Extending Axles

One of the very distinctive features of the KMX tamper is the outboard brake discs on the bogies, which are considerably more prominent following its conversion from Metre Gauge to 2 foot. (Or 1 foot 11 and a half to be very correct about it).



This is one of the challenges I chewed over during the two or so years before I actually began making the model and the solution I came up with was these brass top hat-type things.



I figured could glue these onto axle boxes of the plastic Kato Shorty bogies and it might look something like those outboard brakes. Tonight I've been trying out the theory.

And it looks like it works!



Of course, as with any prototype build, there were a few false starts and a wee bit of taking off, bodging and trying again until I got there.

On the first attempt the brass extensions were fouling the front bracket for the tie bar that runs in front of the tamping head.

I tried filing down the bracket as far as it could go but the bogie still only had a few degrees of turn.

Clearly the top-hat thingys would have to be made smaller, but how?

I considered reducing the diameter so they would swing below the obstruction. But that was going to be a little tricky without using a lathe and I thought they might end up looking too small.

So what I did was reduce the length of the shaft in my typically improvised way by placing the top hat upside down on my cutting mat, holding it in the jaws of my tweezers with one had and applying a grinding disc in the mini-drill with the other hand.

Not necessarily elegant but it was effective and that's all that matters, isn't it?

So here's a shot of the first bogie side in position on the model.

KMX-ing

A rare treat for me today - the chance to work on one of my own models!

I've been adding more mechanical bits and bobs to the KMX tamper.



The most obvious new parts are the horizontal bracing pieces - the thick plastic beam and the tie bar in front of the tamping head.



I've also completed a lot of the lining mechanism in the centre bay. Or at least something that looks vaguely like the mechanism. I'm aiming for a convincing impression rather than a faithful reproduction here.

The shaft that heads off to the right should continue much further along but because the motor slots in from underneath this is as far as it can go.



Last task for today was knocking up some guide wheels, made up using tiny slices of styrene tube.



Here's the same section on the real thing. What do you all reckon?



And finally some posed shots with the bogies and roof on, to check that the guide wheels won't foul the track. There's not much in it but I think it'll be OK.

Tooled Up

Another model fresh from the airbrush is the WHR's former SAR brake van.



This has been built from a Worsley Works scratch-aid kit.

The real van (an NG.V-16 to give it its full title) was given to the WHR as a gift from the Sandstone Heritage Trust & Railway in South Africa in 2003 to celebrate the twinning of the two organisations.

It was rebuilt by volunteers at Dinas and was used on the WHR for the first time in 2006.

It's primary role has been as a tool van / brake vehicle on construction trains on the Phase 4 project to rebuild the line from Rhyd Ddu to Porthmadog.

The V-16 wagons included a primitive toilet. This was stripped out during the refurbishment and replaced with a cut down mobile chemical toilet, of the type see seen at music festivals and the like.

It has also been used in demonstration freight formations at the Superpower events, the most recent being held last month.

(The chemical bog has recently been removed)

Manning Waller Time

Now that Boston Lodge has finished building the replica L&B Manning Wardle tank 'Lyd' it's been judged safe to begin work on our 4mm version.

This is in accordance with Bron Hebog Golden Rule Number 1 - never assume Boston Lodge builds things according to the plans until you've seen it with your own eyes.

Lyd has been the star attraction on the FR / WHR for a couple of months now and has also appeared on L&B territory at Woody Bay.

So the seal has been broken on the Backwoods Miniatures kit and Himself has made the first folds.



I'm going to be especially interested to see how this build progresses.

Another well known 009 modeller has written extensively of his concerns about the difficulty of assembling Backwoods Miniatures mechanisms and of their long term reliability. Indeed he has gone so far as too rebuild all his Manning Wardle tanks using the Grafar 08 shunter chassis.

We have to state that this is in complete contrast to our experiences with Pete's kits which continue to perform like Swiss watches after many years on the exhibition circuit on our layouts.

Perhaps it just depends on how well they're put together? They are indeed intricate, but are also superbly designed and seem to us to payback all the time, effort and patience put into their assembly.

Thingamajigs

Started work today on what I know now to be the guides for the tamper head when working on curves and points.

Each one is going to be fabricated out of dozens of pieces of shaped styrene.

I've begun by making up the two main vertical rams.



And here they are in place.



Very intricate work but very satisfying.

The Big 5 Oh

The celebrate reaching 50 posts - or to be pedantic, passing, because this is the
51st - I've added a gallery of shots of Bron Hebog's predecessor Dduallt on an extra page.

You'll find it through the link on the right hand side.

Mystery Mechanical Bits

Now the tamper head is in place my next task on the KMX is to install some mechanical bits in the next bay along.



Unfortunately these are rather unlike the resin castings from the OO kit I obtained so it looks like I'm going to have to scratch build them. Hey ho! They'll be a lot easier than trying to build a tamper head from scratch.

I have to confess, I have absolutely no idea at all what these particular hydraulic thingamajigs do.....