4mm Chris' Trainsets

Chris Nevard

Western Thunderer
Did you have a problem merging the two chimney shots because of the different angles?

"Cheating"...as you know, I never "cheat" with my pictures :))

A great detailed/scaled tractor by the way, it fits in well, also the path colour;)

Top stuff Chris!

Phil

Cheers!

The transform tool sorted that, just dragged it into the right shape, as well as making the join where the stone becomes brick.

From this angle, the top of the 2 foot high backscene was in line with the top of the chimney. You never be able to get this angle without a camera.

Oxford Die-cast tractor, they're great
 

Chris Nevard

Western Thunderer
Another one taken at the same time, 'as is' apart from the smoke from a real Pannier tank....
My little people can be moved around the layout, I tend to put a 0.25mm wire up one of the legs, a tiny hole can then be drilled wherever on the layout to plant the little people. The chap who looks like a flasher normally sits in the pub dribbling over shandy...
nevard_131023_PGCH_IMG_5290_WEB.jpg
 

Phil.c

Western Thunderer
When are the new sheaves going in?

I've just had a sheet of etched brass from my brother, he's put in the drawings for the South Wales type of coal drams and has had them made. All I need now is to solder the parts together etc, they are static, ie. None working wheels, I'll keep everyone informed as things progress and if anyone is interested, I think he is about to order more.

Phil
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
I've just had a sheet of etched brass from my brother, he's put in the drawings for the South Wales type of coal drams and has had them made. All I need now is to solder the parts together etc, they are static, ie. Non-working wheels, I'll keep everyone informed as things progress and if anyone is interested, I think he is about to order more.

Phil


That sounds interesting Phil, depending upon what they look like, I may well be interested in a handful (possibly literally given the size of the things...).

Adam
 

Phil.c

Western Thunderer
Adam, I have seen one that my brother put together, and they are very accurate, in fact, I gave him the measurements and pictures, we both remember them as we both worked in collieries but not only that as there are a few in the country park just in front of my house which used to be Ogilvie Colliery.

I think he is also working on the Ruston Bucyrus that pulled them.

Phil
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
Sorry, I should have been clearer - I didn't mean to impune your and your brother's efforts sight unseen - I meant if they look like the type I have in mind (there were quite a selection of types, even within south Wales); can't find a picture just now. Do you mean a Ruston and Hornsby? Unless we're really talking an excavator of some sort? I'll admit to having naff all knowledge of mines locos but I thought that Ruston's relationship with Bucyrus was confined to digging machines.

Thanks for the prompt response.

Adam
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
....... but I thought that Ruston's relationship with Bucyrus was confined to digging machines......

Well - not quite. Allow me to switch the points and take you up down (that's right isn't it? - up would be towards the main line?) an off-topic branch line :)

EXPERIMENTAL GUN TRACTOR

Ruston Bucyrus Mortar Tractor.jpg


During the war, excavator manufacturers Ruston-Bucyrus became volume producers of Crusader and Centaur tanks, Crusader gun tractors and mine clearing flails and bridge layers based on old Churchill tanks.

In 1940 the company experimented with the idea of developing a crawler-mounted field gun using conventional excavator running and propel gear.

It took as the basis an old 10RB crawler crane used in the works yard, and altered the gearing in an attempt to provide something better than the crane's top speed of 2 1/2 mph.

The excavator base used heavy dog clutches to either drive, freewheel or brake each track independently via two levers. After modification of gear ratios it was found a top speed of 15 mph could be achieved (a bit more like it), but that the machine was totally uncontrollable - I shall now quote from the author -

"This led to situations dangerous for the participants and hilarious to the onlookers as the machine sped out of control around the test ground. After this, enthusiasm for the project waned and the 'souped up' grab crane resumed its former function, to the dismay of those drivers who thereafter had to negotiate the concrete loading ramp with this now errant machine".

Extract and illustration taken from "Lincolns Excavators The Ruston-Bucyrus Years 1930-1945", by Peter Robinson with the kind permission of Roundoak Publishing.
This and the first volume, "Lincoln's Excavators - The Ruston Years" are an excellent history of one of our most successful engineering companies. Highly recommended for earthmoving nutters.
 

Phil.c

Western Thunderer
Sorry, I should have been clearer - I didn't mean to impune your and your brother's efforts sight unseen - I meant if they look like the type I have in mind (there were quite a selection of types, even within south Wales); can't find a picture just now. Do you mean a Ruston and Hornsby? Unless we're really talking an excavator of some sort? I'll admit to having naff all knowledge of mines locos but I thought that Ruston's relationship with Bucyrus was confined to digging machines.

Thanks for the prompt response.

Adam

Adam, these are the drams that were commonly used in South Wales Collieries, plus the Ruston Bucyrus loco that pulled and pushed them. I can remember driving one, you sat sideways looking out through the door, the accelerator was a lever that was pulled towards you in three slots, these were the gears.

Chris, sorry for highjacking your thread!

Phil

Drams_zps0ef30c0d.jpg

Rustonloco_zps8b1525f2.jpg
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
Thanks for the pictures, as you say, a very common design, and I'd be interested in some should thd opportunity arise. The loco pictured is definitely a Ruston & Hornsby (a pre-war 44/48hp type I think: Meridian Models do a kit) rather than a Ruston Bucyrus. R&H did locos and Diesel engines; RB (which I've always assumed were related). It turns out that they were: Bucyrus Erie was a US company and RB made these under license - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruston-Bucyrus), tracked cranes, draglines, etc.

Adam
 

Chris Nevard

Western Thunderer
Well - not quite. Allow me to switch the points and take you up down (that's right isn't it? - up would be towards the main line?) an off-topic branch line :)

EXPERIMENTAL GUN TRACTOR

View attachment 25820


During the war, excavator manufacturers Ruston-Bucyrus became volume producers of Crusader and Centaur

/// TRIM /////

Extract and illustration taken from "Lincolns Excavators The Ruston-Bucyrus Years 1930-1945", by Peter Robinson with the kind permission of Roundoak Publishing.
This and the first volume, "Lincoln's Excavators - The Ruston Years" are an excellent history of one of our most successful engineering companies. Highly recommended for earthmoving nutters.

One of these would be very useful at shows, either firing dried peas or maybe a puff of air freshener as required?
For us OO toy chuffer fans maybe a Corgi Ruston Bucyrus could be hacked about .... A Sparklet bulb could provide the power to the peas - PING! "Owch - m-o-t-h-e-r?!"
 

Chris Nevard

Western Thunderer
I finally managed to extract myself from the holiday spirit of putting things off to erect the next project.

Taken with a bit of light through the window and a bit of Photoshop to hide the houses on the other side of the road seen through the window; here we have Scotswood Road which was originally built by Ian Futers the well known serial layout builder. My job is to tidy up this elderly O gauge layout which I believe dates from the 1980's by using current scenic techniques, textures and colouring etc. When complete the layout will be heading for Scotland to be used at home by its owner as well as appearing at various exhibitions.

Scotswood Road, which will have a new name in due course will be serialised in Model Rail magazine as my next major project.nevard_140105_Scotswd_IMG_6133_01_WEB.jpg
 
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