Wales - Switzerland 009 Connection!

[TJGoode]

I like the Worsley Works Funkey, but I think it will be too long for Llanclifton's tight corners? Have you any idea how long it is? I saw that Hattons have the farish 91 for £49.

Hattons.
Where ON EARTH ELSE did you think I bought it?!

Don't know what radia (is that the correct plural?) it can get around...

Okay, wait, for your sake, I've just totally tortured a piece of 009 Peco flex track and unsuccesfully tried to torture my Class 91.
No chance! It can go round even the most ugly unrealistic bends!

Okay, photographic proof. This is pretty much the sharpest it goes round without problems:


How small are the radia on your layouts? (metric please, I don't really get Inches and stuff! )

Tim

[TJGoode]

I found a great little model railway shop, in one of the side streets off from the main street where the river goes. They even had some Bachmann OO stuff !

I think I know which shop you mean. Very cool model shop. Was my friend's favourite one. I never went there though.
Went bust about 6 to 9 months ago!

[TJGoode]

A Worsley Works order containing three coaches and the Vale of Ffestiniog kit arrived a few weeks ago...
All without instructions!!!

I had been too cowardly to start with any of them, but today I got too impatient!
I was going to start with coach 100 (First Observation) or coach 14 (Passenger Brake Van) as they look the simplest, but then I got really really impatient and started with Vale of Ffestiniog, the one I feared most!

So, today I started working on the VoF. Here's the progress so far:



I'm quite pleased with the job I've done actually. Sure it's not totally perfect, but good enough for me!
The roof isn't attached yet (not before glazing, cabin interior painting and cabin lighting).
Also railing is missing, glazing, and the ladders/steps to get up!

[Clifton009]

Looks good to me Tim

Is it easier to assemble than you thought? I've never made any brass kits, so have no idea how easy or hard they are! Soldering is not one of my best skills!

[TJGoode]

Hi Clifton (/Jason)

Yeah, it's a lot easier to assemble than I expected.

I just had to sit down for a while and think - then realise it's impossible!
And then later be enlightened by a sudden brainwave.

The rest you sort of realise as you go along.

For me it's only the second brass kit, the first being Ffestiniog coach 104/106 by Chris Veitch.

Once you learn the basics, soldering's actually so easy!

1. rub the two surfaces or ends your planning to solder together with a piece of sandpaper (but don't file them down! Just to roughen those surfaces a little)
2. flux the area you're trying to solder together (with soldering flux preferably)

I find it's usually good to heat the area I'm soldering on the other from the one I added (just a tiny piece of solder).
The solder then usually "flees" towards the flame (as long as I sanded the surfaces a little and fluxed a little).

My girlfriend's father has a great soldering iron, which (rather than having an iron tip) is a little handheld gas flame. It's amazing and so easy to use! It's great for brass etched kits, but I wouldn't recommend it for electronics.

PS: I wouldn't advise trying to solder white metal kits, the white metal often melts before the solder! (My "Prince" has a little dent in the roof!

Kind regards
Tim

[TJGoode]

Have been waiting for over six months now for metal wheel/axle sets so I can electrify/light my coaches (which I would have otherwise completed five months ago at the latest) and am getting tired of waiting. Visited the incompetent ***** at the shop I ordered them from again lately and they said the supplier hasn't got any in stock. I asked (rudely) whether it would take another year before they do and received the answer "yes, probably"!!!
That's a ****ing joke!

I have received several more coaches awaiting assembly, but I don't like having a flat full of unfinished projects.
The worst would be, if once I have built in lighting, the resistors all cause the coach rooves to melt! That would be so typical!

Also, I'm doubting whether I'll be able to build my smoke generator into "Prince", and can't see when I'll have the time. If it weren't for the smoke generator I would have finished "Prince" ages ago!!!
And what if, after an immensely difficult operation, the smoke generator only works for about two minutes before needing a refill and causes the chimney to melt?!

So, here are the two vital questions, and I need your advice, guys:
1. Shall I give up trying(/waiting) to put coach lighting in my coaches and finally complete them?
2. Shall I forget about putting my smoke generator in "Prince" and get on and complete the loco?

Thanks, guys!

[Clifton009]

So, here are the two vital questions, and I need your advice, guys:
1. Shall I give up trying(/waiting) to put coach lighting in my coaches and finally complete them?
2. Shall I forget about putting my smoke generator in "Prince" and get on and complete the loco?

Thanks, guys!

Hi Tim.

It depends if you think that you will always look at them and regret not "finishing" them to the spec you originally intended. Although completing them without the extras would avoid the possible disapointment of the finished articles not working correctly after you have waited all that time to complete them!

Is it not possible for you to complete everything and retro fit later?

For the record I would have lost patience long ago and finished them without the bits

[TJGoode]

Right!
It's now been ages (over a year) since my last post. I've been quite preoccupied with other stuff (losing my job due to the credit crunch, being reemployed, moving house, moving house again, quitting my job, going back to do the Swiss equivalent of A-levels)...

I haven't worked much on my Rolling Stock and stuff since, but I have a little to show.

First I'd like to thank Jason for the advice.
Semi-isolated axles still haven't arrived (and probably won't arrive till the day before the day of judment - knowing Murphy ) and I lost patience.

