BR Standard Class 4 Loco Build

Discussion in 'Locomotives' started by York Paul, Mar 6, 2018.

  1. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Well today was a bonus because I didn't think I'd get time for models until Sunday but the main work work completed sooner than expected and this afternoon saw me fiddling about with the Standard 4 much to my enjoyment. So the loco cab floor support brackets and drag box front was installed, I embossed the rivet detail and laminated the pieces together then soldered in the floor support brackets and angles. All that is required to do now is add the chassis to body fixing box and make the coupling connector to the tender then clean all the solder up tidy.

     
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  2. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    So fired with enthusiasm I turned my attention to the smokebox construction which I have given some considerable thought to not least because the Scorpio instructions are scant at best but because the wrapper is oversize for the diameter of the white metal smokebox door ring which I have to assume is near correct, it would have been easy to just trim the bottom edge of the wrapper to size however I decided to make this excess work in my favour. It was important that when the wrapper came together at the front that there is no overlap because everything has to fit neatly around the door ring, so I snipped the excess etch front and back for about 10mm and twisted it to form internal tabs which act as stops for the inner form disc I'd made previously. The rest of the excess etch was twisted outwards and I tacked up the bottom seam and tested the newly formed circle for roundness using the door ring as a template.


    Having removed the white metal door ring I then inserted the first inner disc former soldering it in place taking care to avoid any fixing holes on the wrapper.



    Now here comes the clever bit, because the first disc is true and I had previously drilled out a centre hole, the second disc aligns nicely held in position with a length of 8BA stud, as can be seen the stud can be turned in or out through the first disc and when adjusted correctly the end of the stud will contact the work surface when the wrapper is turned over to solder the second disc in place like thus.


    After soldering a quick check to ensure a goodly fit using the trusty door ring again.


    And once more at the other end.

     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2018
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  3. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    To join the smokebox to the boiler barrel Scorpio provide a handy piece of etch which is soldered inside the smokebox wrapper to make a thin fixing flange for the boiler. Now I set this in place up side down where the joint is made at the top of the wrapper instead and I purposefully cut the length short by a couple of millimeters, I did this to help gain some strength in the assembly, remember the smokebox wrapper seam is hidden below the frames as will the boiler seam also but this could become a source of weakness so the flange will help counteract this if it is jointed up on top instead. The other advantage is the "gapped" join on top is a good start point to solder the flange and will allow solder to flow behind in the joint particularly as the flange strip wants to "hug" the inside face of the wrapper . Anyway here is the assembly held in place with the grips.


    And next the flange is soldered along the seam.


    And finally the excess etch on the wrapper I mentioned earlier is soldered along its joining seam and then filled flush, the result is a nice sturdy smokebox which is parallel along its length and ready for dressing with fittings and furniture when the time comes.

     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2018
  4. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Just to check everything is looking reasonably well at this stage I've sellotaped the boiler barrel to the smokebox and located it on the body.


    Now here are a couple of very brief shots showing how the boiler / smokebox will look on the loco, nothing is aligned properly at this stage and everything has to be cleaned up from excess solder, but at least the loco's realness of form is showing through now.


     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2018
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  5. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    As you say York Paul ..... all starting to come together. its a heavy duty piece of kit.:thumbs:
     
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  6. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    We're nowhere near anything like ready yet not by a country mile Toto but I'm pleased to say so far this kit hasn't turned out to be the nightmare I'd thought. I'm going to have a big push on the motion assembly once the body is complete. :cool:
     
  7. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    fantastic all the same. Well done on POTW a great shot of a work in progress.

    well done good Sir. :tophat:
     
  8. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Congrats on POTW - It's starting to take shape now
     
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  9. Ron

    Ron Full Member

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    Congrats on POTW, looking good!!
     
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  10. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Gee thanks Toto didn't expect that but I'm feeling honoured now.:D
     
  11. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks Paul for the support, at times I've really had to think through solving issues that have cropped up but I think I'm better equipped now for the next build.
     
  12. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks Ron, I'm sorry I didn't choose doing a Southern allocated loco but I do like rebuilt West Countries and Merchant Navy locos.
     
