D869

Nice pic Pete. Station building and the mesh fence look good too.

Now I have a craving for a bacon butty...

You live in Spain. Go get some Serrano ham. Probably a better bet over there.

Agreed - much neater than my messy efforts!

I'm wondering if phosphor bronze might be a better bet than code 40 rail for springiness and electrical contact though?

...and shouldn't you be using those hinges to make some tools and jigs as was expounded in the 2mm mag on so many occasions?

Just found this project. Looks very interesting so I will follow progress with interest, having spent a good few hours hanging around the real place back around 2000 when the mail trains and the Bodmin goods still ran.

On the mesh front, there is some wire mesh available from N Brass. Scale link might do some etched stuff but not sure if either will give you a fine enough mesh or the size of sheet that you want. Another option might be something fabric-based but I don't have any specific sources. The mesh that was used in the 1980s to kill static and glare from glass computer screens could be ideal for you but difficult to source. I guess that most offices would have chucked these out a long time ago.

Just to add to this - the testing of running qualities for the AGM competition was done on Tucking Mill and D604 ran beautifully.

That's interesting - I didn't know that. I guess it was using your Pentroller then? Was it on the iron core setting?

I'm always interested to see how my stuff runs on different controllers. I use an old and slightly modified AMR handheld, mainly because we found these to produce excellent running with Farish mechanisms back when we were hawking Helsby, Tumill and Haddon around the exhibition circuit. The AMR is generally regarded as pretty crude and may or may not be safe for coreless motors so I am open to better options.

The main reason I haven't over to the DCC side is that I tested both an inexpensive and a top-end Lenz decoder in a couple of my locos and the quality of control could not match what I get with the AMR. Fiddling with pulse shapes helped but I just couldn't get it to the same level so the decoders were removed and have been gathering dust in a drawer ever since.

I guess that Pentrollers are now just as unavailable as AMR handelds so it's a slightly academic question.

One further question: Now you have replaced the body and the bogie side frames what more do you have to replace for it to be a kit/scratchbuild with a chassis, rather than a conversion?

I just read the question more carefully. The answer is quite a lot - that most of the original Farish chassis is intact, barring a few bits that I sawed off because they were in the way and one replacement (shorter) driveshaft. The bogie sideframes are mostly cosmetic - the only jobs they do are to provide some control over side and vertical play of the wheels and to provide a coupling mount. Replacing the mechanical bits would be a big piece of work... and the result would likely still have similar friction characteristics to the Farish original.

Woohoo. Your coil springs look like springs, are they?

Sort of. 5 amp fuse wire coiled around a 1mm drill. The etch provides a spindle to mount them on, plus pads for top and bottom.

While drawing the etch I did actually fathom out how the real suspension works and toyed briefly with the idea of providing for working equalising beams and moving axleboxes but common sense prevailed.

The cup(s) were well deserved. I had to look at the description to see that the body was not a moulding, as I originally thought. Rather unfair of my brain on your skills because the body does look better than the mouldings currently being produced by manufacturers IMHO.

Thanks. I think etched bodies have strengths and weaknesses for diesels - they really make near-flush glazing (without nasty lensing effects) easy and almost demand that you do something to model the cooling fans (with thanks to Pete Thorpe for the really fine mesh material) but recent mouldings definitely win when it comes to really fine detail around body openings and such like. Mounting all metal bodies on a cast split frame chassis also presents its challenges.

One further question: Now you have replaced the body and the bogie side frames what more do you have to replace for it to be a kit/scratchbuild with a chassis, rather than a conversion?

Who do you think I am? Stephen Harris or something?

Seriously, it is something that I would consider but this particular project has already accounted for a lot of modelling time. The loco is intended for hauling main line trains and the Farish chassis, suitably overhauled, while not quite in the same league as more recent pin point bearing chassis does that job well enough. The draw of other projects likely means that D604 will stay Farish powered for the foreseeable future.

Good luck with that one Mark - looks like quite a challenge so looking forward to seeing it painted and weathered.

We also had a run on the GC a few weeks back behind an Ivatt... although the beer festival was the main point of the trip so for once I wasn;t taking that much notice of the motive power.

Regards, Andy

Thank you all for the nice comments.

