GW 850 class Pannier build

Thanks for the research Jim, to be honest I really haven't considered which loco this will be I think it is leaning more towards the 1901 class, with Collett bunker and enclosed cab, a few did survive beyond nationalisation I understand with the last one going in 1958. Scorpio market this kits as 850 class but you can make the 1901 as well and there is scope to make either of the tree roof versions, Dean or Collett bunker and welded or riveted panniers with two differing front ends.

 

Following on from Jim's research regarding loco number 992, I have a picture of a 1901 class (which was amalgamated into the 850 class upon rebuilding) taken at Oxford somewhere around nationalisation, loco still in GWR initials ... this is the variant I wish to build this loco as.

Original photographer unknown and original copywrite now time expired.

 

So having formed the bunker etch to shape today I dressed it and fitted the rear cab bulkhead, originally I'd glued the white metal corner pieces in position but decided I'd reinforce them with solder.

 

And the fun poser shot... not sure about the front cab entrance grab rail, I shall have to shorten the overlay which holds the rail methinks.

 

Forging progress forward now, bent the pannier to shape with a 6mm bar and then soldered the tank back plate on with fixing nuts against the cab front.

 

Then I bolted the part made pannier assembly to the cab checking for square and level.

 

So a nice side shot was in order and then it hit me, for some reason the loco I'd decided to model didn't have rivets in the panniers... or did it... memory must be playing tricks here because I thought it was an all welded later type pannier. Oops ah well I shall dismantle the tank end tomorrow and press the rivets out ... then all will be good again except for the handrail hole on the cabside which is 0.5mm too high against the ones on the tank side. That will have to be redrilled with a new hole.

 

Agreed Rob the tank will have to come off tomorrow as I overlooked pressing out the rivets, I suspect thin assist lines may have been a better idea. Apparently the designer of this loco Dave Ennis passed away recently after a long illness, but yes the prototype isn't really my cup of tea, I bought it to sell on once built to help raise funds in buying a nice LMS loco kit.

 

Thanks for that kind comment Toto, I understand what Rob is saying about how half etch indents affect the surface smoothness when bent under tension, in many ways the BR tenders (Class4 and Brit) which had longitudinal assist lines created a subtle "ribbing" effect on the curved plane when folding. I dare say bending a full thickness etch requires a certain amount of tooling which may well fall outside the boundaries of many modelers, probably the way to go would have been to form the tank wrapper from a full half etch and then laminate it onto a carrier sheet as many of the MOK kits have, but then I guess cost comes into play. I'll see how I can hide the hollows as it were.

 

Agreed Rob and I've learnt an awful lot from your builds too, particularly when it comes to fine detailing.

 

Pushed this little engine build forward today by completing the boiler and tank construction, so now that's pretty much all the etch soldering done on the body, just have the front handrail knob left which will go on later along with handrails. Even managed to scratch a fixing plate inside the smokebox saddle so that the boiler can be removable from the main footplate and cab assembly, even managed to amaze myself when the 10BA nut was soldered as the whole thing lines up perfectly.

 

The top of the tank and boiler assembly consists of some half etch overlays which include two tank straps, tinned and then sweated on with the micro flame. Also the small front grab rails were added using 0.7mm wire, this assembly has been cleaned and washed down and is now ready for the white metal dressing, I'll Araldite these casting into place and leave the set overnight.

 

So here is the boiler dry fitted to the footplate, I did nuttage all three assemblies together and it does all line up nicely, only the front fall plate and sanding pipes to solder onto the mainframe and footplate. One job I did do and can't remember if I mentioned it was I disassembled the panniers and pressed out all the rivets, there will still need to be some stopper added to disguise those half etch fold irregularities on the tank curves.