Passenger Tank HR45 in 7mm scale, Making a Start.

The loco frames and rear bogie are a good starting point for a “scratch built” loco, or as I prefer, a “built without the aid of a kit” engine in 7mm scale. There is no kit available for a HR Passenger Tank and though Lochgorm Kits produced one for gauge O some time ago, which might have made a starting point, I’ve never come across one, so I’m on my own again with this one. I intend an all metal construction, though I may have to resort to some 3D printed parts as brass castings are in short supply with the closure of my preferred source, Laurie Griffin. The structural nickel silver bogie frames, pictured above, have a cosmetic white metal overlay, supplied by LGM ; tiny guard irons sneak in behind the rear wheels, needing only a trio of Railtec’s transfer rivets to complete the bogie. 

I originally wanted to model no. 25, “Strathpeffer”, however the lack of a transfer for the name on the side tanks led me to change to no.45, one of the two Passenger Tanks which ran nameless. The restricted choice of name transfers available in 7mm scale is a limiting factor in choosing a prototype, with only those made by Fox Transfers to chose from. The underside of the bogie, above, displays the support for the insulation board on which the bogie wiper pick-ups will be mounted. The 2’ 6” wheels are carried on 1/8” axles running in solid brass axle bushes, not in sliding bearings like the driving wheels, the flexible bogie pivot should ensure a sort of compensation.

The side frames are cut from 0.7mm nickel silver sheet and are slotted for Slater’s axle bearings, below which the springs, both lamellar and helical, retain the bearings. A Mini Gooch gearbox, fitted with an M1824 motor, is expected daily from ABCGears, it will drive the rear driving axle and be fitted with a flywheel which will protrude slightly into the cab and be enclosed by the backhead. The round frame spacers on view are temporary and will be replaced with ones cut from sheet as construction progresses.

 To enable removal of the superstructure from the chassis, the cab steps are mounted on a cross-member attached to the frames, which enables me to model the step bracing bar and the overflow pipe which attaches below the bottom step. The cross member is drilled centrally to take the bogie pivot pin which will be sprung to ensure that the bogie supports some of the weight at the back of the locomotive.

I’m working mostly “in the flat” at the moment, cutting out all the parts while I await the long anticipated motor arriving. When it does I can get the engine up and running and progress will be fairly rapid, so watch this space!

No.14 6-wheel 20Ton goods brake van.

20Ton 6-wheel goods brake van complete 

William Grant was the guard allocated to this brake van and his name appears on the board low on the right hand side of the vehicle. There’s a cast number plate on the sole bar for which there is evidence on the two surviving photos of this van in HR livery. The model is constructed entirely from metal, using the etched sheet I commissioned, scratch built parts and my own castings for springs, axle boxes and roof fittings. The guard figure is my own sculpture, hand crafted and cast in white metal in my workshop, owing nothing to computer technology. The superstructure and underframe are separate units and are screwed together, the interior isn’t highly detailed in this case though there is enough to satisfy  anyone who gets near enough to peek through the windows. I’ve built three of these vans now, two in HR livery and one in LMS colours, this is the last of them as there are no more etched sheets left.

 

20Ton 6-wheel Goods Brake Van

I decided to stop work on the brake van featured in my previous post as it was proving too time consuming to correct all the mistakes, so at the moment it’s consigned to the sidings of shame. A better use of my time I decided was to build a 20 ton brake van from one of the etched sheets I had made some time ago, it was the last of these etches and there will be no more. The etched sheet is a basic “aid to wagon building” and though the parts provided are accurate it is not an easy project, there is much work before a recognisable van emerges. Construction of the model took me four weeks, working 2 or 3 hours a day and I thought the result pictured above worthwhile. Note the new improved HR pattern buffers which are now available from the GOG. I await some warmer weather in the north and the departure of the family of robins nesting in my workshop to glaze and  paint the van, number 14 is favourite.

Building a Jones d.25 goods brake van, a new project for ‘26

Jones d.25 goods brake van, Type B in original condition. 

The model started life as a series of etched sheets which I undertook to assess to see whether they would build into a respectable model and be suitable for issue as a kit or at least as a modelling aid . I soon realised that there were far too many mistakes and omissions to expect a modeller to rectify or make good, it would never do. However as I’d made some progress by the time this dawned on me I thought I’d continue and try and complete the model and here you can see progress to date.

