Brassmasters Coronation test build

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jim s-w
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Brassmasters Coronation test build

Postby jim s-w » Mon Oct 21, 2019 9:06 pm

Hi All

I am currently embarked on building a test build of the forthcoming Brassmasters Coronation or Duchess kit. Way before I got distracted with Brettell Road I always thought that if Brassmasters ever did a Duchess i would have a go at building one as 46235 'City of Birmingham'. Well now they are and so I am!

Of course its a personal opinion thing but I never really liked streamlined steam locos. While the Duchesses were a little more thoughtfully designed than the god awful GWR efforts I always thought they looked a bit like an upturned bath tub and have to admit the A4's did look a fair bit better. However with the streamlining taken off the Duchesses were 'it'. The steam locomotive version of the Concorde moment. To my eyes, at least, the pinnacle of steam loco perfection.

Anyway enough hero worship and on to the model. Starting with...

Image
The main sub-frames. The loco frames come in 3 sub sections related to the wheels. A driving wheel section, a pony truck section and a bogie section.

Image
The chassis upside down, test fitting the main coupling rods.

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The main frame with the brass overlays fitted.

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The front or bogie area sub-frame.

More to follow.
Last edited by jim s-w on Thu Mar 02, 2023 6:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Jim Smith-Wright

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Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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jsherratt
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jsherratt » Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:36 am

Looks very nice so far :thumb

John

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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Enigma » Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:33 pm

Looks so good it almost make me want to buy one! And that's something for a GWR man to admit.

Although, at the end of the day, it's only a glorified King innit.............................. :twisted: ;)

I used to love seeing them at Crewe and Chester when I was a lad.

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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby DougN » Wed Oct 23, 2019 2:51 am

Jim, your making me want to get back into the Finney V2 I have been building for years.... The chassis has had the main bits put together.... the tender is painted black... and the foot plate and boiler fabricated.... But my list of things to finish keep pushing it back a little... completion of a Dave Bradwell J39 which was commenced by others is nearing running. Just needs the motor gear box installed, pickups and a paint! :thumb
Doug
Still not doing enough modelling

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Julian Roberts » Wed Oct 23, 2019 8:38 am

This is a delicious prospect Jim! It will be great if you keep on showing us the build.The forum can show so much more than magazine articles. Did you test build their Princess kit too I wonder.

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Wed Oct 23, 2019 5:27 pm

Julian Roberts wrote:This is a delicious prospect Jim! It will be great if you keep on showing us the build.The forum can show so much more than magazine articles. Did you test build their Princess kit too I wonder.


Nope, not me. I’ve built a couple of Brassmasters kits now but this is my first test build

I will post here as I go along

Jim
Last edited by jim s-w on Sat Oct 26, 2019 5:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jim Smith-Wright

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Horsetan
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Horsetan » Sat Oct 26, 2019 4:49 pm

Already have my name down for one. Just the one :wink:

Wonder how many resin boilers they'll be able to produce before the mould gives up? They managed to squeeze 43 Princesses out of the last one!
That would be an ecumenical matter.

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Tue Oct 29, 2019 7:33 pm

So progress continues on my Coronation build.

Image

The front frame is as far as I can go for the moment. (I don't have the cast bits for the loco yet. If you are wondering about the cylinders they are a separate sub assembly.

Image

No problems with the pony truck so far. The kit provides for both the earlier and later types. This is the later one.

Image

The bogie is compensated. As the bogie is the only part of the loco that traps the wheels in place I have used some old/rejected wagon wheels for the moment. I ideally only want to put wheels onto the axle once if I can.

Image

Without the wheels in the way.

Image

I couldn't resist a temporary mock up to see get a better feel for the loco. I've used a High Level Road runner + gearbox. The main drivers don't have their springs in place yet so its sitting a little off at the moment.

Image
Jim Smith-Wright

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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Proton » Tue Oct 29, 2019 9:48 pm

How would you rate the fold-up and ease of soldering Jim? Expert standard required or average with due care and attention?
Any tips on how you set up and quartered the drivers?
PBM

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Tue Oct 29, 2019 10:38 pm

Seems ok so far.

Bear in mind I’ve only actually built 2 complete etched loco kits, one mashed up white metal one and a handful of chassis before. This will be my second attempt at outside valve gear so I guess ‘if’ I manage to do it It can’t be that hard.

Jim
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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Tue Oct 29, 2019 10:39 pm

I’ve got a GW models wheel press but to be honest haven’t really got on with it so I do the quartering by eye (looking through the spokes)
Jim Smith-Wright

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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby DougN » Wed Oct 30, 2019 6:50 am

Have to agree with you Jim, I find it easier to quarter by eye and feel as if the chassis and the rods are correct the loco rolls nicely. I have recently done a J39 which had a few challanges as the Gibson wheels on the driven axle are slightly loose on the axle. I have to look at a way to pin the wheels to the axle now that it is running OK.
Doug
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Proton » Wed Oct 30, 2019 5:27 pm

Thanks for the replies Jim.

