Rich's de-stress project

[rowanj]

Dave Ellis at South East Finecast is always worth a call. They supply A2,3,4 kits. Wizard Models are another.

The brakes come on an etch. Typically, you solder the brakes to a hanger, both on the etch. Small,fiddly,and you burn your fingers. Modern kits have holes in the chassis, which wire passes through, and the hangers are soldered to the wire. On your A3, you will need to drill the holes through the battleship frames.

Edited December 20, 2017 by rowanj

[Bucoops]

Think I want to try plastic shoes at a first attempt, to try and avoid the risk of shorting.

 

I've realised something with this kit - there's nothing supplied for coupling the loco to the tender... Something else to think about!

[Bucoops]

So managed to get a bit more done on the tender. Tank is just sat on top for the first pic - little bit of the trademark wavy in evidence to try and sort.

 

 

 

The bogies that the wheels attach to have a little bit of pivot that isn't really needed and risks shorts so I think I'm going to link them with a bit of thin-ish brass rod, that can flex a bit but not too much.

 

The frame width was a bit of a compromise - I think it should be ever so slightly narrower but then it would hit the buffers.

Edited December 21, 2017 by Bucoops

[rowanj]

Coming on nicely. Roxey Mouldings do a plastic brake if you decide to go down that route.

 

The "guidance" on tender lower frames suggests they go slightly inboard of the tender tank. On the A4, I suggest you give those bogies as much room as you can. I know you think they don't need to have them pivot, and you may well be right, but try them on what you think will be the tightest curves on your potential layout. Hornby 3rd radius is a useful test compromise.

 

A basic hook and bar will connect the loco and tender, and makes linking the pair easy to get them on and off the track, while being a secure join. I'll put a photo on my J25 build when I get to that point.

 

John

[Bucoops]

I can't see any plastic brake parts on the Roxey site?

 

Only thing I have at present with curves is a few 2nd radius Hornby points - 

 

 

The bogies are very loose (described as clearance for the shoulder screws by Jamieson) but the axles also have a lot of sidewys play. I'm thinking a pretty thin bit of wire just for a little bit of flex control, but can always nip it off later if need be?

[rowanj]

Perhaps they have stopped them, Rich

 

 

Slaters Plasticard do a BR/LMS set which would do as a cosmetic set.

[hayfield]

Perhaps they have stopped them, Rich

 

 

Slaters Plasticard do a BR/LMS set which would do as a cosmetic set.

 

 

Are there any in the Alan Gibson range that will fit

[Bucoops]

Couldn't see anything in the Gibson catalogue, or Markits (not that you can buy from them...). The Slaters don't look right but might be able to do something with them.

 

Thanks both

[Bucoops]

Re-read the instructions - apparently there's some half-round wire in the kit for making the coal rails. Can't say I'm looking forward to THAT little exercise! I see more modern kits have them as one piece etches. Hurrah for technological advances

 

I've ordered some Slaters brake shoe things. Still not 100% that I'm going to fit them (it is of course an old kit that didn't have them so wouldn't be appropriate to fit them - that's what I keep trying to tell myself anyway!).

[hayfield]

Couldn't see anything in the Gibson catalogue, or Markits (not that you can buy from them...). The Slaters don't look right but might be able to do something with them.

 

Thanks both

  Rich

 

http://www.alangibsonworkshop.com/Catalogue.pdf

 

Page 17

LOCOMOTIVE AND TENDER BRAKE GEAR

Sets of injection moulded plastic brake gear that comprises of hangers and blocks. They are supplied complete with pieces of

straight 0.9mm diameter brass wire with which to form the pivots in the frames together with 0.45mm diameter brass wire for

the pull rods. The advantages of plastic brake gear are that it is the correct thickness and that the brake blocks can be fitted

right up against the tread of the wheel without any fears of electrical ‘shorts’

Code Item

4M100 GER loco brake gear (4’6” - 5’6” wheels) Price U

4M101 GER tender brake gear (wheels up to 4’3”) Price U

4M102 GWR loco brake gear (wheels up to 5’2”) Price U

4M103 GWR tender brake gear (wheels up to 4’3”) Price U

4M104 MRILMS 2F/3F/4F loco brake gear Price U

4M105 MRILMS Tender brake gear Price U

4M106 Class 03 diesel loco brake gear Price U

 

Whilst not exactly what is required one of these sets may give the representation of what is required 

 

U is £5.50

[Bucoops]

Hi John,

 

Yes I saw those but as the loco has 6'8" wheels that's quite a jump up from the sizes quoted  

[rowanj]

By all means do what you feel comfortable with, Rich. My advice, however would be to go with etched brakes now. I'm going to revisit a J27 built 20 odd years ago and update it with brakes,cab glazing and revised wheel balances. Why don't I do it at the time?

I know you are nervous about shorts, but the thiness of the etch gives you more flexibility to adjust the position than plastic would.Having said that, I have epoxied plastic to frames ant it does look OK.

John

[Bucoops]

I do think that metal brake gear would be better, but there really isn't much clearance and I do still have my L plates on I found a Jamieson V2 build in Tony Wright's thread where he has added brakes to it and he (obviously) makes it look very good indeed - but the axle spacing and therefore clearance on the V2 is more than the A1 - and of course I can't compare skill levels!.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/64295-wright-writes/page-56&do=findComment&comment=1469320

[Bucoops]

Happy Christmas everyone The littlun (well she's 4 so not so little) is thoroughly worn out from over excitement so fingers crossed she's not the first one up (ha ha!).

[timbowilts]

Happy Christmas everyone The littlun (well she's 4 so not so little) is thoroughly worn out from over excitement so fingers crossed she's not the first one up (ha ha!).

