High Level Neilson Tank

[pete_mcfarlane]

I bought this at Scalefour North in 2019, and it's finally worked its way up to the top of the 'to do' pile. A High Level Neilson Mineral engine, for my small collection of Victorian/Edwardian industrial locos. Not quite as small as the Hughes Tram engine I built last year, but still tiny.

Most of the work was done as the EMAG all day session on Thursday, which meant that I powered through the bit I'd been dreading (forming the ogee tank) rather than putting it off for a week or two. In the end it was fairly straightforward, bending round different sized drills bits with the tank sides held in the vice - less difficult than forming the one piece bonnet on a diesel shunter kit. The two spare tank sides are still on the fret (providing spare bits is a) a good thing if you mess it up and b) is a bit intimidating, as you suspect you'll muck that bit up). 

Pretty much nothing required fettling and it all fitted perfectly, as you'd expect. I've not even started on the chassis, as I expect it to fit the body perfectly. 

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[David Knight]

Looks like you’re off to a good start Pete. There’s another build of the same engine to be found here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1346&hilit=SMALL+DIVERSION

Which may prove useful.

Cheers,

David

[pete_mcfarlane]

Looks like you’re off to a good start Pete. There’s another build of the same engine to be found here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1346&hilit=SMALL+DIVERSION

Which may prove useful.

Cheers,

David

Thank you, I'll take a look.

[pete_mcfarlane]

Some more progress.

The body is complete, apart from the cab detailing. Again no major issues, and everything fitted. The only minor annoyance was having a temperature controlled iron, and having to continually swap bits/temperature when soldering up the buffer beams (low melt with one bit for whitemetal, normal solder with another bit for brass. 

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The basic chassis is also soldered up. Cutting out the half etched hornblock holes (after assembling the chassis and setting the compensation beam) was a bit tricky with a piecing saw and a tiny chassis, but I got there.

Next step is to do the rods, which being a critical to get right first time job can wait until I'm slightly more awake (having drive to Derbyshire to visit the tram museum, having a few days off and it being the only railway type attraction open today). 

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[Daddyman]

The only minor annoyance was having a temperature controlled iron, and having to continually swap bits/temperature when soldering up the buffer beams (low melt with one bit for whitemetal, normal solder with another bit for brass. 

I know this is recommended but I've stopped doing it - too much faff. All I do is clean the bit between with a suede brush. But then I'm using 100 degree for W/M because I'm attaching it to brass.

[Will L]

The only minor annoyance was having a temperature controlled iron, and having to continually swap bits/temperature when soldering up the buffer beams (low melt with one bit for whitemetal, normal solder with another bit for brass. 

I know this is recommended but I've stopped doing it - too much faff. All I do is clean the bit between with a suede brush. But then I'm using 100 degree for W/M because I'm attaching it to brass.

I agree I think this is a theoretical possibility but, in practice, a none problem. I think if you clean your bit well enough to work properly between solders, there isn't enough of the old solder left to contaminate the new one.

I also think the 100 degree solder is very useful stuff so would only use the 70 degree stuff when working with small bits of white metal now. It is also very useful for mounting heavy cast brass fittings. E.g. Chimney and dome castings to boilers.

When it comes to changing bit sizes, I have two soldering iron handsets which pug into my Antex temperature control unit. One with a big bit and one with a small one. Much easier to pug in the other handset than to physically change bit sizes on a single handset. I got there when the element in my first handset failed, I brought a whole new one, but also though Id see if fitting a replacement element would work. It did and so then I had two.