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ullypug

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Blog Entries posted by ullypug

  1. ullypug
    I know it's only been a week since my last confession, but I've reached the point when I can transit onto the next board. Progress this weekend has seen the point rodding installed to boards 3 and 4, board 3 finished and board 5 duly dragged down ready to start.
    I still need to break up and detail the large strawberry patch as it's a little too uniform at the moment. Probably needs more scenic variation.
    This is where it gets interesting.
    I've mocked up the permanent way hut; an odd little building with a couple of lean to extensions. It may be a tad on the low side but that's why I build mock ups first. Board 5 has the goods shed and signal box, not to mention the platform ends and the station master's house. It's going to be back on the Coreldraw over the festive period between the odd mince pie to draw up the windows, bargeboards and other details I might need cutting or etching. All good practice before board 6 which is just the small matter of the train shed.

    Point rodding installed.

    Board 3 joins the first two on its runners. There'll be a few things to touch up here and there and the water works to add in the foreground obviously.

    Board 5 along side and ready to start
  2. ullypug
    After the distractions of the Triang bogie brake, I've found time to return to the scenics of board 4. I've mocked up the market gardeners cottage based on the limited information I have. I think it's a little too large at the moment but I'll ponder that one.
    The rest is a repeat of previous boards; basic ground cover is static grass applied through a Flockit, additional cover is postiche and scatter, trees are Woodlands scenics armatures and more postiche, fencing is EZ line, strawberry patches are formed from filler and 'topsoiled' before adding the rows and rows of various plants. I need to pick up some point rodding cranks from Brassmasters at Warley and then I'll be able to finish that off.
    There was a permanent way hut on the up side, but otherwise this board is about finished.
    The road at the rear of the layout has yet to be installed. I've plans for that but that's for the future.
  3. ullypug
    One of my long standing 'round tuit' projects has been a Triang bogie luggage van that was given to me by the late Bob Haskins. As is the way, I was looking for something else in the modelling room when I came across a box containing a number of wagons he'd given me, some years ago now.
    I knew I'd picked up a detailing conversion pack for it from Roxey Mouldings at a bring and buy so I thought why not?
    I guess Bob had this coach from the early seventies and the Roxey kit was also in a suitably decrepit box but as you know I do like these resurrection projects.
    The instructions were comprehensive and luckily I already had the Gould book from Oakwood Press to provide background information.
    First step was to remove the green paint (I guess Bob applied) using Modelstrip.
    I decided not to reuse the existing doors. New ones were made from Evergreen planking sheets and straps added from strip with rivet detail added from cubes of 5mm square section. Handrails were added from 0.35mm wire.
    The under frame was made up on a base of copper clad, allowing it to be soldered together before bolting to the underside of the body.
    The bogies are sprung, using the Bill Bedford 8ft variants and the white metal side frames glued on.
    I used MJT LSWR/SR pattern ventilators as the ones in the Roxey kit had a little too much flash for my liking.
    Once the detailing had been complete, the coach was sprayed with Halfords plastic primer, Precision carmine airbrushed on and a light weathering coat added. The roof has a coat of Lifecolour roof dirt.
    I've attached a few photos including the finished article on Cheddar. My plan is to run it as a parcels/strawberry van. I've absolutely no idea if these vans ever ran on the Cheddar Valley line, but I don't care. I think Bob would have liked the end result and that's all that matters!

