Gladiator 7mm LNER Class L1 2-6-4T

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PS. The KI back plate is a little short and will need a packing piece at the bottom to raise it slightly. I need to cover the gaps in the floor where the wheels show, so that should do it.

[david.hill64]

Interesting!

 

I am not sure where the backheads originated: I just know that I have the moulds to produce them! I think you are right; they look exactly the same as the ones we use.

 

One of the things that Trisha and I are considering is producing 'detailing packs' where we can supply alternate better quality fittings, such as brass instead of whitemetal. This is a bit of a difficult sell in some respects as it suggests that the base parts aren't good enough.........It is trying to get a good balance between affordability and quality. Appreciate any thoughts on this. some improvements we will seek anyway: the whitemetal ladder is a b****r to cast so replacing that with a brass or nickel silver casting is high on the agenda!

 

I said to Peter when he ordered the L1 that we were aware of certain shortcomings and we will be ironing those out. This build shows what is possible with skill and application.You have produced a really nice model.

[PAD]

Hi David,

Yes you were very open and honest when we spoke on the phone. Having seen the build by Jazz on here I had a good idea of what to expect. Although I have made a few changes I still think the kit is good value and is dimentionally very accurate.

 

Considering the enclosed cab, I think supplying the K1 backplate would be a step forward. If that had come with the kit I may have just used it as is and painted it. As it is I now have the brass castings which will upgrade it, and personally I enjoy doing this sort if thing.

 

The ladder would certainly be better in brass, but it is really not that difficult to make from scratch. In the main the castings are quite good and very good in some cases. At the end of the day you cannot expect Finney or MOK quality at (and no disrespect here) Gladiator prices.

 

It seems to me that having taken on the range and saved it from extinction, you are taking on board feedback that may lead to improvements, as well as being intent on making improvements from the start, and you are to be applauded for that.

 

I have thoroughly enjoyed building this kit and would highly recommend it. It's a good kit at a good price but you have to "build it". After all, are we not men?

 

Cheers,

Peter

Edited April 23, 2017 by PAD

[daifly]

One of the things that Trisha and I are considering is producing 'detailing packs' where we can supply alternate better quality fittings, such as brass instead of whitemetal. This is a bit of a difficult sell in some respects as it suggests that the base parts aren't good enough.........It is trying to get a good balance between affordability and quality. Appreciate any thoughts on this. some improvements we will seek anyway: the whitemetal ladder is a b****r to cast so replacing that with a brass or nickel silver casting is high on the agenda!

 

JLTRT do something similar with their Super Detailing Kits so you're not breaking new ground!

Dave

[Scale7JB]

One other improvement I'd make if I may suggest is to reduce the gauge of the footplate etch, it really is far too thick which is why I cut a whole new footplate from sheet brass.

 

JB.

[PAD]

I didn't have a problem with bending the footplate, although I only had to bend the main part which meant the two narrow areas at each side. Might be different bending the full width of the front part. But I would agree that it is probably too thick, as are the cylinder wrappers. I had a devil of a job trying to bend them to shape and in the end gave up and made my own from thinner brass sheet.

Cheers,

Peter

[Sandy Harper]

JLTRT do something similar with their Super Detailing Kits so you're not breaking new ground!

Dave

David and Trish

 

I am not a fan of additional 'super detailing' kits. I would prefer that the original castings are of suitable material and quality, even if that means a slight increase in price of the original kit.

Regards

Sandy

[PAD]

David and Trish

 

I am not a fan of additional 'super detailing' kits. I would prefer that the original castings are of suitable material and quality, even if that means a slight increase in price of the original kit.

Regards

Sandy

I am in agreement with Sandy on that. However, where the castings fall short of the mark, I am quite prepared to source better items if available, or make replacements if possible.

 

Anyway back to the build.

 

Here are the lubricators with the oil pipes (0.45mm copper wire) added to the underside and the actuating levers and wheels to the front. The lids had the wing nuts cast on but I broke one while holding the lubricator whilst drilling the holes for the oil pipes. As I had to replace one I thought I might as well do both. The lid on one of them is miss cast and in hindsight I should have corrected that. However, I will put it on the right hand side and the dodgy edge will be close to the tank and should obscure it.

 

And in place on the running plate. It's not fixed yet as I need to add some pipe work in that area once I suss out what is needed.

 

Here's the K1 back plate after hacking and filing off the unwanted detail.

 

And in the cab. It looks OK in this picture, but I overdid the filing on the right hand side as I did not take into account that I would be added a packing piece at the bottom to raise. There was a quite noticeable gap but I corrected that as will be seen later.

 

Here's the back plate with most of the parts added. The clacks, manifold and water gauges have been supplemented with a few "free lance" bits. I have no pressure gauges etc. at the moment, but in any case these were on a plate fixed to the roof, not on the back plate.

