Brassmasters Coronation test build

best33
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby best33 » Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:50 pm

grovenor-2685 wrote:
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.
Regards

The slot is put in the axle on the outer edge around 2mm deep using a milling machine but it could be done with a saw it just won’t look as tidy. The wheels are fitted and when the quartering is satisfactory the slot in the axle guides the drill to produce the slot in the wheel hub. Then you push a pin in. This method allows the wheels to be removed easily from the axle if necessary.

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Wed Nov 20, 2019 7:11 pm

There’s more pictures of progress so far now on the Brassmasters site

http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/Coronation_pre-production_build.htm
Jim Smith-Wright

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Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Mon Dec 16, 2019 7:04 pm

I've moved away from the loco for a while as the next stage of the build is the cylinders and I don't have the castings i will need for them just yet. So attention has shifted to the tender.

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The first stage is the outside sub frames - a simple box really. The kit allows for springing or internal compensation. I've opted for springing.
Image

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Underside of the tender showing the sub frame, brake gear and water scoop gear. A little fiddly but its been fun to build so far.
Image
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Thu Dec 19, 2019 10:35 pm

The tender chassis is now effectively done - Not a lot else to say really so here's some pictures.

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Right hand side

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Rear end

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Front, or loco end.
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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JackBlack
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby JackBlack » Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:26 am

Looks awesome. Really nice clean job. Presumably the holes in the back of the axlebox castings allow for the movement of the axles? Or you had to grind them out?

Cheers, Nick


Nick Allport
CLAG


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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Fri Dec 20, 2019 5:41 pm

Hi nick

I needed to open them up. The axle boxes and springs are separate but a couple of seconds with a round burr in a minidrill is all that was needed.

Cheers

Jim
Jim Smith-Wright

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Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:24 am

Moving on to the tender body...

Image

Brassmasters supply a basic sub structure with different overlays for the 3 main types of tender found behind a Duchess.

Image

Image

This is the coal chute and front bulkhead assembly.

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The 2 sub assemblies test fitted together.
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

Dave Holt
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Dave Holt » Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:03 pm

Jim,
Good progress with the body. It looks as if the sloping base to the coal space does not extend right back to the rear bunker bulkhead. Is there another piece to bridge the gap, part of the coal pusher perhaps? Or is just an illusion?
Dave.

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:37 pm

Hi Dave

You are right. The coal pusher is a 3d print. I guess it fills the gap but haven’t got that far yet.

While you’re on. How heavy is a Brassmasters stanier tender without additional weight? If I secure the front bulkhead I won’t be able to get back Inside later unless I cut a hole in the floor.

Cheers

Jim
Jim Smith-Wright

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Over thinking often leads to under doing!

Dave Holt
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Dave Holt » Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:44 am

Sorry, Jim, I don't know the weight. I can't remember if I have added any extra ballast to the Brassmasters tenders I've built in the past, but it shouldn't require much to deflect the CSB wires a bit. You always could place weight in the coal space, if needed, unless you're modelling it empty,that is.
Dave.

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:52 am

Thanks Dave

I might end up cutting a hole in the floor anyway as I haven’t decided where the decoder will end up yet. The tender is 68 grams so far with a lot of stuff still to be added.
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:04 pm

Image

Progress on my tender build continues. This is the front end with some of the detail started.

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And the rear end.

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Inside showing the fire iron tunnel and and the coal pusher which is a 3d print.
Below are the some images of the tender in its nearly complete state. There's still a few bits I need such as the ladder etc but focus will now shift back to the loco.

Image

Image

Image
Jim Smith-Wright

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Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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Horsetan
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Horsetan » Tue Jul 14, 2020 10:59 pm

Going well there :thumb

Hopefully the kit will be available some time next year.
That would be an ecumenical matter.

Mark Tatlow
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Mark Tatlow » Thu Jul 16, 2020 1:08 pm

I have just plonked some rather nice (and in a pair of cases unusual) pictures of the early Coronations on my external blog:

https://highlandmiscellany.com/2020/07/ ... mment-4563
Mark Tatlow

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Thu Jul 16, 2020 4:22 pm

Great stuff Mark.
Jim Smith-Wright

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Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Wed Jun 30, 2021 1:54 pm

After a longer gap than  would have liked attention had returned to my Duchess build.

