It started with a buffer

[delaplume]

Hello Mike,

Blimey !!------- all that fiddley stuff and you still have your sanity ??....."Legend" as the saying goes...I always find sheet metal work makes me feel like Mr. Sausage Fingers !!..LoL !!

Might I ask a favour ??.......This is for that Water Bowser I'm putting together.....What is the overall width of the ladder on the rear of the tender please ?? and what diameter are the rungs ??

Many thanks

Alan

[barlowworks]

Hi Alan. I also have sausage fingers, it's just a question of getting them to do what you want them too. Ladder dimensions, all in millipedes I'm afraid, I'm a metricphile

Width of ladder.......27.33mm
Rung gap................24.32mm
Ladder frame..........5.13mm x 1.63mm
Rung diameter........2.37mm dia

As I said in my post the ladder was made by the previous builder but I think Jim and Springcrocus have both covered making ladders in their threads.

Mike

[springcrocus]

HERE and HERE

Regards, Steve

[delaplume]

Many thanks to you both Gentlemen.....that's exactly the sort of useful info I was after.......

I don't have any drawings to work from but have oodles of photos and have made use of proportionality, guestimation and "Hands-on" experiences to arrive at a generic-looking tanker based on the old Private Owner vehicle that people such as Hornby, Tri-ang etc. used to sell....

By looking at several ladders both on tankers and locos ( eg-- the Class 08 shunter's access to the radiator top )...it seemed to me that by holding your arms out horizontal that the gap between your hands would be approx the width of the ladders full size....This turned out to be just over 1 ft ( ie 1.1 ins ) and rounded up came to 30mm..........

Here's a photo of a 6-wheel tanker with good details of the body retention brackets and tie-bars.........




Here's to-day's research for the tie bars, access platform etc ---------the blue tabs are lengths of masking tape used to temp. hold the tie bars in approx.  position.

[barlowworks]

Hi Alan, I know exactly what you mean. I remember having a Triang milk tanker in TT gauge (3mm-foot) when I was a lad. It was a white tank with, I think, St Ival on the side. I wonder what happened to it, probably worth a few quid now.

Mike

[barlowworks]

Hi Everybody. Just an update from Barlow Works. It has mostly been a matter of crossing things of the to do list on the tender recently. The first thing on the list was fitting the brake operating mechanism which works from the handle on the front of the tender. I didn't bother photographing it as it is all inside. Again I was lucky enough to have the necessary parts already made, it was just a matter of fitting suitable spacing washers to mesh the various gears. The one at the other side for the water pick up gear is not connected at the bottom for safety reasons, the scoop is also locked up for the same reason. I also piped up the tender underneath, the pipes are left long at the moment, I have come Polly quick connectors for the engine tender connections and I haven't decided yet if I'm going to connect them to the engine or the tender yet.

IMG_2783 by Michael Cawthorne, on Flickr

This is the pipe from the filter box to the front hose connection, one of the first functional bits I made for the tender some time ago. Its good to see things finally coming together. I reconnected the plumbing inside the tender and fitted all the removable sections and the tender is now in storage. The only things left to do are a water tank test with all the pipework connected, I did a partial test some time ago before I finally fitted the coal hopper and all was well. Then I need to give it a tow round the Sheffield track to make sure it doesn't do anything stupid like throw itself off the track. I'll wait for better weather for that, no point in getting wet through.

IMG_2780 by Michael Cawthorne, on Flickr

So we then come to this beast, the next part of the build. I think its another step up for me but I'm looking forward to it. As well as the chassis and boiler I have most of the motion already completed and the cylinders are done and wrapped up in grease proof paper. I think the first thing I will have a look at is the front bogie which is mostly complete so I will have a good look at it and compare it with the real thing to see how it compares (as I have done with all the build so far).

IMG_2784 by Michael Cawthorne, on Flickr

All the best

Mike

[simplyloco]

Delightful detail Mike.
Looking at my Stirling just now, there's very little detail to bother with or worry about!
John

[barlowworks]

Hi John

I must admit I do like my details, my mantra is that if it can be seen on a good photograph then I will try to put it in. Conversely if it can't be seen I'm quite happy to leave it out.

Mike

[timb]

Cant wait to see this on the track in Sheff Mike, excellent work!

