Paul's workbench

[nzpaul]

Hi All
The C11 chassis is now wired up, pick-ups adjusted and running without being tethered to the controller. While I'm not going to claim unconditional success with the plastic chassis just yet, I do think it's looking promising. Here's as clip of it running in on the rollers, still a slight tight spot in the gears but a few more hours running should see that disappear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2MEjJiZwjM

Paul

[Pebbles]

I could stand corrected, but wasn't the N2 originally an Airfix model? Whilst the Motor is or a similar configuration to the XO4, it was significantly larger. I am intrigued by the suggested treatment to improved the motor and wonder whether the Airfix Bush Type 2 could be similarly improved. Just a thought.

[nzpaul]

I could stand corrected, but wasn't the N2 originally an Airfix model? Whilst the Motor is or a similar configuration to the XO4, it was significantly larger.

Yes, although mine came in a Mainline box, the keeper plate underneath is labelled as Airfix.
The motor is a fairly chunky 5 pole open frame, I've done my best to get a X04 close enough to see the difference. The N2 motor is larger but not by much.

Paul

[nzpaul]

Hi All
This won't be of much interest to the UK contingent, but in the continuing hunt for the perfect apple green I may have stumbled across a solution for the Australian and New Zealand modellers. I've experimented with a tube of Reeves artist acrylic called Chromium Oxide Green ( I think that's the technical term for Apple Green anyway).
Here's the resprayed boiler of a GBL Director posed for a comparison photo next to the Hornby B12 boiler.
The colour is actually closer to a match with the Precision version of Doncaster green and just slightly lighter than the Tamiya XF5 I've been using of late. Worth a look if like me you've run out of the Precision or Railmatch stuff.
As a bonus it comes in a 75ml tube and is fairly cheap.

Paul

[Atlantic 3279]

How do they look side by side on the same flat panel, meeting at a sharp definite boundary, with no lining dividing the two areas, seen in a variety of different lights?

[nzpaul]

How do they look side by side on the same flat panel, meeting at a sharp definite boundary, with no lining dividing the two areas, seen in a variety of different lights?

I could spray a piece of plasticard with the Reeves, Tamiya and Railmatch side by side if your keen to see the difference. Then hopefully the camera will render the colours properly and not just blend them together.
If I could still import Precision paint I'd not be bothering with any of this of course, but to my eye this Reeves stuff is the closest I've found yet to replicating Precision's Doncaster Green.

Paul

[Atlantic 3279]

An important consideration, if several paints appear to be a convincing Doncaster green, might be the prospects in each case for continued long term availability of a totally consistent product. I don't like the idea of having to change part way through painting a developing fleet of locos.

[john coffin]

It is worth pointing out that Reeves paints are relatively easily available in the UK,
particularly I see at Hobbycraft, who certainly for West London are a reasonably accessible supplier,
they also carry Revell paints which seem remarkably Humbrol like in their presentation.

So if we can get a proper comparison, it should be here, and more importantly you do not need
a spray gun to use it at least initially.

Paul

[Hatfield Shed]

I could stand corrected, but wasn't the N2 originally an Airfix model?...

The Airfix 'Great Model Railways' (GMR) operation folded before the N2 (and I believe the Large Prairie) could be released, and the model thus appeared in a Mainline box, Palitoy having taken over the range; and was later branded Dapol after Palitoy exited the UK, remaining identical in content.

I am intrigued by the suggested treatment to improve the motor and wonder whether the Airfix Brush Type 2 could be similarly improved...

How did you guess I had one of these? That's right, taking over the KX inner sub working from the N2.
Armature balance might be worthwhile, but nothing else in my opinion. The motor shaft bearings were loose in the bogie casting and only kept the motor shaft worms centred over the axle gears: and the axle gears physically supported the motor shaft for maximum efficiency in vibration conduction via the wheels to the rail and track support; resulting in the glorious coffee-grinder noises. With my career regularly taking me to the USA, I got an Athearn PA-1 mechanism and put that in the Brush 2 body shell, ah the joy of centre motor drive, so much more effective for traction outdoors, and quiet!

Still have that Brush 2 body, the Athearn drive having long ago worn out (it's a hard life outdoors), it now has a cheaply acquired Hornby 'mazak rotted' mechanism. It's quite an irony that Hornby having produced easily the best drive for this item managed a body moulding worse than the Triang, Airfix GMR and Lima, by the failure to properly recess the cab side windows, which defines the character of the dear old Ped as far as this one time commuter is concerned. The narrow upper half of the cab is what you see from the platform, and without it the model looks like a curious hybrid with a BRCW type 2.

[nzpaul]

Colour matching put aside for a bit and back to some proper work. The C11's running plate, parts cut, bent to shape and soldered together. I hadn't planned on starting this today but enthusiasm kicked in and....there you go. The 2mm square brass frame is soldered together with 60/40 solder and the the 0.2mm plate tinned first then attached with 100deg solder which avoids melting existing joints.

It has worked out well so far and when placed on the chassis sit about 1/2 mm too low, which is vastly more desirable that 1/2mm too high...

Paul

[Atlantic 3279]

When I made my P1 running plate, albeit with thinner bar, I avoided soldered joints in the long side members entirely. I simply put in a sharp bend where the only two acute corners were needed, and filed the inner aspect of the bend to a sharp corner once the plating had been added. That approach allowed my to do the whole lot with one grade of solder.

[nzpaul]

When I made my P1 running plate, albeit with thinner bar, I avoided soldered joints in the long side members entirely.

That would be a better idea but I doubt my ability to make two identical parts. This way I have the option to make adjustments as required.
Maybe next time I scratch build I'll take some brave pills and have a go.

Paul

[Atlantic 3279]

Depending on the thickness of bar you were using, and the means of bending you have, you could solder the two longitudinals side by side before forming them up (to match a scale drawing" then separate them again...

[nzpaul]

While most other workbench threads are progressing with proper interesting projects, I've been tackling a couple of Marklin digital conversions and this evil Heljan
Class 17 piece of detritus. While this has little to do with the LNER it may be useful to someone.
The retired chap who purchased it in good faith asked me to take a look after it stopped and emitted a bad smell. Turns out the motor had shorted out and failed in a catastrophic fashion.
A spot of research on motor specifications reveals that it belongs to the Mabuchi N60 family if motors, single shaft versions available from Ali Express in packs of 10 for around £3, not exactly high end.
To effect the repair I've gutted out the old motor mount and fitted a Ff-030 type motor, I'm pretty sure the same type of motor as Graeme K is using in the Stirling 0-6-0 among other things.
Testing so far is promising with the loco idling on the rollers at about 90mA and the motor remaining cool. It won't have the top speed it used to have but the owner isn't one for racing trains. The repair looked like this before the circuit board was refitted.

Considering this was a £109 model when new, I wouldn't hesitate to steer anyone well clear of them. As well as the motor failure, half of the circuit board will require resoldeing, it really is a pile of junk.

Paul

[Atlantic 3279]

Certainly looks the same as the motors I've been using of late.