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Steve's Caledonian loco work bench


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I've kept referring to the loco as Cardean which was the class leader No. 903 but I'm actually building No. 906 the second from last one built and I cant find details of why but the later built locos and even Cardean her self at some point seems to have had larger smokebox doors and think it might be connected to them all being uprated with super heaters in 1911 and this is how I've modeled it and you can best see it in these two pictures the first of No.903 Cardean here self when new with the small door and in this case in the second picture No.907 with the larger door

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I went for No. 906 and not No. 907 as 907 was one of the locos tragically lost at Quintinshill and always thought it might be a bit of a morbid choice. Note in the second picture the control rod connected to the super heater on the side of the boiler above the hand rail which I'll have to include on my model

Edited by Londontram
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Had to go to Ipswich today for a medical assessment which seemed to take the best part of the day so once again limited time for modeling but I did manage a couple of small jobs one being to make the front buffers and fit them and the other to build a bit of false chassis to sit over the bogies to get rid of all the daylight that shows there, both jobs can be seen in this picture.

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                 Steve

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Sir James Thompson then good luck with painting the name, that's half the reason I'm doing mine as 906 rather than 903 so I don't have to put Cardean on the splasher.

 

    For those that don't know the Caledonian built two 4-6-0 locos in 1903 No. 49 and 50 No. 50 being named "Sir James Thompson" and used the experience gained from these to later in 1906 build the similar but improved 903 "Cardean" class with a slightly larger boiler and other detail changes. Both Numbers 49 and 50 were later brought up to 903 class standards.

     At first glance the bulk of the boiler gives the later locos away but also the boiler wash out plugs the 49 class having five at the top of the firebox lever and the 903 class just four. Other detail differences are the driving wheel base is also slightly different. Of the later locos only the first No. 903 was named "Cardean" the rest were just numbered

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Sir James Thompson then good luck with painting the name, that's half the reason I'm doing mine as 906 rather than 903 so I don't have to put Cardean on the splasher.

 

    For those that don't know the Caledonian built two 4-6-0 locos in 1903 No. 49 and 50 No. 50 being named "Sir James Thompson" and used the experience gained from these to later in 1906 build the similar but improved 903 "Cardean" class with a slightly larger boiler and other detail changes. Both Numbers 49 and 50 were later brought up to 903 class standards.

     At first glance the bulk of the boiler gives the later locos away but also the boiler wash out plugs the 49 class having five at the top of the firebox lever and the 903 class just four. Other detail differences are the driving wheel base is also slightly different. Of the later locos only the first No. 903 was named "Cardean" the rest were just numbered

 

Sir James Thompson then good luck with painting the name, that's half the reason I'm doing mine as 906 rather than 903 so I don't have to put Cardean on the splasher.

 

    For those that don't know the Caledonian built two 4-6-0 locos in 1903 No. 49 and 50 No. 50 being named "Sir James Thompson" and used the experience gained from these to later in 1906 build the similar but improved 903 "Cardean" class with a slightly larger boiler and other detail changes. Both Numbers 49 and 50 were later brought up to 903 class standards.

     At first glance the bulk of the boiler gives the later locos away but also the boiler wash out plugs the 49 class having five at the top of the firebox lever and the 903 class just four. Other detail differences are the driving wheel base is also slightly different. Of the later locos only the first No. 903 was named "Cardean" the rest were just numbered

Sir James Thompson!!!! He didn't tell me about that!!!!! Even in 7mm that's going to be difficult to get on a splasher. have you got a photograph?

Sandy

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Sir James Thompson!!!! He didn't tell me about that!!!!! Even in 7mm that's going to be difficult to get on a splasher. have you got a photograph?

Sandy

I'll see what I can find, what period is it being painted for as they removed the name in later Caledonian days not sure if it was pre or post WW 1 but I'll have a look and find the exact dates. Steve

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According to an article in a 1973 Railway World, the name remained until it was painted red, sorry Sandy.  If Steve's info says differently but your's is not superheated, then you'll still be stuck with the name as they were superheated in 1911.

 

BTW they were originally separated from their tenders for turning at Carlisle, as they were too long for the turntable.

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Not been well for a few days so not done much modeling wise but today I added the beading to the back edge of the splashers. This is actually the top of the back sheets to the splasher in the real locomotive but as its in 00 the wheels sit somewhat further in than on the real one so I just added it as a beading from thin plastic rod super glued in place and when its had a light sanding it should look OK

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The only other job was to open up the triangle spectacle plates to there correct size.

 

Even though its still early days I might give the splasher area a blow over with gray primer so I can get an idea what filling and sanding will need doing at the moment its hard to tell. Steve

Edited by Londontram
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Perhaps...if doing one's own painting, a case for using the paintless printing idea?

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/100227-painting-locomotives-without-much-paint/page-7&do=findComment&comment=2119592

It looks very good, my only concern is the different colour of the reds. I feel it all has to be done with the same method.

