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Simond
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We'll, I came back and looked at it again.

 

In favour of doing the modification; Chris, and some potential satisfaction.

 

Against; a chassis that works, with rockers moving inside crossheads, moving valve spindles, and quite a bit that would be jeopardised by the modification, not least the bolted join between the front of the chassis including bogie, motion, etc., and the 0-6-0 bit with wheels, horns, springs & motor.

 

It doesn't appear possible without completely dismantling the front half of the chassis.

 

Herewith photo of my Castle (still waiting for lining, number & nameplates) showing how much of it would be visible with your nose touching the footplate, and from a few inches further away, and the same in the King, bearing in mind the steam pipes aren't fitted yet.

 

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post-20369-0-67650700-1411576553.jpg

 

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I'm inclined to the "visual representation", albeit kicking myself that I didn't work this out much, much earlier. Whilst the quality of the kit itself is great, the instructions do leave a little to be desired - my excuse anyway!

 

So, boxing gloves & roller skates off? (Nothing lost, in that I can still change my mind in the future should I so decide)

 

Time to get on with sanding gear and lubricators. Then the cab.

 

Best

Simon

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Excellent running session at John's this evening, even if my King (which I reassembled and took for a run) was a disappointment - there appears to be a short between the rear wheel and the frames, which led to some intermittent running, so back in the box pronto - some fettling is required. Would have b een happier had it run as expected, but the reason I took it is to find out whether it runs properly, so "the operation was a success, even tho' the patient..."

 

We ran John's predominantly LNWR / LMS stock for just over two hours with bells and signals.  Followed up with a few pints of Shep's Late Red which I can thoroughly recommend.

 

Who can ask for more than excellent company, a very pleasant evening playing trains, and beer!?

 

King Henry V will be in bits again tomorrow!

 

On which subject, I have two photos of the loco in the late 20's / early 30's - the later photo shows a smokebox-door-step, the earlier does not.  No reason to doubt the dates on the photos, but would be keen to get some kind of confirmation of its presnces, or not.  Both show the upper lamp iron ahead of the chimney.  I would be grateful for any info/photos of 6019 in 1931 /2 to be sure whether to fit the step or not.

 

thanks

Simon

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Latest update - loco short resolved by slightly thicker washers between axle boxes and wheels, thus reducing sideplay to almost nothing. Tested again at John's over the weekend.

 

Superstructure now neatly complete - few pipes, clips & things to add, and the vac pipe on the buffer beam. Then about a gallon of jif, and hopefully primed by the weekend.

 

I decided to keep the etched motion bracket - it's difficult to see at the best of times, and downright invisible from arm's length, and the work that would have to be one on the chassis to accommodate the cast one would take me back to square one. So the hell with it!

 

Pictures of progress to date:

 

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post-20369-0-98295200-1412112212_thumb.jpg

 

Best

Simon

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Failed on the "primed by the weekend" bit. 

 

Went to John's last night for what might well be the final outdoor running session of the year, finally seem to have got the hand of signalling and block bells, just in time to lose it again by next spring...   We have a dinner party this evening and it's the Folkestone show tomorrow.  This is followed by a Tennis club dinner, so not much chance tomorrow, and Sunday is expected to be wet, and I'm away on business for a couple of weeks after that, so might have blown the chance of getting the green on til the spring, unless this marvellous summer lasts a few weeks more

 

The list is a bit shorter than it was. Lifting rings, handrails safety chains and injector water valves on tender superstructure.  Whistles, shield, 2 small rivetted overlays and 4 pipes on the ejector will complete the loco above the footplate.  Still quite a lot to do on the loco chassis, brakes, injectors, pipework.  Tender needs brake safety chains and it's done.  Haven't started the cab yet.

 

ho hum...

 

Simon

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Failed on the "primed by the weekend" bit. 

