7mm On Heather's workbench - Western royalty
- Thread starter Heather Kay
- Start date
Mr Grumpy
Western Thunderer
simond
Western Thunderer
I'd avoid getting it on your skin, and wash everything thoroughly. I think it's fine if treated with appropriate respect.
I have used a jam jar to let parts bathe in a diluted solution of gun blue. This works too.
You may find that if you put it on neat, the blackening flakes off - moderate dilution seems to prevent this.
Getting a good, adherent, even coating is a bit of a black art. Sorry, coat, hat, gas mask, etc...
I have used a jam jar to let parts bathe in a diluted solution of gun blue. This works too.
You may find that if you put it on neat, the blackening flakes off - moderate dilution seems to prevent this.
Getting a good, adherent, even coating is a bit of a black art. Sorry, coat, hat, gas mask, etc...
Osgood
Western Thunderer
I was going to ask if you used distilled water to dilute, but then found the answer here - along with some quite useful tips (the text appears to have a slight grammatical arrhythmia): Gun Blue Instructions
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
As you all know, my personal modelling preferences (and consequently most of my reference library) are for things not to the west of Paddington. I have any number of books covering aspects of LNWR, MR, L&YR, LMS, and BR(M), and the sum total of pictures of Westerns is below ten - and most of those in the wrong period!
I know the interwebs is stuffed full of images, but it's not the exterior I am interested in. Outside, the type didn't really change markedly, aside from liveries. What I am after are any images that show the general layout of the engine room. A plan or schematic would be helpful, with regard to arrangements of the twin power plants and the steam heating boiler. Some clue as the paint finish would be most helpful, too.
The reason is because this model will have a pair of Steve Beattie's Maybachs installed, but there will be an inevitable gap in the middle where the Spanner MkIII train heating boiler went.
Any info gratefully received, thank you.
Meanwhile, a dry run with the bodywork to check for fit and finish.
I am pleased to report that all components fit neatly, are the right length, and will need minimal filling and fettling. You may note the roof is in the wrong way round - at least as far as I can work out. The steam heat boiler flue should be this side, I believe. I am open to correction on this.
I know the interwebs is stuffed full of images, but it's not the exterior I am interested in. Outside, the type didn't really change markedly, aside from liveries. What I am after are any images that show the general layout of the engine room. A plan or schematic would be helpful, with regard to arrangements of the twin power plants and the steam heating boiler. Some clue as the paint finish would be most helpful, too.
The reason is because this model will have a pair of Steve Beattie's Maybachs installed, but there will be an inevitable gap in the middle where the Spanner MkIII train heating boiler went.
Any info gratefully received, thank you.
Meanwhile, a dry run with the bodywork to check for fit and finish.
I am pleased to report that all components fit neatly, are the right length, and will need minimal filling and fettling. You may note the roof is in the wrong way round - at least as far as I can work out. The steam heat boiler flue should be this side, I believe. I am open to correction on this.
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Heather,
Modern Loco Illus. number 200, the Westerns, has a plan of the interior, might have some illustrations. Available from publisher, here .
A book worth having is Diesel Hydraulic Locomotives of the Western Region... published by David & Charles... long out of print so only via Amazon, Abebooks, E-bay...
Here are links to a couple of current adverts:-
9780715367698: Diesel-hydraulic Locomotives of the Western Region (Locomotive Study) - AbeBooks - Reed, Brian: 0715367692
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diesel-hydraulic-Locomotives-Western-Region-Locomotive/dp/0715367692
Or - contact Ian (@D1054) who has access to the Wizzos on the Valley and he may be able to take some pictures.
regards, Graham
Modern Loco Illus. number 200, the Westerns, has a plan of the interior, might have some illustrations. Available from publisher, here .
A book worth having is Diesel Hydraulic Locomotives of the Western Region... published by David & Charles... long out of print so only via Amazon, Abebooks, E-bay...
Here are links to a couple of current adverts:-
9780715367698: Diesel-hydraulic Locomotives of the Western Region (Locomotive Study) - AbeBooks - Reed, Brian: 0715367692
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diesel-hydraulic-Locomotives-Western-Region-Locomotive/dp/0715367692
Or - contact Ian (@D1054) who has access to the Wizzos on the Valley and he may be able to take some pictures.
regards, Graham
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Thanks Mr B. I've found a schematic online, which helps a bit with internal layout.
Further digging required.
Further digging required.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
That's strange, all my best results using Birchwood Casey have all been applied using a cotton bud. That said the cotton bud seems to perform better once it's started to break up a bit (before it collapses completely of course
). I suspect that when new, cotton buds are starched or something similar to get them to retain their shape and until it starts to break down they don't seem to leave as good a coating or finish.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Got it! Thanks Alan. 
