k22009

I've assembled a Roadrunner plus gearbox and attached a Mitsumi motor, the rear of the gearbox needed a sliver trimming from it to miss the rear firebox former but the whole thing sits snugly inside the boiler assembly. I prefer to use etched cranks as i can solder the crankpins and retainers then, they are slightly undersized for 1/8" axles so need a light reaming to get a a nice tight fit onto the axles. They are made up from 4 parts the rear one has a slightly larger hole to allow a screwhead or to be filled with solder. I've also started the detailing with attention to the cab first. The backhead is a resin one that fits nicely, some of the pipes are a little oversized but it's fine in my eyes, it's all quite tight and needs doing before the roof goes on. An example from Hunt, Essery and Toms excellent Midland Engines series #4.

Splashers made up, one set with a cut out for the firebox and tacked into position on the footplate. Johnson smokebox (Deeley smokebox also on the etch) also formed and tacked to the boiler All loosely assembled onto the footplate. The springs are similar to the tender and are made up from 5 parts sweated together in one shot, there are 3 different sizes on the locomotive. And attached to the footplate, splashers now fully soldered along with the cab assembly onto the footplate. Castings, handrails etc next

After i checked the backhead it has a slight concave face to the rear so it only needed a smidgeon taking off.

The boiler diameter is pretty small and is at the limit of the GW rolling bars especially the larger one that i have, when you get down to the really small diameters you need to roll the item at one end or the other as in the middle the rolls start to deflect slightly. The handrail and clack valve holes are half etched on the boiler inside so need drilling out before rolling. The holes in the formers are for 0.9mm rod to act as a locating pin, the cab front has these too. The firebox end then needs opening out so that it follows a straight profile from the centre line, i just use parallel sided pliers to do this very gradually. I only fitted the front and rear formers but an additional one is included to give additional rigidity if needed. I left it out so that additional lead can be fitted into it more easily (i'll do this once i have the gearbox/motor setup). This is one of the few areas that weight can be added along with some narrow strips between where the chassis frames sit and the outer frames. Just a trial to see how it fits to the cab unit. Splasher top added here. The boiler will remain a removable item. I've added the cab splashers, these also act as the rear sandboxes and will have a filler at the half etched recess later. There is a hole under these on the footplate to allow a sanding rod to be added. I've since re fitted the ends of the cab splashers so they sit flush to the cab side ends. I'll file down the locating rods slightly so they sit flush to the cab inside and don't foul the backhead. Smokebox and splashers next.

Thanks Jol, that's very similar to what i was thinking about and yes adding some items while it's restrained is definitely a plus. Some Finney and Mitchell kits have similar cradles, it all helps to make the assembly a better experience.

Time to attempt forming the footplate to the correct profile. I used the outer frames as a template as the valences are quite small and wouldn't stand up to too much handling without bending, surprisingly the curves formed without too much resistance. On the revised etch i have decided to make the valences into a frame that will be joined together with spacers forming a good solid base to work from, the frame can then be cut away later. Valences soldered on, the footplate is quite flimsy so hopefully with the addition of the valence framework it should make it much more rigid. The outer frames are a 2 piece item with a choice of overlays so that the Neilson locos with the extra webs can be modelled too. And attached to the footplate along with the buffer and drag beam. Cab sides soldered to the rear splashers and with the 2 cab parts laminated together the cab is formed. Boiler/smokebox and splashers next

Cheers Mark, at the moment access into the horseshoe voids is not great as stiffeners prevent access from the rear throuigh the void under the main tank area, so i may add a slot or void underneath each side in the tank base so that that is a possibilty then if you wish to. At the moment i've added some lead sheet and fixed that in position which seems fine, but it would be nice to have more weight at the front end.

Just a few more photos of assembling the inside motion. All assembled into the chassis with expansion links, die blocks added

Not exactly what your looking for but certainly some top notch building might just inspire you.

