Yorkie's Connoisseur 4F build

Thanks Paul, your's and mine will be exactly the same as will Toto's because these are very forgiving kits to put together, we have all experienced that. |'m sorry to here you soldered the bearings on the wrong way but to be honest I don't think it matters which way those chassis sides go on, its only the lettering on the tab slot positions and they won't be seen anyway.

My prediction is there will be three very nice 4F loco's when finished all with slight variations such as you enclosed tender cab.

 

Yes no big deal really Paul

 

Firstly apologies for not posting yesterday and being somewhat out of communication with the team but I had "bathroom issues"... that means discussing with plumbers who don't turn up when asked on time and also looking and measuring for potential new sanitary and fixtures. All takes time especially when SWMBO feels we have a difficult space to work in and wants the new bathroom suite to meet her requirements, anyway I did get some modeling time in yesterday evening and started with dressing the buffer beam with the markits buffers.

 

Having embossed all the necessary rivet detail it was a straight forward job building up the footplate base, side valences, dressing the cac front and fitting it. The other chaps have extensively covered doing that bit of the build.

 

When fitting the cab front it is worth taking a bit of time ensuring that everything sits flat and a right angles because that will determin fitting the cab sides and the firebox which have to sit correctly.

 

The first cab side was fitted having previously been dressed with the strengthening plate, outer framework, grab handrail and the cut out wrapper which is handed, note the strengthening plate at the top which determines which handed wrapper can be used.

 

And with the cab in position we now have the basis for the rest of the body build. Next job will be to build up the cab footplate and then I shall turn attention to the chassis frames so that I have a solid flat basis to add in the boiler and smokebox later on.

 

So with the loco cab footplate built up and the tread flap hinged I was able to check the levels between tender and loco in a very approximate fashion, this was really to see how it all fitted together and if there were any snags which would give issues later on. Next step for me now is a digression from the team build by focusing attention on the chassis frames, this is just the way I work and light relief for those following the team build because they won't need to see identical stage build postings all running together.

Oops again I've just checked that loopy cab grab rail in the loco... now corrected.

 

Gee thanks Toto

 

It occurred to me that there would be not reason why the firebox couldn't be built now at this point, the centre lines are all there and with the firebox fitted some additional strength would be had when accepting up the chassis frames for a level base... so I started and then i couldn't stop... and then the test fit and all was well. Great stuff so I bit the bullet and tack soldered the firebox onto the front tabs first, checked everywhere for level and then tack soldered the rear tabs against the cab front slot. Once the boiler is made I shall seam the firebox with boiler unit up if everything lines up as it should.

 

With banding straps and inner sandbox pockets fitted here is the other side.

 

Then there was time today to make some headway with the frames, I followed Jim's instructions to the letter on this part of the build, bushes and pick up holes were reamed accordingly then the spacer bulkheads fitted on one side, the whole assembly was held fast on a flat wooden block. The second side was then tack soldered on the tabs and the complete assembly removed from the block and checked for square with my engineers square, once satisfied everything was as it should be I seam soldered the spacers then added in the spacer with the cut outs and the rear coupling spacer to which I had soldered a 6BA nut in place. Moving forward I added in the ashpan side profiles and the dummy weight shaft with weights.

Apparently the next step is to add on the sandbox brackets and a few other bits and bobs before soldering the axle bushes in place... no mention of using a chassis jig which is just as well cos I ain't got one of those.

 

Anyway all seems well and a quick meeting of the new frames with the loco body said everything fitted properly... I wasn't really expecting it not to.

 

So up on the lifting blocks ... well the Lego blocks and another meeting this time with the tender was had.

 

Oh do you mean the Leek station diorama... I've yet to build that one Yes this loco will look nice on the Elton Crossing layout Thanks for the vote of confidence Toto tis much appreciated.