March 2022 Meeting

From Pete King Guest Editor (thanks for standing in Pete). Always nice to have another viewpoint from within the group.

The previous users of the room kindly left out a table and chairs for us to work on but in the end The Yard remained slumbering in its storage area. It was decided that next month we would bring along the necessary materials and push on with the remaining ballasting.

 

 

David brought his latest toys along to show us and left, at least your blogger, in awe of his excellent craftmanship in loco building.

David has modified a Farish Class 31/1 by removing the head code roof boxes, adding details such as head code discs and repainting as they would have appeared at Stratford Depot complete with “Stratford Bull” around the buffers and pipe work. This work effectively makes it Class 31/0 which is their original form.

The other loco David showed us was a scratchbuilt Class 15. This loco has quite complex roof end shapes as can be seen in the photos. The body is mostly solid brass machined internally with scribed side panels. Underneath is a solid brass chassis. David explained that this loco is an “as and when” job which he works on from time to time

Alan brought along a bag of 10mm loco wheels for Keith to put through the testing process so for any one waiting on this size, they are in the pipeline! 

 

He also showed us some photos of the latest track laying developments on Evercreech Junction. As can be seen this is a mammoth project and, even in its unfinished state, will be quite impressive to see at the Jubilee bash in June.

‘I’m proud to be called a nerd!’ Guardian Wed 23 Mar 2022

There is more in the article - Click here to read 

Next meeting Sunday 10 April 2022

February 2022 Meeting

We were few this month, although restrictons appeared to be easing, or maybe it was just February. Perhaps we had got too used to zoom!

Our conversation rambled around ideas for the future - over cups of tea, of course. There are three major issues that we are mostly thinking about; the first being that we are now few in regular numbers and would welcome anyone who would like to help us operate Lightermans Yard at exhibitions and at our monthly home meetings too. Secondly we would like to share our 2mm expertise by organising regular mini workshops to help members, old and new, develop their own layouts and contribute to a possible new collective layout. The third issue is the question of a new layout. Whilst we still have finishing touches to make to Lightermans Yard, there are ongoing projects to contribute to. This blog has previously touched on two layouts in progress; Evercreech Junction and Brixham. Planning and building a new layout will provide a new and exciting focus for the group.

February's discussion touched on thoughts around the provision of 'drop-in' wheel sets for Dapol diesel units. especially as the wheel turning service is currently not available. We may return to this later.

Apologies for the lack of illustrations for this entry. We will have more to say and see later in the spring!

 

Next meeting; 13 March 

  

  

January 2022 Meeting

Apologies for this late posting for January and a guarded welcome to 2022 as we cautiously proceed towards a hopefully post-Covid world. At least we have now managed three face to face meetings and an exhibition at points when there was some easing of restrictions. 

As this blog testifies, we kept our regular monthly meetings virtualy via Zoom, with moderate success. Allthough restricted to 40 minutes, our online meetings were focused, useful and informative. 

As mentioned we have managed 3 face-to-face meetings, November and December 2021 and this report, the first of 2022. We delivered Lightermans Yard back to its home. We have managed some restorative surgery resulting from off-home base storage, mainly electrics and track, as mentioned in December blog.

  Now to the New Year. At this meeting we discussed 'quartering', in this case applied to the conversion of a 0-6-0 Terrier tank engine to 2mm finescale. We had reached the point where the chassis had been built and the motor and footplate made sourced. The gear set to the drive wheels required the correct gears and motor attached and quartered. The photograph shows a pair of Association driving wheels, the chassis, the Terrior footplate and the motor.

Results of the discussion arround the Association quatering jig (thanks to Alan, Pete and Keith)

 

Further discussions were about our plans for the coming year (and beyond). One discussion thread was the suggestion that we should have more workshop style meetings, or bring examples of sucessful projects and practical demonstrations. We also should be thinking about 'after the 'Yard'.

