7mm On Heather's Workbench - North Eastern Workhorse

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Dopey here realised the reason why there didn't seem to be any covering parts for the smokebox saddle sides was because she'd soldered them all the way round the smokebox. After some careful flamethrowing, the outer wrapper was released. At the same time the front splashers were also taken off in order to gain access for reforming the wrapper.

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For some reason, I felt in a tender mood today. Information - for me at least - seems scarce on the tenders, so I spent a while fitting the parts I could reasonably identify. So, buffer beam gussets, lifting rings and the filler box were attached on top, rail guards down below. Some beading for the front sides was also attached. Then I set to working out the best orientation of the various coal plates.

Depending on era, plates were added to tenders to increase capacity. The era I'm aiming for is the late 1950s, near the end of the J6 service life, so most changes had reasonably been made by then. No scoop, so no vent pipes, but the plates didn't seem to match any of the photos. The kit design is as the photo above: plate to the rear (exact location to be determined), plate to the front, with stepped side tanks upon which sit the lockers. Photos seem to show the front plate was usually nearer in line with the front of the raves, the lockers sitting higher and rotated by ninety degrees and generally under a couple of hundredweights of nutty slack! Hmm.

I posed the question to the client. Go with the kit, or try to work out the actual layout and do some scratch building. The answer came back that I was free to do what I felt best.

Well, my inclination is to make what I see, even though the easiest option is to just build the kit as designed. I am pondering on this.

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And so, back to the boiler. I didn't want to fix the boiler in place just yet, as there's still a deal of mucking about that will be easier with the unit on the bench. However, to fit the overlay properly, the boiler needed to be in place. My solution was temporary low melt solder tacks at the firebox and cab end. That's enough to hold things while I fiddle about at the front.

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I tinned the wrapper and the smokebox at strategic locations along the edges. Clamping it top centre, I tacked the wrapper in place, finishing things off with some RSU work to help the solder flow under the wrapper. This is the state of play: the lower sides are not fixed in place - still monkeying to do, remember - but I'm happy the wrapper is back in place.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
The extended saga of the boiler continues. Having refitted the outer wrapper, it became obvious there were going to be some notable gaps which would be filled on the real thing: front of the firebox and back of the smokebox.

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Thin sheet brass was made to fit, with piercing saw, file, whizzydisc, brute force and ignorance. It could do with some refining, but it'll do for now.

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The valve rods have covers that poke out of the front under the smokebox. They're meant to be at an angle, but my original fitting of the front plate was flat. As the part was half etched, and there was a slot in the footplate, I reckoned a tweak or two would give the relevant angle. So, off the offending part came - worryingly easily, frankly, which says a lot about my soldering at present - and I adjusted it. A bit of scrap etch supported the bottom part, and some adjustment of the holes lets the cast covers sit at a jaunty angle a little more reminiscent of the real thing.

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I also spent an enjoyable hour or two this morning working with the Isinglass drawings and some drills to open out the handrail knob locations, and suitable holes for ejector pipe support brackets. Happily, although they are overetched, the main holes along the boiler aren't so big the brass knobs fall through. I had also marked out the boiler band positions, but it was done with pencil and has since rubbed off. Before I bother doing them over again I'll sort out the washout and inspection plug details.

This kit has been fighting me for the past week, but I am sensing victory is near.
 
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Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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It was time to remove the bodywork cradle and see if all my hard work managed to fit the chassis.

Somewhat inevitably, some of my previous work needed to be revisited with the whizzydisc in order to let the valve guides to fit at the front, and to let the main drive gear to fit at the rear.

Phew!

Time to refit the front splashers. I wasn't really happy with them the first time round, as there was big gap below the sandbox, which led to the whole thing tending to droop to the front. A little scrap etch under that sorted that out. A fair amount of low-melt solder went into filling various gaps, with the tedious scraping and fettling that follows.

Then for the boiler bands. The designer helpfully provided spares in case of disaster. The main bands have representations of the tightening buckles. These are to be at the bottom of the boiler, and provided a useful clamping system with careful application of solder and the iron. I could then adjust the bands and tack them in the right place around the boiler. As brass has this annoying habit of expanding when heated, I didn't try to solder them all round, but dabbed strategic spots of solder to hold them in place. The bands around the firebox have to be trimmed to fit, which meant a slightly heart-in-mouth moment as I was hit soldering very close to a low-melt soldered inspection plate fitted from inside. I managed to get away with it.

I think I've had enough for today. The chassis fits nicely, although it could be tweaked forward a little. I will have to open the oval bolt holes a little to let it shift up a millimetre or so. Front buffer beam and drag beam can be fitted. Next up ought to be handrails and ejector pipework, then the mechanical lubricators and associated pipework - if I can pin down a common theme among the multitudinous varieties on the real thing.

Getting there.
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
Looks good. I gave up using brass boiler bands years ago. I use magic tape, either lined or plain colour and applied before varnish. They are closer to scale and a darn site easier to fit.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Looks good. I gave up using brass boiler bands years ago. I use magic tape, either lined or plain colour and applied before varnish. They are closer to scale and a darn site easier to fit.

