Buckjumper

But does it matter if they are too soft and it rides on the stops?

 

The wheel will still drop if there is a low point on the rail?

 

Exactly. I tend to spring my own stuff passively, with the stock riding on the stops and the springs keeping the wheels interfacing with the rail.  Others like to spring actively with the ride-hide at a mid-point, allowing the wheels to move up as well as down. I have done it on a few bits and bobs, but generally, unless specified in a commission, it's a bit of a pickle and life's too short. If passive springing works for me in S7, it'll work for you in F/S.

 

Of course, the trade off in pickle and time is that actively sprung stock glides over uneven rail joints at baseboard edges without ne'er a shimmer. Of course the answer to that is to not have uneven rail joints, and that is largely determined by your skill as a carpenter!

Blimey that's both simple, clever & neat. I'll be pinching that idea.

Although ABC motor/gearboxes are nominally plug & play I find that easing them in for 5 - 10 minutes on the bench at ¼, ½, ¾ and full power in each direction with a little sewing machine or clock oil beds them in nicely and significantly reduces the noise too.

 

Also, the bearings are machined to 3/16th dead, so Slater's axles which are 'nominally 3/16ths sometimes fit straight away, but sometimes are nigh on an interference fit.  Brian suggests rubbing the axles with fine wet & dry, I'm naughty and (very carefully!) ream the bearings 4.8mm (same as I do on the frames) which gives a couple of thou working clearance.

Looking down the Tower site to the third photo, I can see the backhead "issue" - quite extraordinary!

 

Never mind, when the King is finished, I'll start on my CRT kit of a 1361. Whether it'll be as exciting as this one remains to be seen!

 

 

Empty your bin first to make room. In its previous incarnation, without the resin parts, I kept the smokebox door.

Or make the roof like a snuff box lid - see page 15 of the Connoisseur QMBV instructions. The four mini bulkheads are an interference fit inside the verandah and cabin ends, so the roof stays in place without the need for further mechanical fixing or glue. They also avoid any unintentional gaps between roof and body.

 

http://www.jimmcgeown.com/Wagon%20Kit%20Pages/Queen%20Mary%20Instructions%20print%20off%20pdf.pdf

The Tower 1361 has an interesting boiler backhead.

 

It's the size and shape of the saddle tank...

Wow! That's fantastic! 

ISTR the cylinders were too small on the W&CW (now CRT) kits too.  Definitely worth tackling.

 

 I can still remember someone being very upset after running a loco with lined out cylinders of a friends layout only to find a mark down the cylinders from contact ith the platform edge.

 

Didn't the Great Western have the same problem on North Eastern lines?

In re the chimney: If it's not too heinous, not being brass, couldn't you give the drawing to someone with 3D CAD skills and ask them to draw it for you, then send it to Shapeways to have it printed in FUD? I did this recently with an Ivatt 2MT and it came out a treat. Finding someone with the necessary skills is the thing; the chap who did it for me is currently pulling half his house down to build the dream railway room for his Last Great Project, so is a bit busy pro temp, but there are some clever people here on RMWeb.

I remember being very impressed by the layout when it featured in the Modeller back in about 1995-96ish, so it's very nice to see it again Paul.

Oi, can't you lot stop posting while I try to catch up? I got to p.15 last night only to find 23 more posts tacked on the end this morning.

 

It's almost as bad as Rob's Brent thread - I had to take it off my notifications as it was swamping everything else, but I figured it'd be at the top of the board fairly often so I'd just dip in. Two weeks later I had 21 pages to catch up with... 

The curse of RMweb;  I've only just found this thread and it's 77 pages long.

 

Just going for a read - I may be some time...

Hi Adrian. A glutton for punishment award?

 

 

Right on Peter. This is an ex College Models kit. I too, have built some OK Acme models.

 

That's the award Ken. I'll get Andy on to Warner's - I'm sure they'll sponsor it.

 

Chris (2manySpams) might be interested to know that Mike Williams was the owner and designer of College Models kits, and of course he's now the owner of Agenoria and designed Chris' 1366 kit... circles within circles....

Oh dear, what can I say. This is an awful kit.  The faults are many....

 

Ah, a typical day with an Acme kit. The last one I had I felt like taking it up the local clay pigeon shooting range, loading it into a trap and shouting 'Pull!'

