Author name: Rodney Hall

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 »

Getting ready for Crewe – or not

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Back to normal attendances this week and eyes are turning towards ABB’s visit to Scaleforum in Crewe with practice running sessions being run.

Mr Chairman fabricated a recycled sleeper fence to fill in the ugly gap between the garage and the chippie lean-to.

LBH has been messing around with laser-cutting again. First he purchased a Peco Rail 200 baseboard (despite him knowing perfectly well that this year we are celebrating the 218th anniversary of rail passenger transport). He also got three sets of stockbox inserts cut to his designs.

Then over a couple of days various circumstances changed the availability for the Crewe show. After a discussion on Friday we had to decide to withdraw ABB from the show – we just didn’t have enough bodies. It was not a decision taken lightly. At least we were able to give 3 weeks notice to the organisers.

Meanwhile over the last few weeks Wagonman has been getting on with this early GW brake van from a kit picked up at the Kettering show.

LBH is making progress with the cart for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae. It seems a pity, although necessary, to cover up all the cart underframe detail.

Getting ready for Crewe – or not Read More »

A lull between shows

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We seem to be in a bit of a quiet patch between shows at the moment, but Monday we welcomed Rhobat back after several weeks away.

Tuesday was quiet too, but LBH did manage to assemble some barrels from the Miniart range, they are actually 1:48 but will look ok on Tŷ’n-y-coedcae’s 1:43.5.

On Friday we were better attended. ABB was erected using the modified toblerones with support over the top of them, to provide an improved bearing surface. This was better but it made access to the joining bolts and electrical connections more difficult.

The persistent problem of how to finish off the end of the terrace may be coming to an end. The garage/workshop mock-up is a better size than previous suggestions, having the doors nearer the terrace makes sense and positioning it away from the line of the terrace looks better. Obviously we need an improved tree.

A lull between shows Read More »

Post-Easter blues?

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This week was a bit quiet; Monday we decided not to open up on the Bank Holiday – deciding in the way of politicians being hounded out of their jobs to ‘spend more time with our families’.

Tuesday someone else will have to talk about since I was otherwise engaged . . . . . So Tuesday was quiet with a select few getting on with stuff including the next turnout for Cwmcarno, – but no pics.

Friday saw Paul make substantial progress on the modifications to the ‘Toblerones’ to make them more stable prior to ABB’s visit to Crewe, while LBH amused himself building a kit for a flat bed cart destined for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae.

Away from the clubrooms Mr. C was working on a Bachmann Coal Tank for ABB and CC (so two bodies). The bearings have been reamed out to 1/8th, set up in a chassis jig and the coupling rods checked. These had previously been bushed, so were carefully opened out to align with the chassis. Postings on forums had noted that there were variations in some models.

Post-Easter blues? Read More »

Almost Easter

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Monday saw a quiet afternoon meeting, the Wizard painting the stonework for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae’s goods shed, LBH on barrels and cable drums and Mr C on Cwmcarno track work.

More around on Tuesday, The Wizard and LBH carrying on much as before. Mike E bringing a collection on Fuchsia cuttings to act as pit props on Cwmcarno; The specification being
1” diameter per 1 ft of prop. Pit props were cut to 7, 8, and 9 ft lengths, and cut to shorter lengths underground. TAFKATYS, Luke and Wagonman discussed chassis construction, particularly in respect of Luke’s Railbus and S7 0-4-0 tank.

Luke has also completed a water column for Cwmcarno, seen here posing with its big brother on Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae, the different colouring reflecting the variation in south Wales sandstone with red predominating further south.

Our resident Wizard completed the repaint of the Goods Shed for TyCc.

Also from Luke were some very welcome homemade Hot Cross Buns.

Friday was more trackwork from Luke and Mr C. For the project we had been donated two common crossings (1 in 6) and three V’s for the four turnouts in bullhead track. So two more common crossings are needed. So Mr C made a quick jig by mixing up some Milliput and pressing the made-up crossing into it to form a template. You can see before and after pics below. The first resulting crossing looks good and checks out with the gauges.

LBH has been working on a few bits and pieces to populate Tý’n-y-Coedcae.

Almost Easter Read More »

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