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So, I have my copied and mirrored mixed up. As supplied the kit builds up with one RH brake lever and one LH lever. I could not find a picture of one with a LH lever. Hence the modification. Both the levers are etched one handed so that is how it is designed to be built

The longer version was the Serpent D, according to my information.

 

Thanks for that info Larry. I will need to look at my photo books again!

 

Sandy

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Sandy,

 

Point taken. It is the kit that is in error as regards the LH brake lever, but it is correct as regards the ratched position.

 

For the record, the 12 Serpent Ds were the longer 23' equivalent that the GW inherited from the Taff Vale. Broadly similar in design, but not identical - the curb rails were not perforated as per the G9 Serpent Cs.

 

Jim

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JLTRT GWR 57xx pannier tank

 

The building of this particular kit has already been well covered in other blogs on this site, and Western Thunder, so no intention of a blow by blow account on my version of the build, but I will show progress as and when.

 

The kit was supplied with a set of Premier rods, Derek Mundy crank pins and Slater's wheels, so that is where I started.

 

I have used Derek's crank pins in previous builds but they take quite a bit of process to get them ready for use compared with the Slaters version. 

 

The traces of permanent marker around the coupling rod rivet was used to prevent stray solder locking up the joint.

 

post-7733-0-65742200-1483788463_thumb.jpg

 

Sandy

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    It had all being going so well! So I decided to prepare the chassis sides. THe kit comes with nice cast brass springs so first I cut off the etched ones. I had decided to allow sprung upward movement in the middle axle and use Slaters 'square' bearings in this axle with ordinary top hat bearings in the other two axles.

    The removal of the unwanted n/s went well and the bearings ended up a nice sliding fit and giving about 1/2 of a mm of upward movement. The chassis spacers were filed and bent up.

    It was time to get the axle jig out and solder in the front and rear axle bearings.The jig was set up using the Premier rods and the chassis sides offered up. Eeeek! the rear axle bearing hole in the chassis was about 1/4 mm out !!!

It pays to check everything!!!

 

post-7733-0-79722800-1483880985_thumb.jpg

 

The axle hole in the chassis was carefully elongated , until  the bearing fitted neatly in accordance with the jig, and it was then soldered up.

 

    The middle axle hole in the chassis was elongated to take the square bearing. There wasn't much N/S left but just enough to make the bearing work. The piece of scrap etch is to prevent the bearing rotating.

 

post-7733-0-30420900-1483880997_thumb.jpg

 

THe spacers were soldered in, again using the jig, and then the wheels and rods were fitted which resulted in a very free running chassis with about 1/2mm rise in the middle axle.

 

post-7733-0-05326200-1483881008_thumb.jpg

 

Regards

Sandy

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Hi Sandy,

Having built one of these earlier on here, it will be good to see your take on it.

 

Interesting that the coupling rods and chassis spacing don't match. I had no problem with the etched rods supplied, so I wonder if the axle hole spacing and etched rods are wrong (but match each other), or if the milled rods are out? I was concerned about that on my Warren Shephard 45XX which only comes with milled rods, but found they matched perfectly. In the end not too difficult to correct, but you lose some of the time saving advantage offered by the milled rods over having to laminate etched ones.

 

Look forward to seeing how you progress.

 

Cheers,

Peter

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Thanks Peter,

I have fully read and digested your build and I hope you don't mind if I incorporate some of your ideas. I was surprised with the discrepancy but then again not, it all depends on which drawings are used and the accuracy of all the different processes needed to produce two such different items. Which one is correct is immaterial as the client wanted the Premier rods so the chassis had to fit!! Not a big deal.

 

Regards

Sandy

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Hi Sandy,

And the client is always right!

 

As to incorporating some of my ideas, just put the cheque in the post.(only joking)

 

 

Glad to hear that you found something usefull in my build. The error in the ash pan and lack of rivet detail next to the cab handrails spring to mind from memory.

 

I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but there's also a good build by Heather Kay on Western Thunder, that I found usefull.

 

Cheers,

Peter

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  • 1 month later...

