AJ427

Thank you for a cracking step-by-step - one that I'll be following myself in the future.

I don't envy you your task at all but as someone who has used your database you have my deepest appreciation. Thanks and keep up the good work!

Hi Clem, I will PM you shortly with info.

Hmnn. Never say never, might actually be an interesting project. Is it the correct wheel spacing/size?

So I finally got around to adding the final details to the J50 prototype and a test print was recently ordered from Shapeways. This was not without some incident; the curved panel that joins the boiler to the tank, a part that had previously exported without problem to STL, seemed to be causing problems and had to be redesigned. Once this was sorted Shapeways had issues with a couple of too thin chassis parts which then also had to be redesigned (Shapeways were probably correct as you will see). Finally the order was placed and the models arrived yesterday. The test comprised of the J50/3 body (to suit the Bachmann Pannier chassis), the J50/2 body as well as a prototype chassis for the J50/2 and a cab interior. The results are generally very good but there are some damages partly due to the single print and the items being crushed together into the too small bag and partly due to some design weaknesses. For example, all of the steps have been broken. This is I think a design fault on my part - pushing the minimum wall thickness - and they will need beefing up for future models or they may work better as a sprued part to add on. Also one of the guard irons has been damaged. I did expect this part to be too delicate so I'm not surprised. Finally one of the suspension assemblies on the chassis has been snapped off. This was one of the redesigned parts but I think the damage may be manhandling but the part will be beefed up further anyway. The prints are of expected quality for FUD and seem to be dimensionally stable with the axle spacing on the chassis being spot on. The J50/3 has been designed with a seperate underside sprue that houses a set of LNER standard buffers and undercab injector equipment (ignore that there are only 3 of each buffer, I'd taken two off to test fit before I photographed). The injector equipment is very delicate but has printed remarkably well. This comes on a mounting block that sits in a slot beneath the body. The long pipe will sit just under the steps when mounted so can be further secured. The J50/3 is left hand drive which can be noted with the vacuum ejector on the smokebox. The pipework for this disappears into a recess in the curved plates that join the boiler to the tanks. This is a feature that I don't think I've seen modelled on any J50 kit or scratch-built models I've seen. I have a wonderful picture of Bradford Bowling depot viewed from above which shows a number of J50s and clearly shows this feature. You can also just about see it on a couple of images in the Yeadon's volume. Initial test fitting to the Bachmann chassis has proved successful with just some minor adjustments required to the print for a perfect fit. Here's a picture - with the Pannier's outside brake rods and sandboxes yet to be removed it looks like some strange LNER-GWR hybrid! The J50/2 is again designed with a seperate underside sprue. This houses both GNR and LNER standard buffers (both types could be found on members of this sub-class). The undercab injectors are part of the main body print on a mounting plate (as per the prototype). They will need the addition of wire to represent the pipe work. The J50/2 is right hand drive and the top plates and ejector are reversed on this model. I also had printed a rudimentary cab interior designed to slot inside for ease of painting. This is fairly basic but has printed well. I have however made an error with this as the sandbox/step is in the way to slide it in. A small adjustment with the scalpel will sort this for now. I will probably also need butcher this slightly if I decide to put a flywheel on the motor. Onto the (highly experimental) chassis. The main frame is compartmentalised for strength and to provide 'buckets' for ballast weight and certainly it has come out very rigid. However, outside detail parts do seem too delicate with the damage to the spring and the guard iron the result. I can see these parts breaking further when fiddling about and adding wheels etc. These parts will need to be either beefed up or perhaps done as sprued items for future prints. Brake shoes are on a seperate sprue but these had nearly all come off. None were lost or damaged but a better sprue arrangement will be required. Fit to the J50/2 body was perfect and a quick fit with Alan Gibson wheels resulted in this: My initial thoughts on the chassis are that it's perhaps too delicate to be done wholly as a one part item. Whilst the basic FUD frames are sound and seem strong I think the springs, guard irons and brake shoes will be done as a seperate sprue so that these items can be added later and are not structural. Possibly I may do the basic chassis in WSF rather than FUD (it won't actually save much money) with the detail parts as a sprue off the loco body.

