7mm Manning Wardle Old Class i: a self-designed 'kit'
- Thread starter John Baker
- Start date
John Baker
Western Thunderer
Got a little further this evening - the cab detailing, boards, coal load and name plates have been added, along with the first stages of weathering. Looks alright so far 
Next will be adding pickups, getting some grime between the rivets, and a final waft of soot over the top......should only take a month or so
Next will be adding pickups, getting some grime between the rivets, and a final waft of soot over the top......should only take a month or so
John Baker
Western Thunderer
I really must speed up......One year after beginning I have a finished* loco that I'm rather proud of. Proud for many reasons. It started life as this drawing on a scrappy bit of paper:
Part by part, I produced the CAD artwork for the etches, 3D modelled, printed and had cast the 3D details, made my own wheels and had a pretty good bash at getting inside motion working (more on that later). I've ended up with a model that, yes, needs a few minor tweaks to the etches, but fits together easily and runs really well. My painting and weathering skills are still nowhere near the standard of many, but they're moving in the right direction at least! Thoroughly enjoyed this one!
*finished.....sort of. Just realised the cab steps are still in their little bag, so they need gluing on. And then there's the inside motion. I need to make some changes to the 3D models and have them re-cast. I think I'd allowed a bit too much clearance between moving parts, and it was all a bit loose. The basic principal works, but needs to be a bit more precision engineered. I just haven't had time to do this, so watch this space.
So what next? Probably 3 things at once.
1. Once I've revised the etches I'll do another test build. I've had a lot of people message me asking if the etches and castings would be made available - and they will be once I'm happy everything's perfect- to that end, I'd just about finished writing a set of detailed instructions for it, and then I had an almost catastrophic loss of data from my laptop, after it lost a fight with a gin and tonic whilst away camping....... Yes, I had a backup......which corrupted whilst attempting recovery. I had the etches file in an email I'd sent, and the 3D models are stored in a cloud. But the instructions, and 3D casting trees are all gone, and will take a while to re-do.
2. Build a small diorama which will probably just involve an old engine shed - just something to photograph my models on really. No room for a full layout.....
3. Decide on the next loco to do. I want to do the same again - design etches and castings from scratch. Something old and quirky, that I can't get a kit or ready to run for. Any suggestions, let me know
Part by part, I produced the CAD artwork for the etches, 3D modelled, printed and had cast the 3D details, made my own wheels and had a pretty good bash at getting inside motion working (more on that later). I've ended up with a model that, yes, needs a few minor tweaks to the etches, but fits together easily and runs really well. My painting and weathering skills are still nowhere near the standard of many, but they're moving in the right direction at least! Thoroughly enjoyed this one!
*finished.....sort of. Just realised the cab steps are still in their little bag, so they need gluing on. And then there's the inside motion. I need to make some changes to the 3D models and have them re-cast. I think I'd allowed a bit too much clearance between moving parts, and it was all a bit loose. The basic principal works, but needs to be a bit more precision engineered. I just haven't had time to do this, so watch this space.
So what next? Probably 3 things at once.
1. Once I've revised the etches I'll do another test build. I've had a lot of people message me asking if the etches and castings would be made available - and they will be once I'm happy everything's perfect- to that end, I'd just about finished writing a set of detailed instructions for it, and then I had an almost catastrophic loss of data from my laptop, after it lost a fight with a gin and tonic whilst away camping....... Yes, I had a backup......which corrupted whilst attempting recovery. I had the etches file in an email I'd sent, and the 3D models are stored in a cloud. But the instructions, and 3D casting trees are all gone, and will take a while to re-do.
2. Build a small diorama which will probably just involve an old engine shed - just something to photograph my models on really. No room for a full layout.....
3. Decide on the next loco to do. I want to do the same again - design etches and castings from scratch. Something old and quirky, that I can't get a kit or ready to run for. Any suggestions, let me know
freelance7
Western Thunderer
John,
Lovely little loco, well worth all the effort you have put into it.
Paul
Lovely little loco, well worth all the effort you have put into it.
Paul
John Baker
Western Thunderer
Many thanks! Not sure what's next yet..... Something old and quirky.....
John Baker
Western Thunderer
Very nice, and you are indeed right - it is up my street! Mr Haywood or similar would be getting a call for that lining though
NewportRod
Western Thunderer
And one more definite buyer!
Osgood
Western Thunderer
That basic design spanned a vast period.
I wonder if it might have been a Stephenson design, as the later Kitson pannier tank builds for the northeast collieries were reputed to be?
An early manifestation was The SPHYNX built 1846 for the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Rly1846.
