DLT's SR Locos - Lord Nelson Craftsman Kit

[Michael Edge]

I think that's got the valve gear worked out, I built one of these more than 40 years ago without worrying much about it but it's nice to know how it really works - I've not had to build one since. Valve gear designs with rockers for the valve spindle are a lot easier to model properly than the more usual designs with crossheads.

[DLT]

Everything dismantled, cleaned up, and chemically blackened; ready for final assembly.

 

 

Edited September 6, 2022 by DLT

[NHY 581]

Morning, Dave. 

 

What are you using to blacken the motion? 

 

Rob. 

[30368]

Hi Dave,

Following this closely - my ACE version of this loco requires finishing - after LNER K2 commission and completion of H15 30333.

 

I guess this is a bit late but the Roche drawing of this loco is quite helpful regarding the rocker actuation of the inside piston valves. N15X.pdf

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

 

[DLT]

17 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Morning, Dave. 

What are you using to blacken the motion? 

Rob. 

 

Hi Rob,

I use Carrs Metal Black for Brass, available from Phoenix Paints.  https://www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/products/carrs/solvents-cat2

There are various types available for different metals, but I've found that one works just as well on anything.  Whether that means they are all the same, I wouldnt like to say!

There have been various discussions about whether Birchwood Casey Gun Blue is better,  https://www.uttings.co.uk/p103742-birchwood-casey-super-blue-liquid-gun-blue-bcsb/#.XQ6cCPlKiUk  but I'm told by reliable sources that its the same stuff in a diffrent bottle.

Anyway, its brilliant stuff (but poisonous) and I use it a lot.

 

9 hours ago, 30368 said:

Hi Dave,

Following this closely - my ACE version of this loco requires finishing - after LNER K2 commission and completion of H15 30333.

I guess this is a bit late but the Roche drawing of this loco is quite helpful regarding the rocker actuation of the inside piston valves. N15X.pdf

Kind regards,   Richard B

 

Hi Richard,

Thanks very much for that, I hadn't looked in Roche for some reason!  That makes everything a lot clearer.

Cheers, Dave.

[DLT]

All the valvegear is now assembled as a unit, and running smoothly.  But in trying to assemble everything on the loco last night, I kept loosing coupling rod bushes to the carpet monster, so took a break.

Anyway, this is what it looks like at the moment.

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2022 by DLT

[Jack P]

Dave.. That's seriously a masterpiece! 

 

 

[DLT]

I've gone over to using the Romford Deluxe crankpins, I was losing too many of the normal bushes to the "carpet monster".  I'm sure I'll find them again, but not until I'm looking for something else.

Anyway, the main chassis is running again , and the valvegear assembly is moving freely.  I'm hoping I can fit one to t'other tonight, and take it to the Exeter Show tomorrow.

Says he optimistically....

Cheers, Dave.

[Jack P]

Did I send you some of the Deluxe ones too, Dave? 

 

I know all about that dammed carpet monster - I read on here that one of those robotic vacuums will turn up all sorts of things you might think are lost forever!

[mikemeg]

1 hour ago, Jack P said:

Did I send you some of the Deluxe ones too, Dave? 

 

I know all about that dammed carpet monster - I read on here that one of those robotic vacuums will turn up all sorts of things you might think are lost forever!

 

I've done battle with the carpet monster these many years. Whilst it still rears its ugly head, from time to time, it hates a tray with sides about an inch high and with the base covered in black paper; all brightly illuminated by the daylight lamp. Most of those 'kamikazi' components, intent on sacrificing themselves to the carpet monster, bounce off the sides of the tray and can then be spotted and forcibly restrained as they lie, thwarted, on the black paper. Only the occasional component, which has learned to jump or somersault, escapes this captive enclosure!!

 

Any chemically blackened components, which think they are above (or, more particularly, below) such restraint and can hide, invisibly, on the black paper then find themselves illuminated by the daylight lamp and surrender!

 

Tunnelling out is, as yet, not a problem.

 

But while the battle may be almost won, the war with the carpet monster continues!!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by mikemeg

[hayfield]

3 hours ago, mikemeg said:

 

I've done battle with the carpet monster these many years. Whilst it still rears its ugly head, from time to time, it hates a tray with sides about an inch high and with the base covered in black paper; all brightly illuminated by the daylight lamp. Most of those 'kamikazi' components, intent on sacrificing themselves to the carpet monster, bounce off the sides of the tray and can then be spotted and forcibly restrained as they lie, thwarted, on the black paper. Only the occasional component, which has learned to jump or somersault, escapes this captive enclosure!!

 

Mike

 

 

I have noticed those dealing with precious metals (and I guess watchmakers) use jeweler's aprons, have an idea some attach under the workbench to catch things. Far too sensible for railway modellers 

[davknigh]

I’ve made a simple modification to an ordinary bib type apron by attaching Velcro to the lower corners of the apron and to the sides of my workbench. It has saved much grief over the years. Only one catch, don’t jump up to answer the phone or there may be strong language used 

 

Cheers,

 

David

[Daddyman]

19 hours ago, DLT said:

I've gone over to using the Romford Deluxe crankpins, I was losing too many of the normal bushes to the "carpet monster".  I'm sure I'll find them again, but not until I'm looking for something else.

