Will's West Highland Workbench - K4s, J39s, D34, K2/2

[will5210]

A few more details added. Hand rails always seem to be a big step forward.

I decided to replace to moulded smokebox door handle with a bit of wire & long handrail knobs.


DSC02028 by will5210, on Flickr

DSC02029 by will5210, on Flickr

cheers

[auldreekie]

I'm enjoying this. I should think it's about 30 years since I built both a "Glen" and a Scott from the GEM kits, and I was never terribly happy with the "Scott" (faults due pretty well entirely to my own hamfistedness).

Many's the time I have thought to reduce it once more to its component parts and to start again: your example may well suffice to provoke action.....


auldreekie

[earlswood nob]

Afternoon all
Its amazing what a difference the handrails make.
I've often fancied building a pair of D34's as they operated on the West Highland doubleheaded.
However, I recently found out that GEM 4-4-0's were designed to fit the Triang L1 chassis (10'0 wheelbase), whereas the D21 (another GEM kit) and the D34 Glen and D29/30 Scott all had a 9'6" driving wheelbase.
It wouldn't have bothered me, if I didn't know, but now I do I am reluctant to build something to an incorrect wheelbase.
When I reduce my roundtuit pile, I shall probably say damn it and built them, as I could then have a Northern Belle touring train. Thinking it through, you would probably need FOUR D34's as they split the train into day and night portions.
Earlswood nob

[will5210]

I'm enjoying this. I should think it's about 30 years since I built both a "Glen" and a Scott from the GEM kits, and I was never terribly happy with the "Scott" (faults due pretty well entirely to my own hamfistedness).

Many's the time I have thought to reduce it once more to its component parts and to start again: your example may well suffice to provoke action.....


auldreekie

Afternoon all
Its amazing what a difference the handrails make.
I've often fancied building a pair of D34's as they operated on the West Highland doubleheaded.
However, I recently found out that GEM 4-4-0's were designed to fit the Triang L1 chassis (10'0 wheelbase), whereas the D21 (another GEM kit) and the D34 Glen and D29/30 Scott all had a 9'6" driving wheelbase.
It wouldn't have bothered me, if I didn't know, but now I do I am reluctant to build something to an incorrect wheelbase.
When I reduce my roundtuit pile, I shall probably say damn it and built them, as I could then have a Northern Belle touring train. Thinking it through, you would probably need FOUR D34's as they split the train into day and night portions.
Earlswood nob

Thanks for looking in folks.

Yes, the Gem D34 certainly has its faults. I've spend more hours filing & smoothing than I care to count & there's still some way to go.
I'll be adding a brass bufferbeam & frames around the bogie area which should make a difference (I'm regret not making a brass cab roof too) & I'll probably replace the Hornby bogie wheels with Gibsons or similar.

I'll certainly be trying the PDK version next, just for variety if nothing else.

Having said that, this is my first whitemetal kit so I didn't want something super expensive to try as a first go.

Will

[earlswood nob]

Evernin' all
I think it's a very good first attempt at white metal kits. My first was a Wills J39 fitted to a Triang chassis rewheeled with Romfords in about 1970. It was glued together, but still works, I shall eventually rebuild it with a Comet chassis and Mashima motor. It wasn't until my third kit that I soldered one together, that was the GEM D21, but that wasn't as good as your D34.
I think the D34's were painted green until 1928, and probably lined black after that.
Some were also fitted with tender cabs, which would make an interesting variant, and probably another reason for me to build one or more.

Earlswood nob

[will5210]

Hi all.

I've indulged myself with a little cheque book modelling this week in the form of a Nucast K2 'Loch Rannoch'. It wasn't dirt cheap, but considering the price unbuilt kits have been going for recently it was decent value.
It's been put together pretty nicely, though I will need to change the cab to a side window version for my 1939 based layout ('Loch Rannoch' went north in 1924 but only received its side window cab in 1934).

Its arrival has, however, allowed me a first glimpse at the classic West Highland combination of K2 leading D34.

DSC02032 by will5210, on Flickr
Cheers

[lnernut]

Wow, nice models. I have found this a very useful thread as I am about to commence work on a GEM D30 Scott.
I too will have a lot of prep work prior to assembly.

A quick question, did you have issues with the two halves of the boiler being slightly different lengths? It is going to be usable, but it is impossible to completely line up the two holes in the top and some of the boiler bands are going to require touching up?

Cheers

Martin

[will5210]

Yes mine was like that too. I think the left half was longer at the back which I needed to remove anyway to get the boiler to sit properly against the cab.