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It looks very good, my only concern is the different colour of the reds. I feel it all has to be done with the same method.

 

 

As mentioned in the book.....there is a huge choice of printing colours, so one experiments to get a good match with one's paint? ....But one can also mix one's paint to match that of the printed item??

 

After all, exactly what shade of red are we looking at?  And isn't there a possibility even the prototype had slightly varying shades of the same colour on it?  

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A bit more time on the loco and I've drilled out all the hand rail holes and also the holes for the washout plugs. and believe me there was a fair few of them and its left my fingers sore twiddling the pin drill all afternoon.

 

  I read some where on here about an idea for wash out plugs made using brass top hat pin point bearings with the center drilled out and a bit of rod soldered into the middle so I had a play around with only limited success the main problem being to solder the rod into the center of the top hat bearing with out solder flooding the inside of the bearing and I got through four bearings before giving it up as a bad job. in the end I found it was better to super glue a bit of plastic rod into the center of the bearing and trim it off when set.

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Here's one fitted, only 11 more to make.

 

I knew it would eat away at me and in the end I had to take action, remember my beautiful hand made smoke box door, lovingly crafted in the drill sanded to perfection. Well if you recall it was the wrong one, with out realizing I had made a post 1911 superheated boiler smokebox door, no real problem as it was right for the loco just to late for the period I am modeling which is cir. 1905 give or take a year so I removed it and fitted a smaller Caley coaches cast brass one which is right for when it was built in 1906, here's a picture

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So a bit of a frustrating afternoon but I knew I could never settle with the other smokebox door and hopefully the wash out plug idea will work out OK too. Steve

Edited by Londontram
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As mentioned in the book.....there is a huge choice of printing colours, so one experiments to get a good match with one's paint? ....But one can also mix one's paint to match that of the printed item??

 

After all, exactly what shade of red are we looking at?  And isn't there a possibility even the prototype had slightly varying shades of the same colour on it?  

For Sandy's loco (and Steve's 903) in Caley livery, the red will be blue :) .  Light or dark, I don't know.  The red that obliterated the name of number 50 was properly Crimson Lake.

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Well this chest infection has hit me for six and I sound like a wheezing Jinty with dry cylinders when I breath so this and crimbo preparations plus a spot of bother with the vintage car means that modeling has taken a back seat for a couple of weeks. but today as I sat minding my own business the wife who was trying to wrap all the crimbo presents brutally remarked how sitting there doing know harm at all I was apparently putting her off so was ordered to go and do some modeling.

 

   So today I made and fitted the rest of the wash out plugs and this is where I discover I cant drill four holes in a straight line. Oh well it should look alright by the time the hand rails are fitted and its painted. I like this method of using top hat pin point bearings but there very delicate and the act of drilling them out caused the rims on about four to separate this plus the first hand full that I ruined while trying to solder has greatly depleted my stock of bearings so I'll have to re-order some more before I start coach and wagon building again.

 

Any way here's a picture of the washout plugs, I've done both sides but this is definitely the good side

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   Thanks for looking Steve

 

 

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Well I did warn you that the other side was the best side. here's a picture of the second side note the slight dip of the center two wash out plugs I'm hoping that when the hand rails are on plus all the other stuff like the safety valves and whistle will draw the eye away from it plus being painted all one colour will help too. As always it looks better in the flesh than it does on the picture. I'll see what it looks like with some primer on it.

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As a bit of a diversion I fitted the hand rails to the jumbo, I don't know if its me but I cant recall hand rail knobs being this fiddly when I was younger and although I also need to fit hand rails to the two Dunalastair's as well I can only handle one loco at a time as squinting at the knobs through a magnifying glass gives me a bit of a head ache. Here is the jumbo along side the 782 tank both now with hand rails.

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I think I really need to have a break from modeling until both this chest infection clears up and Christmas is over. Steve

 

Edit looks like the smokebox wing plates need a bit of filler on both locos, I tell you that bloody camera gets you every time.

Edited by Londontram
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Sadly Steve, I think you will end up having to lift those two washout plugs ;-( Its easier to do now though...

 

I totally understand your difficulties with seeing handrail knobs, I've gone from having good sight to having to wear seperate reading and distance glasses (as I have a slight focussing issue..). The difference to my life is brill, I can see to model properly again, without headaches, but I'm forever moving the distance glasses from car to car, or forgetting to put them on.... Can you get glasses for memory?

 

You are going to be very lucky, as your loco stud is very looking very good now.

 

Keep up the good work....

 

Andy G

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Unfortunately Andy your right otherwise it will just niggle at me. I should be able to push them out from the back and then just elongate the holes slightly to lift them, still I think its proved the concept works. I wont do it tonight as we've got the granddaughter again for a sleep over so I cant get into the modeling room with out disturbing her so will have a look tomorrow

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