Scorpio Models BR Class 3 tank engine build.

Discussion in 'Workshop Benches' started by York Paul, Dec 6, 2018.

  1. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    This thread is just to kick start another steam engine build which won't actually happen until sometime next year, the kit is a BR Standard Class 3 2-6-2 tank engine and comes from the stable of Scorpio Models and hopefully will be a pleasurable project. Anyway I managed to purchase a full wheelset at a bargain price from a fellow builder who advertised them for sale on GOG, so for Toto's benefit the Slaters ref numbers needed for this model are; 16 spoke 5'3" driving wheels ref number 7863 B3 and the 9 spoke 3'0" truck wheels are 7836 ST.

     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2018
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  2. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Thank you Yorkie. It's in the reference book. :thumbs:

    I suspect one of these will hit my stable after seeing the etches. I'm looking forward to it landing. :tophat:
     
  3. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Hopefully this is reference info for everyone wishing to build these locos :thumbs: anyway Mr Ennis will no doubt be awaiting your order. Oh I nearly forgot he's posting mine out early next week as he is making up his new orders taken at Reading last week.
     
  4. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Hi Yorkie,

    Pm'd you regarding Scorpio kit.

    Cheers

    Toto
     
  5. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    The BR Class 3 tank has landed, in fact it arrived yesterday having been posted Special Delivery from Hewport on the 12th Dec and I was carded but missed the card, so very speedy delivery service once Pat had processed my order ready. Now this is a "flat pack" kit which means there is no fancy box but all the components are extremely well packed in sealed bags wrapped in tissue and etches are protected between thick card layers, the whole package is then consigned in a well padded bubble wrap envelope. Now from first glance the nickel silver and brass etches are very crisp and sharp, the bit that caught my eye were the fine cab window bezels... extreme care of handling will be needed here when the time comes to build, there are 25 well diagrammed pages of instructions and I also noted that some of the castings described as white metal are in fact lost wax castings in brass, the chimney being one. Now some of the etches seem to have been reworked as per my BR Standard 4 4-6-0 kit (yes chaps I will be returning to complete this one soon) these are marked "Scorpio" but without a date, the only fret marked Acorn is the one covering the truck spring detailing, cab steps and lamp brackets, so I assume Geoff Ennis has remade some etches from the original Jim Harris ones. My only concern is that the fret holding the mainframe, motion and truck components is marked 77000 82000 which alerts me to the fact that Jazz on another forum who had built a Scorpio 77000 loco wasn't overtly happy with how these items went together. I'm not overly worried because I shall get round potential issues as I always do in kits... one has to. So now I'm off to do an inventory of parts on the check list and will be back later with pictures and component overview. PS Pat also included the Britannia smokebox door which was missing from that kit, so true to his word as the gentleman he is missing or damaged components are always honoured, something very important I believe in this often very gimme gimme gimme day and age.
     
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  6. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Great news Yorkie.

    Photos to follow I assume. :tophat:
     
  7. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Yup they're on their way reet nah
     
  8. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Here are pictures to ogle over or not as your preferences take you :avatar: first off the nickle silver frame etches... the usual good quality you would expect from Scorpio and certainly on a par with others I've bought from them.


    The main body etches, again the quality is crisp, note that as flat pack items these etches have been sellotaped together for transit.


    And the firebox and cylinder saddle etches, note of caution to Toto... the two wrapper sides for the firebox are half etch thickness and can easily be dented when forming the curve between top and sides. :thumbs: Just go steady and don't force them to fit the inner firebox framework. :thumbs:


    Here are the Acorn marked etches which in my opinion are potentially a thou or two thicker, this fret only contains ancillary items so I doubt Jim Harris's hand drawn artwork will cause fitting problems here.


    Here's a nicely laid out 25 page leaflet full of legible instructions with diagrams.

     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2018
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  9. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Now here is the rolled boiler and smokebox eches.


    The lost wax brass items which include a lovely Class 3 chimney.


