Much doodling at Earlswood

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earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Location: Surrey

Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by earlswood nob »

G’day all
A quiet day for modelling as first day of the month requires shopping and banking etc. I decided to give the tender chassis a rest as the eyes are tired after building the brake gear yesterday.
I noted the comments made about the J39/3 tender conversions, and decided to improve the DJH tender.
The front shield is wrong for a self trimming tender. I removed the front shield from the tender by careful use of a soldering iron.
LNER_J39_exC7crop4.jpg
After a fair amount of filing I removed the side pieces and replaced them with wedge shaped pieces of plasticard.
LNER_J39_exC7crop5.jpg
This gives the approximate shape of a self-trimming tender frontplate. This will also have to be done to the C7 and B16 tenders that I built many years ago.
I need to visit a model shop tomorrow as I need plastic solvent, flux, and a couple of things that are not sold at the local hardware store. I might even look at the Hornby P2 if they have it in stock.

Earlswood nob
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Location: Surrey

Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by earlswood nob »

G’day all

The conversion of the J39’s into J39/3’s is progressing slowly, as I’m rebuilding the three Wills J39’s that I have. There are problems with the footplate which I’m managing to sort out. I am also waiting on a few bits and pieces.
While this is happening, I’ve been sorting out the old NuCast Q6, which has lost it’s tender to one of the J39/3’s.
About a year ago, I thought about producing a Q5/2 from the Q6, and over the weekend I decided to attempt the conversion.
The Q6 was one of the first kits that I soldered together. I used a large iron powered through a dimmer switch. It worked, but sometimes I fused pieces of white metal together with bad soldering technique. I also found that some pieces were glued together.
Boiling water separated most of the model, except the boiler. The chimney had to be sawed off, and I haven’t decided what to do with the dome.
The Q6 boiler is 22mm which is slightly too small. The Q5/2 had a larger smokebox which I represented by making a plasticard wrapper for the smokebox. The Q6 smokebox door was too large, so I substituted it with a J39 door.
I cut the cab sides of a Wills J39’s away from the footplate and soldered them to the spectacle plate. The roof from the Q6 had the locating ridges ground away using a minidrill.
The tender is an Alexander 3940gal NER version, fitted with a 52F chassis.
The boiler, cab, and roof are merely balanced on the footplate for the pic.
LNER_Q5_2crop1.jpg
The loco chassis is AGW Q6 frames with the ends sawed away. I made the brake shoes from a Mainly Trains etch, but I need to trim the flanges of the old Romford wheels which I’ve used. The motor is a Mashima 1620 with a High Level Roadrunner plus 54:1 gearbox.
I would like to point out that I have no connection with any supplier mentioned, other than being a satisfied customer.

Earlswood nob
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1666
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Location: Surrey

Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by earlswood nob »

G’day all
Having been suffering from backache for several months which was caused by falling asleep in a strange position, after drinking quantities of ale. I have now taken up an intense exercise program which is easing the backache and replacing it with muscle ache, which I can cope with as it will disappear as the muscles get used to being used again.
Enough of my troubles, as I’m pleased to get back to some modelling again, albeit short sessions.
Many years ago I purchased a NuCast kit for the N8/9 which turned out to be a G5 with a new chassis. The G5 boiler was shorter than the N8 boiler, so I put the kit to one side. Modern research shows that the G5 boiler is the same as the J73 & J24, and I decided to convert the G5(N8) to a J73.
Isinglass do not do a J73 drawing, so I measured a pic from Yeadon of a J73 and scaled the measurements to 4mm . The obvious difference is the short bunker. The splashers are also incorrect as the J73 had smaller wheels. The N8 chassis is too long, but the Mainly Trains J52 chassis is suitable.
LNER_J73_crop1.jpg
A couple of cuts of the bunker sides to remove the centre portion and when the front is soldered to the rear should give a bunker of the correct length.
LNER_J73_crop2.jpg
Soldered together it looks passable.
LNER_J73_crop3.jpg
More to come.

Earlswood nob
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by earlswood nob »

The footplate also has to be shortened.
LNER_J73_crop4.jpg
Then the splashers have to be removed, and the sides balanced on the footplate to see what it looks like.
LNER_J73_crop5.jpg
The new splashers were made from a side piece of nickel-silver strip with a top of brass strip. There was no reason for the mixing of metals, they were what I happened to have around.
LNER_J73_crop6.jpg
Now I must find a way to make the J73 equivalent of a piano front.

