Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by ge_rik » Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:31 am

Blimey, that van looks good - even in the nude.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Peter Butler » Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:23 am

I hope you checked the contents Rod, it might be too late to send it back!
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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by FWLR » Wed Jan 02, 2019 8:19 am

I haven't Peter, it's one of those things that kept getting forgotten about..... :( :(

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by BertieB » Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:51 am

Your 'C-scale' box van is very pleasing and I've a mind to set up a production line to do a few copies... Are the sides scored sheet or are they planked? If you don't mind me asking.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:43 pm

Hi all, glad you like the van...

Bertie, I had your "B Scale" stuff very much in mind when I was making it. It's made from 5mm PVC foamboard using various techniques I've picked up her - scribed with an old screwdriver, grain added using course sandpaper etc etc. It's wonderful stuff to work with, very well suited to make-it-up-as-you-go-along type building. I was keen to make the planked version of the van because I believe they were most common, but if I were to make more BR vans I'd be tempted to go for the ply bodied variant, which would probably be quicker. There are lots of good pictures here - https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brwagons - and, if it helps, the drawing I used as a starting point is here (just scroll down a little): https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brwagons

I've moved on from my original tipper truck plan for chocolate delivery and now need a sliding door van for that purpose. There's an LMS design I'll probably use for that, and then I'll probably make a GWR "Mink A", which I think would've been the van most commonly seen at Somerdale.

Rod, I'm intrigued by your parcel - you must open it to put us out of our misery!

Cheers all,

Andrew.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by BertieB » Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:14 pm

Andrew wrote: ↑Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:43 pm ...it's made from 5mm PVC foamboard...
Terrific. I shall have to get some. Thank you.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by philipy » Fri Jan 04, 2019 6:32 am

BertieB wrote: ↑Thu Jan 03, 2019 10:14 pm
Andrew wrote: ↑Thu Jan 03, 2019 12:43 pm ...it's made from 5mm PVC foamboard...
Terrific. I shall have to get some. Thank you.
Bertie, just a word of warning. Make sure you get the 100% PVC stuff and not the stuff sandwiched between 2 layers of paper/thin card. It tends to all get called foamboard, especially on ebay.

Sorry for hijacking the thread Andrew, but I've been caught like that myself, even though I should know the danger ( anyone want some paper faced board??).
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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Sat Jan 19, 2019 1:39 pm

Hello!

This morning I made a start on the Sentinel loco which will pull the train. The real thing is nearly finished now and should be complete at the Avon Valley at Easter.

Mine is lagging behind, but I've now got the frames and running plate sorted so I can build up from there... It's quite happily pulling the van along but had a bit of a tendency to bounce itself off the track at the moment. I was going to leave it like this for the time being and focus on the next van (the one that will deliver the chocolate), but I think I'll build the loco body and get the batteries properly stashed in the van, then I can assess the possibilities for adding weight to keep the thing on the track.

Sentinel test.jpg
Sentinel test.jpg (283.2 KiB) Viewed 4484 times


More later, maybe...

Andrew.

PS Note that Tom's station has served its first train!

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by FWLR » Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:23 am

Looking forward to this build Andrew...

How do you get permission to have some track laid out on the dining table... :lol:

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Sun Jan 20, 2019 4:09 pm

FWLR wrote: ↑Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:23 am
How do you get permission to have some track laid out on the dining table... :lol:
My wife's away for the weekend!!! That's also how I got away with plonking this horrible old vice (possibly originally my Great-Grandfather's) on the table AND pinching the spice pot in the foreground...
Vice.jpg
Vice.jpg (282.05 KiB) Viewed 4434 times


The spice in question (possibly sweet smoked paprika) was a holiday gift from my mother, and using the pot to act as a former for making the body of a C Scale Sentinel is the only use we've found for it so far... I cut a piece of plasticard to size, clamped it round the (emptied, metal) pot in the vice, then filled the pot with boiling water. It worked relatively well, although I don't know that using the vice was actually necessary. That was glued around a kind of sub-body made from foamboard, resulting in this:
Sentinel body 1.jpg
Sentinel body 1.jpg (219.57 KiB) Viewed 4434 times
If you're interested, her's the drawing I'm using - it's one I found online stretched in various directions on a photocopier then cut and pasted (literally, with scissors and glue) to produce something roughly the right size:
Sentinel drawing.jpg
Sentinel drawing.jpg (272.94 KiB) Viewed 4434 times
It's kind of taller and thinner than the real thing, but that was a compromise necessary to fit the Playmobil driver in the cab...

