James' workbench- ex-GC locos and stock in OO

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all
I think it looks like a B2, Sir Sam Fay.
Earlswood nob

[James Harrison]

I can see where you are coming from but the boiler is too small.

It might start to come clear later when I get a bit more done...

[auldreekie]

This sort of thing chuffs me no end. It looks so absolutely dreadful when the filler is in place and not fettled down, and yet there's every reason to expect a hearteningly good result. You could well get me re-started on my several stalled Standard Gauge projects before the winter is done....

auldreekie

[James Harrison]

Well I've found that the 2P running plate is set too low for what I need, so that had to be sawn away too. On the other hand, I've been able to use a Patriot bodyshell to get a complete running plate very close to what I need- the bufferbeam and cab floor need to be raised but aside from that it can be used as-is.

This afternoon's activities (after I've watched Dr Who) will be to sort out the running plate and see about fitting the boiler and cab onto same, at which point you might be able to see where I'm going with it...

[earlswood nob]

Another guess

As the boiler is smaller than a B2, and its got a raised running plate from the Patriot it must be a Fish Engine B5.

Earlswood nob

[James Harrison]

We have a winner

Yep, I'm making good on my threat to replace the B5 with something a little better. Plan for tonight (after grafting surgery failed last night) is to take advantage of the failure and cut the relevant gaps into the running plate for the wheels and splashers.

[James Harrison]

Sometimes things don't quite go to plan.

In this instance, the plan was to use a pair of 2P bodies to build a B5 'Fish' engine. Last time, I had gotten as far as hacking one body up and splicing in a length of boiler from the second, and beginning to look at welding the new boiler onto a running plate from a Patriot.

Unfortunately what then happened was that it all went wrong. The new boiler was from plastic so thick that it didn't sit at proper height, and then the new running plate, having been carved up to suit the chassis and the drawings, proved too slight to be of much use. Eventually it reached the point of being hacked up so much as to be less effort to start over than it was to continue.

So I made a fresh start. I used the firebox from the Patriot that had previously donated its running plate, and then I found a length of 19mm brass tube in my spares box. A few evenings' work with a mitre saw and a file got the tube down to size and appropriately cut up to fit the motor, and then I took a few pieces of 0.5mm plastic sheet and wrapped them onto it. I secured these with rubber bands and then immersed the lot in boiling water, quenching it under the cold tap.

This thickened the boiler barrel up to 20mm, and I then bonded it onto the firebox.

Onto the new running plate. This time I used a length of 0.5mm plastic sheet, cutting it very carefully to fit over the wheels and motor, and then I took a length of 2mm square plastic section and bonded this to it to firm the whole thing up. I then took the amputated front 'lowered section' of the Patriot plates and bonded it to my new scratchbuilt upper running plate.

The boiler was then lowered onto the running plate, and the smokebox saddle built up to keep the whole thing level.

Onto the splashers. I cut these from more 0.5mm sheet. The offcuts from this particular component were then glued to the boiler to remove the gap between running plate and boiler. Yes, I know technically there should be a gap but on the other hand if I left it there all we would see would be the motor and the cutout of the boiler would be more pronounced. Swings and roundabouts- it's not ideal but better than the alternative.

Anyway, a few photos of progress up to last night- typically since then I've added more to the model, in the shape of the cab sheets.

[auldreekie]

I like this "warts, setbacks and all" stuff. It makes me feel better about my own fumbling.

Must make time to get back into the standard gauge swing....


auldreekie

[James Harrison]

Thanks- the mis-steps and mistakes are all part of the process (though obviously I'd sooner they weren't!), so just as worthy as description as the finished model is. And if it stops someone else making the same mistake then so much the better!

[James Harrison]

Time for an early Christmas present I think- my planned build programme for 2014!

I'm quite happy with how much I've managed to build this year- I would have liked to get further along with my carriage rakes but on the other hand all of the locos I had planned did get built in some form or another, and a few unplanned ones too.

So, first off will be the overflow from the 2013 programme- four GCR clerestories and a pair of GCR full brakes, from Hornby clerestory stock.

