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Dad-1

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  1. Dad-1
    Apart from the weather acting as a disincentive to do much, I'm now looking ahead to
    my clubs Summer Exhibition, a new venue in the Bridport Colfox Academy, I still tend
    to call it a school - how old fashioned !!
     
    I'm taking my big layout Castell Mawr which in all honest will probably never be fully finished,
    although the casual onlooker probably won't notice. It's not been out for 8 Months and I've
    been cleaning all tracks, making certain all points work on the DCC addresses allocated, and
    then the problem area making sure that the polarity switches operate - several have played up
    and needed many vigorous back & forth movements to do what they should !
    Of all my quirky dodges the one thing I'd change if making now, would be to use frog juicers,
    but there's no way I'd go to that expense and trouble for one exhibition a year.
     
    12 boards now cleaned, in the sunshine, which tempted me to get the camera out, natural light
    works wonders.
     
    In this one you have to look for my test locomotive !
     

     
    Yes a cheap - I think £23 Hornby S&DJR Jinty, still available now at £38.
     

     
    In all it's glory ! Don't knock it, DCC'd and runs very well and slowly, still crashed it off the end once !!
     

     
    Loco hidden again ? Oh and apart from a slight mark on a cab corner it survived it's fall.
     

     
    In the station .......
     
    Still loads of preparation work, even sorting out what freight stock to take will take me ages. Currently standing at 177 wagons !!
     
    Anyway always nice to see photographs ?
     
    Dad-1
  2. Dad-1

    Why Do Old People Moan So Much ?

    By Dad-1,


    Blog Entry
    I'm talking about Moaning and not Groaning, the latter always arrives with age and most noticeable when having to return to standing
    after sitting down for a while.
    I think we moan more than younger people because we've been around a long time and seen things done better. When you're young
    it's easier to accept crap as you don't know better. Please discuss and comment on any supplementary reasons.
     
    Decals, transfers ? be more specific Waterslide Transfers. The use of Americanised Decal will not cause an international incident.
    The story is :- I inherited half a dozen Ratio GWR 5 plank wagons, in individual plastic bags, but no decals, or instructions. I don't need instructions
    having already build quite a few. I contacted Peco who confirmed they could do me 6 sheets, but they wouldn't be posted out until the New Year.
    All very efficient and customer friendly as is the usual Peco way.
    The Transfers arrived on a strip, as if they were made on a roll, great !
     
    Now I'm using Railmatch paints more than ever because Humbrol has turned into sludge. Can you really call it paint if on first opening a new tinlet you
    could invert without the contents spilling out !
    The new transfers are very highly glossy and printed on a full carrier film, requiring individual items to be cut out before use. Not that unusual.
    My wagon sides were raw Railmatch finish, this is a fine satin sheen and usually takes transfers directly without any problem. To just help bedding
    in I use a little Micro-sol and leave to dry out overnight.
    The next day the transfers were barely hanging on, in fact a 'G' had fallen off !! I added more Micro-sol around the 'W' and on standing the wagon back on
    it's wheels I saw gravity pull the 'W' to the lowest part of the fluid bubble - UHhh what is going on !
    I do have in the emergency set a couple of bottles of Tamiya varnish, 1 gloss & 1 Matt.  I painted all the wagon sides with gloss varnish. Next day all set the
    finish was hardly any more glossy than the original raw Railmatch finish. This time I proceeded with a full Micro fluid application. Adding the decals onto
    a patch wet with Micro-set. When almost dry patted softly to remove any remaining moisture, when all transfers on one side gave a coat of Micro-sol.
    This time it seems to have worked, more from the Tamiya varnish than anything else.
     
