Thread: GNR Stirling Locomotive

Originally Posted by Keith_1

Crowie

We lost at bowls - season now ended - positive is that I can now concentrate totally on the Stirling

Regards

Keith

Bother Keith and your team was doing so well this year....

Anyways, the train is a winner....First place Cup - 1903.jpg....

Keep up the top work sir....Cheers, Peter

Hi All,

Been working on the sandboxes on the side of the loco (thanks for your input Seriph1). The good thing about the sandboxes with my replica is that when working with PVC - the length of the side section allows the PVC to warp. With the sandboxes now secured and screwed through the splashguards - it is now very rigid and sits pretty flat.

I don't think my mate would mind me telling you a tip he gave me about getting rid of any woodgrain showing through primer or paint. Run a smear of bodyfiller along the exposed grain (particularly the end) and when dry sand it smooth. You will never get woodgrain coming through the paint or primer - you will always have a smooth surface. This is what I have done to the side sandboxes.

The sandbox operating mechanism is my next job. Looks quite straight forward. A bit of metal turning and then making and attaching a some operating levers. However this has to go through the splashguard. So that may be a bit of a pain.

Have included a second photo with my beer can for comparative size.

All the Best

Keith


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Thank You Seriph1. I was not sure what the boxes on either side of the splashers were, but sand boxes make a lot of sense. It is amazing what a difference a little bit of sand can make. (In crease the friction or grip between the rail and driven wheel)
The operating mechanism is probably a plain and simple as it can be. A lever attached to a rod (and possibly a bell crank for the other side of the engine) that simply move a bar that uncovers and covers a hole over the sand pipe. Latter engines had air (or steam) operated valves that control the flow of sand.

In case you are wondering why there are two sand boxes on each side; the front one for forward running, the smaller rear one for tender first running.

Coming up well Keith.

It really helps with the size!
And also, There's some super nice work going on here!

Looking good as always Keith

Hi All,

Was talking about the sandbox operating mechanism. Well I did a bit of design work and came up with a solution. There was a fair bit of machining work on the lathe. The levers themselves are made of 4mm mild steel. The joining bushes are aluminium machined, drilled and slide fit on the operating levers.
I cut out recesses in the splashguards to suit the main linkages using a dremel.
The sand filling caps are machined out of aluminium.

Regards

Keith

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Hi all,

I have been taking my time designing and making up a mock firewall for the cabin which I will use as a template for the jig / fixture that I will make so I can shape the roof of the cabin. I am so happy how the splashguards came out using PVC that I am making the side cabin structure out of PVC. The front of the cabin will be made out of MDF. The windows will be glass cut round and then recessed into the MDF and then held in position by a round rim (also made of MDF).

I have had to modify my chasis a fair bit as I go to accommodate the splashguard. I have fitted an aluminium cross bar across the back near the firewall so I can secure the splashguard in a fixed position.

This loco is a slow process but there is a fair bit of trial work being done - that gets chucked in the bin so I don't muck up the loco as I do the trial work.

Regards

Keith

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Awesome

Now that the firewall is temporary installed give a better view of how tall it is. Coming along great Kieth as you know I am so jealous that you can get on with the build, hopefully soon

Originally Posted by Dalboy

Now that the firewall is temporary installed give a better view of how tall it is. Coming along great Kieth as you know I am so jealous that you can get on with the build, hopefully soon

Thanks Derek,
I'm sure you will be able to really soon .All the best mate

Regards

Keith

Hi all,

Been working on the cabin of the Stirling. Now starting to look a bit like a locomotive. I decided to make the cabin out of PVC. So to get the correct profile I had to make up a pattern form that I could use to bend the PVC around. Like the splashguards -I made the form out of scrap chipboard I had lying around. I used the MDF template as my stencil and then cut out 9 pieces of chipboard to get my correct width. I smoothed up my form on the sander. I then drilled holes in the flat PVC to allow me to secure in position when I heated the PVC with my hot air gun. I did the heating in small sections and nailed to the form and then allowed it to cool in the atmosphere.
I cut out the back section of the cabin using my jigsaw. The radiused corner was cut our using a forstner bit.
Good news is that Cathies watch has stopped working. I now have another watch housing for my gauges when I get started to work on the controls in the cabin

Regards

Keith

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Winter must be coming to southern Victoria. Soon it will be time to start on the firebox so we can light the fire and stay warm.

Not much protection for the crew in the British weather.

It always amazes me how resourceful you are. Have you tried a new battery in Cathie's watch, or is it mechanical? Perhaps it just needs winding up.

Originally Posted by Handyjack

Winter must be coming to southern Victoria. Soon it will be time to start on the firebox so we can light the fire and stay warm.

Not much protection for the crew in the British weather.

It always amazes me how resourceful you are. Have you tried a new battery in Cathie's watch, or is it mechanical? Perhaps it just needs winding up.

Thanks Kevin,

Battery costs $20 to fit. New watch is $10 at K Mart. Lasts about a year. At that rate - I will always have gauge components for my locos

Yes would have been cold although the guy shovelling coal probably wouldn't have thought so ?

Regards

Keith

Hope the cabin stays nice and straight. Mind you once you start to add bits and pieces to it that will give it some more strength

Originally Posted by Keith_1

Thanks Kevin,

Battery costs $20 to fit. New watch is $10 at K Mart. Lasts about a year. At that rate - I will always have gauge components for my locos

Yes would have been cold although the guy shovelling coal probably wouldn't have thought so ?

Regards

Keith

You really know how to treat a woman Keith