Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Apologies. I blame the iGizmo. Is it better now? If not, I'll have to do in a proper computer.
7mm On Heather's Workbench - small and perfectly formed
- Thread starter Heather Kay
- Start date
Apologies. I blame the iGizmo. Is it better now? If not, I'll have to do in a proper computer.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Let's hope this image ends up the right way!
7752 is beginning to take shape. Today's work was fitting the ATC gear in the cab, adding a missing drain pipe for the sight glass, making the sanding gear lever (to be fitted later), spending an age trying to work out why the floor, and therefore the whole front of the cabs, refused to sit flat, and fitting the splashers now I have castings the right size. There's still work to do in the cab, but I set about the boiler for that light relief I mentioned.
Seems little to show for all that.
The dome, sadly, is oval. I will consider whether to seek a replacement from JLTRT, or whether it might be better to seek something from another supplier. In the photo, dome, chimney and safety valves are just resting in place. I shall fit them permanently once I have added the handrails and lifting rings to the main casting.
Oh, and I have discovered I don't need to fit the whistle shield. That, of course, opens the question of just how the whistles were actually fitted to the top of the firebox.
7752 is beginning to take shape. Today's work was fitting the ATC gear in the cab, adding a missing drain pipe for the sight glass, making the sanding gear lever (to be fitted later), spending an age trying to work out why the floor, and therefore the whole front of the cabs, refused to sit flat, and fitting the splashers now I have castings the right size. There's still work to do in the cab, but I set about the boiler for that light relief I mentioned.
Seems little to show for all that.
The dome, sadly, is oval. I will consider whether to seek a replacement from JLTRT, or whether it might be better to seek something from another supplier. In the photo, dome, chimney and safety valves are just resting in place. I shall fit them permanently once I have added the handrails and lifting rings to the main casting.
Oh, and I have discovered I don't need to fit the whistle shield. That, of course, opens the question of just how the whistles were actually fitted to the top of the firebox.
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
The two whistles are mounted in a vertical plate on top of the firebox... in front of the cab front sheet. The vertical plate is welded to the firebox wrapper and protrudes through the firebox lagging sheet. The height of the whistle elbows above the fireb0x lagging is such that the whistels are connected to the whistle valves by "S-shaped" copper pipes... generally the whistle elbows are lower than the whistle valves.
Heather, the plate is visible in the photo (that I sent to you) of 2807 boiler under repair, look beyond the steam fountain.
regards, Graham
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Hi Graham.
You'll have to forgive me, but I can't find that image. It's somewhere, I'm sure, but not within reach. I realise today you will be otherwise engaged with The Show, so I am not fretting. We'll see you later today!
You'll have to forgive me, but I can't find that image. It's somewhere, I'm sure, but not within reach. I realise today you will be otherwise engaged with The Show, so I am not fretting. We'll see you later today!
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
7752 has the beginnings of a face - only I don't have any suitable steps on the etch. Good job there's plenty of scrap etch available!
S
SteveO
Guest
Heather, is your dome really as beaten about as it looks, or is that some kind of reflective illusion?
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
It's been through the mill a bit to make it more circular in plan. I think it needs some filling and rubbing down. I should add the chimney, dome and safety valves are not actually attached yet.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
It's been quiet, partly due to the lurgi which knocked me sideways a bit for most of Tuesday. Feeling slightly more human yesterday, I settled down to a day of fiddly bits again.
The smaller details on the tank tops have been completed. What you don't see is the detail below the tanks, with the balance pipe. You remember some castings of bolted flange plates we couldn't place or identify? They're for the balance pipe.
Lamp and tool brackets on the bunker. Before anyone says, yes, this lot did only have three tool brackets. It also had the usual cranked lamp bracket top centre, where other lots tended to have a plainer bracket.
We're on wheels! I was working on the footplate detailing, and decided it was time for the valances and footsteps to go on. The cab step is embedded below the valance overlay, and wouldn't fit with the construction cradle in place. I couldn't see any good reason for the cradle remaining in situ, so off it came. Still to do is the sanding gear linkage.
Of course, now I can put the top part on the bottom part, I discover the springs are too strong. Having slept on it, I will trim the springs back a couple of turns at a time until things work as expected.
I guess I need to turn attention back to the knitting around the wheels, and get some electrickery going. Oh, don't let me forget to work out a sensible cab roof fitting system.
