Dave Holt

Progress on my Standard Class 2 tank is at a temporary standstill, awaiting the final etched components. In the meantime, I've been fitting the injectors to a model Crab belonging to a good friend. What I anticipated being a very straight forward detailing exercise proved to require rather more tricky and extensive work to achieve the required outcome. The loco consists of a Bachmann body on a Comet chassis, built to P4 standards. Interestingly, its one of the rotary cam poppet valve fitted examples but I'm not sure whether it's the Lentz or Reidinger type. The original chassis construction is beautifully neat and rather better than I normally achieve, but lacked the injectors and any of the underneath piping which I normally include. Furthermore, when I got down to it, I found that the brake arm supports under the cab had been fitted as per the totally wrong Comet kit instructions (located just inboard of the main frames instead of close together near the centre line), which resulted in one of the brackets being just where the exhaust injector should fit. The pick-ups on the rear wheels are also rather close to the injector and piping positions but I managed to live with that. Anyway, the first thing was to move the brackets inboard to the correct spacing (whilst still leaving access to the rear body fixing screw). Easier said than done. The brackets were found to be "L" shaped and soldered into the chassis side frames and what appeared to be a frame spacer was just fitted between the brackets. As a result the whole assembly came away from the frames in three pieces upon unsoldering. Definitely not what i expected. So, a new, full width frame spacer had to be made and fitted, to which the slightly shortened brake support brackets could be fitted. Of various options available, I opted to use Brassmasters lost wax brass castings for the injectors. The exhaust injector, together with all its associated piping (various diameters of brass wire) was mounted on a removable base plate which is attached to the new frame spacer with a 14 BA screw. The live steam side was a bit more tricky as the injector and overflow are fixed behind the cab steps (part of the loco body), whereas the piping is attached to the frame spacer, again using a 14 BA screw. Unfortunately, the Brassmasters casting is the opposite hand to the type normally fitted to LMS locos, so the positions of the steam supply and overflow had to be reversed by cutting off the existing flanges and providing new parts on the other side of the body. Getting are the bits of wire bent to the right shapes and correctly located whilst soldering in position required quite a few abortive efforts before final success was achieved. Praise be to Blutak! Here are a few photos showing the end result. Three shots from underneath, showing the two injectors, pipes and representation of the water hoses from the tender, And a side-on shot of the fireman's side, showing the exhast injector. Thoughts now turning to completion of my Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2 tank, also a Bachmann body on a Comet chassis. These locos were the basis for the later BR Standard versions, so lots of similarity to the loco recently featured. Plenty to do on it to keep me off the streets and out of pubs - well, some of the time, anyhow! Dave.

Len, I've recently finished off my Crab, Jubilee and Caprotti Black 5. all of which have appeared in the blog. My Fowler 3P tank needs glazing, a crew and coal to complete. Otherwise, the only part completed locos left are the Ivatt version of the Class 2 tank (Bachmann body on a Comet chassis) and a second Brassmasters Black 5 (frames assembled but not much else). Needless to say, I've got loads of kits not yet started and I will have to give some thought to the order of priority for these, in due course. Dave.

In this latest post, I alluded to knocking bits off and having to remove some new items. Well, today I addressed one or two of those items. First, I modified and refitted the representations of the steam heat and train brake pipe below and behind the front buffer beam. The original versions had been catching the top of the front pony truck frame, preventing it from swinging freely and had to be removed. OK now. One of the items which came off during handling was the speedometer "cable". This is soldered under the footplate below the cab and is very vulnerable when the body is off the chassis. It has now been re-attached, but greater care will be needed in future to make sure the same thing doesn't happen again. I had fitted an Alex Jackson coupling at the back end only to enable trains to be pulled during trial running some years ago. Fairly early on in the finishing off project, I managed to get the hook caught through my jumper. Try as I might, I couldn't disentangle it so decided to just pull it out, thinking it would snap a thread in the jumper. Oh no! Instead, the hook snapped off the shank at the 180 degree bend at the nose. (It still pulled a thread, so I had the worst of both worlds.) Anyway, I've made and fitted a replacement AJ and also fitted one to the front. Just waiting for the final etched parts now. Dave.

I've never had or used an RSU but you make it sound quite a useful tool, especially where lots of overlays are used. It's always hard to get solder to flow in to the middle using a conventional iron and I find that with pre-tinned surfaces, it is still difficult to be sure you've re-melted the solder when laminating. Perhaps I should seriously consider acquiring an RSU. Nice to see progress with this and the layout. Dave.

