7mm On Heather's Workbench - Prairie ago-go

NickK

Active Member
Just started reading this thread Heather as I have a couple of Warren Shephards 45xx to build, one is being built as 4575 with the sloping tanks as Warren has just had a test etch back to do his build to make sure it's ok. He now does cast bunker corners, full height and also a cast firebox top for the 45/4575 so you might like to have a word with him. You can find pics of the bunker corners on his website.

All the best with your recovery

Nick
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Thanks Nick. It’s generally hard enough making the kit parts fit, so I don’t think I’ll attempt fitting large alternate parts!

Today's task was to disassemble what I had done of the bunker so far. The cunning plan was…

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Ease the side overlays off. While I was there playing with the gas torch, the bracing and support pieces across the bunker came out.

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The original idea was to whizzydisc the bunker extensions to lose a millimetre or so. The thought struck me, as they do sometimes, that perhaps it might be easier to extract the extensions and - edit due to clumsy fingers posting too early!

Extract the extensions and work on them on the bench.

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So, I did. I trimmed roughly 2mm off the back edge, rather than fanny about trying to remove 2mm from the front. :rolleyes:

I spent much of the rest of the day working out how to put it back together. I think I’m getting there. More tomorrow.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
One problem with bunkers is precious few images show the detail. I spent ages looking for photos that would show me how far back the bunker sat on the running plate compared to the sides. Rather than being the same depth, the rear plate is quite narrow, a midge's minim larger that the riveted strip.

Please don’t send me pictures now. It’s too late! :)

The upshot is I needn’t really have trimmed anything from the bunker extension plates. Oh well, it’s done now. It’ll have to be wrong.

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With all that said, I succeeded in fitting overlays, albeit without the aid of invisible solder. In this shot, I have resoldered the side overlays. While everything was in bits, I managed to get some 2mm copper wire formed and soldered into the corners. I took the precaution of gently annealing the edges of the overlays, so what happened next might be easier.

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Essentially, I set about rolling the sides over the ends with a small ball pein hammer. I then flooded the area with 145° solder. Messy, don’t you think? You know what comes next. Rivet sacrifice.

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A rough blast of grey primer allowed me to see how things were progressing. Initially, I tried to preserve rivets where I could, but in the end it became obvious it was all but impossible. Various files were employed to remove the overlaps and attempt to round the corners. There are bits that will need more attention, the right side radius doesn’t quite match the left yet, and that top panel join needs filler. All in all, though I’m quite pleased so far.
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
There are bits that will need more attention, the right side radius doesn’t quite match the left yet, and that top panel join needs filler. All in all, though I’m quite pleased so far.

Yep been there and got the tee shirt. After a bit of attention on the right side, the left won't match, and then.............
It is starting to look good back there. For me most GWR tanks look the same on the bunker back. But then I don't look to closely unless I have to.
 

Phil O

Western Thunderer
Heather, glad to see you managing to beat the bunker into submission, do you have a cunning plan for the now missing rivets?
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Heather, glad to see you managing to beat the bunker into submission, do you have a cunning plan for the now missing rivets?

Plan A is hope they’re not obvious under paint. Plan B is Archer transfers or spots of PVA. We’ll see.
 

NickK

Active Member
Plan A is hope they’re not obvious under paint. Plan B is Archer transfers or spots of PVA. We’ll see.
Heather, if your planning to replace rivets have a look at www.plusmodel.cz. They do injection molded resin rivets in different diameters. I have marked up the positions on models and either drilled and inserted the rivet tails or just cut the rivet heads off and used a sot of pva to secure them. The Archer product is ok but the plusmodel items are more pronounced and do not readily disappear under a coat of primer. They also produce different sized nuts and bolts by the same method, with or without washers.

Nick
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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I think that is close enough. I have sacrificed all the upper panel rivets, so they will need to be ignored/replaced later in the build. I’m a bit annoyed at the slight bow evident in the horizontal joint, so I’ll see if I can grind some more away there. The join itself will need proper filler, but I’ll leave that until most of the hot work is done.

The next conundrum is why the cab front and back sit proud of the sides. I think I recall encountering this with the previous small prairie, and it’ll be dealt with by a large file.

I have decided not to make cab spectacle frames. They’re not obvious in photos, and will be lost in the gloom inside the cab where the eye is generally drawn away by all the other details. I will, though, add details to inside the rear cab plate. It’s a bit stark, otherwise.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
A resolution to my medical woes is hopefully due later this week. So, that’s nice.

I had hoped to do some prairie over the long weekend, but the mood wasn’t there. Back at it today, though.

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I made this, for a start.

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It came from the cast toolboxes, which needed some shaving to fit in the space available. Now, let’s see if I can get the pesky flip-up crew seat to go on square. I failed last week, as witnessed by that mess of solder next to the coal hole.

Onwards!
 

AndyH

Active Member
Great to see rear cab bunker doors modelled Heather. As they were often left open in Cornwall in the summer I’ve ‘converted’ mine to show this.
Really good to see these builds too, the honesty builds confidence!
Andy
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
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Now I feel there’s been progress. Cab seats, reverser quadrant, handbrake column, and front and rear cab sheets installed.

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I've also finally installed strategic nuts to the chassis and body can be fitted properly.

I shall give some thought to injectors, as I think they might be best fitted as part of the bodywork rather than to the frames. The firebox, boiler and smokebox needs looking at, too. I really ought to get the frames powered up and work out the pony trucks. Still lots to do.
 

paulc

Western Thunderer
A resolution to my medical woes is hopefully due later this week. So, that’s nice.

I had hoped to do some prairie over the long weekend, but the mood wasn’t there. Back at it today, though.

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I made this, for a start.

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It came from the cast toolboxes, which needed some shaving to fit in the space available. Now, let’s see if I can get the pesky flip-up crew seat to go on square. I failed last week, as witnessed by that mess of solder next to the coal hole.

Onwards!
Hi Heather , put it in a plastic bag and shove it in the boiler for added ballast :)
Cheers Paul
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
You’ll all be glad to know my plumbing embuggerance has now been dealt with. It’s taken a few days to settle down again, so no work on the prairie was done until today.

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I decided to tackle the buffers. Usually, with cast brass stocks, there’s a deal of cleaning and drilling out required. I made this jig thing from some sheet brass. The idea is to solder the stocks in so they’re held firmly and upright so they can sit under the pillar drill. I punched a wonky title on it so I don’t lose it, because I’m sure I made one before and couldn’t find it earlier!

As it turned out, the castings this time needed very little fettling, but I’ve made the jig anyway.

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Buoyed by success I went ahead and fitted the buffers. All square and lined up, which is an achievement. I think my efforts round the bunker look okay, too. Just the upper lamp shroud and capping to do.
 

P A D

Western Thunderer
Good to hear you are on the mend Heather.

"Embuggerance", I love that word. :D

Nice build as always and the buffer jig is a neat idea that I'll file away for future use.

Cheers,
Peter
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
"Embuggerance", I love that word. :D

It is a Terry Pratchett coining, when he began to have to deal with the neurological disease that affected his later life.

The jig idea I think came to me by way of Colin Dowling of this parish. I can’t claim it as an original idea.

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I was planning on working round the front, but as ever ended up doing completely the opposite! So, most of the bunker fittings have been worked out. There’s a couple hours left in the working day, so perhaps I can think about the front after all.
 
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