30368

I use Alan Gibson 1/8 bearings and they would suit your requirement. I always have to ream following soldering. Kind regards, Richard B

PS - re Sci-Fi cabs - Original cab = Darth Vader's helmet??

Hi Flood, Lovely to hear about your Dad. I started as a Fitting Apprentice at Eastleigh Loco Works in September 1963. I stayed a year in the Training School and then around the Southern Region Depots since I was a CM&EE Apprentice. Still plenty of Bulleid pacifics (and other types) being overhauled at that time. Had some nice footplate rides due to temporary possession of footplate pass. Happy Days! Kind regards, Richard B

PS I see Flood has chosen 35009 too - I suspect because this loco kept its original cab until early 1953. Lovely work Flood! Kind regards, Richard B

Many thanks John. Wish you the very best with the kit, I have another one to build which will be in the condition of the first ten after the front skirting was removed. I have also built a PDK kit of the same series with the original cab and all the casing in place. They really were great locomotives! Kind regards, Richard B

Instructions Hope they help. Please contact me happy to help if I can. Kind regards, Richard B

I am on the case, give me some time to have lunch and I will scan in the instructions I have for my second Millholme original MN. Kind regards, Richard B First one completed a while ago, not too tricky to build.

An update. Motion plate is now soldered in position on the mainframes and tack soldered to the slide bars on each side. Need to be very "quick" with the heat on the latter to avoid disturbing all the complex soldering on the motion plate. LH side motion temporarily assembled. Kind regards, Richard B

Yes JB agree. However given I have just filed away a slot on top of the mainframes to ensure that the motion bracket is flush with the top of the frames it may have been easier if a frame slot was used to locate the motion bracket instead of a hole covered by the front wheel. I was not keen to chop the frames around so that the front axle became, in effect, a drop axle, as the instructions suggest. In any case, the motion bracket, slide bars and mainframe hole all seem to be aligned and I am almost ready to assemble the motion. Thanks for all your tips JB. Kind regards, Richard B

Which twit suggested it was a good idea to use 16BA screws and nuts to assemble the valvegear!! Spent a few hours soldering two 16BA nuts to the back plate (closest to the mainframes) of the motion bracket. Very tricky but worth the effort, I hope. It should make assembly of the motion to the bracket easier and any subsequent maintenance much easier. I have also soldered 16BA set screws to the connecting rods for much the same reasons. Kind regards, Richard B

Thanks for the comments, much appreciated. Motion - I usually apply blacking compound before assembly (but not always) and then weather using weathering powders and Humbrol washes. The valvegear does get a wee bit gummed up but a drop or two of oil both adds to the look and frees it up again. On some loco's I try to create an ex works + a few weeks. In which case I very lightly apply blacking compound after assembly and clean off after 10 - 20 seconds. I then apply light and dark brown washes on some area's with blue grey wash around crank pins. Motion did not stay rust free for long! Kind regards, Richard B

Perhaps I can add my two penny worth? I built a "U" from a secondhand Wills body kit and the very good SEFinecast chassis kit. Its true that the main variation is between River Class re-builds and new build loco's, however when I started to fix on the low running plate version I noticed further variations so in the end I gathered lots of pictures of the loco I had decided to model and did just that. Even then I fitted it with the wrong tender variation for mid the mid 1950s, although to be fair to myself, I was limited by what was supplied with the kit. Have a look at: David Maidment's Southern Moguls & Tank Locomotives. and Ian Sixsmith and Richard Derry's The Book of the Southern Moguls Parts 1 and 2. Full of useful information. Having said that, I do find it odd that Bachmann have not capitalised on the development cost of the "N" by developing "U" variation(s) as Ian above has suggested Hornby have done with the Light Pacifics. Kind regards, Richard B

Today's update. Firstly thanks to JB above for the tip, I think the issue is that the motion plate sits on the top of the mainframes, i.e. there is no cut-out to locate it, thus the need to align with the two holes pre-drilled in the frames which are covered by the wheel flanges! When I have located the motion plate to my satisfaction I will mark the mainframes and then file a shallow cut out so that the plate sits flush with the frames thus allowing the footplate to sit flush. I am assembling the valvegear with rivets and 16BA screws so that I can assemble (and disassemble if required) the motion in sections. Kind regards, Richard B

