Giles

The 1824 only protrudes a few mm, and is very acceptable! As I've already said, the uplift in performance is very significant, regarding slow-speed running (and power) The Bunker/tank is assembled, with sand boxes fitted (these centre to the riveted panel of the wrapper). I'm missing the top castings at the moment, but I'm hoping Mercian can supply these. I've also fitted the front lifting eyes (not supplied in the kit) and the tank vent pipe (also not supplied) I needed to reduce some washers in thickness to take out axle side play - and this is the easiest way to hold them for filing Two running engines so far...

I've been building up the body of the rear engine - and to the most part, there is no problem - it's not easy - but that's the nature of it. The only skin-crawler was this etch, which is the bunker back sheet. Note the half etched dots for the rivets, and how they run off....... this makes it very difficult to put a straight row of rivets in, as many of them are half in a hole, and half not...... Great care should be taken when folding up the tank etches ( both front and rear engines) to get a really tight fold, so the tabs and vertical up-stands don't protrude any further out from the line of the base - otherwise gaps will appear when the wrapper is soldered on! Also note that all the fixing nuts have to be filed down on one side to fit. Annoying, as there is no reason why all the holes couldn't have been etched 2mm further in-board to prevent this.....

Reference: On the Bressingham loco, the Front Engine lubricator is on the Off Side, and needs a hole in the foot plate.

The coupling rods have very limited clearance with the cross-head, and so every effort is made to reduce thicknesses! The front end is secured by a reversed top-hat bush, tapped 10BA, filed down to just over coupling rod thickness. There is a very thin washer between the rod/top-hat and the wheel boss. This is progress so far - I've also replaced the white metal tank vent with copper tube (stronger, and it's got a hole in...), and fitted the brake gear. It runs beautifully, but then it's got no valve gear, yet. I think I shall leave the front engine here, and build up the boiler cradle and rear engine to a similar level, so I can see what interferes with what..... I'm also missing a couple of castings which I'm sure Trevor will kindly sort out.

Thanks for the heads-up, Julian - I've found that now..... It's always interesting to see someone else's experience! I thought I'd fit the sand boxes about now, but something didn't quite chime right in my memory, and so I looked at photos I had and the previous work I'd done, to find that the inner 'buffer' beam of the front engine is different to that of the rear engine - and the one supplied are to the pattern of the rear engine. ( see earlier photos for supplied) I've therefore chopped the fitted one about to resemble the actual more closely. This needs to clear the reversing linkage in reality - but I don't know what's supplied or it if would have been a problem so far as the kit is concerned. You'll also notice that where I cranked the beam out to clear the wheels, I have now back-filled the void with milliput. This will tidy it up immensely after painting. The sandboxes now fitted, and a hole drilled to bring the wires out to link the two engines together electrically.

OTT.....? Me....? Don't you remember an Austerity 2-8-0 appearing on The Loop.....? This thing is small and delicate in comparison.....

The milliput on the wheels has dried, and 5 minutes fettling with a file, and then drilling three holes using a pin vice produced this...... I suppose the entire operation on all eight wheels takes about two hours - not including drying time. For me, I think it is well worth it compared to having to live with inaccurate and inconsistent etches, that would have still taken about an hour to fit...... The other bit of good news is that the Mashima 1824s arrived today, (obtainable from a variety of sources) and the 54:1 gearboxes (from Roxey Mouldings). They went together very well, meshing perfectly, and once assembled - ran as slowly as I hoped for! What is even better, once I chopped the shaft off the back end, it fits in the front engine, without any modification at all!!!!! This means that the rear engine will have to run with a full bunker of coal - but that's fine with me. In my opinion, If anyone is planning on building one of these, I really suggest that you don't bother with the smaller motor, and upgrade to the 1824/ 54:1 combination - you won't regret it, I promise. [/url]

These are the clamps I was talking about - very useful... Yesterdays rash statement about four balance weights being correct and four wrong, was premature..... even the four that I thought were correct are not. See picture below. The balance weights are part of the wheel casting, and not 'bolt on', and should cover/incorporate the spokes completely, not sit inside them. Some of Phils excellent photos show this clearly. In consequence, I'm ditching them, and building them up (in situ) with milliput, which I can file down smooth when it's fully hard, and just drill the three holes in. Not included in the kit are the lifting eyes which are a bit obvious if missing. They are easily made, however out of 5mm wide etch off-cuts, and this is where they go...... I find a torch very useful for adding this kind of detail, just to get the heat in - but again I use the clamps to make sure things stay in place....