 

As mentioned by Howard last month. Now available from Amazon Books (cheaper than directly from the publisher). It's a collection of N/2mm experience, looks really useful and encouraging.

 

Next meeting Sunday 13 February

December 2021 Meeting

Much to our relief Lightermans Yard is safely back at its home base having spent too long split up into car loads having been on the road, and then in different storage locations. Not that the team were inactive, we maintained monthly contact via Zoom as previous blog postings will testif.

Our most urgent task was to find out why, after a perfect set-up, we had operational problems on the day at the Portsmouth show last month. These were mostly track feed issues causing frequent stopping dispite track, stay-alive and loco wheel cleaning.

On reflection, and there's been plenty of time for that, is that we are a small group - sometimes very stretched at exhibitions, and we would welcome  anyone interested in operating 2mm fine scale model trains, to come and join us. (conact Pete King: kingpete47@hotmail.co.uk).

We are also begining to think beyond Lightermans Yard, which has been a great and popular success at exhibitions. Perhaps now is the time to start thinking about building another 2mm scale layout?

The 'Yard' works because it can always be active with plenty of train movements; from arrivals to shunting and train formations to be picked up by refreshed locos. There can always be train activity even if we have to occasionally encourage an engine. Our focus this month was to try and establish why we had apparent problems with the layout. The only way to find out is to set up and run! 

After some searching, an orphed wire appeared to solve our electrical problem, once reattached.

 

Recently announced the first of the new 2mm finescale point kits are now in 2mm Assocation Shop 1.

Alan has had a major hand in developing these kits with Finetrax. His comments are here; The base is a 3d print in resin. All the rails slide into chairs on the base.
The crossing and switch rails are pre machined with no further work required other than trimming to length.
The tie bar is another 3d print that takes the ends of the switch rails.  Locating pins and plates
Pre soldered to the rails locate in position.
The only other job required by the builder is to attach electrical feed wires.
Upon testing rolling stock passed through without hesitation.
The best  thing since sliced bread?
You bet.

 

Currently the first kits available in the Association Shop 1 are right and left hand B7, (1-455 RH B7 and 1-456 LH B7 - priced at £19.00 each - illustrated instructions. 

crossing detail below

Howard noted that Lightermans Yard gets a mention in Noel Leaver's new book "Advanced Modelling in N gauge" (and a photograph) on page 70 - Osbornsmodels)

Reflection on the past year(s) - mince pies and tea! Next meeting Sunday, 9th January 2022. 

Meeting Room. rear of St Michael & All Angels. Church Hill, Wilmington, Dartford, Kent DA2 7EH

November 2021 'Back on Track'

The meeting at our home base this month was occupied by ensuring the layout was ready to be transported yet again. October's gremlins appeared to be just that. The layout worked well in readiness for its visit to the one-day South Hants MRC exhibition at Portsmouth on Saturday 20 November which was well attended by both exhibitors and the public. There was a definate feeling of relief and sense of enjoyment at being let out, and good layouts too.

 However, despite a faultless setting up on Friday, when it came to show time on Saturday, some sections of the track and some of the points decided to render themselves 'dead'. We struggled on with all too frequent nudges and interventions from above. Never the less there was much aprecation from 'those out front', the visitors.

Alan and Pete enjoy a moment of trouble free shunting.

Apart from Lightermans Yard and Ropley, the 2mm Association was well represented at this show, Jerry Clifford fronted for the Association as well as demonstrating William Smith's Wharf (above) that can be joined to his Tucking Mill layout.

The frst layout confronting exhibition visitors was an intreaguing 4mm hexagonal layout operated from the open centre. Cooper Wort (below) represents the brewing industry in Burton on Trent in the early 1900s.

Back to Lightermans Yard; A view of the transverser and the loco of the month the unpainted 3F by Keith for the S&D layout that he and Alan are working on.

Next meeting 12 December 2021

October 2021 Meeting

Two things to celebrate this month. As people we are back together, and Lightermans Yard is also back, the two parts returned from their temporary storage with Pete K and Richard, having been caught on the 'road' by the pandemic. Thanks to Alan for transporting one half of the layout across London twice.

