DLT's SR Locos - Lord Nelson Craftsman Kit

[PaulRhB]

Well worth the effort Dave thanks. Have you decided what livery the K10 will go in?

[DLT]

Well worth the effort Dave thanks. Have you decided what livery the K10 will go in?

 

Hi Paul, 

The plan is late Southern lined olive-green.  One I haven't done before.

Cheers, Dave.

[DLT]

I've made small riveted overlays to fit to the frame between the bogie wheels.  

Not sure how well this will show up on the model, but they are quite prominent in photos of the real thing.

 

 

The boiler backhead provided in the kit is a very nice whitemetal casting.  I've added a bit of brass strip around the edge in order to step it out from the cab front to provide space for the gearbox.

 

 

However, the photo from above shows that the cast backhead is quite a bit too small, in comparison to the boiler dimensions.  It looks wrong as it is, but it should be less obvious with the roof on, crew in the cab etc.  I'm still looking for one the right size.

 

 

Scenes of chaos on the bench currently, as I search through my various bits collections for odd casting that can be used on this job.

 

 

Cheers, Dave.

 

 

[DLT]

I didnt rust myself to bend the reverse curve of "piano-lid" on the front footplate correctly, when using the etched part.

Instead I used a larger piece of thinner metal; giving better scope for getting the curves correct.  I did the "S"-shape by rolling it over a piece of brass rod, turning it over and while holding it firmly rolled it the other way.

 

 

I then offered up the etched profile part, and after some tweaking, found a location that it fitted.  Then it was a quick solder job.

 

 

Followed by filing the outer skin down to the right size.

 

 

 

And it should end up looking like this:

 

 

 

Actually easier than I anticipated!

Dave.

Edited March 13, 2018 by DLT

[timbowilts]

I've made small riveted overlays to fit to the frame between the bogie wheels.  

Not sure how well this will show up on the model, but they are quite prominent in photos of the real thing.

 

IMG_2569 small.jpg

 

The boiler backhead provided in the kit is a very nice whitemetal casting.  I've added a bit of brass strip around the edge in order to step it out from the cab front to provide space for the gearbox.

 

IMG_2554 small.jpg

 

However, the photo from above shows that the cast backhead is quite a bit too small, in comparison to the boiler dimensions.  It looks wrong as it is, but it should be less obvious with the roof on, crew in the cab etc.  I'm still looking for one the right size.

 

IMG_2562 small.jpg

 

Scenes of chaos on the bench currently, as I search through my various bits collections for odd casting that can be used on this job.

 

IMG_2572 small.jpg

 

Cheers, Dave.

Dave, don’t forget that what we modellers call the boiler is actually the cladding over the insulation jacket that covers the actual boiler. Thus the visible backhead will be smaller than the visible “boiler”

 

Hope that helps, Tim T

[RAY NORWOOD]

That is looking great. Your bench is not the only one with lots of clutter.

[Andrew Young]

Very nice metal bashing Dave. Lovely job.

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[Daddyman]

Super work.

 

I'd resin cast it if I were you - for next time you want one! 

[Tony Teague]

I have to say that I am in awe of your tenacity & determination to get things right, from what it is now clear was a very poor kit!!

 

Tony

[DLT]

I have to say that I am in awe of your tenacity & determination to get things right, from what it is now clear was a very poor kit!!

Tony

 

Hi Tony,

Its a kit "of it's time", with very little in the way of assembly aids, like tab & slot location.  And it doesn't help by having some significant parts missing.

Its designed from a Skinley drawing which are nowadays considered not  to be relied on, see earlier discussion.  There is a Skinley topic here:  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/88841-skinley-blueprintsdrawings/

 

I haven't started on the tender yet, but I have spotted some problems with the etches.  PDK produce Drummond tender kits, or we could try and source a Hornby T9/700 tender, even if just the upperparts.

 

Cheers, Dave.

[DLT]

Sorry this has been quiet for too long, but things are progressing.  We have sourced a replacement tender, a Hornby T9 job to be precise and very nice it looks too.

