Cookie's Workbench - 7/8ths Alan Keef K40

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JimG

JimG

Western Thunderer
Jordan said:
There are a couple of makers of S Scale US-outline trains as well, but prices tend to compare to or even exceed O Scale, not helped by the cost of importing, so I can resist temptation there...
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American Models are quoting $175 for something like a GP9 which would probably translate to £175 over here, which isn't too bad when compared with prices of some of our higher end 4mm scale RTR models. I've got one of their GP9s and it is really quite a good model with good, accurate basic detail. You can gild the lily with additional detailing if you wish and finish up with a very accurate model.

If you really want some hefty prices, look at a Fleischman H0 catalogue. :)

Jim.
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
I have a GP9: cost me about £90 some years ago.
I also have an SW9 and some freight cars (mostly box cars suitable for Maine in the 80s).

All available to anyone tempted... ;)
 
Jordan

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Simon Dunkley said:
All available to anyone tempted... ;)
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rolleye0012.gif la-la-la I'm not listeninnnnnnng...... rolleye0012.gif

JimG said:
If you really want some hefty prices, look at a Fleischman H0 catalogue.
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Oh I made that mistake years ago, with Fleischmann N Gauge... drooled over a catalogue I got hold of, then nearly fell over backwards at the prices in my then-local (and now long gone) model shop..!! £35 for one loco :eek: when OO locos were about a tenner....:rolleyes:
 
Steve Cook

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
A bit more work on the diorama. Its had a few shades of weathering powders added, some of which were taken off again and some of which were soaked with water to darken them up a touch. It looks a bit more brown than the previous photos which is what I wanted, whilst gaining a slighty 'dusty' effect.

First up is a slightly harsh photo taken in direct sunlight where the low sun angle shows off the sleeper grain and colour variations

Up Close3.JPG

And lastly, a black and white shot because I liked it.
Thatll Do.JPG

There are just two remaining jobs to do - paint the outside edging (I ran out of paint so the back bit you can't see is still bare) and build some stock to put on it :)
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
It's very nice, Steve, but there seems to be no hint on the underlying formation and consequent cess either side of the ballast, which to me is a more obvious thing than the amazing work you have done with the chair keys. (Mad? No, but you will be!)

A general diagram was on the previous version of RMWeb:
cess1.jpg

Many single track lines had land bought and formation made up for double track, which you can clearly see in this picture of the EWJR near Stratford (and look at the height of the ballast!):
smjsa32.jpg

The exact width of the cess seems to vary, and I have a suspicion that it has increased over the years - several GER branch lines had a formation of 28', for example.

It looks like you may have just enough width for a narrow cess either side: get the trimmers out, and apply the finest ballast you can find!
 
Steve Cook

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Simon Dunkley said:
...stuff....
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Why would I be mad? Interested to see that your eyes prioritise something different to mine, yes, but mad...no. It might not be prototypically correct, but I built it because it was fun, I got to try out some new ideas and techniques and have been left with something useful. I'll settle for that.

As for modifying it, er, no. It is (bar paintwork on the edging) finished to a standard that suits me and my use of it. I'll bear your observations in mind for the next time and will no doubt learn from what you have posted above, but for now, there are other things to do :)
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
Steve Cook said:
Why would I be mad? Interested to see that your eyes prioritise something different to mine, yes, but mad...no. It might not be prototypically correct, but I built it because it was fun, I got to try out some new ideas and techniques and have been left with something useful. I'll settle for that.
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Mad as in, driven to distraction if cropping the keys for a layout worth of chairs... That's all.
As for modifying it, er, no. It is (bar paintwork on the edging) finished to a standard that suits me and my use of it. I'll bear your observations in mind for the next time and will no doubt learn from what you have posted above, but for now, there are other things to do :)
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I did open by saying it was very nice, and it is.

BTW, when I built Sulgrave Manor, I didn't make my cess wide enough either!
 
