Detailing the Airfix LMS 4F

[ianLMS]

I thought I would share my thoughts concerning a little project where I decided to detail/modify the Airfix LMS 4F I purchased from Ebay for £18.00. This was the second model I decided to modify after completing a Hornby 3F for a static cameo scene (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/118548-help-please-whats-inside-a-3f-jinty-smoke-box/).

 

The donor model was a c.1980's Airfix LMS 4F No 4454. The plan was to detail the loco, re-number and weather it. It was a cheap model, so I wasn't worried about messing it up. The basic loco was fine, but the detail was lacking, and I am sure the experts in the room will advise that the Airfix model has various issues concerning the scale dimensions etc. I was fine with the anomalies - after all, this was a learning project.

 

I found images of a 4F on Flickr and used this as a guide to help with the details.

I purchased a Brassmasters 4F Detailing kit meant for a Bachmann 4F - £10.00(http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/4f_details.htm), replacement splashers (£12), LMS buffers (£6), LMS steps (£5), handrail knobs and wire (£4.00) screw couplings (£2.50), vacuum hoses (£2.50), loco tools & crew (£7.00) - total cost so far: £67.00 including cost of the model. So, this is the main question---was it worth the cost/effort, when you compare to newer and more accurate models available between £50-£100?

 

Of course it was worth it - I learnt a lot, enjoyed being creative and it was much more satisfying than just opening a box and plonking it on the track.

 

SPLASHERS (mudguards)

The biggest challenge overall was the replacement splashers. This required me to hack the old splashers away from the body, shape and solder the new brass ones up, glue them on the loco body, and fill the huge gaps left behind - very time consuming, but a good deal of thought, model making and creativeness made it enjoyable. Although the pics don't really show it, the size difference between the Airfix splashers and the Brassmasters ones is quite a bit and many agree, the Airfix and Hornby/Bachmann splashers are all over-sized.

 

DETAILING KIT

Contains replacement loco buffer beams including piston rod covers, locomotive buffer bases and buffer packing pieces, template for front locomotive sandboxes, replacement tender front to produce the earlier type of tender, tender and cab doors, tender buffer beam overlays, buffer bases and packing pieces, replacement tender 00 guard irons.

 

OTHER DETAILS

Loco crew (PD Marsh), Vacuum Hoses (Gibson), LMS Loco sprung buffers (Gibson), LMS Steps (Gibson), Sandpipes (.33 brass wire), real coal, footplate (plasticard), copper pipe, handrails and small knobs (Gibson), front axle guard irons (scratchbuilt using template from brassmasters kit), Pressfix numbers and letters,

 

PAINTING/ WEATHERING: Humbrol Matt Black (smoke box) and Humbrol Gloss Black enamel paint (main body), brass, copper and red for cab detail, Microscale Krystal Klear (cab windows) Humbrol weathering powders, Birchwood Brass Black (blackens metals, not just brass).

 

Donor model and end results:

Edited August 2, 2017 by ianLMS

[Horsetan]

.......I learnt a lot, enjoyed being creative and it was much more satisfying than just opening a box and plonking it on the track....

That is surely beyond any price 

 

Correct-sized splashers make a hell of a difference, don't they?

[ianLMS]

Definately. I have another Airfix 4F to modify. Hopefully it will turn out a bit better

[Horsetan]

....I have another Airfix 4F to modify. Hopefully it will turn out a bit better

 

If you're not careful, you might find yourself changing the wheels for ones that have finer flanges....

[Mad McCann]

I have two or three of these hanging about in various states of repair. They really need to get some finescale treatment!

[ianLMS]

Ahh, wheels - that was on the list as well, but quite pricey. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound as they say, so for the next one, I probably will invest in a wheel set with better coupling rods etc. Brake rods would also be added, and DCC conversion!

[bike2steam]

Yep, a nice rtr loco class for detailing, in the November 2001 copy of Model Rail magazine there is a similar job to which I'd done to mine as well as converting to loco drive with Comet chassis kits, starting with Comet gear boxes/ Mashima 1620 motors, but later going over to High Level Kits/Mitsumi motors, Romford/Markits wheels, all have tender pick-ups, some also detailed to the original MR version. Although I didn't bother with altering the splashers as it's not that noticeable unless you have a low, bird's eye view, layout.

