Update

Hello from Linlithgow!

I find myself in a lovely Scottish village this weekend, preparing for a good friend’s wedding today (in a castle, no less)!

Anyway, I’ve attached some photos that I had intended to post many days ago. A busy work schedule and a poor internet connection put paid to that! So here they (finally) are:

Tender Frames, fresh from paint shop with undercoat.

Pony truck frames.

Frames, with air tanks and rear headstock (note that the new frames were design to accept standard High Level Kits 1/8 inch bearings and associated hornblock).

Julian

And so it goes.

A package landed on my door step yesterday. It contained the modified Steam Era Models frame etch. Tony Crennan of Model Etch has again provided some fantastic work.

The steam chest and motion gear bracket had a party this evening. It's starting to look like a steam locomotive now. (Please excuse the grotty items - they were yet to take a wash in the ultrasonic bath at the time of photographing.)

Jules

Steam Era Models to the Rescue

All,

I have some very good news to report.

David Foulkes of Steam Era Models (ie manufacturer of the J Class kit) has very kindly had the artwork associated with the frame etches modified to broad gauge (18.37mm) and made available to me. Key component that are directly affected by the conversion, including the side frames, frame spacers, pony truck, and head stocks have been modified.

Furthermore, an allowance has been made for the addition of CSB compensation, including holes for pivot points and clearance for the wire in the frame spacers. Finally, the coupling rods have been reworked into three separate sections (as per the prototype), to enable the CBS compensation to function correctly.

I and the owner of the second kit are very thankfully for this generous gesture from David at Steam Era Models. It was as unexpected as it is appreciated.

The artwork has been forward to Tony Crennan of Model Etch for review and an estimate.

While this will slightly delay the construction of the frames, it is a most welcome one! Besides, I have plenty of other aspects (ie everything above the foot plate) to push on with.

Thanks David,

Julian

Finishing Things Off: QR321

Just a quick one. I've been completing a few projects that were 'almost finished'.

Yet another wonderful kit from Steam Era Models. Moderately weathered to suggest some minor 'love' over its long life, QR321 runs on NWSL 18.37mm gauge Proto87 wheel sets with Sergent couplers.

Below is the prototype, setting in Castlemaine railway yards on 13 November 1976 (courtesy of Rob O'Regan's web site).

Frame Spacers, Steam Chests, and Grit Paper

After noticing the glaring omission with the centre of the frame spacers, I remedied the situation today.

As can be seen below, the spacer that accompanies the kit has the centre removed, which can also be observed in a research photo that I took at Maldon of J 549 (I think). So out with the vernier callipers, black marker pen, drill bits, and files.

Moving the frames out to the correct scale spacing means that all attached infrastructure also needs to be modified. The first 'cab off the rank' are the two steam chests (I think that's what they're called). The piston centres in the two white metal castings are the 'correct' spacing of ~25.4mm when fitted to the unmodified kit .

However, this distance increase to 28.9mm when attached to the braod gauge frame. Therefore, 1.75mm has to be 'found’ on each side of the frames. This is achieved by removing material from the rear of the steam chest castings. In fact, according to photos of the original (and unsurprisingly), this will be closer to the prototype.

 

Before taking the knife to the steam chest castings, I used a black marker pen and scribed on the frames where they should 'end up' (thought I should make the most of the alignment white metal lugs that will be removed as part of the modification). I then marked scribed a line around the perimeter of the steam chest castings...and that's as far as I got...

I intend to use some coarse grit paper to remove the bulk of the white metal and finish up with fine paper. Unfortunately, my supplies of coarse grit paper have all gone...

It would seem that a trip to the hardware centre is required.

Julian

Fossil Fuel

The Victorian Railways had 60 J Class locomotives. Half of the fleet were coal fired, while the remainder were oil fired.

As well as modifying my own oil fired J Class steam kit, I am also undertaking ‘broad gauge surgery’ on a friend’s coal fired kit.  

I’ve just completed constructing the coal fired tender (see below). The obvious differences in the two fuel types can be seen by referring to my earlier post ('Progress', November 29 2011), outlining completion of the oil burning tender. The differences are clear; a tank for oil verses a bunker for coal.

Jules

The Right Frame of Mind

One of the key aspects of converting the J class kits to 18.37mm VR broad gauge, is to return the frames to the prototypical location. Being very close to prototype width, the P87 tire profile permits this to occur.

The frames spacers that come with the kit are considerably narrower than they should be. This has been done to allow the ‘standard’ HO gauge (16.5mm) and RP25-110 tire profile to be used, while preserving the 'correct' overall exterior appearance.

Replacement frame spacers were fabricated from ~0.4mm brass sheet. Apart from the modified width, all other dimensions follow that of the original parts.

The next step will be to modify the infrastructure that is connected to the now wider frames, such as cylinders and the like. That will take place in the new year. Until then, I will be enjoying Christmas with my extended family in Connecticut, USA.

Merry Christmas dudes!

Julian