Earlswood nob
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Atlantic 3279
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by Atlantic 3279 »

Although my plans in that respect are on hold at present, too had noticed that the J73 is in several ways one of the N's & G5 "family". The boilers may be pitched at slightly different heights if my memory of reading up on the figures is anything to go by. I might be able to assist regarding a drawing if I can find time later today.
Most subjects, models and techniques covered in this thread are now listed in various categories on page1

Dec. 2018: Almost all images that disappeared from my own thread following loss of free remote hosting are now restored.
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1666
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Surrey

Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by earlswood nob »

G'day all
I find myself wanting to return to modelling after a three week gap while engaged on family research. However, suffering from yet another cold and finding that brake shoes can disappear to the carpet god when sneezing, I have decided to postpone the J73 build for a while.
Wanting something relatively simple, I chose to modify some Hornby/Triang clerestory coaches.
This project will be a little different. The GNR re-used old six and eight wheel coaches to form various articulated combinations. The plan is to use five of the brake third clerestorys to form a quint. I have seen a pic somewhere which shows 5 compartment brakes (ex-8 wheel?) at either end and three 5 compartment units (ex-6 wheel?) in the middle.
This is not an accurate representation, merely something to have fun with, finish quickly, and stop me getting bored and feeling sorry for myself.
The brakes will be the Hornby coach, with the guards door/ducket removed and the ends joined together. The central units will merely be the five compartment sections. New ends will be needed on all five coaches.
I started by sawing the brake ends away from the compartments and the sawing the guards sections from two of the coaches.
I used a piercing saw and got reasonable sections. My sawing is improving, as I get almost straight cuts with a piercing saw, but I cannot do the same with a razor saw.
The pic illustrates one of each type of coach.
GNR_Artic_crop1.jpg
Coffee break over, now back to the bench.

Earlswood nob

Edited J37 into J73
Last edited by earlswood nob on Sat Feb 28, 2015 8:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1666
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Surrey

Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by earlswood nob »

G’day all
Steady progress has been made.
I fitted the brakes together using brass strip superglued to floor of the carriage to strengthen the join between parts. The ends of the carriages were removed as the GNR had flat–ended vehicles, unlike the psuedo GWR clerestorys that Hornby produced.
GNR_Artic_crop2.jpg
GNR_Artic_crop3.jpg
I made the articulation pivots from pieces of 2mm plasticard fitted with 1/8 chassis bushes.
GNR_Artic_crop4.jpg
I seem to have run out of 6BA washers, so I used oddments of 0.5mm plasticard as replacement.
GNR_Artic_crop5.jpg

Now to trim the pivots and trial them on the carriages.

Earlswood nob
jwealleans
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by jwealleans »

An idea picked up from a Steve Banks article - if you slot your pivots and have them engaging with a captive nut and bolt in the floor, you'll be able to adjust the gaps between the bodies.

Image

I used it for a Quad I built some years ago and it works very well.
Last edited by jwealleans on Tue Dec 18, 2018 7:31 am, edited 2 times in total.
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by earlswood nob »

Afternoon all

Thanks for passing on the tip, JW.

I have already glued the plastic pivots to the bodies. However, if this bit of fun works out OK, I may try and improve the rake.

I will build and fit the remaining bogies tomorrow. Then it's all the interesting bits; like removing the Hornby curly handrails, and fitting ribs to ends.

I am pleased with the progress that I've made today, and it's too dark to do anymore, as it starts raining.

Earlsweood nob

PS I'm sure you've found the MJT pivots with press studs which I've fitted to my triplet restaurant set.
jwealleans
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by jwealleans »

you've found the MJT pivots with press studs
Indeed - the Quint is designed to use them and I was impressed.
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1666
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by earlswood nob »

G’day all
Progress had been slow this morning as last night I tipped the contents of my rice cooker over my hand instead of into the sieve. It becomes difficult doing things with only one good (not even that good) hand.
The Fox bogies were fitted with Gibson Mansell wheels and soldered together.
I had to take the pic in two parts otherwise it would be too small to post.
GNR_Artic_crop6.jpg
The right hand end of the Quint.
GNR_Artic_crop7.jpg
Now to make the roofs, and begin the detailing.

Earlswood nob
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teaky
NBR D34 4-4-0 'Glen'
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by teaky »

Intriguing conversion. I am watching your progress with interest.

If I may, can I recommend a Tefal multi-cooker. I am not a gadget man, but this is one kitchen gadget I wouldn't be without. Measure rice, measure water, press one button, wait for rice to cook, dish up. No draining and, unlike some gadgets, not too much washing up.

Hope your hand gets better soon.

At least there's a weekend of Six Nations rugby to watch whilst you recuperate.
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Kestrel
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by Kestrel »

Easier still. Pour rice into pan (measured by sight). Pour water into pan (measured by sight), boil until water gone, serve onto dish, no straining necessary.
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teaky
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by teaky »

I used to do it that way but two teenage sons increased the pan size too much. :)

The measuring is actually very simple. There's a cup for the rice and embossed lines for the water. Effortless. The rice also stops cooking once it is ready. So no risk of too much or too little water and no risk if distracted (e.g. by the rugby). Anyway, this is a model railway forum. I was only thinking of Earlswood's hand. I'll stop with the cooking tips now.
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
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Re: Much doodling at Earlswood

Post by earlswood nob »

Good morning all

Thanks for the tips on kitchen gadgets, I love them. However, I was cooking a wild rice variety which does not absorb as much water as white fluffy rice, so it cannot be left until the water disappears.

I have partially constructed the roofs, and the quint looks good going up and down my test track.

I have found a reference to the GNR quads and it indicates that the central carriages were composites. However this is a bit of fun and not an exact model.

There will not be much done this weekend as I shall spend it at the rugby club.

Earlswood nob
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