Downendian details

[Mulgabill]

Hope you didn't get too cold waiting for 60103 - it was 13 late when I saw it craling south of stonehouse, and I see it continued to lose time, must have got to where you were about 10ish I guess.

[Downendian]

Only just got in. Apparently stopped at Dursley because some clowns were on the track!

Hot cup of tea brewing, at least I saw the old girl.

Neil

[Mulgabill]

Only just got in. Apparently stopped at Dursley because some clowns were on the track!

Hot cup of tea brewing, at least I saw the old girl.

Neil

I think it was stopped at Standish Junc, and passed us at little more than walking pace, which it appears to have maintained all the way to you. At which point realtime trains seems to have given up, I've not been able to get it to update for 20+minutes!

[Downendian]

Indeed made the local news, apparently around 50 people trespassing on the track near Cam and Dursley.

Neil

[Enterprisingwestern]

Only just got in. Apparently stopped at Dursley because some clowns were on the track!

Hot cup of tea brewing, at least I saw the old girl.

Neil

 

Flying Scotsman, old girl???

 

Mike.

[Downendian]

First on my workbench thread - a new workbench.

Over the last few weeks I've created some space in our integral garage for a new workbench space, much to the relief of my wife whose craft room workbench I'd been using.

The bench itself was standard construction baseboard (18mm exterior ply with 2x2 bracing and adjustable legs, screwed to a wall batten. All my spraying/soldering kit was moved and with good lighting rig should do the job.

the first job undertaken was to renumber some two tone green class 25s. I have a particular fondness for TOPS green locos, especially as (one) of my chosen timelines is 1974/5. These two were two tone green still in that time frame, 25 294 and 305. I used the sharpie method to remove their D52XX numbers, which unfortunately lifted the sherwood green off, and I then spray painted four panels in rail match acrylic. Not  a perfect match, but weathering will disguise. Will add Brassmasters boiler blanking plates, and I'm still contemplating whether to remove the false sole bar from all my class 25 fleet.

 

Neil

[leopardml2341]

Don't forget, Neil, that a lot of locos were patch painted when re-numbered; a mismatch of paint colour is probably most prototypical

[Downendian]

Hi Andy

Well with only limited photos available of the prototypes these two look quite neat in comparison to some of the botch jobs done on the two tone green brush 4s.

I'm certain that I saw green 25s in 1974/5 but my incomplete spotting notes don't confirm this. There were certainly a lot of green locos still around in those two years, so I can justify a good green/blue mix.

Neil

[leopardml2341]

There was a definitive list on t'web, of green TOPS numbered locos, but I'm b*ggered if I can find it now.

 

Rgds,

[Enterprisingwestern]

Hi Andy

Well with only limited photos available of the prototypes these two look quite neat in comparison to some of the botch jobs done on the two tone green brush 4s.

 

 Yes, just what shade of green were Canton using to repaint the cabsides? It was amusing to see the way they had painted around the numbers but over the D, but it made them identifiable from a distance! Presumably the Canton Brush 4's done with TOPS style numbers were done at Crewe works?

 

Mike.

[Downendian]

Wow a long time has passed since I last updated this thread.

Today is my first day of retirement, which I'm fortunate to be able to take early after many years of paying a large chunk of my salary in pension. I'll miss for sure the science and my colleagues, but I've plenty to be busying myself with. I'll keep the brain active by writing books and doing some consultancy work.

Two fishing sessions this week, and now looking at my pile of kits, incomplete projects, and my layout which needs attention, but where to start? Plus my wonderful wife has given me a DIY to do list, and close family including two young grandsons to look after now and then. How on earth did I have any time for work?

The rest of my life starts today.

Neil

[John Tomlinson]

Congratulations, and IMHO just the right attitude with which to move to the "next phase"!

 

John.

[leopardml2341]

Congratulations Neil !

