A Peckett from the Black Country: The Marshal

[doilum]

Coming on nicely. The only surviving inside cylinder Peckett in the UK is a larger X2 version, 'Ackton Hall' now at Foxfield and in the very early stages of restoration.

 

11698780_10205947326953759_3926668777465417590_o.jpg

Soon after arrival

 

17498510_10154592711552736_7256790983893132580_n.jpg

in the process of being stripped

 

17342532_10154592711722736_4124305415146479291_n.jpg

You think your smokebox is bad!

Just caught up with this build. Once I get 82004 done, Ackton Hall#3 may well be next years project to go with Hunslets Beatrice, Airedale and the 50550 S112.

[Adam]

Following from my last post, work has continued on the bodywork. The footplate and cab are matters of ongoing mucking about, but the tank and boiler is complete and was treated to a coat of primer over the weekend and a dose of Archer's rivets (Peckett being a great devotee of the mechanical fixing almost until the very end). In primer, the characteristic Bristolian outline is apparent and the thing is now in dry store until the rest of the loco' is done. I've also ordered some plates for the beast from Narrow Planet so the end is in sight, I hope.

 

 

I've noted (and eliminated) the bits of fluff. Note that the lubricator (behind the chimney) is now the correct way up. Thanks for pointing that out Mr Avonside.

 

Adam

Edited September 3, 2018 by Adam

[Adam]

From the depths of the workbench and with the aid of many tiny bits of tube the rest of the Peckett has emerged. There are still things to do, notably the sandboxes which, while easily the best castings in the kit, were the wrong shape/size...

 

 

Quite a lot of the tube generated the steam turret which is not bad and certainly good enough for the gloom of the late-Victorian cab. This same gloom is the reason why I shan't be doing all the accompanying pipework.

 

 

And in three-quarters, showing how the various components are hung off one another. You will see that even by my pedestrian standards, the soldering is less than tidy. I'll blacken it when I get home tonight and then think about painting. Lined green, I think.

 

Adam

 

[Down_Under]

Nice work Adam.

 

What couplings did you use - those supplied with the kit and filed to look more proto-typeee, or did you replace with lost wax castings, or another make? They look nice and beefy and more real than the usual single layer of etched brass with large hole for the chain

 

James

[Adam]

Nice work Adam.

 

What couplings did you use - those supplied with the kit and filed to look more proto-typeee, or did you replace with lost wax castings, or another make? They look nice and beefy and more real than the usual single layer of etched brass with large hole for the chain

 

James

 

 

Thanks James!

 

The couplings are a mix. At one end (not sure which), I've used the kit coupling hooks, laminated together and soldered, while at the other I've used some from AMBIS. In each case, I've dressed the edges with a file before installation. I'm sure I've seen lost-wax hooks in 4mm, but cannot recall who makes them. Both Gibson and Brassmasters make lost-wax screw coupling sets, I think.

 

The shackle type top link is a spare from an etch of Masokits screw couplings (they come with a pair of 'short' links and one long one - I always use a long and a short so there are loads of short links left over). These spares are really useful.

 

Adam

[Adam]

Little steps - I've applied paint. As a small loco, it's easy to brush paint the thing. I'm aiming for a standard later Peckett scheme - in my world, this machine was reboilered by the makers and treated to a repaint at the same time: a nice darkish green with black and yellow lining, a bit like Fola at West Thurrock: https://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains/British-Industrial-Systems/i-cCp9hdW/A

 

 

There's quite a lot of lining so don't hold your breath...

 

Adam

 

 

 

 

[moore43grm]

Little steps - I've applied paint. As a small loco, it's easy to brush paint the thing. I'm aiming for a standard later Peckett scheme - in my world, this machine was reboilered by the makers and treated to a repaint at the same time: a nice darkish green with black and yellow lining, a bit like Fola at West Thurrock: https://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains/British-Industrial-Systems/i-cCp9hdW/A

 

Peckett_029.gif

 

There's quite a lot of lining so don't hold your breath...

 

Adam

  is this close up of use ?

 

Russ M

[Adam]

Thank you - yes it is; it shows the relative thickness of the black line quite clearly which is a bit of a challenge when using lining transfers. I have some thoughts about this, but I'll have to see whether they work first...

 

Adam

[Adam]

So, most of a sheet of Fox yellow-black-yellow lining (the N gauge version - I'll need another sheet to finish the job) later and...

 

 

And now the sun's coming up and before I start the day's editorial work, the edges have been touched in (per DLT's efforts in 7mm):

 

 

I can see that there's the odd spot where I need to tidy up/add another coat but that's not too bad at all. Once that's done, I'll have to add the lining inside the panels as the current condition is more Pendre than Peckett.

 

Adam

Edited September 16, 2018 by Adam

[Adam]

After quite an interlude:

 

 

It may appear closer to completion than it is; the rear wheelset is scrap (entirely my fault; I've given one of the wheels an incurable wobble) so a new one is on the way from Gibson. The lining was a bit of a saga: within the panels this is the same Fox yellow/black/yellow (N gauge variety) but applied upside down so as to provide a thicker black line and thinner yellow lining, glued on with Johnson's Klear. The sandboxes are knocked up from plastic sheet and a stub of square section with a bit of sprue for the lids.

 

Also on the way, I hope, are some name and works plates from Narrow Planet so I'll save a full reveal until these have appeared and with any luck, I'll have persuaded it to run! Until then, here's the cab interior:

 

 

Obviously, there's a little more work to do including, er, the tops of the sandboxes which sit at bunker top height and I had completely forgotten about. There's a casting for the backhead somewhere in the box, too.

