Elmham Market in EM

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James Spooner

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
An even more fallow period has just occurred. I spent a week in Wales last week with back to back Ffestiniog meetings, this week has seen me up in town for board meetings and tomorrow I’m back in Wales for an MIC. This afternoon I have grabbed a bit of down time and managed to get a first coat of silver window liner on one side of the Wickham DTC. It will need some tidying up but is at least progress!

Nigel

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James Spooner

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
Back from Wales (again!) and a NW Surrey EM group meeting last night prompted a bit more action from me. I hacked the Bachmann DMBS underframe back so the Wickham body would fit (not that easy as the underframe is masak so I got through my share of piercing saw blades) and wired up the motor to the bogie brass tangs in the hope it would run on Metropolitan Junction. No such luck; nothing happened so this morning I tested the circuit and found that one of the blue blobby things was preventing the motor from turning. I unsoldered it and removed it from the circuit and all now seems to work OK (I’m sure one of you will be able to tell me what these things are supposed to do (TV suppressors?)).

This evening I have been adding lining to the DTC, still work in progress. I also need to figure out a way of fixing the bodies to the underframes as they are currently just plonked on them.

Nigel

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David B

Western Thunderer
That is one classy DMU - looks great Nigel. About 40 years ago I built an MTK Gloucester Cross Country unit in 4mm scale and then about 25 years ago I built a Westdale Gloucester Cross Country unit in 7mm scale (yes, I loved those raspy, bouncy, comfortable old class 119 sets). In both cases, the effort involved in getting all of the bodyside profiles and ride heights to match across the units was considerable, but without uniformity across the set, kit built DMUs and EMUs just look wrong. Plonked or not, you’ve nailed it with the Wickham. (And congratulations on the HRA award for the best railway in the world!)
 
James Spooner

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
David B said:
That is one classy DMU - looks great Nigel. About 40 years ago I built an MTK Gloucester Cross Country unit in 4mm scale and then about 25 years ago I built a Westdale Gloucester Cross Country unit in 7mm scale (yes, I loved those raspy, bouncy, comfortable old class 119 sets). In both cases, the effort involved in getting all of the bodyside profiles and ride heights to match across the units was considerable, but without uniformity across the set, kit built DMUs and EMUs just look wrong. Plonked or not, you’ve nailed it with the Wickham. (And congratulations on the HRA award for the best railway in the world!)
Click to expand...
Thanks David, I think some of the testing bits are still to come; glazing being a key one. I think the sides should be fine as the etched brass sides are quite thin. The ends will need a bit of thinking about as the 3D prints are relatively thick. I was thinking of experimenting with laminating clear acrylic sheet (the backing piece fitting the wider recess behind the frames and the front piece cut to window shape) as a way of making the end windows more flush.

Very pleased to pick up the award last Saturday evening; a real testament to an awful lot of hard work by several teams over a number of years.

Nigel
 
robertm

robertm

Western Thunderer
Yes, I also like your Wickham dmu. I can remember them plying between Braintree and Witham and rode on them a number of times. I have 3 of the 5 underlined in my 1961 Ian Allan combined volume, including your example, together with the other twin units, Derby LW, Cravens and Met Cams gave a huge improvement on the previous 4wheel rail buses which gave a very harsh ride.
I am refurbishing a Westdale Met Cam in 7mm but it will never match the finish you’ve achieved, too many mistakes by the original builder.
I look forward to the next episode.
Bob
 
James Spooner

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
Progress has been slow over the last couple of days, partly because it has been a case of lining and painting, waiting for paint to dry etc etc (the gripping final day of the six nations didn’t help either!), but I am now at a point where both bodies have been painted, lined and decals added so I’ll spray a coat of varnish on the sides and ends tomorrow. Photo attached.

Nigel

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D6356

D6356

Western Thunderer
Just glorious, lovely work on the lines saintly patience I suspect, main reason I am a banger blue person. I look forward to glazing and chassis bring the build to an end. I have too many models in the above condition, when I retire ....
 
James Spooner

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
Whilst waiting for varnish to dry on the Wickham (and with one eye on demonstrating something on the EMGS stand at Ally Pally tomorrow) I have attacked a couple of other projects that have been sitting on the back burner.

