Stuart's occasional loco thread - Boot Lane Works 'Lilibet'

[Andrew]

I am intending to make a few tweaks to make it look more like the early Manning Wardle locos beloved of the Colonel Stephens empire and other British light railways.

In my book, you can't go wrong with that approach!

Looking forward to updates...

[Peter Butler]

Following this with interest.... I have a couple of Boot Lane locos and experienced the same issues with surface preparation. However, they do make up into very nice models. Lining problem surfaces with styrene is the best solution (where possible) and gives a much better finish with far less trouble.
I live in West Wales, not far from Saundersfoot. I know the railway tunnels well and it is no wonder the 4ft gauge locos (Rosalind and Bull Dog) were so low as there is barely enough headroom to walk through them. I'm sure the walkway surface has been raised slightly, but it must have been hazardous for the drivers of the time.

[philipy]

I live in West Wales, not far from Saundersfoot. I know the railway tunnels well and it is no wonder the 4ft gauge locos (Rosalind and Bull Dog) were so low as there is barely enough headroom to walk through them. I'm sure the walkway surface has been raised slightly, but it must have been hazardous for the drivers of the time.

For anyone building the Saundersfoot loco's this site is a mine (!) of detail about the line, not to mention pictures of the loco's,and the town with now-and-then photo's and maps.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/tag/saundersfoot-railway/

We spent a very pleasant day walking through the tunnels and back, last summer.

[ge_rik]

Slowly slowly catchy monkey ......
Not sure where that saying comes from but thought it apt.

Love to see a loco build no matter how long it takes. How's the de Winston doing BTW?

Rik

[StuartJ]

I live in West Wales, not far from Saundersfoot. I know the railway tunnels well and it is no wonder the 4ft gauge locos (Rosalind and Bull Dog) were so low as there is barely enough headroom to walk through them. I'm sure the walkway surface has been raised slightly, but it must have been hazardous for the drivers of the time.

For anyone building the Saundersfoot loco's this site is a mine (!) of detail about the line, not to mention pictures of the loco's,and the town with now-and-then photo's and maps.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/tag/saundersfoot-railway/

We spent a very pleasant day walking through the tunnels and back, last summer.

I went there shortly after I came back from Australia in 2016. It makes a very pleasant walk:


Saundersfoot Railway by Stuart, on Flickr


Saundersfoot Railway by Stuart, on Flickr


Saundersfoot Railway by Stuart, on Flickr

[StuartJ]

Love to see a loco build no matter how long it takes. How's the de Winston doing BTW?

Not good unfortunately. I was very disappinted with the engineering side of it, mainly the gearbox which I found impossible to assemble without either glueing it all solid or having the bearings come loose and letting the gears out of mesh. In fact, when I finally finished it and tried to run it, the gears chewed up and it was reduced to a shelf queen. Not happy! I have a replacement Dean Models gearbox to install instead but that will require dismantling and also enlarging the bearings/flycranks etc. for a larger driving axle (1/8" vs. 3mm). I might have a go at it after this loco.

[ge_rik]

Love to see a loco build no matter how long it takes. How's the de Winston doing BTW?

Not good unfortunately. I was very disappinted with the engineering side of it, mainly the gearbox which I found impossible to assemble without either glueing it all solid or having the bearings come loose and letting the gears out of mesh. In fact, when I finally finished it and tried to run it, the gears chewed up and it was reduced to a shelf queen. Not happy! I have a replacement Dean Models gearbox to install instead but that will require dismantling and also enlarging the bearings/flycranks etc. for a larger driving axle (1/8" vs. 3mm). I might have a go at it after this loco.

That's bad news. I know a couple of people who have constructed the Slaters de Winton and have been very pleased, though they are also quite tricky to build.

Rik

[-steves-]

Love to see a loco build no matter how long it takes. How's the de Winston doing BTW?

Not good unfortunately. I was very disappinted with the engineering side of it, mainly the gearbox which I found impossible to assemble without either glueing it all solid or having the bearings come loose and letting the gears out of mesh. In fact, when I finally finished it and tried to run it, the gears chewed up and it was reduced to a shelf queen. Not happy! I have a replacement Dean Models gearbox to install instead but that will require dismantling and also enlarging the bearings/flycranks etc. for a larger driving axle (1/8" vs. 3mm). I might have a go at it after this loco.

Do you have any close up shots of the gearbox etc. I have a number of self made 3D printed gearboxes that might fit your needs. I did one gearbox for a friend so they could use metal gears in their loco, which is wasn't designed for and even made them bushes to change the gears from 1/8th to 3mm to fit his axle.

[StuartJ]

Do you have any close up shots of the gearbox etc. I have a number of self made 3D printed gearboxes that might fit your needs. I did one gearbox for a friend so they could use metal gears in their loco, which is wasn't designed for and even made them bushes to change the gears from 1/8th to 3mm to fit his axle.

