Scorpio 7mm 51XX by PAD

[steve fay]

Great work Peter, I think this shows that with a little tweaking the Scorpio kits can build in to very nice models and shouldn't be over looked.

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I have now added the remaining details to the front drop plate and the spare lamp irons on the left hand running plate. It was pointed out that the Scorpio chimney is too small so I have changed in favour of one from Warren Shephard. I decided to replace the tank fillers and reversing lever also.

The Scorpio parts are on the left.

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I decided now that the superstructure is well advanced it was time I returned to the chassis. Firstly I completed the cylinders, adding a couple of overlays to the rear plate to fill the gaps created by correcting the width over the valves. Here the left hand overlay is in place with the right one still to be added.

Once that was done (I had previously dealt with the gaps on the front plate) I added the white metal detail parts and the cast brass cylinder relief valves and drain cocks. I'm not sure if the valve chest covers at the front should have a tail rod cover rod for the valves piston rod, but will check that and add it later if necessary. Before fitting the valve chest covers I adjusted the position by filing the holes to move them outwards to take account of the widening over the valves as mentioned earlier.

 

Finally for now I prepared the brake rigging castings and springs. I only got as far as fixing the front springs and one of the middle ones which was a real pain. The middle and rear springs have to be attached to the compensation beam, and to fit them without gumming up the works is quite tricky. The castings are "generic" and all six require some filing to enable them to fit. The front ones I was able to solder in place, but the middle and rear ones are more tricky and need time for adjustment so epoxy has been used for these.

Finally a broadside shot of the state of play so far. As well as replacing the Scorpio chimney with a Warren Shephard casting, I have also tried to improve the appearance of the safety valve casing. I soldered a brass disc cut from thin sheet to the bottom, cut the slot for the top feed casing and reprofiled it. I'm not totally happy with it and may replace it with a Shepard one. Thanks again to Johng for pointing out the emaciated state of the Scorpio one.

Cheers, Peter.

[84B Oxley]

Nice work indeed, Peter. I am at roughly the same stage with a Martin Finney kit, which will end up as 4176 in unlined black. At the risk of appearing to be a rivet counter....the middle cylinder drain should sit lower than the outer two, it has a deeper boss where it is fixed to the cylinder, see attached photograph. 4160-4179 also got larger superheater covers, as you can see from my photo. I find that when I am building a loco kit I 'live and breathe' the real thing until I'm finished. (Do I need to get out more?....)

No criticism intended: I think that, like me, you would kick yourself if you spotted this after the paint is dry. (Been there....)

Jeff

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Good morning Jeff,

Many thanks for picking that up. Normally I also try to "live and breathe the loco" until it is completed. I guess I just got carried away without checking the information I have, which includes over 200 images of the pair at Didcot, so no excuse.

It's not actually a deeper boss as far as I can see. The middle one is placed 1lower down on a bracket (wonder why), so it looks like a bit of scratch building is required. Thanks also for the heads up on the super heater cover, which is mentioned in the Prairie Papers but that up to now I had not noted. Here's an edited photo of the cylinders from the book. Cheers, Peter.

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Whoops no photo!

[mswjr]

 The middle one is placed 1lower down on a bracket (wonder why)     Pad,The outer two drain cocks are screwed into the cylinder block,the middle one is not,that one in fed by a pipe (under the cylinder cladding) from the valve chest,That is why it is bolted on a steel bracket,    Garry

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Hi Garry,

Yes that makes sense now.

Many thanks.

Peter

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PS.

I will also add the operating lever behind the cocks. I'm thinking of taking the cocks off, fitting them to the bracket and then adding the operating lever. I can then fit the bracket onto the cylinder after all the fiddly bits are done separately. Should be easier to handle that way.

Cheers, Peter

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Here's a better pic of the  drain cocks.  It is  one  of many I took at  Didcot, so no excuses for  getting  it  wrong.  Good job there  are  lots  of  eagle eyed, knowledgeable people on here to point  out  my  mistakes!  Cheers, Peter.

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Been off the grid for a couple of weeks so here's an update of what I've been up to.

Not much really but significant in improving the appearance of the model. Following Johng's headsup on the chimney being incorrect, I replaced it with a Warren Shephard version. However, although superior to the kit version, it did not look right in the area of the copper cap in that the flare starts at the base of the cap out to the rim.

If you look at the following illustration of a prototype chimney it is clearly incorrect.

 

As I don't have access to a lathe I had to mount the copper cap on a piece of suitable diameter dowel an turn it to shape in my power drill. Here's a shot part way there.

And after completing.

 

And a shot mounted on the dowel.

 

It's not perfect but a lot closer to how it should look.

