Or as it used to be on the old UKModel railways forum 20 odd years ago... On My Work Bench. so, aside from the 3D designs, yes, I’m still modelling.. so what am I up to? well... first up is a refurbishment.. storm damage from Ciara - my street name board which I designed and 3D printed at home. sadly it didn’t like the winds and pulled the raw plugs out the wall. Wife found it on the floor... bit of glue and a touch up and good as new (it’s simply broke the old bonding so very little damage caused) next up was to modify one of my existing 3D models, although now I’ve done it there are other issues that have appeared to rectify at a later date. To be honest, the pricing is getting stupid with some companies so I’m just saving files in hope one day something else comes along... this was one of my first “big” builds - Leek Brook Junction. Now it’s gone through a few different changes, mainly to the porch and the stairs. here is the real thing as photographed by my friend Nick Allsop. Notice the plywood porch and “landing” on the stairs. And the model... this was how it was when closed in 1988. before that, it had a traditional NSR porch and roof and a straight stair case. sorry I don’t know who this photo belongs to... And recreated. next up is some loco resurrection - a Mainline (boxed as Dapol) LMS 4-4-0 2P. surprising, after 20 odd years in the box, it ran and it ran well, and only 1 traction tyre has shown any sign of perishing. Looking at fitting a DCC decoder to this loco soon. another Dapol loco for repair was my Mainline class 58. It was modified years ago to DCC and fitted with a four function decoder and Express models lighting kit, but when I came to try and run it a few weeks ago.... nothing. Lights worked but nothing on the motor. Disconnected the Decoder and tested the motor of DC last night and ran smooth... so reconnected the decoder and stuck it on the program track again. Did a full reset and now it’s working!! well, that’s it for now. The engine shed is still ongoing. Been looking for lights. And still the speaker to change (again) for the class 08 decoder. TTFN
And as a follow up, here is the box in model form. the painted building is one I did a few years ago of the station building. (Printed via Shapeways) I’ve just done my own first print of it.
Hi Andy Great models I know it will take longer, but have you thought of printing the signal box base and windows as one unit, the base will then support / anchour the window sills, add a few removable cross braces (and some permanent ones below floor level to full supprt the cabin floor and keep the walls square). Paul
Hi Paul. Not sure. Not thought about it. It may restrict putting the floor in and make painting a little harder. Worth looking in to though? Andy
Well this became the first model to be dispatched by Northern Bridge 3D Models that has been home printed. This is Leek Brook Junction and will be winging its way to Stoke tomorrow morning to become part of an OO model of the location it is based on. I’m looking forward to some “in situe” photos. There is actually a 40 lever frame in there too.. but I forgot to photo that. Also there is the station building which I still have to photo. andy
a thing of beauty, if anything from the Owd Knotty can be called a thing of beauty - ouch I felt that kick Paul
Well,I have 2 more versions of this box to do, as the stairs and the porch varied - This one is perhaps the least pretty version, so we shall see... I'll post them to the right thread next time too.
It’s been a whilst since i did an On My Work Bench post, so we will have a small recap since the last one.. first up was some of the PAA hopper tops to convert the PGA aggregate wagon to the covered sand wagon. These included ends, tops, handbrake wheels and the lower pneumatic rams for opening the discharge doors. Following that i had worked on producing the Suggs gas lamps with working LED’s for Yorkies Leek station project. although my painted version differed in having a pipe above to cover the power wires, Yorkie has not gone this route and used part of the longer LED prongs to mimic the gas feed pipes. (Not that either could really be seen under canopy unless you had your ears at track level ! I was then tasked to recreate the NSR stoves that feature within the station buildings. There is a large and small version as shown here. the water column for the north end of the platform. Followed by a fire brazier to go under it in cold weather to stop the water freezing! meanwhile I’ve been doing a few bits for myself in between. one of those bits was painting my O gauge Cheddleton signal box which I had printed a few months earlier (I still need to return to finish the Leek box) and finally, one still on the drawing board!! This Is Milton Junction. it’s a McKenzie and Holland box (similar to a GWR design) but again on the North staffs. this is a customer request in 4mm. Still has rear windows to knock out and fit, locking room door to fit and then Roof slates. So we’re not far off. That’s all for now.. Andy
Had a slight accident when working on the Leek signalbox operating floor. Some how managed to knock two levers off the frame! With luck, I did print the frame with the levers separate before settling on this one, so I have another 38 levers spare to replace these missing two. One spare white lever and a brown lever missing. Andy