Sandy Harper

It had all being going so well! So I decided to prepare the chassis sides. THe kit comes with nice cast brass springs so first I cut off the etched ones. I had decided to allow sprung upward movement in the middle axle and use Slaters 'square' bearings in this axle with ordinary top hat bearings in the other two axles. The removal of the unwanted n/s went well and the bearings ended up a nice sliding fit and giving about 1/2 of a mm of upward movement. The chassis spacers were filed and bent up. It was time to get the axle jig out and solder in the front and rear axle bearings.The jig was set up using the Premier rods and the chassis sides offered up. Eeeek! the rear axle bearing hole in the chassis was about 1/4 mm out !!! It pays to check everything!!! The axle hole in the chassis was carefully elongated , until the bearing fitted neatly in accordance with the jig, and it was then soldered up. The middle axle hole in the chassis was elongated to take the square bearing. There wasn't much N/S left but just enough to make the bearing work. The piece of scrap etch is to prevent the bearing rotating. THe spacers were soldered in, again using the jig, and then the wheels and rods were fitted which resulted in a very free running chassis with about 1/2mm rise in the middle axle. Regards Sandy

It'll end in tears!!!! Sandy

JLTRT GWR 57xx pannier tank The building of this particular kit has already been well covered in other blogs on this site, and Western Thunder, so no intention of a blow by blow account on my version of the build, but I will show progress as and when. The kit was supplied with a set of Premier rods, Derek Mundy crank pins and Slater's wheels, so that is where I started. I have used Derek's crank pins in previous builds but they take quite a bit of process to get them ready for use compared with the Slaters version. The traces of permanent marker around the coupling rod rivet was used to prevent stray solder locking up the joint. Sandy

So, I have my copied and mirrored mixed up. As supplied the kit builds up with one RH brake lever and one LH lever. I could not find a picture of one with a LH lever. Hence the modification. Both the levers are etched one handed so that is how it is designed to be built The longer version was the Serpent D, according to my information. Thanks for that info Larry. I will need to look at my photo books again! Sandy

The following jobs were also completed over the holiday period. A Haywood kit of an LMS period I, D1701, Suburban composite in late LMS livery. A rebuilt Patriot 'RHYL' which entered paint shops for lining and lettering of the tender and cab plus a tidy up of the previous lining on the loco and a coat of varnish. This GWR 44xx has been scratch built from Plastic and was previously powered by R/C. The owner wanted it converting back to DC operation which required the fitting of pickups to the chassis. KInd regards Sandy

Something not too difficult to be getting on with whilst I try and get rid of this nasty cold virus that seems to be afflicting everyone at the moment. A Scorpio GWR Serpent (an original, not the lengthened version). There are one or two issues with the kit that will need to be addressed by the builder. The sole bars have been 'Copied' on the drawing whereas they should have been 'Mirrored' before making the etching tool so the fixing for the brake ratchet is at the wrong end on one side. Easy enough to fix but, the fixing slots for the ratchet are also slightly too near the headstock which makes the brake lever too short!! So, you have some decisions to make on how to rectify!! I chose to move the ratchet rather than make new brake levers. The supporting arms for the plate over the buffer shanks is also not the correct size (centre part is too long) I chose to modify the shape rather than attempt to cut and shut or scratch build 8 new brackets. Once these anomalies have been resolved it makes up into a nice wagon. Just need a suitable load for it now. Brake ratchet re-positioned and lever correctly bent. Incorrect ratchet location and too short lever Slightly modified support struts. Regards Sandy

Very tasty Ken. Sandy

Now that would make a big difference!!!!!

Happy New Year Ken, Would a solution to the large axle hole square be to to make a patch, from the ample 'waste' n/s on the motion etch, and make an elongated bearing hole in it to hold your bearing? I have done something similar and fitted Slaters 'square' bearings. The photo shows the frame holes cut to fit the bearings with the inverted U used to prevent the bearing from rotating. Not quite the same but I'm sure you get the idea. KInd regards Sandy

Hi Simon I built one of these Springside Halls a few years ago. A nice kit if approached in the right way. Sandy PS Merry Christmas Ken and sorry for the hi-jack!