So, here the progress on some of the stuff:
Vale of Ffestiniog
VoF's hardly progressed except that I've now soldered on the roof...

My Main Carriage Rack
The plan for my main line train (in crimson and cream/ivory livery) is to have 5 coaches:
- Coach 37 (Parkside Dundas) finished (no new changes)
- Coaches 104 & 106 (Chris Veitch)
the first is now finished (except for door handles and transfers)
I've added people, windows, the roof, breakpipes, buffers/couplings...

Haven't started with the second.
- Coach/Brake Van 14 (Worsley Works) haven't started
- New First Class Observation 100 (Worsley Works)
Have soldered the body. The front large window (observation window) is split in three rather than in two. I'll probably modify that.

[TJGoode]

Prince
Prince is such a little clumsy (I'm aware it's actually me who's clumsy) loco that it's earned itself the nickname "Myshkin" for being so stupid and heroic at the same time.
I figured out (by looking a Jason's and CuriousOrange's photos of their Princes) how to solve it's balance problem. All I need to to is put the chassis further back (at the moment it's placed so that the cylinders are in the right place, but the wheels are to far forward then). This will need quite a bit of chassis alteration.
Anyway, I then went and dropped (after telling myself "you will drop") Prince's body and the Fleischmann Chassis (separately!!!) on the marble floor, giving Prince seriously ugly dents and causing the Fleischmann engine to shatter.
All attempts of super glueing failed (large part of the magnet of the electro motor broke off). Then later I discover that it still works (perfectly) without that part!
It seems to almost defy what I learned in Physics...
Ah well, another reason for his nickname "Myshkin" (My hero, if it weren't for the last two chapters where he screws it all up!)...

The 1930's train
I've made a bit of progress with my 1930's train (the Green and "Red" livery).
Brake Van 10 (/renumbered Van 2) and the mock 10-style coach (both Parkside Dundas) are both finished (maybe need a little improving paint but otherwise finished)
I've almost finished the Zoo Car (G.E.M [I'm never buying another G.E.M kit])


and am working on a Bug Box (also G.E.M; bought them together)

Eventually I'll also build carriage 16 (Worsley Works; looks a little complicated) and probably carriage 20 (using Langley Models coach 17/18)

[TJGoode]

I've also starting working on my first building!
The most important building of any village - the Pub!


It's Dapol's Country Inn.

[DJH584]

Tim

It may be worth your while joining the 009 society. The sales officer - Brian Guilmant - may be able to assist you with those wheels that you are after.
Unfortunately the membership fee is £23.00 per annum. If you are interested in doing that go to http://www.009society.com

HTH

Regards

David

[TJGoode]

Thanks for the tip, David!
I guess I won't be joining the society yet but certainly is a good idea for the future.
Definately worth looking into!
Thanks!

[TJGoode]

Bug Box and Zoo Car are finished...

[TJGoode]

As you've probably noticed, though my coaches often lack detail and the paint jobs aren't always perfect (understatement!), I very much enjoy putting people into my coaches.
The Zoo Car (G.E.M, not the most detailed kit and awful chassis assembly - shoulda got it at Worsley Works) offers a change for really good views of the passengers, so I tried to depict some nice scenes in it.
Also, I tried to give it's name an extra meaning...

Family situation:

Father in the middle, young son to his left slouching with his hands together in his lap, probably sulking, eldest son on the far left, telling him something, maybe teasing him or encouraging him. On the far right the mother seems to be explaining something to the youngest daugher who also seems to be sulking. Possibly the mother is telling her off but more likely she's comforting her. Maybe the two youngest (who are now sulking) have had a row and have now been rebuked and split (father in the middle).
The whole scene is of course completely open to interpretation. It just looks so realistically like a family on such occasions. Zoo...

Other side:

The other side consists of two parties. A couple, both quite shy, particularly the girl who's hands are together in her lap. The fella might make the impression of having some self esteem with his shoulders broad, his elbows out, legs wide apart and hands on hips (sort of) - if it weren't for the fact that he seems to be too shy to put his arm around her... (maybe they aren't holding eachother because they've had an argument...)
On the right side are what I believe are two sisters with one of them's infant child. I'm not sure which is mother and which aunt, but I reckon the one holding the child could well be the aunt while the one leaning over her shoulder the mother. Again, open to interpretation.

[StevieDay]

The other side consists of two parties. A couple, both quite shy, particularly the girl who's hands are together in her lap. The fella might make the impression of having some self esteem with his shoulders broad, his elbows out, legs wide apart and hands on hips (sort of) - if it weren't for the fact that he seems to be too shy to put his arm around her... (maybe they aren't holding eachother because they've had an argument...)
On the right side are what I believe are two sisters with one of them's infant child. I'm not sure which is mother and which aunt, but I reckon the one holding the child could well be the aunt while the one leaning over her shoulder the mother. Again, open to interpretation.

My interpretation;
The woman holding the child is grandma & the other woman is the aunt. The couple are husband & wife. The reason why her hands are on her lap, is cos she saying "Dave after 5 kids I'm not having any more"......... Daves' posture is because he's a bit miffed, he used to enjoy the practice.