 

Went to John's last night for what might well be the final outdoor running session of the year, finally seem to have got the hand of signalling and block bells, just in time to lose it again by next spring...   We have a dinner party this evening and it's the Folkestone show tomorrow.  This is followed by a Tennis club dinner, so not much chance tomorrow, and Sunday is expected to be wet, and I'm away on business for a couple of weeks after that, so might have blown the chance of getting the green on til the spring, unless this marvellous summer lasts a few weeks more

 

The list is a bit shorter than it was. Lifting rings, handrails safety chains and injector water valves on tender superstructure.  Whistles, shield, 2 small rivetted overlays and 4 pipes on the ejector will complete the loco above the footplate.  Still quite a lot to do on the loco chassis, brakes, injectors, pipework.  Tender needs brake safety chains and it's done.  Haven't started the cab yet.

 

ho hum...

 

Simon

Steady The Buffs. Don't worry, it's a hobby and there are no deadlines. I find that things, especially building metal locomotive kits, always take two to three times longer than I expect (hope) and plan for. The pace of progress on my Cwm Bach layout is glacial, but who cares?

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Chris

 

thanks for the kind words of gentle reproach...

 

I am trying to be disciplined and not have 15 half-built models cluttering up the workbench (again).

 

I would have liked to get the spraying done before the weather turns - it's nearly 24 degrees down here right now, but there is more to do than there is time to do it today, and the frustration is that it will probably be ready to paint on Sunday evening - "almost exactly too late".  Once the spraying is done, one can work at leisure on the brush-painted stuff, like the cab and chassis, and set about the lining....  if leisurely lining is possible - over the winter. 

 

C'est la vie, there's plenty of other things to do, and it may yet be warm and bright at the end of October!

 

best

Simon

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Chris

 

thanks for the kind words of gentle reproach...

 

I am trying to be disciplined and not have 15 half-built models cluttering up the workbench (again).

 

I would have liked to get the spraying done before the weather turns - it's nearly 24 degrees down here right now, but there is more to do than there is time to do it today, and the frustration is that it will probably be ready to paint on Sunday evening - "almost exactly too late".  Once the spraying is done, one can work at leisure on the brush-painted stuff, like the cab and chassis, and set about the lining....  if leisurely lining is possible - over the winter. 

 

C'est la vie, there's plenty of other things to do, and it may yet be warm and bright at the end of October!

 

best

Simon

 

Simon,

I've just noticed your in Kent so my reference to the Royal East Kent Regiment, formerly the 3rd Regiment of Foot, is most appropriate.

Chris

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  • RMweb Gold

Simon the weather usually stays fairly mild (apart from the odd day) until the middle of November when it is my wife's birthday only once or twice have we had a lovely warm day on her birthday in over 40 years. The trouble is if you are one of those unfortunates who still has to rely on paid employment time off and the nice days do not always co-incide.

Don

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Successful trip to the Folkestone show yesterday, resulting in £50 of purchases, mainly tools but fine brass tube & piano wire - these were the last materials I needed for the superstructure.

 

Fitted the handrail today. I always use piano wire, as, whilst it's more difficult than using brass, you only do it once, here's how I do it: I used 0.8mm wire.

 

Firstly I made a diagram - diameter 38 appeared to me to be correct. The offset from the top knob to the side rails was measured at 15mm (although 14 might have been sensible...). Then I made the first, large, curve.

 

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Then, form the bends out wards, which, after some fighting, I eventually managed to persuade to lie flat along the line on my diagram.

 

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Following which, the bends back along the boiler are made. This is where life gets difficult as the wire doesn't want to bend the way you want it to, but eventually, with luck & perseverance, I ended up with two parallel wire, about the right distance apart.

 

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At this point, I needed to fit the handrail knobs - I used a small length of the piano wire to make a reamer for the knobs - few moments on the oilstone. This is an old engineering trick - I first learned it reading the model engineering books of LBSC or "Curly" as he called himself. This kind of reamer will open a hole in brass or NS, probably even mild steel.

