Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Thanks Steve, still beavering away with it. To be fair the tender is well on it's way I am just behind with the progress reports.
7mm David Andrews Princess - 6206 Princess Marie Louise
- Thread starter Rob Pulham
- Start date
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
While mulling over how to get the fire iron tunnel in place and the left hand side to fit without a gap I decide to make up all the little details that contribute to the whole.
The castings for the intermediate buffers were a little soft around the edges so I turned some from nickel that are a little more crisp looking.
I did the same with the windlass handles for the brakes/water scoop
The castings for the intermediate buffers were a little soft around the edges so I turned some from nickel that are a little more crisp looking.
I did the same with the windlass handles for the brakes/water scoop
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Next, I moved onto the springs and hangers. Several of the dampers had become detached from the springs. The white metal pins are the vulnerable parts so I decided to replace them.
First, I cut off all the dampers and pins from the springs. Next, I used a burr that came with a set of tools for the Dremel in the mill, to mill out the remains of the pin between the frame of the damper. I had to slow the mill down to 320 rpm in order not to over heat and melt the white metal.
I used a clothes peg to hold the springs to drill them again using the mill.
I cut lengths of brass rod to replace the white metal pins. I made a jig from a piece of ply with a blob of bluetac and a hand vice to help with soldering.
Not the prettiest of soldering but they look a lot better.
First, I cut off all the dampers and pins from the springs. Next, I used a burr that came with a set of tools for the Dremel in the mill, to mill out the remains of the pin between the frame of the damper. I had to slow the mill down to 320 rpm in order not to over heat and melt the white metal.
I used a clothes peg to hold the springs to drill them again using the mill.
I cut lengths of brass rod to replace the white metal pins. I made a jig from a piece of ply with a blob of bluetac and a hand vice to help with soldering.
Not the prettiest of soldering but they look a lot better.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Pretty much all of the external detailing is now complete. Studying the only photograph that I have of the rear of the tender (LMS Loco Profiles No4 Page 84) I noted that there was a small fitting with what initially looked like a single outlet pipe. Which is how I fitted the small casting, that I found tucked away in the corner of the castings bag.
However, having checked the Finney Duchess instructions and then looking at an a scanned and enlarged view of the fitting it seems that there is indeed a second pipe so I will need to revisit it and fit a second pipe if I can.
I have posted elsewhere of the lamp irons that I milled from recycled plug pins but I haven’t showed them fitted.
However, having checked the Finney Duchess instructions and then looking at an a scanned and enlarged view of the fitting it seems that there is indeed a second pipe so I will need to revisit it and fit a second pipe if I can.
I have posted elsewhere of the lamp irons that I milled from recycled plug pins but I haven’t showed them fitted.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
I forgot to add that, for some reason probably oversight, there were no castings for the steam heat pipes. I had a look in the spares box but the casting that I had wasn't very good so I made one up from rod, scrap etch and fine wire.
I also made the vacuum pipe removable (screwed on from underneath by a 10 ba screw) to ease painting.
I also made the vacuum pipe removable (screwed on from underneath by a 10 ba screw) to ease painting.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
A few good sessions at the bench over the last couple of days has seen the tender finished, aside from one remaining task. I have made the cross frames which fit between the wheels removable via some brass angle soldered to the inside of the outer frames. One of them needs to be cut to fit around the scoop operating mechanism.
Despite having built several Stanier tenders now, this one has been the most challenging to date. Some of that has been due to the large half etched panels and straightening out the bowing of them brought on by the etching process. The remaining fight has been with the fit of the coal space.
Not that clear in the photo below due to all parts being nickel, but in order to finish of the left side, I had to cut a triangular strip 3mm wide tapering to nothing over 55mm
Here we are with the axle box/spring castings just rested in place for the photos. They will be fixed in place after painting.
If you zoom into the photo below you can see that I did revisit the second feed pipe on the coal pusher mechanism.
Despite having built several Stanier tenders now, this one has been the most challenging to date. Some of that has been due to the large half etched panels and straightening out the bowing of them brought on by the etching process. The remaining fight has been with the fit of the coal space.
