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The LNER Encyclopedia • Make do and Mend - Keeping going - Page 3
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Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:15 pm
by Dave
The bending jig is very good, got mine some time ago for making grab handles on tanks.

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:16 am
by WOOTANG
drmditch

can i ask how you edited your pictures to allow them to be posted on the forum

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches

Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 1:27 pm
by drmditch
can i ask how you edited your pictures to allow them to be posted on the forum
All I did was select the best (from a bad bunch) from the camera, and reduce them in size to under 100kb.
I just used MS Office picture manager to trim and crop, and then compressed.

Sorry the pictures are not better.

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:10 pm
by drmditch
Post_02.JPG
Many years ago I bought a DJH Kit for an LNER H1 (ex NER 4-4-4) tank engine. I have many times tried to get it assembled in such a way that it could go round my layout curves. The problem with the NER 3 cylinder locomotives is that the cylinders are quite low between the bogie wheels.
After several false starts, it has now been rebuilt as an A8 4-6-0, with a scratchbuilt cylinder and bogie assembly that lets it go round 24” radius curves.
Post_01.JPG
The bogie has a curved bearing slot, working with a pivot and spring on the locomotive frames. This pushes the bogie nearly 2mm forward as it goes round curves. The bogie wheelbase is 1mm too long, and the slide bars have been set outboard 1mm from the centre line of the cylinders. The cylinders themselves are made up of a brass frame, to which the slide bars are soldered, and then plastic built around this.
The cylinders fit flush with the valance on the footplate, as they should, and are the correct length and shape

It is coming on quite well now. Having come so far I want to get it finished, but there are still a couple of problems to solve. (Apologies for the quality of the photographs, and for the one green bogie wheel !)
Post_03.JPG

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:35 am
by earlswood nob
Good morning all
I like the method of dealing with bogie wheels touching the cylinders. I have an A8 kit waiting to be built. I will keep your treatment in mind when I get around to building it.
Earlswood nob

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:33 am
by drmditch
Good. I'm glad my experience is useful. I should also point out that since the outside structure of the cylinders is plastic, it doesn't matter if the bogie wheels do touch briefly, although judging from the running so far they don't appear to rub at all.

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:59 pm
by Coboman
Wern't the cylinders and front bogie the same on the A8s and the H1s?

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:29 pm
by Atlantic 3279
These 'ere curved slots are catching on! Same principle works a treat on an A2/3 and for that matter on a B4 with full scale-size bogie wheels to clash with low-slung cylinders.

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:23 pm
by drmditch
Coboman wrote:Wern't the cylinders and front bogie the same on the A8s and the H1s?
Yes they were. The DJH kit as supplied doesn't allow adequate clearance for 24" radius curves, and also doesn't make the outside of the cylinders flush with the footplate, hence my re-engineering. There were were circular housings on the rear of the cylinders when first built and rebuilt, (see my post on A8s under 'Locomotives and Rolling Stock and the very useful reply from Saint Johnstoun) but these were apparently discarded by 1947.

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 2:40 pm
by drmditch
After a long period with no progress, I’ve finally managed to get back to this engine.
Post_04.JPG
Adding the detail has taken a long time. (Especially the tank filler caps, which I haven’t managed to take a good picture of yet.) The oil boxes also took some care and attention, and even then I’ve missed out a lot of the pipework. I have also added the angle-irons along the bottom of the tanks and bunker, and the pipe (balance pipe ?) along the bottom of both bunkers below the footplate.
Post_05.JPG
I’ve been worried about how to make and fit the rear sandboxes, because there isn’t a lot of room, but I think I see how to do it now. It is going to be finished as No 9870, which was a West Auckland engine in 1947.

Sorry again for the poor photographs. At least they do show up more imperfections than my naked eye does!
Post_06.JPG

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:29 pm
by Atlantic 3279
Looks nicely built and a thoroughly convincing A8.

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 10:21 pm
by Blink Bonny
WOOTANG wrote:drmditch

can i ask how you edited your pictures to allow them to be posted on the forum
Ay up, WOOTANG!

Try using GIMP. It's my favourite price (free) and, if you size the piccies to 650 pixels max width and Bob's your Uncle.

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 3:59 pm
by drmditch
Finally, having purchased the DJH kit for an H1 in 1982, the A8 9870 is complete! Well, except for the vacuum standpipes which I only remembered after I'd taken the pictures, , and a couple of lubricator handwheels for the RH side which I need to get from Mr Alexander.
Post_07.JPG

There are a number of things wrong and/or missing, but there comes a time when I have to declare that more handling may just damage what is there already.
There are no brakes. I did have a plan for fitting them, but it is a very tightly spaced wheelbase and there is not much room. Also missing are the oil boxes on the cpoupling rod boxes. I only realised this after the rods were fitted and working. The bogie and trailing wheels have the wrong number of spokes. I was planning to replace them with the correct 12 spoke ones, but since the ones used are live to one side and the locomotive runs well, then I think they will just have to do.
Post_08.JPG
Even after my complete re-design and re-build, the cylinders are about 1mm too deep, but at least they are flush with the footplate valancing, unlike the DJH originals.
I had a problem with the bogie while running in. Everything was fine until I ran it on the Up line on the bottom level of the layout, where it derailed sometimes on a particular curved point. However, once the panic was over, a lead ballast weight under the bogie wheels solved the problem.

It now seems to be settling down to be a really useful engine!
Post_09b.JPG
The last picture shows more of my 'make do and mend' practice. The LMS van is re-worked Dapol (why are there no RTR LMS vans?) and the 52ft Brake Third is a recycling of the old Hornby 'short' gresley mouldings.

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 1:33 pm
by drmditch
Fitted the vacuum standpipes. I don't know why the front one does not look vertical in the photographs. It does in reality.
Post_11a - Small.JPG
My little camera only seems to take good pictures in strong daylight. The flash makes the matt smokebox look very funny, and the relection fom odd surfaces gives a distorted impression. (This is just my way of saying that my engine looks better then the photographs - to me anyway!)
Post_10a - Small.JPG

Re: Make do and Mend - A Q7/Sentinels/NER Coaches/A8

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:45 pm
by manna
G'Day Gents

Nice looking engine, looks good, I've seen a few vac standpipes bent to some odd angles, over the years. :P

manna