Nick Dunhill's workshop - Highland Railway banker (X Class) from a Lochgorm Kit

[Nick Dunhill]

The latest job is a Highland Railway 0-6-4T banking locomotive from a Lochgorm Kit in S7.

First job, as usual, was to make the rods. The etches supplied are a poor representation of the destinctive rods fitted to these locomotives. I was left with 2 options, to scratchbuild a pair or to modify what I had. I chose option 3 (!) to contact Mick Davies and get him to draw some etchings. Option 3 was by far the cheapest option, so the job is now out at PPD Ltd.

I realised that I was going to have to make some frame stays to widen the chassis to S7 standards. I started taking measurements from the drawing I had been supplied with, and realised that the frames needed some modifications too. So many infact that I cut out some new ones to save time and effort. Can you see where this is going reader?









I modelled the joggle that is in the prototype frame. The kit chassis didn't have this feature, but then the frames were so narrow that it probably didn't matter. Having finished scratchbuilding a whole chassis, I thought it would be a good idea to build the footplate while I am waiting for the rod etchings to turn up. Of course I had lifted the measurements for the frames and stays from the GA drawing I have. Turned out that the kit footplate etching is 2 mm too short, as are the valences (and the chassis frames). Of course I now have to make a footplate. Maybe the buffer beam etches will fit? To save readers worrying in their sleep I have measured the body length from the back of the bunker to the front of the tank. Guess what 2 mm too short.

I have since phoned up Phil Atkinson at Hobbyholidays to get a catering pack of 6-0 blades for my piercing saw. Happy days.

 

[RichardG]

Can you see where this is going reader?

I guess all work on the chassis stops until you get the new rods. So you have plenty of time to find out which parts of the superstructure will work with your new footplate, and where can you can hide odd discrepancies.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

I'm taking bets on the number of etches I use from the kit.

 

[Genghis]

I'm taking bets on the number of etches I use from the kit.

What's the starting number?

 

[simond]

So far Nick hasn’t used the coupling rods or frames (which you’d hope were on the same fret) nor the frame spacers or footplate, possibly also on the same fret. So that one’s good to go on eBay…

But, he hasn’t told us how many frets there are!

 

[Nick Dunhill]

I think the brake shoes/hangers will be ok. Front of the tank and rear of bunker, cab front and part of the rear. Beading? There are 6 frets, two 0.75 mm NS with chassis parts. I reckon I'll use the brake parts.

 

[mickoo]

I guess all work on the chassis stops until you get the new rods. So you have plenty of time to find out which parts of the superstructure will work with your new footplate, and where can you can hide odd discrepancies.

End of play next week all being well

 

[Overseer]

Good luck Nick. At least it will be an easy scratchbuild, not a rivet to be seen.

 

[paulc]

He's gonna need a bigger bin !!!!

 

[Nick Dunhill]

The battery in my crystal ball was below 5%, but it didn't matter. I knew the footplate wouldn't fit and I was correct. Yesterday was a long day with a rule, calculator, scriber and saw.



Nearly did the whole cut with one blade, but no.



There's no easy way to cut out valences.







All soldered up and some brackets and gussets also made. I wonder what won't fit tomorrow? I'll go and charge up that crystal ball.

 

[Overseer]

There's no easy way to cut out valences.

The easier way is to cut strips the width needed for the straight parts using a guillotine the cut out just the end pieces with a saw. The real thing usually has joints near the ends but if not it is easy enough to solder a backing piece on and fill the joint flush.

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

The battery in my crystal ball was below 5%, but it didn't matter. I knew the footplate wouldn't fit and I was correct. Yesterday was a long day with a rule, calculator, scriber.

All soldered up and some brackets and gussets also made. I wonder what won't fit tomorrow? I'll go and charge up that crystal ball.

Nick,

It is always a pleasure to follow your kit builds. Good to see a craftsman at work and pick up some tips, your commentary is entertaining too. For what it’s worth, In my experience there are two ways of approaching kits.