Thanks Rich - absolutely! Far too slow.....! Yes, very much looking forward to Telford, though I'll probably leave the crane at home, as we'll have our hands full with The End of The Line!

Rods, as above.... I've ordered replacement motor and gears, so we'll see what that's like when they arrive! Meanwhile, I've been putting the font step and lamp iron on the front engine - an simple job, but one that turned into a fight when the etched tank 'skin' started lifting off the inner frame. eventually, after searching high and low, I found my miniature sash cramps, made by Record. I don't use them often, but when I do, they're invaluable. Anyway, these clamped on, a bit of heat applied, and the etch was soon firmly back in place. If you haven't got any of these things, I can't recommend them enough. Another alteration I'm making is the fall plate, mounted on the front engine, rigidly as part of a folded etch. so far as I can see, it will likely cause problems with coupling the engine to the boiler cradle - or at least make it more difficult - so I've cut it off and made a hinged one instead, which is very easy now, but may be less so later. the new fall plate with its hinge pins [url=http://s589.photobucket.com/user/giles61/media/0%20Gauge/IMG_1448_zps6fb53207.jpg.html][/uR L] today's toe-curler is that I've started applying the balance weights to the wheels (innocently) using milliput as a backing, to find that four are the correct size (ish) and four are over-size!!!! I should have learned by now.....

I've been distracted recently by the need to do an article for Narrow gauge and Industrial on the Transfer Crane, which in turn meant making a little board for it to go on etc........ ( see relevant thread) so only today have I picked the Garratt up again. The Coupling rods sweat together well, and make up nicely, and I made up a gearbox with the supplied motor, and the front engine runs nicely enough, but frankly far too fast for me. If all you are going to use it for is running round at speed, it will be fine - but I particularly want very slow, fine control. The supplied motor is a mashima 1620, driving through a 40:1. Looking things up, I think I can squeeze in a Mashima 1824, which is more powerful, and has a running speed of 2/3rds that of the smaller motor. Couple that with a 54:1 gear, and I think it will make a great deal of difference. I have a big heavy white metal loco with an 1824 fitted, and I get very good low speed control with that. On the whole it's pointless going to a great deal of trouble building a loco, and then not getting the characteristics you want from it. It will take a little carving internally, but not a lot. Know anyone who wants to buy a couple of 1620's?

If your talking about the chain sling (sometimes called 'Brothers' - trade name) I'm using them in the form of a bridle with a spreader bar in order to do a simple pickup (which is quite legitimate). Slings can also be used singly, rather than in pairs. I've not got an actual shackle on mine - a shackle is a 'U' (or omega) shaped piece, with a bar through two eyes at the ends, and is used to join the chain to the hook (in this instance). I've been confused as to whether you are having your hook suspended on one cable, or on a cable round a pulley, like mine. One advantage of the hook/sheeve arrangement that I have is that it keeps the hook in the same alignment, whereas a single cable suspension encourages the hook to rotate as it ascends/descends. G.

Hi Barnaby, The hook on my block is threaded in, so it can be rotated (and it was easier to make that way!). Do I understand you to say that you will have a single cable to the hook? In which case there will be a problem controlling the rotation of the hook, particularly as it raises and lowers. Best, Giles I should criticise my operating competence if I were you..... Fair game!! If you're talking narrow gauge Ruston, I do have a Wrightlines cabless Ruston kit salted away which is on the list - I lent Adrian S my B102 chassis kit from it, so he can package up a pile more (I need another for a different loco, anyway). The trouble is, I'm starting to get locos coming out of my ears..... The standard gauge Garratt is next for completion. Cheers, Giles

Cheers mate! The problem is incompetent operation (and trying to do too many things at once...!) it's actually perfectly viable. I could fit long bars (as per prototype) but I'm worried about propelling, especially on curves.....

As an update, here's a video of the finished crane In operation on a 'test-bed@ with DCC sound... ... or with music

Re varnishing over decals - very much the received wisdom..... The only reason I shan't is that the excellent Martyn Welch no longer does, according to his book on Weathering, and I'd rather maintain the finish. A different story if you are able to polish the varnished layer without breaking through and thus not creating the awkward varnish/paint line that is impossible to get rid of without very heavy weathering......

