Peter Cross
Western Thunderer
Looks very impressive. I do like to see wagons with different hangers and springs rather than fit all cast white metal ones.
7mm Rob's Rolling Stock Workbench
- Thread starter Rob Pulham
- Start date
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Connoisseur NER Birdcage Brake Vans.
First a bit of preamble. Back in 2011 for Christmas Chris bought me a few of Jim McGeown's van kits. At the time I built an LNER Refrigerator van but didn't get to the others, which were an NER Birdcage Brake, a Perishables van, and a 6 wheeled brake coach.
Around the same time we were sat having lunch in a little cafe in the village of Rosedale Abbey on the North Yorkshire Moors when I saw a picture of one of the NER Birdcage brake van's at Rosedale but this one had "Side Cotes" (duckets to me and much of the world I suspect) as well as the birdcage on top. I decided that I would like to build one so a couple of years later at a show I bought a second kit and asked Jim if he by any chance had any duff etches that contained the duckets from his NER V4 brake van and he said that he did and duly sent me them.
Having been up north for Christmas we planned a week at home before I go back to work so I dug out both of the brake van kits and modified the sides on one to take the duckets. The duckets were too tall to fit directly so I had to modify those too.
Here's where I got to the night before last.
A bit more done yesterday, alas nothing done today...
First a bit of preamble. Back in 2011 for Christmas Chris bought me a few of Jim McGeown's van kits. At the time I built an LNER Refrigerator van but didn't get to the others, which were an NER Birdcage Brake, a Perishables van, and a 6 wheeled brake coach.
Around the same time we were sat having lunch in a little cafe in the village of Rosedale Abbey on the North Yorkshire Moors when I saw a picture of one of the NER Birdcage brake van's at Rosedale but this one had "Side Cotes" (duckets to me and much of the world I suspect) as well as the birdcage on top. I decided that I would like to build one so a couple of years later at a show I bought a second kit and asked Jim if he by any chance had any duff etches that contained the duckets from his NER V4 brake van and he said that he did and duly sent me them.
Having been up north for Christmas we planned a week at home before I go back to work so I dug out both of the brake van kits and modified the sides on one to take the duckets. The duckets were too tall to fit directly so I had to modify those too.
Here's where I got to the night before last.
A bit more done yesterday, alas nothing done today...
Connoisseur NER Brakevans
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
In between messing about getting my DCC working I have made further progress on the two NER Brake vans. I have been quite impressed that I have managed to add almost all the detail to sub assemblies before making up the main units and adding the solebars. The only things to add to the upper bodies are some corner plates that fold around the corners, some handrails that also go around the ends, the cast end posts and the lower footboards which I need the W Irons in place before I can cut the supports to final length.
The roof is still loose. Jim recommends leaving it loose to glaze and making it clip on afterwards I need to explore how I can do this yet.
Although I have the birdcage for the second one assembled it's not soldered to the roof yet.
Paul Gallon over on RMweb kindly reminded me that the example that I am trying to reproduce with this one also had windows in the birdcage end.
In the photo above you can seem my error. I cut out the windows using those at the other end as a template but didn't think about the fact the the side duckets have sides which protrude into the van internally and that the sides nearest the end windows partially obscure it. - Why is it that you never notice these things until you have made nice job of soldering the body together, made much more difficult by the fact that on this end I couldn't get to the inside so I had to solder it from the outside and clean up.
The roof is still loose. Jim recommends leaving it loose to glaze and making it clip on afterwards I need to explore how I can do this yet.
Although I have the birdcage for the second one assembled it's not soldered to the roof yet.
Paul Gallon over on RMweb kindly reminded me that the example that I am trying to reproduce with this one also had windows in the birdcage end.
In the photo above you can seem my error. I cut out the windows using those at the other end as a template but didn't think about the fact the the side duckets have sides which protrude into the van internally and that the sides nearest the end windows partially obscure it. - Why is it that you never notice these things until you have made nice job of soldering the body together, made much more difficult by the fact that on this end I couldn't get to the inside so I had to solder it from the outside and clean up.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Aside from doing some detailing work on another Kirk coach, last weekends task was to add transfers to the various Parkside builds that I have been working on recently.
Starting with the LMS Beer Van.
And finally an arty shot that was created by accident as I was preparing the photos
Starting with the LMS Beer Van.
And finally an arty shot that was created by accident as I was preparing the photos
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
While taking photos yesterday I completely forgot the LNER Container. I managed to get the body painted a couple of weeks ago but I wasn't happy with the colour so I mixed some more. While I had the transfers out I applied some. The photo that I am working from has the container on an ex GER OCT which was before dedicated container wagons were produced. On that basis I am going to leave the paint work fairly pristine although I will no doubt weather the OCT when I get that far.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
The last couple of evenings have seen further work on the Birdcage brakes.
Monday saw some of the hand rails and the end posts fitted. - Chris bought me a Proxxon Mini Pillar drill and a Proxxon Bench Vice for Christmas and they have been invaluable in doing these especially drilling out the cast end posts for the handrails.