Below the sole bar all is my own design. 

The superstructure and underframe are built as separate units which screw together. This facilitates construction and allows access to the interior for painting and glazing. The w-iron trays were raised slightly with Plastikard sheet to give clearance for the springs and axle boxes. I used my own etched w-irons without compensation of any sort and found that the chassis runs surprisingly smoothly.

Internal walls and cross-braces have been added to strengthen the structure and support the roof which is half etched and rather flimsy. Window openings have been thickened too to give a more robust appearance and add strength to the structure.

 

New Kit to build a Jones Open Wagon in 7mm scale

Pete can now offer a complete multi-media kit, or a fairly complete kit, to build a Highland Railway Jones open wagon. You still need to source your own choice of buffers, wheels, couplings and make a floor. Apart from these bits it's all there. 

This is what you get... 

1.Resin cast sides and ends with crisp interior as well as exterior detail. 

2.Etched brass sheet with w-irons and brake gear. 

3.Cast white metal springs and axle boxes. 

4.Cast brass horse hooks and brake lever pin-rack. 

Highland Railway sprung buffers, Ref. FO28 are now available from the Gauge O Guild shop.

Price of Jones Open Wagon, post free is …£35.00 or buy two for only £60.00

Tel. 07342 637 813

Email. armstrongps1@gmx.com    

 

Castings for axle boxes and springs are supplied with the kit. The brake gear shown here is supplied on the etched sheet.

Completed Jones open wagon displays the interior detail, the floor is from Slater’s 7mm planking.

The multi-media construction of the kit is evident here, the safety chains on the buffer beam are optional/ not included.

Etched w-irons and brake gear, cast axle box and springs add to the realism of the model, these items are available separately.
Axle boxes and springs for wagon £5.50 
Etch for w-irons and brake gear £10.50
Postage £1.55 2nd class or £2.60 first class

Also available are the wagons pictured below, these are not a complete kit. The sets comprise resin sides and ends, axle boxes and springs and an etched w-iron sheet. Price £35.00 or two for £60.00

Double-deck sheep wagon built from Pete’s “sides and ends” with added detail from his castings and etched sheet. 

16T Loco Coal Wagon, built from Pete’s “sides and ends” and etched w-iron sheet.

20Ton 6-wheel Goods Brake Van built from an etched sheet and completed with castings and other items from the trade. One etch remaining and it’s the last.

Drummond Fish Wagon. This wagon is more of a challenge to modellers, here seen complete though unpainted.

The underside showing a challenging aspect of this model, brake gear similar to a coach. More scratch building skills on display here.

Fish wagon complete, an indispensable addition to any Highland Railway train and a great model, well worth the effort it took to build.

NER Goods Brake Van

 I recently constructed this NER V4 brake van from a Connoisseur kit that’s a pleasure to build, it will be finished in NER livery using Ian Sadler’s book for reference. I made a few improvements, like thickening the end upright posts and filling in the rear of the veranda with planking, otherwise only minor tweaks. The NER lamp on the rear of the van is from one of my own masters and castings are now available from 1039 Models. The van runs beautifully without any compensation and weighs in at a satisfying 250g. The roof is removable so I can glaze the van later and is held fast by a long screw through the floor. Though the verandas are detailed and a guard will be included in the model from my new range of figures, there is no interior to the house, that task proved to be a bridge too far in this case.

V4 brake van completed recently in NER livery, using Ian Sadler’s book on these vehicles. The van is complemented and enlivened by one of my own 1:43 scale hand sculpted cast white metal figures.

Indispensable "Aid to Wagon Building" now available.

W-iron etch with brake gear

Pete's newly designed W-Iron etch is specifically designed for Highland Railway rolling stock and is suitable for all 7mm scale stock with both 3' 1" and the larger 3' 7" wheels.  It is etched in 0.4 brass and provides compensated w-irons for one vehicle. 
 

The "rocking-axle" and compensation unit.

