k22009

All the tender parts removed, the main internal parts are all located by tabs so it's easier to align everything. With the internal coal chute supports, stiffeners and front baffle in place the sides were all added along with the coal chute and covers for the water scoop operating mechanism. I added some scrap etch stiffeners to the sides as they are half etched with the rivet detail on the outside. The locker front had the sides and top added along with the floor. All together with the side frames, and detailed parts to the top, fire iron guard and support along with vents and tank filler. The fall plate is hinged and a loose item. When i was starting the artwork for this i had decided to use a resin cast top that i had for the Bowen Cooke tender so all of the sides, coal chute etch had been designed to suit this. However if i revise the etches i will revise them to suit a fully etched tender top. The resin casting looks fine but i think it could be better, it will be easier to solder on the detail parts then rather than use epoxy or super glue too. Loco detailing next.

Cylinder block is a fold up item, slide bars are 2 items sweated together and fit both to the rear and front of the cyllinder housing for added stability. A tube for both the piston rod and the valve rod are also fitted through. Before i went much further a test fit to the footplate assembly was needed just to make sure it fits ok. With the motion bracket loose at this stage all squeezes inside the valances. It's a little too tight however and once painted will be a problem so i will need to narrow both the cylinder housing and motion bracket to allow a little clearance. I made up the valve gear and fitted that too, again it all seems to fit well, however, it's a little fragile so i will need to feed them up a little on any revised artwork to make it user friendly (the valve gear of course is only required for the Walshaerts versions and not the Caprotti making it an easier alternative to build). There is a slot in the frames for the valve rockers, however if they are fitted you would not be able to remove the cylinder assembly from the frames unless a slot is cut into the frame tops to allow removal. I may add something to represent the rocker pivot so that a rocker arm can be fitted (although it won't be seen as it's covered by the valences along with most of the valve gear). I will paint the frames up next before adding the wheels as they are Gibson's and i prefer to only fit them once if at all possible. There are 2 sets of the prominant wheel bosses on the etch one with a crankpin hole to suit Gibson wheels and one without to be drilled to suit. I should have reduced the bosses on the wheel a little before fitting the crankpins to give some additional clearance, but as this is OO gauge the extra thickness shouldn't be a problem. I' ve also pinned the crankpins to the wheels to stop any movement especially with the return crank axle. I line the screw slot up with the boss and drill through for 0.45mm wire. I'll probably start on the tender next.

Frames and spacers removed and de cusped, i've decided to integrate some simple compensation to the front 2 drivers as the rear will be the driven axle, so i'm using some High Level horn blocks. To make it easier to get the bearings in and out for painting i've removed the springs which will be reinstalled later. With the spacers in place, coupling rods were made up as a pair and used to set the hornblock guides (when setting them a spring is inserted onto the 2 jig axles between the horn block bearings to force them onto the frames while they are correctly positioned by hand before soldering). The bogie support spacer is offset (the hole is central and has a nut soldered to the top) as i wanted to be able to use the cylinder spacer to secure the frames, cylinders and smokebox base together and with the spacer cut back it enables the screw to be easily accessed. With that done i added a compensation beam with pivot to the holes on the frames between the axles. Bogie also made up the wheels are retained by the 0.45mm wires, holes are also provided in the bogie stretcher for some side control wires (to be added later), i'll add a small amount of lead strip to the bottom too to give it some momentum. Cylinders, motion bracket and valve gear next.

Certainly mention it John, hopefully it's of interest.

Parts removed for the splashers and the reprofiled cab along with the lower cab sides The single small hole in the top of each splasher are for the sanding operating rods, the reboilered version doesn't appear from photos to have them so i'll fill them in and omit the rods. Lower cab sides were folded and the tops added which includes part of the beading. Holes are provided in these for the revesing rod on the left hand one and pipework on the right. Fitted to the footplate with the support bracket for the reversing rod in place. Now with the cab in place i folded up the cab floor, internal wheel splashers and the backhead mount. I must've caught the left hand rear cab beading before i took the photo, all fixed now. There is a half etched recess on the top of the footplate to position the splashers, the reversing rod is in place which runs inside the lefthand splasher and connected to the small bracket by the cab (this will be enclosed later with a small cover). The 2 small slots in front of the splashers shouldn't be there, it was meant to be just a half etched recess for locating the reversing rod shaft which runs across the footplate but i couloured the artwork incorrectly, something to be revised. The other 2 larger square holes are where the valve gear reverse arm protrudes through the footplate (these will also be enclosed by covers). The upper cab sides sit on top of the beading and have there own beading around the rear openings. With the cab, splashers, and boiler assemblies looking ok it's on with the chassis next. One thing that comes very apparent as the build progresses is how difficult it must have been to access and service the valve gear on the prototype.

