GNR Stirling Locomotive

**Keith_1** · 18th May 2017, 04:04 PM

Hi All,

I have filed and sanded the spokes and wheels for the tender. It is time consuming work. Used 180 grit on the radius sections of the spokes to give a better looking rounded finish.

I have found different photos of the tender arrangement. Some show the wheels, bearings, brakes and spring assemblies exposed, whilst others have all this covered by a plate that pretty much shows no detail. I have decided to go with the tender that shows as much detail as possible. I have made up 6 leaf springs. These are connected to the wheel plummer block bearing assemblies and allow for some up and don movement in the axle assemblies.

I have made these leaf springs differently than I have in the past. Previously I have cut the leaves out of MDF, but in reality they are way too big for the scale and was not too happy with them.

This lot I have made out of composite materials. The support ends are aluminium machined down to 7.2mm with a 4mm hole for the securing bolts. I then cut a longitudinal groove with a hacksaw in each of these supports and opened up an angle with a 3 square file. The top main support section of the leaf spring is 1mm aluminium sheet bent to a standard curve. I then araldited the sheet into the supports. This needed 2 layers of araldite and set for 24 hours. Then used dremel to smooth it off. The spring "leaves" are made out of self adhesive (one side) cork sheeting that I cut to size and made varying length leaves. The central leaf retainer is made from pine - with the slot cut using the bandsaw.

Regards

Keith

119.jpg

**Handyjack** · 18th May 2017, 08:04 PM

It was not uncommon for more than one tender design to be used with the same class of engine. As engines went through the workshops they often ended up with a different boiler and a different tender.
An example of this might be the A3 class (eg "Flying Scotsman"), and the A4 class engines (eg Mallard) which had both corridor and non corridor tenders.

**rwbuild** · 18th May 2017, 08:09 PM

Your attention to detail is mind boggling. Awesome work

x10

**Dalboy** · 18th May 2017, 10:00 PM

A great set of wheels and the time it took to produce those springs was well worth all of the effort

**htl** · 19th May 2017, 02:11 AM

Do all that work and then hide it>

I don't think so!!!!! lol

**Keith_1** · 23rd May 2017, 05:33 PM

Hi All,

I have been trying to design the subframe of the tender. There is not a lot of info out there. As I said previously a number of photos show the Stirling tender with a covering plate - hiding the bearings, springs and brake gear. I found a line drawing and also an old sepia photo of an original Stirling and have used these for the basic design of my tender frame. The good thing about the cutouts on each side is that you will be able to see the wheel brake system (when I make it).

I have used 9mm MDF as my frame material. I drew up the left and right hand versions on the timber in the back room (cold on Saturday

)
The wierd shape cutout (as on the sepia photo) I drew up on a piece of paper and made up a template out of 3mm MDF. This way all the cutout shapes will be the same.

The bearings slide up and down in the grooves of the MDF. These are made of pine. The section of the bearing that sits in the slot - I thicknessd down to 10mm, so I have 1mm clearance on the bearings. The 2mm strip around the outside of the bearing (to make it look like a casting is 2mm square pine strip wood I cut down on the table saw.
The bottom bearing retainers are made out of Tassie Oak.

The Bearing Horns on the sides to guide the bearings I made out of 10mm aluminium angle.

The axles are turned down solid aluminium round.

The leaf springs are just sitting there at the moment. They will be secured and have a shaft that will enter into the top of the bearing.

Happy with how it's coming together - Next step will be the leaf spring connection, securing cross timbers and then giving it a grey primer coat.

All the Best

Keith

120.jpg

**Dalboy** · 25th May 2017, 03:19 AM

A great start to the tender and now we can see the rough length of it.

**Keith_1** · 25th May 2017, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Dalboy

A great start to the tender and now we can see the rough length of it.

Yes - thanks Derek, just on 2metres overall length. Thanks to Seriph1 for his insight into the length of the tender as well.

Hope all is well over there - considering the horrors of the last few days.

Thoughts are with you ALL mate

Regards

Keith

**Keith_1** · 29th May 2017, 04:36 PM

Hi all,

I have done some more on the tender.

Made up the shafts from the leaf springs that enter into the bearing boxes.

The cross members of the chasis are now secured so I have the same wheel gauge as the locomotive. The top section of the chasis is 40 X 10 aluminium angle. This gives the same width of the tender as the main locomotive. I secured these with 4mm setscrews nuts and washers. I dismantled the lot and then sprayed with primer. Not real fun putting back together - even though I made up special bags for each wheel assembly components - I had problems refitting

. Not sure whether I mucked up my numbering or not

.

Anyway - a bit of rework and everything fitted. Next will be the tender braking system.

I am having a big cleanup of the shed. Guys from local Men's Shed are coming to have a look at my locomotives.

Regards

Keith

121.jpg

**seriph1** · 29th May 2017, 04:57 PM

So nice mate, very well done - would love to see a pic with a human standing next to it for scale please

Loving your incredible attention to detail .... certainly work of the highest order.

**Keith_1** · 29th May 2017, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by seriph1

So nice mate, very well done - would love to see a pic with a human standing next to it for scale please

Loving your incredible attention to detail .... certainly work of the highest order.

Thanks Mate,

I will get Cathie to take a photo of it with me behind it tomorrow. (It's been put to bed now

)

Regards

Keith

**seriph1** · 29th May 2017, 08:00 PM

Can't wait. Thanks very much.

**Handyjack** · 29th May 2017, 09:15 PM

Looking good.

**Dalboy** · 30th May 2017, 04:15 AM

Originally Posted by Keith_1

Yes - thanks Derek, just on 2metres overall length. Thanks to Seriph1 for his insight into the length of the tender as well.

Hope all is well over there - considering the horrors of the last few days.

Thoughts are with you ALL mate

Regards

Keith

A sad day Keith I am quite a few miles away from it. My two nephews went to Manchester to compete in the marathon over the week end the organisers refused to give in and still allowed it to continue.
They both had a great day with a 1 minute silence before the race began.

The Model is looking great now the tender is the same colour as the train. It will certainly come alive when it has it full livery on it.

**htl** · 30th May 2017, 09:13 AM

Really looking great in the gray but wow is it going to look stunning once it gets it's true colors on!!!

Thread: GNR Stirling Locomotive

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Nice work!!!

Looking Great!!!

Similar Threads

City of Stirling Men's Shed Open Day

Stirling Engines in Australia

Stirling engine help

Stirling young Chap

Posting Permissions