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Captain Kernow

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Blog Entries posted by Captain Kernow

  1. Captain Kernow
    Having previously felt that I wouldn't be able to remove the moulded slate detail from the roof of the road-side awning, I looked at it again and decided that the difference in slate finishes was such that I really ought to make the attempt.
     
    This is how it was done...
     
     
    First of all, the whole structure was encased in card, to protect it from stray movements of the gert big ** file that I was planning to use, and to keep plaster dust from the model generally, and from the interior especially..
    ** technical term

     
    Closer view of the roof before the work started

     
    The gurt big** file turned out not to be the right tool for the job, so I used a rotary abrasive drum attachment on a Rolson 12v drill. This is what it looked like when the job was virtually done
    ** also a technical term

     
    I'd already made up a replacement slated roof, using matching Scalescenes slate strips on a piece of thin card, which I glued to the plaster top of the awning using 5 minute epoxy:

  2. Captain Kernow
    This is what almost 100 bases for point rodding stools look like before they are cut out of plasticard:

     
    And this is what they look like after they have been cut out!

     
    Here is a two-rodding stool mounted on a base:

     
    ....and with a 5p coin for size comparason:

     
    This is the jig that I'm planning to use to space the rodding stools and their bases at the correct distance from the track (9mm) and from each other (24mm - for pre-Grouping round rodding):

     
    Next up is to start drilling 1.0mm holes in the right locations in the baseboard, with the help of the jig, and to start glueing the bases and rodding stools in place.
     
    When they and the cranks and compensators are in position, but before the rodding itself is added, I shall paint them and do the track weathering and then the ballasting.
     
     
    Update 30/4/10
     
    Well, I'm becoming more and more aware of the fact that nothing else has yet been done to the point rodding since I last posted this several months ago!
     
    Until I at least get the bases and stools down, plus the cranks and compensators, I can't really start the ballasting, and I certainly won't do anything permanent about scenery until the track is fully ballasted and weathered...
     
    So, hopefully we'll see a bit of action on the point rodding front in the next few weeks...
     
     
    Update 02/6/10
     
    Well, it's certainly been 'a few weeks' since the last update, but I'm very happy to say now that work on installing the point rodding has at last commenced, with all locations marked out and drilled, and the bases and stools are now being epoxied in place. The cranks, compensators and actual rodding will then follow. Photos in due course...
     
     
    Update 08/6/10
     
    I'm happy to report that I finally glued the last cranks, stools and compensators in position with epoxy this evening. I won't be adding the rodding itself (0.45mm brass wire) until the track has been weathered and ballasted.
     
     
    Update 24/6/10
     
    Here are a couple of photos showing the current state of affairs - just awaiting painting and the actual rodding.
     

     

  3. Captain Kernow
    I posted on a status update yesterday, that I had lost a component, that pinged off my workbench and through a conveniently-placed wormhole to Tharg, the home world of the Zillons.
     
    That component was one of the finials on the roof, which had already been glued in place.
     
    Repairing it wasn't going to be the problem, but finding it was impossible. It is still out there, in the wormhole, hopefully giving pleasure to Midland Railway-modelling Zillons...
     
    Anyway, after a false start last night with some 1.5mm plastic rod, I managed to turn a new one up from some 1.5mm brass rod on the electric drill (yes, the lathe still isn't installed at Kernow Towers..... )
     

     

     
    (both finials are actually parallel, the distortion is due to the camera lens)
  4. Captain Kernow
    Just prior to Christmas I started work on the signalbox for Callow Lane.
     
    I had been planning to build the Modelex (ex-Churchward Models) etched brass kit, but was put off by the effect of the brass slates, so had already decided to do my own roof.
     
    I then remembered that Ratio do a standard 4-window M.R. signalbox, and after a bit of agonising re the size the box should be (in order to justify not having to undertake either a major kit-bash or a complete scratchbuild), I opted to go for a standard 4-window pattern box. I'm comfortable working in brass and/or plastic, but somehow just a little more comfortable with plastic for buildings...
     
    The lever frame will have 16 levers, so on the face of it, the box is a little bit big for the frame, but then again, there is also the gate wheel and associated levers, which will take up a bit more space inside, so I finally felt comfortable with the 4-window choice.
     
    Clearly, if modelling an actual location, I'd have had that decision made for me, but such is the joy of making up railway history for yourself!
     
    To improve the appearance of the Ratio kit, I've used some (seperately sold) Modelex etched brass M.R. windows, and have also got an etched brass set of signalbox steps to assemble in due course.
     
    I've had to change the kit in other was as well, in that the way it is configured, the steps would have been on the left hand side of the box, when looking at it from the front, whereas I wanted them at the other end.
     
    This is the end wall at the opposite end from the steps and entrance. The kit features two windows on the ground floor, whereas I wanted a plain wall, so some Slaters embossed plasticard was substituted for the kit planked inlay. The Modelex windows are shown temporarily in situ (waiting painting and glazing):

     
    Note the two holes in the base of the front of the box, for point rodding runs to emerge:

     
    The modified steps end, which required the door aperture to be moved over by one panel's worth and the removed red Ratio plastic replaced with Evergreen strip:

     
    The larger windows were a very good fit for the Ratio window apertures, but the smaller window next to the door needed a bit of fettling on each side to make it fit:

  5. Captain Kernow
    No photos yet, sorry, but I’ve started to fit the windows to the structure of the signal box.
     
    Having established that the windows wouldn’t hamper the final fitting of the operating floor and internal detail, it was also clear that it would be much easier to install them without the internal detail getting in the way.
     
