RMweb Premium M.I.B Posted December 22, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 22, 2016 Great modelling. Thanks for inspirational work and entertaining write ups. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 22, 2016 Author Share Posted December 22, 2016 Thanks Tinker, Happy Christmas to you and your colleagues out where you are and stay safe. There is lots to be done on North Cranford when you get home my friend! All the best, Castle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 30, 2016 Author Share Posted December 30, 2016 Hi All, An early New Years greeting to all on RMWEB and a sneak preview of the first project for 2017... All the best, Castle 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 That looks like a 2-8-0 chassis. Probably for 4709.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 Hi Horse, Nice try but no, wrong on both counts! All the best, Castle 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Fatadder Posted December 31, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 31, 2016 Based on something you said on the didcot tour the other year, I'd say it's a 72xx... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 Hi All, Well done Rich! In my first post to RMWEB I mentioned that I got the PDK kit for the 72XX the very same month that Hornby announced their effort. I figured it was about time that I got round to sorting it out! Another one of those probably futile New Years resolution to dig into the Little Didcot kit mountain. This one has been on the 'want to sort list' for a while and the fact that two of the volunteers who work on the real No. 7202 asked me to do a renumber job on their Hornby models kind of made the decision that this was next in my sights. The big irony is that post Christmas, I am now the proud owner of a Hornby 2-8-0 so I can start an occasional series on RMWEB of models based on the locos that were dismantled as part of the Barry 10 related and Saint projects. The fact that this will give the Little Didcot fleet two more heavy Frieght machines another two mixed traffic locos and another large prairie will not hurt matters and give me plenty of operational choices. It also enables us to display a kind of before and after type deal in our shows. It does mean another 5 locos to add to the mix* No. 5227 seemed the logical place to start as it is intended to remain at Didcot on display, recognisably as a locomotive, albeit in scrap condition. All the best, Castle *I suppose I could, or rather, should add a 6th in the form of an 8F as well? Castle might have to do an LMS designed engine, built at Doncaster? Yikes! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted December 31, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 31, 2016 Happy New Year, Castle. Great to catch up on here after it all went quiet for a while. Read your Castle modifications with interest as I've still got Pendennis to do from Caerphilly. Hope to get down to 81E sometime next year. Will give you a bit more warning than last time! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 (edited) Hi Polly and Ray, Good to hear from you too - I have had a lot on recently so posting here became a little bit neglected unfortunately but I missed everyone on here a great deal so I thought I had better get back into it! Hope your Christmas was peaceful and fun and your new year will be equally so. Perhaps you could coincided our 81E visit with the RMWEB tour this year? It will be on Sunday 30th July so we can show a certain Mr On The Branch Line around and do an international RMWEB meet up! All the best, Castle Edited December 31, 2016 by Castle 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted December 31, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 31, 2016 Oh! Poop! Another year we've been booked for an exhibition (Camel Quay at the Great Central North) on an 81E/RMweb event day. Sorry! We'll sort something. Polly and Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Fatadder Posted December 31, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 31, 2016 Will stick July 30th in the diary, though time will tell if children will actually let me make it.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Hi Horse, Nice try but no, wrong on both counts!... Dang. Have you tackled Railcar 22 yet? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Dang. Have you tackled Railcar 22 yet? Not with that chassis hopefully! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 Hi All, What - is the world not ready for my heavy frieght 8 coupled diesel railcar Jeff? I have the base model for No. 22 Horsetan. I have the Colin Judge book. I even have some figures for the interior and a fresh set of non traction tyre fitted wheels for the bogie. Have I started it yet? Hmmmmmmmmmm..... No! All the best, Castle 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWMark Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 In my first post to RMWEB I mentioned that I got the PDK kit for the 72XX the very same month that Hornby announced their effort. I figured it was about time that I got round to sorting it out! Another one of those probably futile New Years resolution to dig into the Little Didcot kit mountain. This one has been on the 'want to sort list' for a while and the fact that two of the volunteers who work on the real No. 7202 asked me to do a renumber job on their Hornby models kind of made the decision that this was next in my sights. Hi Castle, I thought those frames looked familiar. I built one of these PDK kits some time ago, on various Missenden weekends. I was very pleased with the result and found it a nice kit to put together. Some time ago Tony Wright built one of these and featured it in BRM. I found it a good reference to bolster the information in the instructions. Of course it helped that at that time Tony was also the Missenden tutor. One thing not in the instructions is the white metal casting that is included in the kit to form the refuge for the lamp at the rear of the bunker. I recently added a sound chip to mine, from Coastal DCC. With plenty of weight in it and a long coal train behind it does look the part. Hope you enjoy the build Mark 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 