Kit 10: The Cab and Other Body Parts

 November 19th


Last week I received the final parts of kit 10 so that I now have everything I need to complete the build.  The parts include the cab steps, cab roof supports, window frames and panes, dummy sand pipes, dummy steam pipes and actuating rod for the dummy outside regulator.  Here they all are

Following the successful steam trials described here First Steam I have now begun to dismantle the engine parts that need painting.  I've started a new page on my efforts at achieving a reasonable paint finish here Painting the engine  I'll return to this page when I assemble all the cab parts after painting.

January 2010

Final Assembly

While waiting for an opportunity for Paul and I to get together, I refitted the firebox cladding and reassembled the turret and all the boiler fittings.  When I originally fitted the unpainted boiler cladding ready for first steam, I struggled with bits of wire and electricians cable ties and ended up with a lot of scratches.  That didn't matter as the painting had yet to be done, but you can't do that with freshly painted parts.  It is suggested in the instructions that it is easier to have two people to do this job and I would endorse that.  

In preparation, I had smoothed the edges of the brass boiler bands and coated them with Vaseline to help them slide around the cladding without scratching it. After first fitting the threaded rod, which holds the dummy steam dome in place, we sprung the cladding over the boiler and positioned it using the side clack valves, while making sure the front cladding spacer was in front of the forward edge.  I then marked the position of the centre band with a pencil mark. While I squeezed the cladding around the boiler, Paul fitted the centre band and loosely did up the nut and bolt with the join at 45 degrees to its normal position.  We then carefully rotated the band (the Vaseline worked a treat) so that the join was under the boiler.  Next we fitted the front band while carefully easing the front spacer under the cladding until it was flush with the edge and the band.   We did the same for the final band and then tightened up all the bolts.

Next job was to fit the side tanks and reconnect all the pipework which is quite straightforward.  Last job was to fit the cab which I had already assembled.  This fits to 2 brackets screwed to the tops of the tanks and to the 2 rear supports fixed to the footplate.  There's a lot of bits to line up here and they didn't want to join up at first.  I found that by loosening the 4 nuts holding the tanks in place, I could get  enough movement to line up the cab fixing bolts on top of the tanks. Finally retightening the tank holding nuts and all was secure.

Finally, I finished the "dressing up" by fitting the dummy steam dome and regulator, sand box and pipes and the steam supply pipes to the cylinders. I had to rebend the steam pipe that goes across the running board as it seemed to be shaped to go in front of the real steam pipe when in fact it can only go behind it due to the boiler band clamp getting in the way.

So there we are, finished at last and here is what the she looks like.

(click on image to see full size)

Take a look at my conclusions page for how I feel now that I have come to the end of this project.