Portchullin Tatty

Is Paul having html problems? I thought he was spending too much time with the "commentator" (see Captain K's blog....................). The Jones Goods came south, in period too................... I am not sure that I will offer my black 5s; I hear anything that turns up on Barrow Rd in LMS livery goes in a can of paint stripper!!

Very tasty Morgan; is that with a bow pen? I am struggling to see blemishes in it; except of course how clean it is but I suspect you will be doing something about that........! Wouldn't a K1 be a bit lost for your tastes?

Go to posts 28 and 34 of this thread. Actually, I have a few more so when it is not quite so late I will cut and past this list into this thread and add what I have in addition (about another four). http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/21263-west-highland-line-and-kyle-of-lochalsh/page__st__25

I have just had a bit of time away and, between doing some munro bagging, I took a little project to keep me occupied (and one has to plan for rainy days when you visit the highlands!). I had finished the body of a Jones Goods a few years back, but it had a sticking chassis so had been put to one side. The peace and quiet without the family proved to be the opportunity to rebuild the chassis and get it running smoothly - this I managed after a certain amount of trial and tribulation (in part due to finding that at least some of the sticking was in fact a rough portescap!). Attachment:File comment: Jones Goods no 17919 Attachment:File comment: Jones Goods no 17919 Add to this a few good munros (the Beinn Dearg group in particular was a really grand walk for those that are into these!), some field research and I feel I have had a successful time away! There are a few bits still left to do and it is undoubtedly going to need to visit by the grit gun but it will soon be finished. Its origins are Jidenco - but as those that have built much of their work already know, that means that a good 40% is in fact scratchbuilt; in my case the running plate, cab, cab roof, cylinders, coupling & connecting rods, chunks of the tender and a lot of the detailing. I guess I need at least one more of these but I will probably draw breadth before doing so.............and perhaps see if I can tease Andy Copp of Lochgorm into letting me have a 4mm version of his 7mm one (which he is reluctant to do due to the clearances between the first two drivers not being possible with 00 tyres). It was the fist time I used the High Level hornblocks - nice aren't they?

It looks very german with the red wheels; it has made me look once, twice and even three times! Looking forward to the completed model as there have been a number of very fine r-t-r conversions of the pannier and they do come out rather nice (not that I understand why you would go for things from the west.......!!).

For those of you that are members of the Highland Railway Society, the second and final part of a piece I have written entitled "A Sulzer with an Inverness Accent" was published. This looked to convert the Bachmann 24 to an Inverness 24/1, using a few of the Brassmaster's parts but mostly scratchbuilt plastic components/modifications. For those of you that are not members, join up it does not cost that much or if you really only want the articles, contact the editor via their website and offer a small donation to see what happens! In addition, Shawplan have produced a number of detailing components including some rather nice lazer cut replacement windows,

You can see that the lattice has structural strength, even in its scaled down form - it is spanning a scale 200 ft with no intermediate supports! Well done, it must be satisfying to see the end of that task approaching.

Just prior to hols, I did manage to get the valve gear sorted: Walschaerts valve gear does get the heart racing when you make it. One slipped move and you solder the whole thing up and there are so many bits! Over a weekend I managed it though; the trick is just to work through it methodically one component after the other: I tried to use Tim Watson's suggestion of a permenant marker pen to stop solder flashing across the joints but it did not work for me. Hence I went back to my normal method of cigerette paper and a dab of light oil between the components as I soldered up the various joints. I have been told that vasoline has its uses in these areas or that dipping the rods in metal blackener will work - some experimentation options for the future. It should now be the home run for the chassis, with the brake gear the only real task left.

It does look fine but the buffers are a tad clean for such an obviously working loco!!!

Things are coming along on the chassis, although as ever finding time is a challenge. It is just about to start looking like the ungainly (i think and I mean it as a compliment sort of!) crab: Whilst it is not designed exactly as this, the design of the kit allows it to be made up into sub-assemblies. As this has Walschaerts valve gear, this is a real help as it allows the components to be more readily "got at". So far I have got the main assemblies sorted out, so we are looking like this: Some of the things to note are the use of a guide spring to the pony truck (difficult to see but just to the top. This is an idea of Iain Rice's and engages into a stirrup ont eh underside of the chassis. It means that as the pony truck encounters a curve, it will actually exert some force to ensure that the leading drivers are also doing the curve. I think this will help the engine but have never tried this before. As another first, I have also made this chassis with drop out wheels. This is a great help in looking after the wheels whilst the rest is assembled around them. I have made up a keep that is screwed to the underside of the chassis. It has the axle springs on it and also the fixing points for the wiper pickups (the paxolin). The keep is visible dismantled in the earlier picture. Not my idea, but a good one and something I will do going forward. . Once I get the chassis finished, I will speak to Comet as I said.

