DJH 4mm scale Highland Barney

Posted on January 20, 2019 by Rob Pulham

Over on RMweb Mark Tatlow mentioned the clack valves on the side of the boiler on the Barney and made me realise that the misshapen blob was supposed to represent themThis is the blob that I refer to:[img]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7832/39851133783_eeaeab0d9b.jpg[/img]

DJH 4mm Highland Barney Loco Almost Completed

Having had it pointed out I had to do something about it. Mark had pointed me at some castings by Alan Gibson but I figured that they couldn’t be too difficult to make a pair and although a little fiddly they were fairly easy to do.

DJH 4mm Highland Barney – Scratch Built Clack Valves

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They comprise, a couple of brass track rivets, two etched washers and 0.7+0.8mm brass rod.
First I drilled through the rivets to take the .8mm rod and then with the thick end of the rivet held in a pin vice I used the Proxxon pillar drill to spot drill and then drill through one side of the narrower section. I then soldered a length of .8mm rod through the centre with a stub sticking out of the narrow end. Then I soldered a length of 0.7mm through the hole in the side threaded on the washer and soldered that.
I scraped the misshapen lumps away with a scalpel and then drilled the boiler side finally bending the 0.8mm rod to shape and using a tiny piece of 100 degree I wafted the microflame over the clack until the solder melted and it was in place.

Refinement of the Coupling Hooks

Posted on January 18, 2019 by Rob Pulham

The eagle eyed amongst you will also note that I have attacked the rather square profile of the coupling hook with some diamond coated burrs that fit my Dremel
In true Blue Peter fashion – Before:

Gladiator ex GCR Open Wagon – With Trestle Bar

It looks more like a proper coupling hook now

Gladiator ex GC Open Wagon with Trestle Bar

Posted on January 18, 2019 by Rob Pulham

Another session last night saw the GC open is almost finished, it just needs retaining chains for the side doors on the other side and the buffers fitting properly – just posed here for the photos.

The inside is nicely detailed albeit the bottom doors are for the version without the trestle bar so mine will be tarped when finished so they won’t be visible.

I will definitely be adding more of these to a shopping list in the future.

Slaters Vans and Cattle Wagons complete and ready for delivery

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Rob Pulham

The Slaters Wagons are finally complete and although I have enjoyed the building of them I am glad that they are finished and will be delivered to their owner next weekend at Bristol Show.
They are to be used on a Layout called Hobson’s Brewery, hence the faint ‘ALE’ branding on the cattle wagons.
Here are the official portraits of each van.

Slaters form LMS Cattle/Ale Wagons – Ready for delivery

Sadly Paul Barlett informs me that running number B68501 belongs to a steel mineral….but I am sure that I took the numbers from the ranges supplied in the Slaters instructions – all things BR not being my strong point.

Slaters 7mm Cattle Wagons and BR Vans

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Rob Pulham

Bob’s wagons are now well under way with just a few jobs remaining before I can get them on their way to him.

Jobs still to do are:
Fix on the roofsAdd additional weightWeather the underframes of the cattle wagonsWeather the vans.
I hope to have the weathering, and weight completed tonight.

Gladiator ex GCR Open with Trestle Bar

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Rob Pulham

Minor health issues this week have stopped play for a few days so it was only last night when I made more progress.
The open wagon is well on it’s way now and it just needs the trestle bar and final details.
I also need to work out just how to spring the buffers because they are turned brass heads that are designed for springing with a piece of piano type wire passing between them and the coupling hook tail.

Aside from the buffers it’s a lovely kit to build with everything fitting as and where it should.

Gladiator ex GCR 10 Ton Open Wagon with Trestle Bar

Posted on January 2, 2019 by Rob Pulham

Having spent all my Christmas break building things for other people I decided to take a day out to build something for me. I had a look in my kit stash and came up with a Gladiator kit for a GCR 10 ton Open Wagon which Chris bought me from Geoff Stratford just before he sold Gladiator To David and Trisha Hill.

So far it has been excellent to build with all parts fitting as they should and the only bits of fettling were to remove the ends of the sole bars to enable them to fit under the bottom of the buffer plank.