Mike G's catch up.

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Mike Garwood
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Mike G's catch up.

Postby Mike Garwood » Thu May 28, 2020 12:45 pm

So I've been off work now for 3 months. Just as well to make the most of this time, as it's unlikely to come around again. A lot of unfinished projects waiting for final touches. Wagons, coaches and engines.

Starting with a very long outstanding project. Britania class 7, Western Star 70025. I've been working this on and off over 10 years. Always croping up against problems and putting it away. This time grabbed the thorn bush firmly and pushed to the end. I still have the bellows to go in and do the rims of the wheels on the pony truck. I was going to add a video of the beast moving on my plank. So a photo will have to do.

IMG_1728(1).jpg


Next was a GWR 56xx for my proposed layout of Hengoed High Level. I'd been faffing about trying to balance the engine. High level chassis. It's now had a bit of weathering.

IMG_1716.jpg


While messing about with this engine, I discovered on the shelf of shame, another 56xx chassis from Comet. So using the Brassmaster bearings and springs and using the red box this was an absolute doodle to set up. Unfortunately the only gearbox I had spare was a DJH. Sounded quiet while being run in. Put it in the body and sounds like a meat grinder. I've sent to High level for a new gearbox. Again lighlty weathered.

GWR 56xx 5625.JPG


20 odd years ago I built a pannier from a Perserverance chassis. It's never had anything added to it, not even a number. This little engine has covered more miles than any other that I own. It did all the testing on Belle Vue and all the testing on LMJ's fiddle yard. Added the number, sand box control rods and front sandboxes. Another engine destined for HHL.

IMG_1762.jpg


The other 10 year old project has been my standard class 5 from a Gibson kit. Still waiting for the gearbox for this, I still have no idea why I didn't finish it! I know it wasn't a very happy build. So here's progress to date. Painted and gloss varnish added to both engine and tender. Decals ready to go. I just need to make sure the mototr and gearbox will fit! Which is why this is on hold.

0CC54EAB-E079-4104-B3A6-4D51A2860EF2.jpg


I sold all my BR mk1's sometime ago, once I'd settled on the idea of HHL. Except one. Comet coach mk1 brake third. Just liked this one, so when Rumney models brought out their new sprung bogies I had to have a pair. They really are the dogs. Usually I can build a coach, start to finish, in a week. Then wait ages for the weather to turn so it can be painted (that's not going to be the case much longer :-D ). These aren't a quick affair, unlike the Bill Bedford sprung bogies that can be knocked out in an evening. But they are SO worth the effort. If I were building a rake of Mk1 coaches now I would add these onto the build. I really am looking forward to the LMS and GWR bogies that Justin is designing right now, briliant stuff.

IMG_1769.jpg


I also finished the GWR vans I've been whitering on about as well. Currently I'm in the middle of a HL 2251 class chassis and in between I'm trying to find out why the County that I scatch built won't go round corners without shorting!
Still loads left on the shelf of shame, but it is definately getting smaller!
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Steve Carter
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Steve Carter » Thu May 28, 2020 1:02 pm

Wow, looking good Mike :thumb

While messing about with this engine, I discovered on the shelf of shame, another 56xx chassis from Comet. So using the Brassmaster bearings and springs and using the red box this was an absolute doodle to set up.


Red box?
I’ve not come across this before Mike. Could you enlighten me please?

Thanks

Steve
Steve Carter

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45609
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby 45609 » Thu May 28, 2020 1:19 pm

Probably one of these Steve...

chas2la.jpg

...comes in a red box
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Steve Carter
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Steve Carter » Thu May 28, 2020 1:24 pm

45609 wrote:Probably one of these Steve...

chas2la.jpg
...comes in a red box


I did wonder if it was that Morgan :?:
Steve Carter

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steve howe
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby steve howe » Thu May 28, 2020 1:53 pm

That Brit. is a mighty fine beast :thumb What's its origins?

