7mm Rob Pulham's Work Bench - Back (again) to the LNER 06 (MOK 8F)

[Buckjumper]

A couple of pictures of tram bits..

In the picture it does look like two rows of large domehead rivets, but i think it is just the extra shiney ex-works paint trying to confuse...

Yep, it's a reflection, there's just a singe row of six domed rivets. The top of the buffer plank was flitched - you can just see the edge of the steel plate in the enlargement.

A couple of details; there were two arrangements for the side windows in the body casing. The arrangement shown on No.131 with the windows sliding on the outside is as per the original arrangement drawing and was on most engines. However, at least two had a different arrangement whereby the windows slid inside the body casing and were very notably recessed.

Some, including 132 had no safety chains, even in the blue GER period, some had them removed later and others retained them to withdrawal under British Railways.

 

[Buckjumper]

What is really interesting about the photo of 131 is that it shows the loco as released to traffic in 1883 with the original GER lamp iron between the windows which was like a sort of spoon shaped device from which a lamp hung by its handle. By 1885 standard irons were fitted.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Rob, you could always unsolder the w/m and replace with real wood....

Hi Graham, by coincidence I had that thought sometime this afternoon and was planning out how I would do it.... Then I realised I painted it last night So it's going to stay as it is for now at least.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Apologies in advance for the photo overload but I am seriously pleased at how this has turned out.

I am taking it to Ormsby Hall at the weekend for a run on a bit more than two lengths of track.

 

[28ten]

I has turned out well. Was the body actually finished wood , or painted?

 

[Rob Pulham]

It was painted in the LNER teak paint (coaching stock brown) that they used when the varnished wood had reached the point of no return. This is done with Precision teak enamel.

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Rob,

brilliant hope that the running session goes well

cheers

Mike

 

[Rob Pulham]

Thanks Mike, the running session was brilliant. Peter the gent that owns Assenby St Peter even let me do my own operating so it was double the fun.

Such was the success of this and getting Severn running properly it has restored my enthusiasm for getting my layout built. Graham's thread on baseboard legs and Richard's post on the boards for Heyside have made up my mind to ditch the boards I have and to make some new ones from 9mm ply.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Here are a few photo's and a video from Ormsby today.

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Rob,

glad you had a good time and that everything went well. Looking forward to seeing your layout progress in the near future.

cheers

Mike

 

[Rob Pulham]

Buoyed up by the success of the tram engine and as a treat to myself for getting the A3 valve gear running (and while I pluck up the courage to take it apart again) I decided I needed another "quick'ish" win so I got out my GP Models J63 Tank engine kit. This is a complete kit which comes with wheels, Motor and gear box. It is also all etched in nickel silver.

Some time ago when I first mentioned that I fancied one Mike Cole very kindly sent me a lot of additional information which I re-read before starting.

This is where I have got to so far in 3 evenings work - all is still held together by the slot and tabs with just a couple of the frame spacers soldered at one side.

 

[Dog Star]

Frame plates appear to have depth on both sides... half-etched and overlays?

Looks rather tasty.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Frame plates appear to have depth on both sides... half-etched and overlays?

Looks rather tasty.

Thanks Graham,

Yes the frames, spacers, suspension beams etc. are all made up from layers. It's very similar to the MOK style of kits and I think that Mike mentioned when he built his that some of the etches were marked MOK but I haven't seen evidence of that so far.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Progress has been made. The chassis now has it cylinders and sandboxes. The springs have had their outlayers attached so they now have quite a bit of beef about them.









I also assembled and cut the coupling rods to make them move with the compensation.





The most fiddly bit of all which Mike does mention in his guild review is the soldering together of the 8 tiny pieces that make up each cross head.

What I did find once I had got over this bit was that although the instructions referred to 1.5x1mm nickel for the slide bars and 2mm brass rod for the piston rods there was no rod at all included with my kit.

An email to Garth had me the rod for the slide bars by return of post - very comendable service. I had some 2mm nickel rod in stock so I elected to use that for the piston rods.

Mike had supplied me with an annotated copy of the instructions in with the other information that he sent so I didn't have to workout how long the piston rods were supposed to be (25mm).

What I struggled with at this point was how to get a 2mm piston rod through the 1mm hole that is etched in the cross head. I consulted Mike who recalled gently opening his out with a rat tailed file. I had a go at this but when I had started to split one of the end plates I chickened out. Instead I put one of the 2mm nickel rods in my dremmel and applied a file to turn it down. This required each one to have a different turned spiggot, one at 1mm and one a bit bigger to suit the hole that I had enlarged.



That's where I got to last night and I was waiting for the bar for the slide bars which arrived today so hopefully tomorrow I can get the slidebars cut to length and put it all together.

I have also opened up the holes in the chassis for the supplied plunger pickup (slaters) and soldered the tabs and wire so that Once get the motion sorted I should be in a position to try it running.

 

[Dog Star]

This is neat and nice, I like what you have done

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Rob,

glad to see that you are 'getting there' it certainly looks the part - looking forward to the next progress report.

cheers

Mike

 

[Rob Pulham]

Thanks Mike and thanks too for the extra support during the build it is appreciated.

 

[Rob Pulham]

Further progress on the J63 I have managed to get the motion all sorted and running.







The brake shoes in this kit are very clever in the way that they are jigged to fit together. There 3 layers that you fit on top of each other while still in their outer etched frames. Apologies here for the poor photo's but hopefully they will illustrate the clever design


Once they are all lined up clamp and solder them, then cut them out clean up the tags and on with the next.


Here are a couple of videos of it in action.

 

[Ressaldar]

all coming on nicely Rob, I too was impressed with the brake block alignment and am surprised that others have not copied it.

cheers

Mike

 

[Rob Pulham]

Hi Mike, It so simple it's really amazing as you say that others haven't copied or come up with the idea independently.