    The windows are etched products by Modelex (formerly Churchward Models), but have had to be filed to fit, as the window apertures of the Ratio components don’t quite match the etched windows. This wasn’t too much of a surprise, as the Modelex M.R. windows are not advertised as a replacement for the Ratio kit, unlike their other product for the Ratio McKenzie & Holland box.
     
    The small window to the locking room was particularly awkward, as there is only just enough room at the top and bottom of the window frame to avoid having a gap showing, which called for a bit of gentle juggling of position of the frame, with a tiny dab of epoxy holding the window in place until I was happy with it’s position with regard to the rest of the structure. Once the epoxy had gone off, it was enough to hold the window frame in place whilst I secured the rest of it.
     
    I’ve also polished the matt finish of the lino floor as best I can, with a cotton bud, to avoid damage to the levers. An old-fashioned radio is waiting a dab of paint before being fixed inside the box as well (the District Inspector is obviously not about!...)
  6. Captain Kernow
    Having replaced the missing finial on the roof, the only major job remaining is to affix the down pipe to the guttering, which I will probably do later today.
     
    In the meantime, a visit by some friends prompted the chance for a little 'play' on the layout, so with the other buildings temporarily put in place, I thought it would be a good chance to take some photos of the signal box in it's proper location:
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  7. Captain Kernow
    Well, as I mentioned in the comments section of the previous blog entry, I was getting uneasy about the size of the box, as compared with the smaller size of the lever frame. Even with the gate wheel, I decided that the box was too big for the location, and I started thinking about how I could re-build it to a smaller size.
     
    In the meantime, I constructed the 18 lever frame (from Smiths etched components) and placed it in the original box...

     

     

     
    As you can see, it left rather a large area for the dance floor, which reminded me a little too much of boxes that have had their frames cut down, following track rationalisation. That argument wasn't going to work at Callow Lane, so I decided to get the piercing saw out and re-build the box to a smaller design.
     
    It would have been nice to have done a small, cute 2-window box (a bit like Selside), but the lever frame, coupled with the gate wheel, would require just a little bit too much room, so I opted to copy the box that had provided me with my original inspiration - Painswick Road LC on the former Tuffley Jct - Gloucester Eastgate line, and re-build Callow Lane's box as a 3-window box.
     
    I've also built and installed the gate wheel. The lever frame isn't permanently attached, however, as it will need to be carefully painted to correspond with the signalling diagram that Dave 'Beast' Skipsey has kindly worked out for me.
     

     

     

     

     
    Once I had carefully cut the two side walls off, the front and back walls required complete re-building, which has now made this structure less of a modified Ratio kit, and more of a scratchbuild, using some Ratio (and other) components.
     
     
    Additional comments - Sunday evening 02/01/11
     
    Here is my own photo of the interior of Settle Jct signalbox, to prove that I am aware of what a Midland Railway lever frame looks like - the only problem is - how to reproduce that in 4mm scale when you don't have access to any fancy etching capabilities or C.A.D. etc.

  8. Captain Kernow
    Here are a couple of photos of the new M.R. style lever frame, which I decided I ought to build, following some discussion last night on whether the GWR-style frame was really appropriate for the Midland box at Callow Lane.
     
    In short, it was not appropriate, so I built the basics of the lever frame base from plasticard last night, and added some modified etched Smiths levers today.
     
    The levers are set at 6" centres, which is how earlier M.R. frames were arranged. My thanks to Keith Norgrove for helping with some very useful data on the Scalefour Society forum.
     
    Once I've painted the main base of the frame black, the individual levers will get painted in accordance with the signalling diagram.
     
    Here's the prototype photo I took a few years ago in Settle Jct box:

     

     

     
    Due to the levers now being at 6" centres (as opposed to 4.5" centres on the GWR-style frame), the overall lever frame is a bit longer, but still (just) fits in the space between the door and the gate wheel.
     
    However, to my mind, the effect is a little cramped, so I'm minded to move the gate wheel assembly back a few millimetres. Due to it effectively being part of the floor assembly, this will mean cutting it out and re-positioning it, and using spare plasticard and filler to make the floor area good.
  9. Captain Kernow
    Once Railex was over, I was planning to start work on 'Callow Lane' again, and so I've been doing a bit more work on the signalbox.
     
    The lever frame has been painted and the main structure of the box has been sprayed with a mixture of Humbrol and Precision cream colours. The box will represent one of those Midland examples that got repainted into Western Region chocolate & cream in the 1950s. I will be picking the main structural woodwork out in a chocolate colour in due course. My prototype example is the box at Painswick Road, Gloucester (on the now closed line from Tuffley Jct to Gloucester Eastgate).
     
    The levers are correctly coloured according to the signal diagram for the layout.

     

     

     
    Here is the box with the sub-roof assembly sitting on top (not yet attached). This consists of the guttering and a sub-assembly for the actual hipped roof to sit on. This had to be shortened, as the original Ratio version is for the longer 4-window box:

     
    I'd shortened the sub-roof assembly some time ago, but the spectre of having to shorten the actual moulded Ratio roof assembly was always looming.
     
