Restored GWR Prairie Tank
I bought the engine from the late Jim Heaton's estate, the loco could be described as tiered and well used with several repairs that mired the whole, there was only one way to restore the engine which meant stripping it down and removing all the paint back to bare metal. This process revealed several bad repairs and some of the body panels did not line up, that said the body is an accurate model and well detailed. However, the chassis was the exact opposite the coupling and con rods were crude stampings, crank pins were just bolts and the wheel centres had large countersunk washers to take the hex screws.
New con and connecting rod were made, also crosshead and piston rods, the buffers were not accurate so new ones were turned and fitted, the model was then sprayed with primer and appropriate top coat.
Now the engine looks like the real thing and I am well pleased with it, I hope Jim would approve?
Mike
(https://i.ibb.co/XbF334Y/P1090460-B.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XbF334Y)
(https://i.ibb.co/SryfK7H/P1090668-B-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SryfK7H)
(https://i.ibb.co/Zf9GZFp/P1090670-B-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Zf9GZFp)
(https://i.ibb.co/VW0c74k/P1090672-B-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VW0c74k)
I'm sure he would Mike - lovely job.
IanT
Looks great. I'm in the process of rebuilding one, did you make the new coupling rods yourself or get them laser cut?
Thanks.
Simon
Simon
I made the rods myself as I have a small CNC mill.
Mike
As well as a lovely model Mike, very professional photography too; any tips?
Regards, Tim
My, you have been busy....only a couple of weeks or so since you bought it!
Nice paint job.
Regards,
John.
Gents
Thank you for your kind comments,
Tim re photographs, I think the key is the height of the lens to the engine, in real life you would be online or below the centre line of the boiler, and that's what I try to emulate, also a white background does not conflict with the subject, I use a piece of white card in front of the engine to reflect the light back onto the subject as
dark subjects soak up light so you need to over expose, that also brightens the background.
Mike