Keeping with the rolling stock for the present, I'll be adding to my rake of Robinson mainline stock- this time it will be an Open Third and a Restaurant Composite, again converted from the Mainline/ Bachmann LMS carriages. Unlike the compartment stock I built this year, these carriages will need a lot more in the way of work to convert them- both will need their sides substantially hacked up and replaced.

I've also got a couple of Ratio Midland suburbans to rebuild into GCR suburban stock, and two more kits from the stable to build and convert.

Finally I have a couple of Ian Kirk kits for Gresley stock- namely a 1921 GNR cabriolet composite (3.5 1st class compartments, 4 3rd class) and a 1938 buffet car- the former being my favourite carriage on my local 'big' preserved line and the latter giving me a more unusual piece of rolling stock.

The above will give me: two rakes of five carriages each of suburban stock (one set clerestories, one set arc roofs), a five carriage mainline rake of the correct set-up for a Marylebone express circa 1926 and a few spare carriages.

On to the locomotives! (This is what everybody really gets excited about....)

I think I'll start off with listing the models I've bought this year as 'projects'...

There will be a Jaycraft resin 'Director'- this will give me a second D10 and, in all, four Directors of both GCR classes- Sir Clement Royds, Butler Henderson, Jutland and Purdon Viccars.

There will be a semi-scratchbuilt B3 'Lord Faringdon'- bought off of ebay described as being a hacked-about Triang Princess. I've already replaced the driving wheels and leading bogie, I will be adding new steam pipes, handrails and repainting into LNER green.

There will be a kitbuilt A5 'Coronation' tank. I bought this just last week, again on ebay. All it needs really is a repaint.

New announcements!

I will be building a Robinson D9 with 4' 9'' boiler. This will be built from a Triang 2P.

There will be a new D6. I'll be building the etched brass chassis that came with the Ratio Midland 4-4-0 kit that I used to build my first attempt, and I'll be building the body around a Triang Jinty body.

I will be building a Metropolitan 'E' class from a Triang M7, and an 'F' class from an M7 bodyshell on a Hornby generic 0-6-0 chassis.

If time permits I'll be building a neverwazza- a Gorton mogul design from 1912, from a Mainline 43xx.

I've also started buying in parts for a 'Sam Fay'- this will appear either in 2014 or maybe slip back into 2015.

And I would really, really like a 'Hush Hush' still- if Dean Sidings do a resin kit for the watertube boiler version I'll be picking one up at Stafford in February....

[earlswood nob]

Good morning everyone esp James
An interesting list.
I have not heard of the KIRK 1921 GNR cabriolet compo, unless its kit number 8850 which I don’t have.
I like your building program of coaches in rakes. This is what I’m trying to do with a rake of NER clerestories.
I think your list of locos is a wants list for all GCR modellers.
One point about the W1 Hush-Hush loco. SEF do a kit and it is supplied with a very good chassis. If you want it body only to fit onto a Hornby A3 chassis, then I’m sure that Dave Ellis at SEF will supply, and it may work out cheaper than a Dean Siding resin bodied kit.
Earlswood nob

[Atlantic 3279]

Somebody confusing cabriolet and coupe???

[James Harrison]

Somebody confusing cabriolet and coupe???

Guilty as charged, m'lud.

Good morning everyone esp James
An interesting list.
I have not heard of the KIRK 1921 GNR cabriolet compo, unless its kit number 8850 which I don’t have.
I like your building program of coaches in rakes. This is what I’m trying to do with a rake of NER clerestories.
I think your list of locos is a wants list for all GCR modellers.
One point about the W1 Hush-Hush loco. SEF do a kit and it is supplied with a very good chassis. If you want it body only to fit onto a Hornby A3 chassis, then I’m sure that Dave Ellis at SEF will supply, and it may work out cheaper than a Dean Siding resin bodied kit.
Earlswood nob

Thanks! I'll definitely look into the SEF W1 once I have the money to start putting projects away for my 'around to it' pile. It is indeed the Kirk 8850 kit, and one I've been looking forward to getting my hands on for quite a while.

[James Harrison]

The B5 is now finished, or at least as finished as it will ever be....



Overall I'm very happy with how this has turned out, it's admittedly far removed from one of Great Central Models brass masterpieces but it'll do for me!

[auldreekie]

I agree. Nice one. Not an immaculate exercise, but one I'd be proud to claim.


auldreekie