Popular Post Castle Posted December 29, 2014 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 29, 2014 Little Didcot's Christmas Presents Part 2! Hi All, An odyssey in little bits of brass? No. 1340 Trojan is a really important part of the collection at Didcot despite its diminutive size! The little Avonside 0-4-0 was built in 1897 as works No. 1386 and supplied to Messrs Dunn & Shute of Newport Town Dock. She was purchased by the Alexandra Docks Railway in 1903, remaining unnumbered under both owners. This company owned around 100 miles of dock sidings in the Newport (South Wales) area and a 'main' passenger-carrying line of 10 miles or so. It was absorbed into the GWR in 1923 and worked all over the GWR system based mainly at Cardiff Cathays and Radyr depots, it also worked for a time in Oswestry and Greenford, London. Remarkably for a preserved locomotive it was withdrawn from service as early as 1932 from Cardiff! This also means that this is the only way she will appear on Little Didcot as she is out of my collections time period. Thankfully, unlike her sister locomotive which was cut up, she found new work first with Netherseal colliery, Burton-on-Trent, and then with Alders (Tamworth) ltd in 1947. She was eventually moved to Didcot for preservation in 1968. The boiler was in a very poor state so a great deal of work was required to bring her back to life. The locomotive entered traffic in preservation, in 2002. She was a great favourite on site and doing more than her fair share of turns as Percy (!) until the expiry of her boiler certificate in October 2011. I can't help feeling that this will not be the last stand of this particular Trojan however... A friend asked for a little help with building this engine that was a Christmas present a couple of years ago and I had slowly helped him get to the stage where it needed painting and we painted it and the paint went horrible - grrrrrrr! We did it again and the same thing happened except rather than the primer spitting a load of gunge out, this time the top coat decided to craze! This prompted two very loud curses followed by a visit to a tank of paint stripper and a cup of tea. We got on with other stuff and it slowly went to the back of the pile... I discovered it again looking sorry for itself at the back of my toolbox in about June so feeling partly a pang of guilt about it not being done and partly a sense of "I won't be beaten but the likes of you you little [this section edited!], I decided to get the thing sorted for him as a bit of a Christmas present. So, having partnered up with another modelling friend (Boiler Basher of this parish), on the agenda was painting it (3rd time lucky!) lots of detailing, crew figures, a DCC chip so it can go anywhere and a firebox flicker light. I also did a nice presentation box for the loco too as the kit box didn't have any way of keeping the finished engine secure. I put in two figures from Dart Castings, pipes went everywhere pipes had to go, lots of cab details, toolboxes and so on. I should of dusted it before taking the pictures of course! Snorkel Panniers and Castles to come... All the best, Castle 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
knobhead Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Nice work, Castle! Placing the diorama in the crate is a brilliant idea. Regards, Stefan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted December 30, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) Hi Castle, A nice read over the morning coffee! As Stefan says, that diorama is a clever bit of thinking - and modelling too. Looking at your nice detail work I'm reminded once again of all the lovely detail stuff available in the larger scales. One question though: Is that livery on the tank Stone no. 1 or Stone no. 2? No. 1340 is a real delight to look at. The storage box no less - that logo on the lid is very smart! Edited December 30, 2014 by Mikkel 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) Hi Stefan & Mikkel, Thanks for the kind comments! If you think we have problems with what colour stuff was, you haven't seen anything when you model WWI... The great thing with the Mk. IV tank is that there is one in its original paintwork: http://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Mark_IV_tank,_Lodestar_III It's an amazing survivor and at least gives us a vague idea of what it all looked like! For the record it's a 1:1 mix of XF - 52 and XF - 55 according to Tamiya at least... I am just glad I could get Little Trojan finished - it became a bit of a joke between us at Didcot that she wasn't finished! Thanks to everyone for all the likes and other buttons! All the best, Castle Edited December 31, 2014 by Castle 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium M.I.B Posted December 30, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 30, 2014 Beautiful work as always. Especially the Mk IV. My great uncle and other from his crew were taken out of his land ship in Oct 1918. They were each given a rifle to make up the numbers in one of the many depleted American infantry companies. He never came Home. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gz3xzf Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) Castle Picking up on your information about Trojan reminded me that I had some photos of the restoration of the locomotive, Trojan's original boiler was in a sorry state so a donor boiler was used (I think it came from a greenhouse where is had been used for heating) to supply the inner firebox and part of the barrel, here is a shot of the barrel after the two parts had been bolted together ready for riveting: - The barrel suspended over the pit whilst being riveted: - The new outer firebox being put together: - New throat-plate being fitted: - Lastly a shot of the loco in the lifting shop at Didcot minus the boiler: - These were taken between Sept 2000 and Jan 2001, hope they are of interest; sorry to highjack your thread with my old photos. Edited December 30, 2014 by gz3xzf 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 Hi Bryan, Those pictures are great - thanks SO much for showing them to us! There will be many at Didcot as well as here on RMWEB that will be really pleased to see them! All the best, Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 Little Didcot's Christmas Presents Part 3! Hi All (again!), The underground overground train? This particular Womble is of course the 9700 Class Condensing Pannier tank 0-6-0. They were designed for a very specific job - namely working trains on the Metropolitan/Hammersmith & City lines between and Smithfield Meat Market. This meant they not only had to have special ATC gear that clipped up out of the way (think about the electrified centre rail of the Underground and then apply the ATC shoe to it...) but also had to be compatible with the LU trip cock signalling system as well. They also had to consume their own smoke so the products of the chimney were directed into the side tanks. The problem with this is that it causes the feed water in the tanks to heat up too and GWR injectors don't like hot water. This final problem was solved by the use of a weir pump mounted on the driver's side running plate. The prototype for the class was locomotive No. 8700 which was rebuilt to condenser status and re numbered to No. 9700. The subsequent ten 97XX machines were built to a slightly revised design and they all lasted right up until the end of steam but sadly none are preserved. The subject of the model was chosen as No. 9703 as this engine was pictured long after the war still in wartime black with GWR on its tanks. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_5700_Class#/image/File:Paddington_Pannier_tank_geograph-2958216-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg Boiler Basher of this parish came to me wanting to do a model of one of these very interesting machines. A plan was hatched to use the majority of the bodywork from the ancient K's kit and the rest of the engine was to be the thoroughly modern Bachmann 8750 pannier. He has taken pictures of the build and keeps threatening to post them so I will leave you all to encourage him to do so... The finished engine required weathering so it was left with me to finish off. Having set one of the guys up by finishing off his project for him, I decided it would be great fun to set up the other one in exactly the same way and watch them sneak around each other while I sat back and watched... He he he he he! The engine came to me with black livery and transfers on but as you know, if I see a few details missing, I can't leave well enough alone so it soon ended up with all the bits it was missing as well as a DCC chip, crew and firebox light... Having made one box for Little Trojan I figured a second for Little No. 9703 was made identically. Right, just the Castle story to go then! All the best, Castle 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
knobhead Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 The additional plumbing really suits the Pannier, love it! Regards, Stefan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
6892 Oakhill Grange Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Castle Nice pannier. I have the bits to do the same. Any chance of a shot of the top of the tanks to see how the rivets line up. I Intend to use the Cab and running plate of the Bachmann pannier and just the tanks from Ks. Grange Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
B15nac Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Hi castle. That trojan looks excellent! I've just built one myself an was wondering what gearbox an motor did you use? Was it what came with the kit? Kind regards Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium M.I.B Posted December 30, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 30, 2014 Beautiful finish to the 97XX. I have a Ks one made by MIB Snr when the world was seen in black and white on two channels. So out of respect, it and the Ks Dean, will be left and run as made, applying Rule1 of course. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) Hi All, Grange: thanks for the compliments on the 97XX - it was a joint effort between me and Boiler Basher. I am sure he will be able to oblige with a photo. As it is with him I can't help unfortunately! What we did was use the running plate & smokebox door of the 8750 and kept the rear end of the K's kit as it saved on a joint between the two bits! The odd bit of judicious filling and disguising with paint, coal and weathering did the rest... Neil: quite right sir, the motor and gearbox that came with the kit was the power source for this one. Runs fine if everything is clean... MIB: Quite right too! Some things must yield to the quest for uber detail and the memory of a Dad is a prime example. I am sure he would be proud that they are still running and indeed being