  4. ullypug
    Work has moved this month onto the 4th board, which has seen the half chairs added, rails painted, ballast applied (correct type first time this time), rodding stool bases stuck on and one of the line side fences posts planted.
    How to sum up in one sentence what actually took a few weeks to achieve! The rail half-chairs take ages. Painting another couple of days. I spent considerable time laying and tamping the ballast this time. The effect is much better. Pity it's taken until now to perfect. Hey-ho. Scenically, it'll have one market gardener's cottage on the down side and an awful lot of strawberry patches everywhere else!
    I did have to get Clevedon ready for the Uckfield show which took up some modelling time. Oh, and I've got distracted with an old Triang SR bogie brake coach. But more of that later. In the meantime here's the current state of play. You can see the other two boards on their rails in the background amongst the detritus, though what the signal box mock up is doing in the middle of the road is beyond me!
  5. ullypug
    Now that work is virtually complete on the first two boards (barring the buildings), I've put the first one to one side and begun work on the third one. Although I can erect 6 boards at a time in the garage, they're spanning other layouts and junk meaning they're too high to work on without standing on some form of platform or stool. And one day I'll fall off! Instead I have an area off to the side where I can work on a couple of boards comfortably.
    Anyhoo, the third board contains the lime dust shed for Callow Hill quarry which was a fairly spindly kind of affair. Dimensions were guesstimated and a number of trusses soldered up from spare nickel silver rail. Columns and other substantial structural elements were brass and the frame was finished off with copper clad 'purlins', including an unprototypical diagonal but I figured I needed the strength. After painting with a succession of rattle cans, the corrugated iron (?) was added using leftover Slaters and SE Finecast sheets before painting with acrylics and dusting with talc. The Axbridge end has been left open deliberately to match a photo I have. Eventually I'll need to add some yard lamps here and it'd be nice if I can make them work.

    The surrounding area has had the scenery added as before and yet more strawberry patches!

    On the up side of the layout, I've worked out where a couple of the Bristol Water Works outbuildings will be so the private siding's been laid. This was protected by a gate which may or may not be made to open and close on the model. It'll give the opportunity for yet another shunting move if I do. I'm not sure whether wagons were moved with a pinch bar along the siding though?

    Unfortunately this board also requires point rodding so I've made a start on that/ All the various cranks etc. have been cobbled up from Brassmasters and MSE etches and await the fitting of the Modelu stools.
    I've still some more line side fencing to add and the concrete retaining wall colours need blending across the baseboard joint, but it's coming on nicely.
  6. ullypug

    Clevedon WCPR update

    By ullypug,

    I'm happy to report that the layout's been put up ahead of the outing to Uckfield and all is well. I took the opportunity of giving the scenery a bit of a refresh, adding some ground cover and trees as I've been using all the stuff on Cheddar anyway.
    An additional hedge or two help break up the previously plain grass to the right hand end. One of my operators has very kindly provided a traction engine and trailer, hauling some timber for Clevedon Saw Mills and it'll make a nice cameo in the yard. Better than the post war Thornycroft for sure!!
    Engine No 5 and the Taff Vale Coach have been given a spin and all seem to work well. Some little jobs to finish things off but I'm really pleased.
    Some photos are attached. Excuse some of the bizarre angles, I'm trying to avoid showing the clutter in the rest of the railway room.
    Now, have I got time to repaint the ex LSWR set into the correct livery after 15 years in the wrong one...
  7. ullypug
    The coach is finished, painted and ready for service. Or will be once I've put some AJ's on. The body was sprayed with plastic primer then dark green (Railmatch DMU). The chassis is bits of Bill Bedford W irons and other odds and ends. Handrails etc are folded up from 0.3mm brass. The steps are 1mm angle for the supports with the treads from waste etch. I got the ducket lamp tops from Branchlines and that's about it. The wagon had also been finished and once I've given them a light waft of weathering with the airbrush and dealt with a little patches of errant roof grey, both will be released to service at the Uckfield show next month. The show itself will have a bit of a Colonel Stephens theme about it so if you're into that sort of thing (and why wouldn't you be), please come along and say hello.
  8. ullypug
    This week I have been mostly planting apple trees and making GWR line side fencing.
    The fencing is made from Evergreen 1.5mm square strip, cut into 20mm lengths to represent the 5ft posts. I worked out some time ago that if you cut this with a pair of Xuron track shears, you are left with one flush and one pointed end either side of the cut. Perfect for forming the top of the post with a few strokes of a file. Some of the post bases are then drilled 0.5mm and brass wire inserted to act as a pin. These were inserted at 6ft centres, secured with cyano and painted with Vallejo acrylics.
     
