Jidenco LNWR/LMS Claughton

[TT-Pete]

Cor, "not too much done this weekend" he says!!

 

[k22009]

This afternoon was brake day, Only the brake shoes provided, which are a bit skinny but will be ok. I've added a representation of the brake rigging underneath along with a brake cylinder and vacuum reservoir (both made from 8mm dia tube) mounted on brackets and retained with wire u bolts.

 

 

 

Bogie hopefully tomorrow and maybe get the sandpipes and brackets in place. i'll add a spacer too for a piece of pcb for the pickups. I was hoping I might be able to have some wipers on the top of the wheels under the splashers but it's too tight so they'll have to be under the brake rigging.

 

Dave 

Edited April 29, 2023 by k22009

[k22009]

Made up the Comet bogie which is well designed and caters for all gauges and gives the additional scope to add side control wires which I like to add so that the bogie is restrained by the frames when it goes into curves. I also added a little weight top and bottom.

 

 

I also made up some sandpipe brackets soldered them to the frames and added the pipes. The ones between the leading axle and centre driver I had to cheat and the sandpipe ends under the brake hanger rather than going into the sandbox itself as there just isn't room to get anything else past at that point. They're only on the front 2 axles, no sanding arrangements at all for the rear. 

 

 

 

Gearbox , motor and getting the basic chassis working next on just coupling rods before I tackle the valve gear.

 

Dave

Edited April 29, 2023 by k22009

[Coal Tank]

Very Very nice Dave

[bgman]

Please excuse me on this but if anyone fancies a go.....

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Falcon-Brass-Jidenco-LNWR-Claughton-Etched-Brass-loco-kit-4mm-OO-EM-P4-RARE/383479224340?hash=item5949249814:g:FmYAAOSwl-tee0CK

 

Good luck !

[k22009]

High level gearbox and motor assembled this afternoon, but disaster struck shortly after. The heating element on my Antex died. Like everything you take for granted, it's surprising how much you use the darn thing. So I've ordered a new element, and while I wait i'll prepare the tender etched parts and the loco fittings.

 

Dave

[hayfield]

9 hours ago, k22009 said:

High level gearbox and motor assembled this afternoon, but disaster struck shortly after. The heating element on my Antex died. Like everything you take for granted, it's surprising how much you use the darn thing. So I've ordered a new element, and while I wait i'll prepare the tender etched parts and the loco fittings.

 

Dave

 

I had that issue several years back, so I bought a second iron plus a new element for the one which broke. Handy having 2 as you can have 2 different size tips on them. Now they are backups for my digital soldering station, though I bought my wife a stained class starter set so one will be lost from the workshop soon

[k22009]

Well the trusty postal service delivered my new Antex soldering iron heating element this morning which I got swapped over with the dead one, so I could get one with the beast. 

 

I had primed and painted  the chassis in the downtime next up was to cut out the valve gear and pin it all together (I use brass black on one of the components to stop solder sticking to it), judging by the drawing the dimensions appeared to be not too bad.

 

 

I had kept the cylinders/motion bracket as a separate assembly so that it would make fitting the valve gear less troublesome. It all went together fine, with the final gear drive loose on it axle I gently pushed it along my test track, all seemed ok, however it seems that the motion bracket is too small (I never checked it dimensionally), this has the effect of making the expansion link a little too low, it works though which is fine. Most of the workings are hidden under the valences anyway. 

 

 

Tightened up the grubscrew in the final gear and got some power onto the tracks. After a little trimming of the brake hanger wires which were protruding a little too far and catching on the con rod, a sandpipe that was just glancing a rail and shorting out causing some head scratching as I couldn't see it, it all now runs very pleasingly up and down. The bogie wheels are too small, however the 3'-3 diameter ones I had on originally just foul the sides of the cylinders on a curve so i'll have to get something in between to work and look ok.

 

 

On with the tender next.

 

Dave

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by k22009

[Coal Tank]

Very Very nice Dave 

[k22009]

On with the tender this afternoon.

 

The base of the tender is the correct width but it was a scale 1'-0 short as the front and rear ends are shaped.

 

 

So I spliced on a 4mm piece from the edge of the fret and cut out the required shapes, valences were discarded as they were too thin and I substituted some brass flat. I'm not sure if the holes that were in the base plate are OK so i'll wait to drill them out until I've got the chassis made up.

 

The inner chassis frames only had small 1mm dia holes predrilled in them for the axle bearings and they were a little out (about 0.75mm) so using the outer frames as a guide, which were spot on, I drilled them out to accept some small brass bearings rather than the humungus versions supplied in the kit. I used some 14mm nickel silver strip for the spacers which again will be drilled along with the base to suit later.

Frames soldered together I now turned my attention to adding a little missing detail. There is no water scoop or brake vacuum cylinder supplied so I had a ferret in my box and came up with a suitable scoop. I drilled one of the spacers and attached it to it. I also drilled the scoop lower arm and made up a small u shaped bracket which I added a wire to represent the lowering lever and pinned it to it, soldering the top of the lowering rod to the frame. Cylinder made up as for the loco from 8 dia brass tube with an actuating rod in the middle. I'll connect it all up to the brake assembly once I've got it primed and painted. The brake rods which fitted perfectly are outside the wheels so will be tricky to get the wheels on and off once soldered so again i'll attach these after painting.

 

I checked the base sitting on top of the chassis with the loco and it appears to be about 1-1.5mm to low so i'll need to add a small packer to the top of the frames to make it level.

 

 

On with the tender tank next.

 

Dave

Edited April 29, 2023 by k22009

[DLT]

Clearly a labour of love.

[Simon Moore]

Absolutely superb build so far. I know jidenco/falcon have a reputation but they do make really nice models. I've built a few & whilst they do offer a challenge the end result is worth the battle. 

 

What livery are you painting it once built?

 

It's a real shame that Dart castings have ended up with these kits. I've tried to purchase bits from them but you never end up with anything even though they say they will sell you etches. I cant see them getting this range back on the market.

Edited April 9, 2020 by Rhb Simon

[k22009]

1 hour ago, Rhb Simon said:

Absolutely superb build so far. I know jidenco/falcon have a reputation but they do make really nice models. I've built a few & whilst they do offer a challenge the end result is worth the battle. 

 

What livery are you painting it once built?

 

Cheers, I think the key to these kits is getting a good accurate drawing and plenty of reference material so that you can decide whether to stick with the etches as is or try to modify them if necessary. The instructions aren't great either so a fair bit of forward planning is needed to identify what goes where and when you need to use it. The tender being a prime example, lots of parts on the etches but it's a mystery where some go, and without a drawing it would be tricky to get right.

 

I'm hoping it'll be lined LMS Crimson Lake. There's still plenty of water to go under the bridge yet though.

 

Dave 

[Simon Moore]

I must admit I fancy doing a crimson claughton at some point.

 

A elderly friend of mine told us a story once about a trip to manchester with his uncle who was a second hand car salesman. He used to buy cars from somewhere close to manchester victoria so my friend used to go so he could trainspot on victoria. He said it had gone quiet on victoria so wandered into exchange & there was the very last claughton in crimson with a 4 coach local. He did say it was a very free steaming engine & couldnt believe he had seen it. 

[k22009]

On 09/04/2020 at 12:51, Rhb Simon said:

I must admit I fancy doing a crimson claughton at some point.

 

A elderly friend of mine told us a story once about a trip to manchester with his uncle who was a second hand car salesman. He used to buy cars from somewhere close to manchester victoria so my friend used to go so he could trainspot on victoria. He said it had gone quiet on victoria so wandered into exchange & there was the very last claughton in crimson with a 4 coach local. He did say it was a very free steaming engine & couldnt believe he had seen it. 

 

Very lucky chap, sadly I only just about remember the last days of steam.

 

Started on the tender tank today, added the provided stiffeners inside as the etched sides were paper thin before forming the corners (a handy notch indicated where the corner was), the tank top actually fitted very well with just a little shaping at the curved corners. The Claughton Bowen Cooke tenders I believe were a little different from most, the sides didn't turn in at the cab end and the tank tops were inwardly sloping to allow the coal to transfer a little easier. 

 

 

The next part I wasn't looking forward to, attaching the 2 part flared top. after taking my time however it came out better than i'd hoped as the etch was only 0.15mm thick. I filled the corners where fingers had been left and filed it to shape.

 

After that I added the locker fronts, coal plates, the coal chute which wasn't provided but a scrap piece of etch was the perfect width and the chute sides which had to be cut from a rectangular piece provided. I cut some tube which fits from the front coal plate down to the chute floor and acts as the housing within which the water scoop and brake levers go. The handles for these next to the lockers will be added when I add all of the other details. The tank has yet to be soldered to the base.

 

 

Finally a quick shot showing the loco and tender as is, this is with just under 1mm of packer to raise the tank base level.

 

 

Dave

Edited April 29, 2023 by k22009

[k22009]

I've not soldered the tender tank to the base, I've fixed 10ba nuts in the tender tanks and will sandwich the base between the chassis when it's assembled. I added some lead weight too. No problems with completing this, however the steps were a bit fiddly, and there was just a lack of detailing components, so most have had to be made, fire iron support, fire iron rails, tender tank vents, lamp irons. I've also not added the axle boxes yet, i'll wait until it's all painted and lined before gluing these on, it'll be easier.

 

So onto the loco detailing. I added the chimney to it's etched base, dome and safety valves too which are all nice brass turnings. I have made up the pipe in front of the cab (not sure what it is) but this and all of the other handrails, pipes will be left loose until its painted.  I scored the footplate and added some hinges to represent the hinged valve rocker cover in front of the smoke box. The reversing lever (not included in the kit) and the lever covers on the footplate were added and I drilled out the lubricator boxes with a 0.4mm drill for 0.3mm wire with 4 ports each side. The white metal was quite soft so they drilled easily. Glued the copper wire in situ and tried the lubricators in place  to see if they all looked OK. 

 

 

 

 

This is how it looks o far.

 

 

More detailing next.

 

Dave

Edited April 29, 2023 by k22009

[Blandford1969]

What a great build. If it is on the drivers side then probably the exhaust pipe from the ejector. 

[k22009]

The garden has taken priority for a few days but I've managed to get all of the detailing finished. As I mentioned previously there was not much in the way of items supplied so I've made quite a few bits and bobs including the tiny oil boxes which fit just above the splashers. They were a bit of a fiddle as they're only 3mm long but I've added 3 lubricator pipes to each (0.3mm wire).

 

 

The rest of the items, handrails/ejector were also made up and everything got a good wash. All primed with Halfords etch primer and top coated with matt black or Halfords Rover Damask Red. 

 

 

 

I'm waiting for some lining transfers before I progress further, I can't seem to find anyone that does a pale yellow or straw lining with plenty of curves and straight lengths. 

 

Dave

Edited April 29, 2023 by k22009

[Worsdell forever]

3 hours ago, k22009 said:

The garden has taken priority for a few days but I've managed to get all of the detailing finished. As I mentioned previously there was not much in the way of items supplied so I've made quite a few bits and bobs including the tiny oil boxes which fit just above the splashers. They were a bit of a fiddle as they're only 3mm long but I've added 3 lubricator pipes to each (0.3mm wire).

 

 

The rest of the items, handrails/ejector were also made up and everything got a good wash. All primed with Halfords etch primer and top coated with matt black or Halfords Rover Damask Red. 

 

 

 

I'm waiting for some lining transfers before I progress further, I can't seem to find anyone that does a pale yellow or straw lining with plenty of curves and straight lengths. 

 

Dave

 

Have you tried Fox 'Off White', the finest is .35mm?

 

https://fox-transfers.co.uk/general-alphabets-linings/corners-in-off-33499

 

https://fox-transfers.co.uk/general-alphabets-linings/lining-in-off-33495

 

[Michael Edge]

I've got one of these Jidenco kits in the pile of unbuilt stuff, looking at your excellent work with it makes me think it might be worth building after all. I don't really have a use for a Claughton but I do like them. 

[k22009]

10 hours ago, Worsdell forever said:

 

Have you tried Fox 'Off White', the finest is .35mm?

 

https://fox-transfers.co.uk/general-alphabets-linings/corners-in-off-33499

 

https://fox-transfers.co.uk/general-alphabets-linings/lining-in-off-33495

 

 

Thanks, I completely missed those when looking at the website.

 

1 hour ago, Michael Edge said:

I've got one of these Jidenco kits in the pile of unbuilt stuff, looking at your excellent work with it makes me think it might be worth building after all. I don't really have a use for a Claughton but I do like them. 

 

Thanks Mike, at the start of this I was hoping the build would get a few of these kits unearthed out from the bottom of cupboards to see the light of day, there are faults with it but with good planning, decent photos and drawings it's not been too bad.

[Worsdell forever]

3 minutes ago, k22009 said:

 

Thanks, I completely missed those when looking at the website.

 

A lot of people will miss them as they're not in the railway section, there's only the specific loco class lining in there.

[hayfield]

2 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

I've got one of these Jidenco kits in the pile of unbuilt stuff, looking at your excellent work with it makes me think it might be worth building after all. I don't really have a use for a Claughton but I do like them. 

 

In the past I have built one of their loco kits and recently bought another part built to rebuild, I also have sold a couple of kits in the past simply as they are not the easiest kits to build. The one I now have to build has a pair of Alan Gibson mainframes, I will also tri and find some brass tube for the boiler. They did have a very wide range of exocit kits as well as the more common ones

 

46 minutes ago, k22009 said:

 

Thanks, I completely missed those when looking at the website.

 

 

Thanks Mike, at the start of this I was hoping the build would get a few of these kits unearthed out from the bottom of cupboards to see the light of day, there are faults with it but with good planning, decent photos and drawings it's not been too bad.

 

The loco kits I think are easier to build that the wagon kits, I also think using a decent chassis and perhaps changing a few components may help with the build. Certainly for a little while this make has been getting more popular with buyers and like all second hand kits their price seems to be rising, and I think your post is an excellent advert for having a go at kit building

 

43 minutes ago, Worsdell forever said:

 

A lot of people will miss them as they're not in the railway section, there's only the specific loco class lining in there.

 

A simple search using key words usually finds them, if any do find their way into the wrong categories they can be bought quite cheaply 

[k22009]

Transfers duly arrived from Fox so I spent a good few hours with the radio soothing my nerves applying them all (they're not perfect but they'll have to do). Just coal to add to the tender now and a crew.

 

 

 

Well after some misgivings about starting the kit I have been quite pleased with how it's all gone, yes there's been some modification work to do but on the whole it's been ok and to my eye it's turned into a nice model that doesn't get too much press considering they were the main stays of the West Coast mainline for the years before the Royal Scots took command.

 

Hopefully we'll see a few more make an appearance soon from the bottom of the to do list to the nearer the top.

 

Dave 

Edited April 29, 2023 by k22009

[Buhar]

You've made a really lovely job of that.  I've got the kit but I'm not anywhere near even contemplating a start, I'll save your notes and thoughts to assist when the time comes.  Interesting that you've chosen the 1936 lettering style, not seen very often.

 

Alan