Jump to content
 

Gladiator LNER/BR J6


Rob Pulham
 Share

Recommended Posts

Having noted the pattern of rivets in the centre of the cab rear when viewed from above and making use of the photos that Drmditch of this parish kindly took of the C1 Cab. I was able to come up with a representation of what can be seen. 

 

50509496228_cbb5e0f511_b.jpg

 

50509496113_1dfb7c7ff2_c.jpg
 

  • Like 1
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Modelling took a bit of a back seat last week because everything I touched turned pear shaped so I didn’t risk it.

This week I have made more progress with the cab adding al the additional bolt heads that are visible in the photos and replacing those already pressed out on the right hand side of the loco to match. A couple of weeks or so ago I was given an RSU which was surplus to requirements by a neighbour who was moving house and I got around to setting it up and trying it out on these bolt heads/rivets. I have to say that it doesn’t look much (I was told that it was made eons ago by Bernard Weller) but it does what it says on the tin and I am converted. I just need to get used to it’s vagaries and how little solder I can get away with now.

 

 50548323057_42cbe88362_b.jpg

 

50548322822_8c96840543_b.jpg

 

50548322432_cb2e3904e4_b.jpg

 

After seeing that Tony Geary had done a proper job on fitting the rather shapely rain strips above the cab cut out’s I bit the bullet, took them off and fitted them as correct as I can. They say practice makes perfect and so it did the first one was a right pain to get somewhere near right but the second one almost fell into place.

 

50547455273_d0d3ef81ae_z.jpg

 

50547455233_b88397dfed_b.jpg

 

 

  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

Having sorted out the additional bolt/rivet heads on the left side of the cab I drilled out the punched version on the right side and added 3d versions to make them match the other side. I also fitted all the hand rail knobs but I will fit the rails themselves a bit nearer the finish line.

50555713952_4341f4b1f7_b.jpg

50555713472_d1ba78bd47_b.jpg

50555577886_6b1559e886_b.jpg

  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

I am still beavering away at the J6. The boiler bands are on but despite having Tony’s build as a guide I added two 0.7mm infill pieces down the side of the smokebox as Tony had but initially made them too deep thankfully this was all done before attaching it to the smokebox so it was a simple matter to take it of and adjust it.

 

 

I made a new mounting plate for the snifting valve which it now fixed in place and I have made a start on fitting the very prominent set of bolt/rivet heads bellow it on the photo that I am working to. – They still need a bit more work with files to make them a bit shallower and more even.

 

 

Again, I followed Tony’s lead and started to drill out the chimney in my little lathe. Sadly I don’t have Tony’s touch because I had only got to a 4.5mm drill when I must have gone a little too deep and the spigot came away from the chimney. I attempted to make a collet from wood as suggested by Davis Smith (DLOS) but my chimney casting was ever so slightly misshapen and I couldn’t manage to get it to centre in my 3 jaw chuck (I don’t have a four jaw at present). 

 

I did the rest, the old-fashioned way and set to with a 2nd cut round file. In all honesty I think that it took less time to file it out than I had spent messing about trying to hold the casting to use a drill. I am just glad that I had drilled the base for the bolt heads before starting on drilling the inside or I may not have had the patience for it at that point.

 

Like the chimney casting the dome comes with a cast threaded spigot I suppose the original idea being that you would screw it to the boiler top. I opted to cut the spigot away and then using some emery paper wrapped around the boiler. I rubbed away at the dome until I got a good fit before cutting a couple of slots for the boiler band with a slitting disk in my Dremel.

 

50574756128_4154977daf_b.jpg

 

Not really much to show for all that work… as you will note it’s all just propped in place for the photo.

 

  • Like 6
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Still working on the detail from my photo of 64206 and I noted that there was a semicircle of rivets/bolt heads on the left side of the smokebox just above the handrail surrounding the bottom half of an oval patch. 