The GWR horse box has been put back on the shelf and the spray booth set up again. The Green Patriot, if you recall, was in 'shops for a repaint of the tender sides and cab. Lining and cab side numbers were also required as part of the refurb'. I also took the opportunity to tidy up the loco valance lining and add splasher lining that was missing. It was first into the booth for a coat of varnish, followed by the LMS coach (not in the picture. Only the roof and interior seats), GWR Totem and a second coat of Acid 8 Etch primer on the Midland 4-4-0. Something went wrong with the crimson top coat that caused a gritty finish so there was no other option but to give it a bath in the cellulose thinners and start again. Such is the life of the occasional painter!! The GWR 45XX lurking in amongst that lot was a request from a friend to return it to a DC loco from a radio controlled version. It is scratch built from Plastic with a brass chassis, ABC gearbox and Maxon motor. The batteries and control gear were housed in a box van permanently attached to the rear of the loco. The work involved removing the van, fitting pickups to the loco, fitting couplings and filling a hole in the rear bufferbeam where the wires to the motor went. It got a quick squirt of varnish to freshen it up! Whilst this lot was drying I got stuck into lining the Midland tender. Seasons greetings to all my readers Sandy

..............To be able to fit a shaft with two thinned Delrin sprockets and a gearbox............ Dave, Is it your intention to fit two Delrin chains either side of the gearbox? Sandy

These are ok Larry up to a point, but if you have vulnerable steps/ footboards they will not last long with handling, and need to be strengthened with brass, or something similar, but the detail is excellent and crisp. Sandy

Not an accurate representation of the original but my version of what it might have looked like between the war years. I found this Parkside kit languishing at the back of a shelf. Bought in a moment of mad enthusiasm a few years ago and then must have got distracted by something else so I thought I had better build it before it goes off!!! Lots of nice detail and very accurately moulded with everything fitting together well. Sandy

Oh! I don't know. Here's one I did earlier!! Regards Sandy

Yep! That's the way I do it David. Less mess!!! Sandy

Look forward to the results! Sandy

I was less impressed with the other demo of sticking a pointed scriber into a pressurised can! Why can't you leave the can upside down for a couple of days and then spray the propellant out the nozzle? or am I missing something? Sandy

Yes, if I can build the jig that may well be a route to go down. I can get them cast in the jewelry quarter in Birmingham through a friend and at quite a reasonable rate. I have seen some of his casting work and it is very clean. Sandy

Not finished yet James! I am still trying to build a jig to fabricate the complicated shape of the shackles so that I can knock out 14 of them, all the same shape! Not quite there yet. Sandy

GWR Totem A An elegantly ugly wagon! Sandy

I'm very lucky to have one close by that I can use. As an occasional modeller I don't think you could justify the cost, and mess, they make. The grit gets everywhere and is very abrasive so you don't want it in your workshop! Sandy

They were actually both grit blasted but, due to the problems I had with the chassis of the diesel, the body languished on the shelf for some considerable time and became tarnished. I cleaned it up with Scotch 3M pads and another trip through the sonic cleaner before painting. I am told that the tarnish should not affect the adherence of the paint, but! The coach was not grit blasted but there was very little excess solder on it and a wash and scrub was sufficient. Sandy

Here is the D1701 with the main painting complete Halfords plastic bumper grey, Damask Red and Black undercoat Probably my most least favourite job in railway modelling, masking up! And finally, the shunter was unlucky enough to be on hand when I had some maroon left over from the coach! Regards Sandy

I was 'converted' many, many years ago, after working my way through 00, EM and P4 and still not feeling fulfilled, I was handed a scratch built 7mm engine by a trader at Telford. I immediately 'felt' the force travel up through my trembling fingers, I didn't want to drop it, and into my grey cells where everything 4mm got 'fried'. There was no going back! Welcome to the dark bright side. Life will never be the same again! Regards Sandy