As a slight diversion from the 57xx I was asked to repair this Webb saddle tank. A close look showed that the main gear wheel had a nice flat on it! I thought it might have needed a complete replacement gear set and gearbox but, as luck would have it, I had a matching replacement cog in my spares drawer. A quick strip down of the rods and rear wheels, followed by replacing of the gearwheel, had everything back in working order within an hour. That was followed by a dozen circuits of the club layout to confirm that everything was back in order.

 

This is what I was confronted with.

post-7733-0-17669800-1487267959_thumb.jpg

 

How it ran with wheels in this state is beyond me?

post-7733-0-51646400-1487267967_thumb.jpg

post-7733-0-50657200-1487267975_thumb.jpg

 

Loads of brass filings sticking to the oil

post-7733-0-64020800-1487267983_thumb.jpg

 

The damaged gear wheel

post-7733-0-21024300-1487267991_thumb.jpg

 

Sandy

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Hi Sandy,

I've seen wear something like this with a driven gear eccentrically mounted on the axle (bore too large and grub screw too tight).

If it was eccentric, how have you attempted to ensure concentricity of the new one? Did you file a flat on the axle to accept the grub screw?

John K

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Hi Sandy,

I've seen wear something like this with a driven gear eccentrically mounted on the axle (bore too large and grub screw too tight).

If it was eccentric, how have you attempted to ensure concentricity of the new one? Did you file a flat on the axle to accept the grub screw?

John K

The answer is I don't know! I was told that it had been running fine for years and then suddenly started slipping ie out of mesh. The gear was a tight fit on the axle although the axle did have a bit of radial scoring as if the gear had been forced around it and the tip of the grub screw had left witness marks. I had to polish these out before I could get the new gear to fit. 

 

Regards

Sandy

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  • 4 weeks later...

Really looks good Sandy. Did you do the painting?

Thanks Peter, yes, and it took a long time! I needed to build a jig, similar to the one that Ian Rathbone uses, and describes in his book. I couldn't have done the splashers without it. The boiler bands were  from Fox.

Regards

Sandy

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Thanks Peter, yes, and it took a long time! I needed to build a jig, similar to the one that Ian Rathbone uses, and describes in his book. I couldn't have done the splashers without it. The boiler bands were  from Fox.

Regards

Sandy

If I were to tell you that I thought it had been painted by Warren or Paul, I hope you will take it in the manner intended! Absolutely superb.

David

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If I were to tell you that I thought it had been painted by Warren or Paul, I hope you will take it in the manner intended! Absolutely superb.

David

You are very kind David, thank you.

Kind regards

Sandy

 

PS The Patriot is getting closer to the top of the pile!

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Thanks Peter, yes, and it took a long time! I needed to build a jig, similar to the one that Ian Rathbone uses, and describes in his book. I couldn't have done the splashers without it. The boiler bands were  from Fox.

Regards

Sandy

Can you post a photo of said painting jig?  Thanx!

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Can you post a photo of said painting jig?  Thanx!

Hi Mike, it's not very pretty but does the job. I'll set it up and photograph it in the next couple of days.

Need to spend tomorrow on a bent motor car! Partner apparently had brake failure and ran it into next doors driveway leaving a nice silver 'go faster' stripe along the  brick wall! Fortunately neighbor was out at the time!!

 

Sandy

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Very nice work Sandy.

 

I had a shot at this kit last year and inly had one problem area, the bunker corners.

 

You seem to have done well. Like Heather K, i surrendered and took the Dremel to the triangular castings and then had to teplace a few lost rivets.

 

The MOK solution for their 64xx of a full height casting is far better.

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Very nice work Sandy.

 

I had a shot at this kit last year and inly had one problem area, the bunker corners.

 

You seem to have done well. Like Heather K, i surrendered and took the Dremel to the triangular castings and then had to teplace a few lost rivets.

 

The MOK solution for their 64xx of a full height casting is far better.

Thanks

I still need to do a bit of filling around these corners to make them look right!!

 

Regards

Sandy

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