Brassmasters Duchess test build

[Jim S-W]

Hi All

I am currently embarked on building a test build of the forthcoming Brassmasters Coronation or Duchess kit. Way before I got distracted with Brettell Road I always thought that if Brassmasters ever did a Duchess i would have a go at building one as 46235 'City of Birmingham'. Well now they are and so I am!

Of course its a personal opinion thing but I never really liked streamlined steam locos. While the Duchesses were a little more thoughtfully designed than the god awful GWR efforts I always thought they looked a bit like an upturned bath tub and have to admit the A4's did look a fair bit better. However with the streamlining taken off the Duchesses were 'it'. The steam locomotive version of the Concorde moment. To my eyes, at least, the pinnacle of steam loco perfection.

Anyway enough hero worship and on to the model. Starting with...


The main sub-frames. The loco frames come in 3 sub sections related to the wheels. A driving wheel section, a pony truck section and a bogie section.


The chassis upside down, test fitting the main coupling rods.


The main frame with the brass overlays fitted.


The front or bogie area sub-frame.

More to follow.

[Jim S-W]

So progress continues on my Coronation build.



The front frame is as far as I can go for the moment. (I don't have the cast bits for the loco yet. If you are wondering about the cylinders they are a separate sub assembly.



No problems with the pony truck so far. The kit provides for both the earlier and later types. This is the later one.



The bogie is compensated. As the bogie is the only part of the loco that traps the wheels in place I have used some old/rejected wagon wheels for the moment. I ideally only want to put wheels onto the axle once if I can.



Without the wheels in the way.



I couldn't resist a temporary mock up to see get a better feel for the loco. I've used a High Level Road runner + gearbox. The main drivers don't have their springs in place yet so its sitting a little off at the moment.

[Dad-1]

I just don't know what to say other than

'Wow'

Certainly beyond my ability, just watching in wonder !!

Geoff T.

[glencairn]

Stunning!!

Modelling to the highest degree.

Well done.

Glencairn

[Jim S-W]

I've moved away from the loco for a while as the next stage of the build is the cylinders and I don't have the castings i will need for them just yet. So attention has shifted to the tender.


The first stage is the outside sub frames - a simple box really. The kit allows for springing or internal compensation. I've opted for springing.



Underside of the tender showing the sub frame, brake gear and water scoop gear. A little fiddly but its been fun to build so far.

[Bigmet]

That's going to look fabulous when complete. Will it be screw assembled to break down into major components for painting?

[Mountain]

It is soo tempting not to paint it when it is built. It looks so good in brass.

[Jim S-W]

That's going to look fabulous when complete. Will it be screw assembled to break down into major components for painting?

Yep

[Jim S-W]

It is soo tempting not to paint it when it is built. It looks so good in brass.

I know I always get that with etched kits.

[Jim S-W]

The tender chassis is now effectively done - Not a lot else to say really so here's some pictures.


Right hand side


Rear end


Front, or loco end.

[iankemp]

That looks really good.

[Bufferstop]

As usual Jim it leaves me lost for words.

[Jim S-W]

Moving on to the tender body...



Brassmasters supply a basic sub structure with different overlays for the 3 main types of tender found behind a Duchess.





This is the coal chute and front bulkhead assembly.



The 2 sub assemblies test fitted together.

[Bufferstop]

I'd be a bit pigged off that it's no longer possible to pop in and take a look at the prototype now that it costs an arm and a leg just to get through the door.

[Jim S-W]

Progress on my tender build continues. This is the front end with some of the detail started.



And the rear end.



Inside showing the fire iron tunnel and and the coal pusher which is a 3d print.
Below are the some images of the tender in its nearly complete state. There's still a few bits I need such as the ladder etc but focus will now shift back to the loco.