 

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I aligned the knobs on the left of the boiler with an offcut of the wire, and soldered them in with a dab of power flow flux and a 1mm length of solder - you'll see my cooks blowtorch in one or two of the photos - very hot, very quick, and can be lit and adjusted one-handed, £15 well spent.

 

I then made the dog-leg to clear the ejector, and trimmed the ends of the handrail to finish flush at the front of the cab. Fitted & soldered in the remaining knob on the front right of the smoke box. The one at the top on front is just pushed in.

 

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Then off for a quick "jiffing" - actually, I used "Shiny Sinks" which really does what it says on the bottle.

 

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And there you have it. I managed to get to this point roughly as the afternoon got too cool to spray it...

 

No worries. I'm sure there could be one or two other details that might be better fitted now than after painting - I can look at that in a few days, as I have a little trip to attend to tomorrow.

 

Best

Simon

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the positive comments.

 

Looking at it whilst doing transfers on my 70' van (see link below to Steve's thread in GWR rolling stock forum) I noticed the top lamp bracket is the wrong way round, so that's coming off...

 

Want to put the lubricators on the inside of the cab too. Sun's shining, a good forecast, maybe paint this weekend...

 

Best

Simon

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/91351-withdrawal-date-of-gwr-70-foot-van-833-diagram-m13-lot-1165/

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Few steps forward and a couple back...

 

post-20369-0-29843500-1413730311_thumb.jpg

 

Looking great with Humbrol Matt black smoke box (and footplate & cab roof) over Halfords rattle can of Land Rover deep bronze green, Precision paints signal red buffer beam and Humbrol for the motion bracket. And a bit of brasso on the sv cover and the copper top to brighten them up.

 

I'm not sure the best way to deal with the boiler bands. All the other locos I've built have either included them in the etch, or I've used very thin phos bronze strip, soldered below. The suggestion from Malcolm Mitchell is to use gummed paper which can be painted & lined in the flat, before being trimmed to width, stuck on, and varnished over. Never tried it. Other ideas are welcome!

 

Further step forward was to re-black the couplings and to do the buffers by heating until red and dropping into oil. I used white spirit which worked well, until one of the couplings didn't drop off the tweezers, and in getting them off I scorched my finger, first step back. Will burst blister in the next few minutes.

 

Second step back was deliberate. I had fitted tender pick-ups when I started building the loco several years back. It was obvious that tread-rubbing is not a good solution, so I took them off. Will rebuild to pick up from back of wheels.

 

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I also painted the supplied nameplates, and when it's really hardened, eg tomorrow, I'll polish the brass, and touch up the green.

 

post-20369-0-12124900-1413731150_thumb.jpg

 

More to follow!!

Simon

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Bit more progress - refitted the pick-ups on the tender, to run on the backs, rather than the treads, of the wheels. This has solved the "brakes on" effect, and it runs much more freely. Also added the safety chains on the brake cross beams.

 

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Need to add the water cocks on the tender front, fill and touch up the rear upper corners, and a bit of detail painting here & there to complete the tender ready for lining. I've got a Castle to do too....

 

post-20369-0-51308100-1413928823_thumb.jpg

 

Unless anyone spots something...?

Best

Simon

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Not much modelling time this week as went up to see mum & dad.

 

Got back this evening & made the water cock handles - 0.7mm drawn brass wire and 1.0 mm tube, drop of Powerflow, the remnants of solder off the tip of the iron.

 

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Quite pleased with these, but looks like I left a burr on one of them. They need to be cleaned with Shiny Sinks anyway so I'll sort that too.

 

Hopefully I'll get the tender finished this week, then loco chassis to finish...

Best

Simon

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I rather hope that this bears some resemblance to the photo on page 233 of Russell GW Engines Vol 2

 

post-20369-0-11633200-1414443656_thumb.jpg

 

Ready for transfers & lining.

 

Next... Loco - Brakes & finish chassis.

