David Holman

 A technical question for those with an engineering background:

 Have managed, after much messing about, to get the outside cranks on my Swilly 4-6-0T, sort of, quartered. However, having got the drivers to go smoothly, I then discovered they are not at 90 degrees, but more like 45.

 Is this going to be a problem? Seem to remember that there were examples of drivers set at 135 degrees, but would be interested to know what the technically minded of you think.

 Much pondering this week on the chassis & am grateful to Alan [tullygrainy] for his advice  on Gibson wheels and [going way back] to John Ahern's book on loco construction. My concerns centred around the Gibson wheels, which as a long time 7mm Scale modeller seem a bit less robust than Slater's. At this stage of building a model, wheels need to come on and off many times: quartering not an issue until the cranks go on, but when they do, I don't want to have to mess about after that.

 Here's where the Ahern book comes in. First published in 1949, obviously a lot of the ideas are very old school now, but still worth looking at and it was a section on using keeper plates which caught my attention. A keeper plate means that all three axles/six wheels can be dropped out in a single unit, complete with the motor gear box.

 However, before this, a problem arose in that though the axles in the chassis aligned well enough, when I tried to add the coupling rod blanks, the rear section was out by getting on for a millimetre... Deep sigh, various profanities etc, so what to do?

 In an effort to cut my losses, decided I could probably still use the original inner frames as the outer ones, but there was little alternative than to cut some new inner ones and set the coupling rod blanks more accurately this time. Kept these new frames very simple, because they won't be seen, so it didn't take too long, but the photo below of my workbench shows the amount of tools I ended up using.

 Before the frames were assembled, I marked a line across the base of the bearings and then removed the metal level with this, followed by cutting out a section of each bearing to create slot for the axles to drop into. I then fitted two pieces of thicker brass between the frames and cut a larger rectangle for the keeper plate. Holes at each end were then drilled to take 10ba bolts, which fit into captive nuts in the two new spacers.

 The final picture shows how the previous inner frames might yet be used as the outer ones. Dummy hornblocks and springs will hopefully hide their origins.

Mmmm.... Clever, very clever! Looks great too.

For those interested 1039 Models trade on Ebay:1039models.com

It was indeed very cold. Felt sorry for the traders. The rest of the sport centre was fine but this hall was more the ice rink next door.

An 0 Gauge Trade Show is always interesting, because you get to see traders who rarely come out for other events and the range of stuff available ranges from a couple quid to several thousand pounds.

 Thus it was today at Guildford. Top class kit makers like Connoisseur and Finny rubbed shoulders with custom loco builders like Lee Marsh, where a mainline loco will set you back over £3000.

 With the demise of Eileen's Emporium, Squires have taken on the role of tool and material suppliers, while it is always nice to see the likes of Roxey, CPL and Slaters. Like as not many of these names won't mean much to some, but they are bastions of 7mm scale modelling.

 A new name to me was 1039 Models, but very welcome as they stock a wide range of whitemetal castings - vital stuff for me like wagon underframe parts, buffers and so on. Turns out they are trying to pick up the pieces of JPL Models, who ceased trading last year following the death of the proprietor. Seems a lot of stuff could well be lost forever, so it is welcome that at least some is being saved. Email 1039models@gmail.com

 A blast from the past is John Day Models, where the old ABS range has been purchased from the late Adrian Swain's estate.  It was a vast range of stuff, which is being slowly reintroduced and upgraded. See www.johndaymodels.co.uk for the website.

Yep, I seem to be dribbling...

Don't how the lining goes, but did it on my MGW coaches by using a gold gel pen on the raised beading. Alternatively, leave well alone - they really are splendid.

Fine model of a lovely locomotive.

Fine models - coaches really are a trial of endurance!

First of all, many thanks to Paul, Galteemore and Airfixfan for their advice and help with the Barclay tanks, which did indeed follow the usual conventions. The next stage for me was to start on the chassis, now that I have a basic body structure. I always like to get the working parts of a model done as soon as possible, because once that is assured, the rest is cosmetic.

 So far, the approach has been very conventional, starting with the coupling rod blanks. These are two strips of brass, soldered together, then marked out and drilled for the crank pin holes. They will be filed to shape later. Next, two more strips of nickel silver sheet were soldered together, then the relevant part of the chassis plan was cut out and stuck to the sheets with Pritt Stick. The frame sides were then cut out to this profile, using a slitting disc in the Dremel. Crude, but effective, not least because these inner frames will be hidden from sight and don't need any detailing.

 The coupling rod blanks were then clamped to the frames and drilled through for the axle holes., opening the frame holes out to just over 1/8th inch. The frames were then separated and the axle holes opened a bit more to take the axle bearings, which could then be soldered in place.