I'll double check that later though when I have the thing in front of me.

Cheers

[will5210]

Further detailing progress.

New bufferbeam & cylinder cover from brass. Pipework from 1mm brass rod. Cab handrails bent up from .45 brass.

DSC02033 by will5210, on Flickr

DSC02036 by will5210, on Flickr

I've decided to adapt the Hornby T9 bogie as it's a lot nicer than the Triang one, but this does mean shortening it. NEM pocket will be removed when I find a decent prototype picture.

DSC02038 by will5210, on Flickr

Cheers

[auldreekie]

Continuing to enjoy this. Thank you for posting it.



auldreekie

[will5210]

Continuing to enjoy this. Thank you for posting it.



auldreekie

Cheers auldreekie - That's very kind.

New frames cut from 5 thou brass & soldered on. Rivet heads were formed by lightly tapping with a screw from the back.
Modded bogie (see above) is sat underneath to see the effect & I think it's much better. (Often a weak area in RTR models in my opinion)

The clearances are all a bit tight even after I shaved a little from the hornby bogie wheel rims, so I'll take a little more off the brass & order Gibson bogie wheels tomorrow when I order tender wheels.

DSC02042 by will5210, on Flickr

DSC02041 by will5210, on Flickr

Cheers

[lnernut]

Just a quick question about your pipes to/from the westinghouse pump. The pipe running from the pump and forward comes almost to the smoke box and down under the boiler is that right? Which loco are you building as I am having trouble finding a prototypical photo where they do anythin other than stop at the smokebox........

Actually forget all that I just found one of Glen Fruin. It appears that most have it running down the rear edge of the smokebox and are only obscured because the majority photos are front 3/4 view, is that right?

The addition of the brass frames, was this a personal choice due to the quality of castings? (I don't have mine with me ATM as I am on my lunch break)

This thread is going to be immensely useful as I start my build. Thanks for posting these wonderful photos. I hope I can make mine look half as good as yours.

Martin

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all
The D34 is looking good.
Lytchett Manor Models are producing many of the old GEM kits. They were originally body kits only designed to fit the Triang/Hornby L1 chassis. GEM did produce a L1 substitute chassis.
The Westinghouse brakes were removed 1935-7. There are pics in the green book of the Westinghouse exhaust ending at both the smokebox side and smokebox boiler end. No doubt the relevant Yeadon will provide more pics, but I don't have that volume.

Earlswood nob

[will5210]

Just a quick question about your pipes to/from the westinghouse pump. The pipe running from the pump and forward comes almost to the smoke box and down under the boiler is that right? Which loco are you building as I am having trouble finding a prototypical photo where they do anythin other than stop at the smokebox........

Actually forget all that I just found one of Glen Fruin. It appears that most have it running down the rear edge of the smokebox and are only obscured because the majority photos are front 3/4 view, is that right?

The addition of the brass frames, was this a personal choice due to the quality of castings? (I don't have mine with me ATM as I am on my lunch break)

This thread is going to be immensely useful as I start my build. Thanks for posting these wonderful photos. I hope I can make mine look half as good as yours.

Martin

I copied a photo of 2 D34s at Fort William for the westinghouse pipework - both of them had it arranged this way, though I have no Idea why! Interesting to hear they were removed by the mid 30's though. I think I'll leave it on as the extra pipework adds interest.
I have seen pics of NBR liveried 'Glens' where the pipe from the Westinghouse pump follows the handrail then goes straight into the smokebox about halfway along it.

The Brass frames were added after I changed the bogie as the new bogie left a lot of visible daylight through being much slimmer than the old bogie. Plasticard would work just as well with PVA dots or Archers transfers for the rivet heads.

Edit: photo of D34 though pipework isn't too clear http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/g/ga ... ex15.shtml

[earlswood nob]

G'day all
Its your railway, Will, so you run what you like.
I mostly build locos in the condition that they ran in the 30's. (Jan 1st 1930 to Dec 31st 1939). The fact that a loco withdrawn in 1930 was never in the company of an A4, is normally only a concern to those people who's glass is always half-empty. I have a V4 in the roundtuit cupboard (the chassis is built) which didn't hit the rails until 1941, I also have a G6 that were all withdrawn by the end of 1929, why not run them together.
I personally think that the Westinghouse pump and pipework look good. The LNER did change the brakes of many locos after 1928, but I like Westinghouse brakes fitted to locos that ran with them at some stage of their LNER career.
I am currently building a LMS Garratt to go with my U1, and will run them together if my controller can take the load of four motors.

Earlswood nob