Atlantic's works: Portable layout - Scenic details next

[davidwest]

Quite a decent amount of butchery...

[LNERDAVE]

Hello to all ,been watching this W1 build for a while and read article, decided to give it ago, problem, never built a loco kit before ,always run RTR although always with crew , real coal and correct lamps so I have A4 super detail version which I can use , in BR Green , non corridor tender, am I embarking on something to difficult to start with or should I contact 1 of the guys who have done this before, I think I will need a lot of help with dimmension etc and possibly annoy you all with stupid questions which I think well everybody knows the answers apart from me.
ps first post as I am quite new , will try and post pictures of my layout under construction LNER /SOUTHERN BR period with prototype diesels

[Atlantic 3279]

I apologise if I have misunderstood, and your skills are already way above this list, and on the other hand I don't want to make things sound too daunting for a beginner, but for success I think you'll need to be sure that can do, or learn to do the following:
1. Make really accurate, straight, tidy, careful cuts in the body moulding with a razor saw, avoiding your flesh in the process
2. Cut plastikard (scribe and snap) accurately too, cleaning up the cut edges with files to eliminate any lips or burrs from the cutting process. Some experience to tell you which, and how much solvent to use to make good joints would be desirable too.
3. Be very careful and self-critical when aligning joints
4. Show great care, patience, self-control and thoroughness when scraping, sanding, filling and priming joints to get dead level surfaces. ie. invisible joints.
5. Use a junior hacksaw and/or piercing saw, and subsequently a file, carefully and accurately to get a flat square cut at the rear of the chassis
6. Cut brass sheet accurately and squarely without distorting it (scribe it so deeply that a full-length witness line starts to show on the opposite side, then support the brass both sides of the line with straight flat edges and bend/snap it at the scribed line). You'll also need to be able to fold it accurately by scribing a little less deeply too, and do some soldering of brass to brass.
7. Use small drills in metal without snapping or blunting them, or piercing your fingers etc.

Mercifully, you may not need to deal with low-temperature white-metal soldering, as I think you could get away with use of epoxy or evostick for the whitemetal-to-whitemetal and whitemetal-to-brass joints.
Good luck if you decide to have a go. I'll try to offer helpful advice where possible. I never listened to advice to start with something simple when I came into the hobby.....

[LNERDAVE]

Atlantic thanks for reply the modelling side is not an issue, ex toolmaker and have built several models of 1/24 trucks to show standards, it is more the dimensional items ,which I will be needing help with , ie the sizes of the brass carrier and how much to extend the body , etc, if this is not the place to post these I have no problem with you sending the info on PM I have got the parts from SEF
and tranfers from foxes for cab and numbers etc, so will make a start this weekend
ps SEF have sent the floor but I guess I do not need that thanks hope to hear soon

[Atlantic 3279]

Oaky Dave, thanks for clarifying that - ignore all of my condescending remarks above

I'll gladly help you out with dimensions and diagrams/illustrations as far as possible, as I have to revisit the issue myself ready to start another two W1 conversions for which I have no parts yet prepared - after my own 10000 I'd prepared three lots of parts together to deal with the locos I was expecting to do but these latest two are a "bonus". I dont think the Finecast cab floor will be of any use, not the way I did things anyway, and if you do use it you won't be able to set the extra bends in the side frames as per the prototype. These appear to me to be very handy if you want the loco to go around curves.....
Are you using the Finecast cab roof too? It is much the easiest way to go, but if so, don't trim anything off the top edges of the cab sides yet. If you are extending the super-detail roof and keeping the sliding vents then I imagine you'll be putting your alignment and surface finishing skills to plenty of good use.
If you'd like to send me a PM including your e-mail address I can send you some dimensioned sketches and notes, plus other things that don't appear on here. It's easier by direct e-mail as my "attachment quota" for this forum is full and all images I now post for forum or PM have to firstly be uploaded to an image hosting website.

[LNERDAVE]

Atlantic no need for red face first post did not make things all that clear but thanks for the offer of help , I may now wait untill we have spoke on pm which I will do now
regards LNER DAVE

[Atlantic 3279]

This Railroad Mallard based W1 is now almost ready for the road, along with its narrowed tender. I might have got further still owing to the poor weather over the weekend killing off any outdoor distractions, but I discovered last week that I was out of "corners" on my BR lining sheet. Our "in town" model shop doesn't stock anything for modellers who actually DO things to models, and trusty Caistor Loco were closed for holidays. Hence I'm waiting for resumption of business tomorrow. Plenty of other things to do in the meantime......

[S.A.C. Martin]

Looking very much the part Graham

Lovely!

[mick b]

Is it viable to upgrade the valve gear? I have seen sets on ebay for about a fiver

[Atlantic 3279]

Either by switching to the "super-detail" cylinder block, or by making some minor and inconspicuous black plastikard additions to the rear of the Railroad cylinders, it is perfectly feasible to fit the super-detail valve gear set instead. It includes the slidebars, crossheads and con rods, plus the motion bracket, and it fits the driving-wheel crankpins perfectly too, as valve gear/cylinders aside I believe the two chassis versions are identical.
I did the switch on my Garter Blue 10000, but it isn't part of the job in this case.

[mick b]

Ah!! never realised you changed it on the LNER version, probably never noticed due to the valances. Glad to hear it fits too, good for future reference.

Mick

[Atlantic 3279]

Railroad Mallard-based version and slimmed, streamlined tender at last ready for the off...

[coachmann]

Neat W1 there. While this thread is about building/modifying locos etc, does anyone know where I can obtain a decent round dome for a class A3? Also, has anyone removed a banjo dome from a Hornby A3 and does it leave a hole or is the banjo solid? (saves me dismantling the thing to find out)!

[davidwest]

Hi Coach,

The dome does leave a hole but the boiler bands do go all the way round.

You may be able to get a dome from the remains of a DJH kit - as was mine. Or approach SEfinecast - they seem very ameanable. Reading Graeme's experience.

Good luck

David

[mick b]

Coach
The Wills A3 Dome is £1.10 part 22, postage is another £1.50 . I have just used their A3 chimney on my Hornby NRM A3 to conversion to Singapore. If you need anything else PM me.

Mick