    As I have so many of these wagons I needed to make up my own numbers from individual digits. These needed to stick well first time because of all the
    additional numbers that have to aligned tightly alongside. I wouldn't even try with the new decals, but managed to find enough left from previous builds
    to meet my needs. They were a dream, SO MUCH better to work with. What has gone wrong ?? Perhaps I should have guessed problems were coming
    when I saw the super glossy finish. I did a couple of 'New' Ratio Iron Mink kits last year. For numbers and livery markings I used HMRS pressfix, but used the
    Tare & tonnage marking from the Ratio transfers and yes they dried out and fell off !!
     
    I've seen the odd bad transfers before from the hundreds of aircraft models I've made.  I doubt few people will have used more than me in my lifetime (78)
    and I probably have in excess of £1K worth of aircraft transfers in my stash. What Ratio/Peco used to use were fine, these are just not up to standard. Faults ?
     
    Too inflexible enough carrier film
    Take a long time to release from backing paper
    Inadequate adhesive
     
    Are they from a new, more efficient, cheaper, source ? Another retrograde quality move !!!!
     
    I feel better for letting that out - sent much the same to Peco, wonder if I'll get a reply ?
     
    Post transfer line up behind the 7 mm wagon.
     

     
    Geoff T.
  3. Dad-1

    My Wagon Works is still on Short Time

    By Dad-1,


    Blog Entry
    I have finished a few more wagons, usually by stripping couplings from either Bachmann RTR, or earlier kit builds.
    This one used a pair of long couplers that I found in a box of spares. With a longer overhang I could set the mounting
    blocks slightly further back to keep my closer coupling in line with earlier production.
     
    So my Parkside PC49 LMS goods brake van :-
    Some 'rough' interior colour in case anyone is daft enough to try and look in.
     

     
    Seen here alongside it's brother a duckett less version.
     

     
    I only had 1 length of wire for grab rails and finished off using my slightly thicker 0.5 mm wire.
    I've never bothered to add entrance safety rails before, but this time I thought I'd try.
     

     
    I'll have to weather slightly at some time, but otherwise an easy build.
    Somewhere in the lost dates between postings I made a Parkside 21 Ton hopper. One that had been opened and
    one of the inner hopper sections missing. I think I managed a half decent job so perhaps another posting soon ?
    Still early enough to wish all who sail at times on RMWeb a Happy New Year - Stay in doors & build kits !!
     
  4. Dad-1
    That must be an old fashioned saying, but you get the idea. You buy something, but before you start you're distracted by some other project and layers of dust settle. Never quite forgotten and to be done at some time !
    Two postings ago in my blog there are some pictures of a pure shunting layout I've been making for the club. To help complete a nearly believable scene the platforms need some sort of traffic, just as I did with my mate Derek when we made our previous shunting layout. He made some "4GROUND" packing cases which I thought were very good, a purchase was made and since 2016 2 packets have been in the loft, now made up for the new layout.
    Sorry about the cat, I didn't want to spend a tenner, or more for a cat to go on the clubs layout. I can be tight spending club money and a set of 8 to 10 cats and dogs wasn't justified.
    Our dear little moggie given by a club member is to say the least indistinct, but I suppose it doesn't take much imagination to recognise it as a cat.
     

     
    The edge of a 20p piece gives an idea of the scale.
     

     
    I now have 24 packing cases !! I can give the club a few to sit on our platform.
     
    Geoff T.
  5. Dad-1
    I've always found that the help and support between model makers top most things in this soured modern world.
    I had a surprise package arrive at the start of the last week of November. A cyber friend that I've communicated with
    since 2008 sent me a kit from his collection as a present citing years of help and encouragement. Not only that, but he's
    North East and mostly Blue Diesels ..... shock even post privatization, sometimes !! Being GWR this would never fit his
    modelling eras.
    GWR, great that's my hunting ground. The kit was the Ratio ex Taff Vale Railway bogie bolster, kit No.562.
     