PBM

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Will L
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Will L » Wed Oct 30, 2019 7:05 pm

DougN wrote:Have to agree with you Jim, I find it easier to quarter by eye and feel as if the chassis and the rods are correct the loco rolls nicely. I have recently done a J39 which had a few challanges as the Gibson wheels on the driven axle are slightly loose on the axle. I have to look at a way to pin the wheels to the axle now that it is running OK.

Wouldn't be without my GW wheel press, much easier then doing it by eye. What's your problem guy's?

Easiest way to pin an axles is to cut a slot across the end of the axle at a slight angle so it is deeper at one side and hardly goes down the other side at all. Pop on the axle as usual. Then use the slot to drill into the wheel hub. Put in a wire pin, fill up slot and clean off.

Don Roland taught me this.

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Le Corbusier
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Le Corbusier » Wed Oct 30, 2019 9:16 pm

Will L wrote:
Easiest way to pin an axles is to cut a slot across the end of the axle at a slight angle so it is deeper at one side and hardly goes down the other side at all. Pop on the axle as usual. Then use the slot to drill into the wheel hub. Put in a wire pin, fill up slot and clean off.

Don Roland taught me this.


Thanks :thumb
Tim Lee

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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby mikemeg » Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:54 am

Jim,

From what you've posted, so far, that kit looks to be quite something. For me, even as a confirmed North Eastern, LNER and Gresley devotee, the 'semis' - that was how we knew then as youthful train spotters - were quite something and, perhaps, along with the Peppercorn Pacifics, the epitome of British Express Passenger loco design.

Looking forward to seeing this progress and I bet you'll build more than one!!

Regards

Mike

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby grovenor-2685 » Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:29 pm

Will L wrote:Easiest way to pin an axles is to cut a slot across the end of the axle at a slight angle so it is deeper at one side and hardly goes down the other side at all. Pop on the axle as usual. Then use the slot to drill into the wheel hub. Put in a wire pin, fill up slot and clean off.

Don Roland taught me this.

Only problem there is that the Duchess has hollow driving axles :)
Rgds
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Keith
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby best33 » Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:59 pm

grovenor-2685 wrote:
Will L wrote:Easiest way to pin an axles is to cut a slot across the end of the axle at a slight angle so it is deeper at one side and hardly goes down the other side at all. Pop on the axle as usual. Then use the slot to drill into the wheel hub. Put in a wire pin, fill up slot and clean off.

Don Roland taught me this.

Only problem there is that the Duchess has hollow driving axles :)
Rgds

I don't think this will be an issue, because if I interpret Wills approach correctly the slot is cut on the outside of the axle and the taper runs out along the length of the axle not across the face similar to the method I wrote up in MRJ several years ago.

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby grovenor-2685 » Tue Nov 19, 2019 2:41 pm

Not how I interpret "across the end"
Rgds
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Will L
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Will L » Tue Nov 19, 2019 4:47 pm

And not what I intended either but a perfectly good approach.

However, given a hollow axle, rather than cutting an angled slot, could you not drill an angled hole starting in the hole in the middle of the axle?

I'm only persisting with this because I usually find that if you want to drill a hole through adjacent things of different hardnesses it's better to start of with the hard one. Remember I'm a kitchen table man so, if this is going to be a hand drilling job, drilling through the wheel hub first and into the axle is something which is unlikely to go well.

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Tue Nov 19, 2019 4:51 pm

Will L wrote: Remember I'm a kitchen table man so, if this is going to be a hand drilling job, drilling through the wheel hub first and into the axle is something which is unlikely to go well.


It’s what I normally do. Had a few broken bits (which I just use as the pin anyway) but other than that not had a problem. I don’t do it by hand mind you.

Jim
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Will L
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Will L » Tue Nov 19, 2019 4:55 pm

jim s-w wrote:... I don’t do it by hand mind you.


I think that's the point Jim.

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:51 pm

I use a hand held mini drill if that helps?
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Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby best33 » Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:53 pm

Will L wrote:And not what I intended either but a perfectly good approach.

However, given a hollow axle, rather than cutting an angled slot, could you not drill an angled hole starting in the hole in the middle of the axle?

I'm only persisting with this because I usually find that if you want to drill a hole through adjacent things of different hardnesses it's better to start of with the hard one. Remember I'm a kitchen table man so, if this is going to be a hand drilling job, drilling through the wheel hub first and into the axle is something which is unlikely to go well.


The photo below shows the way I do it.
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby grovenor-2685 » Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:32 pm

The photo below shows the way I do it.

Or rather it shows the end result :) More information on the way its done would be very useful.
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