4mm Brassmasters Black 5, 45232

Hurrah! The valve gear is complete and fitted on both sides. Not that it didn't put up a bit of a fight but I've beaten it into submission (for now).
Despite the usual precautions of cigarette paper washers, dabs of oil, etc., I still managed to solder on of the expansion links solid in it's frame and wreck one of the union links. The expansion link required removal, cleaning up, re-fixing the spacer washers (one has ended up being loose in the reassembly) before re-assembly. Fortunately, I had success second time round.
The union link soldered up solid to the drop link, despite a layer of oiled cigarette paper. Unfortunately, getting the pin out resulted in the link de-laminating and I eventually snapped one of the eyes off one end of one layer whilst trying to remove the remaining bits of pin. As one of the links was already made up from some spare etches I found, after an earlier disaster, there was no replacement part available. As a result, that link is now only the outer layer and no forked joints. I've used brass lace makers pins inserted from the back during the second attempt at assembly. I don't think this arrangement is too obvious on the assembled gear but, obviously, that union link is now rather delicate. I hope it doesn't give trouble in service, otherwise it'll have to be an appeal to see if anyone has some spare etches for the short, forked type links.
Here's the assemble gear mounted to the chassis.



And as far as it's progressed to date.


On with the cosmetic stuff now.

Dave.

The past few days have seen progress with fitting the external sand boxes and sand pipes to the rear of the centre driving wheels, including support brackets for the sand pipes.
The piping under the cab and running plate on the fireman's side and the damper operating gear have also been completed.
The piping presents a problem in deciding where to make the split between the parts under the cab, which are fixed to the chassis and the parts under the running plate, which are part of the body. Of course, the real thing doesn't have this issue. Furthermore, real piping is split into handleable sections joined by bolted flanges or union fittings. We don't have that facility (or at least I don't).
First, as side view. I notice that the sand pipes just fitted end higher off the rails than the previous ones. I hadn't realised till I looked at the photo. They have been adjusted to match, now.

And a couple of closer shots (with the loco up-side-down).




The driver's side beckons, but the piping will have to wait till the rear steps are fitted and the live steam injector. Unfortunately, the W/M casting provided in the kit, whist being a good representation of the type fitted by the LMS, it is the wrong hand, so a home made effort in brass is called for. I made one for my Caprotti Black 5 (for the same reason) and found it not too difficult. Still, an unwelcome bit of extra work.

Dave.

Excellent stuff.

The live steam injector has been created from various diameters of brass tube and wire and some 16 BA washers. Amazingly, I managed to assemble the whole thing with high melt flux cored solder without any bits moving or falling off. The injector was than mounted on the back of the etched footstep assembly and fixed to the loco chassis. Stays back to the frames and some further pipework are required to finish this part of the model.
Injector body with overflow and steam pipes.


Attached to the footsteps.




After fitting the steps to the chassis. The other end of the steam supply pipe is soldered to the underside of a frame stretcher.


The two remaining connections are for the water feed (upper flange but nearer bottom of photo) and the delivery pipe.

Dave.

Blimey. Not much clearance in there. Top notch stuff.

Dave Holt said:

The past few days have seen progress with fitting the external sand boxes and sand pipes to the rear of the centre driving wheels, including support brackets for the sand pipes.
The piping under the cab and running plate on the fireman's side and the damper operating gear have also been completed.
The piping presents a problem in deciding where to make the split between the parts under the cab, which are fixed to the chassis and the parts under the running plate, which are part of the body. Of course, the real thing doesn't have this issue. Furthermore, real piping is split into handleable sections joined by bolted flanges or union fittings. We don't have that facility (or at least I don't).
First, as side view. I notice that the sand pipes just fitted end higher off the rails than the previous ones. I hadn't realised till I looked at the photo. They have been adjusted to match, now.
View attachment 117558
And a couple of closer shots (with the loco up-side-down).
View attachment 117559

View attachment 117560

The driver's side beckons, but the piping will have to wait till the rear steps are fitted and the live steam injector. Unfortunately, the W/M casting provided in the kit, whist being a good representation of the type fitted by the LMS, it is the wrong hand, so a home made effort in brass is called for. I made one for my Caprotti Black 5 (for the same reason) and found it not too difficult. Still, an unwelcome bit of extra work.

Dave.

Click to expand...