Hi Mark, You are right - it just 'clicks' together in the most part although the huge detail overlays look like being a mild pain... I had noticed the top lamp refuge not being in the book of words included in the kit. Thanks for the heads up none the less! I have ordered the Brassmasters chassis kit and a set of Comet 28XX cylinders too to augment the detail further and to correct the brake gear which is wrong as supplied in both the PDK kit and the Hornby RTR example. There are a number of overlays and other bits and pieces in that little lot that should make it look pretty authentic. I'm thinking that a Gibson smokebox dart and steam lance cock will be on the shopping list. All the best, Castle 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted January 12, 2017 Author Share Posted January 12, 2017 Hi All, My Mighty Mikado Monster - Part 1 No. 7202 is the third member of the 72XX Class. As with all these machines, they were rebuilt from 2-8-0 locomotives of the 42XX type. Their origins are an interesting combination of social history and economic necessity. The first batch were rebuilt from their original form as a result of the Great Depression making their intended work on Welsh coal traffic seriously contract. The 42XXs were masters of their work but they were only expected to travel relatively short distances between refuelling. Their power was therefore tempered by the limited range in the form of their small coal bunkers. Now, the GWR were a commercial concern at a time of financial hardship and having brand new assets like locomotives sitting around unused as there was no work for them is not a good idea. The obvious thing was to increase the capacity of the locomotive's to enable them to take on more wide ranging heavy freight duties and to begin to replace the by now well worn 26XX 'Aberdare' class machines. To this end No. 5277, which had been built in 1926, been run in and then placed in store, re-entered Swindon works. The fuel capacity was enlarged by extending the length of the frames at the rear by over 4ft, then adding a large coal bunker and a pair of trailing wheels. Re-numbered No. 7202, she entered service in 1934. This modification proved very successful and altogether 54 engines were eventually converted in this manner. Luckily, No. 7202's last shed was Barry so it was convenient to shunt the now unwanted and unloved machine into the local scrapyard... After about not quite a decade's seaside holiday, the GWS bought her and in 1974 she found her way to Didcot. Her restoration has been ongoing in one form or another, for about 30 years but when you take into account the fact that the 'Heavy Freight Mob' have rebuilt No. 3822 from scrapyard condition and overhauled her subsequently as well as building and running the DRC pub 'The Black Python' (which funds a lot of their activities) in that time, it's not quite as bad as it seems! The group has vowed to finish No. 7202 before thinking about doing No. 3822 again so the race between them and the group restoring No. 7200 at Quainton Road to run the only type preserved at Barry Scrapyard not to run in preservation is on... For updates on Nos. 7202 & 3822, the Mob have a website that can be found here: http://www.baldric.plus.com Just a mere musing that ran through my mind when writing the title for this post - why is it that some wheel arrangements are referred to as such in both tank and tender engine form (for example, prairie) and some are not? The Adams radial tank is surely an Atlantic (an 'Atlantank'?!?) and the 72XXs are Mikados? The LMS and BR standard 4MT 2-6-4 tanks are possibly reverse Pacifitanks(!) or more accurately Adriatic tanks and the 42XX series machines are technically Consolidations but as the terms are little used in the UK, this is more understandable I suppose. Still, interesting how we willingly use some terms and not others... I'll shut up now... On to the model. In a stunning work of blooming typical, I asked for the PDK kit of the 72XX class with raised running plate for Christmas thinking that nobody will bring out one of those, the very month that Hornby made an announcement... The challenge of doing the kit though was too great to resist and I decided that I was going to do it anyway. The chassis etch includes the rods and the cylinders and is well designed to just fold up. It would actually be pretty difficult to get this wrong! Here I have reamed out the bearing mounts to size, folded up the frames and soldered them together. I then had a go at adding the wheels. It has taken a great deal of filling of thrust faces in order to get the requisite clearance to allow the loco to go round corners. Perhaps the frames could have been made a tiny bit narrower? Adding the coupling rods was simple enough although I did manage to ruin one of the etches by slipping with the drill but thankfully it was a rear one so I soldered the outer etch to a piece of scrap and drilled and cut it out with no ill effects. It all went round and round and didn't bind at all so I called that bit a win on points. I then folded up the Markits gearbox and added the Mashima motor. This again was really simple and just fell together. I ran it off the loco and the. Added it to the chassis to see how that went. Also fine - who would have thought it? I haven't screwed it up! The cylinders were a bit more of a pain but it was only the external wrapper that caused outbreaks of mildly abrasive Anglo-Saxon terms. A final round of fettling and fiddling resulted in a smoothly running chassis - well done PDK for making it easy! Well, there is a load of activity and progress has been made that will require a lie down in a dark room to get over! That will do for now. All the best, Castle 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted January 19, 2017 Author Share Posted January 19, 2017 Hi All, My Mighty Mikado Monster - Part 2 Having mocked up the pony truck and the rear truck arrangement using the white metal parts I figured it was a good idea to get the basic body done so I could start to look at clearances. The first bit here then was the running plate and the hanging bar. This is the type that has the handy assembly jig attached to it for keeping it all square and this made for really