Detailing the superstructure

May 17 and 19, 2006

I had painted the model before but I didn't like it. I made novice errors and had learned from them. Though it had cost me quite some to get time where I was I decided once more to start all over again. I have learned that starting over again is better than continuing and not being completely satisfied.

I used the opportunity to swap the white metal head lights and safety valve for the same in cast brass from the Philotrain brand. The difference in detail is staggering.

Right the safety valve as supplied, left the Philotrain replacement

Adding the detail parts

Tail light mounted.

I made a novice error here. I wanted to stuff as much detail in the loco as I could. So I mounted both tail lights and all three headlamps at each side, which is very illogical. Crews are "lazy" by nature and hauling the relatively heavy lamps is not a joke. So in practise there would be no more lamps than strictly necessary, that is two headlamps on the side running forward and only tail lamps if the loco was running light engine.

But what's done is done, I only realised this simple truth after finishing the loco so I am stuck to it.

On the other hand, this photo clealry demonstrates that the loco's did serve with both tail and headlamps. No 7009 stabled uit Uithoorn 22 February 1950
©CC BY 4.0, Dutch Railways, D.C. Gerdessen. Catalgue number 166294, Het Utrechts Archief

Bending a tube

The valve on the lower tube was drilled with a 0,5 mm drill and two brass wires were soldered in (top).

Then it was placed and the wire to the pump cut to length.

A sandpipe was installed

Then it was polished with a polishing spindle dabbed with some polishing paste.

Some advice:

1. don't let the bell snag in the cotton and
2. don't let go of the bell.

In both cases the bell will gain air superiority.

After polishing, taking only about a minute or so, the bell receives an after treatment with a silver polish cloth and the bell shines.

Spot the difference (left)

The dome, the whistle and the safety valve got the same treatment.

I electrolytically copper clad the chimney crown (left).

This was a laborious process. I will not recommend it. The copper layer is very thin and although is looked the part initially, after twelve years the copper colour has all but vanished because of diffusion with the white metal below it. Today I would used other options:

• cut off the white metal flare and turn a new one from brass or altenatively
• airbushing with Alclad II metal paints as demonstrated on the right hand photo (from my NBDS 118 project).

Buffers and coupler were installed at the front buffer beam.

Mishaps do happen. This coupling broke off. I repaired it with my pin-and-hole technique as elaborated in my NS7851 repair. No visible damage left.

The top lamp got a similar treatment with the pin pointing down. Here the challenge was not to drill through the flared topside of the coal bunker. A test which I failed as you can clearly see. The protruding pin was filed flush and the rims of the hole were filled with Milliput.

I later removed the tail lamp irons and used simple s-bent brass wire to position the tail lamps.

Again the rear is fully equipped with all available lamps.