    This is quite a nicely moulded slate roof, and I'd decided that it would probably be less work to carefully shorten that (by 24mm) to fit the 3-window box, as to scratchbuild a completely new hipped roof and cut new slates to fit etc. So, this afternoon I carefully cut one end of the standard moulded roof off, shortened the rest, and glued it back together. When the MekPak is dry, some filling will be required:

     
    The bluetak is to ensure the whole thing stays flat as the glue sets.
  10. Captain Kernow
    Today I've been doing something I rather enjoy - playing around with various bits of plasticard and making stuff from them. Apart from the signalman's ancient 'comfy chair', the other items were measured from furniture in actual signalboxes, including the W.R. token instrument.
     
    The token instrument (which will apply to the single line section to Coalpit Heath West Junction), will have some representation of electric tokens added after it's been painted.
     

     

     

     
    Finally, as I was taking the photos, CTMK brought in something she's been making today, namely a woolley sheep for a window display in a bookshop. So, if the signalman does manage to have a nap in that 'comfy' chair, he'll have a bit of a shock when he wakes up!

  11. Captain Kernow
    I've gradually been painting the interior detail items for the signalbox over the last few days, here are some photos taken this afternoon, in all the cruel detail that only a digital enlargement can offer...
     
    Most of the furniture still isn't secured, and the floor is yet to be painted. I should finish painting the interior walls first, before much else is done...
     

     

     
    The fact that the floor isn't painted is very clear in this view, as are the brush marks on the lever frame, although that just won't be apparent when the windows are in. Also, painting of the floor will cover the untidy black around the grate area...

     

     
    Finally, details of the block shelf. I could add a few plungers along the front face of the block shelf, but these won't really be visible from normal viewing angles, so not sure at the moment...

     
    There is still some detail to be added, including a signalman, Train Register Book, a couple of 'box-to-box' phones on the wall above the bigger cupboard, a noticeboard and probably a couple of newspapers on the side...
  12. Captain Kernow
    Well, here's the first entry on my new blog. It's the first time I've ever had anything to do with blogs, apart from reading those posted by other people.
     
    Like most other folk, I shall start posting workbench and layout progress here, as and when there is something significant to report.
     
    The current layout project on-going are the construction of 'Callow Lane', my first P4 layout, set in the North Bristol/South Gloucestershire area and based on Midland and GW practice.
     
    But in a surprise development yesterday, an opportunity arose (or perhaps, more accurately, a reason) to build my long-mooted OO gauge layout 'Burrowbridge'. This was always going to be a small layout, very easily transportable, and capable of either being exhibited/played with on it's own, or plugged onto one end of 'Bleakhouse Road'. Burrowbridge is one end of the South Polden Light Railway.
     
    On the workbench are various items associated with 'Callow Lane', including an unfinished chip shop, which is a modified Hornby 'Thomas' range bookshop, of all things! I am also building retaining walls and will then paint them and the central girder bridge over the layout engineers blue brick colour and weather it etc.
     
    I also need to re-start the point rodding for the layout soon, to enable me to then weather the track and ballast it, prior to making further serious progress with the scenery.
     
    There is also a S&D/L&SWR 'Road Van' on the workbench at the moment, which is a 30 year old TMD kit, in many ways an 'aid to scratchbuilding' rather than a kit. It is being painted at present, which will include (hopefully) faded brown paint coming away in places, revealing weathered wood underneath. The vehicle is now owned by the South Polden Light Railway, and hasn't had much TLC for quite a long time.
     
    My modified 'Knightwing' diesel shunter has now had a Black Beetle motor bogie fitted to it and run in, and is a lot smoother now. I am now contemplating using the original single-axle drive chassis I built for it on another variation on that kit, only with ALL the weight over the driven axle! The previous configuration would not pull the skin off a rice pudding....
     
    Also contemplating some plastic wagon kit construction 'therapy' in the near future, there are several Chivers kits beckoning....
     
    Friday 02/10/09
    Well, I've done a little more work on my TMD Models L&SWR/S&DJR road van, namely painting patches of bare wood on it and applying small, random patches of Maskol, prior to spraying it with a dull-ish brown topcoat.

     
    Saturday 03/10/09
    I've posted a few photos of 'Plantaganet' running in, on my circle of Lima track, taped to a clean tiled floor. I don't mind using my rolling road if I have to, but I prefer to set the circuit of track up for running in if I can, as I think it gives slightly better results. I also have a circuit of P4 'set track', which I made up myself from C&L flexitrack, for running in P4 locos.

     

     
     
    Wednesday 07/10/09
    In a bit of blatant consumerism, I today took delivery (from the sorting office!) of a cheapo Bachmann class 47 in BR blue from Kernow Model Centre, only ??34, I think it was (as advertised in their newsletter last Saturday). It will be destined for a conversion to P4 and running on Callow Lane, in due course...
     
     
    Friday 09/10/09
    When I opened the box, I realised that the loco had 'dominos' in the headcode boxes. Whilst I was happy to change the number to a pre-TOPS one, I can't be doing with messing around with headcodes, for what was meant to be a fairly quick conversion and weathering job, so I've decided to sell it to someone at work and look out for a proper pre-TOPS blue example.
     
