What happened at your workbench today?

I know I wasn't going to do a build log (and I'm not), but here's a piece of kit that sits under the bench for years at a time (hence the dust) then pops out and earns it's keep.
20250314_110119.jpgI got it from school after the supply of blades dried up; a dozen years later (I told you I was a hoarder!) I found some online. Just the thing to cut the spectacles on the Baldwin front sheet.
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Not really a work bench job, or even a job at all. While working on tweaking the track plan for The Claptowte Railway, I laid out the track for each baseboard top, to ensure that everything would fit and link up with the adjoining board(s). This involved cutting some set curves to get the radius to fit. Having satisfied myself that everything was correct, I took a photograph of the board for future reference. When the track is finally laid on the boards, there will be the need to cut some straights to length. I ended up with ten photographs of the future baseboards. It was logical to join those photographs together to see what the complete track plane would look like. So here it is. The building of the baseboards is still a work in progress at this time.

x Claptowte Railway Track Plan.png

David
 
I ordered this 3d printed part a while ago before i bought my own printer. It finally arrived and I painted it yesturday. Welcome to the railroad, Baby Groot!
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korm kormsen said:
do i estimate right, that the sidings are about 3 meter or 3.10 meter between turnouts?
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If you are referring to Phidell Yard as the sidings, you are looking at about 2.5 metres. between the turnouts, but if you ignore the turnouts at the end, the sidings are about 3.6 metres long. The Phidell Yard and Gernise end baseboards are 1.5 metre x 4 long.

David
 
Northsider said:
I know I wasn't going to do a build log (and I'm not), but here's a piece of kit that sits under the bench for years at a time (hence the dust) then pops out and earns it's keep.
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Never ever throw away tools, you will never now.
Pond foolish, penny wise? Was the saying?
 
David1226 said:
David
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Looking very good, i might "steal" your idea.
Instead of preparing rail pieces switches ect in the shed and build sidings ect outside, i think to build complete pieces on 1.22x2.44 sheets and just lay them where they need to be.
I can configure Templot to make the grid size like this.(my track plan is ready for two years now....time:(...)

Thanks for sharing
And your yards are really looking good, looking forward to see your progress and the "maiden voyage" first use.
 
I've had 3 of these Newqida box cars for awhile now, and as it is 38c outside I decided to give one the chop and followed along with Rik's post
the only thing that I couldn't do was to take the false spring hangers off, so I just pushed them aside as I cut past them. I've glued the wheel trucks and
cradles to the base as per RiK, but I'm going to try and just screw the centre piece back on so the sliding doors can be removed for painting.
Thanks for the great help in your blog Rik !, now onward . I used good old Shoe fix contact to glue it back together, works well.
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Changed a split gear on one of my Bachmann 2-8-0’s for a North West Shortline delrin gear today, this one’s lasted well as I bought it as soon as they came out, my other one split after about 5 years.
Here’s a picture of the split gear on the axle and one showing the NWSL replacement, I believe these are still available if you ever need one.IMG_2546.jpegIMG_2547.jpeg
 
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A friend who knows his railways called round the other evening, and we had a tour of the railway stuff. My Bachmann 'Lyn' conversion was on the bench, and I asked if he could tell what it was. 'Well, it's a Baldwin, isn't it?' He replied.
Sooo....I've done even more to mask its origins. The biggest change is that she is now an 0-4-2, which should solve the problem of running through trailing points :clap:. The front overhang has been cut right back (about 40mm shorter), while the cab has also had about 15mm taken off its length and 10mm off its height; the cab floor has been cut'n'shut, with the original rear buffer beam retained.
All in all, she now looks to my (biased) eyes more like an ex-WD or contractor's loco. Light grey rather suits her...
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Most importantly, the coupler height is now at stock IOM level, which was a major operating flaw with the original 'Lyn'.
Compare her appearance now against her last use , testing the turntable installation...
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alcashj94 said:
Changed a split gear on one of my Bachmann 2-8-0’s for a North West Shortline delrin gear today, this one’s lasted well as I bought it as soon as they came out, my other one split after about 5 years.
Here’s a picture of the split gear on the axle and one showing the NWSL replacement, I believe these are still available if you ever need one.
Click to expand...
Yep, my first one lasted many years and while it had actually split, hadn't quite failed. I replaced it with the Bachmann brass gear when I purchased a second hand Connie, and wasn't prepared to take the chance on how it that second one had been treated. I ordered two axles from Bachmann USA and did both :)
 
Northsider said:
A friend who knows his railways called round the other evening, and we had a tour of the railway stuff. My Bachmann 'Lyn' conversion was on the bench, and I asked if he could tell what it was. 'Well, it's a Baldwin, isn't it?' He replied.
Sooo....I've done even more to mask its origins. The biggest change is that she is now an 0-4-2, which should solve the problem of running through trailing points :clap:. The front overhang has been cut right back (about 40mm shorter), while the cab has also had about 15mm taken off its length and 10mm off its height; the cab floor has been cut'n'shut, with the original rear buffer beam retained.
All in all, she now looks to my (biased) eyes more like an ex-WD or contractor's loco. Light grey rather suits her...
View attachment 340118
View attachment 340119
View attachment 340120
Most importantly, the coupler height is now at stock IOM level, which was a major operating flaw with the original 'Lyn'.
Compare her appearance now against her last use , testing the turntable installation...
View attachment 340121
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Nce, not a lot of work and it could nicely match one of the Schull 0-4-4’s
 
Paint has been applied to the loco formerly known as Baldwin. I did ponder apple green, or a dark blue, but common sense won in the end, so it's satin black. A quick buzz over with a scotchbrite wheel in the Dremel, followed by a polishing mop and T-Cut put a shine on the chimney cap and dome. Yes, I know the chimney should have a copper cap, so I'll have to see if I can find some copper sulphate crystals...
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The cab  still looks a bit Baldwin. Perhaps I should have gone with round spectacles?

No photographs of John Lennon, please.
 
Northsider said:
Paint has been applied to the loco formerly known as Baldwin. I did ponder apple green, or a dark blue, but common sense won in the end, so it's satin black. A quick buzz over with a scotchbrite wheel in the Dremel, followed by a polishing mop and T-Cut put a shine on the chimney cap and dome. Yes, I know the chimney should have a copper cap, so I'll have to see if I can find some copper sulphate crystals...
View attachment 340164View attachment 340165
The cab  still looks a bit Baldwin. Perhaps I should have gone with round spectacles?

No photographs of John Lennon, please.
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And that's no yoko >:)
 
Northsider said:
Paint has been applied to the loco formerly known as Baldwin. I did ponder apple green, or a dark blue, but common sense won in the end, so it's satin black. A quick buzz over with a scotchbrite wheel in the Dremel, followed by a polishing mop and T-Cut put a shine on the chimney cap and dome. Yes, I know the chimney should have a copper cap, so I'll have to see if I can find some copper sulphate crystals...
View attachment 340164View attachment 340165
The cab  still looks a bit Baldwin. Perhaps I should have gone with round spectacles?

No photographs of John Lennon, please.
Click to expand...
Don't forget that the Earl and Countess have square windows.
 
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