Modbury

[MarshLane]

Ian, your progress with this project is wonderful, but as far as the motion on that Railmotor goes I am sorry, there is only one word to describe it ... STUNNING!

 

Absolutely amazing given the size and scale, the 'round of applause' button really isn't enough!

Rich

[Sithlord75]

That video is a thing of beauty Ian.

[Regularity]

That’s Running very smoothly.

[Donw]

Superb job Ian it not only runs very smoothly but looks fantastic doing it.

 

Don

[Ian Smith]

A little more progress with the Steam Railmotor ...

 

With the motor bogie complete (or at least as complete as I'm going to make it!! - I have no intention of trying to fit brakes or sanding gear for example!), thought turned to the underframe.  A perusal of "Great Western Steam Rail Motors and their Services" by John Lewis (I finally managed to source a copy a few weeks ago), gave me diagrams of the 70'0" underframes and the various sizes and positions of the fittings that I wanted to try to capture.

 

There were two gas cylinders, each 7'0" long x 1'6" diameter, two vacuum cylinders, one about 2'0" diameter and a further slightly smaller one some 18" diameter.  The water tank was some 19'0" long, a couple of feet wide and slightly deeper (I can't remember the exact size and I can't be bothered to check as I'm typing this up).  Additionally on the 70'0" Steam Rail Motors, there were a pair of truss rods each side of the tank (obviously with twin queen posts to support them).  So the starting point was to manufacture all of these components.  The cylinders were simple turning exercises  - I always make my vacuum cylinders as just that, a simple cylinder as the upper parts cannot be seen as it is all hidden behind the solebars.

 

The main components for the underframe - a water tank from laminated 0.040" black plasticard, a pair of gas cylinders, a pair of vacuum cylinders (one of each diameter), and the double queen posts.  The latter are 4 pieces of 0.018" nickel silver sweated together and cut and filed to shape (they are currently still laminated in this view!)

 

Once the queen posts were separated, the underframe centre and queen posts centres were scribed on the underside of the underframe (at 8'0" (16mm) centres).  It was then a simple matter of soldering the queen post pairs in their respective places :

The queen posts in position.  As may be noticed, I have also added the footboards from scrap etch to the solebars.  Also, the rubbing plate for the electrical pickup from the non-driven bogie is evident too.

 

With the queen posts in place, the truss rods came next.  These were flat bar that had a twist in them such that the flat was horizontal over the queen posts but was twisted vertical so that it could be bolted to the solebars.  On the Diagram O Rail Motors (which I'm modelling) this twist was at both ends of the truss rod, others only had the twist at the motor bogie end.  Luckily, I had some lengths of 0.5mm 0.010" nickel strips that I could use for these (I had included this on my 6 wheel coaches etch as a space filler).  Ideally, I could have done with something thinner than 0.010" but beggars can't be choosers.  Therefor I took a couple of lengths of this strip, cut it to size, made the relevant bends and twists and soldered it in place on the outer queen posts.  I elected to just use 0.3mm brass wire for the inner truss rods as they are not very visible in the gloom under the coach.

 

The truss rods in place.  Hopefully the twist is just about visible.

 

There are no V hangers provided on the Steam Railmotor etch, so I poached a couple from some of the Worsley Works clerestory coach etches that I have.  The outer V hanger has to be joggled slightly to clear the truss rod, and was simply soldered into position based on the drawings.  The vacuum cylinders were then soldered in place some 2mm from the centre line of the V hangers, and a piece of 0.3mm brass wire soldered in the V hanger holes.  To mount the gas cylinders, I cut some 3mm lengths of 1.5mm square brass bar on which to mount the cylinders - these were the very pig to get in place as they are relatively big pieces of brass heat sink, which was probably beyond the limit of the 18 Watt iron that I use fo most kit building (I should have got the larger temperature controlled one out that I only tend to use when I need an extra bit of oomph!)  However, with a bit of perseverance I got there.

 

The underframe with the various components in place.  The jury is still out as to whether I bother putting in any of the brake pull rods - I'll have a look to see how naked it looks under there once the bogies are in place.

 

The next step (quite literally) is to make the retractable steps (in the retracted position).  A piece of 0.010" nickel silver was blacked, and the positions of the uprights and step supports were scribed on, then it was a simple task of applying escapement files to form the voids.

The embyonic retractable step support.  I decided to make just one to start with to ensure that I'd got the size right, and the angle that it leans back below the solebar.