Nice to see the crisp card mock up too...

Superb work! That card mock up is pretty impressive too!

Definitely something I would recommend to anyone designing their own etch - it's a lot cheaper and quicker to find mistakes using card than nickel silver.

It was also a pleasure to host 604 and the 22 on Tucking Mill - the first of many guests on the layout I hope.

I have no doubt that there will be plenty more. A lovely layout. Looking forward to seeing it finished (as if any layout ever is) at Warley.

Fantastic work there, I'm getting so tempted by 2mm but, . . . with my eyesight??

Go for it. I'm guessing from your 'handle' that your interests lie on the other side of the pond, so the possibilities of 'train in the landscape' should really work well for you and the Association's wheel turning person (Gordon) has proved his ability to turn down wheels from US loco chassis. You should also check out North West Short Line for replacement rolling stock wheels, but try in small numbers first - some of their flanges are actually smaller than the 2mm finescale standard. They will run through 2mm pointwork, but are rather less tolerant of any gauge errors.

Regards, Andy

bravo indeed

Thanks Martin.

 

No, but it only works with the RSU - I use the probe holds everything in place until the solder paste has cooled again. I wouldn't like to try it with a soldering iron - I have visions of small rectangles of nickel silver pinging off in all directions!

 

The only reason I do it that way is that the apeture in the etch that the axlebox sections sit in is small, and I struggle to get the craft knife in there to cut the tags cleanly if I solder it in place first. I've just done one of the 9ft pressed-steel bogies for an Ultima A38 autocoach. I'll try the recommended method again on the second bogie and see which I prefer.

 

Anyway, Andy's etch looked as impressive in real life as it did in the photo above. And I believe he went home with some more shiny metal objects too....

He did indeed. And a good day was had by all as far as I could see.

I've usually managed OK cutting the axleboxes off the etch but I agree that space is at a premium. I usually use my X-Acto knife for this because it's beefier that the Swann Morton. I also keep a stone nearby because it needs regular sharpening while being abused in this way. Probably my worst problems are that I often bend the retaining strap at the bottom of the hornguides while cutting the axlebox tags. Occasionally I also manage to solder the etch frame to the bogie while doing the axleboxes too, but it's not too difficult to undo.

Chris pointed out what he meant about my axleboxes on the NPCS bogie etch and he's right. It will make life slightly trickier for two layers of the axleboxes but it's not a major problem. It's certainly a big learning experience for me doing my first etch.

The in/out balance for the gloat box was definitely heavily in the 'IN' direction. Between AGM acquisitions and the recent arrival of some tank wagon kits from Stephen Harris, I now need a bigger box.

Regards, Andy

Hi Pete,

Progress looks good.

Do you intend the magnets to be moveable so that they uncouple when you want them to and not otherwise?

Regards, Andy

Now it has been pointed out that I have been selling the wrong bogies with my full brake kits, I probably will be doing some. It is probably only 10 minutes work to modify the artwork. I have dug out my Slinn book on Siphons and see the error of my ways. Mind you, it didn't help that the book printed a photo of a long spring version (but with short footsteps) in its section on Siphon bogies.

That's good news. One suggestion (if I may) - I put the fold-up steps on the first detail overlay layer with a full thickness outline (sans folding bit) on the layer behind. I reckon that this will be stronger - these steps have just a single skinny support. It also allowed me to do something to try to convince the viewer that the step support is bolted or riveted to the face of the bogie sideframe.

Andy, if you are coming to the AGM I will bring your Maunsell kits with me. The roofs are still at my brother's house so will have to follow by post the week after.

I'm planning to be there and I've promised to bring my diminutive layout 'South Yard', so if you look for the smallest layout then I'll probably be nearby.

More stuff to build!

Oooh, those could prove useful. Is there any chance you'd be prepared to make the artwork available so anyone else could get these etched, too?

Hi David,

I don't have any objections to making them available but I'd rather it was done via the Association if they are willing. I'll hopefully have a chat to some of the relevant folks at the AGM tomorrow. On the other hand, Mr Higgs might decide to do them, which would probably avoid any issues arising from my lack of etching experience. Whatever happens, I'd definitely wait until I've actually tried assembling them before going any further.

