Darwinian

Very nice, I've not seen re- panelled doors modelled before although they became increasingly common as the stock aged.

I successfully drilled through crank and axle 0.45mm and inserted a brass wire pin that I cut off as flush on either side of the crank as possible and then added a tiny drop of superglue, a bit belt and braces as the wire was tight enough that I had to use pliers to push it through. Left for 24 hours to fully cure and then then tidied up the ends of the wire with a fine needle file. A rolling test showed it to still be free rolling but testing under power it is nice and smooth in reverse but sticks in one position going forward, although when derailed it didn't so there must only be a small bind.

That's what I was thinking too. I don't, however, know if my drill bits (HSS) will be good enough. Only one way to find out I suppose. The main reason I'm hesitant is that the crank would be not be removable then. On the other hand it's not likely to need to come off unless the motor fails. I don't have a railway the size of Little Bytham after all.

I've finally got the Aberdare chassis turning over smoothly again. I re-checked all the horn-block alignments and ditched the etched cranks as I figured I must have damaged them taking them off. One in particular had partly de-laminated and didn't seem to be fitting true onto the axle. I substituted Gibson cranks which are a little chunkier but went on fine this time as I had remembered to dress the ends of the axles. Well when I say "fine", one that I was reusing on the driven axle split. I've run some good quality runny superglue into the split and it's holding well enough to roll the chassis along with the side rods on, however I'm not convinced it will be up to the job of taking the loads under power. I'm thinking that pinning it to the axle by drilling through crank and axle and inserting a wire pin might be the way forward. Alternatively I'll have to get a new set of cranks for that axle. Any thoughts?

Luckily this one has three links not the one way around Dingham's I use, so I can do just that 👍

Having had them sitting in my cabinet for several years I decided that this week I would finish the ropes on a Coopercraft GWR five plank bar with sheet support and while at it do the more recently built 4 plank that doesn't have a bar too. Having done them here they are, the camera never lies - Oh bother, I really had never noticed that the bar on the five plank is higher at one end! It is accentuated here by the tarpaulin not being level at the bottom, it's less obvious on the other side which is level. I've been using it on the layout and it's been sat in a display case but only now that I've photographed it here did I notice. I also realised that the 4 plank didn't get weathered before I stuck the sheet onto it. Going to be tricky weathering the wagon now, the body is more visible on the other side, and making the sheet look different and weathering around the ropes will be necessary too. I will have to live with these as I cannot easily take of the tarpaulins as they are glued in place and I'd have to do all that fiddly rope work again!

Ah yes but that's a different diagram to the Kernow ones which are Diag. R and O. Typical of Blacksmith/Mallard kits not easy but basically sound. This is mine built at least 30 years ago. It came with the vac-formed styrene roof and I built replacement cylinders because I thought the casting was a bit puny.

As a break from fighting the Aberdare I had another go at getting the bread oven proportions looking right. Here at the back is the 1st attempt - oven opening too small and forgot to allow for planting into ground. In front is the latest version which looks about right. The steps represent the eventual ground level. On the left is the oven interior. The cutouts are to allow fitting LEDs below hopefully producing a flame like effect. If it doesn't work I'll just put the oven doors on closed!

You could read that as the modelling being of railways by Britons. As opposed to Festival of modelling British railways. So no reason not to have railways modelled on non-british prototypes. Personally It's very much the quality of the model making, including the scenery, rather than the subject matter that appeals. I really liked the OPs Chinese layout when I saw it a few years ago. Variety is good even if I don't know anything about the system being modelled. But then I model the ex. Rhymney Railway in 1929-32 so I see very few layouts that go with my particular interests!

Well, well how did it get to be February already? As covered on my signals thread the signals are now all built and I've got half of them working on the bench. Just got to add the servo links to the bracket one and set up the MergSevo 4 for the home signals. The repair of the Aberdare has been one of those tasks that just won't go right. I've had a couple of go's at re-quartering but to no avail. Today I've resorted to taking the hornblock bearings out, cleaning them up, replacing them and checking them with the set up jigs, marking them so they stay in the same hornblocks and then reassembling. One wheel was loose however and I realised that in disassembly I had broken the soldered joint between chassis spacer and frame at the firebox end. It's still in bits while I try not to knock any more bits off. I might resort to putting another new wheel on but the one that's slipping was one of the shorted ones and I don't think I've got any more shorting wire etches. Ho Humm!

True, but to me a loco on shed with crew doing something in the cab is more acceptable than a runaway that the crew have abandoned! I have just put some modelu crew into my B4 pecket and without taking the cab apart and although a faff they did seem to stay put fairly well so long as I could hold them long enough for the glue to bite (Thick superglue). It was also much easier for the driver who was leaning on the cabside, so not just dependent on his feet to keep him upright.

Good luck with the handrail. It's been discussed elsewhere on here too. I would recommend using a suitable piece of tube /tool handle of slightly smaller diameter than the smoke box door to form the main curve first. The first side corner can be done next. I've used a needle file handle bend the wire around in the past. Then PUT the front handrail knob on. Now form the second side bend. Cut the side handrail sections slightly too long and test fit. Trim back further until they fit. Some recommend doing it in two halves meeting inside the smoke box top handrail knob. Personally I've always ended up with a kink there when I've tried that.

It moves! Courtesy of MERG Servo 4 and Tower Pro 9g servo. somersault action.mp4 Just needs the lamp fitted.

I should perhaps add that there are several other pictures dated from 1912 onwards showing signals with the more familiar single band. If the dates are more or less correct then both band patterns were in use, on the TVR at least, during this period. I've not found any double band images post 1922 in any of the books I have but that may just be chance.

That looks like a ring on the arm of the shorter doll. There are similar ones in "The Rhymney Railway Vol. 1, The main line from Cardiff" John Hutton, Silver Link (Pubs). Page 26." Aber Junction and sidings about 1905 " shows a single post with a rotating disc and a somersault arm with a ring. Viewed from behind there appear to be two black lines outboard of the disc (one either side). Page 84. "K Class ........passing Heath junction on 16th May 1919" A somersault to the left of a large bracket signal (with two arms on the main post) has a ring and a fairly clear white band to the left of the ring. The ring does appear to be around the pivot point. In "The Taff Vale Railway Vol.2" Same author and publisher there are several views of somersaults with the double white band (one either end of the arm) and no ring: Page 48 View of Porth Station June 1921 there are two pairs of "home?" somersault signals, all with the double white bands. Page 51" Ynishir ......June 1922" the starter signal from the left platform has the two band style. The back of a 3 doll signal is also featured but all arms are set on and it's not possible to see if there is a second black band at the lamp end of the arm. Page 83 "TVR O4 0-6-0 ...... Mountain Ash circa 1908..." shows a two doll signal with both arms clearly showing the two band style. Page 123 A side view of the carriages involved in the accident near Gyfeillon Coke Works 23rd January 1911 there are a set of distant signals with the double chevron bands.