GRS Kit for LMS 3F 0-6-0T ("Jinty")

[John Candy]

Update.

If you are following these notes while constructing your own 3F (I hope somebody, somewhere, may be....either now or in the future....or this will have been a complete waste of time !) then this will come as a welcome piece of news.

The malformed splashers : I intimated that I would replace them with new ones from sheet metal but, after a review of situation, decided the resin items in the kit would be salvable.

I cut one vertical face off each splasher (with a razor saw) keeping as close as possible to the inner edge of the face (keep the separated parts as pairs, so that they match when re-united later in the process).

This leaves you with two items consisting of one vertical face with the curved top attached plus two detached verticals. Next take the parts with the curved top attached and cut  (in a vertical plane as viewed when the splasher is standing in its horizontal postion) between the curved top and remaining face for approximately one-third (no more) of the circumference and do this from the base at both ends.

You now gently bend, each end in turn,  the curved top to the correct profile (this is easily done "by eye") and then secure to the face with cyano superglue.
When this has been repeated at both ends, you sand away the excess from the face of the splasher, leaving a nicely rounded splasher. Then re-attach the second face and repeat the sanding process. Finally, a thin film of filler across the top of the splasher, followed by a light sanding, will obscure the joint seams.

It's a lot easier to do than it sounds and took not much longer than typing these notes!

John

[John Candy]

The final hurdles!

I thought I was on the "home straight" with this kit but more problems have come to light.

I became aware last week, when trial fitting the frame front extension etchings, that the cylinder cover (the lump below the smokebox door) is 2mm too short and 0.75mm too low...... it just didn't look right.
It also transpires that the extension etchings themselves are too short and low , as well as the angle of taper being wrong!
I corrected these by building up the cylinder cover with plastic card and filler and cutting new brass frame extensions.

Heaved a sigh of relief that (so I thought) the worst was over.

Having carefully fitted the boiler to the running plate in the correct location, according to the GA, I then found there was a problem positioning the side tanks.
The front edge of the tanks were too far forward in relation to the forward boiler band (the tanks obscured the band), a point which had not been apparent when doing an earlier trial fit, principally because it is extremely difficult to hold all the parts, simultaneously and in precise locations, since there are no spigots, tabs, etc..

I should have been alerted earlier when I found that the original cast-on boiler band (ahead of the dome) was 2mm forwards from the "correct" location.
The real problem is the side tanks : They are approx. 4mm longer than the dimension taken from the GA (measured from cab aperture to tank front)!

At this stage, it is not practicable to lop off the full 4mm, since all the pre-drilled tank mounting holes in the (now painted) running plate would need to be filled and re-drilled ( in effect, the past couple of weeks work would be undone), so I removed 2mm from the cab end of each tank, so that the fronts of the tanks sit correctly in relation to the boiler bands, steps and sandbox fillers.

One point I have not previously mentioned.....as supplied the tanks have their front ends profiled (a large curved section removed), which will leave a gap between tanks and boiler. A gap is neither prototypical nor is it necessary for fitting the tanks to the model.
I applied a plastic card backing to the interior of the tank ends and used Isopon to build up the missing areas, so that the tanks just touch the boiler when fitted.

I believe (with a kit like this you can never be sure until the whole thing is finished and running) that the only possible problem remaining to be solved is the fit/clearance of the splashers but they will be the final items to be fitted.

Currently, all the items have been sprayed and now await assembly, once the paint has hardened.

The photos show how all the electronic gubbins has been fitted, including sound card ( www.mylocosound.com ) and whistle switch (the batteries are in the boiler section) and, hopefully, it will be ready for "running in" at Ampthill, in a little over a week from now!

View of insides of tanks showing components attached with "Sellotape Outdoor Sticky Fixers".



View of running plate showing "Electron 12" ESC sitting in cradle.




Full details of the modifications carried out will be given on www.G3MadeSimple.org.uk in due course (I first need to finalise the construction notes which have been requested for the G3S Newsletter).

The 3F is an essential loco for an LMS-based line and the final result will have been worth all the effort and aggravation!
If you can face the trials and tribulations, then buy a kit before they go out of stock/production (several GRS loco kits have recently been removed from their catalogue).

[John Candy]

It took a while and a lot of effort but I got there in the end!

Should you be tempted (it is a fine loco. and every line with pretentions to being LMS-based should have one) a full "write-up" of the construction notes will appear before long.




Works plate for Horwich 1931 made by Andy B

More of Andy's fine work in the form of numberplate and "1B" shedcode.

[AllWight]

looks very smart John

Halfords black by any chance

Mark

[John Candy]

Mark,

Resin parts sprayed with Plasti-kote grey "super primer" and Plasti-kote satin black.
The tank and bunker sides (to protect the transfers) received a coat of "Klear" followed by "Micro flat".

Teroson self-etch primer was applied to the steel and brass parts.

John.

[Traininvain]

Looks v nice indeed John

I look forward to receiving the copy for the next G3 Society Newsletter

Maybe you should consider batch building a few now that you have 'the knowledge'!

best

Ian

[AllWight]

Hopefully see you tomorow at the GTG

[Jon Nazareth]

John

I've used matt varnish in the past but it has always 'bloomed' on my models.  I did see a reason for this on a forum once but can't remember that reason.  The 'Micro Flat' that you used seems okay though, can you tell me, please, who is the supplier?

Regards
Jon

[John Candy]

Jon,

It is made by the same U.S. company (Microscale) which produces Micro-Set and Micro-Sol transfer application fluids.

It is water-based and as thin as milk and does not obscure detail (as can happen with thicker varnish). It is applied very easily with a brush and dries in less than 30 minutes.

I order mine from here https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/microscale-micro-flat-varnish/

The same company also produce gloss and satin varnish (as well as other coatings).

Regards,
John.

[Jon Nazareth]

Dear John

There don't appear to be any brush marks on the surface at all!  I've ordered a bottle to use as an experiment before applying it to the real thing but your photos are very convincing.

Regards
Jon

[LankyTank]

The final hurdles!

Full details of the modifications carried out will be given on www.G3MadeSimple.org.uk in due course (I first need to finalise the construction notes which have been requested for the G3S Newsletter).

Hi John

Did the 'details of the modifications' ever get written up? Looked on G3MS, couldn't see 'em & don't have last years newsletters to see if they made 'hard copy'.

Take care
Baz

[John Candy]

Baz,

I have to confess, I never did get around to writing it all up (and probably won't after this length of time, since I have lot's on my plate at present).

I think most of the important points are listed in the forum postings but I will try to answer any questions (assuming I can remember what I did)!

Regards,
John.