    The wire is EZ line, an elasticated thread I bought from Exactoscale years ago. Installation requires a jig, which consists of two ends and a traveller, all drilled to the required wire spacing which increased the nearer the top of the post. Each of the two ends is drilled and a pair of wires inserted in each, since these will act as anchors during installation and two wires prevent rotation of the anchors. The traveller is not drilled. Next, comes the really irritating bit where you thread lengths of EZ line through the anchors and travellers, securing each ends with small squares of tape. Once you've done all the wires (I cheated and left the very bottom one off), the whole things is ready for installation. The two anchors are secured either ends beyond the limit of the posts and then the traveller used to set the wires at each post. A smear of cyano is applied with a brush and then the whole thing held in place for a few seconds allowing the glue to take before moving on to the next post. Once dry, the anchors are cut free ready for re-use. The gap I'd left for the posts was then treated with static grass. Photos explain the sequence.

    jig on the bench. Either end is secured into polystyrene to allow line to be threaded.

    Anchors at either end of the layout

    Installation

    all complete
     
    There was an apple orchard on the north side of the line here and I wanted to try and capture this quintessential aspect of Somerset. The branches are Woodlands scenics plastic armatures, sprayed with a mixture of grey primer and beige. The foliage is postiche, sprayed with lacquer and sprinkled with a selection of Green Scene scatter and finished with a sprinkling of red to represent the apples. I'm waiting for someone to tell me that you wouldn't be able to see the apples during the strawberry season but rule no 1 applies here. All I need now are a couple of Gloucester Old Spots and I'll have my very own orchard pigs!

    Next up is the stone loading shed, and somehow I've got to fill the empty allotment patch with strawberry bushes. Oh, and the bridge still needs the up advance starter. Hmm...

    These couple of boards are getting there slowly but I'm really pleased with how they're turning out.

    view from the bridge

    couldn't resist!
  9. ullypug
    So I've sanded back the road to represent a metalled surface. I do have a bag of mendip roadstone which should be suitable! The retaining wall's been painted in a selection of acrylics and pounced with talc and quarry scenic dust. A bit more weathering and dry brushing is required yet.
    More hedging has been laid and I've been adding a selection of ground cover, mainly using postiche covered with foam. The second board has had its initial covering of static grass and I'll be working my way down through the boards. Takes a long time to do anything, though I'm quite liking the view down the line towards the bridge.
    I'd left a strip of masking tape under the static grass which I can remove so as to add the line side fence later (i.e. when I can't put it off any longer). Next step is an orchard, maybe the up advance starter signal by the bridge and then the Callow Rock stone loading point shelter. A load of brass angle has duly arrived.
  10. ullypug
    I was reminded at Railwells that I'm taking Clevedon out to an exhibition in October. As Adrian cheerfully asked 'are you ready for Uckfield yet?' I realised that I haven't done anything on Clevedon since the end of the Tolworth show last November, blog update included.
    Well there's nothing like a looming deadline to get the creative juices flowing so I've embarked on a little distraction from the Cheddar scenery.
    First up was wagon No 19. This was a 7ft wheelbase 3 plank dropside of supposedly Midland origin and was used to convey milk churns. I've only ever seen photos of it on the dump road at Clevedon but no matter. The basis of the wagon is a cut and shut Slaters 3 plank drop side. There was a moment of brief distress when I realised that I was working in 4mm not 3mm scale. 7ft equates to 28mm not 21mm wheelbase. Unfortunately I did not realise this until I'd finished it. Doh...! (Adam if you're reading this I doubt you ever have this sort of calamity). Some further cutting and shutting duly commenced, using the residual bits left over from the initial attempt. Still an intermediate strap to add back in along with some primitive door bangers, but we're heading in the right direction.

    I bet Geoff Kent doesn't have this trouble...

