Author name: Rodney Hall

Monday 8th September

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Monday saw five of us at the club, Andrew J working on Lyne Road scenics, Paul W on his BR Mogul and Mr C on Cwm Carno.

AlsoThe Wizard continues work on Usk and boiler and firebox are now fixed, allowing the temporary new safety valve cover and dome to be tried out in position for fit.

Meanwhile LBH did a little fettling on a new dome for B&MR 45 to replace the 3D-printed resin one.

Here is the narrower trackbed for the bridge girders on Cwm Carno. Whilst this position in the centre of the layout is scenically correct, it makes it very difficult to reach in and cut away the excess material.

Tuesday. In preparation for the Stafford Show The Wizard has weathered the P class built by TAFKATYS. Its shown posed on Frecclesham in th Bay road.

On Cwm Carno the next pointwork – the crossing in the reception sidings – has been laid in along with the headshunt. The red pin is there to locate that end in the correct position.

Wagonman has progressed with the tool van for his breakdown train.

Much of Friday’s energies went towards practicing operation on Frecclesham prior to its trip to Stafford.

But LBH did fine a few moments to apply some lettering to a S7 dead-buffered Gloucester five-plank wagon. This is what it should look like.

Monday 8th September Read More »

Two’s company

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With the holiday season in full swing and other commitments only two of us made it the the clubrooms tonight.

Mike E has replaced the capping on the Depot roof with Tomato Purée tube foil, which is easier to form into the cap shape.

And LBH started the ballasting in the on the CoT (Chair on Timber 3d printed) turnout.

Friday was not exactly busy either. Andrew J decided on using card for the coping stones for Lyne Road’s bridge wall, our Wizard did more work on the 4-wheel tender before leaving for his third job as Dad’s Taxis. Robert cleaned the wheels on a Warship and Cl 37 whilst Wagonman got on with his project. Also he brought along some spare vehicle bits, so Mr C. cleaned them up and started to mock up the work/junk area for outside the workshop on ABB.

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Raising the riverbed

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Four of us made it to the clubrooms today.

Paul 🏅🏅and Mr C worked on the riverbed and river bridge on Cwm-carno, raising the riverbed to a more realistic level with foam.

Andrew N considered the most appropriate style of signal for the up starter and LBH pottered around with his Peco200 board.

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Hot Tuesday Evening

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So hot that only three of us made it to the club this evening …

Mike E brought along his depot from Hogwash and Baloney, now sporting a corrugated iron roof and interior detail.

Our resident Wizard has completed the ever-awkward curves on the tender for Usk and set the running level close to where its needs to be with facility for further adjustments if needed.

LBH decided he didn’t like the original stretcher bars on his turnout which used a 3d-printed base, so has replaced them with a new set using brass lace pins (bought from the late lamented Eileen’s Emporium) and added power droppers. The ‘chocolate block’ pieces have since been fitted under the board to provide a traction power busbar.

But a good productive time was had by all.

Away from the heat of the clubrooms Andrew N has been working on another Sharp, Stewart four-wheeled tender, this time in 4mm/ft to P4 standards.

Springs, buffers and couplings to be added after painting and lining.

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The End of an Era

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To what do we refer? Little Mill Junction, the club’s super project, has finally been laid to rest – last two baseboards left the clubrooms today in the first step on their journey to a new home in Cheltenham, where they may be transubstantiated (is that the right word? Probably not) to a new and entirely different layout. Watch this blog.

The last boards had a proper send off with a toast of the now discontinued Little Mill single malt. There is a smidgen left for anyone who wants to say their farewell.

LBH, after procrastinating (playing to his strengths again) for a few meetings, has finally fitted a some stretcher bars to his COT turnout. They look a bit crude now but hopefully will look better once painted and lost in the ballast.

The End of an Era Read More »

As the days start to shorten ….

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Six at the club today, Andrew J working on the road bridge for Lyne Road and Paul S started the fabrication of a couple of shelves for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae, ….

Rhobat continued work on his Hunslet Jazzer kit in OO from the CSP range.

Currently he is working on the footsteps, attaching a fiddly triangular strengthening piece with the aid of a jig he prepared.

