4mm Polsarrett: BR(S) N Cornwall Clay, The Final Countdown

[Pencarrow]

Chris, Do you have a link or part No for the taller Trees please? I've looked on the Modellnature site, but it's not an easy one to follow, and they look like about 18 Euros each on there.

Hi Andy

They are direct from MBR, Polish company recommended by many. Archiwa Drzewa liściaste - SKLEP MBR

I ordered Beech: Archiwa Buk - SKLEP MBR and

Oak: Archiwa Dąb - SKLEP MBR



The tallest is a 18-22 Beech. The others are all 12-16cm size.

Of you pay by bank transfer you get 10% off. Keep the order less than £120, or whatever the limit is, and import issues don't seem to hinder delivery or incur extra UK charges. The £/€ exchange rate benefits us at the moment.

 

[Andy P]

I bought a few odd ball 18- 22 ish ones of unknown origin at the Sutton Coldfield Show a few years ago for £8 each, and I thought they were expensive, how times have changed.
Yours look better for being all together I think, and probably a better make, mine are in the corner behind the Church and down by the Pub.

 

[gwrrob]

The wagon in the siding is the new Rapido SECR 5 plank, and very nice it is too...

Although not cheap, there is a touch and feel of quality to them.

 

[Pencarrow]

Although not cheap, there is a touch and feel of quality to them.

I think that's the big lead weight. Could be a gold ingot though, I've not looked.

 

[Pencarrow]

So today's plan was to have a tidy up and work on the level crossing gates. But...The postman delivered a parcel containing magnets (kadee uncoupling for the abuse of). That was sufficient distraction to start installing those...which required some stock getting out and a search for suitable kadees.



The above photo shows an uncoupling location. The magnets are 3mm diameter, 10mm long cylinders. 3x 3mm holes drilled next to each rail and the magnets pushed in to just below sleeper height.

I've found a load of kadees from stripping stock from a previous layout, which was good. Both yards are now a mess of stock. Much of it straight out of the box, I doubt it will be weathered in time for the first show.



Then to test the uncoupling magnets worked, I put the layout up properly and remembered that one of the servos wasn't firing. A spot of rewiring later and we could have a proper test run...which ended up in an exercise of tweak the kadee.





Then another parcel arrived by hand delivery - windows for the signal box. So after much chatting and putting the world to right, I thought a spot of lunch would be nice.



The outcome of all this is that the crossing gates didn't get done, other stuff did and I'm going to finish off the signal box next... Probably.

 

[Pencarrow]

After some initial prodding I decided that it was easier to build a signal box upper around the windows rather than try and fit windows into the laser cut card.

So...

Destruction!:


And rebirth:


So that's nothing of the original kit left...

 

[Peter Cross]

So that's nothing of the

Now that happens to me all the time.

 

[Pencarrow]

So this is what I had this morning...



And now...



Those paying attention will note that the door to the signal box has moved from being at the rear to being in the center of the side. This better matches the box at Nanstallon and was made possible by junking the remainder of the original kit.



Not an exact replica but close enough on a passing glance.

 

[Peter Cross]

I think the chimney looks undernurrished, compared to the picture.

 

[Pencarrow]

I think the chimney looks undernurrished, compared to the picture.

I have a close up of the rear and the brick count between the prototype and the model are the same. I suspect it's a Father Ted "cows" situation.

 

[Pencarrow]

Having a good play with the layout yesterday showed that, in the context of this small curvy-tracked layout, Kadees just aren't reliable enough for hands free operation. When they work well, and that's a good 80% of the time, it's a joy.

But, for the remaining 20% if the time, one or other of the couplings refuses to unlock. In the fiddle yards that's no problem, you just lift the offending wagon to uncouple. On stage they an absolute sod to uncouple without a magnet.

Tension locks look awful but mostly work but that would mean manual uncoupling. I don't think I have time to order and make Sprat and Winkles.

Not sure what to do in the time remaining.

 

[matto21]

Looking good - especially the trees and signal box!

 

[Andy P]

Do you have a Kadee No 241 Uncoupler / Spring fitting Stick, Chris?

 

[Overseer]

I have a close up of the rear and the brick count between the prototype and the model are the same.

The size of the bricks used will change the dimensions of the chimney. Historically, northern bricks were substantially larger than London bricks. I don't know where bricks in Cornwall were produced, they could be 9" northern bricks or 8" southern bricks. Under scale model bricks will also result in a skinny chimney if the bricks are counted.

 

[Pencarrow]

In other news...

 

[Pencarrow]

The original idea was to make a pocket for the windows to slide into. That failed early on when one by one they all got stuck in place. This was going to make painting fun...

Enter the signal box all boarded up ready for the 1970s...



They are very thin (10thou) boards cut to size, each with a bit of scrap plastic attached to make them easy to remove. So out with the Halfords grey primer for a quick waft and then the test to see if the idea worked...



It did! Phew. The boards are numbered and may be used again when it comes to doing the green.

 

[Pencarrow]

Part way through the paint job, the eyes have given up...

 

[NHY 581]

Jolly damn good.

 

[Pencarrow]

Jolly damn good.

There's even a lost sheep...



No1 daughter playing again...

 

[NHY 581]

Ahem..........No1 daughter......really ?