 Previous 3' gauge locos' frame spacers are 15.5mm wide, so some more brass strip was cut and filed to shape to make four of these. The two vertical spacers were now soldered to one of the frames and then, using three, 300mm pieces of stainless steel rod to align both frames, the other side was soldered to the first two spacers and then two more horizontal spacers added after than.

 So, a decent start on the chassis, but the tricky bits, namely the bogie and [especially] the outside cranks are still to come, while an order has been sent off for a High Level motor gearbox.

 The final pictures shows the Slater's wagon axles in place. The Alan Gibson wheels will go on the 1/8th inch part of these and the outside cranks [when I have made them]will eventually go on the 1.8mm diameter outer ends.

Many thanks chaps!

 Bit of a wing and a prayer for this one...

 My workshop thread is now focussed on building one of these Swilly tanks. I have most of the books and have been browsing Ernie's Archive Swilly album, but a few questions remain:

• Any details of the interior of the cab would be welcome, though am guessing it will be standard Barclay stuff, so can probably look this up on the web
• The tops of the tanks do not seem to appear in any of the available photos, & anyone looking at my Workbench thread will have seen that I've cast doubts on the Worsley etchings for this:

 For the life of me, I just can't see how the above arrangement would work, though if you look at the photos below, the front of the tanks are definitely profiled to match the curve of the boiler.  What I need to know is whether the top of the tanks were indeed a single sheet [a bit like a GWR Pannier] with a flat arc of the boiler poking above, or if it is just the front plating of the tanks that is flush with the boiler and the inner tanks sides are conventionally vertical behind that. Note that there are no etchings on the Worsley sheets for either boiler, smokebox or cab interior.

 Any thoughts will be most welcome and pictures especially so!

Many thanks.

Now that interior really is rather splendid.

Barclay 4-6-0T

 Made a start today with the Worsley Works etches and as Galteemore intimated a couple of weeks ago, they don't take long to put together.

 However, because there are no instructions, there is a bit of detective work involved. Began with the footplate, adding the valances first, then the cab front, where a slot and tab help alignment. The cab rear has two half etched lines to help fold it to shape.

 Next came the combined cab, tank and bunker sides. There is a half etched line here too to bend the tank fronts. So far, so good, but there was one etch that caused a lot of head scratching. A curious large rectangle, which I initially though might be for the boiler, but two more etched lines for folds shown that it wasn't. Eventually noted that as well as two large holes, there were also six smaller ones, three each side along the edges. 

 Curiously this etch is meant to fold up and fit the space between the tank sides, with the two large holes being for the tank fillers and the six smaller ones for hand rail knobs.

 Well, that ain't going to happen! Really not sure about why the etch was designed this way - unless these Barclays had completely flush tops to their tanks. This seems unlikely & in any case there would then be the awkward task of making up a section of boiler top. Instead, I  plan to cut the big etch to just include the tank tops and then make new inner tank sides. At least this way I can take advantage of the etched holes for the hand rail knobs and tank fillers. Do let me know if the tanks were actually like this, please!

 The photos also show the smokebox saddle and what looks like a former for the smokebox itself. However, this is too short, so when I roll the boiler tube, some careful surgery looks likely to make sure it all fits.

 So, the basic shape only took a couple of hours, which certainly shows the value of Worsley etches, because they have saved me several hours of marking and cutting from sheet brass. However, don't think this is a quick build - far from it. These Barclay tanks had a lot of small details to be added, while there is the small matter of an outside framed chassis which needs scratch building.

 One final picture for now is of Northport Quay, where you can see the track that has been replaced is now reballasted, though still awaiting a bit more detailing. At least I can run trains again.

Great fun, but also brings the layout to life. And before you remove thereof foliage entirely, Broithe's photos of Ballybrophy are food for thought!

Lovely work, though sometimes 'less is more'. Really like the simulation of moss on the roof and ivy growing up the walls, but not sure about what is in the gutters or growing around the chimney pot and stack. Few plants of any size would grow in such positions: buddleia seems happy to grow out of brick walls, but most other things would need their roots to be in the ground.

Impressive though this is, remember, you don't have to use P4 standards if you want to go 21mm gauge. You can use existing 00 finescale wheels and clearances - the latter being one millimetre flangeways between the vee and the check rails on the point crossing or frog.

 Andy Cundick has been doing this successfully for years with his Valentia Harbour and Courtmacsherry layouts and I copied this in my 7mm scale, 3' gauge Fintonagh. Compensation or suspension on stock isn't needed because of the deeper flanges compared to P4, but the track looks just as good.

 I built my points on Fintonagh using Templot templates. They actually produce an Irish EM version at 20.2mm gauge. Never heard of anyone doing this, but a simple matter to enlarge to 21mm on the home printer/copier.

