RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 9, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 9, 2021 (edited) On 09/04/2021 at 17:06, Michael Edge said: They should be easy to put back anyway. They are back already! Thanks for the photo's inspirational and they will help me a great deal. I will be modelling the same prototype but much more heavily weathered. Kind regards, Richard B Edited April 10, 2021 by 30368 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tomlinson Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 That's really lovely Michael, thanks for posting the pictures. John. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 10, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 10, 2021 Agree John, lovely work on Michael's part. Brief update - working on body and firebox today since too cold to do anything outside - snow laying nicely at the moment!! Fitted the frame supports for the smokebox and securing nut (front) and screw (rear, doubles as tender coupling). Also started work on the large and wide typical GCR splashers. My approach is to measure the centre point of the splasher and of the splasher curved covering. I then fix the splasher with blu tack to a flat surface and line up the centre lines of splasher and splasher curved covering and then spot solder. The two ends can then be easily soldered to the splasher front. Very pleased with firebox. This was carefully marked out from the template supplied. The washout plug holes and safety valve/whistle holes drilled using small pilot (thanks Michael) drill. The fold lines for the first fold are on the template . I used the firebox "tubeplate" to mark the locations of the start/end of the two lower reverse curves. Using a collection of dowels again did the trick - gently bending and checking against the "tubeplate". Kind regards, Richard B 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 65179 Posted April 10, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 10, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, 30368 said: Agree John, lovely work on Michael's part. Brief update - working on body and firebox today since too cold to do anything outside - snow laying nicely at the moment!! Fitted the frame supports for the smokebox and securing nut (front) and screw (rear, doubles as tender coupling). Also started work on the large and wide typical GCR splashers. My approach is to measure the centre point of the splasher and of the splasher curved covering. I then fix the splasher with blu tack to a flat surface and line up the centre lines of splasher and splasher curved covering and then spot solder. The two ends can then be easily soldered to the splasher front. Very pleased with firebox. This was carefully marked out from the template supplied. The washout plug holes and safety valve/whistle holes drilled using small pilot (thanks Michael) drill. The fold lines for the first fold are on the template . I used the firebox "tubeplate" to mark the locations of the start/end of the two lower reverse curves. Using a collection of dowels again did the trick - gently bending and checking against the "tubeplate". Kind regards, Richard B Hi Richard, That's very neatly done, but the B9 firebox clothing is straight sided rather than waisted isn't it? I think you've generated a template from the cab interior rather than the front-on drawing showing the straight sides. Following your build with interest as I have a 2mm one to do. Regards, Simon Edited April 10, 2021 by 65179 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 10, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 10, 2021 (edited) 15 hours ago, 65179 said: That's very neatly done, but the B9 firebox clothing is straight sided rather than waisted isn't it? Damnation! Thanks so much for pointing out my stupidity! The only positive thing to say is that I have had some practice at brass bending! I have done just as you have said. That simplifies things I can easily make the correct piece and re-shape the firebox cladding. Blast and blast again! Thanks again Simon. Good luck with the 2mm version, very brave. Kind regards, Richard B Edited April 11, 2021 by 30368 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 65179 Posted April 10, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 10, 2021 49 minutes ago, 30368 said: Damnation! Thanks so much for pointing out my stupidity! The only positive thing to say is that I have had some practice at brass bending! I have done just as you have said. That simplifies things I can easily make the correct piece and re-shape the firebox cladding. Blast and blast again! Thanks again Simon. Good luch with the 2mm version, very brave. Kind regards, Richard B You'll have to build a Q4 now you've done the firebox! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 10, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 10, 2021 1 hour ago, 65179 said: You'll have to build a Q4 now you've done the firebox! Yes, I checked out a few more ex GCR classes and yes I would have been spot on with a Q4. I am an SR modeller really and know my way around the various classes very well, clearely not the case with GCR locomotives! Thanks again. Richard 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted April 11, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 11, 2021 12 hours ago, 65179 said: You'll have to build a Q4 now you've done the firebox! Just what I was going to suggest - but we haven't put the Q4 into production (yet). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 11, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 11, 2021 9 minutes ago, Michael Edge said: Just what I was going to suggest - but we haven't put the Q4 into production (yet). Thanks all for the help on this. I have made a correct firebox and will save the first one constructed for the Q4 when available. Given that I have a B7 to build, I should be fairly skilled at GCR locomotives when the Q4 is ready Michael. We had a fair bit of snow in Buxton yesterday so I thought I would show you a corner of our back garden first thing this morning whilst I was cooking our Sunday morning fry-up! The new firebox and "The Wrong Firebox" - sounds like a new Wallace and Gromet adventure... Kind regards, Richard B 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 13, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2021 (edited) Today's update. Fitting motor and gearbox resulted in a few changes - firstly the rear set screw doubling for tender coupling and body security changed to a nut to facilitate lifting the body off as did the filing away part of the running plate crossmembers. Started to solder boiler bands to boiler - cab front and sides soldered to running plate. All very straitforward, I still have to clean up the joints. Drivers side. Firemans side Kind regards, Richard B Edited April 13, 2021 by 30368 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted April 13, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2021 That is coming along very nicely. Dare we hope to see a GCR themed layout for them to run on? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 13, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2021 36 minutes ago, t-b-g said: Dare we hope to see a GCR themed layout for them to run on? Thanks. I am building an LSWR (BR -SR) themed layout based on 70D shed so probably not although the odd ex GCR loco did visit - 04 2-8-0 from the WR and the odd D11 on Farnborough Air Show and other specials. So why not a B9? Well lots of reasons really. Nonetheless I will be running the B9 and the B7 on my layout providing they get route clearance. Kind regards, Richard B 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 16, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2021 Busy on other things this week but some progress with firebox/boiler - now joined together. I should add that interface btween them still requires more work. Kind regards, Richard B 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 18, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2021 Smokebox wrapper (excellent rivet detail) and smokebox front together with smokebox rear saddle all soldered together. The wrapper needs careful bending - I used my copper pipe again - but is very springy down to, I suspect the rivet detail. I soldered the wrapper to the boiler end of the smokebox first and then soldered the smokebox front to the wrapper progressing from the top. Images show the boiler temp fit to running plate. Firemans side. Drivers side Kind regards, Richard B 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted April 19, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 19, 2021 If that's a cladding band round the boiler it's far too thick - I use .002" copper foil for this, otherwise they go on with tape just before painting (after if they are lined). Your boiler has gone together very nicely, looking forward to seeing this finished. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 19, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 19, 2021 Thanks Michael. Point noted and the bands will be reduced before painting. If the livery included lined bands I would have tried using the lining transfer only. I have also used plasticard which is thinner, as you can see. Boiler and firebox is complete less fittings which I won't fit until boiler soldered to running plate and cab. Now that I have bogie wheelsets I will move back to the chassis. 61475 poses on Basingstoke's turntable. Kind regards, Richard B 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 20, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 20, 2021 (edited) Back to the chassis, in particular the bogie. The bogie is made up of three layers of etches, the main frame, the springs and hornguides and lastly the compensation beam. The picture was taken before I cleaned up the etches. Some lovely detail work on the etches. The bogie crossmember fits into a slot in the sideframe - square and ready to solder. Using a broach to open up the axle holes in the two sideframes. Having completed the sideframes you have two further etches to solder to the frame and then to each other. It pays to think about a soldering sequence to avoid unsoldering the work you have already completed. The hair clips both locate and act as a heat sink to control heat distribution. The camera flash kicked in so a bit overexposed - completed bogie prior to clean up. And fitted to the chassis. You will note that I have changed the motor and gearbox to reduce the visability of these components which are very visable due to the B9's high pitched boiler. The DJH motor/gearbox will be used on the E4 0-6-2T. Kind regards, Richard B Edited April 20, 2021 by 30368 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 21, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 21, 2021 Not much done today. Mrs B and I went for a long walk on Stanton Moor located between the Wye and Derwent valley's in Derbyshire - it has a number of standing stones from Bronze Age settlements. Plunger pickup housings fitted to leading and trailing drivers - not room on centre driver so I will use a wiper pickup. Brake gear brackets soldered under cab. Kind regards, Richard B 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted April 21, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 21, 2021 At least you'll have two pickups that keep working then. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 24, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 24, 2021 (edited) On 21/04/2021 at 18:59, Michael Edge said: At least you'll have two pickups that keep working then. My experience with Alan Gibson plunger pick-ups is good. You have to be very careful when soldering fine wire to the end of the plunger but they seem to work ok. I am happy with wiper pick-ups too. My voyage in GCR land continues with the construction of the cylinder covers - I used 5 though brass sheet which seems to work very well and retains its shape well making soldering easier. The two covers with cylinder drain cock holes pre-drilled. Soldered in position. As mentioned previously, think carefully about the order in which you solder to avoid bits falling off! Front view with covers attached. Kind regards, Richard B Edited April 24, 2021 by 30368 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted April 25, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 25, 2021 My experience with all plunger pickups is uniformly bad - I couldn't count the number of models fitted with them I've had here to repair. They are impossible to repair without totally dismantling the loco, if they are stiff enough to work for any length of time it's like running with brakes on, if they are a bit less stiff eventually arcing produces enough heat to weaken the springs. Accessible wipers can be adjusted or replaced easily and quickly. The only more reliable system is split axle with no pickups but to me that's more trouble than it's worth. I do frequently use the "American" system for 7mm tender locos though. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 25, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 25, 2021 14 minutes ago, Michael Edge said: My experience with all plunger pickups is uniformly bad Thanks for the advice Michael. You have far more experience than I have and I would be the first to admit that most of my loco's have not run that much so perhaps I have a problem stored up for the future on those loco's fitted with plungers. Kind regards, Richard B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted April 25, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 25, 2021 I am very much with Mike Edge on this one. I tried sprung plungers when they first became available but found that after a bit of running, they would start to stick in one position. Whether it was electricity passing through the spring heating it and ruining it, or whether it was a tiny speck of dirt jamming it I couldn't tell and the only way to fix it was to strip the mechanism right down, removing the wheels. Conventional wipers (my favourites) split frames (tried once, worked well but more work involved) and the American style (never tried it but know people who swear by it) would all be preferred by me above self contained plungers. I do know somebody who makes his own plungers with a brass tube soldered into PCB and glued to the frames with a simple wire spring. You can change the plunger or the spring without taking it all to bits. I haven't tried it but I can see that might be practical and succesful. I am considering them for a 7mm 0-6-0t loco I am working on. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted April 25, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 25, 2021 Hi Chaps, Please let me know, what is "American Style" - sounds like a way of cooking an egg! Kind regards, Richard b Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-A-T Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 17 minutes ago, 30368 said: Hi Chaps, Please let me know, what is "American Style" - sounds like a way of cooking an egg! Kind regards, Richard b My understanding is you pick up from one side of the loco and the opposite side of the tender. The loco and tender being isolated from one another. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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