 

Best

Simon

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Next instalment - initial assy of brakes: cleaned & deburred etches, soldered two layers to make the shoe & hanger assy. Opened the shoe pivot and equaliser beam pivot holes out to 0.5, and the cross beam & hanger pivot holes out to 0.9mm.

 

Looking at photos, there is a raised boss around the shoe pivot, I think a very small (like 14BA) washer would do, but I don't have any, have to see if I can get something suitable. There's also a fixing which has a couple of bolts & a plate.

 

The equaliser beams and pull rods should be either side of the cross beams - the etch is single thickness, so I need to do a bit about that, but the cross beams are not very realistic. Maybe I can get some cast ones, or make some better ones.

 

Planning to coat the wheel side & edge of the shoes in Araldite to prevent shorts, though I really prefer plastic shoes. Also need to attach the safety chains to the cross beams.

 

post-20369-0-72993000-1414538897_thumb.jpg

 

Best

Simon

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Well, having done a bit more research (AKA Googling) I found this :- https://www.flickr.com/photos/drnick3/3917056082/lightbox/ which rather disagrees with the works drawing in GWRJ vol 3, with which the etched equalised pull rods provided in the kit do agree.

 

The photo on Flickr is of KGV as she (?) is now, so it is entirely possible that modifications have been made. Of course, there is also the potential to spend more time on this than something invisible deserves, not so much gilding the lily as gilding the mossie's todger.

 

Warren Shephard has cast cross beams (182) which look better than the etched assemblies from the kit, and hanger brackets (180) so I'll order some of them.

 

I think I'll modify the provided pull rods, tho the photo is tempting.

 

Meanwhile, brakes on hold. Other chassis details & cab to be getting on with.

 

Best

Simon

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Nothing is easy...

 

Thought I'd check that the hangers & shoes fit, and Lo!, they don't...

 

post-20369-0-46806600-1414609103_thumb.jpg

 

(Chassis is upside down, btw). The motion bracket is in the right place, as are the wheels, so the hanger & shoe (which are a pair of etches laminated to give the thickness, but which are in one piece) simply don't fit.

 

Relatively easy job to file the shoes down to make them fit, but, given the price of the kit, I do wonder why it's necessary. And, having filed them down, they will not be the right shape. Grrrr.

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Filed the shoes off the middle brake hangers, got them to fit, and trial assembled the brakes - if looks like the shoes have to come off all the hangers, as otherwise they would be ridiculously tight to the wheels, and would certainly cause shorts. I've ordered cross beams and Springside plastic shoes from Warren Shephard, so that'll be the approach.

 

The frames are dished over the front wheels. The kit provides a series of crescent shaped etches and a pair of plates to form this, and I used the crescents, but rather than the etched half-moons, I used black styrene sheet, which won't cause shorts, and won't show if the paint gets scratched by the wheels.

 

I started the backhead. The brass castings are generally lovely. Few minor niggles. The reverser would normally extend into the box in front of the cab, but of course, can't (and I didn't fancy trying to replicate DLOS/IsembardUK's milling exploits on the cab front) so I sawed the end off the reverser. The firebox door levers are cast to be in the right position for the doors closed, but I wanted them a bit open so the light can shine through, so I bent them carefully to suit. The brake valve is cast with its pipe, but the pipe doesn't reach the floor, by about 4mm, daft!

 

Photos are posed as most of the bits are not yet fixed on. Only soldered the manifold, firebox doors and the shelf to the backhead, which is itself soldered to the floor. I also added a layer of etch under the raised floor on the driver's side as it looked a bit thin without it.

 

All in all, an enjoyable few hours :)

 

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No idea why the photos are sideways, sorry about that!

 

Best

Simon

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Guest Isambarduk

"I didn't fancy trying to replicate DLOS/IsambardUK's milling exploits on the cab front, so I sawed the end off the reverser."

 

No, and I would have done the same, Simon! 

 

I only milled it away on my Husdwell Clarke because the reverser can be clearly seen outside the cab (unlike on your emerging model :-)

 

David

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