Steve

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Mike Garwood
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Mike Garwood » Thu May 28, 2020 2:44 pm

Steve
That's a DJH kit - with alot of detail added. Comet chassis, the last of the Sharman's wheels that I have, masokits sprung bogie and my own design for the sprung pony and tender. High level road runner and a 1624 up the spout. Runs sweetly, if I could upload the iphone video you could see. I must thank Morgan Gilbert for putting on the wheels....all those years ago.

Stay safe

Mike

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Andy W
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Andy W » Thu May 28, 2020 7:15 pm

Tremendous work Mike. When you replace your gearboxes do you anticipate having to change the wheels? Or do you use a wheel press?
Make Worcestershire great again.
Build a wall along the Herefordshire border and make them pay for it.

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Mike Garwood
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Mike Garwood » Thu May 28, 2020 7:31 pm

Andy

The wheels were Ultrascale on 5625. So I'm hoping they'll pull off and go back on with the wheel press. They went on dead plum - no wobble.

Mike

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45609
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby 45609 » Thu May 28, 2020 8:39 pm

Mike Garwood wrote:I must thank Morgan Gilbert for putting on the wheels....all those years ago.


Always a pleasure Mike. It was rather a long time ago. Just found this photo. From May 2014. Yes, I was surprised too. Nice result on the finished loco.

Morgan

5FC36685-3ECA-4552-B39E-D91FC95DB60F.jpeg
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Philip Hall
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Philip Hall » Thu May 28, 2020 9:42 pm

The Britannia looks great, Mike, and your output in clearing up your projects puts me to shame. But then I have also been working (for other folk) although clearly not at your pace.

I will be interested how you do the bellows between the engine and tender, because I have a Clan in my ‘sometime’ cupboard. It’s only a Hornby conversion, and also only because I won it in a raffle! However inappropriate it might be for my railway, I do quite like the idea. I prefer the look of it to a Britannia, maybe the smaller boiler changes the balance of the thing.

Will look forward to more from you, pretty soon if this lot is anything to go by...

Philip

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Horsetan
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Horsetan » Thu May 28, 2020 10:03 pm

Mike Garwood wrote:....the last of the Sharman's wheels that I have....


Unearthed a similar set of Sharman 6'2"s that I forgot I had :roll: - those crankpins were never quite long enough.
That would be an ecumenical matter.

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johndarch
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby johndarch » Fri May 29, 2020 7:35 am

I used black tissue paper. It does the job well and will lat as long as you don't make a habit of separating loco and tender. If they do get damaged, it only takes a couple of minutes to make replacements.
70018.89.jpg
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Philip Hall
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Philip Hall » Fri May 29, 2020 8:08 am

Thanks John, I hadn't thought it would be as simple as that. My engine will generally stay put so it's a useful way to go.

Philip

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Horsetan
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Horsetan » Fri May 29, 2020 11:58 am

Mike Garwood wrote:....The other 10 year old project has been my standard class 5 from a Gibson kit. Still waiting for the gearbox for this, I still have no idea why I didn't finish it! I know it wasn't a very happy build.....



Let me guess: footplate valancing not reaching to the buffer beam? Asymmetrical firebox casting sitting too low?
That would be an ecumenical matter.

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PeteT
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby PeteT » Fri May 29, 2020 12:30 pm

I discussed the Brit with Mike a week or two ago, and at that stage noted John's Brit article in the MRJ covered his bellows method - and in MRJ compendium number 1 is another. I would follow John's route.

I think the only set of Sharman wheels I have is for a Brit. The bellows are more likely to be needed here on a Standard 4 2-6-0 first, but building that isn't much further up the list than the Brit.

Good to see the progress though Mike, and will be good to see the Mk1 as it comes together!

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Mike Garwood
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Mike Garwood » Fri May 29, 2020 12:31 pm

Ivan

The valencing wasn't the problem. The problem is how to get a gearbox and motor in it. The back of the cab joins to a great slab of whitemetal for the back of the firebox - both are full height, which in turn restricts the fitting of a g/box! Fortunately, the clever people at Dremel do some very destructive grinding tools :twisted: . So all may not be lost. The cab may part ways with the firebox, but I'm hoping not!