    This was an old kit, including Plastic Wheel Sets.
    Now if you've not made an old Ratio Kit there is a glitch, the kit was made for the longer than standard axles supplied. Yes,
    you can and should fit brass bearings, but even that leaves Very loose wheels, unless ......
    Note how short the front Hornby set is
     

     
    The moulded holes were loose for Top-hat bearings so no need to drill out. To space out bearings it would be best to fit fine 2.0 mm
    washers under the ridge, but I didn't have any so used superglue on a pin head to help stick the bearings slightly out of their seating.
    Just make certain none gets on the axles !!
     
    The other wrinkle was the fitting of couplings. I didn't even try the enclosed parts wanting to use Peco PA34 mounting blocks with
    NEM pockets and Bachmann couplings. They can't be fitted without surgery much earlier in the build, but the simple wire loop
    works fine when used with wagons that have hooked couplings.
     

     
    Test running was fine and no problems, although one will have to take care on the alignment of couplings when reversing.
    Decalled and weathered it looks fine, runs well - Thanks Dave, a real gentleman
     

     
    Now I'm trying to find if any of these Taff Vale wagons lasted into early BR times ? Why, simply because I'd like to know !!
    It's my railway and I'll run what suits me.
     
    Dad-1
     
  6. Dad-1

    Wagons Rolling Again

    By Dad-1,

    My last posting, after our exhibition was stating I'd be back to wagon building.
    While I build too many I do so often move on before weathering and gather a backlog of almost there projects.
    After getting some secondhand kits I decided to make up the Airfix Presflo. I already had one made in 2015 still
    unfinished, well at least without weathering and these did get very dirty with white cement dust.
     
    At last not only the new build, but my old one made to look like a working wagon. Seen here alongside Bachmann
    models in the two later colourings used by Blue Circle.
     

     

     
    One thing I didn't do was add the wire grab-rails at the ladder tops. I decided they looked O.K without
     
    What next ? Perhaps a couple of very old Cambrian kits, so old they include plastic two part wheel sets that I will NOT
    be using.
     
    Dad-1
  7. Dad-1
    The last time my large layout saw light of day was the end of July last year at my clubs Summer Exhibition.
    I originally was contemplating it being the last outing. Too big for me to manage by myself and needing to hire
    a van and driver to get it anywhere, once you're over 75 no van hire insurers will cover you .....
     
    My trouble was it was voted best in show (Stick chest out in pride) and our exhibition manager insisted it came back
    in 2019 to defend it's position ! Double Groan !!
     
    We started having problems last time out with our Peco PL13 frog polarity switches being very intermittent. Plus 3 of
    the station platform lights going out ? No idea why ?
     
    Enter June 2019. One of the 12 boards was taken out of it's storage pod, 2 dead lights and the most iffy PL13. Cleaning track
    and checking points was fine except that iffy frog switch. My extensive testing showed that it was dead, simply not switching
    to either side. Luckily I knew where a new spare was and recovered it from the loft. I don't know if anybody else uses cyno
    (Superglue) to hold switches onto their point motors, but mine often fall off. Not this one, it took great care with a Stanley knife
    to remove. New switch soldered in fine, all works as it should !!
    Now to my station lights. LED's just don't burn out, not on 4.5V anyway. What could have gone wrong ? Can you damage resistors
    overheating them during soldering ? I de-soldered, removed the resistor and put 3V through, the light worked fine !! Put a new 1K
    resistor in dead ???? I worked on the second failed light and on this one replaced the 1K resistor with a 220R and behold light !! A
    little too bright compared to others, but again proving the LED's were fine. I went back to the first and changed to a 220R and that
    one works now. What Was Wrong ??? Now I hate to criticize my workmanship, but wonder if I had dry soldered joints ? I'm still
    puzzling, but at least it's now ready for exhibition, just another 11 boards to go !!
     

     
    Note that bright central light, 220R not 1K as the others that, thankfully are still working from original fitting.
     
    Preparing for an exhibition takes time if you want everything spot on - As you should.........
    Starting early makes sense.
     
    Dad-1
  8. Dad-1

    A few more wagons.

