pete_mcfarlane Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 I bought a couple of these the other week, with no particular idea what to do with them beyond a (hopefully) quickish modelling project to convert them in to something else. I had a bit of spare time tonight, so it took about half an hour to get from this.... To this... Most of that was removing the screws holding the loco to the base, which are tiny and very tightly screwed in. The GBL model is the narrow splasher version of the class, which limits what they can be easily converted in to a little. Having gone through Russell's 'Pictorial record of Southern locos' I think a C8 would be a good bet - they had the same 8 wheeled Watercart tender and narrow splashers as the GBL model, and a couple of them had regular workings over the Central section in the 1930s, which fits in with my vague Kent/Sussex Eastern/Central section layout ideas. The main difference is that the C8 is a foot shorter - the difference being in the wheelbase (9 foot instead of 10 foot) and firebox. So the next step later this week is going to be shortening the footplate with a razor saw. And then there's the problem of motorising it..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Intriguing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Hello Pete, really looking forward to seeing how you tackle this project. Not sure if you've seen my thread but here's my humble efforts with the T9. The first is a Hornby wide cab but the second is the GBL T9 good luck. Steve http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/92190-when-is-a-4-6-0-not-a-4-6-0-making-a-brace-of-scottish-locos/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 How easy or difficult would it be to widen the splashers and cab? It looks like a giveaway measurement is that provided by the subsidiary splashers which cover the sweep of the coupling rods. S11? D15? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted November 24, 2014 Author Share Posted November 24, 2014 I'm not sure - I suspect the easiest way would be to split the cab/splasher moulding and widen it. An alternative would be to make a new cab/splashers - if I can find a decent drawing my Silhouette cutter may be the answer to that. I have a second GBL T9 to play with at some point in the future. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyndonsdad1 Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I'm really struggling to get the base screws out!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted November 24, 2014 Author Share Posted November 24, 2014 I got 3 out, but ended up drilling round the plastic of the 4th one, and then unscrewing the screw plus bit of plastic from the loco with a set of pliers. It needed more torque than I could manage with a small jewelers screwdriver, but the screw head is way too small for a decent sized screwdriver. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I'm not sure - I suspect the easiest way would be to split the cab/splasher moulding and widen it. An alternative would be to make a new cab/splashers - if I can find a decent drawing my Silhouette cutter may be the answer to that. I have a second GBL T9 to play with at some point in the future. One of the down sides to the GBL T9 over the Hornby body is the front splasher is molded direct to the running plate and not a separate item like the Hornby one, It might be easier to keep an eye on ebay and pick up a Hornby wide cab body. On the GBL one I've stripped I couldn't get the cab off at the back it was to well glued at the drag box under the fall plate and any attempt to remove it would have caused the whole rear end to snap so in the end I left well alone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted November 24, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 24, 2014 They may not be much use for Southern locos, but, they are a great basis for Scottish ones. My 5 are scattered around the bedroom in many pieces! I just need to get a chassis sorted and then I'll do another thread. Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 A quick update - the running plate has now had 4mm removed from between the driving wheels using a razor saw and mire box, the bits glued back together and it's now clamped to a ruler whilst the solvent sets. The next step is to do the same for the boiler. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 Another hour or so of work this evening saw the boiler cut - to remove the extended smokebox (the C8 class were never superheated so never got these) and 4mm from the firebox. I arranged this cu to remove fixing lug in the middle of the firebox that would block the motor. I also started on the cab - removing the hugely over scale beading round the edge of the roof, and replacing it with plastic strip. Again I've removed plastic to make space for the motor. If anyone else is tempted to try this, then Bradley's 'Drummond Greyhounds of the LSWR' has a copy of the GA drawings for a C8. There's also a weight diagram in the Russell book on Southern locos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 And now for the slow bit. I'm now filing the joins between the various parts and smoothing them down. This always seems to take me ages, compounded by my lack of spare time. The moulded on boiler detail has all gone, and I've also reduced the length of the smokebox by 0.5mm (by rubbing it on a sheet of glasspaper) and fitted a section of 20thou plasticard in place. This will become the new smokebox front and wing plates. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Hello Pete any progress? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Yes, but it's painfully slow due to Christmas, and redecorating my lounge. I'll post a picture next tie I do some work on it. The biggest issue I've had is the join in the footplate - it's just not strong enough and failed. So the plan is to assemble The cab end and boiler end as separate units and then join them together. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 As promised, here's a photo. Left hand (cab) side is having new beading added to the cab cutouts. This is from 5 thou plastic sheet, and will be cut down when it's set, Right hand (boiler) part is waiting for the join between the footplate and boiler to harden. I've also added a smokebox wing plate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Hello Pete, I know the problem about joining the footplate the problem being the edges being so small there so little room for the glue to gain sufficient purchase on I had the same thoughts when I converted one of my GBL T9 and I chose to make the cut under the smoke box so when glued back in place the smoke box gave it strength by bridging the gap. Ive just done the same on my latest project which is to use bits of the GBL Caledonian single to build a Caledonian 0-6-0 jumbo and again using the original footplate I've positioned the cut under the smokebox again for the same reason of strength. Some time in the distant future I have another T9 waiting which I would like to turn into a Manson 240 class 4-4-0 but these had a much shorter driving wheel base so I'll need to make the cut in the same place as you have on yours so not looking forward to that. Here's a link to the jumbo project http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69535-great-british-locomotives/page-162&do=findComment&comment=1727548 PS I know what you mean with Christmas and decorating I'm just glad that at least Christmas is over for another year but like you still got loads of decorating SHMBO requires me to do, my two T9 to Dunalastair projects have stalled for the very same reasons though JCL (Jason) has drawn me up some domes and chimney for 3D printing so as soon as post Christmas funds permit I shall be ordering some of these which should kick start those two. Any way good luck regards Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 ...The biggest issue I've had is the join in the footplate - it's just not strong enough and failed. ..... Is there enough meat in the footplate to drill into it, and then insert wire pins / dowels? That would help both alignment and give a bit of strength to your glued joins. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Is there enough meat in the footplate to drill into it, and then insert wire pins / dowels? That would help both alignment and give a bit of strength to your glued joins. I don't think the running plate would be thick enough for pinning but two other options one could try one could be to lay some thin strips of plasticard on the underside of the running plate to bridge the join, if thin enough it would be hidden behind the "valance" Another possible option could be to remove the valance completely with filling or with a craft knife and replacing it with a piece of square section brass like David did in his scratch build of a J21, see the first post on this link. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/75757-scratchbuilding-a-lner-j21/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 I'd not considered the pin approach, or using brass. I'll have another look at the body parts when I next get some modelling time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiffy2 Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I've put a table of different LSWR 4-4-0s that might be made from a T9 over on the Great British Locomotives thread. There's an Alan Gibson frame that may suit (9' wheelbase). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 If anyone has built the Martin Finney T9 in superheated form, that usually means the boiler and parts for the non-superheated (original) variant will be unused, and could be employed on the GBL LSWR 4-4-0 variants. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 After what seems like an age, I've got some progress to show. The smokebox wingplate has been cut and filed to shape and the original door fitted. The chimney is from Alan Gibson. The various parts have been filled, sanded and generally abused to be roughly the right shape, and the whole thing stuck together. It's on it's second running plate (I bought 2 of the GBL models) as the first had a nasty curve in it. Whether this was there to start with, or I'd caused it myself, I'm not sure. The second attempt had the join staggered, which also seems to make it stronger. Now for some paint over the various joins to show up any gaps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 That's coming along nicely the whole body has a nice balance to it (I'm a firm believer in the "if it looks right" school of thought) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 I was thinking that the other evening - the C8 'looks' right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 .... - the C8 'looks' right. The chimney particularly - that characteristic huge Scottish cap on top. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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