  13. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    No worries, very inspiring work. ......... One day ....... I have the kits ...... Just need the skills and if I started populating a shelf with work like that, I'd be well chuffed.

    Carry on the great work Sir.

    Cheers

    Toto
     
  14. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Toto I am sure etch kit building for you will be just fine, all I can say is learn to walk first and the skill set will then bloom as you go along with confidence, its a bit like learning to ride a bike really. I am still very much learning always listening to advice and asking questions when needed. :cool: Sorry didn't wish to sound patronising in any way.:handshake:
     
  15. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Well today is a perfect day in East Yorkshire, the Sun is shining brightly, the flowers in the garden are blooming and SWMBO is sorting out the tomatoes in the greenhouse... so it's a perfect time to crack on with the boiler on the 4MT at the North Stafford Locomotive Works which actually isn't in North Staffordshire at all :avatar: but hey it sound great and I think that's what I'm going to call my bench from now on :D:cool:. Hommage to the Owd Knotty:worship:. Anyway here we are with the boiler so far, to be honest I've been sneaking a bit in the last couple of late evenings so all this wasn't done while SWMBO was watering the plants.:):giggle::giggle:.

    So the boiler has been soldered to the smokebox and mainly dressed with castings and banding, this is the top view.


    This is the underside view showing how I set the interal form in the smokebox up and also soldered the underside seam together.


    Here is a not so good internal shot of the barrel showing the white metal steam dome soldered in place.

     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2018
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  16. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Some sidways shots now looking down over the boiler.


    An underside view.


    And a side profile with firebox placed alongside.


    And a back profile shot , I drilled an alignment hole so that the firebox can be correctly positioned in front of the cab spectacle plate. I'm not too concerned about about the slight heat damage to the whitemetal firebox front casting or side etch as this can be reformed with stopper after the firebox and boiler assemblies are permanently connected together. I am fairly confident this can be pulled around at the pre painting stage.

     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2018
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  17. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Now here is the obligatory "lets see how it all fits" shot with Mr Scorpio Models diagram in the background. Before final fitting can happen I have to solder in the handrail knobs, sadly the kit didn't come with a sufficient amount of the correct size so I've ordered a pack of Middle size ones from Nairnshire. The chimney has been glued in with 5 minute Roket cyano.

     
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  18. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Recently a nice gentleman on another forum offered to send me a copy of the drawing that Jim Harris used when making the original Transport Age BR 4MT kit, a conversation developed in which the gent said he had also built the same loco a number of years ago and had experienced similar issues particularly with the diameter of the smokebox ring and firebox casting. It ensued that the casting for the smokebox door may well be at fault however I checked my build against said drawing and I cannot find anything that jumps out at me as my boiler build is the same dimension as the drawing abate the instructions told me to solder a couple of bands in the wrong place, something that I'm going to let go in this instance. The question I now ask myself is exactly how dimesionally accurate is the drawing because since it is an exact reproduction there appears to be flaws regarding certain detailing aspects. Here is the 7mm scale drawing along with elements of the build positioned alongside.


    And here is the cylinder block which caused concern a few weeks back, positioned against the drawing it would appear the etches are correct size and my hunch that the block saddle slots were way way out was also true. The photo shows the block against the drawing but a cheapo phone camera lens through the effect of foreshortening makes the block look grossly oversized. Believe me it is not......... honest:avatar:


    Now I can move forward knowing this loco is never going to be anything other than quite a good representation of the real thing, it does however throw up interesting issues such as old kits from the pre CAD age are nothing but hard work. So how much do you value your time at when it comes to what we want, a case me thinks more likely of buy better to gain time rather than budget purchase which cost more in the long run. Anyway now I know I'm not the only person to have faced issues with this kit and can finally start to put the 4MT body together for real.
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2018
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  19. Steve Fay

    Steve Fay Full Member

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    Your doing a great job !
     
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  20. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    Thanks Steve :cheers: your comments are always muchly appreciated indeed.:tophat: It is great to see Lightening featuring so much in your dioramas:thumbup: hopefully soon once I've got the motion away on the 4MT I shall start on Owen Glendower... oh happy days !
     
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