    By Dad-1,

    Ouch, almost 2 months since I last posted. I've not been exactly sleeping at the wheel.
    A few more wagons into the fray.
     
    I didn't think I had many Lowfit wagons and decided to have a shot at the Parkside kit.
    Initially I was a little miffed by instructions saying they were all wooden solebars, but
    that was me forgetting that while BR made steel chassis versions LNER had kept to timber
    on their version.
     
    These are very light and quite simple, I was past the making before I dug my camera out.
    Belatedly I took a couple of shots where I was fitting lead sheet into the small voids on the
    floor mouldings underside.
     

     
    Before decalling they were put behind a locomotive and reversed several times around a layout with some 1st radius curves. They were pushing 19 other wagons, these were No.20, & 21 some load ! yet not a single derailment.
     
    Now Decalled, both from a ModelMaster sheet included with the latest Peco 'Parkside' release. My other kit was an earlier one without decals. Note the use of Peco 'Parkside' PA34 mounting blocks into which I always use Bachmenn narrow tension-lock couplings.
     

     
     
     

     
    Construction is now moving onto Parkside GWR Mink 'A' wagons. I liked the look of one made for the club back in November and now have two others well on the way, with another two currently not started. So many options louvre end vents, bonnet vents, fitted, unfitted, GWR, or BR liveries. I have a mixture in mind
     

     
    That's enough at present, more later some time.
     
    Dad-1
     
  9. Dad-1
    Rotten cold, don't dare doing anything, or it'll go wrong.
    Still, nice to just run a train around, and video it.
     
     
    I have loads of trees to add, but welcome to my small cornish backwater.
     
    Dad-1
  10. Dad-1

    Things get left and lost

    By Dad-1,

    I know I'm not alone. Most of us start things that get left behind, sometimes for years while others
    get priority.
    Back in August when I took the clubs new layout home to work on it I'd already started a Dapol
    BR brake van kit. It has sat on my small 'coupling height' track section ever since, quietly mocking
    me.
    Well club layout gone, so time to finish ?
    Now added a TrainTech motion activated tail lamp. I can now finish if and when I find the rest of the kit !!
     
    I'm struggling a little with the new format, I put the above in and lost my way. When I closed out I thought all
    would be deleted. However here it is when I come back, but I can't seem to find out if the pictures are still around ?
    I fear I'm an old bumbler, certainly not IT savy, hence hating change (usually just for the sake of it !)
     
    Dad-1
  11. Dad-1

    Pt.II Or West Bay Layout

    By Dad-1,

    You can see why I'm not very good at online postings, but into Pt.II on my old and clogged up system.
     
    West Bay hasn't changed that much and needs a lot of grass and gravel surfacing, hence being essential to move
    somewhere where it can be left undisturbed for days if necessary.
     
    The yard end where it joins Marsh Barn Lane, once a gated road.
     

     
    Station building and signal box made by another club member. The garden is still there today, but
    we need to get planting !
     

     
    I have this 'signature' fencing on most of my models. Drilled matchsticks threaded with invisible sewing thread.
     

     
    Don't take any notice of the 'test' traction, it just happened to be Kadee fitted and easily to hand.
     

     
    Every one of those cattle pen fence rails had to be sanded to an exact fit !
     

     
    We are now into the saga of trying to get reasonable results from the Kadees. Also found that none of the clubs old
    locomotives will run through the Marcway points. As a result new stock is being created and looking for a first class
    condition 57XX as it seems all 'new' stocks have been sold !!
     
    Dad-1
  12. Dad-1
    What happened to July, August and September ?
    Not a lot, yet I seem to have always been doing something, although often not a lot to look back on.
     
    First following my last posting our club exhibition was a great success, always a worry when you change
    venues. I ended up winning the Best in Show award, that has a dark side as I'm told it's my duty to be
    back with Castell Mawr next year to defend my top slot. I was looking forward to doing some demonstration
    modelling, no need for a hired van, no hours of set-up, but I fear I'm committed !!
     
