Will's West Highland Workbench - K4s, J39s, D34, K2/2

[Atlantic 3279]

Why not simply roughen the underside of the two pioeces of running plate very thoroughly, and then take two broad "bridging" strips of brass, nickel sliver or thin steel, again well roughend or perforated by multiple drill holes, and bond these accross the underside of the joint using epoxy? A couple of strips of 40 thou plastikard and thinner top layers will make up the 2mm gap in the running plate and a fairly easy to scrape / file / sand down to a perfectly flush finish/

[will5210]

Why not simply roughen the underside of the two pioeces of running plate very thoroughly, and then take two broad "bridging" strips of brass, nickel sliver or thin steel, again well roughend or perforated by multiple drill holes, and bond these accross the underside of the joint using epoxy? A couple of strips of 40 thou plastikard and thinner top layers will make up the 2mm gap in the running plate and a fairly easy to scrape / file / sand down to a perfectly flush finish/

Thank you for your advice.

Well, I've had a go but won't know how it's gone until the glue has dried tomorrow.
The main difficulties (to me anyway) were the underside of the running plate lacking a nice long straight section which would make gluing more straight forward, instead being full of various inconvenient gaps & splashers here & there. I managed to tack solder the two pieces 2mm apart with nickel silver strips then filled the gap with epoxy & bunged some plasticard in there, over length for now but I'll trim it later.
I intend to remove the soldered strips one side at a time & replace with some more neatly epoxied ones next to strengthen the join underneath. I'll take some pics tomorrow if it hasn't as disintergrated over night!

[will5210]

Hi all,

A little activity over the last few days. I've started on my 3rd 3500 gallon tender for my 3rd K4. I'll be cutting down a Bachmann B1 tender & following Graeme King's original method as closley as I'm able to, including shortening the wheel base (which I chickened out of on my first tender hack.)
In bits:

DSC01803 by will5210, on Flickr

cuts with 1mm taken from between each axle. 1mm also needs taking out between the outside axle & the steps

DSC01805 by will5210, on Flickr

lightly tacked together with glue to check sizes

DSC01807 by will5210, on Flickr

Shortened top placed on chassis. The sides still need shaping but the length is almost perfect, pleasingly

DSC01810 by will5210, on Flickr

I'll finish the tender tomorrow probably, because tonight I got sidetrack with this:

DSC01821 by will5210, on Flickr

I've seen a couple of picture of West Highland locos with snowploughs & I thought it would add something a bit different to one of my locos.

1st step. I soldered a T piece of 10 thou nickel silver to support the assembly, with the front profile filed into it. Then I soldered an oversize piece of NS to the nose of the plough & then tacked it to the 'tail' (crap terminology on my part there!)

DSC01812 by will5210, on Flickr

Then filed to shape

DSC01814 by will5210, on Flickr

Repeat on other side, ensuring the 'V' is full of solder.

DSC01815 by will5210, on Flickr

Study photos, remove supports & do a bit more shaping

DSC01818 by will5210, on Flickr
Here is a real one: http://railphotoprints.zenfolio.com/p74 ... #h1097c4d2

I still need to fabricate the fixing above the coupling hook & work out a fixing method (preferably temporary)

Thanks for looking!

[Atlantic 3279]

Novel!

[will5210]

Novel!

I'll take that as a compliment!

My layout will be set in late Autumn so I hope I'm not stretching it too much. I would think a bit of snow would be a possibility in mid November

[Saint Johnstoun]

That snowplough just spells West Highland! Oh - and extending running plates. I used Graeme's method to join two Austerity 2-8-0 running plates together to create my as yet to finish 2-10-0. Two perforated strips attached with araldite and so far the join is holding well!

[will5210]

That snowplough just spells West Highland! Oh - and extending running plates. I used Graeme's method to join two Austerity 2-8-0 running plates together to create my as yet to finish 2-10-0. Two perforated strips attached with araldite and so far the join is holding well!

Thanks St J! I'm quite pleased with how the snowplough has come out.

My running plate extension didn't go so well sadly, so its off to the model shop in the morning for some 1mm square brass to have a bash at a scratchbuilding one. Its a technique I want to learn & this is as good a time as any.

[will5210]

Hi all,

A brief update from the West Highland bench.