     
    Saturday 10/10/09
    Was supposed to have been going to the Taunton show with Re6/6 and a couple of other friends, but something dodgy has been playing around with my digestion, so discretion being the better part of valour, I felt it prudent to have a quiet day at home instead, if keeping an eye on a new and completely mad kitten can be called a 'quiet day'....
     
    When t'Missus gets back later, I will put him in another part of the house and put 'Bleakhouse Road' up for testing (Cheltenham show in two weeks) and for a photo session tomorrow.
     
    Tuesday 20/10/09
    Well, I did indeed erect BHR and photos were taken of it on the Sunday following my previous entry, but once the layout was safely stowed away again, the dodgy digestion problem re-emerged with a vengeance and laid me low for the best part of the following week, the end of which coincided with the forum being off-line.
     
    I've now re-started work on the S&DRJ road van in OO, and this is now half-way through being weathered. Whether I take it to Cheltenham this weekend or not will depend on having a chance to finish the job tomorrow night.
     
    I've also serviced a couple of locos that were showing signs of 'screeching motor' syndrome - my J72 now in NCB livery and my North British/Paxman 0-4-0 diesel - a little light lubrication sorted that out.
     
    Finally, I thought I'd lost the glazing for the chip shop on Callow Lane, but luckily found it again and that will soon be fitted, so that I can get on with another part of that layout project.
     
     
    Thursday 22/10/09
     
    I managed to get more of the weathering done on the S&DJR road van last night, which is finished in a tired and flaking brown livery of the South Polden Light Railway. I painted some old/bare wood colour on some areas of the planking and applied Maskol when dry, a la Martyn Welch method. When the top coat had been sprayed on and dried, the Maskol was removed, leaving the old grey wood showing through, as if the top coat of paint had been flaking over the years.
     
    I also applied some small, discrete lettering by hand, using a sharpened fabric pencil, which although sold as 'silver', comes out as a nice faded grey on the model.
     
    Hopefully I shall be running the van at Cheltenham this weekend, in the company of 'Plantaganet' and other light railway items...
     
    Tuesday 27/10/09
     
    Here are a couple of photos of the finished road van, taken on BHR at Cheltenham last weekend:

     

  13. Captain Kernow
    There was quite a lot of debate on the Class 22 thread a while back about how one might convert it to EM or P4. I think that the EM gauge fraternity generally decided that the existing wheels could be pulled out slightly on their existing axles, and I hope that this has worked out for them.
     
    This wasn't going to work in P4, and the original wheels could only have been used if they were turned down to P4 profiles. Some folk have suggested fitting P4 tyres to the existing Dapol wheels, and good luck to them, too.
     
    The issue is that the Dapol Class 22 uses a split axle and associated pick up, as my photos will make clear. This means that the wheel tyres and axles have to be electrically connected. This wasn't a problem for Dapol, obviously, as they have mass produced a decent OO metal wheel for their model, which fits onto stub half-axles, that in turn fit into a central gear assembly.
     
    Ultrascale considered doing a 'drop-in' wheel set for a while, but technical issues, which I understand were essentially associated with the fact that they didn't have an all-metal spoked wheel available, meant that they did not proceed with the project, although they do offer a bespoke wheel producing service for P4 modellers, albeit the price is very high and almost as much as the locomotive itself.
     
    My method does use Ultrascale wheels, but an existing wheel from their range, namely a 3' 7" 10-spoked Southern tender wheel, which has one less spoke than the Class 22, but is the correct diameter. Each pair of wheels comes with a P4 axle.
     
    Here is the Dapol motor bogie, with the keeper plate and one of the OO axles removed (I might add that despite being told how to remove the keeper plate by friends at DRAG, and the fact that it was 'easy', I didn't find it easy at all, and was in constant fear that I was going to break something with the amount of controlled force I was trying to apply at times). In the end, each keeper plate came away intact and without damage. The keeper plates are attached to the bogie side frames, as other photos will show.

     
    An OO wheelset, with a pair of Ultrascale P4 tender wheels:

     

     
     
    Dismantled OO wheelset:

     
    The P4 axles need to be cut into two 10.5mm lengths. If you just cut them in half, there is the risk that the two pieces might meet inside the nylon worm housing and cause a short that you really don't want:

     
    After removing the first 10.5mm section, simply remove a further 1mm (or slightly under, to allow for the width of the piercing saw blade).

     
    I then spun the rough end I had just cut in an electric drill and filed smooth:

     
     
     
     
     
    The next activity involves creating an electrical pathway from the wheel rim, over the nylon wheel centre, to the half axle. I chose to solder a piece of 0.3mm brass wire over the outside front of one of the spokes. The theory was that when the wheel is hidden behind the bogie side frames and painted & weathered, you simply won't notice it, and it saves messing around with the rear of the wheel and the back of the flange.
     
    First, I cut groove in the outer end of each half axle and filed a groove big enough for the brass wire (in some cases, I over-did the filing a bit, but it doesn't matter, as the whole thing will be completely hidden afterwards):

     
     
    Checking the fit of the 0.3mm brass wire:

     
    Returning to the axle and worm, for each wheelset you are left with the central worm component and two half axles, each with a groove filed in the outer end:

     
    What happens next was different for the first wheelset as compared with the other three, but the method adopted for the remaining 3 wheelsets was much easier and quicker, so..
     