I'm making a start on the chassis and as i've included inside motion on the etch i'd better try it out, gulp. This will be built in OO, consequently there is no room to get any springing or compensation along with the motion so it will be built rigid. There is a choice of motion brackets on th etch, the Dubs version and the rest of the manufacturers version. there are half etched guides for fitting horn blocks if the full inside motion option isn't taken, it should be possible to include some simple compensation in EM or P4. Bearings and spacers located. I prefer to have the shoulder of the bearings on the inside and file the bearing flush to the frame outer face as i like to make the frames as wide as possible so they appear more prototypical. The spacers in OO here are 12mm so making the frames around 12.8 o/all that leaves around 0.85mm each side of side play which is fine for the centre driver but i usually add a thin nylon washer for the front and rear drivers to minimise this. The front spacer takes the place of the cylinder block so i've added the piston tubes, the slide bars are laminated from 2 strips so i've chopped them in half without removing the individual items and i'll just laminate 2 sections complete as they will line up perfectly. Slide bars fitted, although i think its probably best to leave the upper slide bars off until i make up the crossheads and sandwich them in between. I can soon ease them out if i need to. There are no axle cranks as come with most inside motion kits as i just don't have the facilities to make them so from the outset i decided that the connecting rods would be fixed in situ. Here they are with piston rods and crossheads fitted, they are soldered into the cylinder block so they don't foul the centre driver axle. On with the eccentrics later which will be fun.

I've started with the tender and with these locos they have prominent springs over all of the wheels, as i don't have access to any castings for these i decided to etch them from 5 parts 2 outer with half etched relief and the inner 3 full thickness. They are quite small to assemble and laminate all together but with each one aligned and clamped in the vice they succumbed to the soldering iron. I also decided to make the tank as a removable section with itys own base that can be screwed to the tender footplate. Stiffeners provide something solid to solder the sides and the horseshoe coal space, they also form the underside of the tank top. I soldered the coal rail to the tender sides before forming as i find it's easier that way, the coal rail slopes from the front to the rear very slightly so you need to avoid the temptation to keep the top level. The fingers at the external corners are no where near man enough and needed a bit of filling with solder before filing down to shape, so they will need beefing up on the next version. the radius at the corners varied from manufacturer to manufacture but this one is fairly tight. When forming the corner it's obviously essential that it's vertical, the line of snap head rivets aids this task. I didn't take many photos of the assembly but this is what it looks like. One thing that's not really clear on any photos i've seen or from the drawings of the tender are what the vents actually looked like, so i've assumed they are a mushroom style fitting. the outer frames are a laminate with the area around the axle boxes half etched. The spring hangers fit either side of the outer frames. One thing that was odd was the front handrail grab holes had been etched too large (i checked the drawing and they should have been fine at 0.45mm dia). There's a large square hole in the base under the rear part of the tank so that weight can be added after the fact as it's difficult to get anything into the sides of the horseshoe. Pickups can also be added to the inner chassis to aid the electrical performance. Loco chassis next.

Hi Derek, part 4M614 at Alan Gibsons is for the lost wax Johnson 3'-4 chimney. I believe Craftsman also did a white metal Johnson chimney but unfortunately not available now unless someone has a stash. Colin also does various Deeley chimneys, MR and Johnson domes, safety cover etc I guess as more suppliers fall by the wayside the future is in getting these parts 3d printed, beyond my skills i'm afraid but i'm sure there may be members with the necessary skills to produce these.

The etches are my own design, fittings are available from Colin at Gibson's or Andrew at Wizard.

With a gentle nudge from @lezz01 and after he had kindly sent over some information the next project has appeared on the bench. A Kirtley 700 class double frame goods. There were a myriad of variations to this class, with alternate boilers, smokeboxes, valve positions, ejectors, sanding levers, cabs, tenders and just to round it off even differences between manufacturers. So after digesting the info contained within the invaluable Midland Engines #4 by Dave Hunt, Bob Essery and Fred James i decided to base the model on a B boiler version with options for both Johnson and Deeley smokeboxes, there is also an option to model the Neilson variant with the additional webs in the outer frames as an overlay. Tender is the Kirtley horseshoe 2000 gallon with the shorter frames at the rear. Inside motion has also been included with alternate motion brackets, it may partially work however there are no offset cranks for the connecting rods but the eccentrics have etches to enable them to operate (in theory anyway and maybe for someone with better eyesight than me) but on this one it will be just cosmetic. The only drawback with inside motion is that it makes compensation difficult especially in OO where room at the sides of the motion is non existent. The etches, chassis and motion in Nickel Silver and the body in brass. After inspecting the etches there are already small things that i can see need slight tweeking, however on with the build.

https://www.lgminiatures.co.uk/ Does a plethora of parts for 7mm.

