Ressaldar
Western Thunderer
Whilst thumbing through one of my Southern books recently, one of the photos that stood out was that of a BR Standard Class 4MT 2-6-4t propelling the ex LSWR Directors Saloon which had been converted in 1958 for use as a route learner in connection with the Kent Coast electrification scheme and among the residents of my 'shelf queen' pile, is one of the Southwark Bridge models of that very saloon - 95% complete! Coincidentally that evening I noticed that there was an unpainted version of the loco on the bay of E, at an attractive starting price, no offers and the auction closing the next day.
The loco is now with me and has had a Zimo MX645 from YouChoos installed and waiting for the weather to warm up for the paintshop to do its work.
There are certain details that need to be added to enable it to look a bit more like 80037 than it does at present:
SR lamp brackets, Steam lance cock, AWS, speedo, side sheets and a 74D shedplate (although at the date in question Tonbridge had become 73J but I have been reliably informed that these shedplates were never cast) so it will stay as 74D as I had always known it. Numbers etc have been ordered from Railtec, lining will be HMRS and the Brighton works plates and the tank capacity plate have been ordered from Narrow Planet. The SR also fitted four lifting lugs to the cab roof following a nasty accident at Eastleigh when one of the locos was in for a 'General', so these will also be fitted.
The top photographs shows where I did a test rub with a scratch brush to assess how much elbow grease would be needed to get the brass shining brightly before it gets a bath in Viakal and the etch primer comes out. I may do the tank sides, bunker and roof with a wire brush in the Proxxon mini drill as there are no vulnerable bits to ping off using that method.
Detail photos of 80037 are few and far between and the general shots are not much better but those that I have found show that it still had fluted rods to the end of its days, so that is one 'mod' that will not be required. Another late photo shows it with a round buffer head on the right hand front housing, again, something not required on my model.
So when the weather becomes less cold (can't wait until it gets warmer in three months time!) I shall be in the workshop on the conversion and also picking up the threads to finish off the route learner.
regards and a happy New Year to all.
Mike
The loco is now with me and has had a Zimo MX645 from YouChoos installed and waiting for the weather to warm up for the paintshop to do its work.
There are certain details that need to be added to enable it to look a bit more like 80037 than it does at present:
SR lamp brackets, Steam lance cock, AWS, speedo, side sheets and a 74D shedplate (although at the date in question Tonbridge had become 73J but I have been reliably informed that these shedplates were never cast) so it will stay as 74D as I had always known it. Numbers etc have been ordered from Railtec, lining will be HMRS and the Brighton works plates and the tank capacity plate have been ordered from Narrow Planet. The SR also fitted four lifting lugs to the cab roof following a nasty accident at Eastleigh when one of the locos was in for a 'General', so these will also be fitted.
The top photographs shows where I did a test rub with a scratch brush to assess how much elbow grease would be needed to get the brass shining brightly before it gets a bath in Viakal and the etch primer comes out. I may do the tank sides, bunker and roof with a wire brush in the Proxxon mini drill as there are no vulnerable bits to ping off using that method.
Detail photos of 80037 are few and far between and the general shots are not much better but those that I have found show that it still had fluted rods to the end of its days, so that is one 'mod' that will not be required. Another late photo shows it with a round buffer head on the right hand front housing, again, something not required on my model.
So when the weather becomes less cold (can't wait until it gets warmer in three months time!) I shall be in the workshop on the conversion and also picking up the threads to finish off the route learner.
regards and a happy New Year to all.
Mike