The remaining pipework has been added to the live steam injector and a start made on the vacuum train pipe under the driver's side running plate and cab. Although guided by the pipe and rod diagram for the full size loco, I find that bending brass wire in three planes is a process of trial and error until an acceptable geometry is achieved. Again, part of the piping is attached to the chassis and part to the body.




I notice that at some stage, due presumably to rough handling, I've managed to break off the overflow connection from the W/M cast exhaust injector. Another bit of additional work required.

Dave.

Vacuum pipe now completed. Another squiggly bit of 0.8 mm brass wire, plus a few other bits and bobs.




Dave.

Well, I've now completed as much of the under cab pipework as I intend to do. There are a couple of small bore pipes I haven't done - steam brake supply to the tender and, possibly, the tender coal spray, but there's enough to create the impression of several hose connections to fill the gap between loco and tender.
Here's the final arrangement in rather cruel enlargement.


Dave.

Lovely work there Dave.

Very nice Dave. That exhaust injector looks a beast!

bogusman said:

Very nice Dave. That exhaust injector looks a beast!

Click to expand...

The exhaust injector is the Brassmasters white metal casting. They also do these in lost wax brass, but not in the kit.
Dave.

Fantastic piece of work Dave!

How you manage to get so much detail in such as small space is incredible. Love the traps in the pipework.
Cheers,
Peter

Thanks for the kind comments. Yes, it is all a bit tight and managing to wiggle serpentine lengths of wire into place can be a challenge and requires some planning of the sequence of assembly. Doesn't always work out, though.

So much for my resolve not to add any more under-cab piping! It didn't take long to realize I couldn't leave off the steam brake supply for the tender. It's fairly small bore stuff (0.4 mm on the model) but exits the back of the loco at a much lower level than all the other pipes/hoses, so has a somewhat different profile in the gap between loco and tender.
It is visible in the photo, close to the brake crank support brackets and is fixed to one by a small bracket.


That's actually not the last pipework needed on the chassis as part of the train heat pipe is visible outside the frames where it passes from below the front buffer beam up through the triangular brackets behind the buffer an the fireman's side.
The chassis is now very nearly complete but I am going to have to remake the pick-ups for the front drivers as the position where the current (!) ones pass over the top of the frames exactly coincides with the front sand box filler pipes. Humph.

Dave.

The bit of train heating pipe mentioned previously has been made and fitted to the chassis, as have the front steps. As etched, the steps are a continuous, single piece going right across the chassis. However, experience with my previous Brassmasters Black 5 shows that the steps need moving outwards slightly to avoid the front bogie wheels rubbing on the back. This was done by splitting the etch and moving each half out by 0.5mm.
The train heating pipe is visible on its run up from the front running plate to pass over the cylinder, so a suitable length of wire has been bent to shape and, in this case, attached to the footplate unit.
Steps attached to the chassis.

And with the footplate unit in position.






Still got the replacement front pick-ups to make and fit. Otherwise, the chassis is now complete and ready for painting.
Dave.

Wise move. Spacing the front steps further apart is often barely noticeable anyway. They're not something I worry about since going GWR..!

Hi Dave,
It was good to meet you at 'Leeds City North' on Thursday when you mentioned that you hadn't got many photos of 45232. I'm wondering whether you've seen Tony Sheffield's Rail On-line site (Tony was signalling Leeds Wellington box by the way). You may find something here that could be useful in the build.

Search

Pete

Thanks so much for that link. There's another fine rabbit hole for me to go down.......

Brian

PS - Just searched out a photo for my current build, 30771 and there's a super shot although it's a bit early for my specific proposed date, but thanks again.

Boiler back head and some cab details fitted.



Dave.

Nice work Dave.
Considering the backplate detail is mostly part of the casting it's very good and there's more details in the cab than sometimes seen on 7mm models mine included. The vent holes are on the large size, but looking back in the thread to find a view from the outside, they are OK. Looking closer I see that the cab front plate appears to be laminated so it's a shame the holes in the rear are so large. Mind you they probably won't be visible with the roof on.
Cheers,
Peter

Thanks, Peter.
As you say, the holes in the backing layer are rather large but those on the detailed outer layer are scale size. This feature also applies to the foot plate, where the holes in the basic structural part are much larger than in the overlays, presumably to allow for any misalignment between the two layers.
Dave.