The Diary of the Building of a 5" gauge Stirling Single

    

Completion of the build     Part 12
31st August 2019

Work on the front bogey splashers was decided upon. First the existing parts were located and checked as to which side fitted where. The a sheet of brass was cut into two 1/2" wide strips. The splashers were the formed and cut to length, all the cutting being done with a thin metal cutting angle grinder disc.

When the correct bends had been created the splasher was clamped to the splasher front and the Bakers Fluid used as a flux and the joint was made using soft solder.

Strengthening was added to stop as far as possible flexing. This was again soft soldered into place.
After about 5 hours work both splashers were ready to be sand blaster before being given a coat of etch primer.
1st September 2019

A coat of light green paint given to the splashers.

Then a few hours later the black lining out, the first with White to follow.

2nd September 2019

To put on the white line I first had to design from an idea seen in the book "How not to paint a Locomotive" an attachment for the Bob Moore's lining pen which I made up in 3D printing ..
The curved lines where there is no direct edge is located below the LAKE colour and above the LIGHT GREEN colour in the drawing.
For the lining which has no direct outer edge to follow I devised these addition guides to follow out side lower black lines
A photo of the guide in use with the Bob Moore's Lining Pen, as  it follows the profile of the outside line .

And now the splashers are completed with Black and White lines and the Lake colour added too.
Later in afternoon I had a delivery of my Clear Gorilla Adhesive so decided to fit the window glass in each cab window.
As I am not going to use the forward boiler filling points but move them to the rear boiler blanks in Phosphor Bronze were made and fitted with Loctite 542
3rd September 2019

The front bogey splashers were fitted in place and the wheel set attached to the locomotive. A new nut  1/4"x32 had to be made as the original could not be found.

Further adjustment to the splashers will need to be made before the loco eill run as they still foul the cylinders.

The strange pipework at the front is the temporary "Air line" supply point, it will not be there on completion !!
The front buffers were given a coat of primer in readiness to paint later today.
The first coat of red, Black and Lake. Next coat tomorrow.
4th September 2019 100 days since the return of the loco for me to complete

Re-assembly day and a lot of making fit !! In all so far four and a half hours !!

Sadly I have been unable to find the smoke box door so a new casting has been ordered and should be delivered in the next few days.
5th September 2019  101 days since the return of the loco for me to complete

The front cover plate below which is the steam oil tank needed to be kept in place. A friend suggested that we used a magnet so between us we did a good job of squaring the plate to fit well and fitting the magnet.
With the re-assembly completed it has been found that the regulator in the current position will not operate. Good to find this out now rather than later when going for a steam test !!
The handles have been fitted to the cab and to the tender.
With the uncertainty of finding this door a new one has been ordered and then with further clearing up the door was found on the work bench and in a pot the door pin and the hinge fixed brackets.

What a relief.

Note the oil filler has its cover in place !
The door is fitted ready for the display on Saturday 7th September 2019 so no time to sand blast and paint  but that can all come later.

Additionally to the finding the door was also finding the closing lock bar which sits vertically behind the door.

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