 

Adam

[Ruston]

The lining was a bit of a saga: within the panels this is the same Fox yellow/black/yellow (N gauge variety) but applied upside down so as to provide a thicker black line and thinner yellow lining, glued on with Johnson's Klear.

Glued on? How, exactly, did you apply the lining in a way to be gluing it on?

[Adam]

Glued on? How, exactly, did you apply the lining in a way to be gluing it on?

 

Basically by applying the transfers - remember they're face down in this instance so the glue is on the top surface - onto the cab side (or whatever) and using Klear as a wetting agent while manipulating it, or applying it in the normal way and adding Klear which wicks under by capillary action. Once dry, it's stuck in position. 

 

Adam

Edited October 14, 2018 by Adam

[Ruston]

Basically by applying the transfers - remember they're face down in this instance so the glue is on the top surface - onto the cab side (or whatever) and using Klear as a wetting agent while manipulating it, or applying it in the normal way and adding Klear which wicks under by capillary action. Once dry, it's stuck in position. 

 

Adam

Thanks, Adam, but I'm still non the wiser.

[Barclay]

It's looking absolutely beautiful - that lining is a real labour of love.

[avonside1563]

Coming along nicely Adam.

 

A quick update on X2 class Ackton Hall, the 12" - 1ft version of the X class at Foxfield.

 

Since I last mentioned it we have stripped the boiler and bottom end and discovered that the restoration isn't going to be as complicated or expensive as first envisioned. The boiler was the biggest area of doubt as it was the reason the loco never worked after its last overhaul and has only steamed once in preservation, due mainly to a poorly undertaken patch repair in the firebox. With modern methods this is emminently repairable at a cost that is much lower than anticipated. The wheels, valves and pistons are all in excellent condition but the motion needs some attention such as replacement big ends, all the valve gear bushed and re-pinned and the springs completely overhauling. The biggest area of visible replacement however is the tank and cab which will be almost completely new when finished and this will be the subject of a crowd funding appeal in the very near future as we are starting fund raising to have Ackton Hall back in steam for its 100th birthday in 2020!

 

If anyone is interested and Adam is happy for me to highjack his thread a little I will put further details here of how you can help return this unique Peckett to steam.

 

Edited following Regularity's comment!

[Regularity]

12" - 1ft X2 version

Wow!

Twice life-size...?

 

(Oversize) coat and hat got...

[Adam]

Coming along nicely Adam.

 

A quick update on ACkton Hall, the 12" - 1ft X2 version at Foxfield.

 

Since I last mentioned it we have stripped the boiler and bottom end and discovered that the restoration isn't going to be as complicated or expensive as first envisioned. The boiler was the biggest area of doubt as it was the reason the loco never worked after its last overhaul and has only steamed once in preservation, due mainly to a poorly undertaken patch repair in the firebox. With modern methods this is emminently repairable at a cost that is much lower than anticipated. The wheels, valves and pistons are all in excellent condition but the motion needs some attention such as replacement big ends, all the valve gear bushed and re-pinned and the springs completely overhauling. The biggest area of visible replacement however is the tank and cab which will be almost completely new when finished and this will be the subject of a crowd funding appeal in the very near future as we are starting fund raising to have Ackton Hall back in steam for its 100th birthday in 2020!

 

If anyone is interested and Adam is happy for me to highjack his thread a little I will put further details here of how you can help return this unique Peckett to steam.

 

That's great news! And of course, more on the real thing is welcome. I've nearly finished the model now so we're due an update on that, too.

 

Adam

[ullypug]

Oops. Managed to miss this topic completely. Very nice stuff indeed Adam. Looking forward to an update once it's finished.

[Adam]

Basking in the winter sunshine, Peckett, The Marshal now all but complete (I'm a little unsure about the smokebox weathering - a bit overdone and a bit 'soft', perhaps).

 

 

 

The name, by the by - as well a being a decent name for shunting engine, courtesy of Narrow Planet - is a reminder of John Marshall, Bristolian and Union man to his toes, who bought the kit and died before he could get around to building it. Thanks John.

 

Adam

Edited November 21, 2018 by Adam

[Barclay]

That really is a cracking piece of work, it just oozes presence and atmosphere.

[Adam]

That really is a cracking piece of work, it just oozes presence and atmosphere.

 

Thanks! Low angle and natural light - makes a massive difference to all manner of models and hides a multitude!

 

Adam

[Ruston]

Superb! I really like the little detail of the link and pin on the coupling.

[Adam]

Superb! I really like the little detail of the link and pin on the coupling.

 

Thanks! I'm glad someone noticed - it's a feature of so many industrial locos which is quite simple to do, if you have a collection of spare etched screw coupling links, that is...

 

Adam

Edited November 18, 2018 by Adam

[doilum]

Just caught up with this build. Once I get 82004 done, Ackton Hall#3 may well be next years project to go with Hunslets Beatrice, Airedale and the 50550 S112.

Good to hear of the favourable survey. We called in on our way down to Telford for a quick look. A favourable deal was struck with Mercian the following day for their X2 kit. This is now in the custody of Santa. EBay has provided two wheelsets and a Mashima at sensible money whilst a call to Slaters sourced the third set of wheels and pickups. Good to go on Boxing day.

[doilum]

Basking in the winter sunshine, Peckett, The Marshal now all but complete (I'm a little unsure about the smokebox weathering - a bit overdone and a bit 'soft', perhaps).

 

Peckett_035.gif

 

Peckett_034.gif

 

The name, by the by - as well a being a decent name for shunting engine - is a reminder of John Marshall, Bristolian and Union man to his toes, who bought the kit and died before he could get around to building it. Thanks John.

 

Adam

Splendid. Must explore the use of 4mm lining on 7mm models.