I wouldn’t put money on it, never seemed to work with our two

 

Chritsmas wishes, Tim T

[Bucoops]

I'll take the 7 o'clock we got!

[Bucoops]

Happy New Year everyone and thanks for your support and advice

[Bucoops]

By all means do what you feel comfortable with, Rich. My advice, however would be to go with etched brakes now. I'm going to revisit a J27 built 20 odd years ago and update it with brakes,cab glazing and revised wheel balances. Why don't I do it at the time?

I know you are nervous about shorts, but the thiness of the etch gives you more flexibility to adjust the position than plastic would.Having said that, I have epoxied plastic to frames ant it does look OK.

John

 

Still struggling to find anything in plastic remotely close so have emailed SE Finecast. I suspect I will need to buy a large etch that has more than brakes, but you can never have too many spares bits, right? 

 

Meanwhile, now Christmas is over and back to work, I want to try and get things done even when I'm pondering over what to do with the A1. I know way back when I started the class 15 kit but I'm still not confident with whitemetal soldering but I have decided to have 2 kits on the go. My choice was either an Alan Gibson J15 or I also found a Stelfox N7/3. I wanted to do the J15 but I also wanted to get a kit finished some time soon...! So I have picked the N7 - no tender for one thing.

 

I've made a start - chassis is folded, bushes jigged and soldered. Footplate has the valances and buffer beams attached, and I've (with great difficulty) rolled the back of the bunker. Next time I have a roll that tight I will have a crack at annealing it first. There is an error on the bunker back though - it should have a curved top but it's flat. Photos to follow but here's the isometric drawing (which shows a curved bunker back!):

 

 

One nice advantage to the kit is it's 100% brass - no white metal. It has a nice solid boiler machined from tube and even has the luxury of location marks and even some slots and tabs. Wow.

 

I have pretty much decided to model number 2600 (later 9702 then 69702) - the first of the Doncaster build and allocated locally to me for a lot of its life. I've not found any pictures yet, but apparently there are a couple in the Yeadon's book. I have found that it started life with a non-GE style smokebox door. It did get one at some point but no idea when. Hopefully by 1935 as that's what comes in the kit - and looks so much better. It's also useful that there's the real N7 (albeit not a part 3) just up the road. Saw it over the Christmas period, looking all sad. Put a few pennies in the restoration fund whilst taking photos. I've also ordered from the GE society a CD fo loco drawings which will have both the N7 and J15.

 

Photos of the work so far tomorrow

Edited January 3, 2018 by Bucoops

[Bucoops]

Pictures so far as promised

 

 

 

And there's a lot of other brass bits to work through! The wheels have gone rusty - not surprised, I have no idea how long this kit has sat in the loft at my parents! Hopefully will just polish off.

 

 

Does anyone have the Yeadon's book on the N7 they can PM me a quick view of the photos of 2600? I've got one on order but I need to cut the holes for the bunker footsteps before proceeding as apparently they can vary.

 

Thanks

Edited January 4, 2018 by Bucoops

[hayfield]

Most modellers feel whitemetal kits are far easier to build than etched brass ones, admittedly they tend to glue them together. I find soldering whitemetal easy with an Antex 25 watt iron

 

Step 1 clean parts

 

Step 2 hold the 2 parts together

 

Step 3 flood the joint with liquid flux

 

Step 4 put a piece of 70 degree solder on to the joint, never in the tip of the iron

 

Step 5 in and out as quickly as possible with a cleat hot iron

 

Works a treat every time, large parts easy to do, small parts if not confidant use super glue

[Bucoops]

I'm still scared of it lol!

[Bucoops]

Just to prove I'm not ignoring the A1 I've carrried on a little bit with the tender. The bulkhead for the dome was solid but decided to do an undersize notch and then do a small cut into the dome so it blends together a bit better.

 

 

Nothing's fixed to the tender top yet but it's ready to be.

 

[Flymo748]

Just to prove I'm not ignoring the A1 I've carrried on a little bit with the tender. The bulkhead for the dome was solid but decided to do an undersize notch and then do a small cut into the dome so it blends together a bit better.

 

Very neat.  That shows a real craftsman's thinking to make the finished product look more like the real thing.  And of course, you had to do something to solve the appalling kit design.  Was there any suggestion in the instructions as to how the two parts were supposed to unite if they were unmodified?

 

Keep up the good work!

Flymo

[Bucoops]

Thanks I did toy with the idea of splitting the dome in two but don't trust myself to do that neatly and figured this would be a lot better anyway. 

 

"The position of all parts is clearly shown on the constructional drawing" and "mark and drill small holes for the spigots of the dome and/or filler" is about it for where and how. The rest is the order to assemble the main parts (which I ignored largely - it says to start the whole build with the tender for example as practice - boring lol). The instructions overall are pretty generic with sections for belpaire fireboxes etc.

 

It's definitely a very crude kit but I still like it and am enjoying it frustrations and all! 

[rowanj]

Hello Rich

 

The Jamieson kits were virtually scatchbuilders aids, designed in a universe long long ago and far far away... But they can be made into very acceptable models if you persevere and are willing to invest in the detailing parts. Tony Wright completed a V2 not too long ago which stands comparison with anything on the market - though he will always describe his models as "layout locos". I should be so talented...

 

I think I have Beattie and Roche drawings of the A3 if that would help. Ideally, get an Isinglass drawing, but that I don't have.

 

Just as an aside, building kits recently made me look again at a Dave Alexander J27 which I constructed (with glue) several years ago. Ugh.. running height of loco and tender out of sync, wobbly roof, no brakes, horrible paintwork. It's now on the workbench.

 

John