Hi Mark, It's still in the paint queue but i'm hoping soon to do a batch before the weather changes. Thanks Mark, As 41516 said they aren't 3d printed but just resin clones mostly from my spares box. I was at the Perth show last weekend and was asking at one of the stands about getting some of the more common parts like Johnson chimney, Deeley smokebox doors. Midland dome and safety valve etc 3d printed, but needed to know what sort of drawings they would need to get the ball rolling. The resin castings aren't always good quality with the usual problem of tiny air holes appearing as it sets. My intention was to provide something that could be used as a guide for purchasing from the likes of Colin at Alan Gibson. Although with some models (especially those with tenders) buying a batch of lost wax castings as nice as they are from suppliers can really add a considerable cost.

Walsworth models do a coal hoist in 7mm that may be useful, I have one in 4mm to build awaiting a build slot. https://www.walsworthmodelservices.co.uk/product-page/lner-br-coal-hoist

Chris's High level chassis kit is more expensive but does come with a gearbox and builds into a far more detailed chassis than the Comet one. If you've not built a High Level chassis or kit they come with excellent instructions which should be followed to the book. One very happy customer here. You could always get machined frames from Colin at Alan Gibsons if you need to order wheels too as an alternative.

Just a quick update, drawings now revised and ready to go to the etchers for the revised artwork, so last call for anyone that's interested.

I've used a different manufacturer of a similar product to Archers https://hgwmodels.cz/en/172-scale/540-single-lines-rivets-080-mm-172-722013.html They do a few different patterns and sizes also in different scales, they are in the Czech republik always had excellent service and quick postage.

All of the castings, pipes, drain cocks, tender filler and vent pipes, fire iron guard and a smokebox door that i made up as there seems to be a distinct lack of options with suppliers for something that comes close. It'll now go into the paint queue until warmer winds waft this way fingers crossed. If anyone is interested send me a message rather than on add it on this thread please, it's easier to keep track of who's who then. I'll need a minimum take up of probably 8 if i'm to revise the drawing and hence the artwork (there's quite a few things needs alterations, mostly small things, but some items i also missed first time around that ended up being made from brass sheet, and of course the tender top will be now etched too). It's fairly straightforward and if you opt for the Caprotti version there's no worry about the valve gear.

Thanks Dave, A bit more pipework and the smokebox handrails done over the weekend. I'm going to change the handrail knobs as they look a bit to well fed. The rail fits into a hole i drilled into the end of the ejector pipework. The lubricators are resin castings so drill very easily 0.4mm copper wire for the feed lines was glued in and positioned on the footplate. Reversing shaft was added with the levers and further pipework added on top of the r/h splasher and at the cab front, the pipework here is formed to miss the horizontal whistle as the altered cab versions didn't have the roof mounted version. I've also picked up a LNWR screw reverser from Markits for the cab, it just needs a little titivating to get it to fit next to the back head. It doesn't come with a handwheel the machioned brass lever is a bit too big so i'll add an etched wheel of more appropriate dimensions. I'll add all of the castings next, make up a smokebox door too and assemble it all together.

Hi, some years back now i bought a job lot of brass sections off Ebay there were a lifetimes supply of 0.7 mm sq bar in amongst it so i've not had to buy any. However if you do a search for 1/32 square brass bar which is a tad bigger there are some model shops that sell some from K&S metals.

Hi John, Thanks, hopefully it will all look the part when it's all assembled. I've allowed for OO, EM and P4 in the design of all the etch components. As usual with any valve gear though in P4 it will be tight especially at the front step/motion bracket area, it's quite busy just there.

I added lead sheet to the firebox inner sides for weight and also for the washout plugs, drilled through the etched holes with a 1.0 dia all the way through the lead, then just a shallow 1.6 diameter drill to remove the brass only. Then a 0.7 square bar is cut and glued into the holes left. The what i presume are gravity oilboxes that are situated above or below the ejector/handrails are etched in 4 pieces each, the bottom 2 have 3 holes in so that short pieces of 0.4mm copper wire can be fitted as the lubricator lines. The steps for both tender and loco are a bit fiddly getting the curved edges to sit in the right place without unsoldering themselves. I then made up a very basic header for the backhead with copper wire 0.6mm and 0.8mm fitted to it. Before forming and adding to the resin back head. After that i turned my attention to the ejector pipes both sides of the boiler. In the end i used a Stanier ejector from Wizard carefully drilled the ends and fitted 0.6 mm rod into this. I then added the 1.2mm diameter tube either end of the ejector over these rods and added some sundry bits of copper wire and tube to make it into something hopefully resembling the original. Handrails, mechanical lubricators fitting the steps, reversing lever covers and the rest of the castings next.