dikitriki

Hi Dave, We've still got the castings to produce, and with the various lead times etc. I would expect it to be available by the Kettering GOG show at the earliest. I have in fact just opened an order book for the B1 - no deposit at this stage. Richard

I do. M7, Adams' Radial Adams' Radial - Drummond boiler T3 The Drummond locos are due for release first 1/4 next year. Richard

Hi, Telford weekend coming up. I thought I would let you know that we will have available for sale, at least on Saturday morning All the LWSR locos previously released Bulleid Light Pacific Princess Coronation V2 Rover and you might be imterested in some of the bling components for the Rover. Plated in gold, copper and nickel: See you there, Richard

Hi, I decided that it would be next to impossible to make an invisible join between the boiler and firebox in the absence of a boiler band, so stripped off the firebox. I had a spare set of etches so made another boiler/firebox unit up as one piece this time without any problems. It's worth forming as close as possible to final without relying on solder to pull parts into place. In particular there would be a risk of pulling the half-etched splasher tops out of shape. The following photos show the smokebox/boiler/firebox placed in position, held by nothing more than a broach through the rear firebox locating hole for height purposes: Richard

Hi, Last night I soldered the second splasher top, and then made life difficult for myself...... I had had a right game on the Adams' Radial forming the boiler and firebox in the one piece, so I split them and made the firebox separate from the boiler. I decided to do the same thing from the outset on the L12 before realising, with the larger boiler, it wouldn't have been so much of a problem. On the Radial, the join is hidden with a boiler band. To my horror, I realised there is no boiler band to hide the join on the L12. So, I will have to make a perfect join between boiler and firebox or it will be all too visible. That's for another day. There was no problem building the firebox, and I still like the idea of building and fitting it separately, but..... Anyway, it did all fit, it's still all square. All I had to do was form the bottom reverse curve to fit nicely between the splasher tops, check the beading was even all way round both sides, and solder it up. There was only a miniscule bit of gap filling at the front, but that was probably me taking a bit too much off the former when decusping - you wouldn't be aware of it if I hadn't told you, and can't see it anyway! Richard

Sexy curves time! Other side on and the cab front/splasher tops fitted to this side. I have tucked the other side under the footplate so you can see how the front fits: there is a recess on top of the running plate into which the front of the splasher top drops. The fit is astonishing - I had to do no filing whatever for it to drop in perfectly. I will accept I took great care in forming the splasher tops, and worked carefully from the top of the cab forward, but still..... Richard

Well, I got the front and splasher tops formed - it took a while! I'll fit the other side and this piece when I'm fresh tomorrow. Richard

Hi, I've now soldered the footplate to the cradle, and buffer and drag beams to the footplate. It is solid and flat. I did check, after every solder operation that it remained flat to that point. I also added one of the cab/splasher sides. All going swimmingly so far. I will form the one-piece spectacle plate/splasher tops to the other cab/splasher side before I fit the second side to the footplate. I suspect it might be a bit of a tricky operation. Richard

I've started the body. The valances are on a jig, so they are folded to 90 degrees, and I have cut out and cleaned up the triangular tabs which reinforce the main jig, and the footplate. It's nice to see minimal tabs, so they were dead easy to get off. The only thing to watch is the half-etch footplate edge which locates the valances. It's prototypically thin, and can be distorted even when separating little tabs. It will strengthen up when soldered to the jig. Richard

Hi The test etches for the L12 have now arrived. There will be a number of amendments before they go into production, principally to allow for later variants up to BR period, but my brief is to build it in 1912 condition to check for fit and accuracy. We shall have to see what castings are appropriate from other kits in the range, and what new masters we need to produce, but that is Steph's department. So, let's see how far I can get before Telford. Richard

It is. Off topic, I know, but we have a substantial LSWR programme ahead of us, starting with me building the pre-production L12 - etches should appear this week - then D15, T1, A12, 0395, S11, K10. That's probably 3-4 years work, and the order may be altered. The T1 is substantially drawn, and it's a toss-up whether that or the D15 takes priority. This does not impact on the re-release of the T9 and L11 which should appear early next year. Richard

