N15class Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 (edited) The bulldog is excellent as usual. Gladiator kits certainly build into lovely models. One day I will get to do one. Edited September 17, 2012 by N15class Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAD Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Hello, just been reading the thread on your build of the Acorn Duke. It very much reflects my own experience of building the Acorn Britannia (with BR1 tender). Looks like you have made an excellent model from what is a quite difficult kit to build. Just a couple of points that might be of use to anybody out there with any of Acorn's kits sat on the shelf. A common fault on Jim's BR tenders is that the rear ladder is set too high where it loops over onto the tender top. This puts the top ladder rung above the top of the rear tender plate. It should be a couple of mm or so below. Needs to be modified by trimming the top and bottom end to lower it down. On the slide bars I found the same problem (they are for a rebuilt MN/WC). I improved them, although they were still not perfect by filing the lower edge to something nearer the BR slidebar profile and removing two of the cast bolts from the top. On the ashpan on the left hand side there should be two levers for opperating the the ashpan doors. There was one on the Brit and this was not included so I had to make it. I guess they were not in the Acorn DoG either and I now have the Seven kit which does not appear to include them either (two fiddly little bits I'll have to make). I hope you found that of interest. You never know you may be "lucky" enough to make another of Jims BR kits in the future. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 That looks really nice, got any pics of the whole thing? And will YOU be doing a build of the Seven model? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 No doubt at all I will be building more Acorn kits at some period. (I have build quite a number of them in the past) They are always a challenge. Jeff, I have no plans at present to build a SEVEN. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAD Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 Hi Jeff, I hope to write up the build on the Seven Duke when I start it. Will do it under a new topic though as I've already taken enough liberties in Ken's thread. Apologies for that Ken. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted September 23, 2012 Author Share Posted September 23, 2012 No worries PAD. As long as we all benefit from learning something. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAD Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Hello Ken, just started on the BR1E tender. Have downloaded the pics from your thread and I note your comments regarding the lower curve on the tender sides. Will watch out for that and see if I can see a way round it to correct. I'll start a new thread when I get time. I'll be pleased if turns out any where near as good as yours. Cheers, Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 (edited) Hi again. Here is another first across the WB. The Scorpio Dean Goods from their classic range. I found it a but more fiddly to build but all etches went together well. The small adjustments to some etches are covered in the instruction notes, so no problems there. The only niggle I have are the assembly photos in the instructions. These are needed but the reproduction makes them very hard figure out. (A problem with photo copied photos). It would be much better to have done good exploded diagrams, Aifix plastic style. The tender was not difficult to figure out but the loco is a bit of an head scratcher. Here is the tender before the big cleanup for the priming stage. Edited October 25, 2012 by jazz 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 (edited) I have now completed the build on the Dean Goods. It's been to the usual standard of Scorpio kits. i.e. some of the castings a bit iffy, most were OK though. The etches all went together well. As I said for the tender, beam compensation is not to my liking. The dummy inside vale gear is a very nice touch. All in all not a bad kit at all. Edited October 29, 2012 by jazz 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Another masterpiece Ken. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks for your very kind comment. Here she is, now ready for Conrad to do his magic in the paintshop. 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 Another first on the WB. This one is the Mercian kits Yorkshire Engine Co 16" OC Saddle Tank. Not sure where this kit was aquired but it sure is not up to the normal current Mercian standard. Many parts did not fit, etches incorrect, casting missing altogether and the instruction sheet drawing bore little relationship the the actual kit etches. So all in all a lot of alyerations, scratch building and raiding of the scape box to get something like the photos of the prototype. (I know it's not 100% correct but I had to draw a line at an almost complete scratch build.) Anyway, here's the result. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted November 15, 2012 Author Share Posted November 15, 2012 Hi all. Another interesting one just completed on the WB. This is the Caledonian Railway 6 wheel brake van from the gladiator stable. It has a resin body and etched brass and white metal castings. I think it looks the part basically straight from the box. There is scope for added detail for the scratch builder as there are good drawings in the kit. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted November 24, 2012 Author Share Posted November 24, 2012 Hi all. Another interesting one progressing across the WB. This is the 1829 0-4-0 AGENORIA. Built by Foster, Rastrick & Co. The engineer J Rastrick was, in fact, one of the judges at the Rainhill trails which were held at that period. Built for the Shutt Colilery, it ran there for 35 years. Eventually, after being in store, was presented to the Science Museum and is now at the NRM in York. It is the lastest kit produced by Agenoria and from this loco is how the name of the company arose. Pete Stamper (founder of Agenoria Models) is from Stourbridge, which is where the AGENORIA was built. So all in all avery interesting history of the prototype and the model. As the instructions advise, this is not a kit for the novice and is a challenge for the experienced modeller. So it is keeping me very quiet at present. This is for my own collect and will be displayed in a bespoke display case recent commissioned. The model will not be motorised but will be in running condition. The wheels are built up from eight etched laminations per wheel and are not insulated. Hence the reson it will not be powered. The model so far. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Ahhh go on, you know you want to see it moving a train of cauldrons. It is brilliant hats of to you and Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Hi Pete (sorry for the hijack Ken) I think you mean Ken, and Mike Williams, the new owner of Agenoria models. Pete Stamper sold the business a year or two ago. I agree though , it needs motorising. Now there is an RMweb challenge for 2013? Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 Yes, Mike has motorized one, putting the motor unit in the tender. It does take some work with the loco wheels to insulate one side. Mike says Slater's do a suitable set for the tender. I would have been interested in motorising it if I had a layout to run it on. My reduced collection of 7mm is now for display only. (Only room for one layout due to the long haired ones planning permissions.) Had I been building it to run, I think I would have done a split chassis. I was impressed thet the laminated wheels ran extremely true. The tender wheels have three small holes in the rim to pass, in my case a very dirty steel wire through for alignment, this allows a very true wheel to obtained very easily. In the case of the drivers, I used the supplied Slater's square ended axle and passed a bolt through the crank pin hole. That coupled with the alignment etches also made for an acurate wheel. All that remained then, was spinning in the minidrill with a file and scratch brush to clean and polish. As she will be a bare metal model, keeping visible solder to a minimum is the aim. Polishing with a brass polishing wheel in the minidrill will be followed by a good clean in the sonic cleaner. I am thinking of a final finish with a coat of acrylic varnish. (Not sure about that as yet though) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Really nice, Ken and very unusual as well. I must have seen the original although it was many years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Hi Ken Thanks for the explanation about the wheels. Fascinating construction method. A lacquer might be a better bet and might not 'yellow' as varnish is wont to do! Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 (edited) Hi. Agenoria is no ready for the varnishing. (Sandy, I will be using KEEN acrylic. This is a non yellowing, ultra durable product. It's certainly not cheap at £17 a tin, but it's brilliant stuff.) No wonder it's nicknamed 'grasshopper'. A strange beast. I did have the pleasure of riding behind a similar contraption at Beamish a couple of years back. Quite a fascinating experience. Edited November 26, 2012 by jazz 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Harper Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Well done Ken, thats a little cracker and will be quite a conversation piece sitting above your fire place! Regards Sandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Looks a very interesting project ken. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 Diolch, y mae, Steve. (Thanks, it is) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 (edited) Hello Ken, very nice build. why not build its own roiling road (like the ones that used to be on stations) just so you could see all the valve gear moving. OzzyO. PS. if you charged 10p a go it could go towards the next kit. OK, I've got me coat on. Edited November 27, 2012 by ozzyo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Boucher Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I have a few friends who have built a similar engine in 7.25" gauge live steam. One lives in Massachusetts, the other in Quebec. I've got to drive one of them, and its a lot of fun to watch the motion as you're going down the track! Here's a photo of one of them... http://neme-s.org/Waushakum_Summer_2008/DSC04329.jpg Unfortunately, the castings are out of production, from what I understand... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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