Entry posted by The Fatadder
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In the companion topic focusing on the construction of Brent, I recently touched upon the subject of the growing backlog of loco projects that is currently building up stored on one end of the fiddleyard. There are currently 8 locos in store on the layout, along with a couple of extras awaiting component orders (notably bodies for a 94xx and a 64xx which are awaiting High Level chassis, and the Finney and Mitchell kits for which the intended use is still tbc.)
Yesterday the focus was on resolving running issues with 3817 and rebranding the tender of 6027 to GWR.
Next in the queue is Eynsham Hall.
As has previously been mentioned, this is a Bachmann body / tender which I have adjusted to Post War livery, and is fitted to a Comet Chassis (for which I can take none of the credit given it was purchased from the late Geoff Brewin's estate and if I recall correctly was given the once over by Mr Wright to ensure it was in tip top running condition prior to sale.)
The first task at hand was to try and recover the windows, in a moment of stupidity I forgot to mask the windows prior to revarnishing it. Naturally that means they are now very cloudy, my solution was to apply a thick layer of Klear onto both sides of the glazing. This has had the desired effect and now there is a lot more transparency to the window.
In the longer term I intend to repaint the loco into Wartime black (given that Eynsham Hall was repainted black circa '44 and hadnt had another major works visit post war.) When this happens my plan is to plate over the windows to solve the problem permanently!)
Moving on to the real reason for digging the loco out, I want to introduce this loco into the testing routine. The logic being that as such a good runner, it should be ideally placed to differentiate between the route cause question as to whether it is the loco or the track). The problem is that the loco body is stuffed full of lead, so there is absolutely nowhere to put the decoder. There is however a loco to tender connection to link to the tender pickups, the inside of the tender has a massive amount of space (given there is no representation of the coal space). So the plan was simple, hard wire a decoder into the tender.
I started by connecting the track feed wires from the decoder (an old Lenz 1025 in this case) to the copperclad strip for the tender pickups. Next the motor wires were unsoldered from the loco pickup strips, the grey / orange wires were then threaded through a hole in the front of the tender chassis and soldered onto the loco.
Once put back together the loco was then given a good test, (and immediately highlighted a problem with the track on the door flap where the up main has a circa 1mm step.)6808
The rest of the evenings work was focused on finishing off a few more locos; 6027, 5029 and 4085 were all treated to a repaint of the lower black areas to remove the last remaining traces of the pre war lining.
Now off to Sevilla for the week, so not a lot more progress any time soon.
I still have a few more locos in the awaiting work queue:
4547 needs etched plates (yet to be commissioned), 7250 and 6808 are complete and need to be fitted with decoders. (As does Thomas and Percy)
5071 has an electrical issue, and needs investigation as to why the loco is not running post decoder install.
6013 still has some prewar lining to remove
5029 needs the Great crest Western replacing with G crest W on one side.
Finally 2846 needs a set of tender wheels, but is otherwise finished.
On top of that, there are the more involved projects.
5108 is probably the top of this list as it needs the least work. The slide bars were missing off the cylinders on purchase at a bargain price, i had planned to just buy a replacement set of cylinders for a few pounds and get it running. The downside is that none of the Hornby spares provides have this in stock, and on eBay they go for more than I paid for the hole loco! My plan is to fabricate the support bracket (either using some old etches left over from a 43xx or from brass strip), then add the slide bars. I have some etches, but not sure of their capability to be fitted to the Hornby cylinder or work with the Hornby cross head. Instead my current logic is to replicate the Hornby arrangement with square brass rod replacing the long lost plastic. Once that is complete the loco just needs new logos and a decoder (although it may yet join the black locos as I have still to find a 1947 photo to verify the colour.)
Beyond that are projects like the Saint and County which are much further away...
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