T1 is a great choice......might want to wait a bit to see if someone else brings a T1 to the market...... Richard

Hi Peter, The firebox looks much more refined with the work you have done. I obviously didn't use the DA one on my Ivatt Duchess, but I did think it very clumsy with the oversize rivets. The Finney7 resin is not reinforced, just a plain resin casting to answer your question. I was thinking about making your firebox detachable so the smokebox/boiler/firebox could be a removable unit - can you glue some some (say) 5mm angle along the bottom and a plate across the back and then screw into the footplate and cab front? Richard

Hi Peter, The mechanical lubricator with 3 output pipes was a normal sized 4 output (each side) lubricator. The 4th feed was still there, just not used.. Photo courtesy of and copyright Cliff Williams It does make a big difference doing all the piping - good effort Cheers, Richard

Just to clarify, the lubrication is with graphite from a real graphite artists pencil, just held against the rim while it is rotated. Powdered graphite on a finger held against the rim would work; I would avoid grease. Richard

This a grab from an earlier photo which shows the different levels and the separate band: Richard

I don't think the dissimilar materials help. I'm sure that neither the resin boiler nor the smokebox are perfectly round, and there may be discrepancies. However, the smokebox boiler band is separately applied, and there is a step down between the boiler band and the boiler. I would also point out that the rivets adjacent to the boiler band may 'lift' the apparent diameter of the smokebox. It's packed away till the next holiday so I can't put the vernier on it, but I'm sure when painted it will be fine. Richard Richard

I have made the firebox/boiler/smokebox detachable. The F7 firebox is designed to be screwed in place in any event, and my adaption of the smokebox is per the attached pic: I don't think you have the thickness in the firebox wall to make it screw in........ So I shall be able to scribe the panel joints on the steam pipe casing. I also found it a lot of work to fit the firebox nicely. Again, screw in. You will find the rear bogie wheel is a menace with the cylinders and leading brake gear. I restricted the sideplay on the rear bogie axle using 2 lengths of wire off the rear of the bogie engaging in holes in the stretcher near the front axle. It makes a big difference. Richard

Hi Peter, The scoring of the front support and added rivets is very effective, something I forgot to do before attaching my support. I too found the cylinder cover far too long, and consequently quite difficult to form. I thought I must have done something wrong - or that my blend of F7 firebox and boiler with the DA smokebox had introduced errors I was unaware of! Yours is sitting very nicely. Richard

Not until the deflectors go on I find the Duchess unbalanced without the deflectors, and heartily dislike them in LMS guise. As soon as they are on....wow! Joking aside, it's a lovely build.....as I would expect. Richard

He's not! It's my holiday kit, so it's packed away until my next holiday later in the year, when I shall work on the chassis. Back on the Radial now. I'm just enjoying watching you build yours. One thing; I was not happy with the DA saddle, and you have the same problem, in that the extension at the rear behind the steam pipe casing is poorly formed. I elected to replace it with brass sheet which was a bit of a fiddle, but I'm much happier with it now Cheers, Richard

The tender has a separate inner chassis rather than a bogie, but it comes out just the same. With regard to the bogie wheels, I ream out the centre of one wheel of each pair ever so slowly and carefully until it is a 'push and twist' fit home. This wheel will then be removable for painting, and if it is a trifle loose, a touch of nut-lock on final assembly will fix it. The other wheel remains fixed to the axle, but can just be pulled out. Glad to help with the coupling light. Richard

Ha! Snap! My holiday kit since Donny. Cheers, Richard

Just for you Jamie...... We only have very limited stock at the moment as we are awaiting a further delivery of the resin components. Richard

Hi David, Can I suggest you give C&L 100 degree solder a try for soldering whitemetal to brass. It does not require tinning, and gives a much better bond. I now reserve 70 degree solder exclusively for whitemetal to whitemetal joints. Richard