 

We definitely need a 'Heroic' button added to the forum software for anyone completing one

Thoughts:

 

1. Isn't a "Brazilian" just a term for a "Klose" shave ?

 

2. Aren't Germany now in "Kroos" control?

 

3. The Brazilians are getting muellered.

Paul,

 

I think they were London Road (or maybe Fourtrack - the same outfit?)

 

Now with Meteor Models code HB2.

The GE Dia.15 vans were initially rated 9T, though later on some had bigger journals so were re-rated 10T. Yours is a post-1901 build as it has the vents on the ends. As you say, they were extinct from c1931, but quite a few have survived to preservation by virtue of being sold off or utilised as stores as here. I think you're right that it was Richard who mastered these, along with several other contemporary vans from other companies. It's a shame his are no longer available as I could do with several - looks like I'll have to make my own master.

Lovely work Chaz.

 

 

And, how would you have glazed the duckets ? (I'm curious, but as my theme is GW, no more than that!)
 

 

 

Glazing the duckets? I don't know how which is probably why I haven't done so. Because of the way the duckets in this kit (and many others) have been cast in white-metal it would not be easy to get a convincing result. glueing the glazing across the whole outside face and then adding a thin shim with the glass shape cut out might work but it might be difficult to hide the edges.

 

 

For small windows it's pretty simple. Microscale, who make the useful Microsol and Microset for bedding down transfers/decals, also produce a liquid glazing material. Sorry, can't show my efforts as everything is still in storage from the flood, but here's a YouTube video showing the simple technique, and the results can be better seen in the quarterlights of this Scammell by Chris Nevard. I find larger openings tend to be less successful as the liquid film is stretched and thus thinner in the centre causing a slightly concave effect as it dries, but I prefer glass microscope coverslips for those anyway.

Returning to Mikkel's OP on S&DJ Road Vans, during my enforced absence from actually doing any modelling I've been looking at foreign goods workings into London to see if there was anything interesting (i.e. suitably mundane) sent in by the outlying companies. Naturally the S&DJ eventually rose to the top and the thorny question of their covered goods wagons came up. Bixley et al is useful to a point, but rather lacking in specifics so I enquired of a fellow 7mm modeller who has a rather lovely S&D themed garden line, and he was able to supply the following:
 

Russ Garner's Registers [1886-1930] include the following useful entries on the Midland-designed box vans (SR diagram 1404):

1. Nos 1003-1037; 8 ton; covered goods (road van); built 1896 by Midland; average tare 5-15-0.
2. As [1], except: No 1038; 8 ton  covered goods (road van); built April 1896 by Midland; 5-13-2 tare.
3. As [1], except: Nos 1045-1073; 8 ton; covered goods; built 1899 by SJ Claye; average tare 5-15-0.
4. As [1], except: Nos 35, 60, 138, 334, 491, 610, 762; 8/10 ton; covered goods; built 1905, 1908, 1905, 1908, 1909, 1911 by SDJR Highbridge.

Clearly a number of box vans were designated as 'Road Vans' and these were allocated certain operating diagrams, whereas a covered goods wagon was unallocated.
 
"Road Box Traffic" and tabulate "Working of Road Boxes" are covered in the WTT's and these examples are from the one dated 1st July 1914:
 

• Van 13 worked Bath and all intermediate stations to Templecombe for London, on 3.40pm from Bath to Templecombe, then 11.15pm from T'Combe L&SW.
• Van 21 worked Highbridge and all intermediate stations to Templecombe, with Meat, Poultry and Rabbits only, for London Markets. Attached to 5.5pm from Highbridge, then 11.15pm from T'Combe L&SW.
• Van 22 worked Highbridge and all intermediate stations to Templecombe for London, on 5.50pm from Highbridge Goods, then 11.15pm from T'Combe
• Van 23 worked London to Cole and all stations to Evercreech New, on 1040pm from London and 6.0am from T'combe
• Van 24 worked from London to Shepton mallet and all stations to Bath, on 1040pm from Nine Elms, 4.15am from T'combe, 6.0am from Evercreech Jn and 10.5am from Shepton mallet.
• Van 25 worked from London to all intermediate stations between Wincanton [except Cole) & Burnham & Bridgwater, on 1040pm from Nine Elms and4.15am from T'combe
• Van 26 worked from London to bath, Bristol and Burnham on 1235am from Nine Elms, 815 or 1055am from T-combe, then as arranged from Evercreech Jn.
• Van 33 worked Nine Elms to Henstridge via Wimborne, on 1.15am from Nine Elms and 9.20am from Wimborne
• Van 38 worked from Stalbridge and Henstridge stations to T'combe, for London markets on 7.35pm from Stalbridge and 9.15pm from T'combe.

