Martin Finney 7mm LNER A3

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Progress has slowed since the last post but I have now completed the valve gear and added the cylinder wrappers and reversing lever. Here are a few photos showing the various stages.

 

The fastenings on the slide bars have been represented with M0 hex nuts from Prime Miniatures. The gap will be closed with a length of 1mm x 1mm square rod.

 

And after the remaining rods were added.

 

The front and rear valve rods were connected by soldering a short length of tube which had been cut in half across the diameter, onto the rods.

 

The 2:1 levers work fine with the cranks at 90 degrees, so no need to purchase 120 axles from Slaters. I checked for free running after each stage and it all runs smoothly. Here's the right hand side after the cylinder wrapper was added.

 

And the left hand side showing the reversing rod.

 

The front end of the rod where it joggles up under the running plate behind the valance is barely visible. I have not connected it to the arm on the lifting link so the valve gear remains reversible.

Here it is in forward gear.

 

And in reverse.The arm on the lifting link moves behind the rod which is fixed. The end of the rod extends beyond the arm but it's hardly noticeable.

 

The rear end of the rod has been cut just inside the slot in the fire box, so if will be possible to remove the running plate for painting.

 

Cheers,

Peter

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Here's a view inside the cylinders showing the open side of the tube used to connect the front and rear valve rods.

 

Drain cocks and pipes added.

 

And a view from above of the completed cylinders and valve gear.

 

The front sandpipe although 0.9mm NS rod is quite flexible due to its length. I have added a looped bracket and soldered it to the rear bogie splasher to make it more robust. A representation of the front bogie splasher fixing brackets has also been added.

 

Here's a view of the drain cocks. The rear keeper to the slide bars has also been added.

 

The chassis is now complete apart from adding the motor and pick ups.

 

Having said that, I have a pair of injector castings from Ragstone to add inside the rear frames.

 

Moving back to the body I modified the smoke box door casting to make it removable. First I filed a couple of slots in the smoke box ring, and then soldered a bracket to the rear of the door to make a sort of bayonet fitting. This is just so I can add some rolled up lead sheet later as I wanted to get the "face" on now. I suppose for those who like to add sound chips and speakers, it would be a useful way to access the gubbins.

 

And back together.

 

The model is now substantially complete although I still have a myriad of detail castings and oil pipes to add along with the back plate.

 

Cheers,

Peter

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I have been adding further detail to the the boiler so removed it from the running plate to make things easier. Here we how it breaks down.

 

Left hand boiler side with handrail and ejector pipe, both of which detachable for painting and lining.

 

The wash out plugs and mud hole clamps have now been added to the fire box. Some A3s had an extra wash out plug on the slope of the fire box and this has been made from scratch.

 

The top lamp bracket on the smoke box door. This is a PRC casting drilled at the mounting point with a pin added to locate in the door and soldered from the inside.

 

And a couple of views of the left hand fire box. The lower shorter hand rail is permanently fixed.

 

The castings for the steam pipes needed some profiling to get a good fit against the smoke box. I stuck some emery paper to the smoke box with double sided tape to facilitate this.

 

The steam pipe castings. The one on the left has been fettled.

 

Here they are after adding right angles pipe union not provided in the kit, along with the prepared castings for the lubricators and sand box filler lids.

 

Here's the left steam pipe placed on the running plate. It won't be fixed until after the lubricators, atomiser and lubricator piping has been added.

 

And the other side.

 

The super heater cover and snifting valve have also been added.

 

And the left hand side.

 

I noticed that I had incorrectly fitted the front cylinder relief valves on the outer face of the cylinder covers. I have removed them, drilled through the covers and refitted them so that they are now "counter sunk" .

 

The gaps in the frames for the 2:1 levers are not symmetrical as per the kit. The one on the right where the single lever passes through should be smaller than the left side. If you add a strip to the frames to reduce it then the cylinders and valve gear will no longer be removable. To get around this the infill was added to the underside of the running plate.

 

The small length of frame at the front of the gap on the right hand side has been cut off to to allow easy fitting of chassis.

 

Cheers,

Peter

Edited April 23, 2018 by PAD

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The running plate detail is now complete with the addition of the oil boxes, lubricators and sanding gear rods. The etched sanding rod pivot has been replaced with a casting from Ragstone.