The smaller details on the tank tops have been completed. What you don't see is the detail below the tanks, with the balance pipe. You remember some castings of bolted flange plates we couldn't place or identify? They're for the balance pipe.
Lamp and tool brackets on the bunker. Before anyone says, yes, this lot did only have three tool brackets. It also had the usual cranked lamp bracket top centre, where other lots tended to have a plainer bracket.
We're on wheels! I was working on the footplate detailing, and decided it was time for the valances and footsteps to go on. The cab step is embedded below the valance overlay, and wouldn't fit with the construction cradle in place. I couldn't see any good reason for the cradle remaining in situ, so off it came. Still to do is the sanding gear linkage.
Of course, now I can put the top part on the bottom part, I discover the springs are too strong. Having slept on it, I will trim the springs back a couple of turns at a time until things work as expected.
I guess I need to turn attention back to the knitting around the wheels, and get some electrickery going. Oh, don't let me forget to work out a sensible cab roof fitting system.
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
I'm amazed the sprogs are too strong with that lump of resin on top. Might I suggest getting a pack of Slater's hornblock springs? If you shorten the existing ones you'll actually make them stiffer...
Steph
Steph
Ressaldar
Western Thunderer
It's been quiet, partly due to the lurgi which knocked me sideways a bit for most of Tuesday. Feeling slightly more human yesterday, I settled down to a day of fiddly bits again.
.....well you will venture into the wilds of Hampshire over the weekend - no doubt leaving off scarf and gloves and without any jabs beforehand, so you must expect these things to happen.....it took me a long time to settle in that neck of the woods (I'm a Man of Kent
Glad you are well on the mend and back on the production bench
Pannier coming together nicely too
cheers
Mike
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I was surprised, too. Good point about shortening the springs. I need to make an order from Slater's for another impending build, so I'll add some springs.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
There aren't many details left for the footplate. Sadly, the splashers took one for the team during works to fit the valances and steps, but they were only held with cyano. Happily, the toolboxes will hold the centre ones, and some creative filling will support the leading ones.
Today's efforts were concentrated on the sanding gear linkages.
I'm not desperately happy about where the linkage is supposed to, I presume, disappear into the firebox and thence to the cab. Some more piccie peering is needed, I think. The same applies for the reversing rod.
Without splashers, it's pretty obvious there ought to be a lot of waggling gubbins going on between the frames. This won't be such an obvious omission with the splashers in place again.
Finally, a low level shot to show the balance pipe fittings under the tanks. I've noticed another structure aft of the pipe in some photos, but I can't work out what it is, when it might have been fitted, and whether I have anything left in the box that matches it.
Softer springs are on order, so while I wait for them no further work will happen to the chassis. I suppose it's back to that coach for a spell, or perhaps a little research for upcoming builds might be diverting for the weekend.
Today's efforts were concentrated on the sanding gear linkages.
I'm not desperately happy about where the linkage is supposed to, I presume, disappear into the firebox and thence to the cab. Some more piccie peering is needed, I think. The same applies for the reversing rod.
Without splashers, it's pretty obvious there ought to be a lot of waggling gubbins going on between the frames. This won't be such an obvious omission with the splashers in place again.
Finally, a low level shot to show the balance pipe fittings under the tanks. I've noticed another structure aft of the pipe in some photos, but I can't work out what it is, when it might have been fitted, and whether I have anything left in the box that matches it.
Softer springs are on order, so while I wait for them no further work will happen to the chassis. I suppose it's back to that coach for a spell, or perhaps a little research for upcoming builds might be diverting for the weekend.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Before I pack up for the night, one or two little details interest me.
GWR 5700 'Pannier Tank' Class 7752 (L94) by Stuart Axe, on Flickr
You can see the ATC battery box fitted just under the hanging bar/valance beside the cab footsteps. You can also see a small pipe or cable, emerging from near the bottom of the cab front plate, then running along the footplate before it ducks into the frames between the front and centre splashers.
I can accept this as being a "modern" fitting, but I do wonder if it has anything to do with the ATC. Were GWR locos updated for the BR AWS system instead?
GWR 5700 'Pannier Tank' Class 7752 (L94) by Stuart Axe, on Flickr
You can see the ATC battery box fitted just under the hanging bar/valance beside the cab footsteps. You can also see a small pipe or cable, emerging from near the bottom of the cab front plate, then running along the footplate before it ducks into the frames between the front and centre splashers.
