The Norwich & Mucklemouth Railway - Eastern Eccentricity in EM
- Thread starter Herb Garden
- Start date
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- 4mm scale em gauge ger pre-grouping
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
So moving swiftly on from Simon's inappropriate and misplaced 'humour'....
Continuing with the S56....
I found I had wrecked the wiper pickups by getting them jammed in the wheel spokes... Luckily I have a couple of spare keeper plates and with some advice from Monsieur Spooner I've made some plasticard slide guides for inserting the keeper plate and protecting the wipers.
The siderods are cast mazak I thing and are very fragile so I decided to replace them with some etched ones... A wise move as it turns out although it's another thing to paint. Loco is now running nicely so on with finishing.
Continuing with the S56....
I found I had wrecked the wiper pickups by getting them jammed in the wheel spokes... Luckily I have a couple of spare keeper plates and with some advice from Monsieur Spooner I've made some plasticard slide guides for inserting the keeper plate and protecting the wipers.
The siderods are cast mazak I thing and are very fragile so I decided to replace them with some etched ones... A wise move as it turns out although it's another thing to paint. Loco is now running nicely so on with finishing.
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
Aye agreed it's a fine model and at tribute to Paul and the team at Accurascale. Saying that the biggest challenge I forsee is trying to tone that I so bright factory finish to sit well with the rest of my stock/layout
Skeetsmere - The level crossing
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
Right so I've been quiet recently been modelling through...
Skeetsmere is due to go to Expo EM summer so it's all hands on deck to get it moved on..... I even have a project plan!
March & April - fix the operational niggles
May & June - finish the scenery
July & August - complete the rest of the rolling stock.
Yeah I know not my most complex of plans but it's better than rushing everything at the last minute.... Unlike November...
So what's been going on?
The level crossing was something I wanted to get done before Workington and I failed to find the time.... So now I've started... The gates themselves started as the ratio occupational crossing....
Then with much modification I chopped them into the style of the ones on the MSLR.
The gates are to be driven from a mechanism under the baseboard these are the two posts soldered to the base plate.
On the other side the mounts to hold the retainer for the mechanics.
I'm using a peco turntable mechanism to drive the gates.
Underneath the gear there is a pin that engaged with forked prongs on the gate hinges. There is a name for this type of mechanism but I cant remember the name.
The gates loosely in position. Next I need to mount up this unit underneath the baseboard with all the wiring.
In other news a DCC fitted #84 is now on test on the layout.... We won't get started on the varying subject of GER blue.... Guess what both shades are accurate!
Also #253 has now gained rods and wheels!
#151 once again crosses the river Skeet. A dry track joint has come loose in this area meaning that this section of track is now dead.... Another niggle to sort eh?
Skeetsmere is due to go to Expo EM summer so it's all hands on deck to get it moved on..... I even have a project plan!
March & April - fix the operational niggles
May & June - finish the scenery
July & August - complete the rest of the rolling stock.
Yeah I know not my most complex of plans but it's better than rushing everything at the last minute.... Unlike November...
So what's been going on?
The level crossing was something I wanted to get done before Workington and I failed to find the time.... So now I've started... The gates themselves started as the ratio occupational crossing....
Then with much modification I chopped them into the style of the ones on the MSLR.
The gates are to be driven from a mechanism under the baseboard these are the two posts soldered to the base plate.
On the other side the mounts to hold the retainer for the mechanics.
I'm using a peco turntable mechanism to drive the gates.
Underneath the gear there is a pin that engaged with forked prongs on the gate hinges. There is a name for this type of mechanism but I cant remember the name.
The gates loosely in position. Next I need to mount up this unit underneath the baseboard with all the wiring.
In other news a DCC fitted #84 is now on test on the layout.... We won't get started on the varying subject of GER blue.... Guess what both shades are accurate!
Also #253 has now gained rods and wheels!
#151 once again crosses the river Skeet. A dry track joint has come loose in this area meaning that this section of track is now dead.... Another niggle to sort eh?
Marc Dobson
Western Thunderer
Do you think a P4 conversion is possible? Or is that a bridge to far?
Marc
Marc
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
Marc I assume you mean on the AccBuck and not my Skeetsmere layout lol....
Depends on how good your track is.... There's some natural compensation in the chassis but not much.... That said it does take the dodgy trackwork on Skeetsmere ok in EM
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
So progress with the level crossing module.
Like all the other modules under Skeetsmere the level crossing mechanism is mounted in a box to protect it during transit... You can see the connector to link it to the station board box. There's no cbus here and just a short direct link. The crossing is really just an extension to the station board box in control terms.
