Slaters MR/LMS Kirtley 0-6-0 Goods (Johnson) 7L007

[John Walker]

I think I am beginning to understand what is required.

Using the eccentric rods as a guide is difficult because their position changes with the setting of the reverser so we should concentrate on the eccentrics.

The position of the eccentrics is described well in the final paragraph here:

http://kesr-mic.org.uk/resources/Stephensons+Valve+Gear.pdf

Applying this to the Kirtley Goods I know from the drawing that the forward rods are in the centre and the right hand connecting rod leads. Assuming outside admission valves (I am not sure how to determine this from the drawing) each eccentric should lead its connecting rod in the direction of travel by 105.5 degs. So, I reckon it should look like this:

Right hand connecting rod leads (say to the right)
Backward rod leads (bottom + left a bit)
Forward rod leads (top + left a bit)
Forward rod leads (right + up a bit)
Backward rod leads (left + up a bit)
Left hand connecting rod (bottom)

I think this matches the position of the eccentrics on the right hand side on the drawing.

The best match I can find using Laurie’s eccentrics, which are pinned to the cranks, is:

RHS 2FF1F34F

This seems to set the angles at 90 degs rather than 105.5 degs but I guess that would allow the kit to cover more variants.

Adrian, that is almost your suggestion but it gets the forward and backward rods on the RHS the wrong way round.

I think it may be time to put my logic to Laurie. I did speak to him at Brightwell but didn’t really get very far.

Regards
John Walker

 

[John Walker]

Progress again.

I struggled with bending the inner wall of the tender coal space and finally decided it was too long. So I cut it into 3 parts alongside the vertical lines of rivets where there should probably have been a join in the sheets anyway. Rather than fitting it to the base first, which won't be visible, I decided to fit it to the top which is very visible. The front parts were done first and then the rear part was reduced and fettled to fit. I attached two plates to the rear parts to hold it in position while I soldered it. Here are the results:


We tried the loco and tender on Dewsbury Goods in August but it kept shorting. Having completely dismantled both we decided it was the Canon motor. I bought this in 2005 for my U and I left it with ABC at Telford to investigate. I am at HMRS again next week so I need to reassemble it with the new motor/gearbox to try again.

 

[John Walker]

Well a new Canon motor fitted to the old gearbox arrived on Thursday but I had already reassembled the loco with the new motor/gearbox ready for testing next week. The old gearbox and new motor will go back in my U. I had created a plastikard cradle over the old motor in the U with decoder on top but that had melted so it will need to be reconfigured.

While waiting for testing I have started a job on the Kirtley tender which I have been putting off. In the end it hasn't turned out too badly although I still have the other side to do.

I pushed out the rivets on the side using my GW rivetter. It worked much better this time, I think because the half etches are small enough to locate the point accurately.

I tinned the etched sides and the lost wax brass rear post and assembled the flares and post with low melt.



That was weird. The Upload a File button didn't appear on Firefox. I had to go back to Chrome.

 

[adrian]

The Upload a File button didn't appear on Firefox.

Hopefully I've "fixed" this now. It seems that in the latest Firefox update (49.0.2) they changed they way plugins render on the page hiding the upload button. I've implemented a temporary fix until such time Firefox gets it fixed.
Apparently

it was an error in the build caused by not enabling async rendering by default and is fixed for v50.

 

[OzzyO]

Don't forget that the inside crank is at 180 Degs. to the outside one on the same side.

OzzyO.

 

[Jim smith-wright]

Following this with interest. I recently came across these locos having seen pictures of one at Saltley. I was amazed how late they survived.

 

[John Walker]

Further progress on the tender. There is some tidying up to do and some filler is needed at the back where the top is not quite long enough.



The tool boxes are not yet fixed. The water filler casting is badly pitted but I think I may replace it with a turned body and an etched lid. The idea is that the tank should be removable for access to any electronics we might choose to install. DCC or radio control are under consideration. I have added L angle to the baseplate to position the tank. It holds it quite firmly but I don't think I would trust it forever when lifting it by the tank. So I am thinking about two tapped pillars at the front under the tool boxes screwed to the tank and the base and a U shaped bracket at the back with a screw through the body of the water filler and a removable or opening lid.

I also have to add the strip along the bottom of the tank and the raised platform at the back.



Having fitted the whitemetal flares on the tank with low melt solder I daren't risk excess heat elewhere so the corner posts and front corners were also fitted using low melt. They were lightly tinned with cored solder first.

 

[John Walker]

I have turned and tapped 3 pillars for fitting the top to the base. The front ones are soldered to the middle section because the wheels would interefere with screws. The rear one is screwed and may need to be changed for some sort of bridge to make space for any electronics that we might fit later.

Also shown below is the new water filler. The bottom flange plate is etched, the middle section is turned and the top flange plate and lid are etched and soldered together. There is a turned bar fitted under the lid to hold it centrally in the hole in the middle section which is screwed through the bottom flange and tender top into the pillar. The flanged plates and lid are half etched 10thou nickel silver. They would show up better if the were full etched but that is a decision to make later.



