ETS Australian 30 Class tank build from RTR to model

Hi all
Time to get back to some modelling
Members may have notice I’ve been a bit quiet recently on the Platform1 forum, this is due to having to look after my young wife Shelley as she has been undergoing treatment for Breast Cancer, diagnosed at the young age of 34 shes had a bit of a rocky time of it lately some good days bat a lot of bad along the way as chemo hit hard, the good news Re this, things are looking positive at the moment for full recovery

This model came along at the right time to help with a bit of time out modelling,

This is a model made by ETS in the Czech Republic its a O scale model of an Australian NSWGR 30 Class 4-6-4 tank loco,
you may have seen a few photos of bobs similar model on his Australian outdoors thread.
A big thanks to bob for alerting me to the model as had not seen any advertising of its availability
I’m also up grading the model from tin plate toy style to a more detailed model.
So follow along with some of the additions as I get back to enjoying some real modelling.

To start with it looks like this a part tinplate part dicast model that’s designed for 3 Rail but has a 2 Rail version available



Next as the model arrived specifically ordered without its old style couplers
Numbered as 3019 this is pad printed on the tank
With the loco finished in Red lined black livery, very cheap paint unfortunately it’s doesn’t apear to be a etch paint as you would expect on a metal model
First thing was I needed to change the number
The 3019 is ink Pad printed and this had unfortunately etched all the way to the metal so even after removal a Ghosting of the number could be seen even after sanding it back metal, you could see the etch of the 3019 in the base metal of the side tank a good amount of wet n dry sanding removed this befor it was given a few cotes of engine black
Once all the modifications are done I will give the whole model a dulcote clear to even out the locos original Saturn black finish.


Number Removed and side tanks were masked up along the lining and repainted with a flat black etch primer.



Next choosing a number for the loco
Number choice was 3039 a loco that worked on the Toronto line that is part of my Model Railway plans plus as the 30 tanks had about 6 different bunker styles had to find a number that had the correct bunker that could be represented by this model 3039 fitted with The correct stylebase bunker

Numbers fitted and wheels painted as well as rods Bob has come up with a nice way of turning the flat rods to fluted that I will also use.


First major modification was to the coal bunker as 3039 had a extended bunker with coal rails 3 extra above the plate section this was made up with some etch sheet off cut.

Test fit


Painted need some more coal now.


Next was couplers and a new front buffer beam as the prototype has a timber overlay at the front.
I decided to model this and fit new lost wax cast working buffers NSWGR loco buffers to the model along with Hook draw gear as the prototype were all hook draw gear only, I’ve not seen any photos of one that has Knuckles unlike the earlier 20 class that a few that were knuckle coupler fitted in later years.

The timber used is balsa wood that has been treated with CA glue to harden/strengthen it
Seen is the front hook sprung draw gear fitted, a raw buffer casting is seen in the photo.



Both buffers installed and the train brake air line
The buffer castings weren’t the best 1-5 hours each to cleans up drill out the centres, file the buffer shaft round etc cut away the sprue to allow fitting.

 

Next on the todo list with the model was the extra pipe work for lubricator air pump etc
The lubricator lines run from the lubricator in the cab to the front cylinders and loco ancillarys like the air pump.
Also as the model is basically tin plate one area that’s obvious is the tanks to boiler join,
On the prototype, there is a steam pipe so this has also been added and this covers the area that is typical tin plate construction.

Fine phosphorus bronze wire was soldered up to represent the lines from the lubricator to the cylinders




Next was the air pump all the pipes have been added in a closer to prototype representation of 5he Westinghouse air pump even added the air filter at the bottom
Also filled the hole from the. Screws that, attached the cylinder to the running plate I removed the cylinders and squared up the castings and remounted Then filled the holes





Painted the air pump and the lubricator lines, also painted the foot plate no more screws in the foot plate looks much better
Buffers and coupler painted


Close up of the air compressor before painting a bit of weathering will pop the detail back out that disappears when it’s all painted black.


Tomorrow I will paint the buffer beam Red and start on the rear buffers and a overlay but a piece of plasticard will be used as the 30 class rear buffer beam didn’t have the timber facing just the steal, I’m sourcing some archer rivet decals to detail the rear bunker and buffer beam.