The gateposts can bee seen sticking up as these go through the baseboard and appear on the scenic side.
Underneath the mechanism, motor, relay circuit and limit switches can be seen.
We are now ready for installation.
Like all the other modules under Skeetsmere the level crossing mechanism is mounted in a box to protect it during transit... You can see the connector to link it to the station board box. There's no cbus here and just a short direct link. The crossing is really just an extension to the station board box in control terms.
The gateposts can bee seen sticking up as these go through the baseboard and appear on the scenic side.
Underneath the mechanism, motor, relay circuit and limit switches can be seen.
We are now ready for installation.
Skeetsmere - Levers from a lost layout
New
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
So we haven't talked much about the control panel on Skeetsmere.
That's cos it's pretty dull.
Having a sort out recently I came across the lever frame I built for the previous incarnation of Skeetsmere. At the time I must have put it aside thinking it's 7 levers were not enough for a future project.
So in bout of foolish enthusiasm I thought it would be a good idea to extend the existing frame with half the parts from another MSE kit to make a 10 lever frame.
The splice isn't perfect but hopefully won't be too noticeable after the base is painted.... Or at least that's what I'm hoping.
Hopefully it will be a simple build from here.... Knowing my luck hover I'm not going to hold my breath
That's cos it's pretty dull.
Having a sort out recently I came across the lever frame I built for the previous incarnation of Skeetsmere. At the time I must have put it aside thinking it's 7 levers were not enough for a future project.
So in bout of foolish enthusiasm I thought it would be a good idea to extend the existing frame with half the parts from another MSE kit to make a 10 lever frame.
The splice isn't perfect but hopefully won't be too noticeable after the base is painted.... Or at least that's what I'm hoping.
Hopefully it will be a simple build from here.... Knowing my luck hover I'm not going to hold my breath
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
I swear modelling is like snakes and ladders.... Every time I feel like I'm getting somewhere.... Along come setbacks...
I've just placed the three new levers and spot the difference... Even though it's the same kit (albeit bought 5 years apart ) the new batch are noticeably smaller....
This presents a slight challenge as the 3 new levers are smaller than the originals.... So this is where I need the collective wisdom of WT...
Do I?
A. Use the smaller levers anyway either mixing them into the set or using them intentionally on secondary points/signals such as the goods yard turnouts? I can juggle the levers around in the frame apart from the one on the far right that's got the patching mechanism and is locked in place
B. Try and cut and shut them to match the originals ?
C. Try and source some matching ones?
In reference to option A here's the track plan as it stands
Any suggestions of which way to go would be appreciated
I've just placed the three new levers and spot the difference... Even though it's the same kit (albeit bought 5 years apart ) the new batch are noticeably smaller....
This presents a slight challenge as the 3 new levers are smaller than the originals.... So this is where I need the collective wisdom of WT...
Do I?
A. Use the smaller levers anyway either mixing them into the set or using them intentionally on secondary points/signals such as the goods yard turnouts? I can juggle the levers around in the frame apart from the one on the far right that's got the patching mechanism and is locked in place
B. Try and cut and shut them to match the originals ?
C. Try and source some matching ones?
In reference to option A here's the track plan as it stands
Any suggestions of which way to go would be appreciated
Liver & Fry
Western Thunderer
That's frustrating!
For ease (and your sanity) I'd go option A, and suggest 2 and 10 short lever options (assuming they are shunting signals vs 1 and 9 being the 'main'). Possibly 8 too? As it serves a different function?
- James
Johnson 2A Passenger Coaching Stock
New
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
So with the lever frame waiting on a solution to the mixed size levers and the level crossing waiting on a replacement motor (yes it did burn out) I've had to turn my attention to other things.
I have to admit that my main modelling interest has split between the very early period of the GER up to the late 1870s and the modern image 1900s stuff. So it's nice to do a project that scratches both those itches.
Skeetsmere needs coaching stock. Although those with long memories will recall I did start building some GER 4w coaches of the 2B, 3A & 3B variety a bit of assessment of stock for the layout suggested that these. Although appropriate for a Sunday passenger service did not lend themselves easily to the weekly mixed trains (all of them are quite long and single classes).
The only (nearly operational) passenger stock vehicle on Skeetsmere at the moment is the model of #16 the Wisbech and Upwell tramway brake (the MSLR had a similar vehicle) built by @2mmEditor
This vehicle is of the older Johnson 2A profile and shorter in length which has given me the idea to build up some of these coaches to provide stock for Skeetsmere and beyond.
