7mm On Heather's Workbench - Prairie ago-go

simond

Western Thunderer
Been there, etc...

do be careful, with some 2-stage motors, if the screw is not fully “in” it can catch on the lay gear.

Atb
Simon
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
I sit at the bench, and arrange the various, carefully husbanded, parts necessary for the backhead detailing. I go through and check everything I need - only to find I’m short of the combination steam and vacuum brake casting.

No problem. I can dive into my ever copious collection of bits…

Oh, I don’t appear to have that part. Now, that’s a bother. It’s kind of important.

Before I approach Mr Griffin to see if he's willing to let me have one component from his GWR backhead sets, I’m going to stick a post in the Wanted section here to see if any Thunderers may have the relevant casting in their Bits Box I might be able to acquire. It won’t be right now, as it’s lunchtime and tummies being filled comes first in this house.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Well, the missing part has been found, thanks to a fellow forumite. While I await its arrival, I’m busying myself with populating other parts of the cab.

I hadn’t originally intended to install the ATC gear. It does appear, though, the equipment may well have been fitted at the period being modelled (mid-1930s) and since I’ve got all the bits I might well fit them. I do like a cluttered cab.

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Most of the fittings, apart from the pickup itself under the bunker, appear to be within the cab, so once I’ve chosen the appropriate battery box I’ll stick it all in.

I’m sure I’ve asked before, but roughly how long would a slack hose be? Does 6ft sound about right?
 
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JohnG

Active Member
Hi Heather,

'Unreeled' the slacking pipe would have to reach all parts of the cab floor, so more than 6 foot, the fireman would be able to stand with the rear doors of the cab open to 'easily' water down the coal to allay dust, without it being 'tight'. It was of course coiled up and placed in a bracket with its stop cock on the Firemans side, inside the cab and would only operate when both its tap was 'open' and with the firemans side injector was operating.

Trust this helps

John.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
It was of course coiled up and placed in a bracket with its stop cock on the Firemans side, inside the cab and would only operate when both its tap was 'open' and with the firemans side injector was operating.

I do not know if there was a "predecessor" design... by the 1960s the Pet Pipe cock had two inlet connections and one outlet connection. The armoured pipe was attached to the outlet connection whilst the inlet connections were fed from the boiler feed pipe of each injector (hence the slacking pipe could be used irrespective of which injector was in operation).
 

Phil O

Western Thunderer
Heather, glad to help and such info is useful to others, including me. The mundane details for which quite often the info is lacking that help to lift our models from the ordinary.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Yeah, I know. I blame the Real World getting in the way and having to do grown-up stuff.

Anyway, I have achieved a backhead.

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Like so many scale representations, it’s close enough. Some floor details, and the pep pipe, and this bit will be more or less finished. I need to detail the roof, and then I’m nearly ready to get paint on things.

In other news, I’ve got a Modelu crew and tools in stock now, plus some GWR lamps to play with. The client wants a single lamp atop the smokebox, and lit. I want to play with a light pipe running back through the smokebox and boiler barrel to an LED in a box inside the tank space.
 
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Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Cheers Simon. That looks like an option if the pipe doesn’t work.

My idea was to avoid having any electronics in an area that would be hard to get at later. Having it all in the tank space seems the safest way. The optic cable I plan to use is a spare short Sony TOS link cable, meant for audio connections. It’s not being used for anything else, so I’m willing to sacrifice it. Initial testing shows it will bend sufficiently to fit into the smokebox and poke up into the lamp on the top.

I’m in for a bit of experimenting, I think!
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
I really can’t get enthused at the moment. The backhead looks okay, so I needed to finish the other odd cab details.

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The smokebox section, steam pipes and front stays are still to be fitted properly. That will require some enthusiasm about installing light fittings.

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The condenser and whistle chain brackets are done. The chains will be attached once things are painted.

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The pep pipe installed. I recall Graham B telling me the hose pipe was wire wound for strength, and would assume a more or less circular aspect when hooked in place over the tap. Cab doors fitted.

Perhaps now would be a good time to give everything a good scrub with Viakal, and give it all a bath in the ultrasonic again before I tackle the prep for painting.
 
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