GKP Goes Live Steam - Body

The body I chose for this project was the Simply 7/8ths 18" Gauge Henry from Mikes Models.

The body kit as it arrived.

I really like the proportions of this body on the Billy chassis and boiler.  Along with the body kit I also had them supply two domes (which are actually from Roundhouse Engineering) one drilled for the safety valve and the second not drilled.  The picture on their web site shows a model which uses the Katie boiler instead of the Billy boiler which means the safety valve and dome are close to the cab rather than near the chimney as on my model.

This was my first etched brass kit assembly but it was a fairly simple job to fold up the body parts that needed folding and then work my way through soldering up the body.  I used a small gas torch bought from Aldi as a chef's creme brulee torch for soldering.  This makes the job nice and fast.  Clean components are essential and a little flux to encourage the solder to flow where you want it to and a nice clean job can be made of it.

Body test fitted.  You can see my beginner's soldering job.

Having made up the body I needed a way of fitting the second dome to the boiler.  I had a bronze plumbing fitting which was surplus to requirements and seemed a good place to start.  This was mounted in the lathe and turned down till it was a nice fit inside the blank dome.

Dome mount fitted.

Then a radius was filed into the bottom to fit the boiler and the mount was fitted to the wrapper.

Dome fitted to boiler.

Coupler rear face being trued up.

Next it was on to the couplers.  They are 7/8ths scale castings from the Talisman range supplied by Si Harris at Model Earth Design.  I wanted to true up the rear of the castings so in turn I temporarily soft soldered them into another surplus bronze plumbing fitting for mounting in the lathe and turning.

Then it was time to paint the body.

Parts etched and ready for the next stage.

First up was a good clean and then a spray with etch primer.  Etch primer is particularly important with brass as brass is notoriously difficult to get paint to stick to.  Proper preparation is key and selection of an etch primer that is suitable for brass is a must.

Baking the paint.

For the top coats enamel paints were chosen.  Satin black for the bodywork and boiler, a red engine enamel for the buffers, and a flat pot belly black for the smoke box and chimney.  Each coat was baked in the oven and the result has been a nice tough paint job.

Newly painted, Melly sits on the rails.

And from the rear.

Buffers undergoing modification.

Having mounted the couplers I found that they were too low for my 7/8ths stock and needed to be raised up a few millimetres.  30mm rail to centre was chosen as a suitable height and the buffers and couplers removed for alteration.

Couplers and chains raised to a more suitable height.

To complete the job she needed a set of name and works plates.  These were ordered from Narrow Planet and fixed on with a silicone free acrylic caulk.

The "completed" locomotive ready to enter service.