Hi Steve
See the first photo in this thread for the original gearbox (minus the bearings). I have a replacement from Dean Goods https://deangoods.co.uk/16lococha.html with nice metal gears and some 1/8" axles and bearings for the frames. The wheels should press onto the new axle, so I *think* that it should be a case of gently filing out the frames to take the new bearings, and also gently filing the out the flycranks to match. The difference is so small (3mm vs. 3.175mm) I should be able to do it without altering any of the geometry.

The hardest part is summoning up the gumption to pull the loco apart!

[-steves-]

Do you have any close up shots of the gearbox etc. I have a number of self made 3D printed gearboxes that might fit your needs. I did one gearbox for a friend so they could use metal gears in their loco, which is wasn't designed for and even made them bushes to change the gears from 1/8th to 3mm to fit his axle.

Hi Steve
See the first photo in this thread for the original gearbox (minus the bearings). I have a replacement from Dean Goods https://deangoods.co.uk/16lococha.html with nice metal gears and some 1/8" axles and bearings for the frames. The wheels should press onto the new axle, so I *think* that it should be a case of gently filing out the frames to take the new bearings, and also gently filing the out the flycranks to match. The difference is so small (3mm vs. 3.175mm) I should be able to do it without altering any of the geometry.

The hardest part is summoning up the gumption to pull the loco apart!

Firstly, I love those photos, how on earth did you get the new so close to the original shot?

Secondly, having been working with gearboxes a number of times, I would suggest the use and a hand drill of 1/8th and just let it go through once rather than a file. A file can and will make for wobbly wheels and cranks. Same with the bearing holes, find the correct size you need and hand drill them out, I think some people call them a pin vice drill. Do not use an electric drill, it will melt it and bad things happen. All I did for the gear to fit the 3mm axle, was to get a small section of round brass, drill a 3mm hole in it on the lathe and then turn it down until it fitted inside the gear. I think drilled a small hole for the grub screw to go through to ensure it all locked into position. If you don't have access to a lathe, then obviously it makes it far more difficult.

You can see the bushes in this picture, one is in the gear the other is laying next to it, this is the gearbox I made to go with it. It doesn't show the axle bushes as they are just 3mm brass rod cut to size. If I had known, I could have made these for you too and posted them off, it would have saved a fair bit of fettling. Never mind, you seem to have it all in hand now

I didn't make the gears BTW, they are from Roxey I believe.

IMG20240110153236.jpg (90.29 KiB) Viewed 36402 times

[Old Man Aaron]

I'll second the suggestion of the pin vice. I love mine.

Looking forward to seeing the new loco come together, always nice to see a new build.

[StuartJ]

One completed and working chassis. A very well thought out design but very fiddly - how people make valve gear in 009 is beyond me! I changed the recommended build order so that I could paint as I went along and got in a right mess trying to put the crankpins afterwards. The holes in the printed inserts are too small and cause the crankpin screws to chew up when you try and screw them in. When I build the next one of these (Corris No.4) I will know that the holes need to be enlarged first!

I have also managed to solve the magnetic bufferbeam problem; I noticed that tools on the workbench stuck to the magnets much better than the nut and bolt holding the buffers on, and deduced that there must be a high chrome content in them or they are stainless. Swapping them for some ordinary zinc plated countersunk screws gives a much stronger joint.


Boot Lane Works Lilibet by Stuart, on Flickr


Boot Lane Works Lilibet by Stuart, on Flickr

[StuartJ]

Time and mojo have been lacking recently but I have been working on the body as and when. I've had an unexpected weekend at home so I have been able to complete the main construction, and the loco is now ready for painting:


Boot Lane Works 'Lilibet' by Stuart, on Flickr


Boot Lane Works 'Lilibet' by Stuart, on Flickr

[philipy]

Thats looking good, Don't forget to show us the result of painting her.

[StuartJ]

Thansk Phil. It will be plain green as per the cylinders, although it is very tempting to paint it black and put CAMBRIAN on the tank sides!

[Old Man Aaron]

Got a real rugged elegance to it, love it.

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

That does look excellent - very characterful.

[StuartJ]

Thanks guys.
Forgot to say that I have wrapped the smokebox (front and top), tank top, firebox wrapper and cab sides in thin styrene to avoid spending weeks sanding the 3D prints.

[Phil.P]

What adhesive did you use when 'wrapping' the loco?

I find that thin plastic 'ripples' if you use solvent adhesive for this.

Thanks,
Phil.P

[StuartJ]

What adhesive did you use when 'wrapping' the loco?

I find that thin plastic 'ripples' if you use solvent adhesive for this.

Good old Wilko's brush on superglue! I used Revel Contacta for the De Winton but the fine nozzle keeps glueing itself up.