easy assembly. I then did a dry run on the tank sides and cab etchings. I had made the bends carefully after wrapping the ends round various appropriately sized round things and the had a go at putting it all together. It really did just 'click' into place and, apart from the bunker back, all held together very well. I then took a look at the cab floor and trimmed out a bit so that the motor and firebox LED would fit. I tinned the whole top surface as I knew I would be doing a cab interior so I figured that this would help later on and would be so easy if it was fixed in place. I then set upon the backhead casting and drilled the slot into it to let the light of the firebox out. I also thinned it slightly at the rear to allow for any clearance at a later date. For convenience, I tacked it to the floor for fitting and fettling purposes. This will remain as a removable section until the last possible moment as it means I can see through to the frames and see what is going on down there. Curiously, the real No. 7202 is also currently bereft of floor in the cab! So I now went to it with the soldering iron and started constructing all the big bits of brass for the top! I also attached the nuts that hold the body on while I could still get to them! I kept trying the cab floor to make sure it was still square and correct. A few delicate bends resulted in the bunker back looking ok too! Getting there! As they say on the news, and finally(!) the smokebox saddle and front driving wheel splashers were added. Fun fact for those that don't know: GWR locomotive boilers are only fixed to the frames at the smokebox end. The firebox end sits on slides which move along the top of the frames. It is prevented from moving off the frames at this end by the appropriately named holding down brackets (no, really!) which are bolted to the sides of the frames. This arrangement is needed of course because when a boiler gets hot, it expands. If it was fixed at both ends it would cause flexing which will cause stresses and subsequent leaks in the boiler. Despite being lubricated periodically, they can get stuck and sometimes the release suddenly with a loud bang which WILL make you jump, even though you know what it is. So now you know! Well, there you have it - after a bit of cleaning up (especially that nasty blob of solder on the splasher there!) we shall take a look at the basic boiler next and faced with rolling it, I feel a bit of cheating coming on... All the best, Castle 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano747 Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 That's progressing nicely! I quite fancy a 7mm one, as I like big tank engines. Regards, Deano. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted January 19, 2017 Author Share Posted January 19, 2017 Thanks Deano, There is something about a monster tank loco isn't there?! The 72XXs are the biggest in preservation in the UK so you can't physically see anything bigger of British extraction in the UK these days! All the best, Castle 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gz3xzf Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 There is something about a monster tank loco isn't there?! The 72XXs are the biggest in preservation in the UK so you can't physically see anything bigger of British extraction in the UK these days! I couldn't believe the size of it compared to my son's Bachmann Pannier when I purchased the Hornby one: - I have climbed over 7202 a few times and remember well the bunker sitting around behind the the new works, it is big. Another 8-wheeler I would like to have seen was the Southern "Z" class, they must have been impressive. Excellent work Castle, keep it up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted January 19, 2017 Author Share Posted January 19, 2017 (edited) Hi Bryan, Thanks for the kind words! No. 7202 is currently sat next to No. 4079 and it is longer than the Castle without her tender... All the best, Castle Edited January 19, 2017 by Castle 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 I'm trying to imagine what it would have looked like as a 2-10-0T Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted January 19, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2017 Great work. What a lot of interesting locos you get through, Castle! I wouldn't want to meet this one in a dark alley at night - especially not when it has a support mob 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted January 19, 2017 Author Share Posted January 19, 2017 Hi All, I'm trying to imagine what it would have looked like as a 2-10-0T Terrifying I would have thought! It would be able to undertake any heavy freight duties up to and including shifting the moon a little closer to the Earth... Great work. What a lot of interesting locos you get through, Castle! I wouldn't want to meet this one in a dark alley at night - especially not when it has a support mob It's the first generation of GWS members that thought to and then fought to preserve so much that have to be thanked there - I just get to play with and model them. I shouldn't worry about the Mob - they are basically a peaceful bunch unless you attempt to apply large wheels or too much shiny brass and copper to their engines. This is regarded as a little superfluous or showy to the heavy freight mentality. The story goes that many years ago, the heavy freight team had spent ages helping get a loco and the vintage train ready for a rail tour. On the day, there was an on train bar available. Relieved of their success and released of both their labours and responsibilities, a few beverages were consumed. Then, a lady who was apparently quite high born, got on the train and turned her nose up at the slightly tipsy brethren within and exclaimed to the society member who was accompanying her "Why on earth do you let a mob like that on this beautiful train?" Thankfully, the quick thinking guide retorted as politely as possible; "Without that 'mob' madam, this train wouldn't be here!". Thus a legend was born and the 'Mob' was henceforth christened for all time. I hope this raises a smile! All the best, Castle 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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