70036 Boadicea

[steamer5]

Hi Jim,
At least you would of seen it coming!

I hope there was enuff soothing ales available to help with pain relief!,

Cheers Kerrin

[Jim]

On Steve's '5" Britannia'  thread he made mention of having to drill all the holes for the rivets etc in the Britannia's smokebox which jogged my memory on how I managed to do mine.

As the photos show I made up MDF 'plugs', one with a suitable hole for the tail stock centre and one with a larger hole for the outside jaws of the rotary table's chuck to grip firmly but not too tightly. The whole box and dice was mounted on the long table of the Mill/Drill.





...and all the holes...on one end.



Once you have recovered the next happy task is fit all the rivets which was made slightly easier with my high tech set up shown here. The mirror came in handy for getting the rivet head in the dolly.



All this was done some years ago now, gosh time passes quickly.

Still recovering

Jim

[Jim]

I had an email from Stan asking about the tender water gauge and if I had any details.
In response I sent him these two photos of the GA drawing of the tender I have  and thought I would also post them here too as they may be of interest to other Britannia builders. The GA drawings are to 1 1/2" : 12".





The water gauge is 6 1/2"x 11 7/8" full size or .576" x 1.061" in 5"G.

One feature I hadn't spotted was the tear drop indicator below the water scoop's operating handle to show when the scoop was up or down. There's also enough detail to make the water gauge operative for those wanting to add extra detail. Mine is non working.

As a break from things I'm currently using the oxy-propane torch to braze the brackets for the footboards on the driving trolley.



Jim

[Lisa]

Speaking of foot rests Jim, have you thought at all of putting foot rests on the tender? I'm sure there must be some way of doing so in removable fashion so as not to spoil the scale look for display purposes. With all our ground-level tracks here, it would make for a much more comfortable driving position.

[Jim]

Hi Lisa,

Yes I have given it some thought. I think I can see how to fit removable foot pegs in the first cut out in the tender frames. As you say it would make driving a lot more comfortable and given I'm not as bendy as I once was..comfort is important these days.

Thanks for the good suggestion.

Jim

[Jim]

I've been working on the driving trolley for a change of scene and today assembled the brake mechanism to check that it worked before taking it apart for a final clean up and painting.

On a bench test shown in the photo a very moderate pull on the operating links held the wheels quite firmly. I'm more than happy with that.




Jim.

[Jim]

Just a short update.

The driving trolley now has the footboards on and a trial seat mock up has been tested for comfort and that suggests foot pegs on the tender will be much more comfortable plus bringing me closer to the back head.

Once things cool down a bit I'll get back to lining out the tender and doing the final sealing and assembly then steam trials can start...hopefully.



Hope everyone has had a great Christmas, life is good here ... I still have some pudding left but it's going fast.

Jim

[Jim]

Things are moving slowly at present but having made up my mind on internal layout of the driving trolley I managed to get some more done today before the heat made it all too much, in marked contrast to where most of you live where it is freezingly cold at present.

The first photo shows the floor with cut outs each end to give access to the bogies and brake gear without having to upend what is becoming a fairly heavy item.



The second photo shows three of the four panels that will form the two ends and the central storage area. The roof will be hinged and I'll make up a padded seat to fit on the roof for when I'm driving. I also intend to put a joggle in the brake lever to clear the sides and give free access.



Once things cool down a bit I'll get back to lining out 70036's tender in the meantime woodwork is keeping me in the shade.

Jim

[GWR 101]

Looking very good Jim, you may yet beat me to the starting blocks (or should that be station).

Kind regards and a healthy and prosperous New Year, you will certainly beat me to that. Paul

[Jim]

Thanks for the kind thoughts for the coming year Paul. I'm not too sure at all though about beating you to the station. As with your freezing weather the current hot weather is keeping me from spending much time in the workshop where the temp gets to the high 30's. With the driving truck I can 'work' outside in the shade..well mainly sit and doze..I call it thinking time.

