Author name: David Hagger

Preparation for the Show

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With ABB featuring at Alexandra Palace over the coming weekend we are busy preparing.

A few of the locos on the layout are lacking a crew, which is most noticeable on the tender engines, but easy to fit as there is good access. However, for tank engines it is difficult to get small bodies inside without undoing lots of screws and then finding its still impossible. So why bother . . . . you can see where I did get someone inside 82030, can’t you? Other engines are more helpful, the space where the backhead should be proved useful on the 94xx.

By later Tuesday we had ABB packed and stacked ready for Friday’s trip up the M4.

After that was complete we had a chance to admire Luke’s Model T combination which has featured before. It just needs nameplates and crew, and maybe even passenger(s)?

Preparation for the Show Read More »

Friday 7 March

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Having bought some very cheap 7mm point work Mike E launched into a short line project titled the Hogwash and Balony Railroad. The station building is in progress and three very nice boxvan kits have arrived. They’ve probably cancelled out any savings made on the pointwork.

Away from the clubroom Andrew N has started to produce some track work for Cwm Carno – to be precise the colliery sidings and in flat-bottom to boot.

Friday 7 March Read More »

Mainly Cwm Carno and some homework

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After we fixed the trackbed on Cwm Carno it was apparent that it needed further support to prevent excessive flexing and ensure the it was in one plane throughout the areas supporting turnouts to give us the best chance of reliable running. Paul S added several braces to this end.

Sticking to Cwm Carno, Andrew N has produced what may prove to be the first items of stock specifically for the layout. They are all based on the Masokits whitemetal kits from the 1980s (when, coincidentally, LBH was involved in the enterprise).

And Wagonman looks like he has pretty well reached the finishing line with his ex-CMDPLR pannier.

Away from the clubrooms our members are busy:

Stephen B has created Locomotive no.7, aka “the brick”. It is being built for the mysteriously-titled Project Kevin and will be the test bed for battery powered radio control. He reckons that he should be able to get a small power station in there.

Mainly Cwm Carno and some homework Read More »

Week ending 9th February

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Monday and our well-glued baseboard is set for ‘the test’. Will it fit into the intended vehicle? As long as it goes in low down for side clearance, it can be lifted up afterwards to allow items to be stored underneath. It is very light and we did notice that it will move in the wind.

Also Rhobat brought along the final prototypes for his Bryngaer Models Cambrian wagons. Looking very good.

And Rhobat completed the lineside hut for Cwm Carno.

First Tuesday of the month and we met on Zoom as usual. We looked at advance planning for which layouts need to be erected before they go on show, using Luke’s spreadsheet. Guided by LBH we visited a great variety of pubs from the Valleys seeking features to be included in the pub on Cwm Carno. (The Cordell Arms?) Then Mr Chairman talked about his visit to Bradenton MRC when on holiday in Florida over Christmas. SteveB continued down memory lane with pictures centred around the Cambrian mainline. (The Manors on the Cambrian Coast Express looked magnificent) Finally back to Luke for some Corris Railway and other narrow gauge pictures.

Friday. To help with planning the buildings and other scenery we had a full size printout of the drawn plan made. The proposed positions of the buildings will need a bit of revision, and better provisions made for gardens and the occasinal Tŷ Bach. Apologies for not the clearest photo.

Mr Chairman spent most of the evening trying to get the uncoupling sorted out for one particular movement on ABB. The horsebox and van in the picture have to be detached from the incoming train then deposited in the bay platform. After much swearing it was discovered that the long wheelbase of the green 3MT causes the couplings to swing wide on the curve into the bay and not release freely. The solution was to swop the loco for the shorter 84xx pannier tank.

and Wagonman making good progress with his ex-CMDP pannier tank, providing a lot of detail for the backhead.

Etched brass tank engine are continuing to absorb members efforts. Luke treading new ground with his S7 side tank.

Week ending 9th February Read More »

Week ending 12th January

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Monday, and BYR2 progresses further with holes cut in the ends for access to the fiddle yards. But the big challenge was . . . . . will it fit in the car?

Automatic tailgates will test whether it fits well. After the initial failure, moving the front seats forward a bit and straightening the baseboard, all was well.

Friday was the annual post-Christmas curry and drinks. As normal we went to Hatti for the meal, so with their usual bright blue lighting we didn’t take any photos.

Week ending 12th January Read More »

Week ending 15th December

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Monday was a normal session, and we wished bon voyage to Mr Chairman who is escaping the next few storms in Florida.