 

The plan for these steps is to form the supports as above, solder the top step (of the two) in place in the middle of the component, having first sliced through the frame where the bottom step will go to allow it to be slipped over the truss rod (the truss rod passes through the bottom "hole" of the retractable step support!)  I will then araldite the supports behind the solebar, and once cured solder the lower step in position (probably with an aluminium clip against the top step while I go quickly in and out with the iron!).

 

The first retractable step support.  The solid bit at the top will be buried in araldite behind the solebar.

 

I have now checked the size of this first support, and being happy I will use it as a template for the other 3.  The intention is to solder it onto a bit more 0.010", then file around and up to it so that I get 4 all pretty much identical pieces.

 

Thanks fo looking.

Ian

 

[Regularity]

9 hours ago, Ian Smith said:

The jury is still out as to whether I bother putting in any of the brake pull rods - I'll have a look to see how naked it looks under there once the bogies are in place.

Also, the TRG (through regulator gear). I always liked the general extra “busyness” of autocoaches and SRMs, but it’s fiddly stuff in any scale, and as you are building “layout models”, possibly of questionable visibility.

[Ian Smith]

Further progress on the Steam Railmotor ...

 

Following on from the previous instalment, I checked the one fretted/filed out retractable step frame against the underframe of the coach, and luckily I think my filing/fretting provided a reasonable representation of the real thing - obviously my effort had to beefed up a little bit to be able to withstand the occasional knock or handling.  So with one made, it was sweated onto a further piece of 0.010" nickel silver sheet and used as a pattern to make another (I decided against laminating 3 pieces of sheet together and trying to make the remaining 3 at once!).  Once the second was made, the pair were soldered in place on more sheet and again used as patterns to fret and file the remaining two.

The 3rd and 4th retractable step frames being fretted/filed from a sheet of 0.010" nickel silver.

 

With the retractable step frames made, the steps themselves were cut from more 0.010" strip, 4.5mm long and 1.5mm deep.  The top step was then soldered in place against the central rail of one frame with 221 degree solder, and once happy that it was in the right place and perpendicular to the frame the other frame was added (again with 221 degree solder).  As I mentioned in the previous post, the truss rod passes through the bottom hole in the step frames, so the bottom of the frame was cut through with a sharp scalpel at the corner where I could repair the cut when adding the bottom step.  It was then a matter of jiggling the step frames into position, and securing with a dollop of araldite on the inside of the solebar.  The underframe was then put to one side overnight until the adhesive had cured (I did check to make sure nothing had moved after 2 or 3 hours  though!).

 

The following day, the bottom step was added with 145 degree solder.  Luckily, the top steps didn't come adrift during this operation!!

 

With the steps in place, the next task was to add the prominent "hangers" that the motor bogie is attached to on the real thing.  I say "hangers", but they are probably really "supports" as they are used to hold up the motor bogie end of the solebar.  Anyway, from a model point of view, a pair hang down from the solebar on each side of the coach around the centre of the motor bogie.  I chose to model them from short lengths of 0.5mm nickel silver wire which had a 90 degree bend put in.  On the real thing a steel plate forms the top of these hangers which is bolted to the solebar.  I found a bit of 0.004" nickel silver sheet, made a few passes of a blade to scribe a four bits 1mm x 2mm wide, then drilled a 0.65 hole in the middle of each.  Holes were drilled in the solebar at the relevant positions, and the plate threaded onto the end of the bent wire and wire and plate soldered into position.

 

The "hangers" that support the underframe above the motor bogie - bent bits of wire and 0.004" sheet represent the plate bolted to the solebar.

 

Once all four were in place, the motor bogie was reattached, and the bends in the wire adjusted so that the bogie could swivel sufficiently without the outside motion touching the hangers.  As it happened, I had made the flipping things a little too long, so files were deployed to remove nearly a mm from the bottom of each one (which resulted in having to re-solder at least 2 of them).  Once happy, small 1mm collars were made (I didn't have any 0.5mm ID tube) to represent the ends of the cross rods that run below the motor bogie.

 

Once everything was in place, the whole assembly (motor bogie, trailing bogie, underframe and body) was temporarily put back together and a couple of snaps taken :

 

 

After taking those photos I decided to add the vacuum pipes at each end of the coach (attached to the headstocks), so now it's ready for the paint shops!!

 

With the Steam Rail Motor nearing completion, I have made a start on my next project :

 

Thanks for looking.

Ian

[Donw]

Superb work on this Ian.  Yes even in 2mm those brass cylinders (presumably solid) are a fair chunk for an 18w iron.

 

now that next project could it be a duke?