    Still, with a bit of corrective surgery...
    Next, I turned my attention to the Taff Vale Coach which ran as No 18 and which the WCPR bought from the GWR in 1926, who themselves acquired it from the Taff Vale Railway at grouping. Or did they?
    Supposed wisdom has it (Kidner) that the coach was a 26ft brake second number either 219 or 220. However I've been on a voyage of discovery with the Welsh Railway Circle and the Colonel Stephens Museum and it's looking like the coach was neither of these two. Indeed, there are a couple of other candidates (no's 0227 and 0228) which might be the donor. The main source of information for pregrouping carriage stock taken over by the GWR is Eric Mountford's 'GWR Absorbed Coaching Stock' of 1978. The trouble is the guards ducket. They were at the end on TVR coaches so it looks like the vehicle was altered in some way. Or may not even be TVR origin. Certainly very interesting. In the end I decided to make the body 26ft as it suits both 0227 and 0228.
     
    Anyway, once I had removed my anorak of inquisitiveness, I set about marking up some plasticard. copying the photos I have. Construction is pretty much as per the David Jenkinson Wild Swan book of a few years ago. Plasticard layers to represent panelling, droplight etc. In this case it's a 5 thou outer panel over a 10 thou layer with a further 10 thou for the droplight sash. Di-Lemonine is the solvent used for overlaying.
     
    The good thing is I'm only making the one. Otherwise I'd have gone down the etched route as the plasticard is not the neatest. If it's like the two ex LSWR saloons I built, a lot of the imperfections will be lost under the layers of paint. The layers sit over a box/frame of 20 thou for roof and sub floor. The under frame is Evergreen strip and I've fished out some Bill Bedford NPCS sprung units for the W irons. The guards duckets were cut out separately and added to the sides later. The roof is on and it's all presently hardening off ready for a coat of primer tomorrow. Just the footboards and some rivet detail to add.

    Initial cut out for outer panels

    panels stuck to inner frame

    details of frame including formed tumble home

    ends

    ducket sides added

    body hardening off

    Door hinges, under frame and bollections added.

    End steps too
  11. ullypug
    After a break for a relaxing holiday away, I've turned this week to the first board at the Axbridge end. I'd mistakenly put the stone loading siding up adjacent to the wing walls of the over bridge so this was corrected and the groundwork adjusted to suit. Then I've tried playing about with the location of Fiveways Farm. Presently I'm looking at a forced perspective type arrangement to disguise the fact that it really isn't wide enough to fit properly. Still pondering that one.
    Then I've dug out my scenics box and started applying ground cover. I'm using a mixture of Heki and Greenscenes static grass fibres over a bed of hanging basket liner, woodlands scenics and plain painted ground. Coming on well I think, though more to do yet including trimming and adding ground cover.
    Rubberised horse hair hedges have been first fixed and I've planted a tree. The first of many I think. You can also see the first of what will be many, many strawberry patches. It was a feature of the line that these were cultivated on railway land right down to the trackside. Still after an age it's nice to see it taking shape.
    Not yet convinced about the road colour or texture, so have more to do on that.
  12. ullypug
    I was doing a demo at the recent Railwells show and was pleased that I managed to do virtually no modelling. Always the sign of a successful 'demo' weekend.
    I did get as far as dismantling an Oxford models AA3 ex GW Toad in BR livery.
    Several people pointed out the errors in the model (apart from the chassis being supplied in the wrong scale as the wheels are too close together obviously), so I didn't do much more than take it apart and compensate one axle with a low profile MJT unit. The axles are an odd length (about 27mm) so the non compensated end had 2 top hat bearings shoved into the back of the axle boxes to take up the difference (technical stuff this) and it runs ok.
    The body comes apart after a fashion and the buffers pull out (or at least they're supposed to. One end did, the other stuck fast. The end lamp irons are metal and pull out too.
    Having had a good look at things I've since set about correcting the bodywork errors namely:
    1. Plating over the ends with 5 thou.
    2. Cutting out and re-setting the non-veranda end windows one plank higher, using Evergreen strip to make the frame.
    3. Blanking over the central window to the above with 5 thou and forming individual planks from 10 x 40 thou.
    4. Swapping the sand boxes from the veranda and non-veranda ends.
    5. Removing the central chimney and replacing with brass, offset accordingly.
    6. Adding some transfers (Railtec) more suitable for Cheddar. I've absolutely no idea whether there was ever one at Westbury and I'm not bothered if there wasn't.
    7. Filling in the central cut out to the 6 wheel footboard.
     
