Nile's Mostly Freelance Bodging Bench - Pre-Grouping Locos

[Londontram]

Very nice wagons I've decided to use these couplings as well after seeing how well they look on your wagons and have orded some today. Here's a link to my thread of a conversion of an M7 to a Caledonian 439 class. It's a bit further a long now and almost ready for paint (Thats whats putting me off I'm a crap painter and liner but will get round to it soon) So I would be interested to see if you do have a go at one. Regards Steve 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/77470-m7-to-caley-tank/&do=findComment&comment=1205608

[Nile]

You wont believe how long it took to change my profile pic, it kept coming out the wrong shape!

Currently I'm working on an etched kit, just the chassis for now, but it's absorbing a lot of my time.

The M7 conversion might be a bit more radical than some of you think, as in the end result wont be an 0-4-4. 

[WD0-6-0]

Anything to with this chassis kit by any chance?

[Nile]

NEWS!

 

I've started a new topic in the kit building section where my kit building stuff will go. That includes the chassis I mentioned above (it's the only thing there at the moment). Link is in my signature below.

I've also built another chassis, which will feature here as it's for a RTR conversion, here we go.

 

The next project is to convert an Airfix LMS 2P 4-4-0 into a Midland 2P (yes there are differences). I shall also be motorising the loco and ditching the tender drive (and maybe the whole tender).

 

Comet 2P chassis.

 

The motor is a Sagami bolted onto a RG4 gearbox, something I picked up cheap. There's plenty of room for something else if I don't like it.

 

Soldered together, next to the body it will go under. The bits of 'frame' at the front (underside) will have to be removed to allow the chassis to fit.

 

 

It fits!

 

I've aligned some of the spacer holes with the existing body holes for securing screws.

 

With the original wheels in place, it still fits!

 

Nowt wrong with these old wheels.

I know the coupling rods are upside down, it's just a test fit. 

 

Brake gear fitted.

 

Next I'll remove the wheels and it'll be ready for primer and paint.

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[Nile]

While paint dries, a wagon update.

I've blackened the Dingham couplers, using super blue as recommended.

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[Nelson Jackson]

Wonderful job on the 2p chassis, I may have to contact you about that, and I love your method of couplings, they look very well indeed.

[Nile]

Primed and painted, I refitted the wheels and motor. The piece of wood is temporary.

 

Despite the wheels being free rolling, I couldn't get it to run slowly and smoothly. After much faffing about with the wheels and coupling rods, I changed the gearbox. Yes, I had a spare one, but without a motor. This seems to have cured the problem, it now runs ok. 

For the pick-ups I attached a piece of veroboard to a spacer with a nut and bolt. Phosphor bronze rods for the pick-ups and two wires to the motor were soldered to the outer tracks. The brake pull rods were soldered in position after the pick-ups were fitted.

 

I intend to add some representation of the valve gear & conn-rods between the frames, where I've painted it red.

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[Nile]

Onto the bodywork. Handrails removed, they will go back on the opposite sides. Chimney and dome removed, and various unwanted details sanded away.

 

 

Trial fit of new parts.

 

 

Filler applied to fill unwanted holes and imperfections.

 

This includes filling the cut-out for the reversing lever that moves to the other side.

 

After some sanding.

 

I added a strip of plastic on top of the splasher to match what was on the other side.

 

I've carved a cut out for the reverser on the other side of the boiler. The hole is for its locating pip, I'm using the one from the Hornby Midland compound.

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[Nelson Jackson]

Neat job, may I ask what filler you are using?

[Nile]

Thanks Nelson. It's Squadron green putty, I've had this tube for a few years. I found the white one went off too quickly, sometimes before it left the tube!

Other filler are also good, such as Humbrol's.

I should also add, I sometimes go over the filler with MEK to smooth it and help it stick to the plastic, before I sand it.

Edited May 31, 2014 by Nile

[Nile]

Lots of distractions means progress is slower than I would like, but there is some. Here is a small update.

After all the filing and sanding, this shows it with the new brass bits stuck on.

 

I've stuck a piece of plastic onto the cab roof ventilator to make it look more like a Midland one. You can also see the Hornby reversing lever in place, but not stuck on yet.

 

Red oxide undercoat applied to parts that will be painted crimson lake.

 

It doesn't have to be too neat as I will be painting the black after the red.

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[Nile]

After the crimson lake I tidied things up with matt black.

Back on its chassis for some photos.

 

The dome has been painted with Klear, making it look slightly darker and shinier.

