Captain Kernow

This is looking very good indeed, Robin, and full marks to you for the research and clever adaptation of the Masokits product. I would no doubt have been very tempted to use this product for my Callow Lane box, had I been aware of it's existence when I started!! Glad to see that Mr Seal is giving satisfaction!!

Well done and well-deserved, Graham!

I've got one of these myself, and have always considered that something needed to be done to strengthen the frames where that awful motor cut-out is located. Will watch this one with interest - perhaps the R-T-R manufacturers are waiting for me to start on mine?! Will it be Em or P4, btw?

The topograhpy in the first photo in particular, is very convincing, Al - really nice stuff.

Well, DOH! Apologies for an outbreak of impreciseness, but I did mean Brassmasters, not Comet, Horse. And... it was an A1 chassis, not an A2! (well, it's big, it's green and it's LNER, what more can I say?!... )

Cheers Larry - that's a nice mix of stock and perfect justification for a mix and match approach for those of us who are partial to a bit of NPCCS...

Paul - I'm wondering if we shouldn't start 'propaganding' Comet for a fold-up chassis as per the A2 currently featured in the latest issue of MRJ - wouldn't that be fantastic?

Yes, they are already somewhat shorter than the original etched levers...

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.

See my first comment above, you would have to rebuild the box structure as the frame supports are completely different.RegardsKeith Just as well I decided to go for a Midland type frame then! That's still potentially useful, however, should anyone else find themselves in the same situation. Thanks for you help over on the S4 forum, Keith, as mentioned there, I'm happy with the new frame and will post some photos of it here, when the primer is dry (probably dry already) and once I've decided whether I need to move the gate wheel in the signalbox (the new frame is a few mill longer than the first one, due to the M.R. frame depicted now having 6" lever centres, rather than the narrower centres of the GWR frame).

Please excuse me if this has already been explained, but has someone already spelt out the dismantling procedure in easy-to-understand steps?

Well, I've had a think about this, and have scratchbuilt a lever frame base from plasticard, the Mek is currently hardening off as I type this. I've also cut down the Smiths levers at the tops, as the M.R. 'handle' was shorter than the GWR equivilent. After a slightly alarming attempt to heat up the base of the levers and melt them into a bit of scrap plasticard (to represent the base), I have realised that I will have to drill a line of small holes (probably 0.4mm) for each lever, and glue the bu**ers in!

I would add that I'd rather model something that's wrong, but do it well, than make a hash job of something that is technically right.

Keith, thank you for pointing this out - I was actually very well aware that the Midland frame looks different, but I have absolutely no idea how to reproduce one, hence the fact that this may have to be a W.R. replacement - if anyone has any useful ideas on how to replicate a M.R. lever frame in 4mm scale, I would be very glad to hear from them.

Well, it's only a Baby Warship, Phil, so maybe your joists will be able to take it after all?!

Judging by the front bogie wheel treads, I'd say he hasn't converted it yet?

Cheers for the tip, Paul - just gone to the railway room and tried it - it's a tad wide for the doorway, but that won't be a problem, as there's plenty of brass on either side and we're talking of a fraction of a millimetre to remove. In fact, the small side window to the right of the doorway was a much harder prospect to make that fit, as was the small window on the ground floor.

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.

Work is now underway to re-build this as a 3-window box...

Alan Gibson do milled side frames for the 54XX/64XX/74XX pannier, and the wheelbase between the driving wheels is the same as for the 16XX. You will need to remove a bit of frame material from one end, and extend the frames slightly at the other end, and ensure that the body sits at the right height, but it could save cutting a completely fresh set of frames from sheet brass?

Hi David, I find that most of the methods you describe work fine for me, too, although I baulk at the idea of applying glue to several slate strips at once, so I just plod along, one row at a time... It's great that you can use computer programmes to work out the hipped roof angles, I wish that I could get on with computer programmes like that as easily!

Alarm! Alarm! I'm having major mis-givings about using such a large signal box at such a small location, so I'm going to assemble the lever frame next, and see exactly how much space it takes up - so the razor saw may then come out and reduce the above structure to a 3-window box, or even a 2-window example (small and cute!)... Watch this space!

Whether I add cosmetic rail spikes remains to be seen, for much of it only the rail tops will be seen protruding out of fine ballast or cobbles and some of the less recent ready to run offerings may just brush the spikes. Oh go on, you know you want to?! (The SPLR bit of BHR has around 1000 individual dog spikes, using the same materials you are using above, so if I were you, I'd find any excuse to hid them with the scenery!). I'm very much looking forward to seeing this one develop, although I won't hold you to using the 7F as regular motive power!