Build the body etc up, then cut the spars. It should be strong enough by then to lose enough material for the motor shafts to fit through. If possible the motor should always be attached to the chassis rather than the body in my opinion.

I presume from your question that the instuctions do not address this aspect? If not, have you tried contacting the manufacurer for advice on this? [i have no specific experience with this kit, but Backwood kits look generally well designed and thought out - I'd be surprised if motorisation/sequence of assembly has not been considered in the design.]

Dave.

Having Taliesin from the same manufacturer, I know the boiler is a separately mounted piece. I presume the same goes for the Double Fairlies, so then you should have access to the screws

PowerFlow flux is one type advocated by some. Although beware, some professional painters will not touch a model assembled with this stuff. I've never tried it....instead I use Carr's red label. I always use this in delicate situations where washing will be impossible - i.e. chassis detailing once wheels/motor are on.

As for the issue with the motor being secured, how about a removable cab roof and firebox assembly. Possibly fix the latter with a small amount of evostick so its easily released for maintenance. The whitemetal boilers are screwed in (if this is the same as their Tal kit) so they are easily released giving access to the motor screws. I have this kit in store, just need to clean up the footplate and start again after making a mess of the curved bends for the footplate splashers.

Rich, I had thought about cutting the spars, I'm just not 100% sure that it'll hold it's shape once that's done, I know it should and probably will, but this is the first loco I've built so I'm on the steep learning curve!

Dave, the fitting of the motor into the body is the sixth stage of the construction, purely I think because of the way, and where it is mounted. But I will be giing them a ring over the weekend if I haven't got it sussed by then!

Dutch, the two boilers are screw mounted to the running plate like in the Tal kit, however, once the second cab frontplate is fitted, the motor won't go in as the driveshafts get in the way. The Tal kit doesn't have this problem as the bunker assembly is designed to be removable for such purposes.

Eldavo, I've been using solder paint thus far, but I have heard of this mystic non-corrosive flux (in fact I think i's that my dad uses on his O brass!) I tried to get some at last years Wall.E show, but was unsucessful. In fact one trader told me that there was no such thing as flux by it's very nature HAS to be corrosive. Knowing that rather a few people use it made me think that this particular big name trader was not quite as clued up as they may have thought! The motor is also mounted to the body because of the nature of the locomotive design. It is centrally mounted and drives the power bogies via shafts, just like a diesel as there certainly isn't enough space to mount a separate motor on each bogie in this scale!

AER, the firebox is designed to be removable for motor maintainance, however, the motor itself won't come out due to the cab ends.

Cheers for all your advice

J

If you're not afraid of experimenting and tinkering a bit, you could cut the frame as previously mentioned, but use the motor frame to screw the halfs together for rigidity. That still leaves the driveshafts though... IMO Pete intended to have the entire loco disassambled if you need access to the motor, so removing the bogies, and thus the driveshafts, first... As for the Taliesin kit: only the bunker itself is removable, but for proper access to the motorleads you'd really need the cab-roof to go too. I have some ideas on how to get that done, but as I'm preparing the switch to 7 mm scale for the F&WHR stuff it doesn't have a high priority right now

Well that seems like it could well be the best idea! I sense a trip to Eileen's on the horizon!

That's some good brain work there Dutch! I'm considering Tal for my next project, but that'l have to wait until funds allow!

Cheers

J

I managed to use the two small holes in the main body frame, which line up perfectly with the holes on the motor mount to fit some 10BA nuts and bolts (the nuts soldered onto the motor mount) and cut the frames to allow the driveshafts in and out.

Thanks to everyone for your help and ideas, having someone elses view of a problem is often the best plan!

Cheers

J

I have found some pictures of one of these that somebody has built and it also goes through the building stages. He has mounted the motor on to the chassis and made it one separate, removable unit.

This might help.

https://picasaweb.google.com/103525373077464937002/FREarlOfMerionethS4n2

Thanks, that's most helpful! And something I have considered doing, as I've yet to progress any further with my build! I will get ono with it though! One day!

Cheers

J