Hi Jeff.  On the subject of Cambrian kits, after the purchase of the GWR 6 ton crane kit, and its multi part sprues,I pohoned them at Cambrian , and it was suggested that I should try the SR 8 plank wagon as the underframe was in one piece, it don't look too bad either, but the buffer assembly was quaint? and while I was gluing the buffer in position in pinged out of the tweezers, gone forever. I really need a dedicated area with a plywood screen? The next thing being the couplings, I guess I need to add some plasticard underneath to fix on the couplings 
All the best. Kevin

Hi Kevin.

I am not particularly happy with the Cambrian buffer design using three pieces. I actually snapped a buffer head off on that latest open wagon build. I drilled out the shank (because the spindle from the buffer head was still in it) and also drilled out the remaining spindle behind the buffer head, then I cut the head off a Peco track pin and cut the remaining pin to length and superglued it into the hole in the spindle and into the shank. i haven't replaced the damaged collar yet, but a very small bit of fine plastic rodding should do the trick.

The open wagons and vans I have done recently all had one-piece underframe mouldings including a floor, solebars and W-irons.

For couplings, I have been using Parkside NEM pockets with two or three thicknesses of 40 or 60 thou plastic card as packing to get them at the right height. For some reason, Parkside intended the pockets for use with Bachmann's cranked couplings, which is not convenient if one wishes to use anything other than a tension lock coupling. By packing them down, I use ordinary straight couplings, allowing me to change over to Kadees at some time in the future if I wish.

Hi Jeff. Thankyou for your reply, I was thinking along similar lines, if I could get hold of either Bachmann or Peco spare buffers. The SR wagon "C 96" that I purchased isn't so straightforward , there is an additional "V hanger" that has to be glued on to the moulded one. The Parkside NEM pockets you refer to would be okay for me too, as I use Kadee, but I'm yet to sort out the Neodymium magnets positioning. More magnet trials ahead. All the best  Kevin

Hi Jeff  I have been looking through the selection of Parkside buffers, but there doesn't seem many suitable? for 
Southern or LSWR wagons, and for " what they are" they are not cheap, considering that four of them are required per wagon.
I remember reading an earlier thread of yours? when you replaced a brakevan buffer with a cut down nail.
Have you got any idea which would be the best choice of buffer?  All the best. Kevin

Markits do some very nice brass buffers. If you want something cheaper but slightly more 'generic', Bachmann's sprung buffers are not bad.

I also have a fair collection of brass or white metal buffers and buffer heads - I never throw any away, even those salvaged from older stock.

Hi JeffThank you for the info. I will have to check them out.   Kevin

Hi Jeff.    I have just placed the Cambrian Kits match wagon on the track along with the SR 8  plank wagon , to do a height comparison with a Dapol and a Bachmann wagon and the sole bars match , both of these wagons have Kadee # 19 couplings that match the height gauge. If instead of fitting a NEM pocket to the kit wagons, would a Kadee # 5 and gearbox be compatible with the # 19's or would it be better to fit NEM and # 19 throughout. Kevin

Hi Jeff.
Upon revisiting my Ratio "Bogie B Passenger Van" kit, at long last , I am about to embark on the roof.
Problem being, Plastic Roof and. White Metal Roof Vents. Let alone all the frets for the windows , handles etc.
Not forgetting the Buffers and Hoses.would you please tell me,  which is the best glue to join two very different materials??   All the best. Kevin

For small items like the roof vents I tend to use a superglue, but for larger more exposed bits I prefer 5 minute Araldite, or even a good contact cement if there are larger flat areas to be joined (e.g. brass sides to plastic bodies).

There are a good many different glues around for specific purposes, but those three types generally suit my modelling requirements.

Hi Jeff.Thank you, I knew that you would have the solution ?   All the best.  Kevin

I recently stumbled onto a long-stored Ratio GWR Iron Mink wagon I built back in the 1970s. It was reasonably robust but had lost a portion of its brake lever and one coupling had snapped off. I decided to refurbish it and paint it into GW livery to join the pre-grouping train wagons. 

Refurbishment consisted of fitting top-hat bearings and metal wheelsets (I used spoked wheels but disc wheels may have been a better choice - any useful comments, please?), cutting off the ratio plastic couplings and cutting away part of the mounts to allow the Parkside NEM adapters to be glued in place, using part of a spare Parkside brake lever from another underframe kit (leftover from the SECR 6-wheel brake van conversion), and replacing a missing buffer. For the latter, I didn't have an exact match in the spares box, but the one I chose is a pretty close match but with a thicker spindle. The roof has had several coats of Humbrol acrylic matt white.

