work bench

Watching this with great interest as I am (still....) putting the finishing touches to two of these locos. (thread here )

 

It is certainly possible to produce a pleasing model from this kit, though there are a few things to look out for!

 

• It is difficult to get the footplate to sit just right - there are so many different curves and levels. The cab and firebox area can be used as a reference point, and the front frames / smokebox saddle adjusted until it sits right on the chassis. Check and recheck as you add parts (such as the splashers).
• You will probably have to remove a fair amount of metal from the front bogie / cylinder area to allow curves to be negotiated.
• Fitting electrical pickups to the tender will help the running no end.
• If I were building another one, I would consider lightening the tender as much as possible - for example the cast tender top plate could be replaced with a piece of thin sheet metal (or even plasticard).
• On the plus side, there's room for quite a large motor high up in the boiler. I used a Mashima 1628 with a High Level "Highflyer" gearbox and a brass flywheel.
• If you want to portray a particular loco, consult the relevant Yeadon's register or similar reference. The K's model represents the locos fitted with a smokebox saddle (many weren't) and coupled to a tender with a cutaway at the front. The Ramsbottom safety valves seem to have been generally replaced by Ross pop ones in the early LNER years.

I have a 1983 vintage blow by blow account of how to build one of these kits; (including the K's exploded diagram). I can send you a copy if it's of interest to you.

 

Good luck with your build - looks very good so far.

 

Regards,

 

Alan

What Alan said, really - I'm following his thread and I shall follow this one. Can I ask where you sourced the steps? I acquired two a number of years ago and contacted NuCast for spares then. I was told at the time that I'd had pretty much the last bits he had and he wouldn't be making any more.

 

Good luck with your build - looks very good so far.

 

Regards,

 

Alan

 

Alan

 

I wished I had seen your thread before I started. I would have built the cab first, then fitted it to one half of the broken footplate. Still I am an average modeller and it looks better in the flesh than on screen. Love to have a scan please as I am building this in the dark, no instructions plans or anything.

 

I broke one of the piston rods, and the pistons have been hacked about. Which Comet crosshead is it please so I can buy some.

 

Will have a propper read of the thread over the next few days

 

Thanks for the offer and encouragement.

 

John

What Alan said, really - I'm following his thread and I shall follow this one. Can I ask where you sourced the steps? I acquired two a number of years ago and contacted NuCast for spares then. I was told at the time that I'd had pretty much the last bits he had and he wouldn't be making any more.

 

Martin who gave me the kit had them made, as well as a set in the box Martin a couple of months ago sent me a tin of whitemetal bits. There are another set in the tin. Knowing how generious Martin is he would be very pleased in knowing that they have helped someone else out. I have a left and right hand set in the new casting and a right hand one from the old kit.

 

If anyone had a tender breather pipe spare as it only has 1 I would be gratefull

 

Send me a PM with your details and which ones you want

 

John

Thanks for the offer, John, but I was able to get what I needed from the NuCast chap at the time. I was missing two or three splashers, IIRC.

 

Having just done some for a different loco I think you'd be able to file up the centre steps from the Comet etch.

 

Jonathan

Alan, progress on my Atlantic has been slow as work and gardening have got in the way as well as a hectic social life at the weekends. Now I have a couple of turnouts to build.

 

I have painted the chassis and put it back together, the loco has 25mm Romfords which seem a tad too big, I see it should have 6' 8.5" wheels but as the 00 flanges are over scale I am thinking to either replace them with 24mm ones or cutting back some of the metal (out of sight)on the body and or lowering the chassis by ten or twenty thou. Any thoughts please

 

John