Small magnets solve a problem - in 7mm scale at least!

 

I located some 1.5mm diameter magnets which are almost the size of the spring supports on Belgravia. So, in 7mm scale, at least, this allows me to continue modelling some earlier locos as 3D printed resin offerings. 

Still working on completing a selection to bring to the AGM. 

This, the latest version of the Dapol Terrier, put alongside to check buffer heights etc. I still can't get my head around how small a Terrier is!

Craven Standard Passenger 2-4-0 no. 174 in Craven condition.

 After the Spring meeting of the Brighton Circle at Patcham, I started to draw up some combinations of 3D printing with some etched parts. I tried the G class Stroudley single first but apart from the chassis, the other parts looked better being in the 3D printed resin. I tried both. 

This is the next. It is one of three Craven 'standard' 2-4-0 passenger locomotives. This is 174, the Lewes boiler explosion loco, but in earlier, Craven condition, for now. 

I tried adding other details as an experiment, as I have seen others printing the handrails etc as well. It seems to have worked okay and it allows the linkage for the cylinder cocks (?) to be included easily, and I have attempted some other gubbins at the cab front.. This is on the first of the chassis, other than the G Class, and I had also included the cab front but etched it too small so I have done that in resin also. I need to bed the side sheet/splasher etch down to fit properly, its just placed there to see at the moment. And the side rods need cleaning up - just soldered together to ensure it all looked okay. Now to draw parts for the motion, ashpan etc to put on the chassis etch.

There are two other types of 2-4-0 I have etched the chassis and some body parts for - the Beyer Peacock and the Dubs. 

The photos also show etched parts for the body of Sussex and the lower photo shows the 3D printed Sussex body and tender which I will attempt to modify slightly as well to use the etched cab and splashers and maybe the smokebox front.

Lastly, the photo above shows the etched parts for the body of Dieppe, both Craven and Stroudley versions. So I shall attempt to modify the 3D parts for these also.

I shall also be talking to a couple of casters about domes and safety valves in brass but at approx £25 each, I'm not so sure.

I persevered with the G class and inside frame tender, I kept tweaking it until they both printed perfectly, it took six failures! I am painting one of these at the moment to then see how much tweaking my home produced two layer transfers will take to complete it all.

Anyway, time to get to some modelling now as I am building a layout as well as carriages and other stock.

Cheers, Ian

7mm mostly 3D printed loco and tender

 I have been fiddling around with many things to do with 7mm LB&SCR models and this is the latest. Not quite perfect but an etched chassis under both and a 3D printed body with separate parts. Looking promising so I shall carry on and see if I can get it finished in time for Stafford Gauge 0 Guild show in September, along with many other things!

7mm scale 1881 train, first trial prints

 A first go at trialling this in 7mm scale. Looking promising but quite a bit still to do.

Interior fitments completed!

 Looking at all the separate parts, I thought I could incorporate the louvred screens into the end lockers so have done so, and drew up the Faure accumulators and the partitions separating the luggage and the servants from the 'toffs'!

The source material for the designs came from these two sheets, the ILN sketches show the servings area as well as suggesting that the luggage windows may be frosted? Certainly the top lights had an etched design on them so I will attempt to do that and print white on the OHP acetate as shown below somewhere.

Just printing another version of the bogies out to see if I have sorted the bowing strip around the bottom and then I will start printing in 7mm scale. Hope you like it! Cheers, Ian

Starting the luxurious interiors

 Almost all the parts designed and printed and just placed on the underframe/floor units to double check sizes and quantities. A few more bits to go yet!

This is looking at either set of ends showing the beefed up railings on the balconies, the buffers and steps (fitted on wires) at the luggage end; some of the panelled entrance way areas hiding the toilets and stove, the louvred panels to fit behind the toilet and stove windows and the buffet.

The swivel chairs don't stand up on their own at present as they are back heavy. They are correctly proportioned at present so I think I will leave them as is but they will have to be glued strongly to the floor unit. 

As you can probably see, I have designed and printed the floor/underframe unit as half length. This allows me to print them on a smaller printer whilst the bodies are printed on the larger printer. 