1. Assemble it straight from the box. Do not refer to drawings other than the assembly ones provided by the kit maker. Use the parts supplied, adjust them to fit if required Don’t waste time making parts unless you cannot find them in the box or you broke the original. Only look at photos of the original as a last resort.

2. Build an accurate model of a specific prototype using the kit as a starting point. Gather together and study the GA drawing and as many photographs of the subject as possible and constantly refer to them as you build. Check the kit parts against the drawings and adjust or remake as required. Only use the kit parts which are correct for your prototype.

An awful lot of modellers, and professional kit builders, follow example 1 and produce acceptable models most of the time. Of course ‘Acceptable’ depends on ones expectations and in the case of commission builds, cost.

I admit to practicing example 1 in the past, especially in 4mm scale, but now rigidly follow example 2, if I build a kit.

Ian.

 

[simond]

Can I admit to being about 1.8?

 

[Nick Dunhill]

I agree with all Ian's comments but caveat it with a consideration of the budget for the job. This more often than not dictates the 'style' of build.

Bloody GAs can really be the kiss of death for a budget.

 

[3 LINK]

Can I admit to being about 1.8?

I’m more of a 1.5 guy, life’s too short .

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Back on the job after a quick trip to Whitby Folk Festival. I began by adding some under side details to the footplate. I added the support brackets and the angle iron between the chassis and footplate.



You can see that I also made the couplings, the rear hook is extended to the anchor point at the front of the rear stretcher.





I bought a set of Slater's Drummond buffers, but these were much shorter than the buffer the loco originally had. I cut up the stocks and extended them using K&S tube of the appropriate diameter. The fixing flanges were cut from the castings and re used. I adorned the fixing flanges with fake bolt heads. The buffers were also modified to be made self contained, so they don't stick out of the back of the buffer beam and come into conflict with the strengthening gussets.

To my delight the etchings for the rods also turned up. I made them and fitted some knuckle joints copied from the GA and photos.



I fitted up the wheels. They still need to be reprofiled to S7 standards, and now Col Dowling has retired I'm a bit stuck. I think Slater's will do them for me. I also made some crankpin nuts to match the originals. I messed about with the wheel end-float until the loco would pass round a 5' 6'' curve, and turned my attention to the bogie. Laurie Griffin Mins do some rather nice cast white metal side frames specifically for this loco that will save heaps of cutting out.



And that is as far as I got, as today I went to Warren Haywood's to collect the BG Bristol and Exeter saddle tank. I'll be reassembling that next week.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

The bogie was indeed save loads of time, and here is the resulting bogie with sidecontrol and compensation.





There was a brief moment of optimism when I thought that the guard irons for the bogie supplied in the kit might fit. However, this was quickly extinguished as they were way too short. At least the kit is uniformly disappointing and there's little bit more NS to weigh in.

The rest of the week was spent dealing with the inside motion. LGM does an inside motion set for a LSWR T9, which has a remarkable similarity to the design of the parts in this loco. Designers from the same family I presume. It did need some minor modifications, but it does fit.

I had a hand in designing this set of motion a decade ago. The GOG TC (mainly Steph Dale and Simon Thompson, I did the badgering and test build) did a feasibility study to see if 3D prints could be used as paterns for LW castings. Of course we print waxes now! The castings do have a lot of the build lines associated with the pioneering days of 3D prints, and are also a bit twisted. But they can be straightened up as they are brass castings. These parts have/will save a lot of time as well.





Here they are installed in the chassis.







Anyway that is it for this week. The model is coming to Stafford Guildex this weekend as some show and tell. I'll also have the Pearson 4-4-0ST for you GWR Broad Gauge fans to see. I'll be on the TC stand showcasing a little more scratchbuilding of the charity H&BR loco.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

I'm back on with the banker post Guildex. Thanks to everyone who came for a chat or for some help. It was a pleasure to see you all.

So this week I have completed installation of the inside motion. It was a tight fit for the expansion links, but otherwise no issues.





