ECC Wheal Imogen / Rosevean Station: the expansion

[The Fatadder]

92009 is now on the home stretch, paint repairs are now complete along with paint drive black area (the windscreen frames are moulded onto the glazing causing some more frustrating painting.  
 

Frustratingly I can’t find the nameplates, (one of those that always appears when I am looking for something else). Hopefully they will reappear soon.  
 

The roof still needs the parts printing for the pan head and missing box, which are on the to print list for this evening. 

[The Fatadder]

A bit of 3d printing last night has some more parts ready for painting and fitting to the 92.  The pan head is a little fragile (removing supports was a bit of a swine) 

 

both parts are now drying after priming

pan head before cleaning up the supports (I printed 3 of them two of which snapped when removing supports, the third also broke but was repairable)

the missing roof box awaiting some blue paint (it was then removed for painting).  Of course it would have been easier to have painted this with the rest of the roof…

[The Fatadder]

I have now painted and fitted my 3d printed  replacement parts to 92009.  I have also modified the pantographs to remove the spring and fix them in the lowered position.  If the loco does eventually get used it will be in a third rail setting so I have no need for raised pans. 
 

 Which for the moment brings me to the point where everything I can do is done.

 

ive messaged Accurascale to enquire about sourcing worm gears and lighting boards, and I’m awaiting the transfers from Railtec.   I am still hunting for the Elgar nameplates (having searched in every logical place without luck). As they are old stock I have asked Brian if the current etches have been redrawn since he took over. My logic is if there is a better product available I may as well use that rather than using a lessor part.  

[The Fatadder]

 

A start on the transfers, 

After applying Klear to the areas where transfers would be applied I added Railtec OHLE stripes (my preferred route to adding the orange line), along with their OHLE flashes.  92009 kept the red style until at least 2000 looking at photos which makes for a nice contrast.

 

The tops data panel was a bit of a pig, it’s not included on the Railtec sheet and is bespoke to these locos (being extra tall presumably so data can be included in English and French).  I made it by cutting a generic Fox transfer up to combine two into one.

 

along the bottom edge of the loco were a number of white boxes.  These were adapted from another Railtec sheet (a 37 I think).  Not 100% correct but they look the part at least

 

I have ordered the remaining transfers for the Railfreight Distribution logos and 92009 numbers (along with custom bits for 37350 and 66002) so the model will be completed once these arrive.

 

[The Fatadder]

I still haven’t quite decided what I am doing about 37902, I have a second hand Bachmann 37/4 on the way which will probably be converted (or will end up as a replacement 403).
 

in the mean time I’ve set to work building the new roof section.  As you would expect from a Brian Hanson product it is really nicely designed and went together perfectly (modelled in the later configuration with the single exhaust)

 

 

looking forward to getting it installed on the body.

[The Fatadder]

Had a delivery from @railtec-modelstoday with transfers for the Accurascale 92.   Couldn’t resist getting them fitted this evening followed by reassembling 

 

 

there are still a few jobs remaining (nameplates etc, painting the lower fairing, replacement windscreen wipers (as the originals were damaged on removal).  Along with making it work.  
 

there’s also a couple of paint fixes needed where the black scratched off while fitting glazing.   I’m pleased with the end result, much better than the Stobart livery it started as.

 

slowly making progress on 37902 as well, I had a large logo blue Bachmann 37 arrive yesterday which has gone straight into ipa.  The ipa needs replacing as after 24 hours the paint still hasn’t all removed!   Hopefully will be finished tomorrow morning so I can get on with fitting the new exhaust unit over the weekend 

Edited August 28 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Onto 37902….

 

once the body was stripped the next job was to chop a big hole in the roof. The Bachmann moulding matches the size of the replacement panel exactly so it is just a case of cutting it away.

 

before adding the etched replacement exhaust unit (shown below test fitted in position).

 

Using the Bachmann model the supplied ends need modification to remove the eth bits, however given I already had a spare set I’ve already done that on an existing set which are ready to go.

 

The ring on the roof grill needs replacing (it caught on the toothbrush when stripping the paint and tore off) so I will fit a spare Shawplan brass ring instead.