Wow you're certainly throwing yourself in at the deep end with this project but it's looking good so far. My 3d printed chassis (and body) for my J50 is currently having a test print done by Shapeways so I'll have an update in a few days hopefully as to how the frames are working (or not).

Hi David, Sadly I've just not had the time lately to complete the final details on the J50 for some test prints but I'm hoping to do so in the next few weeks.

Short answer yes but there are some caveats when installing after which it works fine. Theres a free microsoft update and also an unofficial patch. Links and instructions can be found here: http://msts.steam4me.net/tutorials/installing_msts_w7.html http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p1653923.htm

So it’s been a good while since an update as I’ve actually been getting on with some modelling for once. Firstly it was time to test stock on the finished trackwork. This highlighted a few problems, most of which were found to be wheelsets with incorrectly set back-to-back measurements. The worst was my Hornby J94 which wouldn’t run over any pointwork at all. My back-to-back gauge wouldn’t even squeeze between the wheels, being a good millimetre too wide. Time will need to be set aside later to run through the fleet correcting these problems. All of my pacifics ran through without concern though (not that any of them will actually need to). Next was a job I’d been putting off – the revamped fiddle yard. Last year I’d built a traverser but it was less than reliable and too heavy when fully open. This was cut up and turned into shelves. It’s replacement is a kind of sliding cassette system (caverser? travette?). More on my external blog here.

Thanks Steve, your J50 is rather nice with an impressive level of detail, especially considering it's in 2mm. Remove the n-gauge couplings and it's hard to tell. Work and hols had got in the way so a bit of a motivational kick up the backside is just what I needed.

For anyone who may be interested the two Ivatt N1s are now available with full condensing equipment on Shapeways website. As before these are based on British Railways-era locomotives with saturated and superheated boilers. The condensing equipment is integrated into the main print so no parts need to be glued. That said, if anyone would prefer these items as a seperate add-on sprue please let me know. http://www.shapeways.com/shops/AJModels

Thanks Graeme and it's encouraging to know that you've had some success with the plastic chassis and how inexpensive it could be. I suppose an option would be to use the pannier wheelset with the coupling rods from the N2 which would give the correct wheel spacing (assuming it all comes apart easily).

Work has now started on the J50 project. I'm exploring a couple of chassis options, one will be 3d printed to the correct wheel spacing and the other option will be to use the Bachmann Pannier chassis (rear wheels will be a few millimetres too far forward). The body will also need to be slightly different for each chassis - the bachy chassis will need a few millimetres less boiler on the underside to accommodate the motor and will not have a modelled backhead in order to accommodate the gearbox. The mounting arrangement for the bachy chassis has been drawn up. Moving on to the body I have drawn up several versions of the J50 - a J50/2, J50/3 and J50/4. Additionally there are further variations within these such as rear spectacle blanking arrangements (smaller hole version and 2/3 blanking panel), flat or rounded coal rails on J50/2, GNR or LNER buffers (early Group Standard J50/3 had GNR pattern) and a myriad of blanking panels and rivets (still to do these). Here are the first renders. The models are shown on my rough, work in progress, 3d chassis - the wheels will not be part of the model and are included to work out clearances, etc. Left to right: J50/2, J50/2, J50/3, J50/3, J50/4 as above, reverse order J50/2 J50/3 J50/4 Obviously there's a bit more work to do, especially under the running plate. As on the N1 the buffers will be done as seperate parts on a sprue allowing either GNR or LNER option (where appropriate) or swapping out with Alan Gibson ones. The injector pipework under the cab on the J50/3/4 will also be a seperate item as it will be very delicate. The whole assembly hangs on a block that slots into a space below the running plate and behind the side valances. I still need to do the J50/2 version of this.