    Measure and mark a point 6mm from the outer end of each half axle and super-glue one half axle per wheel set into the worm assembly:

     
    Do NOT glue the other half axle in! The worm assembly is actually hollow right the way through, so if you are not using the split axle method, you could use a complete 2mm diameter axle with the worm assembly mounted centrally, but this would require seperate pick ups and more modifications to the Dapol motor bogies than I felt was necessary.
     
    Next is the really barbaric bit. It you love the excellent and well-engineered finish of an Ultrascale wheel set, look away now....
     
    To secure the 0.3mm brass wire in the wheel rim, I first cut, then filed, a groove in the rim:

     
    A length of 0.3mm brass wire is then put into the groove on the rim, and soldered to the wheel rim. The wire should be pre-trimmed so that the opposite end reaches just as far as the opposite side of the axle hole (ie. reaches from the outer race of the rim, along one spoke, and across the width of the 2mm axle.
     
    I would then recommend temporarily mounting each wheel in the other half axle and removing the surplus solder carefully. I filed most of the unwanted material off with a needle file, then mounted the wheel in the electric drill and used two grades of fine wet & dry paper, then a glass fibre pen.
     
    The first wheel of the pair is set aside and the second wheel can also have the brass wire soldered to the axle and cleaned up, as per these two photos:

     

     
    It's then a matter of assembling the components to make a viable P4 wheelset. These photos were taken of the first wheelset. First on each axle is a 1mm wide brass sleeve, cut from 2mm internal diameter brass tube:

     
    Then the Dapol brass bearings are added to each half-axle:

     
    Finally, the assembled P4 wheelset:

     
    Old and new:

     
    NOTE DATED 06-02-23 - MORE PHOTOS TO BE RESTORED IN DUE COURSE
     
    What I did for the last three wheelsets, was to assemble the bearing, 1mm brass slieve and wheel to the axle already super-glued to the worm, solder the 0.3mm brass wire from that wheel rim to the steel axle, and then assemble the other side, bringing the whole lot carefully together using a GW Models wheel press and a back-to-back gauge.
     
    The first wheelset in the motorbogie:
     
     
    With the P4 wheelsets, there's not quite enough room inside the bogie frames, so some material was removed in the area of each wheel with a piercing saw and cleaned up:
     
     
    This is the amount of plastic that needs to be removed from each corner of the bogie frame:
     
     
    First wheelset sitting inside bogie frame, to check that there's enough room:
     
     
    First bogie with both wheelsets fitted and keeper plate/side frames re-attached:
     
     
    Second bogie with replacement wheelsets fitted, being test run, prior to it's keeper plate being re-fitted:
     
     
    Completed conversion running on 'Callow Lane'. The side skirts and other bits now need to be fitted and the loco weathered:
     
     
     
  14. Captain Kernow
    When I saw someone else bring their model of the Heljan Class 128 into DRAG one evening (still in OO), knew that I was going to have to concoct a plausible excuse to run one in the Bristol area, so that 'Callow Lane' might see one of these beauties in due course.
     
    I did manage to pull together some reasonably convincing lies historical accounts as to why one might have been running to and through Callow Lane, but I'm blowed if I can remember what they are at the moment....
     
    Anyway, I duly obtained one of these beasties (which weigh in at a cool 634 grams!), got it home, took it out of the box and admired it. I even posed it on Callow Lane in OO mode and took a couple of snaps. I then put it away and got busy with other stuff, mostly work and the planning for the Scalefour Society AGM at Holcombe on 22nd June last.
     
    Anyway, back to the plot... I managed to get some time this weekend to have a look at the prospects for conversion.
     
    I had already established that I had four axles of Branchlines 'Black Beetle' 12mm turned nickel silver wheels, which would fit the Class 128. One question was whether there would be sufficient room between the bogie frames for P4 wheel sets...

     
    As it turned out, there wasn't quite enough room for P4 wheels to rotate freely. This being Heljan, the bogie side frames do come off fairly easily, and bearing this in mind, the solution (with hindsight), would have been to simply washer out the frames by no more than 0.5mm each side, possibly even less. Of course, I adopted a more Heath Robinson-ish and time-consuming solution, because I only thought about the washering idea after I had finished the conversion...
     
    Taking each bogie in turn, the keeper plate comes off fairly easily by prising at least 3 or the 4 retaining clips (there are two on each side of each bogie):

     
    So, this is what it looks like without the keeper plate in place (warning - lots of lubricating grease!!):

     
    All axles are driven, in common with other Heljan locos. Each axle comes out easily. Due to the fact that no one has yet (to my knowledge) produced 'drop-in' conversion packs for this unit, the Heljan drive worms would need to be recovered from the OO axles and re-used with the Branchlines wheels.
     
    First of all, the wheels are removed from the OO axles (I used my NorthWest Short Lines wheel press) - a wheel press/puller of some kind will make this job easier.

     
    The drive worm is then removed from the OO axle, also with the wheel press (they are a very tight fit, as you would expect):

     
    Next , get the Branchlines 12mm P4 wheels ready:

     
    I do have some stub axles in P4 (Ultrascale ones ) somewhere, but I just couldn't find them. Clearly the pin-points would have to be removed if using these axles, which was just as well, given the treatment that was meted out on them by the wheel puller...

