7mm Martin Finney 7mm Duchess
- Thread starter Dikitriki
- Start date
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- duchess lms martin finney stanier
Dikitriki
Flying Squad
Well to be honest posting things on here pointing out the pitfalls in a range that you are about to re-release is a bit like shooting yourself in the foot lol ;-).
Something as good as the parts you are making should be included if at all possible don't let it cross your mind just do it you know it makes sense ;-).
After all it will save me having to do the work copying yours and leave me more time to buy a second Duchess kit ;-)....
What's that old saying... " You have to speculate to accumulate"......
Something as good as the parts you are making should be included if at all possible don't let it cross your mind just do it you know it makes sense ;-).
After all it will save me having to do the work copying yours and leave me more time to buy a second Duchess kit ;-)....
What's that old saying... " You have to speculate to accumulate"......
Dikitriki
Flying Squad
There are always going to be parts in any kit in any range that can be improved upon, and I'm not going to alter my approach just because I have an interest in the kit. And we can't know what to improve unless we build the kit and are honest about it.
We will cast the crank - it is one of a number of incremental upgrades we're currently considering - but when it will be available depends on having other parts to cast at the same time to make it economic to do so.
Richard
We will cast the crank - it is one of a number of incremental upgrades we're currently considering - but when it will be available depends on having other parts to cast at the same time to make it economic to do so.
Richard
I'm only winding you up Richard ;-)...
It does make sense though to create such an amazing replacement part then only use it on a model for yourself would be a complete waste...
The MF Duchess is after all still the best Duchess kit out there with or without the additional parts when it's available....
It does make sense though to create such an amazing replacement part then only use it on a model for yourself would be a complete waste...
The MF Duchess is after all still the best Duchess kit out there with or without the additional parts when it's available....
Isambarduk
Western Thunderer
Yes, very pretty, Richard. I shall do similar, as I have in the past, but do take the time to admire it whilst you still can; once it is in the finished model, you'll not be able to see it so clearly again! 
Dikitriki
Flying Squad
Hi,
I have now finished off the tender.
Front end - I've added the rounded bit to the front of the block on the scoop crank, and added the twin pull rods on the brake crank. there was nothing in the kit to suggest the continuation of the crank pull rod, or the cover for the brake pull rods between the footplate and the fall plate, so I have added those. Again just for completeness as they can't be seen once the loco is coupled to the tender. I've also added some silicon tube to represent the various pipes
The last remaining piece of the jigsaw in making the wheels removable is to work out a way of attaching the water economiser. Here I followed what Cliff did except that I made it clip into the operating link by the scoop. No point in reiventing the wheel.
I shall have a final tidy up then take some pics of the completed tender in my new light tent. I've been looking for an excuse to use it
Richard
I have now finished off the tender.
Front end - I've added the rounded bit to the front of the block on the scoop crank, and added the twin pull rods on the brake crank. there was nothing in the kit to suggest the continuation of the crank pull rod, or the cover for the brake pull rods between the footplate and the fall plate, so I have added those. Again just for completeness as they can't be seen once the loco is coupled to the tender. I've also added some silicon tube to represent the various pipes
The last remaining piece of the jigsaw in making the wheels removable is to work out a way of attaching the water economiser. Here I followed what Cliff did except that I made it clip into the operating link by the scoop. No point in reiventing the wheel.
I shall have a final tidy up then take some pics of the completed tender in my new light tent. I've been looking for an excuse to use it
Richard
Dikitriki
Flying Squad
Working on it Mark
Some portraits of the finished tender....
I spent a very enjoyable evening last night going through the engine kit. I had started it some while ago, but wanted to remind myself what I had done, and more importantly what I had left to do, and the appropriate order. The instructions are comprehensive and need a very careful read through, all the time cross-referencing to the drawings.
I am including the inside valve gear, and to be honest, the Duchess is as easy as it gets in this respect. There are inside cranks, but the inside valve gear itself is minimal as it is operated by rocking levers driven from the outside valve gear. There are a lot of bits and it's 'just' the case, like the tender, of working your way methodically through the instructions.
Richard
Some portraits of the finished tender....
I spent a very enjoyable evening last night going through the engine kit. I had started it some while ago, but wanted to remind myself what I had done, and more importantly what I had left to do, and the appropriate order. The instructions are comprehensive and need a very careful read through, all the time cross-referencing to the drawings.
I am including the inside valve gear, and to be honest, the Duchess is as easy as it gets in this respect. There are inside cranks, but the inside valve gear itself is minimal as it is operated by rocking levers driven from the outside valve gear. There are a lot of bits and it's 'just' the case, like the tender, of working your way methodically through the instructions.
