RMweb Premium Barry O Posted May 3, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 3, 2020 12 hours ago, manna said: G'day Folks Only flux I can get on with. manna Good luck.. you have seen what it dos to steel axles... makes them realistically weathered!! baz 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 Everything else in Australia is poisonous... why not use lethal flux as well? 1 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 G'Day Gents Don't tell me I have got to go out and start milking 'Brown Snakes' before I can do a bit of soldering. manna 1 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodcock29 Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 13 hours ago, manna said: G'Day Gents Don't tell me I have got to go out and start milking 'Brown Snakes' before I can do a bit of soldering. manna Terry Could have got you one a few months ago at the golf club but it's a bit cold now! I'll keep my eyes open for one next summer. Expect you've got plenty up your way anyway. I'll have to think about getting a new bottle of flux soon, I'm getting rather low. The only back up is an old bottle of the, you guessed it Bakers Fluid! Andrew 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted May 4, 2020 Share Posted May 4, 2020 G'Day Folks. Had the odd snake about this summer, not many, the dogs chased a 4 footer under the house, couple of months ago, haven't seen it since so I suppose it's gone.....................or the dogs ate it. ! I'm getting low on Bakers Flux, I'll have to get another. manna 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted May 8, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 8, 2020 (edited) More on the D2. Day 14 (2nd May) Continuing on with the tender, and I've gone 'off piste' again. Careful study of reference pictures confirmed a nagging doubt that the front of the tender wasn't quite as depicted in the kit, which seems to be based on original GNR condition. By the 1930s, typical modifications seemed to be to increase capacity by moving the coal plate forward. SO, despite time pressures being on, some modifications were made. Most noticeable is the new coal plate, cut and shaped from a piece of nickel silver. But also, I've added some pieces to the continue the height of the inner tank sides to coincide with the new coal plate; also the front of each leg of the tank top has been cut off and soldered on to the very front of the tanks. This is due to the 'step down' moving forward to coincide with the coal plate - the half etch line for the existing fold will be hidden beneath the repositioned tool boxes. So that was an evening gone. And I'm not even sure if I have it exactly right. The key visual impact though will be the top curve of the coal plate and the repositioned toolboxes - that's what is immediately apparent from looking at pictures. Day 15 (3rd May) - Coalplate, tank top and toolboxes now fitted. Coal rails prepared (extra fill plates added at front of each side to correspond with above modification) and about to be fitted. (Don't seem to have taken a picture with them fitted at this time - but don't worry, you'll be seeing the tender again before long). Day 16 (4th May) - OK, time to tackle the tricky bit - getting it to work! This is what I acquired at the time of original purchase, not so much a two stage gearbox as an extended gear train, to lift the motor clear of the frames / wheels. Just some initial prep this evening, here is the complete gear train first assembled. The bottom half can 'swing' for now (steady!) so as to determine the optimum position. Test assembled in the frames (which have been to the paint shop whilst I was working on the tender). Driving on to the rear axle, with the front axle pivoting on a simple compensation bar. Together with the front of the tender hanging on the cab rear, this is my established formula for a 4-4-0. Day 17 (5th May) - This day was spent testing, cutting and checking the fit over the footplate / cab, clearance beneath the latter being particularly critical. This is why I wanted this superstructure built before finalising the motor-gear configuration. This shows how the cab interior needs to be shaped to give clearance beneath for the main drive gear. Once this shaping was complete then I could shape and fit the inside cab splasher pieces. Like this, it looks like a bit of an intrusion but there is the cab floor to fit yet and the firebox backhead will further minimise the impact. I'm a day or so behind with capturing daily progress so there'll be more to follow shortly. Edited May 8, 2020 by LNER4479 20 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted May 13, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2020 A few more day's progress: Day 18 (6th May) - taking it in stages to ensure the mechanism is working OK, testing the fit of the motor / gears within the frames before final installation. A subtlety here was the need to angle the 'swing link' forward slightly to ensure adequate clearance with the back of the cab. You can JUST see that I cut out a notch in the frames (behind the spinning wheel at about 7 minutes past) to accommodate the intermediate layshaft bearing. With this done, that joint could be soldered up solid 'for keeps'. Day 19 (7th May) - Now with pick-ups fitted and motor wired up. You can see better here the afore-mentioned notch in the frames. Also note the plasticard motor support, taking the weight. Day 20 (8th May) - Now some time spent getting the principal parts to fit together accurately. On this occasion, I've gone for a separately fitted boiler, rather than soldering the boiler and footplate together. Doesn't appear to be much done here but there was actually quite