7mm On Heather's Workbench - the answer to life, the universe and…
- Thread starter Heather Kay
- Start date
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
After a brief hiatus on coaching stock, I set about something that's been nagging at me on this build.
The cylinder block for this variant of the 4200 is missing the valve chest covers. Parts are included for the "flat" running plate type, as they effectively sit above and are visible - at least from the front.
I had hoped to find something suitable among the parts on sale at Reading over the weekend, and while I came home with some cast covers for a Castle (Hobbyhorse Reynalds Range) Simon was quite correct that they weren't quite correct. I let the leedle grey cells do their thing for a bit.
Luckily, I had some brass thin-walled tube in stock of nearly the right diameter. Parting off four slices with a tube cutter, they were soldered to some scrap brass sheet, then filed to the same depth, cut out and cleaned up. Okay, the front pair should have a tail rod, and the rear pair actual valve operating mechanism, but all I was after was something to fill an aching void.
Up under the running plate, and once black and filthy, I think that's about as far as I need to go. I must get the frames painted and electrificated so I can get on with the pretty bits above the wheels.
The cylinder block for this variant of the 4200 is missing the valve chest covers. Parts are included for the "flat" running plate type, as they effectively sit above and are visible - at least from the front.
I had hoped to find something suitable among the parts on sale at Reading over the weekend, and while I came home with some cast covers for a Castle (Hobbyhorse Reynalds Range) Simon was quite correct that they weren't quite correct. I let the leedle grey cells do their thing for a bit.
Luckily, I had some brass thin-walled tube in stock of nearly the right diameter. Parting off four slices with a tube cutter, they were soldered to some scrap brass sheet, then filed to the same depth, cut out and cleaned up. Okay, the front pair should have a tail rod, and the rear pair actual valve operating mechanism, but all I was after was something to fill an aching void.
Up under the running plate, and once black and filthy, I think that's about as far as I need to go. I must get the frames painted and electrificated so I can get on with the pretty bits above the wheels.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Having been out of sorts at the end of last week, thanks to my traditional post-Reading sniffles, progress became rather glacial. What I did manage was to paint the frames, cylinder block and brake rigging, as that had to done before fitting the pickups.
So, pickups went in this morning. Using the standard Slater's plungers, I thought I'd try assembling things in a different order to that recommended by the manufacturer. Instead of fitting the nylon case to the frames, then the metal parts followed by fiddling and swearing to fit the wire and retaining nuts, I assembled the units on the bench. I made the retaining nuts nice and tight while still readily accessible, soldered wire to the tags, passed the whole caboodle through the frame plunger hole and trimmed to fit. A fettled bit of copperclad stripboard was fixed in place - awkwardly over the compensation beam, but what can you do? - and each pickup attached. The motor is attached with a three-way plug affair, arranged such that it will only fit the right way round.
Wheels on, quick test for continuity, which revealed one dry joint, and the worst was over. It runs, and I'll let it trundle on the rolling road for a while to try and bed things in.
Last edited:
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
The dreaded lurgi has returned, with reinforcements. This post has been disinfected before I hit the publish button.
Having bored myself rigid with the underframe (and still work to do) I decided some light work around the upper parts would be in order.
While cleaning up the cab for fitting the roof, I realised the client had inadvertently fitted the smaller size of cab side screens. Off they came, with the added benefit it's now easier to paint the loco and fit the proper size ones later. The rivet strips at each end of the hanging bar were fitted, and the fiddly beading tidied and refitted as required.
The roof rolled fairly nicely with my ally rod and yellow pages. There are two half-etched strips that fit on the front and back edges, which help getting the curve the right shape. Rivet strips are also fitted to the cab front and back sheets. The rain strips are brass castings, and therefore a little over size compared to photos - something I shall bear in mind with future builds. I need to organise a method of attaching the roof, but otherwise I am quite pleased with the way it turned out.
Having bored myself rigid with the underframe (and still work to do) I decided some light work around the upper parts would be in order.
While cleaning up the cab for fitting the roof, I realised the client had inadvertently fitted the smaller size of cab side screens. Off they came, with the added benefit it's now easier to paint the loco and fit the proper size ones later. The rivet strips at each end of the hanging bar were fitted, and the fiddly beading tidied and refitted as required.
The roof rolled fairly nicely with my ally rod and yellow pages. There are two half-etched strips that fit on the front and back edges, which help getting the curve the right shape. Rivet strips are also fitted to the cab front and back sheets. The rain strips are brass castings, and therefore a little over size compared to photos - something I shall bear in mind with future builds. I need to organise a method of attaching the roof, but otherwise I am quite pleased with the way it turned out.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Little and often, that's my motto at the moment. I do little jobs here and there, and eventually everything will be done.
As seems normal with these kits, the interior detailing of the back of the cab is lacking a little. Here you see the fruits of my labours today. A couple of vertical angle strips and the inside of the bunker access doors, with a latch. What I think may be the damper controls, either side of the coal hole, were missing so I knocked something quickly together from wire. It'll pass once a couple of tiddley peeps occupy the cab.
While I am bumbling round the cab, thoughts turn to the backhead and sundry other details.