enjoyed! All the best, Castle PS: Thanks for all the likes everyone! Edited December 31, 2014 by Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Some gorgeous work you put up there, I love the detailing you did for the military modelling, the gate looks absolutely cracking, and I agree the conceptional idea of in a crate somehow makes it even better. Wishing you a belated Merry Christmas and an early HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! ........we received the present tho, lovely photographs, love the Trojan update too, great reference pictures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Castle Posted December 31, 2014 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 31, 2014 Little Didcot's Christmas Presents - Part 4! Hi All, A little 1:1 scale action to finish the year off I think... We have done a great deal of work on No. 4079 recently and this has culminated in the refitting of her pistons. Just to get you up to date here, the cylinders have received new liners and the pistons and rods have been turned on a lathe to suit the new bores and to remove ovality respectively. The first job is to cut the new rings to the correct size. The rings are supplied over length and are measured using test blocks. This is measured while the ring is in the bore. The next process is to cut the ring to near its finished size and then hand finish them with a file to the exact size. These rings have to be handled with great care as they are made of cast iron and are quite brittle. They have to be specially made for us and weighed in at £250 + tax EACH! Any further donations will be gratefully received... This next photo shows the two piston groves and the two brass pegs on the bottom of the head that prevent the rings turning on the piston. This is important as if the rings were allowed to turn, the ends would spring free when they reached the steam ports and do untold damage to both the rings and the cylinder block. You next compress and hold the rings evenly in order to get the piston in the bore. The idea is to get a strip of thin, flexible steel and cut a strip so that it fits exactly around the piston head. This is then tack welded to form a collar. You then put your rings in place and, as being ably demonstrated, you carefully tap the steel collar back in place using any means - fair or foul (!) - to keep the rings compressed as it slides on. This is the same process being undertaken on the outer driver's side cylinder showing the first of the two rings per piston being captured. Then you have to carefully line everything up and slide the whole assembly in place. Here we can see the piston rod being guided in to the rear cover while making absolutely sure that the top of the rings are engaging with the bore and you then apply the requisite force to push the piston in. Due to the taper at the start of the bore, the collar is forced off at just the time the ring locates in the cylinder. The piston is then pushed home into the bore with the application of a boot! All you have to do is to repeat the gapping and fitting process to 8 piston rings and the compressing and fitting process for all 4 cylinders and the Castle is a small but significant step closer to running! So that explains some of the reason I haven't been on RMWEB so much recently - here is the other. I was contacted by Haynes Publishing about 2 years ago looking for a subject for a new title in their historic manuals series. After negotiations and a rough treatment being agreed upon, a deal was struck and lo and behold I became a writer in my spare time! To cut a long story short, I tried to write the kind of manual that I and my friends at Didcot would want to read and with their kind assistance (and a proof reader in the form of my father!) the result was this: I have put in a history of the class, a history of some of the variations in the class, some locomotive anatomy, how it all works and, of course, a history of the most famous Castle of them all, No. 4079! The photo budget was kindly proffered to the project on the understanding that anything left over was to go to the restoration project. Due to the kindness and generosity of many groups and individuals including Sir William McAlpine and the Great Western Trust at Didcot, the Castle restoration fund will be swelled by exactly 1 Haynes Manual photo budget! We will do an official launch at Didcot sometime in the new year and I hope to have the restoration team and the 2 Didcot Castles in attendance. I will let you all know via Little Didcot when the date is confirmed. Well, that has been an eventful year and this Christmas has been the first time I have stopped to smell the Roses (or Celebrations, or Quality Street, or Thorntons for that matter - I'm not fussy!) for quite a while so I didn't do very much and enjoyed it immensely. I hope that all my fellow RMWEB types had similarly pleasurable yuletides and as it's New Year's Eve, I can write nothing more for 2014 other than to wish you all a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous 2015. Now where's that soldering iron gone? I have some kits to make! All the best, Castle PS: Some of the photos in this post are copyright Frank Dumbleton / GWS. They are the good ones NOT taken on my phone... 32 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 57xx Posted January 1, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2015 This next photo shows the two piston groves and the two brass pegs on the bottom of the head that prevent the rings turning on the piston. This is important as if the rings were allowed to turn, the ends would spring free when they reached the steam ports and do untold damage to both the rings and the cylinder block. image.jpg Having been brought up (and still playing with) a diet of 2 stroke engines, I really connected with 4079 when reading this, exactly the same as a 2 stroke piston and for the same reasons, albiet not steam travelling through my 11 ports per cylinder! To cap it all, the Haynes manual really made me smile, these are what I cut my teeth on stripping engines down. cheers Ric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
