7mm On Heather's Workbench - small and perfectly formed

[Compton castle]

Sorry to see your having difficulties, I think they have now altered the bunker on the new 54xx pannier to a resin casting. No help for you but maybe they will alter the 57xx kit in the future.
I'm sure it will turn out OK in the end.

 

[Dikitriki]

I'm sorry, but your post did make me laugh - not at your misfortune I hasten to add.

If I was doing this, I would solder each of the castings in first, then cut, rivet and form a replacement sheet to fit between.

I agree about the resin. The bunker seems a much more complex shape than the tanks.

Good luck!

Richard

 

[Dog Star]

I would be inclined to place said this model in appropriate hands and ask how the individual parts are to be combined into an acceptable representation of the prototype - or as the advertising says:-

"Kit builds into an exquisite 7mm to the foot loco" .

To paraphrase the Advertising Standards Agency... an advert must be legal, decent and honest. I wonder how exquisite can be applied to the bunker in an honest fashion.

Or at least ask how the demonstration model was built to a satisfactory appearance.

 

[Heather Kay]

I wonder how exquisite can be applied to the bunker in an honest fashion

I guess it makes an exquisite pile of brass poop.

I am sure it will turn out okay in the end. I will lug it to Northamptonshire this coming weekend to discuss things with the proprietor and see what they say. Meanwhile it is being rested. I think I will return to the RMB for a while.

 

[SimonT]

Heather,
I have just come across this too late - I had the same experience on my 56XX. The cast ends were no symetrical until I filed them so. I elected to lose rivets. Eventually I mounted the cast bits onto the sides and got them aligned as best I could. This work was done with 188C solder. The back piece is a pig and I mounted mine upside down as well. I just treated it as a trim either end, to get length, and also adjust the curvature to get the top and bottom to fit. Dreadful design made up elsewhere by a superb resin boiler.

Simon

 

[Heather Kay]

Thanks, Simon. I've pretty much followed what you - and Richard - said earlier. I'm currently swearing at the cast ends until they fit as sensibly as they ever will. Then I will either bodge in the current back sheet, or consider making a fresh one to fit. I fear the nice curve into the bunker top will end if being a sharp edge, but what can you do?

I don't suppose the 54xx bunker might happen to be the same size. Might call and annoy Laurie tomorrow, while he's frantically getting ready for Kettering.

 

[Dog Star]

I don't suppose the 54xx bunker might happen to be the same size?

How about a scan of the 5400 GA dated May 1931?

 

[Heather Kay]

How about a scan of the 5400 GA dated May 1931?

That might prove advantageous.

 

[Dog Star]

That might prove advantageous.

Done .

 

[Heather Kay]

Done .

Thank you, Mr B.

A quick squint shows the fundamental dimensions are the same, but the junction with the back of the cab might cause issues. I'll see if JLTRT might bring a finished 5400 that I can compare.

 

[flexible_coupling]

*edited* - I'd made a comment about the 8750 cab being available as a resin casting - but that was before I did a little googling and realised how significantly different the two were. Still tempted to ask if it was possible to purchase the casting then perform drastic surgery to it ('just' using the bunker, new transition/curve to meet up with the 57xx cab) to avoid the mess you've encountered....

 

[Heather Kay]

Hello everyone.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions over this bunker problem. As I mentioned, I followed Richard's and Simon's idea of fitting the castings, then fitting the back plate. It more or less worked, but needs a good deal of sorting out. There's a fair amount of low temp solder filling a fair amount of fresh air inlet now. Photos soon, when I'm happy with the finish. It's just a shame some of the cast detail has to go, but what can you do?

Thoughts, inevitably, turned to fitting out the cab itself. I have some photos in my stash which show how it's supposed to fit together. The instructions, happily as it turns out, recreate a layout from the original GAs of this type - the one with the clack valves mounted on the firebox inside the cab. One wonders how many builders fit them, as well as the later top feed cover and pipes… I digress.

With the drawing, the photos and the various parts arrayed in front of me, I spent an hour or two trying to figure out exactly what went where. The following will help to illustrate, and I would be glad of any offers of enlightenment as to what some of these things are and where they live. I'm even happy to learn what they're for on the real loco. I always think it's important to know what something does to understand why and where it's fitted.

1. ?
2. ?
3. ? - the clacks are at the bottom of this sprue; I can also locate the object top right, but not its operating lever, unless it's at the top centre.
4. ?
5. Regulator
6. Dials, firebox hole baffle plate and shelf
7. Firehole door lever
8. ?
9. ? - I know where they go (under the roof) but I am not certain if there are two.
10. Whistles, but otherwise ?
11. ?
12. ?
13. Apparently sandbox filler lids, presumably for the ones under the cab.

As you can see, I can identify some of the components, and those I have I can be reasonably happy about where they live. I realise some of the parts don't belong in the cab, and some may not even be required in this build.
If you want detailed shots of any of the bits, please let me know.
I am now going to mull how to fit the roof so it looks like it belongs yet remains removable.

 

[Steph Dale]

1. Lubricators; Detroit (hydrostatic) on left, conventional oil pot on right
2. ? (Can't see/don't recognise)
3. As you say - I think it's the GWR brake valve/ejector
4. Regulator packing? (alternative to that moulded in?) plus a boiler-level sight glass
5. Regulator handle, yep.
6. Yep
7. Yep
8. ? (Can't see/don't recognise)
9. Heater coils for cab roof? I thought on GWR locos they tended to be a flat coil; could these be LT ones?
10. RHS are try cocks - GWR locos had only one sight glass and a set of try cocks.
11. Two parts at the top are the safety valves I think. Not sure about the other two - maybe not cab fittings?
12. Damper/sander handles.
13. Could be for the front of the loco? Not sure of arrangements for filling the rear sand boxes.

