Sithlord75

11th December I showed the ZAG meeting this morning the LNWR D103 I was working on for today - the plan being having gotten the parts all together and painted during the meeting this morning, I would put the decals on later (possibly during the brief session of test cricket - the West Indies lasted less time than England's Quarter Final today...) but when I went to put the transfers on I discovered I'd run out of lettering for one plank wagons - well not quite as I've a special set for the D13 which hopefully will be painted and decaled in the next couple of days (wife and children permitting). Still, putting the decals on doesn't take very long and I regard wagons as finished once they have reached the painted stage - ie no longer belonging to the North Somerset Light Railway. This wagon is my own CAD top on the Association 9'9" chassis - they were used well into LMS days as conflats and I believe many survived in this role to BR - I'll need to sort a few more to go behind my Class 28 which is on it's way. The brake shoe is in the correct position - it is the angle of the photo which suggests otherwise!

They’ll be 2mm as drawn Simon, but can be tweaked to 1:148 if needed, however running them in the same train may not look the biz. Cheers Kevin

10th December Back to making something for someone today. In this case a LMS D1663 van for @2mm Dabbler. I drew the CAD for the .stl file following some suggestions by @65179 and Michael asked what would he need to do to get some prints. I said he’d need some chassis - what I meant was he could have the prints but what Michael did was get twice as many chassis! So I’m going ten chassis and prints for him in BR livery and ten for me in LMS. Other vans to be done are some D1808, D1812, D1814, D1828 and D1832As. No decals as yet as I haven’t designed the BR ones.

9th December I really should have done something for someone but as I was up early for the NMAG zoom meeting, I took the lazy option and finished this LNWR Dia 1 open (page 62 of Vol 1 of the LNWR wagon books for those following along). The body is a @Chris Higgs design I got from Shapeways on one of David Eveleigh’s chassis. Home brew decals. In the background are somethings started for Someone - in this case @2mm Dabbler but more anon. As I’m now on summer holidays until the third week of January I’m hoping to get these all sorted.

G'day all, The last ZAG meeting for this year is this Saturday (10 December) from 1930GMT. Please adjust according to your location. As always, all are welcome to join in, and share what they have been building, ask for advice (and share their favourite tips for success) and generally have a chat about their projects. The link below should take you straight there or the ID and passcode. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83287616944?pwd=WGRnQkprN1IwcitVRm56OThtMUFVUT09 Meeting ID: 832 8761 6944 Passcode: 222372 Hope to see many of you there. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all who have joined the ZAG meetings this year. Cheers Kevin

8th December I know I said even days would be building for someone but I decided to do the second of the D13 pair tonight. Same approach as last night with the same result! I did find the correct wheels for this one - it’s the one on the left below. Shouldn’t have watched as much of the test as I’ll be up for the NMAG zoom in a few hours hence the brevity.

Well I had originally planned on doing the pair as one day, but that was when I thought it was a complete kit rather than a scratch aid! So I'm going to plead that as the LNWR numbered the pair separately, I'll build them as separate wagons on separate days.

7th December I decided tonight to make a start on the LNWR Diagram 13 twin timber wagon (Page 151 of Vol 1 of the LNWR Wagons by the LNWR Society). I had etches for these from the set David Eveleigh did back in 2012 but on closer inspection these were only kind of useful. The picture showed quite clearly the rivets and number plate but the bits on the etch were missing all this detail. An inspection of what I had from other LNWR kits suggested I would be able to cobble something together but there was no top - just the chassis. I opted to use a spare VR K type wagon deck from @VRBroadgauge for this but this required some packing. In the end, I put bearings in the basic chassis former from David, as this gave the correct wheel base. The sole bars were built up using strip and then a spare sole bar from a 9' wheel base kit was trimmed to fit. Headstocks came from spares on the Dia. 88 chassis from Shop 2. I trimmed the K deck to suit and added a piece of scrap etch under it to thicken it. Once happy with this I soldered the deck to the chassis and then used some square brass to put the frame around the deck. As David's springs and axle boxes leave a little to be desired in terms of detail (which prior to the dreaded digital photo wouldn't have been an issue), I opted to put some 3DP springs and axle boxes on rather than faff about trying to make a silk purse etc. All in all, a very satisfying build considering I only kept one part out of the "kit" and made the rest up out of the spares box! I'll have to do the second one and then work out how to hinge them. The photos have 8 spoked wheels in - the photo in Vol one has split spoked. I'll put the correct wheels in after painting!