The patch is made from some very thin brass shim that I bought from china via eBay several years ago. It’s just under 0.1mm thick

 

50585660758_bf71521f2c_b.jpg

 

Next up I fitted the internal window frames and the associated rivets/bolt heads on the cab front.

 

50585660623_68e344fff8_b.jpg

 

50585697813_5162f67ecf_b.jpg

 

Hopefully that should be it for the boiler/smokebox and external cab details until I start fitting the castings pipe runs etc.

  • Like 4
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Although I am working in the general direction of getting the footplate complete so that I can attach the cab/boiler etc. to it. I am not ding things in any particular order so when I glanced at the sketch in the instructions for the cab floor I thought I would have a go at that before fitting the splasher tops.

 

The sketch only shows the rear of the cab splashers/floor and at first, I took the etched lines at the rear for fold lines. Having folded it I couldn’t get the floor to fit so I ended up straightening it out and soldering it up.

 

Surprise, surprise, it now was too long for the cab. I surmised that I would have to cut along the half etched lines to get it to it. However after a bit of head scratching I emailed David Hill (Gladiator) to ask how he had done it on his before doing something that while not irreversible would make a good bit more work. David replied very quickly and advised that the cab floor did indeed need cutting at the half etched line because the kit has options for both the 521 536 series locos with the 521 series having a much deeper cab. A point that I had completely missed!!

 

50600198176_42ae2a8444_b.jpg

 

You can see the half etch lines in the shot above. What isn’t apparent is that the half etched lines in the splasher tops are approx. 3mm different from those on the floor etch. I cut at the splasher lines first but needed to cut at the floor lines to get it to fit so anyone else building one of these as a 536 series you need to ignore the lines on the splasher tops and use those on the floor etch.

 

Once I had it a good fit in the cab, I added the splasher top sandbox filler plates and the fillers themselves. Curiously the splasher tops and the half etched sandbox top plates have a recess/hole for the top which I can only assume is for location purposes as the filler cap needs to be slightly proud of the splasher top. Like those on the front I cut a slice of tube and gently squashed it into an oval with pliers before soldering the top on.

 

50600196746_634a0e2d34_b.jpg

 

I made up the reverser and fitted it to the cab.

 

50599451903_752e22b0d8_b.jpg

 

After having a look at the reverser in the C1 I added a couple of bits of scrap etch to give a little more detail – not very clear in the shot below. Strictly speaking the lever should be on the outside of the ratchet plate not in between as shown in the instructions

 

20820284424_5145268f33_b.jpg

 

I decided to leave it as is, as it will be lot in the gloom of the cab.

 

It was probably a sign that I should have left it alone at this point but for the life of me I could only find two of the four splasher tops. I decided to cut some replacements out of 10 thou sheet on my “Mini Formit” guillotine (which I have used extensively throughout this build). Parts duly cut, the first front sandbox/splasher went on easily then it took over two hours to fit the rest and, in the end, I cut it off the cradle to make it easier to solder from the back. 

For whatever reason they sorely tested my patience. It was even more frustrating when trying to fit the ashpan sides as again one went on easily without issue to the second was a nightmare which resulted in the splasher top coming adrift several times before I had both in place to my satisfaction. On the back of that I had an evening off last night.

 

But here is the state of play.

 

50600162576_492b8eb3e3_b.jpg

 

50600279692_1bc9417042_b.jpg

 

50600280327_0d73fab486_b.jpg

 

Still a bit of detailing to go on before I fix things together but I am getting there.
 

  • Like 7
  • Informative/Useful 1
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The latest bit of modelling madness is a couple of Wakefield mechanical lubricators.

 

The kit provides a couple of nice but generic lubricator castings which have a lid and a hand wheel but no pipework. The lubricators fitted to 64206 are a little unusual to my eyes at least in that the pipes all come out of the bottom whereas I am more used to then coming out at the bottom of one or both sides. Now I could have followed Tony’s example and gone for some Ragstone castings but where would be the fun in that. 
Cutting out and drilling all the parts (18 each not including the pipes) was relatively easy the fun part was soldering them all together without it all collapsing in a heap.

 

50614127141_cae67e7361_b.jpg 

 

50614237132_a1e389e0f9_b.jpg

 

50614127326_9beca49696_b.jpg 

 

50614236687_c35f63664a_b.jpg

 

Not the easiest thing in the world to photograph but after taking the earlier shots I remembered the quite prominent wingnut on the top holding the lid shut.

 

50614275826_d15b0daba3_b.jpg

 

I made it from a 16 ba cheese head screw with the head squashed in a pair of pliers and then filed to shape.

  • Like 4
  • Craftsmanship/clever 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

This week has seen the lubricators fitted along with the firebox/ashpan sides. Then I fitted all the main components together and fitted it to the chassis. I needed to file a bit of the undersides at both ends to get the chassis to mate with the body. This is because I have used the narrowest frame spacer due to the need to get the loco around 5’ curves. 

 

50628180011_e112eb3c8b_b.jpg

 

50628180126_53fe467a2d_b.jpg

 

But it all fits now; I have just rested the chimney and dome on for the photo.

 

50628181111_870b8a0a0a_b.jpg

 

I have also fitted the splashers and cab floor and fitted a couple of short lengths of tube through the front of the cab for the hand rails. On the GA and on internal shots of the C1 cab the right side handrail has a handwheel attached to it so I have added that too.

 

50628181361_d2e14f0f87_b.jpg

 

Once I had the cab floor fitted I could determine the fit of the backhead. The Laurie Griffin castings although quoted as being for a J6 among other locos was a little short so I added a strip to the bottom. I suppose that makes a change from hacking bit of the sides to make them fit in cabs.

 

50628273142_f10eb1a1e6_b.jpg
 

  • Like 5
  • Craftsmanship/clever 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Although it hasn’t been without its trials, I have made good progress this week and the bodywork is almost complete.

 

The left side handrail caused a few problems because the etched hole in the cab front, to which I had soldered the tube for the handrail proved to be slightly out of position. I am not sure whether it was a vagary of the hand drawn art work which I have then exacerbated as I have opened the hole with a broach or that my positioning of the boiler was slightly low. 

 

To make it all line up I had to remove the stub of tube, fill the hole with brass rod and file flush then redrilling the hole slightly lower.

 

I also drilled the rims of the buffer stocks and inserted some scale hardware fittings the collar of the buffer stocks is quite small so it was a bit nerve wracking drilling with a 0.4mm drill bit, but it came out okay.

 

All the boiler fittings are soldered in place with the exception of the smokebox door which it just resting in place for the photos.

 

The front steps come with an interesting fold up support which makes them fairly rigid but before I had finished fitting the front one’s, I had managed to bend the rear ones so I soldered some 2x1mm bar behind them to give some strength.

 

The only things left to fit, are a pair of globe lubricators that sit on the front of the sandboxes either side of the smokebox. The reason that I haven’t fitted them yet is that I have lost them. I bought them at the same time as the backhead and some additional valve rods so I know that they are here somewhere but can I find them….

 

Of course, the moment I order some more to replace them they will pop out from where they are hiding so I am holding off for the minute.  

 

50658120252_7062b3fd07_b.jpg

 

50658030651_8911076b22_b.jpg

 

50657294528_a490f8df9f_b.jpg

 

50658115292_a6f9ee801e_b.jpg

 

50658025541_12f46c678e_b.jpg

 

50658025301_fdd9c68e0b_b.jpg
 

 

  • Like 6
  • Craftsmanship/clever 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Lovely job there Rob.  I’ve built three LRM ones now in OO but to see the amount of detail you have in yours makes me want to build a 4th.  They just convey a look of power in their brutish outline.  The Gladiator etches look identical to the LRM ones, not a coincidence I suspect (sorry, am unfamiliar with 7mm kit producers)?

 

Cheers

Tony

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Tony,

 

You are right I am pretty sure that this kit (George Norton Connoisseurs Choice) passed through the hands of  LRM,  who I believe may have upscaled it to 7mm. I have a G5 and a J21 in my pile that are both in LRM boxes which then passed to Gladiator via Fourtrack Models.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Not a great deal to show for this week’s efforts on the J6.

 

I filled in the lightening holes in the front of the frames as the photo that I am working from doesn’t show any. I also cut away the bottom of the etched ashpan sides and fitted a representation of the bottom. This may need a bit of trimming to clear the gear wheel once finally fitted.

 

50682035771_194ccc4a06_b.jpg

 

50682034691_bf38d5cd33_b.jpg

 

The rest of the time has been spent patiently filing the hornblocks, hornguides and the cranks to enable the cranks and eccentrics to fit between the centre hornguides and rotate freely.

 

50682096032_5d40bded06_b.jpg

 

50682096242_4bf3280cf0_b.jpg

 

50681262163_5506a513c0_b.jpg

 

Due to the need to get the loco around 5’6” curves the frames are a bit narrower than they might have been if I had been building for myself. 

 

So far, so good.
 

  • Like 5
  • Craftsmanship/clever 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

After reading Tony’s struggle to fit all the inside motion in his J6 and observations made on a couple of forums by Ian Middleditch and Jim Snowdon. I decided to take the plunge and cut some new frame spacers to give me more room to play with. With the new spacers I have given myself a couple more millimetres. The downside is that I need to make a new motion bracket but I am sure it will be worth it.

 

50701942207_3696fa7bf0_b.jpg

 

50701856446_896ea94d77_b.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I have been distracted for the last few days by teaching myself to draw in QCAD with a view to getting a few things etched. Before that I had made some progress on the rest of the inside valve gear.

 

Early in the week Tony Geary kindly pointed me at a photo of the inside valve gear on a 7 ½” gauge N2. Armed with this as a starting point I searched online and found a Facebook page chronicling the guy’s build. In his photo section I found loads of photos which have gone a long way to clarify in my mind what I was struggling to interpret from the GA. 

 

I have a few photos of the full sized N2 valve gear which again are great for showing how things fit together above the slide bars but not below which is the area that I was struggling with. The build photos have clarified things now I just need to make up all the parts. Unfortunately, most of mine will need to be made from scratch as my spares box is nowhere near as comprehensive as Tony’s.


50732703346_6ac2f2987d_b.jpg

 

50732703506_9945139d39_b.jpg

 

50732703656_29bfd6273b_b.jpg

 

The sections are just resting in place for the photos I have a lot more to attach to both the motion plate and cylinder front before finally joining them.
 

  • Like 5
  • Interesting/Thought-provoking 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Although I haven’t posted an update since before Christmas, I have been doing a bit here and there. Mostly this has been making the additional bits and pieces needed for the inside motion. The motion for the J6 differs from other versions of Stephenson’s motion in that it has four valves rather than the more usual two. There are two between the cylinders and two above them. Although I have the full LG Stephenson’s motion set, in the end I doubt that I will be able to use much more than the connecting rods, eccentric rods and the slide bars and cross heads. The other bits will go in the spares box for a future build.

 

50813369156_d66eb0ed29_b.jpg

 

The arms that fit to the lower linkages still need to be shortened to 5.5mm between hole centres. 

The expansion links in the motion kit are a couple of millimetres longer than the GA and have a lug on one side which I would have to cut off for this particular application. 

 

50812622528_b1aa6a0078_b.jpg

 

50813369026_978b78a6a5_b.jpg

 

As I am making all the other parts to match the dimensions on the GA, I opted to make a pair of expansion links to match. Working on the theory that I always have the LG castings as a fall back, if my home brewed ones don’t fit for any reason.

 

50813369091_af4b55c31c_b.jpg

 

50813369336_726fb1ef9a_b.jpg

  • Like 1
  • Craftsmanship/clever 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Nick Dunhill’s, Rhymney Railway R class post on preparing the eccentric sheaves couldn’t have been timelier. 

 

I am just at that point so the night before last I made up a similar jig from a couple of bits of wood that I had on the bench and having consulted the GA for the length of the sheave I marked up and drilled a hole for the pin (a 0.8mm drill bit). Finally, I filed and soldered up the first sheave. Last night I managed a couple more. 

 

 

50829493566_ce21fb7256_b.jpg

 

50831429217_ecfb2b056e_b.jpg

 

 

50830597028_a2526c4a72_b.jpg

 

  • Like 4
  • Craftsmanship/clever 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Today has been a brilliant day on quite a few fronts but the main one being that I successfully soldered the crank axle up without any issues.

 

I followed advice given to me by fellow modeller Nick Dunhill, which was to use Bakers Fluid as the flux to solder to the steel axle, to replace the piece of steel rod provided to line up the cranks and eccentric with a length of similar diameter brass rod which being more flexible allows the cranks and eccentrics to be squashed tighter together and positioned better. And finally, to wrap wet tissue around the eccentric sheaves to stop the soldered end coming adrift with the heat.

 

It couldn't have gone any smoother,  I spent some time making sure they were all lined up correctly and orientated against one of the flat edges of the axle end. I grip the other end in a biggish pin vice applied the Bakers fluids from a bulb type dropper and some short lengths of 180 solder curled slightly around the axle either side of the cranks then gently applied heat with the microflame until the solder flashed. While it was cooling I couldn't resist moving the eccentrics slightly to make sure that they hadn't become solid.

 

All was well Phew!!! 

 

50993522401_16815fcbe4_b.jpg

 

50993636937_cc10d9aa4e_b.jpg

 

50993637172_1b6309d749_b.jpg

 

Next job is clean them up and then before cutting out the section of axle I think that I am going to drill and pin the cranks. I know that Nick doesn't bother as they aren't under any real load but I think that I will be belt and braces for this my first go.

  • Like 3
  • Craftsmanship/clever 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

In between adding bits to the GCR Tank, After drilling and pinning the cranks which was thankfully uneventful. I cut out the axle in between the crank webs and refitted the connecting rods. I had to file a little of the sides of one one the connecting rods but very quickly all was rotating smoothly. So much so that I made a short video. Sadly my camera didn't focus too well on my hands but you get the idea.

 

https://youtu.be/gvvgu-ix_GM

 

Edited by Rob Pulham
Trying to get Youtube link to work
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Modelling time has been in a bit short supply so far this week but I have managed a few bits and pieces. The key one being, on the back of a delivery of a second set of globe lubricator castings for the J6, I got them fitted. I had to order some more because I have misplaced the first lot but I am sure that they will turn up in due course...

 

51050447661_565a6e3bb5_b.jpg

 

Still a bit of cleaning up to do under there.

 

51049721338_c6339bf1d0_b.jpg

  • Like 2
  • Craftsmanship/clever 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

One of the few remaining details to add to the body are the injectors which sit under the footplate tucked away behind the cab steps. From all the photos that I have of J6's seeing what they actually look like is a real problem. Then I remembered that I had taken a few photos of the Injectors on the side of the preserved J52 while it lived at Shildon.

 

While I have a couple of good side views they don't show the pipes and how they fit.

 

51064084626_1a0d32707c_b.jpg

 

Then by pure chance I was looking through some photos that I took in the dark hall at York and found that I had indeed taken photos of each end

 

51064083446_9f3348e142_b.jpg

 

51064082511_355d17f107_b.jpg

 

By cross referencing these with the end that's visible on some better lit J6 photos I was able to confirm to my satisfaction that these are the same type of injector fitted to the J6 Now all I need to do is work out how to scale them to size - Despite taking quite a few shots at both locations none of them are side on allowing scaling from a known dimension.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...