Have now cleaned up the connecting rods and fitted to the crossheads. Slidebars carefully located on cylinder chest they need to be square in all directions and parallel to the coupling rods. Tack solder the slidebar casting to the inside of the cylinder face. I then checked that the connecting rods and crossheads ran smoothly (which they did!) and then completed soldering the slidebar castings to the cylinder face. I am pleased to say that the connecting rods arrived today so many thanks to John at London Road Models. Kind regards, Richard B

The motion bracket was indeed a tricky component to fabricate. It consists of five parts that require careful sequential soldering. I use aluminium hair clips to act as heatsinks strategically placed on the assembly to prevent your lovely work coming apart as you apply heat to the next part to be soldered. The motion bracket still needs cleaning up, as you can see. I may well have to remove the front wheels again for fitting the bracket. the 0.7mm rod is used to locate the bracket in two holes on each side of the mainframes. This is located just behind the wheel flange. I think that's all for now, need to rest my eyes! Kind regards, Richard B

Most of the fettling work for the valvegear now complete. The motion bracket and its component (brass, in the foreground) looks to be a bit of a tricky soldering job! I have fitted the leading wheel brake hangers and blocks, it will be tricky to fit after valvegear fitted. Kind regards, Richard B

Coupling rods and plunger pickups fitted. Connecting rod halves cut out and ready for soldering together. Incidentally, I suggest it is best to solder connecting rod halves together before removing fret bridge pieces. The halves are very easy to damage. Chassis tested and runs well from low power inputs so coupling rod centres fairly accurate. They were soldered together before drilling and reaming. On to the valve gear which does look fiddly. Flywheel temporarily fitted, there should be enough room to fit without troubling the firebox backplate. We shall see... Kind regards, Richard B

John at London Road Models has dispatched the missing etch for the coupling rods - good service. I have used blackening fluid on the frames rather than paint. The finish is varied but that is fine for a loco that was, by the mid 1950s, around forty years old. The Plant "bosh" and some manual scraping would have left a fairly rough surface for the frame painters. First image shows the frames back in the jig to check coupling rod alignment. Second image shows wheels, motor and gearbox fitted. Wheel quartering needs final adjustment. Should have just enough room for a flywheel without fowling the firebox backplate. Kind regards, Richard B

This Richard likes that kind of thing too. Thanks for all the music Clive and, naturally, the modelling. Must fix the sound system on my PC! Kind regards, Richard B

A quick update on the build. I spent some time trying to find the coupling rods in the etches and the parts list without success. I admit I may have missed something and have contacted LRM to seek advice. In the meantime I have made up a pair of rods from bullhead rail. Thanks for the advice Tony, I always check coupling rod centres on the jig so will do. I am using a Mashima 14/20 motor and Branchlines two stage gearbox with a strengthening mod. This view shows the holes for the Alan Gibson plunger pick-ups. Apart from being very reliable pick-ups they make fitting brake gear so much simpler. Final view with running plate fitted and coupling rods. I selected a section of rusty rail for a more authentic look when completed! Kind regards, Richard B

Yes Ian a great collection seemingly over all of the BR years of operation. Thanks Andy. RB

Have a look at Peter Swift's Book on the H15/S15's some useful stuff there also David Maidment's Urie and Maunsell 2-Cylinder 4-6-0s by Pen and Sword Books. I do recall that by 1963 or so there were many displaced 6 wheel tenders (U1s, Schools, N15s) that many Maunsell (and a few late surviving Urie versions, 30499, for example) had their 8 wheeled tenders exchanged as, I suspect, many of them required heavy repairs. Kind regards, Richard B

Hi, Today's update. Frame spacers now soldered into position whilst in the jig. Started to prepare the cylinder crossmembers for soldering into position. Valve guide, crossheads and slid bar casting to fettle and trial fit to the two crossmembers. The castings are very accurate to the prototype but do require some careful fettling to remove casting sprigs and fit to holes in cylinder crossmembers. I have left casting sprig on one of the slide bar castings for comparison with the prepared version. Kind regards, Richard B

Many thanks Rowan, I agree, plenty of help out there and I am not shy to ask. Frames are now in the jig ready to solder the spacers in position. The six 2.5mm holes for the Alan Gibson plunger pickups have been drilled. I am aware of the advice in the instructions regarding the front axle bearings which suggests that the frame is slotted so that the axle can be fitted after the valvegear is assembled. That is the case with many kits. I will look into assembling the valve gear with a few strategic 14/16BA set screws else the wheelset will be fitted before valvegear assembly. Kind regards, Richard B

Hi Amanda, Just being cautious! Hope that you have a go and please ask for help if you need it, there are many knowledgeable loco builders on this site. Kind regards, Richard B