LBSC Virginia build help needed.

[zigmonde]

Hello

Some general advice needed with regard to my first real project, I purchased a few years back a Virginia 440 part built, the frames were cast bronze as were a lot of the suspension. The reason for purchase was that I wanted to build an American style loco and this one came up for £250, it does have all of the castings to complete the loco with it.

So to Virginia and the problems so far, the build is in early stage so not too much has been done, the wheels are all ok. The suspension has been done but is not very neat with all of the hangers not being equal or looking the same so I will remake them. These are the problems so far

The frames are bronze or brass cast and have been just roughly filed, should I smoth these out or leave as is, the same goes for the cast springs and equalisers.

The frame which is now riveted together tapers by 1mm front to back, is this Ok?

The axles for the wheels have been made but the idea according to the person who I got this from was that instead of a press fit they were to have a pin inserted in the face of the wheel and end of the axle, should I just make new axles that would be a press fit?

The suspension has been fitted to the frame but there does not seem to be any form of springing where the axle blocks ride in the frame, if the frame presses fully down on the axle blocks the inside rims of the driving wheels hit the spring hangers, why is this? I have images but I do not know how to post them on here.

Finally because this loco has a cast frame and has all of the castings would this be a kit rather than individual items bought and if so does anyone know the kit maker, I know some kits need a lot of filing to make work.

[mbrown]

I remember seeing cast gunmetal frames for Virginia at the old Maidstone Engineering Services shop back in the '80s. I don't know of any kits for Virginia and suspect your castings may be from MES.

Although 1 mm taper along the length of the frames is not good, I suspect you can get away with it - make sure the side play in the axleboxes is the same on each axle.

The pin in the face of the wheel is often added to give extra security to a press fitted wheel. Unless there is any evidence of the wheels being slack on the axle I would regard it as a plus for security.

LBSC offered various springing arrangements including real leaf springs with compensating beams and (IIRC) dummy - cast - leaf springs and compensating beams with coil springs elsewhere - can't remember the exact set up. It was all described in ME in 1961 and I think I have copies so I could send you scans of the relevant articles if you PM me.

However... I believe that builders have found that the arrangement of leaf springs and compensating beams (real or dummy) gets in the way of the firebox if all built to drawing. Plenty of builders have successfully completed Virginia, so it can't be a fatal error, but worth checking carefully.

Good luck!

Malcolm

[stevep]

I always put a pin - half in the wheel and half in the axle - on wheels that are Loctited on. Needless to say, the pins have Loctite on them too.

[Deleted]

Not Winson parts by any chance ?  They did an American one, not sure of gauge , but think it may have been the General  ??

I have a Virginia on the go , part built. if you would like tp swap notes, pictures, etc.

william