Atlantic's works: Portable layout - Scenic details next

[Atlantic 3279]

More in a few minutes perhaps......

[Atlantic 3279]

The image above also emphasizes another point or two. There's a chunk missing out of the base of the smokebox, and the chassis block now shows above the running plate and below the boiler in the whole of this front area of the loco. I quickly decided that I was not prepared to tackle the chore of cutting and filing a layer off the top of the hard, cast block, throughout the length of the offending section. There is however part of the chassis top that can be easily removed, which seemed to be worth a try. Also, a piece to fill in the base of the smokebox and extend the curve of the boiler sides down as far as possible seemed like something worth making.

The tall block on chassis, seen in this image, is a screw-on fit. You cannot remove it without carefully unplugging the blanking plug from the electronic gizmo socket, then unscrewing the socket, then you can take off the block. If you want to reinstate the socket, you have to cut the block to liberate the piece that needs to back under the socket. There's also a lip on top of the main chassis which would get in the way of a full boiler barrel, I cut that off fairly easily:

[Atlantic 3279]

Here's the plug in piece that I made for the base of front of the boiler - it has to have a flat bottom centrally to just clear the top of the chassis:

Here's the view from the side with the filler piece in place.

I'm forced to doubt whether my approach to this was fully worth the effort. Behind the main gap in the smokebox base, the gained downward extension of the boiler sides is really quite minimal, and instead of seeing parts of the sides of that tall block that I removed, I can now see the edges of the top face of the amin chassis block! It won't matter in the long run, as this area will be black, and partly hidden by other fittings, but I think in future I would hesitate to go to the trouble of removing that tall block. It might be easier to fit only the front half of my plug-in piece for the boiler bottom.

[Atlantic 3279]

Time is against me for the moment, so I'll have to show how I completed the top of the running plate in the S-curve area, and mated this to the firebox, latrer on.

For a taster, here's a look at the current status of Thompson's most controversial rebuild:

[2002EarlMarischal]

The suspense has been totally worth it Graeme! Stunning work - neat and tidy as always.

I'm glad that the LNER has such a huge variety of locomotives and rolling stock because there should always be another fascinating project to follow!

[Horsetan]

That's rather good, that. I vote Graeme turns it out in GER lined blue.

[S.A.C. Martin]

Looks utterly fabulous Graeme. The envy is palapable in Sidcup right now...!!!

It's funny but you've made the same modification to the chassis block and that removeable bit I did four years ago. It seems I had the right ideas, just not the skills to put it all together at the time

RE the resin parts - what are you planning on covering in your kit (should you offer one?) - deflectors, front end, smokebox addition, running plate?

I do think the market for these kits will blossom, this is clearly both cheaper and more convincing than many of the kit built efforts for A2/3 and A1/1 - and as Mick is showing us, A2/2 as well.

For my part, I will raise my hand and say now I will buy an A1/1 kit from you to build for myself if you make it available.

On another subject, RE a book - I think a dedicated book on your LNER models would go down very well.

Edit: Just a thought - is it possible to cast the cylinder block as one piece? That would go some way towards it being a pretty much ready to plonk together kit.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Looks better than my effort - good on yer!

[Horsetan]

Ay up!.....

Slight off-topic, I know, but is it actually possible to programme the "Reply" function so that you can write every response in a Northern dialect?

[Atlantic 3279]

is it actually possible to programme the "Reply" function so that you can write every response in a Northern dialect?

Doooo! Yer can't do that Meyaster, the computer would finish up in real stitherum meeyat.

[Atlantic 3279]

I'll have to have a look at the possibility of all-in-one resin cylinders, which I can see would make sense as I sahll also have to modify the outer wrapper shape, GN having no bulge in the lower part of the wrapper. I'm not sure that resin would capture the slots and holes for the slidebars and rods, but the whole thing would at least be strong.

If I get to the resin stage, it would probably include A2/3 front running plate piece and cutting instructions to convert it for A1/1 use (surely people can manage that bit?), two "side" running plates with lower firebox cast on, paper template for marking/cutting lower firebox of Horby loco to suit, stretcher or cylinders, smokebox extension ring and fill-in pieces (unless I suddenly feel competent to cast a whole new smokebox, which may have advantages but also presents extra difficulties and costs for me), and a chimney.

Smoke deflectors I'll have to consider. They can be done in resin, as I have shown, but they are not that difficult to cut from brass (to a pattern) and then embellish with beading. Etched alternatives may exist too, or may come into being.

The cab depends on how I get on with my efforts to adapt the existing nice Hornby one. If that works, a resin one won't be necessary. If a resin cab is needed, it will probably have to be a user's adaptation of the A2/3 cab to make it fit, according to some supplied suggestions / instructions.

[S.A.C. Martin]

That all sounds fair to me Graeme. The advantage of the resin cylinder is, as you say, its strength - but if carefully design, you could in theory leave it as a solid piece, with indentations to show where to drill into it to fit the slide bar and connecting rod.

RE the deflectors, I'd prefer resin as I'm not confident with brass (accepting I'm in a minority - of one!).

Overall just a stunning job all round. 60113 is going to look terrific when done!

[davidwest]

Excellent. Absolutely excellent

[Daddyman]

This is excellent work - as are the models on the previous 87 pages, which I spent all last night looking through!
These hulking great Thompson monsters you've built have a real beauty that makes me question my Gresley-centric upbringing!
It's not quite clear if you plan to sell the resin castings, do you? I think for the amount of work they cut out I'd happily pay any two-figure number you care to name!

[jwealleans]

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