Gladiator 7mm Stanier Duchess

[Horsetan]

....

One other area I have also started on is the detailing on the cast resin fire box. The riveting (I think it may be screws on the prototype) retaining the cladding panels is very course, so I've started replacing it with small brass rivets from Eileens (Scale Hardward in the US??). This is a very cruel close up and I assure you they do look much better in the flesh.

20170723_233302.jpg....

There was something about the step down from the cab front to the firebox rear which I wasn't sure about, so I found this photo .

 

Bearing in mind that Duchesses are a sod to photograph at the best of times due to their very length and bulk - they were built to the very limits of the loading gauge - I cast about for another photo to see if I was barking up the wrong tree again. I eventually found this one. It suggests that there wasn't that much of a step between the top of the cab front sheet and the rear shoulders of the firebox.

 

Looking at what looks like quite a drop down to the back end of the firebox moulding, is the one in this kit undersized, or have I been fooled by another optical illusion? 

Edited August 5, 2017 by Horsetan

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Thanks for the comments Richard.

 

I've been thinking along similar lines using 60 thou plastic strips and self tapping screws, but brass strip plus nuts and bolts maybe the better option.

 

Horsetan,

You are correct it's not tall enough at the rear and I'll be giving some thought to correcting that also.

 

I'm thinking of a variation on what Richard suggested by adding brass strip to the bottom edges rather than inside. That might kill two birds with one stone.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[Horsetan]

....thinking of a variation on what Richard suggested by adding brass strip to the bottom edges rather than inside. That might kill two birds with one stone.

 

 

A sort of long wedge insert?

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A sort of long wedge insert?

Could be an option.

[leander22b]

To what extent has Sutherlands cab been cut down in order to comply with Network Rails modern loading gauge?

[Dave Holt]

As best I can make out from the official drawings, the cab roof should be about 6 5/16" higher than the top of the firebox cladding, on the loco centre line, at the cab front plate.

Hope this helps.

Dave.

Edited August 7, 2017 by Dave Holt

[ozzyo]

Nice looking build Peter,

 

some nice work going on with the oil pipes, but just to clear one thing up the front lub. boxes are for the cylinders that use a very thick oil and the two pipes at the front are a steam feed and  the steam exhaust pipe that just runs down the inside of the frames to atmosphere. On the tender the two stretchers the rear one the strengthens point down and the front one the strengtheners point upwards. 

 

Are you going to Telford, we're go for the two days.

 

ATB

 

Paul.

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Hi Ozzy,

Thanks for the interesting comments. I assume the purpose of the steam feed was to heat and thin the oil so it flowed more freely to the cylinders??

 

I think I've put the stretchers in the right way up, but if not, no problem as they are detachable. I'm not sure if I will be able to get the rear one in and out easily with the water scoop etc. added but that's a bridge for later.

 

Hopefully I'll be going to Telford, family commitments permitting.

 

Thinking back to when you were a regular on here, did you get the Princess Anne completed? I've seen a few 7mm Turbomotives over the years, but I think your rebuilt version was a first for me.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[ozzyo]

Hello Peter,

 

heating the oil was to help make it flow.

 

You can get the inside frames out with the stretcher trapped to it like this,

 

 

Anne is very much a work in progress.

 

Have you got my mobile No.?

 

ATB

 

OzzyO.

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Thanks Ozzy,

That sounds like a good solution, I'll give it a try.

 

No I don't have your number so can you pm me please.

Cheers,

Peter

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Hello all,

I have now made some further mods to the firebox to increase the height. I decided to add a base plate made from plastic card

and after some trials starting with 80 and 60 thou, settled on 40 thou as the best compromise. 60 thou would have been better but that would have caused problems with the handrail height.

Here's the 40 thou base with the 80 thou behind.

 

Before fixing the base the beading on the bottom edge needs removing.

 

Here's the base epoxied in place. I made it slightly larger at the sides to allow an overhang to represent the beading. It was also necessary to add an infill piece of 40 thou to fill the gap over the splasher.

 

I then made and fitted a plate at the rear with 80 thou plastic card. A good filit of epoxy was applied to fill any gaps and give strength. Before fitting, a hole to match the centre one in the cab front was pre drilled, and a sheet of brass with an 8BA nut soldered to it was glued to the inside of the 80 thou. Here's a view from the rear.

 

And the underside showing the brass plate and cut out to allow space for the motor.

 

Here it is in place. It's not 100% correct but now the error in the height of the firebox to cab roof edge is reduced and will pass muster. I'm intending to epoxy the boiler to the firebox and that unit should then be detachable via 8ba bolts through the running plate and cab front.

 

Cheers,

Peter

Edited August 26, 2017 by PAD

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I have  now  completed the  mods to the  firebox by adding additional 80 thou plastic card  inserts to the upper surface on the  inside  to allow further  bolts to be added from under the  footplate. There is limited space due  to the the lower firebox castings, so I could  only use  12 BA bolts. I tapped the  holes in the  plastic and although these  won't stand much unscrewing, once it's painted I can add a nut  on the  inside  to finally secure. 

 

I then epoxied the  boiler to the  firebox and added the  boiler bands.

 

Here's the  firebox bolted in place  before  I added the  boiler. The strips of  plastic card over the  splashers are  to further  fill the  gap created by raising the  firebox.

