Jim T

What lathe are you using there Nick? Looks a fabulous little tool...

Jim

A bit more progress with the Grampus (planked floor now in, but it would have been better to have checked before assembling the body and scribed the planks in), and a chassis for a clasp braked mineral. 

After finally finding a decent block of time for modelling, I’m starting to adapt to the size of things and work out ways of making jobs a bit less fiddly! I wish I’d started in earnest ten years ago though, my eyes aren’t what they were.

Just a bit motivated after the AGM, so spent an hour or so this evening working on a (hopefully better) Grampus - Fencehouses chassis kit and Association plastic body.

Nick’s Jubilee series of videos was a very good choice as winner of the Geoff Balfour award - it’s given me the know-how to sweat up the solebars without any major dramas, something I’ve found tricky in the past...thank all of you who brought layouts, demos, competition entries etc. to the AGM for your various inspirational inputs :-)

Quick query after hunting around for interior pics without success: steel floor or planked floor in a Grampus?

Jim

10 hours ago, Nig H said:

Hello Jerry,

 

Thanks. Ian Rathbone's paint job on Princess Arthur really helps. If I'd tried it would have been a real mess, and she would not have been amused. I think its my favourite engine, even including LNWR G2s.

 

Nig H

Hi Nig

Both your and Ian’s work on the Princess are stunning (not that the 2P is any less brilliant in her simpler way). I always thought the Princesses and Duchesses looked best in the simple BR version of maroon, ever since seeing a fabulous picture of 46256 at Carlisle in a big 70s era book, “The Joy of Steam”.

Is Ian doing commissions in 2mm for the general modeling public? If so is there a contact email / website?

Jim

Any further news? Doesn’t seem to be on the recently posted March release list.

Just to pick up on that, 2mmKiwi, how did you do the window frames on the CK please? Looks fabulous.

My students have sourced these loupes:

https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fdp%2FB077Q8CJY2%3Fref%3Dyo_pop_ma_swf&data=01%7C01%7C%7C0f8863245f02428d37b808d633562ad1%7C8370cf1416f34c16b83c724071654356%7C0&sdata=VFULhafi0K6yV%2F1VjZWSttS0u5fNsnZ6AYTNMKpipQs%3D&reserved=0<https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2Fdp%2FB077Q8CJY2%3Fref%3Dyo_pop_ma_swf&data=01%7C01%7C%7C111d7a0efa6b41779f9f08d638bcc37c%7C8370cf1416f34c16b83c724071654356%7C0&sdata=N6DKQgXm%2BYhk%2Fnsm3FCXTe4li2XupoFOkje0TgPe4uk%3D&reserved=0>

 

They are incredibly good value,

with reasonable optics. They cannot be fitted with prescription lenses, however. Obviously, not quite in the league of the ones I use, but the box is pretty good anyway!

 

Tim

Hi Tim

Sorry to jump back to this. These look an excellent idea but what do folks who need vision correction do? I'm becoming increasingly long sighted, but don't need correction for anything but close-up work so I have glasses but not contact lenses.

Many thanks

Jim

The suggested inside measurement between 2mm bearings is 11.5mm, and with the two 0.25mm flanges on them 12mm between the inside of the w-irons. This is what my 2mm chassis seem to be - those I have just checked to be sure! I say this because when I use this method of re-wheeling Farish wagons I often find that I need to mount the top-hat bearings in small squares of plasicard packing as spacers which are then glued to the w-irons to get the right bearing distance. In doing this I find I rarely have to drill out the Farish w-irons as usually what's left of the bearing body poking out of the spacer fits centrally into the axle hole since the Farish axles are 1.5mm and thus the hole is fairly large in comparison with that needed for the 2mm 1mm dia axles. Might I suggest you measure the inside distance of the Farish w-irons and add the spacer thickness needed first.

 

Izzy

Really useful thank you Izzy. The answer is in the region of 12.5mm from the Micrometer (must buy a set of digital callipers for this kind of thing), so I reckon a 10 thou shim each side should do it. I'll give it a whirl this way and report back. It's always easier if you can use standard stock bits rather than having to order wheels on odd length axles and do nasty bodge solutions like blunting pin-points.

Thanks also Paul, hopefully thanks to Izzy I won't have to drill them out.

I'm just "FS-ing" a Farish Pipe Wagon. This has 14.0mm axles - yet another axle length thank you GF!

What do folks reckon is the best option:

• ​6mm plain disc wheels on 13.70mm axles and hope they stay in! I can live with them not having 3-holes.
• Drill out the axle box / axle guard from behind and use 12.25mm axles with the pin-point bearings (I have a tool for opening out for top hat bearings for my 4mm wagons but how do folks do it in 2mm?)
• Dump the Farish chassis and build an Association one? If so which one - there are several 12' WB chassis listed...

Cheers

Jim

No-one understands the buy and sell on here anymore, it's incomprehensible.

 

Nig H

It used to work so well back in the pre-BRM day as well. I tend to use the DEMU forum for modern image stuff, but is there a 2mm buy and sell lurking anywhere?

The interior was from a TSO plus the brakevan area reused from the BSK. Farish have done loads of Blue Grey TSOs the current one is a C suffix, fourth issue. I think my interior probably came from a SR green one as the chassis would have been used for a Carflat conversion.

There are some pictures of the finished coach on my Olympia layout thread here

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/75679-kensington-olympia-in-n-scale/?p=1742756

Thanks Andy. I couldn't find the TSOs because they're listed as SOs on many websites. A couple are on the way now. I was very interested to see the BSO, I've done a few cut and shut conversions in 4mm scale but not in 2mm so it was encouraging to see that someone had given it a go.