    Photos show the current state of affairs, with the solvent hardening off. Still to complete are:
    8. Final detailing to non-veranda end window frame and sanding down the planking to the central window.
    9. Fit couplings
    10. Re-fit lamp irons
    11. Add rivet detail to plated ends
    12. Reassemble chassis with brake gear and fit body.
    13. Replace one pair of buffers.
    14. Paint as necessary

  13. ullypug
    So it's been an interesting week.
    Having ballasted the first three boards for Cheddar following the same procedure; using Klear as a wetting agent then applying diluted PVA, I wasn't really happy with the outcome. A chat with the Attwood Aggregates people and Gordon Gravett at the Minehead show last Saturday confirmed that the ballast indeed was too dark for the Dulcote Stone it was supposed to be representing. I purchased a couple more bags and and when I got home made an unpleasant discovery. I had mistakenly used Mendip Stone instead of Dulcote Stone for the first 3 boards. No wonder!! Mendip stone is indeed a darker colour and not what I was trying to replicate. In the photos I have, the ballast is light in colour - much lighter than the cess material. Dulcote stone weathers to an off white almost as it oxidises.
    So, muttering from the Scalefour Society approved lexicon of expletives, I set about chiselling out a short section and re-applying the correct stone, using water and washing up liquid in an atomiser to wet everything and then applying the diluted PVA/washing up liquid mix. After it had dried I was pleased that the stone had held its original colour and gave the effect I was looking for.
    The bad news is that this meant I then had to chisel out all the ballast from the remaining 3 boards and repeat the application process, which is where I am now.
    Thankfully, the foam trackbed allows the ballast to be removed relatively easily with a chisel pointed scraper. It just took a bit of time.
    I'd also forgotten that you achieve better results for thin sleepered track if you lay it in a bed of glue and then sprinkle ballast on top, rather than 'the usual way'. As you can see in the photos I've had problems with the ballast floating off in places, despite wetting and having washing up liquid in the PVA. However, a little aftercare with a scraper, glue and some fine quarry dust will fill the remaining holes and improve things I hope. It had better!!
    Here are some before and after photos


    final effect I'm after in the foreground, the first 10 sleepers having been tidied up.

     
    last board drying out

  14. ullypug
    With the loco virtually finished, I've set about making a tender to go with it. This is a Mitchell 3500 gallon one, pretty much made up as per the instructions. Wheels are Ultrascale.
    The front two axles are meant to be compensated but the instructions noted that the compensation beam could be omitted if you wanted to have the tender weight bearing on the loco drag beam and increasing adhesion, which I do I think so I'm trying it. If it doesn't work I'll add the compensation back later.
    At the moment the tender has been finished, primed and sprayed with satin black from a rattle can. The transfer is from Fox. Be placed the two together and am very pleased how they look. It's my first attempt at a flared GWR tender and whilst not perfect I'm satisfied with my efforts.
    I'll give both a really light waft of weathering with airbrush, just enough to take the sheen off.
    I've a nice picture of this engine at Wells in Oct 1949 so that will do me.
    Crew, buffers and rear couplings to add (they've temporarily gone walk about on the work bench somewhere).
    The eagle eyed will notice two toads. Ones a Ratio with MRD handrails and Bill Bedford sprung W irons. The other is a Bachmann body and a Morgan underframe. Both have MJT foot boards. One isn't quite right but tough!
    edit.
    additional photos added now the weathering's complete








  15. ullypug
    With the work on the 43xx almost done and some unexpected time at home, I've been working on the layout again.
    Since the last entry, I've painted the previous landscaping along what will be the back of the layout.

    This week I've removed and turned round the 3 boards nearest Axbridge so I can make the landscape formers and apply paper mâché as previously.
    I've also added the retaining wall on the down side which supported the stone siding, along with the loading point itself. Both walls are from paper coated foam board and will eventually be painted to represent the concrete texture, mainly involving Sandtex and baby powder. More of that anon.

