This post is for members' interest, like the trade topics piece in the 009 news, and is not an advert. I have no connection to worsley works other than as a builder of many of their carriage kits).
Allen is currently working on the following kits, at my suggestion, with release due in the next few months. If you want one or more, now is the time to contact him before he etches the first batch:
New Ffestiniog 1st obs 100
Older Ffestiniog 1st obs 101 (built for the FR in 1970, allocated to the WHR from 2006)
New Ffestiniog service carriage 124
New Ffestiniog 1st obs 102
For images etc try this: http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/FR_Carriages
New WHR 1st obs Pullman 2100
New WHR service car 2010
For images etc try this: http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/WHR_Carriages
FR/WHR Hibberd "Planet" 4wDM 'Upnor Castle' to run on an 21mm wheelbase bullant motor bogie (formerly of Lodge Hill and Upnor Railway and then Welshpool and Llanfair for a while).
Images here: http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/Upnor_Castle
and Allen can be contacted via his site at www.worsleyworks.co.uk
Colin
Quote from: rhydddu009 on March 20, 2009, 19:59
Allen is currently working on the following kits, at my suggestion, with release due in the next few months. If you want one or more, now is the time to contact him before he etches the first batch:
..
FR/WHR Hibberd "Planet" 4wDM 'Upnor Castle' to run on an 21mm wheelbase bullant motor bogie (formerly of Lodge Hill and Upnor Railway and then Welshpool and Llanfair for a while).
Images here: http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/Upnor_Castle
.
Colin, thanks for the update.
I presume that 'Upnor Castle' will be in its present day condition.
I seem to recall that it looked very different in its Welshpool days with a taller cab which was different at the back, different radiator etc.
yes in WHR/FR style only.
Well persuaded!
Always had a bit of a soft spot for the Uproar, suitably chunky and generically unfamiliar (if that makes sense) for an industrial layout.
Never summoned up the courage for a Worsley kit, so this'd be a good start.
I've often looked at the list of availables from worsley, and it is very tempting (more so now!), but as I've never had a go at one of their products, I'm not sure what to expect.
I've built etched coach kits before, just never a worsley product, would anyone be able to offer any advice/tips as to their construction please?
J
I've just seen the side on view of the new Pulman obs. Might sound heretical but two of those bodies would make an interesting railcar :laugh:
Quote from: jaymzhatstand on March 23, 2009, 01:50
I've often looked at the list of availables from worsley, and it is very tempting (more so now!), but as I've never had a go at one of their products, I'm not sure what to expect.
I've built etched coach kits before, just never a worsley product, would anyone be able to offer any advice/tips as to their construction please?
J
Allen's coaches are usually fairly strait forward - basically one of the 2 ends have end steps soldered on (these come on a single peice where you fold the steps down and push them through etched slots and solder the peice on to the end) at one end, and both have a second peice folded up andwith a nut soldered on which reinforces the joint to the side and allows the floor to be bolted in position. The side and end are soldered together, and some people find making this joint without any tabs to help a little dificult, though I generally use blocks of wood to supprt things and press them down when soldering and use the floor supports to help and have not had problems. His method of pivoting bogies using dressmaking press studs sound as if it will not work but (surpizingley) it does very well and also provides some compensation. You will also probably have to sort out your own roof as Allen does not noemally supply these with his kits.
I suspect that something like the new Pulman coach will not be so strait forward (curved end for starters), so it may be best to try one of the basic boxes first (4 or 8 wheel) to cut your teeth on and get used to the way Allen designs his kits, but if yyou have a few other kits under your belt already then it should not take too much to get going.
I have always found Allen to be very helpful so I am sure that if you get into problems he can put you right.
Julien.
Quote from: JulienW on March 23, 2009, 21:21
I've just seen the side on view of the new Pulman obs. Might sound heretical but two of those bodies would make an interesting railcar :laugh:
Yep, sounds fairly heretical to me :P
I've got some of Allan's Tralle & Dingle open wagons to build soon, the etchings are really nice and crisp and superbly detailed.
