Precision engineering

 Another post from the being at home collection.

Today I did another small job on the Johnston. The center wheel on the loco needs to be smaller as on the real thing its actually the jackshaft drive.

Now given the complete lack of anything other than a power drill for turning round objets, the wheel assembly was split and chucked up. I then clamped the drill between my knees, squeezed to fire it up and then went carefully with the file.

One side done

Both sides done

 

The wheelset was then installed back in the chassis

Should do the job. Unforunately due to the design there was only enough traction tire whels to do one wheelset. on the other hand there were several later Johnston locos which were 0-6-0's ( including a tank loco I think) in case I want to make another one.

Ds part III-ish

 Some time off this week (enforced unfortunately, running repairs to the sausage casing) has eventually allowed me to do a bit more work on the Ds. Wle waiting from wheels and motors to turn up I've been haing a look at the collection of photos I've assembled off the wibbly wobbly woo. One thing that has become obvious to me is that theres a bit more under the skirts that has been provided for with the package of RP parts.

 

As we can see theres a whole stack of springing thats missing from the frames. The counterweights in the kit are also completely the wrong shape but thats for another day.

A quick hunt through the bits boxes threw up some brass square tube. Out with the files and saw and we were away using the accurate mk1 eyeball for measurement.

The frame was then marked out with an aproximation of where the spring dodads should go

 

It was then just a simple case threading some wire throught the holes and a bit of soldering.

I've left the wires long and I'll cut them to lenght when the wheels are in the frame and the frame spacers are soldered in. A bit big (probably would have worked for HO scale) but they will do.

And what does the inner finescaler think? I dunno. I haven't heard from him since I refused to paint the correct unit collars and cuffs on 6mm Napoleonic figures last year during the first lockdown.