GN full brake

Week ending 26th May

One of LBH’s brake vans did not hold the road too well when running at NewGOG and on inspection it was found that the axles were not perfectly aligned allowing the vehicle to rock slightly. It had been built (by a third party) without any provision for springing or compensation, so LBH is trying this somewhat gimcrack arrangement of wire springs bearing down on the axles as there is just a little movement available. He’ll add a load of lead too.

On ABB the area in front of the three sets of semis has never been satisfactory with just a rough bank where a pavement or wall should be. So excavations have started and some brick plastikard cut to represent the wall. Should the wall have a step in it to reflect the step in the houses behind?

We already have some nice laser cut iron fencing from Scale Model Scenery to put on the wall, and the gates look attractive too. The panel size does not match properly to the step in the wall.

The ever productive Wagonman has completed two models that have appeared on this blog. The ex-GNR 6 wheel Brake van has 4 skylights and they are each glazed with 2 pieces of clear plastic. The LNWR Coal Tank is finished in its final format as used on the special train on the MT&A from Abergavenny.

The work converting the L&Y 2-4-2 to a Barry Railway J class continues. The bunker and cab section has not fitted as smoothly as the tank section with sawing, grinding and filing required to get it as far as shown below.

And congratulations to Paul 🏅🏅on being awarded his second Royal Medal, this is for driving King Charles’ train, and goes with the earlier one he had for driving his mam’s. Apparently there is no truth in the rumours that he also drove for King George VI.

The long term dissatisfaction with the area behind the station building may be over. This laser cut terrace from Intentio seems to be filling the space in a better way. The shop on the left is a chippy, and the space to the right will have a pub, also laser cut. The name for the pub is not confirmed yet, but could be The Sheward Arms, although looking at the picture above maybe The Two Gongs might be more fun.

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Week ending 21st April

Monday TAFKATYS came with a loco under repair for Luke. It is now running better and needs pick-ups. This provided a lot of online discussion about suitable pickup material and we even wandered as far as harpsichord strings.

After a couple of fruitless searches the running in boards for ABB have finally been found. They were inside one of the villas which had been packed away. Obvious when you think about it !!?

Wagonman has now completed the Birdcage brake coach. It is finished as in departmental use.

On Friday more coaching stock from Wagonman appeared. The first is not a model of Australian stock but a Slaters Midland coach pose to show the fiddly brake blocks so far fitted to only one axle. Earlier thoughts of producing the fully lined MR livery have been abandoned and this coach will appear in Departmental colours. Below are two shots of the nice handrails on the GN full brake last seen 7th April – more fiddly work.

The roof of the GN full brake also provided challenges. The brass had to be cut out for the lights to be fitted, then filed individually to size to take the castings which were not quite identical.

Luke’s shunting puzzle layout was brought to the club as it needed to fiddle yard attaching, Resident wood guru Paul🥇 provided the necessary skills.

The fiddle yard is a sector plate with a traverser at the end for running the loco around.

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