Building a London Road Models K2/2 Kit

[30368]

Most of the fettling work for the valvegear now complete. The motion bracket and its component (brass, in the foreground) looks to be a bit of a tricky soldering job!

I have fitted the leading wheel brake hangers and blocks, it will be tricky to fit after valvegear fitted.

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

Edited January 13 by 30368

[30368]

The motion bracket was indeed a tricky component to fabricate. It consists of five parts that require careful sequential soldering. I use aluminium hair clips to act as heatsinks strategically placed on the assembly to prevent your lovely work coming apart as you apply heat to the next part to be soldered. 

 

The motion bracket still needs cleaning up, as you can see. I may well have to remove the front wheels again for fitting the bracket. the 0.7mm rod is used to locate the bracket in two holes on each side of the mainframes. This is located just behind the wheel flange.

 

 

I think that's all for now, need to rest my eyes!

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

 

Edited January 13 by 30368

[30368]

Have now cleaned up the connecting rods and fitted to the crossheads. Slidebars carefully located on cylinder chest they need to be square in all directions and parallel to the coupling rods. Tack solder the slidebar casting to the inside of the cylinder face. I then checked that the connecting rods and crossheads ran smoothly (which they did!) and then completed soldering the slidebar castings to the cylinder face. 

 

I am pleased to say that the connecting rods arrived today so many thanks to John at London Road Models.

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

Edited January 13 by 30368

[Scale7JB]

I seem to recall now looking at your pictures that a bit more of the motion barackets need filing away before the footplate sits at the right level. Just something to keep an eye on when you get to that point.

 

JB. 

[30368]

Today's update.

 

Firstly thanks to JB above for the tip, I think the issue is that the motion plate sits on the top of the mainframes, i.e. there is no cut-out to locate it, thus the need to align with the two holes pre-drilled in the frames which are covered by the wheel flanges!

 

When I have located the motion plate to my satisfaction I will mark the mainframes and then file a shallow cut out so that the plate sits flush with the frames thus allowing the footplate to sit flush.

 

I am assembling the valvegear with rivets and 16BA screws so that I can assemble (and disassemble if required) the motion in sections.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

Edited January 13 by 30368

[30368]

Which twit suggested it was a good idea to use 16BA screws and nuts to assemble the valvegear!!

 

Spent a few hours soldering two 16BA nuts to the back plate (closest to the mainframes) of the motion bracket. Very tricky but worth the effort, I hope. It should make assembly of the motion to the bracket easier and any subsequent maintenance much easier. I have also soldered 16BA set screws to the connecting rods for much the same reasons.

 

 

 

Kind regards,

Richard B

 

Edited January 13 by 30368

[Scale7JB]

Yes, ideally the motion bracket wanted to be located without the wheels in place to find the locating holes..

 

JB. 

[30368]

Yes JB agree. However given I have just filed away a slot on top of the mainframes to ensure that the motion bracket is flush with the top of the frames it may have been easier if a frame slot was used to locate the motion bracket instead of a hole covered by the front wheel. I was not keen to chop the frames around so that the front axle became, in effect, a drop axle, as the instructions suggest.

In any case, the motion bracket, slide bars and mainframe hole all seem to be aligned and I am almost ready to assemble the motion. Thanks for all your tips JB.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

[30368]

An update. Motion plate is now soldered in position on the mainframes and tack soldered to the slide bars on each side. Need to be very "quick" with the heat on the latter to avoid disturbing all the complex soldering on the motion plate.

 

LH side motion temporarily assembled.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B 

Edited January 13 by 30368

[30368]

Hi,

 

Phew! My eysight is getting worse! Assembling the valve gear proved fairly tricky compared to other kits but I am impressed with the appearance, very prototypical. I think the K2 was the only outside cylindered Gresley loco with two slidebars?

 

This side has the cylinder casting cover fitted - one of those occasions when I found solder paste very helpful.

 

 

And the other side showing the cylinder cover bent to shape ready to solder.

 

 

The quality of the various brass castings in the London Road Models kit is very high with very little fettling required.

 

Time for a cuppa and a rest!

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

Edited January 13 by 30368

[t-b-g]

Looking good!

 

I can think of a couple of other classes with the double slide bar. The K1 and the 01 (later 03).

 

Once the 3 cylinder designs appeared, no more classes were built with them 

[30368]

Have discovered Rannock Moors thread!

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/profile/1879-rannoch-moor/

 

Gus built an EM version of this kit back in 2014 and made a great job of it. Useful source of information and arror avoidance.

 

Chassis close to completion now, need to connect pickups and construct brake linkage. It runs fairly smoothley without any binding. Will run the chassis in soon.

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

Edited January 13 by 30368

[30368]

K2 Chassis noe be3ing tested and run in. Pleased to say that so far (25 minutes continiuos) so good. One slight sticky point but improving all the while, slowly reducing current for same speed.

 

Low speed running.

 

High speed running.

 

Very pleased!

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

 

 

Edited January 13 by 30368

[AJCT]

I'm following this with much interest as I've acquired a pre-owned part-built example of the kit.  It's got a Mashima 1420 and what appears to be a High Level 60:1 Loadhauler+ gearbox: perhaps I missed it, but what is the gear ratio of the Branchlines one you're using ?

 

Regards -

 

Alasdair

[30368]

Hi Alasdair,

 

Motor is same as you have and Branchlines gearbox is 53:1. Have used many of these and they seem to work well at a reasonable price. I have not used a High Level box yet but I guess I will give it a go some time. I have found Markit boxes good too.

 

All the best with the kit.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[30368]

Today's update.

 

Brake gear is taking shape nicely. The benifits of using pick-up plungers instead of wipers is apparant, there is plenty of room to fit the brake gear. Very impressed with the tiny etches for the brake pin bushes, a nice detail.

Chassis is almost complete although I do have to build the pony truck and fit.

 

 

 

All looks very scruffy! It needs a bit of a clean up but good foundation for final weathering of chassis components but I get a long way ahead of myself!

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

 

Edited January 13 by 30368

[AJCT]

On 19/11/2019 at 22:00, 30368 said:

Hi Alasdair,

 

Motor is same as you have and Branchlines gearbox is 53:1. Have used many of these and they seem to work well at a reasonable price. I have not used a High Level box yet but I guess I will give it a go some time. I have found Markit boxes good too.

 

All the best with the kit.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

Thanks for that: all useful info squirrelled away for when I get "a round tuit"...!  It's not a very high priority project just now, but as motor, gears and P4 wheels were all included it looked like a good bargain at the time I got it.  I can certainly recommend High Level gearboxes from personal experience (usual disclaimer).

 

I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the plunger pickups when running the completed loco on a layout.  I tried them on a small tender loco some years back but found that they imparted too much resistance to the driving wheels, so I replaced them with top-mounted tread-wiper pickups in the tender, a method I've now used successfully on at least 3 locos. 

 

Regards -

 

Alasdair

[30368]

Your kit does indeed sound a bargain. I think the P4 wheel profile will help the build too, the kit is really designed for EM/P4 rather than 00, flange clearances with, for example, the reverser trunnions is very tight. Will try a high Level gerabox on a future build. About another 8 loco's to build at present.

 

Regarding the plunger pick-ups. I have not noticed any real problem with rolling resistance although I guess if you get the spring tension wrong then resistance will increase. I have used top mounted tread wipers and they are good too. Will keep you posted with any problems with the pickups.

 

Thanks for your interest.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[30368]

Ah! His Dark Materials AND War of the Worlds tonight on the BBC. Wonderful other world escapism. A bit like Railway Modelling really.

 

Well, to return to "reality", the K2 chassis proceeds. It just requires the rear part of the brake rigging to be assembled but I shall leave that until rear body security and drawhook are all sorted.

 

I now intend to continue with front chassis extended section  (part of the body) and the rest of the body.

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

Edited January 13 by 30368

[30368]

Did a bit more today, best to be under cover!

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

Edited January 13 by 30368

[kingfisher24]

Ohh very nice, just came across this thread. I never realised London road did a k2, every day is a school day. I recently got hold of a nu cast k2/2 for only £30 which is ok but a tad chunky, having said that it’s got plenty pulling power being white metal. Very nice indeed I look forward to seeing the finished article.

[30368]

Hi,

 

Firstly thanks to Kingfisher24. The Nu-Cast version looks fine in its undercoat, have you finished it yet? A great bargain at £30. Anyone know where I can get a Nu-Cast LSWR T14 4-6-0 kit? Would love one.

 

I have been working on the front of the footplate, the hinged cover and the buffer beam. I have some good pictures of the Scottish loco's some of which have snap head rivets on the buffer beam so have added those. Have tried to re-create the hinges on the cover using fine wire. Not too bad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

Edited January 13 by 30368

[30368]

I have soldered the splashers to the footplate. A bit tricky, there is a very narrow channel etched into the edge of the footplate into which the splasher should be soldered. I used my old friend bluetack to hold the splasher in place. I soldered from the centre of the splasher. One point to mention is the excess splasher top material at the cylinder end of the splasher. I bent this up so that it was flush with the footplate and then added a few rivets. Splasher ends were often secured to the footplate in this way. You can just see this feature in the first picture.

 

 

Next job is the smokbox saddle then I can start on the cab. The cab front has an etched channel into which the firebox end of the boiler fits. Useful!

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

 

Edited January 13 by 30368
added text

[kingfisher24]

On 26/11/2019 at 16:51, 30368 said:

Hi,

 

Firstly thanks to Kingfisher24. The Nu-Cast version looks fine in its undercoat, have you finished it yet? A great bargain at £30. Anyone know where I can get a Nu-Cast LSWR T14 4-6-0 kit? Would love one.

 

I have been working on the front of the footplate, the hinged cover and the buffer beam. I have some good pictures of the Scottish loco's some of which have snap head rivets on the buffer beam so have added those. Have tried to re-create the hinges on the cover using fine wire. Not too bad.

 

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

Apologies, I’ve not been ont web as regularly as normal. Your k2 really is looking really good. I might have a go at the kit as it certainly looks a lot finer than the nu cast version. Yeah my k2 is nearly there. It’s now in black undercoat and I’m just awaiting lining transfers and numbers and name etc so it’s not far away.

[30368]

Looking forward to seeing Kingfisher 24's K2/2 when it has it's livery.

 

Update on the fabricated (9 parts) smokebox saddle. Taken a little while!

 

I have modified the kit slightly by scratch building the sides of the saddle casting from thin brass sheet and added rivet detail.

 

Sorry not a very good image, side view showing the brass sides to the saddle.

 

Next a couple of views of the chassis with saddle (minus sides) in place.

 

 

 

Lastly a view of my "workshop"

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B