    With the scenery formed, I've been able to start ballasting, after first paining the rails and chairs with Valleyo acrylics (German black brown). these may need some dry brushing later.
    The cess and 6ft is chinchilla dust, sieved through nylon stockings onto a bed of black gloss, a la Gordon Gravett and the ballast is actual Dulcote Stone, sold by Attwood Aggregates. It's fixed with the new Klear replacement, Pledge Multi Surface Polish. One half is still drying in the photos hence the colour difference. I may need to apply some weathering with an airbrush if I'm not happy with the overall effect. I've put the bridge and stone loading platform at Five Ways back on to gauge the effect and so far it's looking promising.

    One thing I've observed from the photos of the prototype is just how little ballast there was between the running lines. It was probably ash or cinders. It certainly wasn't pristine ballast from shoulder to shoulder as many layouts would have you believe.
    A case of modelling what you see, rather than what you think it should be.
    I'll do an update on the mogul on the separate blog later.
  16. ullypug
    Following some time off for good behaviour, walking the 192 mile coast to coast trail (which was absolutely fab I have to say), I've returned to the modelling bench this week and just about got 5311 to the finished stage.
    The chassis has been motorised and pick ups added and all works. The body has been painted and last bits added. It's surprising how long to takes to put all the finishing touches together and add all the various fittings etc. The back head isn't as detailed as some might like, but it's good enough for me and most will be hidden by the loco crew (presently in the paint shop).
    I've filled the centre section of the boiler with lead shot and the plan is for the tender to rest on the drag beam on the back which should even things out a little. I've plenty of space around the motor in the firebox or under the cab floor if need be. I've beefed up the CSB spring wire to 13 thou and it runs very nicely on the test track. Just the crew and spectacle plates to add.
    Paint is etched primer and satin black from Halfords rattle cans and it will have a light weathering touch eventually. This loco is scheduled for the early 07.44 Trowbridge to Bristol train, which usually had 4 coaches (typically two B sets), hence the lamp code. Incidentally I've three Hornby Collett coaches to convert and I may just add a siphon at the back - but that's for another day.
    I'm really pleased with how this is turning out.
    Right, time to turn my attention to the tender.

  17. ullypug
    Very little to do with modelling but a very enjoyable way to spend time none the less!
    Full modelling to resume in a couple of weeks.
    Blog link in case anyone's interested:
    https://wordpress.com/posts/ogwtcoast2coast.wordpress.com

  18. ullypug
    The chassis was retrieved from the paint booth and I made the final assembly. I had that nagging feeling I should have done something about the slide bars and cylinders and so it proved. Wheels were reinserted and no problems with the quartering but there just wasn't space between the leading crank pin and the back of the cross head. So dodge number 1, I cut through the cylinder assembly spacer and re set about 1.5mm further apart. Some redundant 00 frame spacers were soldered over the cut with a hole aligned accordingly. I filed the outer edge of the cylinder wrappers down to allow them to fit over the underside of the footplate. I took a little too much off in the end as I'd forgotten about a projecting tab for the steam chest assembly but some plastic strip filed to fit will disguise my botch. I don't think anyone will notice once it's covered with paint. Chassis rolls beautifully which is all that matters and you can't tell that the cylinders are further apart than they should be.
    The boiler assembly was absolutely no bother. The firebox was formed around the formers with a piece of tube and the three boiler/smoke box components rolled on my GW models rolling bars. Really impressed that everything fitted first time. The boiler fittings have been trial fitted for the photos and will be glued on with epoxy.
     
    That will be it for a couple of weeks as I'm off on the Coast to Coast walk Saturday so modelling will have to take a back seat to my other hobbies for a change!

  19. ullypug
    After a very enjoyable weekend at Expo EM I've had time this week to get back to the mogul.
    This is the current state of play. Footplate and cab done so far. This is made easier by the use of my RSU and I've discovered the technique promoted elsewhere of using slivers of solder, placing these near the join and watching it flow once the foot pedal is depressed.
    There are a lot of overlays in the kit but the RSU has made light work of them.
    The engine will be 5311 so has the longer splasher mid cover on the right hand side.
    It's going to need a really good clean before its finished!

