DLT's SR Locos - Lord Nelson Craftsman Kit

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Looks fab to me, and helpful seeing as I've got one of these sat on my desk staring at me...  awaiting to be finished...
Looks rather nice in BR black... but SR lined green does look a bit better. Great job though, will be stunning when its complete.

[DLT]

Looks fab to me, and helpful seeing as I've got one of these sat on my desk staring at me...  awaiting to be finished...

Looks rather nice in BR black... but SR lined green does look a bit better. Great job though, will be stunning when its complete.

Thanks Matt,

 

"Completion" always seems to take forever with all the final detail bits to be added that can only be done after full assembly, weathering etc (just realised I've forgotten the lampirons...)  Got to weather the boiler barrel & smokebox BEFORE its fixed to the footplate, otherwise some areas are inaccessible, and can't fit handrails etc until thats done.

 

Getting there though.

 

Cheers, Dave.

[DLT]

Well that nearly drove me round the bend!  The power classification codes are so small you can't read them without a magnifier.  Getting them on striaght was another matter, in which I appear to have failed.

The cruel enlargement shows up every blemish, every speck of dust and every fugure thats out of alignment....

It does look a lot better from normal  distances, and remember that lining panel is only 12mm high.

 

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[N15class]

I find it bad enough lining them up in 7mm. I tend to do most of my lining and lettering with magnifying glass anyway.

[Horsetan]

... fugure.....

 

I bet that wasn't the worst swear word you uttered during the process.

[georgeT]

Hi Dave,  Don't underestimate all the hard work that has gone into making this a cracking loco, you have made a good job, really capture's the feature's of the 'U Class' well done, keep the pictures coming.

 

GT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

[DLT]

Thanks very much guys, lining is continuing.

 

I bet that wasn't the worst swear word you uttered during the process.

No, I came up with a few more new ones as well....

 

Dave.

[DLT]

The lining is done, on this side anyway.  Easier than I expected, but worth taking the time to get everything aligned correctly.  The blown up photographs show all the discrepencies in alignment, but its not so obvious on the real thing.

 

The cabside panel was given a coat from a brand new tin of Humbrol satin varnish, and its come out completely matt!  I guess it wont show when theres a bit of dirt and muck around it.

 

I've always had problems with varnishing, particularly satin, and theres been long discussions on the subject recently on the narrow gauge forum.

Suffice to say, "the jury is still out."  

 

 

 

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

Just finished the lining at last.

With the new satin varnish drying completely matt, I rapidly recovered the old tin from the bin and diluted the slightly jelly-fied contents until they were useable again.  Its now giving me an almost matching finish.

Cheers, Dave.

[georgeT]

Hello Dave,   l have found Humbrol acrylic Satin Varnish in a spray can (135) very good, and dries very quickly for a second coat (if needed), just a thought for your next paint job..You have done a cracking job on the U,

 

George

Edited June 12, 2013 by georgeT

[DLT]

Hello Dave,   l have found Humbrol acrylic Satin Varnish in a spray can (135) very good, and dries very quickly for a second coat (if needed), just a thought for your next paint job..You have done a cracking job on the U,

 

George

Thanks George, I will give it a try.  The terrier looks terrific.

Cheers, Dave.

[DLT]

U-Class 31610 is finished at last, although I will always be spotting things that need doing.  For instance, a bit of lining has come of the cab on the drivers side.  Thats a job for tomorrow, in the meantime here's a selection of photos.  Please say so if you spot anything amiss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for following this build, and for all the "likes".

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[darren01]

Hi DLT

You have done a very fine job on that loco,Following this build has been interesting,Well done sir.

All the best

Darren

[N15class]

It looks very good Dave.

 

Have you got the livery wrong I thought they were olive green with white lining  

[DLT]

It looks very good Dave.

 

Have you got the livery wrong I thought they were olive green with white lining  

A bit like this you mean?

 

 

 

Actually this is my next project, upgrading an elderly S15.  

Built pretty much as per the DJH kit, it was definitely feeling its age.  The pickup assembly disintegrated as soon as I touched it, and the open frame motor (Anchorage D11 I think) and Romford worm & wheel are being replaced by a Mashima and Highlevel combination.  