 

Hi Bob Thanks yes your right has been good therapy for me to get into this models detailing, even if doing a lot of it in the early morning hours.
Will get a bit more done today hopefully, Whilst Shelleys sleeping, her last Chemo was on Tuesday and is starting to kick in hard now.
Shelley is doing very well considering the initial diagnosis and lit ooks like Shelley is having a very good response to the chemo, whilst chemo is making Shelley very unwell (it’s basically Controled poisonings of the body) it is having the desired effect of shrinking the tumour and a MRI is scheduled next Tuesday so the surgeon can make a call on what type of surgery will be needed.

 

Thanks Gary yes it has been good to get into some “real modelling” again whilst I don’t mind fitting decoders and plonking the odd new model on the track etc, actually real modelling is a lot more enjoyable and when you eventually put the model back on the track and you can see all the the detail items come together it’s very satisfying. Esp with a model like this seeing it go from toy like to a scale model is very satisfying.

Ps
Still lots more to do on this model

 

The ETS 30 has moved on a little more
I keep finding little bits to add some planned some not
I had been thinking it needed brakes to fill the gap between the wheels and whilst packing up after doing some work on it I came across a set of 3D printed brake hangers and shoe’s I’d got thinking they may have a use one day so as a quick addition to the model a mount was made with some styrene and phosphor bronze wire and they do the job to fill the gap where the brakes should go.
Also the rear buffer beam overlay has been made and fitted again styrene has been used on the prototype this is steal unlike the front that is timber
The gap in the original models buffer beam for the tin plate coupler has been filled and a load plate fitted to the rear for the Hook spring to sit against with out putting load on the buffer beam overlay as it’s only 0.1 mm styrene a slightly over size hook has been fitted to make coupling easier for the operators as coupling up between a bunker and a coach diaphragm can often be a little challenging.
The pipes that links the two side tanks have been made and fitted, again styrene shaped in hot water then drilled and pined to the foot plate under the cab behind the steps.
As per Bobs ETS 30 tank I added some fluting to the side rods and connecting rods these simple additions really make a difference to the models look from toy like to model train

Phots of progress so far

Rods






Balance pipes





Buffer beam load plate



Overlay for steel buffer beam with Hook draw gear fitted note slightly over size hook doesn’t look too out of place
Buffers are next unfortunately the castings are very poor the front set took about 3.5 hours of work to clean up and make operational not looking forward to that


Brake hangers 3D printed




Hangers and shoes painted
Also first cylinder cox test fitted

 

Thanks everyone and POTW
Latest photos as it stands and as it was on display at the O scale Modellers forum in Sydney over the weekend when a driver made it aboard
Soon will turn attention to the cab with a wood floor and back head detail to go in

 

These are the rear buffers a good couple of hours getting them machined up as there was no cast in void in the middle like the others, a right PITA
But the finished product looks good and works


I had tried some decal rivets but the first attempt was a disaster had them all on the model as per the instructions and it noted to once touch dry to use some micro sol decal setting agent the slightest dab of this and the rivets dissolved so had to clean off may look at this again later as the build progresses and leave that last step just clear coate


And with the red painted on the buffer beam.


The Brake shoes 3D print on the mounting bracket they are movable as I drilled and pined at the pivot



In position they fill the void nicely

 

Big thank to you Steve for your kind words and best wishes for your wife for continued good health.
We had the best news this week with the latest MRI showing the chemo has had a better than expected results
Shelley has surgery next Week the surgeon is So pleased with the results that she will only do a margin surgery not a full mastectomy as the type of Cancer Shelley was diagnosed with is non genetic and the cancer of reoccurrence is no difference even if Shelley had a mastectomy.

Re the trains and Toronto I find it is just a magic station and yard area for a model railway, I have plans to include it as part of my Model Railway.

I did a colouring of a BW Toronto station photo
Adds a little atmosphere to it this is 3039 the locoi have chosen to model I’ve just noticed that it’s got later safety valves something else to change on the model when I get to it.

 

Tonight I got some time to run a sequence on Moonan Flat with 3039 taking to the local Goods train to give it a practical test run now it’s got couplers and everything was good the loco performed well pulling 12 wagons and the van up the yard as part of the shunt and it had no issues with this load
Here it is ready to leave with its train.