Yes, I have made some progress with the Standard 2 tank, but it seems to be at a glacial rate. Various details have been added but it has also involved re-fitting bits I've managed to knock off (probably not very well attached in the first place) or having to move existing parts that interfered with new, additional items and in a couple of cases, removing new bits because they prevented re-assembly of the whole thing. Definitely a case of two steps forward and one and a half back! Some of the newly added parts are custom etchings very nicely made by Justin Newitt of Rumney Models, based on my fairly rudimentary sketches. Thanks Justin - they fitted beautifully. There are still some more parts to come, including a replacement cab roof, but the ones fitted so far are the wheel balance weights, brackets which support the push-pull vacuum actuators and the tank support straps. The push-pull apparatus is now completed, as best I can, including most of the associated piping and a representation of the electrical jumper cables, front and back. The only parts of the original kit which have survived are the vertical leg of the outside steam pipes and the vacuum diaphragm actuators mounted on the smokebox sides. Parts still to do are the top, front and the bunker mounted lamp irons, fire-iron holders, lubricator drives and the cab roof. The smokebox dart, number and shed plate will be fitted after painting (by David Clarke). I might need to do a bit of filling and sanding on the drop sections of the footplate at the front. Here are a few photos of the current state of the loco. I also need to re-fit the speedometer drive which I managed to break off during handling of the body. Dave.

Mmm. Good idea from Bill, assuming the width of a saw cut allows insertion on the etched rod. However, Mike, the result of your work looks effective and all the rods do look slimmer than the original etches, so achieve your objective. Dave.

They're going to look a bit out of place behind a Crab, Jubilee or rebuilt Scot, though! Dave.

It's the operating rod for the coal pusher. There's a crank and rod inside the cover at the rear of the coal space. Dave.

Robin, Looking very nice, but 26 still to go - sounds like a mega task! Dave.

Hi Dave. I must say, I was a bit bemused by this post and struggling to figure out what the photos related to. Then I noticed your previous post, of the same date, to which the photos obviously relate. It appears to be a feature of the "Blogs" section that only one post per person is shown at any one moment in time, so if you post an update or correction, the previous version disappears from view. Most confusing! I've had the same happen to me. Anyway, sorry to hear about your trials and tribulations, but at least you're now getting back into modelling and also have some more comfortable (in winter) accommodation. Best wishes, Dave.

Friend, David Clarke, has weathered two more of my locos. These have been built some time and were painted and lined by Ian Rathbone but never weathered. As passenger locos and, in the case of the Fowler tank, something of a pet at Lees shed, they have been give only a lightish dusting so as not to obscure the hand lining (with cream line!). I now have no excuse not to complete the Fowler by cab glazing, coal and a crew. Oh, and fixing the cab roof on a bit better than two blobs of bluetac. The Standard 5 Caprotti is already finished. It makes an interesting contrast to the ex-LMS Ivatt type recently shown on some previous posts. The photos were taken by Mr Clarke. Dave.

I'm slowly working through the remaining details needed to finish the body on this model. The current work has been on the push-pull vacuum control valves and steam pipes and the vacuum brake ejector. On these locos, these items are quite distinctive and are a major visual feature. Unfortunately, the items provided in the kit leave much to be desired, needing a lot of fiddly work to get anywhere near the right look. The cast steam pipes and push-pull valves were grossly out of proportion. The only useable portion was the vertical steam pipe cover and even that was a millimetre too short - hence the 40 thou plastic packer. The horizontal portion was too long and the valve body just massive. A replacement valve body was fitted and the gap filled with low melt solder. Various drain pipes and the actual vacuum controls remain to be fitted. BR standard locos were fitted with a Gresham & Craven SSJ brake ejector mounted on the LHS of the smokebox. This was quite different in appearance to previous ejectors fitted to LMS and GWR locos and, again, the kit item just wasn't right. In fact, I'm not aware that anyone supplies a good representation of this item and this is the third I've scratch built so far. In total, there are 22 component parts in the ejector assembly so it would have been more sensible to use the first as a pattern and have castings made! Anyway, another ejector has been made. On this loco, there is the added complication of the discharge pipe having a 90 degree bend to avoid the steam pipe cover. Initially, I tried to make the pipes out of tube so I could have joints aligned with brass wire but I found the tube just kinked and flattened at the bends and in the end I had to use a single length of solid wire. This made getting the two right angle bends the right distance apart rather difficult. A great deal of adjustment, fiddling and not a little cursing was involved to get it all assembled into position. Despite the struggle, I'm fairly pleased with the result. The steam supply pipes (and blower pipe), which run along the top of the side tank are still to be done. A couple of photos illustrate the parts described. Dave.