A serious weekend of modelling just past, as I went to the Missenden Modellers Weekend - http://www.missenden...dellers.org.uk/. I had not been to this in the past and I had both a good and productive time; so I would recommend it for any of those that are thinking of going. They do a couple of weekends a year. Now of course, a weekend away means that you have to start something fresh......... I know it looks like a beefy 0-6-0 but actually it is not. It is a new chassis for a Bachmann Crab, which has to have its front frames cut back to suit the way that the body moulding includes the front section of the frames. The source of the chassis is the Comet kit. Much of this is very good and I am chuffed to bits to get my smoothest running chassis up and going at the first attempt. However, I was peeved that the various frame spacers that go between the frames are not locateed by tabs and there is no scale drawing to show where they should go (there is a diagram, but it is quite crude). It does not sound much but most of the other components are secured to the frame spacers and if they are not in the right location, then nor are the other items. I have almost never written to a kit manufacturer before, but I will be this time as it makes what ought to be an easy task into a difficult one! More importantly, it is fixable with merely a decent drawing to set things out from.

Whilst I have yet to play with servo point motors (hence I am interested in seeing how you fair with them), I had pretty much got the same thought! Hope for minimul visits to A&E going forward!!!

Cheers Dave, Many of the full brakes ended up as tool vans, which may or may not have ever moved from their depot (so garden sheds may be a better description!). The D34 I have described at the beginning was at Blair Atholl thus for some time. I have a couple of pictures of both non corridor stock and corridor in departmental service. They nearly always had modifications though (including huge duckets in one case) so watch out for the detail. I also have a picture of the all third equivilent to the compo that I am doing in use as a support vehicle to the Carlisle crane (which is a Cowans Shildon - the same one as D&S did a kit for) - now that would make a nice little train.................

Having got the basic Bill Bedford frame together, I then added the side frames from the Lochgorm bogie - this carries the correct shape for the bogie and the rivet detail. It is necessary to elongate the holes for the bearings to allow the bearing that I will use to slide up and down. Once this is done, the axleboxes can be added. These to need the bearing slots elongated. As they are lost wax, they are hard and drilling these out is a real chore!!! The brake gear made earlier can also be added and we are beginning to get a recognisable bogie. Once again I see that I have a penchant for taking pictures prior to cleaning up the soldering - dooh! The key to these sprung bogies is the next bit - they have bearing carriers that slide in the slots (hornblocks) to the bogie subframe, These bearing carriers are mounted on guitar wire - 12 gauge is supplied but I found that 10 gauge is better. These are captured in the slot (to the centre) and two small holes (at either end) that are visible in the post from last night. Once you have both sides in, the wheels can be fitted (a bit of a squeeze) and you have an operating bogie. Pushing it along and seeing it glide over any roughness is very satisfying. Once it had the cosmetic Foxes suspension attached (from the Lochgorm kit), it was fitted to the coach body/underframe. There is plenty still to do (and Monday morning beckons!), but there is the making of a handsome coach there.

I look forward to seeing you there!!! Is the Servo problem the same one that Eastwood has experienced? The sound was an issue in itself, if it busts the turnouts too................... Looking forward to the pictures as I think your layout will be very interesting when complete.

Trying to discipline myself by not starting another kit (I am much better at starting them than finishing!), I have unearthed a part finished Highland dia 17 bogie composite from a Microrail kit (these were taken over by Alan Gibson for a while and have recently been re-released by David Geen - I think it was he?). Whilst much of the body was done, the chassis was only started and all the roof will need to be completed. I had originally built this with Scalefour Society "bar" compensation units. Like this: These work pretty well but now that I have a bit more experience of exhibiting, I have found that the friction of the compensating beams is significant over a train. To have any chance of a long train, something has to happen and I decided to butcher a Bill Bedford sprung bogie onto the Lochgorm Model's Fox bogie. Whilst the latter is already a compensated solution, I was very impressed with the smoothness of the Bill Bedford sprung units so I want to see if it will work. Starting with the trusty "hold & fold" the basic body is folded up and the joints reinforced with solder (actually I found that you should not do the end ones). Then the brakes can be added - these are easy because they have been designed into the kit and do not need to be butchered or fabricated.

