Garden Railway Forum

Hi Rod, www.designscanprint3d.co.uk ... Sometimes they advertise here on the Forum. The figures are excellent in good poses and well priced.
If you look on their site and open 'Gallery' you will see some of my work there.

Thanks Peter, I have bookmarked the site. Your work is brilliant has usual, can I also ask where did you get your flesh paint from please, I have tried to mix the colours because I can’t find any online, but I have to say it didn’t come out looking anything like flesh coloured .....

I use Citadel acrylic paints from Games Workshop for all my models, indoors and out. The flesh colour is called.... 'Cadian Fleshtone' and does what it says on the tin! Sometimes I use a little white to lift certain facial areas or red to warm-up cheeks.
You can get too fussy with this as they are generally seen from a distance.

Really clever the way you've secreted the switch and charge socket.
Looking forward to seeing the end product.

Rik

Thanks Peter, do you use a base coat, something like what is explained on their site or just paint it as is, and thinned down a bit.

I spend some time preparing the surface of the figures with files and wet & dry before spraying with grey plastic primer. This helps to smooth out the print process and gives an adequate base for the paint, which I use direct from the pot.

Certainly can't rush this build, every step is a challenge, especially as I am having to build-in extras like the on/off switch which is now mounted on the top centre of the bunker. I am pleased with this as it won't be seen at all when surrounded by lumps of coal..... Also, the recharge point is now installed in the water filler on one of the side tanks. I use a standard socket on all my locos and this one fits perfectly. The lead from the charger has a male end and I have butchered one of these to form a locating fastener soldered on the underside of the filler cap.....
Water lifter hose on order from Swift 16.
Spraying separate parts as I go before final assembly in the hope I get a better finish in those hard to get to places.

Love all the detailing Peter, your’e working out process for those small little details, like the switch and charging plug is brilliant.

Great work Peter - I also have converted from spraying my loco builds at the end once built to now spraying in bits as I build - its odd how you find these things out - just makes you be extra careful when glueing things together (he keeps reminding himself as a mantra as he prepares to build his painted hunslet cab and attach to the finished chassis and boiler!)

We are getting on to the fiddly bit now, the connecting rods etc..... as supplied, the lost wax cast rods will not work! I have tried all ways to get them to fit and rotate but only achieved 50% of that. So, having spent several hours with a friend in his well equipped workshop we have now produced working rods, phew!!! Lets not get carried away.... still the valve gear to assemble yet and potential problems to face with that too?
Meanwhile I have been able to continue with the cosmetic build, something I am now quite enjoying. One of the tasks I put off was curving the roof sheet to match the very flimsy framework I had already assembled from the etched brass fret. When I asked Diane whether I could use her rolling pin she thought I was going to make pastry..... No chance.... anyway her pastry is so good I could never compete!
Fortunately the curve was easily produced and then came the soldering of the roof to the frame. In the event no problem so I am well pleased that is done..... The boiler is now permanently attached to the cab, domes and chimney fitted and tank support frames in place.... Next will be to stuff the 10 AA rechargeable batteries inside the boiler/tank assembly and begin wiring...... Oh, I almost forgot..... finish the valve gear!

Coming along Peter, you wouldn't want it to be too easy. There'd be no challenge in that!
Is it not possible to get a working frame wheels valve gear and motor all set up without the body, I find it helps to set things up by being able to look from above as well as side on etc.
Grant.

That's a great looking loco Peter.

On the roof did you use a punch to do the rivets, because they look well good....

LNR wrote: ↑Thu Mar 15, 2018 3:07 am
Is it not possible to get a working frame wheels valve gear and motor all set up without the body?
Grant.

Yes Grant, the body is removable with only three screws holding the two parts together. Slaters recommend not to do this regularly, particularly when all of the detail pipework etc. is attached, but at the moment it is possible and I wouldn't have continued to this stage unless I could separate them.

FWLR wrote: ↑Thu Mar 15, 2018 6:39 am That's a great looking loco Peter.

On the roof did you use a punch to do the rivets, because they look well good....

Hi Rod, I do have a simple rivet punch and had to create the ones on the perimeter of the roof although the centre strip is etched.

Looking good Peter.

I can report success with the valve gear installation. In the event it wasn't as difficult as I imagined, having no previous experience I was apprehensive as you can imagine. There were a couple of issues during the fitting, one being the preparation (or lack of) of the tiny holes at the ends of various rods. Due to my trust in Slaters I expected them to be able to take the bolts supplied when I should have drilled them out before fitting. No mention of this in the instructions but I put it down to me. Another problem occurred when one end snapped off a small cast rod while I was filing it still on the sprue..... a new end had to be made from shim, shaped and soldered to repair the rod, no one would know (as long as you don't tell them!)
I have managed to stuff all ten AA batteries inside the boiler and side tanks... very tight but at least they don't rattle.
RC Trains receiver is installed in the smoke-box and a test-bench run on blocks for about three hours has run-in the mechanics which now operate like silk even at very slow speed.
All of the fine detail has been attached to the body, nameplates added, driver and fireman fitted, water-lifting hose hooked on the rear and coal in the bunker! Next project will be to finish a structure which I have been making during this build whilst waiting for glue to set and paint to dry!

I have said before that I don't fit interior detail but this one is a special for someone else.

Can we see the loco in action Peter?

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Sun Mar 18, 2018 7:17 pm Can we see the loco in action Peter?

Of course you can Tom..... you are welcome to visit anytime!

Peter Butler wrote: ↑Sun Mar 18, 2018 7:12 pm test-bench run on blocks for about three hours has run-in the mechanics which now operate like silk

And all of a sudden it's finished, thought things were quiet, now I know why. Beautiful work typically, glad to see you've had success
with the mechanics of it all. Just in time for your spring/summer running season.
Nice looking signal box, I can see rule 72 being broken if more than one playing darts or chess, must be for a quiet line somewhere.
Grant.

Brilliant work on both counts Peter, love to see your work. If Anne and I get away this year we will differently be coming for a few days steam up.