4mm Jan's 4mm WB: Hello, Old Friend

[2996 Victor]

I've based the panel on an N19

Not sure if you've seen this thread on "the dark side" but it may be of interest

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Not sure if you've seen this thread on "the dark side" but it may be of interest

Cheers,
Mark

Hi Mark
Thanks. I’d not seen that; RMWeb is not the best site for my iPhone. And even logged in, I get pop up videos… so I tend to avoid it.

There are certainly a bunch of variations in Larkin Volume 2. I must admit I’d not considered the dark grey; certainly the ones I’m using are a much lighter grey - the black panel shows up very easily. And I’m sticking with the non-painted interior; I figure that a lot of the paint wouldn’t have lasted long!

Thanks again

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Buried Treasure
Another day, another eBay. There wasn’t much wrong with this ABS Flat Twin; the only issue was that there was a slight bow in the side members of one of them that meant the ‘floor’ didn’t fit properly.

In taking it up, I broke it, so am having to replace it. I think it might be Slaters embossed Plastikard, so I’ve ordered some to see. In the interim, I though I’d try and replicate something from 20 thou plain.


What was interesting to me was the level of work revealed after I’d subjected the wagon to some Phoenix Precision Paint Superstrip - tough stuff that copped with the rattlecan black easily, but is still not tough enough to take off the grey from the whitemetal.


After the bath, there’s a lovely depth of detail revealed. The underfloor is brass, and serves as a mounting plate for the MJT rocking units (and is also soldered to the wagon sides and ends which nixes any chance of reworking the outward bow). The brake safety loops are thin strips of NS. The buffers are sprung.

Someone went to a lot of trouble to get this kit right, and restoring it is going to be both an honour (certainly) and a pleasure (I hope!). The one thing the previous builder didn’t do was number and letter them. I shall probably have to get something custom made from Railtec.

I believe this to be a LNER Dia. 164. Of the three modified open wagon variants, Tatlow V4 has some details on them, but the running numbers at unknown. I’ll do some more digging, but I might just make something up…

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

A worthy successor to the original, Jan

Jon

 

[Lyndhurstman]

A worthy successor to the original, Jan

Jon

Hi Jon
Thanks. I really must move on to something else.... I have more than enough wagons now!

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Happy Ending

Finished at last, the GNR Brake van sits quietly on the quayside at Watkins Wharf, waiting for someone to guide it back over the sharp access point. That bloody photographer has some questions to answer…


Google Photos tells me I started this kit back on October 2nd, 2023. It has been a learning experience (that’s what we’re here for, right?) and I don’t think I’d have finished it without the excellent support of the kit designer - Tad at diagram3D. Or the support and encouragement of my online family (that includes you lot, of course

I’m not going to weather it just yet. If at all. Just because I don’t feel brave enough to. Yet.

An unbuilt D&S whitemetal kit sold at the weekend for £44 and change. I’ve seen them go for £80+ before now. So if you want something different at the back of your NE London-bound coal train, then these are very much to be considered. Especially if you model in 00.

Cheers

Jan

 

[matto21]

That looks fantastic Jan!

 

[Lyndhurstman]

That looks fantastic Jan!

Hi @matto21
Thank you. That’s very kind of you. It looks the part, I think. I’ve weighted it using a chassis weight from an RTR van (possibly Hornby Dublo); the underside is nice and flat:

… and the roof was glued on with PVA, and my own patent clamping arrangement…



Thanks again

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

You should sign these vehicles somewhere, Jan

Worth so much more than the sum of their parts. Congrats on your perseverance.

Jon

 

[Lyndhurstman]

You should sign these vehicles somewhere, Jan

Worth so much more than the sum of their parts. Congrats on your perseverance.

Jon

Hello Jon
Thank you. There’s a thought… Maybe an X for Condemned

Cheers

Jan

 

[AdeMoore]

Very nice work Jan and well worth the time it took.

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Very nice work Jan and well worth the time it took.

Thank you @AdeMoore
It hasn’t been a whole year spent on this, but at times it’s felt like it! The kit is very much a ‘starter for ten’ and I’ve gone as far as I think it’s possible with the after-market ‘souping up’ (barring compensation, but I think that might be a bridge too far.) But none of it would have been possible without the support to the evolutions from the designer.

