DLT's SR Locos - Lord Nelson Craftsman Kit

[DLT]

Its been a while since I updated the Z Class project, but I have not been idle. One job that proved a little ticklish was forming and fitting the boiler, but like everything else care and caution paid dividends. The smokebox is a separate assembly which need putting together first. I found I had to fix the riveted overlay in place with Araldite Rapid, holding with fingers until the resin began to go off. Of course it gets everywhere, but it cleaned off with meths before it was completely hard.

The kit could do with one more internal boiler former, but I made one up to fit inside approximately below the dome. This and the smokebox then provide the shape of the boiler.

 

The smokebox saddle folds up and solders to the footplate; however there's something not quite right about the proportions (or maybe its me messing it up) as I had to file the saddle down quite a bit to get the boiler at the right height. The cutouts in the tank fronts (which also support the boiler) needed filing in order to get the boiler sitting horizontal. Apart from that its been plain sailing; lots of very small detail parts to solder on, but everything fits beautifully.

 

 

 

 

Probably THE most fiddly bit was the beading around the cab cutout. Its a very thin strip with a half-etched step along its length to fit against the sides, and needs bending in two different directions. And at each end is an eye to thread the cab handrails through.

 

The tab and slot construction work a treat. The footsteps, for instance, all snap into their slots and stay perfectly positioned while you solder them. Ok, you need heatproof fingertips sometimes, but assembly of all this detail is a joy.

 

 

 

 

I know I've said it before, but this has to be one of the finest kits I've ever built.

Only problem is these enlarged photos show the flaws in my assembly...

 

All the best,

Dave.

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[N15class]

Nice looking work. I had thought about the 7mm one. Howdoesit all go together?

[DLT]

Nice looking work. I had thought about the 7mm one. Howdoesit all go together?

Hi Peter,

Just edited the previous post to include the description so far.

Its a terrific kit, highly recommended. See previous posts regarding the kit design around the bunker area.

 

A friend of mine has built the 7mm version of this kit, and its absolutely superb. But then he is an exceptional modeller!

 

All the best,

Dave

[DLT]

Back to working on the chassis now, and it runs like a dream first time.

Photos later.

Cheers, Dave.

Edited January 26, 2012 by DLT

[Mallard60022]

Dave, that looks very good indeed. Will I now get mine (the unbuilt one) out of the loft? Who can tell!!!

P @ 36E

[DLT]

I wanted to keep the drive enclosed within the sidetanks, which on this loco are particularly short. The Highlevel Loadhauler-Plus gearbox and Mashima 1420 flat can just fitted the space. A longer motor could have fitted but only at the expense of loosing the boiler backhead, or a cutout in the underside of the boiler.

 

 

 

Pickups are ultra-conventional, nickel-silver wires on the backs of the insulated (Romford) wheels. I may have to make alterations if the brakegear conflicts, but I think its unlikely

 

 

First time under power it ran like a dream (with the addition of some weight), so no worries over the small motor or lack of compensation. Motor mounting in this occasion is a blob of Blue-Tack on a frame spacer.

 

 

Cheers, Dave.

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

Dave, that looks very good indeed. Will I now get mine (the unbuilt one) out of the loft? Who can tell!!! P @ 36E

How long has it been in the loft? Will it be sufficiently matured by now?

On the strength of my experience so far, I say go for it!

Cheer, Dave.

[N15class]

For such a large loco, the side tanks are very small. I think in O it would not be somuch of an issue. Looking very neat and tidy. I wish my brass stayed so clean over here with the humidity at the moment it tarnishes beforeyou get the flux on to it.

[Tim Hale]

Mallard's lovely Z-Class has been gratefully received and is awaiting some attention before earning its keep on the bank through Beaminster Road.

 

 

 

 

Thank you's to both Philip and David for their encouragement to acquire such an exotic loco.

 

Tim

[DLT]

Very nice Tim,

Dave.

[DLT]

After a brief hiatus, work has continued on the chassis. Cylinders, coupling rods etc have gone together exactly as intended, and running smoothly first time.

Valvegear assembly is next job, the etchings making up the motion bracket are superb.

Dave.

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[Mallard60022]

Mallard's lovely Z-Class has been gratefully received and is awaiting some attention

 

Apologies Tim, I'd not noticed the front safety valve was taking off due to excess boiler pressure. Hope there was not too much to sort?

DLT I hope you are inspired by Geoff's build ('my' Z); yours is coming along a treat.