  20. ullypug
    With the chassis assembled, the cosmetic sides were added and then the time came for the wheels to be trial fitted so the brake gear could be assembled. Taking a few lessons from the various High Level kits I've built over the years, this is demountable. The brake hangers fit over spigots of wire soldered to the chassis and will be spaced out by tubes of either brass or plastic, depending on what mood takes me. The cross pieces and pull rods were assembled and pinned allowing full movement until I got everything lined up, after which I soldered the lot up solid.
    The front bogie was next and this folded up quite nicely following the instructions as I went. I debated about whether to spring the axle as I did with my 42xx a while back but decided against it (for now anyway).
    The High Level gear box was folded up and after a little bit of filing now fits snugly between the frames. I'd forgotten to use the space saver horn blocks for the rear axle to allow extra room so one set was made up and fitted. I must remember that for later in case the rods are misaligned with the centre to centre of the wheels. They shouldn't be...
    Most of today has been taken up with the cylinder assembly. This was an absolute pleasure. I just took it slowly and followed the instructions (for a change!) and I'm pleased that everything fits where it should. The wrappers have still to be fitted but these are the last things to go on, presumably because everything else is being soldered to the inside of the spacers as you go.
    With a trial assembly, the chassis rolls very satisfactorily up and down the workbench. The CSBs certainly help in this regard.

  21. ullypug
    In between lurching from crisis to crisis at work, I've been making progress with the 43xx chassis. Or is that as respite from the crisis at work...
    The kit is of Mitchell vintage and must be fairly old since the label on the box has it supplied by Slaters. That's going back a bit. The prototype will be 5311, since I've a very nice photo of it at Wells.
    Anyhow, I mentioned on some other post that I've made a start on the High Level hornblocks. After that I made up the coupling rods, making sure to allow plenty of solder to try and disguise the layered construction. I then prepared the frames by drilling the CSB fulcrum holes using the High Level jig, then removing the cut outs. After some deliberation I also removed the springs, with the intention of fixing these to some form of keeper plate. I folded up the frame spacers but surprisingly had to fettle these before they'd fit into the chassis frames. With everything nice and square and using a combination of my Avonside jig and some good old fashioned tapered axles, got everything soldered up. I had to do one of the hornblocks twice as curiously I allowed it to drift off from its position.
    The CSB fulcrums are WD handrail knobs and after fitting these in the pre-drilled holes, I was pleased that the additional holes I drilled in the spacers to let the wire pass through are in the right places. I temporarily put some 11 thou guitar wire through and everything seems to line up nicely. After taking a few snaps, the horn blocks have been dropped out and everything given a good scrub clean. I'm quite pleased with how it's going.

     
    Edit grammar and typos
  22. ullypug

    Wagon bashing

    By ullypug,

    Just a quick update. Most of the main modelling activity has concentrated on the layout at the moment, but with a couple of trips away and a recent holiday in the Lake District over Easter, I had the opportunity of building a few wagons. Nothing particular exciting, just a selection of Cambrian, Chivers and Parkside kits. In no particular order these are an ex LNER lowfit, ex LNER goods van in BR condition, ex LNER fruit van, BR Palvan and BR Fruit van, diag 1/109 mineral, ex SR Tunney, ex GW Tunney and two Cambrian Starfish. All have Bill Bedford sprung W irons and either have replacement springs or re-hashed existing kit ones if I could get away with it. Otherwise pretty much built as per the instructions.
    A rather inspirational trip to Scalefour North yesterday meant I acquired some buffer heads, coupling hooks and 3 links so these wagons should be joining the paint shop queue soon. I think there will be quite a few to do when the weather warms up a bit.
    I mentioned S4North inspiration, the result of which I've made a start on my Mitchell 43xx mogul, but more of that later. It'll be fully sprung with CSB's and I've been doing the High Level horn blocks and making the necessary modifications to the chassis this afternoon.

