Building the MOK Class Q1, or From the Sublime to the Cor Blimey

[oldravendale]

A slight case of whoops with the camera focus, but you get the general idea. The armature for the cab roof is now in place and the entire frame is now soldered up ready for the cladding.



The firebox cladding is actually now fitted, but photos will have to wait until tomorrow.

Brian

 

[oldravendale]

Thanks all - and here's the next shots.

Firstly, with the firebox cladding in place.





Then, I was about to start on the boiler when the electricians suddenly turned up which rather stalled my plans for the day, so this is where I am now. Note that the locating tabs on the firebox have now been filed back. This was not the easiest of exercises whilst preserving the rivet detail. It will also be necessary to fill the small remaining holes which remain after removing the tabs. However, I'm sure that I'll be able to find a suitable putty as a filler - I usually use car body filler but it'll be a bit too unmanageable for this. Otherwise, the boiler section is properly shaped and ready to apply solder.



Brian

 

[oldravendale]

I'm pleased that I didn't go ahead and fix the boiler wrapper yesterday. I'd not considered the potential need to file the front of the wrapper back to the spacer to give a flat front. I've done it now!

So today, having duly filed back the front of the firebox wrapper, I bent and fitted the boiler wrapper, filed it back and then bent and fitted the smokebox wrapper. There was just time to start the shaping of the cab and roof, and here are the photos of current progress - again another whoops with focus, but it still gives the general idea of how things are looking at the moment.



Brian

 

[P A D]

You sure it's loco Brian? Looks more like a telescope.

 

[oldravendale]

It's one o' they there Bulleidy things, Peter. D'you expect it to look normal?

Brian

 

[oldravendale]

Onwards..... It doesn't look like much progress, but marrying the skin to the cab required a good deal of fitting. So, current state of play is that the cab/firebox/boiler/smokebox skins are all in place and work has started on the detail of the cab roof. The mark which appears to the left of the window is not an error in assembly but actually is a mark on the nickel silver which I'll polish out when I get round to it. I've also prepared the cab roof ventilator so that will be fitted next. I originally diverted attention to the boiler so that I could complete the plumbing attached to the chassis/frames, so the boiler unit will now take a back seat again while I complete the plumbing.



Brian

 

[2-Bil]

Hi BD ,do you intend crafting the cabs transverse floorboards ?If you do Mr MOKs got a helpful photo though you've likely one already in your impressive library of images and talking of pictures........................................Probably a longshot but does your bulging portfolio contain a clear COLOUR photo of 34091 BLP Weymouths shield??.if it does can i have a butchers?...Enjoying watching your Q1 coming together too................Regards etc BW

 

[oldravendale]

Firstly - I'd love to oblige with a photo of the shield on 34091 but it's one I don't have. Sort of inevitable, isn't it?

As for the floorboards - I might have a go with some veneer, but I'm not yet sure. After all, it'll be really difficult to see, won't it? Nevertheless, I believe I have photos.

However, to bring us up to date. This is the roof ventilator as fitted. Not as easy as it first appears, as the width had to be reduced by 2mm and then the holes drilled for the pins. I must admit to struggling a bit with this as although the need to deal with it is in the instructions how to achieve it is not considered. Eventually I measured and marked the 2mm to be removed and soldered on a bit of scrap but straight etch against which I could run the scrawker. The 2mm bit I took off i then soldered back on to the end of the ventilator to give a guide to the pin positions. To his credit Dave has included details of the need to deal with this in the instructions.



Next on to the pipework on the chassis.

Brian

 

[2-Bil]

BD.....Thanks for sifting the library for Weymouth.........and Though its more than a bit late to be of use for your" heroic"build theres an interesting shot( you might not know) of a gleaming 32337 on Mike Morants site departing London Bridge on a 1956 SLS rail tour...........................Regards etc,etc

 

[oldravendale]

Always a pleasure to look through the library.

I'd actually now seen that shot of 32337 previously. Fortunately there's no glaring errors on my build when compared, but I'll not be revisiting that build, except to run it from time to time. Mike Morant was obviously fond of the "K" class. There's a whole section devoted to them!