6th December @VRBroadgauge got the lucky number tonight again - only a short amount of time this evening owing to Dad duty so it was handy. VR K type flat this time - basically build a chassis and put an etched lid on it. As there are no buffers (automatic couplings from the 1920s) probably the easiest thing to build.

5th December Home early enough from work today to get a second LNWR D84 wagon completed. I have to confess the body was printed with the other on Saturday so not a whole wagon in a day however, given I was able to get it painted before losing the last of the sun and warmth, it'll do. The two of them together - not a great pic I realised a bit too late to get another so shall do something about that. The wagons are numbered correctly for D84s although I'm not entirely sure all the details are correct for each one!!

To save mucking up the Advent Challenge Thread with the things I am doing separately I'll stick them in here. As it happens the extras I did today whilst watching Australia win (rather than put to the sword) the 1st Test in Perth (which in itself is weird - the 1st Test of the Summer is traditionally in Brisbane) were tidying up and adding to the wagons done as part of the challenge (I'm pleading weather on two counts and a mis-directed drill on one - and in any case, there aren't exactly rules to the challenge!). The Midland D362 has had the offending bit of wire joining the independent brakes removed and a coat of paint applied. Letter is my home brew ones but annoyingly I didn't think far enough in advance when putting the sheet together back in August to select a number so it shall have to wait - I have a few wagons needing numbers so it probably won't be too long. The IA similarly was painted, and decals applied. Fortunately, the big advantage of doing the decals myself is I can put all the lettering on one decal rather than having to cut out lots of small white letters and numbers. I even found some 10.5mm gauge wheels to put in it. Shall have to wait for couplings, however. Finally, yesterday's wagon was examined, and it appears in drilling for the buffer I managed to put a dent into the chassis floor which has forced up the corner. Short of dismantling the wagon (3DP on an etched chassis) and restarting, there wasn't much I could do. The buffer was refixed square, and at least the livery is the later LNWR one - I suspect this wagon may find itself being more heavily weathered and put in the LMS box (there are D84s running well into the 1930s with LNWR still visible) and the slightly damaged corner shall be explained by an 8F or something like that.

4th December Even numbered day and so a day for building something for Someone. The winner in today's lottery for getting something built is from the NMAG - I'll leave others to identify whom. Suffice today, the West Indies came to the party given the well-known love of cricket of the NMAG member and hung on well into the Second Session before succumbing to the inevitable enabling the whole wagon to be built, painted and decalled. NB: The errant buffer has been straightened. It's one of the collection of cast ones I have - can't say I'm a fan even if they are "correct". I'm going to stick with the turned ones in future and those with flash DSLR cameras who can blow them up to full size can just have a moan about the lack of accuracy!

3rd December (I thought I should go with the colour theme too). First Saturday of December and ordinarily I would have gone to the local MERG AG meeting but not having had a great night's sleep and having been up early doing things with my eldest daughter and one of her friends I went back to bed. All was not lost however as this garnered some sympathy with Management and I was allowed to spend the afternoon building a wagon from scratch whilst having the 1st Test v West Indies on (as far as the match goes, we need 7 wickets, they need to bat 3 sessions. The runs to win are irrelevant at this point I think). So, I got organized and found the D84 print and the appropriate chassis, paint and decals and a few hours later: Somewhat annoyingly I noticed once I blew up the photo the back end seems to have banana'd upwards. Typically it wasn't particularly noticable until I noticed and now I can't not notice it. Closer inspection shows the hole drilled for the buffer spigot to go into wasn't as straight as I thought and as a result the buffer isn't in square - not sure why this has resulted in a bulge upwards as the buffer should be below the chassis, but I am sure it is going to be something trivial but annoying to fix. At least it's Sunday tomorrow so I can do this, finish the MR van from December 1, possibly paint the wagon from December 2, and build another... Management is going out for the morning so depending on the list of chores left, there is a good chance.

Thanks for the very comprehensive answer @Compound2632. I shall snip the offending bit away forthwith! In the event, I didn't end up doing the D294 but rather a Victorian Railways IA wagon for @VRBroadgauge. This is because I decided a while ago, I should do one for me, one for someone else. The someone else can be drawn from the collection of VR wagons I'm doing for Bruce, or LMS ones for @2mm Dabbler, some LMS wagons for of the LAG members and some wagons I am doing for one of the NMAG members. So Odd days shall be for me, and Evens for the Someones. So either the MR Cattle wagon tomorrow or possibly some LNWR D84s.