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Wanting to make some headway I tackled the bogies yesterday. As this model is static, no worrying about power, drive train, pickups, wiring, fiddlefaddle. Shouldn't take long...
It took me most of the afternoon to firstly figure out how the bajillion brass castings went together, and secondly to actually attach them to the bogie frames. The instructions were helpful, but I needed to study several of the photos to actually work anything out. Even then some construction steps were oddly missing, but then that's more or less par it seems. By close of play I had all the wheels fitted, all the brake clasps fitted, and most of the wheels still went round.
Today, the pull rods and the bolsters. Hats off to anyone that has managed to make an electrically-powered set of bogies that actually move. Having managed to learn a few choice swear words, the main assembly is now complete. How I'm ever going to paint it to my satisfaction remains to be seen. I suspect both bogies will literally be blasted with black paint, then parts ungummed later!
If I'm ever asked to build another Western I shall have to give serious thought to how to make it so wheels might be removable at a later stage. As it is, all the brake knitting will have to be effectively destroyed if the client ever decides he wants to power this beastie in the future. In fact, it would be quicker to get replacement parts from JLTRT and start over!
I think it's the pull rods that run behind the wheels. I'd be tempted to leave them off if I was building a powered model. Anyway, onwards!
I ordered a pair of Maybachs from Steve Beattie yesterday. I got a nice email asking if I didn't mind waiting a short while because the kits on the shelf looked very tired. New castings were being done for Kettering in a couple of weeks. I'm fine with that, and I've arranged to collect at the show. I might be tempted by one of his 08 engines as a load for the Crocodile. Meanwhile, research into Spanner boilers goes on so I can make something that sort of looks the part.
It took me most of the afternoon to firstly figure out how the bajillion brass castings went together, and secondly to actually attach them to the bogie frames. The instructions were helpful, but I needed to study several of the photos to actually work anything out. Even then some construction steps were oddly missing, but then that's more or less par it seems. By close of play I had all the wheels fitted, all the brake clasps fitted, and most of the wheels still went round.
Today, the pull rods and the bolsters. Hats off to anyone that has managed to make an electrically-powered set of bogies that actually move. Having managed to learn a few choice swear words, the main assembly is now complete. How I'm ever going to paint it to my satisfaction remains to be seen. I suspect both bogies will literally be blasted with black paint, then parts ungummed later!
If I'm ever asked to build another Western I shall have to give serious thought to how to make it so wheels might be removable at a later stage. As it is, all the brake knitting will have to be effectively destroyed if the client ever decides he wants to power this beastie in the future. In fact, it would be quicker to get replacement parts from JLTRT and start over!
I think it's the pull rods that run behind the wheels. I'd be tempted to leave them off if I was building a powered model. Anyway, onwards!
I ordered a pair of Maybachs from Steve Beattie yesterday. I got a nice email asking if I didn't mind waiting a short while because the kits on the shelf looked very tired. New castings were being done for Kettering in a couple of weeks. I'm fine with that, and I've arranged to collect at the show. I might be tempted by one of his 08 engines as a load for the Crocodile. Meanwhile, research into Spanner boilers goes on so I can make something that sort of looks the part.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
It is certainly an imposing beastie. You can sort of see why they developed such a following as a class.
Incidentally, now I've posed things with the bogies in place, how is it supposed to negotiate anything other than arrow straight track work? There is virtually no swing available unless most of the brake gear at the front and rear of each bogie is removed.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Wow! A month!
Anyway, I am reliably informed a powered JLTRT Western with full complement of brake and bogie bits will just get round an 8ft radius.
So, while a new back door and window is being installed in our kitchen, and we try to keep as much heat in the house as possible while a gaping hole is filled with new stuff, I thought I should have a look at the bags of bits collected from Mr Beattie at Kettering.
Oh boy. Lots of sanding to come, I think.
Anyway, I am reliably informed a powered JLTRT Western with full complement of brake and bogie bits will just get round an 8ft radius.
So, while a new back door and window is being installed in our kitchen, and we try to keep as much heat in the house as possible while a gaping hole is filled with new stuff, I thought I should have a look at the bags of bits collected from Mr Beattie at Kettering.
Oh boy. Lots of sanding to come, I think.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Having tidied things up, I can say that while the castings are, to be honest, a little agricultural, everything I need is there. They're going to be only visible through unilluminated windows, so the impressionistic nature isn't really an issue.
If I wanted one as a wagon load, as I have considered for the Crocodile for example, I'd be a little less pleased. It would probably end up under a tarp, in which case a carved lump of balsa would do the same job at no cost.
If I wanted one as a wagon load, as I have considered for the Crocodile for example, I'd be a little less pleased. It would probably end up under a tarp, in which case a carved lump of balsa would do the same job at no cost.