Mr Grumpy

Dave Bowden

Western Thunderer
Hi Dave,
It's 7mm and will be built to f/s

Regards,
Richard
Can I ask what made you choose the Southwark Bridge kit over say an Connoisseur kit (AA19) of which I'm building a 1/32 model of, see the 1/32 section on here. Or an WEP kit (AA16), just interested that's all.

Regards
Dave
 

Dave Bowden

Western Thunderer
Hi Richard

Would you be interested in an accurate running number to go with the shed allocation you are going to have?

Regards
Dave
 

Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
Hi Richard

Would you be interested in an accurate running number to go with the shed allocation you are going to have?

Regards
Dave
Hi Dave,
I like kits with lots of beautifully etched parts, and a friend recommended this one after building one himself.
I also enjoy MMP kits for the same reason.
The first 7mm etched kit I built was a connoisseur BR standard brake and I really enjoyed it.
I may be picking up a couple of WEP wagons at the Reading show on Saturday.
Oops, just realised I replied to the wrong question:confused:
However, yes please! The van is incorrect for the Tetbury branch, but something from that are would be useful!
 
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Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
The chassis is coming along nicely. The the lower steps are supplied with high or low kick boards, and I have used the higher ones. The instructions recommend 0.9mm wire for the step supports, as I didn't have any, and I want the steps to stay put, I used 1mm wire.

Next up were the axle box springs, which are essentially five etched springs and a small etch for the spring buckle.

The instructions advise using a wire through the middle of the spring and holding it together with pliers while soldering. I drilled 3 holes in a piece of ply and threaded the springs together then soldered round.

Then the buckle is soldered in place and then washed down and cleaned up. All four components are then soldered behind the solebars via tabs through nice tight slots in the floor.
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Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
The brake hangers, W irons and bearing slide are, again, nicely etched and fit perfectly. I did spend a considerable amount of time on the floor hunting rouge brake shoes :) Why can I always find the rubbish but not the part Im looking for?

I also got the brake hangers and handbrake mechanism on board, and the photos below show the same before I embark on a good cleaning up mission. Also, I have included a photo of the bearing, slide and 20thou piano wire suspension unit. You can see the slots in the bottom of the brake hanger assy where the wire sits. The photo with the 200g of sweet corn on board shows that I probably need to try 18 thou wire to bring the centres to their correct position in the centre of the lower foot board.
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Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
Just a quick update....I substituted the piano wire for phosphor bronze wire and with the 200g and all up weight of the kit, the axle centres are now sitting at the centre of the foot boards :)
I'm not sure of the exact size of the wire, I bought it a while back for making pickups.
 

Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
I should have made these boxes up earlier in the build, before the solebar overlay was added, but they are shown a bit further on in the instructions. I had seen them, but forgot to make a note.

Anyway, here they are prior to assembling.
Screen Shot 2016-12-08 at 20.49.00.png





Once assembled, I tinned with 100 degree solder and put a faint patch of the same on the solebars, then sweated them on. Obviously I'm showing the better of the two :)
A couple of rivets had to be removed on one side prior to fixing the boxes on.
Screen Shot 2016-12-08 at 20.48.50.png
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
I did spend a considerable amount of time on the floor hunting rouge brake shoes :) Why can I always find the rubbish but not the part Im looking for?

This is the sporting element of modelling :thumbs:. Hunting tigers in Indiaaaah rogue parts. It's not only the rubbish I find but the parts which disappeared from previous builds months ago.
 

Andrew

Active Member
I've often thought that. With all the parts on the floor there may be a full kit lurking of a unique prototype.....
What I have discovered over the years is that you have to be crafty. If you are convinced that the offending part has bounced on the floor and shot to the left then always look to the right and vice versa. It also amazes me just how far tiny pieces of brass/nickel silver can travel given that they only drop about 30 inches or so. I think the record so far is about 8 feet!! When you spend hours making a critical component from scratch, let's say, playing 'hunt the part' takes on a whole new importance (sad puppy that I am).

Keep up the good work,

Regards

Andrew

P.S. I have had the pleasure of building a fair number of Southwark Bridge kits over the years and as a result of our shared passion for the LSWR a long standing friendship developed with Ivan Smith, the original owner of the business who, very sadly, is no longer with us. I was always very impressed by the fidelity of his etches, the fit and finish and overall quality of the kits ( at very competitive prices too). Fortunately, as has already been mentioned, Dave Hammersley of Roxey Mouldings has taken over the range and is intending to steadily re-introduce the 7mm kits as time permits.
 

Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
What I have discovered over the years is that you have to be crafty. If you are convinced that the offending part has bounced on the floor and shot to the left then always look to the right and vice versa. It also amazes me just how far tiny pieces of brass/nickel silver can travel given that they only drop about 30 inches or so. I think the record so far is about 8 feet!! When you spend hours making a critical component from scratch, let's say, playing 'hunt the part' takes on a whole new importance (sad puppy that I am).

