P A D
Western Thunderer
When I'd completed the Scorpio BR Standard 3 tank and Gladiator Stanier Mogul, I wasn't expecting to be building any more loco kits for a while. However, David Hill at Gladiator peaked my interest with the offer to do the test build on the Stanier class 3 tank and then by chance I came across this un started Oakeville kit for the Ivatt class 2 tank on Ebay.
This was the first 7mm scale brass kit that I built about 40 years ago for my brother, who had just got into 0 gauge. Although it was relatively cheap back then, it was not the best of kits with many faults and most of the important castings being unusable. That said, with the dodgy white metal castings being replaced by brass items from Shedmaster, it turned out not too shabby in the end.
Having achieved a decent result with little or no experience, I have in recent times wondered what sort of a fist I could make of it now. Certainly I will find easier to build and less daunting, but will it be any better? Let's see.
The first obstacle to be overcome is the miss matched main frames. It was like this front and rear.
And the cut outs for the brake hangers didn't match either along with the top edge of one frame being higher than the other !
The crank pin holes in the coupling rods are way too large for Slaters' top hat bushes, so I've replaced them with milled rods from Premier Components. When I set them up in the jig I found the rods didn't match the axle holes in the frames. Using the centre axle hole as the datum, I adjusted the outer holes to match the rods.
And then assembled the frames. I've left the second from front spacer off for now as I'll need to modify the cylinder fitting to make them detachable with the valve gear. I did the same with the first one as even back then I knew that soldering the cylinders to the frames was not a good idea.
As usual for me, the middle axle will "float" so the bearings have not been soldered in place.
Moving on to the body while I'm waiting for the wheels to arrive, I punched out the rivets and made the folds at the bottom of the tanks.
And added some of the tank top detail.
I assemble the lockers to the cab rear bulkhead, but then wondered how the hand brake could work on the real thing if placed under the locker on the fireman's side. The vent holes at the top were also missing so using the cab front plate as a guide I drilled them out. They are a little large but they matched the front ones.
The design of the rear cab suggests there was access into the bunker via the doors above the coal hole. I didn't know if this was the case for the Ivatt (it may be on the BR standard 2 which can also be built from this kit), but Dave Holt very kindly shared and image of the works drawing which pointed me in the right direction. Many thanks to Dave for that
Only the part up to the shelf is from the kit and all the rest is scratch built.
I filled in the opening with a piece cut from waste fret.
After further work I've got to here. The steps on the tank front are scratched as the kit parts were too narrow.
As is the cover for the brake pipe on the rear.
It's not perfect, but with a little filling here and there it should pass muster.
Cheers,
Peter
This was the first 7mm scale brass kit that I built about 40 years ago for my brother, who had just got into 0 gauge. Although it was relatively cheap back then, it was not the best of kits with many faults and most of the important castings being unusable. That said, with the dodgy white metal castings being replaced by brass items from Shedmaster, it turned out not too shabby in the end.
Having achieved a decent result with little or no experience, I have in recent times wondered what sort of a fist I could make of it now. Certainly I will find easier to build and less daunting, but will it be any better? Let's see.
The first obstacle to be overcome is the miss matched main frames. It was like this front and rear.
And the cut outs for the brake hangers didn't match either along with the top edge of one frame being higher than the other !
The crank pin holes in the coupling rods are way too large for Slaters' top hat bushes, so I've replaced them with milled rods from Premier Components. When I set them up in the jig I found the rods didn't match the axle holes in the frames. Using the centre axle hole as the datum, I adjusted the outer holes to match the rods.
And then assembled the frames. I've left the second from front spacer off for now as I'll need to modify the cylinder fitting to make them detachable with the valve gear. I did the same with the first one as even back then I knew that soldering the cylinders to the frames was not a good idea.
As usual for me, the middle axle will "float" so the bearings have not been soldered in place.
Moving on to the body while I'm waiting for the wheels to arrive, I punched out the rivets and made the folds at the bottom of the tanks.
And added some of the tank top detail.
I assemble the lockers to the cab rear bulkhead, but then wondered how the hand brake could work on the real thing if placed under the locker on the fireman's side. The vent holes at the top were also missing so using the cab front plate as a guide I drilled them out. They are a little large but they matched the front ones.
The design of the rear cab suggests there was access into the bunker via the doors above the coal hole. I didn't know if this was the case for the Ivatt (it may be on the BR standard 2 which can also be built from this kit), but Dave Holt very kindly shared and image of the works drawing which pointed me in the right direction. Many thanks to Dave for that
Only the part up to the shelf is from the kit and all the rest is scratch built.
I filled in the opening with a piece cut from waste fret.
After further work I've got to here. The steps on the tank front are scratched as the kit parts were too narrow.
As is the cover for the brake pipe on the rear.
It's not perfect, but with a little filling here and there it should pass muster.
Cheers,
Peter