Peter, Yet another very superb build under way. It looks as if Finney kits go together rather well (with a few extra tweaks of your own). Just a pity he didn't do much(?) LMS and no BR Standard stuff! Are you planning to make the reversing gear operable in service, perhaps using a servo to drive the reach rod? Looking forward to seeing further progress. Dave.

....as you do. Was that really the work of a morning? I would have thought the painting, alone, would have taken several days. A very nice representation of the mysterious original all the same. Dave.

Excellent, Robin. Amazing, isn't it, that a loco with no real suspension can run so well when, often, our sprung or compensated efforts hurl themselves from the track with seeming gay abandon. Probably a lesson there. Good to see it all working nicely. Got to get those fiddle yard sidings done now! Dave.

Mike, I fondly remember a school visit to Oldham Gas Works at Higginshaw (and Chadderton power station). Much bigger than the one in the photo but no doubt the same fascinating equipment and intriguing aromas of tar and napher. I loved it. Can't imagine a hoard of kids from junior school being taken round sites like that, even if they still existed, nowadays, with all the H&S concerns. I am looking forward to further updates on your layout, in due course. Dave.

Mike, A very interesting looking industrial site behind the DMU in the first photo. Will that appear on your layout? Dave.

Both looking very good, Mike. So #3 will have the weird tank extensions I take it? Dave.

Surely, using a solid tube to help roll right to the edges of the boiler only works if the boiler is inside the the tube, so that the top roller has something to press the edge of the boiler against? Having the tube on the inside, as shown is no different to using rolls with a bigger top roller and doesn't alter the edge bending problem. This is also an issue in the engineering industry with pyramid rolls. Their solution is to pre-bend the plate edges in a press or use self edge bending rolls which have the rollers arranged in a different configuration, if I remember correctly. Dave.

Robin, I heartily agree with the complements already made. That train looks wonderful gliding past a few locos on shed. Very evocative. Not so sure about the rake of coaches in the yard, though? Regarding the train being pulled by a steam loco, I look forward to seeing whatever you put on the front! Might have a few suitable candidates myself...... Dave.

A wonderful little building, John. I must say I was a bit overwhelmed by your cutting notes in the previous posting. However, it has resulted in a nice ground frame cabin. Dave.

Perhaps we can get satisfactory running with such a pick-up arrangement because of the compensated suspension keeping all four drivers in contact with the rails? A rigid chassis would probably suffer from poor pick-up without some sort of power collection on the bogie. Dave.

My Caprotti Black 5, 44741, of Longsight depot, is now finished. The last job was to add plain boiler bands to the firebox and some extra weathering to bring it more to the condition these locos seemed to exhibit in regular service, i.e. filthy. This work was done, as was the whole painting, lining and weathering, by good friend and fellow P4 modeller, David Clarke. I have to say, I'm extremely pleased with the finished loco, which I think really captures the rather ungainly appearance of these locos. a study into how to transform the rather elegant normal Black 5 into an ugly duckling! Here are three photos of the finished model. First a couple of shots taken on my short length of test rack in the modelling room: And here a photo by David Clarke during a recent visit, showing the loco standing near the signal box on "Holt": Dave.

Mike, Perhaps not the lamp, but you will still require the carrying handle on top of the boiler. My method for bogies with outside compensation beams is to attach a brass tube with 0.8 mm bore to one side, which passes right across the bogie frames and runs in vertical slots. The open end of the tube is tapped 14BA to the full length of my taps. The other side beam has a 14BA screw attached, On assembly, the two compensating beams are screwed together but leaving enough slack to allow twist relative to each other and the whole assembly to slide up and down in the slots. The cross tube then bears on the bottom of a rod inside the hollow bogie pivot tube. The top end of the rod bears on the central compensating beam of the main chassis. Obviously, in a 4-4-0. the complication of the slots and hollow pivot would not be required and the cross tube would just run in holes. Dave.

I believe that the full sized railway specifies a minimum tip opening of 4,5" (2.63 mm in 7 mm scale). If I'm right, presumably this should be the target dimension? Dave.