Etch Test

An exciting arrival in the post this week was the first test etch for the brass bits and pieces to finish off the ballast wagons.

This kit has been much longer in its gestation that I had ever anticipated – I started out on the project in the autumn of last year – but it’s tantalisingly close to the finish line.

As is to be expected there are a few tweaks required to the design of the parts – a bit longer here, a bit wider there.

What I was most anxious to try out were the brackets and cog wheels which make up the ballast door mechanism.  They are designed to thread onto a length of brass wire , be glued into place to line up with the correct spots on the ballast doors, and then the four sub-assemblies can be fixed in position.

This is roughly how it’s going to look..

 

 

There’s going to be a bit of experimenting required to divine the simplest and easiest way of putting these bits together which I shall write up in the instructions.

With luck I’ll get the 2^nd test etch back in a few weeks and if everything fits then I can start full production.

Ridge Way

There are only a few wee jobs to do to finish off the Oberon Wood houses.

I managed to tick one of them off at the weekend by putting on the ridge tiles on the roof - or more accurately a couple of strips of thin styrene along the join in the roof slates with some very tiny strips laid at right angles.

Just the guttering and the downpipes to go now before they can be handed over to the Artistic Director for him to work his magic on them.

Dorm Patrol

I've been able to get the final section of roof finished following the arrival of a fresh packet of Wills roofing slates.

This is the big piece at the rear which has to be cut into and offset shape and also requires a square section to be cut out where the dormer goes.

Here it is with the dormer glued in place and the chimney in position too.

That brings this second house to the same state as the first one.

And here's a shot of the two of them together orientated as they will be when in position on the layout above the entrance to Goat Cutting.

Spot The Difference

My pair of houses are almost at the same stage now. The latest one is on the left in this shot.

Like every good item of FR rolling stock the two are broadly similar but most certainly not identical, as you can see.

Progress on this model since the last update has included the dormer window at the front, the laboriously-scratched stone wall below it and the cutting to fit of two of the sheets of slate roofing.

Here's a close up of some of the details of the very complex layout of the front of the building.

At the rear you can see how the foundation level brick courses have been bonded on. Note also the right hand door which is another of the variations on this house.

The main bit left to be done is the roof at the back. I do not have a sheet large enough and I am waiting on a fresh pack to arrive in the post.

However, as you can seen, the dorm and the chimney have been made up ready to be fitted on.

Tank Command

Himself needs some spare parts to complete the latest rake of B wagons to represent the six which arrived this year from South Africa.

As noted in a previous post the positions of the vacuum reservoir tanks and the brake cylinders have been altered on some of them.

As these parts are cast as part of a one piece floor unit on the kits the plan is to hack them off and replace them with new ones.

Fortunately its quite simple for me to produce these by part filling the moulds - I just have to cut a small section of perspex to fit over the top.

You can see how they emerge with just a very thin film connecting them so they can be easily be cut out and should be a very straightforward replacement for the originals.

TV Repeat

There's another chance to catch a glimpse of our model of Dduallt on the telly (in the UK, I should say) tomorrow night (Tuesday).

The first episode of the two part series The Golden Age Of Steam is being screen on BBC4 at 8pm

Dduallt features briefly - don't blink, you might miss it - in a segment towards the end of the programme explaining how the Deviationists built the spiral formation.

(It was cheaper to come and film our model than hire a helicopter, you see.....)

If I'd known it was going to be shown again so soon I would have negotiated for repeat fees.......

Window Dressing

Here they are then, the pair of wagons for display in the F&WHR shop at Harbour Station.

I've finished the B wagon in the style of the latest batch imported from South Africa which is why the V hanger is picked out in yellow.

Some SA NG purists I know have rather turned their noses up at this embellishment when the wagons were refurbished at Sandstone prior to shipping to Wales but I have to say I rather quite like it.

The DZ wagon has been done up to represent one of the WHR examples with the cut down, straight-top ends.

I hope they do the trick and drum up some passing trade for the kits.