Tullygrainey

That is truly awful Noel. Sending my best wishes to you and your family as you deal with this.

Thanks for this John. The whitemetal body is indeed really heavy and I did consider using the original rigid chassis frames, reasoning that it might run like a bulldozer, i.e. unstoppable. However the weather these last few days has been non-stop rain so I mostly stayed indoors and have already started on a scratchbuilt chassis for the thing . Still, since this project is really an exercise in what might be possible, I might build something round the original chassis frames too. I have a set of Gibson outside cranks in front of me as I write this. I'm hoping to use these as you suggest along with the Gibson extended axles and the original wheels. I'm substituting the original coupling rods for a set of Lanarkshire Models Fowler 4F etched rods (now available from High Level Kits) which are exactly the right length and should look better than the originals. They're also articulated with a proper knuckle connection. Lovely little etch.

Certainly worth trying

I'd start by checking the back-to-back on the wheels JB and also that they are rotating freely. Then check that the bogie swivels freely and that it isn't fouling anything on the body as it swivels. Also, is there any buffer lock with whatever is coupled to it at that end?

Thanks everyone. I knew the collective knowledge on here would deliver. It wasn't a runner when Kieran got it and I reckon it wouldn't be worth the effort required to restore it to original form. Most of the outside cranks are damaged, some of the wheels are loose on their axles (the axles were seized in their bearings). The motor shrieks a bit and needs a fair bit of wellie to get it moving. There'd be no slow takeoff with that in the drivetrain. The coupling rods are pretty basic and just look toy-like. The white metal bodies are attractive though and fairly intact. They've been assembled with Araldite. Rather than scrap the whole thing, I'd like to make something using as much of the original as possible, or sensible: mainly the bodies and the wheels if I can get the rust off them. Add to these a scratch-built compensated chassis for the loco with a nice High Level gearbox and motor. For the tender, another scratch-built chassis with one fixed and two sprung axles. I have it in mind to build it with live chassis, picking up on the loco one side and the tender t'other. I've never done this before so I thought this was a good excuse for a little project. Gibsons have started selling tender wheels with one insulated and one non-insulated wheel on each axle so that makes things a bit easier. I'll need to short out half of the loco's wheels though. Ah, I see it now. Couldn't make sense of it before

Something a bit different. A while ago, Kieran Lagan gave me this partially dismantled kit (now completely dismantled) of a Midland Railways Kirtley, an outside framed 0-6-0 tender engine. Neither of us have any idea of its origins. Loco and tender bodies are whitemetal. Chassis frames for the loco are solid lumps of brass with screw-in spacers. The tender chassis is a plastic moulding as are the outside cranks for the driving axles. Wheels look like Gibsons or good copies. The coupling rods are basic and pickups are confined to the tender. Both motor and tender chassis have the same logo. Any ideas anyone?

The photographer photographed

If you're managing ok with the standard iron, then you maybe don't need an RSU. I have difficulty getting things like lamp irons, small overlays or similar soldered into place securely and straight. The act of removing the iron often causes the small item being soldered to shift or stick to the iron. The job often requires the iron in one hand, and a cocktail stick in the other hand holding the item in place. It can all get a bit crowded! I usually end up with multiple attempts and a load of excess solder which can be difficult/impossible to remove. One of the advantages of the RSU is that the probe holds the piece while soldering takes place. A foot pedal controls the action so the probe can be continue to be held on the job after the foot pedal comes off. The solder has time to solidify and the bit being soldered stays where you put it. Provided both surfaces are tinned and fluxed, it works well. There's a guidance video on the London Road Models website which is worth a watch and would help you decide if you need one or not.

Thanks everyone. I’ve said it before, the support and encouragement on this forum is second to none. It’s a pleasure to be part of it.

More rolling stock for Kilmore. A six wheeler passenger coach from a Mousa Models kit this time. This is the 4th one I've built and, whilst I'm getting better at it, I still find them challenging. Lots of repetitive work with small fiddly bits. However, a new toy, a Resistance Soldering Unit from London Road Models is proving its worth and among other things made attaching all those ventilator panels above the doors so much easier. It's like having a third hand. Brilliant gadget! Seats from Slater's. Couplings are Kadee. The bolts that attach them also hold the chassis to the bodywork. Wheels from A Gibson. All are independently sprung and the centre axle has lots of sideways movement with the wheels mounted on a length of 2mm OD brass tube sliding on a 1.5mm diameter brass rod set between the pinpoint bearings.

A footplate crew has now arrived from ModelU to take charge of the Countess. They needed a bit of help to orientate themselves but hit the ground running...

Reading through this thread, I'm amazed any of us can find our own way home unaccompanied. Should we not have carers?

Yes! Wish I had more lorries.

Not quite so dramatic but I once arrived at my car in a carpark, pressed the remote and heard the central locking click open. However the doors wouldn't open. Locked it again and tried a second time. And a third. Same result each time. Finally realised that my car, an identical grey VW Golf, was the next one along in the row which was why I could hear the locks clicking.

A couple of uses for a Tunnock's chocolate wafer wrapper...

The 7th Marquess of Londonderry is largely remembered, and not fondly, for his sympathies toward Nazi Germany (not uncommon among members of his class at the time who regarded it as a defence against the spread of communism) but it's generally forgotten that as Northern Ireland's first Minister of Education, he attempted to establish secular non-denominational education across the Province. He was thwarted by opposition from the established churches and lack of support from the Prime Minister James Craig and so he resigned to concentrate on running his collieries. How might things have been different if he'd succeeded.

What size of rivet did you use Paul? The Railtec 4mm range includes 12 different sizes of rivet head diameter from scale 1/4inch to 2inches. Might a smaller size improve things?

Great to see these developmental stages. Methodical, neat, tidy and well thought through. Great work. All my layouts usually look like the dog's dinner at this stage.

Intrigued to know more about this new supplier of 7mm wheels seeking Slater's share of the market

Adjusting the sleeper spacing makes a real difference, visually. Tedious work I'd say but well worth it. Looks so much better.

Thanks John, that's very useful to know. The one and only time I tried shorting a wheel with a bit of brass wire, I cut right through the wheel boss with the piercing saw in my heavy-handed enthusiasm!

I like the look of this John. I've been contemplating trying the 'live axle' approach if only to avoid p/bronze wire pickups which can be such a pain to make and maintain. I wasn't sure how best to go about shorting out wheels. Are your spiders designed to be just an interference fit on the axle and is that enough to ensure electrical contact or do you solder them to the axle? I got some spiders not unlike yours from Scale Link but haven't tried them yet. They've got square holes and are designed for their own Markit-like wheels but I reckon the hole could be reamed out to fit a standard 1/8in axle so they could be used with Gibson wheels. How will you mount the bogie on your 4-4-0? Alan

Neat idea. Is there a piano somewhere without a lid?

Love that last shot through the doors

Very nice work. You've made a great job of blending the landscaping into the back scene. It's difficult to spot the join. Alan