Cl5 problem.jpg


The other solution was to put the motor in the tender, but the tender is constructed with a skeleton - so there is no clear path to the cab!

Very frustating as the model is a good representation of the prototype.

Mike
edited for photo
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Paul Willis
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Paul Willis » Fri May 29, 2020 8:55 pm

johndarch wrote:I used black tissue paper. It does the job well and will lat as long as you don't make a habit of separating loco and tender. If they do get damaged, it only takes a couple of minutes to make replacements.


John,

I just want to say what an excellent depiction of the heft of a real locomotive. That picture really does make it look as though it weighs 100 tons of brooding steel.

Thank you for posting it.

Cheers
Flymo
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
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DougN
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby DougN » Fri May 29, 2020 9:40 pm

Mike I have to echo what Paul above has stated. The loco s look great and I am interested in how you have such a great finish on them. Would on of the many highlevel gearboxes allow something to fit. It was one of my concerns with the Finney V2's if I had moved away from the portescaps that have been designed in.
Doug
Still not doing enough modelling

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Mike Garwood
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Mike Garwood » Sat May 30, 2020 10:56 am

Doug
I’ve ordered a couple of the g/boxes that have the rotating part at the bottom. I’m sure with a bit of gratuitous violence and a bit of luck it should be ok.
The finish on the Brit is down to a very Matt varnish - Trstors I think. The other engines were gloss varnished first and then I used acrylic paints to weather. Used about 14 psi on the compressor and diluted a fair bit. Then just - I hate saying the word - waft it on. But I think more air than paint would be the right way to describe it and keep the air brush moving.

Mike

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Mike Garwood
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Mike Garwood » Thu Jun 04, 2020 8:37 am

Having finished putting the springing units into the bogies it was time to mate them with the coach I'd already built.

IMG_1805.jpg


I think these have really added something to the coach and the fact that they are a scale width DOES make a difference. Looking forward to a GWR range to retro-fit.

Stay safe people, it's still out there.

Mike
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Serjt-Dave
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Serjt-Dave » Thu Jun 04, 2020 8:48 am

That looks very nice Mike. Well Done.

Keep Safe

Dave

David Thorpe

Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby David Thorpe » Thu Jun 04, 2020 9:12 am

Some lovely work there. That coach is really stunning.

DT

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johndarch
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby johndarch » Thu Jun 04, 2020 10:57 am

Great stuff Mike. It will be quite a challenge building all those bogies to retro fit earlier builds. How many coaches are we talking about? It will keep you out of mischief!

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Mike Garwood
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Mike Garwood » Thu Jun 04, 2020 4:21 pm

Hi John

B set, 2 * M set and a few strays. So twelve in total. I think it'll be worth the effort. But as they're still in development...I'll crack on with the shelf of shame. Just need some gearboxes to turn up! I've been trying to work out why my County shorts, curred that today, now it runs like a dog! Where as before it ran beautifully but was afraid of corners. There are times I hate model railways...

Mike

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Mike Garwood
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Re: Mike G's catch up.

Postby Mike Garwood » Wed Jun 10, 2020 9:40 am

So, having curred my Counties inability to turn corners without throwing a hissy fit and curred the running - this involved driving wheels off and a new motor and gearbox. So I have now exhauted all my HL gearboxes supply and am now waiting for Mr Gibbon to send more! Anyway, having curred most problems the bogie wheels decided not to turn - I did turn my plank into an obsticle race for locos, with dips and bumps eveywhere. So a new etch has been sent for which will spring the front bogie and give side control.
While that has been happening I've started the GWR 2251 class. Couple of pictures of progress to date. I've started with the tender, this is a HL chassis kit going on a Bachmann bodied engine.

IMG_1809.jpg


Taken on Monday showing a deliberate mistake...

IMG_1815.jpg


Just the rest of the brake gear to add. I really enjoy the builds from High Level, so well thought out.

Stay safe people

Mike
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