Lino will have been all the rage since the 1930's and I doubt it was "company specific". I recall the first house we bought peeling up three layers of it, each with newspapers of the era that it was laid below. An absolute timewarp - there were even reports on the votes in Czechoslovakia as to whether they would be annexed by Germany. Vote one = no, vote two = no; ..................... what happened next!!!!

Looking good Craig - the same number of steps forward as have been taken backwards. Hopefully with the flaking paint issue firmly buried, the blockage on construction can be removed. When shall I tell Terry to book you in?

Yes, that is certainly the intention. Its construction has just been finished, so it will be cleaned and painted over the weekend. The idea is to get at least three of the signals working for Southampton, so that we can avoid passing all signals at danger (well at least we will have to acknowledge it as a SPAD if we do!). Portchullin, as Dave knows, will be at the Southampton MRS's show at the end of the month - details here http://www.smrs.hamp.../exhibition.htm

I, like many of you no doubt, had a list of things I wanted to get done over the Christmas break and got but a tiny proportion of them done! One item that I have got underway is the missing signal on Portchullin. This represents the up home signal and goes between the road bridge and backscene. It has been made of MSE and D&S components, along with some sections and wire of brass/nickle silver from Eileen's. I found that the trick with complex soldered jobs such as this is to use different types of solder. Start with high melt (Carr's 247) to get the post assembled and the bearing pivots on. Then use a medium melt (Carr's 145) to get the arms onto their pivots, the back plate on these as well as things like the ladder. Finish up with the details on a low melt (Carrs 70). The other trick for the moving components to use cigerette paper and oil. Make sure the bearing has a light oil on it, then thread cigerette paper over the butt between the part to be soldered and the bearing; when this is on, wet this with oild too. Then, with plenty of flux, quickly touch solder onto the joint. It actually pays to use a hot iron but you do need to be quick. The oil prevents the solder flashing over onto the bearing surface and the cigerette paper helps keep the oil in place. This picture shows the paper in place on the distant arm bearing.

I tend to find that plastic open wagons have a tendancy to bow inwards overtime - very unprototypical as they would tend to bow outwards (if at all for steels). Make a lid of close fitting plasticard and cement it in place a few mm below the top of the wagon, upon which a load can be rested. The guard strap (safety hangers?) mod is worthwhile and not one I have thought of before but it lifts the quality of the brakegear quite a lot.

Will do, but at the weekend as I am at do's for the next few nights. I use a number of techniques; one of which involves paying for it! Sorry if that is seen as cheating but I will explain..............

A potty trained seagull! AKA Peter Bond my co-operator. The legs are formed of 1" square mild steel; welded into a square frame, one vertical of which extends upwards behind the boards. Into this a gallows bracket (also of 1" square steel) reaches across the board to support the lighting pelmet - these are the black lines you see in the overhead picture. The legs are braced by diagonal timber bars, bolted onto the legs. Minus her skirts Portchullin looks like this................. The legs had to absorb the curve of the layout, the underside of the boards that are at different levels to allow for the lower water of one board and I also wanted them separate from the actual boards. They do work and achieved these aims (and are better than the A frame trestles I have used in the past). However, legs is one of the things that I have learnt from making the layout (the list of things learnt is long and not hugely distinguished!). I will definitely be using the principal of the girder deck that St Merryn uses for my next layout. This is described in the book that the team have just published – Andy Y reviewed it here and it is thoroughly worth buying. The advantage of creating a flat deck to sit the boards onto is that it can be got right before any boards arrive and allows the boards to be moved around upon it; for maintenance etc. Mind you, I am not sure I will do 3 legged trestles, I am not sold by them.

East London Finescale is now over and a good time was had. Here are a couple of slightly different views from the average: As you can see, we found a seagull to strap a camera too!

Thanks for those that said hello as they were visiting the East London Finescale Show today, it was good to meet you. Portchullin has accepted an invite to Glasgow in 2012, so for those that live not only north of the border but right at the absolute top (you know who you are!) I look forward to meeting you too! The layout is 4.5 * 4.5m including fiddle yards. This would be one ot the serious lessons that I have learnt from making it - do not make a layout that is bigger than the available room you have to put it up. I can not put this up at home and it has only ever run as a complete layout when it is at shows. This has led to an excess of gremlins at the first couple of shows that have taken a little time to iron out. My next one will be a bit smaller, as I seem not to have the money to buy a bigger house!