Hunslet Works in 7mm

[Andy Ross]

Hello

For several years I have been working on a models of Hunslet works. This includes a section of the interior of the boiler and erecting shop.
Until recently I had spent time designing and making a large number of assemblies and parts. There were some small mock ups made to see if things worked such as the cranes but it was all very slow. Just before Christmas a good friend Peter Kirmond broke off his York project and made the two baseboards.

Since then a lot of the main building has come together and I thought it may be of interest to members on this site.

The photos below were taken at York Show at Easter.








As I have progressed with the project I have embraced new technology and in the last year I have bought a 3d printer which has solved lots of issues such as making engines and transmissions for locomotives and even dummy frames for smaller locos such as the Snowdon Mountain Railway Diesl locomotives.

The photos below were taken a few weeks ago with a lot more progress on the roof structure and more recently the adding on of the wheel shop.










I have also purchased a small Diode laser and this is proving to be very useful.

I was not sure if t would do brickwork etc but we have done some test pieces and it works both on plywood and MDF.



Same loco below just a bit further down yard.



First go with laser on MDF for retaining wall.



If no one has any objections I will add to this as the layout develops.

Also if you would like to see it, I am taking it down to LarkRail on the 15th July.

Andy

 

[adrian]

Thats really impressive - I like the detailing on the structure and cranes - will they be operational?

I have also purchased a small Diode laser and this is proving to be very useful.

I was not sure if t would do brickwork etc but we have done some test pieces and it works both on plywood and MDF.

Another alternative I found useful with my laser cutter. I cut the framework out in mdf with no detail but then for the brick detail I used oiled manilla card and etch the detail on that. I then stick it to the mdf frame after cutting - I prefer the surface finish of the card after etching the detail compared to the results on mdf or plywood.

 

[Andy Ross]

Hi

The cranes do work and we can wheel a loco just like we used to do it.

 

[Osgood]

Was following your adventures elsewhere for a while with great interest.
So much work in those delicate roof trusses, but so worth the effort!

 

[John57sharp]

That’s a really interesting model you’ve got there, be great to see much more of it on here. Brilliant!

John

 

[simond]

That’s a pretty impressive first post!

looking forward to seeing more of this model.

 

[SimonT]

The cranes do work and we can wheel a loco just like we used to do it.

Video Rossi, video!!

 

[David Hall]

Hello

For several years I have been working on a models of Hunslet works. This includes a section of the interior of the boiler and erecting shop.
Until recently I had spent time designing and making a large number of assemblies and parts. There were some small mock ups made to see if things worked such as the cranes but it was all very slow. Just before Christmas a good friend Peter Kirmond broke off his York project and made the two baseboards.

Since then a lot of the main building has come together and I thought it may be of interest to members on this site.

The photos below were taken at York Show at Easter.

View attachment 188797


View attachment 188799

View attachment 188800

As I have progressed with the project I have embraced new technology and in the last year I have bought a 3d printer which has solved lots of issues such as making engines and transmissions for locomotives and even dummy frames for smaller locos such as the Snowdon Mountain Railway Diesl locomotives.

The photos below were taken a few weeks ago with a lot more progress on the roof structure and more recently the adding on of the wheel shop.



View attachment 188801


View attachment 188802

View attachment 188803

I have also purchased a small Diode laser and this is proving to be very useful.

I was not sure if t would do brickwork etc but we have done some test pieces and it works both on plywood and MDF.

View attachment 188804

Same loco below just a bit further down yard.

View attachment 188805

First go with laser on MDF for retaining wall.

View attachment 188806

If no one has any objections I will add to this as the layout develops.

Also if you would like to see it, I am taking it down to LarkRail on the 15th July.

Andy

Wow! In a word. No objections to seeing more, in fact the opposite... I implore you to share!

Dave

 

[Andy Ross]

As Simon has requested - see some video of the cranes wheeling a loco.

Apologies for the flickering lights - this was done at the Warley club open day earlier this year and the phone had issues with the florescent lights.

At some point I will set everything up at home and video it with a better camera, but you should get the idea.

See link below

 

[Andy Ross]

Hunslet Works Update

At last I have got all the steelwork completed for the wheel shop.
As always with this type of structure it is difficult to put the roof trusses together and at the right spacing. I laser cut a couple of tools with groves is and this was a great help.



I also cut an end plate which will finish the end off and support the crane tracks. It also support the end of the roof structure. AS with half of the boiler shop roof this is totally removable.



Now this is all together it really adds to the overall structure.



Just 3 bays of north light frames to make now.

Andy

 

[Andy Ross]

Hunslet Works Update

Some more progress.

When I produced the end support wall for the wheel shop I incorporated a support for the erecting shop crane track beam. I also cut a plywood support for the opposite crane beam. This has allowed me to extend the crane track beams to the end of the baseboard along with the insulating sleeper strip and the crane rail. This now means we have the full 1.5m of crane travel.



This will give so much more operational options for the cranes.
I have also cut the roof panels for the wheel shop. This is cut from 2mm ply and is engraved on both site. The inside is to represent the insolation panels and the outside to use as guide lines for the sheeting panels. This is currently held in place with double sided tape.



