Elmham Market in EM

[James Spooner]

I just wanted to test that the chassis, in particular the motor and gearbox mount, would actually fit inside the body envelope. Accordingly I built the footplate assembly and made a start on the tank and cab structure. All seems to be well so far (photos taken before I had cleaned up the body components).

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

More progress this evening on the body and ensuring it and the chassis fit snugly together. Firstly the holes in the footplate were matched up to those on the chassis spacers (these weren’t quite in the right place so new holes were drilled). The bunker former has been made up and soldered on to the sides, then the combined tank/cab/bunker unit was soldered to the footplate unit and finally this evening the chassis was bolted on to ensure it all fits. Photos attached.

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

Not much modelling done last weekend (and very little time enjoying the glorious weather either!) as I was helping steward ExpoEM both days. I did take some locos and stock out for a spin on the test track and have a video of the G5 and push pull set, as well as one of a Gibson J15 and freight. Both attached.

Nigel

 

[Dave Holt]

Hi Nigel.
We manage to avoid meeting once again - I was there on Saturday.
I noticed that the inner tracks on the circuit, where your locos are running, were marked as "P4" and the outer two as "EM". Was that incorrect or were you using the P4 tracks?
Running very nicely irrespective of gauge.
Dave.

 

[Bulldog3444]

Hi Dave,
I think that it is only the inside track which is P4.
I used the two outer tracks to test a couple of locos we were running on Otterford (EM).

Sorry that I didn’t get a chance to see your locos on the test track, Nigel.
Ian

 

[AJC]

Sorry to have missed you on Sunday, Nigel - @Dave Holt EM locos run perfectly well on P4 plain track (indeed, you can use P4 track as gauge-widened track in EM which Yeovil MRJ did 30 odd years ago - not 100 percent sure they meant to, but it's just fine!).

Adam

 

[James Spooner]

It sounds as though we were all missing each other! Yes, the outer three tracks are all EM and only the innermost is P4 and, yes again, with no points on the innermost circuit it is entirely possible to happily run EM locos and stock on the P4 track. For most of the weekend the loop next to the P4 one was set up for DCC running, hence me using that track.

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

I’ve been plugging away at the F6 over the last couple of evenings. I have primed the chassis and will probably give it a top coat tomorrow (then set it all up with wheels, motor etc over the weekend).

The body is slowly coming together. A couple of evenings hard soldering bending and filing has got me cab sides and front/back with details and a bunker rear. Looking at the instructions I think I move on to the boiler next so that’s a good place to stop for the evening.

The cab as provided is pretty basic inside. Despite rummaging through my library, I haven’t come across any images of the inside of an F6 cab (or, for that matter, the very similar F4/5). Does anyone out there know of any photos so I can add detail before soldering the cab on?

Some photos attached.

Nigel

 

[Paul Tomlinson]

Nigel, just had a quick look at the John Gardner drawings from the GERS - L11 includes the cab interior for F4/F5 in final condition (there may be others).

 

[James Spooner]

Nigel, just had a quick look at the John Gardner drawings from the GERS - L11 includes the cab interior for F4/F5 in final condition (there may be others).

Many thanks Paul and I’ll dig them out.

Nigel

 

[LarryG]

I popped into Minnfford Station's lay-bye to make a phonecall a couple of weeks ago and I'm pretty sure I saw the new Fairlie in the station. It was the dark colour that caught my attention. A lady I know has relations all over that area so I often call in Portmadoc for a Latte and teacake. A family member in Blaenau gave us the heads up of the £10 ride from there to Tan-Y-Bwlch, but we couldn't make it.

 

[Darren Gaffney]

Looking good James.
I use 145C solder for everything, with liquid flux (Carrs Yellow - or homemade 12% phosphoric accid)), the only exception being 70C solder for whitemetal parts (with 145C for pre-tinning any brass or N/S to whitemetal parts will be fixed)
I have used 180C and 240C along with 145C for complex assemblies, where the intent is to avoid previously soldered parts falling off as you add more parts on. I have found the higher temperature 240C solder more difficult to work with (and harder on the soldering iron tips) and of late just use 145c for everything - if you are in and out quick, and don't dwell too long, everything stays together as it should.

My singular soldering challenge to date has been affixing the LMS tender side laminates / overlays on my Brassmasters kits. I have a 75W iron, and use 145C solder, but struggle to get enough heat into the pieces to get the solder really flowing (despite pre-tinning). I can get there, but not without some minor distortion to the over-laminates when viewed against the light.

 

[James Spooner]

I popped into Minnfford Station's lay-bye to make a phonecall a couple of weeks ago and I'm pretty sure I saw the new Fairlie in the station. It was the dark colour that caught my attention. A lady I know has relations all over that area so I often call in Portmadoc for a Latte and teacake. A family member in Blaenau gave us the heads up of the £10 ride from there to Tan-Y-Bwlch, but we couldn't make it.

Yes, almost certainly James Spooner as the other two are either maroon or tomato soup colour…. It is a sublime engine to drive!

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

Looking good James.
I use 145C solder for everything, with liquid flux (Carrs Yellow - or homemade 12% phosphoric accid)), the only exception being 70C solder for whitemetal parts (with 145C for pre-tinning any brass or N/S to whitemetal parts will be fixed)
I have used 180C and 240C along with 145C for complex assemblies, where the intent is to avoid previously soldered parts falling off as you add more parts on. I have found the higher temperature 240C solder more difficult to work with (and harder on the soldering iron tips) and of late just use 145c for everything - if you are in and out quick, and don't dwell too long, everything stays together as it should.

My singular soldering challenge to date has been affixing the LMS tender side laminates / overlays on my Brassmasters kits. I have a 75W iron, and use 145C solder, but struggle to get enough heat into the pieces to get the solder really flowing (despite pre-tinning). I can get there, but not without some minor distortion to the over-laminates when viewed against the light.

Thanks Darren. I generally use 183C solder for all of the main joints and often Carr’s 188 solder paste for much of the smaller bits. If soldering whitemetal I use some 100C. Somehow, in reverse to you, I have never got on with 145C, only using it to tin brass before adding a whitemetal component with low melt.

Nigel