Not for Peter, Pete's Workbench

[N15class]

Hi Peter I have just looked through messers essery and jenkinsons midland locomotives vols 1and 3. I can't find a definite answer. So I am thinking fire iron supports ( but why both sides) or some kind of tank strap as on the "jinty"

The only engines that have tank vents in that position are those fitted with condensing apparatus. Maybe another gent more learned than me will be able to help more.

Glad to see you got rid of the dent without to much trouble.

 

All the best. Steve

I have had all these thoughts I have seen a fire iron support in on photo, but that was in front of the filler and shaped like the GW tender one. There are tank straps, but not there. What ever it is it cant be very high or it would be visible over the side beading.

 

Yes the smoke box was easier than I imagined but still wasted a session.

[stevejjjexcov]

Hi Peter sorry I wasn't more help. I do have a few more sources to look at,if I find anything I will let you know.

[jazz]

Peter, is there no end to the magic you perform. That repair is quite amazing. All looking very, very good.

[jdb82]

Peter, is there no end to the magic you perform. That repair is quite amazing. All looking very, very good.

 

 

Magic is indeed the word! You're never know anything had happened to it in the first place. Nicely done!

[N15class]

Hi Peter sorry I wasn't more help. I do have a few more sources to look at,if I find anything I will let you know.

No problem. The trouble is we are no probably 50 years since the last one was around, and modellers details weren't high on the photographers agenda in the days of steam.

[N15class]

Peter, is there no end to the magic you perform. That repair is quite amazing. All looking very, very good.

Magic is indeed the word! You're never know anything had happened to it in the first place. Nicely done!

Thanks guys.

Sometimes you strike it lucky. Just thankful that some of the supplied information to my ears in the past actually stuck and was remembered when needed.

Edited April 19, 2018 by N15class

[toboldlygo]

Right the fix. I had some thoughts of stripping the boiler and smoke box out a remaking the wrapper. But before doing anything rash. I sat and thought about what each plan would lead to.

I decided in the end to remove the smokebox front and see what could be done, before going on to replacing parts. Well the front came out quite easily with my 100 watt iron waved at it. It looked as though it was doomed as there at closer inspection a nice fold behind the rivet line.  Remembering some of the sheet metal methods that my father taught me 50 years ago. (He was an airframe fitter in the Fleet Air Arm at the end of WW2) I tweaked the rivet line using smooth jaw pliers and a wad of paper, into a horizontal plain rather than at 45 degrees. Now this left me with a dent, but with the rivet line intact. To smooth out the dent I used piece of round silver steel bar about 3/16" diameter and as for a dolly I used a small Vee block.The rod was rubbed along the dent against the dolly on the outside. The only down side with this is that the metal will always stretch. But here as the dent was so small it was not a problem.

 

There is a way to shrink the metal in these cases but not really suitable for such a small dent. Anyway once I was happy I refitted the smokebox front, and the only fault here is that had a little dent which once straight still a little shy of diameter this will be filled before painting. Here is the result. Not to bad I think.

 

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Back to forward progress.

 

I have fitted the handrail on the firemans side. I have almost finished the push pull gear, or my interpretation of it, I still need to add a pipe from by the top part to do to the cab, and the link between the top and bottom parts. All this was built from various photos and a little guess work. To me it looks the part even if not totally accurate.

 

 

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Has anybody got any idea what these to holes on the tank tops are for? There is nothing in the instructions and I cannot see on the GA or pictures. I have found no high angle shots. Are they for  more air vents? there are already two inside the cab by the back sheet.

 

006.JPG

 

Hopefully it will only be in a forward direction from now on.

 

Nice fix on the smoke-box Peter. 

[N15class]

Things have been bit slow the last few days. But I have  manged to add the link between the two parts of the push pull gear.

 

Looks bent in the photo must check that out.

 

 

The tank tops have been detailed. The hole on top behind the filler. I think is an air vent. I found it on a plan view, and a little tiny bit poking over the beading in one photo. But nothing to show its true shape. So it is bit of guess work. The tank support straps were also added, these are very plain compared to the likes of those on the Jinties.

 

 

 

 

Cab roof was made the one fitted was not worth using, but they also supply another but without the vent, sothis was added with a bit cutfrom the old roof ans some smal brass angle.

 

 

The front steps assembled and fitted and the treats to the rear also.

 

 

 

And just for fun the chimney etc in place.  Time to make the list of what is left to do. Not much I know but I need to rewheel and fit the motor to the frames and check everything is still ok.

 

[jazz]

Looking better every day

[N15class]

Thanks Ken.

Almost there now. I’ve spent this evening's session trying to get it finished. But am struggling to find things to do, plus keep getting sidetracked with deep purple playing a bit to loud I think.

[2ManySpams]

Thanks Peter for the Smoke on the Water earworm...

[N15class]

I always get space trucking stuck as the tune that won't go away. Mind you it's better than most recent tunes which all seem to be ones young Pedro likes, think I must be watching to much kids TV.

[Mikkel]

Deep Purple and etched brass loco building in Brazil. Love it!

[N15class]

Well I seem to of run out of bits to fix to the loco body. I finished the last bits last night.  I still need to do the back head. that may be tonight's challenge.

 

 

I've used glue for the white metal and the chimney. This is change from my usual practice.

 

 

first bit to be done was a pipe from the push pull at the front to the cab. In all the pictures I've seen this seems to be just draped over things on the way there.

 

 

 

The valve chest cover and the smoke box door where next. The handrail was fitted after the glue had set.