The safety valve casing has also caused concern with regards to it's appearance so I have decided to replace it with a Hobbyhorse item. While I was at it I purchased a brake standard as well.

 

So while I asserted earlier, that I thought the Scorpio castings were acceptible, I'm finding that some of them are less so as I progress

Cheers, Peter

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I had time for a short session today so I removed the Scorpio top feed and replaced it with the Hobbyhorse version. The safety valves and cover are held in place with an 8BA nut so are removable for painting. I need to do a little fettling on the safety valve casing to get it to sit down tight but ran out of time, so will see to that later.

 

I've also added the missing rivets to the smokebox ring either side of the centre line, along with the door and dart.

Last week I was able to take in a further visit to Didcot and spotted a few extra details that I'll be adding in due course. I have also found a Large Prairie build on a model engineering website, with some usefull information on the front pony truck, that will be useful in adding extra detail to that. Finally, I now have a Canon motor and ABC gearbox so I must get back to the chassis and get that up and running

[57xx]

The chimney cap looks so much better after the work you done to it. The whole thing is coming together nicely.

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Thanks 57xx.

Yes I'm quite pleased with the copper cap profile considering I had to turn it on a

length of dowel in the power drill. The chimney casting is very good so it's a shame the copper turning is so poor in comparison.

 

I've just obtained some replacement castings from PR Components to upgrade the kit further. Peter Roles is a new supplier to me but his castings are excellent as is his service. I'll be posting some pics in due course.

Cheers, Peter

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It's a while since  I posted but  I managed to get in some  good sessions at the bench and  have  made  progress above and below the  running plate. I've now  got  most of  the  chassis completed starting with the springs and  hangers.

 

A bit of  a  pain these as they are generic and  need some butchery to fit. The  front ones attach to the  frames with the  middle and rear ones on the  compensation beams.I soldered the  front ones without  too much hassle and  decided to epoxy the  middle ones as it  was difficult  to line  them up and I wanted time  to adjust.  However, the  epoxy oozed between the  beam and  frame  on one  side and  it  took a lot of  time  and  effort to clean it  out.  With that in mind I decided to modify the  rear ones and  solder them to the  frames.

 

Here's the  middle and  rear ones during surgery. The  near rear one  is attached and  the  far one  is being worked on. I cut off the  dummy horn guides which are  neither  use  nor ornament, and  with a  little filing of the  hangers was able  to solder them to the  frames.

 

All three in place.

 

Next the  brake gear. Here's the  components laid out  during preparation.  It's a mix of  white metal castings and  etchings.  A couple of the  locating lugs on the  hangers and cross beams had broken off and  I had to drill and solder in some brass rod.  Brass castings would be  better but  would  no doubt add to the  cost.

 

As per  the  instructions, I started at the  front and worked towards the rear. Unfortunately the front ones sit too low and  bottom of the  hangers is below the  middle and  rear ones, I rectified this by cutting the  frames above and behind the mounting holes, and then filed the  frames to allow the nickel silver rod with the  hanger mounted to move up, the pices of  the  frames which were cut off, were re-soldered inside the frames. Had to do a  bid of adjusting on the  front cross beam to get it  straight.

 

And after it  was all in place.

 

And with the  wheels back on. The middle and  rear brake blocks are a little far from the  treads to allow removal of the  wheels. I prefer that to having to make the  brake  gear removable, although I have  done it  in the  past.

 

Here's the  castings I purchased from PR Components who is  a new supplier to me. I bought  the two sprues but  the two loos items (piston rod glands) are part of  a  set for the  45XX costing about £24 quid!  I rang Peter Roles to ask if he supplied them separately but  he said not  as he would have to break a set. When the  goods turned up, the  two glands were included. I sent him a  mail asking how  much I owed him, but  he said after we spoke he had a look in his spares box and found them loose and the  were gratis! If you  are not  aware of  this bloke  have  a  look at his website. He does some  nice castings for the  GWR and  LMS (albeit a limited range), but  he  complements the likes of Griffin and  Shephard. Plus I ordered on Thursday afternoon and  received on Saturday morning and  with the  gratis castings, you  can't fault his customer service!

 

I also bought this  Allen Key for  Slaters wheel nut. It fit really well and  you  can tighten the nuts without the  risk of  it twisting and knackering the  hex hole, as the  simple ket supplied by Slaters is apt to do.

 

So next up the  cylinders. First I removed the  drain cocks which some GWR aficionado on here pointed out should be  mounted on a bracket with the middle one  set lower.  The bracket is simple to make  but the  bend are a real pig due  to the short length of the  drop. After fitting the  bracket I re-fitted the  drain cocks. I also fitted the slide bar lubricators and piston rod glands in the same  session. I was able  to drill a rebate into the  cylinder back plate and  the  glands could then be  soldered in using a cocktail stick to line them up.

