Dad-1

As always Gentlemen, thanks for the advice.

I've today ordered some 0.35 Phosphor Bronze wire. I like the idea of a twisted centre over a pin

and will see if I can incorporate that.

I have also inherited a '00' SR 0-8-0 'Z' kit, less motor & gearbox. All brass and nickel silver. As it's

cost me nothing yet. I'm tempted to have a go. Before that I need to be confident that I've made

this 439 work acceptably. Then to get a high level gearbox and motor.

Geoff T.

Thanks for that Barclay,

I was previously advised phosphor bronze and will probably get some on order today. I don't want

to return to this should my first attempt fail.

After some white metal scraping the wheel sets run well when all attached to a tired 9V battery.

Before the thinner and perhaps more springy wire comes I'll be looking at exactly how much weight

the bogie has to take and how free it is under that load. By all accounts this is where 0-4-4 problems

arise.

I'm beginning to get excited !! My only completed 'Locomotives' both ran on 24.5 mm Tenshodo

Spuds, my building limited to the bodywork and squeezing a DCC decoder into a Roxey Moulding 

Hollingbury Tram

Geoff T.

More progress, heck wish I could keep up with the local snails !!

My spare decoder fits in the bunker, trouble is I'll have to keep as a lift off fitting just in case I

ever need to change the decoder.

The bunker base is sealed, just have the wires coming out

My present difficulty is making up contact wipers for the insulated wheels. This is the plan :- two wires

mounted in a copperclad strip from which the red input to the decoder will be attached. I want to connect together with a small tension spring, but I don't have any and trying to find what I THINK I want is not being easy.

That may, or may not be the best idea. Any suggestions ? Trying to find a suitable springy wire to

eliminate the spring idea is not easy.

Then of course I need to attach the bogie and find how much pressure it can accept from the tail heavy

model and stay on the tracks. I probably didn't help myself by using the largest brass flywheel I could

fit in the space. I like large flywheels for smooth running, but this is all aft of the second driver axle.

At least today with with the grey/orange/black wires attached and a crocodile clip attaching red, the

motor was running through the decoder. This highlighted some fouling so I've been

in a scrape white metal mode.

Geoff T.

I know I'm not the only one ...

To have unfinished projects that you eventually return to finish (I hope)

Well coming up 11 years ago I had this idea to make a loco kit. It had to be what I wanted and not

just because as a first build it should be something easy.

I'm back into the box of bits that remain, I want to finish it.

Currently I'm trying to build up the pickups. from plasticard, copperclad, springy wire.

My chassis with gearbox runs well with power.

As soon as pickups are in I have to get the rear bogie arrangement 'right'. The loco is packed

with lead, but it still tail sits. The actual weight to be supported on the sprung bogie is low

and as long as it moves sideway freely enough should/could be able to stay on the rails.

Since I started this I have built 2 small Roxey Mouldings white metal kits.

Fingers crossed.

Geoff T

John new is quite right in that they simply don't have the ability to trot off to the works where

there will be bins, or boxes of the component parts. They won't have made up packages less

wheels, simply not a viable commercial option. Bearing in mind they are still chasing their tail

in trying to get all their products back into the market after Covid shut down and moving some

production to PPE for the duration.

Like many things it Could be done, particularly for their own shop, but not a path they would wish

to take.  Particularly when the chosen wheels from Alan Gibson are slightly smaller than the options

I would use (Dapol & Hornby) which need great care in reducing the brake block thickness to prevent

heavy fouling !!

Geoff T.

Although I built my two with the supplied Alan Gibson wheels I'd also be happy to take without

wheel sets. They're quite difficult to ballast with invisible weight for running empty and by substituting

Hornby, or Dapol all metal wheel assemblies you automatically add a few useful extra grams.

I suppose their policy is to now supply complete kits, everything included. They probably feel that to

start supplying any without bearings and wheel sets would come under severe criticism as the contents

wouldn't match the instructions !!

Can't see why they can't do this 'direct' from their shop though. May be worth an Email.

GeoffT.

Sorry to be a couple of days late, but I thank you both for the advice.

I shall investigate the Gaugemaster magnet, at £12 it's worth it if I can get this working correctly.

Taking Izzy's advice seriously !

Geoff T.

I require one of the small electro magnets used with DG couplers

I've made the couplers, but now find their electro-magnets are no

longer available and it seems will no longer be made due to the only

source for some special ferritic component no longer being made.

Please P.M me if you can help.

Geoff Trenholme.

I'll not try this again for a while !

The first production of these wagons had no black panels.

I decided to try making 400520 & 400035 diagram 1/142 using the HMRS BR wagon pressfix sheet.

I'd used a few bits off the sheet before and remembered that each subject is rather tight to

it's neighbours. Plus being very small (in scale) they are very difficult to work with. In my case to see.

I've tried before painting the chassis, probably because I thought it might go wrong and I wanted to

do it before I see the opticians on Wednesday.

From checking the few pictures I could find I also note that the early production had a weight of

9-10, that decal came from some Fox Decals.