Then last night saw the remaining body side handrails fitted along with the upper ones on one end. The drawing and photo from the Sadler book that I am working from has a different layout of the hand rails on the end than Jim shows in his instructions with the end rails passing through the end posts rather than attaching to the outer face of them.
The interested may wonder why I am just working on this one at the moment. That because I think that the only way to be happy with the one with duckets is going to be to remove the end with the birdcage and then cut out the intrusive sides of the ducket and I am still building up the courage to have a go at it....
Monday saw some of the hand rails and the end posts fitted. - Chris bought me a Proxxon Mini Pillar drill and a Proxxon Bench Vice for Christmas and they have been invaluable in doing these especially drilling out the cast end posts for the handrails.
Then last night saw the remaining body side handrails fitted along with the upper ones on one end. The drawing and photo from the Sadler book that I am working from has a different layout of the hand rails on the end than Jim shows in his instructions with the end rails passing through the end posts rather than attaching to the outer face of them.
The interested may wonder why I am just working on this one at the moment. That because I think that the only way to be happy with the one with duckets is going to be to remove the end with the birdcage and then cut out the intrusive sides of the ducket and I am still building up the courage to have a go at it....
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Nice choices, you are not going to be dis-appointed. Peter has a X-Y compound table bolted to the base of his Proxxon pillar drill and - when needed - the bench vice can be bolted to the slides of the X-Y unit.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Cheers Graham,
Can you buy the X-Y table as a separate item or does it only come with the milling version?
In this instance the Bench vice that I was referring to is the swivel headed type that clamps to the workbench so might not be the one that you have? She also got me a small Proxxon machine vice that fits the drill table.
Can you buy the X-Y table as a separate item or does it only come with the milling version?
In this instance the Bench vice that I was referring to is the swivel headed type that clamps to the workbench so might not be the one that you have? She also got me a small Proxxon machine vice that fits the drill table.
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
The X-Y table that Peter has bought is the same part which is supplied with the Proxxon vertical mill... and is available separately.
You are correct to mention that there are two "holding" parts in the Proxxon range. There is a simple "clamp" which is fairly cheap (say, less than £20) and a robust machine vice which is serious dosh (I think circa £40). We bought the machine vice... also includes T-bolts, clamping plates and stepped clamp supports.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Cheers Graham,
All things being equal an X-Y table should be winging it's way from Germany in the next few days...
All things being equal an X-Y table should be winging it's way from Germany in the next few days...
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Last night, the procrastination was over and I got on with removing the end from the other van.
Like a lot of things that you worry yourself about it was really quiet an easy job in the end.
Using a few aluminium hair grips and self locking tweezers as heat sinks for the steps and lamp irons I managed to get the end off, remove the offending bits of metal (with a combination of piercing saw/ rotary sanding drum and a cylindrical burr grinder in the dremel finished off with files) and subsequently soldered back on without anything coming adrift, Yeay!!!
And for completeness these are the photos of progress on the other van that I forgot to post last night....
Like a lot of things that you worry yourself about it was really quiet an easy job in the end.
Using a few aluminium hair grips and self locking tweezers as heat sinks for the steps and lamp irons I managed to get the end off, remove the offending bits of metal (with a combination of piercing saw/ rotary sanding drum and a cylindrical burr grinder in the dremel finished off with files) and subsequently soldered back on without anything coming adrift, Yeay!!!
And for completeness these are the photos of progress on the other van that I forgot to post last night....
Connoisseur NER Brakevans
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Not much modelling done over the weekend due to a combination of not feeling well on Saturday and a trip to Pontefract show on Sunday. Which was very enjoyable even if I did come back with etches for 4 Pullman coaches which Chris spotted and encouraged me to buy that I hadn't planned on...
A few hours last night had the first van almost complete (I had thought it complete until I remembered that I hadn't fitted a couple of hand rails or any guard irons under the brake yokes.
The hand rails that are missing are the two small ones above the wrap around rails in this view - the other end should have similar fitted about a quarter of the way up the windows.
I didn't fancy trying to drill out the rather nice cast chimney because it's very slender so I scratched a pair of replacements from telescoping tube and a cover plate from the spares box, completed them.
I also noted on the drawing that the sliding doors had a hasp so I made a couple from scrap etch.
A few hours last night had the first van almost complete (I had thought it complete until I remembered that I hadn't fitted a couple of hand rails or any guard irons under the brake yokes.
The hand rails that are missing are the two small ones above the wrap around rails in this view - the other end should have similar fitted about a quarter of the way up the windows.
I didn't fancy trying to drill out the rather nice cast chimney because it's very slender so I scratched a pair of replacements from telescoping tube and a cover plate from the spares box, completed them.
I also noted on the drawing that the sliding doors had a hasp so I made a couple from scrap etch.
