Update on all fronts

Vale of Ffestiniog - the ‘fake’ bogie sides have now been added to one side of the engine and one of the upper parts has been test fitted to check dimensions. It looks good I think. Please note this idea of using a split bogie side arrangement is not mine but is near enough a direct copy of that produced by the Wallers for Dduallt, and as featured in the model railway press. Thanks, once again, are due to them. I didn’t make my own springs though, instead using springs included in the parkside FR bogie kits, which are pretty similar and were spare it the ‘bits box’!

I have also soldered the roof in place, not without trouble I must say as the tolerances are very small indeed (as well as it being far too long!) and much filing and messing about was necessary. In all that, tacking on and off and on and off again, I managed to solder it on with the roof vents facing the wrong end. D’oh! However, I have decided not to bother messing about taking it all off again, so I may either fill the holes and make new ones (square!), or not worry as only the rivet counters would notice! The most relevant hole is that for the exhaust, so I might just create one new hole for that and be done with it.

The ground frame is in place as a former really, the sides of will be faced with stone and the area around it and its top face filled with ballast (as per the real thing). There is also a small handrail to go on.

Talking of handrails, here are the two for the Tro Ffridd sheep creep. I couldn’t make them stand up for a photo, so the flying bench is doing its best.


3 ton slate wagons – 5 of these are now complete, 2 are braked. For slate waggon spotters 3 are of the BL variety and 2 of the BM2 stable.


The weather has been better of late and so the spray painting season has started. Before I start on the monster process of painting carriages, I did some practice on fencing and slate loads. Here are a load of loads(!) – both the 2 and 3 ton varieties of resin pieces marketed by Chris Veitch, they were sprayed in primer and one in the image has had a different shade of grey dry brushed on top. They have now all had this treatment and a third shade of grey will be added soon to add realism.

The plasticard path from the steps/ramp up to the platform area has been painted and fencing is ready to be added asap.

Here is a shot of the previously mentioned level crossing, the gates are just leaning but the rest is stuck in place. I have also started looking at the boards to sit in the 2 foot and also the anti-pedestrian 'sawtooth' bits.

Two new trees (smaller pines from the hornby skale scenics range) have been added, can you spot one of them in the image below?


In the Cheltenham workshop, the FR gunpowder van (Long variety) has been completed by Dad. His theory that the reason these kits are so fiddly is because they have been ‘shot down’ from 7mm makes sense indeed, why didn’t I realise that before? I wonder if the England kit suffers from the same problem? I understand it contains a drivetrain of 10 gear wheels! A reason indeed to wait for the impending release of a version with a RTR chassis! Below is an image of the van alongside Merddin and behind are the two 16mm waggons I mentioned previously.~


Finally, another oddity. I have had a hornby portaloo that came in a set for a while. At the weekend I got another from the Bachmann range, thinking they would be similar – look at the size difference!

Colin

Update on various matters

Locomotives:

The fake bogie sides for the two funkeys have had bearings added to represent the axleboxes and a bank of three springs in the centre of each side.

Blanche has been successfully converted to DCC, the chip just fitting into the boiler.

Rolling stock:

Carriages 119 and 120 have had their resin roofs added, with a small amount of filling necessary in a couple of corners. These were specially produced by a 009 supplier, who may yet produce a kit of 119/120.

The FR hearse waggon (from a GEM kit - white metal sides and coffin(!), etched brass chassis and roof) was put together. The kit features a bizarre arrangement for the wheels, where you have to solder wire across the bottoms of the axleboxes to keep the wheels in - we are talking very small pieces of wire!

I have deferred the construction of the long wheelbase gunpowder waggon to Dad on the basis that I have developed an intense dislike for Mercian models waggon kits which are just too fiddly for words.

In a break from 009, I put together a 16mm (garden scale!) Croesor/FR iron waggon as a present for Dad. Plans are afoot for a garden railway, but this will not, readers will be pleased to note, deflect attention from Rhyd Ddu. Although it will be rather nice!

The FR Quarryman brake vehicle with a single balcony (Van 6) has had a chassis added, but I couldn't find an exact fitto add to the worsley etched body so side extensions to a closely matching chassis and new ends were created from plastic strip.

Layout

A 40 thou plasticard piece was cut out and glued in to represent the final tarmac strip between the steps and the entrance to the platform.

