7mm The Derby Line - Rolling Stock

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mickoo

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Didn't know she broke on Saturday, worked all day as far as I know, though she barked like a good un out of Bridgenorth with the first train and eight on and then slipped when starting away from Highley.

Stood on footbridge at Bridgenorth for these, they were good enough to come to a stand right under Phil and I, so I took the opportunity for some roof shots. Only got 35 detail shots, not really enough or good enough quality for a Dropbox folder I think.

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dibateg

dibateg

Western Thunderer
A holiday, and a return to some fitness, with corresponding dry weather has kept me outside on renovation work, but a 48 hour cold put me out of action, and the only thing I could do between sniffles was clean up castings. There are plenty of them for the cylinders and associated parts. So after a good few hours work I was ready to tack the first unit together:-
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dibateg

dibateg

Western Thunderer
Well it's taken a little while to assemble these cylinders. Firstly making sure all the castings line up and then ensuring slide bars and valve guides match the appropriate crossheads.

So here we have unclean - and nearly clean!
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Omitted from the kit are the core plugs? They are not visible on the preserved 43106, but were in evidence in BR days. I also drilled and added fine tube for the lubricator pipes, here they are being added:-
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Finally there is a 2 pot oiler on a bracket above the valve gland. So I scratched up a bracket and added a modified oiler and pipes:-
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So a concentrated effort on 4 cylinders, on to the motion brackets next...
 
adrian

adrian

Flying Squad
dibateg said:
Omitted from the kit are the core plugs? They are not visible on the preserved 43106, but were in evidence in BR days. I also drilled and added fine tube for the lubricator pipes, here they are being added:-

Finally there is a 2 pot oiler on a bracket above the valve gland. So I scratched up a bracket and added a modified oiler and pipes:-
Click to expand...
Very nice - looking at the photo's am I correct in thinking that the brass casting for the cylinder forms the outer casing? On the 4MT Std Tank there was a seperate half etched overlay to wrap around the cylinders, which to be honest was a pain to solder. A massive brass heat sink with a thin nickel silver overlay.

http://www.westernthunder.co.uk/index.php?threads/tales-from-a-sporadic-modeller.697/#post-18680

Fortunately the wrapper included the holes for the core plugs which made it easier for drilling out. The only extra bit I did was to squash the wire insert in a pair of pliers to give it a squared end to the plug.

Really impressed to see the oil pipes to the valve guides - still got to add this pipework to my 4MT! Don't forget the oiling bracket on the top slide bar which needs a pipe as well!!
 
Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
I am puzzled by the references to core plugs... please, Adrian / Tony, can you add an arrow to your photos to show what is being discussed here.

Thanks, Graham
 
dibateg

dibateg

Western Thunderer
Adrian -
correct, its just the strapping that overlays, still tricky to solder. Yes - I've seen that spigot on the top slide bar - it is pointing 90 degrees the wrong way... I used 179 degree solder on smaller components that were then soldered on to the main castings with 145.

Graham -
2 the two ( they look like washout plugs ) they are in the shade, in the 3rd photo, just above the two oil feeds on top of the valves. I'm not sure they are core plugs - I couldn't think how else to describe them,but someone will know I'm sure!

Regards

Tony
 
adrian

adrian

Flying Squad
Dog Star said:
I am puzzled by the references to core plugs... please, Adrian / Tony, can you add an arrow to your photos to show what is being discussed here.
Click to expand...
Having looked through my photos I realised I don't have anything specific to the core plugs. Instead I have found this prototype photo and I've circled in red what I've referred to as core plugs. Basically they are on the outside shoulder, front and rear, of the valve chest on the cylinder block.

Likewise I don't know if they are called core plugs per se but myself and Tony seem to be referring to the same bit!!

cylinder.jpg

Dave probably used the same master as the 4MT tank kit for the slide bars, as shown in this photo the oil spigot on the top slide bar is pointing the right way for me!!
 
Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Thanks Guys for the pointers. Whilst "core plug" is a generic term for use with castings I doubt that the items in the photos are such... too many big holes in those castings for the cores to need such small "plugs". I am not familiar enough with LMS-influences in loco design to be certain, I can think of two possibilities:-

1/ screws to secure liners... the GWR used machined screws to locate shrunk-in cylinder liners, never seen screws used for the valve liners.

2/ redundant tappings which had been used for lubrication of the valve liners... maybe the design was changed and that needed the lubrication hole to be moved.

regards, Graham
 
demu1037

demu1037

Western Thunderer
Graham (&Tony/Adrian)

I can't help with what it actually is but it doesnt look redundant - see extreem right in the attached pic (3106 during overhaul), it not covered in paint which suggest it was removed?

Regards,

Andy

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dibateg

dibateg

Western Thunderer
A good friend tells me that it is for inserting feeler gauges for valve setting. I've not heard otherwise yet!
 
adrian

adrian

Flying Squad
Dog Star said:
1/ screws to secure liners... the GWR used machined screws to locate shrunk-in cylinder liners, never seen screws used for the valve liners.

2/ redundant tappings which had been used for lubrication of the valve liners... maybe the design was changed and that needed the lubrication hole to be moved.
Click to expand...
Possibly but the only reservations I have with either of those is why make an access hole in the cylinder cladding? If they were securing screws or redundant tappings wouldn't they have tried to hide them behind the cylinder cladding?
The hole in the cladding seems to suggest that they needed removing on a regular basis.
 
Dog Star

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
adrian said:
Possibly but the only reservations I have with either of those is why make an access hole in the cylinder cladding? If they were securing screws or redundant tappings wouldn't they have tried to hide them behind the cylinder cladding?
The hole in the cladding seems to suggest that they needed removing on a regular basis.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

I ponder as to whether these "plugs" are actually banjo bolts in an oil feed to the valve liner - I appreciate that you and Tony have put oil pipes further back, maybe those unions are a gunmetal fitting with one inlet and two outlets of which one connects to the "plug".

I guess that we need a WT-er to ask questions when next visiting the SVR.

regards, Graham
 
S

SteveO

Guest
I'm not a steam fan (except on a sunny day and with picnic hamper stowed in the luggage rack) but, my word, this kit and build looks fantastic! I'm seriously re-looking at my non-steam policy...
 
dibateg

dibateg

Western Thunderer
I've been a little busy with work and real railway visits, but progress has been chugging away in the odd spare hour.

All my loco's have Slaters wheels, and they do appear a little chunky when compared with Harris ones. Part of this is due to the way the spokes flare out to the rear of the wheel. Something I picked up from Steph Dale is to profile the spokes into the correct oval shape. I've not quite gone that far, but I have scraped away the flare at the back of the wheel and tidied up - there is still a little more to do here. I should have kept an untouched one for comparison, but here they are and they are noticeably more open, especially the 3 footers. And no, I'm not going to retro treat all my finished locos!

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Some time was spent fitting out the cylinders and slidebars, making sure the crosshead moves freely, as it is trapped once the drop link is on.

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Now all four cylinders are mounted, they are really starting to look like Ivatts.
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dibateg

dibateg

Western Thunderer
Yes - but where are the offers from all the young ladies in awe of my modelling skills? !!

Thanks you for you very kind offer Warren, I have PM'd you.

I'm just seeing if I can fit the wheels at the moment!
 
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