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Starting with the lower firebox and damper operating rod.

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Next up the brakes. As can be seen clearance is kind of on the minimal side.  Theres no springs fitted yet either so the chassis sill sit a little higher than is seen here.

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The motion brackets. Again theres not a lot of clearance between the bracket and the leading driving wheel.

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The chassis so far.

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Moving on the next stage is the footplate, seen here in its assembly jig.
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:20 pm

Image
Footplate with mounting bolts and Splashers in place and tided up ready for separating from the jig.

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But before I can do that need to fit the cab, firebox, boiler and smoke box so that theres something to give it a degree of rigidity.  This is the basic cab assembly.

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And inside mounted to the footplate.  The seats are posable!

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The cab roof.  This builds up on its own mini jig too.

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Underside from the front end.

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The main super structure comes in 3 parts cast in resin.  The firebox and boiler. The smokebox saddle and the smoke box.  There are 3 types. A round single chimney.  The flattened top double chimney from the ex streamlined locos and a round double chimney as seen here.

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The body removed from the jig, tidied up and fitted to the chassis.

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Finally - I couldn't resist!
Jim Smith-Wright

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Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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Chas Levin
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Chas Levin » Thu Feb 23, 2023 3:07 pm

Wonderful looking work Jim, as others have said.

I'm also very much enjoying the photos in themselves, so may I compliment you on your photography techniques? These pictures are a pleasure to look at...
Chas

Dave Holt
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Dave Holt » Sat Feb 25, 2023 11:37 am

Hi Jim.
The test build has suddenly come on in leaps and bounds. Now i see the relevance of out PMs - as a matter of interest, how did you separate the footplate from the jig?
From the photos, it looks like there's a slight gap between the footplate and firebox. Is that an illusion, due to the boiler unit not yet being permanently attached or something else?
Dave.

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Sat Feb 25, 2023 7:44 pm

Thanks both.

It's an optical illusion Dave The gaps you can see are between the underside of the far footplate and the frames. The footplate jig removal was dead easy and worked perfectly. I think I'd convinced myself it would be a problem based on nothing at all!
Jim Smith-Wright

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Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby jim s-w » Thu Mar 02, 2023 5:34 pm

Image
Just a little update this time - Been fitting some of the details to the body.  Bogie wheels are temporary as I was doing a little testing (read that as shuffling it around on Brettell Road).  I never realised how big these actually are.  Right on the limit of the loading gauge!

Image
Head on view

Image

Left hand side. - In addition to the body details Ive also added the sandpipes and springs. The latter in both senses as I've fitted the main functional springs to the model as well as the cosmetic ones behind the wheels
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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Chas Levin
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Re: Brassmasters Coronation test build

Postby Chas Levin » Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:53 pm

Very impressive looking!
Chas

Philip Hall
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Re: Brassmasters Coronation test build

Postby Philip Hall » Fri Mar 03, 2023 1:59 am

Nice work Jim, as usual. Intrigued by the little turned ‘knobs’ on the ends of the smokebox door handrail. How did you make these and then fit the handrail into the handrail knobs?

Philip

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jim s-w
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Re: Brassmasters Coronation test build

Postby jim s-w » Fri Mar 03, 2023 9:02 am

Well spotted. The handrails are 0.4mm wire and the end bits are just a teeny bit of 0.6mm tube soldered over the end (the second one with the handrail in place on the smoke box front ). Nothing clever ;)
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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Horsetan
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Re: Brassmasters Duchess test build

Postby Horsetan » Mon Mar 06, 2023 10:43 pm

jim s-w wrote:Image
Just a little update this time - Been fitting some of the details to the body.  Bogie wheels are temporary as I was doing a little testing (read that as shuffling it around on Brettell Road).  I never realised how big these actually are.  Right on the limit of the loading gauge!

Image
Head on view

Image

Left hand side. - In addition to the body details Ive also added the sandpipes and springs. The latter in both senses as I've fitted the main functional springs to the model as well as the cosmetic ones behind the wheels


Looking forward to this kit coming out next year or 2025. Well worth waiting for.

The use of disc bogie wheels reminds me of Deutsche Bundesbahn's re-boilered 03.10 pacifics, some of which had those.
That would be an ecumenical matter.


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