ABB

B**lasting away

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Another quiet week which has mainly seen work on various track items.

On Cwm Carno ballasting has now moved on to the main line with a different product used to show the well cared-for sections of track. It will be toned down later on.

On ABB the track into the Provender road and Coal road has been uneven for some time with wagons running away down the slope away from the baseboard joint. This has also led to uncoupling of trains as the Dingham couplings move up and down. So Mr.C decided relaying was the answer. The layers of blue card are raising the base level with 3mm thickness needed in places.

The last turnout is to Scale 7 standards and produced by 3D printing the base with the timbers, joining webs and chairs all in one print. The rail is then slid into the chairs making the end product more accurate. However, it is still possible to produce unsatisfactory ballasting and LBH has returned to it for a second attempt.

B**lasting away Read More »

September Starts

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OK, the first report from Monday actually happened at the end of August, but lets not let it spoil an alliterative headline.

Mr C has finally assembled enough bits and pieces to stick outside the workshop on ABB.

On Tuesday the Zoom session featured Steve B from the middle of France with a mix of 6 wheel carriages as breakdown vans, Welshpool and Wrexham. Mike E visited northern Spain for the eclipse and also the railway museum at Gijon. There he took lots of pictures of industrials of various gauges and some weird valve gear arrangements. Also there was a proper transporter bridge nearby and we considered a club pilgrimage there in the future. LBH showed a varied mix of photos, mostly undocumented so we had fun trying to work out what and where.

September Starts Read More »

Deadlines approach

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With the twin commitments of taking two layouts away on the same weekend the pressure is building.

And speaking of a building (oh! why does he bother?) LBH is slowly progressing the local pub; this evening fixing the newly-slated roof in position. He thought he’d found a pretty wizard way of holding the roof in place with two steel bars flexibly held together by masking tape straps.

We’ll see this evening if it works!

When we were moving ABB to set it up ready for the show, the terrace took a tumble. Obviously the magnets were not strong enough to hold it in place. So now there are some long bolts araldited to the base that pass down through the baseboard, secured by wingnuts. Also, some chimney pots were damaged when it hit the floor. The replacements are on the way from Modelu.

On another hot Friday most decided to stay cool and avoid the clubrooms. However, Mike G called in to drop off some stock he prepared for Cwm Carno. In the Bay at ABB we see 1610 and a more modern autocoach destined for Cwm Carno. For that layout, the long stone wall has had mortar and colour added and is looking better.

Deadlines approach Read More »

05 August

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Apologies to our readers for the gap in posting but the main contributors have been busy elsewhere.

ABB is set up ready for testing the timetable and refreshing the operators. We even found some more of the red buttons for the control panel. These operate the uncoupling magnets. But if you turn the panel upside-down they tend to fall off!

On Cwm Carno below work is progressing on the scenery and around the river bed. The long stone wall needs more colour variation to be added. The terraces, Grenfell Terrace (remember Gren in the South Wales Echo?), are now on their supports which are being glued in place. The clingfilm is to keep the adhesive off the buildings.

Terraforming has started at the north end using mod-roc

05 August Read More »

Too much like the real thing!

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The layout room at the club is covered by a flat roof. In the sun it can get very hot and this year it is often unbearable. Just like the real thing the track expands and you can see the result in the first picture. The strip of MDF is the intended curvature. We’ll have to wait for cooler weather before ballasting. Also present are the new coping stones on the platform edge.

Meanwhile Luke has cracked on with buildings for Cwm Carno. The terrace is painted, the chapel renovated and both are close to their final positions. And ABB is erected ready for preparation for the Swansea show. A test loco has run over all track, after cleaning and vacuuming, though no uncoupling tried. Luckily there is space for both CC and ABB in the layout room.

Too much like the real thing! Read More »

Week ending 3 August

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This Monday we packed up ABB to create space for Frecclesham. We are due at the Stafford show at the end of September and Frecclesham hasn’t been operated for a while and does need some refreshing, so that goes up next.

Paul W has been working on his 78xxx kit in 7mm for some time. There were updates back in June. The tender is nearly complete and work has moved to the locomotive.

As supplied the kit has some inaccuracies and to correct them Paul W had to form a new spacer at the front of the chassis from a fresh piece of brass. This had to be measured, marked up and bent to avoid the fixing positions for pickups, yet form support for the cylinder blocks. (which need thinning down) Five folds were required which were achieved with the help of The Wizard at the first attempt.

Tuesday and more Hogwash and Baloney. This evening Mike E started to scratchbuild some girders for his short-line. This is for a modern addition to the scenario, so plate girders are in order, contrasting nicely with the wooden trestles seen previously. All parts were cut from 40 thou Plastikard.

Wagonman’s riding van now has a companion, a Tool Van, which is really a mobile workshop. These were normally paired this way in breakdown trains.

On Cwmcarno the pair of turnouts for the exchange sidings have come on well, been removed from the template and given a good clean with Viakal. The first pic shows them in place in the distance with all the remaining turnouts there too. So with plenty of bits of flexitrack available we ‘laid’ the rest of the formation as seen in the second pic. This shot is taken from the other end of the layout.

Friday was a quiet evening with only a select three present. The last part of the main line through the main platform was laid in as seen in the pic. Hopefully you can’t see the join. Also Wagonman Has been making girders for the river bridge which were tried in place and looked good, but no pic.

Then we moved on to trying to get the position of the next turnout correct, we think successfully. It was not stuck down as it needed the inside chairs to be installed. While Mr. C got on with that, Wagonman continued with his breakdown van and Paul🏅🏅tidied up some laser cut wood parts.

Week ending 3 August 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.

Two’s company 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 »

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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