The lot was given a coat of SECR wagon grey (a colour described as being very close to GW wagon grey), and lettered with HMRS transfers. I haven't put the tare weights on yet as they are fiddly and my eyes were hurting from doing the rest.




Another project that is much closer to completion now is my hybrid class 25, using a Hornby body and a slightly adapted Bachmann chassis. The chassis came from a non-boiler fitted loco, and a good friend recently offered me the boiler water tank from one of his conversions, which saved me scratch-building replacement tanks.

Hi Jeff.  
Eyes Hurting? Have you got an opinion on those head mounted magnifiers? I have seen dentists using an " Upmarrket version. As some of us older persons ? recommend them, I for one haven't give them much thought.
But they could be useful?  I was reading the instructions for fitting the details under the Bogie B Passenger Van from 
Wills, it said "Using a No 76 drill clear holes in Vee Hangers" and " Cylinder Cranks ", I couldn't even see the holes .
Or is that Wills having a little joke"?   All the best. Kevin

Hi Kevin

I've got an Optivsor, a head mounted magnifier and a magnifying lamp, but I've found that the Siesta magnifiers which clip on to my reading glasses a real boon.

http://www.siestaframes.com   4 lenses 1.7x  2.0x  2.5x and 3.0x

Even in O scale I find them essential.



Cheers

Hand, Neck and Spectacle Magnifiers

About 10 from the top.

I use an Optivisor copy with a choice of four lenses and also the add-on lights. Even so, after a long session with with miniscule white transfers which start off on a white background, my eyes get very tired!

Hi. Jeff and Max
Maybe you should practice your modelling "Little and Often"? I also wear reading glasses, but, I make a spectacle of myself, whenI turn to pick up my "Cuppa". As I cannot focus on my cup when wearing them. But seriously, keep up the good work.   Kevin

Progress on the A Stock train. 

There was a delay while I awaited the delivery of some new wheels with shorter axles (25mm) but those have now arrived from Steam Era Models.

In the meantime I managed to find a flat aluminium paint I was happy with, so painting has continued apace, with only a few external retouches needed, but complete internal painting is still to be done.

The bogies have been assembled and mounted on the underframes. Being all metal, with metal wheels and metal couplings, there were a few shorts until I isolated various components and made sure no wheel faces could touch the bogie frames. The bodies have been set loosely on the underframes to get an idea of how the whole train will look, and I am fairly pleased with the overall result.

It has moved a short distance under its own power, although the power bogies are not yet seated properly.

There are still many adjustments to make and extra parts to fit before it is anywhere near complete, but I feel encouraged to continue.

I would feel very encouraged to continue with that Jeff.  I don't recall seeing A-stock modelled ever before despite the size of the fleet and its long and well-known life.  Little things count and the subtle difference in colour between cab doors and the rest of the bodysides / passenger doors has already been accurately captured.

Thanks Rick. 

The grey corners and cab doors show quite prominently in pictures of the real thing. I had to include that feature to get the character right.

:)

A recent addition to the locomotive roster at Newton Broadway is the Hornby Huntley & Palmers Peckett W4 saddle tank. I needed it like I need a hole in the head (I may already have one or two of those!), but it is a very attractive little model, and a couple came up at very reasonable prices in a local model shop, so my friend Doug and I both lashed out and bought one each. Doug got the green MSC version.

We both fitted them for DCC; Doug by hard-wiring a DCC Concepts nano decoder into his, mine with a TCS M1 decoder wired to the 'looping' plug to utilise the existing 4-pin connectors (why did Hornby have to invent a non-standard interface?). Running on both DC and DCC is exemplary, being smooth, slow and controllable, and also powerful. Mine has been happily hauling 15 wagons around, while Doug's was hauling 12 on his gradients.






I managed to dislodge and lose the plastic whistle on mine while fitting the decoder, while Doug only bent his! I crudely turned up a replacement for mine out of a piece of brass wire, using a Dremel and some files. It's not accurate, but at normal viewing distance it passes muster.




Yesterday, I got brave and weathered the Peckett, although only with some weathering powder for now. The effect can be wiped off or added to later, if I think it needs adjustment. I think it looks alright, with the bright colours toned down a little but not lost.

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