What's on your workbench?

[Will Hay]

Nice work there Will. R-

 

 

Thank you.

Having gravitated from buying a mixed freight set on an 8' x 4' trackmat/ply board in Dec 2019 to the loft five months after, I've been avoiding any serious modelling which, having only just finally reached a level where I'm happy with track, sidings, fiddle etc. isn't probably a bad thing.

Getting down what you see there has diverted my interest from playing trains to getting the terraced housing [previous picture], industrial area, high street and rural areas started.

I would say that the following picture is a metaphor for the current state of the UK, but that might be too controversial for a non-political website 😄😄

[Jim-R855]

Transfers applied to my repaired and repainted Coopercraft kit built W5 cattle wagon.

Just noticed I have damaged the S on the side I photographed. I also have no LARGE for the ends and have run out of L's to spell it out so may order another letter sheet to complete the job. The running numbers are spares from the original coopercraft sheet, the others transfers are from Fox, hence the numbers are slightly yellow compared to the lettering.

Oh, I've forgotten to reverse L S and M on one side so they are on the same bays both sides. Definitely not quite finished.

Repairs include replacing the tie bars with brass rod, and the bars in the open part with brass rod, because one of the buffers was missing I have replaced all 4 with sprung Gibson type suitable for fitted stock, I also moved the vacuum pipes to appropriate position and fitted the coupling hooks which were still on the sprue after 30 years, and of course the plastic wheels have been replaced with metal, I think 12.6mm 3 spoke from Peters Spares and replaced a missing flanged bearing in one axle box, also from Peters Spares.

Sharp eyed observers might note that the bulkhead is in an odd position, I lost my bottle for taking the roof off to move it.

Before and after, I hope you can tell which is which.

[Potterton]

Will Hay said, "I would say that the following picture is a metaphor for the current state of the UK, but that might be too controversial for a non-political website 😄😄"

I know the cost of living is reported to be going up, but an attempted ram-raid on a grocer's? Hope we never get to that stage. confounded

[Rana Temporia]

Just finished off this old Lima NS1200 loco from a swapmeet last weekend. New pantographs, new buffers, shorter screw to hold the body to the chassis and full clean and service. I also painted some of the raised detail in the correct colours. Only thing now is a replacement coupling on one end as the bracket has been cut off the bogie frame (which was on upside-down). Looks great next to the later yellow/grey version I have and runs like new with that strong electrical smell that Lima locos have.

[Will Hay]

I know the cost of living is reported to be going up, but an attempted ram-raid on a grocer's? Hope we never get to that stage.

 

 

smiley It was more a reference to a current 'car crash', but without wishing to encourage the wrath of one anti "woke" moderator, I guess that depends on who you vote for and how you voted on a certain issue that will affect generations to come blush

[Rana Temporia]

This is the cover of the 1967 Playcraft Catalogue before the UK joined Europe and before we had the Channel Tunnel. A shame those quad voltage French electric locos never made it here! The picture is wrong, they had four single arm pantographs for each voltage they could use, this one either has a diamond pantograph or two single ones raised. The Class 86 locos on the other hand did make it into Europe, France and Spain I think.

Personally I’m quite happy to run UK OO models and Continental HO models size by side.

[Twintop]

The Bachman std 4 - 4-6-0 75078 in black is still wobbling after I cut a few of the plastic spokes in the wheels and araldited the wheel inserts onto the metal wheel. It looks fine running looking at it sideways on, but not when running towards you. I will have to give it a further look, and plan C - total removal of the plastic inserts apart from the balancing "weights" and painting the metal spokes black may have to be used.

One of the Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks 41313 is now running nicely going forwards, but still wobbles in reverse. I sill have the centre plastic axle/gear to replace, so will see if that works.

The other Ivatt 2-6-2 tank 41202 was wobbling badly with swollen wheel centres and had valve gear that had fallen apart. I put it all together last week and it ran 3 inches then the valve gear fell off - I had not press fitted the pin on a centre driving wheel well enough. However, I put it all back together again, and on testing today, it runs like a dream, no wobbling, so very happy that I have (eventually) had success with that as I really like the Ivatts. However, it has been confined to running up and down a long bay platform in case the valve gear falls off, as otherwise the vital bits could be lost anywhere around the circuit and they are not steel. Both the Ivatts have had the rear steps, vacuum pipes, crew and cab glazing fitted, but I have lost one of the cab windows, which I had put on years ago.

The Tri-ang 2-6-2 tank 82004 in green is still awaiting further testing, and no further progress on the Britannia.

[ellocoloco]

Electrotren ALCo #2 stripped and ready for attention. Will have to fill the number boards and blend smooth. Much easier to strip than the previous one..

[Jim-R855]

And finally, for now I'm building one of these from a Peco kit because I can't find a RTR one - it will get accessorised like the GWR one.

[Jim-R855]

Finally got round to resizing some images - this and the next message were meant to go before the previous one...

This is now off my work bench, an old Hornby GWR brake van that used to carry a Zero-1 chip, possibly for my LBSC E2 which you will see later, I didn't have an LBSC brake when dad did that conversion all those years ago, and I've never had a GWR loco.

Before/during - I cut off the hideously over-scale lamp and the recess where I guess you could optionally fit a bulb behind?

After, with wheels from Peterspares, DCC concepts spring pickups, MX671 function decoder and stayalive, DCC concepts working lamps (side and rear), Fox transfers and a Springside guard

[Jim-R855]

My old LBSC E2, ancient soldering iron damage repaired with milliput.

Almost finished with a lick of paint, lined and renumbered with Fox transfers

Lucky I had already started to change the number in case I accidentally bought another one, because at the weekend I did. The big question is whether or not the 'new' one is going to get re-lettered since some of them are a bit rubbed off, not just now at least.

