Garden Railway Forum

So following Aaron's lead, the frames were drilled with the dozens of No. 57 holes which are a fit for the escutcheon pins I use for small rivets. I also wanted to avoid the two large bolts fixing the front drag beam to the frames, so two 3mm countersunk brass set screws were turned up and soldered ...

Doing a bit of pruning down on the sawmill spur and noticed this little fella. He got a bit agitated after a while and opened
his bright violet coloured wings. Grant.

You've got yourself a nice long run there, nice clean work. Waiting to see what happens with the widened section at the front.
Grant.
PS Ah! didn't see the last pic.

Thanks Phil, the pressure doesn't come into it as the punch is pressing the metal into a sized depression so when you hit bottom you're there.
Grant.

Hi Aaron, The blueprint does show the step. Big difference in height between cab floor and tender, fall plate would be running downhill. Screenshot (783).png Just as a heads up on etched rivets, I set mine up on the line inside only to find when looking at the outside they were a little out of line ...

A certain Mr. H. Robinson recently stopped by my workshop. This affair was required to adapt my rivet press vitals to be able to get inside the Fowler tender and add the extra rivets between those already etched in but too far apart for a water holding tank. I know it looks Heath Robinson but it wor...

Wow!! you sure like throwing yourself in at the deep end Andrew with the lining. Beautiful work.
Grant.

Nice work Keith, glad to see you moved the lubricator out of the doorway, don't know why Roundhouse like putting them there. My first attempt was to hide it with a figure, Railway Folk 015.jpg After that I just re-sight them. Interesting about them supplying one with longer piping, could have done w...

Probably an ex deceased estate maybe and the family just put it up for sale. Lucky find though.
Grant.

Hard to believe they're working locos, they are so clean. Look like they have just come out of a museum.
Grant.

I'm sure that would beat my tired old machine, hands down Phil. On the Fowler build, I was unhappy with the white metal frame casting provided. Apart from not liking white metal for something structural, the mold Roundhouse use is obviously well past its use by date, and according to the blueprints ...

Sorry about this. I just posted an answer to Peter's comment but it didn't load. So, another cupee doll to Peter, it is the flexible gas connection between engine and tender. I'm building a Roundhouse Fowler and don't want the gas tank perched up in the roof of the cab. I'm using a bigger gas tank i...

This Item caused much deep thought, consultation with experts Gordon Watson and GTB of this forum, and several mudmaps on various scraps of paper. Very happy with how this turned out, and tested OK too.
And it is ???
Grant.

Well this Pic. really gives the game away. I wanted a boiler gauge glass that really worked. I did have some theories but the first iteration worked, so I didn't continue. I've made the upper passages as large as I could (all 3/16th diam.) but I think the main point is the blow down. On several stea...

An "ear" raising ride for Gromit!
Grant.

Twenty eight hand filed (in a jig) nuts from 3/32" brass rod. I've said before "you don't have to be mad, but it helps" To decorate the valve chest covers. Grant.

Correct on both counts. Actually there is a red and black aspect to this as this pic shows :lol: . The device applied to the loco showing the "drains" under the cylinders (not giving the identity of the loco yet, though those in the know might guess). Simulated Draincock Device 2.JPG Grant.

I'll have to give you the cupee doll for that Drew. Yes with the piston in the forward position the cylinders exhaust up the stack, the rear position directs it to two outlets facing forward under the cylinders to represent cylinder drains. It's actually a design from a sadly passed friend Jock D he...

Sorry Rik, no cupee doll for you.
Grant.

OK I'm putting a new loco together as hinted to recently. I would like to include all the features I have wanted, but due to my impatience with previous builds have not included.
So time for a guessing game! The first fitting.
Grant.