Southwold Sharpie scratch-bodge

[ge_rik]

I've been promising myself that one day I would bodge myself a Southwold Sharpie - that time has come.

It all started with an 0-4-0 Playmobil motor block which had wheels and wheel spacings about the right size for 16mm scale. This was de-pick-upped, hacked about a bit and a couple of brackets added....

The main sections of the body were then put together from 2mm (80 thou) plasticard

The boiler was shaped in boiling water from a couple of laminations of 1.5mm (60 thou) plasticard using a water pipe as a former

The leading and trailing bogies were provided by Tenmille spoked wheels, the right diameter, but not the right number of spokes unfortunately.

Copper pipe fittings were almost exactly the right size (0.5mm too small) for the cylinders. Some brass sheet, brass angle and brass tube were knocked together

with some plasticard overlays and something resembling the motion was put together.

Cosmetic overlays using Woderick's patented method of embossing rivets were then applied to the bodywork,

Boilerbands and fittings from GRS were then applied to the boiler (plus some lead weight from lead flashing)

Then the electrics were added (12v Chinese blue Li-ion and Deltang receiver/controller) and a few test-runs were held yesterday

A fair bit still to do (cab roof, boiler mountings, tank fillers, handrails, couplings, sub-chassis assemblies such as cab steps, etc etc etc) but she runs very smoothly.

More detail on my blog - http://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/how-i-constructed-southwold-railway.html < Link To http://riksrailway.blogsp...old-railway.html - and will post more when she's further on - but hopefully she gives a feel for the original.

Rik

 

[playmofire]

And she looks very smart, too. And thanks for the step-by-step photos, very interesting, especially how you made the boiler.

 

[trammayo]

Nice job

 

[owlpool]

looking good
like the cylinder detail

 

[ge_rik]

looking good
like the cylinder detail

Thanks - several compromises here though. To give the leading bogie enough room to swing round R1 curves (not entirely eliminated these on my railway yet) I had to sit the cylinders further forward and further out than the originals.

Hopefully, it's not too glaringly obvious

Rik

 

[tramcar trev]

Looking good.................. which reminds me, I need more MEK....you can get the MEK liquid adhesive at 500ml for £7 post free on Google...last a lifetime in a glass bottle (they send it in a poly job).

Never looked for MEK, I got some of the stuff with lemon essence in it... Not as good as MEK or Chloroform though.... Novocaineis available if you want to numb anything before you cut it...

 

[tramcar trev]

looking good
like the cylinder detail

Thanks - several compromises here though. To give the leading bogie enough room to swing round R1 curves (not entirely eliminated these on my railway yet) I had to sit the cylinders further forward and further out than the originals.

Hopefully, it's not too glaringly obvious

Rik

That is a super Job....

 

[owlpool]

looking good
like the cylinder detail

Thanks - several compromises here though. To give the leading bogie enough room to swing round R1 curves (not entirely eliminated these on my railway yet) I had to sit the cylinders further forward and further out than the originals.
Hopefully, it's not too glaringly obvious

Rik

That is a super Job....

looks great
like the spacers for gauge setting on the pony truck too

 

[ge_rik]

Looking good.................. which reminds me, I need more MEK....you can get the MEK liquid adhesive at 500ml for £7 post free on Google...last a lifetime in a glass bottle (they send it in a poly job).

Is this the stuff you use?

http://www.cityirrigation.co.uk/acatalog/PVC-Cleaner-MEK-500ml-ADCL_500.html < Link To http://www.cityirrigation...EK-500ml-ADCL_500.html

Rik

 

[garrymartin]

That's looking very convincing How did you hold the narrow "strip" in the corners of the cab while the glue worked may I ask I may ask?

 

[ge_rik]

That's looking very convincing How did you hold the narrow "strip" in the corners of the cab while the glue worked may I ask I may ask?

Thanks Garry
A combination of fingers and the curved side of a wooden pencil - though you have to make sure the covering on the pencil is not soluble by the adhesive (on an earlier model the red paint off a pencil smeared itself everywhere!).

One reason for using a decent MEK based solvent is that it grabs quite quickly and also I've found other solvents can make thin strips of styrene brittle whereas MEK doesn't.

Rik

 

[garrymartin]

Ahhh! Yes I tried a pencil but forgot to consider the paint and I ended up in a tangle , the paint coming off and bringing the wood behind it with it :wits: My fingers always seem end up stuck too no matter how little I try and use . I will select my pencil with more care and try again.
Thanks.

 

[ge_rik]

Ahhh! Yes I tried a pencil but forgot to consider the paint and I ended up in a tangle , the paint coming off and bringing the wood behind it with it :wits: My fingers always seem end up stuck too no matter how little I try and use . I will select my pencil with more care and try again.
Thanks.

I tend to start in the middle and work my way out towards the ends of the run. That way I can trim the ends to fit. I also tend to do a short section (no more than about 2cm) at a time. That way, I'm not trying to hold several bits in place at the same time. I've reached the stage where I quite look forward to doing the beading around the edges now.

Rik

 

[3Valve]

Now this is looking really good already.

Had to read the thread title twice, thought it said "scratch bogie". Was reading through the thread wondering where the bogie came into it. Should have put my specs on I know.

 

[ge_rik]

A few more developments. Now completed the cab roof, spectacle surrounds, tank fillers, buffer beam riveting, cab steps, handrail knobs (will add the handrails after painting), couplings and backhead detail. Took her out into the garden for a bit of test-running (I needed to see if the coupling heights were OK - well that was the excuse!).

Pressure gauge made from the end of a cheapo metal biro and much reduced photo of a real pressure gauge dial.

Backhead detail will fit the pressure gauge after painting. GRS are having a problem supplying whitemetal castings at present and so forced to make my own details. A sort-of representation of some of the fittings.

Testing the couplings going forwards (just noticed the swarf from the drilling for the handrail knobs on the chimney). Will fit the handrails after painting. Some filler needed beneath the chimney, dome and steam pipes (4mm earthing wire!). The piston rods will be trimmed down now I know the motion is in the right place.

Testing in reverse. I had to redo the rivets beside the cab doorway as they were in the wrong place. New set courtesy of Cambrian - as are the rivets on the buffer beams.

I was intending to give her the first coat of primer today, but it's now bucketing down with rain so will await fair weather - not a good idea to spray when the air is damp. Will post a few more pictures when she emerges from the paint-shop.

Rik

 

[GJFREESTONE]

Impressed up to now Rik.
Graham Shrewsbury

 

[vsmith]

 

[ge_rik]

A few shots of the Sharpie in Works Grey. I've infilled under the running plate where possible - I can't replicate the frames exactly as the original didn't seem to have been built for R1 curves and LGB style couplings for some reason

As you can see, some filling and a final rub-down is still needed in some places - just awaiting the hardening off of the primer

Rik

 

[Alpineandy]

ooh........... now that's looking good.............can't wait for the finished product..............

 

[ge_rik]

Thanks Andy. I think I'm gradually improving my scratch-bodging skills. I work on the same principle as Arabs - I include deliberate flaws in my construction because only God is perfect!

Rik