7mm Rob Pulham's Work Bench - Back (again) to the LNER 06 (MOK 8F)

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

The A3 is still progressing slowly. I have built up my first set of outside valve gear - admittedly the DJH instructions were somewhat lacking in the detail.
I have also done more work on the chassis but can't do too much (particularly the white metal bits) because I have ordered some replacement springs from Ragstone Models - the DJH ones just don't cut it. The springs are quite substantial so will require a bit of heat to solder on.

 

[Scale7JB]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

Hi rob,

All looking great! Though I might say that you could have a few problems with a solid centre axle with the engine rocking around that point... Just something that might be worth looking out for during test running.

JB.

 

[28ten]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

Hi rob,

All looking great! Though I might say that you could have a few problems with a solid centre axle with the engine rocking around that point... Just something that might be worth looking out for during test running.

JB.

I might sound like a heretic, but one solution is to set the centre axle a little higher - crude nut it helps

 

[Graham Powell]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

Agree with you about Slaters crankpins. Considering the high prices, high time we had something better. You should'nt have to re thread them 10ba and tap the little bushes.  I've tapped them 8ba and turned up crankpins which screw in from the front before now. (Works okay). Don't mention offsetting the middle axle. Already been shot down on the Guild Forum about that. I'm not doing very well, what with LIMA and offsetting middle holes.....
rgds
Graham Powell :wave:

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

Hi rob,

All looking great! Though I might say that you could have a few problems with a solid centre axle with the engine rocking around that point... Just something that might be worth looking out for during test running.

JB.

Thanks Jonathan, I must admit I would have preferred to have mounted it on the rear axle but couldn't get my gearbox/motor (Maxon/ABC) to fit so I went for the centre one.

I might sound like a heretic, but one solution is to set the centre axle a little higher - crude nut it helps

I agree, if I find that I have problems, I will try that as the first remedy. It is quite remarkable how many kits suggest using the centre axle for the motor - that's what the DJH instructions recommend and the same for the ACE J52 I have in the pile. Time will tell as to how I get on.

 

[Scale7JB]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

There's no real reason why you couldn't use a sprung driven axle, just so long as you have a moveable mount for the motor... It's something I need to do for the L1 and K2...!

I've seen a ball and socket as used on a r/c car servo track rod end joint used in the past.

JB. 

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

There's no real reason why you couldn't use a sprung driven axle, just so long as you have a moveable mount for the motor... It's something I need to do for the L1 and K2...!

I've seen a ball and socket as used on a r/c car servo track rod end joint used in the past.

JB.

True, and I had thought about it but hadn't taken the thought very far. That may be plan C

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

I haven't made much progress this week - I have been busy finishing a Slaters MR/LMS Fruit van that I have been building at the cottage over a few weeks. It's quite small so the wife isn't keen on me soldering there. Which means that I have a few Slaters kits in the pile.

I have also just taken the plunge and ordered a JLRT Gresley Brake coach kit with the proceeds of the sales of some of my 4mm stock of kits. I plan to build most of this at the cottage. I will take a few pics of the fruit van soon.

On the A3 front, I have just taken delivery of some of the Ragstone models cast springs. I won't be carrying out Christian's mods as they are exactly the same size as the DJH etched ones. Photos to follow once I have attached them to the chassis.

 

[Dog Star]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

I have also just taken the plunge and ordered a JLRT Gresley Brake coach kit..

On the A3 front, I have just taken delivery of some of the Ragstone models cast springs. I won't be carrying out Christian's mods as they are exactly the same size as the DJH etched ones.

Ooohh, someone else who has succumbed to Teak from the Dark Side....  if you carry on like this then maybe the Gaffer-in-charge will have to give LNER followers their own part of the forum, possibly "DarK Teak carriage sides and Apple Green boiler barrels"?  (which would include Christian with Spearmint - and need to ask JB for his suggestion).

Re the driving wheel springs....  from what Christian said to me at Warley, there is a good chance that castings from Hobbytime and from Ragstone are for springs with spring bolts at 4'0" centres (as per A4) rather than 3'6" (as per A1 and probably A3).  See this page for comparison of drawings:-

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... e__st__225

regards, Graham Beare

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

You are right Graham, I have just measured the spring on my Isinglass drawing and 3'6" they are. I have now a decision to make, the DJH ones are obviously not right too.

