Finney7 Princess Coronation Build

[Focalplane]

The beading on both sides of the tender has been completed - properly! I cannot say the finish is much better than I saw on the actual prototype last week and it certainly is not in heritage railway condition. The second side still needs the handrail and inside bracing.



Paul

PS When I say "properly" this refers to the fact that I originally attached the first strip beading "on edge" rather than on the side.

 

[Focalplane]

Back in France and some more progress has been made on the tender. I have also re-read the story of 46235's preservation in Andrew Roden's paperback The Duchesses. The Museum of Science and Industry, then on Newhall Street, first started to enquire about 46235 in 1954 and negotiations commenced in 1959. BR wrote a letter at this time stating that the locomotive had a further 10 years to run, basically implying that steam traction would last up until electric traction took over. This also meant that the museum could be extended to receive the locomotive. We now know that this timetable was not to last for long.

46235 was withdrawn in October 1964 and was moved to Nuneaton for storage in January 1965. Nine months later she returned to Crewe for a cosmetic overhaul which took until May 1966 to complete. The loco was then moved to Saltley Shed and then by road to the museum site.

This chain of events explains why the loco had been photographed at Nuneaton with the yellow stripe, so another puzzle solved!

Andrew Roden goes to some length to question why the cosmetic overhaul took so long. The obvious answer is that there were other priorities at Crewe Works. The intriguing idea, though, is how detailed the overhaul might have been, 4073 Caerphilly Castle being cited as an example of pride of ownership by the men at Swindon before that locomotive was "plinthed" in the Science Museum.

Personally I doubt that the overhaul was anything more than cosmetic. My main evidence for this comes from examining the present condition of 46235.

Before resuming the modelling, I just want to say this about the preservation of 46235. I used to think that there could be nothing better than seeing the locomotive running again with all the necessary modifications for modern main line certification. I don't think this any more. But what I would like to see is the locomotive given more space in the museum environment, have the tender close coupled again, like it was in Newhall Street, and even have the electric motor re-installed so that people could see the valve gear move once again.

And now a photograph, showing some progress on the tender!



I am in the process of putting together the steam coal pusher components, partly visible in the photo.

The sun is shining in a blue sky at the moment so I doubt if much more progress will be made today!

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

The tender is nearly complete, just a few parts remain in the box such as the rear ladder, water vents, rear angle plates and so on. I have yet to clean up the tender body and also run fillets of solder along the footplate.

The photos certainly show up my soldering skills, a.k.a. lack of finesse in applying solder.







Paul

 

[mickoo]

Looks much better with the beading in the right place

I hate to say this, but I think the strainers are on back to front, the little handle on the base for the trap door is usually toward the front, though it may be possible some were fitted the other way around, I've not yet seen any clear evidence to prove that, so readily stand corrected if so.

MD

 

[Focalplane]

Strainers? I am straining to work out what and where they are!

Paul

PS Glad you like the beading, though it needs a little touching up here and there, as does the prototype.

 

[mickoo]

Paul, the strainers are those two boxes mounted on the frames between the leading and intermediate axles. The bottom is a hinged type affair with a handle at one end. Your handle on the bottom that holds the door closed is at the back of the strainer, they should be at the front.



This is Princess Elizabeth but the strainer is the same type and orientation, note the small handle at bottom right. Your plate work is correct with the tapered edge facing the front, just the actual casting is back to front. Simply swap left for right and it will be right.

Having said that, the fixings for the strainers look universal, so it may be possible for it to be fitted either side and thus the handle at the front of rear, however, I've not found a picture yet where that has happened, but if someone has one, it'd be nice to see and prove that the fixing is universal and not handed left or right.

It would make perfect sense to make the strainers a common component and thus fitted either way around, but until I see a decent clear photo of such I can't call house.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Focalplane]

Thank you for the explanation. I am afraid that I am often left/right dyslexic, a condition that has taken 70 years for me to recognize. I just checked the model and understand your explanation. Hopefully I can swap the castings over easily. I looked at the area in question on 46235 but took no photos.

Paul

 

[simond]

Strainers? I worked out where they were, but can anyone confirm...

Are they to keep the big bits out of the feed water?

Tia
Simon

 

[mickoo]

Yup, bits of rag, coal sometimes even small fish have been found in them.