Mr Chairman is finishing off the problematic area at the end of the terrace on ABB, planting this tree as a view blocker.

Paul W was using his scratchbuilding skill fabricating a brakeblocks and hangers for his 78000 Mogul.

LBH progressed with his COT turnout, completing filing up and then fitting the switch blades. Stretcher bar next.

Tuesday and it’s close to the time to lay the first turnout on Cwmcarno. Here Mr C and TAFKATYS sort out the method for driving the point blades (wire in tube from a remote servo) and how to go about the wiring (Drill holes later and solder the wires in) and checked for trackbed flatness.

As the days start to shorten …. Read More »

Too warm Friday?

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The hottest day of the year and only three of us ventured to the rather warm clubrooms. Mr Chairman gave some attention to laying the newly completed turnouts on Cwm-Carno and reviewing our options for plain track.

Wagonman completed the construction of a LNER-design Goods Brake Van, modified by BR as it was running in the Forest of Dean in the ’60s.

LBH started the building of a COT turnout by forming and fitting the check rails
next was filing up and fitting the rails that form the Vee
then the wing rails.
and finally for the evening the stock rails were formed and one blade (almost) filed up.

Too warm Friday? Read More »

Peco200 mania, etc.

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The Peco200 bug hasn’t affected everyone, but both Luke and LBH have decided to have a go. Both are being built to a scale of 7mm/ft and the available footprint is footprint is 750mm x 305mm.

Luke plan makes great use of the very limited space available combining both narrow gauge (16.5mm) and standard gauge (33mm) sections.

The design has its basis in the transfer facility at Tywyn on the Talyllyn Railway and rejoices in the name of Queen’s Wharf.

LBH’s use of the baseboard is much more modest as he is using his board as a test bed for 3d-printed COT (Chairs On Timber) track work. So far no more has been done than obtain the printed base.

The plan is to add some of the ScaleSeven Ready-to-Lay track when it becomes available.

Elsewhere, Mr Chairman was working on the turnouts for Cwm-Carno and Andrew J on scenery for Lyne Road.

Wagonman has made good progress on his GWR GBV side we saw it last month. The roof is loose and yet to be attached to the body.

Little construction work remains beyond adding the whitemetal fittings.

Mike E continues with the Depot for his Hogwash and Balony short line.

Discussions covered the colouring for the walls and the most likely prototype roofing material.

A delayed update on the Hogwash and Balony follows;

At the start of June Mike E confessed to a tracklaying error that led to the destruction seen in the 1st pic. The sweeping curves of the replacements show a great improvement.

Elsewhere on the line the tracks span the hog-wash on a typical wooden trestle structure seen in the later photos.

This is all built from basswood sections.

Peco200 mania, etc. Read More »

Monday 16 June

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Five of us made it to the club on Monday. Paul 🏅🏅 fitted a DCC socket (there’s no doubt a better name for it – I probably should have said fascia panel) on TyCc, Mr Chairman continued with the track work on Cwm-Carno fitting the inside halves of the chairs and LBH assembled a Loading Gauge kit, also intended for TyCc. Andrew J and the Wizard continued with their own projects, but away from the camera.

Monday 16 June Read More »

Week Ending 15 June

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Monday we welcomed a rare visit from Bernie, and the rest of us remained shy of the camera

Tuesday saw Mr Chairman fitted some Masokits stretcher bars to on of ABB’s turnouts.

and Luke sorted out the electrical connection in his railcar in anticipation of the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association Exhibition & AGM on Saturday.

Meanwhile LBH fitted a paxolin drawbar to his mogul and it no longer shorts out. Hurrah!

Friday proved to be a quiet night with only Andrew J, The Wizard and LBH in attendance.

LBH wrestled with a Severn Models bike kit, he hopes to get the handlebars on eventually, but the brake calipers he’ll omit.

Our Wizard worked on Taff Vale Models kit for a Sharp, Stewart 2-4-0 which we hope to transform with the use of a few alternative etches into Usk of the Brecon & Merthyr.

STOP PRESS Saturday 14 June

At the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association Exhibition & AGM today, Luke’s Railbus won Runner Up in the Internal Combustion/Electric Locos category.

Congratulations Luke

Week Ending 15 June Read More »

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