Nick Dunhill's Workshop - Royal Scot from a JLTRT kit

[Nick Dunhill]

All very interesting. I bet the thick boss was so the eccentric rods cleared the fixing studs on the return crank.

I've had to do all this without the benefit of a drawing, although it doesn't always help having one. Often in FS there's some design compromises as the wheels aren't prototypical positioning, and the cylinders are. Sometimes, the kit design is such that the con rods are designed to slope in (which I think was the case here, see con rod bosses above.) This would have generated more space for the oversize return cranks. The expansion link was also way too thick, and was modified quite heavily.

The expansion links in kits are often very simplified, and don't allow the radius rod to move. The radius rod is often fixed to the expansion link pivot, and the loco is permanently in 'neutral.' (Sorry not sure what the correct expression is.) This was the case here. I don't have the budget to alter thus, but I did drill another hole in the expansion link to fix the radius rod so the loco is in forward position.

 

[simond]

Hi Nick,

I believe the steam engine term is “mid gear”.

Simon

 

[paulc]

what was the award a new bucket

Hopefully a couple of new blocks of wood to replace the termite iinfested ones that he has at the moment .

 

[Nick Dunhill]

I can't decide whether this is a good kit or not. It's not a F7, NB Models or MOK Premier League kit, but it is close. The instructions are a bit pants, so it keeps you guessing and sending endless WhatsApps to Ian Allen to ask if he can send photos of the GA in his Wild Swan book (Thanks so much Ian. All the cast parts fit, when you work out where they go, and the etches are good but none of the numbers match the instructions!

Anyway, this week I finished the motion. I broke a crankpin, well actually the 10 BA studding broke off the return crank, and I mullered it with a drill trying to extract it.....twice!



Next up was the sanding gear. There's castings for pipes and hockey-stick shaped brackets. I realised that I had to fit the springs and hangers first, as the hockey-sticks attach to them. Then I realised, after all were soldered on, that the front pair of springs and hangers would need to be attached after paint, or I wouldn't be able to extract the wheelset. Don't you (not) like AGH wheels for their telescoping fitments. I did shape and fit up the sanding pipes and then realised that they'd have to be fitted post paint, or the wheels wouldn't come off. The kit only had 6 of each and I realised 8 were needed. I made another pair of brackets and pipes, and fitted them in front of the leading wheelset. I then realised that they, and lots of the brake hanger and stretcher, clout the rear bogie wheel. Do'h. Where's my sanding disc....



I offered the motor up to the chassis to make mounts, and it occured to me that there was nothing in the kit for the firebox lower and ashpan.....and it is visible through the many lightening holes in the chassis. I did some old school CAD, and fabricated a firebox/ashpan assembly.







With that assembly installed I was able to make a motor mount and install the exhaust steam injector pipe.



Most of the pipe has to be fitted up post paint, or you can't get the wheelsets out.

The next logical step was to make both injectors. They also have to be fitted post paint or blah blah blah.



Well, apart from pickups, that was the chassis done. I moved on to the cab interior, and today I caught up on lots of centrist-dad podcasts and assembled all the backhead details.













It all comes apart for paint. Next week I will do battle with the blue boiler that has been chuckling at me for weeks from inside the box. Wish me (and my drills) luck.

Appendix 1.1

i) Any idea what are these parts are please? And where they fit?

 

[Heather Kay]

Any idea what are these parts are please? And where they fit?

The little klaxon-shaped part is a whistle chain thingy that attaches to the cab roof. I’m not sure how useful it is for a non-Swindon loco. In fact, I would guess most of that sprue is surplus to requirements. Add it to your spares.

 

[45609]

Some of the bits on the left sprue look like injector water valve handles and brackets. Not sure what the right sprue parts are.

Cheers…Morgan

 

[simond]

old school CAD

Cardboard Aided Design?

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Correct. Well bank statement rather than card board.

 

[OzzyO]

The handles and brackets are for the sanding gear and the feed water or steam shut off valve.
The things on the right could be fire hole doors (I've never seen any that shape before) what does the other side look like?
So CAD is cash aided design.

OK no need to push I'm going out of the door.

ATB

OzzyO.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Has anyone any idea what the indentations between the main flues on this Royal Scot chimney casting are for? On Turbomotive they're flues for other steam powered devices the loco is fitted with, like an oil pump...

 

[Paul Tomlinson]

Has anyone any idea what the indentations between the main flues on this Royal Scot chimney casting are for? On Turbomotive they're flues for other steam powered devices the loco is fitted with, like an oil pump...

Nick, after checking the drawings, my conclusion is that they were core holes used in the casting process, subsequently tapped and plugged after manufacture.

 

[OzzyO]

Nick,
I've seen one hole in a chimney that can be connected to the blower.