 

[Dog Star]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

I have just measured the spring on my Isinglass drawing and 3'6" they are. I have now a decision to make, the DJH ones are obviously not right too.

In case Christian does not read this thread for a while...  why not ask him if any of the springs shown in his thread are at 3'6" centres?  An e-mail to Andy Beaton of Ragstone may be productive for he was party to the spring discussion at Warley.  Thinking more widely...  you could ask Richard Lambert about the springs which he fitted to Dimanond Jubilee...  or even approach Ian Young to see if A3s feature in his repetoire.

regards, Graham

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

Hi Graham,  thanks for the thoughts.

I have to admit I do think the Ragstone spring castings are superb and after thinking about it, if I was doing a Finney or MOK kit I would probably have gone down the mod route that Christian took (having made some similar albeit much smaller springs for my scratch built tank). However given that my kit is a DJH and therefore there will always be some compromises. And taking into account that if the etched springs hadn't looked so flimsy in the first place I would have fitted them without measuring them.  I think I am going to fit the Ragstone ones and accept the scale 6" difference.

On balance for the visual improvement that the cast springs will make, I can live with this as a compromise as they will ultimately be underneath and behind the wheels.

I will also be having a look at my W1 drawing as I suspect that I may wish to replace the springs on the W1 kit I will receive at Christmas and they may be just the right size for that (now where is that fingers crossed smiley when you need it!!).

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

As promised a few pictures of the Slaters Fruit van.

Does anyone know if they have guard irons over the brake yokes? I have left my Midland wagon books at the cottage so I cannot check until I go up again at the New Year (weather permitting).

 

[Dog Star]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench

Thanks for that I will have a look in Tesco on Monday for some. The wife isn't keen on me having it for Christmas as it doesn't look new, which may mean I will have to have something else - I am hard done by

Does any of us believe you given what you have admitted to finding in Santa's sack last month?  Or did Santa leave just a bottle of Viakil

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench

Does any of us believe you given what you have admitted to finding in Santa's sack last month?  Or did Santa leave just a bottle of Viakil

Ahh... you are mistaking Santa's sack for the Valentines day present Graham. I never did find any Viakal - Tesco only did shiny sinks so I got some of that instead.

The W1 kit was the root of one of the very few bit's of discord in our house. I have been told in no uncertain terms that we will only have loco kits direct from manufacturers in future so that my good lady is assured that they are complete and will have support if anything is amiss - I think she just likes talking to David and other people in the trade myself.

 

[Steph Dale]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

Rob,

I'm just catching up with your thread and noticed talk about the need for a 3'6" leaf spring for an A1/A3.  I've just had a look in Laurie Griffin's catalogue and he lists a Gresley P1 spring (3'6", angled ends) as item 27-61.  I have also just pulled out a set of GAs for a Brighton Atlantic (think about it for a moment before glaring daggers at me  ;D); these also had 3'6" underhung springs on their leading driving axles.  Laurie lists these and the hangers as item 27-26; these could well be what you're looking for...

Steph

 

[Steph Dale]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

Rob,

Further to my all-too-quick/late posting last night, I've just quickly dug out a copy of one of the Brighton/Marsh GAs, this is for the 'J' tanks (J1, I think) which used the same spring/hangers as the H1 and H2 Atlantics.  Understandably they have a distinctly 'Great Northern' flavour that may be just what the doctor ordered...

Steph

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

Well I have finally got back to the A3. I have in theory been waiting for some additional brake parts from Ragstone most of which have arrived but if I am honest I have been distracted with other things having part built an MMP Glass wagon.

I have done some of the footplate detailing feeling quite good until I realised that I had to take half the bits of again to drill holes for the pipe work to locate in - I had drilled the holes in the sides of the lubricators but not the castings under the smokebox (I am not sure what they call them but all will be revealed when I add the pipes.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - DJH A3

You may recall at the beginning of this thread I built Severn? Well I have finally got around to finishing the last bits of detail and painting her. Photo's to follow hopefully tomorrow or Friday when the final coat is on and I have put her back together.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob Pulham's Work Bench - Severn Finished at Last, it's even painted!

Well having waited patiently most of the last week for some decent light to take photo's here she is in all her glory.