The LNER Encyclopedia

All set up ready for Barry Norman to photograph the layout.  

The whole Belle Isle area is now a great deal more ‘busy’ and I think railway-like. 

The  south end has filled in a bit but there is still a long way to go. 

Maiden Lane station works better with more detail but it now highlights the need for a little more in the neighbouring buildings, but not too much 
The newly-labelled TYLOR tower has become quite a centrepiece, as it is a little more colourful than hitherto. 

The layout will crate up on Sunday and then to Ally Pally 21st-22nd March. 

Tim

G'day Gents

I see Mrs Wilberforce has been evicted !! Wonderful panorama.

manna

They’re at the station.

Tim

A house with a room to rent just off the Caledonian road with a bedroom view over looking the railway.

http://www.martinunderwood.f9.co.uk/Lad ... llers1.jpg

Tim Watson wrote: ↑Sun Feb 23, 2020 10:27 pm They’re at the station.

Tim

G'Day Gents.



manna

Valour now has two safety valves. The low shroud was made by soldering a piece of brass the correct thickness to a larger lump so that it could be held. The two holes were then drilled, the top milled out and the sides were filed to give the base effect. 

The shroud was then removed from the big block and two safety valves turned from a non-tarnishing metal. 


There is a nice casting available from N Brass, but it is a little bit big and doesn’t quite get the effect of the valves sitting inside the shroud.

..and the brass might tarnish...

Tim

All that glisters......

I was a bit worried that the proportions of the safety valve shroud were not quite correct, but then found this photo of Butler Henderson 

There are some big sandboxes that are very visible behind the rear wheels. It is often easier to make things sweated together as the filing is more likely to be true.

Before they were split two holes were drilled in place, potentially for the sand pipes.

These holes were actually very useful for stabilising the boxes with a hand held tapered pin whilst soldering them in place.

I don’t think I will fit the sand pipes as they are live to the body, rather than the frames and they will stand a good chance of getting pranged.

The cab has also been detailed with the seat backs and firebox door now in place. 


Tim

The engine brake gear on Valour is now complete. The etches in the kit for the hangers were a bit fragile and weren’t quite the correct shape to have the shoes sit close to the wheels.   They were therefore used as a pattern by sweating them onto a double layer of 20 thou nickel silver. 


The lump was filed broadly to shape, having first drilled holes as required. 


Once separated, the rear hanger had the shoe etch attached with a pin. 


The middle brake has less detail and the front is only schematic - reflecting the visibility of these items behind the valve gear and motion support bracket.  They are supported by pins either attached to the chassis or the hangers themselves, ‘clipping into place’ through holes in the chassis or the hanger. 


The stretchers are made from thin PCB, gapped for insulation, whilst the longitudinal pull rod helps to locate the brakes in the correct fore and aft position.  


These brakes are semi-permanently fixed, as if they needed removal then more major work would also be indicated for the chassis. 

Tim

The guard irons at the front were made from one piece of 10 thou N/S bent into a staple shape and soldered behind the buffer beam, which also had two convenient slots to locate it.  Guess who made a mistake filing up the second guard iron on the first go.  The kit version is also visible, but this would have been soldered to the metal front frame extensions that I did not use. 

The irons had to be well forward to avoid clouting the bogie wheels.   

The front frames were made from a block of Tufnol which was Araldited onto the front assembly. The white axle muff is temporary.

Valour is nearly finished, apart from the tender brakes: I may be able to make and fit these at Missenden this weekend.  She will pass over to Ian Rathbone for painting as well, hopefully to be ready for the centenary of the entry to service of the engine in the summer.  Certainly to be running on CF at the 2mm Association's Diamond Jubilee event in Derby. 

Tim 

Association muffs on front bogie / pony wheels always look ugly.  On Mons Meg I fixed the front wheels with a fibre reinforced resin in a hollow stub axle.  Valour is the same. 

The 0.9 mm diameter fibre post is a material used for restoring endodontically treated teeth.  An anodised aluminium pin could work equally well - something perhaps the Association should consider offering. 

The wheels are Araldited on to the fibre post at the correct B to B with a collar of adhesive around the centre.  One could taper the axles to be more prototypical - I did this on Mons Meg - but this is probably a bit more robust. 

Tim

Three Valours at Missenden Abbey. The bigger ones being made by Tony Gee. 



Tim

Beautiful work on all three.

Agreed!

What a fantastic sight.

Looking forward to seeing N gauge Valour in all her finery (ditto for 4mm & 7mm versions in fact!)