Edited August 2, 2017 by bike2steam

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

... a little project where I decided to detail/modify the Airfix LMS 4F ... end results

And you didn't even mention closing up loco and tender so that a fall plate can bridge the gap. Always worthwhile in lifting the appearance of the loco and tender ensemble, if the layout curves can accommodate it. A small modification, but one that may be applied with advantage to a great many models.

[ianLMS]

Lol. I am hoping this is helping me prepare to jump into the art of kit building

If i can succesfully mod a rtr loco well, it will help me move onto whitemetal or brass kits. I did close up the gap a little but my curves into the fiddle area are little tight so i have to be careful

[Northmoor]

I thought I would share my thoughts concerning a little project where I decided to detail/modify the Airfix LMS 4F I purchased from Ebay for £18.00. This was the second model I decided to modify after completing a Hornby 3F for a static cameo scene (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/118548-help-please-whats-inside-a-3f-jinty-smoke-box/).

 

The donor model was a c.1980's Airfix LMS 4F No 4454. The plan was to detail the loco, re-number and weather it. It was a cheap model, so I wasn't worried about messing it up. The basic loco was fine, but the detail was lacking, and I am sure the experts in the room will advise that the Airfix model has various issues concerning the scale dimensions etc. I was fine with the anomalies - after all, this was a learning project.

 

I found images of a 4F on Flickr and used this as a guide to help with the details.

I purchased a Brassmasters 4F Detailing kit meant for a Bachmann 4F - £10.00(http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/4f_details.htm), replacement splashers (£12), LMS buffers (£6), LMS steps (£5), handrail knobs and wire (£4.00) screw couplings (£2.50), vacuum hoses (£2.50), loco tools & crew (£7.00) - total cost so far: £67.00 including cost of the model. So, this is the main question---was it worth the cost/effort, when you compare to newer and more accurate models available between £50-£100?

 

Of course it was worth it - I learnt a lot, enjoyed being creative and it was much more satisfying than just opening a box and plonking it on the track.

 

SPLASHERS (mudguards)

The biggest challenge overall was the replacement splashers. This required me to hack the old splashers away from the body, shape and solder the new brass ones up, glue them on the loco body, and fill the huge gaps left behind - very time consuming, but a good deal of thought, model making and creativeness made it enjoyable. Although the pics don't really show it, the size difference between the Airfix splashers and the Brassmasters ones is quite a bit and many agree, the Airfix and Hornby/Bachmann splashers are all over-sized.

 

DETAILING KIT

Contains replacement loco buffer beams including piston rod covers, locomotive buffer bases and buffer packing pieces, template for front locomotive sandboxes, replacement tender front to produce the earlier type of tender, tender and cab doors, tender buffer beam overlays, buffer bases and packing pieces, replacement tender 00 guard irons.

 

OTHER DETAILS

Loco crew (PD Marsh), Vacuum Hoses (Gibson), LMS Loco sprung buffers (Gibson), LMS Steps (Gibson), Sandpipes (.33 brass wire), real coal, footplate (plasticard), copper pipe, handrails and small knobs (Gibson), front axle guard irons (scratchbuilt using template from brassmasters kit), Pressfix numbers and letters,

 

PAINTING/ WEATHERING: Humbrol Matt Black (smoke box) and Humbrol Gloss Black enamel paint (main body), brass, copper and red for cab detail, Microscale Krystal Klear (cab windows) Humbrol weathering powders, Birchwood Brass Black (blackens metals, not just brass).

 

Donor model and end results:

 

Lovely job, well done.  My dad and I have three of these between us, all awaiting "work".  I must admit we never experienced the poor running often complained about with these, as we never ran ours enough to wear anything out.

 

Airfix 4Fs are dirt cheap on eBay and were one of the (at the time) excellent models to come from Airfix/Mainline.  Some of the updates you've made I would be too tight to pay for(!) and I had never noticed the oversized splashers until seeing this post.  It's glaring to me now..... 

 

For models of this era it can be worth hunting down contemporary articles with detailing hints.  Model Trains magazine was, I thought, particularly good at detailing advice on r-t-r models.  In fact from memory they covered the Airfix 4F in issue 1 (January 1980).  How do I remember all this stuff and then forget my wedding anniversary?