I'll have to dig the mark 1 coaches book it and work out how best to get the various catering vehicles I would like to do, starting with an RB and an RBK.

Anyway, thanks for the inspiration and the prompt response :-)

Jim

Not a question, but I couldn't help a smile at reading this on the Model Railway Club website.

 

"We are back at Alexandra Palace with a stand at the LMEE on 20-22nd January 2017. Our theme this year is "Electric Power", which includes a section of our new OO gauge model of Ingatestone which has 25kV overhead electricifcation."

 

I've heard of prototype fidelity but that's going a bit far.

They've just forgotten to scale the voltage in the blurb - but I think it should scale with the cross sectional area of the conductor so it's actually 25,000 / (76.2 ^ 2) = 4.3 volts. Scary!

Nice work there Andy

Sorry to pick this up ages after the event but I'm looking to do a few conversions myself: an RB from the RU for example.

Where did you source the interior from? It's the open second class bit that I'm particularly interested in as Farish have yet to do a blue/grey TSO.

Jim

Great, thanks Izzy

I'll get the wheel sets ordered and take it from there.

Jim

That's great, thanks Izzy.

It's the new one. I'd forgotten about ensuring the wheel size matches the 1:148 proportions not proper 2mm scale!

I'll have a think. I may have a shot at getting the original wheels turned just to see how they "turn" out and save messing about with springing / pick ups. On the other hand I have the Asscoiation drop in wheels in my 25 and they are beautifully engineered and run well (at least on my 2' of Easitrack and the rolling road - is there anyone out there in Shropshire with a layout I can test on?)

Jim

Has anyone finescaled a Farish Class 31 yet?

Wondered whether anyone had weighed up the various options (turned Farish wheels, Association drop in wheels) and whether anyone had tried to replicate the smaller carrying wheels?

I'd got as far as identifying that the driving wheels are 3'7" dia (so 7.17mm) and the carrying wheels 3'3½" dia (6.58mm). Perhaps there's scope to use 3-071 7.0mm dia drop-ins for the driven wheels and 3-053 6.5mm disc tender wheels for the carrying axle, but I'm not sure whether the muff on the tender wheels would fit?

Any thoughts appreciated.

This was the first loco I ever took a 35mm picture of and it's high time I had a model. The camera was a brand new Ricoh KR-10 which was my 11th birthday present - how lucky was I! It's a shame I hadn't learned to expose for the shadows back then... Hopefully the photo will appear below:

Thanks for the advice guys. Has anyone got a picture comparing the profile of Association turned Farish wheels (the newer style ones!) against the "proper" Association profile? Are they really indistinguishable?

I might make myself a little jig and drill the centres of the wheels I've got to turn them into 3-hole wagon wheels so I can use them on Farish freight stock conversions, then either buy the 14.2mm axle wheels or get my Farish ones turned.

I like the idea of having stuff turned (I don't like throwing things away and can't imagine I'd want to turn my stock back to N gauge). I like the idea of turning wheels down myself even more, if I can find someone to show me how to do it well! Does anyone have success with a clamped mini drill and hand held tools or do you need a proper micro lathe and toolpost??

The moral of my story is to buy the Farish item first and measure the axle length rather than assuming!

Is there mileage in putting together a table showing the axle lengths of various RTR items to help folks avoid this trap?

Just a quickie! I've just ordered some Association wheels to rewheel a few of the newish Farish Mark 2 coaches. These have B4 bogies with 6mm wheels so I ordered 6mm diameter plain disc wheels on the 15.2mm axles recommended for Farish in the shop list. Unfortunately the axles are too long. Checking with a micrometer the Farish axles are about 14.0mm.

Anyone any ideas on a way forward other than turning the Farish wheels down? Can I somehow shorten the ends of the axles on the Association wheels I have, or replace the axles? I can't see a 14mm axle on any of the shop lists though?

These are very nice.

How did you source the split box nose ends?

Jim

I wanted some Black and some Red Heljan Dogfish, but not any Olive Green ones as I already have enough of them. Gareth willingly split some packs to provide me with what I wanted, for the same cost as a normal pack, they arrived 2 days after I placed my order - well done, thank you, I will use Trains4U again.

Hi

I visited the Trains 4u shop for the first time this afternoon. They have split several of the multi coloured dogfish sets and are selling individual black and red 'uns (there may have been green in there too but I wasn't looking for them) for ??12.50 each. They come in the clear plastic box insert, but no box. In a basket at the back of the shop if you're calling. Very pleased about this because I wanted a red one and didn't want to buy a whole set and ebay the remainder.

Also, there was a lady of fairly advanced years in there buying an N gauge trainset (presumably for a grandson). They didn't have anything suitable, so were assembling a set for her from track pack, cheapo (but fine) Hornby controller, and appropriate stock, with lots of good advice by the sounds of things. Will definitely visit again.

Jim

Hi Mark

Looking very good, particularly the bridge and the station building - keep at it and keep us posted.

Jim

A pair of classic split box nose ends:

37111 and 37026 at Oban, 3 April 1985

Nice detail of another split box loco:

37090 at Glasgow Central, 2 April 1985

And finally:

37314 "Dalzell", formerly 37190, Swanwick, on the day of the 2007 RMweb members' day, 18 August 2007

Jim

This is inspirational - not just the subject, but the speed and quality of the modelling.

Are you using a drawing or doing it all by eye?

Jim