With that you should be a little further on...
With all due apologies, I'm not 100% on GWR cab fittings. Give me a Southern loco and I'd probably get the lot!

Steph

 

[oldravendale]

I have some photos in my stash which show how it's supposed to fit together. The instructions, happily as it turns out, recreate a layout from the original GAs of this type - the one with the clack valves mounted on the firebox inside the cab. One wonders how many builders fit them, as well as the later top feed cover and pipes… I digress.

Hello Heather.

Sorry to learn that this build is something of a trial. And I can't help with the naming of the parts - I'm not well educatad enough! I was also a bit nervous about putting this photo up too, as you seem to have quite a bit of reference material, it's the right class but incorrect series for your build and the picture quality is not great. In fact it's rubbish! But it's the ony one I have of a Pannier cab, taken in 1959 at Swindon Station.

May I suggest that take from it what you will or consign to the round (usually wire) filing cabinet.

Best regards.

Brian

 

[Heather Kay]

Brian, that's highly appreciated, irregardless of being a bit modern for the version I'm building.

I'm loath to say this build is a trial. I tend to regard most builds as an adventure, a challenge if you prefer, because it forms part of the journey of discovery and self-advancement I find myself on. I may have moments of annoyance and swearing, but I hope the end result will be worth the time put in. At least, I hope my client will be happy with the end result.

Graham, I have your message. If it's okay, I would like to call your early this evening. I am in and out and all about today, with just the odd moment to call my own.

 

[3 LINK]

Hi Heather,

From what I can see, number 2 is the steam manifold that fits on the top of the back plate, this manifold just distributes steam to the rest of the " gubbins ".

Martyn.

 

[Heather Kay]

9. Heater coils for cab roof? I thought on GWR locos they tended to be a flat coil; could these be LT ones?

Steph, I missed your post earlier. That's what happens when I am in and out and not concentrated on the job at hand. I am sure they should be coiled. They certainly are on 5764, but it's quite possible L.94 is different. I have a sneaking suspicion the kit is in large part based on 7752/L.94 as preserved.

If I can confirm these items ought to be coiled, that's a quick fab with brass wire. I also need to confirm there ought to be a pair, and what they are attached to on the backhead.

 

[Heather Kay]

From what I can see, number 2 is the steam manifold that fits on the top of the back plate, this manifold just distributes steam to the rest of the " gubbins ".

You know, I was at the point of referring to it as a "steam turret", in best Riddles fashion.

 

[Dog Star]

You know, I was at the point of referring to it as a "steam turret", in best Riddles fashion.

Swindon... fountain!

 

[Dog Star]

Heather,

JLTRT kits may include parts on a sprue which are not relevant to the class under consideration...

Some of the castings in the pikkie are not for the cab...

Some of the castings are for a design which was superceded in later life.

1/ LHS 3-row sight feed hydrostatic lubricator;
RHS - ? please provide a bigger pikkie and of the other side of the casting;

2/ various cocks for steam and lubrication;

3/ top - vacuum brake handle for use with the ejector in 4/
LHS - top, ?
- middle, ?
- bottom, clack valve for boiler backplate;
RHS - top, steam/vacuum brake combination ejector;
- might be part of above;
- bottom, clack box for boiler backplate;

4/ LHS - top, ?
- middle, boiler blow down cock (?), fitted to RHS of firebox below footplate;
- bottom, blower cock?
RHS - top, combined regulator stuffing box and whistle valves;
- bottom, water gauge;

5/ LHS - regulator handle;
RHS - operating linkage for 3-way W-valve, feeds steam at boiler pressure to hydrostatic lubricator;

6/ firebox flap/ gauge bodies (talk to Pat Legg about dial faces)/ shelf for oil feeders;

7/ firehole door operating levers;

8/ might be the 3-way W valve, please offer a bigger pikkie;

9/ twin condenser coils, correct shape for late Churchward / early Collett, both required;

10/ LHS
1) whistle
2) whistle
3) ?
4) not present
5) snifting valve? please post a bigger picture
RHS
1) to 4) cylinder drain valves
5) steam lance cock (?) please post a bigger pikkie.

11/ LH top and RH top, safety vavle/ springs/ bridge to fit inside Savety Valve casing;
bottom - tank lid bump rests;

12/ LH top, sanding gear lever;
RH top, cylinder drain valve operating lever;
bottom - these look like flanges with four bolt/nuts... could be the blanking plates for the clack
valve pads when an engine carries a boiler that has been converted from water feed via backplate
clacks to top feed in front of the dome.

13/ ?????

There are some fittings which I cannot see in your picture...

a) Mason's valve for steam heat control;
b) cylinder relief valves;
c) Y-piece to connect steam cock on fountain to 3-way W-valve.

There is one niggle about these fittings for an engine circa mid 1930s and that is the regulator stuffing box... I wonder if the two steam cocks at the bottom of the casting would be there at that time ('cos those items are pure Dean). I expected to see a stuffing box with a lower bracket for mounting the 3-way W-valve.

regards, Graham