The past few days have been spent with small items of detailing. (Although not shown here, and in the early stages of production, are the Southern 3-link loco couplings from CPL. Absolutely stonking castings which need some effort to get right but boy, are they worth the effort).
Following the last set of photos I've added the final lamp iron to the tender, and next came the vac and steam pipes. On the prototype the steam pipe loose end is attached to the loco with a chain to stop it flapping around. This isn't catered for in the kit and initially I was going to use the old twisted wire trick. However, some time back I bought a length of exceptionally fine chain - at a dolls house exhibition I seem to remember - which I've used on occasional wagons to represent the chain attached to the peg for holding the brakes down. It works very well and looks the business because it moves like the real thing.
Here's the chain attached to a .3 mm wire which just about goes through one of the links. Goodness knows what the link count per inch is, but it's a lot! The example in the first photo is about 5/8 " long.
This photo shows it as presented in the pack. This looks to be by a European manufacturer or supplier, but I've long forgotten who it was.
Here it is attached to the front of the loco. In retrospect, rather than solder the top link to brass wire I should have looped the wire and then I could have cyano glued the wire behind the buffer beam, but I didn't! Should it break and need replacing after painting that's the route I'll follow for a replacement. The bent wire is to give a curve to the tubing.
On the tender the fittings are complete.
In fact the loco/tender is now ready for the paint shop, I reckon (well, once the couplings are finished, and they are not dependent on painting as they'll be one of the last parts to be fitted). It'll have to wait until the weather improves, which probably means next year.
In the meantime to the next project - an MOK "King Arthur". Yum yum! But that'll be after completing the backhead for the "K" - you remember the "K"?
Brian