Powsides GER 5 Plank Open
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Some minor surgery combined with Sinusitis has laid me up for the best part of two weeks so the work bench has been quiet. Filling a little more in the way of head space I opted to finish a long time inhabitant of the queens shelf, a Powsides GER 5 plank Open. Before placing it aside I had built it all apart from adding the castings and I am not really sure why I hadn't completed it.
It proved a fairly straightforward build apart from the fact that the brake shoes were miles from the wheels so I had to split them and move them out towards the wheels. Then make a brass strip to represent the tumbler which I soldered to the rear of the castings after filing a slot. The only other changes were (after reviewing photos in Tatlow) to add some ex Connoisseur GER ratchet brake lever guides instead of the supplied hole/pin version.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x437/Robpulham/7mm%20scale%20rolling%20stock/IMG_2826_zpsliacgddc.jpg[img]
[ATTACH=full]74704[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]74705[/ATTACH]
Next its back to the NER Brake vans.
It proved a fairly straightforward build apart from the fact that the brake shoes were miles from the wheels so I had to split them and move them out towards the wheels. Then make a brass strip to represent the tumbler which I soldered to the rear of the castings after filing a slot. The only other changes were (after reviewing photos in Tatlow) to add some ex Connoisseur GER ratchet brake lever guides instead of the supplied hole/pin version.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x437/Robpulham/7mm%20scale%20rolling%20stock/IMG_2826_zpsliacgddc.jpg[img]
[ATTACH=full]74704[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]74705[/ATTACH]
Next its back to the NER Brake vans.
Attachments
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Fingers crossed Mike, I had my first venture out in the car today which I seem to have survived
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
A decent session at the bench yesterday saw the 2nd NER Birdcage brake well on it's way.
At the suggestion of a friend I looked at the photo to determine whether there were frames in the windows that I cut in the end.
There isn't a frame as such on the photo but I decided to try to replicate the etched frame that's etched in the other end.
At the suggestion of a friend I looked at the photo to determine whether there were frames in the windows that I cut in the end.
There isn't a frame as such on the photo but I decided to try to replicate the etched frame that's etched in the other end.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Hi Mick,
You had me for a second, I take that you mean that on the LNER van? - if so it's nothing more scientific than the lens cleaning tissues that we buy are folded and even when they dry and are then reused as canvas they sometimes retain the impressions of the folds which show up as seams/ridges it just depends on how much I stretch them when fitting.
These are the brand that we use. They are really tough so have loads of modelling uses. When we have used them to clean our glasses I just put them on my desk to dry (they are impregnated with some form of alcohol solution) and then I put them in my modelling box. When sticking them to roofs I use thick pva.
NER Brake Vans
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Isn't it always the way? You look at the photos and realise that you have missed something. In this case it was the pins and chains for the side doors.
I got the second NER Birdcage brake to a similar state as the first one - just needing buffers and working out how best to fit the roof post painting.
And then something that came together almost as a surprise. As I was doing the two V1 vans I started to clean up and make the various folds in a V4 van and before I knew it, quite a bit was to was ready to solder up.
The doors are sliding doors and the way that Jim has portrayed them made leaving one of them partially open almost irresistible. It means that I will need to model an interior but that doesn't faze me.
Again it's a Connoisseur kit and to that I have added square brass rod to beef up the vertical and horizontal framing and some internal planking to the veranda ends.
It all needs a good clean up before I go much further with it.
I got the second NER Birdcage brake to a similar state as the first one - just needing buffers and working out how best to fit the roof post painting.
And then something that came together almost as a surprise. As I was doing the two V1 vans I started to clean up and make the various folds in a V4 van and before I knew it, quite a bit was to was ready to solder up.
The doors are sliding doors and the way that Jim has portrayed them made leaving one of them partially open almost irresistible. It means that I will need to model an interior but that doesn't faze me.
Again it's a Connoisseur kit and to that I have added square brass rod to beef up the vertical and horizontal framing and some internal planking to the veranda ends.
It all needs a good clean up before I go much further with it.
NER Brake Vans
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Due to recovering from minor surgery, I haven't felt like venturing into the workshop since early February and apart from a bit done on the Kirk coaches a couple of weekends ago I haven't done any modelling at all.
Last night I ventured forth and got stuck in with the NER V4 brake van again. I added the remaining corner patches, the guard irons across the door ways and added the foot boards. I had done the roof at the last session that I did but forgot to take any photos of it.
I think that apart from the brakes and remaining handrails that fit into the end posts all the brass work on the outside is complete so whitemetal fittings next.
As on the other NER brake vans I made a replacement for the cast chimney from tube.
Last night I ventured forth and got stuck in with the NER V4 brake van again. I added the remaining corner patches, the guard irons across the door ways and added the foot boards. I had done the roof at the last session that I did but forgot to take any photos of it.
I think that apart from the brakes and remaining handrails that fit into the end posts all the brass work on the outside is complete so whitemetal fittings next.
As on the other NER brake vans I made a replacement for the cast chimney from tube.