 Anyone with diesel outline stock, assuming it is not a vast collection, could therefore convert to 21mm fairly easily. Yes, you have to make your own track, but C&L provide ready made parts for both plain track and points, so only a track gauge needs to be sourced and everything after that is welding plastic chairs to sleepers. 

 With current rtr stock being so good, it almost seems a shame not to!

Might be worth checking the Alphagraphix catalogue for card kits to use as the backdrop, though your artistic and photographic skills are more than up to the task.

Fascinating! Looks like an interesting, but hopefully stress free build and will form a great picture frame for current and future projects.

 In one of his 7mm layout building books, Gordon Gravett did a plan of a light railway junction, with the bay platform to the front and the mainline behind - just like Enniskillen. Hence either a full coach, if room, or a half relief, or even a painting or photo of a GN coach could set the scene nicely.

Investigations this morning revealed the cause of the ridge in the track. Turns out to be a case of not enough screws/glue/both to fix the baseboard to top the frame and the former had risen about 2mm in the centre. More than enough to derail a 7mm scale engine...

 A couple of screws was all that was needed to push the baseboard top down on to the frame beneath. This has enabled some of the copper clad sleepers to be replaced, but as can be seen from the photo above, clearance gets tighter near the baseboard join on the left hand side. The righthand side seems ok.

 So, I put in several small screws and then soldered the rails to these, before using sleepers made from thin card to fill in the gaps.

 As can be seen above, the track is now ready for ballasting, so am hoping it will be a case of third time lucky - though if I'd done a proper job in the first place, luck would not have anything to do with it. I've since sprayed primer over the new track, to prevent water getting into the surface [and card sleepers] when I do the ballasting.

 The final picture shows that everything is pretty much nice and level, while the longer spirit level also reassures me that there is no rocking over the baseboard joint.

 A bit of levelling up was also needed on the loop track, but nothing so drastic and hopefully I'll be able to run trains again soon.

A serious amount of work in that model!

Not sure about smoke effects, they rarely seen to scale down for me, though the late John Dorman did some very impressive stuff on his 7mm scale GWR loco shed diorama. I think he used disco equipment.

 DVD control on vaping puffers maybe? The clouds that the gaspers produce are pretty substantial as is the range of 'flavours'. Not sure if wood smoke or steam coal is available though!

The Portsmouth Show proved to have a lot of very high quality layouts. Indeed, I would not have been disappointed to get 'worst layout', were such an award given! Lots of interested and knowledgeable folk came to look and talk, so it was in many ways a nice day. However, NPQ is still not all it should be, not least because the 'ridge' in the main baseboard joint reappeared and was severe enough to derail Shannon in either direction. Wolf Dog and the 101 were decidedly unhappy, but managed to get through with care.

 Part of the problem almost certainly came from the the varied heat and humidity of the weekend. The layout spent the night in my car & then Saturday morning was really wet, though luckily there was a brief window which let me get the boards into the hall unscathed. Normally, school sports halls are ideal, with high ceilings and flat floors, but as the venue warmed up, the humidity started to play havoc, so much so that in the middle of the day, the fiddle yard stiffened up considerably. Thankfully, things eased later, but it only goes to show the things that can affect exhibitors.

 Back home and with time to think on the two hour drive home yesterday evening, did a thorough check on my overall set up which revealed several issues I hadn't been aware of:

• One of my trestles is actually half an inch higher than the other [!]
• The beam extensions sag at the far end, by another half inch [!!]
• Therefore one end of the layout is a full inch lower than the other, which equals a minimum gradient of 1 in 90...

 Clearly, this doesn't help, but that ridge at the baseboard joint has meant I've had to strip out about half a metre of track and start relaying it. Again. Discovered that the fixing screws which the rails are soldered to at the join were sitting too high, but also the baseboard surface on the left hand board seems to have lifted slightly. Laying some new rail across the joint, shows there is minimal clearance between the bottom of the rail and the baseboard surface, so am going to have to find a way of sorting that out. At the moment, it may be I'll have to solder the rail to a few countersunk screws and the use thin card to represent the sleepers on a short stretch. I'll also be seeing if a bit of extra bracing is needed underneath the board.

 All in all, a bit of a bummer, but at least I don't have another show until July at the moment.

Only angles you need to worry about are the horizontal and verticals. Suggest you extend the buildings down to the baseboard level, then add the actual ground levels in front.

 If it is a terrance, remember to make sure the front steps are level. 

 If extending into a backscene, perspective demands that verticals are just that, with horizontal lines actually sloping up/down to the vanishing point.

Am depicting the 1940s, Andy so nothing fancy -apart from the locos, which always seemed to be well looked after. Shame none were saved...