ullypug

Good luck with this. I don't envy you the rebuild but I'm sure it will be worth it. I'm using foam boards and like you have been impressed so far.

It was certainly a surprise. I suppose I've been spoilt by building Chris Gibbons' High Level kits where everything works and fits. I'm not that disappointed though. For me, this project is all about clearing the earliest kit I've got in the modelling cupboard. OK, so the the Kernow one will probably be better and the kit itself lacks the refinement you get from newer ones, but it's a test of my modelling abilities. I shudder to think what effect this would have had on me if I had tried to build it when I first bought it. I didn't have the skills or knowledge required. It may yet turn out to be a bag of spanners but I'm enjoying the challenge so far. I still have the mixed traffic lining to think about!

Hmmm Two steps forward and one back. Made a start on the body work. Goes together quite nicely. All well and good. Then the smokebox. The instructions did not prepare me for the hassles to come. 'Roll wrapper and fit to boiler. Apply outer wrapper'. OK so I was supposed to prepare the whole thing dry and apply heat. I just about managed to do this with the aid of the RSU on warp 9 and some choice expletives, but the results are not brilliant. The thickness of the boiler tube didn't help. The smell of burnt flesh and wood has just about dissipated from the modelling room. All of this is somewhat irrelevant as I've found the boiler tube won't fit between the side tanks anyway. Mark 2 will comprise getting hold of some smaller 21/32" tube and making my own thinner wrapper. If I can't reuse the outer wrapper I'll make another with the riveting press.

Hi Adam ta for the comments. I think the gear box should be moved forwards and the articulated drive rotated through 180deg now I look at it. Any photos gratefully accepted! Andrew

Progress of sorts with the chassis. The wheels are on, quartered and the rods have been trial fitted. High Level gearbox and motor (not shown) now assembled. I wouldn't like to try this in EM as there's no clearance between hornblocks and motor final drive. Anyhow, it all runs freely up and down the track under finger power and the CSBs seem to work (at least they did after I had folded the wheel guard irons out of the way ). Not fully convinced about the bogie pivot arrangement yet. The brake pivot bracket will need some more filing yet as it clashes with the front most bogie wheel. Otherwise it's all ok. I'm not sure whether to stick with this or try swinging links or elongated pivot holes as they'll just increase hunting in reverse as fas as I can see. Any bright ideas? I'll try it through the B6 crossover on Wheal Elizabeth and see. Speaking of which, I'm taking the layout out to the Thorncombe show next Saturday (6 Nov) which is near Chard apparently. Come and say hello. We'll be in steam and green diesel mode.

Go for it! I don't think you'd have any difficulties. It's no more fiddly than the stuff you do. I've got the option to spring the bogie later. Handrail knobs make perfect anchor/pivot points. Imagine the bogie with a handrail knob soldered where the screws are and a short length of guitar wire resting under the axles/axle boxes and that's about as complicated as it needs to get. Thankfully the high level horn blocks for the front 2 axles have an integral fold up anchor point (clever chap that Mr Gibbons) and you can see the holes in the side frames where the handrail knobs will be.

Dunno where the last month's gone, Scaleforum only seems like yesterday. Thanks to all those who came and said hello. A thoroughly enjoyable weekend, if a little tiring. Weston is out and about at the Taunton show this weekend. Hasn't been out this year and won't be doing too many more shows. Managed to find a bit of time once the layout had been prepped and stock cleaned etc to dig out the O2 which has languished on the tinking table for a while now. I've fitted the High Level horn blocks with the intention of springing via a CSB. The Gibson frames are quite thick, a sign of the kit's age I guess. Next, I turned my attention to the bogie which after much cussing and swearing will be compensated. I had planned to spring this too but decided the necessary horn blocks or bearings were going to be just too much hassle. Ha ha, the resulting picture does not do justice to the amount of difficulty this caused. I must have soldered at least 4 nuts solid to the screws and spent a large proportion of the evening on my hands and knees looking for bits on the floor that fell off during assembly. It had better be worth it.

Hi Nick I don't recall what the radius of the original exchange siding and subsequent dump road was, though it's tight! I'm planning to have a wagon/van parked there permanently to hide the edge of the baseboard. Ultimately I'd like to model and put the ex GC brake there (that was used for milk churn traffic until its accident at Worle) but that's a long way off yet. There'll be a lot more weed growth added to the track first though!

