Rob P's 7mm Loco Workbench - LNER 06 from MOK 8F

[Robpulham]

A few pictures of the finished tender - I still need to fit the coupling but I have ordered a set of JLRT brass buckeyes with a view to replacing the white metal one supplied by DJH with one that at least moves (I hope).

[Robpulham]

Until I get my layout built I am building a diorama board so that I can at least take photos of models I complete against a reasonable background. The board itself is an oak door that was fitted wrong in my kitchen so had to be replaced

To this end I have spent a bit of time since last weekend building an MSE/51L LNER lattice signal kit and a Mike's Models L&Y Water crane.

The signal I bought from Wizard Models and the water Crane was an eBay find. I did a bit of scratch building on the water crane to make the brass frame for the lamp (it comes with precut perspex that you have to file to fit square) once I had glued it together I thought it could do with a frame and my initial thought was to paint the frame on using a bow pen but then having looked in my brass stip stock and found some angle for the corners I decided to make one up. The perspex is removable for painting and I will glue it all solid once it's painted.

[Robpulham]

The diorama board is now almost complete (just needing coloured lenses in the signal) Thanks mostly to my good lady for her efforts on the scenery. I just build and primed the signal etc.

[Robpulham]

Well two weeks later than planned, I finally have a rolling chassis for my A3.

Everything was going to plan when I discovered that the 'axles' on my Hobby holidays jig needed quite a bit of polishing to get the Hobby Holidays roller bearing hornblocks to go over them. It's one of those jobs that you only need to do once but with my primitive methods it took about five hours in total over a week and a half to get them how I wanted. But the patience has paid of and it rolls sweetly down my length of track.

The conrods fit together with a lovely lost wax 12ba bolt and there are lost wax nuts to fit the ends of the crank pins. So far so good.

Next up is to fit the motor and give it a run on the rolling road and then strip it back down to add all the chassis detail.

[Robpulham]

Progress has been slow but steady on the A3.

I have completed the Pony Truck, and Cartazzi Truck and the cab. I have also done the basics on the back head. once the back head is complete I am undecided as to whether to continue detailing the chassis or start on the footplate.

[Mallard]

Progress has been slow but steady on the A3.

I have completed the Pony Truck, and Cartazzi Truck and the cab. I have also done the basics on the back head. once the back head is complete I am undecided as to whether to continue detailing the chassis or start on the footplate.

A3 further progress 001s.JPG

A3 further progress 003s.JPG

Looking VG Rob. You are almost convincing me that 7mm (beyond the LMS Brake van I've actually made) is good fun!
Having seen Idleford at the Retford show last weekend with those lovely 'chunky' loco's and some super stock and a superb station building and environs, I'm twitching!
Phil @36E

[Robpulham]

I have to say I didn't take too much convincing particularly the amount of detail you can include on 7mm. That can also work against you if you don't get off on adding detail of course.

I still have one further 4mm purchase to make though, Ian MacDonald (MacGeordie on RMWeb) is producing a kit for a L&Y/LMS Dynomometer car no 3 to go with his MTU coach kit (that I already have stashed) I still have a couple of 4mm Loco kit's too that I am undecided as to whether to build or sell.

[Robpulham]

I haven't been feeling at my best this week so I decided to have a distraction from the A3 and build one of my stock of Conniosseur Models wagon kits.

it's quite a simple design and an enjoyable build the only thing I am not keen on and will need to rectify is Jims method of sprining the buffers/coupling. The idea is sound but the wire provided bend the first time I tested it after fitting

Other than that it's a cracking kit and I am sure a stronger bit of wire will sort the buffers.

It will be a while before this gets painted - I think I may wait and paint a few together

[jwealleans]

I think I have a 4mm one of these somewhere... it's always a pleasure to build one of Jim's kits.

That A3 is coming along nicely as well.

[Robpulham]

Cheers Jonathan, it as a nice build, for a simple kit there is quite a lot of detail. All the loading rings are designed to be movable and although there are no actual brakes (I haven't found a 7mm equivalent to the Mainly Trains etches yet ) I have made the levers so that they move. I have also used your trick from the Parkside cattle wagon that you did and made some chain from fine brass wire for the pegs on the brake levers

[Robpulham]

The A3 is still progressing slowly. I have built up my first set of outside valve gear - admittedly the DJH instructions were somewhat lacking in the detail.

I have also done more work on the chassis but can't do too much (particularly the white metal bits) because I have ordered some replacement springs from Ragstone Models - the DJH ones just don't cut it. The springs are quite substantial so will require a bit of heat to solder on.

[Mallard]

[quote="Robpulham"]The A3 is still progressing slowly. I have built up my first set of outside valve gear - admittedly the DJH instructions were somewhat lacking in the detail.

Oh er 'wallcharts' knitting Rob. However it looks pretty good to me. The little wagon is what my SWMBO calls a procrastinator build!
4mm Gresleys still in the drawer despite the snow I'm ashamed to say.
Phil

[Robpulham]

Thanks Phil,
It's my first go at Walshearts and due to the poor instructions I managed to drill one of the holes in a casting in the wrong place, thankfully I can put a piece of brass rod in to fill it.

On the Gresley front I think I am just about to take the plunge on a JLRT LNER coach with the proceeds of the sale of my LMS coaches - just trying to decide which one.

[Robpulham]

Well I have finally got back to the A3. I have in theory been waiting for some additional brake parts from Ragstone most of which have arrived but if I am honest I have been distracted with other things having part built an MMP Glass wagon.

I have done some of the footplate detailing feeling quite good until I realised that I had to take half the bits of again to drill holes for the pipe work to locate in - I had drilled the holes in the sides of the lubricators but not the castings under the smokebox (I am not sure what they call them but all will be revealed when I add the pipes).

[Robpulham]

I finally finished my scratch built loco so I thought I would share a few pictures.