Our main aim of this month's meeting was to set the layout up and check that the electrics were functioning. The track also required cleaning and the points tested from the control panel. Two locomotives ran briefly before a fault was indicated. Mysteriously, the panel light continued to be on even when everything was disconnected. Much was discussed but no solution found by the close. This is made a solution urgent for the next meeting as it would be the last opportunity before our due appearance at the Portsmouth show on 20 November. The search for a solution continues. 

 

Alan showed progress on track work for Evercreech Junction. 

The images are of ECJ boards 3 & 4 showing the up and down main lines with point work for the entrance to the station goods yard, previously shown on the blog. Further point work provides cross overs to the central siding and allows assisting locomotives to come onto the front of north bound trains for the ascent over the Mendips.
The centre siding was also used for temporary storage of local passenger trains on the branch service. Much of the above is well documented in various S&D publications.
As can be seen to the left of the running lines is the UP goods yard. At Evercreech junction all goods trains were scheduled to stop and shunting between the Up and Down goods yards was ongoing twenty four hours a day. The main shunting loco was provided by Temple Coombe shed on a daily basis but other engines were also borrowed for additional shunting moves. The capacity of this yard according to my dodgy calculations is 189 wagons. The lower down yard also holding a similar quantity. So there is still a lot to do in the wagon building program.

Loco of the month is the chasis (below) Alan has kindly built for Richard's 0-4-0 Peckett intended for his shipyard cameo.

September 2021 Meeting

This month marks the beginning of something, at least that's what we are hoping for the return to face-to-face meetings. Tentative first steps were taken in that a few ventured to our normal meeting hall in Dartford. Partly because of travel distance and other commitments we decided to hold a Zoom meeting as a mid week catchup. 

Alan reported on the 'live meeting';

Just a quick resume of todays meeting. We have probably guessed that the headcount from the 2mm side was going to be low as many of us had prior commitments, However this did give a good opportunity to talk more with the N gauge group.

 

They too were low in numbers but overall it seemed that all were keen to 'get back to normal'.

I took along the 3D printed turnout from Finetrax to show how easily a point could be assembled and how good it looked once finished. The N gauge members were impressed too commenting on how much better it looked than the standard N gauge track.

Finetrax B6 Turnout, bullhead code 40, N guage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Various discussions were had and one subject was using Arduino boards to control servos. Apparently these are very easy to set up and very cost effective compared to other options. Although I am a complete numskull when it comes to electronics the system seemed to have a lot to offer.

 

Some of the N gauge group had taken delivery of some new locos the EFE Clayton and the Sonic models 56XX, although none had samples to show it seemed they were well received the 56xx from Sonic being described as first class.

 

We can discuss more detail on Wednesday's zoom meeting. David has offered help with collecting the layout from Richard. But again we can discuss this in more detail before the next meeting.

 

Apart from Alan's report, There was general discussion at Wednesday's Zoom meeting.

 

Richard showed some images from a couple of trips out into the country and one in town.

Bala Lake Railway (Snowdonia). The current 2ft narrow gauge Bala Lake Railway is built on a section of the former standard-gauge GWR Ruabon - Barmouth Junction route. At the core of that route is the railway between Bala and Dolgellau, which was built by the Bala and Dolgelley Railway Company (they used the English spelling for the latter place), and opened in August 1868. A project to construct the extension of the Bala Lake Railway to Bala Town Station is underway.

 

Another encounter with full-size steam at Toddington on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway. Merchant Navy Class, Peninsular and Orient (without it's streamlining).
 

Locomotive of the month has to be the spledid model of Joseph Clement's Fire Fly - 1838 - on to show at Tate Britain in conjunction with William Turner's painting 'Rain, steam and speed - the Great Western Railway' 1844.

 

Shown here with Turner's 1844 painting of Fire Fly in action.