    Assorted bags of white metal items and the sundry stuff like nuts and bolts et al. There is also the standard lengths of wire rod section included, I did'nt photograph that because I think we all know what it looks like.


    And finally because this is a flat pack purchase I always collect the various components which includes wheels, pick ups, motor and gearbox and put them all in a box for safe keeping.

     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2018
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  10. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    They do look good :thumbs: I'm sure you'll do it justice. :thumbs:
     
  11. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    I'll do my best... when that time comes... the only reservation I have is that a recent 77000 build which uses the same etches was reported on another forum as being "challenging", however that could mean anything coming from a builder who is normally putting together MOK kits and other high end stuff for clients.
     
  12. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Go in with an open mind. It won't be anything that doesn't have a work around that's for sure. It's all about the end product. :thumbs:
     
  13. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    You know Toto I've never been phased with intricate parts in etch kit building nor parts that don't fit together first time like a Saville Row suit, to me that's part of the fun of our hobby, not everyone's cup of tea obviously but I'm more into making models than running a damn big layout. That's why I love Steve's diesel kits because they force me to think about the next few moves and how to deal with it, anyway this one is in the to do pile now.
     
  14. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    I suppose a bit of a challenge is a good thing otherwise things could get a bit too predictable. as i say, as long as they are capable of making up into the intended model. within limits.
     
  15. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    The main challenge I've got when being greeted with "How Much !!! s'pose that's another excessive spend"... is the best way to say sit down luv there's still a couple of diesels, a victorian tank engine and another rather large Pacific loco to be paid for. yet :avatar::scratchchin::cool:
     
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  16. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    If she can withstand a darn great big bus blocking the window view, I don't think a few 'models' should not be an issue, just rebuke any attacks with:-
    "well it's a few more of these or a second bus, which would you prefer luv?" :avatar:
     
  17. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    When I started out in O gauge back in the mid 90's there was a manufacturer of O gauge diesel kits that had the wording on the box "any similarity to the prototype once built is purely accidental" or something to that ilk.

    Pete.
     
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  18. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    :avatar::avatar::avatar: well its not that big really Timber, some years ago I was offered an ex PMT ultra low height decker OFA 647P a Series 2 Bristol VR for £600 complete with Gardiner engine, it had been a Jesus bus down south and had been painted to suit, that didn't go down too good even when I tried to persuade SWMBO that she could dry the washing out in the top deck on a sunny day.:avatar::avatar::avatar: Needless to say I didn't buy it ... she didn't buy it also and the bus was fragmented at Paces Metals in Arclid near Sandbach.
     
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2018
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  19. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    Hi Paul,

    In this case I think that Ken is just being honest about his experience, I say that because he usually sings high praises of Scorpio kits so as an experienced builder it must have stood out a bit.
     
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  20. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Yes I picked up on that because Jazz said his previous Scorpio builds went together without issue, from my own experience I can honestly say the Britannia kit just falls into place and IMHO is streets above the BR Standard 4 which is a Transport Age offering... remember that ill fitting cylinder block saddle Rob ? Now I've had a read through the instructions checking against the etches on this 2-6-2 kit and whilst the instructions have been rewritten by Geoff Ennis some of the etches included are of the original Jim Harris design ... a few more than what I'd originally thought. I'll quote an example from the instructions :- "make up boiler assembly by soldering up the seam on both the boiler and the smokebox, note that the design for the boiler has the join on the top and the joint for the smokebox on the bottom, I don't like the joint at the top, I filled the joint with solder I cleaned it up and then scored a line to represent the join as on a real loco." Scorpio Models Instruction; Boiler / Firebox Assembly, instruction 33, page 18. So that suggests the etches have not been reworked in their entirety but presumably have been deemed good enough to remain as they are, Pat told me that the original Jim Harris kits of 9F, D of G, Clan and Britannia were so ill fitting that they scrapped those Transport Age kits and completely redrew them with updated castings, hence these are now marketed under the flag of Seven Models. I'll be able to cast a verdict when I get round to building this kit but I'd imagine one might be able to get away with a little more being as its a tank engine... we will see.
     
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