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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:53 am
by GTB
Peter Butler wrote: Mon Dec 31, 2018 5:35 pm The brake gear is all scratch-built from bits of plasticard, it is surprisingly strong now it is welded together with solvent so I hope it lasts in use.
That came up well. At the rate you work it won't take long to upgrade the rest of the fleet.

Unless you make a habit of having derailments, polystyrene brake gear should be OK. It should be far enough underneath the body to escape handling damage by all but the most ham-fisted helpers and it will be easy enough to repair if it has an accident.

Graeme

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:18 pm
by philipy
Peter Butler wrote: Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:18 pm
What do others do about this?
I wipe metal wheels with a cotton bud dipped in Birchwood Casey Gun Blue, which I've had for very many years. Don't bother with any thing else, just wipe and leave. Steel goes a sort of dirty black colour and brass goes a rusty brown colour.

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:34 pm
by tom_tom_go
Just like to add you can't chemically blacken Accucraft wheels as they are plated (nickel I believe).

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 2:12 pm
by IrishPeter
Mild steel will rust here, as Virginia is rather humid for 6 months of the year, so I don't usually do anything with the wheels - just wait. Stainless, etc., gets a little help from the rusty brown paint pot. I find anything too shiny is a distraction, especially as mine are supposed to be working railways, not tourist lines, though domes will get a little elbow grease from time to time.


Cheers,

Peter in Va

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 3:36 pm
by Peter Butler
ge_rik wrote: Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:25 am Nice looking wagons, Peter. You have a knack of always choosing the right colour schemes for your builds.

Rik
Artist..... not engineer!

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2019 8:29 am
by FWLR
Peter Butler wrote: Tue Jan 01, 2019 3:36 pm
ge_rik wrote: Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:25 am Nice looking wagons, Peter. You have a knack of always choosing the right colour schemes for your builds.

Rik
Artist..... not engineer!
You can be an Artist on mine then Peter. :lol:

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:43 pm
by Peter Butler
Since my last post I have been busy fitting brake gear to all of the four wheel wagons, all done now. Having done that another missing item stands out, and that is vacuum hose connection. Some of my stock has them fitted when I was fortunate enough to pick them up used or as a job-lot. (they aren't cheap and I need lots of them!). I have also made some in the past and am pleased with their appearance.... it's all about distance.
The way I made them is by using brazing rod, carefully bent to shape then made up with heat-shrink and plastic tube.......
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After fitting the plastic tube the brazing rod can be bent at right angles to be fitted either through, or under, the wagon ends....
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The separate pieces are bonded together with super glue before painting.
This is my output for this afternoon.....
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Painting tomorrow and fitting as soon as they dry.

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:56 pm
by tom_tom_go
Nice work Peter!

That design is a much cheaper way of fitting out stock with vacuum hoses than buying white metal offerings...

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:20 am
by ge_rik
Great solution. I like the inspirational use of the brazing rod.

I'm currently reading my way through my Christmas present book - Peter Paye's latest about the Southwold Railway. Despite several rulings from the BOT, the Southwold doggedly never installed continuous braking on any of their stock. Neither did they have any brake vans and so always ran mixed trains with no brake van attached, despite at least one run away after a coupling failure .

At present, the PLR is similarly resisting installing continuous braking, but I might eventually have to succumb to BOT pressure.

Rik

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 9:10 am
by FWLR
Impressive Peter. I like the way you have thought out and used the materials and like Tom says, it must be a lot cheaper to make your own and may I add, better looking........

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 4:31 pm
by Peter Butler
First few fitted today and I'm pleased with them..... lots more to follow.....
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:34 pm
by philipy
They look good, Peter.

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 5:51 pm
by IrishPeter
Until the late 1980s the status of the vacuum brake on the Isle of Man Railway was 'fitted but not used.' This occurred because the Isle of Man is not part of the UK, and had only incorporated the pre-1873 legislation into the domestic regulations concerning rail transport. The Vacuum brake was fitted in the late-1920s after a fatal accident when a train left Union Mills without the guard and brakes man due to a shunting mix up, and ran into the buffers at Douglas. The IMR was found behind the times in several respects, one of which was the lack of any sort of telephone in Douglas signal box, which meant messages had to be relayed through the stationmaster's office, which did not work on this occasion. Official concern was also expressed about the lack of continuous automatic brake, so the railway volunteered to fit it. However, the ejectors were supplied with the wrong cones, used too much steam, and no-one on the railway had enough experience with suck brakes to work out what was wrong - or perhaps they did, but couldn't be arsed to follow up. The traffic department could not accept any further limits on loading, so the vax fell into disuse. The penalty for having function vacuum brakes is one carriage. The previous load limit of seven bogies (roughly 100 tons loaded) was dropped to six (85 tons) once the vacuum brakes were brought back into use.