Brian

 

[oldravendale]

After a short hiatus I managed a couple of hours in the workshop yesterday. The wheels were cleaned up (abrasive wheel, 320 grit, in the mini drill) then chemically blackened. I now use Birchwood Casey gun blue for steel diluted 1:3 with water which is very rapid, but three or four dunkings followed by a wash in water seems to do it for me. Otherwise very little to see although off scene I've made up the brackets and straps t hold the pipes which run under the boiler. One of said pipes is now bent up ready with another two to go on the right hand side.

As with all grown ups when playing with toys I couldn't resist putting together what has been built up so far. There's no mistaking this ugly duckling for what it is! I'm intending, today, to order the plates for this build from Severn Mill nameplates, and I'll probably buy them for the next build, the MOK N15, at the same time.



Brian

 

[Ressaldar]

I'm intending, today, to order the plates for this build from Severn Mill nameplates, and I'll probably buy them for the next build, the MOK N15, at the same time.

Brian

782 Sir Brian no doubt

looking forward to further postings on the Q1 and next week, the Arthur!

kind regards

Mike

 

[oldravendale]

That's a great thought, but it'll probably be 30771, Sir Sagramore, the very last King Arthur I saw at Eastleigh - assuming that the loco ended its days with a bogie tender, which I've yet to check.

Brian

 

[Ressaldar]

- assuming that the loco ended its days with a bogie tender, which I've yet to check.

Brian

Hi Brian,

yes it did, No 888 a Urie design, from April 1931 until cut up at Eastleigh works w/e 6th May 1961.

kind regards

Mike

 

[oldravendale]

I've published this previously, but this is the inspiration for my build. I photographed this at Eastleigh on 5th April 1961 and assumed from its condition at that time that it was in for a light repair and then back to traffic. As you say, Mike, it was actually scrapped a month after this photo was taken. Another preservation opportunity missed.

However, to the building thereof. I've looked at this photo at significantly larger size and, lurking in the shadows it's definitely possible to make out the bogie tender.



So that's all about King Arthurs for now as I'm risking taking my own thread off piste. I'll start another thread when I open the box......

Brian

 

[oldravendale]

Another couple of hours in the workshop today, so the pipework from the injectors (which I'd already fitted) alongside the base of the boiler was bent to shape and fitted. Little more to be said, really.



Brian

 

[oldravendale]

Here's the next update - not a lot to show but we're moving on.

Firstly the addition of some more pipework.

This one from the front boiler support - I'd call it a saddle, but it's not, at least in the sense that we understand a boiler saddle - and ends behind the buffer beam. This pipe is matched on the other side.



This one is on the side opposite the injectors. The pipe fittings are beautiful castings.



I'm now working on the sand boxes - all six of them. Holes have been opened up in the white metal to take the filler lids and also the steam sanding valves. Here is one of the lost wax valves ready to be drilled out to take the sand pipe. I'm pretty certain that it was Yorkshire Dave who suggested the use of a wooden peg held in a vice. Clearly, if held in a vice without protection the casting will be squeezed beyond recognition but a wooden peg takes up the shape of the casting and does not have to be held very tightly in the jaws, further reducing the risk of damage. Not to be recommended for white metal, though, which is more easily squashed.

If it was YD - many thanks for a great hint. If not, my apologies but my thanks just the same.



Brian

 

[simond]

I like wooden clothes pegs, very versatile, I like the ally hair grips too, which can be customised to the job in hand, and are reasonably cheap from hairdressers’ suppliers. (Obviously not as an alternative for the job you have currently in hand!)

I don’t know where I got the idea from but you can turn the wooden ones “inside out” and use the thin ends as a clamp too. Not at home so can’t post a pic, but will do when I can.

Atb
Simon

 

[daifly]

Brian
It might have been here that you saw it.
Dave

 

[Focalplane]

I know of at least one Western Thunderer who bemoans the lack of wooden clothes pegs/pins in Britain. Yet they are the norm in French supermarkets. For their real purpose in life they last a lot longer than the plastic variety though numerous ones find their way into my railway room, never to return to the clothes line.