Where did that go

To begin a long overdue update I can only start with a summary of the lost 18 months, in fact far from been lost they have been relatively fruitful.

Line No 4 sat forlorn and still unpacked from its excursion to Oxford when a request for help from the Colonel Stephens Society with regard to the East Kent Railways centennial weekend in August, led to a hasty dust of and reassembly of the layout.

Although it was only required to be a static display the rogue point and offending track where replaced and hastily (spot my mistake) blended in. It was rather surreal to set up the layout in a baggage van as I wonder just how many 2mm wagons have been on rails of the lines they represent. It was a most pleasant weekend although I ended up answering more questions about the Kent Coal field than Colonel Stephens although they did recruit a new member.

More importantly for my modelling was the forming of a local area group, which meets once a month for a couple of hours. So far I have found this invaluable in educating me in techniques and ideas as well as motivation. I feel sure if I had been a member of such a group Line No4 would have been far more successful.

The fate of Line No4 after its excursion to the EKR hung in doubt after some discussion its initial future was settled by my better half who said don’t do anything other than store it in the loft. One of the main reasons for this was a failure to secure reliable traction given if you’re not sure that the locos good how do you know the tracks bad. My efforts at building a reliable chassis where going no where so time for a rethink. Obvious choice after a few false dawns was using the drop in wheel sets and “modern” traction. I spent my teens travelling on Southern EMU’s/DMU’s and have fond memories of Hastings Diesels. The real clincher was the announcement of a 4 CEP a unit I travelled in often. Domestic authorities granted planning consent for a new line and that was that although I have been seduced by a Grafar 108 which has been converted with drop in wheels and runs happily and slowly around my test Kato oval, a CEP is on order………

Don’t worry it’s not too modern it will be Green

Apologies for the rambling over long post thanks to my wonderful better half and all fellow modellers who have helped and assisted me

East Kent Railway

Colonel Stephens Society

It May Live

Well its been a long time and as usual mainly a failure on my part. The O1 stalled as I could not get the quartering right and ran the risk of inflicting immense damage on both it and me, so its put away for another day.

On the positive side have manged to get together will some fellow 2mm modellers and formed a area group based near Canterbury that is a real positive as it has helped revitalize me as with no Expo to focus me I was drifting. Watching some quality 2mm models again spured me on to a side step which should help with progress. I was never sure if Line No4 ran badly through bad workmanship, poor track laying or rubbish motive power. It was obvious that a more methodical approach was called for and to approach each in turn by establishing a known good. The longer wheelbases/multi-pick ups of Diesels / EMU worked well trouble is I don't really like many of them so a plan was hatched.

Switching the blow by blow construction details to RMweb




Test Run of No 9002 419 MLV

Apologies for the shocking Video quality was more an exercise to see how to do it.

By Jove I Think I've Got It

Well I think I have finally cracked it using my new toy ( Proxxon Milling machine ) I have managed to produce a tiebar mechanism that works appears robust ( subject to further testing) and proved relatively simple to install. The mechanism hinges on the pins as described by Geoff Jones (Dec/Jan 2009/2010) floating in a tie bar milled from square plastic rod running in plastic channel, the nut in the end is to secure the operating rod. Initial testing is very promising tomorrow I will fit a spare servo and associated electrical gubbins and conduct further testing. All in all this looks very promising although I have still to tackle the problem of the O Class’s con-rods.

Apologies to the Easitrac consortium for the dog’s dinner I made of the point but it shows how unobtrusive the Pins are.

The Business end of the mechanism

Where Did the summer Go?

Expo is long gone although my mind is still full of ideas, tips and friendship offered, I also think been between the craftsmanship of John Whitehead and the enthusiasm of Brian Hume certainly helped. Concepts that I could not grasp became clearer together with a simple solution to how to mount a Lawson motor. So what have I dome since expo well Line No 4 although still boxed together is been converted to relay point polarity switching courtesy of a MERG kit, this has been built tested and fitted although remain to be finally wired to the points. The troublesome point has had a replacement built and awaits fitting, although the subject of the tie bar is still up in the air.