Yes, I would probably have gone down that route. Still, it doesn't look too shabby, and compares well with prototype pictures.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
I always do this. I set out a list of things to do, and then do something completely different!

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Wait - isn't that exactly the same image as yesterday?

No, it isn't. Look closely. The front buffer beam is installed. There are things beginning to hang from the running plate, such as sanding pipes and steps. The wheels have balance weights. Tomorrow, I will probably not do the ejector pipe and handrails, but will probably concentrate on researching a likely layout of lubrication pipes and lamp brackets.

Or not, depending on my mood!
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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Aside from the requirement to hack about a millimetre off the chassis - :eek: - after fitting the loco drag beam, plus associated butchery to let the valve guides drop into the chassis, it was a day of fiddling about.

After studying as many clear photos as I could find, I opted for the simple route for the lubrication. Odd little pipes running from below the mechanical lubricator on the footplate, and single pipes running from oil boxes on the front sandboxes, add enough fussiness I think. The ejector pipe was formed after some annealing, and is held in the boiler by half-round brass wire used a split pins. The handrails were fairly straightforward, although the driver's side one required a new hole to be drilled in the front of the cab.

So, apart from attaching the boiler fittings and the cab details, the loco is all but done. Very pleased with the work this past couple of weeks. The tender needs some work yet, but I think that can wait for a bit. Next week into another build.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Very nice Heather, I'm sure that Chaz will be very happy with this new loco.

I hope he will be. He's already noted the front frame lifting rings look very large, so I'll be dealing with that soon. Some suitable brass washers will help what was probably due to the smaller scale photo tool being blown up to 7mm scale.

This has built up into a really nice looking model, well done Heather.

Thank you. It has rough edges, but it'll be alright in the end. :)
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
The joys of a bitsa month. I need some materials for the other job I was intending to do, so it's been put off until next month. Rejigging the schedule, and remembering I had sort of promised to complete the J6 in time for a swap at the Reading trade show in December, I thought it prudent to sort out the tender.

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The brakes and assorted rigging was a mild exercise in frustration. The etched holes for all the gear were large enough to drive a train through! The outside pull rods needed some careful alignment in order to allow for wheelset sideplay without potential electrical problems. Consequently, they are probably a little further outboard than the real thing. The axlebox and spring castings were fitted, as well as the grab rails. I'm leaving the lamp brackets, as I'm investigating whether the usual suspects may have suitable cast items I can use over the fragile fold-up etched ones.

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Today I set about the coal plates. After discussing options with the client, I've invoked Rule One and gone with the way the kit designer intended. My reason for not trying to replicate the more commonly photographed arrangement with the toolboxes behind the front coal plate is chiefly I can't find good, clear reference material for sizes and locations, and it would involve some metalwork that ought really have been done before I got this far.

I'm puzzling over the layout and detailing of the front of the coal space, so I think I'll slip over to Rob's thread on his NE loco build and borrow a few ideas to make it more interesting.

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I've opted to reinforce the upright plate at the front with some milled angle in the coal space.

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A problem with the rear plate is it doesn't fit the profile of the flared top, so I'll do some scratchbuilding to make a new one. It'll also be reinforced with angle at the base. The location is rather notional, based on photographs and my "best guess". In any case it'll probably be covered with overspilt coal!

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Postie just delivered these natty plates from Narrow Planet. Very pleased with the works plates, which are based on the Thatcher range which NP has. Well worth a rummage in their catalogue now for all kinds of useful and interesting platework.

There will a short hiatus while my workbench is shifted to make space for the window fitters to replace the cracked pane. Normal service may be resumed later.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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Today I set myself some easy tasks: make and fit the rear coal plate, and get the whole thing wired up for current collection and make it go.

It's nice to see the machine lumbering up the test plank under its own power. I think a session of running in is called for, though I think the chassis has been run in a little by Paul before I got it.

The next big job, after tidying up the wiring fixing points, is to sort out the tender coupling. The kit one suffers from oversized holes and is rather, let's be charitable, slack.

I'm glad the wiring is out of the way, because it's one of my least favourite things to do. It's always a fiddle - for me, at least - and seems to take ages to accomplish. I'm looking forward to getting back to building coaches with fewer wiggly bits and not needing electrificating most of the times!
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
I think I'm almost into the final fiddly detailing stage. Finding reference material for the human/machine interface parts of these locos, though, is like searching for rocking horse poo.

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With the aid of some of the parts from the kit, and some parts from the Bits Box, I think this makes a fair representation of the front end of the tender. There is one part, though, which I can't find a home for. It's called a "drop plate" in the instructions, is a rectangle with small loop on top which I assume is a handle of some sort. My impression is it was a form of baffle or plate to control the coal chute, but I can't find where it's supposed to go - and it doesn't fit neatly anywhere I've tried. I suppose it'll have to be left out. I've left the toolboxes unfitted for now. I'm not keen on soldering edges to surfaces, so I shall probably glue them later. I'm expecting to give the tender and loco superstructure a nice wash in my ultrasonic bath later.

