David Andrews Castle Build

[Focalplane]

Don’t worry, Larry, it was you who persuaded me that the more sidings the merrier!

Not wishing to repeat myself, the larger scales generally put you into the scene better than the smaller scales. Which is why Moor Street’s datum is relatively high - I want to see my trains at eye level, not from a virtual helicopter. After all, that’s how as an enthusiast I generally saw them.

 

[Pencarrow]

Hi Paul

I've a David Andrews Maunsell N Class in the Pencarrow stash to build at some point. Watching your build with interest as the methodology intended by David seems to be very similar. Great job you're doing so far.

 

[Focalplane]

Chris, thank you. I think all of David’s kits are designed with much the same methodology. I have tackled the Compound, Castle and Dukedog and have the original* Patriot kit unmade. So, if you can build any one of his kits you can build them all. Also, I have found David to be very friendly and helpful, though we have yet to meet.

* Original = “un-rebuilt”

 

[Focalplane]

A little progress today before my "better half" arrives tomorrow afternoon. I expect other priorities may be promoted over Castles! On the way to the airport I will stop by FB Systems to see if they have anything non-gauge specific I can use. I seem to need a good track cleaning system and they will know what's best for the relatively dry Mediterranean climate (though high humidity does happen quite regularly and that may be the problem). And they carry a reasonable supply of Woodlands Scenics materials. Over the weekend I brutalized a Xuron "snipper" and a replacement would be a wise purchase. Other than that, HO rules. And some of the prices can make a grown Frenchman cry!

 

[Focalplane]

Some more work done over the weekend on the Castle:



The tender is 95% assembled while the engine has received a little work on removing excess solder.

 

[michael080]

You like that Brasso stuff, do you?

I think I need to get some too.

Michael

 

[Peter Cross]

I would be worried about what brasso leaves on the brass, and it's effect on painting. Brass is hard enough to paint without extra deposits.

 

[Focalplane]

Before painting I will clean the brass again with Ajax and then degreaser (IPA or similar) followed by acid etch primer. The Ajax to provide a key.

 

[Focalplane]

Why use Brasso then, you may ask! Well, I am always impressed with the wonderful "solderless" soldering by certain WT builders and while I cannot emulate them, I do find it satisfying to look at the shiny Castle's boiler and smokebox and think "I did that!!!"

 

[Focalplane]

The tender brass springs and axle boxes arrived from Warren Shephard today. Well worth the money! I may be able to get back on to the Castle as the problems with Moor Street's track seem to have gone away for the moment.

 

[Focalplane]

The brass castings have been added so it is beginning to look like a Collett 4,000 gallon tender. Just a few more pieces to add, then back to the engine.

By the way, my mixed Nationality lingo might be confusing sometimes, so here is some clarification:

Locomotive or Loco = a complete unit, i.e. engine plus tender; a tank engine would also be a loco
Engine = Either the motive power part of a locomotive (engine + tender) or a tank engine
Exception: A Mallet or similar has two engines
Tender = A separate vehicle for carrying coal and water.

 

[Focalplane]

The Castle's tender is nearly there. Just the front handrails to fit. I also painted the chassis:



The brass bolt is to limit the play on the centre axle. I don't have to trim it to size but if the DCC electronics require it then I will.

Soldering the bits to the rear end of the tender caused a few blue words but I think it looks OK in the raw.



It still needs cleaning up and I just received a heavy duty glass fibre brush from Eileens Emporium which will do the job. The soldered filling on the tank top flaring at the rear corners definitely needs improving! The top of the tender required a lot of time to get (nearly) right:



It will be interesting to see how this kit compares with the Finney7 equivalent. And then I can always add a tender full of coal to hide the "jack of all trade" lumps of solder!

 

[Focalplane]

The tender build is finished!



Though I may revisit it in the morning.

 

[Focalplane]

A month later and the tender got a final clean and then a thin coat of Acid 8 primer:





There are a few areas needing filler but otherwise I am pleased with the build. As is often the case, there are things I would do differently (and better) if there was a next time. But there probably won't be that opportunity.

Next, a satin black base colour and I really should get on with the engine.

 

[LarryG]

The use of a satin black base intrigues me. If the loco green is sprayed on at this stage, it is easier to mask off so that the satin black is then sprayed on the tender top and the chassis. Job done. With the loco, mask off the boiler leaving just the smokebox and cab roof exposed and spray both black.

 

[Focalplane]

Thanks, Larry, for your wise advice. This is my first two tone loco.

Paul

 

[LarryG]

I should add that when masking large surfaces as happens with 7mm scale models, I use newspaper in between strips of masking tape and sometimes kitchen tissue on its own held tightly up against a cab front. It's a left over from olden days when it was desirable to keep masking tape to the bare minimum. We benefit today from low-tack masking tape and very good primer paints.

 

[Focalplane]

Thirteen months on and I reopened the box to continue building the loco. I have tweaked the chassis, having discovered that a few items were not quite in the right place. Work still needs to be done but the more serious work is on the body.

The first task was to start on the beading on the splashers. This proved to be difficult as the idea is to solder the beading etches on and then file most of them away. Fortunately there are seven etches in the kit so after ruining the first one I decided on a different approach. The result is not exactly prototypical but if I do one a day I will retain sanity and the end result will be a lot more satisfying than not having any beading at all.

Other tasks include adding the three firebox bands. The front one has been soldered in place, two to go. As I am doing only one splasher bead a day I have addressed the cab interior, fitting the floor and drag beam, then the beading around the cab and the fall plate.

I then started to fettle the etches and castings that make up the back head and other cab fittings. The brass castings are very crisp and bright. The white metal pieces are OK but I probably should have replaced them just to make soldering a little less intimidating.

David’s drawings definitely need photographic support so I searched out some examples that match the actual locomotive, 5014. One of the best is from Masterpiece Models web site. Sadly the Lee Marsh version does not have a cab interior photo yet. By the way, Caerphilly Castle appears to be non standard.

 

[LarryG]

No. 5014 on 16th august 1952. Hawksworth Tender. Rectangular inside cylinder cover. Simple handgrab below cabside window (not 'L' shaped). Withdrawn February 1965 to Cashmores.

 

[Focalplane]

Hi Larry

I’ve got the inside cylinder cover right and the under cab side window rail will be “non L” when fitted but the Hawksworth tender is a bit of a problem so Rule 1 will apply and Swindon swapped the tender for a traditional Collett 4,000 gallon tender!

When I bought the kit it was going to be Sir Daniel Gooch but that model has been ordered from Lee Marsh so the loco became another frequent visitor from Old Oak Common. Tender swapping was common so that is that!

Thanks for the photo, I have another one with the Hawksworth tender, damn it!