4mm Dave's SR Loco Workbench - Adams A12 Jubilee

[dltaylor]

As predicted, the brakegear was a fiddle. The actual parts are very nice; I soldered the brake blocks on one side to their cross-shafts (.7mm brass wire) and threaded them through the etched pull-rods, having opened up the slots sufficiently.
A small block of wood, filed square and to the correct width was used as a spacer to hold the second brake hanger in place for soldering.
You end up with a loose and floppy assembly that needs to be fitted to the loco. This was a right fiddle, threading peices of .5mm wire through the brake hangers and the etched holes in the chassis.
Once in place, you can hold the hangers in the right position relative to the wheels and solder the cross-shafts to the pull-rods. The result, at last, is the single rigid assembly shown, which can be easily fitted and removed from the chassis. The pull-rods could do with being a bit longer at the right hand end, in order to prevent the blocks actually rubbing on the wheels. You can see where I've bent the cranked ends backwards to increase the length where they attach to the chassis below the cab.



Cheers, Dave.

 

[dltaylor]

Dave,
How did you go about making the spacer for the drop sections of the footplate, as shown in the first post? I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't find a piece of scrap whitemetal just the right shape lying in my scrapbox.
Cheers, James

Hi James,
I used a bigger peice of whitemetal than neccessary, filed and squeezed in a smooth-jawed vice until it was the right thickness. It was then filed to the approximate shape, but still oversize, before being soldered to the underside of the main footplate. THEN it was filed to the correct shape, before soldering the dropped sections back in place. It actually turned out to be easier to do than describe!
You dont HAVE to use whitemetal, I did consider using double-sided copperclad instead, or even brass sheet, but in the end stuck with whitemetal.
Does that clarify?
Cheers, Dave.

 

[Wizard of the Moor]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the explanation. I was wondering if you had maybe cast a rough piece from scrap whitemetal before fettling it to final size.

Like most folk, I guess, I have a growing collection of bits of whitemetal which bear little resemblance to what their manufacturer intended. None of them are big enough to use in your application, so maybe I don't buy the right kits

James

 

[dltaylor]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the explanation. I was wondering if you had maybe cast a rough piece from scrap whitemetal before fettling it to final size.

... None of them are big enough to use in your application, so maybe I don't buy the right kits
James

Nothing so technical! And you could use two or three smaller peices instead.
Cheers, Dave.

 

[dltaylor]

Chassis is pretty much finished, and will need to be chemically blackened before final assembly, when any final adjustments can be made. When building the pony truck, I've realised there were no wheels for it in the kit, I shall have to search my spares box(es).
Moving on to finishing the bodywork, and all the detail of handrails, pipework etc.
Cheers,
Dave.

 

[dltaylor]

Body detailing of the U is well under way, handrails, ejector pipe, boiler fittings, reversing rod etc. The supplied etched smoke deflectors are not quite the right pattern; handhold cutouts are in the wrong position, and it might be easier to replace them than make alterations.
I'll put some photos up when theres a bit more to show.
All the best,
Dave.

 

[dltaylor]

Just received some tiny and exquisite smokebox numberplates from 247 Developments, superb peice of etching.
http://247developments.co.uk/ Highly recommended!
Dave.

 

[Oliver Bulleid]

Hopefully a photo.......Beaminster Road awaits the U.

 

[dltaylor]

At last some more photos of progress on the U, showing the drivers side of the boiler with various fittings added. The only photo of this loco I have shows it without AWS gear, normally fitted to the drivers side footplate below the reversing rod. Unless anyone can prove otherwise I shall model it in this condition.



I think I mentioned before, the smoke deflectors are correct for the N footplate dimensions, but I'm making replacements to fit the deeper U footplate drop. Also the handhold cutout and holes for the handrail are wrong for the U; handrail should be vertical. Much less work to make new ones that trying to modify the existing.



Cheers, Dave.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Nothing like a bit of scratch building Dave

 

[dltaylor]

Nothing like a bit of scratch building Dave

Can't beat it!

 

[Oliver Bulleid]

I will be busy putting together a typical WoE five coach set for this, it seems perfect for the all-stations to Exeter.

This is the last complete loco for Beaminster Road, just the 700 and S15 need updating, that will complete the loco roster.

Tim

 

[dltaylor]

One completed smoke deflector (apart from the handhold cutout) alongside the original etching.
Well worth the extra work I'm convinced.



Cheers, Dave

 

[Rob Pulham]

Very nice Dave

 

[dltaylor]

Thanks Rob.
I do have a question about Maunsell Mogul smoke deflectors; not sure if anyone can help. I assume the top edge was fixed to the handrails with brackets, but I can't find a photo to show this.
It would be a very flimsy assembly if they werent!
Chers, Dave.

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Dave,

just had a look through 'Profile of the Southern Moguls' and there is one shot of 31900 a U1 - Plate 147, which shows a bracket coming off of the top of the front handrail knob. Not very clear, but it's there. Send me a PM with your email address and in the meantime, I'll scan it in ready to send it to you.

cheers

Mike

 

[Graham Muz]

Hi Dave

Yes to the best of my knowledge there were two brackets from the inside top of the deflector to the handrail.

 

[dltaylor]

Many thanks for the info.
Dave.

 

[dltaylor]

Not a lot to say about this update, but some photos to show the state of play. Loco body is pretty much finished; just lamp irons and some extraneous pipework to add, and then the delicate job of cleaning up the edges of the whitemetal footplate. I'm really pleased with the new smoke deflectors.







Cheers, Dave.

 

[Jon Gwinnett]

I'm really pleased with the new smoke deflectors.

And so you should be - it looks superb