8 v.1
Solder the splasher fronts (parts 73/75 & 74/76) to the footplate edge so that their bottom edge is level with the bottom
edge of the footplate side.
Curve the splasher tops by rolling underneath a suitable rod or dowel on a soft surface - a piece of rubber sheet or
carpet, and solder them in place. For the earlier period with splashers fronts with beading and no rivets showing use
the splasher tops upside down.
Solder a 10 BA nut over the rear body fixing hole and reduce its thickness so that the cab floor will fit.
SECTION 15: FIREBOX AND BOILER
Solder together the three laminations of the firebox front (parts 46 & 47). The firebox rear and front must now be
spaced apart by using suitable long bolts and washers through the pairs of holes in both front and rear. Best is to use,
as I do, some old brass chassis spacers joined together with studding. When correctly spaced apart (26.5mm outside)
the front should fit in the half-etched recess in the footplate and the rear in the front of the footplate groove.
Emboss the four rivets for the ends of the cladding fixing bands on the firebox wrapper (part 128). In pencil, mark the
wrapper centre on its inside and outside. Using the notch in the top of the formers as a guide, centre the wrapper and
mark in pencil the position of the top bends.
Form the bends over a suitable rod or dowel held in a vice. Repeat to form the lower bends.
When happy with the forming solder the wrapper to the formers ensuring a large fillet of solder around the front join.
Check fit on the footplate and then remove the temporary spacers.
Round the front edges of the firebox with a file referring to photographs for the correct shape.
Make the firebox band joining clips by folding part 130 at right angles near the small hole. Solder them in place, from
the inside, through the four slots in the top of the firebox and complete by using a short piece of 0.3mm wire through
the holes to represent the tightening bolt.
Solder part 129 around the rear edge of the firebox and trim of the excess length.
Now for the boiler. It is important that the formers (parts 50 & 51) are concentric about the centre hole and of the same
diameter. To ensure this mount them together on a mini-drill arbor, or similar, and with the drill rotating file the edge
until they are exactly the same. All the boiler formers are a little oversize so the remaining ones (parts 49, 52 & 53) will
all benefit from some work with a file. Parts 52 & 53 must of course be the same size as parts 50 & 51.
Form the coned section of the boiler by rolling. This forming may be helped if the brass is first annealed by gently
heating it to a dull red and then allowing it to cool naturally. The wrapper is now checked for fit around the formers
(parts 49 & 50).
Solder the wrapper ends together with the aid of part 133 which must be shortened if you are fitting the % coned (D2)
boiler.
The formers are now soldered in place absolutely flush with the back and front of the boiler section with the notch on
the bottom of the rear former in line with the wrapper join. Solder two short pieces of 0.45mm wire into the two holes
in the rear former to act as dowels to locate the boiler and firebox. Check the boiler/firebox fit.
Roll the appropriate top feed pipe overlay (part 135 or 136) to the correct curvature and solder in place on the boiler
using the central hole to aid location. Do not solder the section which will be under the top feed casing to the boiler
and when the overlay is located remove this section by cutting through with a sharp blade. Attach the top feed casing
and form the top feed pipes from 0.8mm wire so that they 'disappear' behind the splashers. Solder the wire in place in
the 'slot’ in the overlay.
Prepare the smokebox/boiler wrapper (part 137) as follows:
Shorten the smokebox to the half-etched line for the early condition.
