LocoWorks - GVT Loco (5) - last bits and ...

At the rear of the cab, frames for the window

A little trim to fill the gap between the cab front and roof; frames for the windows...

a small coal bunker in the back of the cab....

Filled the gaps with some Millput, added some thin cosmetic plates to hide the mess where the couplings were orginally

A start on the cab backplate....

final cab backplate, just approx right shape with some bits on it. This will be hidden in the cab once the roof is on so very basic look will do...

and thats the last bits done and today it got a coat of primer....

final coat in black livery, couplings, nameplates, some crew and it'll be ready for service....😀

Sunny Sunday (10) - GVT loco trial run....

 Looking good in the sun-shine, the GVT loco...

running round.....

nice to get to the point where I have the loco running 😀

LocoWorks - GVT Loco (4) - mostly complete ?

 The fiddling, fettling and faffing continues....

Strengtheners added to the interior of the front....

the top of the front was not level, so a little bit of plasticard added.....

strengtheners for the cab sides....( I knew those mini g-clamps I bought 5 years ago would come in useful)

Initial tidy up of window size and shape....

strengthener for the front of the cab...

beading round the cab door area ...

The back of the cab strengthened..

Improving the cab door definition and adding a door knob..

making the frame for the roof... (which lifts out, so I can put the roof on and take it off)

Roof top added and a view of the whole loco...

mostly complete, but quite a few things left to do..

• trim on underside of roof
• internal cab detail (backplate, coal bunker etc)
• front and back cab window frames
• fill in the holes and sand off
• a simple way to secure the chassis to the loco body
• some loco crew
• aftre that its off to the paint shop ....

LocoWorks - GVT Loco (3) - Skirts...

'The Side-Skirts' 

I re-inforced the thin cardboard skirts with some 0.5mm plasticard, then put some bracing in....

I made the inside strengthener 2mm wider so that I could add a strip of beading to the bottom of the skirt

nice to get the front part of the loco body back on and secure..

Beading round the top of the side skirts added plus the hinged access panels.....

the beading at the rear of the loco, I'm going to have to fill that hole up (it was where a large on/off switch was)

Bracing...

To make the upper part of the loco more robust I've put a cross piece in to brace it, and fixed it to the side tanks for extra strength.

LocoWorks - GVT Loco (2) - wheels !

 I had a spare LGB Otto 0-4-0 chassis, which is just suitable; valve gear and rods removed...

and some extra bits cut off to fit it under the loco...

Increased the length of the slot in the bottom of the loco to accommodate the chassis....

The chassis positioned - nice fit and room for the running weight inside the loco's boiler

about 8mm of wheel and con-rod show, when the chassis is in place - not that visible when it will be running (the con-rods could come off if necessary) 

LocoWorks - GVT Loco (1) - sizing up ...

 Out of the project box for a look and to take measurements to see what chassis I could buy that would fit in the space available...

While out the box couldn't resist doing a couple of quick jobs. First removing the old SM32 chassis guides form the base plate.

Next stick back on the chimney and other loose bits with superglue....

Once I've got a suitable chassis I can get on with work on the loco body.