Keep up the good work,

Regards

Andrew

P.S. I have had the pleasure of building a fair number of Southwark Bridge kits over the years and as a result of our shared passion for the LSWR a long standing friendship developed with Ivan Smith, the original owner of the business who, very sadly, is no longer with us. I was always very impressed by the fidelity of his etches, the fit and finish and overall quality of the kits ( at very competitive prices too). Fortunately, as has already been mentioned, Dave Hammersley of Roxey Mouldings has taken over the range and is intending to steadily re-introduce the 7mm kits as time permits.
Hi Andrew,
The thought that Ivan had put in to his kits is something to behold!
The number of permutations this kit offers and the exquisite way the parts go together is an absolute joy.
I hope I can build it to the standard it deserves :)
 

Andrew

Active Member
Looking at what you have achieved so far, I don't think you will have any trouble doing the kit full justice. I would absolutely echo your comments about the way Ivan's kits go together and furthermore, he was always very grateful to receive feedback (good or bad ) from customers and would be more than prepared to make whatever changes were necessary in the light of experience. He was a lovely guy and just prior to the start of his illness, he was planning some early LSWR 4 and 6 wheelers as a commission from me but unfortunately, subsequent events put paid to that!! He was also a very skilled modeller in his own right, but as his illness progressed he completely lost his 'mojo' - very understandable given the circumstances.

As I said before, keep up the good work.

Kind regards,

Andrew
 

Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
Over on 'the other side', it was pointed out that the foot boards would look better if made to a scale 2 1/2". So, I scaled up a GA drawing and had to agree.
I must say they look a lot better for it, but need a little more dressing to get them nice and smooth and rounded off.
Screen Shot 2016-12-11 at 17.48.07.png
As previously mentioned, the kit allows for a multitude of variety, and I have elected to portray mine with full body sheeting. This is achieved by selecting the sheet overlay, and soldering to a backing sheet, then joining to the main body using some scrap etch.

Here are the components, including the 'timber' overlay....

Screen Shot 2016-12-11 at 17.48.29.png

It took me a couple of attempts to get it exact....

Screen Shot 2016-12-11 at 17.48.39.png

Going back to the thought gone in to the kit, note the little 'ears' used with the aid of 0.5mm wire to help line the next overlay.
 

Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
This is the first kit I have built where a RSU is recommended. I have thought about getting one, and last night I wished I had! Having said that, I would have had to learn to use it first........

The side overlays are very fragile, and are attached to a top and bottom 'bar' to help keep everything in place. As I'm making the plated version, the lower horizontal parts have to be cut away, making the whole assembly a lot more susceptible to misplacement, even with the little locating 'ears' at the top. As I am not using an RSU, the instructions advise lightly tinning the overlay, adding plenty of flux and running the soldering iron over from behind.

I didn't find this worked too well for me, perhaps I didn't tin enough or the heat wasn't transferring through (450 degrees and 50W) Also, the instructions warn from adding too much heat to the ends of the sides.

I ended up soldering a couple of sections from the front using minuscule amounts of solder, but in a couple of places this leached out a little, but mostly cleaned up ok. I'm considering using my 100W iron on the next one.....



Here's one of the overlays after cutting the lower horizontal sections, and the complete one, ready for the stanchions to be fitted.

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adrian

Flying Squad
I didn't find this worked too well for me, perhaps I didn't tin enough or the heat wasn't transferring through (450 degrees and 50W) Also, the instructions warn from adding too much heat to the ends of the sides.
Soldering thin overlays on a really big heat sink is never going to be easy - whether you have an RSU or not. I definitely go for the bigger iron as you want to get heat in as quick as possible. The large side will only dissipate heat like mad and the 50W iron will struggle to keep up.

Personally I very rarely bother with tinning - especially on thin overlay. Actually applying the heat whilst tinning the overlays can distort them and I always end up cleaning up the overlays before soldering them on and cleaning them up again etc. So being lazy I'd just smear a little solder cream on the overlay and then solder it in place. Probably as recommended use the soldering iron on the rear of the side, however when I do this I also add a little solder cream on the rear - I find the heat transfer works a lot better if the soldering iron has some solder contact with the sheet. I'd also use a small block of hardwood strip to hold the overlay in place.
 

Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
Soldering thin overlays on a really big heat sink is never going to be easy - whether you have an RSU or not. I definitely go for the bigger iron as you want to get heat in as quick as possible. The large side will only dissipate heat like mad and the 50W iron will struggle to keep up.

Personally I very rarely bother with tinning - especially on thin overlay. Actually applying the heat whilst tinning the overlays can distort them and I always end up cleaning up the overlays before soldering them on and cleaning them up again etc. So being lazy I'd just smear a little solder cream on the overlay and then solder it in place. Probably as recommended use the soldering iron on the rear of the side, however when I do this I also add a little solder cream on the rear - I find the heat transfer works a lot better if the soldering iron has some solder contact with the sheet. I'd also use a small block of hardwood strip to hold the overlay in place.
Hi Adrian,
Unfortunately my pot of solder cream resembles a silver rock! I didn't ever get on with it and it's dried out.
I will report back after using my larger iron.
 
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