Richard
Dikitriki
Flying Squad
Hi,
My attention has now turned to the engine. Because the footplate is built on a cradle to which the valances are attached, the body can be built without the necessity of building the chassis first. I have got to the stage of removing the cradle and attached most of the detail up to the dreaded (just because of the sheer number) lubricators and piping.
Splashers, sandbox fillers and brackets:
Hinge pins are 1.5mm lengths of copper wire!
The front footplate:
It's a bit difficult to get in to clean it up as fully as I would like, so I have brushed some surface conditioner over it which accounts for the slightly pinkinsh tinge. I have attached the lower part of the smoke deflector to the right side, the rest of the deflector will be detachable - more on this later.
Rear of the footplate, with overlay for the firebox bottom:
And the underside of the exquisite buffers. You can see the mechanism for avoiding rotation of the oval buffers - a slot in the buffer and a pin in the base.
Richard
My attention has now turned to the engine. Because the footplate is built on a cradle to which the valances are attached, the body can be built without the necessity of building the chassis first. I have got to the stage of removing the cradle and attached most of the detail up to the dreaded (just because of the sheer number) lubricators and piping.
Splashers, sandbox fillers and brackets:
Hinge pins are 1.5mm lengths of copper wire!
The front footplate:
It's a bit difficult to get in to clean it up as fully as I would like, so I have brushed some surface conditioner over it which accounts for the slightly pinkinsh tinge. I have attached the lower part of the smoke deflector to the right side, the rest of the deflector will be detachable - more on this later.
Rear of the footplate, with overlay for the firebox bottom:
And the underside of the exquisite buffers. You can see the mechanism for avoiding rotation of the oval buffers - a slot in the buffer and a pin in the base.
Richard
Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen
Western Thunderer
Amazing, I can see evidence of the use of solder
Tim
Tim
Last edited:
Cliff Williams
Western Thunderer
Stunning work.
I deviated slightly when doing mine by making up the sandbox filler brackets but not soldering them on.
This allowed me to line behind, then once painted I fastened them on with a smear of araldite, made my job easier.
I deviated slightly when doing mine by making up the sandbox filler brackets but not soldering them on.
This allowed me to line behind, then once painted I fastened them on with a smear of araldite, made my job easier.
Dikitriki
Flying Squad
That's a valid point Cliff. It's a question of how far you go. I reckon that the painter - hello Warren - will cope with the brackets on. I shall make the lubricators and pipes detachable though, or at least the pipes part detachable as I reckon they can be split unobtrusively behind the sandbox filler brackets. Martin threaded the lubricators for this purpose.
Richard
warren haywood
Western Thunderer
Hello Richard
The brackets are fine, it is possible to squeeze the compasses round behind, although a red duchess really needs them off till the end.
I need to check my info but something in the back of my head says the centre splasher wasn't lined, maybe that's just blue liveried locos. I will get back to you once I have double checked.
The brackets are fine, it is possible to squeeze the compasses round behind, although a red duchess really needs them off till the end.
I need to check my info but something in the back of my head says the centre splasher wasn't lined, maybe that's just blue liveried locos. I will get back to you once I have double checked.
warren haywood
Western Thunderer
Just found it, blue unlined centre splasher, green lined centre splasher.
Cliff Williams
Western Thunderer
I made all the pipework detachable for painting.
When I was building up the pipe runs to under the smokebox I laid paper under the pipes before soldering the strap clamp on from thin brass on the splasher top.
I noticed 46229 had its splashers all lined up so I decided I wanted to do the same, some shots from back in the day when 46229 was "naked!"
When I was building up the pipe runs to under the smokebox I laid paper under the pipes before soldering the strap clamp on from thin brass on the splasher top.
I noticed 46229 had its splashers all lined up so I decided I wanted to do the same, some shots from back in the day when 46229 was "naked!"
Cliff Williams
Western Thunderer
Warren must have been having an off day at the NRM Richard
A few more of 46229 in case it helps with the pipes.
A few more of 46229 in case it helps with the pipes.
warren haywood
Western Thunderer
Look how the boiler smokebox band stops aswell
farnetti
Western Thunderer
A big thank you to Richard, Cliff and Warren. I'm so glad to have read this before I started the footplate.
Building (very slowly) 6240 City of Coventry early 60's as at Camden. She was well looked after for her age but I wonder what state the shiny copper would have been in then.
Ken
Building (very slowly) 6240 City of Coventry early 60's as at Camden. She was well looked after for her age but I wonder what state the shiny copper would have been in then.
Ken