The Peckett's Progress (or should that be a born again Bagnall)!

[John Candy]

Phew!!!

Safely back together.

See what I mean about the rivets...it looks almost as if it is wearing a native North American ("Red Indian") warbonnet!

John

[John Candy]

I thought it about time to work out how all the "body bits" are going to be linked up.

In the original GRS configuration, the smokebox/saddle tank/cab are all glued together and held to the running plate by four self-tappers.
The modifications have severed the tank from the cab and a void between the two needs to be filled with a boiler segment (onto which the SV's are mounted) and mountings are to be required for battery charging socket and a mini-DPDT toggle switch.

Rather than go into an elaborate description, I will let the photos (with a short explanation) speak for themselves.

The first photo shows the rear (shortened) end of the saddle.
In the original arrangement the rear of the saddle was supported by a moulding on the cab front. To provide support for the back end of the shortened tank, an arrangement from thick plastic card has been screwed to the tank end ... screwed rather than glued, (a) for strength and (b) to permit adjustment so it sits square on the running plate.

The arched top is the support for a rolled brass boiler segment (there is a corresponding arch on the cab front) and the upper brackets, from square plastic tube, are to support ledges for the charger socket and switch (again there are matching brackets on the cab front).
The lower square tube fittings (which flank the motor block) will be drilled to accept bolts which will mount the rear of the tank to the running plate (the front will be screwed to the running plate through the smokebox saddle).

Second photo shows the locating plates for boiler and brackets for ledges.
Third photo shows how the brass coal bunker sides of the cab unit are sandwiched between the plastic mounting plates on the tank, to provide positive location and support for the boiler segment.

The cab will be bolted to the running plate through its floor (floor still to be fitted)

John.

[John Candy]

This weekend, I have concentrated on some of the detailing parts.

The front and rear sandboxes have been cast from resin.

The chimney casting is supplied by GRS in four pieces (base, two vertically split pieces forming the centre section and, finally, the top rim) and I was sceptical as to the prospects of forming a satisfactory component. As it happened, the parts were accurately made and it went together easily and "square".
As supplied, the centre section of the Peckett chimney is of smaller diameter than the rim and base, so this section had to be filled with layers of Isopon and filed/sanded, until brought flush with the top and bottom sections.

The dainty little Bagnall dome (also suits Hawthorn Leslie locos) is rather like an upturned pudding basin and much different in profile to the supplied Peckett casting.
The replacement was cast from resin and, I think, captures the "look" of the prototype.

Finally, the cab floor was fitted out with the boiler backhead and other detailing (the internal sections of the coal bunkers are still to be added).

The pattern for casting the circular safety valve base (which will sit on the section of boiler exposed between the cab front and saddle tank rear) has been made and the mould is curing.

Next patterns to be made will be for casting the under-tank boiler sections which will be fixed to the saddle tank and conceal the motor block and the sound card which sits thereon.

More soon.

John

[John Candy]

Last few days spent mainly on detailing cab and tank and priming the brass cab parts with Teroson etch spray.

The cell pack has been fitted into the saddle and held in place by two brackets bent up from aluminium sheet and screwed into the saddle sides.
The cells are elevated sufficiently, so that the sound card and part of the Electron 12 ESC can be mounted on top of the motor block.

The next steps are to fit the lower boiler sections beneath the saddle tank and then drill the running plate for mounting bolts/screws.

The cab is ready for the Plastikote "Royal Blue" to be sprayed, after which the cab floor/ interior detailing unit will be fixed into the cab.

Meanwhile, the National Brewery Centre Museum is kindly seeking details of the cast brass plates fitted to the cabsides of the Worthington locos.

Taking a break next week, which will give the paint a chance to harden before tackling the running plate/mainframe detailing.

[John Candy]

More pictures.

[John Candy]

The loco is currently in the airing cupboard, the cab unit having been finished and sprayed "Royal blue", the tank/smokebox unit being in grey primer.
By the time I get back home it will have hardened off nicely.

Meanwhile, I have received attached photo from National Brewery Centre showing the details of the cabside plates carried by all the Worthington fleet (the number"1923" is in fact the year of build of the loco, my model being of a 1945 example).

I am most grateful to the museum volunteers for replying to my enquiry so promptly.
I now need to order some engraved/etched plates for these and the "W G Bagnall" works plates (which were fixed to the front sand boxes).

John.

[John Candy]

I have been a bit quiet recently on the Bagnall front but the project has been slowly progressing.
Last couple of days have been spent stuffing all the controls and wiring into the limited space.
It is powered by 16.8V cell pack and controlled by an Electron 12 ESC (from Peter Spoerer) with 2.4GHz R/C.
As with all my locos, it is equipped with a "MyLocoSound" card  (manufactured by forum member Peter Lucas).
Final set-up of the speed and sound systems and testing on the rolling road was completed yesterday.

The only "structural" items still to be resolved are the extra-large buffer heads which were fitted to these locos (these will eventually replace the standard GRS ones currently fitted).
These brewery locos were fitted with 5-link couplings (presumably to provide additional "stretch" on very sharp curves) and these have been fitted to the model.

The etched "Worthington" plates for the cabsides and the Bagnall works plates (which fit on the front sandboxes) are due from Guilplates in the next week or so.
The elaborate red/white lining on the tanks, cab, and sandboxes will eventually be applied, when the transfers have been produced. The buffer beams will also be edged in black/white lining. The loco numbers were painted on the tanks of the Worthington locos and the, gold on red, oval cartouche bearing "No.1", will also be a transfer.

There are a few low resolution photos below, taken indoors, which do not reproduce the Royal Blue colour very well.

You will be able to read the full story in the G3S Newsletter.

[John Candy]

More photos.

[hornbeam]

Very smart John.

[John Candy]

The "Worthington" and "Bagnall" plates have just been delivered from Guilplates.

In my view, they have done an excellent job and the red plates should look splendid on the Royal blue cabsides.

John.