Finney A3 - Spearmint

[Christian]

Well after several months with a lack of modelling mojo I have decided to start something new.

 

I have several models on the go at varying stages of completion but I have just lost all enthusiasm, this has been partly due to a lack of time along with a few other non-modelling related interests.

 

I had told myself that I would not start something new until I had finished at least one of my other builds but I have found it very difficult to find the enthusiasm to continue with something that I have not worked on for so long, therefore I am going to break my own rule and start on something new and very different for me, a steam locomotive kit.

 

I have never built a steam powered locomotive before as my normal interests are diesel powered traction, but after seeing the outstanding efforts on this forum of fellow members Richard Lambert (Dikitriki)'s and Nigel (Harrier Mate)'s Finney A3 builds I wanted to build one of these kits for myself.

Both Richard and Nigel have built or are building these amazing locomotive kits at the moment and their quality of workmanship is quite outstanding, I only hope I can achieve the same but to be honest I shall be happy if may efforts are only half as good!

 

During the 2009 Telford show I met with Martin Finney and purchased his A3 locomotive kit along with a non-corridor streamlined tender kit. I also purchased Slaters wheel for both the locomotive and tender.

 

The modelling bench has been cleaned up and all part builds have been boxed up and stored away to avoid distractions. I now like to photograph all of the parts and also all of the build as it progresses. I shall be posting progress of the build on this forum and also on the 'Building O Gauge Online' web site where you can find the photos of all the parts laid out. A link to the web site can be found at the bottom of this page.

 

Before any work can start I have had to decide on exactly which of the A3's I shall be modelling. I have been researching the prototype and decided that I shall be modelling 60100 'Spearmint' in her last years of the 1960's. 'Spearmint' was built in 1930 as an A3 and rebuilt with a double chimney in 1958 and withdrawn in 1965. It would certainley seem that a lot of research is necessary as there appears to be numerous build options within the kit.

 

And so on to the build.

The first to be built is the main chassis. I have removed the two main frames from the frets and cleaned up the edges. Each frame has half etch holes for the push through rivet detail and half etch lines for the frame lightening holes. The frames also have the option for the wheels to be either rigid fixed to frame or fully compensated.

 

It would seem that when the locomotive was originally built it was constructed with countersunk rivets which would have given the frames a smooth appearance. This appearance changed to a visible rivet head as the frames were repaired or replaced.

 

I am unsure whether some or all of the rivets should be pushed through.

 

I am also unsure whether the frames should have lightening holes. Martin Finneys instructions state that Engine Order No's. 314 & 317 the frames had four circular holes 12" diameter, 'Spearmint' was part of E.O. 317. However Peter Coster's Book of the A3 Pacifics states that ALL of the A3 frames had no cut-out sections.

 

Again I am unsure how to proceed here.

 

If anyone can offer some information regarding the rivets and the lightening holes it would be much appreciated.

 

Below is shown the two main frames.

[alcazar]

Christian, there were quite a few pics of Flying Scotsman undergoing a rebuild at York, on the old RMWeb, would they be of any use? You might find others of it via Google.

 

One of the saddest things I saw as a boy was a pic in one of the Ian Allen Railway magazines, entitled, "Spearmint, Darlington Works".

 

It showed the cab of 60100 and a pile of the boiler tubes behind it......all that was left of a once-proud loco.

[Christian]

After further research it would seem that frames on later members of the class would have mostly visible rivet heads along with frames with out the lightening holes. As I do not have and clear photos of 'Spearmint's frames during her later years I have no way of knowing for certain.

 

I have puched out all of the rivet detail on the frames and selected the medium width spacers. The rigid frame bearing holes have been removed and horn block guides fitted to the rear only and the chassis is now assembled.

The coupling rods have been made up and used as a jig for the remaining horn block guides.

Now that the horn blocks have been set and fixed I have fitted the rear compensation beams. The wheels and coupling rods are now added and I have a rolling chassis.

The chassis runs extreamly smoothly and I have been happily pushing it up and down my layout (yard of track) for the last hour or so.

So far everything has gone together very well, the parts are excellent quality and need little dressing, the instructions are clear and everything has fallen into place.

The coupling rods do however need some work. They are laminated together and although look solid once they have been dressed up, I don't like the representation of the filler cap.

I may file it flat and replace it with a short section of wire, not sure yet. I don't know if anyone else has done something to improve the appearance of this detail.

 

Work will now move onto the rear frames over the weekend and then I guess it will be the cylinders and valve gear. The latter I am a little nervous about as it looks very complex!