I have finally got around to trying to work out a set up to get the ground signals working. @Herb Garden has very kindly made me half a dozen MERG mounts and I had bought a like number of Dingo mounts and servo motors. I tried to do a lash up first time and I don’t think the board appreciated that so invested in a proper 12v power supply (rather than a 15v) and switches. I’m happy with the result (video attached)…

I have also finally got around to regauging my second buckjumper, the Liverpool Street station pilot, to EM and that now seems to run OK…

If any WTers are going to Ally Pally tomorrow, I’ll be on the EM Gauge Society stand and it would be good to meet up.

Nigel
 
James Spooner

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
If you think I have been a bit quiet recently you would be right, but mostly because I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how to progress the Wickham DMU. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The Ally Pally exhibition went well and a good number of people visited the EMGS stand. The buckjumper performed immaculately on its rolling road throughout.

On my return home, I decided to program the buck’s chip and allocate it a number. I put it on the programming track on my workbench, turned around in my seat to pick something up and pulled the track, buck and all, onto the floor. The driving set of wheels were knocked out of kilter so the rest of the evening was spent re straightening the wheels and then supergluing them into place. I’m happy to report it is running well on Elmham Market (see videos below).

So, back to the Wickham. The Bachmann underframe for the DTC is made of plastic and had developed a banana shape (up in the middle and down at the ends) so I needed to hold that in such a way that I could locate it firmly in place in relation to the body. I’m sure that is a five minute job for the mechanicals amongst you, but I’m just a simple accountant and had to think about it. I wound up digging out some brass angle, cutting it into sections and glueing them to the back and sides of the body. The back angle has a hole drilled through and an M2 nut soldered onto it. At the other end another M2 nut is glued (not ideal I know but hopefully, if I’m careful it will survive the rest of the construction process and then hopefully I won’t need to worry about it again).

I have also been attacking the Bachmann Derby lightweight underframes to make them more suitable for the Wickham. At the inner end I have added plasticard strips to straighten out the underframe (the Derby has a taper beyond the gangway whereas the Wickham doesn’t). I have also cut away steps and supports (steps in the wrong place and supports don’t exist on the Wickham). I’ll make some new ones from scrap etch.

I know it doesn’t look much but it has taken a lot of brain energy to get this far! Some photos attached.

Nigel

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jonte

jonte

Western Thunderer
I think you underestimate your ‘mechanical’ abilities, Nigel. Robust solutions me thinks :thumbs:

My blood ran cold when you regaled your near disaster with the ‘jumper….Your mechanical abilities were gainfully employed once more; she is running as smoothly as ever. I can certainly empathise with the odd near disaster. Mine are due to being an untidy worker which sees me ending up working in a very limited space so I’m my own worst enemy in this respect.

Btw: your absence was apparent. Welcome back!

Jon
 
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AllenM

Active Member
Hello James
A question, is the fright train running wrong line or is it a single line with a parallel siding? I could not make out from the film.
However a lovely model of the railway in the landscape.
Regards
Allen
 
James Spooner

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
AllenM said:
Hello James
A question, is the fright train running wrong line or is it a single line with a parallel siding? I could not make out from the film.
However a lovely model of the railway in the landscape.
Regards
Allen
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Hi Allen,

Elmham Market is on a single line so the other track is the siding freight trains were reversed into before shunting.

Nigel
 
James Spooner

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
The work of glazing has now started. I have decided to shape the end glazing units to fit the apertures as the 3D print is just a little too thick to be realistic. For the sides I think I will glue glazing behind the etches (I really can’t face the thought of trying to cut small glazing units to fit the ventilators!). The first window has been cut and placed in position (but not glued yet). I’m wondering whether to detail the inside of the cab before fixing the glazing in place as it does look a little bare…

Nigel

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Dave Holt

Dave Holt

Western Thunderer
You've got an excellent fit with the front windows, Nigel. They look really good.
I think you're right that the control desk needs some representation of the various controls as it does look rather bare and is quite visib;e.
Dave.
 
James Spooner

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
Dave Holt said:
You've got an excellent fit with the front windows, Nigel. They look really good.
I think you're right that the control desk needs some representation of the various controls as it does look rather bare and is quite visib;e.
Dave.
Click to expand...
Thanks Dave and yes I’m looking for some photos of the control desk to detail it.

Nigel
 
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