Firstly, a minor problem of my own making.
I've been using Adrian's panel beating technique to good effect, as you'll see later. However, in the early stages I was a bit too brutal and have created these dinks and dents in the firebox. I'll not lose sleep over this, though, as I reckon a bit of judicious filling will put the issue right. Regrettably the inside of the sharp curves are half etched, and needed
tiny mallet taps, whereas the full thickness metal is quite robust.
But, suddenly, things are starting to come together!!
I thought about how to approach creating the front to the firebox long and hard, and decided (probably against better judgement - certainly against the judgement of people who know better than me) to "let in" a piece of metal using high temp (243 degree) solder rather than cut the front off and make up a front of several thicknesses of metal which could then be shaped. Here's what my result looks like:
I'm the first to admit that this does not look pretty, but all the bends, nooks and crannies will be filled with solder and filed to shape. I reckon that, at the end of the day, it'll be difficult to tell the difference, and if it doesn't work I'll simple have to strip the front off and go back to the multi layered approach.
Next was the smokebox saddle. Having soldered them in place it then became apparent that the front and back were different heights, so the back one came off and was filed down to match the front one. I fitted the frame extensions and then needed to fit the sharply curved section above. This is shown on the instructions as "part 13". Here's a photo showing that it'd never fit, so I used some sheet brass and curved it over an appropriate sized roller before cutting to size and filing to fit. It was a quite complex process and took a whole afternoon, but got there in the end.
I spent an age looking for what the instructions describe as the drawbar. I then went through all the part numbers on the etches, and the rear loco buffer plank (or I think that's what it's called) was identified by the part number. I've not found an actual drawbar yet - in fact there is no fixing on the tender for a drawbar and I suspect there's none on the loco either, although I wonder whether the body/chassis screw fixing is intended to serve the purpose. However, the rear buffer plank is now fitted. There is, of course, the very real possibility that this actually is the drawbar, in which case further apologies will be in order.
Next the cab floor. It makes up OK
But doesn't fit front to back. Side to side looks OK. The cab front/smokebox assembly is not fixed, just dry fitted to give some sense of how much will need trimming.
Neither is there anything to support the floor where it meets the cab front, so I fitted a couple of pieces of brass angle which will hold the floor at the correct height when I come to solder it in place. Fitting the cab floor is actually in the instructions to be done now, but if so the cab front will be compromised, as will, I suspect, the sides. I'll create the sub assemblies and work from there! This shot also shows, quite nicely, the plate let in to the cab front so that the firebox can be screwed in place. I'm sufficiently insecure about the final fit of all these parts to want to retain the option of removing parts to fettle them individually should that be necessary.
Suddenly we're making progress, because it's cab time! On a "K" the cab is quite a simple affair and here are the parts:
The cab roof as provided is for both the LBSCR and SR cabs. For my SR/BR version it has to be trimmed to shape. Note that this roof does not overhang the cab sides but forms what is essentially a continuous curve where it joins them.
Cab sides were curved to match the profile of the cab front - this is also modified as the LBSCR version had sharp corners whereas the SR version has the aforesaid continuous curve profile. These were started in the rolling bars, then laid over a bar of approximate diameter and "persuaded" in to shape using the Adrian method (ie, a large plastic faced mallet - although I think Adrian actually recommends a hide mallet). This took a while, but the sharp and complex curve has been created more convincingly, more smoothly and with far less frustration than I've ever managed previously.
The roof was a simple curve created in the rolling bars.
The instructions recommend fitting the cab beading before proceeding, but I've decided to do all the detailing when the basic assemblies are complete, so that will wait until later. The cab sides were now spot soldered to the cab front and checked for fit. All looked good so the final act was to trim the roof width to fit.
Prototype photos suggest that, although the side/roof of the cab looks to be a continuous curve, there is a witness mark where the sides meet the roof. Once the roof is soldered in place I'll file it back to match the side profile which should, I hope, leave the merest indication of the join.
Suddenly - very suddenly - I've realised that I'm within an ace of having all the sub assemblies complete. I wonder whether, when they are all joined together, it'll look like a "K"?
Brian
. They'll have to go back to using steam
.
I'll get a bit more done before the builders depart once again, and I'm left with the decorating. Then there'll be the garden.........
They were very rude about that.
Don't worry though, they grow back in about 4 days 
But it is a pain having to go each day to the police station to manually clock in 