a bit of time testing fit, filing a bit more off (etc) to get it all straight, square and true. A key aspect was the long 8BA bolt seen here protruding from the bottom of the smokebox saddle. This plays three roles(!), namely: fitting the front of the boiler to the footplate; fitting the front of the boiler / footplate to the frames; and acting as the pintle for the front bogie. So it was important to get it 'right'. For the rear of the boiler (ie the firebox!), there is another 8BA attachment from the cab front into a fixing on rear of the boiler. This is fitted second / remove first (obvious when you think about it!). Day 21 (9th May) - with the full loco assembly all together, this is the arrangement for the bogie mounting. There is a slot in the bogie centre for side-to-side movement and this needs a piece of tube to slide over the bolt, with a second nut on the bottom to hold it in place. I've also included a light springing arrangement, just enough to help keep the bogie nicely on the rails - I actually ended up winding this myself from a length of thin gauge n/s wire. All assembled, with one I made earlier(!) A residual job was to file back the front frames to ensure sufficient clearance for the bogie wheels. That was an hour's work on its own. Day 22 (10th May) - An advantage of keeping the footplate and boiler separate is seen here as I fit the beading, especially for the splashers. Looks a mess like this but the file and screwdriver scraper are standing by ... Day 23 (11th May) - That's better. We're now into the detail - splasher fixing bracket, steps and sandbox lids fitted. Not quite on the home straight yet but it feels like more than half way through. Only 12 days left if I am to achieve my personal best! 27 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted May 18, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 18, 2020 (edited) Well in to the detailing now... Day 24 (12th May) - Front of footplate section, including lamp brackets, buffer bodies, guard irons, front steps and grab handle. Day 25 (13th May) - Rear of footplate section, including rear steps, cab handrail knobs, fall plate, tender coupling bar, works plates and - as a little extra - sandbox operating linkages on top of splashers. These are not provided for in the kit but are quite noticeable in photos so a case of going rummaging in the scrap etch boxes to find some suitable sprue pieces. Day 26 (14th May) - Now on to the boiler. Bands, including the front two having their bolt fastening arrangements depicted(!) A job like this is MUCH easier with the boiler separable. Day 27 (15th May) - But boiler popped back into the footplate to help with positioning of the boiler handrail, particularly where it fits into the front of the cab. Day 28 (16th May) - Chimney! Some folks get very excited about chimneys, reckoning that even the smallest deviations can ruin the front end look. Hmm - not entirely sure about that but one thing I did want was a 'modern' chimney, as perhaps half of the locos were sporting by the mid-1930s. Not provided for in the kit. So a rummage through my chimneys box yielded several potential candidates, with one seen here being having its shape fine-tuned in my homemade 'lathe'(!) Purists, look away now. Day 29 (17th May) - And posed a little earlier today following last night's efforts. Snifter valve added, front ring attached BEFORE adding the chimney and dome (cos I'd have melted them otherwise!) Getting to look something like now, providing a spur to get it across the finishing line with only six more days to go(!) Edited May 18, 2020 by LNER4479 30 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted May 24, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2020 Surely, now only the final , final details remain...? Day 30 (18th May) - Final loco details All important 'face'. These items are soldered from the back by drilling right through, then drilling back through part way with a larger drill until the rear of the part is clear - low melt solder applied from the rear can then fill this cavity and grip the part. On the right, the tiny detail is the smokebox door stop(!), folded up from a tiny etch and soldered on first as shown to avoid any subsequent melting of white metal parts. Firebox backhead, shaped to fit the cab space available and regulator handle added. The 'ole in the middle is to get at the 8BA bolt, which attaches the rear of the boiler to the backhead. Loco body thus finished, with smokebox door affixed, safety valves & whistle, coupling hook and vac pipe. Note how the afore-mentioned smokebox door stop is a snug fit right up against the door, a satisfying detail worth doing Day 31 (19th May) Back to the tender and the additional footplate details: water handles, handbrake, lamp bracket and step. The handbrake stand is soldered up from 3 scratch parts, as per instructions. Day 32 (20th May) Various remaining tender details, waiting to be added, front steps already affixed. Front handrail knobs added Day 33 (21st May) Tender rear details: buffer shanks, guard irons, lamp brackets & vac pipe. Axleboxes, rear coupling bar (the loco is destined for the Nottingham route where we're tension lock), 10BA bolt in position for the inner chassis (see further below) and engine-tender coupling hook, added but waiting to be bent to final shape. Day 34 (22nd May) - Tender brake gear Work in progress, fitting the tiny brake gear parts to the inner chassis. Done. This shows the front springing and guide arrangement to help keep the wheels on the rails whilst still allowing the weight of the front of the tender to bear down on the rear of the loco. That's the tender complete, so ... Day 35 (23rd May) - Loco brake gear. More tiny, fiddly parts laid out. Sub assemblies complete. Done. All a bit of a tight fit but there's enough working clearance. I only realised, whilst scrutinising pictures that the arrangement was for a brake pull rod either side of the leading wheel. Quite impossible given the presence of the pick-ups but it explains the otherwise odd 'joggle' out from the cross-beam. Looks OK from the outside. Coupling rod crank pins also soldered up for keeps. Which can only mean one thing ... 