Wednesday 27th September

Worklist:
Workshop details
Point levers

Full house and all three engaged on point lever production for most of the time.

Geoff completed a few details on the workshop, like fitting the hinged doors and the gutters. The extract terminal Stephen had made for the brazier flue was thought to be more applicable to ventilation and was immediately found a place on the front wall of the generator room - and looked right. Geoff decided to make a substitute flue extension/terminal from plasticard 'square' tube. We couldn't resist taking a few snaps of the workshop.

Meanwhile, Laurence was turning up the brass weights for the point levers. Geoff then completed the plasticard bases (with EDM bolt detail), made the brass levers, and assembled the units. Laurence then gave them all a base coat of paint.

Stephen continued to prepare the ground for and glue in place the remaining sleeper extensions, then added ballast around them. The black 4mm track ballast drew comments about the colour, but Stephen explained that the granule size suited the scenario better than the other materials and would be painted anyway. Space for the point rodding had to be made, but this would be added later.

The point at the entrance to the platform needed special consideration and a flush unit, just like another very close to the track, was chosen. This was made by Geoff using plasticard chequer-plate.

Wednesday 20th September

Worklist:
Workshop fittings
Point levers

It was good to have a full house again and the banter was flowing...

Having produced three point lever units the previous week, Geoff explained how he had been investigating how best to produce the remaining units. We had a few packets of Roy Link plastic levers, and one had been fitted some months previously, which looked excellent. However, our general clumsiness (mainly cleaning track) had demolished the lever more than once, so he looked for another solution. Why not simply fabricate replicas of the three new ones? He showed how the base could be made from plasticard channel and the levers (slightly simplified) in brass. Laurence set-to on the lathe turning up the weights.

Stephen finished repairing the fence post at the board joint behind the water tank. A section of rail was glued deep into a reinforced timber block and that glued to the timber post. He then moved on to clearing the ballast and foliage from the areas where the new levers would be located and gluing extensions to the sleepers. Hopefully, some will look like whole sleepers and some extended.

Two of the whitemetal bases

The extension sleepers will have fishplate fixing straps similar to those below, on the Leighton Buzzard Railway

Geoff continued to glue equipment into the workshop namely the brazier, drive-belt motor and wall bracket, motor controller and conduits. It's looking stunning.

The fragile paper belts will be added once the lighting has been installed.

Wednesday 13th September

Worklist:
Workshop / bits and pieces

We hadn't met the previous week due to 'personal circumstances', and then Laurence had to put his 'Granddad-to-the-rescue' hat on just before he was due to leave. Anyway, Stephen and Geoff found something to do....

Geoff continued to assemble the internal parts of the workshop, starting with the new floor panel. When set, the drill was glued in place. Finally, the belt-drive pulleys were lined-up to suit the drill pulleys and the motor/motor platform, which will be fitted next week.

Stephen worked through a few small projects - reassembling items that had come apart and making the brazier flue/exhaust for the back of the building (where it probably won't ever be seen, by the public). A vulnerable timber fence post on the edge of the layout needed to be replaced/reinforced, and remedial work was started.

Rummaging in a box, Geoff had found three whitemetal, throw-over point levers and was determined to fit them in somewhere. Although 7mm, they were still quite large and he eventually decided to re-make the moving parts in brass. Having made them, the three points near the workshop were chosen and the method of fitting discussed. But what about the other points?

Wednesday 30th August

Worklist:
Running session

As we didn't meet the previous week, the was a lot of verbal catching-up to do, but we also had a running session.

Stephen had brought along two new item's for discussion. The B0-B0 diesel is principally based on the 18" diesel 'Carnegie' and uses a Bachmann GE44 diesel chassis under a plasticard body. However, seeking a reason for not making the four sets of cranks, Geoff advised that the wider gauge would probably allow for the model to become a diesel electric version. Two packs of Slaters tender axleboxes provided some detail for the dummy bogies and Hey Presto!

Formerly based at Woolwich Arsenal, Carnegie spent time at Bicton Gardens and is now located at the Waltham Abbey Gunpowder Mills railway.

An amazing find in a local charity shop was a LH motor bogie. LH (Leopold Halling - Austria) are now known as Halling and are very popular with 3mm and tramway modellers. It was previously unknown to us, but was very smooth and slow running. A suitable prototype has not been decided upon yet, nor scale (7mm or Gn15?). And how do you mount it in the new body?

Geoff got several items of John's stock out. A Peco Hunslet on a scratch-built chassis with a pair of bogie coaches made from the ubiquitous Gaaken kits, in the background.

A totally scratch-built Planet diesel, Ffestiniog brake van and assorted wagons. The MTK loco chassis is definitely in need of a replacement.

Laurence unusually failed to run anything as he worked on fitting new Kadee couplers to some of his wagons.

During the session, Stephen assembled the workshop brazier and everyone thought the flickering glow, made from a battery powered tea light was very atmospheric. The workshop interior is looking good too. The floor and other equipment have yet to be fitted.