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

[jwealleans]

It's never going to be top of my list of nice looking engines, but that's a very good job from where I'm sitting.

[auldreekie]

Well. I LIKE the Reid 4-4-0s: I have fond memories of "Glen Arklet", "Adam Woodcock" and the "Laird o' Monkbarns" in their declining (but by no means defunct) years.

Somewhere in the depths, I have a representative of a "Glen" and another of a "Scott" built from Gem kits on the old whitemetal Gem replacement chassis. And a J83 and a J36 from the same stable. All must have been constructed 30 to 35 years ago.... And all, with the sole possible exception of the J36, are long overdue for a serious makeover on "proper" brass chassis.

So your example may prove a spur to making a start on this exercise. If so, it will be a complete dismemberment (of the kits!) and start again, I fear. I'm not sure what, if any, remedial action it would be worth taking on the coupled wheelbase. But some of your clever dodges, notably the tender coal rails, would definitely be well worth pursuing....

Please keep up the good work.



auldreekie

[earlswood nob]

Good afternoon all
The GEM replacement chassis was 40mm wheelbase, as were many of his models and the Triang/Hornby L1.
Comet do a D49 chassis, which is the same wheelbase. You can buy the chassis frames separate from the Comet website.
I have a Comet chassis fitted to the GEM D21, which GEM made to fit the L1 chassis. The D21 should be 38mm wheelbase, but the splashers etc are for a 40mm wheelbase chassis.
I guess the GEM "Glen" and "Scott" models were made to fit the L1 chassis, so the Comet D49 chassis frames are a suitable substitute.
I have also fitted the Comet D49 chassis to a BEC D11 body.
Earlswood Nob

[Tom F]

I have a Comet chassis fitted to the GEM D21, which GEM made to fit the L1 chassis. The D21 should be 38mm wheelbase, but the splashers etc are for a 40mm wheelbase chassis.

I have a D21 bought second hand which needs a new chassis (also needs stripping down), so that is very useful information.

[will5210]

Thanks for looking in & for your comments chaps!

On the subject of replacement chassis, I bought a loco drive D49 chassis to rewheel & use for the Glen, but elected to use the Triang chassis in the end as it's such a sweet runner. I'll probably use the D49 chassis for the next one.

Will

[earlswood nob]

Evenin' all
I like your thinking, Will, as the "Glens" often ran as pairs on the West Highland. In my first ever school prize (60 years ago), there was a pic of the "Northern Belle" holiday train on the West Highland headed by two locos, which I now know as "Glens".

Earlswood nob

[will5210]

Evenin' all
I like your thinking, Will, as the "Glens" often ran as pairs on the West Highland. In my first ever school prize (60 years ago), there was a pic of the "Northern Belle" holiday train on the West Highland headed by two locos, which I now know as "Glens".

Earlswood nob

Yes they always look 'right' in pairs to me. I aim to have a K2/Glen combo too at some stage.

Cheers

[Manxman1831]

Would I be right in thinking that the latest 4-4-0 RailRoad offerings from Hornby share common ancestry with models like the old Triang L1 or Hornby Compound (I mean the wheelbases and axles spacings)?

[will5210]

Would I be right in thinking that the latest 4-4-0 RailRoad offerings from Hornby share common ancestry with models like the old Triang L1 or Hornby Compound (I mean the wheelbases and axles spacings)?

Yes 40mm (scale 10ft) with an extra axle slot for the GWR County which had a narrower coupled wheelbase at 34mm (scale 8'6")

cheers

[Manxman1831]

Cheers for that. Think I might have found a useful alternative to the old GEM and Triang L1 chassis in that case.

[will5210]

Hi all,

I've made a start on lining the Glen with the bowpen. This is my first time using it on splashers so there's a few wonky lines but weathering will hide most of it. Still got boiler bands to do, but I'll do these flat on tape first, then cut & transfer them across to the loco.
DSC02085 by will5210, on Flickr

Also made a start on K4 mk3.
All the detail have been seen before so I won't repeat at length. It's the K3 cab with the front cut out & replaced with plasticard with the correct shaped spectacles, & a brass tube boiler endlessly hacked, bend & filed 'til it looks something like - still loads to add though.

This cab & boiler won't end up as a loco, but as moulds for resin casting so I can reproduce the remaining 4 class members easier & quicker (hopefully) than the first 2, & fit them to K3 chassis as & when I pick them up.
My current thinking is to mould the dome as part of the casting, but fit the chimney & smokebox afterwards as separate parts.
DSC02084 by will5210, on Flickr

Cheers

[earlswood nob]

G'day all

You've just given me an idea, Will. I have an unbuilt SEF K3 that I picked up as part of a job lot at an auction, I might be able to build that as a K4.
I shall study my drawings.

Earlswood nob

[Atlantic 3279]

My current thinking is to mould the dome as part of the casting, but fit the chimney & smokebox afterwards as separate parts.

Extremely interesting work. If you need any input regarding resin casting techniques and materials I'll gladly offer the best advice I can. I think that separation of parts makes sense unless you want to find yourself immediately dealing with complex mould construction and a lot of tricky anticipation of how resin and air might flow in the mould. If you produce a good substitute boiler I could probably do with one to save me some extra work. The cab might be handy too if it works out well. although I might go for patching the front of a K3 cab that is already painted and lined...

[earlswood nob]

G'day all

Well that brainwave was on the wrong wavelength.

The J39 boiler is too short short for the K4. The barrel/firebox is approx 6mm short and the smokebox 2mm short.
However, the J39 cab spectacle plate is the same as the K4.

Perhaps I could make an insert of a circle of 2mm plasticard for the smokebox and one of three 2mm sheets for the firebox.

Earlswood nob

[will5210]

My current thinking is to mould the dome as part of the casting, but fit the chimney & smokebox afterwards as separate parts.

Extremely interesting work. If you need any input regarding resin casting techniques and materials I'll gladly offer the best advice I can. I think that separation of parts makes sense unless you want to find yourself immediately dealing with complex mould construction and a lot of tricky anticipation of how resin and air might flow in the mould. If you produce a good substitute boiler I could probably do with one to save me some extra work. The cab might be handy too if it works out well. although I might go for patching the front of a K3 cab that is already painted and lined...

That's kind of you to offer your advice - I'm sure I'll need to pick your brains at some point.
I'll probably start with the cab moulding to familiarise myself with the process, but I need to find some Lego first for a casting box.

I agree that patching the K3 cab front is easier but (for some reason) the rounded corners of the K4 really stand out as a feature to me!

Cheers