ullypug

Now that's impressive. Looks oh so real!

Andrew

It's looking lovely - I might recommend thinner gauge wire for the grabs and bonnet handrails though? Perhaps 0.35mm? The finesse of the finish on the rest of the model would really benefit of more delicate looking grabs.

I went and looked at some of my research material which showed you are right of course. I've duly changed them to 0.31mm and it does look better.

Thanks for the constructive feedback. It is always appreciated.

38SWG? Where can I get some of that?

Whoops. Sorry it's 36swg and it's from Eileens Emporium.

Looking good, although I think your horn could do with a little attention

Hmm, maybe I should click on one of these spam e-mails offerring ahem, certain blue pharmaceuticals

Conflat Coke were the ones that worked from Derwenthaugh to Wakefield Cobra- these went to potash/salt traffic from Teesside.

I haven't heard 'Conflat Sand' before...

I found the book in my library and you're quite right about the container colours. A trip to the paint shop beckons...

I haven't found the reference I was looking for though have found a reference to 5 types of converted Boplate. I'll keep looking if only to confirm my sanity status...!

Can you explain how it works, please?

 

Nick

I'd be happy to. The rear axle is fixed and the front and middle are compensated on a single central beam. The rods have a forked joint ahead of the central crank pin and as you say, are a single piece from there to the rear two axles and jackshaft. The gear box is a 108:1 2 stage affair with the previously mentioned extension to keep the jackshaft syncronised with the rear axle.

The step assemblies are separate to the chassis and fix to the underside of the body. The etched overlays for footplate and valances just glue in place.

I did some work to the body yesterday evening and I'll post some pics later.

As I mentioned on Ully-Pug's blog, there are photos of orange containers with blue sheets on this traffic- I remember them from working in Avonmouth in 1976/7. They'd presumably be for a flow which would have been too small to justify a even a small ship from Cornwall. There's another shot in one of the more recent Larkin books, page 86 of 'Wagons of the Early British Rail Era'. The wagon in this case was B947880, fitted with cast bogies. Wagons recorded were:-

B947861/5/8/80/95, B947946/86

Larkin reckons the traffic finished in the early 1980s- I wonder if these wagons ended up on the containerised fertilizer/salt traffic from Boulby afterwards, as did so many others?

Hmmm, I think I need to go and search out this book - I may even have it in my library. I've seen references to Conflat Coke, Conflat Salt and Conflat Sand.

I like the way the gearbox drives both the rear axle and the jackshaft axle. Good work UP, btw, sorry to hear about your snotty state...

The really clever bit is that the jackshaft and the flycrank aren't connected. They just run adjacent. As the rear and flycrank axles are driven off the same gear train, they keep perfect respective positions.

It turns an 0-8-0 into an 0-6-0 which makes quartering a lot easier.

Hi,

I do like the Crab, used to see them at Eastleigh all the time. They were quite common on the Meldon ballast trains. I would love to have a go at one, but can't really justify one on my layout.

 

Cheers Peter,

I know what you mean. I'm not sure why one would end up at a Cornish clay works either, but I'm going to stick to the script of works on the line somewhere and use of the run round/storage siding on the layout! The Chivers kit goes together so well, though it wasn't until after I'd finished it I looked on Paul Bartlett's site and found the axleboxes were hooded roller bearings and both the Ling and Crab had tie bars, hence a few last minute alterations.

How tall are the boxes on the Conflat Clay- 4'? I remember seeing them at St Andrew's Road (Avonmouth)when I used to get the train to work in 1976/7. Were some of the boxes also another colour? I seem to recall orange with blue sheets.

Brian

I think I scaled them off the photo at a little under 4ft. One Bachmann 8ft x 20ft ISO cut longitudinally(twice) left about a 2mm sliver. Interesting point about the colour. The book I used just mentions light blue boxes and black sheets, but as I've another one and haven't yet sprayed the boxes maybe I should follow your suggested colour scheme. They're going to have a healthy coating of white yet anyway!

The 03 looks like it's coming on nicely. Has the chassis been easy to build?

Yes, I think so. That's not to say it's not complicated in places, but everything has fitted so well and the instructions are highly detailed. It's taken some time to do, but taking it a step at a time, I've encountered no problems. The rear step assembly with the flycrank cover is a lesson in origami but it all just clipped together. I don't know whether a beginner would enjoy it so much because you do need to be able to solder some fairly small components, though I don't class myself as an expert. It's all reached the final assembly stage so this weekend should see the first trial run.

Damn you sir !

I've just read through your blog and have realised just how far I have to improve to attain the levels you reach.

Truly inspirational.

Andrew

Looking good so far Matthew. Keep us updated with progress. Finished layout by the end of the week then?

that looks good andy - what livery did they wear, bauxite or railfreight?

Bauxite I believe and the containers were pale blue.

I can vouch for the tip for central axles having had to use it on my Bachy William Cookworthy. One point on the CDA's. I've used Branchlines wheels, fitting MJT brake disks, just scraping away (albeit quite a bit) of the W irons. They're the newer Hornby CDA's. File the pin points down a bit to encourage slop, fill the hopper with liquid lead and they run like a dream.

It was good to see you Andy, I think your wallet come off best in the end...I regrettably aquired two blue diesel projects...(time for 31304 with its red ploughs methinks.... Glad to hear you had a good show, but how about losing the auto couplings

No.

It seems there are a few of us trying to figure out how to use the new blog versus posting in old forum threads! Lovely layouts - I look forward to seeing more about them and any future projects? on here!

Indeed. This bit still looks the same. I am planning the next project and will blog soon (sounds nasty)...

Cheers

Andrew