# The large Mason Bogies - from the Masterclass details



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 





When I joined MLS , about 8 years ago now, it was with the intention of building a Mason Bogie – that was done with the assistance from a lot of members: especially David Fletcher who ran a long running Master Class on building them. My DSP #12 Como was the result, and I believe that David used all the knowledge he had so carefully put together with Accucraft in China, where it resulted in the (totally sold out) Mason Bogies that they are making. 





Amongst the huge amount of drawings that he has made there are a small set, for the larger versions, of which the Denver & South Park bought 4 – these are the rarely photographed, 2 8 6 version, of which I believe there are only two photos. 





In conjunction with the 2 6 6 Masterclass there is enough to make one I believe, providing that you can source a motor and gearbox unit, that can act like Barry's original version that was also the pivot for the chassis.. Therefore having found a custom builder of that, and with some expansion of some of the drawings re the chassis for which David did 4 drawings of a ‘DIY chassis’ for the 2 6 6 version, in styrene I have started to build one. The drawings have as far as I am aware not been used at all, which is rather a waste, so now they will be! My thanks are due to David for making the extra drawings otherwise I could not be even thinking/attempting to build one of them. THANKS David!





The boiler is quite large being the same diameter as the 2 8 0 locomotives built for the DSP by Baldwin (and the subject of the latest Accucraft model) at 60mm diameter. That was difficult to find so I made a two layer boiler to be 59mm diameter from some large waste water pipe (and I now know a source for such pipe!) and added some 1/2mm styrene to bring it up to 60mm. I have also made the slightly less fancy (than the 2 6 6 version) bell rig that Mason employed, and from 2002 dug out the Hartland domes that I had ordered back then (2 sand, 1 steam). Those were modified and added to as David’s drawings. Then it was out the styrene for the boiler front, headlight brackets (for the Hartland headlamp) much fiddling about with small pieces were involved here! 





I have ordered from Doug Bronson a tender truck and a pilot as well, which he will kindly make on his laser cutter soon, and Barry (of Barry’s Big Trains) will sell me two pieces of his custom aluminum extrusion. Barry also returned the custom (designed by Jim Barron) driving wheels, complete with axles etc to me, for which I am very grateful, as they are a special design – Thank you Barry! 



Here are the first photos of my first steps building the loco, a trip to the model shop, emptied part of my cash reserves for ABS Plastruct so that is all now in stock; styrene card is easy, the other item is the cab: I ordered two (ages ago, one is on Como!), but the can still be bought from Doug Bronson if ordered – as a special order. The other essential item is the valve gear that as you will have guessed is also in stock, and is I believe still available from Harald Grosch. 

My apologies for the somewhat poor photos - the light was not good at all! Nothing is yet fixed, it has just been pushed together!



_









The blue disc is the start of the Nesmith stack from the single good (official) photo of the locos' It will be the last one built #28 'Denver', and p[ainted in an approxiamtion of the American 'Lake' color












The firebox utilised some of the offcut from the boiler and was re-scaled from the 2 6 6 version - its larger in diameter, and yes I duiidn't see the rear sand dome was wonky!

Back to work - there is an awful lot to do!


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Good for you, Peter!! I'm glad to see a new MasterClass project. I'll be watching your progress with great interest as I know it will result in a beautiful locomotive. 

Looking forward to more.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Winn,


Thanks for the kind comment - I will do my best to live up to it,









It is going to be something to keep me busy for quite a while I suspect.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Peter,

Good to see someone working on a Mason again. Your off to a good start, please keep the photos and progress reports comming. Can you give more info on the drive you are having built?

Chuck


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Chuck, 

Not yet as I do not know much about it!

The secernario is that I build the chassis, using David's drawing for a DIY chassis and I think there will be another layer added for strength possibly an extra 1mm sheet.

When I have done that the chassis will go down to our South Coast where there is a steam (Gauge 1) lcomotive and wagon builder - he uses someone who literally makes the gearboxes so will with (I think it was a Maxxon) motor he makes the gearbox to suit the purpose required.

I cannot afford for the loco builder to make the chassis (he is good and that means expensive) and has a long (1 year?) waiting list.

The motor/gearbox will be the same principal as Barry's - that is it will also act as a pivot.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

providing that you can source a motor and gearbox unit
Peter, 

I built a chassis last year using conventional smaller-scale techniques. Two pieces of brass strip 1" by 1/16th, one marked with the holes for the axle bearings, then I soldered the edges together and drilled the holes. If you are using one-piece side rods, the recommendation is that you attach the rod material at the same time and pilot drill the rods and chassis simultaneously so they end up the same. As I said, they've been doing this in gauge-O and smaller for years. 