Anyway, the main chassis is running again , and the valvegear assembly is moving freely.  I'm hoping I can fit one to t'other tonight, and take it to the Exeter Show tomorrow.

Says he optimistically....

Cheers, Dave.

Are you aware of Mike Edge's idea of using 1mm ID/1.5mm OD tube as bushes on Romford (non-deluxe) crankpins? If you lose one, you just cut another bit of tube. They look far better too... 

[Michael Edge]

Not bushes, I use slices of tube as crankpin fasteners - bushes (especially loose ones) are not necessary.

[DLT]

I'm using bushes because the holes in the coupling rods are of the size to demand it.  I've used screwed De-Luxe crankpins on the front and rear wheels, and an old-style plain piun  on the driven axle.  This allows me to solder the return cranks in place without gumming up any threads.  In the absence of non-threaded bushes, I drilled the screw thread out of the de-luxe versions.

 

Anyway, its all together and working! 

It runs very nicely in a straight line, and even goes round curves with the bogie fitted.  Last remaining job is to paint the whitemetal cylinders.

I'll do some photos and, I hope, a video or two later.

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited July 2, 2019 by DLT

[DLT]

At the last minute before fitting the valvegear, I remembered to solder the brakegear back in place.  It would have been very awkward afterwards.

Not a lot else to say really, a few dobs of black paint needed to hide the solder on the brakehangers, and a touch more Metalblack on some still shiny bits

 

 

 

I have made cylinder cock drainpipes, which run forward from the cylinders, but I'm doubtful about fitting them in case they prevent the bogie swinging far enough.  And I need to repair the broken front footstep.

 

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 6, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

I don't have a layout set up at the moment, so here's a video shot on my cruddy old test-track.  Apologies for the jerky camera movement, difficult to hold it and operate a controller.

 

 

[Jack P]

Holy Cajoles Dave!

 

I've said it before, and i'll probably say it again - That looks fantastic! Don't worry too much about draincocks, I made some too.  As for them fouling the front bogie, I wouldn't worry about that too much either.

 

Those steps are a real pain, I'd meant to epoxy some brass strip behind them before I sent the loco off!

 

 

[DLT]

I've used the crankpin bushes facing inwards, with the flange on the outside so they act as a retainer, as the deluxe versions are intended.  This way the return-crank has a flat face to position against and to solder to.  AND there is no way that solder can get anywhere near the moving parts; a win-win situation.

 

 

I will solder the footsteps back on, with a brass stiffener behind, that should sort them out.  And I'll bung my draincocks in when I send it to you. 

 

The "carpet monster" was attacked with a stiff broom yesterday, and forced to regurgitate its recent consumption.  Examining the contents of it's stomach recovered one of the missing bushes, the others are out there somewhere.

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 6, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

Took the N15X along to the Exeter Gauge-0 Group this evening, for a test run on the narrow gauge circuit.

 

 

[DLT]

Cylinders are now painted and lined, but I'm not sure if I've got the lining right.  I've not seen a photo of one in Malachite Green, but I know some locos were given black cylinders to maintain horizontal straight lines in the livery.

Anyway, having unsuccessfully tried several places to buy a jar of Railmatch Malachite Green I found I had one in the drawer.  The lining is LMS coach applied as is, and then the outer yellow line painted black with the border.  They still need a coat of satin varnish over the lines.

 

 

 

Anyway, it finishes the loco off nicely.  I know Jack is planning to strip and repaint the body, but maybe he won't need to remove the cylinders again.

 

 

 

There just remains the question of the front steps.  The loco ran through left-hand Peco points ok last week, (bottom step missing on that side) but the bogie derailed on right-hand points, as it hit the (complete) steps on that side.  So the choices are:  repair the step and restrict the loco to larger radius curves; remove the bottom strep on the RIGHT hand side to match; or do what Hornby did with their King Arthurs etc, leave the steps off completely!

I notice Tony's N15X has no bottom steps, so maybe that is the best compromise.

 

Any thoughts?  What do you thing Jack?

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 6, 2022 by DLT

[Jack P]

Hey Dave,

 

Those cylinders look seriously good! - Sadly though, all postwar malachite repaints were into the simplified version of the livery, meaning that all steps, cylinders, and cab fronts were black and in the case of the Atlantics, so were the wheels! So please don't take it as an affront to the wonderful job you've done lining them, but they need to be black! You can just leave them unvarnished and I can repaint them when I do the rest of the chassis.

 

As for the steps, I've added them to all loco that have come with them (RTR) so far, and that means everything will be restricted to the same sorts of curves - Ideally just re affixing the lower portion of the step would be all that's required!

 

 

[DLT]

Thanks Jack,

I will leave the cylinders as they are and refit the front step.

One more question, do you want me to add balance weights to the wheels?

Cheers, Dave.

[Tony Teague]

8 hours ago, DLT said:

 

I notice Tony's N15X has no bottom steps, so maybe that is the best compromise.

 

 

I am afraid that the difference is that my locos have to run through 2'6" radius curves!

 

Tony

[Jack P]

Hey Dave,

 

Thanks for the offer, but I've got balance weights here, I just didn't get around to fitting them before it came your way!