 

And completed with the  lubricators on the  slide bars.  I have  removed the  valve rocker levers as they needed setting closer in. Will put them back on later. 

 

Above the  running plate I've also made a  lot of  progress. I have got  all the  beading on the tank tops, the cab look outs and bunker, along with the  half etch rivet strip along the  bottom of the  side tanks. The cab roof is finished on the  outside, with all the  rain strips and  edging added, and  I have now added the  hand rail to the  boiler.  

 

Here's the  cab roof.

 

And a couple of broadsides.

 

And the  remaining top lamp irons are on front and rear

 

And a nifty little detail.  Decided to make the  ferrule at the  end of the  boiler hand rail where it fits onto the  fron of the  tanks. I use a tine brass washer and some micro bore tube which I drilled out to fit the 7 mm hand rail rod.

 

Here's the  bits before fixing.

 

And  in place.

 

Only a few etched parts left but bags of castings!

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Nth Degree]

Lovely work. I learn quite a lot from detailed build threads like this. Thank you.

[steve fay]

Lovely work, Peter Roles does make some lovely castings.

As you are close to the painting stage can I ask what livery she will gain?

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Lovely work, Peter Roles does make some lovely castings.

As you are close to the painting stage can I ask what livery she will gain?

 

Thanks Steve.

 

She will be  in BR lined green. Not decided on a  number yet.

 

One thing I overlooked to mention is that I have taken off the  vacuum pump and  won't  be re-fitting it. Two reasons - first being attached to the plate that holds the  slide bar bracket, it sits too low and  is visible.  Secondly, although I have  had the  piston rod in and  it  works  fine, it's not possible  to get the  cross head and  con rod out  of  the  slide bars once the  pump and bracket on the  cross head have the  rod in place.  I have studied as many side  on views as I can find of  51/61XXs and  come to the  conclusion it  is  simply not  visible  tucked up under the  running plate behind the valance, so neither use not  ornament. I had  a  look at the  two large prairies at Didcot and  came to the  same conclusion.

 

To make  up for  that, I'll be  adding  a  few more refinement details that I picked up on during my visit to Didcot, so watch this  space. Must get  to work now.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[Horsetan]

.... I have taken off the  vacuum pump and  won't  be re-fitting it. Two reasons - first being attached to the plate that holds the  slide bar bracket, it sits too low and  is visible.  Secondly, although I have  had the  piston rod in and  it  works  fine, it's not possible  to get the  cross head and  con rod out  of  the  slide bars once the  pump and bracket on the  cross head have the  rod in place.  I have studied as many side  on views as I can find of  51/61XXs and  come to the  conclusion it  is  simply not  visible  tucked up under the  running plate behind the valance, so neither use not  ornament. I had  a  look at the  two large prairies at Didcot and  came to the  same conclusion.

 

The only part you see of it is the arm attached to the crosshead anyway.

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The only part you see of it is the arm attached to the crosshead anyway.

Correct.

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Got a few more detail castings added.

 

Rear sandboxes and crank linking the brakes to the column in the cab. The brass lids are spares from the JLTRT 57XX.

 

And the front sandboxes between the frames.

 

The bottom of the spring hangers on the rear pony wheels.

 

And a broadside with the buffer heads in place. I've now fitted the GWR crank pin nuts and refitted the valve spindles in the correct place.

 

Getting there.

Cheers,

Peter

[Scadaboy]

Dam! that is one fine looking engine - awesome job!

 

Tom

[Scale7JB]

That's looking great!

 

Proportions look good too...

 

JB.

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Thanks JB.

 

Turned my attention to the steampipes which needed some modifications. The casting for the base is too small so had to make replacements by cutting some waste etch to size and laminating. Took me an age of faffing to get the steampipes soldered in the correct position but got there in the end.

 

I'll be soldering them to the smokebox but leaving them loose on the running plate so the boiler may be removed for painting. Just placed for the photos. The tank fillers (spares from the JLTRT 57XX) are also loose as they need the bases modified to fit on the sloping tanks.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[Dan Randall]

Nice work on the steam pipe bases Peter, but looking at the prototype picture in post #54, I'd say the steam pipes are too short and thus at too shallow an angle, compared to the cylinders. What do you reckon?

 

Maybe they were made that way to suit the original (incorrect), inclination of the cylinders that you've already rectified? I hope there's a suitable diameter of tubing that would enable you to fashion some replacements before it's too late!

 

 

Regards

 

Dan