 

And with firebox and  boiler in place.  The completed unit is  now  detachable which will greatly simplify the  painting  and  lining. I can now  get  the  lower  firebox castings on and  fill the  huge space undrer the  running plate.

 

And  the flanges around the  steampipe covers.

 

Next  I will add the  remaining castings and  then move  back to the  chassis.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[Hilux5972]

Looking great Peter.

Edited August 30, 2017 by Hilux5972

[Rob Pulham]

Superb Peter!

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Some further work on the firebox and boiler. First I replaced the band at the rear of the firebox on both sides. After filing the inside earlier in the build it left the bands very thin and somewhat fragile. During the last session I chipped a quarter inch section so it needed some remedial work. 10 thou plastic strip was used and fixed with super glue. I've also now fitted the lower firebox castings along with the mudhole covers and boiler band cleats.

 

And t'other side.

 

And with the dome, top feed and chimney added to the boiler.

 

 

 

Almost looks ready for the road now.

 

Well that's boiler and firebox done for now. There's been a fair bit of extra work on the firebox to get it looking right but all fairly simple stuff and the resin is an easy medium to work with. I know from speaking and corresponding with David Hill that he is keen to correct the master, so hopefully he will be successful in that and future kits won't have this issue.

Cheers,

Peter

Edited August 31, 2017 by PAD

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Did some more work on the boiler starting with the smokebox door and the rebate in the front ring. Here's the door pressed into the ring. It's not fixed as I will add the handrail, dart and lamp bracket in the flat as it will be easier.

 

Rivets added to the joint in the firebox cladding to represent the screws.

 

And the covers for the top feed pipes fitted.

 

I've now drilled holes in the smoke box wrapper through the exhaust holes in the chimney.

 

And added rivets at the joint in the boiler cladding.

 

And the boiler hanrails have been made and added. They are removable to aid lining later on and will be fixed afterwards.

 

 

I can't make it to Telford this year so I hope those of you who can, have a good day (or two) out.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[N15class]

Nice work Peter. I can't get to Telford either.

[Deano747]

Nice work Peter. I can't get to Telford either.

 

.....and work have scored against me!! No Telford for me! Next year??

Will try and get to Reading though.

 

Enjoy All

 

Regards, Deano.

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I couldn't make it it to Telford but my brother did, and he kindly got me some safety valves from Laurie Griffin. Here's the backplate with the valves in place. The small etching below the roof is what comes with the kit, and is meant to be soldered on the inside behind the four apatures.

 

I added a plate to the bottom of the backplate casting to allow it to be fixed with 10 BA bolts. Thanks to Dikitriki for the idea.

 

Here it is screwed into the cab.

 

And with roof on. I wasn't happy with the fit of the mudhole door covers, so removed them, carved a slight recess around the fixing holes, and refitted them.

 

Some more detail added to the boiler barrel.

 

And the smokebox door has been added.

 

And some additional clamps added to the ashpan at the rear.

Cheers,

Peter

[david.hill64]

Excellent work Peter.

 

Now for a bit of a thread hijack..............

 

As Peter says, I have been working on a revised master for the firebox. I will know this week whether the current production plan will work or not. If it does, we will have the new boxes available in the new year. Yes, it really does take that long......Meanwhile we may have found a source of some high quality combined boiler/firebox castings that we will supply in the complete kits pending delivery of the new boxes. If these combined castings do become available, we will have Duchess kits back in stock at the end of October. When the new fireboxes are available, we will gladly exchange our old ones for new and make them available for purchase for anyone wanting to upgrade their DA kit.

 

OK, commercial break over: back to the main programme!

[vindictive]

Brilliant work as always pad.

Brilliant work as always pad.

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Excellent work Peter.

 

Now for a bit of a thread hijack..............

 

As Peter says, I have been working on a revised master for the firebox. I will know this week whether the current production plan will work or not. If it does, we will have the new boxes available in the new year. Yes, it really does take that long......Meanwhile we may have found a source of some high quality combined boiler/firebox castings that we will supply in the complete kits pending delivery of the new boxes. If these combined castings do become available, we will have Duchess kits back in stock at the end of October. When the new fireboxes are available, we will gladly exchange our old ones for new and make them available for purchase for anyone wanting to upgrade their DA kit.

 

OK, commercial break over: back to the main programme!

Hi David,

Thanks for the kind words and no worries about the thread hijack. It's good to hear you are making progress in improving the firebox.

Cheers,

Peter

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Some more running plate details added. First the right hand top feed pipe.

 

And the left hand one. Having the boiler detachable made adding these pipes so much easier. I also took the opportunity to add the oil feed pipes to the front of the forward lubricator which I had overlooked.

 

Here's the boiler detached.

 

Also made a start on the smoke reflectors. I have soldered the lower extensions to the curved drop plate, but the main parts will be detachable to aid painting. The lamp irons have now been added as well. Here's a shot with the reflectors loosely placed on the running plate/handrails.

 

The lamps irons are from Peter Roles and being cast, are a bit more robust than the supplied etchings.

Cheers,

Peter

[phixer64]

Wow, as a non 7mm modeller, but a fan of these Stainers, this is absolutely stunning work.

 

Regards Jeff

Edited September 10, 2017 by phixer64

[ikks]

As one who saw all but four of the class, this is simply stunning.......oh I wish I had the skills!!!!!

 

Mike