Garden Railway Forum

Andrew wrote: ↑Fri Apr 17, 2020 7:55 pm ... Didn't know the GER went in for them?
Cheers,
Andrew.

Hi Andrew
They were nowhere near as impressive as those on the GWR, East Anglia isn't noted for its mountains.... However, they were cheap and the GER was always cash strapped. I know of one on the Maldon Branch, one on the Snape Maltings branch and there was even one on the Southwold. Small scale affairs, but built on the same principles.

Rik

Lovely railway pics in this thread!

Hi all.
Just finished a PDF Models De-Winton i have been working on over the summer. I clad the boiler with rosewood (i think) cut from an old xylophone key, glued the strips on to the boiler and then cut three thin brass bands to length and rolled them around a Soy sauce bottle. I then taped the bands in place around the boiler before drilling 0.8mm holes through them and the boiler and gluing brass rivets into the holes. I then ground off the rivet ends that were sticking through inside the boiler.
For radio control, I installed a Locoremote receiver/controller and switch in the water tank, which was a very tight fit, and a resetting polyfuse between the frames. This RC works through a smartphone so no bulky transmitter is required.
I have now taken delivery of a PDF quarry hunslet. I will let you know how I model it. David

Very nice model from a good and affordable kit. The quality of printing from PDF is excellent and needs some, although not too much preparation to give a perfect paint finish. I have built both of their Hunslet kits and they have been a real pleasure to do. My next PDF kit, which I am building and finishing for a friend, is the Double Fairlie.

That looks very nice David, the boiler cladding is lovely.
What mechanism does it use, is it part of thhe PDF kit?
Any chance of a bit of video showing it running?

Hi Philip.
The 12v motor and reducing gearbox is supplied with the kit and is mounted horizontally between the frames. The power is from (at present) a pp3 battery in the boiler and the RC and switch is in the water tank. I will try and post a vid on YouTube over the weekend.
David.

Hi all.
As I don't have access to a running line at present here is my De-Winton running on blocks using the Locoremote radio control on a smartphone. I like the way that the phone display also shows % of full speed and battery voltage.
It looks as though one of the cranks has slipped on its axle a little as it has started running a bit lumpy.
https://youtu.be/BPk9gIKKRT8
David.

The cranks do have a tendency to slip as the tiny grub screw can't be tightened enough on the hard steel axle. I had to drill through the axle ends and fit longer screws to cure the problem...... not easy, but it works!

David.

Thanks David, looks nice and smooth to me, just the faintest hint of a 'lump'. Could you file a flat on the axle ends?

Can't say I'd like that phone controller though ( apart from not having a mobile phone anyway ) I'd much prefer having a knob to twiddle.

That does look like a mighty fine model. I might be tempted......

philipy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 26, 2020 6:19 am Can't say I'd like that phone controller though ( apart from not having a mobile phone anyway ) I'd much prefer having a knob to twiddle.

That was my conclusion after dabbling with mobile phone control. In addition, I struggled to see the buttons on the screen when the sun was shining - which does happen occasionally here in Cheshire ......

Rik

Hi all.
I haven't been able to try the system outside yet but for £39 in total it is worth giving it a go.
The loco kit only cost £81 including motor and gearbox so I have a radio controlled loco for £120 + a little work and paint (which I had anyway)
David.

philipy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 26, 2020 6:19 am Thanks David, looks nice and smooth to me, just the faintest hint of a 'lump'. Could you file a flat on the axle ends?

I tried that first Philip, unfortunately the tiny grub screws, which use a .9mm Allen key, are not up to the job of pressing firmly on the axle due to rounding the key. Also, the screw becomes too short to hold the printed crank in position as it rotates on a bearing inside the crank. Problems, problems!

Hi all.
Latest lockdown project is a small hunslet called 'Junior' but for a granite quarry in sunny Leicestershire not a Welsh slate quarry. It should be quite distinctive with no cab, just a roof supported on 4 steel pillars. So far i have the underframe and cylinders painted matt black with the motion picked out in red.
https://youtu.be/KzK9I4anczU
David.

My Coronavirus projects have been a load of Gauge 1 stock all of which has now run down the local model engineering club. Steadily getting there, just need to wait on some more chassis parts then I can design the chassis for the next pair of locos then some corridor coaches! Plus a load of other compartment coaches which will be a just for me project because the Bluebell have many coaches I'd love a model of!