Elmham Market in EM

[James Spooner]

A visit to Metropolitan Junction has enabled a test of the Wickham DMU with its new Lo-rider motor bogie (although I haven’t finished detailing the motor bogie). I have to say it all seems to run quite well (never having been off the test track before!). A short video is attached.

Nigel

 

[jonte]

Looks and runs beautifully, Nigel.

Jon

 

[James Spooner]

Still very hot in the upstairs workroom so I have decamped some stuff down to the kitchen table to take advantage of the open doors and some breeze. I have been working on the interior of the DMBS, marking out the floor, testing a couple of seats for height (the mazak cast floor is deeper than the plastic one on the DTCL) and creating more of the distinctive partitions thanks to the designs sent through by @Godders53 .

A couple of photos attached of current work in progress.

Nigel

 

[Dave Holt]

Those partitions are very distinctive indeed. Perhaps designed to accommodate the womens' shoulder pads worn in Dallas and similar?
The unit does run very nicely.
Dave.

 

[James Spooner]

Those partitions are very distinctive indeed. Perhaps designed to accommodate the womens' shoulder pads worn in Dallas and similar?
The unit does run very nicely.
Dave.

Thanks Dave. Actually, the Wickham DMUs did have touch of the art deco about them; probably predate the televised goings on in Dallas though!

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

More tooings and froings within the household, with visits to friends and family in the West Country but back now and trying to put a shift in to finish this project before my next trip to Wales (at the end of the week). Today I have been shaping the seats (cutting bases off to reduce the height and scalloping the tops), then painting and gluing everything in place. Tomorrow I plan to finish the brake blocks on the motor bogie and prime the unpainted bits, then I realised I need to add triangular no smoking signs on the three windows nearest the driving cab. A photo of the interior is attached.

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

I seem to have had a bit of a blitz on the Wickham today. I added the remaining brake blocks on the motor bogie and primed the relevant bits last night. Dirty black paint was added today.

I also soldered in the Bachmann chip I had used when it was temporarily powered by the Bachmann motor. Sadly that caused what was quite a sweet running bogie to go like a dog so I swapped the Bachmann chip out for a Zen one with a stay alive and peace (and smooth running) was restored.

I also swapped Kadee couplers around until I had the closest configuration I could manage around the tightest curves on the layout. Triangular no smoking signs were added to the three windows each side nearest the DMBS driving end. Finally I did some origami with my lifetime’s supply of black paper and created some bellows for the gangway to disguise the gap between the carriages. I think I am going to call that a wrap now. A few photos of the completed set on Elmham Market are attached.

Nigel

 

[Dave Holt]

That looks very much at home on the layout, Nigel.
Dave.

 

[James Spooner]

That looks very much at home on the layout, Nigel.
Dave.

Thanks Dave!

 

[James Spooner]

A quick test of the Wickham on Elmham Market before the temperature in the attic soars too high today…

Nigel

 

[jonte]

Nice smooth running, Nigel. Worth all the effort.

Perhaps you should travel north to escape the heat (?). Have been wearing a sweater the last few days.

I can remember when heatwaves lasted several weeks; these modern varieties seem part timers

Jon

 

[James Spooner]

Nice smooth running, Nigel. Worth all the effort.

Perhaps you should travel north to escape the heat (?). Have been wearing a sweater the last few days.

I can remember when heatwaves lasted several weeks; these modern varieties seem part timers

Jon

Thanks Jon. We haven’t had any rain for over a month and the temperature has hardly dipped below 25 centigrade (77 degrees in old money) since then. My poor lawn has pretty much given up the ghost. Off to Wales again in a few days so maybe I’ll take some wagon kits with me in case the weather disappoints…

Nigel

 

[simond]

You could bring back some rain..

 

[Dog Star]

Off to Wales again in a few days so maybe I’ll take some wagon kits with me in case the weather disappoints…

If you carry the kits in buckets then you can bring back some Welsh "sunshine".

 

[James Spooner]

If you carry the kits in buckets then you can bring back some Welsh "sunshine".

Or as we call it: liquid sun! Mind you, I think Wales is pretty dry at the moment (and not like the old days when it was dry on Sundays…).

Nigel

 

[simond]

Ah yes, I remember it well. The yacht club down on the wharf towards Borth y Gest was an escape…

 

[James Spooner]

Ah yes, I remember it well. The yacht club down on the wharf towards Borth y Gest was an escape…

And it still is for some of us…