West End Workbench

[Chas Levin]

I like the look of the D120 Twin; my layout won't accommodate close coupled coaches so articulated stock is out of the picture for me (until such time as we move house and I get to have a larger layout... ) which is a pity as I think they look terrific! Also saw your reply re. your previous reply - I have this happen too sometimes, you post and it doesn't appear: so much for the technology! Also saw you mentioned isolating: hope you stay well

[Atlantic 3279]

And is this looking for a slot on the Grantham roster as well as all those Howldens?

You're not likely to be looking for a rake of former MS&L / GC six wheelers too then?

[jwealleans]

Had a good day yesterday; BT now just about complete (but not stuck together yet) and I've made a start on the CL. Here the complete underframes are being tested through pointwork to be sure I've spaced the articulation adequately.



The BT. There are still some details to determine - the Isinglass drawing shows external light switches on each end, but I haven't seen them on any photos. There's a regulator box on at least the BT, maybe one on the CL as well and photos show this in different places on the underframe.

[jwealleans]

Been another good day today.

[jwealleans]

Almost a month without updates - it's been cold, I've had persistent toothache, a friend came in from out of town.... No they didn't, that would have been illegal. Anyway it was back to the bench today as the rain fell.

First job, the twin. This is the second of the pair, actually, which had now overtaken the first. Mike Trice kindly sent me a drawing which I could use to scale the voltage regulator and you'll see that both have acquired them. Other than the persistent refusal of the rainstrips to stick, these are ready for paint. I am waiting for Dart to restock with buffers, though, so the underframes will have to wait. I'm also short of steps for the bogies on this pair.





Some time ago I noted that Andrew Hartshorne had announced another GC wagon kit. I had occasion to order last week so I had one and I spent a happy hour yesterday putting it together. Final details this morning and here it is.



Something else I've had kicking around for a long time: I was given a part etch for this, I've forgotten where from or by whom. I eventually determined it was a GNSR horsebox, which means it's by Peter K. What you see is already more than I got, so I'll have to make strapping and the like when I've identified suitable axleboes, buffers and so on. With a brass floor, Comet W irons and a roof it's already looking a good deal more advanced.



Lastly this afternoon I picked up the LRM J6, knowing it was all but complete and added the last missing details. Given that we may be stuck as we are for several more months, it might as well be finished off and then fettled.

[Robpulham]

Despite having looked at your J6 several times I have only just realised that it's the 521 not the 536 - talk about not seeing wood for trees....

[Chas Levin]

All very nice items Jonathan

[jwealleans]

Thank you, Chas. Some of them seem to have taken long enough.

I spent part of the weekend and last night fiddling with chains until I was all but crosseyed.



I'm building up a short train loaded with steel pipes. This PD quad is a build from years ago which I've reworked. It still needs bits and bobs of detailing.



More or less two years since I put the brake gear on it at Warley, one of Mr. King's resin Conflat Vs loaded. The container is one of the Unit Models ones sold as LMS and repainted. Container designs were coordinated by the RCH and so were broadly similar across the companies. I believe the door closing arrangement on this should be different from the LMS, but I've failed to find a photograph.



This one loaded with two LNER A types from an original made by Caroline Middleditch of this parish. This was a right fiddle to chain down, partly due to there being so little room and latterly because I opened a new pack of chain and found very quickly that the slightest tension on it caused the links to open and part. It's not completely wasted, I can use it for draping chains on empty wagons, but for this purpose it's useless. No idea where it came from so I can't warn you off it. I'll try Ambis for a replacement. I've left this one unblackened so you can see the different bits and bobs used. the turnbuckles are Ambis.

[Atlantic 3279]

If you need exercises to help you to un-cross your eyes I know a man who may be able to help you...

Full marks for the patience shown in fitting all those chains. The appearance is not disappointing.

[manna]

If you need exercises to help you to un-cross your eyes I know a man who may be able to help you...

Full marks for the patience shown in fitting all those chains. The appearance is not disappointing.

G'day Gents

I agree, on both points.

manna

[jwealleans]

I decided one pair of containers was enough strain on eyes and patience, so I made another conflat. An S for variety. Now I can put single containers on each.





Hopefully you can see what I've done in the way of additional detailing here.

[Chas Levin]

Hopefully you can see what I've done in the way of additional detailing here.

Hello Jonathan, looking at the underside photo it looks like you've carefully added just those details that will be visible when it's right side up (including when viewed at eye-height from the side), whilst also leaving the wheels removable - is that the case? If so, a very informative photo - every wagon or van I've built so far has either had too little or too much underframe detailing...

[jwealleans]

Evening Chas,

That's pretty much bang on - it needs to be functional, which in my book means the wheels coming out if required and it needs to look busy underneath. I dont put the other half of the safety loops on the axles because they're all but invisible and it makes it much harder to find space for lumps of lead. I don't bother with the underbody vacuum pipe for the same reason. The rest you can see enough of for it to look (I hope) convincing).

It's now had the body fixing brackets added and a coat of paint.

[Chas Levin]

Seems like an excellent 'best of both worlds' position - I shall try to adopt a similar approach I think

[jwealleans]

A belated happy new year to everyone. No big modelling project this Christmas, for a change. I think there was a bit of burnout after a long and difficult year and to be honest it's not looking much better for the next few months either. I did (do) have enough unfinished models to keep me with something to tinker with when the mood does take me, though, so here's what I have managed in the weeks since the last update.

I painted the two J6s I've been working on - sod it, if they need serious remedial work when I have somewhere to test them then they'll just have to be redone.





I did spend quite a while looking stupidly at the LRM loco thinking 'that front overhang doesn't look right for a J6', before realising I hadn't fitted the guard irons. They are now on as is the tender brake gear.

This came just before Christmas and I thought it would make a nice little self contained project in itself:





The loco needs other work doing, but I had it sitting around already. The extra bits are a Gresham and Craven feed water heater and Hulburd boiler cleaner from Niu Models. They also did the ACFI gear I fitted to Shotover a couple of years ago. Yeadon volume 8 pages 18 and 19 cover it and the loco was so fitted from August 1935 to November 1940.

The D210 twins are inching towards finished; the first BT just needs final tidying up and I'll call it done.



Leaving aside still unfinished bits, most of what's been done has been wagons.



This P7 hopper was part of a job lot a while ago and really only needed a tidy and brake levers. The 5 plank is the recent GC D20 kit from Wizard Models. I see they have now released a loco coal wagon as well so I imagine I'll be giving that a go sometime.



Another pair of conflats finished once I had appropriate chain. The left hand wagon has distorted quite badly; it's the first I've had from Mr. King which has done this and none of the others in the batch of these he did shows any similar signs. It's just unfortunate this was the one I'd detailed and painted. The picture exaggerates the effect, but it may have to be withdrawn in the future.



D & S GE van from the last time I was at Shipley show. These will become much more common once the Oxford Rail version appears, of course. The twin bolster is ex-L&Y by David Geen.



Colin Ashby GC open from Wakefield club stand in 2019 and a Colwick open from an Ebay job lot.

Lastly a set of bogie bolsters including an NER quad. This was a wagon I built not long after discovering Parkside kits which has now been refurbished and given a different load. The other two are Bachmann.