5050

Thanks, I'd forgotten about the CLAG site Pannier chassis notes. I'll take a more detailed look at them.

The LNER had generator vans but used standard box vans in sets of 3, each one containing a separate part of the generating 'system'. I believe they were intended for powering up areas affected by bombing raids etc. A friend has designed and produced a 3-D printed 4mm scale version of the LNER vans.

I'm currently well on the way with one of these and enjoying the process. Following Chris's excellent instructions to the letter (well, more or less anyway). However, Chris does rather skim over the question of pickups apart from stating that holes for plunger pickups are included on the frames. I'm not all that convinced by these (I know some people swear by them - others at them!) so, as I'm sure that there must have been several built by GWR modellers here, could I ask how you have fixed pickups on your build(s)? I had a similar experience with my 14xx chassis build and managed to fabricate some but I've a feeling that doing something similar with the Pannier version may well be a bit trickier. Hoping someone can help.

Cut the pinpoints off and tidy up with a fine file.

Not experienced that Mike. The ones I have are considerably thicker than the screws and can be well screwed into the nut. In fact, I sometimes have to shave one down to fit.

I use a wooden cocktail stick from below, screwed into the nut so it can be held down in position while soldering. Very useful things wooden cocktail sticks (or toothpicks if you prefer....)

Neat idea the aluminium 'clamp'. Might try that as my board is plenty big enough to fit one. Do you tighten the screws each time to secure the workpiece or just have it at a 'useful' clearance all the time?

Want to do mine while your at it?? I've put the Porter's Cap Compacto gearbox I got a couple of weeks ago for use in mine but I'll have to check if it will actually go in now I've seen where the front spacer is situated.

They also had some 2-8-2 tank versions. There are examples still extant but not sure if they're runners. Perhaps one of our Antipodean members could advise? Were the 2-8-0's actually ROD locos or just a Robinson design sold under licence by Kitson's? I presume the tank versions above would be the latter.

Are there any more builds out there besides Ruston's and mine? PI sold out their first run so they must be somewhere!

My Sentinel uses a modified 'under the counter' HL gear train based on Chris's Planet 'chassis' designed for Gordon Ashton and this has a compensated axle with the usual HL spur gears. No problem with any movement. If there is so much movement that gears are coming out of mesh I would take a good look at your track! These are both 0-4-0 locos but I'm sure an 0-6-0 version could be achieved.

I'm a bit surprised that, given the loco's 'notoriety' and the wide range of obscure prototypes that have been modelled, nobody has produced a kit for this. I think my first introduction to it would have been the RM article and I've seen it at Foxfield over the years. I've an idea that I may have harboured thoughts about making it in 4mm but obviously never did!

I know Martin, just following on from other posts relating sticking to substrates other than ply sleepers. I've also used the same methods with Exactoscale items.

I've used Butanone to stick C&L chairs to all sorts of substrates including card, foamboard, wood. No problems at all. No need to 'prime' with anything.

The hardest part about starting is actually starting! What have you got to lose? If it's your layout then (initially anyway) only you will see it and, as time goes on, the law of averages says your skills will improve and you can then go back and revisit your early efforts. As someone once said - just do it!

Yes Mike, I am aware - and someone was going to get me a set next time he visited. However, I thought I'd see if the tinning idea actually worked and it did so used the plates. By the time they get a film of weathering I doubt if the material they're made from will be apparent anyway! BTW, I used the Humbrol 'Clear Fix' to attach them as it's a bit more controllable than glue and can be applied carefully with a small brush. I also used it to secure the wiper blades.

I think I'm there now with this. Fitted the builder's plates, sand pipes and wiper blades (which I thought I'd lost until I discovered them this morning hiding in a bag of frame spacers!). I need to make a batch of coupling links for this and several other locos which need them prior to 'entering service' - whenever that may turn out to be! Rear view of cab with blades and cabside Ruston plates. These are included in the kit - but etched in brass. As the real ones are aluminium I tinned them (on the etch) with a drop of acid flux and an almost dry iron before filling with paint which was rubbed off the high spots (ie the lettering) when dry. The roof is not fully attached in this shot hence the slight gap. And the cab interior as promised. Not very visible when roof in place but at least there's something in there! According to a drawing I've got the brake standard slopes forward slightly. I used one I had in my stash of 'useful bits'. I've now noticed that I need to add a spot of dull Black to the top of the exhaust pipe. Now to decide the next project. Could be finishing the High Level Pannier chassis that I started early last year.

I use a jar of Humbrol 'Clear Fix' for sticking windows. It's probably identical in make up to all the other similar products. I've also used it to attach the builder's plates to my Ruston 165 build. A lot less messy than glue.

"If it was an etched kit I would stick oversize pieces of clear packaging on the inside, but with the thick plastic walls of the cab, this will look naff. I have had to use a thick clear plastic and have had to cut and file each piece to size. It's all very hit and miss. The fact that the apertures taper in doesn't help either." That's how I did it on my 04 back in the dark ages (ie, the late '80's). It might have been from a Ferrero Rocher box.

Well, here we are again, over 2 weeks later - and I haven't been totally idle despite melting to a grease blob some days! When it's like that I can't do any modelling, just sitting in a dark room with the curtains pulled and a fan at full blast. I have managed to get on with the painting on the (occasional) cooler days. A full coat of Grey primer (which is actually a few shades lighter than the photos show) and a coat of white followed by Yellow on the buffer beams. This was followed by some masking with Tamiya tape for the Black stripes as I've done before. However, when I had to adjust a couple of tape sections - the paint underneath peeled back to bare metal!! I was not happy (to say the least!). I scraped the beams back to bare metal and gave them a coat of Precision etch primer (squirted some into a container and brushed it on). Same thing then happened on the cab sides, back and front! Scraped back to bare metal and a coat of brushed etch primer. I should have done all the brass parts like this in the beginning! One result of all this was that I decided against yellow/black striped buffer beams and went for plain Red instead which also meant I should paint the rods the same colour. Here are the Front and Back beams prior to the Disaster Darling. Having got over this setback I have fitted out the cab with glazing, controls, brake standard and a rather portly driver courtesy of Dart Castings. (Photo to follow) A coat of 'Corporate Diesel Blue' with black footplate and red rods etc., a coat of Dullcote, some weathering, rusting etc. and this is how it looks now. Still a few small details (eg sand pipes, coupling links, builder's plates) to add and I'll call it a day. Thankfully it still runs like a sewing machine which goes someway to alleviating some of the grief I have experienced over the past few weeks!

Thoroughly enjoyed it, looking forward to the next one. But I was a bit confused with the locations visited on the Aldwych branch. Where is the very old station (with the original track etc.) positioned in relation to the 2 other sites visited? Perhaps I missed a bit of commentary somewhere!

A P4 one?

I have used the Butanone supplied by Hobby Holidays which, as I've stated above, works very well with C&L chairs. Are Exactoscale chairs made from a different material, however slight, that might affect 'sticking' performance with Butanone?

Butanone for me on several layouts, can't ever remember any problems getting chairs to stay attached. Sleepers are either S4 Society or EM Society ones. For points I use a combination of rivets in 'strategic' positions and plastic chairs elsewhere.

I hope Master Card, Visa et al have got plenty of staff to handle all the transactions you will be sending them!