Building an Ace Kits "K"

[oldravendale]

Many thanks for your comments. As you doubtless realise, my "K" is in 7mm and I have no knowledge about the availability of a kit in 4mm. I'm rather surprised there is no RTR 4mm version actually.

Painting is proceeding. The paint run on the tender is now rubbed down again and I'll try to spray it again today. The loco itself is pretty well finished - buffer beams and cab interior still to paint but that's all. I'm really not happy about the quality of my lining though. It's much less satisfactory than previous hand lined jobs I've done which I can really only put down to shaky hands. In short the paint job will look OK, but will not be my finest hour.

I've been through my drawings and have to say that I'm finding it difficult to read off the lengths of the coupling or con rods. Fortunately this was one area in the kit where the axle holes match the coupling rods, and the con rod to cylinder measurement works, so I've not tried to re-engineer that area at all.

Brian

 

[oldravendale]

Oh ye of little faith.

Mind you, this thread started on 1st August 2014. I think four years is a record even for me.

Here it is. Very close to being finished, but I've just realised that I've not lined out the tender frames. Once that's done I'll try to take some better photos with a less cluttered background and with the loco in focus throughout it's length!

I also have to deal with the back head. It's in hand, but hasn't caught up with the work on the loco.

Overall I'm pleased with the build. My hand lining is truly awful, though. I seem to get worse with practice rather than better, and next time I'll either use commercial transfers or have the model professionally painted. In fact, in the flesh, the thing looks a lot better than the photos suggest.

The DCC decoder has been fitted and works well out of the box without any adjustment to the CVs despite the Portescap motor/gearbox, at least so far. I'll take the loco to club tonight and give it a longer test to see if that shows up any hiccups. Thanks, Nigel, for your advice.



And finally, just to demonstrate that the cab doors work..... They'll rarely if ever be in use, though. Most photos of the Ks at work show that the doors were usually open.



Despite the travails I reckon this catches the spirit of the Brighton K pretty well. I'll not be building another though.

Brian

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Brian,

A great result and I think that you deserve a gold medal for perseverance.

regards

Mike

 

[Scanlon]

Superb - oh for a decent kit!!!!!!!!!!!!
Roger

 

[oldravendale]

Thank you for the lovely comments and for the totally undeserved "Likes" - unless it's the sympathy vote.

A quick update - the loco ran at club last night on a roundy roundy for a couple of hours and was then put to work for another hour. It performed faultlessly and hauled a very decent freight up an equally decent incline.

I have to say that I'm well pleased.

The final episode when I've completed the tender lining, backhead and scale crankpin nuts to replace the BA versions currently in use.

Brian

 

[Pencarrow]

You should be very pleased with and proud of the excellent result of your labours with the ACE. Can't be many that have persevered through hell and high water with the kit.

 

[oldravendale]

Thanks Chris.

You know what's the best thing about this forum? It's the encouragement and congratulations when an end point is reached, no matter whether the results are good, bad or indifferent (like the lining on the K - but I did it by my own fair hand so it's not coming off!) Everyone on here appreciates the difficulties we all go through and understand. A lot of our number are incredibly good model makers, for whom the K wouldn't even reach first base but they are as enthusiastic and helpful as they can be when they see someone having a bash and showing improvements as time goes on. I've also found the criticism on here to be wonderfully constructive, and this model wouldn't be half what it is without that help.

So a genuine thanks to everyone for your enthusiasm when my mojo went on holiday, which happened a few times during this build.

Brian

 

[Peter Cross]

Brian I would be well pleased with the way the k has turned out. Not the best starting place, but without scratch building there's not a lot of choice.
Any idea about what's up next, apart from it not being another Ace kit.

 

[oldravendale]

Hi Peter.

I've actually started a Finney A3 to go with the DJH version I built a year or two ago. The DJH one is Tagalie, with no smoke deflectors. The new one will be Merry Hampton with smoke deflectors. I saw both at Kings Cross in 1900 and frozen to death.

I'm seriously considering an MOK Q1 for my surprise gift to myself at Telford. They were part of my misspent youth at Feltham Shed - that was a difficult one to get round, pretty well in the middle of a field - but I'd like an S15 to go with it.