Firebox, boilers and smokeboxes for both the original and reboilered versions rolled and formed to suit the formers. With the boiler sections i've allowed cutouts in the underside to allow for OO gauge wheel clearances, EM and P4 should be fine but they're there anyway. With all the formers i have the centreline mark half etched along with 2 holes for rods to align everything. I always mark the inside of each piece with the centreline too before rolling or forming. Then with some small rods soldered to each of the alignment holes i can test fit everything together with a cab front. I can now check the alignment of all the parts with the holes on the footplate. The front of the firebox needs a little filing to round the edges. I'll be building the reboilered version so i can add lead strip to the sides of the firebox and add some square rod to act as washout plugs. More lead can be added to the boiler too but i'll probably wait until i've got the chassis there or there abouts so i can balance it. Cab and splashers next.

Hi Neil, Is it possible it's a D1 drivetretcher you've used which have centres of 16.6mm rather than 14.6mm for the D2 drivestretcher?

Hi John, They probably will, however even at this early stage i have spotted a few areas that would need altering, and some of the valve gear even though its the correct size needs making a little overscale in the width to make it more user friendly. I'm sure more areas of attention will present themselves before the finish line is reached. With that in mind a new set of artwork would be required for both brass and nickel silver parts so this will be considerably more costly than my recent smaller designs (the brass etch alone is A3 size at the moment as it has all of the variations to accomodate). Fortunately there are also castings and parts available for most of the detailing from the likes of 247, Wizard, Markits snd Alan Gibson to name a few that i've identified. Once i've got to a point where i'm happy with all of the modifications that would be necessary i'll contemplate making the drawing revisions and ask if there is enough interest to take it any further.

After battling with the Jidenco Claughton a couple of years ago and nothing being available apart from the DJH offerings i had a hankering to try and see what i could come up with. The drawings took quite some time with the different variations, LNWR and modified MR cab, original and reboilered versions, Caprotti or Walschaerts, certainly enough variations for a prototype that didn't really last long from 1913, reboilered 1928 with the majority withdrawn by 1937 (with a couple of exceptions) i didn't venture into the different tenders plumping for the Bowen Cooke as the MR ROD tender is available elsewhere. Toms and Essery's reference Claughton and Patriot 4-6-0's is an invaluable guide. With the etches back i've made a start on the footplate as i wanted to get the basic body made before starting on the chassis. So first up are the main footplate, valances and valve rocker covers. The body is all in brass with the chassis/motion in Nickel Silver. Rivets pressed out and the curves at the cab formed Valences tacked in place so that i could tweek the curves more accurately before fully soldering. Next i formed the front lower footplate and sweated the valve rocker covers onto the top of the footplate at the half etched recess. Both original and reboilered boiler/firebox/smokebox assemblies next to check the fit with the cab fronts.

I think i used .5 wire with some slivers of tube from a 4 piece albion alloys tube set. They're not perfect but fine for me.

Jonathan, I bought a Markits set a while back from Brian at 247 which were rather nice, otherwise i've made them from very small brass tube and rod.

Happy New Year to all and sundry. Pretty much all of the detailing has been done over the last day or so, there were only a couple of items that needed making, the salter springs and the clack valves, both made with bits of wire, tube, and small washers. With just a couple of small items to attend to, like buffer stocks and whistle (added after painting) to attach, the back head needs some dials, pipework and levers but this at the moment along with the roof isn't fixed. The reversing lever needs repositioning and cutting down a little too and a little judicious use of some filler won't be amiss around the dome and chimney. It's too damp here to paint and in a day or so it'll be too cold so the chassis will have to wait, i will add the gearbox and motor once it's painted, i have some Gibson wheels, so those will be pressed on then too. If anyone is interested in an etch just private message me please and i'll get the ball rolling.