The view through from the erecting shop is very convincing against originals.




If you build a wheel shop you need wheels. As most of these are to populate the shop I decided to draw some up and 3d print them.



At the moment I have done the Metre Gauge Kenya loco wheel sets and the 900mm gauge Sudan Locos. These are printed atdifferent stages of assembly to help fill the area.

I have attached the spec sheets for these two loco types for interest.





I was also having issues with the wheeling with the trailing axle with the RE4 gearbox on it dropping out after it had been wheeled. It had always been on the edge of the magnet strength. The original gearbox was made up from etches which made it quite heavy. Some time back I had drawn the casing in 3d for printing part assembled gearboxes, so I joined all the parts and added some of the details not on the original and printed the result. I have fixes this to the wheel set along with some printed file down axle boxes and it is a lot better now.






Tomorrow the plan is to get on with the last of the North Light frames.

All this will considerable add to the display for Lark Rail on the 15th July.




Andy

 

[Herb Garden]

Hunslet Works Update

Some more progress.

When I produced the end support wall for the wheel shop I incorporated a support for the erecting shop crane track beam. I also cut a plywood support for the opposite crane beam. This has allowed me to extend the crane track beams to the end of the baseboard along with the insulating sleeper strip and the crane rail. This now means we have the full 1.5m of crane travel.

View attachment 189530

This will give so much more operational options for the cranes.
I have also cut the roof panels for the wheel shop. This is cut from 2mm ply and is engraved on both site. The inside is to represent the insolation panels and the outside to use as guide lines for the sheeting panels. This is currently held in place with double sided tape.

View attachment 189528 View attachment 189529

The view through from the erecting shop is very convincing against originals.

View attachment 189526 View attachment 189527


If you build a wheel shop you need wheels. As most of these are to populate the shop I decided to draw some up and 3d print them.

View attachment 189531

At the moment I have done the Metre Gauge Kenya loco wheel sets and the 900mm gauge Sudan Locos. These are printed atdifferent stages of assembly to help fill the area.

I have attached the spec sheets for these two loco types for interest.

View attachment 189537

View attachment 189538

I was also having issues with the wheeling with the trailing axle with the RE4 gearbox on it dropping out after it had been wheeled. It had always been on the edge of the magnet strength. The original gearbox was made up from etches which made it quite heavy. Some time back I had drawn the casing in 3d for printing part assembled gearboxes, so I joined all the parts and added some of the details not on the original and printed the result. I have fixes this to the wheel set along with some printed file down axle boxes and it is a lot better now.

View attachment 189544 View attachment 189545




Tomorrow the plan is to get on with the last of the North Light frames.

All this will considerable add to the display for Lark Rail on the 15th July.




Andy

Fantastic stuff Andy!

Had the pleasure of seeing the project at York in the spring and can vouch that it's even more inspiring in the flesh.

Please do keep posting progress!

George (Herbie)

 

[Overseer]

Looks like a model worth seeing. The catalogue page for the Kenya Railways shunters reminded me I took some photographs of them on visits to Kenya. The first was at Mombasa in September 1979 when 4718 was running in undercoat, with another in the background.

 

[Andy Ross]

I started at Hunslet in 79 and the last one was just being finished off. I don’t know when the last one went from Barclays and Swindon works.

 

[Osgood]

Great avatar Andy
I recall reading somewhere it was caused by fuel not being drained from a tank prior to lifting, causing instability?

 

[simond]

Tough cab.

 

[Andy Ross]

Great avatar Andy
I recall reading somewhere it was caused by fuel not being drained from a tank prior to lifting, causing instability?

You are correct - they had lifted it of its wheels and then released the jack shaft gear box.

There are fuel tanks on the top of the footplate and these were not empty.

This made it very top heavy at this point. The lifting bracket were also very low down on the buffer beam so this did not help.

As they started to move down the shop the fuel started moving in the tanks and over it went.

I was on half day holiday when it happened so missed it. They were very lucky, if it had gone the other way it would have gone into a loco being built for Nigerian Port Authority. I am not aware of any injuries other than the crane drivers may of been jarred.

It was chocked up on timbers for weeks before it was righted. Only damage to the loco was a bent corner on the cab.

The plan is to create the scene in the model at some point.

Andy

 

[Osgood]

Almost off-topic Andy, but -

A few years back it was rumoured that Don Townsley (I believe) was preparing another Hunslet book, this time on the development of their diesels.
Do you have any idea if this is correct, and if so what the situation is?

Thanks.

 

[Andy Ross]

Almost off-topic Andy, but -

A few years back it was rumoured that Don Townsley (I believe) was preparing another Hunslet book, this time on the development of their diesels.
Do you have any idea if this is correct, and if so what the situation is?

Thanks.

Hi

Don is writing a series of books on the development of the Hunslet Diesel loco motive.

I chatted with him at our (Leeds Model Railway Society) exhibition and he is still on with this.

But he is now 90 so we will have to see were he gets to. I believe one of his sons is involved as well.

Andy

 

[Osgood]

That's good news, thanks.