Tim

[cplmickey]

Fabulous work Mike. She's going to be a beauty. Ian

[delaplume]

Agreed !!........Seeing these photos has given me a much needed boost-in-the-bum to get back onto The Bear's production....My only claim to fame with Britannia itself was helping with the Cannon axleboxes when it was at Bridgnorth SVR many moons ago....

Keep up the good work, matey !!

[barlowworks]

Hi everybody. More crazy detail work from Barlow Works. This is the bogie that I inherited with the build, about 95% finished and well put together. I stripped it down and de-greased it and after putting it through the grit blaster gave it a good coat of looking at. It appears to be put together exactly to the drawings and, I am sure, is perfectly serviceable. There are just a couple of things that are on the prototype that I thought I would add.

IMG_2790 by Michael Cawthorne, on Flickr

There are grease points for the hornblocks that are between the wheels. I'm not sure how noticeable they will be but thought I would add them. Behind the 12ba and bolts nuts I used to represent the grease nipples are fine tubes ready to accept the dummy lubrication pipes when they need to be fitted.

IMG_2795 by Michael Cawthorne, on Flickr

This is the detailing work I did on the hornblocks, firstly the nuts and bolts that, I think secure the bearing surfaces on the inside and the other end of the grease lubricating point with a dummy lubricating pipe to give an idea of what it will look like. This is the same detailing that I did on the tender hornblocks.

IMG_2792 by Michael Cawthorne, on Flickr

That is all so far. I think next will be the guard irons, a test of whether I can bend two things the same (not usually). I have managed to get the front wheels apart and I am going to have a go at making the cannon box between the axle boxes (I think that is what it is called) and something that looks vaguely like the ATC shoe attached to the front axle. All providing I don't melt in the workshop, it was 33 degrees in there earlier today.

All the best

Mike

[Deleted]

love the attention to detail Mike...first-rate sir

Pete

[Cro]

Great work Mike,

Talking of guard irons, I have some cast ones here that Mike did for his BR pony trucks, no idea if you would suit but can put up a photo if they are of any use? I've had them sat here for about 3 years as Mike left them to sell when he did the Midlands show with me.

Adam

[barlowworks]

Thanks for the offer Adam but I'll have a go at bending up some in Barlow Works. I think I'll use my trusty V cutter to put a grove in the right place and then fill the slot with silver solder.

Mike

[springcrocus]

Jun 25, 2020 19:00:58 GMT barlowworks said:

Thanks for the offer Adam but I'll have a go at bending up some in Barlow Works. I think I'll use my trusty V cutter to put a grove in the right place and then fill the slot with silver solder.

Mike

With all due respect to Mike in New Zealand, it's a lot more satisfying to make you own. I'm sure that Barlow Works will produce an exemplary pair of guard irons from mild steel.

Regards, Steve

[Cro]

Steve,

I have no doubt, they are just something I’ve had sat here and I can’t even give them away! I think they may only suit pony trucks anyway.

Adam

[don9f]

Hi Adam, I would be interested in some pony truck guard irons....that’s another detail I never got round to fitting on mine!

Cheers Don

[Cro]

Jun 26, 2020 20:04:06 GMT don9f said:

Hi Adam, I would be interested in some pony truck guard irons....that’s another detail I never got round to fitting on mine!

Cheers Don

I’ll put some with the brake valve when it’s done, hopefully spend time on it tomorrow/Sunday to get it ready for the test boiler.

Adam

[barlowworks]

Hi everybody, another item ticked of the list. I have managed to make two guard irons more or less symmetrical which is a great achievement for me. I have found that using a V cutter in the mill to cut a fold line before filing to shape then folding works well for me. In this instance the cuts were about 0.3mm deep but the folds followed them perfectly and the cuts closed up and were virtually invisible when complete. This may be the way everyone does it, I don't know. It certainly makes a job I used to dread a lot more repeatable now. You just need to remember which side of the metal the cut needs to be (lesson learned from making the lamp irons, the first lot were all the wrong way round).

IMG_2800 by Michael Cawthorne, on Flickr

Next job will be the cannon axlebox for the front axle, I've already turned up the sleeve but I'm awaiting some metal to arrive to continue.

All the best

Mike