Robs workbench

rob · Post by **rob** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 2:05 pm

Hi Morgan,good,you're going GCR again-Look forward to that.I have a few obsolete GCR 4-6-0 kits in the "very long term" box so I am interested to see what you turn up with!Any more progress Re the P1 frames or are they a goner with Alan G's retirement?
The tenders almost fell together,a compensation for the major work required on the chassis-only sideframes etc and a final fettle needed.

Cheers,Rob

Frazmataz · Post by **Frazmataz** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:10 pm

Man, you're racing on with these! Still looking great

45609 · Post by **45609** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:40 pm

Hi Rob,

The P1 frame drawings are not a gonner but I did have them returned by Alan because, in his opinion, they were not correctly drawn. They were but just not the way he wanted them as I was planning to use Exactoscale hornblocks which are 5mm wide and not the standard 6mm that he prefers. With the business changing hands and moving up to Oldham I have not bothered to chase it up yet but may do when I get time.

I have also had no further response (initially a positive one) from PDK about spares from their O2 kit to help with construction of the P1.

O4s progressing well I see. They don't look bad for Nu-cast kits. Do you have a feel for how dimensionally accurate they are?

Cheers....Morgan

rob · Post by **rob** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 10:36 pm

Hi Morgan,getting along faster now its mainly castings!A good question re dimensions-my hunch would be something slightly amiss at the very front,I'm not sure the "look" of the front in relation to the pony wheels is quite right.It is most probably the older Romford flanges causing the effect but it seems slightly too short in the front footplate.
I considered using the Falcon kit and got a set of their instructions to see what was involved-they include a drawing and the Nu-Cast looks very accurate against it,certainly correct for length there,perhaps a slightly higher pitch to thge boiler being the only very slight discrepancy..I went with Nu-Cast on grounds of weight rather than any issue with Falcon kits.
Odd that these relatively dated kits are,as far as I'm aware, the only two currently available for what should be a widely modelled class.
No worries re the P1 frames though it remains on my Radar as a project I would like to tackle sometime by some means or other!PDK produce good,useful kits but I'm at least two years chasing some missing parts from one of mine........
Heres where the locos are at now,it may help you form an opinion of overall shape.....

The boiler fittings are just sitting there for now as I have a lot to do to handrails etc yet.Small cast parts are all fettled and ready though...

There are a lot of the irritating small jobs yet to do and I will have limited time next week but I'm hoping to keep some push going
Cheers,
Rob

Frazmataz · Post by **Frazmataz** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:25 am

Brilliant progress!

I think your name for this thread in inappropriate - the rate at which you are building these is quite staggering in my opinion!

rob · Post by **rob** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:15 am

ROD's on test,now pretty much fully assembled,waiting appropriate backheads.I've also pretty much decided to start the next pair while all the trials and tribulation's of these are fresh in my addled mind!

Anyone know why most LNER group 8 coupled locos had outside cyls when the 6 coupled freight locos were inside cyls?

Did I say I would attempt a GNR semaphore as a "treat" once the locos were complete

well here we are,still awaiting completion but working at least.....at one point the board was correctly lower quadrant but through some feat of engineering the spectacle was upper....

Lots more to do here and Mick Nicholson has going to the trouble of sending photos and diagrams to help me complete the final details,much appreciated Mick.I will try to do better photos(in that room)when (or if) its complete!
I did a bit of scratchbuilding too.......

Cheers!
Rob

Frazmataz · Post by **Frazmataz** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:37 am

Great job!

They look very much the part. I can't wait to see them painted!

Those signals look great too. Where did you get them?

Oh, and good job with the cake too XD

rob · Post by **rob** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:17 pm

Hi Bass-the signals are MSE,a mix of original D&S etches for the somersaults and MSE's own lattice-Andrew Hartshorne the owner can mix and match from his range to give you the necessary parts for a lot of combinations.
Here are some hopefully less fuzzy images of the completed job!

This shows the ladder more clearly-is it roughly correct?

There is a blob of Whitetack holding the operating crank at clear-fascinating to see how easily even this little model returns to danger-I re-read "Red for Danger" on the Abbots Ripon crash and wonder how the NER got away with slotted post signals in the aftermath.
And there are two more ROD chassis gradually taking shape,a little more easily this time!

