The front steps

As with the rear steps, electrical isolation is an issue here - in fact more so as the bufferbeam also has to be joined this time. I've heard that better modellers than me have had difficulty here so I'll take a conservative approach.

But I also have a second problem. Test-fitting the steps against the footplate I find that the sandboxes are in the way. Ages ago I filed the sideframes short to get them to fit into the jig. Looking back at the photos it seems like a negligible amount, but perhaps this is payback time - the sandbox is going to look squashed between the steps and front axle. Ah well, nothing I can do now.



I'd already built these steps

I can have the steps in contact with the sideframe, or the footplate, or the bufferbeam. Isolation from all would be ideal but may be difficult. I decide to ensure isolation from the footplate and bufferbeam, so I start with a thin smear of epoxy on the back of the steps, along the sides that may otherwise touch those areas.

The steps have to be fitted below the top of the footplate to ensure that the bottom of the steps extends below the bufferbeam frame.


Yes, unfortunately the footplate does bend up at the end :-(

But the steps are isolated from everything :-)


Top of the steps filled with epoxy and made square with fine wet-and-dry.

The rear steps

The steps seem to vary on the prototype. Some have a very defined "L" shape, others look much flatter. So far as I can tell my prototype had a pronounced L-shaped rung at the bottom and two flat steps.


rear steps etch

Note that the rungs are thicker on the left side. Folding this etch results in a set of very slightly L-shaped steps.




So I can't really use these. Think I may have to make some steps from scratch in styrene sheet, but decide to try a bit of butchery first. Separating the parts, I cut out the larger central steps and file the inside smooth.


With a little filed off the thick end, these will now go together the other way around.


Much closer to my prototype. Now I've only got a thin strip at the top to attach to the footplate, but this could work out well.

There is a potential problem fitting these steps, in that they could connect the metal overlay on top of the footplate with some part of the underside. This thin strip now won't make electrical contact with the footplate.

I've filed a gap in the footplate deep enough that the steps should lie flush with it (next time I'll do this before fitting the tanks).

top of the steps not touching the metal overlay.

Now I can use epoxy to carefully fill the gap.


Cruel in close-up, but reasonably pleasing I think from usual viewing distance.

Painting the wheels and sideframes

Well, I haven't been looking forward to this (as I said), but I really need to paint the sides before I fix the steps.

My blackened chassis has got quite a lot of shiny metal showing through now. I think it'll be OK to leave it like that, but perhaps this means blackening isn't the way to go for the more visible areas.

I still like the Humbrol black I used earlier so I start with that on the wheels.


I've heard that these soft metal wheels are susceptible to rust so I polish the tyres and rims with wet-and-dry paper, grades 500 then 1000 and 1200.

Same colour on the sideframes, well thinned at first.



With a second coat and dry brushed with grey weathering powder it's looking better.


Already I can see some shiny metal showing through on the left axle-box. It's one of those things that always distracts me on a model, but that's going to happen where there are moving parts, I suppose. Wonder if you can get ready-coloured metals...?



The bright unpainted rims look very obvious here, but reluctantly I'm leaving them. If I find that the wheels don't need much cleaning once in use, I can revisit this.

The guard irons

The extension at each end of the sideframes is the guard iron ("life guard").

front guard iron

From photographs they appear to bend inwards then back to approximately vertical.


rear iron

The tip should finish directly above the rail.

The tanks

Like the sandboxes the front and rear tanks are cast in whitemetal.

front tanks

These are glued under the front of the chassis.


There is the risk of a "short" here because the tanks are very close to the metal rail under the bufferbeam. Fortunately they don't quite touch, and in any case only one of the tanks is in electrical contact with the chassis (by chance the other has been isolated by the epoxy).

I suppose the small hole on the front of the tank can be used to secure the pipework from the front bufferbeam, but connecting this would make it difficult to remove the chassis. One to think about.


rear tanks (smaller one goes on right side)

The pegs fit in holes on the outside frame. I had to open the holes to get these to fit.

left tank


right tank


rear cylinder etch and castings

The etch folds around the casting.


On some locos these appear quite prominently situated directly under the back bufferbeam, but in several photos of my prototype I can't identify them. So for now I'll leave them off.