Given the temperature down here Nick, the chocolate tends to run out the bottom of the door...

Thanks Simon - and also thanks for the emailed information.

Inspired by @Nick Mitchell I have decided to try and get a few projects finished off whilst I await the arrival of the first turnouts for St Alban's (which have been ordered, paid for and posted - now up to Royal Mail and Aussie Post - I've probably got until Chinese New Year...). Unlike Nick, I'm not going to build a loco in 24 steps by the 25th but will rather attempt to build 24 wagons in 24 days. Fortunately, Summer Holidays start on the 9th which will help if I fall behind and enable painting to be completed assuming it finally stops raining in sub-tropical Brisbane. Being the First of December, this evening I tackled one of the collection of Midland Railway etches I obtained in Derby at the DJ. The D362 required the now out of stock 2-341 10' MR chassis. Fortunately I remembered that at some point either I inadvertently or Shop 2 inadvertently - I'll blame me as it would be the only time Rod got an order wrong in my experience - ended up with a pair of 2-341 etches (normally I get the 2-342 9' ones). I found the built one in my chassis collection and applied it to the D362 body which built up very nicely. One issue I have is the chassis was prebuilt - not having any idea what I was going to do with it, I built it up so I could use it for test purposes for 3D printing. Now I fitted the brakes as they were on the etch - double sided. The drawing I have of the D362 has single sided brakes. Whilst some may say who cares, the answer is I do. So if anyone knows if the D362s ended up with double sided brakes at some point (ideally post 1918 and prior to 1930) that would be handy. @nebnoswalhas the Essery book but was unhelpfully at work tonight so couldn't look for me. Day 2 is planned to be the D294 MR Medium Cattle Wagon - similar issue with the brakes so again, any advice would be welcome.

Yes, and I've a drawing showing brakes on one side as a result. However I'm more interested in the post WWI period and wondering if at least one was fitted both sides. I suspect not - I've asked the MRS the same question with the clarification (as the original answer was the link to the drawing).

I am trying to find out if the above to diagrams were ever fitted with double sided brakes and if so, what type. I personally don't have access to Essery's books on the Midland (although a friend does - he is at work and won't be able to answer the question until Friday evening Australian time). Any assistance appreciated - even if the answer is NO. I have a 10' Midland chassis built but it has brakes both side. I'm not adverse to unsoldering it and removing the brakes on one side if necessary but obviously would rather avoid doing so if possible. A second chassis is at present unbuilt so will be done with single sided brakes.

One is tempted to do something similar… starting a day late due to time zones and what not, but like the Aussie ODI team I’m sure the deficit can be overcome. 🧤picked up - but I’ll do my own thead!

The next Zoom Area Group meeting is this coming Saturday 26th of November from 0930 GMT. The details in the immediate post above should take you to the meeting. All welcome.

No one in the Outback drinks Fosters. We send that p*** over there!!

G'day all, The next ZAG meeting is this Saturday (12 November) from 1930GMT. Please adjust according to your location. As always, all are welcome to join in, and share what they have been building, ask for advice (and share their favourite tips for success) and generally have a chat about their projects. The link below should take you straight there or the ID and passcode. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83287616944?pwd=WGRnQkprN1IwcitVRm56OThtMUFVUT09 Meeting ID: 832 8761 6944 Passcode: 222372 Cheers Kevin

I got an email from the Chief Designer on Monday but it wasn't about 2mm Victorian Broad Gauge. No, it was a file of 35 A3 sheets (if printed out) with a very comprehensive plan for St Albans drawn on it as shown below: The numbered sheets, when printed out, are full size - track centres and rails together with important bits like the platform, signals, goods shed etc all drawn in. Beats my Templot attempt by miles. Bruce traced over the OS map I sent him along with using Google (I think) to produce. I've printed out 1-6A and B which will be enough to make a significant start. Now I just need the fine weather to build the boards to go under it and send off an order to Shop 1.

Hi Rich, As Bruce said, the result is better and way more resilient. For vehicles with windows, 3DP tends to leave the window frame either too thick or, if thin, the print is prone to failure or breakage. As we (i.e. those down here doing 3D design and printing) prefer to have an etched chassis, it wasn't that much harder to have the whole vehicle done. It really is a case of, excuse the pun, horses for courses. I'm drawing a couple of Caley cattle wagons in class at present but have yet to identify the best chassis for them in Shop 2, so still expanding the 3DP library.