Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I should've thought of that before I attached the EZ ones! D'oh!
7mm On Heather's Workbench - Easy-Build does it!
- Thread starter Heather Kay
- Start date
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
One ScaleSeven bogie snake! Just brake shoes to fit, then they can be painted and weathered.
mth
Western Thunderer
The new EZ corridor connections do compress, and are alright for close coupling.I should've thought of that before I attached the EZ ones! D'oh!
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Now shod with S7 bogies, and with closer coupling achieved, I've realised I could do with a much longer test plank!
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Time to shift inside the coaches. I've been sort of putting this off, but I can't think why. It's no more complicated than any other coach interior. I picked the CK as a starting point.
The CK diagram in the Parkin book gave me important dimensions for the compartment lengths. Other measurements have to be derived from parts in the kit. The corridor sides are etched brass, as are the WC walls. Compartment dividers have to be cut from supplied styrene sheet, and the seats are resin castings.
The client had fitted many of the underframe parts with bolts as well as glue, so the first job was to install suitable pieces of styrene sheet across the ABS floor to clear protrusions.
Onto the cross pieces I made up and fitted some 20 thou sheet as a floor. What with one thing and another, the subtle raising of the floor won't show.
The WC compartment walls were folded from the etch. The edges that meet the side wall have been trimmed to more or less match the curve. I could now mark a location for the corridor wall, confirmed by plonking a seat casting in to check. It's within tolerance, let's say. Next, I worked out the centre line for the compartment side centre vestibule door. I did this by marking up and trimming a strip of paper to a scale 2ft 7in, folding it in half lengthways, and then eyeballing it to align with the actual door. With the vestibule located, I used dividers to mark off the compartments in either direction (third class at 6ft 3in; first at 7ft 2in). It was useful to check the divisions were pretty much in the centre of window pillars!
A small square was used against the side of the coach to mark off the divider positions. Everything checked okay, which is nice.
Next, I shall fit styrene strips to aid location for the brass parts on the floor, and make up divider walls. The brass compartment walls will need some work in order to fit the doors properly, so I'll crank up the soldering iron and scrap etch later.
The CK diagram in the Parkin book gave me important dimensions for the compartment lengths. Other measurements have to be derived from parts in the kit. The corridor sides are etched brass, as are the WC walls. Compartment dividers have to be cut from supplied styrene sheet, and the seats are resin castings.
The client had fitted many of the underframe parts with bolts as well as glue, so the first job was to install suitable pieces of styrene sheet across the ABS floor to clear protrusions.
Onto the cross pieces I made up and fitted some 20 thou sheet as a floor. What with one thing and another, the subtle raising of the floor won't show.
The WC compartment walls were folded from the etch. The edges that meet the side wall have been trimmed to more or less match the curve. I could now mark a location for the corridor wall, confirmed by plonking a seat casting in to check. It's within tolerance, let's say. Next, I worked out the centre line for the compartment side centre vestibule door. I did this by marking up and trimming a strip of paper to a scale 2ft 7in, folding it in half lengthways, and then eyeballing it to align with the actual door. With the vestibule located, I used dividers to mark off the compartments in either direction (third class at 6ft 3in; first at 7ft 2in). It was useful to check the divisions were pretty much in the centre of window pillars!
A small square was used against the side of the coach to mark off the divider positions. Everything checked okay, which is nice.
Next, I shall fit styrene strips to aid location for the brass parts on the floor, and make up divider walls. The brass compartment walls will need some work in order to fit the doors properly, so I'll crank up the soldering iron and scrap etch later.
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Any chance of a photo of the closer coupling?
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Your wish is my command!
At rest.
Under tension.
Treatment of the gangway to give clearance for sideswing and uncoupling.
I reckon I could squeeze a couple more millimetres if needed, but it would entail some repair work to the Swiss cheese under the floor! I'm told these vehicles are likely to encounter a minimum radius of 5ft 6in, and having pushed them coupled together through my test plank reverse curves, I think they will survive that.
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Thanks Heather - I think they look better now.
Should you wish to hide the gap in gangway floor, although not prototypical for the UK, a small functional drop step which rests on small projections either from the buffer beam or the inside of the gangway and hinged just above the coupler pocket should work. As shown on this DB BDyg 533 coach - this will allow for uncoupling if necessary but retain some resemblance of a floor.
Should you wish to hide the gap in gangway floor, although not prototypical for the UK, a small functional drop step which rests on small projections either from the buffer beam or the inside of the gangway and hinged just above the coupler pocket should work. As shown on this DB BDyg 533 coach - this will allow for uncoupling if necessary but retain some resemblance of a floor.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Surprisingly rapid progress, despite domestic interruptions.
