4mm An EM Workbench: Mini-Signwriting (rough)

Deve_

Member
...turns out to be a David Geen kit for an NER D.44. I know nothing about these, but whatever it was glued together with vanished at the merest whiff of cellulose thinners....anyone know anything about the NER type?

Ah, I have one of these, it came in a job lot with some other items all marked NE (some correctly, some not) and I hadn't got round to figuring out what it was.

There is no D.44 listed in LNER Wagons Vol2 (NER Ds are all bolster wagons), but the match seems to be "E/004 Diag. C.8 Sleeper Wagon" from the 2016 Geen kit list. Pages 46-47 in Vol 2, morton braked with 2 shoe brakes on one side only, split spoke wheels. Batches built 1904-1913, 860 survivors into 1947.
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
Thanks @Deve_ - I have half a notion that I've seen a model of one (by Geoff Kent, so presumably based on the real thing, but rendered in plastic sheet). Perhaps I'll do that one in BR colours , well, plain wood...

Adam
 
You put what in a footnote?

AJC

Western Thunderer
A new development from the day job with the publication of a new book on the (very long) history of the area of West Somerset around Dunster. Obviously this does include the West Somerset Railway - and a few observations on the process of transfer from BR to the combination of the PLC, and county council based on the large correspondence file on the subject held at Kew. I think these are novel, by the by - I certainly haven't seen them quoted elsewhere.

There's also masses of interesting medieval and later history (and a history of Butlin's at Minehead): Book Details - Boydell and Brewer (if anyone is really interested a discount code, BB206, gets you 25% off).

However, my proudest achievement is including the Hornby Railways catalogue in the footnotes of a serious academic work. And why's that?


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Adam

PS - oh, and the following index entry: Combine Harvester, novelty and loan of.
 
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matto21

Western Thunderer
Ah, I remember this kit from the Hornby catalogues in my youth when modelling was far simpler (but less detailed!)!

Despite never owning one, or seeing one, I used to consider these as being the pinnacle of model kit buildings available to buy, both in terms of cost and detail, and as such were out of my reach on both grounds!

I always wanted that kit of the roadside cafe!

Matt
 
LNER Tube

AJC

Western Thunderer
Anyway, back to modelling. An LNER pattern Tube. Yes, another eBay recovery, this time from a Pocket Money Kit, I think, and shot down from 7mm: Wagon Kit LNER Fitted Tube Wagon. A handsome prototype which I really like. I think @Gadgie has done the equivalent Pipe relatively recently.

Yes, I do have most of the rest of the etches! This one came with aftermarket D&S W irons: I have removed these because they're not the right pattern for a 20 ton vehicle, but they're in the 'solutions in search of an application' box for now. AMBIS, it turned out did the right pattern and they're a bit over clever being meant for three-point compensation, but with the parts designed in such a way that springing is possible and with inside bearing units supplied as well. I've used the latter and a bit of tube and wire to make a rocking axle at one end.

A good scrub later and we're ready to start sweating on all the details of which there are legion. I may be a while.

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Adam

EDIT - yes, that is a BR1C tender in the background. More of that, and the accompanying Standard 5 (a 'project', but an incredibly cheap one).
 
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73080 - Merlin

AJC

Western Thunderer
I hadn’t meant to get to this for a while, but we’ve had COVID back in the house and I’ve been looking for something mindless to do and getting the thick paint, and even thicker (and brown) varnish off this tender fits the bill. It belongs to a DJH standard 5, which ordinarily would be a bit rich for me, and is certainly a bit big! But missing a motor, a front bogie and a little battered meant a silly offer was successful. It’s 00, of course, but I have suitable carrying wheels in stock and a bogie etch came with it. Whatever, the result will be Weymouth's 73080, a 'Standard Arthur' named 'Merlin'. I suspect the civil engineer would be less than happy at its appearance on Podimore, but since I am the civil engineer, the requisite bridge over the Yeo is man enough and the curves are rather more gentle than those on the Culm Valley.

Whether I can live with the Romford drivers remains to be seen, but the loco body is very nicely done and a bottom end overhaul is not too difficult given a square rolling chassis. The tender though…

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Getting the stripper under the varnish is the first challenge. Celly thinners only softened it, Superstrip worked, to an extent, but most progress has been made by mechanical means: a blunt scalpel and cocktail sticks.

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It seems to be nicely assembled (and soldered). The other body will belong to a 2-6-0, eventually (Atlas Editions Bachmann knock-off). It's out now as the goal is to get these to the same stage before they go back in the box.

Adam
 
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Gadgie

Western Thunderer
Anyway, back to modelling. An LNER pattern Tube. Yes, another eBay recovery, this time from a Pocket Money Kit, I think, and shot down from 7mm: Wagon Kit LNER Fitted Tube Wagon. A handsome prototype which I really like. I think @Gadgie has done the equivalent Pipe relatively recently.
Yep. I just had a set of etches for the Pipe, but it turned out OK. I’m looking forward to seeing the Tube progress — I’d like to build one of these too if I ever come across an unbuilt one.
 
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AJC

Western Thunderer
Yep. I just had a set of etches for the Pipe, but it turned out OK. I’m looking forward to seeing the Tube progress — I’d like to build one of these too if I ever come across an unbuilt one.

I must admit that mine is missing a few bits - all the castings, for example (not a big deal, well, apart from the door controllers) but also the solebar brackets, whose absence is a bit of a nuisance, and 2/3 of the v hangers. All absolutely resolvable, if a bit of a faff. Still, all the bits fit and the design is quite nice.

Adam
 

Gadgie

Western Thunderer
My Pipe was also missing door controllers, but making new ones from scrap etch and tiny bits of rod was easier than I expected, just fiddly and repetitive. They are really nice kits, and it is a shame that they are no longer available in 4 mm.

Richard
 
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73080 - Merlin

AJC

Western Thunderer
Scouting around for photos of the real thing, I was slightly surprised to come across this:


The all up cost of the model will be substantially less than the £380 paid for the bit of scrap... Which reminds me, the lower cabside of the DJH model is really quite wrong. Not beyond correction though. Watch this space (but don't hold your breath). The tender is coming on, however.

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Being a Southern loco it needs a water treatment hatch, and a replacement for the DJH ladder which was a bit "Binn’s Road" for my liking.

And then the chassis, which is basically fine, now the paint has come off.

Adam
 
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AJC

Western Thunderer
Lovely work with the ladder Adam - at this rate you'll be painting next week.

The tender? Weather permitting, I hope so! The chassis doesn't need much doing to it - a new drawbar, rear coupling, that sort of thing. The loco is quite a bit more involved and depends on what the collective spares box can yield in the way of power plant, for one thing.

Adam
 
73080 - Merlin

AJC

Western Thunderer
These things grind on slowly, but the body is ready to paint and the chassis is finally free of its original finish. The key bits, including couplings at each end, are fixed in place. I’m going to replace the sieve boxes, and leave the brake rigging off until after paint.

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Note the water treatment hatch and lamp iron fittings in plastic - it’s just easier.

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Adam
 
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