So moving on, another project passed by this way recently.
The initial remit was a new set of saddle tank overlays, the kit provides 3 and 5 plated sections, the client required 6, so grabbing the crayons and string, suitable notes and measurements were taken and a new set of overlays drawn up. They're due later this week (as are the 64xx cab side sheets) and in the mean time the remit changed to 'please complete'.
The project is part started, to a good standard, the chassis bulk is complete with lovely cast wheels and split-able axles, a nice ABC gearbox finishes it off and it runs well. It has a one or two very slight tight spots, probably due to being sat for a while, but these will soon bed in. Importantly it's square and runs which is a good start.
The upper work have just been started, no major issues here but a couple of really minor ones, a couple of the splasher tops had fractured their solder joints so off they came ready for refitting, the roof at some point unknown has got a little nick/ding in it, it'll probably straighten out but I decided to add a spare on the tank overlay etch as a replacement just in case.
The only issue/mistake is the footplate valances, they have inadvertently been fitted on the wrong sides, it's an easy fix, micro flame off, clean up and refit; it didn't take long and it did allow the footplate to be scrubbed up a little.
Some of the original solder looks like a multicore variant, in places the resin has dried to a sticky glue like property, paint won't stick to this very well at all and it's hard to break through it to solder new parts on.
So to begin with, it's had a bit of a mechanical and chemical clean, the errant parts removed and cleaned up and is now ready for reassembly and then on to completion.
I always take photos before I start something like this and these are all from before I started, I forgot to take photos of the saddle tank core which had been started and simply required a little smoothing and some fractured joints resoldered.
This evenings work focused on the upper works, tomorrow will see the chassis stripped of wheels and motor and given a good dunk in cleaners to freshen it up.
The only negative so far is that there seems to be no brass castings at all, so I'll give Scorpio a ring in the morning and hopefully they can supply some replacements or I'll raid the other suppliers and make good from them once I know exactly what I need.