A loco lifetime

[92220]

I've just caught up with the thread. The detail is absolutely superb..especially the electrical detail in the April 3 photo!!!!

Bob.

[pclass]

G'day Barry, LOL, I'm still in awe of your work and I'm pleased that you considered adopting me, and yes I'm qualified to look after people as I was a Registered Nurse worked in the Nursing Profession for 49.5 years, cheers dennis

[mugbuilder]

'Geez' Dennis, Looks like you are almost as old as I am. Who would look after the both of us?

[92220]

Will it be a working model? It seems a shame to get it dirty! The detail is superb.

Bob.

[mugbuilder]

It will be a working model Bob. I may have to make a dedicated driving truck for it. I usually paint a new engine as soon as it is finished but this time I am having a break for a while on this job and catching up on a few other bits and pieces around the workshop. All of my other engines are unlined black. but this one will be green and lined out in red and straw as well as having the NSWGR crest on the rear bunker sides. I don't anticipate using it a lot as it isn't very suitable for our club public days, but will be run occasionally on play days with a short scale train.

[mugbuilder]

It's been a while since I last posted anything on this site but I haven't been idle. I had a bit of a break from the engine before starting the painting. A fellow asked me to detail an old tender that looked a bit sad. There was almost no detail on it and I made a new front plate, Fire iron brackets, fire irons, marker lights and conduits. It was a nice break from the engine and turned out quite well. I had to fill a couple of dents in the tank sides, which required a quick respray.
I then bit the bullet and started the paintwork on the tank engine. It is now in the final assembly process and a real pain in the neck. Nothing ever fits the same when a coat of paint has been added. It is impossible to apply a scale thickness of paint and it is surprising how it can make final assembly difficult. What fits well beforehand doesn't always go together well afterwards. here it is in the erecting shop.

[steamer5]

Hi Barry,
I had to wipe the dribble of the screen to type!
She’s looking amazing!

Cheers Kerrin

[mugbuilder]

May 31, 2022 7:58:40 GMT steamer5 said:

Hi Barry,
I had to wipe the dribble of the screen to type!
She’s looking amazing!

Cheers Kerrin

Should be finished by the end of the week provided that the stick on numbers are done.

It is turning out OK Kerrin but not dribble worthy.

Regards, Barry

[simon6200]

Any chance you might display or run it at the Hot Pot, Barry?

[mugbuilder]

May 31, 2022 22:16:47 GMT simon6200 said:

Any chance you might display or run it at the Hot Pot, Barry?

No chance Simon. I don't have a suitable driving truck for it yet. I'm in no hurry to run it as I have plenty of other more suitable engines to run. I only built it as something to do and am sure that the rivet counters will complain about the color.

[steamer5]

Hi Barry,
Bugger the rivet counters! Ask them to produce one.
It’s nice to see someone brave enough step outside the square, mind you polished brass would of been a head turner!

Cheers Kerrin

[mugbuilder]

It's near enough to being finished. Only the stick on numbers on the side tanks to go and I should have them within the next few days.
The engine represents 1301 as it was in the last few years of government service. It was specially painted green and lined for vintage train work and when it was not engaged in this it was used in general duties. It was my good luck that a member of our club had some transfers of the NSW crest surplus to his needs and he gave them to me for this project. Very few NSW steam engines ever carried them and this was one.
The engine now resides in the NSW Rail Transport Museum and has been painted in a much lighter shade of green that I am not too keen on, so I have tried to make it more like when in service.
Now that it is finished and looking pretty I am reluctant to run it and get it dirty, so I may just let it sit for some time and think about it.
THE QUESTION IS! WHAT DO I DO NOW?! I don't feel like ever starting another one so will just have to concentrate on maintaining my fleet and doing up my rolling stock. I have no intention of sitting back doing nothing.

[mugbuilder]

[dalboy]

Absolutely beautiful model I just hope that mine looks as good when finished

[David]

Looks great! You chose a good time to paint it. Get any snow on it?

[pclass]

Absolutely 100% + and as others have said 'bugger the rivet counters' it is magnificent mate, cheers

[mugbuilder]

Back in May, I showed a couple of photos of a tender that I had detailed and painted for a friend. When it was done it made the engine look a bit dated so he asked me to do some work on it as well. He said that I could do as much or as little as I liked. A lot of the detail was wrong and the paintwork was very shabby.
I've been doing a bit each day as I felt like and as usual, did much more to it than first intended. The mechanical works were in good order so were left alone although I will replace a couple of the side rod bearings when the detail is finished.
Some of the work done so far is as follows, Steam-operated cylinder drains remover and new mechanical ones fitted along with all of their linkages etc. Plain safety valves on the firebox top were replaced with new dummy Ramsbottom valves with plain valves inside them. All of the dummy pipes on the firebox top were replaced with more prototypical ones. The dome was not square on the boiler so was adjusted to suit and the safety valve was replaced with a pop valve which enabled me to secure the dome in place, as before it was loose and just sat on top. The wheel splashes on the running boards were all too square on the corners so I removed them and rounded them off as required The large main driver splashes -combined sandboxes had all of the detail ground off and replaced with better ones. The other splashes didn't have flanges on the bottom of them as they should have, so these were added as well. The dummy Westinghouse pump was totally wrong so a new one was made using some of the original parts. The marker lamps were all mounted wrong so were altered along with better dummy wiring conduits. There has been additional detail work done inside the cab and the cab floor altered to suit the new cylinder drain lever. All of the defective paint has been removed where practical. As I wasn't prepared to remove the boiler from the frame so the paint will just have to be tarted up as best I can without dismantling too much of the engine. It will all be satin black and that hides a multitude of sins. It will be a lot better looking than it was to start with.

[mugbuilder]

[mugbuilder]

I've finished the tarting up of the 32 Class. It looks a lot better now. I have a bag full of rejected bits and pieces. I haven't painted it all as the cab sides and frame bits were not too bad. Also, I didn't want to have to remove the cab numbers and depot plates. The owner is happy and that is what is most important.

[mugbuilder]