The 3500 gallon tender had the sides shaped & the beading added from microstrip

DSC01824 by will5210, on Flickr
all trimmed up & ready for a dust of primer & then sanding/filling the inevitable imperfections

DSC01840 by will5210, on Flickr

I made a start on the K4 mk3 running plate from brass/nickel silver.

DSC01842 by will5210, on Flickr
It's not perfect but I'm quite pleased with it for a first attempt.

And 2 J39s ended the shop for painting & numbering. I picked numbers I'd seen pictures in my West Highland books & found they were both Eastfield engines from 1932 until 1943, and were also J39/2s with the 4200 gallon tender which makes life a bit easier as they're available RTR.

DSC01831 by will5210, on Flickr

DSC01838 by will5210, on Flickr
I need to find another tender (the low fronted version - can anyone help?), then I'm ready to weather them together.

Thanks for looking in.

[Saint Johnstoun]

Have you seen my J39 to J38 conversion? Not a difficult one - you've already done the tender - I cheated with mine and modelled a prototype with the bigger tender. The chassis is modified with a set of 57XX wheels (split chassis type).

[will5210]

J38 & J39.jpg

Have you seen my J39 to J38 conversion? Not a difficult one - you've already done the tender - I cheated with mine and modelled a prototype with the bigger tender. The chassis is modified with a set of 57XX wheels (split chassis type).

Hi St J,

yes I had seen your J38 & very nice it is too. I do have a J39 body I'd modified to the J38 version which is waiting for me to build a Comet J39 chassis I have waiting.
It's kind of on the back burner at the moment though, as I've yet to see a picture of a J38 on the West Highland line, but I have read they were used. Maybe they were only used on the Faslane traffic during the War?

cheers

[will5210]

Well, it seems I may have fallen on my face with the J39s, as it seems 2799 didn't exist!
http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php? ... et&ad=&sc=

Thanks to Earlswood Nob via PM for alerting me to my mishap!

It may have been a misplaced caption in my reference book, or it may be that I'm stupid.

I suspect the latter!

[Saint Johnstoun]

Eastfield sometimes used J38s up the West Highland after they had been at Cowlairs, but they certainly got to Faslane 1940s from Fife with MOD trains from Crombie, Rosyth, and Bandeath. I have heard of an excursion with A J38 pre-war to Crianlarich but that has to be verified. There was also the coal train to Oban from Fife to bunker the Herring fleet which apparently worked via the WH to Crianlarich and then over the link line - this was a 'one off' and died with the onslaught of motor drifters and oil fired boilers.

[will5210]

Eastfield sometimes used J38s up the West Highland after they had been at Cowlairs, but they certainly got to Faslane 1940s from Fife with MOD trains from Crombie, Rosyth, and Bandeath. I have heard of an excursion with A J38 pre-war to Crianlarich but that has to be verified. There was also the coal train to Oban from Fife to bunker the Herring fleet which apparently worked via the WH to Crianlarich and then over the link line - this was a 'one off' and died with the onslaught of motor drifters and oil fired boilers.

That's very interesting & certainly gives me the excuse for a J38. I really must get on with the 'typical' classes first (K2, D34 etc) though a B12 hiker & J38 are now definitely on the 'to do' list.

[will5210]

It's been a while since I updated my workbench as I've been suffering a slight dip in enthusiasm, but I still have a few bits to show.

'Lord of the Isles' had an unpleasant encounter with some Humbrol Clear so I stripped/repainted/relined the boiler. The finish on this 2nd attempt is much better so it's worked out for the best. I'm waiting for warmer weather to varnish.

DSC01974 by will5210, on Flickr

'Loch Long' is varnished & just needs nameplates & pipe runs fitting

DSC01975 by will5210, on Flickr

I also corrected my J39 gaffe. 2799 is now 2788.

DSC01976 by will5210, on Flickr

& when I fancied a quick project I built some wagons. I'll paint them all in one go when I buy some transfers & blackening fluid for the 3 links.

DSC01977 by will5210, on Flickr

DSC01978 by will5210, on Flickr

Thanks for looking in!

[Atso]

Awesome stuff Will, I especially like the lined green! What's the buffer beam in front of 3441 from?