GWR AEC railcar Ultrascale wheels revised pickups

All the chassis is finished and tested and proves to run smoothly at all speeds and over my entire track work, which is not the best laid in the world! I am now going on the re-spray the body shell after the festive season. 

GWR AEC railcar Ultrascale wheels.

Today I collected the wheel sets from Ultrascale, really nice they are nickel silver tyres on insulated centres. 

This does mean I have to make new pickups which in the grand scheme of things cannot be a bad thing. First the trailing bogie was stripped and the new wheels pressed onto the axles. 

A strip of vero board and two vero pins make up the base of the pickups

In the time honoured method a strip of phosphor bronze is soldered. The pins serve two purposes one to locate the board and two the transfer the current to the inside of the bogie.

Doh! School boy error placing the pickups on the underside did not leave enough clearance to negotiate the points without fouling. A revised design has been implemented and clears the pointwork.

GWR AEC railcar con’t

The motors arrive from Finland with a spare pinion, rather than glue the motor as suggested I opted to make a skeletal frame to mount on the existing flange where the brush gear was located. 

The large lump of bar has been replace with a shorter length of lead to allow room for the decoder and the DCC socket has been fitted ready for conversion.

 
The wiring soldered into the respective pins on the Vero board tested with a blank plug on DC, I also added an extra pick up to the trailing bogie time now it’s to insert the chip and program.

 It runs after a fashion but the Lima wheels do not like Peco code 75 pointwork! I have to wait for a few months for my Ultrascale products replacement wheel sets I hope that will stop the clatter over the track.

Buffer beams will be populated with hosed and hooks after the wheel conversion is done.

LNER WD austerity 2-8-0

Another arrival today on Pix Valley is an ex LNER WD austerity 2-8-0, picked up yesterday at the exhibition a reasonable price from Keith’s model railways for £70.  One minor snag was the pin on the tender failed a small length of 2.5mm polystyrene rod purchased for the peppercorn A1 which suffered from the same issue.

After an hours running in this afternoon was spent stripping the loco and hard wiring a chip then fiddling it all back in the boiler, in any case its job done and tested. Running well just a few tweaks to the CV’s I’m considering investing in a SPROG II, but not just yet, if anyone reading has used one I would like feedback.

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Royal Engineer”

Finally it’s chipped and running, the name plates are fitted. Tomorrow is the 32nd Annual Model Railway Exhibition Etonbury Academy, Stotfold Rd, Arlesey SG15 6XS this will be my first show as a helper if anyone reading this is there say hello. Hopefully I can ge a few items off my tick list fingers crossed.

Rawcliffe delivers

Arriving today on Pix Valley is an ex GWR AEC railcar, unfortunately the driver was arrested at the MPD for carrying illegal passengers! The model is Lima which will be re-motored when the motor arrives from Finland. A DCC socket has been made ready for conversion.

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Royal Engineer” and new airbrush

My replacement Gravity Airbrush arrive this morning £14.98 how can they sell them so cheap? Saying that it worked a treat; 3 coats of green on “Royal Engineer”. Detailing the black on the smokebox and running plates took up most of the late afternoon. 

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Royal Engineer” the green engine

It’s into the spray shop for a coat of green paint. Two coats on the boiler one on the lower section and cab the inner seal in my airbrush split! Its to old for spares so I have had to order a replacement. You guessed the job is on hold. 

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Royal Engineer” pump and tank

The turned brass Westinghouse pumps arrived and has been fitted to the support bracket. An air tank has been fitted to the left running plate.

Tomorrow is Remembrance Parade I shall be paying my respects at my local war memorial, then off to IWM Duxford for their Remembrance Day opening, no modelling tomorrow.

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Royal Engineer” handrails and pipes

This afternoon new cab handrails to replace the moulded were made, first after removing the moulded rails and the end trued up a 0.5mm hole is drilled though the base and top where the wire rail will be fitted. Short lengths of ½ mill florist wire is pushed up through holes.

Also I removed the moulded pipe form the injectors and fashion a replacement fro the florist wire. 

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Royal Engineer”

Stripped the loco removed and modified the steps and repaired the damaged rear cab sides and bunker, dusted with a first coat of white from a “rattle can”. I need two “Westinghouse pumps” and four “Wakefield lubricators” I found some nice turned brass Westinghouse pumps on line so I’m waiting for them to arrive in the post. I guess that will wait ‘till the Annual Model Railway Exhibition in 3 weeks time to search for some detailing parts.

Name plate bracket fitted to the running plate and work is progressing on the air tank and pipe work.

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Sapper” finale

Cab side lettering applied, but I’m not happy, I have asked Railtec to produce a set for me. Name plates for Sapper and Royal Engineer have been made and are in the post, we have commissioned a set for Swiftsure which will be the next rebuild when Royal Engineer is finished. Sealed with Vallejo Model Color VAL522 Satin Varnish a superb product airbrushes nicely and dries quickly. . The name plates have arrived from Narrow Planet they look exquisite.

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Sapper” Acrylic Paint

Air brushed with Revell 65 Bronze Green Matt Aqua Color Acrylic Paint 50/50 diluted with Howes water borne thinner. I’m very happy with the result so far. Next stage is to find that elusive acrylic satin varnish that I can air brush.

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Sapper” Déjà vu

Stripped and dusted with a white “rattle can” undercoat. Not displease with the result.

 Next mini project it to get my airbrush compressor up into the hobby room in the loft! 

 Next mini project it to get my airbrush compressor up into the hobby room in the loft! That went well, only one issue SWMBO is not that keen with it up there "it will rattle the whole house!

Continuing saga of 0-6-0 WD Austerity “Sapper”

A disastrous episode with Humbrol satin varnish it’s staying tacky and crazing the matt green underneath. The manufacture must have change the formulae interacting badly with the Humbrol Army green. The new varnish is very low odour although it is from the enamel range. Biting the bullet I stripped the loco back to base plastic. I will get hold of some acrylic green and a different brand of varnish.

Continuing 0-6-0 WD Austerity “Sapper”

Bunker extension rails fitted and trimmed, external pipe fitted to the right hand side. Painting commenced with a matt coat of military green and black cab internal cream a back head picked out in steel copper and red.

Some touching up required on paintwork the camera never lies! 

0-6-0 WD Austerity “Sapper”Con’t

Modification to the smoke box first removing the moulded number plate and fitting a smoke box vacuum regulation device. Two hand rails are not required so the mounting holes were filled with “White Stuff” the centre step needs to be removed as these were only fitted to mainline locos. 

Next up fabrication of the bunker extension rails a little modellers licence here in the positioning of the uprights. Finally the whistle was replace with a metal item salvage from an old Airfix 4F the one in sapper is considerably taller than the Dapol moulded one.