Hi Rob, yes speakers, 40 x 20 x 9 as recommended by Digitrains.

I got a pack of blacktack while I was at it.  This is similar to bluetack but quite a bit stronger.

I have read that speakers do need to be sealed in their housing to get good sound.

The PVA I've used sets rock hard.  I have been using some Tacky Glue for sticking turnout timbers to templates, this is similar to PVA but dries slightly rubbery and peels off.

John

Thanks John,
I have only recently become aware of Black tack - since reading up on DCC articles after having a few problems. I may have to invest in some.

In my experience watered down PVA's seem to set like concrete but the thicker stuff remains rubbery - or I have just been lucky.

Maybe you and I aren't talking about the same PVA.  Artists matte looks a lot like PVA but sets a bit rubbery.

I plan to use Tacky Glue to stick foam roadbed and track down, it might keep the noise down.

John

Hi John,
You are probably right - thick pva is sold over here as water based superglue and branded tacky glue.

Tacky Glue:

Robot or human?

John

Flamin' 'eck, I installed the Cl 08 decoder and speaker today.  What should have been a 10 minute job turned into a marathon.

Turns out I got the speaker leads touching so no sound.  I wanted to peek under the circuit board to see what I'd done but then I noticed a broken wire.  The wire wasn't long enough to get a grip to strip it.  Long story short, I ended up rewiring the CB and everything works now. 

Unfortunately the tiny pads on the decoder for stay alive came adrift after soldering - should have used fine wires and soldered the SA to those.  Drat!

I'm thinking decoder installation in the J50 will be easier since there's no CB.

John

Lucky break, John.

Normally if you touch the speaker leads together, the amp is "Out to Lunch."    

Fortunately no sparks or smoke  :roll:.

John

The postman handed me a box this morning containing my Class 15 loco:





Very impressive.  First impression is the weight!  There's a bag containing etched plates and a decal sheet so I'll need to have a sit down to figure all that out.

Everything works as advertised when power is applied.  I got the sound on board version with Zimo/Paul Chetter sound.

The default mode is heavy load and momentum setting is high - getting the loco moving then cutting power, it wants to keep going…and going.  There's also a light load mode selected by a function key.  In this mode the loco stops fairly quickly.

Marker lights are individually switched using function keys.  As pictured it is coded for the Royal Train, so will have to fix that.

Top marks!

John

John...do you have an operating track to use all this rolling-stock on yet??

What, are you lurking?  No I don't, I'm thinking about it.  All will come in the fullness of time.

John

What happened to the new baseboards you built a few months ago??

They're still around but I agreed to build a layout for Mike, only he's laid up so I can't progress and the basement isn't big enough for me to work on two at once.  Besides, I want to see if I can do a circuit.  It'll all have to wait a bit.

John

I got some ModelU figures today:



From left to right:

Fireman, driver leaning, and three goods guards.

I drilled their feet and stuck some wire in.  I made bases out of plastic and stuck those on filing the wire flush.  The bases are temporary and will be trimmed when it comes time to install them.

I expect the detail will become more pronounced after priming.

I decided to do the Class 15 transfers.  Anxious moments and the cabside transfers had to be redone after the first lot curled up.  I should have polished the surface.  By accident, cleaning up the old glue with car paint restorer, I got a nice shiny finish.  Apart from positional errors (and I still didn't get them perfect) the second set of transfers were fine.

I finished off with a coat of satin varnish:





I wasn't sure about the OLE flashes and discovered they began to be added around 1960.  This would have been completed quickly because of the safety implications.

Also primed the crew figures:



John

What an energetic lad I've been.  I decided to take the J50 in hand some while ago and started the process of preparing sound decoder and speaker.

I finished the decoder install today and oooh! it all works, I am 'appy.   :pathead






While I was at it, I replaced the naff couplings with a Parkside set.  There was a nasty vacuum pipe fitted but these J50/3 engines were all steam braked and fitted with 3 links.

I also made a reversing lever which is inside the tank cutout.

While the body was off I decided to make a start on the weathering.  I airbrushed light coats of earth and black on the chassis and lower half of the body.  I then airbrushed light coats of dirt and black on the top.

Still work to do, the windows want a clean for a start.  There's powdering to do as well.  I'll have go with making the rods look a bit better.  I'll give them a clean and try some gun blue on them.

Toot toot!   :chicken

John

Nice job, John.   :thumbs

I continued to work on the weathering of the J50:







All very subtle I think.  I scrubbed the rods clean after my last post and tried gun blue.  I got no reaction at all.  I also tried chemical black with the same non result.  I used a thin brown wash in the end.  I'm open to suggestions about improving the appearance of the rods.

For the rest, umber and black powders mostly rubbed off with my fingers.  Grey powder was lightly applied under and around the smokebox door to simulate ash residue.

Brakes got rust powder followed by black.

I used a brown wash on the top.

Finally I finished with matte varnish.  Note the windows are clean.  I used window cleaner to get rid of the acrylic overspray and made circular round plastic masks to prevent the matte varnish from getting on.

John

More chicken dancing today  :chicken  The long awaited Dapol LMS 3F Jinty arrived:

Just as it comes out of the box.



I'll have to address the bent lamp bracket.  I also noticed that the coupling spring is very weak, must look at replacing it.  The chimney seam looks a bot too pronounced.  All first impressions.



The cab is nicely detailed.



I am soooo pleased with this.  It is currently DC and as such it runs very smoothly.  Paul Chetter has announced a sound file for this but it is not quite ready.  I think it's worth waiting.

John

It looks good John. 
I cancelled the one that I had ordered, purely because my enjoyment is in the building.