The wheels and drive unit came from a pair of Bachmann Big Haulers. The motor unit includes the gearbox, and I see no reason why the motor couldn't be mounted vertically and used as a pivot. I think I uploaded a pic somewhere . .


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## alcashj94 (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter, 
good to see someone having a go at the big Mason, it will make an impressive model. Looks like you have a good start and with the other bits you have on the way or in stock it should be a fast build, the frames and tender etc. are much the same as the small Mason so you already know how to make them! 

If you get stuck with the chassis I can offer to try and do an eight coupled version of the simple chassis I made for my Bogie if you are interested. 

Keep us up to date with your progress. 

Allan.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 


Most of the week I have been working with tiny bits of tube and rod on the firebox, but first I dug out a Bachmann stack that, a long time ago, came from Hans-Jurgen in Germany(‘Vieraka’, on MLS): he had made it into a Nesmith design for his Mason Bogie, with a new top and then changed his mind and made another one – this time though it was a Congdon stack. I added the rivets and the re-painted (a dirty black – yes you can have such a color – there is a fair amount of brown in it). 


The result is a very good resemblance and a ‘Thank you’ to Hans is due and freely given; I added the base from the photo of ‘Denver’ and it is made removable by insetting some dowel in the center and that goes into a cross piece tucked inside the boiler tube – here is a photo of it; the flat crosspiece seems slightly sloping – that will be due to the hole being slightly off center! Center it on the hole in the outer smokebox and check it to ensure its straight. 
The base of the stack is the same as the Baldwin 2 8 0 and is very ‘British’ in design fill the gap after bending the base to match the smokebox radii with filler and finish it off with a plastic filler – so it can be sanded both smooth and having a multi radius curve to it. I then added the vertical pieces from strip, and again filled the rear edge. 



The two white disks are the locations for the front handrail stanchions which will be made much later! The boiler and smokebox were the painted – the boiler is polished aluminum from Humbrol (a white(ish) silver – being a lighter color than ‘polished steel’ in the same range) The silver then being varnished for protection. There is a drawing of the front of the 2 8 6's in Art Wallaces book on Mason locomotives - thay er much simpler than the ones used on the 2 6 6's.



Herea are some photos of the loco - furst of the painted boiler with the new stack











Taken inside as are all the photos in this insatlament, all are just placed in position, nothing is yet fixed.










A slightly 'top view' the headlight is from Hartland, with styrene brackets underneath it. Note the locations for the front (& only) handrail stanchion.The brwon colored disc is for the builders plate, in due course.











The front without the door unit, showing the cross piece that the wood dowel inside the stack fits into, making the stack removable. The massive stack and headlight seem to have given a good presence to the loco - I am very pleased with it so far. I will fix a copuple of cross part circles - each side of the hole that the motor will rise throughh to keep the lead that wuill be fitted inside the boiler in place - easily made from scrap. 


Now back to the firebox, this firebox follows the methods in David Fletcher’s original ‘Masterclass’ but is slightly larger. I used a section left over for the curved top and the rest is bits of plastic – lots of bits: no I haven’t counted them but it’s a large number of bits rest assured!. 
The steam pipe on these locos seems to be inside the boiler and firebox so is different to the original Mason Bogies; especially that means that the pressure gauge and any assorted pipe work come directly out of the firebox and not the horizontal steam pipe, so the pressure gauge sits directly on the firebox top and the throttle is through the back of the firebox. The pressure gauge has a oil lamp in front of it, made from a small bits of clear rod sanded to shape, then painted a thin white color.

The injectors are made from tiny bits of square plastic section, some weven tinier bits of tube and the pipes are frpm Evergreen plastic 1.5mm rod, bits of wure are added at the end. 


This loco has the original ‘Eames’ vacuum brake system so it is a quite different set of pipes in the cab to my last loco which I fitted with air brakes; David documented it all (for the 2 6 6 Bogies) but no steam pipe means some slight alterations en route. The system is a collection of small bits of tube, wire and rod, fitted to the engineers side, and is complete except for the exhaust extension - that will wait till the cab is done but I think it is in the right position. Both this and the main pressure gauge have a printed front that came from Jerry Barnes, also a long time ago – Thanks Jerry) they were dutifully stored on the computer: that was changed and they migrated to the new one – now they have started to be used. 
I added to the tray above the fire door an oil can and a small pot of grease. The valve wheels are from a Bachmann big hauler, with small press studs for the injector piping (which is painted white – representing insulation) the rest of the piping is painted copper color on an Indian red base as the copper paint is very thin. 











Sat on a pile of CD's which show the size quite well, the light is a little too yellow, but otherwise it is a reasonable impression. The 'Johnson Bar' is made (from styrene ) as stored for future use.


