model Dave; i particularly like the weathering.

I can't take any credit for that, Mark. The loco was painted and weathered by my friend, David Clarke.

Dave.

7 hours ago, Jub45565 said:

I may well end up drawing one up.

Mmmm. Now that would be worth sharing! I'd be happy to split any development costs.

Have you got the prototype information? I've got the GA and Pipe & Rod drawings.

Dave.

The type of injector shown in Tim's photo is by far the most common. The first few locos had a horizontally mounted injector just below the tank/cab, mainly hidden behind a flat plate.

Dave.

Hi David.

It's good to know you're still up and running and doing some modelling. From the sleeper spacing and general appearance of the outdoor track, it looks like narrow gauge to me. Am I right?

Dave.

I'd also replace the dome whilst you're at it. Comet do something appropriate. No doubt others,too. There was quite a good article on upgrading the Bachmann loco in MRJ 92, from 1997.

Dave.

Robin,

It all looks very good and the 3F negotiates the point work very smoothly. As you say, locos with truck and bogies present a more searching test (of track and machine). I very nearly made an earlier response along similar lines, thinking of the potential for mishaps when I finally get around to trying some of my stuff, none of which are 0-6-0's, as you well know, on your magnificent opus. You'll probably have it all wired up and tested before I'm fit to drive again!

Dave.

I have built two Brassmasters locos and a Comet chassis for the Bachmann Crab using the coil sprung suspension arrangement shown on the Dean Goods chassis, with very satisfactory results. Compared with my usual fully floating compensated locos, they glide over track work imperfections very smoothly indeed.

The only issue I have found is the lack of adjustment for ride height and level which can only really be done by suitably massive and distributed ballast, if required. Also, the weight distribution is dependent on this and also the way the spring seats have been etched and, of course, variations in the springs themselves, although I think this is a bit of a hypothetical issue and doesn't affect performance.

Still it's worked for me.

Dave.

Hi Robin.

My arm is progressing slowly, thanks. I have a little less discomfort and slightly more movement in the shoulder, but I think it's going to take quite a while. The A&E doctor said 5 to 6 weeks. However, I think that is just the initial period for the bones to start to knit together. I have a physiotherapy appointment a week tomorrow, so I might have a better idea after that.

The other thing I forgot to comment on is just how well the Peco EM buffer stops fit onto P4 track. Amazing!

Dave.

Those flares look very neat indeed. You're obviously a dab hand with a small hammer - a panel beater in a previous life, perhaps?

Dave.

Yes, Robin, the power boxes do look very neat indeed. The storage sidings look to have come on quite a bit, too. Very impressive.

Happy New Year and good modelling in 2019.

Dave.

Yes indeed. Your rate of progress is excellent compared with my glacial efforts and the results are looking very convincing. I'm finding it all most inspiring.

Looking forward, very much, to further installments.

Best wishes for 2019.

Dave.

Yes, congratulations on what looks like a very satisfactory set of valve gear. I'm glad to hear that it really did prove easier than you anticipated and that you are now raring to go at another example. It may be the angle of the photo, but it looks like a tweak of the return crank might be necessary to get it to tighten up at the correct angle. I find this to be one of the trickier aspects that I still don't get right every time [i over-did things on my BR Std 2 tank and so one of the cranks relies on cured Loctite to hold it just so].

I'm particularly looking forward to seeing further progress to complete the chassis and to see what improvements you make to the body, so I can steal your ideas! Haven't got on to that with mine, yet.

I agree that the Kemilway Walschaert's valve gear was extremely realistic and way ahead of other makes, at the time, although I suspect some of the more recent, top end, kits [brassmasters, Finney and, especially, Dave Bradwell - although none of them do prototypes that suit Cheddar!] are even better. It used multi layers to provide proper forked joints and I've seen a couple of built up examples of the 3MT 2-6-2 tank, in P4, which look excellent [most recently on "Sidmouth"]. However, if it is similar to their Standard Class 4, 2-6-0 and Bulleid light pacific chassis, it incorporated a very odd arrangement for the compensation by mounting the non-driven axles on a separate sort of bogie rather than using conventional axle boxes and horn guides. I found that, despite keeping running clearance to a minimum, it still allowed the leading axles to waggle back and forth, effectively altering the coupled wheel base. I attempted to eliminate this unwanted play by tying it all together with springy phosphor bronze strips, but it would be better to replace the whole arrangement with a conventional set up.

Best wishes for the layout and future loco projects,

Dave.

Shouldn't worry too much about the exact arch form for the bridge, it looks to replicate the prototype very well indeed.

I must say, you modified cassette alignment arrangement looks very nifty and a significant improvement on the previous version. Did you need to make a number of trial units to get a good, firm fit between the two sections of the joint. Presumably, fine adjustments are possible with laser cutting?

Dave.

Work steadily and methodically, remember to make two handed sets[!], follow the guidelines and I bet you'll do just fine and wonder why you were so apprehensive. Do follow the Comet instructions and have a few good photos of the real thing, so you know what you are supposed to be representing - I've seen two models recently with the curved expansion links fitted back-to-front.

All the locos I've built except the recent Caprotti Black 5 have outside valve gear, so I must have done a first one and survived.

Dave.