Some more done, getting ever closer to the wet stuff.
Firstly the squared up cab.
Then onto the final missing parts. The exhaust injector, or a representation of it. and the missing reverser. I think that is all the parts now apart from the back head etc. I will do that next.
It had it's legs fitted for testing the ride height and to sort out the bogie pivot and fixing point. I am also considering a centralisation spring too. I will lo
I decided I ought to get on and do some of the scratch building of the missing parts. But firstly I found an error with the body. Although built on a jig the rear drop down sloped down hill, which made the cab lean backwards, like a ship with a broken back. Not good at all. I never checked with a square as it fitted well and was as I say on a jig. Once free of the jig it was very noticeable. Fortunately I only needed to remove the firebox to straighten it up. The rear splashers unfortunately cam
I thought I had finished the body apart from the cab detail. Only to find whilst looking at the photos to publish, I have not replaced the missing cleat on the firebox, and the front vacuum pipe still needs adding.
But apart from that you will see the rest is fairly well up together even though dirty. I altered the vacuum pump covers, I also added some linkage on the same side, I presume it is for the sanding gear. The castings for the front steps and the pony were added at the front
We are getting closer to the end. I have done most of the major work now we are down to the never ending detailing.
First thing done since last update was the pony truck.
The fire box was soldered to the footplate and cab front. The boiler smokebox unit fits over the front of the firebox and is screwed through the smokebox, Hopefully it will aid painting.
As you can see I have also now fitted the chimney, looks better in r
Just a little done. First off is there is a cover between the splashers on the right hand side, this needed making as it is not in the kit. The vacuum pump cover goes out board of this.
Next I add the safety valve cover as the it is cast brass, I did not want to lose everything later. The pipe work for the top feed is not in the kit either. So this was fabricated from copper wire and some half round brass. Still needs a bit of tidying but looks passable to me.
Got a little further with this, the boiler and smokebox are now joined together. The washout plug holes drilled. But not the oned for handrails, front platform supports, or the ones for the clearance around the valve gear rockers.
I have built the firebox, added the washout plugs but still need to add the mud hole covers.
The cab roof has now been added, and looks better for the added rivet detail.
I have al
I suddenly realised I ought to do a post, most of the brass work is almost finished.
The footplate makes up nicely on a frame, they recomend removing it after the footplate assembly is done. but I am waiting until the cab and boiler are ready to be fixed or are fixed. I feel that this will make it easier to keep everything square.
I have added some more rivet detail to the cab sides and roof as I felt these wrer too flat when compared to the protot
I seem to be getting on well with this now. There is a bit of cusp filing as some of the etches are nice and thick.
We ill start by showing the tender in its primer. It is now awaiting the loco for its top coats.
Now on with the frames. I had done a little work to these some time ago. But my methods have changed and I thought I ought to bring this one upto speed.
I have made the cylinders and motion brackets removeable, mainly because the lea
I seem to of missed out an update.
The rest of the soldering on the brass work was straight forward with no untoward errors. The beading was a little fiddly but work out fine by just taking things easy. I did think I was a few castings short, but they were found hiding in the box with the loco.
The white metal castings are quite good, not needing much fettling. The axleboxes and springs are seperate castings and I did change the springs, only because the hangers sat bette
I now have this back on the bench, I have the tender frames painted ready for rewheeling etc.
I also have managed a little on the body. I did run the RSU and new flux over all the joints to make sure they were OK after using not so good syuff so far on the build.
The kit has cast corners which I must say are a nice idea, except the cut is to big or they are to short. For some reason they also have the beading attached so it eill either need filin
I have since moving to the new workshop want a storage cupboard, a stationary type but better. After searching and having no luck we found a guy to do SWMBO dressing table. He was willing to do my unit. So he made mine first so we could see the quality before spending loads on the dresser.
Well it has arrived and is fine so he has the next phase to do now. Having the cupboard ment I had to do the tidying of the work shop. There is actually mor space than needed. So I informed she who must be
Finally I have some good news to report.
Work is going to be starting again soon. I had my wheels turn up from the UK. They finally arrived after almost a life time in Brazil. I had sent something like 30 emails to the post office here.
There is enough here to keep me going for a while.
Here is what I got. Something nice for you GW fans. Looking at the photo, at the top we have the loco wheels for the 63 mogul. In the middle are a set for an 850 pannier tank, and at the bottom is a p
A little more done time has been scarce, we are looking after the dogs as father in law was in hospital with an infection etc etc.
The main chassis is now ready for painting. Which I may do later in the week. I made a start on the tender body. But disaster struck, I ran out of flux. Trying to find out where to buy phosphoric acid, but seems almost impossible. Think I may break into the Coco Cola factory down the road they use loads of it, and won't miss 1/2 a litre.
