Scanlon
Western Thunderer
Day 2 on the E2 and now the gremlins are coming out from under the carpet. The smokebox saddle was completed using the etched parts provided. Included in the castings is a whitemetal steam chest cover but it was too small to serve any purpose. Construction of the bunker and cab back presented no problems other than blending in the lower edges of the bunker to the reverse curves.
An etch is provided for the protecting bars over the rear windows but they looked very crude. I chose to drill out the marked holes for conventional bars, 0.5 brass rod being used. The coal rails are yet to be correctly put in place and backing plates will have to be made from scrap etch to represent them as they were in later days.
A start was then made on constructing the tanks. Being the longer type it is necessary to put a floor into the tank extensions using pieces of scrap etch. It was at this stage problems began to arise. Slot and tab is used to locate etches but often they are not where they should be.
Having built up the first tank side none of the 3 tabs would line up with their respective slots. Referring to drawings I did establish the tab at the cab end of the tank would go into the appropriate slot and locate accurately but not the other two. If I'd have relied upon the slots in the running plate the front of the tank would have been halfway along the smokebox! With the two other tabs removed the left hand tank was then soldered in place. The right hand tank was then built up. Armed with the knowledge that the rear tab was in the correct position it was located in the appropriate slot. Wrong, this slot was in the incorrect place and if used would have resulted in the tank being located about 2mm ahead of the other. I chose to dispense with all the tabs and using set squares and clamps ensured the right hand tank lined up exactly with the left hand one front and rear!
These photos give an idea of how large these shunting tanks engines were.
I remember them as being small locos but then memory always plays tricks and it was over 60 years ago.
A trial fit of the upper cab sides and the cab front reveal the locating tabs for the cab front are at least 2mm out of place. I will ignore the slots and build up the cab using the upper cab sides which are accurate etches, as the guides. Once installed the tank sides will need slight modification, the cut out at the cab end as etched is not long enough and will have to be extended towards the smokebox by 2mm. The boiler etch has also been tried in place and at this stage it will correctly locate on the saddle.
An etch is provided for the protecting bars over the rear windows but they looked very crude. I chose to drill out the marked holes for conventional bars, 0.5 brass rod being used. The coal rails are yet to be correctly put in place and backing plates will have to be made from scrap etch to represent them as they were in later days.
A start was then made on constructing the tanks. Being the longer type it is necessary to put a floor into the tank extensions using pieces of scrap etch. It was at this stage problems began to arise. Slot and tab is used to locate etches but often they are not where they should be.
Having built up the first tank side none of the 3 tabs would line up with their respective slots. Referring to drawings I did establish the tab at the cab end of the tank would go into the appropriate slot and locate accurately but not the other two. If I'd have relied upon the slots in the running plate the front of the tank would have been halfway along the smokebox! With the two other tabs removed the left hand tank was then soldered in place. The right hand tank was then built up. Armed with the knowledge that the rear tab was in the correct position it was located in the appropriate slot. Wrong, this slot was in the incorrect place and if used would have resulted in the tank being located about 2mm ahead of the other. I chose to dispense with all the tabs and using set squares and clamps ensured the right hand tank lined up exactly with the left hand one front and rear!These photos give an idea of how large these shunting tanks engines were.
I remember them as being small locos but then memory always plays tricks and it was over 60 years ago.
A trial fit of the upper cab sides and the cab front reveal the locating tabs for the cab front are at least 2mm out of place. I will ignore the slots and build up the cab using the upper cab sides which are accurate etches, as the guides. Once installed the tank sides will need slight modification, the cut out at the cab end as etched is not long enough and will have to be extended towards the smokebox by 2mm. The boiler etch has also been tried in place and at this stage it will correctly locate on the saddle.
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During trials with the boiler in position the tanks were pushed out of the vertical and to overcome this the front of them were slightly ground out until the tanks resumed their vertical positions.