    I was supposed to be making a 'N' gauge layout for the club, but life and the clubs '00' West Bay Layout
    got in the way. We started West Bay back around last september, a friend had made the baseboards, laid
    the cork and fixed all the Marcway points, SMP track, plus wiring.
    We did start ballasting at club, but you can't put baseboards upsidedown when they're running in PVA/water
    adhesive. After severa months of stalling I decided to bring home so I could finish laying the yard surface,
    adding greenery, plus making up the cattle pens. In 6 weeks there were considerable changes, which I suppose
    is where half of August and virtually all September went.
     
    I suppose some pictures are needed now ? Shortly after getting home :-
    Board 1
     

     
    Board 2

     
    The original scene C1920, we're ignoring the fact that all passenger trains ended in the early 1930's
    and will have a flexible approach to actual layout over the last 100+ years
     

     
    I'll have to add another posting due to photographs spread over 2 different computers.
     
    Dad-1
  13. Dad-1
    Not only did I enjoy making up the Roxey 'Howard' industrial yard loco, but it performs very well.
    I have this plan for a yard alongside Westbay Wagon Works and one internal combustion shunter
    is probably all that's needed, but for the sheer hell of it I thought I'd make the miniture 0-4-0 tram
    type loco. I never wanted overhead lines so mine will have to deviate from the prototypical version
    by having a smallish petrol engine. Not exactly unheard of as such Simplex traction was used to
    supply the trenches in WWI.
    This will represent the old yard loco that remains to provide support should the other fail, but kept
    in good running condition with perhaps a view to preservation.
    My crazy mind has decided it's fitted with a 6 cylinder 2358 cc side valve petrol engine with two gears
    providing a maximum speed of 10 mph. A transfer box with a single lever control with forward, neutral,
    reverse and chain drive to both axles. It should happily push, or pull one wagon, no doubt the actual
    model will do more than that.
    So here are the parts :-
     

     
    It will need a few extra holes drilling as I run DCC and I'm going to use another Lenz Silver Mini. The
    Tenshodo spud fits into a recess in the footplate, here one extra hole drilled to take a track feed into
    the cab where the decoder will find a home.
     

     
    Still not certain if I'll solder, or glue, My Howard glued together so well & easily I may try that first.
     
    Dad-1.
  14. Dad-1
    My last missive was creating a suitable interior for my Wills greenhouse - nowhere to put it, just
    a bit of creative fun.
    Move on a few days and when in the garage I uncovered a scrap of ply, slightly mouldy and warped.
    It crossed my mind to make up another diorama using the greenhouse and a cottage I'd built out of
    plasticard for a club-night 'How I Do It'. A good rummage through other odds laying around and everything
    required was on the bench !! Spares boxes are SO very useful.
     

     
    Still some way to go with landscape and fencing, but to me a great use for some scrap ply just 7.3/8" wide.
     
    Dad-1.
  15. Dad-1
    As this is the premier modelling site I tend not to regularly post, just when I've done something
    a little above my normal modelling.
    I've had a Wills greenhouse and cold frames kit kicking around for years. Recently uncovered
    I decide to make up for no other reason that I wanted to do something different. Also with a
    requirement for another club diorama by the years end any scenic props might be useful.
     
    Again collected years ago it really was time to use some of my 'Stuff' that included flocking dust
    and FlowerSoft crafting granules. My wife has a much greater range of FlowerSoft that I could use.
     

     
    I know I could have tapered the plant pots, but when inside the subtle and extensive work wouldn't
    be seen
     

     
    No potting tray would be complete without a garden trowel
     

     
    The almost finished item. I think it needs guttering and a water butt
     

     
    Always New projects for the railway modeller, all I have to do now is find where, or how to use it !!
     
    Dad-1
  16. Dad-1
    I still have so much to do, but my tenure of this large garage is coming towards the end and I need
    to split for some work. I may not get a chance to do more videos, but with metal wheels now in all these old
    Hornby coaches the rake rattles along well at a scale 50 mph. Of the 5 videos I took on 4th September this
    one is my favourite, I almost feel the draught of this express passing.
     