May you have a great 2018 with lots of happy time in the workshop too Paul, as you say we'll be in the New Year before you, though in my usual absent minded way was quite annoyed that the traditional New Year's Eve TV feature The Edinburgh Tattoo wasn't on this year. The dear wife gently pointed out that I was a day too early 

Jim

[steamer5]

Hi Jim,
Looking good. An idea for you, get a low power spring or stretchy & hook one end to the inner center of of your bogie, hope that makes sense, the other end with just enuff tension to the center of the trolley. That way if when you lift the trolley the bogie becomes self centering saves the air going blue & you can rerail on your own.

Have a fun new year!

Cheers Kerrin

[Jim]

That's an excellent suggestion Kerrin, thanks for that and I even have the springs....somewhere safe ..... not quite sure where though.

Hope you have a very happy and prosperous New Year and who knows may even catch up with you at the next Hot Pot Run.

Jim

[steamer5]

Hi Jim,
My dad did it to his trolley made a big difference.........he should have do it to the pony truck on his loco & he might not of nicked the end off his thumb! Talk about blue air! After that he built derailing gear!
Thanks for the good wishes & back at you! Now catching up at a Hot Pot would be fun, might even be able to get Toby as hand luggage!

Cheers Kerrin

[GWR 101]

Hi Jim, thanks for your best wishes. I have had the opposite problem here it's been too cold in the workshop even with some heating, however tomorrow it may be bearable for a few hours. Regards Paul

[Jim]

Yesterday I completed and assembled the outer sides of the driving truck's body. For cutting out the various parts I've found my ancient B&D jig saw fitted with the appropriate blade ideal for the job and very fast cutting too. I might add I used the jig saw fitted with a metal cutting blade for cutting out all the openings in Boadicea's frames etc. It's my poor man's CNC machine.







Jim

[runner42]

Hi Jim,

I assume that the brake lever is shown on the LHS in the middle? If this is the case wont your leg position interfere with the operation assuming your sitting position is in front of the pivot point? For the record and I am sure you are aware that should you be having passengers behind then the back rest needs to extend further and enclose the ends of the foot rests. 

Brian

PS You are concerned about the weight, which also concerned me with my trolley, so I made the superstructure easily removed from the chassis by undoing two wingnuts from screws fixed to the chassis. It helps with maneuvering and storage.  

[Jim]

Thanks Brian.

I have tried the current arrangement out and it all works nicely for me. The back stop for the rear passenger, probably one of the grandsons, has yet to be made and will be removable for ease of transporting

Since the photo was taken I've put a joggle in the driver's brake lever so that my hand easily clears the body work while the actual lever sits comfortably by my leg.

The trolley is based on Ross Bshop's article and drawings; they appeared in AME issues 38,39 and 40, quite some time back now.

Jim

[runner42]

Jim, 

had I realised that your brake lever is quite long and producing a considerable mechanical advantage (force x distance) therefore the corresponding actuating lever can be reasonable long and the amount of distance moved, required to apply the brakes hard on would be small so the brake lever would only require a few inches movement from fully off to fully on, therefore you wouldn't be pushing the lever up your trouser leg. Many of the ME's at my club use a hand brake lever from a scrapped motor vehicle, this gives an advantage that the brakes can be locked on, but to utilise this type of device would require Bowden cable linkage.

Brian  

[Jim]

Hi Brian,

It would be quite easy set up a way to 'peg' the brake on if required. I will be fitting a peg that will keep the lever at a more convenient angle for easy access.
I've placed the lever on the left hand side as I can reach the regulator better with my right hand.
I also intend to fit removable foot pegs to the tender too so that in use the brake lever in easy reach beneath my thigh.
I'm sure further mods will come to mind once the trolley is in use.

All the best for the new year,

Jim

[Jim]

The current heatwave is making life unpleasant much as the winter freeze in the UK is, still I've managed to make a start on the curved side panels of the driving truck's roof.

One has has been roughly shaped and the other is waiting for the Liquid Nails to cure before I shape it using the jack plane. It just swishes along the pine peeling off nice long curly shavings. I quite enjoy the carpentry.

Once the remaining four sections are in and roughed out I'll do the final finishing with the orbital sander then on to stopping with polyfilla, priming and undercoating.



Jim