The next picture shows the top screwed to the pillars with the toolboxes and filler lid lodged on top. I am not sure whether to fix them with a bit of blue tack or make some sort of spring clip. I have filled the gap between the top and the rear flare.


I now need to reassemble loco and tender for testing on my next trip to HMRS. In the meantime I have started to think about the tender brakegear. The Slaters plastic brake shoes are wider than the wheel flange and the wheels need lots of sideplay. Also the etched stretchers are not long enough for the increase in gauge. I would like to insulate the spreaders and brake hangers so that I can get the pull rods nice and close to the wheels. First thoughts are to split each spreader and araladite a piece of paper to each side with an araldite filler to give me the extra length. I will try that on piece of scrap etch first.

 

[Colombo]

Last week, John brought the Kirtley to test it on Dewsbury Goods at the HMRS Museum and Study Centre at Butterley, and it ran really well; going anywhere in the goods yard without any problems at all.

Later this year we hope it will be running at Midland Railex in August, working the branch freight up to Calderbank Sidings as well as helping with the shunting.

Louis Heath
HMRS

 

[John Walker]

I have fitted the strips along the bottom of the tank sides using Eileen's angle rather than the etch supplied. That kept it nice and level giving a neat join to the footplate. I cut the lip on the inner footplate which is visible in earlier photos back to the supporting angle.

The etch for the top of the rear extension is soldered to the angle and tank. At the moment it sits against the vertical piece which folds up from the footplate. That needs tidying up but I haven't decide how yet. I may well replace that with angle as well soldered to the tank part rather than the footplate.

Following the recent trials at HMRS I have soldered 2 spacing washers to the frame behind the Slaters plunger pickup housings. Hopefully that will stop them twisting in the holes. If that fails they will have to be glued in. I have also added 2 pieces of lead flashing behind each of the tank sides to keep the wheels on the rails at all times. I am hoping to avoid pickups on the loco since it will be full of gearbox and inside motion.

 

[John Walker]

After many attempts I finally managed to shape and fit both sides of the "curvy" footplate. I think the valences will have to wait until I have arranged the spring hangers and cleaned up. I would also like to check that I haven't distorted the frame with a trial run at HMRS at the end of May before I do much more. These frames are now much stiffer than they were.

 

[John Walker]

I was disappointed with my last test at HMRS. The pickups on the tender were not in contact wth the wheels at all times leading to some intermittent running. After much faffing I have superglued the pickup housings into the holes in the frames and substituted Slaters hornblock springs for the pickup springs. That has added more reach to the pickups without increasing the drag too much. All seems fine on my test S but my next visit to HMRS in 3 weeks time will be a better test.

 

[Colombo]

John,
I look forward to seeing the Kirtley on Dewsbury Goods on Railex Weekend, 12th and 13th August at the Midland Railway Trust.
Louis

 

[John Walker]

After another disappointing trial run I replaced the Slaters pickups on the tender with wire wipers and it seems to be performing much better now. I think the amount of side play is not compatible with sprung plungers. I hope to have further tests in May and maybe at Albury.

I have fitted the spring push rods below the footplate and the valence on one side so far as shown below. I thought the push rods in the kit were a bit narrow so I made new ones from scrap etch.



Warren suggested making the springs and hangers removable to make painting easier so I have a cunning plan. Rather than using the kit supports I will fit tubes through the frames. After painting pins will pass through the hangers and tubes from the outside and be soldered behind the frames. I need to get the right size tube next time I see Eileen's.

Now to do the same on the other side.

 

[Scale7JB]

Split axles on the tender and be done with it.. They're infallible..

JB.

 

[John Walker]

I might try split axles at some point but there is too much else to do for now. The wipers have been working fine.

Valences and push rods are complete but I still have to finish fettling some of the springs to fit. I have attached the firebox overlay to the machined boiler and cleaned up the join and some nasty marks I introduced when forming the firebox. I have also filled the void underneath the boiler where the original Slaters motor/gearbox fitted. I have fitted the Slaters SG29 gearbox. I added a 17mm flywheel from Premier Components but I have had to machine some material from it and I am not convinced it is heavy enough to make much difference.

I have chosen the Johnson smokebox and door because they look clean and the door was a good casting. I am homing in on a standard Johnson rebuild serviced say in 1904/5 and in full lined livery. I propose to choose a number for which there are no photographs or evidence to prove I have got it wrong! At the moment the smokebox slides over the boiler and is secured only by the chassis screw. The firebox is not fitted to the chassis either.

I have added the splasher tops. The footplate assembly is now much firmer. I hope I haven't introduced any distortion or shorts. We can check that on my visit to HMRS next week.

 

[john lewsey]

Hi John this loco looks very nice