2mm Matt's 2mm tribulations.

[Matt.S.]

Couple of distractions recently including some great canoeing...

Finally however, these four are wrapped up - excluding buffers which are on order prior to paint.

Which gives me a nice rake of ex GW mermaids (I'll be doing some clasp brake BR ones in time...)

For my next trick I've elected to start a BR and LMS pair of D2026 CCTs.

 

[Matt.S.]

The Harris kits often require good attention to the basics and a methodical approach, unlike many of the assoc kits where one may be a little more creative.

The CCT is no exception. Prior to folding, all folds are scored to assist with a sharp edge. The body is then folded up with care to ensure the bottom and sides are truly square around the windows in the floor. The partition fitted, then partition and ends soldered.

At this point the body top must sit on the partition, flush with the sides and inside the ends which requires the ends to be soldered perfectly flush and the tiniest etch cusp scraped back.

These two are pending fettling - I was a touch distracted by the IMechE president discussing HSTs on Zoom.

 

[Matt.S.]

Far too much fettling later the top panels are flush, chassis folded up, bearings soldered in and both united using spare bearings as dowels.

Sadly one axle seems to have one hole reamed low, the other high which will need some attention next week.

 

[Matt.S.]

Sadly the beach weather didn't last, a cold front heading north caught us.


The BR build ply ends were easy enough - plenty of tinning.

The planked LMS ends however require reversing the steelwork, using the marks in the etch as a guide to location.

Which went pretty well, ends sweated on and I decided to put the iron away for my own good.

 

[Matt.S.]

Which meant folding solebars and strapping. Neatly the solebar abd it's bottom flange fold 180 from the strapping to give daylight in all the right brackets.

Which tucks up using the locating tabs ready for sweating on.

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Lovely work, Matt. They fold up nicely, but I note your comments about enhanced fettling.

Cheers

Jan

 

[John57sharp]

Very nice work indeed.

john

 

[Matt.S.]

Thanks gents, probably fair to say cleaning up a little etch cusp here and there goes a long way in such a small size. The Harris mineral bodies almost click together if you get it right - the kits are pretty well thought out, the designer's interest in building the things shines through.

 

[Matt.S.]

Mojo's taken a battering recently - seems to be one step forward and a couple back when I sit down to model.

Still, framing on, everything off, eventually everything stayed on.

Doors sweated on, wonky ones redone a few times, then onto the door edge strips with hinges to fold and sweat onto the door panels.


Next up fettling forty framing parts - this might call for something stronger than tea!

 

[Matt.S.]

Slight disruption to progress whilst the MIL is over from the UK - I'm sure the bike needs little introduction here...

...fairly sure Burt was a little less that my 6'10 though.

 

[Matt.S.]

And a short walk to the world's southernmost railway tunnel... a tim tam to anyone other than Brian M who knows where it is...

 

[Lyndhurstman]

And a short walk to the world's southernmost railway tunnel... a tim tam to anyone other than Brian M who knows where it is...View attachment 207630

Ah… the world’s fastest Indian And that’s Tunnel Hill in the Catlins.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Matt.S.]

Well, it's been a while... finally scraped up enough mojo to get out to the shed after a solid two months of real trains.

Cautious that I didn't want to mess up the cct framing I fabricated two missing ribs for the plate started last year and hit it with a quick primer coat.


Mojo rising I decoded it was time to face a Harris mineral... as a minfit! Photos scrutinised, two hours later we have most of the fiddly bits ready to drop in place next session...

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Ah… you’ve gone full-on self-torture mode with a MINFIT. All that gubbins in so little a space. Nicely done.

Cheers

Jan

 

[Matt.S.]

Thanks Jan - ironically this variation was one that I'd convinced myself wasn't for modellers like me, but with a little care it's not really put up much of a fight!

 

[Joe's Garage]

Still amazed that this is 2 mm FS Matt, very nicely done.
Cheers Julian

 

[Matt.S.]

Thanks Julian, I still maintain that it's not as hard as it looks!

MINFIT ready for the paint shop, I decided to crack on with two MDO wagons. Stephen has helpfully provided bits for diag 1/119 and 1/120 so one of each is in order.

(Yes that wonky bit of framing has been corrected, no of course I didn't notice until putting this up).

 

[Matt.S.]

Once again the last days of summer and a poorly other half put paid to small progress. Good views from Mt Holdsworth though.
A lathe arrived which should help me be a little more self sufficient over the coming years.
The MINFIT is in the priming pile, the MDVs took a bit of cusp fettling to fit the brake gear but are both on the home straight.

Today was rounded off with some more experimenting with the paints that are stocked here. Citadel Tuskgor Fur as faded bauxite and Vallejo paints for planking.

Next time, we'll be back in the world of the LMS/BR CCT...

 

[Matt.S.]

MINFIT primed, the MDV pair are just missing the safety loop and #2 wheelset pull rod...

 

[Matt.S.]

The arrival of a significant package of decals from CCT has triggered a lot of glossing (ak interactive) and some base colours inside the steel fleet (tamiya nato and red browns).

The conflats are a good challenge before the mermaids...