I wonder if it might have been a Stephenson design, as the later Kitson pannier tank builds for the northeast collieries were reputed to be?
An early manifestation was The SPHYNX built 1846 for the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Rly1846.
John Baker
Western Thunderer
I love these old beauties. I'll have to have a trip up to York and see what drawings I can get hold of.
John Baker
Western Thunderer
Two interesting choices. Not sure the 1361 or 1366 are on my radar......I like the GWR enough, but there are other corners of the railway wold that interest me more
The MR 0-6-2 looks fun though!
Rob R
Western Thunderer
Simon,
Is that the Mersey 0-6-4t (as in Cecil Rakes) or the Mersey 2-6-2t? I don't think they had an 0-6-2t but I may be wrong. The other 2 types were spread far and wide after the Mersey had finished with them, South Wales and Australia to start with
R
NewportRod
Western Thunderer
There fabulous beasties:
Definitely a market for these to (at least on each)
R
Definitely a market for these to (at least on each)
R
Wagonman
Western Thunderer
Apart from the quirkiest of them all – the Nielson Box Tank – a look through the Sharps catalogue of the 1860s could produce a few candidates apart from the long boiler 0-6-0ST already mentioned. There's a whole range of cute 2-4-0Ts. the 2-2-2WTs as originally supplied to the Furness, the large 0-4-0ST supplied to the Cambrian, and doubtless others I have forgotten...
John Baker
Western Thunderer
A little later than planned (is it really a year since I got the revise etches?!), but version 2 of the Manning Wardle Old Class i is finished I haven't been updating the progress of this build as it would have been very repetitive from the first version I built, although with the length of time it's taken me to get it done (work is a bit all-consuming at the moment), and the fact that most of the photos from t'other channel were lost in "the great wipeout" of a year or two ago, maybe that would have been useful!
This runs on 1/8" axels - slightly unusual for O Gauge, but it's only a tiny little thing and it means I can use a High-Level gearbox and a motor mounted vertically in the firebox. This leaves the boiler available for a (small) decoder should that be necessary. The homemade wheels are running pretty true having used a centre boss this time round. Here are some pics - I make no apology for the number of them as I'm pretty pleased with it once again! Just noticed I forgot to add the cab steps.....again. Sure I did that first time round....
So, to version 3.... Only a few minor changes to make, so shouldn't take long to do (). This time round, I shall experiment with split axel pickup as there's not much room for plungers, and back scratchers are OK, but can be a bit juddery. Version 3 will also see the resurrection of the inside motion, which I'm determined to get right and running smoothly. I might even give lining a go when it comes round to painting it I'll also be attempting my own castings, but more on that in a different thread somewhere.
Incidentally, I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on castings. Is the preference still for solid metal, or are 3D printed parts becoming more accepted? Once painted, you can't tell the difference - if anything 3D printed are probably sharper and crisper, but then there's the durability aspect. Thoughts on a postcard (or at least a post) below please
John
I haven't been updating the progress of this build as it would have been very repetitive from the first version I built, although with the length of time it's taken me to get it done (work is a bit all-consuming at the moment), and the fact that most of the photos from t'other channel were lost in "the great wipeout" of a year or two ago, maybe that would have been useful!This runs on 1/8" axels - slightly unusual for O Gauge, but it's only a tiny little thing and it means I can use a High-Level gearbox and a motor mounted vertically in the firebox. This leaves the boiler available for a (small) decoder should that be necessary. The homemade wheels are running pretty true having used a centre boss this time round. Here are some pics - I make no apology for the number of them as I'm pretty pleased with it once again! Just noticed I forgot to add the cab steps.....again. Sure I did that first time round....
So, to version 3.... Only a few minor changes to make, so shouldn't take long to do (). This time round, I shall experiment with split axel pickup as there's not much room for plungers, and back scratchers are OK, but can be a bit juddery. Version 3 will also see the resurrection of the inside motion, which I'm determined to get right and running smoothly. I might even give lining a go when it comes round to painting it I'll also be attempting my own castings, but more on that in a different thread somewhere.
Incidentally, I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on castings. Is the preference still for solid metal, or are 3D printed parts becoming more accepted? Once painted, you can't tell the difference - if anything 3D printed are probably sharper and crisper, but then there's the durability aspect. Thoughts on a postcard (or at least a post) below please
John
Paul Tomlinson
Western Thunderer
Always metal for me.
Richard Gawler
Western Thunderer
I am on my 17th kit for 7mm scale and so far all of the detail parts are castings, no 3DP for me yet.