Scalefour Forum

Thanks for posting that Rod - crikey, 18 years ago! I remember that, at the time, my intention was to get Coldstream up and running by 2007 - ha, bit out with that estimate! I'd forgotten that we had Dave Bradwell's (prototype?) K1 pulling my train of hoppers through Kerrin Basin. At least I've pain...

J39 is looking really good Pete. I'm following what you do to the bodywork with especial interest. I built one of Dave's chassis (apart from lubricator drive as yet) years ago and it runs really well (big Mashima 1833 in the tender with cardan shafts to a High Level box on rear axle), but I've not y...

That looks very neat indeed, and very workmanlike in the sense of everything in the right place and the right proportions. Thanks Paul. Yes, that was the "look" I was after: even though there's a decent drawing, it involved quite a bit of trial and error to get wire sizes and spring dampe...

Ha, did I say just the brake levers and guides to do?? Turned out to be very fiddly. The brake lever guide provided in the kit was completely the wrong shape (well, not the guide itself but the way in which it is attached to the wagon body). Luckily it is shown on the drawing in Tatlow, and I was ab...

I've note posted anything for a while, but I've been making steady progress over the last few weeks, in between taking advantage of the amazing weather. Most of the fiddly bits are now done: brakes, brake cross-shaft, safety loops, axleboxes and springs, new spring hangers and brackets, rivetted pla...

Looking forward to seeing this D17 develop - I may do one some day though it''s a bit early for me really. I know you haven't started your wagon thread yet, but for your Daigram 92 6-plank opens, get yourself some of Dave Bradwell's etched LNER AVB underframes which can be built either with steel or...

Haven't done much in the last couple of weeks, as the weather's been so nice. Before that though I did some work on some of the more fiddly bits. Drilled the buffers ready for springing, and made up 18 lashing rings: 20200403_174939_50pc.jpg Fabricated an approximation to the brake shoes/hangers. It...

Yesterday I used the lathe to turn down 26 Gibson short handrail knobs to remove the flange and these were soldered into holes to be used for the lashing ring mounts. You may not want to know this now (!), but Alan Gibson do "shoulderless" handrail knobs, which might have saved you a job.

Chris Pendlenton described making a Bachmann/Brassmasters one in MRJ 175 - worth a look.

Nice finials! Are they available to others?

Making good progress... The main components went together fairly quickly (for me). It helped that everything fitted exactly as it was supposed to, which could have been tricky given the odd shapes and angles of these vehicles - good bit of etched design I reckon. 20200331_171227_50pc.jpg I then adde...

The curved parts slot into the three-legged parts to make cast tension-lock couplings, without the hooks. All the PMK range had them, but the etched hooks were never included. They mke good weights for vans :thumb Thanks for that. A cast tension lock never occurred to me - what a bizarre idea! I've...

It's looking good, Tim, and an interesting vehicle. How do the axleboxes compare to the prototype? I've always had to bin most of the castings in Connoisseur kits. These ones look plausible, but I'm not familiar with the prototype. You say on your announcement thread that you'd seen photos of this ...

The kit is designed to be built rigid, i.e. no springing/compensation etc. I like to spring most things and this being quite long wheelbase (18' 6") it would benefit from it I think. There are probably several ways to do it, but what I'm trying is to elongate the bearing holes (easiest done whi...

I'm going to be building this PMK/Connoiseur Models Lowmac. Ten were built by the NER between 1913 and 1922, to Diagram A2. Under the LNER, they were known as Mac-L. All of them lasted into British Railways days. 20200328_151041_50pc.jpg These castings are provided: 20200330_172210_50pc.jpg Nice to ...

Crikey, that was quick! Thanks John.

Hi, I've not posted too much on here to date, but I think I may post more in future, partly spurred on by the Socially Distanced Challenge which I've just posted my entry into. I've seen that many people have their own sub-forum under the "on My Workbench" area. This seems a good idea, but...

So, this is my entry for this challenge. I should really be getting on with the layout, and trying to finish off the numerous projects which are already on the go, but I need very little excuse to start another wagon, so..... 20200328_151041_50pc.jpg It's described as an LNER Lowmac-L, which indeed ...

Aquarium sand? (just avoid the lurid blue colours!)

Some time ago, I came across a photo (somewhere on the web) of Kelso with what I'm pretty sure were two MR cattle vans in the background. I can't find it again now (I'll have another look later), but I seem to remember it was mid-fifties. Found the picture now: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8818202...

Some time ago, I came across a photo (somewhere on the web) of Kelso with what I'm pretty sure were two MR cattle vans in the background. I can't find it again now (I'll have another look later), but I seem to remember it was mid-fifties.

This will be a very interesting project - I've always thought that Reedsmouth would make a fabulous layout. Good luck with it. I converted a Bachmann D11/2 a few years ago. After some deliberation I left the gears in place. Haven't had any problems with it in that respect (the tender is currently de...

Doug, you got the J71 and J77 mixed up. The first picture (68724) is a J72, the second (68232) is a J71 and the third (68395) is a J77. Yes, they do look quite similar but there are several detail differences. Lovely models!

Thanks for that John - I'll keep a look out for the Rumney bits. Regarding the ironwork, I did zoom in to see whether it was there, but couldn't quite tell from the photo, which does rather beg the question of whether it's actually necessary! I've done 5 of these (also with Bradwell underframes as y...

Very nice wagons! Re. your LMS D2039 van: do Rumney Models do a detailing kit for LMS van bodies? I haven't be able to find it on the website, or is it a very new product that hasn't made it on to there yet? Not wishing to be picky, but have you added the extra ironwork at each end of the diagonal b...