The fold-over axle box keeper plate should first be bent back on itself dry, without solder. The etched dimples are not intended for rivets to be pressed out, they are designed to be drilled 0.5mm when the plate is in position and a brass 0.8mm head rivet inserted and soldered in place. You can see how neat these look in the picture above. When using the larger 3' 7" wheels some material needs to be removed from the rocking-axle tray to allow the wheels clearance. You need to enlarge the slot in the tray behind the wheels to 8 x 16 mm with a piercing saw.

The rocking-axle tray in place with 3' 1" wheels

W-iron in place with 3' 1" wheels, brake shoe and lever from the etch, note the use of brass rivets on both keeper plate and brake shoe. Springs and axle boxes are castings available form myself.

The W-iron etch completes a recently constructed 8 ton double-deck sheep wagon, built from my own resin cast "aid to wagon building". 

The W-Iron etch is available price £10.50 + postage at cost £1.70 1st class or 0.87 2nd class.

Order 3 and it's post free.

To order e-mail Pete on armstrongps1@gmx.com

Scrap Tank, complete, painted and ready for action.

7mm scale Scrap Tank HR 23 in Drummond II livery.

No.23 has been built without the aid of a kit and with the help of only a few castings sourced from manufacturers lists. The chimney, which is not available commercially, is the sole 3D printed component, it's made from a robust material and once I'd managed to seat it properly, I thought it looked very well. I inadvertently filed the rivets off the flare while working on it and replaced them before painting with resin transfer rivets, which are about the right size. The model was painted with Phoenix P727 Highland Rly. Dark Green (1885-1912) which is no longer available, it was my last tin. Only the superstructure was airbrushed, the rest of the engine was hand painted with Humbrol matt paints. The frames were painted dark green to which I added a touch of talc and a little matt black to add depth to the detail under the footplate; all the hand painted areas were later brushed with a stiff bristled brush to enliven them. Brightwork was masked before painting began with Tamiya masking tape, helped along by W & N Masking Fluid. Transfers on the buffer beam and rear of the bunker are  Methfix ones by Guilplates, these have no carrying film and are my preference, however they are no longer produced and my supply is running low, so I had to resort to water-slide ones from Fox Transfers for the H . R on the side tanks. 

  

The lamp in front of the chimney is a casting by LGM with a lense made from epoxy glue. Photographic evidence suggests that lamps were rather haphazardly positioned rather than conforming to the rules, which required two lamps on the roof for a shunter or yard engine.

Rear view shows firebox tools on the roof on the fireman's side of the cab and real coal in the 1 3/4 Ton bunker. The rear buffer beam carries neither insignia nor a vacuum pipe, as these yard engines were not equipped with that braking system. The rear windows are protected by vertical bars which were soldered to the brass window surrounds. Coupling hooks are cut from chunky nickel silver sheet and sprung behind the buffer beam, links are formed from n/s wire on a jig.   

Large balance weights were cut from 0.4 n/s sheet and impressed with rivets.

The tools, tool box and the driver and fireman are my own sculpture, cast in white metal in my workshop, they are designed to enliven the confined space of the cab without crowding it.

I constructed the reverser from chunky nickel silver sheet and detailed the basic shape with bits and pieces before painting it. The floor is real wood strip, back-head castings are from LGM and 62C with modifications, the oil cans are my own castings.

Rare Post Card of HR23 Discovered

 

Click on the image to enlarge. 

I recently purchased this fine high-resolution post card image of 23 on ebay for a song. It's a little known image of this Scrap Tank and shows the engine in its early days at Perth, still in its original livery, with the company title in full on the side tanks. There are signs of wear and hard service which would suggest the picture was taken some time after the engine entered service in 1903.

The photo cropped up after I'd finished construction of the engine and resulted in a few retrospective additions, which would have been easier at the outset, nevertheless these details though minor, added a satisfying completeness to the model.

The interior of the cab is partially visible, revealing an upright rod topped by a winder, affixed to the front of the inner bunker which the fireman or driver has his right hand on; I think it might be a water valve. Whatever it is, it was worthwhile adding to increase interest in the cab interior.

Behind the cab step can be discerned the downward extension of the brake column, masked by the crew member. I added this elusive detail, which rarely shows up on photos, along with its link to the rear cross-member, which completed the brake rigging of the engine.

