DLT's SR Locos - Lord Nelson Craftsman Kit

[DLT]

For construction of the brakegear I've turned to the Iain Rice designed etched SR brakegear fret from Mainly Trains.

 

 

Using the set for the M7 and Adams Radial, I soldered the overlays in position while still attached to the fret.

 

 

My favourite method for soldering square is to cut/file/sand a small piece if wood to the right internal size (width over wheel faces, minus twice the fret thickness)(in this case 17mm) and with all edges at right angles, hold the parts against it while soldering.

 

 

The result is a nice square assembly.

 

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 5, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

I'm sure I've said before that I find the brakegear often the fiddliest part of loco building, more so than valvegear sometimes.

Anyway, I'm getting this stage out of the way early on.  I like to build it as a separate sub-assembly that can be removed in one piece.  A certain amount of assembly has to take place on the chassis to get the positions right relative to the wheels.  This time its screwed to an extra chassis crossmember soldered between the front springs.  The height of this was determined by a bit of trial and (a lot of) error.

Having one wheel partially mounted on each axle, they can be inserted and the actual brakes soldered to the push rods one side at a time.

 

The completed brakegear attached to the chassis, mounted on the brake hangers and screwed in:

 

 

And without the wheels:

 

 

With the assembly removed, the new chassis member is visible between the front springs.  There is a 10BA nut soldered on the other side:

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

The brake assembly as constructed, and removed form the chassis:

 

 

The rods trimmed to length, and the whole thing cleaned up a bit:

 

 

Finally a side view.  Yes, the brakes are a bit too far from the wheels, but I'm a bit paranoid about unwanted electrical contacts.

Yes again, the pull-rods should be flat section not round bar, but this method gives it a lot more strength.  I guess I could add thin strips of waste etch to give a flat appearance.

 

 

I think that's probably enough for tonight.

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 5, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

Next task is pickups, and I've made quite a task for myself, threading wipers around all the brakegear. 

This is a situation where Plungers would provide the perfect solution, but I avoid them.  For as start they are impossible to adjust once installed, and I've known them seize up and make very effective brakes!

Likewise, Backscratchers are impractical on this loco, so conventional wipers it has to be.

Cheers, Dave.

Edited January 7, 2018 by DLT

[mike morley]

Could those cavernous splashers provide a useful place to hide pick-ups?  Probably easier than threading them through the brake-gear.

[DLT]

Could those cavernous splashers provide a useful place to hide pick-ups?  Probably easier than threading them through the brake-gear.

 

Quite possibly Mike, thanks for the suggestion.  I prefer them on the underside where they can be accessed by upending the model, but I will certainly investigate an "above the frame" solution.

There's a bit more work before I get there; one thing that was apparent early on, the splasher cutouts in the etched footplate don't match the wheel centres! 

 

All the best, Dave.

[darren01]

After some hacking with a piercing saw, (and breaking several blades) filing to shape and drilling for axle holes, screwed spacers and brake hangers; it looks like this:

 

IMG_2152 small.jpg

 

The coupling rods are Gibson 9foot, and one was soldered to the chassis as a drilling guide.

 

Separated and cleaned up, the axle holes still need carefully opening out to fit bearings.

 

IMG_2154 small.jpg

 

Temporarily screwed together, just to see what it looks like!

 

IMG_2157 small.jpg

Hi Dave

That is scratch building having to cut out the frames yourself!, mind you in your hands nothing surprises me what you can build.

[DLT]

Hi Dave

That is scratch building having to cut out the frames yourself!, mind you in your hands nothing surprises me what you can build.

 

Hi Darren, thanks very much. 

Yes the chassis is a scratchbuilding job.  The kit was bought with then belief it was complete; I reckon at some stage a previous owner had used the chassis for something else and passed the rest on.

 

I mentioned earlier that the wheel cutouts in the etched footplate didn't match the wheelbase, and I've realised why.  The kit designer appears to have based it on the Skinley drawing, but without checking sizes.  The drawing doesn't match its own stated dimensions, and this has become obvious comparing the etched cabsides to the the many photographs I've trawled together.  A couple of good side-on views have given me the actual shape of the cabsides, so we can go from there.

 

Cheers, Dave.

[DLT]

Some excellent K10 photos on this webpage:  https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/drummond-lswr-k10-4-4-0.947304/

The photo at the bottom is about as "side-on" as you will get, and I've used it as a guide to cutout a new pair of cabsides.  It also means I need a new cabfront, as the etched splasher tops on the kit part aren't long enough!

Photos later.

Cheers, Dave.

[Tony Teague]

So if it has a new chassis, new cab front, sides & splashers, what exactly is left of the "kit"???

Tony

[DLT]

So if it has a new chassis, new cab front, sides & splashers, what exactly is left of the "kit"???

Tony

 

Tender ? ? ?

 

Actually, the rest looks fine  (famous last words...)

