Giles

This building looks even better in the flesh.... superb!!!

Hi Chris, welcome and good luck with it.... acrylic in its various form is a very useful material (Trotec or Rowmark, for instance). It is also worth upgrading the lens to a G7 for not very much money, and up the performance a bit! Assuming you're using Cut2Dlaser, I'm not quite understanding your accuracy question.

It's coming together nicely- ready for the two shows in October. The bunkers have been finally screwed on. The left hand one contains the receiver and the on/off switch, which protrudes just underneath the floor of the cab. The right bunker has nothing clever. The socket visible connects to the motor, and is the only link with the chassis. Bagnall body by giles favell, on Flickr

Coming on...... valves and pipes to fit still 2017-08-31_06-06-21 by giles favell, on Flickr

Hi Alan, That's extremely kind of you to say so! Both layouts have been great fun to do - although a little scary sometimes, trying to get the result. The joy of most of this stuff is that it's comparatively straight-forward, requiring persistance and patience rather than enormous amounts of skill. More than anything, im blessed with a wife who actively encouraged me and is interested. Best, Giles

I'm tempted by the 4mm version myself - just for the fun of it! That's looking lovely so far (although you've obviously just 'placed' the cradle etc. for the photo at this stage) I'm glad you're having less grief than us in 7mm!

I'll have an EM chassis for one of these.....

Having done one show, the poor people landed with most of the operation found the constant button pressing on the Prodegy handset to change all the points very hard-going, and put in a plea for an easier, more conventional panel for point control. They even extremely kindly volunteered to get the difficult bits made up for me...... So I've made up the two panels - one 'master' panel, and one panel for the factory operator. These will then have all sorts of electronic rubbish fitted behind, which I'm assured are magical and simple, and easy for me to wire in, etc. Etc....... These panels are very simply drawn up in Autocad, and layered out of 2mm MDF. The 'track was then stained darker, and then glued back into the original panel. A second backing panel of 2mm also with corresponding holes for LEDs and switches layered out was then glued to the back to stiffen it up. Some pretty mahogany left over from our ex boat wat then cut up as a surround... Denton Brook New Control Panels by giles favell, on Flickr

We'll be there on Saturday - absolutely - I'll find you!

All assembly needs care, but I think laser cutting makes it easiest to get neat corners and decent bonding. (I actually use a 10 inch file on mine!) IMG_2181 by giles favell, on Flickr Excuse a thread invasion Phil, not up to your creation, and not available for sale from me, but again showing that corners are doable.

I know it sounds silly, but if Halfords do the right colour, i would rather use that - as being intended to paint cars, it has to cover and perform well, whereas hobby paints do vary a little. The downside to a Halfords tends to be the crudity of the spray, but with care it goes on fine, but leaves an unbearably glossy finish, which i then deal with using wet and dry (which i would also use on Humbrol). The Garratt is also a Halfords job.... Garratt by Giles Favell by giles favell, on Flickr

And of course it needed brakes - laser cutter to the rescue- cut in Trotec , so they're also insulated! Bagnall brake block and hanger laser cut by giles favell, on Flickr

Painting is coming on a pace, although there will be a break for a while now. All the green is done on all parts, just the black required. Then weathering. This is the saddle tank. Etch primer, rub down, followed by Halfords Brooklands Green, and then cut back and polished, as normal. The little specs are dust, as this process gives you an entirely clean and smooth finish. Bagnall saddle tank painted by giles favell, on Flickr

I think people have got very used to looking at the (often very good) impressions and sometime caricatures that typify modelling over these years, and expect to see a certain thing. Things like your work might therefore look 'wrong' until you compare it to a photo of the real thing or whatever..... Most buildings don't have spalled bricks everywhere, and look just as you've created. Incidentally, i think the painting and mortarwork are stunning!

Superb building..... the only thing that gives that photo away is the cleanliness of the Pannier !

Hi Chris - glad your G7 makes a difference! You can always laser cut a rack and pinion! Or stick some Blu-tack to the side!

Using the boiler space to house the battery, it seemed sensible to have some access, and so I've made the saddle tank removable, rather than soldering it on. It meant soldering a tab on internally each side, and threading it 8BA. Bagnall removable saddle tank by giles favell, on Flickr Bagnall exposed battery by giles favell, on Flickr Meanwhile, the left hand bunker houses the receiver and the on/off switch Bagnall with switch. Receiver also fitted in bunker by giles favell, on Flickr

The naked chassis, completed. This would do for either radio control or conventional style, as it has (unnecessary) compensation. For RC I should have built it rigid. Bagnall naked chassis by giles favell, on Flickr

Hi mate, This is the battery (from Micron) http://www.micronradiocontrol.co.uk/lipo_cyl.html The 650 mAh one....... These need wires soldering to them. When it's complete, the only connectors there will be will be one from the receiver to the motor (body to chassis) which you can just see in the video - I'm afraid I don't know the technical name for them, but you can buy 50 of them for a couple if quid on eBay. They're miniature radio control type. The other connector is a magnetic connector for charging - which I will have to watch doesn't pick anything up and short....

I'm building this 7mm scale Bagnall with a Wrightlines body, and a scratch-built chassis. It has a 650mAh battery in the boiler, and of course Deltang Rx http://youtu.be/-gmWJ7T4t88

Another video with the body on..... The 650mAh battery fills the boiler. Fitting switch and charging socket will be next. http://youtu.be/-gmWJ7T4t88

This is coming on beautifully Phil! (and still two of them....!) It may help to lengthen the driving crank-pin to make like easier when it comes to the valve-gear (so it all stays straight). I introduced a plain spacing bush between coupling rod and connecting rod to keep them parallel. Garratt Crank Pin by giles favell, on Flickr Garratt Chassis by giles favell, on Flickr

Thanks Andy - I missed these....... but I've put one on order now!

Oh dear..... How many passes did that take?

I'm glad some people enjoyed the mobile crane article. Here's a video of it working, for anyone who hasn't seen it.