Thank you both very much! Your much kinder than I deserve..... If I may make a rather controversial observation - after polishing and then weathering a loco ( which I do with humbrol, thinners, powders, and talcum powder), I never varnish the loco - it remains unvarnished, it can take its luck! I feel that varnish can rather undo the good work that one might have done! I too use the Halfords black, and once hard - it polishes up nicely! Like the layout Andrew!

Dave, you really have got your weathering down to a fine art - it's superb.....

Phil - those are priceless! The only time I got to see her was in the confines of Bressingham, which wasn't very good for (old fashioned) photography - so that's a brilliant resource... thank you. I'll have to start scanning my old pics in and fill in any gaps (if any!). Meanwhile.. The Bressingham Garratt, 'William Francis' was of course slightly different from her sisters - taking for example the Vivian Garratt.... William Francis has.... Reduced capacity tank (430 gallons) on rear engine different sand reservoirs different top feed Lubricators are repositioned No vacuum braking flush riveted buffer beams different pattern buffers 3-link couplings (instead of instanter type) no steam sanding longer grab poles different steam brake frames locomotive type bearings to coupling rodsDeep ash pan I'm sure there are other differences - but these are the ones I can lay my hands on at the moment.End elevation of 'Vivian' type Details of Buffer beams etc....

for interest's sake, this was the one I started building 25 years ago, before I got sidetracked doing the etches for a kit that never got done. (And before I found out some more details about them!). I've already robbed the buffer beams off this to put on the Mercian....

Finishing off the cylinder cladding, I 'bulked out' the cylinder that was too narrow, by soldering wire on the inside that stuck out a little, following the correct/desired enlarged curve. This gave me something to solder the cladding to, which will only require a little filler when it comes to painting. Instead of fitting the supplied brass top-hat bearings for the axles, I am fitting ball races. I don't know if they'll be any better - but we'll see.... these are epoxied in, having enlarged the diameter of the holes in the frames with a tapered reamer, and checked the spacing against the coupling rods. I've also replaced the supplied 12BA crankpins (Slaters) with 10BA countersunk machine screws, as being closer to scale and stronger. The other advantage, is that by tapping the supplied top-hats 10BA, they act as lock-nuts securing the crank pins into the wheels (I tapped the wheels 10BA whilst I was at it.....) I used the drill chuck off my Unimat 3 to hold the top hats for tapping..... todays very boring thing was all the supplied top hat bearings for axles (which I'm not using) motor gearboxes (which I am!) and bogie bearings etc... are the large external diameter - and the etches are for the smaller diameter...... so nothing fits! I'm sure Trevor will supply the correct type - but boring...!

Brilliant Phil! I'm off to work, but I'll scour your blog as soon as I've got a minute..... PLEASE feel free to step in and point me in the right direction..! Best, Giles

These straps don't fit the half etched recess in the foot-plate. you have to cut off the short bits, and solder them in separately....

The buffer beams are a disaster. By all means use them to jig the chassis up, but then take them off and throw them away. The tab slots are way off centre, so the buffer beam sits off to one side, the buffers and coupling should sit on the centre-line, not below centre, and the buffers are far too far apart (they should be about 40.5mm or so...) File the tabs off the chassis and solder on new part...... incidentally, other locos like the Vivian had riveted beams - I've got details somewhere....

I've not taken photos from the beginning, as I wasn't particularly expecting trouble...... Later, I'll scan in the relevent 'instruction sheets' - there are no written instructions, just the hand-drawn exploded drawings and photocopied etches for identification. Here's one of the engines, basically built up Paul has observed that the cylinder etches are off centre - this is correct, and in order to fit the side valances, the 'notches' at the top of the cylinder etches has to be rebated further to allow the valance strips to sit correctly (on one side only). This is assuming you have squared up the foot-plate onto the frames correctly! The cylinder etch on this same side then has to be dressed down with a file to allow the cylinder cladding to sit where it ought to go! Also shown on the bottom photo is the joggle I had to put into the rear beam in order to clear the driven wheels. A bodge, I know....... Having looked vary carefully at the one model I know has been completed, I see that he has done exactly the same thing.....