R. pike · Post by **R. pike** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:28 am

Looking good there. All a bit too small for me though. The only thing i'd add is a couple of struts between the post and ladder about half way up. The GN ladders are of a much more robust construction than later types however i feel a real signal of this height would have something to stop any flex in the ladder.. I don't envy you when i comes to painting. The parts must be so small. You should end up wearing less paint than if it was a real one. Getting your arm inside the lattice with a brush is always fun. There is a 25 foot or so lattice about to be errected at the GC and this has been shot blasted and painted whilst horizontal. I really hope i don't end up painting it in 20 years time..

f4kphantom · Post by **f4kphantom** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:21 am

Looks like good progress there. I have just started the Foxhunter ROD in N with no instructions, mine is the round top firebox variety, it seems as though the Bachamnn chassis is not robust enough for the job, I have the cylinders etc mounted on an older Poole chassis running nicely. Let's see how the rest goes.
P.S. A4 Golden Eagle with single chimney and full valances is done now in Doncaster lined green, just looking for nameplates.

45609 · Post by **45609** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:57 pm

Hi Rob,

The signal looks like a good job to me. I have only one comment. Didn't the arm in the off position tend more towards the vertical? Can't remember what the angle should be but I seem to recall that they went beyond 45 degrees.

On the subject of painting the post I do mine by spraying them with a couple of light coats of Halfords matt white primer. The black parts and arm are done afterwards with a fine sable brush.

Cheers........Morgan

Frazmataz · Post by **Frazmataz** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:31 pm

Good progress Rob, those signals look great!

rob · Post by **rob** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:35 am

Hello Everybody,
Thanks for comments and advice re signals.R Pike,yes absolutely the ladder does need bracing,completely forgot that and it will also help keep what is a very flexible etch straight.I have a taller NER slotted post as well that I omitted bracing on.Interesting on painting the real thing-wasn't that one of the reasons that the GNR tried concrete,the lattice was time consuming to paint and corroded quickly if neglected.Though looking at a lot of photos if they were anywhere busy the whole signal just appears to be sooty black!
Morgan I will be going down your route with the white primer-does it get inside the lattice reasonably well?Mick N. pre-paints the bulk of his signals to keep them un-clogged and I am a little concerned about the operating links jamming up-I'm thinking of painting a little oil on with a fine brush before spraying,does that sound ok?
I take your point re how close to vertical these somersaults could go.In the case of this one I think there may be too much slop in the mech at the top of the post-it can be placed more vertically but falls back a little-I will definately put more thought into that next time.Now that I'm paying attention to signals,its interesting what I'm seeing in photos-there is one array in a few photos of Grantham where every arm is at a different angle and they are all "off"!GNR signalling also looks a lot more makeshift than the parade ground quality of the NER arrays!
F4-I didn't realise Foxhunter were still in production,would love to see a photo when done,best of luck with it!
Cheers,
Rob

R. pike · Post by **R. pike** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:15 pm

I have a somersault signal in the garden mounted on a concrete post. Even with the spec plate in the correct position the arm doen't make it to vertical.. I delivered a few bits to the GC today and had a look at their new (old) lattice. It will be 40 feet high. Despite it's age it is in superb condition and the repairs needed at ground level are being carried out most thoroughly. We will be able to see lattice posts for many years yet thanks to the guys at the GC.

45609 · Post by **45609** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:25 pm

Hi Rob,

It has been a long time since I painted a lattice post but getting paint generally into all the nooks and crannies of signals can be a bit tricky. I can understand why Mick Nicholson does it as sub assemblies. However so far I haven't had too many problems with spraying them as complete units. The trick, I find, is to apply very light but numerous coats of the white primer from almost every conceivable angle. A rigourous inspection between each coat of paint usually directs you to which angle to go for next. Each coat of paint is literally 2 or 3 quick passes with the can from about 12 inches away. Then let it dry for at least 20 minutes before the next coat. Putting a tiny drop of clock oil on the mechanism is probably a good idea but so far I have found it unecessary. In fact the hand painting of the black parts afterwards is usually where things get gummed up by paint. I have attached a couple of photos of some shunt signals I made today. LMS ones I'm afraid....sorry.....

I'm off to paint them now so I'll post some more photos this evening with a bit of luck.

Cheers for now......Morgan