Having finally got the cab looking right. I thought I would go back to the tender.

I thought this would be the post before the castings were fitted. I wanted to get all the high melting point soldering done before the castings. One of those it won't take long there is nothing to it moments, with the shortage of modelling time over the last 2 weeks, progress has seemed very slow.

All the steps and ladders were replaced with some made from brass and nickle silver. Extra details have been added that were not in the kit, bunker front toolboxes, and a backing sheet. The lifting brackets for the tank top, also added is the rack for the vacuum cylinders, the cylinders took and age to get to fit the rack. I am quite pleased with the way the fall plate works. I then remembered the screw for the coupling to the loco, then something to mount the vacuum cylinderson, but made in such a way that the screwcoupling could be fitted. Then of course the cast brake shaft was too small so made new parts and just uesed the cast ends. All in all I am pleased with the way it has turned out.

The tender chassis needed brakes making so I cut out six hangers in my usual way of laminating brass sheet and then cut them out as one, the brake shoes were shaped from copper clad paxolin. It was all solrdered together with pull rods and cross shafts from wire. It is hung from 1mm hangers with the ends threaded and 14BA nuts for ease of removing. Some silly sod will photo this tomorrow. So at least this part is ready to paint

Next is to get the castings tarted up and fixed, then get the loco chassis finished and working correctly. I am trying to avoid the night mare of the body.