Edited January 14, 2018 by DLT

[Tony Teague]

I can only say that I admire your skills and tenacity!

 

Tony

[DLT]

New cab sides and front have been done.  I marked out and cut one side, and filed the splasher shape to match the photo. I then soldered it to another piece of brass and filed that to match.

On the cab front, the lower portions curve forwards to form the splasher tops.  I've deliberately made them long, so they can be cut to length after curving.

 

 

The etched cab roof is very nice, if a trifle fiddly to assemble.  It needs to be curved to shape and then have the three etched ribs soldered in place. 

 

 

I've added strips along the sides as well.

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 5, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

A quick comparison between the cabsides in the kit (right) and mine taken from the photos:

 

 

and overlaid

 

 

Quite a difference and well worth the effort I reckon.

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 5, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

The task of bending ther cab splasher tops to match the cabsides took quite a bit of tweaking, but was easier than anticipated.

Part way through, and offered up for comparison:

 

 

And we finished up with this:

 

 

Soldered together and cleaned up, it looks just the job.  The width of the splashers can be filed back later to match the wheels and boiler.  The length of the tops will be trimmed.

 

 

The interior soldering has NOT been cleaned up yet; two lengths of brass angle are reinforcing the joins.

 

 

I really feel like I'm getting somewhere with this kit now!

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 5, 2022 by DLT

[georgeT]

Looking good Dave watching with interest.

[Daddyman]

Super work, Dave! 

[PaulRhB]

If anyone asks at the end I think you ought to say inspired by the kit rather built from it Dave

I've liked the K10' for thirty odd years as a good friend built a SR olive one in O for our club layout and this build reminds me of the 'tweaks' he did to get it right

[DLT]

After a few days away from the bench, I've made a bit more progress.  The splashers were made in the same way as the cab.  Scaled form the photos, one side cut and filed, soldered to another piece and that one cut to match. Splasher-tops were curved/bent around formers and matched to the sides with lots of tweaking.  Soldered in place at one end, and final tweaking can be done while soldering along the join.

 

 

The ends trimmed and filed to length

 

 

The underneath carefully filed so that sit level and square on the footplate.

 

 

 

Nothing is fixed yet, they are just perched there for the photo.

 

Cheers, Dave.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

Before fixing the cab and splashers, The frames above the footplate need to be fitted.  Here of course we have the issue of the undersize 00 gauge.  The frames need to be the correct width apart for the smokebox to fit, but it will foul the wheels behind the splashers.  So the splashers will have to be filed to fit around the frames, then the section of frame behind the splasher removed.

I think that makes sense!

Dave.

[Daddyman]

Before fixing the cab and splashers, The frames above the footplate need to be fitted.  Here of course we have the issue of the undersize 00 gauge.  The frames need to be the correct width apart for the smokebox to fit, but it will foul the wheels behind the splashers.  So the splashers will have to be filed to fit around the frames, then the section of frame behind the splasher removed.

I think that makes sense!

Dave.

Those splashers and cab front are superb - lovely even bends and gap-free. 

 

Do you have to cut file the splashers around the frames because the splashers are too wide - to hide the 00 wheels? Why not but the rear of the front frames up to the front of the splashers rather than file the latter? Between the splashers and the cab the frames are invisible, aren't they? - that protrusion where the firebox meets the footplate (whose name I've never known) is wider than the frames, isn't it? 

[DLT]

Those splashers and cab front are superb - lovely even bends and gap-free. 

 

Do you have to cut file the splashers around the frames because the splashers are too wide - to hide the 00 wheels? Why not but the rear of the front frames up to the front of the splashers rather than file the latter? Between the splashers and the cab the frames are invisible, aren't they? - that protrusion where the firebox meets the footplate (whose name I've never known) is wider than the frames, isn't it? 

Thanks Daddyman.

Filing the splashers is probably easier, in that you only have to file a flat section at the rear.  If you filed the frames to fit the splashers, you would be filing an "S" curve and a step into the end of each piece of frame.  Additionally, soldering the frames in place in one piece gives some extra rigidity to the footplate while you fix the splashers and cab in place.

I will do some photos before I go any further.

 

The protrusion between the splashers is part of the frames, with the firebox fitting between them.  (Hmph. Just when you want a picture of a dismantled 4-4-0 you can't find one...)

 

Cheers, Dave.

[DLT]

As an illustration to Daddyman's question, here are some photos.

Firstly, the footplate with the frames soldered in place.  Easy to do in one piece, and strong.

 

 

Secondly with the splashers etc on position, waiting to be soldered.

 

 

 

A lot less work this way (as long as I can get the soldering iron inside!) and the whole thing stays rigid during the process.

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 5, 2022 by DLT

[jrg1]

A excellent build, with first class metalwork.  I look forward to seeing the project finished.

[DLT]

 I look forward to seeing the project finished.

 

So do I...

 

Thanks very much JRG.

Edited January 22, 2018 by DLT