 

[P A D]

Looking at these images found on the internet (copyright J K Wallace), there are three fastenings either side of the top edge of the bunker for fixing the slacking pipes. I did not spot them when I took my own photos of CoB and they are not on DoS. I don't know if they were standard fittings but you might want to add them with the slacking pipes.
Cheers,
Peter

 

[Focalplane]

Yup, bits of rag, coal sometimes even small fish have been found in them.

The Edstone canal aqueduct passes over the North Warwickshire Line near Wootton Wawen and a "tap" was inserted in the base of the cast iron troughs so that locomotives could top up their tanks:

Bearley Junction: Close up showing the fireman of the 0-4-2T engine letting the water flow in to the bunker by controlling the wheel on the down pipe

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

The slacking pipes can be fitted on the three front angled supports for the tender sides. I have fitted the rest of the plumbing on the tender front where it is easily seen. I did not press out the bolts seen on 46235 at the time I began construction.

The question really is how much coal do I put in the tender? Do I cover the detailed coal pusher mechanism? The only time it would have been visible in service would have been after a long journey (one of the longest could have been Crewe to Perth) and prior to visiting the coal stage before going on shed.

Incidentally, the coal opening at the front of the tender is covered in a scratched/dirty sheet of perspex so the last photo above would be very difficult to acquire today.

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

It just dawned on me that “strainers” are “sieve boxes”. No wonder I couldn’t understand Mickoo’s post last evening.

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

The sieve boxes/strainers position has been corrected and this part of the build has been cleaned and primed with Acid 8 grey primer while the workshop is relatively cool (thanks to LarryG for the recommendation). The remainder of the chassis will be the next to be primed and I am thinking of spraying everything (wheels included) and then carefully removing the paint from the wheel treads while retaining the blackening. If anyone out there thinks I am doing wrong please speak up! The wheels will not be used to pick up feed to the motor.

Paul

 

[P A D]

The slacking pipes can be fitted on the three front angled supports for the tender sides. I have fitted the rest of the plumbing on the tender front where it is easily seen. I did not press out the bolts seen on 46235 at the time I began construction.

The question really is how much coal do I put in the tender? Do I cover the detailed coal pusher mechanism? The only time it would have been visible in service would have been after a long journey (one of the longest could have been Crewe to Perth) and prior to visiting the coal stage before going on shed.

Incidentally, the coal opening at the front of the tender is covered in a scratched/dirty sheet of perspex so the last photo above would be very difficult to acquire today.

Paul

Hi Paul,
I fitted the slacking pipes on mine to the supports as you mention, although I had to make them as they are not included in the Gladiator Kit.

Coal wise, you could glue a small amount at the bottom and leave the rest clear. If you want a full load you can spoon some in loose and tip it out again as and when you put the model in its box.

I think the photo inside the tender was taken in 2016. The perspex is on but must have been in better condition.

By the way, have you seen this build thread by Richard Lambert. You might find it useful to compliment Mickoo's excellent build.

7mm - Martin Finney 7mm Duchess

Cheers,
Peter

 

[Focalplane]

Peter

Thanks for the link

I have gone through the pages relating to the tender build and see a lot of common features that have to be addressed. I am not into re-inventing the wheel here, just following in other's footsteps, so Richard's build is both a confidence builder and a master class. Once I have completed the tender the first thing I will do is go through Richard's build of the loco. Hopefully I will make fewer mistakes along the way. The tender side beading faux pas still makes me blush!

There is one comment I really like and agree with when it comes to solder and paint. The paint can hide a lot of poor soldering!

This evening I primed the middle bit of the tender (basically the footplate) and then realized I needed to solder the vacuum pipe and steam pipe to the buffer beam. That has now been done and the soldered areas primed.



I really do need to upgrade my spray booth!

Paul

 

[LarryG]

A spray booth? Luxury!!! You don't know yer born lad. I have to get up in middle ut night and run round the shed for three hours just to get it warm.

 

[Focalplane]

Larry

I thought you said you sprayed Acid 8 in a cool room to slow down the drying time and let the etch work longer?

From now on my spray booth will be referred to as my spray shop! That way, it will seem to be bigger than it really is though it still won’t hold a 70ft coach.

Paul

 

[LarryG]

Yup, Acid 8 in cool room. So long as you spray the colours on in a warmish environment Paul to avoid blooming.

 

[Focalplane]

Thanks, Larry, I wasn't sure if my memory was playing up again. When I spray the top coats I use the kitchen oven set at 50ºC to warm the pieces up, then quickly rush down stairs to the "spray shop".