West End Workbench

[JASd17]

Even better, there is a colour photo of 706 at Scarborough with black buffer stocks. The famous one where it has a black splasher too.

John

[jwealleans]

Well thank you, gentlemen, you seem to have been to all the books I'd have checked and saved me the trouble. Black they shall stay. I'm more certain of the GS, based on the pictures I've been working from.

For anyone not familiar with it, there's a lovely picture of 706 just moving onto or off the turntable at Grantham in this book which is a bit of a lost treasure. The portrait of a C1 on the inside cover is worth the price alone. But buy a copy from your local independent bookseller.

For 4479's benefit:

calumny
ˈkaləmni/
noun
noun: calumny; plural noun: calumnies

1.
the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation; slander.

Handy word for your next report, if you can shoehorn it in.

So, some repairs and finishing off to do after the weekend but those are to one side in favour of a short self contained project this week. Arthur Kimber and I had been in touch regarding some etches I found out that he had for an NER Special Cattle Van. The motivation being a picture in this book of one being horse shunted at Grantham during the 1930s. Arthur has had another look at the etches and asked me if I'd do a test build for him. He also kindly agreed that I could post about it.

I collected the etches from the post office yesterday morning after they failed to deliver on Saturday.



There are two variants, the NER build and the LNER build just after Grouping. The difference seems to be in the extra vents at the bottom of each side in the LNER version. Those are the etches shown above.

Roger Chivers has had a hand in the evolution of this kit and his style is very much present in the fold up design. Once you have the overlays which need to go inside attached, you very quickly have a basic body shell. This was after about an hour and a half.



After that it's a small step to make it run. The design incorporates springing on a similar principle to Bill Bedford, which I find makes a very free running vehicle. By the end of the evening it was hurtling up and down the test track.





These are only etches and so I'll need to source castings (mainly from 51L, I imagine) but so far I'm very pleased with it and what faults I've found have been minor and easily rectified.

[jwealleans]

On the subject of the above and castings, has anyone any idea where I'd find something resembling this?



These are the buffers from the LNER build.

[UpDistant]

I'm not sure about the length but Andrew Hartshorne has what appears to be a 1'6" wagon buffer in his range (NERC021) but it looks too short compared to your attached photo. Otherwise, Mike Trice has just started a range of 3D printed components via Shapeways including 5 types of NER buffers. The 3-rib post 1918 type with the odd shaped base is included. Link here http://www.shapeways.com/designer/miketrice/creations.

[Dave]

As far as I know Mike does not do that buffer.
His buffers are standard NER types plus the special self contained rubber sprung buffer for the pulley wagon, which is also suitable for some other NER special wagons.

Great work as usual JW.
Is Arthur going to market this kit ?.

[jwealleans]

Thanks for that - Mike has also responded on RMWeb and pointed me to the same buffer, so that will be the one.

Dave, I do believe Arthur is planning to offer this and the NER version (build to follow).

[ArthurK]

These special cattle boxes were indeed the work of Roger Chivers. He decided not to proceed with these and passed the artwork to me. The only basic changes that I made to these were to replace the fixed/rocking axles with a sprung system. Roger thought the these kits looked rather 'flat' which was the main reason that they were not released. Looking at the photo I had to agree with this and I have attempted to add more depth by adding a half etched layer above the recessed panels to push them further back. The strapping being all half etched also looks a bit feeble and have added an under layer to these. I am not sure if Jonathan intends to use these. I will leave that to his judgement.

This project was funded by a client who saw the original etches at Scaleforum North a two(or was it three) years ago. I would need his approval to proceed with further sales.

If there are those who would like these the please get in touch. I am sure that we can come to some arrangement.

ArthurK

[JASd17]

Hello Arthur & JW,

I have looked at the photograph in the Rev's book, Are the panels rather too rounded at the corners? And the louvres sides should all be dead straight, this that possible with such a narrow etched 'grove'? I can see a horrible mix of etch and Jouef diesel body mouldings coming on, so yes please if the etches are available.

The above comments are perhaps pedantic, at normal viewing distance my comments are hardly relevant. I know JW will concur with that. No calumny intended.

On the point of rounded edges, has etching moved on? If not, I have had a discussion with Atlantic3279 on the louvres problem. I trust he remembers the conversation.

Cheers to all,

John

[ArthurK]

Louvres are not easy when etching. There are only two choices half etch or full etch. The latter would look odd so it has to be the former. Jonathan's build doesn't look to bad but the isn't really an alternative.

ArthurK

[JASd17]

Thanks Arthur. I understand some of the issues etching has.

Frankly, being more of a researcher than a modeller, I have realised recently that the models I have tried to create are too detailed for 4mm scale, if I wish to create everything at the same level. I do not know if it is a common fault, but it certainly restricts modelling output. Perhaps the eyesight was better too when I started?

I am not a member of a club, which may exacerbate this problem. JW has certainly pointed out some practical issues with my wagons concerning coupling wagons together with the vacuum pipes joggled to the centre-line above the draw-hook, something I simply missed as an issue.

Perhaps I should realise where my true focus is concentrated.

I shall try and produce a D17 with a Composition C set, dated around 1932 in my life-time! That is 1 loco and 4 carriages!

Jonathan, you are a true modeller, all power to you and the projects you support, I am not sure I am.

John

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all

An interesting build. I love the great number of variations of rolling stock. When I was young in the fifties, it seemed that no two consecutive wagons were the same. It must have been even better in pre-war days with all the P.O. wagons.
We used to get such a variety of stock on "The branch" as we called the Reading-Tonbridge line. There were often horseboxes in those days and they never seemed the same. There was also a variety of vans on the parcel trains from Guide Bridge to the local Royal Mail depot.

Never put yourself down as a modeller, JASd17, there are many way of getting enjoyment from what is a hobby. Since I retired, I have found great enjoyment enjoyment from building kits etc. I have also renewed contact with several schoolfriends and many are interested in model railways. However, we all seem to have different specialities, which makes for good conversation.

Finally, there is a D17 kit available from London Road models. However, I don't know what a composition C rake consists of, so cannot make a comment about availability.

Earlswood nob

[jwealleans]

Hmm, getting a bit existential in my absence. I don't really regard myself as a modeller in the way people modelled before and after the war. I just build kits and most of the hard work went into producing them. I'm fairly self-motivated, but being part of a club or group does give you a focus and incentive which might otherwise be harder to find.

Detail is a movable feast - you can spend hours, even days, applying it and then you realise you're painting it all black and none of it will be seen. The eyesight question is also highly relevant, both for builder and spectator. Once it starts to be so fragile you just knock it off again, though, that's the time to stop.

Soldering is complete on the LNER vehicle. I apply strapping with superglue, not owning an RSU. There are also bits of plastic required for such as endposts, so the soldering iron is a bad idea.



While that dried after a thorough wash, I started the NER diagram (D 242). This goes together on exactly the same lines and equally quickly.





Castings were ordered from Wizard Models last night. Slightly disappointed not to find them on the mat this morning.

[MikeTrice]

My buffer is indeed a 1'6" one:

Photographic evidence does seem to show one of greater length. Was there a version 1' 8 1/2" long in which case it would be very easy for me to add it to the range?

[ArthurK]

The Buffer stock on the drawing measures out at near enough 5mm (15 inches). Overall it is 8mm.

ArthurK

[MikeTrice]

Thanks. Will produce the longer version some time today.