I can see now what else is required to be designed and printed before these can be offered to others. I will update as and when. Cheers, Ian

First try at the underframe.

 This is a first go at the underframe in 4mm. Printed in two halves straight on the build plate. I have had to file off a load of the 'elephants foot' and have created a lot of dust , as you can see! Everything just placed together. Looks like the bufferbeam will be a separate fitting as that and the buffer bodies haven't printed at all well; and the handrails are too thin for the open end so they need redrawing a bit thicker.

I do think it is starting to look like a model of the real car so I'll carry on and see where I get to in the next few days!

5th December 1881 Pullman Limited

 Maud, Victoria, Beatrice and Louise.

Hot off the 3D printer are the one piece body parts for the 4mm scale 1881 Pullman Limited. Also a first try at the 8' bogie.

The end panel of the outer two cars is just positioned with bluetac at present. I need to beef up a couple of areas of the bogie.

The bogie has a thin strip from the corners to and between the bottom of the w-irons. This needs increasing in thickness so it will print properly. I may offer the bogies in slightly different configurations so they could be attached to a brass inner part for instance. 

There are basically two types of Pullman car here, the centre two and the outer two. The outer two have a luggage area at the extreme ends of the close couple set. 

This is the end luggage cars.

This is the centre cars.

Obviously, I still have to sort out the underframe/floor parts and the furniture within. 

I thought people might be interested to see the current status. 

Now to try some 7mm prints!

Sussex also!

 I had forgotten the third variation which was the rebuild by Stroudley, named Sussex. I am making up a EB Models large Craven Tender to go with this as it appears spot on from photos I have seen. This is in its earliest condition prior to dome and westinghouse, among other changes.

The whistle was knocked as I was removing supports but otherwise all seems okay.

Cheers, Ian

Craven Locos

 First time on a modified EBModels Dieppe chassis and a modified Slaughter Goods Tender chassis. This is the 1864 Robert Stephenson single in original condition - well, as far as we know! I have used the GA as I haven't seen a photo of one in original condition. 

So, this will be coming to the EBModels range some time this year,

There is a Slaters SG29 motor and gearbox on the driving wheel. It all fitted.

Everything is printed as one piece, the chassis has been modified to stop at the front of the cylinders so the gap ahead of them is scale width. This is a first trial without any suspension/compensation yet. I can start working that all out now I know the initial ideas work. 

But while I had most of it drawn, it seemed sensible to do Dieppe herself. The body has been modified as per photos and also the tender now has different springs and toolboxes etc. I need to reprint with a couple more supports on the base of the clack valve and Westinghouse pump as they aren't correct here. But the pipework all worked for the pump! This is sitting on the same chassis as the Craven version above. 

I am awaiting new etches so I can sort out the brakes and other bits still missing. There are other 3D printed parts all ready but not yet shown.

I will also look at a version of Drayton & Portsmouth also with the different axlebox pattern front and rear and salter springs on the dome and not on the Firebox and a few other changes. .

As you can imagine, there is a lot still to sort out but I thought I should show where I am starting from. Hoping to have something a bit further on at the Spring meeting and will be looking at the 4mm version next.

 And I can get working on the 4mm version of 153, finalise the 7mm bits and the Slaughter Goods in 7mm needs to be restarted. 

Hope to be able to put some more up in a few weeks. Cheers, Ian 

Saloon Window etched edges and toilet 'glass'

 I have been experimenting with what I could print with the Ghost white toner in my laser printer for the last couple of years. I have been trying to get a transfer for the inside of saloon windows to simulate the frosting/etching of such asa shown in this photo..

I don't know why it took so long to think about printing on laser transparency film I used to use years ago for overhead projectors. I found some and tried printing some designs from 2018.

Very difficult to photograph! These are 7mm versions as I have a dia 21 on the go at the moment.

I shall do further experiments and print some for particular carriages and then make them available via E.B.Models.  Later on in 2023. Hopefully show the completed saloon first.

Cheers, Ian

Thomas Potter masterpiece uses E B Models, 7mm etches, 3D printed parts, numberplates, lining and name transfers

 Thomas Potter published these pictures last week on Facebook. He has built the 7mm Grosvenor etches, used the 3D resin printed parts for the loco and tender then painted it and finished it off using EB Models numberplate, name and lining transfers.

Fantastic to see someone putting them all together! Many thanks for sharing.

Cheers, Ian

In the meantime, I am still experimenting with 3D printing and have recently printed this early Pullman. More in the next few months.

Numberplates

 

Virtually all numberplates are available in 4mm and 7mm scales.  Correct style works plate included. £6 for 4mm £9 for 7mm includes postage to UK address.

3D parts for D1 in 7mm and 4mm scales

 Just started to put together an old 7mm Albion Models D1 tank and found I haven't got all the castings, so decided to draw and print my own. Also, as I now have a higher resolution printer, I printed them at 4mm scale as well as 7mm scale. I see I haven't included the 4mm springs but the rest are there.

Parts drawn are:

1. Motion drop in with early style pump. 2. Cab backhead, splashers and reversing gear. 3. Cab rear with brake, coal door, sandbox/toolbox, dampers. 4. Chimney. 5. Cylinder cover and angle plate. 6. Dome with safety valves. 7. Whistle. 8. tank top exhaust steam dome. 9. Clack valves. 10 Cab roof. 11. tank top water fillers. 12. Can/guard communicator. 13. Cab Steam/Brake pressure gauges. 14. Smokebox door and dart. 15. Lower firebox/ashpan sides, front and rear. 16. Sandbox filler caps. 17. Smokebox front cylinder screw lubricators. 18. Front wheel lubricator oil boxes. 19. Smokebox LHS and RHS lubricator/blower controls. 20. Brake blocks for leading and driving wheels. 21. Brake blocks for trailing wheel. 22. Westinghouse pump. 23. Leading wheel leaf springs. 24. Driving wheel volute springs. 25. Trailing wheel leaf springs.

4mm to left, 7mm to right.

I have just realised I didn't print the 4mm loco springs. 

I aim to produce a set for the E1 also as I have a couple of them to build as well.

Cheers, Ian

Can you tell what it is yet?

 

Just started to add all the rivets on the framing. More in a while!

What I have been up to whilst battling with a nasty bout of Tinnitus - Craven 153 and Cudworth Goods

 Having had a few months of really awful racket in my head that really affected thought processes etc, I started a few weeks ago to manage a bit of time on the 3D graphics. It started with a half hour at a time and has gradually increased to about two hours before I just have to stop and do something completely different.

In March  showed the Slaughter Goods in 7mm, a trial etch and 3D resin printed parts. I am hoping to be able to start the trial etch assembly soon - Tinnitus really doesn't help here - so I realised in the meantime that the wheelbase was the same for some of the other 'Standard' Goods. One of which had a Cudworth coal burning firebox - eight foot long!!

This is a first go at a 4mm scale print, it works in 7mm also!

I have been looking at all the parts and thought this was probably too many and the split for the tender should be like the loco.

I have yet to adjust these drawings as I went on to the Craven single 153/4. This has now been drawn in Stroudley condition with lots of parts already on the body leaving the handrails and lamp irons to be added. 

This is the 4mm and 7mm scale versions. They are two part prints for the body in one piece and outside frames with footplate as the other, for both the loco and tender. 

I have to adjust the tender drawing to print the top piece curving down at the front as per the Cudworth Goods tender. The drawing is correct, there seems to be some error in the slicing file that I cannot resolve so am about to remove that bit and redraw it in a different way. I have split them so that the springs are with the footplate and lower part. The upper print has all the parts for the body apart from the reverser which would need to be glued on to the cab floor.

I still intend to get the Craven version to be available also.

This is the photo of the 7mm Craven version as I built it at the start of the pandemic. The smokebox is different, along with a few other things. I intend to print this in the same style but with provision for the face of the driving wheel splasher to be etched.

So, some thoughts from you all please. Should I continue with the 3D printed, almost everything as one piece but split in a way that suits painting OR would you prefer to have an etched kit with a few parts in the 3D resin as I have developed above?

The chassis would need to be etched, as per the 153 photo showing the two part prints. 

Cheers, Ian