A butchered Hornby ground frame has been installed as the yard ground frame. This needs more detailing yet and the replacement of ballast around it where it was scraped away to provide a flat base for the frame to be installed.

Peco flexible fencing has been sprayed with primer and then a muddy yellow colour to create the level crossing fencing. The same colour was used for 7 packs of Slaters fence posts and the gate for the edge of the coach pulling in area. Unfortunately the kind of plastic involved appears to not take paint wonderfully well and a few small areas have flaked off, these will be hidden by weathering (dry brushing to come) and some strategically placed grass tufts.

The level crossing's etched gates were also sprayed grey, as were the handrails for the Tro Ffridd sheep creep. These may yet turn silver, as apposed to primer grey...I'll decide when the silver spray (on order) arrives.

Planning

Ideas for the other side of the layout continue to develop, with the latest plan being a simple scenic section with just a single track and no points (echos of the 7mm layout 'Holiday Haunts'??). The scenes would be: Plas Halt incorporating Tyler's curve, Garnedd Tunnel and Dduallt tank curve/Campbell's Platform.

As all these locations are relatively hidden and difficult to access (Plas Halt is up a steep and long climb from Plas Tan y Bwlch, and Campbell's Platform is a private halt for Plas Dduallt), I have been playing with names like 'Hidden Ffestiniog'...and on that theme the current favourite is 'Here be dragons', with a movable red dragon to feature on the layout for added fun.

Colin

Triple hundred

The 300th post!

Here's Vale of Ffestiniog. She is sitting on a farish N gauge chassis from the new warship. This is DCC ready via a 6 pin plug and I've added a TCS decoder and tested her already. Today I fettled the body so that the chassis fitted nicely and I have started work on replacement bogie sides, made from plasticard (as per David and Rob Waller's article in Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review) with detailing.

The two funkeys (I'm making up the bogie overlays for the WHR funkey at the same time) will be key locos for Rhyd Ddu, as they run beautifully are already DCC fitted and both are likely to see extensive use on the WHR in 2009/2010. They are therefore a key priority for finishing.

The roof is just laid on top for now, although it doesn't foul the chassis at all, so I'll solder it on asap.

Colin

wheely good

Here is a big packet of 3mm scale wheels. Why should I want these???

The reason is, that once the metal axle is removed, the two wheels make perfect mountings for bogies. The hole left is almost exactly correct for 10BA, so a screw can be inserted through it and can find a captive nut soldered to the carriage floor above it. The plastic false axle is also fluted, allowing a bogie with a hole in the middle to be friction fitted to it. This allows for easy changing of bogies should there be a problem too.

The only issue was getting hold of enough of these rare and unwanted (who wants plastic wheels these days) items. It just so happens that Dad is a member of the 3mm society, so on a trip out to Salisbury the other week he was able to source a load of them, in addition to a few he had lying unloved in a box. Thanks also to Terry of TT3 supplies, who sent on a load FOC apart from postage. Top man.

Colin

oh, what's occuring?

some testing...just to check carriage lengths etc for train formations. The carrs were just laid on top of the rails (most have no bogies attached as they are being prepped for painting). The loop will fit 7 FR carriages easily...

the yard headshunt is a decent length, at least 3 B wagons.

just 2 in the short siding though.

and plenty of room in the long siding.

but the main event was the loop... 6 WHR saloons, or 5 and a B wagon no problem. If you look carefully in the below shot you will also notice that I've added the short ramp section at the end of the platform too and ballasted around it.

Beddgelert

Beddgelert got a roof and the cylinder covers added...

tidy.

Colin

2 B (or not 2 B)

1 more B wagon done, photographed next to its sister - I ran out of brass angle to complete the other two.

Colin

B patient!

3 sides of the 6 necessary to make 3 more B wagons have now had their vertical angles added, a fiddly job!

The 6 sides and 6 ends have also been folded and soldered at the back as a rebate to take their floors. SAR pattern bogies are complete already.

B cool!

I had a go at the brass angle on one side of the next B wagon to go through the assembly line myself this time (Dad did the last lot) and surprised myself with a decent enough job I think.

Colin

Leighton Buzzard

Took a trip to Leighton Buzzard on Sunday...

Caught the 12.20, diesel hauled service to Stonehenge works and back. This is an unusual railway, mostly used by locals it seemed, and one which is hemmed in by houses for much of its route (even more to follow should housing plans come to fruition). The fields second is pleasant but not fantastic. The highlight has to be the numerous road crossings, controlled by two blokes with red flags, who jump off the train prior to the crossing and then get back on afterwards. This makes the journey somewhat stop-start.