Not that clear in the photo below due to all parts being nickel, but in order to finish of the left side, I had to cut a triangular strip 3mm wide tapering to nothing over 55mm
Here we are with the axle box/spring castings just rested in place for the photos. They will be fixed in place after painting.
If you zoom into the photo below you can see that I did revisit the second feed pipe on the coal pusher mechanism.
Compton castle
Western Thunderer
That’s a very nice Starter!
Im Very much looking forward to the main course now
Im Very much looking forward to the main course now
Ressaldar
Western Thunderer
Hi Rob,
nice to see that the buffer heads are already blackened, a pet irk is seeing them shiny bright, although I do recall seeing Green Arrow on the turntable at the NRM in 1979 (I think) with the front buffer heads beautifully 'quartered' obviously for a special run.
regards
Mike
nice to see that the buffer heads are already blackened, a pet irk is seeing them shiny bright, although I do recall seeing Green Arrow on the turntable at the NRM in 1979 (I think) with the front buffer heads beautifully 'quartered' obviously for a special run.
regards
Mike
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Thanks Steve, I hope for an easier time of it.
Hi Mike,
They didn't come blackened, heated them up and left them in some Sunflower oil. It gives them a lovely even coat of black.
Hi Mike,
They didn't come blackened, heated them up and left them in some Sunflower oil. It gives them a lovely even coat of black.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Usually when I start a loco build, I start by making up the coupling rods in preparation for aiding with the assembly of the chassis. On a whim, I decided to build the trailing truck and the bogie first.
First the trailing truck.
The truck is in two parts an outer and an inner which holds the axles/wheels. As it comes in the kit it's a fold up frame with the front yoke as separate etches that you assemble to create the I frame.
I am working from the Wild Swan Loco Profile book N0 4 The Princess Royal Pacifics and aside from photos and historical information about the development and changes to the locos over time it also contains a number of General Arrangement Drawings. One of sets of drawings is for the trailing truck and shows the differences between the first two and the main production batch. 6206 is from the latter. What is clear from the drawings but not from photos (because you only see the sides not the ends) is that the front and back of the truck is also I beam type construction. I decided to add this from 10 thou nickel sheet cut with the guillotine. You can see the first piece in place on the photo above.
The inner truck is a basic fold up box that you add a couple of nuts to and then fit bearings. Although it cannot be seen from any angle unless you turn it upside down the drawing shows that there is some kind of side control mechanism so I decided to turn a basic representation of it from a couple of pieces of brass rod.
Lastly the truck assembled and ready to fit to the chassis at some future point.
The additions have also added a little more weight to the truck so with luck I may not need to try and find room for some lead later on.
First the trailing truck.
The truck is in two parts an outer and an inner which holds the axles/wheels. As it comes in the kit it's a fold up frame with the front yoke as separate etches that you assemble to create the I frame.
I am working from the Wild Swan Loco Profile book N0 4 The Princess Royal Pacifics and aside from photos and historical information about the development and changes to the locos over time it also contains a number of General Arrangement Drawings. One of sets of drawings is for the trailing truck and shows the differences between the first two and the main production batch. 6206 is from the latter. What is clear from the drawings but not from photos (because you only see the sides not the ends) is that the front and back of the truck is also I beam type construction. I decided to add this from 10 thou nickel sheet cut with the guillotine. You can see the first piece in place on the photo above.
The inner truck is a basic fold up box that you add a couple of nuts to and then fit bearings. Although it cannot be seen from any angle unless you turn it upside down the drawing shows that there is some kind of side control mechanism so I decided to turn a basic representation of it from a couple of pieces of brass rod.
Lastly the truck assembled and ready to fit to the chassis at some future point.
The additions have also added a little more weight to the truck so with luck I may not need to try and find room for some lead later on.
John57sharp
Western Thunderer
Some lovely work there.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Thanks Gents,
Like many, it's adding the extra details that gives me the most pleasure from the build.
