Right, back to the frames. The brake gear was cast brass, and not to bad. But, it was sitting at the wrong angle, I could not get the hanger close enough to the wheels. Also they were actually a bit short according to the drawings. I made new hangers, used some etched shoes I had, and some cast hangers. The cross shafts were adapted, the pull rods from wire and a scratch built mount at the rear for the cylinder and cross shaft. As this is such a big item it needed to be there.
You will also see if have fitted the motor torsion bar under the ash pan. This will be hidden by the rear springs.
The front frames are a mess. So I've decided to put an overlay on from the front sand box forward. This led to a few problems, first being the bogie springs were to high, so the they and the compensation beams were adjusted. Centralising springs have also been added to reduce the front end flopping about in the breeze. To help with clearance the first inch of the frames has been tapered to the front by about 1mm each side. Seems to work nicely.
Both overlays have been marked up but only one cut so far. Making sure it works. I marked them out to the shape of the prototype. It needed a little more off in one or two places. I think it looks the business.
This is how the frames came to me after being butchered by the previous owner.
This is after a little playing around. It is just tacked in place. And pushes through my 1 in 5 test track crossing. I think they have B switches, I need to check.
It is coming along nicely now just these to finish at the front then the castings to add.
Just playing to see how it looks with the body resting on.
Here it is with the tender. I hope it looks as it should, everything tallies near enough with the basic dimensions. It will never be perfect, but I hope to the more knowledgeable it will pass muster.
Hopefully over the weekend the frames will be finished. The last few bits on the tender completed. Then it's the home run with the body. Which my be slow as there's lots of details not in the box.