7mm GCR 8K followed by LNER O4/6 followed by D9

[LaScala]

Early days, but I have decided to leave the kit comfort zone ever so slightly and at least scratch the sheet metal. I've chosen the GCR 8K or O4/ROD to most. Plan is to use a Premier Components frame, Slaters wheels and motor/gearbox as the foundations and go from there.

To date I have got the footplate going and the basic firebox is done. Using K&S brass, Olfa cutter and 145 solder. Messed up the cab making it too wide (8M dimensions) so have to more or less start again.

With apologies for 'phone cam shots, here's progress to date.

[Horsetan]

Fireboxes are so difficult to get symmetrical. In cast kits, I've seen examples where the sides have been unequal!

[5XP]

Good luck with the build, I will watching with interest for the updates.

 

Regards,

 

Darren.

[Forward!]

_{Great start. Big project!}

_{re the wrong dimension cab, when 8Ms were rebuilt to 'standard' 8K from 1922, they kept their larger cabs, so I suppose you could model a hybrid?!}

_{Either that or model an 8M- that would be something a bit different!}

 

_Will

[LaScala]

Thanks, I did think of going that way but the snags are:-

 

• The ex 8M's had a different shape footplate from the rear of the flare over the cylinders (I already had the footplate cut), and
• The wider cabs may have also had differing spectacles like the Director's and Sam Fay according to Isinglas, and the few pics I have found of what became the O4/6

I'm hoping to at least equal the visual appeal of the two long standing available kits by spending the money saved on the etchings on lost wax and the undoubtedly superior profile milled frames.

[LaScala]

Here's what I'm aiming at, though will give the Westinghouse brackets a miss

[LaScala]

Onwards and upwards..........

 

This is still the wrong width cab but the boiler is coming on fine. Taking a Gordon Gravett "mixed media" approach this is a Plastruct core with brass overlays. I did this to make sure it really was true over its entire length. Will pull the three components together with a threaded rod once finished.

[Allegheny1600]

Starting to look like a loco now, that must be very inspiring.

Following with interest!

TTFN,

John E.

[Rob Pulham]

Looking great,

 

There is something very satisfying about scratch building, both watching and doing. Keep the pictures coming.

[LaScala]

Bit more work on the front to report with usual apologies for 'phone cam depth of field.........

[LaScala]

Not much to report other than progress fixing my cab stuff-up. Decided to keep sides but made new floor and spectacle plate. Whilst at it I used the wide floor and made the 8M or O4/6 version with twin side windows for comparison. Could go either way now, or just bite the bullet and make two variants in parallel.

 

Have found some excellent reference shots on www including this beauty of the preserved 63601. No excuse for missing the cab top detail now. Need one of Butler Henderson to have the same shot of the bigger cab. Any clues?

[Rob Pulham]

Using Olfa cutter

 

Is an Olfa cutter one of those that Squires sell for cutting plastics and laminates?

 

With regard to the two cab width's, go on you know you really want to do two

[LaScala]

Hobbytools Melbounre I have no idea what Squires sell being on the other side of the world but this is the baby............

[Rob Pulham]

Thanks for this it seems that I have been looking at a more expensive model.

 

I have managed to find the one that you linked to with a pack of spare blades for £5.35 plus postage.

 

That will do for me, Cheers.

[LaScala]

You will enjoy using it for both scores for folding and cuts. Blade life is surprisingly good on 15" brass.

[LaScala]

Time for a no skill confidence boost! Received some David Andrews castings today that will be the basis of the detail (with some limited by cost Griffin/Sanspareil/Gibson etc) and guess what they fit my boiler almost without fudging. Nothing wrong with w/m when it's well done.

[Forward!]

Looking good LaScala. The Andrews castings are ver nice. I'm using them on my 8F ('Immingham').

 

''Have found some excellent reference shots on www including this beauty of the preserved 63601. No excuse for missing the cab top detail now. Need one of Butler Henderson to have the same shot of the bigger cab. Any clues?''

 

There's some good portraits in Johnson's Locomotives of the Great Central Railway'.

[LaScala]

Thanks I have just picked up volume two and it's the answer to the modeler's prayer. Good high res images and interesting text that goes well beyond the boring "dirty xxxx seen at xxx" so common in cheaper books.

[LaScala]

Who mentioned a snail? Usual excuses but next to no progress on 8k. Cab is getting there but motivation has been reduced by non showing of Bill Connell's (Premier Components) chassis for many months. I know Phillip Millard always used to publish a warning in the old HOOG catalogue about extreme slow delivery, and that was 10 yrs ago. The rider was that quality was undoubted and I see Jazz likes his work to this day. I need the kick along that the chassis will give me.

 

Here's a cab anyway with Dave Andrews fittings partially fitted. There's a man who can deliver by the way.

[coachmann]

Bachmann got the extra wide footplate over the cylinder wrong and I wonder if this 7mm kit got it right? It is hard to tell from photos. Nice to see a GW variant.

[LaScala]

This isn't a kit, its scratch built. According to Isinglas, the 8k was widened only over the cylinders whereas the 8M widened at the front and then tapered all the way to the cab end. I made this cab too wide first time but now it is correctly just wider than the splashers.

[Poggy1165]

Very nice work. I admire the courage taken to scratch build when a kit could so easily have been chosen. These were magic engines, I count myself lucky to remember them in service, albeit not the GW ones.

[alcazar]

Very nice work. I admire the courage taken to scratch build when a kit could so easily have been chosen. These were magic engines, I count myself lucky to remember them in service, albeit not the GW ones.

 

Me too, Frodingham shed in the 60's had those, nearly all variants, O2's, WD 8Fs, (Of which we had 90732, "Vulcan" before it went for scrap), and a few other things, but what sticks in my mind was lines of O4s on a sunday.

[LaScala]

Very frustrating time waiting for Premier Components chassis and rods. Having seen the historic warnings about Bill's relaxed attitude I was nevertheless sucked when I rang him and he told me they would be in the post by the end of the week. That was mid March! Impossible to contact by any medium since!

 

Needing a quick fix I decided to get on with a tender courtesy of David Andrews. This is a man who can deliver! Less than a month for custom ordered N/S etches and a very good kit too. What a delight. Dodgy phone cam progress here. Needs cleaning up but almost no issues and looks the part I think. Anyclues on how to encourage Bill very welcome!

[jazz]

Is an Olfa cutter one of those that Squires sell for cutting plastics and laminates?

 

With regard to the two cab width's, go on you know you really want to do two

 

Rob. I have been using the Olfa cutter for over 30 years to cut my brass sheets. Works extremmely well and have only recently had to purchase a replacement set of blades.

 

BTW that ROD build is looking very nice.