[Pinkmouse]

...The chassis runs extreamly smoothly and I have been happily pushing it up and down my layout (yard of track) for the last hour or so...

 

Strange, isn't it, how something so simple can be a source of so much enjoyment?

 

I'm looking forward to the rest of the build.

[Adrian]

That looks a really nice build, it's very clean work there. The photography is pretty good too, what setup up do use to get shots like that?

 

Adrian

[Rob Pulham]

I too am watching with interest now I have an A3 in the to build pile - Admittedly it's a DJH not a Finney but still lots to learn.

[Christian]

The photography is pretty good too, what setup up do use to get shots like that?

 

Adrian

 

For the photos I have used a digital SLR 12MP on a tripod and my desk flouresent lamp.

A bit or trial and error results in a good picture I have found.

[CUTLER2579]

Pinkmouse said "Strange, isn't it, how something so simple can be a source of so much enjoyment?"

 

He has met my wife on some occassion then!!

 

Regards.

 

Seriously though Christian thats looking very interesting and I am full of admiration for you taking up the challenge. Will look forward to updates with much interest.

[Christian]

Thank you for your kind replies.

 

A little more progress today, I have assembled and fitted the rear frames and radial truck assembly.

Fairly straight forward enough and the parts again fitted together well.

 

I did have a few problems trying to form the outer frames. Each outer frame has to have a double curve for the transition from an outer frame to an inner frame.

It took me ages to correctly shape the first frame and after shaping the second frame it did not match the first frame. I had to put this down for an hour or so today and tried again later with better results. Once the two halves matched, the frames fitted well and I could then fit the rest of the detail.

 

 

The radial truck needed slight adjustment to ensure a good fit.

 

 

Tomorrow I am going to start the cylinders and valve gear. It looks like one of the first things I need to do is assemble the slidebars which are laminated together 6 thick!, should be interesting.

[Nortonian]

Hello Christian,

 

I nice clean soldering job there !.

 

Only comment I would make on the build so far is nothing to do with you but the kit itself. The front axle needs more than just resting on a pivot beam. This may be okay for 4mm, but in 7mm we need something a little more substantial, so I would suggest you fit a tube over the front axle and one over the pivot, soldering the two together at 90 degrees to each other, adjusting the pivot height accordingly to allow for the extra thickness of the tubes. You could add oiling holes in the axle tube.

 

Just a suggestion by the way. Keep up the good work !.

 

Kindest

 

Ian

[IC126]

Nice work, as usual, Christian - my only disappointment being that I was quite enjoying the Pacer build on the old forum... Hopefully you will return to this at some point?

[Christian]

Only comment I would make on the build so far is nothing to do with you but the kit itself. The front axle needs more than just resting on a pivot beam. This may be okay for 4mm, but in 7mm we need something a little more substantial, so I would suggest you fit a tube over the front axle and one over the pivot, soldering the two together at 90 degrees to each other, adjusting the pivot height accordingly to allow for the extra thickness of the tubes. You could add oiling holes in the axle tube.

 

Hello Ian

 

Thank you for your thoughts on this one, I agree.

The set up with full compensation uses this pivot beam method as recommended in the instructions but using this method does mean that there will be alot of weight pushing up on this pivot, sure it is 1/16th steel but it still seams a bit feeble to me.

I do like the sound of your suggestion using the tube arrangement and I shall give it some more thought.

Also I have some issues with the ride height, currently the rear of the frame is higher than the front and this is quite noticable especially on the rear frame assembly.

At present my idea of a solution is to mill approximately 1mm of the top of the rear and middle bearings the result being that the frame will sit lower at the back, we shall see.

[Nortonian]

Hi Christian,

 

By adding the pivot tubes, this will probably even out the level of ride, but if the ride height is too high overall, then you may have to do as you suggest. Its that long since I built my kit, which I no longer have, I cannot remember what method I used.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Christian]

A little more progress but it was the dreaded return to work today so the build shall start to slow down, nice as the Christmas break was it does not pay the bills so reality crashed in today.

 

I have started to build the cylinder assembly and those laminated crossbars which although easy to solder up were rather messy and needed considerable cleaning up, filing and sanding until I was happy with the end result.

 

It also took some time to get the crosshead to slide smoothly within the slidebars and further adjustment once I had fitted the slidebars and piston gland to the rest of the assembly, eventually they slide freely and without any binding.

 

 

The cylinder assembly is not finished but it is all I am going to do for now as the detailing parts can be added later.

 

 

Next to construct will be the conecting rods then I think I may add the motor and check again the chassis for smooth running.