     
    Once the remains of the pin point axles had been cut off in a vice and the ends cleaned up and slightly chamfered, you are left with this:

     
    The short section of brass tube in the above photo (it is 8.25mm in length) is to help fit the Heljan final drive worm onto the replacement Branchlines axle, more of that anon.
     
    First of all the final drive worm is introduced to the Branchlines P4 axle (the photo shows a GW Models wheel press being used):

     
    Using the hardened steel plate from the NorthWest Short Lines press, the purpose of the brass tube now becomes clear, as it acts as a jig to ensure that the tightly-fitting nylon Heljan worm goes exactly in the middle of the P4 axle:

     
    Completed P4 wheel set, ready to be fitted back onto the bogie:

     
    However, before you can put the P4 wheels back in, there is the matter of the inner faces of the bogie side-frames to consider. The Heljan brake blocks also need to have some plastic taken off the inner rear faces, to avoid a potential contact with the P4 flanges. Given that the additional clearance needed is certainly no more than 0.75mm to 1.0mm, the easiest solution would be to washer-out the side frames, and thus provide the additional clearance. Of course, I didn't think of that at the time, so I filed lots of plastic off the inner bogie side frames...

     
    Eventually, you get a more or less completed P4 bogie:

     
    The completed conversion poses on Callow Lane, where I'm happy to say that it runs (in P4 mode) as smoothly as it did in OO mode...

     
    My main concern with this unit was whether it would fit in the tight confines of the goods shed, bearing in mind that the rail doorways are rather narrow. Well, the Class 128 does fit (both ways round tested!), but it is very, very tight...!

     

     
    After that, having established that it ran OK on all parts of the layout, I took a few more photos:

     

     

     
    So, this isn't a fancy, sprung or compensated solution, but the sheer weight of these models will ensure that this keeps on the track, hopefully all of the time!
     
    I've yet to weather it, of course, and the next job is to fit screw couplings and make a bespoke box for it, but I'm happy with the outcome. It is so heavy that it makes a satisfying noise as it runs over the rail joints!
  15. Captain Kernow
    A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Noble Realm of SWAG to all in RMWeb Land!
     
    Some specific Christmas wishes:
     
    - May we all contain ourselves successfully until one minute past Midnight tonight!
    - May we all eat and drink as much as we need and perhaps even want over the Festive Season!
    - May the weather front coming in on Sunday night bring rain, not more snow!!!
     
     
    And as the flag of Swagonia bravely flutters on the top of Mount Snyeg outside Kernow Towers...


     
    ...my thoughts turn to what modelling I may get done over the holidays...
     
     
    Well, there's just a little bit more work to do, to finish the lineside 'view-blocker' half-relief factory building (the more simple one, not the one with the awning), then there's the Midland Railway pattern signalbox, also for Callow Lane.
     
    I doubt very much that 53806 will get weathered and put into service just yet, but I may put part of 'Engine Wood' up over the holidays, in order to measure up for a fiddle yard adaptor board that needs to be put on, before Railex in Aylesbury next May.
     
    Of course, that may give me the chance for a bit of photography with a certain 7F!
     
    Have a great Christmas, everyone!
  16. Captain Kernow
    I've completed most of the 'structural' work on the blue Dapol Class 22 now, with the exception of glueing the lifting rings on the bogies. Having run it this evening with some wagons, I think that I'm going to have to replace the Dapol coupling hook with a Smiths one, to standardise it with the rest of my rolling stock.
     
    After having done the basic chassis conversion using the Ultrascale wheels, as described in the earlier blog entry, I decided to put a driver in each cab and do something about the loose valences, which I glued to the body with MekPak, using some 10 thou plasticard inside the body to (i) line the valences up with the outside face of the main loco body and (ii) link the valences to each other, to provide some structural strength.
     
    I also put most of the buffer beam detailing on, but felt that the vacuum pipe supplied was a bit too thin, so fitted something a bit thicker.
     
    The cab units do come out, but mine needed a little gentle persuasion to seperate the cab unit from the main loco body (it seemed to be secured with the grey paint used on the cab units, perhaps they are inserted into the loco bodies by some automated process when the grey paint is still wet?). Anyway, the driver as seen in this photo turned out to be far too tall when inside the loco, so had to have even more of his torso ruthlessly snipped off...

     
    The valences glued in place along one side, with the 10 thou plasticard strengthening pieces apparent:

     

     
    I think that the general quality of the plastic mouldings is excellent, especially the lamp brackets and the very small handrails (other manufacturers could take a leaf out of Dapol's book when it comes to the small handrails on the front ends of diesels). The headcodes are from a Heljan Hymek:

     
    Buffer beam detail going on:

     
    The cab units were then lightly glued back into the loco bodies (having had some material removed earlier to make them an easier fit), with a small dab of MekPak, and the loco body refitted to the chassis. I then gave it a bit of a run on Callow Lane, shunting some wagons in the company of D6347 (SIlver Fox):

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  17. Captain Kernow

    Dirty modern stuff!

