Two Sister's Farm

[broadoak]

Thank you for your interest Cheshire Lines it is appreciated.

Kind Regards Peter M

[broadoak]

I did the Hemel Hempsted club show at Leverstock green one day and thoroughly enjoyed it, the weather was good with a steady flow of visitors all day. There was a selection of different layouts in various scales so there was something for everyone to enjoy.
I didn't take my camera but I took a few pictures of the layout on the Friday before the show while checking it all worked, before loading it in the car.










Peter M

[broadoak]

Peter M

[broadoak]

I started work on a project I have been thinking about for some time now. I was given a Con-Cor switcher some time ago with a view to using the chassis. It runs superbly so I had to try to think up a suitable body for it.
In the end I decided to make a wooden bodied 2-4-2, cheating with the Bo-Bo chassis. The long side skirts will hide its real identity.
The back story is the device was one of the original locomotives used on the farm but has lain derelict in a barn for many years and has been resurrected as a project for a couple of apprentices to get working again. The lads in the workshop are known as Grunty Fen engineering.
I am making it up as I go along so am still not sure what it will look like when it is finished.



The Concor Chassis and motor with the drive to the right hand truck disconnected.



The basic plasicard shell during construction.



Grunty Fen Engineering have done a little more work on the wooden bodied shunter.
I have managed to give it opening doors with the aid of some real bodging.
The doors are hinged with a piece of rod passing through the top of the door frame and into the edge of the door itself. This was easy from the top with a small drill held in a pin vise. The bottom though could not be reached with the drill. So after a bit of a ponder I resorted to a hot dress maker's pin heated with a blow torch and held with a small pair of pliers. Crude but effective.
I still have some controls in the cab and a roof to add.
The driver faces outwards and can then see both ways without leaving his seat.
The photographs were taken on my test track.
 
Peter M

[broadoak]

A bit more progress with the final paint scheme and some work stained weathering.
I am tempted to leave it at this stage as I think it is all too easy to overdo it.
It is after all a device that is supposed to be in daily use.

I have yet to fit the roof and this will be covered with a fabric effect. As is the roof to the store at the back of the cab with an access door on the near side where the fuel filler is situated. Then a few bits of rope and chain and a re-railing jack, KD's at each end to finish it off.

Peter M

[Bandit Mick]

Stop sending in all these photos - it’s making me want to sell my oo stuff and start again!

[broadoak]

Don't do that Mick, I'm sure you would regret it.
It is always possible if you have room, to have a dabble at something like Two Sisters at the same time as your are working on your main layout.

Best wishes Peter M

[broadoak]

This shows the primed roof covering with kitchen towel which will be trimmed to fit then painted a dirty black colour.
Then a general touching up around the edges of the roof.
 










A few photos of the device at work in the yard.

Peter M

[Bandit Mick]

It’s all beyond my skills. I’ve just joined the local knitting circle!

[broadoak]

I can't help you with the knitting, I have never knitted anything.
You could get a second hand Smokey joe as a basis and make a body in plasticard, a diesel is best to start.
You have to decide what scale the model is going to be, standard or narrow gauge. If narrow gauge using OO track 7mm scale could be the way to go. You can get kits in this size as well.
I would get your lovely OO gauge finished first though.

Kind regards Peter M