I made a styrene divider, which was to act as a template for marking out the nine dividers required for this coach. The rectangular cut-out is intended to clear the roof retaining nut strip. I've shaped the outside edge to more or less conform to the body side's curve.
Checking for fit.
Some time later! The base of each divider is aligned using some Evergreen 0.4mm x 1mm strip on floor. With the aid of the trusty engineer's square, something resembling verticality was achieved. A small block of 1mm x 2mm strip was used to hold the upper edge to the body. Once things had set, I dry-fitted the etched compartment walls and glued another thin strip along the floor to the full length to help align the base of the etch later. More blocks were used to provide positive placement of the WC compartment etch.
It's all coming along rather well. I'm waiting for the inevitable disaster!
I made a styrene divider, which was to act as a template for marking out the nine dividers required for this coach. The rectangular cut-out is intended to clear the roof retaining nut strip. I've shaped the outside edge to more or less conform to the body side's curve.
Checking for fit.
Some time later! The base of each divider is aligned using some Evergreen 0.4mm x 1mm strip on floor. With the aid of the trusty engineer's square, something resembling verticality was achieved. A small block of 1mm x 2mm strip was used to hold the upper edge to the body. Once things had set, I dry-fitted the etched compartment walls and glued another thin strip along the floor to the full length to help align the base of the etch later. More blocks were used to provide positive placement of the WC compartment etch.
It's all coming along rather well. I'm waiting for the inevitable disaster!
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
With some strategic dabs of epoxy holding things in place, the CK interior is done.
And so, on to one of the BSKs.
The other one is tomorrow's job.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
A final one for a spell: both BSKs now with interior fittings. Well, aside from seating, obviously. I still need to fit the rather neat corridor handrail brackets, too.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
This week is a sort of in-between week, as I prep various jobs for painting. Having got the three passenger coaches up to the same level, give or take, I turned my attention to the BG.
This had been acquired as a built model, with a view to refurbishing it. The bodywork and underframe had been assembled, and my client had made a start updating things with hinges and steps and things. A rough coat of BR banger blue had been squirted over it, which has been mostly stripped. The glazing had been the later framed sort, and luckily I found sufficient early unframed panels to glaze the model later.
I've been in touch with Shawn at Easy-Build, who will be able to supply replacement bits and pieces. One buffer had been knocked off, so I will replace all four, I need a pair of gangways and I've asked for an extra set of etched window bars. I probably have enough here already, but it doesn't hurt to have spares. I've just been removing the old glazing and cleaning things up a bit. I think I may need to remake some of the door bumpers for various reasons, plus sort out some of the underframe brake rigging.
With a fair wind I should get a coat of primer in and on the other coaches today. Then things will languish for a spell, as I will get the various BG parts - plus an SK, apparently - at Reading in a few weeks. It makes sense to get that built up and prepped for paint before a massive session in the Paint Shop early next year!
This had been acquired as a built model, with a view to refurbishing it. The bodywork and underframe had been assembled, and my client had made a start updating things with hinges and steps and things. A rough coat of BR banger blue had been squirted over it, which has been mostly stripped. The glazing had been the later framed sort, and luckily I found sufficient early unframed panels to glaze the model later.
I've been in touch with Shawn at Easy-Build, who will be able to supply replacement bits and pieces. One buffer had been knocked off, so I will replace all four, I need a pair of gangways and I've asked for an extra set of etched window bars. I probably have enough here already, but it doesn't hurt to have spares. I've just been removing the old glazing and cleaning things up a bit. I think I may need to remake some of the door bumpers for various reasons, plus sort out some of the underframe brake rigging.
With a fair wind I should get a coat of primer in and on the other coaches today. Then things will languish for a spell, as I will get the various BG parts - plus an SK, apparently - at Reading in a few weeks. It makes sense to get that built up and prepped for paint before a massive session in the Paint Shop early next year!
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Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
A nice coat or red oxide all over the interiors. That ought to give a good base for the interior paint scheme later. There will now be a hiatus in this build until the new year while I make progress on other builds that are calling me!
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Oh, hello? It seems ages ago, but we left things with four coaches to complete, three of the passenger coaches primed and about ready for some proper paint. Well, these things as they are, the client added a further coach into the mix - the SK (Second Corridor) mentioned a couple of posts back. It makes sense that I should get it up to the same point the other three are already at so they can all progress through the paint shop together. This is today's progress. I’m about to get primer on things to see how they look, and I’ll probably begin underframe work on Sunday.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Well, hello again! June has been one of those months where I’ve not actually been at home much. A couple of short breaks covering a couple of shows, and the decision to take some time off as some kind of holiday, has meant the workbench has been neglected for a while.