P @ 36E

Edited February 25, 2012 by Mallard60022

[DLT]

Very pleased to report that the valve gear went together beautifully, and runs like a dream. Nothing fouling or jamming.

I think the motion bracket needs to move back a fraction, as the angle of the expansion link looks wrong to me, but I'm splitting hairs.

Dave.

 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[Tim Hale]

Looking very good, an excellent model.

 

Thank you for sharing.

 

Tim

[DLT]

Brakegear all went together very nicely, if a tad on the fiddly side. The instructions recomend soldering the supporting wires into the etched holes in the chassis and then hanging the brakegear from them. That sounds a bit hit & miss tome, I prefer to make the whole of the brakegear up as an assembly , and then mount it by sliding the supporting wires right through the chassis and the brake blocks.

The brake-rods in this kit come as a very fine piece of etching, with just enough metal to open up the holes slightly to take .7mm wire for the cross-shafts. I find .5mm too flimsy for this job.

 

Photo shows the complete assembly, and the wires for threading through the chassis to mount it. The rearmost brakeblocks have to float in space, they don't have a wire to thread through, as the gearbox is in the way.

 

 

 

 

That pretty much completes the construction; theres a little more work needed on the valvegear (I managed to solder two 16ba nuts to the crossheads today, without gumming everything up solid!) Then I need to assemble it all for testing and photographing. After that its dismantling for blackening and painting.

 

Cheers,

Dave.

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

Now fully assembled and test run, looks great and runs beautifully, although it needs a bit more weight. There's room for bits of lead in the sidetanks, in the boiler, and under the cab floor. There's also space between the frames in various places if needed.

Still various detail bits to be added, but most of these won't be done until after painting.

In case you're wondering about the gap around the smokebox door; its held on with Blue-Tac for the photos.

Cheers, Dave.

 

 

 

 

The brass boiler fittings are superb

 

Valvegear is a masterpiece of etching. Spacing of the motion brackets still isn't quite correct.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[Graham_Muz]

Looks superb Dave, great workmanship as ever. I have the DMR kit in my to do box (to replace my aging MIllholme white metal version) and this thread will help immensly.

[DLT]

Looks superb Dave, great workmanship as ever. I have the DMR kit in my to do box (to replace my aging MIllholme white metal version) and this thread will help immensly.

Thanks very much Graham, and I shall look forward to seeing it. How far is yours from the top of the "To Do" list?

Cheers, Dave.

[N15class]

Watching your posts here make me think I ought to invest in the 7mm version of the Z class. Carry on the excellent work.

[DLT]

Thanks Peter; a friend has built the 7mm version and its superb, it has a huge brute-power presence to it.

Dave.

[Graham_Muz]

Thanks very much Graham, and I shall look forward to seeing it. How far is yours from the top of the "To Do" list?

Cheers, Dave.

 

It iss still a little way off at the moment as there are a couple of original Merchant Navy's and a 3441 in front of it plus maybe a couple of others too!

[DLT]

Missing from the previous photos was the pipework at the front end. The vacuum and steam-heat pipes come across the front of the bufferbeam, presumably because there's no room for them behind due to the middle cylinder.

I've made these quite simply from 0.9mm brass wire with the end turned down to fit the flexible pipes from the kit on the ends. It all looks a bit basic in the photo, but on the model it looks fine. The blown-up photo also shows other problems like the buffer not on square, but this isnt apparent at normal size. Honest!

Cheers, Dave.

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by DLT

[DLT]

It iss still a little way off at the moment as there are a couple of original Merchant Navy's and a 3441 in front of it plus maybe a couple of others too!

It'll be a few weeks yet then.

[Tim Hale]

Dave,

 

Are there any changes that you would make to the SEF Q class that you did not incorporate in the last build?

 

Tim

[DLT]

Are there any changes that you would make to the SEF Q class that you did not incorporate in the last build?

Tim

Err, I need notice of that question Tim!

 

I will need to have a good look back to check, but off the top of my head:

The boiler barrel was a bit on the short and skinny side, but that could have been the variations in different castings. When I assembled it the short boiler made the front end look too long. I had fitted a rivited brass overlay to the front bufferbeam, but I don't think I filed the cast bufferbeam back far enough, thus compounding the effect.

 

I didnt realise any of this until it was built, and of course it could all be the result of the kit originally being designed to fit on a Hornby Dublo(?) chassis.

 

I will have a further think.

 

Cheers,

Dave.