[ellocoloco]

I have promised myself nothing else will loose it's paint before these gain some! This should keep me going for the summer alongside a partially completed DMU.

From back: Electrotren 321 to become TECSA 321.048. Electrotren 316 to become TECSA 316.017. ESU Class 66 to become GBRf 66783. Roco 319 to become Renfe 319.407.

[Will Hay]

I'm currently undertaking my first ever modelling attempt for one corner of my layout.

[morairamike]

For shaping foam block a hot wire cutter is a good addition to your tool box.

Plaster if Paris and moulds make good cliff faces. Bachmann scenics range. When painting plaster Paris cliff faces scenic colours applied in a ratio of 32:1 or even 64:1 give good results for base coats and highlights at 16:1.

[RB51]

About to embark on this, so timely advice. R-

[Will Hay]

For shaping foam block a hot wire cutter is a good addition to your tool box.

 

 

Sincere thanks.

I'm onto wash painting now.

I used a simple craft knife.

 

 

[Will Hay]

I'm currently undertaking my first ever modelling attempt for one corner of my layout.

 

 

Complete, and I'm absolutely delighted with first attempt at modelling.

[Will Hay]

A useful tip for anyone using "celotex" type rigid insulation, as I did.

I cut mine down in depth from 100mm to 70mm, and in doing so cut in the middle and then the same from the other side.

This gave me a very uneven surface which I then painted as rock face.

[morairamike]

Looking good there. Well done.

[Will Hay]

Looking good there. Well done.

 

 

I can't take that.

My wife did the vertical rock face, she's the creative one.

I'll pass on your compliment 😄👍

[morairamike]

Ok. No problems.

[Twintop]

My Tri-ang R59S 3MT 2-6-2T 82004 in green - is reassembled, bench tested and runs fine after some tricky times getting the new spring pick ups to be aligned correctly. I have also run it up and down a metre length of track and it seems OK. The X03/04 from the non-runner I got from Hattons is fine. The 3MT does sit very high on the Romford wheels, and it is possible I was supplied with incorrect wheels. The 3F 0-6-0 43775 I converted to Romfords also sits too high. I assume the wheels are correct and the originals were too small ?

I have a question though. The non-runner has a metal gear on the centre axle, and the body has a double line orange lining on the tank and cab sides. My 3MT has a plastic gear and only a single line orange lining. Would I be right in saying that this non-runner is an older version. It did come in a pure Tri-ang box with no inset, but I am not sure if the box is correct, and my 3MT came with a yellow plastic tray and a much longer box. It was bought for me in December 1969.

I am hoping I can find the parts for the smoke unit, but I am not certain I have them. The non-runner box was an R59S but the loco did not have the hoped for smoke unit ! I took out the smoke unit in my 3MT when I was a child as the engines ran faster without - oh how silly that move was !!

The Bmann STD 4 4-6-0 is further on. I have removed the driving wheels and cut away most of the spokes on the plastic inserts, leaving just the part around where the coupling rods fasten on, the centre boss, the spokes leading to the balance weights and the weights themselves. This is the final plan C to try and stop the wobbling as if the cause was the swollen plastic inserts, they are no longer there !! At the moment, one side of the valve gear is off as I am glueing on a plastic part that became detached. I am leaving the parts clamped by crocodile clips a few days to allow the araldite to cure properly. I am hoping I can stop the wobbling this time !

[Rana Temporia]

Twin top, you are correct, the loco with the double lining is the oldest. Regarding wheel size, if you have used the correct size Romfords then the loco will sit too high. The 3MT used the Jinty wheels which were too small (and coupling rod meaning that the wheelbase isn’t correct) as it was them or the Princess wheels which were too large. The 3F used the Jinty chassis. Happy days, lots of common parts meaning lots of spares and easy to repair!

[Twintop]

Thanks for the clarification. The 3F 0-6-0 also appears too high on the Romfords. That is running fine, but no valve gear of course ! I bought 4 sets of conversions at least 20 years ago, for the 3MT, 3F and two Britannias. 3F conversion went well including pick ups on the tender wheels and still runs very well, but the 3MT did not as the centre gear slipped on the axle. It had been a tight fit, so I had opened it out a shade too much. Many years later I araldited the gear on, but then the engine would not run when re-assembled. I guess I had introduced a short as it is OK now, but that also put me off and back on the shelf it went for many years !

So, I did not convert the Britannias and £80 of Romford kits have sat there unused until now as I am on with one Britannia, just stalling at doing the centre wheels at the moment due to the potential for making a mess of it ! Some of the top hat bearings for the tender are in use on a Tri-ang class 31 with metal wheels on the trailing bogie. The kits were from The West Coast Kit Centre and were very good.

[Twintop]

Two steps forward and one back.

The Bachmann Black Std 4 4-6-0 75078 is now wobble free and running beautifully. The removal of the greater part of the plastic wheel inserts - Plan C - has done the trick and it is great to have the 25 years old plus loco back in action. Just on a short trip freight of three Dapol grain hoppers and a brake van, so nothing strenuous, but it did many cicuits without a problem. So, well worth the effort and experimentation. I just need to paint the metal wheels black now.

The Tri-ang 3MT 2-6-2T in green 82004 also ran very well for a good while, although a bit noisy - it always was from new - and hesitant over some points, but overall running well pulling a 2 coach local passenger of a Tri-ang maroon Composite and a Brake Second. Then a problem, it started running poorly and the crank pin screw on one side had worked loose and dropped off. I must not have tightened it up enough. Luckily I found the screw, but no sign of the spacer as yet. Of course, this happened just at the point when I was about to come down from the loft, so little time to look for it, and also when I was thinking to myself - great - two engines back working ! I "Spoke" too soon ! I should have a spare on the non-runner, but will have a good look for the part.