Atlantic's works: Portable layout - Scenic details next

[Horsetan]

.... 4 parishes in East Suffolk bubbling up our drains for 12 hours.

followed by

auldreekie

It probably does.

[auldreekie]

I obviously had foreknowlege...

Nevertheless, you will no doubt be relieved to know that all is as driven snow after the cleanup -- indeed there's even some of the aforesaid meteorological phenomenon.

But this won't get results out of the workshop...

auldreekie

[Atlantic 3279]

There are still more fittings to go on the A2/2, including the ejector pipe which I'm leaving almost to the last minute as its shape will tie down the identity of the loco finally as 503 or as 504. I've not substituted real fittings on the smokebox door for the original moulded ones yet either. I thought last week that this body was actually looking as if it might be quite quick to finish off, but even after deciding NOT to depict every detail I'm still falling victim to the rule that states "the last 20% of the work takes 80% of the time".

I must try to push on as I don't want this delaying my promised next project, nor do I want some wag suggesting a change of thread title to something like "Have you STILL not finished that engine yet?"

Hmmmmmm....

[Tom F]

Looking very very nice Graeme!

[davidwest]

Taking shape nicely. Wonder waht the next project is?

[Atso]

Taking shape nicely. Wonder waht the next project is?

I'm still hoping for something pre LNER which lives up to the original posters name!

[Atlantic 3279]

I promise I'll get back to that idea eventually.

In some respects I did prolong the agony of fitting the handrails to the A2/2. For a start I recycled some complete cab handrails from previously butchered A4s (simple enough) but then decided also to save money by recycling a load of handrail knobs derived from the same source - lots of those needed to have a drill pushed through them to clear out the old glue and paint before I could thread in any new wire. I then looked at the drawings and photos and noticed that whilst the line of the original A1/A3 handrails on the boiler was fine, none of the holes for the knobs were in the right places for the A2/2. I was tempted to ignore that as they were nicely spaced out anyway and didn't really conflict with the new hole positins needed on the smokebox, but in the end I drilled a full set of correct new holes and filled all of the old ones.....

[Daddyman]

In order to live up to the thread title?

(lunacy)


Looking really nice. Good job on the cabside mudhole I notice. What did you use? Plastic tubes? Or did you manage to retain the original?

[Atlantic 3279]

Probably right about the lunacy! It's a copy of the original undamaged mudhole.

[earlswood nob]

G'Day all
With your penchant for conversions:
How about marrying a Nucast K2 with a Nucast Q1? If you swap the boilers you might end up with a Q3 and a K1.
Both classes lasted until 1937.
Earlswood Nob

[Atlantic 3279]

I have a Q1 kit put away for later construction, and a big boiler is certainly in my thoughts....

[Atlantic 3279]

This is now ready I think for final primer and then a full paint job when the weather permits.
No lower steps at the front yet as a convenient etch for these may be in the pipeline, so I'm not scratchbuilding a set at present! I have however re-titivated the smokebox door fittings, tied down the ID as 60503, and fitted broader steps to the upcurve of the running plate so that you gentlemen won't be able to call me a lazy hound for not bothering with that detail.

A better view of some new 1 gallon lubricator castings and others:

Now to learn some more Danish. Some hope.......

[will5210]

Lovely work as usual

[S.A.C. Martin]

Looking absolutely fabulous Graeme. Well on its way there. What livery will you be putting it in? I detect a bit of BR days with the smokebox, primarily the lipped chimney that is present.

Will you be making available the lubricators and washout plugs as part of your resin range? Certainly would be very interested in the latter...!

[mick b]

How have you made the retainers on the Vacumn return pipe? Mudholes/plugs will be very useful