7mm Melcombe Magna

[Quintus]

Maybe not appropriate on this particular section of the forum, but as it's part of the layout as a whole, I thought I may get away with it. So as threatened earlier, here are some photos of the Waterloo Tramway, a very minimal affair that runs from a hidden siding alongside the standard gauge sector plate, past the bagging shed and some abandoned/scrap machinery, to the loading dock, where the lime is transferred to standard gauge wagons.
Only one loco can be used at any time, but I have a fair selection to choose from, and in this instance we see the little Simplex bowling along with some loaded skips, and in the last photo, returning with the empties.

 

[Osgood]

A more complete view of the face shovel would be appreciated
(Found a tantalising part rear view in MRJ 221).

 

[simond]

This is lovely stuff! More please!

 

[3 LINK]

This is lovely stuff! More please!

Ditto….. that’s some amazing modelling..

 

[Quintus]

Thanks for your comments, here is a photo of the Priestman Panther face shovel (Duncan Models kit).
I have just noticed the cable over the pulley on the top of the jib needs attention, next job when I go up the shed.
Apologies for the poor depth of field on this photo, the only one I could find with the excavator in full view. Too cold to go up there just now!

 

[Jordan]

Anyone who grabbed the Feb RM for the Micro Marvels feature on Alan's Blackney can also enjoy a write-up of Newton Heath Works which features as Railway of the Month

A very good article it is too.

With Alan's Blackney and our NHW, hopefully 7mm scale modelling will receive a further boost

I thought this month's (Feb!! ) RM was a pretty good issue all round

 

[adrian]

Thanks for your comments, here is a photo of the Priestman Panther face shovel (Duncan Models kit).
I have just noticed the cable over the pulley on the top of the jib needs attention, next job when I go up the shed.
Apologies for the poor depth of field on this photo, the only one I could find with the excavator in full view. Too cold to go up there just now!

Photos are always brilliant for highlighting minor discrepancies!

Your photos remind me that I need to renumber my ScaleSeven pug when I rewheel it. I built mine many years ago, unfortunately to finescale standards, it was prior to my Scale7 conversion. I need to rewheel my pug to Scale7 as one of the wheels has developed a disconcerting crack in it. However I notice that a significant number of 7mm pugs are numbered 51218 as is mine & yours - must have been a popular prototype photo! So I think a new number is required.

 

[daifly]

51218 had a long and varied life. I have a SevenScal (sic) kit of one to build in ScaleSeven as 51218 which was at Swansea East Dock for 18 months from end-62 to mid-64. I need no other excuse! The wheels supplied with the kit are not going to be used as the centres are loose on the tyres.
Dave

 

[Quintus]

Photos are always brilliant for highlighting minor discrepancies!

Your photos remind me that I need to renumber my ScaleSeven pug when I rewheel it. I built mine many years ago, unfortunately to finescale standards, it was prior to my Scale7 conversion. I need to rewheel my pug to Scale7 as one of the wheels has developed a disconcerting crack in it. However I notice that a significant number of 7mm pugs are numbered 51218 as is mine & yours - must have been a popular prototype photo! So I think a new number is required.

51218 does seem to be a popular choice of number. I always fancied building a ScaleSeven (now Springside) pug, but a few years ago I had the opportunity to buy a Tower brass one from a pal, and it just so happened to be numbered thus. As this loco was allocated to Barrow Rd in 1960 it fitted in quite well. My excuse is that it is on hire to the Dorset Lime and Cement Co. whilst their loco is undergoing major repairs.
The gearing is too high for a shunting loco, (about 25:1 I think), most of my industrials are 50:1, so performance is tolerable but not great.

 

[Osgood]

From my childhood memory of an old wooden cabbed Ruston No 4 in chalk pit service, I'd say that was a highly realistic finish, Mike!
I guess STANLEY is from the EDM TOWNSEND HOOK 3-D printed kit?

Tony

 

[michael mott]

Love the abandoned 7
Michael

 

[adrian]

51218 does seem to be a popular choice of number. I always fancied building a ScaleSeven (now Springside) pug, but a few years ago I had the opportunity to buy a Tower brass one from a pal, and it just so happened to be numbered thus.

I built mine circa 1983/4 so I'm happy that it predated the Tower version.

51218 had a long and varied life. I have a Scalseven (sic) kit of one to build in ScaleSeven as 51218 which was at Swansea East Dock for 18 months from end-62 to mid-64. I need no other excuse! The wheels supplied with the kit are not going to be used as the centres are loose on the tyres.

The build is very straightforward - the only error I think I made in my build is fitting the steam chest in the chassis. It was I think the only bit of the instructions that wasn't crystal clear and in my ignorance I fitted it too low which meant that the later fitting of the links for the drain cocks was a little tighter than it should have been.
Just to make mine a little different it is quite simple to make the inside motion "working". If you make a couple of little eccentrics for the rear axle then you can quite easily make the inside motion working. I'll take a few photos when I rewheel my loco.

 

[Quintus]

Having explored some of the goings on at Waterloo Yard, we return to the "Main Line" in time to see the Weymouth Auto arriving with 1405 in charge.

 

[Quintus]

A little later, 41283 arrives with a passenger working from Templecombe, and after taking water and running round, departs with the return working.

 

[Quintus]

Today, Templecombe,s Bagnall 47542 has been rostered on the goods turn, and it looks like a local farmer is having a new tractor.
The little bracket on the bunker is used for slotting in the tablet catcher when banking trains up from Radstock.
The loco is built from a Connoisseur kit.

 

[michael mott]

I like all the point rodding and brackets any chance of a bit more information about them?
Michael

 

[Quintus]

I like all the point rodding and brackets any chance of a bit more information about them?
Michael

The rodding is 1mm square brass, used to represent the inverted U section type rodding used latterly.
Cranks, compensators and frames are C& L cast brass components. I am no S&T expert, but I am reasonably happy with the result so far.
There is still more to do in this area, I have castings for the signal wire pulleys etc. which I should be getting on with, but I would like to use the pulley posts made from old round point rodding. Unfortunately C&L only do the pulleys mounted on square wooden posts, which seem to have fell from favour at an early date due to rotting. I have made a few using .9mm wire with the pulley castings cut from the C&L products and soldered on, but it's a painfully slow process and I have not got very far with this. 3D printing could be the answer.
Regards
Mike

 

[michael mott]

Thank you Mike for your detailed reply, another piece of the puzzle falls into place. I did not know that the rodding was a channel section, but it makes sense given that it would be stronger than solid material and a lot lighter. Also easier to connect to itself or round bars.

Michael

 

[Pencarrow]

To save others looking for the C&L point rodding bits on the C&L website (wot no search option), here's the link.

Online Store | CLFinescale

www.clfinescale.co.uk

For some reason the parts are in the point kits section, below the point kits.

 

[Quintus]

Whilst the shunting goes on below, Drewry diesel No. 4 creeps out of Waterloo Yard and begins to descend the incline to the exchange siding with a short rake of empties.
Thee signal is operated with servos.