Tuesday saw our Wizard fettling a Peak (I think), LBH messing about ineffectually in his corner,

Luke, having eased the over-tight meshing on his Railcar chassis, gave the gearset a good running in and then assembled the chassis for the non-powered car,

Wagonman made great leaps forward with his Mogul,

And TAFKATYS virtually completed a baseboard and enclosure from a standing start in the evening. Bwthyn y Rhosod II will be a 7mm scale, 16.5 mmm gauge layout, which we hope to see at NEWGOG next year.

A very good turn out on Friday, the final discussions on the baseboard for the Jubilee Challenge were followed by a decision to process with the laser-cut proposal, our Wizard evading the camera while working on a job that shall nor be named, LBH on some telegraph poles for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae, while we saw …

More progress on the U1 from Wagonman, with some lovely work on the motion.

Ed is honing his card modelling skills and has pushed this preprinted kit almost to completion.

Having progressed Bwthyn i Rhosod II so far adding legs TAFKATYS steps back to contemplate the next step.

Week ending 15th December Read More »

Week ending 24th November

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Another quiet Monday will only Andrew J and LBH in attendance.

Andrew progressed with his Signal Box for Lyne Road

In an attempt to model the August 1912 delivery of 12 axles of Mansell wheels from Pickering, Wishaw to the Brecon and Merthyr’s works at Machen in the Evans and Bevan coal wagons (numbers 1296, 1297 and 1298 if you must know), LBH has made a start by commissioning 3d prints of the wheels from Andrew Smith of  3D printolutions. Wagons to follow hopefully before too long.

Tuesday was quiet too, the cold snap not helping matter, but work continued on Signal box, goods shed. Southern mogul and antediluvian wagons, but all the efforts evaded the camera’s shutter (do they still have shutters?).

Friday was a tad busier with four members in attendance.

Luke is making good progress with his 7mm GWR Loroit
And at last LBH has an accurate boiler thanks to the efforts of all round good egg Richard Spoors.
Thanks to his efforts a replacement etch was made, which LBH rolled on Friday.

Elsewhere Mr Chairman continued with the short wheelbase wagons and Andrew J worked on the Signl Box.

Week ending 24th November Read More »

Week ending 17th November

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Monday was a quiet afternoon with the few present feeling ‘Open-Dayed-out’.

Tuesday saw more activity. Luke started on a ‘proper’ 7mm model with this GW Lowmac wagon from Connoisseur Models, ably assisted by Wagonman.

LBH was having a good grind at the goods shed for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae, shaping blocks in the wall.

AndrewJ got on with the fiddley task of getting the signal box for Lyne Road neat and square.

Mr Chairman made a bit more progress with the early wagons.

By Friday there were two wagons to display on Llanastr.

Week ending 17th November Read More »

Week ending 10th November

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This Monday saw some more progress on the short wagon. The buffers have been glued in place and the couplings attached. Unfortunately all the handling necessary to do this has dislodged the end handrail. Next it’s on to axleboxes – they are a bit skinny to fit well around the bearings and careful opening out will be necessary.

Further 3D small wagons have been started, though a couple needed some hot water to successfully straighten out the sides.

Tuesday was a Zoom meeting. Mike E took us for an enjoyable trip along the model ‘Amberdale’ using material from the book of the layout written by its creator. The quality of the scenic work and its photography was hugely atmospheric, the result of 62 years of work. We also viewed developments with the Jubilee layout, now named Cwm Carno (temporarily). A 1/8th scale baseboard produced by LBH was explained. The paper mock-up of it included levels and gradients. Luke produced a spreadsheet that will help organise which layouts are erected in the rooms.

Friday was occupied with preparation for the Open Day.

Week ending 10th November Read More »

Week ending 27th October

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During the week we erected Frecclesham in the Layout Room to check that all was working satisfactorily prior to the Open Day. Thankfully it was.

At the start of the week work started on this and other 3D printed small wagons in 4mm. Below is one of the prototypes.

As 3D prints they arrive with support structure as below. They clean up pretty easily though carefull filing is needed to finish off. They are small, the material is light and adding extra weight for an empty wagon will be a bit of a problem

The hand rails on the ends do not always print well, so some 0.33 NS wire has been used.

Also on Friday Luke was putting together DG couplings for his shunting plank. The Dinorwic quarry wagons are some of the latest releases from Bachmann.

Not to be outdone, LBH is also building some short wheelbase Welsh wagons, this time in Scaleseven.

They are from the same source, Andrew Smith (eBay 3D printolutions) and are in development.

Week ending 27th October Read More »

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