Our journey was behind the big blue (ex Channel Tunnel?) diesel below.

At the Leighton Buzzard (Page's Park) end, there is a large engine shed (with a public walkway around the back for viewing purposes), a decent shop and a cafe. Parking is plentiful and free.



at the other end is the works, with much going on and a few displays to look at plus a small crafts and drinks shop.


Thomas and I went looking for other locos and found this little lot...


Including this beauty! 590 anyone?

So, on our scale it scored 42%, the same as the Corris. 17th out of 23. Worth a look, certainly.

Colin

Really quick update

- Resin roofs for 119 and 120 have arrived and are being affixed.
- Seats for the longer bowsiders 19 and 20 were completed and glued in.
- 6 carrs have been found to need attention to their ride height and these are being attended too.
- Diamond mesh has arrived from scale link for the mesh on two bug boxes (zoo car and the forthcoming porthole bug)
- The mounting method for bogies has been settled (more on this in a future post), but requires the acquisition of over 60 3mm scale wheels. Dad is at a 3mm exhibition to source these.
- The WHR funkey has had air horns added and a hole drilled in its top light for the exhaust.

FR/WHR 2009 carriage formations have been announced (may change) as:

A: 100/124/122/116/106/113/118
B: 111/105/14/107/120/104/Van 5
C: 102/119/117/114/112/110
E: 2100/2010/2044/2041/2042/2045/2020/24 + B cycle wagon
F: 2115/2090/2043/2040/2060/2021/2022/23 + B cycle wagon

The devil's in the detail

Some details completed today: firstly railings for the Tro Ffridd bridge.

and Rhyd Ddu nameboards.

I also installed interiors for Vans 4 and 5 plus Ashbury corridor No. 25.

Finally, last night I compiled a list of special details necessary e.g. lamp tops, extra steps etc.

Colin

A lunch brake!

Firstly, here is 2090 the WHR brake saloon, which now includes a loo and a service area, having finally appeared from Boston Lodge yesterday, and (hurrah) the works have not altered the beading. All that was necessary was to blank out a few panels on one side only and add two new window bars, one at the end of the blanked out piece (easy) and another splitting a wide window into 2, where the toilet has been fitted, A piece of 30 thou plastic strip was glued across the back and then another was added on top inside the window, giving it extra strength and making it easier to fit. All done, so the roof was soldered on during lucnh today...hence the title 'lunch brake'! Next the paint...

Yesterday, Dad and I unexpectedly had the chance to get on with K1 when the kids had a long sleep. In addition to the parts already done by myself, Dad added the wheels and 20T gears to the axles, popped them into the frames and added the buffer beams including overlays. Then the flycranks were sawn (with a piercing saw) out of their fret (lost wax brass), broached and crankpins added after they were tapped 14BA. These are stored ready. I added the dome to the boiler and the headlights/filler tops to the tanks after drilling the correct size holes. The gearboxes have also been folded ready. So the loco looks like this now:

Colin

Take your seats...

Three carriages with the new interiors added, these have been built up on plasticard floating floors using parkside NG coach seats. I think it works well.

Colin

Progress

The first etched brass kit I ever built was FR observation carriage No. 100 (now mess car 1000 on the WHR). Frankly it showed and in attempting to add a roof yesterday it became obvious that the whole thing was a mess. So, it has been scrapped. Whilst remaining very aware of my deficiencies, it is fair to say that I've come a long way since then!

So, moving on...more 10 BA nuts arrived and nearly every carriage now has them added to the floor above the bogie pivot holes, now that this is my favoured approach for bogie attachment.

Also 4 FR barns No.s 104-107 have all had roofs added and in the case of 2 which don't come with interiors (the worsley ones) these have been added, although they are just hacked down standard liliput interiors, and so sport a central gangway, not the 2+1 arrangement that is really correct. will anyone notice?

Much research has been done into NWNGR and heritage WHR train formations to ensure that I've got the right carriages to run behind Moel Tryfan and Beddgelert. A post about this will follow.

A small amount of scenic work has also been done on the layout, particularly in testing different forms of fencing.

I have a bit of a quandary over the bugs...I have attached the roofs prior to painting, which sounds obvious, but with a fixed floor, we have a glazing issue - I would obviously add this after painting, but wouldn't be able to.....ummmm..... what to do???

oh and a surprise email last week meant that I now have a decent (excellent actually) drawing of FR 1st obs 102. Happy days.