  23. ullypug
    Since the last entry I've been mainly terra-forming the landscape around the Axbridge end of the layout. The sub-structure is a mixture of whatever I had to hand, namely off cuts of foam and cardboard strips which are then overlaid with some mesh material I had kicking around in the garage. It was left over from when the house was re-rendered. I knew it would come in handy one day.
    The final layer is good old fashioned paper mâché. I could have used mod-roc but I want to keep the weight down where possible. The final paper coat will be painted in emulsion before I add scenics and roadways.
    I've painted the Five Ways bridge and after a couple of false starts think I've got it to a fairly close rendition of Mendip limestone. I still need to finish this off with some final weathering etc and it's only plonked on the baseboards at the moment.
    I've also made a start on the first stone loading point on the up side which was immediately west of Five Ways bridge. I'll do the terra-forming in this corner when I can turn the baseboard round as it's too far to reach over (I've only got little arms!).
    The siding on the down side (which was laid using flexi-track) has been sprayed in a mixture of beige and grey ahead of the track detailing and ballasting. I say ballasting as photos seem to indicate it was more weeds than ballast. I've one of the excellent LMS buffer stops to go at the end of it which I must get round to doing.
    It's all coming together quite nicely and I'm reasonably happy with the way this is turning out.
  24. ullypug
    Some more videos:




    Who says P4 doesn't work?!!
    I spent an enjoyable day on the layout today, running a selection of stock to check alignments on everything. This was the stock from Wheal Elizabeth which I knew worked on that layout. So any problems would be the new layout not the stock.
    A couple of board alignment issues came to light that hadn't previously but a quick dab with soldering iron sorted that out.
    After a while I was prepared to try the propelling move from the down main into the down yard which ultimately will involve a couple of as yet unbuilt siphons. These were stored in the yard here for fruit traffic. I'm pleased that the two Hawksworths had no problems at all. They're on Masokits sprung bogies so I know at least they work.
    Somewhat amusingly, the long wheelbase Hornby Van C which is uncompensated or sprung didn't fall off anywhere either. I did find out the auto tank is wired back to front though!
    D6342 is the loco that started it all off for me on Cheddar. I found a photo on a book of it circa 1963 hauling a two coach train at the station and I thought. 'now there's an idea...'.
    So once I was happy with the layout I put the stock away and spent the rest of the afternoon terraforming embankments by five ways bridge. It'll be nice to do something that isn't wiring. Like painting rail sides and chairs. Deep joy.
    As a distraction I'll hopefully be cutting wood for the main station buildings this week.
    Oh and building a few wagons in-between. But that'll be on the other blog.
    Here are some photos of various moves. I'm going to need a lot more engines and stock yet!
  25. ullypug
    I'm a very happy bunny right now. Having put the remaining boards up, I've finally managed to get them wired up and working.
    There was an annoying fault with one section that took a bit of time to track down. It was an errant strand of multi-strand wire forming a short circuit in the plug for an as yet un-connected ground signal. It only shorted everything once it was attached to the adjacent board. There was a lot of head scratching and frustration until I finally found it.
    But today! Well, engines have been tested and playing has well and truly commenced. Once the wheels were cleaned on the pannier it worked even better. Ahem...
    There are some areas where a bit of fettling will be required, notably a couple of board joins where the track summits over the join. Nothing falls off, but there is a noticeable movement in the loco. It's not entirely surprising given that each board was built and wired in isolation but I don't think it will be a major exercise to correct. Some of the track alignment could use a little work to take out some of the kinks as well. Not obvious when looking from the side, but it is when viewed from two boards away. Thankfully ply and plastic track is quite adjustable. So once I've done that I can start add cosmetic chairs over the riveted ones I've used (sparingly) around the layout so far.
    The pictures give a flavour of what I'm trying to do. I'm pleased that it's all coming together. There are even a couple of videos too.




    I've also spent evenings this week working on the drawings of the station building and goods shed in Coreldraw. Just got the clerestory roof for the main station to do and it'll be ready to cut wood/mdf.
    I'll save details of that for a later blog.
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