I moved on to close up the bottom of the cylinders and add the cylinder drain cocks and operating linkage. There were no parts in the kit for the ashpan (surprise), so I fabricated the whole thing from nickel silver scraps.





I had to chop bits out of the finished ashpan to give the gearbox access to the rear driving axle.

I posted the wheels off to Slater's on monday for reprofiling to S7 standards and got them back on wednesday, what an exceptional service indeed! I finished the week finishing off all the damper mechanism and fitting up the wheels for a test. Here it is chugging away;

Another brief moment of hope came when I wondered whether the etched kit wheel balance weights would fit. Of course they didn't, they were far too small, so the saw came back out of it's box and will be pressed into action first thing on monday. It's the hope that kills, as all footie fans are aware.

 

[Xavier A.]

I'm back on with the banker post Guildex. Thanks to everyone who came for a chat or for some help. It was a pleasure to see you all.

So this week I have completed installation of the inside motion. It was a tight fit for the expansion links, but otherwise no issues.

View attachment 247576

View attachment 247577

I moved on to close up the bottom of the cylinders and add the cylinder drain cocks and operating linkage. There were no parts in the kit for the ashpan (surprise), so I fabricated the whole thing from nickel silver scraps.

View attachment 247578

View attachment 247579

I had to chop bits out of the finished ashpan to give the gearbox access to the rear driving axle.

I posted the wheels off to Slater's on monday for reprofiling to S7 standards and got them back on wednesday, what an exceptional service indeed! I finished the week finishing off all the damper mechanism and fitting up the wheels for a test. Here it is chugging away;

View attachment 247580

Another brief moment of hope came when I wondered whether the etched kit wheel balance weights would fit. Of course they didn't, they were far too small, so the saw came back out of it's box and will be pressed into action first thing on monday. It's the hope that kills, as all footie fans are aware.

View attachment 247581

View attachment 247582

Amazing work as always Nick, it's inspiring how flawlessly you always manage to give the inner workings of the engine the attention they deserve!

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Strike up the band. Some of the kit parts fit.....

This week began with a modification to the chassis. The rear bogie wheels were becoming perilously close to the chassis, so I scribed round the tyres and cut the portion of the chassis out. I also cut away a bit of the frame stay behind it, and reattached the bit of the chassis, but inset. No more danger of any shorts.





Next I cut out balance weights for the driving wheels and sticking them on. While the glue was drying I assembled the brake blocks and hangers. The etched stuff in the kit was miles out, but I had some Laurie Griffin cast items. They took a little bit of fettling and narrowing but they were a very good representation of the real thing. Say it quietly, the backing plates for the upper brake pivots provided in the kit were correct, so that's six parts. Very small parts but none the less six parts.



I had some Laurie Griffin brake spreader plates in stock too that had the correct shackles. I was on a roll. It took a couple of goes, but eventually I drilled the holes for the brake brackets in the right place and the brake rigging was attached. The kit had no provision for the trunnions that support the brake shaft (of course it didn't) so some were made, and all the missing bits of linkage. I also made all the bits of linkage for the handbrake mechanism. All were attached to the chassis, including a cast vacuum cylinder from LGM.



With all the extra brake detail added I thought I'd just 'go for it' with the vacuum pipes. Rather than the swan neck pipes ending below the buffer beam I added the whole system, including a vacuum reservoir tank.





The last photo isn't very clear, but the vacuum pipe ends under the footplate behind the buffer beam. The upstand passes through the footplate rather than up the front of the buffer beam.

The last job of the week was to cut out the cab/tank/bunker sides. It was a bit of a task lifting the dimensions off my GA as it is a bit foldy and teary. It took a long metre rule and lots of double checking.



And it would seem that my cup runneth over this week, as the cab front fitted, and the rear nearly did. That puts the count up to 8 parts of the kit used.



There's a chance that the window beading and cab roof will also fit, but I don't want to get too overexcited without using the measuring stick first. We will see next week.