[alcazar]

Hi Christian. Following this with interest both on here and on here: http://www.7mmlocomo...2_itemId=6327:)

 

I don't know if this is relevant to a 7mm build, but it was something I did on all my 4mm builds of locos with outside cylinders. I bored out the cylinder gland that the piston rod passes through, and soldered in a length of brass tube of the appropriate diameter for the piston rod, extending this tube right across the inside of the cylinders so that it was supported at both ends. This meant that the piston rod was fully supported and less likely to slop in the gland, which could be made a tighter fit.

 

On my A1 I even went as far as to remove the piston rod, bore out the crosshead and replace the piston rod with a piece of STEEL rod, nicely polished and oiled, but only the bit that went iside the gland, like on the real thing. Over time, the outer part has darkened nicely.

 

BTW, where did YOUR jigs come from, please?

[Christian]

BTW, where did YOUR jigs come from, please?

 

Hello Jeff

 

Are you refering the the tapered axles used for the setting for the horn guides?

These came from 'Metalsmith'.

[Michael Delamar]

really enjoying this, if modelling her in later days, are you going to weather her up?

 

Mike

[alcazar]

Yes, Christian, the ones on the photo of you setting the hornguides.

 

Yours don't LOOK tapered, they look like my old Perseverance ones did.

 

Now looking closer, (saved your pic to my computer and zoomed in), yours ARE tapered. Thanks.

[Christian]

if modelling her in later days, are you going to weather her up?

 

Hello Mike

 

Yes she will be weathered up but that seems like an eternity away. I would imagine that her condition in her final years would be quite poor and very dirty, if only I had more photos.

[alcazar]

In that last photo of her that I mentioned earlier, she carried the diagonal yellow stripe on her cab.

[Christian]

In that last photo of her that I mentioned earlier, she carried the diagonal yellow stripe on her cab.

 

Yes I have seen these stripes before although in my young ignorance (30 something), I have no idea what these stripes were for.

I am quite sure that someone will tell me.

 

Mind you I am learning lots of new words now that I am building a proper locomotive, until a short time ago myself and a good friend were convinced that the tender was called a coal truck, it makes more sense.

 

Anyway, back to the joys of 'Valve Gear' construction and hopefully some updates a little later, thats if RMWeb will let me!

 

Cheers

[Adam]

A very tidy build there, even allowing for the excellent photography which should highlight any deficiencies. The yellow diagonal on the cabsides, I seem to recall, was an indication that it should steer clear of overhead elctrification for risk of earthing. 25,000 V through a steam loco' might be interesting for all concerned.

 

Adam

[alcazar]

Hi Christian, the yellow diagonal was indeed an indication not to work under the wires. At the time, it was referred to as "Not to work south of Crewe", in the magazines etc, so this may have been an official edict. Although that would have left them ABLE to work to Manchester and Liverpool, both wired........

 

Amazing that someone who hasn't any experience of steam locos, "in the flesh" so to speak, should be able to build one. Should give encouragement to others.

[Christian]

Amazing that someone who hasn't any experience of steam locos, "in the flesh" so to speak, should be able to build one. Should give encouragement to others.

 

Well it has been a very steep learning curve for me, but research, books, the internet and of corse fellow members have all helped me out.

On top of that the Finney kit has so far gone together very well, I only hope it carries on that way.

[Christian]

Well I have been trying to write an update for a couple of days now, the site seems to work alright during the day (when I am supposed to be working) but during the evening I have been unable to access the site. Things seem to be ok today (saturday) so here goes.

 

I have now assembled the main connecting rods and attached them to the crosshead. The connecting rods were straight forward enough to make up but the crosshead needed much work so that the small end of the connecting rods fitted freely.

 

The connecting rod also fouled the leading axle crank nut so I have fitted CPL crankpins and bushes to the leading axle crank and the connecting rod now clears.

The CPL crankpin nut/bush is pre-taped 12BA so it goes straight onto the Slaters threaded crank pin.

 

Also constructed and fitted is the slidebar bracket. This also needed some careful adjustment as it fouled the leading wheel at first.

Lastly I have sorted out the ride height. The rear of the frames were riding higher than the front of the frames so I milled 1mm off the top of the middle and rear bearings where they are supported by the compensation beams. The frames now sit level at exactly 44.0mm above the rails and I have spent another happy hour pushing the chassis up and down my yard of track.

 

 

I am now starting of the valve gear and shown below is most of the parts for one side of the loco.

 

 

I really do not know where to start here, I have laid out these parts not only to illustrate what goes into the valve gear but also so that I may have a better understanding of how it all works.

This particular aspect of the model has been troubling be for a while now, I think I need a crash course in how a steam loco works!