19 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted May 24, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 24, 2020 It's finished! And now to match it up with its intended set of coaches: In the highly unlikely location of the Westmorland fells! And - to prove that it actually goes! If you watch closely, you can see that it is working at the limit of its adhesion up the 1-in-90 (should be 1-in-75) gradient. There's room to put some lead in the rear of the boiler (no use in the smokebox) but these are all metal vehicle bodies and, on Grantham, she'll only ever be on the flat so should be no trouble there. In the end, it took 35 days (aka 5 weeks) - which exactly matched my previous record for a kit built loco! Ah well ... I'll report further once she's been to the paint shop. 33 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2750Papyrus Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 She looks super, as do the coaches, and runs just as well. Lets hope we can see them running on Grantham soon! 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grob1234 Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 Very lovely indeed. As are the coaches. I have 2 x D2's in the stash to build, so thank you for providing me with a handy guide 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuffer Davies Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 Inspiring work indeed. Congratulations on a job well done. Frank 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 1 hour ago, LNER4479 said: In the end, it took 35 days (aka 5 weeks) - which exactly matched my previous record for a kit built loco! Ah well .. Sorry, the adjudicator's stop watch is still running until it's painted, lined, fully decked out with transfers, varnished, weathered, coaled up and provided with crew. Have those coaches got interiors, non-brass carpets and insignia on both sides now? 1 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 32 minutes ago, gr.king said: Sorry, the adjudicator's stop watch is still running until it's painted, lined, fully decked out with transfers, varnished, weathered, coaled up and provided with crew. Have those coaches got interiors, non-brass carpets and insignia on both sides now? You can go off people, y'know ... 1 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted May 24, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 24, 2020 2 hours ago, gr.king said: Sorry, the adjudicator's stop watch is still running until it's painted, lined, fully decked out with transfers, varnished, weathered, coaled up and provided with crew. Handrails? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 To fit after lining, one assumes. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 2 hours ago, jwealleans said: To fit after lining, one assumes. Still not best-practice in my view........... Regards, Tony. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 Makes applying the boiler band lining a helluva lot easier! 2 4 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted June 16, 2020 Author Share Posted June 16, 2020 Any big American loco fans out there? Whilst it's a little quiet in the Grantham corner, full story of this little bit of fun can be found here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/152919-si-modelling/page/11/ (first post towards the bottom of the page, on 30th May; latest instalment posted earlier this evening) 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesysmith Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Due to being on lockdown because of the lurgie going round our house, I have just had a read through all 188 pages. Can I ask, where are the braziers for the water collums? Magnificent layout but have to say only seen it once and it was not completed then, will have to go and see it again when some thing approaching normally returns. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 As we're running on the summer timetable, I imagine that they've gone back to Doncaster for a polish. Or perhaps they've already come back and are still stacked up at the back of the shed awaiting redeployment. 2 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted October 21, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 21, 2020 5 hours ago, jwealleans said: As we're running on the summer timetable, I imagine that they've gone back to Doncaster for a polish. Or perhaps they've already come back and are still stacked up at the back of the shed awaiting redeployment. Miles above my pay grade.. I only polish them mate! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 From the point of view of many of those involved with the layout, Grantham is so far South that is is sub-tropical, hence no need for water column frost protection. 2 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted October 21, 2020 Author Share Posted October 21, 2020 8 hours ago, jwealleans said: Or perhaps they've already come back and are still stacked up at the back of the shed awaiting redeployment. ... along with all the telegraph poles, gas lamps, ground signals, point rodding ... and the myriad of other 'finishing off' details still required. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now