4mm etch loco kits ... do they still appeal?

At inside view showing the footplate frame locating tabs, I'm not so fussy with soldering neatly as this won't be seen and a little bit more solder will add strength to a part of the loco body which will be prone to finger touching and picking up... so it serves a good purpose.

 

The left side tank has been soldered to the footplate frame now and the bunker has been added, at this point the bunker is only tack soldered the the frame for support as the bunker sides will need to align with the tank side profile.

 

Both side tanks now fitted and the bunker sides line up correctly... the whole of the assembly is starting to gain strength. The next items to solder in will be the edge beading that locate along the tank tops and the footplate cab entrances then I'll start building up the cab and dress the bunker and tanks with some cast white metal components.

 

A quick revisit back to the C12 chassis and work on assembling the bogie and pony truck is completed with a dry assembly to check clearances. The wheelsets are by Alan Gibson and after the bogie truck assemblies were painted and axle ways reamed the wheelsets were put into the carriage trucks with 1mm brass packing shims. These shims stop the wheels "hunting" and prevent the metal rims making contact with the metal on the main body and causing an electrical dead short.

 

Finally for tonight here are the pieces that will make up the boiler, I'll get this done later this week and then I can offer it up along with the cab to see how it all fits together. Any final adjustments can then be made and the etches dressed with the remaining white metal castings and brass fittings. I am using detail components from Nairnshire Modelling Supplies... these people offer a quick up to date service where card payments are made and goods arrive in a couple of days, no more write for a catalogue then fill out an order and pay with a cheque.

 

Thanks for the kind comment Toto... this is a bit of a labour of love because when done these kits will fund a nice 7mm kit.

 

So in this last few days whenever some spare time arose I focused attention to the boiler of the 4mm C12 loco, after some slight reshaping of the barrel from what came originally in this Craftsman kit the boiler aligned reasonably well between the water tanks and the main frames. With this done I happily proceeded to sweat into position the inner smokebox wrapper followed by the outer wrapper and then fit the white metal smokebox ring in with Roket cyano making sure the bottom flair met the correct curvature towards the top of the main frame nicely, the whole boiler assembly was then soldered into its final position on the loco. Surprisingly it all went together reasonably trouble free and a final inspection to ensure everything passed muster and looked correct passed the loco with good grace, next placing the dome and chimney into their respective ports to check for perpendicular showed no inconsistencies either. Next job was to make up the cab assembly, this proved a little more tricky as the pre-shaped cab piece had previously been folded quite crudely and the side profile curves didn't flow nicely at all, some jiggery pokery was required here before the front and rear spectacle plates could be soldered on into place, anyway this little performance involved an evening of work in getting the profile as near as right before I felt happy enough to move on to the beading which was soldered on using .04mm brass wire. The cab, steam dome and chimney are all loosely positioned and the next job is to build up the coal bunker flaring then solder the cab in place permanently. That drunken lean on the steam dome wouldn't do at all.

 

Now for the photo shoot, the C12 kit is starting to look like an engine now, the next job after the bunker is to dress the loco with all the white metal pieces and add on handrails, lamp irons, brake rigging, draw gear, buffers and other small fittings, these can be spot soldered. So the loco sits well on its still unfinished frames, I say unfinished as the replacement 18 spoke wheels are still in transit, anyway the old wheels gives a feeling of how this engine will look when attention turns back to the frames and installing the motor and worm and power pick ups in a few days time.

 

Hi Keith, I know what you mean... not a grumble at all... it is the expected norm from small "cottage" firms but then some of them still operate in the snail mail age. Another good place to go for with on line business is 2K Technologies in Halifax and DCC Consepts over at Settle are speedy too, Richard Brighton is the man there... a very helpful chap indeed. Yes I rang that same manufacturer you are waiting parts for re the Schools and the N class and I'm still waiting for 5' 8" driving wheels... so I got some NOS via ebay instead. Now a Schools loco... hmmm there's a lovely engine, Keith you have set me thinking now maybe one of those should go on my 7mm build list. Yes I'd like to build a Schools.

York Paul

 

I would certainly agree there Rob, as frustrating as it is we have to wait if we want anything, but having said that patience is a virtue as they say .
York Paul

 

Glad to know those wheels came Keith, waiting is often par for the course I should know. But it all came good in the end I'm happy to say.