Scalefour Forum

So, remember when I said it was unlikely that there would be any more progress on the this layout, well...

One of the reasons I stopped was that it would have needed different locos to the South Pelaw layout as it would have been steam based. Today I had a bit of an epiphany, what if I was to make the layout a what if...

1. The local coal mines stayed open until the late 1970s.
2. As a result of this, more maintenance space was required and, as a result the existing shed was demolished and replaced with a newer structure.

This enables me to run locos and stock that will still be available for South Pelaw. So, suitably enthused, a trip to the local model shop and a few hours work this evening and the left hand end of the layout now looks like this:

Trees that form the scenic break to the left hand fiddle yard.





Embryonic maintenance building.

Still early days but I'm starting to like the photo opportunities this layout is going to give (and, yes, I know that the last wagon is post TOPS and the loco pre TOPS )

I've painted the shed and made a start on the weathering, details such as gutters and downpipes still to be added.

Looking good John.......what corrugated material do you use?
Rob

Cheers Rob, the sides are Wills Asbestos sheet and the roof is Wills Corrugated Iron.

John

The shed roof has now been weathered, I still have to add the guttering down pipes and some other details.

Couldn't resist a short video of 08671 passing the shed with a short train of 16T coal wagons:



The observant among you will notice that the coupling rods need to be painted (they are Brassmaster's replacements for the originals) and that the brake gear still needs to be refitted.

John

John Donnelly wrote:Cheers Rob, the sides are Wills Asbestos sheet and the roof is Wills Corrugated Iron.

John

Thanks John.
The video looks good...
Rob

Your inspirational photos and video have got me thinking again about 21 ton hoppers.

For welded hoppers, I've been building Parkside bodies. I've built some Rumney Models underframes, which really are superb, but I've also modified some Parkside chassis using Dave Bradwell springing plates. The Parkside underframes lend themselves to springing because they have separate axle boxes, making it easy to elongate the holes for the bearings to produce a vertical slot.

For rivetted hoppers, I had assumed that I'd use the Parkside body and the Dave Bradwell clasp underframe. However, the Hornby wagons are very good, and until recently were available very cheaply. As bought, I think that they represent the first batch built of 500 built by Hurst Nelson for the LNER, but with work to the handrails can be made to represent later lots. I am just not convinced about springing the chassis. I don't think that I could produce a neat vertical slot in the w irons to guide the bearing, with the axles remaining perfectly parallel. I have been tempted to wonder whether, in spite of their 12' wheelbase, I could get away without any springing, as long as they were sandwiched between other wagons that were sprung.

Are your Hornby hoppers sprung, or indeed compensated? If not, what have been your experiences in getting them to stay on the track?

Best wishes
David

dmsmith wrote:
Are your Hornby hoppers sprung, or indeed compensated? If not, what have been your experiences in getting them to stay on the track?

Funny you should ask as I've just started testing them on the layout and so far, if I'm honest, not great. At the minute, all I've done is swap the wheels and thinned the brake gear to clear the wheels. At least one of them has quite a pronounced wobble and some of the other are going to require more fettling to the brakes. That's as far as I've got so far.

The Parkside kits I've built so far run fine with no springing as do a couple of Dapold that I've just done wheel swaps on. I do have a number of Bradwell's chassis to build to put under modified Dapol bodies.

John

[img]

dmsmith wrote: I've also modified some Parkside chassis using Dave Bradwell springing plates. The Parkside underframes lend themselves to springing because they have separate axle boxes, making it easy to elongate the holes for the bearings to produce a vertical slot.

David

I've used some Dave Bradwell springing plates on the Hornby Hopper. The chassis is solvent friendly so after thinning the rears (insides) of the W irons and enlarging holes in the rear of the axle boxes I glued on some hornguides made from plasticard strip. Bearings were Exactoscale wasted due to their coning depth. These bearings have not been available for a few years. Lets hope the change in ownership brings about new stocks.
Works OK but as ever the main problem is getting some decent weight into the wagon.

The pics probably explain things better than me.




In the top photograph the modified chassis from a current Hornby 21t hopper is sat on and early Airfix/Dapol/Hornby body just for the duration of taking the photo.

John, I notice the crippled 08 has been able to throw away its crutch at last.

Hth,
P

Cheers for the info Paul.

Yes, Rick has worked his magic and the running is now pretty much flawless, the only addition I'm considering now is a stay alive capacitor.

No doubt see you tomorrow...

John

Thank you both for your replies. I thought that a 12' unsprung/uncompensated wheelbase might be unrealistic. I had wondered about adding plasticard horn guides to ensure that the Dave Bradwell springing plates stayed vertical and parallel, and am very pleased to hear that it works. I hadn't realised that the pinpoint Exactoscale bearings were no longer available. That's quite a loss. I've been slowly using up the stock that I bought some time ago, but do need more. I might try some parallel axles and bearings because, in my experience, the springing plates don't need to be so far apart, which will presumably mean that the w-irons won't require so much thinning.

Thank you!
David

Pelton Level went in the skip at the weekend.

Whilst it functioned very well in terms of the track, point control etc. but, having played, sorry operated, with it a few times, unfortunately, it just didn't 'work' as a layout...

What could be saved has been so onwards and upwards.

John

Sorry to hear that, but the experience will always be good for building the next one.

In my case, the layout threatens to throw me in a skip, not the other way around.

That's a shame. I have always been inspired by this P4 plank/layout due to the high quality modelling and atmosphere. Seems everyone is ripping up their layouts, mine got ripped up recently in favour of another too.

Exactoscale pinpoint wagon axles no longer available? But they were my absolute favourite.
I got a few left with wheels to put on but...Waaaahahahaaaaaaa.