There is an instruction for Goods Guards which differentiates between Road Vans and ordinary covered goods wagons workings:

"Goods Guards must take special care on commencing a journey, if they have Road Box Wagons on their Train, that they receive the necessary list and invoices, (except in the case of Road Boxes from the Midland system) and obtain signatures at each Station where the goods are left, and in the case of Trains finishing at Bath, these lists must be nailed to the Truck side".

 

 

 

So there, I'm safe having an S&D Road Van passing through Basilica Fields with Somerset rabbit for the local populace (Christmas dinner perhaps), or even a plain old general merchandise van loaded with Dorset's finest Thingamajigs, and I'm sure Mikkel can forge a suitable excuse for having either type turn up regularly at Farthing too.

 

 The two 'foreigners' seemed too good to chuck out so hence the question. The van will appear in NE livery as I doubt the NBR or H&B strayed to E Hertfordshire much before grouping. But then again...

 

 

There's a photo of an NER van in the goods yard at Ware in 1911, so no reason why you should exclude an NBR or HBR one. How else would a wagon load of thingamajigs or wochamacallits arrive in Herts from East Yorks or the Borders? As long as in the pre-Group period GER wagons dominate, you can have goods wagons interlopers from anywhere in the country on GE metals...brake vans excepted - they would have stayed on their own lines or lines where running rights were exercised.

I'm beginning to realize the variety of 8 and 10 ton vans on the Midland - much as a non-GWR modeller would if he looked at GWR vans  . Looks like I need to get the Essery book on MR wagons too. These things tend to grow, don't they!

 

And then volume 2, then WSP hav a nice LNW pair, and a nice L&Y pair,and the one on the North Staffs, and the trio on pre-Group LNER, and OPCs's Southern pre-Group trilogy, and...

 

And soon you realise you're a wagonphile!

There are 4 M&SWJ wagons in the Ken Werrett list, one of which is the 10T van no.303 illustrated in June 1975 RM, and another is the 8T Van (could this also be the same as the Midland 8T van by Coopercraft?) no.158 with a through pipe in MRN December 1961. I have both drawings on a computer I can't access atm due to the current circumstances, but I know someone who can.

Very interesting!  It's obviously the loco body for 7562 (low single arc cab roof removed mid-30s) paired with the tender for 65476 (post-1892 S23 type) in the post-1926 configuration with water gauge intact and raised coal guards fitted, so a bit of a hybrid at present.

 

7542 and 65431 usually ran with the earlier pre-1892 S23 tenders with D-shaped lightening holes in the frames. Of course tenders were swapped, and 65476 ran with an early S23 for a few days in Feb 1952, and there are at least two photographs of it doing so, but it was short-lived and quickly got its usual one back. Anyone not in the know would be forgiven for thinking that was the norm, though.

 

Balance weights are over-large too, but the whole mock-up gives the impression of the J15s and is to my eye very encouraging!

Fab video - thoughtful viewpoints and nicely edited Chaz. It makes up for (in a very small way) not being able to get to the Basingstoke show. The somersault signal is hypnotic - I took the video back a few times just to watch it go over and back again.

Hi Mike, the cattle wagon looks good. Just one point which may not be a problem. As far as I know black and white, Friesan, cows didn't come into the UK until 1947.

 

Jamie

A common error often repeated in model railway circles, but Friesians have been imported into Britain since the 19th century with a short break from 1892 due to a serious outbreak of foot and mouth on the continent. Granted they weren't as common a breed here back then as more home-grown ones, but (what became known as) the British Friesian is a perfectly acceptable occupant, particularly in the East of England and Scotland. It was the American Holstein-Friesian breed (a different bloodline) which appeared here just after WW2.