     
    Dad-1
  17. Dad-1
    Having access to this garage has given me the chance to see it all together and catch up on so many part done jobs. Mind you still
    loads more to do and I only have until around the 26th September before I have to remove from here.
     
    Today's videos

     
    Shame the 14XX is so distant and in the darker reaches at platform 3.

     
    Back now for more play ..... Errr.... work.
     
    MKMRS Exhibition in February still seems VERY near. I have loads of signals to make. Those white paper squares you may notice
    are planned signal locations. Back to the railway grind stone ..... It's only taken 5 years to get this far.
     
    Dad-1
  18. Dad-1
    We're rushing towards the 5th birthday of my Castell Mawr layout. I'm in no real hurry to finish because what will I do then ?
    It is however booked into the Milton Keynes exhibition in February 2017, so I really do have to get a move on. There is a window
    of opportunity open at the moment as a large garage has become available for me so I can join all together to double check the
    extent of work needing to be done.
     
    Thought I'd include the odd picture since my last Blog posting back in June .......... Look almost the end of August now where has that
    time gone ?
     
    One of my favourite pictures, just a rural road scene with background tracks.
    This was taken outdoors in decent light
     

     
    While the basic layout is quite boring, just a big twin track oval I have tried not to cram, giving space for each element. I do find
    stations with just enough room for 4 coaches frustrating as they can't represent the space actually taken.
     

     
    One of my other problems is the space usually wasted with big non-scenic fiddleyards. I have made a scene out of the back straight
    rather than just bare boards. The sidings are crammed in rather than a 10 ft spacing, but why waste the opportunity ?
     
    Dinners ready - must go !!
     
    Dad-1
  19. Dad-1
    I've been plodding along for years with this Castell Mawr layout, originally started with a group of
    3 from Milton Keynes MRS. Various commitments including in one instance University meant that
    I was doing most myself. Then because we moved from South Northamptonshire to Dorset at the
    beginning of December 2013 I really was on my own.
     
    Reasonably early on a fault was noted where two corner boards joined, we had a twist that gave
    a 6 mm slump at the interface. Last summer I raised track beds and then put in the shed until the
    beginning of March this year when I just HAD to get moving.
     
    Here in the cut and raised condition.
     

     
    Then brought indoors early March I plastered in the embankment holes
     

     
    Exactly 1 month later it's beginning to look like a busy A road
     

     
    Surprising what one months work has done to the scene
    How many more years ?
     
    Dad-1
  20. Dad-1
    Again I ask myself was it really back in January when I last posted on here ?
    As all good modellers do I've been doing a little of this, and some more of that, yet had nothing much to show
    unless I did a brush stroke by brush stroke commentary.
     
    This is still very much a Work In Progress as I'm just getting into the Council Road Maintenance Yard segment.
    The finger post is sitting high without it's legend and mileages. Embankment needing grassing, gravel yard surface
    to be finalised, gates made to open & close, DERV tank and all the odds that one may expect to find to be added.
     
    I did think this picture of a busy time on the A4042 was worth sharing.
     

     
    One day all 12 boards of this layout will be finished ...... I'm worried about that, because what would I do then !!
     
    Dad-1
  21. Dad-1
    I have this 'Thing' about loose unused wires on decoders. In short I can't stand
    having extra wires that I'm not going to use getting in the way and if not covered
    suitably with masking tape offering a potential short and with it decoder death !!
     
    In no way is this a criticism of decoder manufacturers as they need to offer a large
    range of user options. The Lenz silver mini decoder that I have to put in my Roxey
    'Minnie' needs to be as compact as possible so I decided to use my small soldering
    iron to remove the blue/white/yellow leads. With a tip smaller than a pin head and
    allowed to fully heat up it's just a momentary touch to remove those leads unwanted
    by me.
     