I can accept this as being a "modern" fitting, but I do wonder if it has anything to do with the ATC. Were GWR locos updated for the BR AWS system instead?
Ressaldar
Western Thunderer
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Quite possibly. The loco would have been fitted with the trip cock braking system, which I think uses compressed air. I haven't been able to see any fittings so I presume they were removed when 7752/L.94 went into preservation.
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
Don't think any GW locos had AWS as well the hydraulics didn't get it until the late 60s, as far as I'm aware that is the AWS battery box and is common on most panniers.
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
AWS wouldn't have been an LT fitting, trip cocks would. All that a trip cock did was put a hole in the brake pipe so the brakes came on. (a little over simplified, but they didn't require a compressed air source, which is why none of the LT panniers had Westinghouse pumps or other gear). I have to admit that I don't know off the top of my head where the trip cocks were fitted on pannier tanks.
That photo is going to be fairly rubbish as source material, it's preservation era, depicting a loco after extensive use (and some modification) by a second user. For details it won't help you much unless you already know what the detail changes were...
Just had another look at the photo - the loco isn't AWS fitted. You can see there's no shoe under the front axle (I'm assuming that's where the shoe was on a pannier?)
Steph
That photo is going to be fairly rubbish as source material, it's preservation era, depicting a loco after extensive use (and some modification) by a second user. For details it won't help you much unless you already know what the detail changes were...
Just had another look at the photo - the loco isn't AWS fitted. You can see there's no shoe under the front axle (I'm assuming that's where the shoe was on a pannier?)
Steph
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Cheers Steph.
I am aware of the issues about using preserved locos as references, something we covered earlier in the thread. I am pretty sure the pipe/cable I pointed out is not contemporary with the loco's pre-war life. I was intrigued, in my usual way of wanting to understand what I am looking at, as to just what the fitting might be for.
I understand the ATC pickup shoe was mounted between the frames under the bunker on tank engines. I haven't been able to find good clear images or drawings that show the shoe as fitted, so for the time being it's being quietly ignored.
Incidentally, it is just this quest for detail that led me to realise a lot of the pipework associated with the injectors, and which is part of what many of us tend to accept as "proper" Pannier, is in-service modification. Quite apart from the top feed pipe running down the tanks in front of the cab, the pipe which kicks out from the injector to exit behind the cab steps is not as-built. From what I can gather, the original layout went down through the footplate, then ran back to the steps. I don't mind, as it's just one less bit of fiddly pipe bending I have to do!
I am aware of the issues about using preserved locos as references, something we covered earlier in the thread. I am pretty sure the pipe/cable I pointed out is not contemporary with the loco's pre-war life. I was intrigued, in my usual way of wanting to understand what I am looking at, as to just what the fitting might be for.
I understand the ATC pickup shoe was mounted between the frames under the bunker on tank engines. I haven't been able to find good clear images or drawings that show the shoe as fitted, so for the time being it's being quietly ignored.
Incidentally, it is just this quest for detail that led me to realise a lot of the pipework associated with the injectors, and which is part of what many of us tend to accept as "proper" Pannier, is in-service modification. Quite apart from the top feed pipe running down the tanks in front of the cab, the pipe which kicks out from the injector to exit behind the cab steps is not as-built. From what I can gather, the original layout went down through the footplate, then ran back to the steps. I don't mind, as it's just one less bit of fiddly pipe bending I have to do!
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
The lurgi seems to have passed at last, so I settled back at the workbench again.
Today was about adjusting the cab fitting, adding handrails to the bunker, and working out how to fit the roof so it's removable with the least pain.
The idea for the roof was to solder short lengths of square brass tube into corners of the cab, where they'll be inconspicuous. The roof would be fitted with 0.7mm brass wire that will drop into the tube. The idea works, but I need to figure out how to make the back cab sheet work in a similar inconspicuous fashion.
I also have to fabricate the injector operating rod. Always little things I keep remembering I need to do!
Today was about adjusting the cab fitting, adding handrails to the bunker, and working out how to fit the roof so it's removable with the least pain.
The idea for the roof was to solder short lengths of square brass tube into corners of the cab, where they'll be inconspicuous. The roof would be fitted with 0.7mm brass wire that will drop into the tube. The idea works, but I need to figure out how to make the back cab sheet work in a similar inconspicuous fashion.
I also have to fabricate the injector operating rod. Always little things I keep remembering I need to do!