P A D
Western Thunderer
It was not a very productive session this afternoo, but I did get a few more details on the loco. The upper front lamp bracket on these locos is fixed to the handrail, so after bending the rail from the etched strip provided, a flat was filed on the top of the pillar, to facilitate the joint. Fortunately the smokebox door is removable via the simple "bayonet" fixing, as I had to hold the lamp iron from above using a short length of coffee stirrer and solder it from the underside. Much earlier to do with the white metal casting safely out of the way. I made it that way to allow the addition of a chip and speaker at a later date if required, but I also note that the door ring was bare metal so it will be easier for Warren to be able to remove it.
Lower down the lamp irons were fixed to the running plate and valve chest cover, and the buffers were epoxied to the buffer beam.
And a view from the front. I note that the buffer beam will be lined, so I'll make some mods to allow the steam pipe to be fixed to the chassis. I've already fixed the one on the tender to the buffer beam, so I'll have of revisit that. The buffer head on the right in the photo has been fettled to remove the machining marks, but the other one is still to do
The only other parts that were fixed today were the sandbox filler lids behind the grab rail on the running plate. I note from prototype photos that there is an oil box either side on the inside of the frame just to the rear of the smokebox where the two rivets are. I'll knock them up from square brass rod and solder them in place. Easy to do with the boiler being removable. I used to think that it was a waste of time doing that, but having now built 6 locos that way, I can see the benefits both from the building and painting point of view.
Hopefully tomorrow's session will more productive and I can get all the remaining castings on. The cast brass ship's wheel that Tony Geary kindly sent me arrived today, so I'll put that on the tender as well.
Cheers,
Peter
Lower down the lamp irons were fixed to the running plate and valve chest cover, and the buffers were epoxied to the buffer beam.
And a view from the front. I note that the buffer beam will be lined, so I'll make some mods to allow the steam pipe to be fixed to the chassis. I've already fixed the one on the tender to the buffer beam, so I'll have of revisit that. The buffer head on the right in the photo has been fettled to remove the machining marks, but the other one is still to do
The only other parts that were fixed today were the sandbox filler lids behind the grab rail on the running plate. I note from prototype photos that there is an oil box either side on the inside of the frame just to the rear of the smokebox where the two rivets are. I'll knock them up from square brass rod and solder them in place. Easy to do with the boiler being removable. I used to think that it was a waste of time doing that, but having now built 6 locos that way, I can see the benefits both from the building and painting point of view.
Hopefully tomorrow's session will more productive and I can get all the remaining castings on. The cast brass ship's wheel that Tony Geary kindly sent me arrived today, so I'll put that on the tender as well.
Cheers,
Peter