Atlantic's works: Portable layout - Scenic details next

[Atlantic 3279]

I agree that it is a disappointment. In order to have the proper boiler profile you would also have to proceed as I did when "correcting" my Bachmann V2, and graft in most of a "doctored" A3 boiler, save for the original firebox which is reasonably acceptable. Add that work to the substitution of an A2 coupled drive & everything you need to do to stretch the front end, and it would be hard to argue that you were any better off than you would be building a full kit.

It's a similar situation for anybody who would like to take the A2/3 conversion a step further to create an A2/2. Unless you are happy to have one of the locos that finished up with a later diagram boiler plus "half-breed" cab (with Peppercorn style front and Thompson/Gresley flat sides), then you've got to introduce and A3 style boiler, AND (I think) alter the relationship between the S curve of the running plate and the firebox lower front corners.

[Atlantic 3279]

One or two more items of work have been going on over the last day or two.

I've taken out the moulded lump in the cab floor below the firehole door, which accommodated the Triang-Hornby rear chassis mounting screw, and built up some new levels to match an A3 cab photo in RCTS 2A:

Within the firebox extension moulding I've built up some blocks of plastikard. These have now been drilled through, front to rear, so that it will be possible to screw as well as glue the extension piece onto the rear end of the original boiler. This will help to Dowel the parts in alignment, including the now separated (for reasons not yet revealed) cab and firebox elements of my add-on piece. I have also been working on the spectacles with a piercing saw and fine-pointed square file, enlarging thses to something more like the real thing. Only the one on the left of this image had been tackled:

The cab roof has received attention too, removing a ridge that ran close to its leading edge, and taking the edges of the ventilator moulding down almost flush with the roof proper so that the ventilator became crescent shaped in cross section. Layers and strips of plastic were then added to reperesent the slides and shutters. If the drawing is right, the bolted panel at the rear ought to stop well short of the rear edge of the ventilator, rather than meeting it as moulded here. I am not sure that I will change that too:

You will notice that I have added and shaped some thin layers to create an extension to the reversing rod cover too.


I also decided that the front running plate extension piece deserved the addition of a representation of the hinged access door for the "middle engine", on the flat upright platebetween the frames below the smokebox front. A picture of that will have to appear later.

[Atlantic 3279]

Gale force winds here today killed off any thoughts of a cycling trip after an early finish at work, so I've got a bit more done on the Thompson "Pacific Crampton".

5 thou plastikard cladding added to shoulders of firebox to improve match with main biler moulding and to slightly recess the old original washout plugs to more-or-less match Bachmann's modern offerings. Also lower cabside 2mm holes drilled part-depth and a central stub of wire inserted in these to suggest access points to the rear corner mudholes on the firebox:

I couldn't resist making an alteration to the length of that rear panel on the cab roof, via some careful scribing and filing:

First blank cut for a smoke deflector. Beading to be added to the edge, maybe some rivet detail too, and possibly some reinforcement on the rear as this is only 10 thou thick:

[S.A.C. Martin]

I think the cat may be out of the bag with that smoke deflector pic

Then again with all the Thompson Pacific jokes earlier on in the thread...!

10 points for anyone who can guess the name/number combination, and why.

Graeme's exempt from the challenge as he knows the full details!

[Atlantic 3279]

The story so far, in summary, complete with a pair of smoke deflectors with added beadings + rear reinforcement, but as yet no double chimney or Thomo dome:

Fear not, O Copley Hill works manager, this is ALL still reversible.....

[S.A.C. Martin]

Beautiful! I'm staggered. What's just as impressive, is how reversible it all is.

[Saint Johnstoun]

Excellent - what interests me is how you will deal with the cylinders and valve gear.

[davidwest]

The story so far, in summary, complete with a pair of smoke deflectors with added beadings + rear reinforcement, but as yet no double chimney or Thomo dome:


Fear not, O Copley Hill works manager, this is ALL still reversible.....

Looking really impressive Graeme!

[Atlantic 3279]

Thanks Gents.

what interests me is how you will deal with the cylinders and valve gear.

I definitely have a plan, and I've made checks to confirm that mounting points and clearances are likely to exist for replaced, re-sited or altered parts. I've quite deliberately held back from doing anything to the cylinders and valve-gear yet as that would involve full commitment to completion of the conversion, whereas I wanted to firstly prove that all of the superstructure cosmetic changes could be successfully executed. In order to go on much further from here I'll have to surrender my "get out of jail free" card..........

[Atlantic 3279]

After releasing eight screws to detach the valvegear entirely and lower the keeper plate, I've started work with the axe (well actually only a piercing saw at this stage). Even now I'm not yet across the Rubicon, as I could beat a hasty retreat if necessary and still restore the original chassis configuration, but I'm certainly wading through the water at last:

I'll have to trim various bits off the front off the chassis block before this works properly, but the bogie and its mounting plate already show reassuring willingness to sit in the necessary new position:

[davidwest]

Seeing this thread I wonder if Bachmann know how close they are to a another ER pacific?

[Atlantic 3279]

Perhaps it is easier for me to make the piecemeal changes by my low tech methods than it would be for Bachmann to change their tooling, or create partially new tooling?

[Atlantic 3279]

I've enjoyed myself this evening, making apparent progress in leaps and bounds thanks to the successful results of previous careful thought and measurement. I've also ordered some valve gear from Comet today, and have heard again from my friend in Portugal who has drawn my attention to the difference between ejector pipe heights in A2 and A2/3 classes. I'll have to think about that latter point......

Anyway, here's the front of the chassis block after I spent a few minutes trimming off unwanted protrusions with piercing saw and files, along with the trimmed down bogie unit, plus the cylinders with tops filed flat, mounted on a new 40 thou plastikard stretcher at the scale width:

Bogie unit remounted in new position further forwards - slotted guide just glued to the bottom of the chassis block

[Atlantic 3279]

Cylinders now dropped on to a convenient vacant space on the frames

Bogie wheels comfortably clearing the cylinders on Toytown second wadius set-twack:

After sawing through the "riser" of the original running plate, level with the lower edge of the main valance / angle iron, cleaning up with a file, filing a flat on the base of the smokebox to match that on the bolier barrel, and just slapping the prepared pieces together, this was the first appearance:

With sideframe overlays and smoke deflectors taped and/or blu-tacked in place I had this:

And finally for the moment, the view from a higher level with the redundant old front end of the running plate, and the separate steam pipe mouldings saved for re-use:

I think I've well and truly crossed the Rubicon now!

[mick b]

Excellent

Hopefully Bachmann will bring one out next year