 

I have another job to add to your list - keep updating this thread

[Liam]

Well done Neil, enjoy your retirement and hopefully there'll be more time for exhibiting Abbotswood Mk2 with the rest of the team. But Phil's actually got to build the layout first!

[forest2807]

Congratulations Neil, enjoy! I have to admit to being a teensy bit jealous, but I don’t want to wish away whatever time I have left....back to work tomorrow for me then.

[Downendian]

OK week 2 of retirement, the snow has somewhat stymied the fishing this week, so to sorting the kit pile.

I've purchased a largish number of project boxes to complete kits, and to keep all parts together during the build.

Here I'm part way through a catfish/dogfish rake made from excellent Cambrian kits.

I'd bought a completed kit from eBay a few years back, and is rather excellent, runs well and is well put together and detailed. I'm shamelessly copying its construction.

The rake of catfish will be in gulf red to go with my oyster and repainted shark kits, plus a mixed rake of dogs/cats in black. I already have a fair number of Heljan dogfish in olive green.

My approach is to first make sure the chassis are put together squarely and run true, as they will be running and not static, I think this is the most crucial stage.

I've then sprayed the hoppers, I think important as I don't want to mask off the models for the gulf red versions.

 

The boxes are very useful as I've already had a Stanchion and a brake come loose, and from previous experience they are lost to the carpet monster of work bench detritus. They were staring up at me from the bottom of the box, all I had to do was to locate the damaged chassis.

 

I've got project boxes also for my Herring rake, 21T hoppers, and 21/24.5T minerals, the hoppers and minerals are in prep for my representation of the Severn Tunnel-Acton consist.

Neil

Edited March 19, 2018 by Downendian

[Mulgabill]

Hi Neil

 

I have followed your thread(s) for some time and so thought of you first, when needing help.

 

I have a conundrum, to which, I suspect, you may know the answer.

 

How do I remove a Mainline Peak power bogie?

 

I need to do so simply in order to fit some replacement traction tyres, in order to get

mine going again. It would be one of the first produced, and used to be a good

runner, many years ago.

 

Would appreciate any advice you can give, as I don't want to do any damage.

 

TONY

 

[Downendian]

Hi Tony

I've got one palitoy peak (Royal Marines) that is still languishing somewhere. I'll take a look at it and report back.

Thanks for looking in!

Neil

[stovepipe]

You remove the retaining bracket from the side of the motor, held by a small silver screw.

 

Lendons of Cardiff have hundreds of service you sheets, including this one for the Peak.

http://www.lendonsmodelshop.co.uk/pdf/Mainline%20Service%20Sheets/L399%201C0-C01%20Diesel%20Electric.pdf

[Mulgabill]

You remove the retaining bracket from the side of the motor, held by a small silver screw.

 

Lendons of Cardiff have hundreds of service you sheets, including this one for the Peak.

http://www.lendonsmodelshop.co.uk/pdf/Mainline%20Service%20Sheets/L399%201C0-C01%20Diesel%20Electric.pdf

Many thanks that looks like a very useful resource.

 

Peak is now back in traffic, and running as nicely as a loco of that age can. Except it's already found

a few track pins that are out of guage in the Helstonish fiddle yard. (More work!)

 

Thanks again

[Downendian]

Wow three years have past since I added to this thread, for no apparent reason except that my layout has received much more attention of late (a complete rewire and added 47 servo point motors etc). However some stock modifications now back in progress, my fleet of 47s getting most attention recently. I have a motley mix of Lima, Heljan and Bachman mark 1 getting work done in the past few weeks. Updates soon to follow once I persuade my eldest daughter to come and do a  photoshoot as she has my SLR on long term loan, and is a superb photographer, and not an iPhone snapper like myself.
 

