Atlantic's works: Portable layout - Ground Signals Again

[Horsetan]

The double-sprung buffers are very fiddly; I've got a few packs that came with things like Martin Finney kits. I'm not surprised that Bachmann chickened out on sprung buffers for the V2.

Still, I think you can still get the KM ones via people like Branchlines, so they are still worth having a go at for the final effect that they give.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Markits make a good representation of the double buffers with only a single spring fitted.

[Atlantic 3279]

Comet motion bracket, with heavily modified stretcher, now sits athwart the A1/1 chasiss with all of its bits in about the right places and the body goes back on too .
Of course, only now can I see how I could modify any further such motion brackets much more simply and quickly. It is also evident the the "plating in" I did between the triimed down leading pairs of splashers was largely superfluous. Most of that space is actually closed off in the right way by the bracket stretcher once it is correctly shaped, and that won't fit until most of the plastic plating that I applied is removed. Another lesson for future versions of GN.

[2002EarlMarischal]

Out of interest, would you say this is the most challenging RTR conversion project so far?

It seems that you are setting higher standards each time, (if that is possible), in terms of detail etc. I suppose it is a factor of increasing experience from experimentation, gaining confidence and being naturally critical of one's own work? Fascinating stuff!

[Atlantic 3279]

would you say this is the most challenging RTR conversion project so far?

That's a good question, and very difficult to answer. Even if each aspect of each of the locos I've done were to be graded (by whom and on what criteria?) with a "difficulty" mark and a "detailing" mark, how would the relative "weights" of the different aspects of the work be treated in arriving at a final index of achievement? In some ways the A1/1 body might be seen as easier than the A2/3 body as the blending of joints (in structure and paint) is almost entirely avoided in the precious lined-green areas. On the other hand, The running plate work for the A1/1 is undoubtedly more complex at the "master part" stage than it was for the A2/3 - though it should be simple with the aid of the resin parts once they are produced. Completely pulling apart a B1 body and rebuilding it with scratchbuilt additions to become an O1 body was quite a challenge too, although maybe the fine detailing wasn't such intense work. The K1 body, by the same method but with shortening of the boiler too, was pretty complex too, although I didn't cover that on here (or on RMWeb which was my "home" at that time) - that was supposed to be going in BRM but never appeared. Would the P1 count as an RTR coversion? Only the boiler, cab, and drastically rebuilt tender were really RTR, but that involved a full scratchbuild of the brass running plate and other items, plus an adaptation of an O2 kit chassis. Given that the kit in question was pretty dreadful in places even for anybody trying to erect it as a "standard" O2, that was a "project and a half" to deal with!

I'm glad you think my standards are still going up rather than levelling off or slipping down anyway. Thanks for the praise.

[45609]

Graeme,

I see you have retaken possession of your workbench thread in fine style with a load of postings last night. I'm interested to see how you have approached the motion bracket on the A1/1. After our chat at Spalding I did a bit of a photo survey through my books and noticed how different this item was when compared to the other Thompson pacifics.

I had a walk back through your P1 build a few days ago. It was some piece of work. For anyone who hasn't seen it I would recommend you go and take a look. Having just said that I went to look for a link to direct people. The old RMweb archive is giving a 404 error. I hope this hasn't disappeared for good. There was a lot of excellent stuff on there including some of my own that I don't have a back up copy of.

Cheers....Morgan

[Atlantic 3279]

Maybe the man at the top has thrown the archive overboard to free up more server capacity for yet another add-on gimmick for the current, already-bewilderingly-large, barely navigable, slow-motion site? Ooops there I go criticising again - take no notice of old Mr Grumpy here.

[S.A.C. Martin]

The old RMweb archive has been disabled I think, just until the current server issues are sorted out. It's a great resource, there's a lot on there (and my old workbench thread, a lot of my first modelling projects which are in hindsight, poorly done, but they weren't half fun at the time to try!)

Personally speaking, I think your first A2/3 has been your best build - but then I would say that!

But perhaps it's the fictional 4-8-2 which deserves the plaudits, a machine so well thought out and put together, it could almost have really existed in its convincing look.

[45609]

Hello Mr Grumpy

An enquiry with the Kommandant has indeed confirmed that the archive has been disabled. There appeared to be a desire to get it back once things were more stable but no concrete guarantees. No doubt the ire at losing my content will pale into insignificance considering the quantity and quality of your posting over there. I do take your point though. I find the other place very bewildering and difficult to get around these days. Maybe it's my age but I'm beginning to have more some sympathy with the older generation. I know how my grandmother must have felt the day we bought her a video cassette recorder and tried to teach how to use it. I swear she was going to write to Points of View to tell Barry Took how considerate it was of the BBC to show the programs she wanted to watch when she wanted to watch them.

Morgan

[Horsetan]

Maybe the man at the top has thrown the archive overboard to free up more server capacity for yet another add-on gimmick for the current, already-bewilderingly-large, barely navigable, slow-motion site? Ooops there I go criticising again - take no notice of old Mr Grumpy here.

Victim of its own success. All it needs is a badly-timed DNS attack, and you get the impression the whole thing will disintegrate. Anyone fancy inviting Anonymous / Lulzsec to have a go?

[60800]

I've just had a quick look at RMweb myself. I'm not a member, but even I can see it's slow and the majority of the website is giving off the 404 error. Oh dear

And even to my young brain it's b####y confusing

[S.A.C. Martin]

Okay, let's NOT turn Graeme's modelling thread into a "is RMweb good or not" thread.

I personally use RMweb a lot: it's a great resource and there is a hell of a lot of good modelling going on over there, not to mention a legion of very decent human beings using it on a day to day basis. I also use the LNER forum almost exclusively for finding out information and seeing LNER related modelling, as well as conversing with like minded, equally decent human beings. Using both forums is not a sin, thank you very much.

[Atlantic 3279]

See - I knew I shouldn't have said anything!

Now for a riddle (and definitely no "s" in that word, not on this site):

Q. How long does it take to make a new crosshead by hand for a Hornby pacific?

A. Much longer than it would have done had you not broken the original one



Not much progress last night in view of that little "clanger". More later if I get time.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Err, Graeme. You wanna try that again, but without the oooooops* this time? Easily done, mate, fret not.


* or similar words. Personally I turn the air blue in three languages, fluently!

[davidwest]

Making up the unique tall, narrow, sand-fillers and shileds for the front sand-boxes on GN turned out to be quite a simple process. The fillers themselves were pieces of 2mm platic rod with a collar of plastic tube glued on, the top then being smoothed to reperesent the cap. The backing plates were rectangles of 40 thou plastikard, drilled to take the filler tubes, and with 1.5 or 1.75 mm wide microstrip stuck around the egdes. I also added the supporting web below the filler pipe from a triangle of microstrip. All filed up to tidy the shape after solvent had evaporated. Here's a general look with the better sand-fillers and buffers on. Tidied-up steam pipes back in place too, and as you may have noticed by now, superfluous handrails removed from smokebox sides:



Sand filler inclose-up:




Although the Craftsman sand-fillers were fairly good for the other two positions on the loco, I also added the supporting web below the filler pipe on those too (by sticking microstrip into a slot sawn in the casting). Yes, I must be mad.......

Edward Thompson would be delighted -Gresley would turn in his grave - looks excellent