     
    I'm quite pleased with my radiator conversion, note the chrome dress making pin head
    filler cap .... it'll dull down when weathered.
    I don't undercoat, but many white metal castings seem to absorb paint, as you see under
    the exhaust pipe. I'll have to treat this as a primer, do another as the undercoat, with
    one final pass for my finishing coat. Why did I pick green ? as happened so often in real
    life it's because I have it, 3 tins of Humbrol emerald green to use up sometime !!
     

     
    After a study of the four parts that make up the cab I need to make a jig to hold in place
    for glueing. Oh also need an instrument panel with a few control levers and see if I have
    a suitable figure to add as driver.
     
    Having great fun !!
     
    Dad-1
  22. Dad-1
    My decoder arrived today with quite a few points, but I shall be lucky to get soldered in this
    weekend.
    My radiator has it's grille, but somehow the top edge is not fitting neatly into the beading.
    I'll probably have to attack with a new scalpel blade, but seeing anything this small is a strain.
    The camera shows every little error, if only my eyes were that good.
     

     
    The 3/4 windows are in, but I wouldn't be surprised to dislodge as I build together. Because
    internal access will be almost impossible I've also painted the interior sections cream. Obviously
    the internal corners will need painting after assembly, but I think I'll get away with that.
     
    Dad-1
  23. Dad-1

    Progress & Planning Pt.II

    By Dad-1,

    I've gone as far as I can before delivery of the required decoder, here is the current state of production.
     
    Being built as an internal combustion engined loco it needs a radiator. I finally decided that would be placed
    alongside the supplied white metal exhaust system on what can be thought of as the rear. To start I've added
    a beading from fine microstrip, I can see from the photo a little corner blending is still needed. Into this space
    I intend fixing a piece of net curtain to represent the protective grille. centrally along the top I need to add a
    radiator filler cap.
     

     
    DCC conversion of a Tenshodo spud is easy enough, but I don't think I would want to try without a mini drill fitted
    with a slitting disc. First is cutting & removing the lower part of the motor feed contacts from the spud sides. To achieve
    this without risk of damaging wheels I opened by releasing the single securing screw and unclipping. There was no
    factory lubrication so a miniscule spot of silicone grease was added to each gear set before reassembly. Here the
    removed sections can be seen above the screw.
     

     
    Short leads are soldered to the ground off track feeds and the top motor feed tags, then fed through the openings
    drilled & filed into the footplate.
     

     
    Finally an old but working decoder is soldered in to test that all is working as it should. To start with I had no response on
    default address 3, then I remembered last used this had address 1 ......... and that worked fine !!
     

     
    When my mini decoder comes this will be built into the model, no future access without pulling apart. It just has to be right
    first time.
     
    Dad-1
  24. Dad-1

    Progress & planning

    By Dad-1,

    We all know it should be planning and then progress, but I'm one who only reads the instructions when all else fails.
    Perhaps not quite that bad ?
     
    By joining the sides to a footplate beam I worked out I could hold together with a couple of elastic bands. It gives me an
    overall view from which to make my changes.
     

     
    Those handrail mountings all but block off the entrance, they have to go and handrails will run down the outside. I've also
    decided that the cab windows will be fixed 3/4 glazed. To have safe movement you need to see, but this simple machine
    has no window wipers, de-icing, or de-misting equipment. That open upper 1/4 provides that, you don't even need to clean
    the windows !!
    A decoder test, if a Hornby one will fit the Lenz mini should have oceans of space. Now to open out all the required wire routes.
     

     
    I tried drilling for my brass handrails, but unable to get a vertical angle the lower hole to the left is way out. I'll have to de-bond
    the two parts to get access, re-drill as needed. Even the exhaust system is now plugged on, my radiator will be represented
    by a square of beading with a mesh insert on the other rearward half alongside that exhaust.
     

     
    So far so good.
     
    Dad-1
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