Mike G's Workspace.

Mike Garwood

Western Thunderer
A quick re-numbering job for another engine for Hengoed. BR Std cl 4 tank - my second favourite engine.

This has been converted to P4, but not by me. I'm not that clever, this was done by Robin Whittle, to whom I am very grateful. I did'nt fancy building another DJH model, especially when the Bachmann model is so good. The engine has a chip for DCC control and is a very smooth performer.
There's still a lot to add. Proper screw coupings (Masokits), steam and Vacuum pipes front and back. Talking of which, trying to get hold of these lovely brass turned affairs is turning into someting of a treasure hunt. The one's I want are from Markits. But my usual sources, Roxey, 247 Developments are out of stock (247 have been waiting for an order of these since June!). The reason I don't go direct, is I've suffered from first hand experience of the owner. But, he does produce some wonderful accessories for model engines and our hobby would be the poorer from his absence.

BR Std 4 tank renumbered.jpg

BR Std 4 tank renumbered 2.jpg

I'm short of one of each for the rear of the engine, so if you know someone who has a sellable stache, please let me know.

I bought the engine secondhand and one of the buffers had broken off. Thank goodness Bachmann do sell replacements for these.

If you go to YouTube and search for Hengoed High Level, you'll find a video of 80133 coming into Hengoed heading for Pontypool. The one I found is in colour, what a state this engine was in. It's going to be huge fun trying to replicate that!

Transfers and Smokebox numbers are from the Fox range. I have to admitt to be slighly surprised at the size of the shed code. At the time the video was taken 80133 was shedded at Swansea East Dock. You have to ask yourself how the hell did it get to be a regular on the Vale of Neath? Yes I know Neath is the other side of Swansea, but it just seems a little odd. Something I shall have to explore to satisfy my curiosity.

So COVID is well and truly alive in Wales. My son in law became infected from meeting a parent in school. Mike has gone down like a sack of potatoes; sweats, cold and clamy and very high temperature. Really poorly. The worse thing for my wife and I is that we can't see our wonderful Grandson, Harry, who's just 9 months old, the fact that they had to isolate as a family is really scary, especially for a 9 month old. It's just over a month ago that Mike completed the London marathon in under 3.5 hours, but he admitts to feeling completely exhausted all the time. This meant my daughter - another teacher- was / is also off work.
Just to add insult to injury, one of the lads in my office also tested positive, which meant the whole office had to go for a PCR test (6 of us spaced out over 20 meters) - I have my follow up test tomorrow. It's about 3 weeks ago when we had a family zoom meeting that we all acknowledged how lucky we'd been to avoid the damn virus.

Stay safe people, it's still out there!

Mike
 

Dave Holt

Western Thunderer
Mike.
Vacuum and steam heat hoses and associated pipes are not too difficult to make by tightly wrapping very fine wire (say 5 amp fuse wire or even finer stuff from Eileens, etc,) round a formed pipe from 0.6 or 0.7 brass. The finished windings can be flooded with solder, but not so much as to completely fill the gaps in the windings, to better represent the corrugated rubber hose.
Dave.
 

Dave Holt

Western Thunderer
Good luck, Mike. It's a bit laborious and you need to keep the pitch of the windings as even as possible. I start by tack soldering the fuse wire to the inner wire at the top of the hose and wind on by hand. The windings can be pushed together or separated, as required, using a finger nail, tweezers, fine screwdriver, etc.
A few examples done this way appear on my locos shown on here, especially between loco and tender - not all a neat as they could be, if I'm honest.
On most of my locos, I only model the shut-off cock and flange on the steam heat connection as the hoses were normally removed during the non-train heating season (my layout is set in the late spring/early summer), at least in the BR era.
Dave.
 

Mike Garwood

Western Thunderer
Back to the subject at hand....

The Masokits couplings are on (front and back). Vacuum and steam pipes have been added to the front and holes have been drilled in the rear buffer beam to take the others. The eagle eyed among you, will have spotted that the cab and bunker are missing steps (frankly, you'd have to be very short sighted not too have noticed and all of you were too polite to mention it :)). Anyway I've remedied that, next up is the oddest photo on WT. (There's a challenge).

BR STD 4 steps.jpg

What we have here is a pair of cab steps (drying) and a pair of bunker steps being soaked in IPA (not Indian pale ale). I've found that small brass parts clean up better after a couple of hours soak and occasional sloshing around in this stuff. Ready to be painted tomorrow and fitted once dry - acyrilic paints to the rescue. I've also taken the oppourtunity to properly seat the valves under the steps, which were at a very steep angle. The valve in front is angled but not to the extent where you could ski down it. I'm hoping to complete all this by Friday, as another play date is luming large in Tewkesbury...which for some reason I'm really, really looking forward to.

Stay safe

Mike
 

Mike Garwood

Western Thunderer
Not much to say really, other than all in my previous rambles has now been completed. I've managed to get the measurements wrong on the rear steps as they should be level with the cab steps. So some CAD work to be done to get that right. I wish I could think of a way to disguise the frames not running over the rear bogie, maybe that'll come to me in due course. Getting a crew in the cab is another problem to contemplate.

BR STD 4 front.jpg

BR STD 4 rear.jpg

BR STD 4 side.jpg

Worth the effort and of course needs a very good dose of grot. Looking forward to seeing this earn a crust tomorrow.

Stay safe

Mike
 

Mike Garwood

Western Thunderer
Like you didn't know this was coming....


So when I got to the shed my Brit was running with the 11 on the back, it continued to run for the next hour and a half. Didn't drop a beat, not one. I haven't smiled that much since my Grandson was born - and Harry is just amazing. Wonderful to watch for me.

Having seen this on the layout I really need to sort out the daylight screaming through the bogie under the bunker. Looks dreadful, so some plastic card experiments before committing to being drawn in CAD (along with new rear bunker steps and .... front steps).

My thanks to Robin Whittle for hosting another afternoon meeting and to Liz for providing a scrumptious cake.

Stay safe

Mike
 
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Dave Holt

Western Thunderer
Great to hear of the good running of your Brit, Mike, and it looks like you've got another winner with the Standard tank, judging by the video.
I agree about the need to fill the gap between the rear bogie and the loco chassis and this is also true for the front truck. Significant weight transferred on the real thing and that doesn't occur with thin air.
Dave.
 

Mike Garwood

Western Thunderer
Hi Dave

Thanks for the observation, that's something I've overlooked - again! I've just started drawing out the steps, but given the time of year it may be a while before I get all of this finished. Well, at least till the early days of the New Year. I also got my 52 diesel back last Friday as well, so another model awaits the paint shop. From BR blue to maroon, with the smaller yellow front.

In other news...my wife has taken the momentous step to retire - starting April, which means I probably won't be far behind her. I can see a new shed being built that will have a dual purpose. So hopefully a finishing line for all my coaches and rolling stock is in sight.

Stay safe

Mike
 

Dave Holt

Western Thunderer
Mike.
Just re-watched the Brit video - what a magnificent sight.
You just need to build 11 coaches of your own now.:eek:
Dave.
 

Mike Garwood

Western Thunderer
Mike.
Just re-watched the Brit video - what a magnificent sight.
You just need to build 11 coaches of your own now.:eek:
Dave.

Who do you think built the sprung bogies that they run on? :)

Strange you should say that, I was only talking to Robin on Friday saying the same thing! I think they'd have to be blood and custard though. It's only 5 years since I sold all my mark 1 coaches...all 8 of them :headbang:. I did keep my brake third, so only ten to build then! Another 20 sprung bogies - Arghhh!

Would be worth it though :D

Mike
 
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