L&Y Class 27 in P4; Take 2

[Dave Holt]

Having previously posted about the Class 27 I worked on for a friend, I thought it better to start a new thread for my own model.

I know the B1 isn't finished and there's another Black 5 ticking away in the background, but outside factors have caused me to start thinking about the Class 27 again and to make a start on the chassis.

The model utilises the Craftsman kit to provide the body and a Palatine Models P4 chassis kit. However, just to complicate matters, I'm going to try to fit working Joy valve gear and that requires some majir additiions to the chassis kit and a change from the intended CSB to beam compensation. These days, many might consider that a retrograde step but the massive curved guide reverser casting for the valve gear is right smack where one of the CSB supports needs to go - and, if I'm honest, I'm probably a bit more comfortable with beams.

Another deviation from the Palatine Models idea is to mount the motor in the firebox area, whereas the original model has a tender mounted motor driving the rear coupled axle via a cardan shaft. To aid traction, I'm intending to hang the front of the tender onto the rear of the loco to transfer some addional weight, another first for me, although not uncommon I believe.

Anyway, a start has been made by preparing a set of slimline High Level horn blocks and guides and cleaning up the side frames. The Palatine frames have nicely etched ash pan sides included, but in my model these will be part of the inner frame overlays and so need to be removed. The photo shows one done and it does leave the frames looking rather shallow till the overlays are fitted.

Frames and horns.

Dave.

 

[Lancastrian]

Dave,

Frame design from the works drawings.

 

[lankytank]

Eeeeeeh, that'd look reyt good in Gauge 3...... just sayin.

 

[Dave Holt]

Thanks for the frame drawing.
My inner overlays follow the top profile as far as the rear axle (based on the GA drawing) whereas the Palatine frames follow the underside of the running plate, as typical in smaller scale model locos.
Fave.

 

[Dave Holt]

The coupling rods have been made up using three laminations and correctly pivoted on the knucke or gradient pin. The chassis kit provides four laminations, but that would make the bosses wider than the crank pin bushes, so I've just used the three.
The centre axle horn guides have been fixed to the frames using wires in the three 0.35 mm holes in the frames and High Level horns. The outer horns will be positioned using the coupling rods as gauges on my Avonside Works chassis jig.
Here the first frame is set up in the jig with the outer horns and axle boxes just loosely placed. Also show isa the other frame with the midlt horn fitted and the couplong rod adjecent.
Despite taking care to make a handed pair, I still managed to create one rod with the oil boxes at the top on the front section and in the bottom on the other. Doh!!! Lickily, I was able to unsolder and push out the gradient pin without too much bother and rectify the situation. Just shows haw easy it is to make silly slips.

Once the leading and trailing horns are fixed, work will have to pause till the custom etches I've commissioned come from Rumney Models.
Dave.

 

[Dave Holt]

Horn guides fitted and cleaned up. Axleboxes dressed to give a smooth sliding fit with no discernable sideways slop.
That's it now, till the custom etches arrive.

Back to something else - the B1 probably.
Dave.