 

 

Don

[Ian Smith]

6 hours ago, Donw said:

 

now that next project could it be a duke?

Don

Don,

next project is indeed a Duke. I built the 4 coupled chassis some time ago (can’t remember whether I posted a photo of it here).  My aim is to have it running for the Aldershot exhibition in October (I doubt whether I’ll progress it too far by RailWells as I want to get the Rail Motor completed first).

Ian

[Ian Smith]

More Steam Rail Motor progress ...

 

With the body and under frame construction pretty well complete, attention turned to the painting.  As usual (for me), the body had received a coat of Halfords etching primer (seen in earlier postings), then everything but the upper half was masked off before the Precision Paints (PP) Coach Cream was applied.  After a couple of days to fully harden off, the upper works were coated in a couple of layers of Humbrol Maskol before the lower sides were sprayed PP Coach Brown.  Again a couple of days to harden off was allowed before attempting the lining.  The black mouldings were ruled on with a Rotring 0.1mm drawing pen (with Rotring black ink).  Then the bolections and door drop lights were brush painted with PP Mahogany.

 

The latter part of the painting process then consisted of an iterative approach whereby any imperfections were touched up with Rotring ink, cream or mahogany as appropriate.  As usual, the Rotring ink wasn't too happy to be applied over the PP Coach Brown, so the lower mouldings were brush painted with Humbrol Matt Black, any strays onto the panels was carefully lifted with a fine brush dampened with enamel thinners.  In the end, I even had to run a diluted mix of Coach Brown into most of the lower panels as I deemed that the depth of colour wasn't dense enough in places.  I sometimes wonder if spraying the whole thing black then painting the panels with a few dilute coats would be a better way forward as the painting of this coach seemed to take forever!!

 

Anyway, here are a couple of photos of the current state of play :

 

Looking at these digital images on screen, I might attack the lower panels again with another dilute coat of Coach Brown!!  Also in evidence is the near disaster I had with the ink when doing the upper mouldings - a spillage occurred on the roof, although luckily it missed the sides!!  Not a problem as the roof still needs to be painted but that will be after transfers and a coat of sealing varnish has been applied.

 

Thoughts then turned to the coach interior, so a piece of 0.015" plasticard was cut for the floor (with cutouts to clear the busbars and wires that allow pick up from the non-motor bogie).  Further 0.015" was deployed for the compartment partitions, and finally seats were built up from 3 laminations of 0.030" with a 0.015" back rest.

 

Interior in position on the underframe.  As can be seen the motor bogie upper works (gear box and motor) have had a coat of matt black to disguise them a little.

 

A couple of photos of the body plonked onto the underframe :

 

 

As no transfers are available for a 2mm scale Steam Rail Motor in early livery (Fox do some for Autocoaches), I have had a go at making some myself.  Because Modbury is set in 1906, I wanted to model an early example of a Diagram O Steam Rail Motor (the Worsley Works coach being ostensibly the preserved No. 93 of the Diagram R of 1908), so I have chosen No. 61 which was built in March 1906.  When outshopped, these early coaches carried a monogram referred to as the Prize Winning Monogram, as a result of a competition held in 1905.

 

A patch of decal film was painted Coach Brown, then the monograms and numbers were drawn on with Yellow Ochre acrylic ink again in a Rotring pen (0.25mm nib for monogram and 0.1mm nib for the numerals).  I did try brush painting it all first with acrylic paint but gave up and resorted to a pen and ink.  Hopefully, I have made the numerals small enough to fir in the waist panels, but I'm quite pleased with the way the monograms have worked (they are about 3mm tall) and could possibly have been a little narrower.  I will test one of the worse ones in water to make sure that the ink is ok (it should be being acrylic), but I won't try using any of the decal fixers or softeners.  If there are any problems I'll give them a coat of varnish before using them.

The monogram and numeral transfers.

 

Hopefully, I'll just about get her finished in time for the 2mm Association 60 (+2) years anniversary event on the 18th/19th June.  Although Modbury isn't in attendance, the Midland Area Group will be there with St Ruth, and there are a couple of other analogue layouts in attendance that she might visit too!!

 

Thanks for looking.

Ian

 

 

[Caley Jim]

Superb work as always, Ian.

 

I was recommended to use a black undercoat for CR coaches as that gave a richer tone to the purple brown and it seems to work.  Still needs several thin coats, but then I do that anyway, preferring to brush paint rather than spray, other than the undercoat.

Jim

[Siberian Snooper]

I don't know if this might help, but when I do the black on the moldings in 4mm, I use a laundry marker.

