Greenhouse reflection!

Some posts ago I started the glazing process of the 3D Greenhouse that I bought at the Sleaford Model Makers Show. It has been a slow process but the glazing is now finished and I have placed the greenhouse on Chalkdon my 009 layout.

It looks very much at home although I think on reflection with all that clear view through it that I am now going to have to put some internal detail in it! Oh well another job to the list!

A 'Skinhead' joins the fleet!

The term 'Skinhead; is applied to the Class 31 loco that were originally built between 1957 and 1962. I believe that the term was applied because of the shape of the roof.

Well with that out of the way all I can say is that I have a bit of a passion for EWS locos and have a fair few in my collection but up until now no Class 31. That changed when in an idle moment (don't tell Mrs. W or she will want to know why I was idle for a moment!) I was surfing eBay and came across this Lima model.

 

Just over £40 secured this hardly used model - even the handrails are still on their plastic spru awaiting attachment to the loco.

It does run! Like any loco from over 30 years ago not to the current standards but never the less it is a nice runner. Body wise, Hornby still use the tooling that made this Lima model for their current RailRoad range and it has stood the test of time well.

A great addition to my EWS fleet and at a bargain price!

Open and shut!

Before doing some more in the Man Cave with the level crossing gates (more on that later on) I managed to get out on a bike ride today - the first time in nearly a week. Rain and snow having provided a good excuse to stay in the warm for the past week I had not seen much of the effect of all this moisture. To be honest I should have just opened the front door looked out and stayed in as the local roads were somewhat damp! This looks like a ford but there is a road under there! I did cycle through as I could see the road surface below avoiding any potholes.

However, I was not cycling through this so it was a case of turn round a go a different way! 

I have never seen this at this canal location with the water flowing over the lock gates. Looks quite spectacular!

Just a bit further down this building is so close to being flooded but hopefully will keep dry.

Back in the dryness of WMD HQ the level crossing gate project on Chalkdon my 009 gauge layout has progressed well. They have been painted and put in place on the layout.

Allowing the safe passage for trains by being closed this rather interesting vehicle goes through - I am  sure I have seen it somewhere before! 

With that loco having gone through this passenger train then had the right of way.

With the trains having gone through it was a case of opening the gates!

The photo below shows how the gates fold over each other when open - I am almost proud that my measurements worked out!

It may be an open and shut case for the level crossing gates but for this pedestrian the side gates remain firmly closed! He is in for a long wait!

Test fitting!

A wet, cold and miserable day - weather wise anyway! In the relative warmth of the Man Cave I made a little progress on the level crossing gates. The posts have been capped to seal off the tube and I have made some pedestrian gates out of plastic strip to go at the side of the main gates. I also cut two circles of plastic card using my circle cutter. I then cut them in half and glued them to either side of the outer edge of the gates so that they form a circle when the gates are closed. Once painted red they will be in line with the normal UK level crossing gate design.

Of course, whilst I have taken some measurements prior to construction, I have yet to put them on the layout to give them a test fitting! With a little trepidation one pair of the gates were temporarily put in place and luckily it shows that it should all fit - hopefully!

Next up is to paint them which will be white so it won't really show much progress but at least that plastic sheen should disappear!

Its Snow Joke!

Overnight the snow came! The mere mention of snow even as a joke sends Mrs. Woody into a panic! However I have been brave and gone out through the thin layer that covers the garden into the Man Cave where I managed to do a few things. One was try to keep warm! Secondly was to glue the now painted extension to the Kato chassis for Maintenance Loco No 5. I have used some UHU which offers the ability to take it off again without too much problem should the need arise. Its down side is that it does need some time to fully dry - however I have patience although Mrs. W might disagree with that statement!

The rest of the time was spent putting together some posts and hinges for the level crossing gates that will go on Chalkdon. For some reason I decided I wanted to make the gates capable of being opened and closed. Anyone looking for an easy life would just have modelled them shut to road traffic making the whole job a lot easier. 