[The Fatadder]

More progress on 37902, while the Bachmann 37/4 has the right headcode boxes, nose grill, underframe and bogies for 902 it does need more work on the sides.  The various step holes need to be filled, as does one window on each side.  In one side the cutouts in the tumblehome also need filling in a couple of places.  Now waiting for the first coat of filler to dry.

I had a delivery from Shawplan today with a couple of missing bits for 92009, so the ‘polo mints’ have now been added along with the Bush plates.   I have hopefully sourced a set of Accurascale depot plaques, and the Elgar nameplates are *somewhere* in the workshop that eludes me.    

The Shawplan order also includes frost grills for 37350 which can now be sprayed BR green

[The Fatadder]

A little update on 37902 

with the body filler now complete and ready for spraying 

 

I also have a package of spares on the way from Accurascale to finish off the 92009 project (I say finish, that does depend on my finding the missing nameplate packet in the workshop)

[St Enodoc]

29 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

(I say finish, that does depend on my finding the missing nameplate packet in the workshop)

You'll only be able to see one side of the loco, won't you?

[Siberian Snooper]

5 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

You'll only be able to see one side of the loco, won't you?

 

Until it goes around the triangle at Laira, or turned on the 'table at St Blazey! 😄

 

[The Fatadder]

thanks to Accurascale for sorting me out with these parts, this evening I will get the depot plaques fitted and set to work adding the new motor / drive parts and lighting boards.  
 

Will add a Heljan PCB removed from my 47xx to tie it all together.  As far as I can tell the centre headlight wasn’t used in the late 90s, so no need to worry about fitting a light to that.

 

 

[The Fatadder]

 It lives….

 

With the motor and worm assemblies installed I’ve given the motor a quick test and 92009 is now working!

 

I have also fitted the Accurascale depot plaques (I still haven’t found the packet containing the Elgar nameplates.)

 

the bogies need removing to fit wires between the pickups and the pcb, and the lights need a little work (being for the 2 light rather than 3 light version). I will

just add a couple of surface mount led in the prepared slots.  Then the whole thing just needs wiring up. 

[The Fatadder]

A bit of painting this afternoon should have finished 37350 and sorted the rail grey on 37902.

The grey sprayed nicely, particularly given it was the last useable paint in a can that had badly dried out. Pleased to see how flush the side has come out after all the bits that needed filling. Will hopefully get the mid grey sprayed in the coming days…

 

37350 on the other hand was a car crash, my curse when using Railmatch paints struck again. Generally I find green the easiest colour to spray, but something went very wrong today. With paint not drying on the model in the way it usually does and then running like crazy. Coverage was crap as well…. The body is back in paint stripper undoing all my work (there’s no way the masking tape detail that was used to add the cantrail grill detail will all need to be redone). I will buy a new jar of Phoenix BR green before hand…

 

The final bit of painting was not quite as unsuccessful running out of Halfords satin black half way through spraying my 47xx for Brent.  At least it didn’t ruin it!

[The Fatadder]

Almost finished wiring the extension board for the layout at lunch today, using wire from a scrap power supply cable for the bus wire. 
 

obviously one point is not wired, I forgot I didn’t do this before installing it and had no wire to hand to sort it now so it will be finished after work, after which it feels like time for some testing…

[Siberian Snooper]

What adhesive have you used to hold the reel of solder, jar and bottle of stuff in place?

 

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😂😂

Edited September 9 by Siberian Snooper

[The Fatadder]

Following yesterdays wiring today I have been testing the layout, with sound fitted 37668 doing the honours.

 

there have been a few issues:

first up the double slip, i didn’t read the instructions and forgot the knuckle rail isolating gap is a lot further toward the centre of the slip than usual for me.  Net result the live switch rails were shorting against the opposite polarity vee and all needed rework to remove the pin connecting the 4 rails and resolder across only the 3 that should be connected (along with rewiring the inner switch rails to join up with the vee assembly).

 

The bus wires are a different colour to the droppers, yesterday that was fine as I was focused (yellow/brown, white/blue). One wire was missed yesterday so naturally I wasn’t paying attention and soldered into the wrong bus…. Easy fix at least 

 

finally on the point between the branch and the yard one of the droppers had broken off leaving 8 inches or so without power to one rail.  Again easy fix 

 

the plan was to follow this by spraying the track brown. But it’s been tipping it down continuously since I finished the wiring…

[WCML100]

Hi Rich, some great progress on the new board!

