Fantastic work Tony, very informative update and the build is looking very nice. Looks like a your enjoying this one

Steve

Steve/Ian

Many thanks for looking in.

I must admit i am enjoying this one. I think mainly because i have made an extra special effort this year to set aside some dedicated build time.

Work and other family issues have side tracked me in the past so really nice to set some "me" time aside

SUNDAY 05th March 2017 – The Adler Locomotive Build & Tender

A very good afternoon to everyone. I hope that everyone has had a good week whatever you may have been up to. Well that’s another month consigned to history and we are now in March.

As in previous weeks I thought I would start this week’s update by way of a little “On this Day” entry.

On This Day 05th March

1850 Robert Stephenson's Britannia bridge, linking Bangor, Wales to the Isle of Anglesey, was opened. Unable to use an arch design because the Admiralty would not allow the strait to be closed to the passage of sailing ships, Stephenson conceived the idea of using a pair of completely enclosed iron tubes, rectangular in section, supported in the center by a pier built on Britannia Rock. The bridge was destroyed by fire on 23rd May 1970. The reconstructed bridge, opened in 1980, was also tubular, but an arched design.

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This week I have been working on some small areas of the model and have also made a start on the Tender.

PICTURE 1

I mentioned in an earlier post that the kit has a fault in that the pre-cut slots in the side rails do not fully line up with the support brackets mounted on the engine itself.

Easiest way (in my view) to sort this was to make up the side frame complete and then offer it up to the loco to identify exactly where the error is.

PICTURES 2 & 3

Here you can see exactly what the problem is with the side rail slot on just the one rail having been cut far too forward of the support bracket. This was a problem in the first version of the kit and it’s a shame that Occre did not resolve this in the new version of the model.

PICTURE 4

Having pencilled in the markings it was a fairly easy task to cut out the wood from the side rail so that the bracket fits correctly. It may be possible to use this offcut of wood to fill the space left by this correction to the part.

PICTURE 5

Having performed the minor surgery on the side rail everything now fits as it should.

PICTURE 6

Next I decided to move onto fitting the cast “tyres” onto the wheels. These are the parts as supplied in the kit.

PICTURE 7

We place the first wheel rim face down (with the rear part facing up). The small triangular sections that were removed from between the wheel spokes are now used as spacers to ensure that the wheel sits correctly in its rim.

PICTURE 8

“PROCEED WITH CARE”

A big correction made to the new version of this kit is that the wheels are actually a tight (very tight) fit inside the rims. In the earlier kit there was around a 1mm gap that meant wrapping a paper band around the wheel itself so it would fit the rim.

I found the fit so tight that the paint I had applied around the outside edge of the wheel had to be rubbed back.

When pushing the wheels into the rims DO NOT be tempted to press on the spokes or you will 100% break them.

"RECOMMENDATION"

I would suggest you use a flat edge (in this example the handle of a scalpel – blade removed) keeps the pressure on the wheel edge and not on the spokes.

PICTURE 9

Having pressed the wheel in so it comes to rest on those triangular fillets we have used as spacers this is what it looks like when complete. So that is one down – 5 more to go for the Loco.

PICTURES 10, 11, 12, 13

“RECOMMENDATION”

Before I finish up the side rails there are just 2 more reinforcing rods to be added. It’s not part of the kit instructions but as the gluing surfaces are quite small I think this will add that bit of extra strength.

Having drilled through the previously applied brass etch (pic 10) I then superglued in 1.5mm brass rod (pic 11).

This is then cut back as close to the side rail as possible and finally filed down flush with the side rail (pic 12)

The scratches caused to the etched part by the file of are little concern because we end up covering these sections with 2 final brass etch parts (pic 13).

PICTURES 14, 15, 16 ,17

The loco despite looking a long way from completion will start to come together quire quickly over the next couple of builds as it’s a case of gluing on sub-assemblies.

Therefore, I decided this week to make a start on gluing together the main components that will go to make up the tender.

“OBSERVATION”

Many of the ill-fitting tab and slot joins you can see in these pictures will be covered over as the build progresses with further wooden overlays. Therefore, there were just a couple of areas that really need a touch of filler.

PICTURE 15

As we get ever closer to completing this part of the build I decided it was about time to “recruit” a driver and fireman.

I did some internet searching to see what scale figures I would need for a 1:24 scale loco. My searching revealed that “G” scale is just about spot on for this.

So knowing what scale figures to search out I did some more internet searching and came across a set of figures by Bachmann.

While these may not be historically accurate on the basis the history for the Adler describes the driver being dressed in "Top Hat and Great Coat" I think I can get away with these on the basis there is a replica Adler that is still being run to this day.

The figures are pre-painted and to my eye they look extremely well finished to the point that I will use them as they. The figure without the beard needs to be “leaning” on something so as we move on I may knock together a shovel.

And that completes my update for this week. Hope everyone has a good week and I will catch up again with you all very soon.

Phil

I was thinking more along the lines of "Otto" & "Claus"

I think that is why he needs a shovel to lean on might make a better stance for the figure.

Great update Tony figures do look great but one of them needs to have his hand on a suitable lever or valve or as others have said a shovel.

Al

Another fine update and the build is looking good.



Well done.

Regards
delboy271155
(Derek)

Another very well presented update.



Well done.

Regards
delboy271155
(Derek)

Nice update Tony great work on the dome top.

Al

This really is looking great Tony, very nice work indeed....

Regards

Alan