I hope you can remember where all those buildings go!

No thoughts on a V2 I'm afraid David. The J50 is next and longer term a J6 will be on the cards. As promised, I've uploaded a set of PDF instructions on my blog page. They also include a template page that has construction aids for the coal rails, steps and decal application. The instructions can be found here - Ivatt N1 Instructions Thanks to Simon Martin for use of images from his build and thanks also to Atso, Bill Bedford and Graeme King for useful advice some of which has ended up in there.

On and off over the last few weeks I've been super detailing and painting the N1 and it's now just about ready for duty. Full details and more pics can be found here on my blog but essentially the model was sprayed with Halfords acrylic black with pressfix decals, the usual buffer beam detail added, safety valves and whistle added and real coal in the bunker. One area that I feel has lifted the model has been painting and detailing the Hornby chassis. Just painting black/metalcote over the ghastly factory weathering made a big instant difference. As well as the guard rails shown above, sand pipes and brake rigging were added using brass wire. Once I have fitted Spratt & Winkle couplings the paintwork needs touching up in places before a very light working engine weathering will be applied and crew added. I've also been working on a full illustrated set of instructions that I will make available on my blog for anyone who wishes to purchase the models on Shapeways. Since the RTR manufacturers are showing no inclination to produce any of the other West Riding models I will need I have decided to press on with my next 3d print project which will be a Gresley J50. I hope to make this as three variants J50/2 (the final GNR batch), J50/3 and J50/4. Whilst the body should not pose any problems the chassis is another matter...

With all pointwork and linking trackwork finally down it was time to install point motors. I'd pondered the best method for a turnout operating mechanism for some time before coming up with my chosen solution. Many use the tried and tested sliding copper clad sleeper method but I didn't really like the look of it, finding it rather clunky looking. Instead I managed to get some thin 0.8mm copper clad from ebay. This is cut into strips about 32mm long and 3mm wide and three holes drilled, the spacing pre-determined by the track gauge and desired clearances (in the case of 00-SF a 20p piece is the desired gap). The outside hole positions are not too critical as there is some adjustment in the design. A loop of brass wire is then fed through the central hole and soldered into place. This is for the turnout motor actuator. Next brass wire is fed through the side hole and wound round the strip tightly twice before ending in a tail on the outside...more on my blog here.

Yeah, got that and it's a great site that has proven very useful so far.

A recent article in the local newspaper led me to contact Bradford council as they’ve set up a new photo archive largely based around the commercial work of C H Wood who operated throughout much of the 20th Century. Sadly photographs of Great Horton station are thin on the ground and my morning at the archives at Bradford’s Industrial Museum proved no exception. However, I did manage to find and purchase a high resolution version of... more

Looking back it seemed a long, cold winter. Well, it was a long, cold winter. Despite the shed being insulated and lined it still gets pretty cold in there and during the recent snows of late March (ridiculous - someone should do something) I said farewell to the other half and made the long and lonely trek up the garden only to find I couldn't even open the shed door. This was doubly annoying as the snow clearing shovel was inside... So what was done on Great Hotton during that time? Well no where near as much as I'd have liked as it happens. I plodded on with turnout construction finally completing the last one only a few weeks ago. I plodded on with detail work on the N1 (see here) - something I'd vowed not to do. And I made some legs... more

Great Hotton is now officially 1 year old and to celebrate I’ve given it a new blog home here. I'll still be posting links to relevant updates and info on my 3d modelling on this blog.

I'm intending printing out the photographic backscene, at the local library using a colour injet printer onto a single A3 sheet. Do you think that this is a viable method of producing a convincing background for my layout. I think it will look very effective and the quality should be good. However with inkjet prints you have the problem of the colours fading over a relatively short time so maybe think about having the backscene easily removable so you can replace it prediodically.