HeatherKay

Somewhere in my stash I have a battered old Dinky Toys electric milk float. It was one of those impulse purchases at a silly price that was ripe for upgrading to scale model standards. It's much more in keeping with the Dock Green style. Chaz, if you are interested in it, I'm thinking it might be fun to dig it out and apply a little Heather Kay magic to it. I would be quite happy to donate it to Dock Green if you'd like it.

*blush*

It's all finished now, and had official photos taken. I'll post the full set in my gallery, but to whet the appetite here's a sample.

Thanks Keith.

Apart from one or two paint details and to install the crew and their tools, I think 4250 is pretty much complete now. A little gentle running in required before delivery.

Would it have an aerial? We are talking of a period when a heater was an optional extra on most cars, after all!

I would normally, but the client requested ex-works.

Nearly there! Fox transfers and the plates all on. I shall let the loco stand for a day or so at room temperature to let the paint harden more and the transfers to dry. Then I'll get a coat or three of satin varnish on to seal and protect. I had a right 'mare with the side tank totems. Fox transfers are normally superb, but the batch I had simply split or disintegrated as I slid them off the backing sheet. I managed to get two in place, out of a sheet of six. I blame Swindon for choosing the biggest transfer they could find! Things still to do: fit the cab spectacles, the crew, buffers, couplings and brake hoses.

With the slightly warmer weather over the weekend down here in Kent I managed to get some quality time in the paint shop and with my airbrush. One very shiny black engine. The high gloss lets the transfers settle nicely. Once the paint has properly hardened, and the transfers and plates are done, I shall get a coat of satin varnish on the whole thing. The next stage before all that is to paint the cab, buffer beams and the bits the airbrush missed.

Don't be too hard on yourself. You'd be surprised how many times I have to double-check things like this because I'm working with a model upside down in the bench!

I am not at all sure about that brake hose location, Chaz. Vac brake pipework was standardised to be on the left of the coupling, which would make much more sense with the storage bracket. If Slater's suggest it should be fitted to the right side, then I think that's an error.

In the final stages before heading for the paint shop. As with most models, it's the little bits and bobs that sometimes get overlooked. I usually draw up a list at this point, and cross things off as they're done. The injectors. That caused some fun. The instructions imply the injectors sit outside the frames, like many of the GWR Prairies. Despite studying as many photos as I could, I could not see any actual injectors. It turns out they are actually mounted up inside the frames, and are not visible to all intents and purposes. That just left me with how to fit the characteristic 2-8-0 injector drain pipe that ducks below the coupling rods and is attached to the cab steps. I wanted to ensure the body could be separated from the chassis for maintenance. To achieve this I soldered a short length of tube to the end of the inner drain pipe, in turn glued inside the frames. With hindsight, I ought to have soldered the pipes in place long before this stage, but I was hoping the injector layout would resolve itself sooner! Anyway, the outer parts of the pipes were formed up and soldered to the bottom cab step, designed so they clip into the tube with the body in place. Some gentle teasing is required to clear the coupling rods, but there is enough flex in the cab steps to allow this. This is how it looks from below. And is is how it looks to the rest of the world. The idea has worked, too. While cleaning things up, with a view to chemical blackening areas likely to be handled, I noticed one of the leading brake shoes was loose. The hanger wire had snapped off - don't ask me how or why - so I had to disassemble the brake rigging. This entailed taking the cylinder block off, as well as the brake rigging. It all went smoothly. A driver and fireman, from Andrew Stadden and Heroes of the Footplate, have been rostered. The fireman looks to be well on top of his job, having time for a cuppa! Finally, the bit that had been bugging me longest: the brake actuating mechanism. After a raid on the Bits Box, I found various castings that could be pressed into use, and mounted them on a 1.6mm brass rod shaft. It helps to have a photo of the real thing to understand where the levers sit in relation to each other. Happily, most of this is lost in the murk under the bunker, so all I wanted was a reasonable simulacrum of what it's supposed to be. The pull rod to the rigging has been arranged so it "rests" on the fork, allowing the rigging to be extracted should the need arise. So, with only the sanding pipes to fit, I reckon that's about it for the construction side of things. I am aiming for potential delivery to Mr K at the GOG spring show at Kettering, unless advised otherwise.

Thank you John. Although I'm not a GWR fan by nature, I find I'm building a lot of GWR stock for various clients - including two trains worth of broad gauge stock! As I become more familiar with the Swindon ways I can sort of see why the GWR has such a following. As for 4250, one of its sisters is being reassembled not far from me. It might seem odd that a large eight-coupled tank engine might be used on a former Colonel Stephens line, but the Kent & East Sussex will apparently find it useful. http://www.4253.co.uk/Home/

4250 sitrep. The boiler casting, which had some dimensional issues, was replaced by JLTRT with the current version. I'm happy to report things now sit nicely, which meant I didn't need to perform major surgery and I can now get on with the final detailing. With the boiler in place, detailing began. The tank tops had the top feed pipes and the protective metal sheeting fitted, along with lifting rings. The safety valve bonnet and other details have been attached. The safety valves casting will be fitted after painting of the loco is complete. It will be nice to have a little splash of bright metal visible as the bonnet will be painted as per prototype. Things look odd here because one of the four buffer housings decided it wanted to remain attached firmly to the buffer plank. The others came adrift while I was opening them out to allow the heads to be lightly sprung. As other details, such as the coupling storage hook and ATC shoe had to go on, I've left the other buffer off for now. The ATC shoe is a hefty casting, but needed some slimming at the rear to allow the pony truck room to swing. Yes, I know the stowage hooks should be attached to the buffer housing bolt, but it's hard to drill into the casting while it's attached to the plank! There's also a vacuum bag stowage plug to fit in the same area. Some work with the Dremel and grinding disc shaved some material from the rear of the casting. This is something to bear in mind for future JLTRT GWR tank classes, I think. Finally, bunker fittings and the rear buffer plank sans buffers. The list of things to complete the model is shrinking by the day. Driving wheel balance weights, smokebox stays, couplings and buffers, injectors, sanding pipes, something resembling the vacuum brake and handbrake mechanisms under the cab, whistles, ATC conduit and battery box, crew, painting and running trials. I plan to spend more of the coming week doing these tasks. I'm not making any promises, but Mr K should be able to take possession before Easter.