To create my opening and closing gates I had to fabricate eight hinges which are a hoop of wire formed from some thin brass rod that I had in stock. These were inserted into pre-drilled holes in the posts and glued with a dab of superglue. The gates themselves had two holes drilled into the uprights on one side and into these an 'L' shaped piece of brass wire was superglued in. My measurements were good in that it all matches up! Amazing! 

Next stage is to finish the posts off with some capping pieces. After afew other small jobs the gates should be ready to paint and install.

Gates!

 It is cold and damp here in the UK. May not be as cold as some parts of the World but but it is a shock to the system especially in a cold Man Cave. I have turned on the heater but the cold comes up through the floor. However I did actually manage to brave a couple of hours which moved forwards the 3D Printed Maintenance Loco No 5 forward with the additional chassis part I have made now painted black.

Once dry, I can glue it to the chassis and move that project on towards being finished - well as finished as my projects ever are!

This renewed involvement with my 009 layout Chalkdon has highlighted I still have much to do on the layout. One of the things needed is a level crossing and so I have commenced construction with the four gates that will be required.

The gates are made up of 1.5mm square plastic cut to size.

Much work still required but hopefully the gates are square and flat!

Meanwhile I was reminded by the number of adverts and songs on the radio that Christmas is approaching! Whilst the WMD fleet of cats gets something on the day I had to draw the line at this that Mrs. Woody spotted whilst in a store. The way the WMD cat fleet and indeed most cats that I know of gnaw anything cardboard the chances of this lasting for more than an hour are somewhat remote! You have to wonder why someone would design a cat toy in cardboard! Does look cute though!

More wheels but this time on a coach!

Taking a break from the 3D print loco I ran some trains on my 00 gauge layout and noticed that the rake of Mark 2 BR coaches was not running quite right. Taking one off the track I found that the wheels were filthy. It was an easy job to take the wheelsets out of the bogies.

A close up shows the build up of dirt on the wheels which does not give good running on the track.

A clean with rubbing alcohol applied with a cotton bud saw the wheels returned to shiny metal and once back in the bogies a much more free running coach resulted. Just another five coaches to do!

3D Printed Maintenance Loco No 5 gets more wheels!

Having thought about a way of attaching a bogie to the Kato chassis last night I really did not come up with a plan so it was a case of sitting at the bench and trying a few things and this is what I came up with!

Basically a plastic plate that fits to the chassis with a plastic card tongue. The bogie is fastened to the plate with a screw and a home made spring wound from some brass wire gives some suspension to it.

Whilst this is very much a work in progress and the plate requires shaping and detailing the overall look is right I think.

What's more, even in this temporary mode it does run on the layout which pleasantly amazed me!

With the concept proved it is time for me to move on to finishing this which should result in a wheely great model!

3D Printed Maintenance Loco No 5 gets a chip!

Today is cold here in the UK with a heavy frost and really a day to spend inside in the warmth with some chips! However the only chips I am getting today are DCC chips of which one is now installed in the Kato chassis that fits under the second 3D print loco that I am building. Having already done this a few days ago there was nothing that was unknown to me and it went, for me, remarkably well!

Having mentioned yesterday about putting a pony truck under the front I dug out a few spare N gauge bogies that look as though they may be suitable. Just need to figure a way to make it work! That is something to think about over dinner which unfortunately won't be chips!

 

3D Printed Maintenance Loco No 5 - The build begins!

 Well work has started on the 3D Printed Maintenance Loco which I am numbering No 5. The first thing was to cure a slight bend in the chassis which saw the cab separate from the body.

Not to worry as it would super glue back together and made it easier to paint it!

Airbrushed in the same green as No6 and the '5' decals came from the same source!

Not sure if I need to add a pony truck to the front under the bonnet. I will think about that and just how I might do it! Next is to convert the chassis to DCC.