Tullygrainey

Patrick's Countess of Antrim is back with me for a little remedial work. The attached video is the Countess's chassis. Can anyone explain the strange groaning noise it makes on startup? It's not dry bearings or gearbox noise or anything of that mechanical sort because it didn't make these noises before it was sound-chipped. The noise is still there when the sound is turned on but largely masked by the chuffing. Is it some sort of mismatch between motor and chip? Incidentally, my BCDR 2-4-0 No 6, with a similar sound installation and motor does exactly the same thing. IMG_3947.MOV

Kadee actually include this Heath Robinson contrivance in the instruction sheet for their under track magnets

Frustrating is right! Hope the damage isn't too severe.

I used the Kadee top of the sleepers magnets on The Stone Yard, my O:16.5 layout and they work pretty reliably though I usually confine myself to particular combinations of wagons when exhibiting. The idea of creating resistance to help prevent random uncoupling is probably a key factor. The locos on The Stone Yard are pulling white metal wagons which have plenty of weight to keep things in tension. I gather the rule of thumb for wagon weight for UK modelling in 4mm is around 35gms. Kadee couplers are of US origin and I read somewhere that in the US, the NMRA recommends a guide weigh for wagons of 75gm. Maybe that's what we need to aim for. Mind you, I've tried that and some of my locos run out of steam pulling more than three 75gm wagons round the tight curves of Kilmore's non-scenic bits Postscript: The Kadee top of the sleepers magnets are designed for Code 100 rail. They're too tall for the Code 75 on Kilmore.

I wonder did the designer intend it to be driven from the front coupled axle, which would avoid the problem. I think though that doing that would require building it as a rigid chassis, not necessarily a problem in 7mm perhaps but less desirable in 4mm with less weight to keep it in contact with the rails. I've not had a lot of success with rigid chassis but having a rigid front coupled axle, a compensated rear axle and a sprung front bogie risks creating a seesaw.

That's an intriguing approach to uncoupling Paul. I use Kadees and installed Kadee's own under track magnets on Kilmore but haven't had a lot of luck with them. I can get them to release the couplings under compression, as they're meant to do, but I can't reliably prevent them from uncoupling under tension. So when trains pull away over them, wagons or coaches tend to come apart when they shouldn't. I've tried adjusting the distance of the magnets below the track and also removing the steel booster plate but I can't seem to find a happy balance. If the train stays coupled under tension, then couplings don't release under compression, and vice versa. I know coupler height and distance of the loop above sleeper height is fairly critical but even after trying to get that right I'm still having problems. I've more or less given up on the magnets now.

Crankpins fitted to the coupled wheels and thread-locked in. Coupling rods reamed to fit the crankpin bushes. With direct power to the motor, it turns over nicely. IMG_3874.MOV Then a snag reared its ugly head (do snags do that or do they just creep up on you? This one did the latter.) Despite forward planning and adding a drive stretcher to push the motor/gearbox forward and out of the cab (successful), it emerged that the final drive gearwheel on the back axle sits higher than the footplate under the cab, requiring a bit of bodgery. Hooray for piercing saws and Swiss needle files. Thankfully the cab floor is designed to sit proud of the footplate by a couple of mm so it clears the gearwheel and hides it too. Onward and upward to the next challenge - figuring out where and how to fit pickups. I'll have a lie down before I try that. Alan

The fitters at Kirley Junction are up to their eyes at the moment so CME Kieran Lagan asked if I'd like to have a go at the chassis of a NorthStar kit of some vintage which he acquired at the Bangor show this year - a GNR(I) PPs in 4mm. Yes please Nice crisp etches and with all the bits needed bar motor and gearbox. Much more than just a shrunk 7mm kit, this has been re-engineered well for the smaller scale. Chassis spacers for 16.5mm and 21mm among other things. In keeping with tradition, we added a High Level Roadrunner+ with a DriveStretcher D1 to help push the motor forward into the boiler and clear of the cab. Rather than gluing the shafts in place as the instructions suggest, I took a risk and soldered them after an unfortunate incident with the gearbox I built for Kieran's other purchase, a GNR(I) AL class kit. An idler gear ended up in the ballast after a layshaft came adrift The frames have no real straight edges which made it tricky to build the chassis straight and square. They're also pretty flimsy and easily bent. I added hornblocks to the front coupled axle and had then to arrange a beam for this to rock on. A chassis spacer with a length of 1mm brass rod soldered into it did the job. The pics below shows the arrangement and the chassis sits nice and level. The bogie is arranged to swivel on a vertical pillar attached to the chassis. I've soldered a long bit of 0.45mm brass wire to it to act as a centring spring. The other end of this fits into a hole in that chassis spacer. We'll see how well it works. Running plate made up and fitted to give some idea of where the pickups might go without fouling the bodywork - always a nightmare. This is another flimsy bit of metal which won't be strong until the bodywork gets built onto it. Next jobs are to fit the crankpins, add the coupling rods (These are already made up and were used as jigs to set up the hornblocks) and see if we've got a free rolling chassis. I could develop a taste for these GNR(I) engines. Don't let on to the folk at Queen's Quay. Alan

If all the carpet monsters ever get together to sell all the stuff they've collected, it'll be a brilliant model shop.

That calls for a straight eye and a steady hand! Great technique, great result

It has been a quiet week at Kilmore...

Lovely work Paul. This is going to be good!

Is that Morecambe and Wise on the bridge?

Nice one Patrick

Glad to see the Countess behaving herself. Very best of luck with this project Patrick. I'm looking forward to seeing Capecastle 2 develop.