If you look closely at the cylinders I think you'll agree that they are not a pair as the nearside has a rivetted cover and the offside a plain one. I did not model this oddity as I think it was probably a temporary one and in any case my model represents the engine after 1919, in its days in service at Inverness. By this time the livery would have been updated so that only the initials H . R appeared on the tanks and I'm sure the cylinder covers would have been regularised by then.

Of interest also is the buffer beam, which doesn't seem to display the usual insignia, though this may be due to wear. The cylinder drain-cocks are of an early pattern and are not linked together. On the plate between the cylinders there is a curious central triangle of bolt heads; I modelled these just for fun.

I'd be interested to hear from any member who has a copy of this photo or has seen it before anywhere.   

HR23 Scrap Tank, construction complete

HR23 construction complete

Externally construction is complete, it remains to detail the cab interior, add the crew and coal the bunker. A two part article on modelling a Scrap Tank will be published in the next two issues of the Highland Railway Society Journal; part one will deal with construction up to the point seen in these photos, while the second will describe finishing and painting.   

I'm still working on the large rivetted balance weights which are a prominent feature of the wheels and need to be convincingly modelled. I think the solution to making all six similar might be to have them 3D printed. The sand boxes, which scan be seen on the footplate above the cylinders and below the cab at the rear, were carved individually from scrap resin castings; only the chimney is a 3D print. 

The sand boxes fit snuggly under the footplate behind the cab steps

Detail of marine type big-end of connecting rod and back to back brakes.

The back to back brakes between the front and center drivers presented a problem because of the restricted space available in model form, less than in reality because of oversize flanges and the need to allow clearance between brakes and wheel treads. A good deal of trial and error resulted eventually in the rather squeezed design shown above.

Scrap Tank, Superstructure.

Construction of the superstructure of my Scrap Tank is well advanced and all the sheet metal parts needed to complete it are cut out now and piled on my desk, just like the parts from a kit, though without tabs and slots. With the superstructure mounted on the chassis and a chimney in place it now becomes evident that the Scrap Tank, especially when compared to my previous project, little 118, is quite a monster. The chimney in view is temporary as it is planned to replace it with a more accurate 3D printed one, a job currently in the hands of a collaborator. A casting from LGM resolved the problem of the dome and a pressing from the same source will go a long way towards a convincing representation of those side by side safely valves with the whistle rod between them. I made the boiler and the smokebox as two separate assemblies, though in retrospect I think it would have been simpler to use a smokebox wrapper over an extended boiler cylinder. Near to scale boiler bands were supplied by Hobby Holidays and a curl of 0.8 wire fills the step between boiler and smokebox. Cut-outs were progressively enlarged in the footplate to allow free movement as the coupling rods and the substantial bosses of the connecting rods move above the footplate. Apart from the chimney, for which I could find no suitable match, all the castings I need to complete the model are from the accessory lists of  Laurie Griffin and from 62C Models. Laurie's accessory list includes an extensive range of Highland Railway bits and pieces without which modelling Highland locos, with or without a kit, would be difficult indeed.  

The driving wheels, being re-used ones from old 2-4-0 engines, are larger than one would expect on a tank engine and extend into the cab and partly across the entrance. 

Wide splashers will accommodate the coupling rod bosses and cover the tops of the front drivers above the footplate. This should improve the appearance of the loco, who's proportions are somewhat marred by the outsize wheels. In addition, a whole raft of castings and details are yet to be added, which will greatly improve the look of the engine. Note the "L" shaped trim between the boiler and spectacle plate. This started life as an "T" shape, which can be bent to fit the curve of the boiler, which an "L" shape can not. The curved "T" is easily filed to the required "L". 

An etched back-head from the now sadly withdrawn "Lochgorm Kits" range is in place between the cab side tanks. There is an inner spectacle plate, to which the back-head is attached, allowing the assembly to be removeable. Note the covers over the rear drivers where they protrude into the cab. Some consideration needs to be given to the floor level to close the gap under the back-head.

Scrap Tank, construction progress.

