Timara

Looking really good there Mark!  I'm glad the info I could give you came useful.  I found a couple of pics on the internet not long ago and thought of you.  I'll have to dig the links up if you haven't already got them.

Rather timely post too, since I've just finished a close class-mate for Peterborough North; 61635 'Milton'.  Pics soon, hopefully....  The T-Cut makes an absolute world of difference, together with a coat or two of Klear afterwards.  I will be making a comparison with the other two GE-tendered ones I've previously done for Gilbert next week.

Cheers!

Tim

The composites were D1925/1969 (no external difference) and numbered between 3934 and 4329.  There was an extra in the form of 3818, which was a rebuild of a Period II CK after fire damage (in 1937).

HTH,

Tim

I shall be looking forward to seeing one of those in my grubby mitts very soon!  How heavy/light is it and how much is it likely to be able to haul, in your opinion?

That's quite a transformation from how it was Peter!  Looking forward to seeing it with some green paint on now

Phil,

I have to admit that it's so long ago that I've forgotten how I did the cylinders!  They are the originals underneath though and I know some of my usual 4x2.5mm strip was used in the construction.  The top section for the cam-box I think is 80 thou with a bit of 10 thou on top.  They tend to look a bit sorry for themselves after all the cuts have been made and you do have to be careful the stretcher doesn't snap as it's a little on the fragile side!

I've packed out the rear of them so that they're not able to bow inwards (and ultimately snap) which means they're nice and solid.  The same tube I use for sleeving the axles when re-wheeling is used for the steam pipes (Evergreen 4mm OD).

Hope that helps!

Yep, that looks pretty much how I want mine to be like.  I'll be getting the required tube at CMRA

Cheers!

Hi Dave,
 
If you upload them to a Gallery page, you can then link them into a reply here by clicking the "My Media" link in the reply box . I'll be interested in seeing how you've done the UJs too as I've got a few ideas on how I might do them, but would welcome any alternative ideas!

Incidentally, the chimney was an attempt to use a spare one off the Ivatt 4, suitably shortened in length.  The slightly too tall one off a current Hornby Scot would certainly do the trick though, being as it needs to be taller than that on a Scot.  Hmmm....

Cheers!

I will be watching this with interest Tim as I always fancied one of these, but the Comet kit looked a bit beyond my capabilities. Do you by any chance have any other photo's of the build please, particularly  how the new footplates were made and front end altered. I'm sure will look great when finished. Regards Philip

Thanks Phil. I'm afraid I did the running plate work some three years ago now, but I can certainly measure them for you. I used 30 thou plasticard for them, but hindsight tells me I should have used black instead of white!

Converting the Comet Caprotti isn't easy, but someone did manage it

I know that model (it's also on here in a gallery somewhere) but it does have a fair number of issues about it. The valve gear is quite considerably too chunky and ill-proportioned. The (middle) support shaft should only be 1.5mm diameter after all....

This might help you too. The kit comes up rather nicely for an "as built" unit.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/56350-st-aidans/page-2&do=findComment&comment=714447

Cheers!

Superb work CK. You've inspired me to give it a go now!

Can't wait to see how it looks when painted up

On another note has Mr king at all though of signing to have these resin parts mass produced? I agree that they represent a great opportunity for youthful modelers to get a hand up the ladder and arguable should be extended.

Bearing in mind these parts are made by Graeme in his spare time for a very small number of people to actually use, I strongly doubt that he'd want to take them any further. They are merely another way of producing a Thompson pacific, should that be what you wish to do .

However, it just seems shame to bring in whole cheque-book-modeller thing into it.

I'm with James on that one!

It's coming on rather nicely there Tim.

Dare I ask when we're likely to see this little marvel as a completed entity on the circuit?

Glad I'm not alone in having experienced Alexander tenders and their tendency to twist during the build. Myself and Tom F built a NE 4125gal tender to go behind a J39 and it's not great. There is a twist along the entire axis, but it matches the loco's twist too.

There should be a small brass etch with some things that look like steps in the kit.

Looking good Andrew. You might possibly want to try using plastic spacers for the loco rather than brass as they don't conduct electricity quite so readily as the former does! It's purely from the pickup interface side of things of course....

They happen to be cheaper and a lot easier to modify if you make them that little bit too long once everything has been nipped up together.

Good luck!

Tim

Rich,

You're possibly going to hate this, but from the photo it does rather look like the oil boxes on the crankpins are pointing downwards instead of upwards (ie: the rods are on the wrong side!). Is this so or is it a trick of the eye?

Hope you sort the quartering issue!

T

Looking rather tasty there Martin. I'd certainly encourage the replacement of the Blue Star cable with wire as it's been a mod I've been using for the last few years. If you've got any spare decoder black wire, use some of that.

I shall be watching progress on the weathering with interest . Might make me take a closer look at some of mine now....!

Thanks Mark. The 87 is one of those models that does respond rather well to a spot of judicious detailing. I forgot to mention I'd used clear Lexan sheet for the glazing, but hey, it's a small point on my part!

That video sounds rather interesting indeed! Nottingham perchance?

Hopefully this will help matters! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/643/entry-8612-royal-sovereign/

Sure thing Nick - I'll sort it in the morning!

Incidentally, I've got stacks of leftover wheelsets from 37s and even a couple of 47s - all Bachmann. Drop me a PM and we'll take it from there

Nick,

Having successfully done one of these myself, you need to trim about 1.5mm off the bottom of the springs to get things to behave. If you've got a Hornby 86 underframe moulding to hand, match them to the springs on there. I have a feeling Lima made them taller to allow the model to go round toytown curves.

If it helps, I'll get a pic taken of my chassis and pop it up here for you....

Cheers,

Tim

Speaking as one who now has three of these conversions to his name, I'm rather surprised by the use of the Bachmann V2 valve gear, not least the rather alarming looking splayed-out nature of the slidebars. Am I right in thinking these are the original A2 ones bodged to fit the V2 crosshead? Either way, I'm surprised it works, though probably after a fashion!

The only other point centres around the bufferbeam. As you are probably aware, red is a notoriously difficult colour to paint over anything, least of all over black! Personally, I'd have used a grey or white primer and then masked it off before painting the black. I also doubt the buffers will be quite so springy after being entirely coated in black, but that's a very minor point indeed!

Well I never..... I've learnt something there Chris! Guess I should take more "interest" (if that's the word) in the one in front of my house, if it's likely to be of a doomed species. I remember when the streetlights in my old road got replaced back in the 80s from the "Flying Saucer on a stick" style to a more conventional type.

Ah good - I'm glad I'm not alone in keeping a log of what goes wrong and what breaks etc.

The worst one for me was failing Tortoises on DCC..... Since fixed and shouldn't ever rear its ugly head again!

I've done the same with my Tortoises on Auchinraith. I got sick and tired with failing passing switch contacts on all mine.

Couldn't have put it better myself Martin. Little things such as obscure prototype views that only an intrepid Urbex fanatic could go and get or other such snippets are where the 'net is just brilliant.

The social aspect is great too as a quick question can suddenly yield bucketloads from a crucial source.

And to think people say the internet is wrong and stuff...... I dunno!