Anyway, in a vain attempt to get things moving again, time to get on with this SK. The idea was to get the thing up to the same level as the other three coaches so they can all start to go through the paint shop together.
The sides and roof had been detailed and given a waft of primer. The underframe was started ages ago, but completed this week. I needed to get the ends detailed before the next stage of beginning body assembly, so that was my task today.
Then I realised I didn’t have any Kadees in stock, so that needed organising. I’m also about to order some CPL destination board clips - not just for this set of coaches but also for the BG stuff I’m doing. I know they’re not quite right for BG stock, but they’ll do in lieu of anything better.
Once the dodgy superglue has set, I’ll consider getting the ends stuck on the floor, though I’m not sure whether I ought to cut a slot for the Kadees to fit in. Decisions! That’s something I’m finding difficult. Simple things are tending to baulk me more than they should, and it’s becoming an issue.
Onwards!
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I must contact my various clients and offer my apologies. This year isn’t turning out as planned, and I’m so very behind with everything. I fear I have become somewhat overwhelmed with everything - and not just by what’s on my workbench.
Kenneth Williams, who was a lifelong diarist, famously wrote in his journal shortly before his death: "Oh, what’s the bl**dy point‽". I have to say, that’s how I currently feel. The "black dog" seems to have taken up residence, and doesn’t want to shift.
On a brighter note, I got the ends and sides glued on. Now, the earlier coaches gave me all sorts of grief with any number of solvents failing to work. Would I be right in thinking the formulation of the plastics used by Shawn in the current kits is better? I used butanone to fix things in place, expecting to need something else to hold it together in due course. I find, however, even allowing for the styrene strip reinforcement, that the sides are absolutely rock solid and show no signs of falling off. Reee-sult!
I also now have the Kadees in stock. So, now I’m trying to build myself up to installing them, and fitting the roof. Then it’s a toss-up between piling into the interior fittings, or getting started on painting the blighters. Hmm, perhaps a few more minutes of prevarication required.
Kenneth Williams, who was a lifelong diarist, famously wrote in his journal shortly before his death: "Oh, what’s the bl**dy point‽". I have to say, that’s how I currently feel. The "black dog" seems to have taken up residence, and doesn’t want to shift.
On a brighter note, I got the ends and sides glued on. Now, the earlier coaches gave me all sorts of grief with any number of solvents failing to work. Would I be right in thinking the formulation of the plastics used by Shawn in the current kits is better? I used butanone to fix things in place, expecting to need something else to hold it together in due course. I find, however, even allowing for the styrene strip reinforcement, that the sides are absolutely rock solid and show no signs of falling off. Reee-sult!
I also now have the Kadees in stock. So, now I’m trying to build myself up to installing them, and fitting the roof. Then it’s a toss-up between piling into the interior fittings, or getting started on painting the blighters. Hmm, perhaps a few more minutes of prevarication required.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I think blue skies and sunshine has helped lift the mood slightly.
The couplings have been fitted. Time for the floor.
As with previous coaches, I added Evergreen strip in appropriate places across the floor, then fitted some 20 thou sheet styrene on top. The next task will be to lay out the toilets and compartments, which I think will be tomorrow’s job. Best not to push my mental luck too far.
The couplings have been fitted. Time for the floor.
As with previous coaches, I added Evergreen strip in appropriate places across the floor, then fitted some 20 thou sheet styrene on top. The next task will be to lay out the toilets and compartments, which I think will be tomorrow’s job. Best not to push my mental luck too far.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I think this is new for the current EZ range: laser cut styrene compartment walls. I still reshaped them slightly to better match the coach side curve, but it saved a lot of cutting out.
Based on dimensions from the Parkin books, I marked out the WC compartments and door vestibules on the floor. I soldered compartment doors to the etched sides. Then, by a process of careful fitting sides and ends, I gradually installed the compartments. As with the previous coaches, chunks of styrene strip were glued in to reinforce location points. Cyano was then used to hold the brass to plastic joins. I think I’ll reinforce the junctions with epoxy as well. Still to fit are the corridor handrail brackets, then I’ll mask up to get red oxide primer on the innards.
Paint shop time not far off.
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Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
With the body now in the paint shop, having had a squirt of red oxide all over the innards, time for some bogies!
I just remembered I hadn’t got the S7 wheelsets in - you will recall this set of stock will have fine and S7 sets for added play value. I think I shall "borrow" a set from another build to keep things moving here, then replace them when I next order from Slater's.
It may be prudent to also dig out the BG and see what needs doing. I rather think proper paint shop time for all these coaches will be next week. Exciting.