They did, however, install phones in the 'Box.

Cheers,
Peter in Va

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 7:06 pm
by Andrew
Very nice! Chunkier than mine, which I like. Looks like they'll be well able to withstand the odd knock too...

Cheers,

Andrew.

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 9:49 am
by IanC
Brilliant solution. I fit vacuum pipes to all my locomotives and passenger stock. Until the 1970s even British Rail ran unfitted wagons. They only had a hand brake. A small point for anyone making them, the hoses should be fastened to the stand when not connected up. If they aren't then no vacuum can be created and the brakes would be "on".

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:43 pm
by Peter Butler
Peter Butler wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:43 pm I am pleased with their appearance.... it's all about distance.
IanC wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 9:49 am Brilliant solution. I fit vacuum pipes to all my locomotives and passenger stock....... A small point for anyone making them, the hoses should be fastened to the stand when not connected up. If they aren't then no vacuum can be created and the brakes would be "on".
Hi Ian, I'm pleased you approve in general even though you have pointed out where I have gone wrong! As you can see from my opening paragraph, I think that including them, even if they are imperfect, is better than not having them at all, as they will not be seen close-up.
In all of my models I aim for an overall impression rather than perfect scale. Most other stock I have seen have fewer details included, either from manufacture or additions, but as long as they satisfy their owners that's fine.

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 8:42 pm
by IanC
Peter Butler wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:43 pm
Peter Butler wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:43 pm I am pleased with their appearance.... it's all about distance.
IanC wrote: Tue Jan 15, 2019 9:49 am Brilliant solution. I fit vacuum pipes to all my locomotives and passenger stock....... A small point for anyone making them, the hoses should be fastened to the stand when not connected up. If they aren't then no vacuum can be created and the brakes would be "on".
Hi Ian, I'm pleased you approve in general even though you have pointed out where I have gone wrong! As you can see from my opening paragraph, I think that including them, even if they are imperfect, is better than not having them at all, as they will not be seen close-up.
In all of my models I aim for an overall impression rather than perfect scale. Most other stock I have seen have fewer details included, either from manufacture or additions, but as long as they satisfy their owners that's fine.
I very much approve of them Peter, and it's a minor point really. I approve of them so much, I intend to copy them, if that's ok?

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 7:24 am
by FWLR
Has I said Peter, they are brilliant, who cares if they are not 110% correct....If you look at photos of coaches and wagons that the manufacturers make, they got are pretty much the same....To many people like the smaller gauge brigade who always knock something done because it's not the way to be...

Keep on giving us, especially me :roll: lots of ideas that can be put into use...Like you say Peter, unless someone is going to get down on their hands and knees............

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:34 am
by Peter Butler
Well, today marks a milestone (or Millstone?) in passing the quarter of a million views on my 'Time to build a railway' thread.
I think this is an amazing figure to have achieved but shows the interest in our hobby by members and visitors alike, and encouraging others to contribute their own brilliant ideas to support us all.
Since beginning my story in December 2012 I have learned so much from members, past and present, and couldn't have had any idea on how, or what targets to aim for and achieve without your input.
So a big 'thank you' to all who have contributed to my thread and a special thanks to Tom for keeping the Forum a successful and friendly place to visit, and waving his magic wand to make the system operate on our behalf.
Peter.
(Exit stage right clutching imaginary Oscar!)

Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2019 8:23 am
by FWLR
Wow Peter, well done...A quarter of a Million... :wav: Hope you get to the magic One Million soon.

You do deserve an Oscar for all the time and effort you put into your modelling and sharing so much information to us all. We have learnt a lot, at least I have, from you.

And has for Tom, there are no words to say about what is just a brilliant forum. It's number ONE for me on the internet. :salute: :salute: