I am now assembling a revised version of the 4mm 1864 Craven 1st as there were problems with my first attempt. It is the same as the 7mm version but smaller!

Then I have the bullion van to build the test etch of. The one that featured in the latest Brighton Circular. The etch looks okay, I'll post some news when it is assembled later this week. Picture of the van above.

The now completed assembly for the etchings. This is what you get from the etchings. Does anyone know of a source of castings for buffers, axleboxes and oil lamp tops in 7mm? Please email me as I would like to complete this now I have started it.

I had to solder some strips either side of the bearing slot in the W-iron to reduce its size, using some scrap etch. Remember this is a 4mm drawing blown up to 7mm without any changes! I will be able to incorporate changes in any future 7mm etchings that I get asked about as it is relatively easy to do this and makes assembly much easier. I have used the same method of suspension that Bill Bedford developed.

7mm Craven 1st of 1864



I have just finished assembling the first etch of this. Just a straight enlargement of the new 4mm drawing. A couple of issues arose because of differnet proportions of bearings in 4 and 7mm but I have worked around these. An interesting experience working in 7mm as I had not done this before!

All kinds of things going on

Hi, all kinds of things are happening at the moment. Look here a lot to find out what!

7mm Craven 1st - the shorter of the two.
Hi, there has been a fair bit of interest in me enlarging some of these coaches to 7mm. I have been extremely busy with the day job again but have managed to look at this and should be sending off for a trial etch soon. If anyone is interested in this developement, please email me and and let me see that this would be viable or it may not happen.
Cheers
Ian

6 wheel adjustable wheelbase coach chassis

This is something I had forgotten to show on the blog.

When I first made up a Roxey 6 wheel 1st I was impressed by the simplicity of the compensation system. It worked very well and the coaches would whizz around a 30 to 40 foot run on the local S4 area group layout of Preston. I therefore looked around to use something similar when building Andy Mullins, Peter Binsteads and MARC Models 6 wheelers. The only thing I could find was the Brassmasters system.

I bought one and it works very well. The thing I didn't like about it were the shape of the w-irons and all the gubbins that hangs down from the central axle area.

I spoke to Dave at Roxey and asked if I could develop his idea and he said go ahead! I did and came up with an adjustable system that is very similar and keeps the area clear.

However, recently I have been designing all my stock to have springing as the ride quality seems to be better. I therefore adapted this system, again, to be sprung.

You can see these three side by side in the following picture.

So the following three pictures show what they look like when placed under the MARC Models Pullman Pup. Top is the Brassmasters, then my compensated and then the sprung one.

As you can see, there is less clutter showing. My layout (in a very embrionic stage at the mo) has a lot of sighting of stock on an embankment, so this is important to me. It might seem to others that I'm just being very fussy!

The etches will be available shortly at six pounds fifty pence a go including post and packing if there is anyone interested.

Back to the Bullion Van now!

Hi everyone.

This is the second of the Craven 1sts. The one on the left. This is the slightly longer one that has been drawn from a photo that Simon sent with some details from his drawings in the circular a few editions back.

Footboards, w iron ties, etc stillto add but this gives the general shape and a comparison with the other.

Bye for now

Ian in Blackpool

Well this is the last for tonight!
The Diagram 40 1st brake with one compartment. I have also done the artwork for the two compartment version as well as the later style brakes. It is the first time I have attempted an end ducket and I have used the guards seat to try to locate the end better than in other offerings. It seems to have gone together well so far.
The underframe is sprung, as is all the work recently as this has been seen to give a far superior ride on my local layout. I am also looking at offering other Stroudley carriages with the 26 foot underframe as I have designed them all now and they are 'clean' with no dangly bits hanging down or blocking the view through the open spokes of the brake vehicles! I have always been a bit horrified by the underframes I have on other coaches as the view when on an embankment or simply with a low eye level has not been convincing. I tried a few years back using masokits springs and filing the w-iron and soldering a few spring retainers about the place but it was all a bit too 'fussy.' This is relatively clean and open from all viewing angles.
The brakes and rodding are all on the etch and have worked well in P4. I must get some OO wheels and try them for size??
I also etched the large steering wheel type brake handle for the guard and its pillar so you will see these in a week or two as I get on with making up the rest of this test etch. Bye for now!

This is the test of the Dia 37 1st Coupe. There were two of these, one in the City Ltd train at the Norwood Juction Bridge breakage which initially got me interested in the carriage. Simon sent me an email a few weeks ago of a newly discovered picture of these and one compartment brake 1sts with the rest of the train made up of 1sts. Here we are then and the brake 1st is in the next photos!

The bogie on the Dia 36. I am happy with the axlebox but the spring is a coil of wire and it's not good enough yet. This is still the original test from a couple of years ago! More soon!

This picture is showing the three roof heights of Craven 1st, Stroudley Dia 23 2nd Saloon and Stroudley Dia 36 bogie 1st with the strange bogies. I have always liked the height levels in the early photos of the LBSCR and will be looking foward to getting some models completed and take this shot again!

A Craven 1st that I have been working on. There is another, different one which will appear shortly. This is the first test etch but I am happy with most of it! I must get some castings done now for this earlier period!

A bit more news!
At last the work has diminished during the day job and I can get back to some modelling. I should now be staying in the UK for most of this year so will hopefully get some of the instructions written and castings cast, kits boxed up and selling commenced!
I have been busy in the last month and have completed test building a sprung 6 wheel cleminson type adjustable wheelbase underframe, am almost finished test building a Stroudley 1st Coupe and have just finished etch drawings for two types of Craven 1st class coach - an 18'8" and a 19'6" version. I am also working on the one and two compartment versions of the Stroudley brake 1st 4 wheelers. Simon Turner has been feeding me with many photos and drawings and so I have been doing these.
I do enjoy the actual artwork drawing part of this almost as much as the eventual making of the etches. Since Eric passed his casting machine to me early in 2007 I have also managed to get that working and so have started to produce the castings for the Stroudley Bogie 1st which is what got me started on all this etching lark a few years ago! You may have seen the original test etch of that at Scalefourum or the Brighton Circle AGM a few years ago!
It will be available soon!
Right back to the diagram 40!
Bye for now and a Happy 2008!
Regards
Ian

Fairly typical I'm afraid; you get started on something then get a promotion at work and find that you don't have any time again! Getting sorted now and will continue with the Craven 1st carriage and the rest ASAP.
Regards
Ian

Aha you say, parts of a loco at last!

This is a try of the inside motion to fit Mike Waldrons' C Class kit. This is an interesting area to look at and I may well try a few other locos if this turns out successfully. I only allowed for two slide bars but the eccentrics are good and the marine big end and little end of the crank shaft look good. I am also pleased with the detail that has come out in the motion bracket and the front and rear of the cylinder covers. More at another time.

Another shot of Alexandra showing the door end. The floor will be level with the bottom of the doorway. Three layers of etching on the windows to try to get the relief of the original car, and a bit of filing around the doorway to get the curve in to the door itself.

What do you think?

Early type Pullman with open veranda. This is a first attempt at getting the body correct for Alexandra, one of the very early ones!The card is a tryout for part of the roof. I am continuing to work on this as it looks okay so far! Do you like the desktop picture?

The Dia 17/32 Royal Saloon. This was built in 1877 and numbered 510. It was withdrawn in 1925. I tried to etch the double curve of the roof ends but this was not to be so I will include a diagram and recommend eitheraplasticard roof or a piece of balsa as I have here. This test etch has also worked well. The cleminson type 6 wheel underframe is similar to that designed by Dave at Roxey Mouldings whose permission was ontained before using the system. It works very well and will 'wizz' around my localScalefour area group track.

This is the diagram 42/84 6 wheel Lav Compo of 1882. The carriages - there were 2 of them - lasted until 1918 or 1920 in use and then one of them, no. 272, became a 'lobby' at Norwood. This again is a test etch built upto check whether it worked! I'll actually be getting around to getting castings and selling kits soon!