 

 

[Nick Gough]

You could always try spilling a bit more ink on the roof:

 

Edited June 12, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Donw]

superb work Ian on both the painting and the interior.

 

Don

[Siberian Snooper]

3 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

You could always try spilling a bit more ink on the roof:

 

 

Any idea of how long 93 had been in service, when that photo was taken?

 

 

[Nick Gough]

23 minutes ago, Siberian Snooper said:

 

Any idea of how long 93 had been in service, when that photo was taken?

 

 

 

I understand that 93's restoration was completed in 2011.

 

The first photo was at Old Oak Common in 2017. The second at Southall in 2014.

[Mikkel]

It's beautiful already Ian, and you're not even done yet. The interior is so neatly done I didn't think it was handmade at first.

 

I struggle with that version of the monogram, it has always seemed a bit clumsy to me though I suppose it was modern for its time. still, no getting around it for this prototype and period.

[Siberian Snooper]

14 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

 

I understand that 93's restoration was completed in 2011.

 

The first photo was at Old Oak Common in 2017. The second at Southall in 2014.

 

There's not huge difference in the roof blackening over the 3 years between the photo's, I do realize that 93 doesn't get the same amount of usage, that it would have, if it was in almost daily service. It would be useful to have a more recent photo, as a weathering reference.

 

[Compound2632]

48 minutes ago, Siberian Snooper said:

There's not huge difference in the roof blackening over the 3 years between the photo's, I do realize that 93 doesn't get the same amount of usage, that it would have, if it was in almost daily service. It would be useful to have a more recent photo, as a weathering reference.

 

A weathering reference if one is modelling the preserved vehicles but irrelevant to @Ian Smith's period as the paint technology was different. 

[bécasse]

The white-lead based roof paint would gradually have darkened (fairly universally) as the result of a chemical reaction to the hydrogen sulphide traces in the air and this wouldn't happen with modern paints. The blackening effect of smoke smuts emitted from the funnel would be overlaid on this and there would probably be little difference in this effect between now and a century ago.

[Ian Smith]

4 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

 

There's not huge difference in the roof blackening over the 3 years between the photo's, I do realize that 93 doesn't get the same amount of usage, that it would have, if it was in almost daily service. It would be useful to have a more recent photo, as a weathering reference.

 

I don’t know whether No 93 was actually completed in 2011 or if that was the year the financial grant was awarded to allow work to be progressed.

Either way, in mileage terms it probably hadn’t done all that many when either of those photos were taken (at least not compared to when originally in service). As others have said modern paints don’t react to the (far less/different) air pollution as the old lead based paint did.

My understanding of the current state of No 93 is that it is now out of service as it needs a boiler refurb or recertification.

 

Edit

I’ve just looked on the Didcot/Steam Railmotor website and it would appear that No93 entered service in June 2012.

Edited June 13, 2022 by Ian Smith

[5944]

22 hours ago, Ian Smith said:

I don’t know whether No 93 was actually completed in 2011 or if that was the year the financial grant was awarded to allow work to be progressed.

Either way, in mileage terms it probably hadn’t done all that many when either of those photos were taken (at least not compared to when originally in service). As others have said modern paints don’t react to the (far less/different) air pollution as the old lead based paint did.

My understanding of the current state of No 93 is that it is now out of service as it needs a boiler refurb or recertification.

 

Edit

I’ve just looked on the Didcot/Steam Railmotor website and it would appear that No93 entered service in June 2012.

It was used on photo charters at Llangollen soon after completion in March 2011, but it had a few niggles, hence not being officially launched into service for another year.

 

 

Not the clearest image (lo-res upload to Flickr) but even after a few days of use the roof was starting to get weathered. Berwyn tunnel wouldn't have helped though.

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, 5944 said:

even after a few days of use the roof was starting to get weathered. 

 

Surely simply dirty? Over such a short period of time weather doesn't come into it.

[5944]

1 hour ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Surely simply dirty? Over such a short period of time weather doesn't come into it.

Yes, good point! 

[Compound2632]

9 minutes ago, 5944 said:

Yes, good point! 

 

Thanks - I thought I was merely being a pedant. But we should take leaf out of the geologists' book and consider physical, chemical, and biological weathering, even though we are not looking at erosion. Dirt deposited on the surface is, I suppose, our physical weathering; rusting and the darkening of white lead-based paint by reaction with atmospheric pollutants are certainly examples of chemical weathering; I suppose for biological weathering we have to look at rot.

Edited June 14, 2022 by Compound2632