june newsletter

[AshleyW]

june newsletter is being proof read and hope to be in print in a week or two, had a holiday since may deadline, hope to be on time with others, ashley

[AshleyW]

being printed now. ashley

[IanT]

Well done Ashley - I'm sure it will get easier!   
 
Look forward to getting my copy.

Regards,


IanT

[Traininvain]

June 2019 Newsletter looks really good Ashley, well done and many thanks.

I think you're going to make an excellent Editor and hope you get lots of support from the Membership.

cheers

Ian

[John Branch]

Postie delivered the newsletter this morning-great stuff.  Will do my best to get you some copy over the next month or so.
Thanks, Ashley

[AshleyW]

thanks guys. any more articles please.
i am into the autumn newsletter already and used up all my library of articles in that issue.
i have a small article from cliff and hope to get one from robert miller,so get something in if you can, if you do it's very likley to make the december issue.
next time i have managed to work out,how to reduce the margin around the edge of the text,as that was a little big and will also increase the text on the front page.
please bear with me, it only takes a mistaken touch while tapping away and pages are swapped all over and you have to revert to the previous saved version and start again !
hope i can keep enjoying doing it.
had a great deal of help from ted formatting photos to top quality and also moving apges around. i may be able to fly solo next time 95% anyway. cheers, ash

[492]

Got my Newsletter yesterday and enjoying reading it Ashley. Really impressed that such a complicated change over has been managed so well.

I have started drafting my article with Garry's help for the technical parts. Just need to sort out some reproducible photos.

Robert. 492.

[Jon Nazareth]

An excellent issue, Ashley, thank you. 
Talking of articles, did you get any more from Nick Baines on the building of his Adams LSWR 4-4-0 locomotive?

Jon

[MikeWilliams]

Well done Ashley, a great start.  I always feel difficult writing about my own products - its a sort of free advert - so try to restrict myself to things other than Williams Models, which restricts the subject somewhat!

Mike

[Nick]

... did you get any more from Nick Baines on the building of his Adams LSWR 4-4-0 locomotive?

No, he didn't, and that's my fault. I had every intention of writing a third part, but got sidetracked for several reasons.

First, I realised there was a lot I still didn't know about running a model steam loco, and I bought a Kingscale 4MT mainly to gain some experience. It's proved very difficult to get it running at all, because the condensate won't clear the cylinders properly (the automatic drain cocks are soldered in and I can't do anything about them) and because I suspect the valve timing is a bit off (but I can't check it without a complete strip down which would then need a repaint). Cliff Barker was very helpful and it is working better now, but at one point it did cause me to wonder if running a live steam loco was what I really wanted to do.

Second, the T3 project has stalled. I completed most of the rods and valve gear, but I'm still trying to figure out how to make a working cylinder that looks like the prototype. Particularly how to attach the end covers and piston rod gland without lots of overscale bolt heads on show, and what to do about the drain cocks. The 4MT experience convinced me that I needed manually operated drain cocks. I read somewhere that with slide valves you don't need them at all because the condensate can be ejected through the exhaust. That has not been my experience but maybe someone can shed some light? I can't scale down the prototype drain cocks because they would be much too small to actuate, so I have to figure out another way to do it that won't be visible.

Or I could just acknowledge that live steam and an exact-scale model are not compatible with each other and make it electric instead? At least it would be a lot more controllable. Any views out there?

And finally, I took on a couple more O gauge locos which are also keeping me busy while I work out my G3 problems.

Jon, I do appreciate your interest. I never intended to fill the G3S Newsletter with a build diary - it wouldn't be appropriate - but if you want to know the latest, check out www.nickbaines.me.uk.

Nick

[MikeWilliams]

Nick,

I am not experienced at live steam, but I have observed it a great deal and am learning fast.  Many of the locos are not to the level of detail seen on some electric locos, but that is not always the case.  Look for work by Jamie Page for inspiration.

Your problem with outside cylinders is a good point and I've only used inside cylinders to date, with a dummy detailed cover over the front which might be difficult with outside cylinders.

There are also comments from time to time about steam lines being racetracks, but that too is not always the case.  Yes, if live steam runs away the results can be spectacular, but I have also seen live steam running at a stead 20-30mph with a goods train, or a little more with a train of older carriages and the effect is superb.  It must be remembered that even some of the electric models seen on youtube look to be doing 150mph.

Finally, one of my favourite spots is to squat beside the line at Ampthill just after the girder bridge, maybe six inches from the track.  A train starting at the station gradually gathers speed and you can actually feel it and hear it approaching and then feel the heat as it passes.  You don't get that with electric.  But I do see advantages in both - just depends what you want to do with your engine.

Here is a link to one of Jamie's projects:
https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/index.php?threads/g3-0-4-4t-project-based.5523/page-6

If you are on facebook, Chas Mortimer is doing some superbly detailed work on an S180 loco which is also inspirational.

And look out for pictures of some of Mike Pavie's engines, like the Royal Scot on the cover of the latest Newsletter.

Mike

[Andy B]

Nick,
For scale steam, have a look also for locos by Chris Tolhurst (TME) - superb locos, used to be mainly SM32 but he did a batch of S15's in 1/32 scale a couple of years ago and is currently leading the build of a pair of Adams T3's.

Andy

[MikeWilliams]

Blimey, they look superb Andy.  I'd be afraid to steam it and can you really grab that regulator handle as it passes at speed?  Just for comparison do you know what those S15s cost?

[Andy B]

Mike,
Best clue I've found to answer your question:
https://thestationmastersrooms.co.uk/catalogue/product-details.aspx?id=SBRAY&t=Gauge+1+TME+Tolhurst+Model+Engineers+N15+King+Arthur+Class+BR+%22Excalibur%22+30736+Live+Steam
Andy

[MikeWilliams]

Thanks Andy.  A lot of money but not at all unreasonable for the work and detail involved.

Mike