The footplate was cut from the fret, then the splasher sides were folded up at 90 degrees following the half etched lines. The valance sides, buffer and draw beams were folded 90 degrees down in a similar fashion. The kit provides a footplate overlay incorporating rivet detail, this was soldered into position using Carrs 188 solder paste using a miniflame. The addition of the overlay really stiffens the footplate and gives a good foundation to build the rest of the locomotive on. Similar overlays are provided for the valance, which again incorporate some nice rivet detail along with "tags" that are used to secure the vacuum pipe.

Footplate with valance overlays

The valance overlays were soldered in position, then the steps were folded and attatched to the valances. Brass brass wire was used to simulate the vacuum pipe running along the side of the footplate, the afore mentioned "tags" are bent around the wire to hold it in position and simulate the prototype brakets.

Footplate with valance overlays and steps

Vacuum pipe and clips

The buffer beam overlay has a large number of half etched dimples that have to be formed into dome head rivets before soldering into position. I used a blunt metal scriber and a small hammer to punch out the rivets, unfortunately this caused the buffer beam to distort due to the number of rivets that needed to be formed. The buffer beam needed considerable coaxing to get it back into a flat position by gently using some taper nose pliers. A similar process was used to form the draw beam, once this had been achieved they were both soldered onto the footplate.

Buffer beam

The next step was to form the splasher tops and the inner splasher sides. These were cut from the etched brass fret and the edges were filled to remove any "cusping"

Splasher components and footplate

The splasher tops needed forming into the curve dictated by the splasher sides on the footplate. I haven't got any bending bars, so I placed the splasher tops onto a piece of rubber matting and used a needle file to roll the brass into a curve.

Rolling splasher tops

Once the curves were formed, the splasher tops were soldered onto the outer splasher sides. Once I was happy with the orientation of the splasher tops, the inner splasher sides were soldered into position. The part completed footplate was then located onto the chassis to ensure that the was adequate clearance inside the splashers to accomodate the wheels. The kit instructions state that the smoke box needs forming before the front splashers can be fitted, so until that's been completed nothing more can be done to the footplate.

Splasher tops in situ

Footplate on chassis

The smoke box componets were removed from the fret and the edges smoothed with a file before forming could take place. Part 108 folds up into box and once this had been formed, parts 109 and 111 were solder to it to form the front and back of the smoke box. Part 113 is the smokebox wrapper and this was rolled into shape using the rubber matting and file as before. the center line of the wrapper was marked and then it was soldered into position using 188 solder paste and a miniflame.

Smoke box components

Smoke box after forming, soldering and cleaning up.

The next sub assembly to be tackled was the boiler/firebox. The boiler comes as a flat fret, which requires rolling to form the the required shape. Once again I used the rubber mat, but this time I annealed the metal before rolling to soften it slightly.

Boiler/Smokebox components

Part 118 of the kit is a rather ingenious plate which forms the boiler band clamps and locks the boiler into a cylindrical shape. This was soldered onto the inside of the boiler on one side and helped keep everything in position while the boiler wrapper was fixed in position around the formers. Once I was happy with the shape of the boiler/firebox, the firebox washout plugs were soldered into position.

Boiler and washout plugs

The boiler/firebox and smokebox sub assemblies were cleaned up using a fibreglass brush, then the front boiler former was tapped so that the two components could be temporarily fixed together with a locating bolt to check their relative alignment.

Boiler/firebox and smokebox sub assemblies

Aligned boiler and smokebox

Well I think that's all until next time, hopefully once the boiler is attached to the footplate and the cab has been assembled, It will look like I've made some progress!

Best wishes

Dave