The yard area has now been ballasted, with a gradual blend of ash creeping into proceedings. The rails have been sawn through and the boards separated as I need space to get Wheal Elizabeth up and checked in advance of Scaleforum. I've got a few rail droppers to add (I missed some despite soldering on loads) and you can see the make up piece of shiny track linking the two ends of the loop. Now the boards are apart, I'll be able to take a board at a time up to my modelling room and work on them in the warm! The loco pit was routed out before the track was laid and engine shed road 2 will be inset in concrete, hence the sleeper arrangement. Still debating whether to actually use point motors as I quite fancy using mechanical means in true Colonel Stephens austerity style.

I've got the loco pit still to do so the router will be making another appearance yet...

Panic mode engaged. Arrrrrgggghhh. Is it only 2 weeks away?

Hi ta for the comments. Somewhat originally, I've used Precision paints' Rusty rails and Weathered sleepers! They'll be subject to a bit of treatment to make it look like a light railway.

A week off work has seen some progress with the laying of track and ballasting. You can see how I use pins to transfer the track position from the paper Templot print onto the boards. Just the shed area to complete now and then I can start the bridge approach. I'm quite happy with the way this has worked. I've got a couple of rail joints to tweak but that shouldn't be a problem with copperclad track. And on another note, I see my plan to get Kernow to do an 02 was successful!

Morning. Yes I have like you flown from Bristol and managed to have a good view of it. Parts are visible between Clevedon and Portishead from the M5 split level section too if you know what you're looking for. Being local, I've walked just about as much of it as you can including arranging access with local landowners for the privately owned stuff through the WC&PR group. I posted the link to their highly recommended website on the old forum but here it is again. It's well worth a look. WC&PR Group Website

Hi Adam thanks for the advice. I'm planning to do 30200. As you say, kit design has moved on somewhat. I've already discovered some 'joys' in the instructions. Equalising link on the bogie outside the frames? I think not. As Vinnie Jones once said 'it's been emotional'. I think this is going to be a labour of love.

All systems go! Have started laying the track. I'm ballasting as I go by laying the preformed sections into a bed of pva and then ballasting over. Track plan is now pinned to the foamboards and track positions, ballast shoulders etc are just transferred through with dress making pins. Pictures show the first section and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I'm soldering droppers onto the underside of the track before laying. You can see some of the wires which will need hiding once everything is tested. I've also routed out the section for the River Yeo. It made a mess. Imagine the abominable snowman and you'll guess what I looked like emerging from the garage covered in foam residue. Thank goodness I was wearing a respirator. A plan of the area is laid down over the top in one of the piccies to give you a flavour.

No, not the mobile sort, but the ex LSWR 0-4-4 type. I just wanted to make sure Kernow do one and as we all know, building a kit is the best way of ensuring a r-t-r offering appears. Mine is the Gibson variety, acquired years ago for a Christmas present. It doesn't really fit any particular theme, other than a some point in the future passenger alteration for Wheal Elizabeth. It could appear on a non clay goods I suppose. I decided that I needed to free up space in the modelling cupboard and the 02 was one of my earlier purchases. Other things are going to be offloaded at the bring and buy at Scaleforum or ebay. I've a Maunsell P set which should suit the 02 very nicely. Edited 23:26 Hmm. Thought as much! Anyway. Pics attached. I am going to spring this one and am using High Level hornblocks with the springing anchor.

Thanks for the tip James. I'll seek them out at Scaleforum. Are they easy to fit? I've 2 Vi trains and a Bachmann 37 on the layout.

Yes indeed, Impetus off the second hand stall at the Yate show a few years ago for £8. £8!!!! I never usually get the bargains. Judith Edge do one as well. Karl Crowther's made a very nice job of one in EM.

Taking a break from the tedium that is painting rail sides for Clevedon (yawn), I've been playing with 'Highland Region', Vi trains cl 37 acquired from Kernow Models following 43179's guest appearance at Epsom. It should look very nice hauling a rake of bullets. Also have sprayed up my R&H (aren't photos great for find you've over-sprayed). I'll try and have the latter ready for Scaleforum - just need to find the roof now. It's on the workbench somewhere.

You can always add something. Taking it off again is a lot more hassle.