I've marked the center line of both the boiler/firebox and smokebox before rolling to suit the formers. I've added locating holes to the formers so it will locate into the cab front accurately and each of the inner diameters in the formers is a little different to the adjacent one so its easier to solder these when joining 2 parts together. The boiler bands are somewhat overscale but in the flesh they don't look too bad, they are easily filed off if not required. And test fit to the body just to check the tank sides are a good fit to the boiler, i can solder everything up now on the footplate, however i'll leave the boiler and smokebox assembly as a separate unit for ease of painting. There is a nut in the smokebox base which lines up with both the footplate and chassis spacer. There is a small gap at the smokebox and splasher interface (you can see it clearly through the smokebox opening) so i'll modify the artwork to correct that. Next it's on with the detailing, rear bunker, lamp irons, steps, cylinder cover, castings, handrails and pipework.

Lining looks tidy, which brand have you used?

Coupling rods made up and checked with the jigs on the chassis, the brakes have double hangers and are retained on wires by the hanger brackets (i'll take better pictures later) Onto the footplate, where i've folded up the splasher sides and rolled the tops to fit into the half etched recess. After soldering those on i formed the tank sides and added the beading to the top, the cab front sits on top of this. Here the first mistake has appeared. I hatched the cab front window frames with the wrong colour on the artwork, red instead of blue so the frames on this version are at the front rather than in the cab as they should be, so i'll correct that on the artwork. I'll fit the tank tops and bunker next before starting on the boiler assembly. I'll leave everything tack soldered until i get the boiler unit to check for fit.

Everyone have a good Christmas especially those that don't have company, we had a dusting of snow up the road at Glenshee yesterday https://www.ski-glenshee.co.uk/Webcam so i'll be out for some fresh air enjoying it tomorrow before getting my nose in the trough later.

The frames have been assembled, i've used the beams for the front 2 axles to give a very small amount of movement. Footplate supports at front and rear support the prominent sandboxes which protrude almost to the footplate edge. The spacers i use are 12mm wide for OO (14 for EM) so there isn't too much room once the wheels are on so i have the bearing flange usually on the inside, then on most wheelsets just a single nylon washer spacer. Here with the foldup sandboxes on, i'll add the Wizard models sand box fillers later. At this stage i like to make sure the spacers line up with the footplate holes so i've made the basic footplate with valances and buffers up too. All fits nicely so on to brake gear, coupling rods and getting the chassis in a position to paint next.

Hi, when the build is cosmetically complete i'll know better if mods are required to the artwork. I'll probably ask if anyone is interested then.

In the past i've uploaded a file to Youtube then posted a link to it on here.

I've posted this topic to the wrong area if it can be moved to Kitbuilding that would be appreciated Cheers Dave

I know there's a really nice Bachmann rtr offering but after making a Craftsman kit a good few moons ago i had a hankering to try another, but one with a few more details added. So after consulting Illustrated Midland Locomotives vol 3 i prepared the drawings. I wasn't sure which variation to model so on the etch i've included for the original round top and the belpaire fireboxes, both with open cab, one type of enclosed cab (as there were at least a couple of varieties) and also a rear weatherboard to keep my options open. Drawings are shown with a roadrunner gearbox with a drivestretcher 2 and a small chinese can motor. Well the etch duly arrived after a few weeks so i have a nice Christmas project to tackle. I've decided it will be the roundtop version with open cab and rear weatherboard. Frames, spacers, footplate and sandbox supports, and also the fold up sandboxes removed. As with all my other recent locos i've included for half etched lines to the inside to act as a guide where the horn block guide cut outs need to be if so required. Dave

https://tinyurl.com/4etrwfk6 These are much the same too but direct from China.

Amanda a couple of things that i can immediately think of. The chassis kits from High Level are superb but in my experience you should read and then re read the instructions and follow them without fail taking plenty of time to complete each step. The High Level horn blocks are great too but you will really need springs too best set them up using the axle jigs shown. The springs force the horn block assembly onto the sides of the frames and by using the coupling rods you can then solder them into position knowing that as long as you don't mix up the coupling rods everything should work ok every time. The other potential problem is with the motor. The gearbox that Chris supplies in the kit is designed to have the motor mounted directly onto the back of it. If the motor worm you have there is fixed onto the shaft already it will not work as it won't mesh with the gears. You could however cut the shaft and fit the worm supplied in the kit.

Looking at the Brassmasters instructions and drawings for the Martin Finney GS tender it shows exactly as you say, a fire iron cradle on the L/h side as you face it.

Thanks i'll probably try a couple if they look close and as you say the primer coat does make a difference so i'll try both red and grey see how they look on a test piece. Time to get that old kit out and get a nice High Level gearbox in it, it'll soon be thundering around the layout.