 

 

Here's a view of the smoke box showing the oil boxes, atomiser and pipe work. The steam pipe has also been added along with a scratch built pipe union at the bottom. There is still a pipe to be added to this which runs to the atomiser. The small union ahead of the atomiser is also scratch, as it is not provided in the kit.

 

And the other side.

 

And an oblique view showing the brake pipe with scratch built hose to replace the coil spring provided, and also that the buffer beam is now riveted. I found a photo on the web showing that it was riveted in 1958, so I'm hoping that is also true when it still had the original chimney slightly earlier, which is how I intend to represent it as 60058 Blair Atholl. It was a real pain punch the rivets with the beam in place but I managed in the end.

 

Here's a head on view showing the sliding cover to the middle cylinder valve chest.

 

At the rear end the draw bar gas been added. I have modified the fitting to allow it to pass below the drag beam rather than through the slot.

 

If you fix the draw bar as per the instructions, it is meant to be screwed to the loco and the tender, and pass through the slots in the drag beams, and be semi permanently fixed. By mounting it lower on the loco, I have been able to add a simple pin on the tender which allows for easy attachment and separation of loco and tender.

 

I have now modified the spoked tender wheels which came with the kit, to look like disc wheels by adding an overlay of plastic card. It's not perfect but better than spending 60 odd quid to replace them.

 

I think they look OK when behind the frames and will pass muster when painted.

 

And back on the loco I have modified the radial axle to make it removable. First I cut a gap in the top of the mounting brackets for the spring wire, using the slitting disc, to convert the holes to slots,came then the axle box can be mounted on the spring from underneath. It is then held in place with a simple keeper plate bolted to chassis.

 

Here's a view of the keeper plate.

 

And finally some gratuitous shots with the tender attached.

 

 

Cheers,

Peter

Edited April 28, 2018 by PAD

[Hilux5972]

Looks fantastic Peter

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Thanks Hilux.

 

As an experienced builder having built kits from Oakville (appalling) to Gladiator (very good), this is the best kit I have ever built. It's quite complex and fiddly in placec but I would say it is also the easiest kit I have built. The fit of the etched parts is excellent and the castings are superb. A brilliant kit and highly recommended when it is reintroduced by Finney 7.

 

I have the A4 from F7 and BR Std 4 tank from MOK. I will build the Std 4 next as I want to compare the different design approach from this other HiFi kit manufacturer to Finney's.

 

Thanks again to you and everyone else for all the positive ratings over the build.

 

Cheers,

Peter

Edited April 29, 2018 by PAD

[Jinty 52]

Thanks Hilux.

 

As an experienced builder having built kits from Oakville (appalling) to Gladiator (very good), this is the best kit I have ever built. It's quite complex and fiddly in placec but I would say it is also the easiest kit I have built. The fit of the etched parts is excellent and the castings are superb. A brilliant kit and highly recommended when it is reintroduced by Finney 7.

 

I have the A4 from F7 and BR Std 4 tank from MOK. I will build the Std 4 next as I want to compare the different design approach from this other HiFi kit manufacturer to Finney's.

 

Thanks again to you and everyone else for all the positive ratings over the build.

 

Cheers,

Peter

Hi Peter,

 

A brilliant job on the Finney kit!

 

I was speaking to Brian Clapperton at ABC Gears at Leigh yesterday with a view to purchasing his Pug motor and gearbox for the Hudswell Clarke. I told him to expect another order from you soon!

 

That Oakville Ivatt tank you built for me turned out pretty damn good, and this was your first attempt at an etched brass kit! You were thrown in at the deep end with that one! The brass castings purchased from Dave Bollen's Shed Master range improved the look of the loco too. It is still my favourite loco.

 

 

Mick

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Hi Peter,

 

A brilliant job on the Finney kit!

 

I was speaking to Brian Clapperton at ABC Gears at Leigh yesterday with a view to purchasing his Pug motor and gearbox for the Hudswell Clarke. I told him to expect another order from you soon!

 

That Oakville Ivatt tank you built for me turned out pretty damn good, and this was your first attempt at an etched brass kit! You were thrown in at the deep end with that one! The brass castings purchased from Dave Bollen's Shed Master range improved the look of the loco too. It is still my favourite loco.

 

20180429_200028.jpg

 

Mick

 

Thanks Mick.

 

Ah, the Ivatt tank from Oakville. A baptism of  fire!