Like many, it's adding the extra details that gives me the most pleasure from the build.
Ian@StEnochs
Western Thunderer
Rob,
That also takes up most of the building time! Not a complaint but I can get a loco recognisable as such within a few sessions but then adding all the details, which give it character, takes a lot more. Mostly fun but sometimes exasperatingly slow.
Ian.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
The bogie as supplied is a fold up box to which additional end pieces are soldered. I forgot to take a photo of this so I include a snip from the instructions to show what it consists of.
I have some very nice castings in place of the etch parts B6, but sadly as you will see not much of them is visible on the finished bogie.
I built up the bogies frames to create the I section where needed, as with the trailing truck. I also added some rivet strip along the top. Parts 164 are white metal castings which were passable, but I chose to remake them from brass
You will also note parts B10, this is where period photos are essential because these were not fitted until the 1940's which is later than this model is to be depicted (around 1938). There were location marks half etched into the spring plates so I reversed them to hide the marks.
I have also elongated one pair of holes so that I can provide some basic springing of one axle.
Once it's all assembled you can see what I mean about the visibility of the springs.
I have some very nice castings in place of the etch parts B6, but sadly as you will see not much of them is visible on the finished bogie.
I built up the bogies frames to create the I section where needed, as with the trailing truck. I also added some rivet strip along the top. Parts 164 are white metal castings which were passable, but I chose to remake them from brass
You will also note parts B10, this is where period photos are essential because these were not fitted until the 1940's which is later than this model is to be depicted (around 1938). There were location marks half etched into the spring plates so I reversed them to hide the marks.
I have also elongated one pair of holes so that I can provide some basic springing of one axle.
Once it's all assembled you can see what I mean about the visibility of the springs.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
It was only after taking the photos above and preparing them for upload I realised that I hadn't fitted the guard irons. So that was a quick task this morning. As supplied the slots in the bogie were much wider than the thickness of the etch so I beefed them up with another layer and then shaped them to suit.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
This week has been spent preparing the chassis for assembly. I started by adding additional strips to edges of some of the frame spacers to make them more three dimensional their appearance.
The extras include some nice cast springs and hangers for the driver so the next job was to cut off the etched versions from the frames and open out the horn guide slots.
The horn guides are Finney and made up without difficulty
The loco is to have a basic form of inside motion animated by a pair of eccentrics to give an element of movement to the cross heads which are visible through the cut outs on the frames above the bogie. To facilitate this, I made up a motion plate and cylinder front.
The extras include some nice cast springs and hangers for the driver so the next job was to cut off the etched versions from the frames and open out the horn guide slots.
The horn guides are Finney and made up without difficulty
The loco is to have a basic form of inside motion animated by a pair of eccentrics to give an element of movement to the cross heads which are visible through the cut outs on the frames above the bogie. To facilitate this, I made up a motion plate and cylinder front.
LarryG
Western Thunderer
I would say a camera is a major tool in the model builders armoury.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Oh yes, I am sure I am not on my own in picking up errors/omissions from taking photos of work in progress.I would say a camera is a major tool in the model builders armoury.
simond
Western Thunderer
The bogie as supplied is a fold up box to which additional end pieces are soldered. I forgot to take a photo of this so I include a snip from the instructions to show what it consists of.
I have some very nice castings in place of the etch parts B6, but sadly as you will see not much of them is visible on the finished bogie.
I built up the bogies frames to create the I section where needed, as with the trailing truck. I also added some rivet strip along the top. Parts 164 are white metal castings which were passable, but I chose to remake them from brass
You will also note parts B10, this is where period photos are essential because these were not fitted until the 1940's which is later than this model is to be depicted (around 1938). There were location marks half etched into the spring plates so I reversed them to hide the marks.
I have also elongated one pair of holes so that I can provide some basic springing of one axle.
Once it's all assembled you can see what I mean about the visibility of the springs.
Rob
I think you might have a short circuit when you put it on the track - the right hand axle appears to be insulated this side (and presumably not the other) and the left appears not to be this side (and presumably is the other)...
hth
Simon