Would I be correct in assuming the circled object is the tap for the wash down pipe, which normally lives on the fireman's side of the water tank extensions? From the various photos shared earlier in the thread, the location seems to vary between two preserved locos. The BR black loco seems to have had the fireman's tip-up seat shifted to the cab side, and the wash down pipe arrangement shifted up above the oil box. In a GWR green loco, the tap seems to be lower than the oil box and somewhat inline with the front of the cab opening. I am tempted to go with the latter, as the seat is where it traditionally lives, on the bunker front.
As usual, I'm sweating the small stuff, and wondering why I bother!
As seems normal with these kits, the interior detailing of the back of the cab is lacking a little. Here you see the fruits of my labours today. A couple of vertical angle strips and the inside of the bunker access doors, with a latch. What I think may be the damper controls, either side of the coal hole, were missing so I knocked something quickly together from wire. It'll pass once a couple of tiddley peeps occupy the cab.
While I am bumbling round the cab, thoughts turn to the backhead and sundry other details.
Would I be correct in assuming the circled object is the tap for the wash down pipe, which normally lives on the fireman's side of the water tank extensions? From the various photos shared earlier in the thread, the location seems to vary between two preserved locos. The BR black loco seems to have had the fireman's tip-up seat shifted to the cab side, and the wash down pipe arrangement shifted up above the oil box. In a GWR green loco, the tap seems to be lower than the oil box and somewhat inline with the front of the cab opening. I am tempted to go with the latter, as the seat is where it traditionally lives, on the bunker front.
As usual, I'm sweating the small stuff, and wondering why I bother!
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
Injector water valves I suspect Heather - I'd expect the dampers controls to be somewhat closer to the firebox.
Can't help with that casting though...
As an aside, and assuming it's prototypical, the siting of those seats is bordering on the perverse isn't it? Not only would you have to bend yourself around the injector water-valve handle to actually sit down, you'd also be able to see pretty close to b*gger-all out of the cab front windows as well as being in probably the dirtiest and draftiest part of the cab. On other railways the seats would swing out from the cab/tank sides.
Steph
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Steph, it is the Great Western Railway. Need I say more?
Before the baying hordes come after me, I think I may need to trim down the injector handles a bit. They don't need to take up so much room. I reckon the seats were meant as nothing more than somewhere to perch in quiet moments. You weren't meant to drive the loco from that position. On tender engines, the seats were placed in a more sensible place, but again not really meant so you could sit down in the job.
Before the baying hordes come after me, I think I may need to trim down the injector handles a bit. They don't need to take up so much room. I reckon the seats were meant as nothing more than somewhere to perch in quiet moments. You weren't meant to drive the loco from that position. On tender engines, the seats were placed in a more sensible place, but again not really meant so you could sit down in the job.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Thanks Simon. Yes, that's the Waterman loco where the fireman's seat has been moved to the side of the cab, the pep pipe moved to make room.
I'm out for the day, but I'll do some digging later to see if I can pin down a pattern. I doubt I will, but it'll keep me quiet!
I'm out for the day, but I'll do some digging later to see if I can pin down a pattern. I doubt I will, but it'll keep me quiet!
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Beginning to look the part, but it's still just for show.
Yesterday I fitted the connecting rods. I then spent ages fiddling and fettling to get the beast running smoothly in both directions. I find it hard work diagnosing lumps and binds and catches and shorts, especially when you fix one it uncovers another. Eventually I think I cracked it.
Sadly, despite my best efforts to allow sideplay where needed, the frames won't negotiate the tightest of my test plank reverse curves. I need to pop into the loft workshop and dig the test track out from under the piles of clutter for a proper test.
Last edited:
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Yes, I know the chimney is on backwards. It's posed for the photo, and I hadn't noticed because it was too early for my brain to functioning correctly. 
warren haywood
Western Thunderer
The safety valve cover don't look too brilliant either
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Again, parked for effect. The boiler fittings need fettling more.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I think they're PC Models milled ones, and came as a set of jointed rods. The frustration I found was the chassis would roll as an eight-coupled unit until the connecting rods went on. Then it was careful observation, and adjusting as I went.
I got there in the end, and it's another chassis notched up on the soldering iron!
simond
Western Thunderer
An issue I've found when con rods go on is that they foul the tips of the slide bars.
So you fettle & file, and get it to work, and then you finish it, and it needs a bit more weight, so you add some, and then the con rods foul the tips of the slide bars...
compensation 1 - 0 springing
Best
Simon
So you fettle & file, and get it to work, and then you finish it, and it needs a bit more weight, so you add some, and then the con rods foul the tips of the slide bars...
compensation 1 - 0 springing
Best
Simon
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Ah, yes. That one took me about half an hour of head scratching to spot! One con rod just kissing the bottom slide bar as it passed.
I tell you what, I'll never complain about a coach or wagon kit again!
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Prototype, observe, you must.
Some, maybe not all, GWR outside two cylinder engines have a relief on the outer end of the bar... the horizontal surface on which slides the crosshead. Sorry, cannot remember the status quo of 4200s.