ATB

OzzyO.

 

[Dave Holt]

Double chimneys fitted by BR to Western engines had a single hole, between the chimney bores, off-set to one side, which I believe was the discharge from the brake ejector (and tended to emit a strange burping/blowing a raspberry sort of noise).
To create sufficient draw for the blower required a ring of steam jets around each blast pipe, directed up the chimney bores.
I'm sure any suggestion of a hole in a Royal Scot chimney is a core plug (or a missing core plug), as already suggested.
Dave.

 

[OzzyO]

Hello Nick,

that was what I thinking about Dave.

ATB

OzzyO.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

I am delighted to report that the blue boiler was a doddle to fit. It needed a bit off the base of the firebox and then the cut-outs for the rear splashers opening a little The rear end of the firebox then nestled nicely inside the half etched area of the cab front. The moulding had some snotty bits, and a bit of damage to the clack pipe covers, which I fixed up with some filler and abrasive paper. All good. I then set about fitting up all the boiler parts, chimney, top feed, etc. It was even very easy to drill, despite warnings.....



The vacuum ejector pipe was a casting in 5 parts. this was awkward to make fit properly, and to be honest making one out of rod would have been quicker. Also the holes in the boiler for both the ejector pipe and handrails were in the wrong place. This is usual on a kit though, so I was prepared, and marked them out properly with a vernier when the boiler was sat on the footplate. This way the handrail was straight and level. A little more filler was required!

With the boiler done, I moved on to the footplate fittings. Reversing rod, sand boxes etc etc.



And on to the lubricators. The mechanical lubricators will be fixed post paint, and I can add all the lube pipes before glueing in place. The oil boxes and atomiser had the pipes fitted, but will be fixed after painting.



I revisited the cab and finished it off with some cab doors and a slacking pipe.





There is also a seated driver and fireman, but I forgot to photo them before sending them for painting. They're from the Andrew Stadden range.

The next morning was taken up with making sure that everything fitted up without conflict. There's a lot of parts to add post paint. Also I embarked on fixing all the issues associated with AGH wheels. They make the chassis live, and if you don't insulate them, the loco body as well. Then the whole train becomes live, and the shorting issues go beyond my control. I haven't decided whether to use the American system, or just fit pick ups to the insulated wheels, confining all the electrons to the loco chassis. There's a couple of issues to resolve first though. I don't have a nylon 10BA screw long enough to fix the rear of the chassis to the cab. This screw also holds the coupling between loco and tender, so nylon may be the wrong material! The self tapper that holds the front of the chassis screws into the resin smokebox, so if I make the hole in the smokebox saddle big enough it won't short to the body. I also had to rubber mount the loco vacuum pipe to stop it shorting the body to the chassis. The JLTRT coupling (made from 12 castings!!) also required enlarging holes in frame stays etc to stop it shorting things out too.

Please modelling gods, stop sending me awful AGH wheels..... As a footnote, the AGH wheels are often a time bomb too. In my experience the axle always lets go of the Tufnal insulator, as you can't use a retainer at the joint, and the quartering is lost. The customer warranty for this fault seems infinite too, and I don't machine them, so......

Anyway, moaning over, I nearly finished the loco but ran out of working week with only one smoke deflector made.



It will be finished on monday.

 

[mickoo]

I’ve had six sets of AGH, four have shifted on the axles, people rave about them but they just rack the bill up. I have another four sets in the build pile and expect pretty much the same failure rate; they’re just a money pit I’m afraid.

 

[Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen]

If I remember correctly Harris wheels when bought machined were a press fit on the axle. Could they not be fixed with retainer instead? I had a couple of sets from him that were rim insulated. A groove was machined from the front around the rims approximately half way through and filled with epoxy and then turn around and the same done from the rear.

Tim

 

[Nick Dunhill]

If I remember correctly Harris wheels when bought machined were a press fit on the axle. Could they not be fixed with retainer instead? I had a couple of sets from him that were rim insulated. A groove was machined from the front around the rims approximately half way through and filled with epoxy and then turn around and the same done from the rear.

Tim

Seems like a better alternative with respect to the electrons. Still have to get past the telescopic axles though.....Slater's wheels are 95% as good at a fraction of the price.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

I’ve had six sets of AGH, four have shifted on the axles, people rave about them but they just rack the bill up. I have another four sets in the build pile and expect pretty much the same failure rate; they’re just a money pit I’m afraid.

E-Type Jaguar of Wheels.

 

[mickoo]

E-Type Jaguar of Wheels.

To be fair, it's probably not the wheels or the concept, it's the machinist or the Loctite they used has failed. I use Loctite 603 which seems to have more grip.

For the clarity, of the two sets that haven't slipped, one came from Mr Dowling of this parish the other was unknown and in the kit box.