Colin

Progress has been slow for obvious reasons, but I have been able to get a bit done when both children were asleep.

First the bad news.

In attempting to solder on the tricky Pullman 2115 roof, I unfortunately mangled one of the windows and broke the cant rail above it. This took a good 30 mins to 'correct' and it's not perfect yet, although I think it passable. Claire thinks I'm being pedantic! It's the far window in the image below...

oh dear, anyway...

There will eventually be 4 seating styles in my stock. My guiding principle is that I want a base on which seated passengers look right, but that is quick and easy to install - I've too much to do to waste time building correct interiors at the moment (I may return later though). Firstly there is longitudinal seating of the parkside pattern - example below. This will be used in most heritage and NWNGR stock where its appropriate.

Secondly, the modern stock has been installed with resin castings (made for me specially by Port Wynnstay) of 1+2 seating. The pattern was basically a bashed Liliput interior raised on a plinth and designed to tessellate. Below is an example in FR car 119. The pieces at the ends have had rebates drilled so that a captive nut for the bogie pivots fits underneath.

For carriages 15/16 southern pride models standard gauge bench seats have been cut down and glued back to back to emulate the high backed compartments in these carrs. Bowsiders 19/20 will be similarly treated. The shorter bowsiders 17/18 come with langley interiors already.

Not shown are the L+B bench style seats also made by langley. These will be used in the WHR semi-opens 2020 and 2021 (and 2022 if I ever make a model of that too).

In other news, the Pickering brake has received an underframe courtesy of some S shaped styrene forming the footboards. [The 'kit' comes just as a body!].

and Thomas helped me add the first layer of slate dust and small chippings to the 'tip' at the back of the other layout (which still hasn't got a name, so remains 'Nant Gwernol' for now).

I'm also making the platform signs for Rhyd Ddu at the moment, using slaters' plastic letters.

Colin

A gorgeous baby girl

Olivia was born on 10th March at 0325 (no sleep for us then!) weighing 8lbs 8oz. Mum nd baby doing well. Dad tired but elated.

On the level

Firstly some non-carriage news - the level crossing has been test installed - gates not hung yet as they need to be painted.

a load of carriages have had interior seating added:

NWNGR Brake No.1 was completed with roof.

and carr 113 was completed up to bogies and couplings level as a test.

Colin

After much messing about....

...the nightmare carriage now has a roof! This required taking off the painted ends, stripping them, reattaching them to the sides at the new height, moving the captive nut assembly lower, altering the chassis, removing and reattaching the buffer beams and finally adding the roof. phew! Thank goodness that's over.

Pictured next to the considerably easier carriage that wasn't painted before I needed to fiddle with it.

and then I finished two more carrs - FR 113 (which has run on the WHR for a few seasons, so is relevant) and 114 which is a pure FR carriage.

Colin

A right kerfuffle

Well, after much messing about, including pretty much a complete dismantle and rebuild the two new WHR saloons 2043 and 2044 now have roofs that fit.  Yippee.  The concern is that the other one (2045) is the carriage that we test painted last summer.  Taking that apart is not really a palatible option, so I'm going to have a think about it!

Also roofed today are FR No. 26, which has previously been used on the WHR and two original NWNG Summer cars, I will probably make one of each version - one with glazed windows and one just with window bars.

So, to catch up, I now have 31 carriages with roofs.  cool.  That means I can nearly make up 10 trains.  Needed now for the grand 11 train plan are:

• 2090 (wait to see how it comes out of Boston Lodge)
  
• 2010/2100 (kits required - worsley works are working on these using photographs [2010 is actually very similar to 2043 etc] and a photograph of a drawing for 2100 is freely available on the WHR project site - official drawings are hard to come by for commercial kit purposes)
  
• 2045 mentioned above needs thought to avoid undoing the paintwork done already.
  
• 2115 domed roof needs thought, but my test on car 110 has worked fine
  
• 1000 - another domed roof
  
• The Pickering brake needs an underframe, although it has a roof now
  
• NWNGR brake No.1 (underframe complete, needs body constructing/roof).
  
• Quarryman brake (needs an underframe and a roof)
  
• Representative FR set: need 100 and 124 (scratch building underway), 114 and 112 (roofs needed, these are next on the workbench).
  

Colin