B15nac Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Hi castle Hope you don't mind me putting these up its a few pictures of Trojan that I'm building. It's nearly finished now just a few little bits to do! Cheers Neil 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Hi Neil, That is great - thanks for sharing! If you need any information to help finish it off I can always take a quick snap of the lady herself for you if needed! All the best, Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson Jackson Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 What a superb WW1 diorama you've built there, the detail is simply outstanding and well placed, and what a great idea to have it in a crate, fantastic. Now to read the rest of your thread, inspiring work...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted January 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hi Castle, just been reading your last post over the morning coffee. A very nicely told and illustrated read. As I was reading I wondered if anyone actually documented all this knowledge for the future, and then it turns out that is exactly what you've done! Must have been a big job to write the book, I hope you can relax a bit with some modelling now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sej Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hi Castle, fantastic post on the cylinder fitting. Of great interest both for modelling purposes and showing the hard work of how you go about maintaining the real thing. Some good hats too. I look forward to reading your book. Can we hope for further posts from the workshops of Didcot? Cheers Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted January 12, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hi Castle and hope it's not too late to wish you a Happy and Constructive New Year. Thanks for posting the latest 4079 pics. Inspired by your team's progress on Pendennis, I'm making a determined effort to get to grips with the ins and outs of working locos (which bit goes where and does what sort of thing) so I'm really looking forward to getting The Book! Well, we both are but will wait till the launch, hoping we'll be able to get there for it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 .....the Haynes manual really made me smile, these are what I cut my teeth on stripping engines down.... Nowadays, some of us who struggle with DIY maintenance and repair are acquainted with the "Haynes Book of Lies".... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Hi All, Thanks for all the likes and other positive comment type button pushiing! Hi Ric, Thanks Ric! The Haynes manual was a great project - I hope everyone enjoys it! Hi Mikkel, Thanks Mikkel! That's why I have a mix of both age and experience with youth and enthusiasm on my team - keeping the skills alive! The Book has been a two year project in my spare spare time in amongst everything else - tiring times but well worth the effort to see it in print! Hi Simon, Thanks for the comments! The hats are a bit of a theme of mine especially although one or two others in the team have some good ones too! The one I have on came from the USA and has one or two GWR modifications on the back... One of the County gang has one with a big brass plate in the front inscribed 'GWR 2917' and we threatened to fit him with a brandy barrel round his neck (GWR geek joke - No. 2917 was Saint Bernard)! Thanks for the support on the book - it reminds me that someone else has written a rather good one on building locos that I must buy and read at some point... I will always try and intersperse the 4mm:1' stuff on Little Didcot with some 12":1' kits too so yes, there will be more! Hi Polly and Ray, Thanks for posting and the kind comments! It's never too late for a greeting from friends so the same to you all too. Steam engines are easy to understand in principle but the subtleties get quite involved! The way a copper firebox doesn't melt in the intense heat has an elegance about it doesn't it?! The launch will be in the February half term at 81E so when I have a confirmed date I will let everyone know. All the best everyone! Castle Edited January 12, 2015 by Castle 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Hi All, Looks like the book launch will be on Saturday 14th February at Didcot - it would be great to see my fellow RMWEB members there if you can make it! My team will be working on No. 4079 during the day so if you want to come and have a look and ask questions about the overhaul and what we are up to then please do! Nos. 3650 and 93 should be in operation too. See you there! All the best, Castle 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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