All future versions will be made using the kit decals.

Geoff T.

Hi Dunsignalling,

Every one to their own principals, so long as stock stays on the track it must be an acceptable

answer. As ever in this hobby there are differing views and just to show why I resist adding

what I may see as unnecessary drawbar weight here the unballasted 13 ton hopper manages

beyond reason !!

https://youtu.be/bxM-MT3HY-U

Geoff T.

I have one running now. They are light with no really obvious place to add ballast for

stability. Mine still has to be fully painted and decaled, so a few fractions of a gram to add.

Mine weighs in at 11.04 grams.

Now I'll be controversial by saying I don't like adding weight unless absolutely necessary. So a

question, How long a train do you want to pull behind these ? Mine sits in a train of mostly

kit built wagons and runs around my garage test track so far without problems. An admission,

there is no way I'd expect to reverse this through points pushing this lot !!

Mention is made in the thread regarding the Alan Gibson wheels. Yes these dainty scale type wheel sets are plastic wheels with steel tyres and changing to all metal wheels will add some weight. Beware because the AG wheels are in my opinion slightly under size, coming out at 12.06 mm on my vernier. The kit clearences are made for this and if you fit any big manufacturer wheels like Bachmann, Dapol, or Hornby they will foul brake shoes and on some kits the underbody framework.

The other killer with AG wheels is the highly magnetic wheel tyres that cause severe setting problems if you want to use with Kadee couplers. As I don't intend to use this on one of my Kadee layouts I'm keeping to the AG wheel sets.

I didn't use the build instructions as shown, preferring to make a chassis and add the end platform grab rails. Make the hopper as a separate item and splice on scraping joints to get as near a perfect fit as possible. One coat of paint has sealed all those lower joints making my hopper watertight.

Grab rail wires tend to split out of the moulded holes, but quite honestly it made fitting so much easier. Yes measurements for bending would help. I noted 6.5 mm for the platform end grab rails, 10.0 mm for each end on the long rail, with a centre section of 31.0 mm. Certainly worked for me !!

Regarding weight, in this train there is a Cambrian 10T Stone wagon that tops the scales at 12.64 grams with it's deep flange Hornby wheel sets. It's been pulling up to 24 wagons behind it without derailing.

Geoff T.

While I was unhappy with cyno glue working on nylon fishing line under tension I drifted off

to do more 4 mm scale stuff. Today was foul, to keep myself busy indoors I took one board

into the kitchen to finish the fence wiring.

To photograph I put one wagon on to help show up the fine fence wires.

To save my sanity I've put just 7 strands. Now I see that I've not painted all the track !!

Still loads to do 

Geoff T.

Hi Adrian,

I need to replace my glue dispenser so I'll give Gorilla a try.

Over 250 feet of fencing wires to add, that's why I kept to only 7 strand fencing.

Geoff T.

I've now progressed to a test of patience job, in fact the last significant component before I'll say this

Club's test loop is finished.

I'll start with a question. Has anyone found a fast setting glue that'll hold Nylon fishing line ??

My testing job is stringing all the fence posts. I've found even a fair quality superglue is poor at setting

and in particular holding nylon fishing line to steel fence posts. I start with a knot to tie on then add

some Loctite, this just about works because of the knot. I loop around each nail (That's what my fence

posts are) and then loop around a couple of times on the last post and add superglue. I've found that even

after being left overnight the glue can't stop the wrap-around from gradually unwinding it's self !!

The greenish fishing nylon doesn't look right so I'll be finishing each wire with a coat of aluminium paint

to look like galvanised wire.

I thought I'd mention a 7 mm building kit supplier '422 Modelmaking' that I've come across. They

do several kits in resin, with 3 small huts at very affordable prices. I chose the corrugated tin hut,

very simple and the parts need some fettling, but at just under a tenner I don't think you'll find

better. Certainly they met my requirements and here are a couple of photos. I've not finished it

yet, more painting to do. The ridge is my own addition where a thin kebab section fills the ridge

and then covered with a watered down PVA soaked strip of newspaper. Currently just painted

with aluminium paint.

It's final resting place to be arranged later when the base will be sealed into the ground.

Geoff T.

I fear that Jim just can't cope with the demands placed on him.

I have spoken with him in the past, but not always been able to clear the

problem of delays in getting re-prints of out of stock items.

I regret that has caused me to no longer place any orders direct. It is a shame,

but when I order it's because I need something and no matter how 'nice' the

supplier is I will look elsewhere to get my requirements.

Geoff T.

I've still not finished my wagons. I keep jumping from project to project, one day some will be finished !

Here is a short video of a walk-down the clubs 16 foot plank.

Is it becoming almost a layout ??

The difficult decision is how to work the points ? I'd go digital, but it's been built for the club so others

requirements are significant. Questions now being asked.

I will admit much of my time has been spent working on 4 mm scale ! 

Geoff T.

H Woodyfox,

I've had a look through your work, me I'm keeping well away from Brass !! 