Hanging around I have a set of etched sides for the three GER 2A coaches that ended up on the Kent and East Sussex
Last year I built a GER bread van using etched sides on a Hornby 4w body and thought it might be worth trying that again. Here is the composite coach from the set of 3 coming together
Although the Hornby full brake requires some surgery!
I have to admit that my main modelling interest has split between the very early period of the GER up to the late 1870s and the modern image 1900s stuff. So it's nice to do a project that scratches both those itches.
Skeetsmere needs coaching stock. Although those with long memories will recall I did start building some GER 4w coaches of the 2B, 3A & 3B variety a bit of assessment of stock for the layout suggested that these. Although appropriate for a Sunday passenger service did not lend themselves easily to the weekly mixed trains (all of them are quite long and single classes).
The only (nearly operational) passenger stock vehicle on Skeetsmere at the moment is the model of #16 the Wisbech and Upwell tramway brake (the MSLR had a similar vehicle) built by @2mmEditor
This vehicle is of the older Johnson 2A profile and shorter in length which has given me the idea to build up some of these coaches to provide stock for Skeetsmere and beyond.
Hanging around I have a set of etched sides for the three GER 2A coaches that ended up on the Kent and East Sussex
Last year I built a GER bread van using etched sides on a Hornby 4w body and thought it might be worth trying that again. Here is the composite coach from the set of 3 coming together
Although the Hornby full brake requires some surgery!
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
Continued violence towards Hornby generic coaches
The Hornby coach before
And after. This one with be a diagram 501 brake 3rd just needs the duckets added then the body cut to length
The Hornby coach before
And after. This one with be a diagram 501 brake 3rd just needs the duckets added then the body cut to length
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
Here's where it gets drastic.
The end has been right royally chopped off the coach body to shorten it from the Hornby 26ft body to the required 22ft 8ins body for the C501 brake 3rd
And here it is with the ducket end in place. Just need to fill the gap.
The third (and the fourth) coach are 27ft C502 brake 3rds. Same as the 501 but with an extra compartment. Here's the coach body extended by 4mm with the ducket end glued on.
Here's the three in Thier current state.... The fourth lurks behind.... How is it that the only ones of these coaches I can find going cheap are LSWR ones?
The end has been right royally chopped off the coach body to shorten it from the Hornby 26ft body to the required 22ft 8ins body for the C501 brake 3rd
And here it is with the ducket end in place. Just need to fill the gap.
The third (and the fourth) coach are 27ft C502 brake 3rds. Same as the 501 but with an extra compartment. Here's the coach body extended by 4mm with the ducket end glued on.
Here's the three in Thier current state.... The fourth lurks behind.... How is it that the only ones of these coaches I can find going cheap are LSWR ones?
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
I'm sure the purist would have soldered these coach bodies together but I'm rather enjoying laying the sides over a central shell.
Case in point is these ducket sides.... I've been able to cut a slot in the body side to allow me to set them in position and adjust until perfect then glue from the rear. The method worked rather well.
View from the inside
And the view if the full coach. All I've got to do now is fill up the ducket yo make it the correct shape.... I'm really just making this up as I go but it's relaxing and that's the whole point right?
Case in point is these ducket sides.... I've been able to cut a slot in the body side to allow me to set them in position and adjust until perfect then glue from the rear. The method worked rather well.
View from the inside
And the view if the full coach. All I've got to do now is fill up the ducket yo make it the correct shape.... I'm really just making this up as I go but it's relaxing and that's the whole point right?
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
Hi Tony,
The electronics boxes featured in post 888 that go under the layout are from flexgenix Website. I actually bought mine through eBay and they were kind enough to adapt the design to allow them to sit under Skeetsmere's framework.
The actual baseboards themselves are my own design routed by a local bespoke furniture company for me
Hope that helps?
Are the coaches with the holes in the sides where the waist level panels go by Peter K?
I remember buying a set of the ones used on the K&ESR many years ago, probably at Scaleforum and I think from the man himself. Pretty sure I used solder paint to attach the panels, PCB floors and cut out brass sheet partitions, and I'm certain that I never finished them!
I think that was going to be an attempt at P4, which only got as far as buying a few wheelsets before I reverted to EM.
I'll be interested to see your results with these!
Simon.
Herb Garden
Western Thunderer
Hi Simon,
Yes these are the Peter K ones. Goodness knows how old some of these etches were but some were almost brand new when I acquired them second hand
You can hopefully see the difference in levels of tarnish between the 2nd & 3rd form the left and the one of the far right.... Just goes to show it make a difference how you store etched parts