Regards, Andy

That looks very interesting Andy. Am I right in thinking that those bogies would fit under a Lima siphon body?

Yes, plus Hawksworth and Collett full brakes.

FWIW, I cut the axleboxes out of the etch surround on Chris's coach bogie etches and stack them up on the sideframe with solder-paste in between. A quick zap with the RSU and they're done. I found it quite tricky trying to cut them out after soldering them in place.

I soldered mine a layer at a time with electronic solder and Carrs Green Label. It works that way too. I don't have an RSU so trying to solder several layers at once seems a bit risky.

I'm part way though a first stab at etch design - a NER wagon kit and some scratch-aid loco frames. Once I've got a few other projects out of the way I will hopefully find time to drop back onto it.

Good luck. This is my first stab too, so I'm finding that some... err... adjustments are needed during assembly.

It sounds as though we might have a bit of a hydraulic-fest on Saturday at the AGM?!

Hope so. You can't have too many diesel hydraulics.

Regards, Andy

Hi Mark - nice work. Always like to see old (but good) models upgraded to modern standards.

Regards, Andy

Keep us posted on the D800 detailing Andy, I've done one but could always be tempted to do another.

Are you bringing it on Saturday?... please.

There looks to be more than bogies on said etch though - care to expand a little?

Thanks Pete. It didn't make much sense price-wise to get less than an A4 sheet etched so I needed to fill up the remaining space. Not easy in 2mm scale if you're not building a viaduct.

The extras are mainly a few signalling bits and bobs that MSE don't do - mostly for St Ruth and some experimental 'spectacles' to try to make the Farish and Trix D800 look more like... a D800. The D800 etches each have several copies with small variations because I don't know what will work best (if any of them work at all).

Regards, Andy

Hi Chris,

Having built several of your bogies, I hope that I understand how they overlay and I've tried to get it right on my etches, but I'm sure that I will find out when I try to assemble them... which won't be for a while because those big D600 bogies are calling.

I think I emailed you a few months back about the NPCS bogies but perhaps it didn't reach you. There's also at least one other variant - long springs and small footsteps (seen on slip coaches IIRC), but I reckon you could produce that by hacking a few bits off the Association kit.

Regards, Andy

The bogies at bottom right do look rather familar.

Hi Chris,

They are certainly inspired by your work for the 2mm Association but they are not the same bogies that the Association sells. They are the short spring, small step variant used for NPCS. The artwork is my own work but I'm happy to give you credit for the ideas.

I was hoping that these might become available without any effort on my part but it didn't happen. The last straw was the basic bogie skeletons being discontinued which rather scuppered my plan to use these with plastikard details.

Regards, Andy

Hi Julia,

Useful info thanks. How much of the Tomix chassis is left though?

I've never heard of 'Mikroantriebe' - can you tell us a bit more about them?

Regards, Andy

Coming together nicely Pete. When is the joint publicity event with Ikea planned for?

Or maybe they will be persuading you to do a Swedish themed layout for your next project.

Good to see CJM still progressing.

Like others, I'm sure the huts will be fine once suitably grotty and with surrounding evidence of life (weeds, junk, worn pathways etc).

I agree about the gate - time to brush up on your soldering skills. That way it might survive when you forget to stop your train to open it.

Regards, Andy

Probably beyond mine also. What about a tongue on the outside as a conductor onto the outside of the mating tube? Might be a little more vulnerable to damage, but easily adjusted.

Yes. Chris Pendleton used a springy bit of phosphor bronze but in his design it was protected from damage by the rest of the connector. I could probably add this on the underside of the strip and it would get some protection from the pin above it.

 

Tried that too. It doesn't work, but I it sounds like you found that too. I put some stuff that could wait into boxes for much later, filed with the unbuilt kits, and focused on what was nearer finished than it was started. Then you need some self control to finish more of what is started, than starting what you won't see through to completion quickly.

I've found that having a show in the diary focuses the mind quite well. Having said that we now have more stock that we can fit on the layout so it might not work any more.

Have you tried rounding the end and cutting a short way down with a piercing saw then splaying the fingers: it should effect a kind of banana plug and give better connection?

It's kinda small - 1/32 inch brass rod. I reckon that sawing that in half lengthways is a bit beyond my powers with a piercing saw.