Boadicea's smoke box door

[Jim]

After much fiddling I have finally completed the smoke box door for Boadicea
The photo hides the fact that there is still much, much more work to do. The boiler for a start.

Jim

[standardsteam]

I'm interested in the door lug, I wondered about putting one on but didn't know if the door hinges would permit me to open the door "over" it if you see what I mean.

I also wonder about primers for smokeboxes, whilst I intend to use a high-temperature black I don't know whether I need a high temperature primer to go with it!

I'm not sure I can get such a heavy door up to temperature to silver-solder on the numberplate brackets so I might soft solder some on and hope for the best.

[Jim]

I must say I had similar concerns regarding the hinges so settled on a dummy lug permanently fixed to the door. So far it seems OK.

To cut down on weight and a lot of machining from solid I made my door in two parts. The outer dished plate was pressed using the MDF former.

With regard to primers if it's any help I used an automotive red oxide etch primer oversprayed with a black Hi Temp engine paint on the chimney and smoke box of my 3" Burrell without any problems.

Jim

[Deleted]

I'm just about to make the number plate brackets for my Britannia - Modelworks didn't provide any. My smokebox door is turned from solid and very heavy, so I would have the same problem with silver soldering. I was thinking of drilling a small hole in the door for each end of each U-shaped bracket and filing a prong on the bracket to register in the hole, and then soft soldering it.

Regards,

John

[Jim]

I can't see why that wouldn't work John. The central name plate around the smoke box locking handles on my Burrell are soft soldered to the backing plate and have well and truly stood the test of time including some pretty fierce steaming due to circumstances that are far too embarrassing to mention here

Jim

[simonwass]

Sept 5, 2008 11:38:01 GMT standardsteam said:

I'm interested in the door lug, I wondered about putting one on but didn't know if the door hinges would permit me to open the door "over" it if you see what I mean.

The bit on the door should just rest on the bit on the frontplate, it is not a 'catch'. The photo looks wrong, the square lumpy bit at the bottom left of the lug should be split half way up, the bit on the door is thickened bottom left and the bit on the frontplate is L shaped.

[Jim]

Sorry about that. I was following the details such as they are, in the Spinks' drawings along with some less than sharp photos of Britannias taken in the '50s. I'll try and sort it out.

[simonwass]

No need to apologise, if the drawings show it as youve built it then what more can you do?
I can send some links for suitable photos on Fotopic, or just do a search for any of the preserved Standards.
Click the links for a couple of suitable pics;
Closed showing split line
Just the bit on the smokebox
Just me on the footplate of 92214!

[Jim]

Thanks for the offer Simon but have now located a very clear photo of Oliver Cromwell's smoke box on John Johnston's site along with two clear 1950's photos of 70032 'Tennyson' and coincidently, 70013 'Oliver Cromwell' sporting a 'Broadsman' headboard.
From the three photos plus your description I can see how the supporting lug works.
It's also clear from the photos that the small hand knob on the lug was a later addition so I haven't included it on my model of Boadicea.

Thanks again

Jim

[Jim]

Sept 5, 2008 12:32:25 GMT Jim said:

With regard to primers if it's any help I used an automotive red oxide etch primer oversprayed with a black Hi Temp engine paint on the chimney and smoke box of my 3" Burrell without any problems.

Jim

6 Years later. As a follow up to the 'red primer' I discovered to my horror that the same paint combo on the chimney of my Burrell looked great until halfway through a hard day's steaming I found the paint had bubbled and lifted on the chimney. The cause was due to the red oxide giving way.

A member of our club and former paint technician advised spraying the High Temp paint directly onto the bare metal. I did and have had no further problems.

Needless to say since then I have stripped Boadicea's smoke box of the red oxide and resprayed the high temp gloss black onto the bare metal.

You live and learn.

Jim

[trainman]

Hi Jim,

The links to the previously posted pics of the smoke box door lug no longer work -is it possible for you to post an up to date pic of Boadiceas smoke box door?

Many thanks
Paul

[Jim]

Hi Paul,

I don't know what happened there but I suspect I may have broken a link while rearranging photos on Photobucket.
I'll get the photos back up but in the meantime this is the link to my Photobucket album if you're interested.

Jim

s272.photobucket.com/user/Jamandmarge/library/70036%20Boadicea?sort=3&page=1

[Jim]

Hi Paul,

Sorry for all the confusion, I now realise the missing/broken links are Simon's which he added to give me an idea of what the locating lug should look like.

Cheers

Jim

[trainman]

Hi Jim,

That's a great collection of photos you have there!

I have been pondering doing the same sort of thing, but haven't got round to deciding between Flickr and Photobucket - any advice you may have regarding which one to use would be much appreciated.

If you have a close up photo of the modified lug on Boadiceas smokebox door that you could post on your photobucket page or link to from this thread would be gratefully received.

Regards,

Paul

[Jim]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the comments Paul, they are very much appreciated.

I've only ever used Photobucket so can't really compare it with Flickr, I can say though that I've found Photobucket easy to use in terms of uploading photos or posting to forums etc. My guess is that Flickr would be much the same.

With regards the lug on the smokebox door I'll take a photo shortly and post it here, then all my misdeeds will be revealed.

Cheers


Jim

[Jim]

This is Boadicea's smoke box door and as you can see I made what I thought was a latch to help secure the door a part of the door for simplicity with a locating pin at the back to fit into the smokebox ring.

Following Simon's comment I filed a groove to give the illusion of the lug that was there in real life.



If you haven't already found them a great source of Britannia photos can be found on John Johnson's web site www.britanniabuilder.com/

John also includes a detailed diary and very helpful of his building his Modelworks kit.

Jim

[trainman]

Hi Jim,

Many thanks for posting the picture - all is now clear!! I shall have a go myself.

It was indeed JJs website that inspired me to take on building a Britannia, and his photos and commentary coupled with the fantastic pictures that Nigel Fraser Kerr has on his website that has helped me on my way.

Regards,

Paul

[Jim]

Glad to be of help Paul and feel free to PM me if you think I can provide any more info.

All the best with your project.

Jim.