That non-matching decal sheet easily made up a number set suitable for a Pressed Steel

made wagon from 1950, B75442.

The last decals went on tonight and had a Microsol treatment so I couldn't touch the exterior.

Being impatient I decided to weather the interior and just add rust dabs on exterior hinges.

Those rust dabs will be much less obvious when I weather the chassis and outside.

Geoff T.

For reasons that it's difficult to pinpoint I've been rather slow in getting on with this

project. Last evening I added the last few detail parts to my Peco PS30 16 ton mineral

wagon build. Now to check out what running number I'll be using.

Another annoying discrepancy came to light when I checked out the decal sheet. It

immediately struck me that the decal sheet had floor located hopper markings , then

the numbering sequence was 'wrong'.  After having made about 30 '00' kits of 16 tonners

you get to know the ranges for diagram 1/108 wagons. The numbers on MY decal sheet

were for diagram 1/100 Slope Sided 16 ton minerals AND the sheet was marked as being

for a PS73 kit ???? I checked my last Peco issue advertising leaflet and there is no PS73

kit shown.

Is this wrong sheet by accident or design ???? Are they getting past, or future decal sheets

packed by accident, or just using up what is on the shelf ??

As I've said earlier I've had SO many minor problems on my small 'O' scale journey into

wagon kits that I'm happy it's a very limited project. More minor faults than in more than

150+ '00' wagons.

Anyway, painting starts this evening.

Geoff T.

I've a long way to go with these wagons. However more grass edging laid today.

This is to try and embarrass myself so much I keep working on it.

I've also booked the West Bay, Bridport "Salt House" for a club open day come mini exhibition

on 8th August. Fingers crossed nothing happens to our Pandemic progress.

Geoff T.

Thank you Gentlemen for the 'Likes'.

Obviously unable to do more 'grass' laying until my additional supplies arrive. What I have

done over the weekend is prepare the next middle board by drilling another 36 holes, cutting

the heads off the required nails and press into place. Finally paint the varnish with dark earth

coloured paint.  Next, tomorrow I shall add the sand based 'gravel' alongside the ballasted

track ready for the arrival of my replacement scatter.

Perhaps tonight I'll find that part built 16 ton mineral, I've forgotten how far I've got !!

Geofft.

With Lock-Down end in sight I need to push on with this Club Test Loop.

I always intended on having strong fencing along the 'plank', one club member has

a 4-6-0 and it must be secure from being accidently knocked off the plank to the floor.

I pre-drilled holes to give an interference fit on 65 x 3.35 nails. Nail heads are cut off

and I used a 4" all steel 'G' clamp to press in, leaving 6 Ft scale (42 mm) high. When all

the grass edging is in place I'll string these posts with 15 lb fishing nylon. Still not certain

about the number of strands, somewhere between 8 and 10 depending how quickly I

get tired of doing it !!

Nails just resting in the drilled holes.

All pressed in and roughly painted

Here the 'grass' is still wet with PVA/Water

I'm running low and last evening had to buy several different scatters. Can't do much more until they arrive. Had to use 3 different traders to get all the differing products, it'll be like Christmas this coming week !! 

Geoff T.

Hi DavidCBroad,

It was stopping abruptly as I was using the direction button to move from forward to reverse

and back again rather than slow down to a stop before changing direction. It was a way of reducing

time to complete the exercise.

Geoff T

A couple of weeks since I said I had a smile on my face regarding the 1361 series models.

I've just done this video of my Heljan version shunting on my HS II layout, HS II for Happy

Shunting, design version II.

This is to prove that with more time than most would want to spend the Heljan 1361 CAN

be made to run slowly and reliably.

It was just a shame it's taken me 18 months to achieve what it should have been like out of the box !

Geoff T.

I have a smile on my face.

Both are running reasonably well.

For the Heljan I made up 4 x thin plastic horseshoe washers that just fitted the axles.

With the keeper plates removed and wheel sets held in by the coupling rods I was able

to turn these 4 parts into two washers, one each side of the front wheel set. Reassembly

was close, virtually no end float, yet free.

I have now done a few shunting exercises without a stall, not one !! From a locomotive that

could hardly do 6" without stopping. There was one hesitation, so perhaps there is still a rough

gear somewhere, but it was being run very slowly. Oh and like it's Kernow (DJ) brother it demands

very clean wheels.

As to the Kernow, cleaned out axle bearings, ultra polished wheels, plus a little more running-in

and it's behaving as it should .

That's some relief as today the credit card bill came in with the Kernow loco's payment due !

Geoff T.

Ahh, Obviously scanned pwr's message too quickly, so one could say even worse if you buy

fully finished RTR. Although forgive me as my Dapol '00' purchases have been either kits,

or unpainted. I obviously spend too long with my nose in a pile of bits.

A few '00' Ratio kit built wagons in the background, BUT :-

I have started the Parkside 16ton steel mineral, quite a lot easier to see !!

Must remember to clean my glasses !!

Geoff T.