G1 Stanier 8F by Stuart Rothwell
Detailed photos are below
I had completed all the projects on the go and was looking for my next one to have a go at. During these strange times I did not want to start another large project.
Gauge 1 scale can mostly be made from stock material. Whilst searching the loft one day I came across my Hornby Dublo 2-8-0 LMS 8F from my childhood days and used by my son on his bedroom layout. It was always the nicest runner of the Hornby locos I had, so thought that I would make one of those.
I remember a series of articles in EIM written by one of our members Roger Thornber, so sent for his drawings. His version utilises mostly laser cut parts, but since my main hobby is the making, all my parts are made from scratch.
The attached photos are of all the finally completed valve gear parts. These are all machined from mild steel bar. The difficulty is the size and fragility to hold whilst machining. The match in the pictures shows just what I mean.
After Christmas the task will be to finish the crankpins, set up the valve gear and get the chassis running on air. Having decided to make all the parts for the valve gear, I just hope all the dimensions are correct otherwise it might be start again time. Will let you know.
Whoever said that Gauge 1 locos are easy to make !
Feb 2022 - More photos below - I have completed all the valve gear components and rebuilt the chassis in a dry form ie. no gaskets or seals simply to check if the valve positioning looks okay before moving on to the boiler. All appears well so planning the boiler construction and deciding whether to gas or meths fire. The sharp eyed will notice that their are no pistons fitted but I have not attached them to the crossheads yet and did not need them to check the valve operation anyway.
March 2022 - More photos below - The boiler is completed. I have tested it to 60 psi without any sign of a leak and since it is more robustly constructed than my C class I am confident that when I offer it up for it's hydraulic, it will not have a problem.
April 2022 - More photos below - The smokebox is complete, except for handrails as waiting for stanchions.
June 2022 - More photos below - The boiler is now complete and after cleaning, ready for painting. It is fully insulated and lagged with all the details fitted apart for the handrails themselves. The next task is all the plate work, which will take some considerable time since I intend to cut it all out from sheet brass. So it will be a while before my next update.
August 2022 - More photos below - The running boards are finally completed, less some details for later. They seem to have taken an age to make. But, it is summer and other jobs keep getting in the way. The eagle eyed may notice the rivets, all 1/32 inch diameter and all peened over, about 150 in total. Must not have anything better to do. As I have said before, progress is slow but getting there.
September 2022 - More photos below - The latest addition is the completion of the cab.
November 2022 - More photos below - Progress has been slow recently due to my eventual success running my Princess. However back on the 8F now and decided to continue with the rest of the plate work, in particular the main tender parts as I needed to see the access and room for the pump and gas tank. The main plate work is now complete. Incidentally the tender made is a Stanier 9 ton 4000 gal. One of riveted construction, the rivets represented by 1/32 brass each one peened over. There are in total 1100 of them. Blackgates Engineering are now ordering them from me, rather than the other way round.
December 2022 - More photos below - Two more pics of my little engine. These show the axle driven pump, the eccentric follower is made but not fitted, and the tee pipes that connect the steam and exhaust. Not easy to fit these. Because of the size and therefore design up to 3 tho. longitudinal float may be needed on each thread. The steam supply pipes fitted well but the thread had to be eased on the exhaust to allow the cylinder to fit up against the frame. Should seal okay with Hermetite non drying when finally assembled.
April 2023 - More photos below. Progress has been slow due to helping a friend out with his 31/2 inch Rob Roy. The two new pictures are of the gas burner which I have made for it. Took quite a lot of experimenting to position the jet in the right place, in order to get the primary air supply correct and also with the gas diffuser inside. But, the result looks about right.
July 2023 - More photos below. After some delay doing other jobs, not least the garden, I have finally done some more work on the 8F. The gas tank, water hand pump and all the pipework is completed as the photos show. One or two bits of structural work to do then details and painting.
Aug 2023 - More photos below. The tender is now complete and after some cleaning up, is ready for painting. I have put as much detail on it as my patience will allow, got to stop somewhere !
November 2023 - More photos below. It seems such a long time since I sent an update on my little 8F, but I found some more details to make and fit to the tender. Once these were done, it was time to strip everything down and do the painting. Since I have to spray outside it took until the beginning of November to get enough calm, dry days and even then the boiler still needs it's final top coat. But, I have missed the best of the weather and unless I can locate a spray booth to use it might have to wait until next spring. However, it has just taken me two weeks to finally get to the chassis running on air. Whoever said Gauge 1 was easy, it has given me more issues than anything I have built previously. Partly because being so small, it is so fiddly but also everything I made was a nice good fit and at this scale some items would perhaps have been better made with slightly more clearance. Anyway it now runs nicely on 10 to 15 pounds and as it runs in it should need less pressure. There is one photo below of the chassis as it is at the moment and a very short video of it running here. Next task is to fit some more items to the chassis making it ready for the boiler and build up and seal the tender.
December 2023 - More photos below. I have managed to finish the spraying of the boiler and below are a couple of pics, also below is the tender fully assembled in it's completed state. Once this cold snap of weather is over it should not take to long to completely finish the little loco and move on to my next project.
December 2023 - More photos below. I have finely completed the 8F. The only task to do now prior to steaming is to make the three flexible pipes to connect the tender to the loco and then when steamed set the safety valves.
Now for my next project - an IOM narrow gauge which I am on with the project drawings for at present.
Click on a photo to see the full size version