Brian

PS With potential new members in mind I'm about to start introducing a 12 year old at my club to the art of soldering. I'll put him on to WT and hope he may contribute with lots of questions. It'll do us grey beards good to have an inquiring young mind asking about the b****ing obvious - but it wasn't so obvious to us a million years ago, was it? Sadly he says that he has only a single friend with a railway interest. But he was brought to railway modelling via a "drive a train" program on the web. He loves to see Walschaerts valve gear in motion. Potential engineer there, I suspect.

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Brian,

you will love the MOK Q1 and have it built, painted, weathered and running in no time - I thoroughly enjoyed my two builds.

regards

Mike

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I saw both at Kings Cross in 1900

Time travel or 7 pm?

 

[Peter Cross]

Hopefully not an Ace S15 as they are terrible.

 

[oldravendale]

Oh no! I've not found another maker yet. But if there's only the one alternative........that's still a definite no.

B

 

[Steph Dale]

There's a Maunsell S15 from Gladiator (ne Northstar). Likely to be quite buildable. As standard it comes with the flat-sided Maunsell bogie tender, which would need checking for suitability for a Feltham loco. I've a feeling the flat-sided 4000g six wheel version may be more appropriate?

Steph

 

[oldravendale]

I have a photo at Feltham which indeed shows an S15 with a six wheel tender. However, the Feltham allocation was not exclusively six wheel tenders. Here's one of 30824 definitely with an 8-wheel tender. I'm not certain about the one of 30837 as only a small proportion of the tender is visible, but from what can be seen I suspect it might be the 8-wheel variety. However, I have a later photo of 30837 inside Feltham shed previous to its final run and it has a six wheel tender then.



Thank for the info about Gladiator - worth consideration. If I build an S15 it'll have the 8 wheel tender.

B

 

[Ressaldar]

That last picture of 30837, it is definitely a six wheel tender - the top flare goes in whereas the eight wheel version flares out on a radius.

I’m looking forward seeing the build progress soon.

Regards

Mike

 

[oldravendale]

Thanks Mike.

Obvious when you point it out! However, Feltham clearly hosted 8-wheel tender locos as well as the six- wheel variety. In any event, I like the 8-wheel tenders so rule 1 would have applied anyway!

B

 

[oldravendale]

That's a Urie Bogie Tender with 30824. Just checking the web site and the Gladiator "standard" kit includes the Maunsell Bogie tender. However, their web site states: "We have produced and sold a small number of Maunsell S15 locos with the Urie 5000 gallon bogie tender. Please enquire for future availability."

Those familiar with my ramblings of an unsound mind will know that I like to create "locos I have known". It should therefore be of 30824, although I must admit to knowing quite a few of the class. I may have to do some research to find out which of the S15s I saw with the Maunsell tender - there'll be a few.

I'll have to enquire about the Urie tender at Telford.......

B

 

[P A D]

Hi Brian,
You're a brave man to go with the ruling pen on the lining. I have dozens of pens at my disposal in my drawing instrument collection, but I don't have the skill to use them. I know I can get a better result with transfers, but sooner or later I may take the plunge.

You mention you've started a Finney A3 and I trust you will document the build on here. It will be good to see your take on it.

Cheers,
Peter

 

[oldravendale]

Hi Peter.

Looking at the K my lining quality is declining, not improving. It's not down to the pen but my own skill. In fact I've had better results with the Bob Moore lining pen but I've even had problems with that due to the flow of paint through the pens. I always buy new paint when using them too. I'll maybe have another go for the next loco, but if it doesn't work to my satisfaction I'll go to a professional!

I also recognise that the lining pen needs a thicker paint consistency - it was when I used it, but I wonder whether the paint consistency was still not right. I guess the way to practice that is to leave the paint open to allow the solvent to evaporate and identify the correct consistency.

I'll keep in touch on that one.

As for the A3, yes, I'll document the build. I have to declare an interest, of course, as one of the partners of Finney7. At the moment, though, I'm finishing the K - tender lining was done yesterday and there'll be a short delay in finishing the backhead while I draw out our kitchen for the upcoming rebuild. In fact I spent yesterday afternoon starting to clear up the workshop - I'm about half way through that task. I also have some DCC decoders to fit to various locos, and the decoder in the 7F needs checking for a sound problem (ie, it suddenly doesn't work, although the loco drives OK). I also have to take the decoder out of the DJH A3 and send it to Howes to have the sound profile reinstalled as the one installed at the moment is cr*p.

Brian