LTM 51 in HO

Detailing of the drive units

In March 2021 I was caught running around in circles at the start of the detailing of the boiler cradle. I kept staring at photos, where which tube would go along the boiler. And every time I picked up the model to do the first details I got in doubt again, put the model down and achieved nothing once more.

To break this stalemate I turned my head to completing the drive units. There the situation was much clearer.

Brace yourself, this is going to be a lot of work (and reading) anyway. Not only were there many details to add, there was also much work in each detail as I needed to make many parts myself.

For me, detailing is ‘everything beyond the basic construction’. So all the fittings, pipes, handrails, etc. For the most part, detailing can be done in a relatively random order because many parts have no logical connection to each other. That is why the order in which I discuss these details on this page is also relatively random.

To limit the lengths of the pages I have split the description of this part of the build three groups

Above the footplate
Below the footplate
All sort of handrails

Such a thematic ordering naturally conflicts with the chronological order in which I worked, so in some photos you may find evidence of work that I have not decribed yet. Let that not ditract you.

The drive unit at the start of detailing phase. Click image to enlarge.

Index

Even so I had make a substantial to do list. It was quite a lot more work than I originally thought. For the oversight of the is page I made an index on which I recorded the progress.

Above the footplate

What	Where	Left	Right	Qty.
Engine cover	Close the gaps in the etch and file / sand smooth		x	10
Lubricators	At sides of the front end of the engine cover	x	x	2
Lubricator pump	At the rear of the running board		x	1
Lubricator tube	From lubricator pump to almost the sandbox covers		x	1
Sandbox covers	On the running board, left, front		x	2
Watertank hatches	On the running board	x	x	2
Headlamps	On the running board above the buffer beam	x	x	2
Air hose vacuum brake	Buffer beam	x		1

Below the footplate

What	Where	Left	Right	Qty.
Equaliser tube	Between watertanks (at the front below)			1
Derailment bar	Below the skirt under the buffer beam			1
Hoses for steam heating and pressure brake	Buffer beam	x	x	2x2
Sand boxes	At rear of the water tanks	x	x	2
Manhole cover	Side of the water tank	x	x	2
Water level indicator	Side of the water tank		x	1
Tread
Coupler	Buffer beam			1
Buffers	Buffer beam	x	x	2

All sorts of handrails

What	Where	Left	Right	Qty.
Handgrips	On the hatches of the engine cover	x	x	8
Handgrips	Below the buffers on the buffer beam	x	x	2
Handgrips	At the step in side of the water tank	x	x	2
Guardrails	On top of the running board	x	x	2