 

I've been fiddling up some boiler fittings; clack valves are adapted from Gibson HR "Yankee" tank types, steam valves on the boiler top are from copper wire with a piece of brass strip bent around it and filled with solder, before filing to shape(ish).  I found I had some tiny washers on a left-over fret and these were added to form the pipe flanges. 

 

Handrails always seem to take me ages to get right, bending in several different directions at once where they curve around the smokebox, cab beading is my usual method of fine brass wire soldered to the cabside and curved around the handrail.

Injectors I may be able to make from the clackvalves in the kit; nice castings, but don't resemble any clackvalve I've ever seen, and certainly not a Southern one.

 

I'll do some photos later,

Cheers, Dave.

Edited March 25, 2018 by DLT

[DLT]

Ok, a bit of progress to show, this stage seems always to be a lot of work without a great deal to show for it.  

 

Anyway, cab beading from brass wire, with a loop formed on the end for the handrails.

 

 

And the cab with handrails fitted

 

 

Some of the fabricated boiler fittings.  Glad I didn't go with the whitemetal versions I found, they were more than somewhat indeterminate of form and/or function.

 

 

And putting it together, most of the bits are balanced in place, so no sudden movements required...

 

 

Cheers, Dave.

 

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by DLT

[georgeT]

Looks very nice Dave, a lovely build, what livery have you decided on ?

[DLT]

Looks very nice Dave, a lovely build, what livery have you decided on ?

 

Thanks George,

The plan is for it to be in Maunsell lined green, probably using a Railmatch spray can. 

As for lining, HMRS don't do an SR loco-lining sheet, but the LNER one can be used.  Unfortunately I cant get hold of one!  HMRS are out of stock and say they have to wait for a big enough order to re-stock.  Unless anyone knows of another stockist I can try?  Or another source of rub-on loco lining?  I'm not a great fan of waterslide transfers personally, maybe I need to give them another try.

All the best,

Dave.

[Jack P]

Thanks George,

The plan is for it to be in Maunsell lined green, probably using a Railmatch spray can. 

As for lining, HMRS don't do an SR loco-lining sheet, but the LNER one can be used.  Unfortunately I cant get hold of one!  HMRS are out of stock and say they have to wait for a big enough order to re-stock.  Unless anyone knows of another stockist I can try?  Or another source of rub-on loco lining?  I'm not a great fan of waterslide transfers personally, maybe I need to give them another try.

All the best,

Dave.

 

 

Dave, 

 

Understandable not liking Waterslide, If you do decide to go with them, Fox Transfers do a general White/Black lining sheet.

I'm not sure if the sheet you mean from HMRS is this one, but it looks like the pressfix option is available, is this an error? 

 

Possibly someone may have a spare sheet, or a partially spare sheet? 

 

Loco is looking fantastic, by the way, always seems such a shame to paint over that beautiful brass!

 

Best of luck!

Edited March 27, 2018 by Jack P

[DLT]

Dave, 

I'm not sure if the sheet you mean from HMRS is this one, but it looks like the pressfix option is available, is this an error? 

Best of luck!

 

Thanks Jack,

Yes that's the one.  Trying to get it through my locol model shop, but HMRS had told him it was out of stock. Looks like they're back in.

 

Loco is looking fantastic, by the way, always seems such a shame to paint over that beautiful brass!

 

Yes, I always think that, so I make sure I take lots of photos!

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited March 27, 2018 by DLT

[DLT]

Yes that's the one.  Trying to get it through my local model shop, but HMRS had told him it was out of stock. Looks like they're back in.

 

Yes, available again.  My model shop is waiting for his back order.

[Jack P]

Yes, available again.  My model shop is waiting for his back order.

 

Good to know you have local model shops that you can support with things like that. Due to my, err, global position, I rely pretty heavily on the internet to get what I need.

 

How much left to go now? Surely using a Hornby tender instead must save a lot of time, how bad was the kit tender?