I’m also in the process  of rebuilding a Hornby class 29 chassis to fit under a spare Dapol class 21 bodyshell I picked up for £35. I’m loathe to throw my old models away and wanted a model of Barry resident D6122 (1?), which I almost have now completed and cost less than £60 in total. I couldn’t justify spending another £100 plus on a Dapol 21/29 as I’d already purchased class 29 D6107 late last year. It has a double power bogie and I hope will rival D6107 in performance. Watch this space! 
Neil 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Downendian

[Phil Bullock]

Welcome back Neil! Looking forwards to seeing more progress on here…. Have been doing more NBL fettling myself, D6342 nearly ready to join D6336 as another later production batch 22

[Phil Bullock]

18 hours ago, Downendian said:

Wow three years have past since I added to this thread, for no apparent reason except that my layout has received much more attention of late (a complete rewire and added 47 servo point motors etc). However some stock modifications now back in progress, my fleet of 47s getting most attention recently. I have a motley mix of Lima, Heljan and Bachman mark 1 getting work done in the past few weeks. Updates soon to follow once I persuade my eldest daughter to come and do a  photoshoot as she has my SLR on long term loan, and is a superb photographer, and not an iPhone snapper like myself.
 

I’m also in the process  of rebuilding a Hornby class 29 chassis to fit under a spare Dapol class 21 bodyshell I picked up for £35. I’m loathe to throw my old models away and wanted a model of Barry resident D6122 (1?), which I almost have now completed and cost less than £60 in total. I couldn’t justify spending another £100 plus on a Dapol 21/29 as I’d already purchased class 29 D6107 late last year. It has a double power bogie and I hope will rival D6107 in performance. Watch this space! 
Neil 

Hang on a moment…. That terminal 2 looks a bit dodgy!!! Would a 1 be revealed if we left it parked at the seaside for several years? Better check the works plate …. 
 

Where is Mr Rolley with the works plate when you need him? @BrianR

Edited September 28, 2021 by Phil Bullock

[Downendian]

Indeed the D6122 or D6121 saga Phil. Sadly one of the only NBL diesels I ever saw along with D601. Your beloved class 43s had gone before I started spotting in 1973.

neil 

[Downendian]

Lima Brush 2s and 4s.

currently on the workbench are my long mothballed Lima fleet getting an upgrade. They are all to be re powered using twin Hornby class 66 power bogies, using essentially the techniques described on the outstanding Kier Hardy EM site :
http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/project_lima31mods.html 

the motor bogie cradles are exactly the same size for the 47s. The bogie side frames from the Lima models were cut off and aradited to the 66 bogie having lopped off the 66 side frames. Next the chassis frame was subjected to dremel surgery to cut a new aperture for the second motor bogie. Care was taken to centralise the hole required for the bogie pivot, and fitted exactly as per the Kier site. I also used semi-round rod (2.5mm) to allow the bogie to pivot both fore and aft. All looks good and gearing up for wiring. The incorrect Lima tanks for my era (1974 ish) were surgically removed and replaced with Bachmann spare parts (thanks to the excellent Bachmann spares department). Test runs to commence on the prototype as soon as the wiring is done. Sure the power bogies have traction tyres, but hopefully the only negative point. The max current draw from the paired bogies should be 850mA or so, hopefully a TTS decoder will cope with that. All will be LE/CF 47/4s operating Paddington South Wales trains, mingling with the occasional Western. I have plenty of Bachmann mk 1 class 47s, but rather a shortfall in blue serck fitted locos, this hopefully will redress the balance a bit. I know the Lima model doesn’t match the Bachmann model for looks, but with a bit of detailing with roof fans, windscreen surrounds, new wipers etc modelling will make up for that. A pretty cheap option to a 47 - although I notice that now Lima diesels are 4-5X more expensive than what I paid for them just 5-10 years ago, although some are my 1980s originals.

The Lima 31 is a little different as it will be a Lima remotored chassis (as above) transplanted onto a Hornby 31 body. I had two spare Hornby bodies as a result of replacements of Mazak infested chassis which came as two brand new models. I’m a big fan of the Lima 31, but the Hornby model is predetailed and there are only so many hours in the day- the Hornby body fits perfectly. 
Neil 

Edited November 1, 2021 by Downendian