Thanks again
Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Back To Basics: a little locomotory interlude.
Years ago (more than I care to remember), I built a 48DS… Impetus; before Judith Edge, before Hornby RTR.. Trouble was, in the intervening years, it wouldn't pull the whatchamacallit off a thingamajig, and I’d gone back and forth with drive trains and the like so much that the chassis was becoming decidedly indifferent to being my friend.. So at the weekend, encouraged by having managed to finally get something on the layout moving for the fist time in Many A Sparrows Moon, I dug this RT Models chassis etch out.



I reckon that was about an hours work. A fold up tray; none of that messing around with sides and untabbed L-shaped spacers.. The most difficult part was broaching out the bearing holes… Some 60/40 solder, and some Carr’s Red Flux. And my Hold and Fold. Lovely stuff. I did have to chase out the half etch lines with a square needle file.. The next step is the power train. RT Models recommend a Slimliner, but High Level do a Slimliner PLUS. Not sure what the difference is...

Anyway, I might try and resurrect the drive train from the current incarnation; it's not like it's done much work! It will be interesting to see if it fits... The brakes are next..

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Neat work, Jan, and glad all seems to be going swimmingly……… not trying to jinx matters

Jon

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Hi Jon

Thanks.
Whisper this: it's nice to do something away from wagons...

A little Brucie Bonus for you...

Lyndhurstman has shared 1 video with you!

www.flickr.com

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Hi Jon

Thanks.
Whisper this: it's nice to do something away from wagons...

A little Brucie Bonus for you...

Lyndhurstman has shared 1 video with you!

www.flickr.com

Cheers

Jan

Wonderful, Jan.

Loving the robust looking trackwork too.

Goes to show that strict wheel and track standards - and the skills to achieve of course - go a long way to banishing the dreaded wheel-drop

Thanks for sharing.

Jon

 

[AdeMoore]

Ah this looks interesting! Loco building soldering tips I.e. Carrs Red flux, 60/40 solder ummm got the 2nd item not the 1st. Funnily enough dug my No.5 loco out Sunday and restarted it. Fettling only soldering next.
Is there a thread on your layout?
can’t click your video link as if there is sound it will wake Mrs Ade next to me at circa 01.00hrs in the morning! Ask me how I know that .
Will do at breakfast.
Looking forward to more updates.

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Wonderful, Jan.

Loving the robust looking trackwork too.

Goes to show that strict wheel and track standards - and the skills to achieve of course - go a long way to banishing the dreaded wheel-drop

Thanks for sharing.

Jon

Hi Jon
Thanks. The (one day…) inset trackwork is probs a bit OTT, but when I built it, there was no suitable ‘check rail’ substitute. Examples do exist of this method if construction in the prototype. There’s another 2 boards of it behind the camera (and several but left over from where I reworked the trackplan a few years ago!)

Cheers

Jan

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Ah this looks interesting! Loco building soldering tips I.e. Carrs Red flux, 60/40 solder ummm got the 2nd item not the 1st. Funnily enough dug my No.5 loco out Sunday and restarted it. Fettling only soldering next.
Is there a thread on your layout?
can’t click your video link as if there is sound it will wake Mrs Ade next to me at circa 01.00hrs in the morning! Ask me how I know that .
Will do at breakfast.
Looking forward to more updates.

Hi @AdeMoore
Thank you. No; Watkins Wharf Wagon Works doesn’t have a layout thread. It’s hoped it will; I’ve been compiling (concocting) a faux history of the company based on research of real life examples and local social history, but at the moment, it’s all notes on a page. Amongst other things. my vision also needs ModelU to make a tea trolley, to give Beryl something to do

Believe me, the video is not worth the potential marital friction I put the brakes on the chassis last night. Not straightforward, and I’ll need to revisit them to align them better, but it was good to get something positive out of the day (work sucks).

Thanks again

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Hi Jon
Thanks. The (one day…) inset trackwork is probs a bit OTT, but when I built it, there was no suitable ‘check rail’ substitute. Examples do exist of this method if construction in the prototype. There’s another 2 boards of it behind the camera (and several but left over from where I reworked the trackplan a few years ago!)

Cheers

Jan

I recall reading something about this type of continuous check rail on the late Peter Johnson’s Canada Street (the later layout bearing the name), but I could be wrong?

Jon