[ianLMS]

Lovely job, well done.  My dad and I have three of these between us, all awaiting "work".  I must admit we never experienced the poor running often complained about with these, as we never ran ours enough to wear anything out.

 

Airfix 4Fs are dirt cheap on eBay and were one of the (at the time) excellent models to come from Airfix/Mainline.  Some of the updates you've made I would be too tight to pay for(!) and I had never noticed the oversized splashers until seeing this post.  It's glaring to me now..... 

 

For models of this era it can be worth hunting down contemporary articles with detailing hints.  Model Trains magazine was, I thought, particularly good at detailing advice on r-t-r models.  In fact from memory they covered the Airfix 4F in issue 1 (January 1980).  How do I remember all this stuff and then forget my wedding anniversary?

Thank you Northmoor,

A mans memory is a huge deposit of useful (reference material, enjoyable events as a teenager etc) and not so useful (anniversary's, birthdays, SWMBO hair appt's etc) information that we can recall whenever the need arises (unless its the not so useful info which why a man invented the mobile phone with a calendar reminder!!!!)

I agree, the 4F's are great little models, and I am sure I will end up with a few of them! This one is a poor runner so currently it is added to my static engine service area cameo along with the 3F Jinty so will not get the DCC treatment. However, the next one is a very good runner and I hope to do a much better job on the upgrades and fit a decoder in it. I will keep hunting out cheap ones on Ebay, but don't plan on spending more than £20 on one.

[ianLMS]

A nice simple touch is thin copper wire to replicate all the little exposed pipework around the loco. Lubrication feeds probably. There are several on the prototype if you look closely. Take a look on Flickr and search LMS 4F, and a hundred pics will come up. I did the same for the 3F, but was not so convincing. I tried to add as many as I could without it looking out of place. Zero cost as I have a bucket load of copper strand wire which I salvaged.

 

The exhaust valve (i think that's what it is or clack valve maybe?) on the front left side of the boiler is impossible to source as a ready to fit item, so I had to modify the one off the model.

 

I filed off the moulded top valve and moulded pipework, scratchbuilt a new one and drilled a hole to accept a short piece of brass rod and fitted it to the main valve which was the original Airfix one. This was then fitted to the new handrail (note thinner section at the very end of the handrail). A larger hole was drilled in the bottom of the valve to accept a piece of thicker brass rod for the main pipe coming up just in front of the front splasher.

 

I then super-glued the thin copper wire to replicate the pipes seen on the prototype picture. For instance, take a look at the pipework under the boiler. Simple to add detail.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/66202473@N04/15479526237/in/photolist-oRZawi-dZ3fsD-qDNE3g-pzSBRp-pUoh5a-qux2Mo-dUqySL-atHRbk-aXeS8V-j9Dggv-qsxWoc-E79M3t-djhwNa-dZ5VkS-daro3j-pwRoo5-9spAH8-bygVwc-aeKn29-moPRmT-8RxS6p-kPZGKc-gwwTMG-brNhkx-cNHPNS-SWciTW-6eaK4k-Rx6Nth-dnZ2U3-brE7ZV-fZePsD-djBtTx-i2iu9x-gnBVpd-kPZKCB-8SgwRF-z8iNHx-gBRWt5-GuFhaS-aDAbhx-mZaw1W-VnqUNt-dRiNyR-oZH1TJ-nBk4we-nuHwMW-p5BWja-nCgRDa-pmDqg2-97NpJF

Edited August 3, 2017 by ianLMS

[Gordon A]

Don't forget the tender cab for bad weather.

Perseverance used to do an etch, but I do not know if any one else does one.

 

Gordon A

[ianLMS]

Don't forget the tender cab for bad weather.

Perseverance used to do an etch, but I do not know if any one else does one.

 

Gordon A

Bad weather in the midlands and north west of England? Never heard of it!!!

[bike2steam]

Don't forget the tender cab for bad weather.

Perseverance used to do an etch, but I do not know if any one else does one.

 

Gordon A

True enough, but the 'back-cabs' tended to gravitate to the sheds with more extreme weather workings over the Peak, Cumbria and Pennine areas ( Buxton, Workington, Hellifield, Skipton etc)

[ianLMS]

True enough, but the 'back-cabs' tended to gravitate to the sheds with more extreme weather workings over the Peak, Cumbria and Pennine areas ( Buxton, Workington, Hellifield, Skipton etc)

As my model is set in the North West, I think that qualifies me to have one. Does anyone have a pic of the back-cab for reference?