Better news
Here we go a start was made again on the tender. A bit slow, mainly because of finishing the PLV, and domestic issues taking up to much time. I decided for ease just to spring the centre axle. I used a Slaters etch horn guide and will be sprung as they are ment to be. It is siting high so there is both up and down movement.
I also decide that the pick ups will be on the tender with a 2 pin plug to the loco. I will be using some plunger type, but have not decided which ones as yet I h
The time has come to start another loco. Well, restart one I bought this kit some years ago. It was completely untouched. It came with a set of AJH wheels which I would of kept if it was for myself. Which I have swopped for Slaters. But being such a bargain at the time, I got enough for the wheels to buy the Slaters ones and cover the cost of buyiing the kit. I made a start on the kit not long after getting it. Looking at it there are a couple of bits to alter only because my condtruction methon
Finally finished. All that is missing is the couplings but I leave these off as there are so many options. I ran it on my little test track an all seems very good. The final assemble was straight forward, with just a little fitting to get them right. This is even after time spent making sure it was all OK before painting. I am sure someone alters bits whilst you are not looking just to have a laugh at you later. It is all a bit fiddly getting the screws in , there are 10 in total some quite hidd
It has been a while since the last post. Things have progressed but I have had trouble with mail going to and from the UK so decided not to send anything until The parcels sent were received and some I was due arrived. This means I have missed selling this for Christmas. So progress is slow due to loss of interest. All this also means other projects are delayed through lack of parts.
Back yo the gronk. The painting is done the transfers are on. Everything sealed with satin varnish. F
Just a quick update to show the start of the painting. The body is just resting on the footplate. Most of the painting has now been done, and I have started to reassemble the whole thing.
At the moment I am struggling with getting it to run. It was working fine before I did the painting, although the clearances were tight. Now the wheels and cranks want to catch on everything that is attached to the outer frames. When it is sorted I will be posting again.
I am pleased wit
Right finally finished or so I thought. Transfered all the photos to the pen drive looked at them before writing this post, and see that I had not fitted the front number plate well thats tomorrows job now.
I have built the tiniest test track you can imagine, and this runs lovely. Not much to write here as it was just pputting it back together. Adding buffers, safety valves etc.
I will just let the photos show the last of the story. Here it is finished in it's first BR li
Win some, lose some.
Some time ago I bought a Collett goods from a well known site. Did not cost too much, so you pay your money and take the chance.
Well if you remember this is the way I got the Hall. Which for the price I was in a win, win situation.
This one arrived a little while ago and I only had a really good look at it today. I work on the principle if it costs no more than the wheels would then even a real lame duck is not a complete disaster.
Looking at this it is
Having not been in the workshop on Monday, I was hoping that I would of got all the brass work finished yesterday morning. Well usual story takes twice as long as you think.
I had a good day today, fortunately I had to be at the house all day as we were getting some furniture delivered. The castings for the body were reasonable except some were missing, not the end the world but it adds to the time, as they needed to be made.
The ladders went together better t
I was hoping to get all the brass work finished today. But every time I looked a picture I saw something else to add, and never got the parts done that came in the box.
I at least got the handrails and doors sorted out. I would of like one of the doors ajar, but the sides are very flimsy without them.
Also today I fitted the radiator filler pipes, most of the electrical conduit to the front. The rear lamp irons were also fitted, along with the one in the middle of the rad
Well I am hoping by now you have guessed what it is?
I have been sorting the body out. In the photos the body is just resting on the footplate, in reality there are eight 10BA screws that hold the two together and it lines up better with less gaps. This is to make painting easier.
I found the bonnets end formers a bit flat on top so the gaps are filled with solder. I also found the vertical straps over the top were a bit wide, or my forming was poor, but with cuttin
Right amongst the other things I have been doing, I have got this Parkside wagon finished. It has been a while in the workshop but is now ready to be possibly weathered when I have done some experiments.
It was finished in Precision SR wagon brown and a flat varnish after the transfers where fixed. The brown for some reason here always looks washed out in the photos.
I will soon have to get the layout started as I almost have a small goods train, with the wagons almost fi
Having been shamed into action by George T, and his rendition of the Belpaire boilered version of the 2F.
Here is the latest update on my 3130. As you can see she is now wearing a black coat. I have also started detailing the cab. Now just waiting for the backhead to be finished. I have also applied the transfers, I have based these on a photo of the prototype, which while having cream LMS on the tender has her BR number on the cab sheets, in ex LMS numerals. I still have some
