Gordon A

The Scalefour Society lever frame not to your taste?

What is a filch plate?

Gordon A

Have you thought of adding the smallest touch of pink to pale faces?

I suggest that your solders are a bit high on the temperature side. My preference is 145 degrees C.

Try the 183C solder with the parts "assembled" around a piece of plywood, using another piece to hold in place.

Saves burnt fingers.

Gordon A

I would say not between the joints but in the joint, so that you are heating both pieces of brass at the same time and to a similar temperature. 

I tend to use phosphoric based paste - looks like water.

What temperature solder are you using and what output wattage is your iron rated at?

Looking at your pictures I would say that you need a hotter iron to get the brass and solder hotter.

Were those full width bearings?

I ask because Chris G does slim square bearings.

Gordon A

I like the idea.

Could the baseboards be made wider to include trackside buildings such as a goods shed, warehouse, factory or other industry?

Gordon A

Will the back (Inner) end of the motor require some support in case of any vibrations?

Gordon A

Siding 1 should have a trap point.

Gordon A

I would make the narrow gauge check rail a bit longer so that the narrow gauge wagons are pulled over well before the track diverges.

Gordon A

In general appearance they look like the brake wagons designed for Clee Hill rope worked incline by the LNWR in the 1800s.

Gordon A

One of the advantages of AJ's is that you have two chances of uncoupling one of each pair of couplings.

Like Killybegs  I have used push to make buttons ( https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Red-Green-Mini-Switches-Square-Push-Button-Momentary-250V-2-Pin-1-5A/223069608018?epid=19020353552&hash=item33effc1852:g:9dMAAOSwlBZbUn1Y ) to operate the uncoupling magnets with out any problems.

Don't use cheap push to make buttons.

I have experimentally used a DCC decoder for point solenoids to operate Gaugemaster uncoupling magnets which drew approx 1 amp. 

Why use lots of words and time when a pressing the Like button or any other button does the job equally as well.

I do sometimes think a Dislike button could be useful.

I much prefer pictures to words.

Gordon A

Someone has been pinching your buffers.

Gordon A

Don't forget to leave the rails slightly proud of the surrounding infill so that you can clean the track.

Gordon A

The need for a water tower for watering locos at the station depends on the length of your branch line.

If the length of the branch is such that the locos need to take water at your station  for every trip, then the tower needs to be large enough to have the capacity to top up the loco's tanks with enough left over to meet the station's needs.

A question worth considering is if the station is not on a main water supply, where does it get it's water from?

How quickly can the water tank be replenished?

Gordon A

I suggest you look at the article by Pendelenton on his layout in an earlyish MRJ. He uses gutar string as round point rodding running along the top of the baseboard to operate some of his points.

Gordon A

Bristol

Mick,

I am really envious. The Beast really looks the part.

I have stopped awaiting a different drive system.

Have you drilled out the headlight holes?

Keep up the good work.

Gordon A

Bristol.

Mick,

Nice to see someone else building a Steelman.

You have beat me to it with the photographs, I am at a similar stage.

I have been holding off until I sort the drive mechanism.

I have been talking to Chris Gibbons to produce three 20:1 worm gear boxes and a 4:1 drop down box. This has come about as I am looking to fit a sprung chassis with all wheel drive.

Would I be correct in thinking that you are going to use a Bullant chassis?

Gordon A

Bristol

I have followed this project with interest as I have a Judith edge 6 wheel Steelman to build.

I am hoping to collect some gear drives at S4 North to tnable all axles to be driven with springing.

Well thats the idea.

Keep up with pictures etc.

I will be interested in how you tackle the glazing and wasp stripes.

Gordon A

Bristol