davey4270
Western Thunderer
140. The Cab Handrails.
The holes for the handrails either side of the cab doors were etched to well over 1mm and, from prototype pictures, the handrails look the same size as the tank handrails which are 0.7mm. I was concerned that this could cause problems but I needn’t have worried. I made up 4 staple shaped handrails of identical size and placed them in position with coffee stirrers at the top and the bottom to pack them out. Some flux was applied to the tails inside the cab and pressing the handrails against the cab with another piece of wood I soldered the 2 tops in position with a dab of solder carried to the job on my hot iron. I checked the bottoms were straight and parallel and soldered them in place. I removed the wood packing pieces and rechecked the alignment before filing the inside tails flush with the inside of the cab. A small amount of the solder has filled the over large holes and gives the impression of the handrails being welded in place similar to prototype pictures.
Some of the class didn’t have the cab side handrails just in front of the cab opening and no holes or marks are provided. However, my prototype 726 did so I estimated their position which continued in a straight line continuing from the tank handrails. Two suitable holes were drilled either side of the cab and they were soldered in place then cleaned up in exactly the same way as the handrails either side of the doorways.
I have seen only one member of the class with a handrail on the bunker rear and this locomotive didn’t have filled in coal rails but what looks like an extension welded on top so I’m presuming this was a different arrangement. I don’t have a rear view of 726 but as it has sheeted in coal rails, I will treat it like other class members which had this style of bunker and was not fitted with rear handrails.
The holes for the handrails either side of the cab doors were etched to well over 1mm and, from prototype pictures, the handrails look the same size as the tank handrails which are 0.7mm. I was concerned that this could cause problems but I needn’t have worried. I made up 4 staple shaped handrails of identical size and placed them in position with coffee stirrers at the top and the bottom to pack them out. Some flux was applied to the tails inside the cab and pressing the handrails against the cab with another piece of wood I soldered the 2 tops in position with a dab of solder carried to the job on my hot iron. I checked the bottoms were straight and parallel and soldered them in place. I removed the wood packing pieces and rechecked the alignment before filing the inside tails flush with the inside of the cab. A small amount of the solder has filled the over large holes and gives the impression of the handrails being welded in place similar to prototype pictures.
Some of the class didn’t have the cab side handrails just in front of the cab opening and no holes or marks are provided. However, my prototype 726 did so I estimated their position which continued in a straight line continuing from the tank handrails. Two suitable holes were drilled either side of the cab and they were soldered in place then cleaned up in exactly the same way as the handrails either side of the doorways.
I have seen only one member of the class with a handrail on the bunker rear and this locomotive didn’t have filled in coal rails but what looks like an extension welded on top so I’m presuming this was a different arrangement. I don’t have a rear view of 726 but as it has sheeted in coal rails, I will treat it like other class members which had this style of bunker and was not fitted with rear handrails.