[Adam]

Good to know you have local model shops that you can support with things like that. Due to my, err, global position, I rely pretty heavily on the internet to get what I need.

 

How much left to go now? Surely using a Hornby tender instead must save a lot of time, how bad was the kit tender?

 

It matters not - the Hornby one will be much better. So much so, in fact that a while back, dad built a Finney L11 for a friend with a Hornby tender behind it rather than the Finney version. Could anyone tell? No.

 

Adam

[Jack P]

It matters not - the Hornby one will be much better. So much so, in fact that a while back, dad built a Finney L11 for a friend with a Hornby tender behind it rather than the Finney version. Could anyone tell? No.

 

Adam

 

 

Oh absolutely, it wasn't so much a question of - will the Hornby one be sufficient. Just curious as to how bad the tender that came with the kit is!

[DLT]

It matters not - the Hornby one will be much better. So much so, in fact that a while back, dad built a Finney L11 for a friend with a Hornby tender behind it rather than the Finney version. Could anyone tell? No.

Adam

 

Having looked at the Finney instructions (downloadable from Brassmasters website http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/lswr_sr_adams_3300_gallon_tender.htm ) I really don't fancy building one.  Its literally "complete in every detail" !  I think Finney kits are probably better in 7mm scale, where such detail is needed, and do-able from a practical point of view.

 

Oh absolutely, it wasn't so much a question of - will the Hornby one be sufficient. Just curious as to how bad the tender that came with the kit is!

Main problem with the tender is that the etches are distorted, in that what should be a straight line is actually curved.  Some straight edges are even slightly S-shaped.  How on earth this came about I don't know.  Did the etching mask get distorted?  Did it move during exposure?

Anyway, we had three choices:  Go with the etch and do a lot of scratchbuilding, replace it with a PDK tender kit, or try and find a Hornby version.  Hornby won.

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited March 27, 2018 by DLT

[jrg1]

Having looked at the Finney instructions (downloadable from Brassmasters website http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/lswr_sr_adams_3300_gallon_tender.htm ) I really don't fancy building one.  Its literally "complete in every detail" !  I think Finney kits are probably better in 7mm scale, where such detail is needed, and do-able from a practical point of view.

 

Main problem with the tender is that the etches are distorted, in that what should be a straight line is actually curved.  Some straight edges are even slightly S-shaped.  How on earth this came about I don't know.  Did the etching mask get distorted?  Did it move during exposure?

Anyway, we had three choices:  Go with the etch and do a lot of scratchbuilding, replace it with a PDK tender kit, or try and find a Hornby version.  Hornby won.

 

Cheers, Dave.

To straighten etched components, I have a Paper roller with the original roller replaced with a 20mm diamemter silver steel rod.  Roll over the etch each side to flatten.

[Portchullin Tatty]

Dave,

 

I wonder about the casting for the smokebox door?  It seems really thick - is this right?

 

You might want to take a look at the cast brass one from Lochgrom Models - they are what I use for the fairly similar Highland locos.

 

 

 

Mark

Edited March 27, 2018 by Portchullin Tatty

[DLT]

To straighten etched components, I have a Paper roller with the original roller replaced with a 20mm diamemter silver steel rod.  Roll over the etch each side to flatten.

 

Thanks JRG, but the etches are good and flat, its the actual etched shapes that are distorted!

 

Dave,

I wonder about the casting for the smokebox door?  It seems really thick - is this right?

You might want to take a look at the cast brass one from Lochgrom Models - they are what I use for the fairly similar Highland locos.

Mark

 

Hi Mark, the casting look over-thick as its stuck on with a blob of Blue-Tack for the photo.  Its actually a pretty good casting, just needs some detailing.

 

Thanks for the tip about Lochgorm Kits, I've just had a good browse and there's lots of useful stuff there.

 

Cheers, Dave.

[DLT]

Well, at long last I've pretty much finished making bits!  so all I've got to do now (All??) is arrange a tender coupling, paint, line and assemble.

 

Photos to come later.

 

Cheers, Dave.