 

 

 

I also refitted the rails around the bunker. This was a bit fragile having been formed and flattened before being remade. The end result is better than I thought. I honestly thought I would need to make a new one.

 

 

 

Then the chimney and dome were fitted. The brass cover near the cab will be fitted after painting. This has been drilled and tapped ready along with a hole in the boiler.

 

 

 

 

Just heard from the Post Office here has just let me know The E2 kit is being delivered today. so there maybe a fight between the Jubilee and Thomas as to what gets made next.

Edited April 25, 2018 by N15class

[N15class]

Last few bits now completed.

 

I now made up its gear set and motor. I'm using a Roxey 26-1 gears and fold up box with a Canon 18/33 which I had to hand. It fits in the with plenty of room to spare. I also made the two rear sand box fillers that were not included in the kit. The loco also balances on the drivers even without the main boiler cast weight which is always a nice place to be.

 

 

 

 

The backhead is also ready for painting. this took far longer than I thought mainly because ether the kit made no allowance for the later fittings  or they had been lost before I got the kit. So most of the fittings had to be scratch built and hopefully have a passing resemblance to the real thing.

 

 

 

I am in the process of blackening the wheels etc, and will start cleaning the loco for painting tonight, I was hoping my new ultrasonic cleaner would be here by now. but customs seem to think I don't want it as they've taken the best part of a month and still not released it. Even with their new streamlined ultra fast service in conjunction with the postal service. Hopefully I have this problem with my new chassis jig.

[jazz]

Looking very nice. Love the way it balances on the drivers too.

[N15class]

Looking very nice. Love the way it balances on the drivers too.

Thanks Ken

There's not a lot of weight on the leading driver, at least there is a great lump of white metal to go in boiler.

[Simond]

Hi Pete

 

As Ken said, you’ve done a cracking job on it. I like it balancing on the drivers. But will you spring the bogie, or leave it loose?

 

I fear that if you leave it loose, even with the gurt weight, up front it’ll tend to “wheelie” when accelerating or pulling forwards, and if you spring it, then it’ll try to bunny-hop after wheelie-ing...

 

Best

Simon

[2ManySpams]

Tricky 0-4-4s. Nice job Peter.

[N15class]

Hi Pete

As Ken said, you’ve done a cracking job on it. I like it balancing on the drivers. But will you spring the bogie, or leave it loose?

I fear that if you leave it loose, even with the gurt weight, up front it’ll tend to “wheelie” when accelerating or pulling forwards, and if you spring it, then it’ll try to bunny-hop after wheelie-ing...

Best

Simon

Thanks Simon.

Being a Slater's kit all wheels are sprung. The bogie will actually be taking a little weight. The rear drivers will be given a little upward movement I think. But will do nothing to the hornblock stops untill it's all painted and being tested. There's 200 grams of weight to go into the boiler, it will have a sprung weight of over 600 plus whatever the unsprung weight will be. I think this will be ample, being sprung you tend not to need to go stupid with the lead.

 

Having said that it will probably slip moving itself.

[N15class]

Having a few readies spare I took stock and looked at what would sensibly be spent on. I know more kits, I have 5 locos to build and sell, plus my own, so I don't need to worry about this year and possibly next and you get the idea.

 

Well first off I thought about a new RSU. No I've got one although old does the job. So after a few months deliberating an ultrasonic cleaner would be good. The ones I can buy here would be good for cleaning wheels. Eventually found what I was looking for in China. A 10 litre tank that would take any loco I am likely to build and 3 parts of a 60 foot carriage. Apart from customs being slow here I know it's in the country and will be get here sometime. I was hoping it would be here for the 1262 but never mind.

Then the SWMBO said I could spend a 1000 for my birthday, lucky s®d I hear you all saying, 1000 real is less than 250 pounds sterling. So again looking at aids rather than kits I was tempted to get a couple of Maunsells from Slater's and make a P set. Then I have 3 ex LSWR corridors an etched Maunsell composite and a gated pp driver to build. No I said be sensible. I ordered a Hobby Holidays chassis jig. Working on the principal it may well save me an few hours a year and be slightly more accurate than my old jig.

 

Now there is a story behind all this waffle. It is never actually think your making headway. Cos two nights ago I was sat at the bench thinking some horrible person on the estate was burning something with rubber or plastic in it. After about 10 minutes of this I realised it was my RSU gently destroying itself by my right knee. Some day soon I'll pluck up courage and take the lid off

 

Now back to the boredom of cleaning and blackening 30 wheels and 15 axles.

Edited May 4, 2018 by N15class

[WestCountryClass]

Hi Peter,

 

Great build as always, you are a master craftsman. On the subject of locos to build, how about an 'N Class', or a USA Tank, always a challenging one.

 

Keep up the good work, I follow with interest, Simon.

[N15class]

Hi Peter,

 

Great build as always, you are a master craftsman. On the subject of locos to build, how about an 'N Class', or a USA Tank, always a challenging one.

 

Keep up the good work, I follow with interest, Simon.

Thanks Simon

 

I will want an N class but not before I made the older classes I want, but whos kit? maybe an old DJB one, not sure if it can still be had, or who it went to. I would not do  the USA unless it was a commission.

[Horsetan]

...I will want an N class but not before I made the older classes I want, but whos kit? maybe an old DJB one, not sure if it can still be had, or who it went to. I would not do the USA unless it was a commission.

Does anybody produce the Maunsell "U" (new build), and I don't mean Ace Products...

[N15class]

Not sure Ivan. It's all a bit of a mine field with the U's. The only one I would want is the U1 or N class.