 

The brake standard is not provided in the kit so I knocked one up from brass tube, a washer and brake handle from the spares box.

 

I have added some floor boards from plastic card based on photos of the V1 on the DJH website. I got the fit slightly wrong at the sides but can fill the gaps later. From looking at the drawing, the two boxes either side of the cab extend backwards too far so it won't be possible to add any seats.

 

And a head on shot of the back plate in the cab.

 

The reversing mechanism in place.

 

I have added some hinges and a latch to the rather Spartan representation of the cab locker doors.

 

In this shot you can see the fit at the left side has been corrected by soldering on some white metal to reduced the gap.

 

And finally the safety valves have been added.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[PAD]

I've got the cab interior completed now after finishing of the backplate and filling the gaps around the edge of the floorboards.

 

The backplate slots in and out nicely which will aid the painting. Here if is back in the cab.

 

Here's some further detail which is on the Isinglass drawing but not catered for in the kit. Having poured over the pics in Yeadon's I'm happy that the drawing is correct.

 

First the balance pipe between the tanks. I had to cut a chunk of metal out of the running plate to do it but it plays no part in the structural integrity of the model. It's just a length of suitable rod bent at 90 degrees at the ends and soldered to the underside of the boiler.

 

Next the mud hole doors behind the centre drivers. Ragstone only had round ones so I squashed them in the vice to make them oval.

 

Fitting these on the inside of the frames was a real pain and should have been done earlier in the build. After drilling a 3mm hole in the frames I filed it oval and after much messing around, finally managed to solder the castings in place. To hold them in the correct place I used a length of coffee stirrer wedged against the back and the other frame for the first one, and then cut a shorter piece to wedge between the fixed one and the second one.

 

And with the wood removed and tidied up.

 

Here's a side view showing the balance pipe and mudhole door.

 

The mudhole cover is all but invisible in most pics of the prototype but can be seen on the model so worth the effort.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[PAD]

I have been pondering what to do about the cast white metal electric lamps and lamp brackets that came with the kit. They are quite nice castings but I was concerned about the lamp brackets not being robust enough. However after further study it was clear that both the mounting brackets and lamp brackets are incorrect so I decided to replace them with scratch built items. Simple L shaped brackets were made from brass and the lamp irons made from nickel silver. These were soldered together with Carrs 220 and the electric lamps (having had the white metal brackets removed) were epoxied in place. I should be able to solder the completed units in place with 145 solder without the brackets falling apart. Here's one set in the vice while the adhesive cures.

The one on the right is an original as it comes. The top one for the bunker and the top of the smokebox will need appropriate brackets making which are different to those on the running plate.

Cheers,

Peter

[PAD]

I have now got all the lamps in place. Before fitting I centre punched the cast "lenses" then drilled a 1.7mm counter sunk indent into the lamp body. After painting I will fit a clear bead into the recess to represent the lens. Here's one with the bead placed in the recess. Excuse the poor photo.

 

And the front set in place.

 

And the rear with the conduits added.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[7mm Mick]

Hi Peter,

 

I have been quietly watching this build for some time and I have to say it's excellent work and very inspiring. Can I please ask where you purchased the lenses for your lamps from?

 

Cheers Mick

[PAD]

Hi Mick,

Many thanks. It was nice talking to you and Richard at Leigh the other week.

 

The lenses were bought from Hobbycraft about 10 years ago. They were sold under the name "Liquid Beadz, and came in a small plastic jar in which the beads were dispersed in a water based clear glue. I transferred them to an empty jam jar and diluted the glue several times to rinse it away. When I was happy it was all gone I poured the beads onto a few layers of kitchen roll to dry. I've not seen them for some time but they may be available elswhere.Here's the jar.

 

The close up picture in the previous post doesn't do them justice as they give a very realistic result. Here's some on on my rebuilt MN.

 

After the model was painted I ran the drill a few turns by hand in the recess to clear the paint, then glued the bead in with a drop of pva. Works a treat.

Cheers,

Peter

[PAD]

I have now added the generator and most of the plumbing around the smokebox. There is some pipework at the rear of the smoke which I have been unable to fully identify, so I have only been able to add a very rough representation. With that in place the lubricators have now been epoxied to the running plate and the top lamp brackets on the door refitted after it came adrift after initial fitting.

Also got the brake and steam heating pipes on the buffer beams.

 

I need to add some twisted wire to represent the chains on the steam heating pipes, and I think I can risk adding the etched ladder to the front of the rear buffer beam. Just a few more bits to be added to the body and then I'll get the chassis detail finished. Then when the motor and gear box arrives from ABC I can get it running.

