Over The Top

The roof has been the focus of work on Gwyrfai this week.

In the photo you can see the structure I use with the flat false ceiling, longitudinal ribs and the styrene skin over the top and glued only at each edge.

I’ve also made some shapers to help form the sloped end at the front.

The voids will be filled with Milliput, which although it takes longer to set provides a much smoother and more solid structure than filler ever could.

Brass Bands

Garratt 130 inches forward still.

Now the cladding is being sorted out on the real one Himself has added the brass strip around the boiler tube to create the effect.

One of the biggest unknowns - to us at least - is what form the big steam pipes out of the ideas of the smoke box will take.

As far as we can tell each of the WHR Garratts is different.

Who knew?

Van Production

Part of the weekend was take up with fulfilling the first orders for Van 51 kits.

The castings provide a body for the van in its current condition after many rebuilds over the last half century, including the balcony steps and fits neatly onto a Dundas Quarryman’s carriage chassis - which is what the real one used.

Builders can choose to make a roof out of styrene or brass and fit their own balcony rail.

Plastic Surgery

The camera can be unforgiving sometimes - this is not as rough as it looks when seen with the Mark One eyeball.

I’ve faced the brass former at the front of Gwyrfai with styrene and added the second layer of panelling detail.

The next job will be one of the most testing ones - to fit the roof skin and form the sloping front section.

Keeping Pace

Himself keeps a close watch for online updates on progress with NGG16 130 at Dinas to see when it’s safe to add more bits to our Backwoods kit.

Now that some of the big external pipe work is being fitted he has followed suit.

What with Welsh Pony taking a big leap forward these are exciting times to be modelling the contemporary FR / WHR.

Take The Floor

I had one of my most productive days in a while at the weekend getting to grips with the returned Gwyrfai.

The first task was to replace the temporary floor with one that fits all the way to the curved front, which will help to make it more rigid during handling.

I also knocked up the skirts along the side which hide all the brake gear and other ancillaries underneath.

Once that was done I prepared the false ceiling which will be used to secure the top of the body sides and will have the roof skin formers added next.

It is also the base for the domed end which will be shaped in Milliput.

Brass Front

It was a delicate operation but Himself has done a brilliant job fabricating and fixing on the brass front piece of Gwyrfai.

Now it’s my job to laminate it with a thin styrene surface and make a proper chassis to replace the temporary one it has just now.

I think it’s definitely captured the look of the real one, don’t you?

The challenge for us both will be to complete it in time for the Perth show at the end of June.