In addition I have constructed a small length of Easitrac on a small board (no not another layout) to test that the loci’s are running correctly and the lack of running is the fault of gummed up track on Line No 4, this has sort of grown and I have spent the weekend going cross-eyed trying to build a Easitrac point, it is getting easier I think but time will tell.

I have started a SECR O class and shocked myself at getting the gears to mesh thanks to the meshing tool although the con-rods are defeating me at the moment so that’s to one side while I consider a course of action and the nerve to try.

A major investment has been made in a Proxxon baby milling machine which at first had me doing my finest Mr Toad impression. The VAG has thrown up some hints and offers of assistance and I’m pleased to report that a play yesterday was conducted with out damaged to me or machine although the same can not be said for some brass and PCB. Using this I’m trying to make a Jig as described by Geoff Jones to file turnout pins as my initial tests without a jig looked promising and may finally resolve this knotty issue although there are several other ideas given to me at Expo on how to resolve this.


Finally I have put my toe in the water thanks to a conversation with Martin Allen at Expo to see if a local area group can be set up based on Canterbury, MOK ( Man of Kent) area group anybody?

Locomotive power for Line No4

Belated thanks to everyone for a fantastic expo great layouts, much inspiration, lots of nice people and a awful lot of hard work from the organiser's who deserve a big THANK YOU

Well I never did take a month off after Expo although Line No4 is still boxed up from Expo. What I have been working on is sub blogged on RMweb as a enclosure link ( click the url above)

In magnis voluisse sat est

Well it’s done at least as much as I can at the moment. Its amazes me that something I embarked on so many months ago has taught me much frustrated me often and has at times led to despair. The last week has been a flurry of activity not always successful with several items been put to one side till after Expo, but not until I had expended too much time on them.


The big confession now is that Line No4 in its present state is a abject failure, my final attempts to get reasonable running resulted in breaking the tie bar (yet again) to the spur siding and the decision to solder it tight, although not before I wasting hours trying to install tie bar MK4. To compound the problem my attempts to prettify (is there such a word in Model Railways?) Have caused serious running problems which will require major work to rectify. Thus I offer sincere apologies to anyone attending EXPO who is in anyway offended by my efforts.

The reckoning

Positive

• My soldering has improved
• My Kit building efforts have improved
  
• I learnt basic CAD
  
• I managed basic home etching
  
• I leant how to use a Jewellers saw
• My knowledge of local history improved
• I actually did something
• The association is full of nice people
• The VAG is invaluable
• DCC has real potential

Negative

• More haste less speed
• Next time concentrate on the track
• Sort out Points actuation earlier
• Learn to priorities

The future

Without doubt I will be walking away for a while from any actual modelling however when I resume there are many items to finish or revisit in no particular order

• Rebuild all of Line No4 points (must get some rail and Jigs at EXPO if available)
• Finish No7 an almost running loco
• Complete all the half finished wagons
• Sort the Dapol M7 which runs although very poorly
• Get a SPROG and program the Engines properly

In the words of someone I will return

Black Balled or 20 Days to Go

Finally assembled all three boards of Line No4 at the same time as all work previously was on single or two boards. Feels like an achievement to reach this far although I fear been Black Balled from the association after showing my efforts in public, although the post advertising the GJ challenge in another group did help


“As well as complete, operating layouts, there will be some in various stages
of development, with their builders available and willing to discuss what
they have done, and what they plan.” Well that’s me then





Still a lots to do although I’ve given up writing a to do list in favour of cracking on as and when the mood or idea strikes me, although very aware of the vast amount left to do.

Highlight of the week getting zapped by my home brewed grass squatter that a teach me going for the high powered version, the boss had zero sympathy and laughed heartily.