Atlantic's works: Portable layout - Scenic details next

[Daddyman]

Very good of you, jweallens, thanks!

[Atlantic 3279]

None of this morning's image links appear to have fallen over (yet) and it now appears that either Imageshack, or my brain, or both, are functioning normally again, so I can now fill in the gaps in the story, so far.

In order to be able to stick to my plan of giving the side running plate pieces a straight inside edge, to facilitate casting in a simple mould, I had to arrange for the full width of running plate strip to cut into the lower firebox structure. I didn't want to just hack off the lower firebox at this stage however, as I wanted to initially keep the original sloping throat plate in the correct position and build on this when adding the missing parts of the exposed lower firbox as needed on Great Northern. I therefore began my convoluted procedure by scribing the outline of the valances onto the sides of the firebox. I then used a piercing saw, from below, to carefully firstly follow the lower line, on each side independantly, until the cuts reached so far up the curve that independant cutting of each side was no longer possible. I then had to thread the saw through both sides of the firebox and finish the top curve of the S "both sides at once", taking great care to check that I was following the scribed lines!

[2002EarlMarischal]

Phew! Dr Christaan Barnard had nothing on you Graeme! Amazing but scary!

[Atlantic 3279]

I then followed the same tricky proceedure for the upper scribed line on each side, until I had slots like these in both sides of the smokebox:

After a bit of filing to clean the cuts back to the exact lines, I was then able to add the full width of shaped brass sheet to the top of my running plate S-curves and plug these into the slots in the firebox sides:

In readiness for eventually bonding the built-up lower firebox structure to the running plate, I then also added 1mm plastikard pieces to the underside of the S-curve. I will do likewise to the whole running plate in due course, but this much done at this stage also helped me to create a fairly snug, secure, accurate, but still loose plug-in fit of the running plate within the slotted smokebox side.

[Atlantic 3279]

Some more "progress so far" pictures that would have gone up this morning had I been able to make the system work more quickly:

Fortunately, unlike Dr Barnard, I don't have to do this while I have somebody else's life in my hands!

[Atlantic 3279]

First moves towards building on the lower firebox. At this stage the running plate is still separate and the new pieces of plastikard and filler are attached only to the existing throat plate. When the joints are hard enough to stand up to some filing, I'll take the running plate out of the way to get good access for rounding off the edges of the extended throat plate. The running plate can then go back in and the lower firebox structure will be bonded to it and detailed up. I will the split the throat plate from the reat of the boiler along lines that match the inside edges of the running plate pieces - if all of that sounds unfathomable, it will all be made plain in pictures, in due course.....

[S.A.C. Martin]

Looking absolutely amazing Graeme. The method is very well thought out (as always).

[2002EarlMarischal]

Each one of these conversions seems to surpass the last!

I should like to propose the model railway equivalent to the Oscars. We should call them the Gresleys!

It would be a ironic twist of fate if one of these was awarded for the conversion of a Gresley masterpiece to a Thompson "orphan" but I'm sure HNG would have respected true craftsmanship!

(Even more ironic if awarded to a King!)

[Atlantic 3279]

Thanks you to all once again for the positive comments.

Straying well away from the LNER theme for the moment, even unto the sinful realms of the GWR , I was quite pleased to see some RTR cut-and-shut renditions of Dean locos in the latest BRM. I'll now go and wash out my filthy mouth with soap.......

[manna]

G'Day Gents

What more can we say..............'another masterpiece Leonardo !!'

manna

[Blink Bonny]

[2002EarlMarischal]

Will you be taking models to Warley Show at all?

[S.A.C. Martin]

Thanks you to all once again for the positive comments.

Straying well away from the LNER theme for the moment, even unto the sinful realms of the GWR , I was quite pleased to see some RTR cut-and-shut renditions of Dean locos in the latest BRM. I'll now go and wash out my filthy mouth with soap.......

Yes, I saw those too. Splendid rendition of the double framers, I thought Brunel was extremely convincing.

[Horsetan]

Are the Hornby driving wheels now plastic-centred? 'cos if they are, then I think I might just have had an idea....

[Atlantic 3279]

Yep, placcy spokes, which will save me the tedium of having to electrically separate the two sides of the motion bracket on this one, unlike the performance I had to go through with the Bachmann A2 chassis.

I'm at Spalding on saturday, if anybody wants to grab me then let me know soon (just watch which bits you are grabbing though please), and probably will visit Wakefield next weekend. Warley is bit too far (two and half hours absolute minimum from here), a lot too expensive and a bit too daunting (by virtue of being at the NEC hell-hole). Minimum tenner a day to get in, then another fleecing of at least £8 for parking (unless you park remotely and shuttle by train), then hours of trudging around in "dead" air, on unforgiving concrete floors until your ankles cry out for relief - with nostrils frequently assaulted by the fried onion/cheeseburger merchants and those delightful adherents to our hobby who constantly dodge the soap, never change clothes, and have the dental hygiene of a dead crocodile.......