 

One mainframe axle hole out of  line, one mainframe larger than the  other and needing filing all round to match, various other etchings not  fitting, valve gear holes over etched and appalling white metal castings, etc, etc.  Still, it  stood me in good stead for the College Models Ivatt 4F which you  bought  later.  I'm sure  you  were trying to put me  off.  

Cheers,

Peter

[warren haywood]

Fantastic Peter

I will be painting your Duchess very soon

[Hilux5972]

Fantastic Peter

I will be painting your Duchess very soon

I’m looking forward to seeing the finished result.

[PAD]

Fantastic Peter

I will be painting your Duchess very soon

Many thanks Warren.

[micklner]

Beautiful Loco !!.

[Petebe]

Peter

 

What a stonker build. You should be mentioned in dispatch.

 

I too have found the Finney 7 kit I'm doing of a very high std in the metal fixing.

 

Looking forward to seeing both in colour.

 

Pete

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I have  now  completed all the  detailing apart from the  glazing and  cinder screens, which will be  added after painting.

First the  brake crank to piston joint looked spindly after beefing up the  cross beams etc. I soldered on some  additional pieces from waste etch and added a some rod to represent the pin. Here is  the  1st one  being done and  this  shows how  I looped the  etch first, drilled through for  the  rod then soldered in place.  The holes were then drill through and  the  rod added/

 

Here's the  first one  completed which shows what a difference it  makes.

 

And a view from the  side.

 

On the  track.

 

And the  other  side.

 

The injectors (Ragstone) and  pipe work has been added with the  main steam pipe detachable   to allow  removal of  the  cartazzi axle box.

 

The holes in the  snifting valve casting  were barely visible, so I took it  off and  drilled them out  with an 0.5mm drill. A bit  large possibly but  they will look smaller  after  painting and  will be  visible.

 

The back plate is  now  completed.

 

And in the  cab.

 

A couple of  boiler bands were not  up to scratch so I replaced them.

Here's the one  at the fire box boiler joint.

 

And the  one  in front of  the  dome.

 

I then had a  bit  of  a photo fest on my brother's railway.

 

Next the  pick ups  and motor.

Cheers,

Peter

[david.hill64]

Absolutely marvellous!

[DougN]

That's some seriously nice work!... I am trying to do more work on my 4mm Finney V2 and these inspirational photos are really pushing me to really take it all more seriously. 

 

Painted up this is going to be one of the best models around! 

[chris p bacon]

That's some seriously nice work!... I am trying to do more work on my 4mm Finney V2 and these inspirational photos are really pushing me to really take it all more seriously. 

 

Painted up this is going to be one of the best models around! 

 

 

You have had it a while. . .

 

Apart from the quality of the build,  this has also shown to me the quality of the kit itself. I've been drawing up some items for etching and this has certainly helped me.

[Nimbus]

Apart from the quality of the build,  this has also shown to me the quality of the kit itself. 

 

And, time doing what time does best, it's astonishing to realise this design was accomplished some 2.5 decades ago now!

 

The Nim.

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The pick ups and motor have now been added and the chassis has had its first test on the rollers. I'm pleased to say it ran smoothly from the off. The middle roller was left out as the sand pipe was touching if and shorting out. Clearance is fine on the rails.

Cheers,

Peter

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by PAD

[Horsetan]

Hypnotic

[JeffP]

Sorry if I've missed it, what is the motor/gearbox combination please?

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It's an ABC VMS2C 26:1 gearbox with Maxon Motor.

[Coal Tank]

Just stunning

[mswjr]

So can i ask, If you fitted the motor and box,Then the rear axle would have to come off,so how did you do that with the brake blocks being so close, I ask this as i have done this and my detail was no where as fine as yours and i found if very hard to do, It does not look like you could remove your wheels without bending something, Thanks

[PAD]

So can i ask, If you fitted the motor and box,Then the rear axle would have to come off,so how did you do that with the brake blocks being so close, I ask this as i have done this and my detail was no where as fine as yours and i found if very hard to do, It does not look like you could remove your wheels without bending something, Thanks

Hi mswjr,

It's no problem. As you've seen in the thread, the wheels were on and I had to take them off. It just needs a bit of wiggling to get the wheels out but nothing untoward. Same story with the tender. Getting the wheels on and off is a must for me which is why I always build outside cylinder locos with demountable valve gear and cylinders. If it's not part of the design then I modify to achieve it.

 

Cheers,

Peter