Electrics next I think. Here's the set-up, hacked from the original toy train...
Sentinel electrics.jpg
Sentinel electrics.jpg (304.14 KiB) Viewed 4434 times

The on/off button will go in the cab I think, with the battery box in the van behind. As you can see, there will need to be three wires between the two - can anyone suggest a suitable connector/plug and socket etc please? I'm afraid electrics really aren't my thing - I can't even work out why there are three wires instead of a nice simple battery/motor/switch circuit...

Cheers all,

Andrew.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Peter Butler » Sun Jan 20, 2019 5:33 pm

Hi Andrew, I can offer you this 3 pin connector (M/F) pre-wired with 30cm wire between. I think they are Futaba connectors but unsure. I use them in all of my RC locos and they work just fine.
Anyway, I bought them as a pack of fifty so have one for you if you wish. Just send a PM with your address and it will be in the post tomorrow.
IMG_6104.JPG
IMG_6104.JPG (94.92 KiB) Viewed 3936 times
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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by FWLR » Mon Jan 21, 2019 7:18 am

Thanks Andrew, that's a brilliant idea on how to bend Plasticard, the drawing may well come in handy.

Peter's Futaba lead will be great for the wiring, I have bought one in the past, but possibly a bit more than what Peter paid. I was new to all this..... still am.... :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Mon Jan 21, 2019 10:11 am

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Sun Jan 20, 2019 5:33 pm Hi Andrew, I can offer you this 3 pin connector (M/F) pre-wired with 30cm wire between. I think they are Futaba connectors but unsure. I use them in all of my RC locos and they work just fine.
Anyway, I bought them as a pack of fifty so have one for you if you wish. Just send a PM with your address and it will be in the post tomorrow.

IMG_6104.JPG
Wow, that looks perfect, thanks Peter! I remember seeing them on your thread now, but had forgotten all about them. PM on the way...

Andrew

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by FWLR » Tue Jan 22, 2019 11:53 am

Can you send one to me to Peter...... :roll: :roll: ... :lol: :lol:

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by philipy » Sat Apr 20, 2019 5:52 pm

I'm sure you know all about this Andrew, but for the benefit of all...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-englan ... eams-again
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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Sat Apr 20, 2019 7:40 pm

Thanks Philip!

Yes, I went along yesterday - I was there while this piece was being filmed. The little loco looked lovely in the sunshine, it really brought a smile to people's faces. It was offering short brake van rides along the platform and into a siding - I'm looking forward to seeing it on a longer run sometime, because when it heads down the line to Avon Riverside it will actually pass the factory where it used to work. I've never seen a Sentinel steam loco in action before, and it's very different from conventional locos, because of the way it's driven via gears and chains I guess. There's no chuff-chuff-chuff, but lots of hissing steam and a sort of whirring noise - rather like a Slomo!

Here's a couple of photos:

Fry's sentinel 1.jpg
Fry's sentinel 1.jpg (341.12 KiB) Viewed 1698 times
Fry's sentinel 2.jpg
Fry's sentinel 2.jpg (259.71 KiB) Viewed 1698 times

I really must crack on with my model - I'm mostly concentrating on the outdoor line now, but yesterday inspired me to move on with the loco when I get the chance...

Cheers,

Andrew.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Sun Apr 21, 2019 8:11 pm

I was pleased to see that the BBC Chocolate Train item made their 5 "most watched", all good publicity. It was below "Paris police fire tear gas" but above "Meghan closes car door"!!!

If anyone's in the Brizzle area the Fry's Sentinel will be running again tomorrow...

Andrew.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by FWLR » Mon Apr 22, 2019 10:40 am

Thanks for the link Phillip. :thumbright:

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