Oh, and it will be BR black as 30845

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited June 18, 2013 by DLT

[N15class]

That's more like it. I built a DJH S15 I think I all I used the tender body and a much modified boiler casting. If I remember correctly there are a lot of dimensional errors.

I will follow with interest.

[DLT]

That's more like it. I built a DJH S15 I think I all I used the tender body and a much modified boiler casting. If I remember correctly there are a lot of dimensional errors.

Yes there are, as I found out with the previous new-build DJH S15.  However the intention this one is simply a mechanical and cosmetic upgrade; the kit is very nicely (and solidly) soldered together so bodyshape/dimensional alterations are not on the agenda this time.

Cheers, Dave.

Edited June 17, 2013 by DLT

[Horsetan]

..... If I remember correctly there are a lot of dimensional errors.

.....

At least a scale six inches too short.

[Mallard60022]

The jolly PDK S15 is much better (despite having a white choccy boiler).

Lovely job by the way.

P

[DLT]

Thanks everyone for you kind comments.

 

The jolly PDK S15 is much better (despite having a white choccy boiler).

Lovely job by the way.

P

Yes indeed, I would always recomend the PDK kit, theres some pictures of mine on page one of this thread.  

The resin boiler is a good casting, but does detract a bit from the weight of the loco.  I managed to conceal lumps of lead in various places though.

 

All the best, Dave.

[Horsetan]

You can replace the milky bar boiler with the SEF N15 whitemetal one. Correct length and appearance, as well as much heavier.

[Pebbles]

May I point out that the PDK kit appears to have been based (I have not had an opportunity to confirm this), on the plan published in Railway Modeller. This drawing has an incorrect running plate height which apart from the splashers should have been similar to the N15s. From photos the S15 class would appear to fall into three blocks. The original version had the cranked footplate and is largely separate. the Southern versions fall into two groups. The initial group were coupled to what I call the N15 tenders and the scallop in the cab side was aligned with this type. The second group was aligned to the welded Nelson tender and the reduced size of the scallop reflected this. I do appreciate that some S15s were coupled to six wheel tenders.

[DLT]

Thanks guys, I wasnt aware of any problems with the PDK version.

 

So far on this model I've modified the frames by filling in the triangular cutouts where the open frame motor fitted, (just visible in the photos) and added extra frame spacers to attach a decent copperclad pickup plate.  The pickups previously fitted were a more than a little delicate, and disintegrated as soon as I touched them.  

Photo shows the new motor/gearbox in position.

 

 

All the best, Dave.

[Horsetan]

May I point out that the PDK kit appears to have been based (I have not had an opportunity to confirm this), on the plan published in Railway Modeller.

Best ask Dave King about that one....if he can remember!

 

This drawing has an incorrect running plate height which apart from the splashers should have been similar to the N15s.

I had wondered about that. The footplate is in any event shorter overall (and S15 wheelbase is 6'3 x 7'6", compared to the N15's 7'x7'6"). I am slowly doing a Hornby N15-to-S15 conversion on a new chassis, and am trying to work out where on the N15 footplate I should take out a section without putting other things out of line.

 

From photos the S15 class would appear to fall into three blocks. The original version had the cranked footplate and is largely separate.

Urie-built.

 

the Southern versions fall into two groups. The initial group were coupled to what I call the N15 tenders and the scallop in the cab side was aligned with this type. The second group was aligned to the welded Nelson tender and the reduced size of the scallop reflected this. I do appreciate that some S15s were coupled to six wheel tenders.

Maunsell-built. The last 10, nos. 838-847, had the reduced cutout in the cabsides; 841 and 847 of this batch still exist in preservation. I'm not sure about the status of 841 - I know it certainly worked in the 1970s/early 1980s, but was found to have distorted / twisted frames, so I don't know whether it is now a source of spare parts for other S15s or whether the owning group will fundraise to get the frames repaired. Edited June 19, 2013 by Horsetan

[DLT]

Fitted new pickups to the S15 this evening, and after some tweaking, lubrication and wheel cleaning it runs like a dream.

So next job is to re-fit the cylinders and motion.  This is all in one piece sub-assembly, and although it worked nicely before I removed it, the motion plate wouldnt sit flat on the top of the frames, and was causing a bend in the whitemetal footplate.  This SHOULD be fairly simple to resolve.

Cheers, Dave.