I am going to attempt a chassis from 3 layers of styrene (2, 2 & 1mm) the latter being cut like a bar frame design: I have some 'top hat' brass bearings that are the same bore as the Jim Barron axles to use in the chassis - the 2 8 6 versions added another axle to the 2 6 6 with the same dimenesion between axles (49mm) so a double copy(check the scale to see it is still correct!) has been 'cut and glued'; this will be used to make it from David's original DIY chassis drawings.


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Peter, 

Beautiful model work! 

Bob C.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 

Being a firm believer in the idea that a photo is worth a thousand words here are some photos of what has been made so far in the build. 

Most of the subassemblies are complete except for the most complicated – the underframe and valve gear.














































The coal load is built around a soft polystyrene core and has a thickish piece of copper wire, which can just be seen, to hook it out. The forward bit of the water legs is slightly narrower to assist i getting it inside the cab; this is quite a big tender. 





The cab is one of the original kits by Vance Bass, now available from Doug Bronson, and is the early design Doug also has the later cab designr. I had to trim off some of the wood at the bottom of the rear side windows and the vertical pieces blow them as the tender is larger that the one used on the 2 6 6 ‘s. I am told that the 2 8 6 cab was larger than the 2 6 6 , but thast is not available as a kit! 



The cab roof is made and will be removable. The tender deck has also been made and the lower firebox/vacumn brake and frames that fit onto it are also done. The Eames vacumn brake is the unit inside the outer frame rails with a dirty tan color leather bag. The other major unit is still being built is the tender truck is from the kit by Doug Bronson, and is very good, I hope to fit it with some LGB plunger pickups. 

Here is the










The underside of the tender deck










Still being bult this is the Doug Bronson kit of the tender truck. The wheels are the Bachmann 31mm diameter ones.



Moving to the front the pilot deck and pilot (also a Doug Bronson kit) are finished; I have added 1mm to each side moving out the cylinders to gain some extra space behind the slide bars: the original 2 6 6 was very tight here (I had to grind off some of the crank pin head) and thus the cross piece for the back of the slide bars will also have to be that 2mm extra width in the center.



















Front and rear of the pilot sub assembly. 



Finally a couple of photos, with the parts just placed in their locations – isn’t it looong! YES I know there is dip in the second view, it will not be there when all are fitted correctly and bolted in their locations. 



















Thats all for now

Happy Christmas a Good New Year to all at MLS, from (a co9ld and snowy!) England.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter,
thats great!
nice to see another Masterclass Mason underway!
(I think I might start up my Leviathan project again in 2012, for the 10th anniversary of the Masterclass! 

Three known photos of the 8-drivered masons..
they are here: 

DSP&P 2-8-6T 

Denver, Utah & Pacific RR - Middle Park - 2-8-6T 

I just checked the Arthur Wallace book on Mason locomotives,
it only contains one photo..the "Denver" builders photo..same photo that is in the link above. 


(anyone know of any other photos?) 


Scot


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Scotty, 

Thanks for the reply, ; and my apologies for not replying earlier.

yes there is a notable dearth of photos of them, though the pair of DSP photos both have their good points though the one of #240 (in UP black) looks rather sorry for itself! 

I wonder why they had a quite short life - the boiler seems to be big enough to provide plenty of steam. 

Meanwhile work continues on the building of #28.


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## alecescolme (Dec 20, 2010)

Great progress! Looking forward to seeing it finished. Great to see talent in the UK. 

Alec.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,

The motor and a 'custom made gearbox has now been fitted into the chassis for my big Mason Bogie

The motor is a Pittman I am told and the surrounding tube for it as seen in the photos; thet tube is 1" in diameter: that will have a 'top hat' shaped bearin g made from plastic tube to hold the chassis inside the boiler just as the system used in the 2 6 6. Barry (of Barrry's Big Trains) has provided some of his special aluminium section which can be used for this purpose.

The chassi is still away, the photos were taken by the fitter of the motor, who also made and fitted some power pickups, and it will be back with me at the end of May.

Here are a couple of his photos


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## Rich Schiffman (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter,

Now the build will get really exciting. The 2-8-6T should be a wonderful model and I look forward to your talented construction. Keep the photos coming please.

Rich Schiffman


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't know how but I missed this thread the first time through in 2010 but I'm all caught up now! It's looking great! I'll echo everyone else's comments about keeping the pictures coming! You "master modelers" and your projects absolutely make MLS fascinating!! Keep 'em coming!


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,

The decks have been cleared of the new buildings, my chassis came back with the motor, so work has re-started on the 2 8 6.