Construction of the chassis of my 7mm scale Scrap Tank is well advanced and the mechanism progresses smoothly under power along the test track in the studio, so a test run on the club layout in Carlisle at this stage might be a good idea. There is still much detail to add below the footplate which I will leave for a later stage of construction; meanwhile I'm looking into the possibility of 3D printing some components, particularly the sand-boxes and driving wheel springs and maybe the rivetted wheel balance weights. The coupling rods were made for me by WMI; the connecting rods I built myself. The gearbox is an ABC Mini7E mounting an M1833 motor. The footplate assembly is screwed to the frames through the front frame spacer; the rear frame spacer slots into a housing fastened to the inside of the back buffer beam.

Phosphor-bronze pick-up wires (0.5mm) are arranged to bear on the tops of the centre and rear drivers which will locate inside the engine's spacious side tanks; those that bear on the front driver have not been resolved yet. The left hand driving wheels are shorted by means of an 0.5mm p/b wire soldered between hub and tyre and slotted behind a spoke.

With the front driving wheels are in position, the axle screw is masked by the slide-bar/cross-head assembly and inaccessible. To overcome this the axle and its brass bearings is retained by a keeper rod soldered to a plate. The removable plate slots in place against the front frame spacer and is retained by a screw. 

Clearance between the chunky cross-head casting and the coupling-rod is minimal and much metal had to be removed warily from the rear of the casting and from the head of the protruding crank-pin screw to achieve free movement.  

HR Scrap Tank, Making a Start in 7mm Scale.

Test running the chassis through the crossings on my track at home. Mini 7E gearbox with M1830 motor and MSC flywheel. The motion plate is in place though the slide-bar, cross-head and connecting rod are yet to be fitted. 

Undoubtedly the Scrap Tank is aesthetically one of the less appealing of Highland Railway engines, it does not have the elegance and visual appeal of so many of their designs. It nevertheless has a certain fascination which has drawn me repeatedly to consider a model of one of these ungainly yet curiously appealing shunting engines. It's a fascination to which I knew I'd eventually have to give in to and  indeed I have... and I've made a start on the model. 

The Scrap Tank, though a fairly simple engine, nevertheless presents some constructional problems of its own, probably the most difficult to solve being the lack of clearance between the coupling rod and the cross-head. The slide-bar and cross-head assembly needs to be as close to the side frame as possible to allow the connecting rod to run parallel to the side frame and not be spaced too far out from the coupling rod on the center driving wheel crank-pin; I'm working on it. 

As you can see above, I've arranged wire pick-ups on the center and rear drivers, which will be hidden inside the side tanks. The front pick-up is not so simple and as yet I have not contrived it. A wide leaf spring will be mounted behind the front driving wheel, which will make arranging a wire pick-up from this wheel difficult. I've not mounted the spring in place yet, nor have I managed to source a casting for it, so it's not an immediate problem. Watch this space... 

Cut-out parts and sub-assemblies for the superstructure await the next phase of construction.. A few castings I need are proving elusive, particularly the leaf springs, so I might try having them 3d printed. 

I wanted to have the chassis running before the turn of the year and indeed it is up and running, which is a good point to leave off the modelling as it's New Years Eve...and go into festive mode!

HR Loco crew in 7mm scale.

HR NEW SERIES. Driver HR1 and Fireman HR2

 Loco crew have always been a favorite modelling subject of mine and I've recently sculpted some new ones in 1:43 scale based on photos of Highland Railway loco crew, which are now available to enliven the cabs of your locos. There are currently four New Series figures which can be seen in the accompanying pictures. These are cast in quality white metal and are available assembled and mounted on a small base unpainted.

A limited number of figures, painted by myself, are available while stocks last, these are illustrated in the accompanying photos.

Prices.

Painted Figures are £15. You can mix and match any of the painted figures seen in the pictures.

NEW SERIES 

HR1 Driver, HR2 Fireman, HR3 Guard, HR4 Fireman Tank Engine.

New Series are unpainted assembled figures @ £8

Postage @cost

Email. armstrongps1@gmx.com

Three locomotive drivers

Four locomotive firemen

A driver and fireman that go well together.

Assembled unpainted white metal figures. NEW SERIES HR3, HR1 and HR2 

Designed for a tank engine, this is NEW SERIES HR4