Don't forget Chris did much of the donkey work on the 4200. I'm just tidying up and finishing it, but I will still take the compliment. A J6. A quick spot of research gives the broad outline of an 0-6-0 tender loco, originating with the GNR. A couple of kits are available in 7mm, and I know which I might prefer if I was to tackle one! If you'd like me to consider it further, Chaz, please drop me an email - you can find it on the link to my web site in my signature. We can discuss it further off list.

Thanks Rod! Funnily enough, I'm not a GWR fan. It's just people like to pay me to build GWR models. Who am I to argue?

A new boiler casting arrived over the weekend. Although the difference was tiny, with a little minor adjustment to the location of the smokebox saddle the rear rows of rivets now appear in the clear. No need for major surgery. As you can see, I've begun work on the boiler details. Most of the running plate details are complete, aside from the support stays and the injectors. The cab is now complete with the correct regulator lever and a replacement lubricator. I need to work out some form of braking mechanism to join the vacuum cylinder to the brakes themselves, and aside from one or two other little details, 4250 will probably see some paint applied in the not too distant future. I always find it odd how a build comes to a conclusion quickly. There always seems to be a lengthy list of little details to fit, and then you look around and find they've all been done!

Thank you Craig. I have to say I appreciate the comments, though I don't really feel I'm worthy. I learn new tricks and techniques with every build I embark on, and the old adage of practice making perfect seems to hold for me.

Thank you, Chaz. Most of the bits you get in the kit, a selection of copper and brass wire, and some good photographs of a real cab all help. I've been documenting the build in more detail over on Western Thunder, and I was blessed by various Thunderers sharing their photos of a couple of preserved 2-8-0Ts, including some very clear cab shots. A little interpretation and adjustment is needed, of course, but GWR cabs are fairly constant in their features and layout.

With the bit between my teeth I spent another day completing the cab details. I've had to call on the good offices of JLTRT for some replacement parts. The lubricator went stratospheric as I was cleaning it up and hasn't returned from orbit yet, and the supplied regulator lever was some weedy thing more suited to an 0-4-2T. I've asked for the part that comes in the Castle kits, with the counterweighted end. So, bearing that in mind, here's the state of play. And from outside with the roof on… I'm quite pleased with that. Painting will wait until the outsides are finished. The boiler moulding conundrum may be solved without major surgery required. It seems possible the one that came in the box isn't quite the right one for the loco in question. A new one is winging its way southwards as I type.

4250 update time. Today was a day of two steps forward, one back. I won't go into the shenanigans of the cast resin boiler just yet, but let's just say there's a fundamental issue somewhere that can only be resolved by a saw blade… Instead of fitting the boiler I went back to cab detailing. The first task was to fit some clips to the roof so it stayed put on the cab. I then fitted the condenser coil, and whistle chains. You may never see them when Chris is playing trains, but we will all know they're there. It's this silly level of detail I like to add, because I can. The fireman now has a pep pipe tap and hose, and he can tell how much water is on board. On the side sheet behind the gauge will be the "mind yer 'ead" plate. I think the next task will be the backhead details, then the final stage will be the bits around where the driver does his thing.

Happily the chimney is simply perched for effect. =o)

After the Christmas break, a day spent fitting the connecting rods and resolving running issues has resulted in a 4250 that rolls pretty sweetly along the test track… … though I am sad to report it really won't negotiate the tightest curves without derailing. I will test it in the more extensive track in my loft workshop, which includes points and crossings. Some work on the body detailing has been done. The various castings for the tank tops have been fitted, and the roof put together. I'm still trying to work out the best way to fit the roof so it can be removed for maintenance reasons. The various castings round the front of the tanks will be next, and finding some method of fitting the injectors under the cab steps so the body can separate from the chassis without pain and anguish.

Well, actually, no it isn't. More than 20 years ago Best Beloved built a rigid 8-coupled tender loco*, and it trundles along S7 track work nicely. A friend of ours used it as the test loco on a layout he was working on, reasoning that if the rigid chassis ran the permanent way was built to a sufficiently high standard. Of course, most S7 followers like to spring or compensate their locos and stock. As with so many things, it's personal preference and experience. * I should come clean and admit the loco used bog standard Slater's wheelsets opened to the S7 back-to-back, so that may be a factor. ;o)

A tip, from someone who has many JLTRT boxes waiting to be built and many that have passed through the workshop in the past couple of years: make sure you check the packed castings and etches against the packing lists before you begin construction. While the JLTRT packing department have got a lot better in the past year or so, checking for anything missing before you start a model is less annoying than finding a part isn't there when you're halfway through a build. ;o) Incidentally, I believe the buffer spacing issue affected only one or two of the BR van kits. Everything else the company makes has been been spot on as far as I can tell.