Jordan

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Steve Cook said:
As for modifying it, er, no. It is (bar paintwork on the edging) finished to a standard that suits me and my use of it. I'll bear your observations in mind for the next time and will no doubt learn from what you have posted above, but for now, there are other things to do :)
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Just leave the rail heads painted rusty, and spread lots more weeds over all the track - job done!! :D
 
Steve Cook

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Simon Dunkley said:
Mad as in, driven to distraction if cropping the keys for a layout worth of chairs... That's all.
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Understand :oops: Despite reading it a few times, I thought that you thought I would be mad for you pointing out my erm, mishap. Key wise, could I cope with doing a layouts worth...don't know. I know it depends on the layout (East Lynn size - sod that :D) but something a bit smaller, maybe - just on the viewing side perhaps....
I did open by saying it was very nice, and it is.
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Ta
BTW, when I built Sulgrave Manor, I didn't make my cess wide enough either!
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Have to say I didn't notice when I played with it in its 'new' guise :oops:
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
Steve Cook said:
Have to say I didn't notice when I played with it in its 'new' guise :oops:
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Well, it's a sort of "I'll get my anorak," type of detail, and so few layouts do it properly, that it probably looks wrong to most railway modellers!
 
Steve Cook

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
[jesse's diets] This week, I 'ave been mostly swearing [/jesse's diets]

Well, swearing, grumbling, using the scrap bin and generally getting annoyed anyway :oops: . Partly as a bit of practise for when I get round to building something in S, but mainly for a future project, I thought it was time to try and build some pointwork and learn how to make all of the relevant components (switch blades, vee's, wing rails etc). Previous efforts have been limited to using pre-made crossings and switch rails - they turned out OK apart from the tiebars which I just couldn't get right. In the end they were sold as works in progress and I've concentrated on building things that don't need turnouts :D

The pair of b*ggers which have caused me grief this week are a B6 curved RH turnout and a Y turnout with effectively a B6 LH road and a B8 RH road, both of them to EM standards.

Curved B6 and LHB6RHB8_forum.JPG

Possibly not the most sensible of things to start with as neither have a straight stock rail, they've provided an 'interesting' challenge and proved that I need a lot more practise! Being EM and constructed on copper clad sleepers, they have been quite forgiving of lots of adjustments and tweaking which plastic chaired / wooden sleepered track would be less tolerant of.

I still struggled like hell to get the tie bars right (using copper clad strip), so following some advice from JimG, the lower turnout in the photo has had 0.9mm wire soldered to the switch rails (pointing downwards) ready to go into a tie bar below the baseboard. Cosmetic tiebars fromC&L have also been soldered between the switch rails. The curved turnout is waiting for the same treatment, I just want to make a jig using the first turnout to try and keep everything the same and hopefully avoiding the need to make the under baseboard tiebars specific to each unit.

A day off tomorrow to talk and play with big trains, then back to it on Sunday - hopefully I can finish turnout 2, get the filler applied where the sleepers have been gapped and drop them in primer, steel rail rusts like a good'un with Carr's Green label flux!
 
Steve Cook

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Doddle is my first Gauge 1 live steam engine, bought secondhand as a partially completed kit (although I've now stripped it down for a rebuild as seen here)

Meet Doddle

Doddle mechanically stripped.JPG

Doddle meets Mr Nitromors on the kitchen table

Doddle meets Nitromors.JPG

Mr Nitromors friend, Mr Blowtorch, joined the party, poor Doddle :D

Doddle meets blowtorch.JPG
 
Jordan

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Steve Cook said:
Meet Doddle....
Doddle meets Mr Nitromors on the kitchen table...
Mr Nitromors friend, Mr Blowtorch, joined the party, poor Doddle :D
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Mr Cook spills Mr Nitromors on the kitchen table, and also burns it with Mr Blowtorch...

Meet Mrs Cook.
Mrs Cook finds new applications for Mr Nitromors and Mr Blowtorch....

Poor Mr Cook...

:eek: :D :))
 
Steve Cook

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Jordan said:
Mr Cook spills Mr Nitromors on the kitchen table, and also burns it with Mr Blowtorch...

Meet Mrs Cook.
Mrs Cook finds new applications for Mr Nitromors and Mr Blowtorch....

Poor Mr Cook...

:eek: :D :))
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Love it :)):thumbs:

Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) there is no Mrs Cook, which is why the Nitromors was done on the kitchen table - don't want to risk messing up the workbench :D
Mr Blowtorch is a garage based activity though, I'm not that mad...
Steve
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
Great to see Tony's old "Doddle"coming to the top of the "to do" pile, I look forward to seeing what you "tweak" as you go back through the build. If you're short of prototype information then let me know, I have access to a good photocopier for the last time next week:eek:

I won't start fretting about the one sitting in my shed until you get back to where you were, at which point we will both be at the same point in the build.

Terrifying to think how long ago it was that I last worked on it....

Simon
 
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