    By Captain Kernow,

    I've been detailing and weathering a couple of Re6/6's locos, together with a couple of his 'Sharks' for Matford. Not quite my usual period, but it's been fun, and I also get to play with them at Scaleforum!
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  18. Captain Kernow
    We had a good meeting at DRAG last night (Devon Riviera Area Group of the Scalefour Society), but for some, there was a 'regression' to a circle of 'O' gauge on the floor!
     
    Andrew H brought in a selection of recent 7mm RTR releases and a circuit of Peco track to run some of this stuff in, whilst the rest of us either looked on in envy, continued on working at our tables (it was a non-test track night) or stepped carefully around the circulating 7mm trains.
     
    David Brandreth in the process of clearing his heels from the line as the Heljan railbus approaches:

     
    Andrew H and Maurice Hopper discussing the merits of these new items over a cup of tea:

     
    The railbus keeps on running. A lovely model and excellent runner straight out of the box. As Andrew says of his planned small 7mm layout - 'that's the passenger stock sorted!'

     
    Maurice is checking again to make sure that this really is RTR, and not some skillfully built kit!

  19. Captain Kernow
    On Monday night, one of our members Andrew Howlett brought in some 4mm scale broad gauge models he had started a few years ago, but hadn't completed yet for personal/domestic reasons. I'll let the photos speak for themselves:
     

     

     

  20. Captain Kernow
    I've finally tackled one of those jobs that I've been putting off for a while - adjusting the sharpness of the curve into the main fiddle yard on 'Engine Wood'. Whilst generally around 2' 6"+ in radius, a very short section was inadvertantly laid rather sharper some years ago, which some of my locos didn't like.
     
    As a result, I've lifted the very sharp track, tidied up the board and re-laid it with new track and a re-aligned cassette 'docking station'. This took most of the afternoon, but I also took the opportunity to test the two new sets of coaches with their close coupling over the curves, plus a bit of track weathering in the station (also long-overdue).
     
    General view, showing a still-unweathered 82041 (built in 1995!) coupled to the Maunsell set, waiting to run over the newly-laid curve:

     

     
    A cruel close-up of the tunnel portal:

     
    D6318 in the fiddle yard, waiting to test the curve with the other new set of coaches, a pair of Bachmann Mark 1s:

     
    And is held at the home signal upon emerging from the tunnel:

     
    53804 is the next test subject:

     
    ...and is captured immediately prior to exiting the tunnel:

     
     
    With Railex only just over 3 weeks away, the priority now is to finish weathering the two sets of coaches, complete one or two minor repairs to other stock and put the full layout up for testing in a week or so.
     
    Unfortunately, I doubt that I will have time to finish 82044 in time for the show, so that will have to wait.
  21. Captain Kernow
    I put 'Engine Wood' up for testing this morning (it is normally packed away at home), to ensure that all was well for a forthcoming session. The testing regime normally consists of running a loco up and down all roads, in all configurations, ensuring that the signals work etc.

     
    This time, apart from my usual pannier test loco, I deployed 82044 on the layout for the first time. This loco, which is a combination of Bachmann body and modified Comet chassis, featured in some of my earlier blogs a couple of years ago or so, but apart from running it up and down on my test track, it had never been run on either of my OO layouts.
     
    Fortunately, it seems to have acquitted itself OK today, and thus earns itself a place in the roster...
     
    82044 arriving with a train from Bristol TM to Templecombe:

     
    Waiting for the road:

     

     
    Pannier and local NCB loco stabled in the yard:

     

     
    82044 gets the road and re-starts the train:

     
    About to pass over the footpath crossing to the west of the station:

     
    Passing over the river bridge:

     
    View over the hedgerow:

     

  22. Captain Kernow
    Having now glued all the cosmetic half chairs onto this copper-clad point, I tested it with a few locos this afternoon, to ensure that I had cut the inner chairs down sufficiently to ensure that Bachmann etc. flanges wouldn't foul them.
     
    Here is Peckett 'Plantagenet', which has RP25 wheels running over the point:

     
    Ex-LNER J72 'Charlotte', sold to the NCB, may occasionally be found on hire to the outrageously improbably light railway that will have running powers into the BR goods yard on my new layout:

     
    I also ran some locos with proprietary chassis, including a Bachmann pannier, a Hornby Peckett and my DJM/Hattons 14XX, all of which had no problem running through the points or fouling any chairs.
     
    The tandem turnout can now go into the drawer with the other completed pointwork. I may now built the remaining two A5 points that I need, but I'm being tempted by the prospect of a loco or two.
  23. Captain Kernow
    Last night we got the OO P87 circuit on TT2 temporarily wired up and actually ran some trains on the new facility for the first time.
     
    The honour of breaking the metaphorical ribbon went to John farmer's LY pannier tank, which was swiftly followed by a succession of other Western Region, Southern Region and S&D trains.
     

    The first powered movement on the completed OO circuit.
     

    A general view of the test track
     

    10800 getting his version of The Cornishman ready to put on the track
     

    This is the best that the camera on my phone could manage in terms of replicating the famous Turner painting 'Rain, Diesel & Speed'....
     

    Re6/6 takes the controls as his Light Pacific eases away with it's long train
     

    The lack of a third rail wasn't going to put 10800 off from running this!
     