[bike2steam]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rgadsdon/25657439135/in/photolist-STkfmh-SSmJJ8-9LNzFJ-b6N82z-pTtjnQ-agytJs-M4RTfd-b84rs8-9WRCzz-b84rRi-7WKbBg-bdn93K-bneGne-F6g5Lg-7UkhQR-e2pvQh

[Horsetan]

....The exhaust valve (i think that's what it is or clack valve maybe?) on the front left side of the boiler is impossible to source as a ready to fit item, so I had to modify the one off the model....

 

I believe you may be referring to an ejector.

 

You may also have seen these drawings - Brassmasters provide them as part of their full 4F kit.

[ianLMS]

I believe you may be referring to an ejector.

 

You may also have seen these drawings - Brassmasters provide them as part of their full 4F kit.

Ahh, that's what they are called. I had purchased a selection of Brassmasters LMS steam ejectors but none of them matched the 4F. (A112 Lostwax sprue containing A108, A109, A110, A111 £9.00)

[Horsetan]

.....had purchased a selection of Brassmasters LMS steam ejectors but none of them matched the 4F. (A112 Lostwax sprue containing A108, A109, A110, A111 £9.00)

Download a copy of the AGW catalogue - see page 12 in particular.

[ianLMS]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rgadsdon/25657439135/in/photolist-STkfmh-SSmJJ8-9LNzFJ-b6N82z-pTtjnQ-agytJs-M4RTfd-b84rs8-9WRCzz-b84rRi-7WKbBg-bdn93K-bneGne-F6g5Lg-7UkhQR-e2pvQh

 

 

Perfect - looks like an interesting modification. Have to think about that one. Sheet brass I think. Thank you also Horsetan for the Alan Gibson info - I looked at that and for some reason i didn't order it, instead favouring the set of 4 from Brassmasters (more chance of getting the right one I guess). Next time I do a Gibson order I will add a couple of those!!

Edited August 3, 2017 by ianLMS

[PatB]

I also seem to remember an article in an old magazine (might have been Your Model Railway or possibly Practical Model Railways) on easy EM conversions and the Airfix 4F was reckoned to be the easiest r-t-r steam loco to convert. I think it was a case of easing out the wheels on the axles and shifting the motor over a bit to maintain the gear mesh.

[ianLMS]

Here is the final resting place for my modified Airfix 4F and Hornby 3F (both poor running/non-working loco's). Ideal for a static "on-shed" cameo scene. Need to darken the area still, and give it a good dust!!!!

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Here is the final resting place for my modified Airfix 4F and Hornby 3F (both poor running/non-working loco's). Ideal for a static "on-shed" cameo scene...

Make the 4F free rolling, and another loco 'in steam' can drag it dead, in this case to clear the shed and water crane access. Even on quite well modelled steam shed layouts, it is rare to see this sort of move, yet on large sheds especially it was not uncommon, as the shedmaster's team got the locos positioned in sequence for their next turn,  necessitated by 'previous events' which had disrupted arrivals on shed. (Line blockage, Turntable jammed, Coaler or ashpits unserviceable, derailment in yard, you name it; the hundred and one events that might disrupt the planned workflow.)

[bike2steam]

Like it

 

Make the 4F free rolling, and another loco 'in steam' can drag it dead, in this case to clear the shed and water crane access. Even on quite well modelled steam shed layouts, it is rare to see this sort of move, yet on large sheds especially it was not uncommon, as the shedmaster's team got the locos positioned in sequence for their next turn,  necessitated by 'previous events' which had disrupted arrivals on shed. (Line blockage, Turntable jammed, Coaler or ashpits unserviceable, derailment in yard, you name it; the hundred and one events that might disrupt the planned workflow.)

Like it, in the early 60's there were many times I'd go down the road on a Sunday afternoon to Bescot shed just to watch the loco shunt as the locos were prepared for the new working week. Usually an Ivatt class 4 (43007 or 43022 or similar) hauling 3 or 4 locos, of all classes, at a time back and forth.