Captain Kernow

Oh, I clocked him, don't worry....! I think it was one of the few occasions that I swanned off for a wander....

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!...)

Interesting, just didn't see 'em! My previous encounter with 3-D printing was with some rather crude-looking loco bodies at another show, a couple of years ago... However, I felt at the time that the potential of this technology had only just begun to be tapped...

Whilst both corbels are great, I hadn't realised how far 3-D printing had come - the crispness is amazing.

Sounds very interesting Rob - what scale/gauge are you working in?

Yes! I miss Chris Evans on the radio when I drive to work!

It's by your feet, old chap! (by the way, are you still sporting those shorts?! )

In the next few days I'm planning to take mine apart, in order to remove the wheels and axles for turning down to P4 profiles, this with the assistance of Brian Harrap and his lathe. The driving wheels are 10mm diameter, and seems to be on the split axle/split chassis system, in that the pick ups work off the ends of the pin point bearings. I was considering using some Gibson Lowmac wheels, but these are 11mm, so it may just be easier to reprofile the Dapol wheels.

Somewhere, somewhere, I've got some (non digital) photos of the remains of the engine shed up above Ivybridge....

A very nice selection of views, many thanks for posting these. I walked some of this line a few years ago, albeit on a bitterly cold but clear winters day, and yes, the former trackbed is still very clearly delineated. It would be good to put a link to this thread in the Disused Railways group as well, perhaps.

Well said, Mike. Something else to consider - Dapol said right from the beginning that the Class 22 would be a good runner, a new 'Super Creep' mechanism was mentioned... well, if the Sentinel is anything to go by, that's another promise that Dapol are going to come good on.

You are one clever hombre, that's for sure... I dunno, the youth of today, eh? I my day I'd have had to be happy with a bit of balsa wood turned up in my Black & Decker, all held together with Cow Gum!

Neat bit of engineering, matey, another good use for a lathe as well!

Good point Michael, in fact shunting is normally done much faster than that, need to get the job done and back to the messroom to finish the game of cards, have another brew, book off etc. etc. However, what's important IMO is smooth running, rather than just slow running, and the slow and consistent crawl of this mechanism shows that it has very good controllability. One thing I've noticed is that I need to find out how to get the top off, as there are some electrical resistor-type gubbins (that's a technical term, by the way) visible inside through one of the glazed parts of the body. Should be easy enough to disguise.

They're keeping me far too busy at the other end of the patch these days. However, a recent visit to the far west did not provide an opportunity to stop at Camborne, so I was very pleased indeed to pick my GW version up from Taz this afternoon (thanks again, Brian!). It is truely superb in appearance and running. I've had it running dead slow and it will happily take over 5 mins to cover just one yard of track. The running is every bit as good as the sample loco that Chris Nevard brought to Railex recently, and which he kindly allowed me to try on Engine Wood. There is room for P4 conversions, and I was thinking of tackling that over the weekend using some Lowmac wheels I've got. Unfortunately the Lowmac wheels are 11mm diameter, and the loco wheels are clearly 10mm, so I'm not prepared to add an extra 1mm to wheel diameter. I'll sort out the turning down of either the Dapol wheels to P4 profile, or turn the Lowmac wheels down to 10mm. I think someone said that the number plate ('13') comes off the GW version, having had a gentle prod with a finger nail, I think this is right, but I would appreciate some confirmation from anyone who has actually done it. The green is quite dark, satisfyingly so, because I shall be running mine as an industrial example.

You are a clever old clogs, Brian - I do like that! You are now inspiring me to spend a fortune on some more point motors and cut them up to operate level crossing gates!

Truely the end of an era, very sad indeed, but thank you for posting this. Still, the various model aircraft flying clubs in the East of England can look on the bright side - the MoD will probably be asking them to form the first line of air defence for the country before too long...

And how about some uninspiring quotes: Mine is the first generation able to contemplate the possibility that we may live our entire lives without going to war or sending our children to war. Tony Blair The threat from Saddam Hussein and weapons of mass destruction - chemical, biological, potentially nuclear weapons capability - that threat is real. Tony Blair

Simply the customer (for the moment) is using road transport, which is his choice. I would agree re the 66 being the last loco down the branch. With any luck, one of them will be the first back down there, if traffic were to resume.