Next to a Bachmann tender, to give some idea of what the finished model will look like.

 

The easiest thing would be to use this tender, painted red. But where would the fun be in that? Anyway it belongs to a 3F that needs it, so it will be staying black.

The original Airfix tender is no good either, it's too modern. Even the chassis is wrong. Below is a comparison with a Ratio Midland tender.

 

The cut-outs would need enlarging and the molded on steps removing. Possible, but quite a lot of work, and I'd still need a new inner chassis.

I have a cunning plan.

Many years ago I bought a OO works C class 0-6-0 second hand (long before Bachmann made one). In the box was a second tender, this one.

 

It has a resin body on a metal chassis. Until now I hadn't found a use for it, then I noticed a similarity with the Midland tender chassis.

 

With a few mods this could do a passable impression of a Midland tender chassis.

The final piece in the jigsaw is this.

 

An etch from Ambis engineering.

I think I now have enough bits to bodge together a Johnson tender.   

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[Nelson Jackson]

Lovely shade of crimson, who makes it, and is it sprayed or brushed?

[Nile]

It's Phoenix Precision, P350. Brushed on slightly thinned (it's an enamel paint). The black is Revell acrylic, which I prefer to use.

[Nile]

The etched tender sides are quite thin and will need to be soldered or glued to a strong body.

I've made a box from 40th plastic card on a base of 20th plastic. The side will be glued to this. The coal hole is at the front.

 

 

A trial fit of parts on the chassis.

 

 

I cut off the outer parts of the chassis (that was the floor of the old tender). After making sure it was straight and level I glued it to the new floor.

 

I used some white styrene strip to create some brake hangers and suspension parts.

 

The frames are a few mm too short. I've used some black plastic card to fill the gap and create the steps at the front.

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[WD0-6-0]

What loco does the ratio midland tender belong to?

Rhys

[Nile]

It belongs to a 2-4-0 that I haven't built yet. I've also got another 2-4-0 kit and a 4-4-0 kit (both Ratio), they will eventually be built as Midland engines.

[Nile]

More work on the tender.

The coal rails need to be soldered to the sides. As they are quite thin this is a tricky job. I improvised a jig to hold things in place for the operation.

 

 

After that I glued the sides and rear onto the body with superglue gel.

 

The gaps in the corners where covered with tape.

Other details were added from odds and ends, and more plastic card.

 

 

 

 

Painting next.

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[Nile]

After spraying with primer it was all looking a bit grey.

 

 

And now for something I did earlier (I mislaid the photos).

I modified the inner chassis, to give it a see through look, by cutting out the vertical parts between the wheels.

 

 

 

 

With the outer chassis on.

 

An improvement over this.

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[DLT]

Lovely work Nile, and very refreshing to see some genuine freelancing; I like it a lot.

Looking at that motor unit, did you unite the Sagami with the Portescap gearbox, or did it come like that?

I'm wondering how straightforward a job it was.

All the best,

Dave.

[Nile]

Hi Dave, the motor-gearbox combination came like that, bought second-hand. I swapped the gearbox with one I'd bought without a motor.

Here's a photo of the original gearbox.

 

The important dimensions are-

motor shaft diameter - 1.5mm

mounting holes centre spacing - 10.25mm (or 4/10 inch)

hole in the middle of the mounting block - 5mm diameter.

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[Nile]

Things have been slowly progressing, with paint and transfers.

First the undercoat.

 

 

Then the topcoat of crimson lake and black.

 

 

And the HMRS transfers, plus some hand lining around the chassis (with GWR cream).

 

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[DLT]

Thanks very much Nile, that looks a pretty straightforward motor conversion

 

All the best,

Dave.

Edited June 27, 2014 by DLT

[Nile]

Meanwhile there has been progress on the loco body. After paint and transfers the detail parts had to go back on, but not necessarily in their original positions.

The handrails moved to the opposite sides of the boiler, this involved drilling and filing some holes. The plumbing near the smokebox also swapped sides. This needed to be cut up and stuck back together to fit it's new location.

 

The reversing lever came from the Hornby Midland compound.

 

The smokebox door with silver straps. I haven't decided what shed code to use yet, or if any.

 

 

In the cab I painted the reverser and moved it across. I made and painted a new regulator, I don't think it's worth trying to remove the old one.

 

 

This is all the bits put together.

 

Still a few things to do, but it's nearly there. 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Nile

[Spitfire2865]

Wow. Beautiful.