7mm The Derby Line - Rolling Stock

[dibateg]

One of the challenges with LMS boilers is the boiler/firebox relationship. In this kit I suspect the firebox is a DJH casting and it seems to suffer from the the same problems a some of the 4mm ones ( or it could be my bad assembly of course ). This is that the rake from fromt to back is too steep. I seem to have spent days ( well I have actually on and off ) fettling boiler and firebox to fit properly. I had to take a little material off the back and bottom of the casting, but in all my fiddling - I might have cause dthat anyway! It definately pays to get the boiler cone exactly right, I hamfistedly got it out by about a 3rd of a mill, and that was enough to cause mayhem. I decided it was too difficult to blowlamp apart, but it's resulted in a lot of mucking about.
So at last putting it alongside Lambo's 8F it at last, looks right, I also compared with drawings and photos of course. All I need now is the courage to permanently fix the whole lot together... That won't happen just yet, as I need to fit washout plugs ( the ones on the firebox are a little indistict ) and the ones on the upper side of the boiler need adding, as 8Fs had them added later on in their lives..

 

[Rob Pulham]

Looking very nice Tony

 

[welshwizard]

Tony put the furniture on and look again.

 

[dibateg]

A couple of grab shots:
Latest arrival back at the works is 61974, after being away to be lined by Paul Moore, who has done another excellent job. I decided my time was better spent building rather than lning out... Now just to apply the finishing touches.


Meanwhile, work has been progressing on the 8F chassis with brakes and sanding gear well in hand. The sand pipe brackets are not quite correct, and nor are the cross beam linkages exactly right for that matter, but they will do.


It was great to see everyone at Kettering, I met so many people I know I struggled to get round all the stands!

 

[7mmMick]

Lovely shot of the K3 Tony, what about the 53A shed plate Any chance of a quick run down on the lining, products, general tips etc.. I know it's someone elses work but any info would be great. 8f coming on nicely as well, the pipe work looks great in copper, will this be kept free from paint and blackened to emulate the real thing ??

ATB Mick

 

[dibateg]

Thanks Mick, the shed plate is 40B before she went to Hull, I'm so forgetful, I thought I'd gone for a Hull plate. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about the lining, the loco's go away and come back lined! I struggle with Fox lining and because of the size of my build list, it is better for me to farm some jobs out.
The 8f will be grubby, so it's unlikely there will be much exposed copper work..

Regards

Tony

 

[dibateg]

Another test assembly, but the firebox washouts have been drilled out and 1mm square n/s bar added to represent the plugs as well as handrail knobs, cleats and safety valves being fixed on. In later years 8Fs had extra washout plugs in the top of the boiler, so these were drilled out and Warren Shepherd turned washout plugs added behind. These were held in place with blackened brass tube and a little blu-tac and soldered on the inside.


Now all the pipes and sanding gear are added, the chassis is now ready for masking, spraying ( if we get any sun in Mid Wales this week! ) and weathering before adding all the running gear:-

 

[alcazar]

Quite remarkable.
How do you have the courage to cover it in paint when it looks so good in metal?

 

[dibateg]

Yes, I know what you are saying Alcazar, perhaps thats why Dikitriki takes so long to paint his engines! They do look great unpainted, but to me it's a means to an end, I enjoy the building process, but that is part of the journey to create a grubby workaday 8F. I just make sure I take plenty of pics on the way...

Regards

Tony

 

[dibateg]

The 8F progresses, I made a botch job of attaching the firebox to the boiler with the first solder tack and got the whole thing twisted. I ended up having to drill out the tack ( from the inside of course ) and using brute force to get them apart. Just one small atck was remarkably strong. A more considered approach ended up with it all a lot straighter. I always find with steam loco's, finally attaching boiler to to cab and running plate critical, and usually put it off as long as possible,as it is so final and make or break the model....

Now to weather the underframe before putting the wheels on.:-

 

[Scale7JB]

Finally attaching the boiler is definitely a big 'Grab your Hats' moment, though at the same time it's nice at that point to be able to take off any formers that might be attached to the valances..

JB.

 

[welshwizard]

Looking good Tony.

 

[dibateg]

Well, it's not the 8F at the moment,

but a bit of an ooops! moment when trying to remove the lamp irons on my Finescale B1. For an early engine, the plain irons are more suitable than the type designed for electric lights that the model comes with. Anyway whilst giving one a good tug as I applied the soldering iron, the whole front assembly came off! Anyway it made it easier to work on, and the original lamp irons were cut out with Zurons. I think they were casting as a spigot appeared to go through the front platform. New replacement irons are from Laurie Griffing, with 4mm coach door handles to form the step. Other mods include CPL crank pin nuts, srtrips of pasticard along the top of the frames to hide the motor and putting the loco in gear by unsoldering the pin for the expansion link and tweaking the reversing gear to put it in forward gear.
Anyway it is a fine model and just a few mods brings it to how I want it.
The front platform has now been re-attached! Paint and grime will hide any marks.

 

[dibateg]

There is a whole lot of weathering to do yet, but I couldnt resist a face off between 61974 and Kudu. The B1's front platform has been re-attached! I never imagined that I would own a 7mm scale K3. They look far too clean of course, but I'm in the endless process of putting in glazing, selecting a crew, adding coal, and all the other little bits needed to finish a loco. Soon all those shiny bits will be banished!
The snow has put paid to any weathering, and it will be well after the York show before I get time for that...

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Tony,

great work as usual, looking forward to seeing the end products

cheers

Mike

 

[7mmMick]

Hi Tony,

What a fine pair you have, one day I hope to have a pair as lovely as yours In all seriousness I have a vicious case of model envy, two of my favourate class of engine, fantastic models. I'm very excited to see them with a bit of muck added. Are you coming to York this weekend ? If so try and pop to the S7 stand and say hello ,

ATB Mick

 

[dibateg]

It's back on to the 8F, whilst I plan a painting weekend. I'm now assembling the motion. One thing I found - the con rods are a little short.. this affects the combination lever as it passes through the valve crosshead, so some filing has to be done to allow it to swing at an extreme angle towards the rear of the loco. Achievable with care.
I use till receipts ( folded here ) to prevent solder flooding the joints and here I'm just putting in the union links:-

I supposed I could have blackened them as they will be weathered anyway...

 

[dibateg]

Ah well, if Richard is going to show off his spaghetti, so will I! The 8F motion complete. I had to figure out what to do with the weighshaft as the motion bracket on each side is removable, so I hit on using 2mm brass tube, cut in half and using 1mmN/S wire to make a male/female location so it can seperate when the motion brackets are taken off.
Then to put in the motor, the axle was vey tight in the ABC gearbox and I deduced that is was surface corrosion on the slaters axle. After some gentle emery work I span it in the gearbox bearings using the mini drill, now it is free enough...
I also weather my stuff as I build it, saves having to strip it again for painting.

 

[Dikitriki]

Do we have to rename Heyside 'Spaghetti Junction'?

Very nice Tony.

 

[3 LINK]

Or it could be " walschaerts halt " .

It's looking great, another 8f without any solder on show .

Regards,

Martyn.