Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
One of those satisfying creatures, a returning client, asked me if I'd care to take on a project he'd started but felt unable to complete. Of course, I agreed. After a spot of negotiation, I was entrusted with a large box containing an almost complete Churchward 4200 class 2-8-0T, hailing from the JLTRT stable, out of Mitchell Designs.
So, a "finish it for me" commission. How much do I have to finish, exactly?
Well, to be fair, not a great deal - on the surface. The major etched parts are assembled, the chassis is rolling, so all I have to do is fit the motor, wire it up, add all the detail parts, paint and deliver. Oh, I will acquire a crew, but otherwise all I need is in the box. We even have the number plates for 4250, shed plates for 87B, and a ready source of spare parts from sunny Irvine. The super detail kit seems to have been added to the mix.
With help from the Hampshire GWR Reference Library, I now have more information about the class. It has also been noted that the K&ESR has 4253 as a kit of parts which willing volunteers are assembling as I type. My guess is the client has the same two volumes of Russell's pictorial history and chose the loco number because two photos of it in final condition appear there!
The plan is to construct the loco to suit the latest phase of the real thing, in other words in BR late 1950s. Plain black livery, final totem, the client will probably fit DCC gubbins, so I shall make allowances.
The superstructure is pretty well complete. I have cleaned up flux residue and some dodgy soldering, given the whole thing a going over with brass and fibreglass brushes, and given it a scrub with Viakal. The chimney and safety valve bonnet have been posed for the photo, but I've cleaned them up. I'm tempted to crack on and fit the final details to the bodywork, but I really should get the chassis rolling.
The chassis frames are assembled. The leading coupled wheels are beam compensated, the third axle is rigid, and the trailing one is sprung. The coupling and connecting rods are milled, probably from a well-known source. The cylinder block has been partly assembled, and the pony truck is almost ready to fit.
I decided it was worth spending time getting to know the remaining parts in order to complete the chassis. With the help of the instructions, I managed to identify most things, and I've separated cab and body castings into a fresh plastic bag, leaving all the underframe components. Attention turned to the cylinders.
Originally, the kit was designed for a lot of the detail to be etched, and the instructions (and frets) still follow this construction method. Various parts are replaced with castings, such as the slide bars, motion brackets, cylinder fronts and so on. So begins the game of identify the part!
The photo shows the cylinder fronts, cylinder release valves (52) and the cylinder drain cocks (53). The small castings to the left of the cocks, though, are unidentified.
This is the sprue from the casting parts list. I've circled the small parts, unidentified. They look like bolts. As yet, I can't find out what they might be for. Meanwhile, parts 76 Piston Extension remain elusive. I've been through the parts several times, and haven't found a pair of anything that remotely resembles the drawing.
Part 76 seems to fit dead centre in the cylinder front. If the small cast parts are the right ones, perhaps I don't need them as the cylinder front castings have a hexagonal bolt head already in place. Guess what I shall be doing this morning!
The plan is to try and get the frames powered up, then work out a way to fit the milled connecting rod into the cast crosshead. I think I'm going to enjoy this.
So, a "finish it for me" commission. How much do I have to finish, exactly?
Well, to be fair, not a great deal - on the surface. The major etched parts are assembled, the chassis is rolling, so all I have to do is fit the motor, wire it up, add all the detail parts, paint and deliver. Oh, I will acquire a crew, but otherwise all I need is in the box. We even have the number plates for 4250, shed plates for 87B, and a ready source of spare parts from sunny Irvine. The super detail kit seems to have been added to the mix.
With help from the Hampshire GWR Reference Library, I now have more information about the class. It has also been noted that the K&ESR has 4253 as a kit of parts which willing volunteers are assembling as I type. My guess is the client has the same two volumes of Russell's pictorial history and chose the loco number because two photos of it in final condition appear there!
The plan is to construct the loco to suit the latest phase of the real thing, in other words in BR late 1950s. Plain black livery, final totem, the client will probably fit DCC gubbins, so I shall make allowances.
The superstructure is pretty well complete. I have cleaned up flux residue and some dodgy soldering, given the whole thing a going over with brass and fibreglass brushes, and given it a scrub with Viakal. The chimney and safety valve bonnet have been posed for the photo, but I've cleaned them up. I'm tempted to crack on and fit the final details to the bodywork, but I really should get the chassis rolling.
The chassis frames are assembled. The leading coupled wheels are beam compensated, the third axle is rigid, and the trailing one is sprung. The coupling and connecting rods are milled, probably from a well-known source. The cylinder block has been partly assembled, and the pony truck is almost ready to fit.
I decided it was worth spending time getting to know the remaining parts in order to complete the chassis. With the help of the instructions, I managed to identify most things, and I've separated cab and body castings into a fresh plastic bag, leaving all the underframe components. Attention turned to the cylinders.
Originally, the kit was designed for a lot of the detail to be etched, and the instructions (and frets) still follow this construction method. Various parts are replaced with castings, such as the slide bars, motion brackets, cylinder fronts and so on. So begins the game of identify the part!
The photo shows the cylinder fronts, cylinder release valves (52) and the cylinder drain cocks (53). The small castings to the left of the cocks, though, are unidentified.
This is the sprue from the casting parts list. I've circled the small parts, unidentified. They look like bolts. As yet, I can't find out what they might be for. Meanwhile, parts 76 Piston Extension remain elusive. I've been through the parts several times, and haven't found a pair of anything that remotely resembles the drawing.
Part 76 seems to fit dead centre in the cylinder front. If the small cast parts are the right ones, perhaps I don't need them as the cylinder front castings have a hexagonal bolt head already in place. Guess what I shall be doing this morning!
The plan is to try and get the frames powered up, then work out a way to fit the milled connecting rod into the cast crosshead. I think I'm going to enjoy this.