7mm On Heather's Workbench - the only one left

[Heather Kay]

I must admit to have succumbed to feelings of inadequacy, caused by some superb and speedy modelling skills elsewhere on WT. When I see fantastic models being completed at a fair rate of knots, I begin to wonder what it is I do all day that takes me so long!



I found some brass pins just the perfect size to be fettled into the cylinder cover knobs. I glued some 0.8mm diameter hex nuts on the block where I'd marked the row with slight rivets. You'll never see the difference, but I hope the variation is size will be noticeable. Then I removed and tidied up the remains of the etched lamp brackets before fitting the cast versions. The jury is out on whether to bother with the storage brackets up by the firebox. Next, I tried to figure out how the sanding operating levers went together.

The rod that passes through the cylinder cover on the real thing does exactly the same in the kit. It doesn't have to, but it helps to ensure the fireman's side operating mechanism sits at the same angle as the gubbins on the driver's side. Finally, sandbox lids. There aren't many running plate details to go, just grab rails, so I may as well press on with the hanging bars and steps.

I'm sort of holding back on the underframe, because I have an ABC gearbox and motor on order which I shall collect at Telford in a couple of weeks.

So, to sum up most of a week on this build: cab detailing is pretty much complete; running plate upperworks almost done; the chimney and safety valve bonnet have been fettled and polished as necessary. I feel I should have achieved much more than that, but there you are.

 

[Heather Kay]

Well, the assembly cradle has been cut away, the hanging bars and steps fitted, and to round off the day I posed the shiny bits on the boiler, the boiler and cab on the running plate and took a snap to send to the client.

I've decided the resin roof is actually not half bad. It's a lot less bother than rolling the etched one, that's for sure. It actually fits, for a start! Anyway, 3205 is beginning to actually look like a loco and not just a collection of sub assemblies.

 

[john lewsey]

I know what you mean Heather hence my absence from these pages these days

 

[3 LINK]

I also feel the same, my day job is so demanding at present I find little time to do any modelling, let alone put anything up on here.

But I do try to find time to have a good read and catch up on the forums, it is just the tonic after a 15 hour day.

Martyn.

 

[Heather Kay]

After the Telford hiatus, and last week trying to do some Broad Gauge coaches, it was back to 3205.

I appear to be coming down with a cold, which is displeasing. I blame our visit to our local GP surgery last week. Those places are always full of ill people.

Anyway, to ease myself into the week, and not feeling at all in the mood for making the chassis, I decided to do some tidying and repair work.



The firebox didn't seem to sit tidily, and actually had an overhang compared to the half-etched plateau it sits on. I shimmed the base of the two protrusions on either side with some styrene. While I was at it, I repaired some over-zealous grinding I'd done to the rear splasher rebate.



You can just see tiny slivers of styrene glued to the running plate, which fill the former gaps nicely.



Much better.



While I had the glue out, I decided it was worth fitting the boiler details. The bonnet and chimney are still loose, posed for effect here. The handrail needs forming, and that will need my brain functioning better than it does now. There is a whistle box to mount at the top rear of the firebox, but that can wait until I've got the cab in place. I've just remembered I've forgotten the step under the smokebox. I think I can sort that out before I succumb to the snuffles.

Another slow day, but it seems to be the way I work. I would like to be able to increase production speeds, but it never really seems to happen that way for me.

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Another slow day, but it seems to be the way I work. I would like to be able to increase production speeds, but it never really seems to happen that way for me.

Don't worry Heather your not alone

Col.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I sit at the workbench with all good intentions and end up staring at the models in the vain hope they might build themselves.

Instead I end up faffing around with something else relating to a completely different project rather than the one inanely grinning back at me .

 

[Pencarrow]

I sit at the workbench with all good intentions and end up staring at the models in the vain hope they might build themselves.

Instead I end up faffing around with something else relating to a completely different project rather than the one inanely grinning back at me .

That was me on Saturday. Best intentions but ended up tidying and reading instead.

 

[Heather Kay]

There has been progress, during what is turning into another fractured domestic week. It seems that there's something happening every week to interrupt workbench time.



Anyway, yesterday I assembled and fettled the coupling rods. Yes, most of the day was spent soldering and cleaning up, but I got there in the end.

Today was all about frames. I've been putting it off as long as I can, because I seem to have developed something of an aversion to mechanical stuff. The basic frames and spacers went together with little fuss. I'm still working towards the No Solder Diploma . I also spent a while reconciling the instructions with what was actually in the box as regards hornguides and axlebox bearings. Let's just say the test build for the instructions used different parts, so I'm left wondering how to make a working suspension system with what I have.

I would like the (a) allow for all axles to be dropped out of the chassis, especially the one with all the eccentrics on it, (b) fit springs to all the axles, (c) fathom how to fit electrical pickups into the fairly restricted space left.

I am considering Richard Lambert's system of fixing the cast springs using screws. This would allow the wheelsets to be dropped out fairly easily, I hope. To fit suspension springing I shall need to drill and tap all the hornguides, as while they match the prototype photos, the castings haven't been created with springing in mind. As for pickups, I think the usual Slater's plungers will be too obtrusive, and almost impossible to fit in some cases. That leaves arranging wipers of some kind. I hope to have pickups on all wheels, but will settle for the leading pair of coupled wheels, plus all the tender wheels. I am also aware that the client has hopes of the model negotiating stupidly small radius curves, but with everything going on inside the loco frames, I fear it may be impossible to accomplish. It's a silly request anyway.

Oh, yes, the inside motion. I spent time fettling the slidebars and crosshead castings. With the basic frames assembled, it was time for a trial fitting.



