Having adjusted the slide bar bracket on the left hand side, and added the valve gear etc on the right, I turned my attention to the lifting link and weight shaft. As the weight shaft brackets need to be demountable when the valve gear and cylinders are removed, there needs to be some way for the weight shaft to separate. First the lifting links were fitted to suitable lengths of NS rod and fitted into the weight shaft bearings. The kit provides a brass bush to solder to one end of one side of the rod, with the other end loose so that when the brackets are unscrewed, they can separate with the valve gear. Following the instruction, would mean the valve gear on each side could be set independently, when what is required is that both sides are set the same. I chose to replace this with some suitable brass tube, soldered to the right hand side, but with a slot filed at the other end. The shaft on the left side was drilled to take some 0.7mm NS wire, cut and filed to locate in the slot in the brass tube. Here they are before fitting to the frames. The two tiny castings are the blocks that slide in the slots in the ends of the radius rods. After fitting in the slot, they are connected to the ends of the lifting links with 0.8mm NS wire.
Here they are linked together.
And a view of the left hand side after fitting. There is a slight issue with the reversing shaft which is provided as to short etchings that are laminated (Ken, these are parts 159, from the list of unidentified parts that you posted). The problem is whether to leave loose it to pivot, or solder it in a fixed position. After faffing around trying various options to get it to work, I decided it did not bring enough to the party to warrant further time and effort and soldered it. However, in forward gear it sticks up like this. No problem as there is room behind the tank and it does not foul anything.
In reverse gear it looks like this. It just clears the wheel, but potentially can touch when the axle rocks in the compensation.
So I set it like this when in mid gear, and cut it short so that there is no chance of touching the wheel in full forward gear.
Here's a view of the weight shaft from above.
So, nearly there with the under pinnings. I just need to fit the sanding gear, injectors and plumbing and await the arrival of the motor and gear box. It's running pretty freely, but I will run it in further by pushing it up and down on a meter of track for while.
Most of the plumbing will be on this side with the injectors and of course there is still work to do in the cab, plus the steam and break pipes to be added.
I think the slide bar bracket angle is OK now. As I mentioned earlier, with the body on, there's not a lot of the reversing shaft that can be seen. There are 7 oil pipes that need fitting to the cylinders, valve chest, the valve slide bars, the upper main slide bars and the oil pot next to the stuffing gland. The ones from the valve slides would go up to the lubricator, so the question will be how to secure the upper ends so they are not flopping loose. Before that, I will straighten the regulator rod which I seem to have bent.
And the other side.
Cheers,
Peter