I have built a lot of ww carriages and waggons, and started as a total beginner to soldering. I would suggest:
- paying early attention to ride height as it is easy to get this wrong and have to alter later
- borrowing a mate's rolling bars to make a quality 10 thou rolled brass roof.
- investing in a 10ba taper tap as it's almost impossible not to get solder into captive nuts and the tap sorts that out in a jiffy
- creating a small wooden jig to allow you to make the 90 degree end/side joins perfect
- only using the small angles that hold the captive nuts to attach to the ends only, and NOT the sides as well as is suggested by ww. This is because the tolerances are unbelievably tight on most kits. It's actually only needed to hold the captive nut, and the sides of this bit can be dispensed with as long as your sides/ends of the carriage in question are soldered at 90 degrees.
- a good iron (I have an antex, I think 15W or so and it's fine), phosphoric acid flux [you can use this same stuff for 145 and lowmelt solder], 145 deg solder and some little bits of cork underlay to use between the brass and your fingers - a great heatsink! plus the usual needle files and abrasive brushes to clean up. the soldering iron tip cleaner that squires do and some wire wool will also ensure the iron stays clean and hot!
Regarding wire wool for soldering iron tip cleaning, I splashed out on a tip cleaner that contains what looks like curly brass "swarf" (a tangled coil of what looks like brass, a bit like a particular type of nylon pan scourer) in a tin container and find it much more convenient and effective after having using damp sponges for eons. Also of use if you do a lot of soldering is the tip cleaner in the form of a little "pill box" with a cake of what looks like solid flux with solder particles through it. You poke and scrape the hot tip on it and it cleans and tins the tip beautifully. Again, Squires stock them.
Allen must be hard at work as he has just sent me an e-mail to say that his latest kit is for the Motor Rail railcar used on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway during the 1920s, designed to fit on the Kato 4w chassis.
Pity I've already scratchbuilt one in plastic - picture attached to give an idea what it looks like, but somehow I think that, unlike the prototype, my DHR will be getting a second one.
Quote from: rhydddu009 on March 25, 2009, 19:16
- investing in a 10ba taper tap as it's almost impossible not to get solder into captive nuts and the tap sorts that out in a jiffy
Not a problem I have had.
Try oiling the threads before putting the bolt (screw?) through, tightening the nut hard down onto the brass sheet then putting the flux on (fine brush) around the base of the nut. Likewise, solder in the same way with iron using the minum of solder. The oil should keep the water-based flux out of the threads and prevent the solder getting in when heated.
It's not foolproof and I very occasoinally solder everything up solid, but 99% of the time it works for me.
Quote from: GraemeD on March 25, 2009, 20:03
if you do a lot of soldering is the tip cleaner in the form of a little "pill box" with a cake of what looks like solid flux with solder particles through it. You poke and scrape the hot tip on it and it cleans and tins the tip beautifully. Again, Squires stock them.
Maplins sell this too. It is very useful stuff!
Quote from: JulienW on March 26, 2009, 11:42
Quote from: rhydddu009 on March 25, 2009, 19:16
- investing in a 10ba taper tap as it's almost impossible not to get solder into captive nuts and the tap sorts that out in a jiffy
Not a problem I have had.
Try oiling the threads before putting the bolt (screw?) through, tightening the nut hard down onto the brass sheet then putting the flux on (fine brush) around the base of the nut.
I've got a dirty old steel 10BA bolt that I keep specifically for this job. Using this, plus doing just as Julien says, and not hanging around for too long with the soldering iron does the job.
just to say that all the FR/WHR carriages mentioned are now available and I expect Upnor to be ready for Pewsey.
I received my Upnor Castle etchings today...they look really good. so good, I have already removed the main parts from teh sprue and might just get my soldering iron going tonight!