Cheers,

Peter

[Grasshopper John]

Superb workmanship again Peter.

[cactustrain]

Saw this loco 'in the flesh' the other week. It is a very nice build indeed. So clean!

[PAD]

I have been adding the final details and it's almost complete now.

 

Here's the smoke box plumbing completed. The little valve on the right hand side was cut off a spare JLTRT back plate casting that was not required on the 57XX.

The cylinder drain cocks have been added to finish off the front end.

 

Here's some extra detail on the tank top, namely the brackets to secure the fire irons when running.

 

Further back the injectors have been fitted along with crank for the hand brake. The injectors come with cast piping but I cut that off and replaced with copper wire. The crank was just a single etch so I soldered it to some waste etch to beef it up. The link shaft to the brake standard was made from scratch. Again to replace a rather emaciated etching. I have also made a representation of the side bolster on the bogie and rear frame but still need to add the oil box a pipe that provided lubrication.

 

On the left side I added the ladder to the rear buffer beam, but again for robustness I replaced the prototypical flimsy brass etchings with nickel silver from the spares box. It's a bit on the chunky side but I can live with that

 

Almost there.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[PAD]

I wasn't happy with the conduits for the rear lamps, so I removed them and re-applied. Still need to remove some excess solder but they look better now.

 

 

 

The bogie side bolsters have been completed and the oil pots added.

 

Also added the draft screens to the rear cab windows.

 

Apart from the speedometer on the valance above the left rear driving wheel and the couplings, that completes the body. The speedo will have to be scratch built but looks fairly straight forward. That will just leave the motor and pick ups to complete. When I remove the coupling rods to do that, I will add the "corks " to the bosses.

Cheers,

Peter

[PAD]

Well I've finally got  all the  detail added to the  body and  chassis, but can't  finish the  building until the  motor and gearbox arrives from ABC.

 

I wasn't happy with the way I represented the sanding pipes so removed them and redid them. If  you  look back you'll see they look more  like  the  real thing now. I've also taken the  clip off the cylinder drain pipes as they didn't  look good to me, and  I removed the  coupling rods and  fitted the  "corks" to the  oil pots on top pf the  bosses.

 

Here's the speedo made  and  fitted.

 

And the  whistle fitted. Yes I know it  will get covered in paint, but I'll be painting the  safety vales "brass" before  weathering so I may  as well do the  same for the  whistle.

 

Here's a fiddly bit. Added the  small triangle to the  bottom front  edge of  the  aperture in the  tanks.

 

And a completed shot  of  each side.

 

I have also addressed the matter of  storing  the model in the  box it  came in, which is  not  ideal because  of  its flat oblong shape. 

David  Hill agreed to sell me  one  of the  longer thin boxes he  uses for  a  modest sum, but  I found this  company (Efoam) on the  web and  decided to give them a shot.   https://www.efoam.co.uk

 

They provide   pre-cut  foam shapes suitable  for  various applications including packing/storage. Based on the  loco and  box size, you need to  work out the size and  shape  of  foam inserts required. You then simply fill in the dimensions on a  template on  the  website, confirm how  many pieces of  each shape  you require, then go to check out  and  complete your  purchase.

I got two triangular wedges and  two flat thin (1 cm deep) sheets. In this  way the  loco fits diagonally in the  box (it's too long to go lengthways). It was about £20 for  the  4 pieces, but  I would  expect it  to be  cheaper for  the  more  normal long thin boxes that locos are stored in. You can check the  price without buying by just putting  in your  measurements.

 

The edges of  the  triangle are a bit  jagged but  that's my fault. I didn't allow a space  for  the  loco when I filled in the  dimensions, so had to cut  about  a 1 inch strip off the  diagonal edge of  each one.  DUUUURGH!

 

Hopefully the motor  will arrive in time for  me to get it  finished, so I can bring it to Doncaster for  a  buzz around the  test track.

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

 

[rockershovel]

I've been following this with great admiration. Top class work by any standards

[Deano747]

Outstanding workmanship, as always, Peter!!

 

Regards, Deano.

[Rob Pulham]

A thing of beauty,  I will look out for it on the test track at Doncaster.

[PAD]

Thanks Rob (and Deano).

 

It would be nice to meet you and even if it's not running I'll bring it any way, as I want to have a chat with David Hill about it. He might even tempt me with his wares!

Cheers,

Peter

[david.hill64]

Thanks Rob (and Deano).

 

It would be nice to meet you and even if it's not running I'll bring it any way, as I want to have a chat with David Hill about it. He might even tempt me with his wares!

Cheers,

Peter

Peter,

 

A superb job: just shows what can be achieved with skill and effort, well done!

 

I'll make sure Mrs Gladiator has the card reader charged up for Doncaster.................

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You temptress!