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The business end of the loco is coming along. The reversing lever fits well enough - I guess these were right-hand drive locos. The backhead is a single casting with all the detail bar the regulator moulded in. Somewhat optimistically, there are some etched handwheels, and cast gauges, which I may or may not use. While the cab is open, once the crew is in place I don't think fine detail will be missed. One to ponder, I think.

While I was at it, I fabricated a new tender coupling. Amazingly, it works a treat, so I'm pleased with that. Speaking of couplings, the client will be fitting Dingham autocouplers to the loco, so I have installed a bit of brass angle behind the buffer beams in line with the coupling slot to aid fixing the units in place.

At this rate, I shall be heading for the paint shop before I know it!
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Since the last post, the chassis has had an intensive running-in session on the rolling road. This is no criticism of Paul, the builder of the inside motion, but there was a little stickiness that didn't seem to want to iron itself out by running. Investigation on the bench found one of the eccentric straps was ever so slightly tight at one point in the motion's revolution. The trick of a dribble of Brasso on the offending area, plus a good half an hour in each direction at a decently lick, freed things up well. Okay, I'll have to retouch the paintwork, but that's a small price to pay.

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I started thinking about final details today. I installed the whistle. Like a lot of locos of the same vintage, it has this interesting lever and chain affair that I can't quite figure out how it works. Anyway, I've repurposed a spare etched part to represent the top bar, and I'll drop some twisted wire down through the roof as the chain after painting.

Next, I fitted the cab doors. Then the thought struck me that there's precious little space between the cab and tender side sheets. It must have been a bit of a squeeze for portly crew members! Further tests showed the doors would simply be a hindrance to negotiating curves, so I opted to bend them inwards as if they're opened. In a way, that's a disappointment, but at least it hides some of the worst horrors of the cast backhead. That's also been fitted. I usually prefer painting before fitting, but as it's held in to the firebox by low-melt blobs, I felt I could daub paint in through the cab rear.

With the backhead in, it made sense to sort out some crew figures. The usual suspects from Andrew Stadden and Heroes of the Footplate, I've plonked the driver on the left of the cab - the regulator lever is something that appears to be intended for either side working, though the reverser is on the right. The driver wouldn't fit on the right, so he's peering through the left hand spectacle, with the fireman observing over on the right, obviously between his usual duties.

I'm trying to work out why I am not fitting the details on the top of the boiler. If I can't find a suitable reason, I expect they'll be installed shortly, probably with two-part epoxy. Then it's just waiting on the LG lamp bracket castings and I can think about cleaning the model up for some paint.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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Laurie Griffin lamp brackets arrived in the post this morning. They're a one hundred per cent improvement over the folded up etch ones.

With the client's help, some cab information has been turned up, so I can add a few more twiddly bits in there later. Unfortunately, that may not be until tomorrow, as Best Beloved and I are treating our neighbours to lunch shortly. It's a way of thanking them for looking after our cat while we gallivant around the country.
 

Locomodels

Western Thunderer
Heather I do agree with you about the lamp brackets, a great improvement. Naturally I did not take your comments about the valve gear as a critisism. As you know I thought that I had run it enough but obviously not so. The nice thing about the valve gear on this loco is that, with the huge gap under the boiler, it is very visible. So it was well worth the effort of fitting it. It would look very empty without it. You have made a very nice job of the whole loco, who would now guess that the original kit was so old. Very well done indeed.

Paul.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Thanks Paul! :)

As so often is the way, the more you study photos the more you discover. In today's disjointed workbench - the lunch was lovely, thanks for asking - I realised I needed to make and fit some species of injectors under the cab steps. This is where it gets tricksy.

As originally built, it seems the injectors were inside the frames under the cab, mixed up amongst the brake cylinders and associated mechanisms. All that could be seen from outside was a drain pipe, snaking out and fixed under the bottom step. I was all up for doing just that, when studying as many photos as I have to see if I could discern a pattern I discovered a later form where the injectors - you guessed it - were fitted outside the frames and visible to the world.

The change seemed to take place centred around the war years, but the outside injectors definitely become a thing in every post war loco photographed. Bother.

Back in the summer I bought some castings I thought would be usable, but sadly they don't bear any resemblance to what I can see. Into the Bits Box, since I thought perhaps some spare GWR type castings might do. Well, I'm sure they would "do" but not without some fiddle and faff.

Of course, no photo is clear enough to let me make out the exact form of the injectors. Anything I come up with will be notional at best. With nothing suitable from the Bits Box, and not feeling I can get away with an incorrect style (though the client would no doubt say he wouldn't mind), I shall attempt to bodge something together tomorrow. I fancy various lengths of brass tube with attached wire pipework will suffice.

And I thought I was nearly done!
 
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