 

Quick question regrading your buffer stop! I have a similar (might even be the same kit) but was wondering what sleepers you used to fit it to - I have some spare chairs but haven't decided on the actual sleepers themselves yet! thanks

[The Fatadder]

7 minutes ago, WCML100 said:

Hi Rich, some great progress on the new board!

 

Quick question regrading your buffer stop! I have a similar (might even be the same kit) but was wondering what sleepers you used to fit it to - I have some spare chairs but haven't decided on the actual sleepers themselves yet! thanks

this one was moulded with the chairs as part of the kit (it came from the £1 bargain bucket on the  Elis Clark stand at Ally Pally)

 

I took a bunch of Peco bullhead sleepers and carved off the chairs so it would be consistent 

 

Taking advantage of a clear day I’ve  sprayed all the track before work today.  Hopefully should start seeing some real progress soon!

[The Fatadder]

 

track is now all painted, and the deep pour water for the river has been ordered. 
 

Now to get permission to take over the dining room for a week or two in order to crack on through the jobs that need the two boards connected.

[The Fatadder]

I am still rather undecided as to exactly what I am doing scenically other than the core features of the platform, river and signal. The original intention was to continue the works building across the road per the below

Given some more thoughts around adding a house in the foreground (built over the tracked for platform 2 and the original goods yard.) which should make a good scenic brake. A bus shelter or GW pagoda shelter will be added to the platform.

The back right corner would be a hill (either field or trees) while the left hand side would have the river at the front and the existing road bridge on the next board.

Below is a very crude mock up

Other options include doing away with the works building and having either grass/trees along the rear. Possibly with another village house.

Whereas for the front the alternative is to have a second road bridge along the right hand side (actually built on the fiddleyard board) with a slope
Down from it to a station carpark where the house was located in option one.

I really like the big building? I’m just not convinced the scene works with it there (with it also making things more difficult to work out either side of it

[WCML100]

Mock up looks good. The works buildings tie the two boards together i think 👍🏻

[The Fatadder]

A view of the layout with the two boards assembled, I haven’t sorted the legs yet (the dining room table is serving as an adequate substitute.

 

Some rough mock ups,
The green tape in the bottom left is the river, the area directly behind it will be raised up by about 10mm to increase the bank depth.

To the front right the lower baseboard will be raised up to be level with the rest of the board. One of the girls Lego houses roughly filled the space on which I would either have a 90s new build house or the ramp down from a bridge to the station carpark.

Moving backwards, the signal protecting the branch point is marked up along with the rest of the area which will be scrub.

At the rear is the works building that I’m still unsure about. I have roughly mocked up the banks either side with paper.

Overall the track additions are exactly what I had in mind, I think it really complements the original layout. It’s just a case of getting the scenics to look right as well…

[The Fatadder]

A little more work over lunch has the base for the river prepared ready for plaster this evening. 
 

the random bits of card / foam between the yard and branch are intended to give a bit more texture to the area but won’t be fixed down until the signal is fitted (dispatched from Derails today along with the deep pour water). 
 

the existing board needs modification to reduce the height of the wood on the baseboard joint to allow the river to run cleanly across the two boards.  Current thinking is to increase the depth of the existing board slightly at the same time as pouring the new one in order both to match the depths and also to better hide the rework on the inner board joint.

[The Fatadder]

More progress this evening with the other two raised areas at the rear now formed with pink insulation foam cut roughly to shape, hot glued in position and then given a covering with modroc to blend it all together.

The original board has had material removed from the river end (where originally there was a 5 mm lip on the baseboard above the water height. (This was the original level the river should have been at if it wasn’t for the leak). Looking at the new board my measurements are slightly off and I’ve made the new river bed slightly shallower than the original, which reconfirms my decision to use half the bottle of deep pour water to raise the original river height. The hope being that the leaks are now all plugged with dry resin.

I still in two minds about the house can carpark for the front right and whether I should just continue the two banks to join in the middle rather than the lower area with the clay works building. On the other hand I do like the idea that by reusing this building all the structures from Blackcombe Torr would now be in use on the layout