There's something definitely NQLRT going on. Study of the excellent photos provided by Brian D shows what's wrong. The slidebars are JLTRT standard castings for outside cylinder classes. On a 2251 the whole back of the cylinder thing isn't there, just the piston rod gland (?) and slidebars. As you can see, the castings fill the space in between the frames, blocking the valve rod holes. The motion bracket falls in entirely the wrong place on the slidebars, which is forcing the slidebar castings downwards.



The crossheads really should be able to run through the motion bracket apertures, but won't because they're too wide (nice oil boxes cast in the outside). It's a bit of a pickle, really.

So, what options do I have? Carry on and try to make it all fit seems to be the only way. I think the motion bracket is sitting a bit low. Shifting it up will cure the ill-fitting slidebar parts. The slidebars could be shortened a bit, but that will depend on the connecting rod throw. (Is there a way to work that out from the parts I have?) I have to assume the motion parts will fit without issue.

I think the first thing to sort out is making a basic rolling chassis, then worry about the complex bits. I might be tempted to throw the loco back in the box and get on with the tender instead!

 

[Steph Dale]

Heather,

On first impressions, a couple of things:
1. Yep, get the chassis running properly before worrying too much about the motion, although it's worth checking you've got the space and correct parts to fit it.
2. I don't think those slidebars will help you: As you've already realised the cylinder backs shouldn't be there.
3. The oil pots should go on the slidegars, not the crossheads (how would an engineman fill them?).
4. The motion bracket can have material removed around the valve guides to clear the crossheads.
5. I suspect those aren't the correct slidebar or crosshead castings; can Laurie confirm? If they are, then I'd find a way to get rid of the representation of the cylinder back.

Steph

 

[Heather Kay]

I hope Brian doesn't mind me copying his photos here, but it helps to show what's supposed to be there!





I think you can just make out there are what appear to be oil boxes on the crossheads. There are also oil pipe feeds to the slidebars and valve rods from boxes on the frames.

I think you're right, Steph, that I need to modify the slidebar castings if I can't find better ones. Hopefully the mods won't change the motion geometry. I'll chat to Laurie tomorrow.

 

[Steph Dale]

Needless to say, I'm surprised about that! I even bought a set of slidebar oil pots for my 2251; perhaps they were on the drawings...

Steph

 

[Scale7JB]

Personally I think I would fit them as they are, and then cut out a sheet to fit over the cylinder end covers like that in the prototype. Of course you may need to move the mounting surface between the frames forward a little.

JB.

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Heather I think the parts you need are the two bar slide bars and cross heads from Laurie, part no. 10-57.

Col.

 

[Stoke5D]

Definitely the wrong bars and cross heads for this prototype but perhaps JB's fix can work depending on the dimensions.

The valve rods etc. are pretty in your face on the photo's of TRT - are they supplied with the kit?


Andrew

 

[Heather Kay]

The valve rods etc. are pretty in your face on the photo's of TRT - are they supplied with the kit?

I think you might be able to answer that question…

The plan, then, is to build and get a rolling chassis. Then I'll build the tender, while I find out if there are alternatives to the internals.

Actually, the chassis etch contains the originally designed parts for slide bars. However, the instructions don't cover them at all. If anyone has an earlier set of 2251 instructions than I have that might cover the etched parts I'd be interested to see them. I'll also have a chat to Laurie at JLTRT to see what he's got, as well as consider the LG alternatives.

 

[Stoke5D]

I think you might be able to answer that question…

I was trying not to be my usual cynical self...

 

[SimonT]

Sorry, the 94XX and 2251 crossheads do have lubricator pots on the outside of the cross heads. They are visible on the first of the photos from Brian, the right hand cork is just ahead of the motion bracket (and also on the second photo). I suspect that there are two lubricator chambers on the outside of the cross head, one for the gudgeon pin and one for the upper slide way. There is a representation on the 94XX GA. The model ones do appear a little large and the crosshead guide edges appear rather over weight. I suspect the motion bracket is a dog. The openings are too small, there is no cut out on the left hand one for the vac pump rod and associated crosshead bracket. The slidebars bear little resemblance with the real ones in the second of Brian's photos.

You'll understand that I have been looking at 94XX details quite a bit recently
Simon

 

[Heather Kay]

It strikes me we are always told to have good photos of our chosen prototypes when we build, but more often than not they only serve to show what's wrong in the kit!

We will get to the bottom of things. Simon says the motion bracket isn't quite right, but I'm prepared to live with it pending suitable modifications. I may engineer a method to allow me to install it without having to force the frames apart so it can slot in. I shall pursue suitable replacement slidebars if I don't think I can get away with hacking the provided castings about. The idea of plating over the backs of the cylinders sounds a reasonable compromise, too.

So, there are a couple of ways forward. As I said earlier, I shall concentrate on getti a rolling chassis in the first instance.

Thanks for the input, everyone. As ever, much appreciated.

 

[mickoo]

It strikes me we are always told to have good photos of our chosen prototypes when we build, but more often than not they only serve to show what's wrong in the kit!

In fairness I suspect many of these kits were designed back in the day when Dragon slaying and witch hunting were common place and access to working 1:1 engines or drawing archives which have sprung up in recent years, were not available. In addition, on release, inside working valve gear was probably not forefront in peoples requirements. The hobby and the quality, detail has moved on in recent years at a great pace, the outside of engines are pretty much catered for, so people are looking more to the inside more and more to get their detail dosage levels up.

It matters not one jot that you cannot see most of it, most of the time, take a look at AFV and aircraft modellers who are now adding (and have been for years) full interiors, some you can barely glimpse through a window or open hatch, some not at all if you close the engine bay doors.

As for the matter in hand, sadly a railway out in cowboy country (wild west) so I cannot add much technical detail, but if you have good photos then it's something to work toward, sadly not much help if they do not match what's actually in your hand.

MD