    A change of motive power on the Cleethorpes - Exmouth. The spamcan and 80XXX came off and were replaced by motive power from the Captain's shed (both locos to be weathered in due course for use on 'Engine Wood'_
     
    Finally, here is the link to the YouTube footage taken by Brinkly, of Rod's T9 and an unreasonably long train...
     

  24. Captain Kernow
    Although I have complained about the Hattons/DJM mechanism and chassis at length, I have never had any major criticisms of the body on this model and this remains the case, apart from the fact that you have to dismantle the body, in order to get the Hattons/DJM motor out, without resorting to the use of a mains Dremel.
     
    The level of detailing is very fine and some of the components are, by their very nature, somewhat delicate.
     
    The pipe runs along the edge of the footplate are a case in point.
     
    The pipes themselves are formed of steel rod, which is rather unyielding as is usually the case with steel. The end of the steam heating pipe, which runs along the left-hand edge of the footplate, actually fits into a corresponding hole in the rear of the plastic steam pipe moulding, which comes in a small bag for the owner to fit themselves.
     
    The steel rods are held in place along the edge of the footplate by small plastic clips, which are the vulnerable component here.
     
    The steam heating pipe on my model needed to be bent back slightly, in order not to place too much pressure on the plastic steam pipe (which you have to glue onto the buffer beam, fortunately Butanone seems to work OK for this).
     
    When bending this steel rod back a little, it popped out of the leading plastic clip on the side of the footplate, which in any case had, I suspect, been compromised during previous work on the loco. As a result, the plastic clip was broken and wouldn't hold the pipe securely any longer.
     
    My solution to this was what I have done before, when fitting similar pipework to kitbuilt locos.
     
    Two 0.5mm holes were drilled into the side of the footplate valancing, one on top of the other and by necessity, very close together. 0.5mm is somewhat too large but with a smaller drill, there is an increased risk of the drill breaking off, which wouldn't have been very helpful. Both holes are hidden behind the pipework when all is done, in any case.
     
    The first thing is then to epoxy a short length of 5 amp fuse wire into the top hole, having previously drawn the wire through some fine wet & dry paper to roughen the surface up to key to the glue:

     
    The top 0.5mm hole just goes right into the plastic of the footplate moulding, to a depth of about 5mm, enough to let the epoxy hold the fuse wire nicely. This is left to harden overnight.
     
    The next stage is to use a fine pair of tweezers to feed the other end of the fuse wire into the lower hole. This lower hole emerges on the underside of the footplate moulding. The fuse wire is then carefully pulled taught and some more epoxy applied to the underside of the footplate:

     
    The result looks like this - the fuse wire forms a very small little loop, that holds the steel steam pipe run in place and will disappear when dabbed with a black permanent marker or a bit of black paint:

     
    I would add, however, that the above process was rather fraught, as the threading of the fuse wire into the lower hole proved a lot more difficult than I had envisaged. I wouldn't do it in that order again, but would instead put the wire in the lower hole first, but not glue it, then thread the other end into the upper hole, glue it and leave it to harden. I would then draw the wire already in the lower hole tight and glue.
     
    I think I was lucky not to have broken the fuse wire off with the initial fumbling with the tweezers!
  25. Captain Kernow
    I've now finished weathering 1458 and the loco is now considered 'ready for service'.
     
    1458 and 1420 were the two regular locos on the Kington and Presteigne goods services in the early 1960s, until the lines finally closed in 1964. Both continued in service for a few months, with 1420 getting preserved by the Dart Valley Railway and 1458 seeing her days out on the Chalford auto trains, shedded at Gloucester.
     
    In my timeline, the railway beyond Kington to New Radnor was not closed in 1951, together with the extension to Rhyadar, so the 14XXs would have worked beyond Kington to Capel Bethesda, where goods traffic with the Vale of Radnor Light Railway was exchanged.
     
    Due to the extension beyond New Radnor to Rhayadar (which was initially meant to be part of a through route from the Midlands to the Welsh coast), the line was upgraded to take heavier locos, so we now see various types of pannier tanks appearing at Capel Bethesda, together with 22XXs and the occasional larger loco.
     
    It's nice, though, to have a couple of 14XXs available, though, as a nod to the real life lines that closed in 1964.
     
    Although I have some quite dirty and heavily-weathered locos, I wanted 1458 to represent a loco that had been looked after and was kept relatively clean by the local crews (a nod, perhaps, to the almost fanatical cleaning regime applied to the regular loco on the Golden Valley line a few miles away and a few years earlier).
     
    The loco was sprayed with a weathering mix of diluted Humbrol enamels, based on the methods described by Martyn Welch. The first layer was largely rubbed off again, when touch-dry and a second mix applied, leaving the original dirt lodged in the nooks and crannies. A bit of brush weathering followed, together with a final 'blow over' from the airbrush.
     
    (The other 14XX is one of the Hattons factory-weathered examples and I've yet to decide what to do about that, as it's really a bit too dirty!).
     

     

     

     

     
    And finally, a kind and observant soul has pointed out something that I already knew, namely that the really 1458 retained the early crest right until the end. I only realised myself a few weeks ago, but decided that as my layout's whole 'raison d'etre' is really rather outrageously improbable, then I could get away with saying that the loco acquired the later crest when it was reboilered in the late 1950s (earlier photos show 1458 with a top feed, later ones show her without).
     
    And I'm not messing with it now that it's finished!
     
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