Having learnt how to dela with 'roll pins' (squeeze one end with a good pair of pliers, keeping it round so it can be started when feeding it intt the axle hole with a fine nosed pair of pliers. Goto your voce with the chassis and axle; open the vice jaws to allow the chassis to fit inside it with a gap for the roll pin to be fed down. Using a small (we call them toffee hammers) gently tap it in so there is an equal amount top & bottom. Practice firts though on an axle by itself!

I had 3 to fit, and in addition I added some spacing washers as well, especially on the rear axle which is allowed to move up & down; those washers keep the 'top hats' bushes in position, Mine are 20 thou thick. The front axle is also constrained as it will be almost hidden by the valve gear, so just a very small amount of movement is allowed here.

The coupling rods were recovered from storage, and fitted, all was well when I tried the powered chassis on my 'rolling road'.

The last section of the coupling rods has a joint, the bolt holding it will be soldered shut and the excess bolt (which can just be seen behind the crankpin for axle three)rcut off; the coupling rods are made from K&S rectangular tube with the next size up for the sections where they fit onto the wheels - as the photograph of number 28. All the bits are soldered together, with much checking to ensure that I had them correct.

Here is a photo- 












a photo from the front, showing the springs now fitted, after the infill pieces to the top of the chassis have been made, (the rear one is missing) and the pilot & cylinders are fixed in place; next will be the valve gea, starting with the rear cross piece.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

(Awww.....man!!) Peter, I think you have a problem with your photo as it's not coming through. (Blast! I was really looking forward to the picture!)


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Steve Stockham on 05 Jul 2011 01:43 PM 
(Awww.....man!!) Peter, I think you have a problem with your photo as it's not coming through. (Blast! I was really looking forward to the picture!)

Hi Steve, Mmm, I had a suspicion it may not come out - too much rushing to see a TV program - I have had another go and hopefully it will now work.


Sorry about that; more to come!


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Posted By peter bunce on 05 Jul 2011 02:21 PM 
more to come! 

Yes Please!

Cheers
Neil


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## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

It looks like you've got all the parts for a complete Mason Bogie, Peter. What a beauty. I can't wait to see it all buttoned up and running.


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

Great work Peter!! 

How much weight are you using, and where will it go? I have just cast weights for my Mason, but I am concerned that the huge chunk I have for the firebox is too much.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By astrayelmgod on 07 Jul 2011 02:15 PM 
Great work Peter!! 

How much weight are you using, and where will it go? I have just cast weights for my Mason, but I am concerned that the huge chunk I have for the firebox is too much. 

Hi,

Im sorry but I haven't got that far yet! 

You say your firebox weight is huge - providing that the screws that hold the two sections of 'u' shaped channel, as per Barry's design are both strong enough and tight enough and won't come loose the firebox is the best place for the weight, as it is the most central. My 2 6 6 Mason has a big chunck of lead there, that virtually fills the firebox upper portion; don't forget that the firebox is in two halves the best one for weight being the one below the tender deck of course?.

The Accucraft loco weighs much more - I don't know what metal they use but its heavy and seems (from picking it up) to be about there. If you are concerned about that area above the tender deck, can it be fitted with extra stiffening inside the 'U' sections perhaps?


The only other places for weight,I think are the boiler backwards from the (vertical) motor, or the front of the tender, with perhaps a variation as being over the top of the pivot for the rear truck. One final place is have you space in the chassis. Below the tender dack could perhaps have some extra, and internalside supports for a plate that holds the weight? It will be a bit of a fight to get it in perhpas,but just possible.


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Peter -- 

Sorry, I should have been clearer. The firebox weight I referred to is below the tender deck. I had not thought about inside the upper part. I also have weights made for inside the boiler behind the motor (large), one inside the boiler ahead of the motor (much smalller), and one for between the frame rails under the boiler (tiny). 

I should have said that I am using the stainless steel frame, and a Hartland motor. The stainless frame has a steel spine that runs almost all the way down the tender. Fletch said that the BBT motor could handle every bit of weight that I could stuff in there, but the Hartland motor should be about half that. He said not to put any weight inside the tender, but since mine will be full of sound generator and speaker, that is not an issue. 

Does your 2-6-6 have weight only in the firebox?


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 

Sorry for the delay, but I had to go to Wales for a short while. 


My loco weights just over 7lb and the Accucraft one is about 14lb weight. I haven’t taken the Accucraft one apart and do not intend to either, but I can add some more weight to mine. 
Here is a photo of the weights as fitted when it was being built, I do not have any in the lower firebox, and could also add a chunk to the front of the tender as well. The curced piece sits inside the upper firebox.












If any more is added (to the lower firebox) I think there will be a couple of end to end bearers to accept it – it was left empty to possibly add a sound card: that has not been done and if I fit one it will be in the rear of the tender. There is also a bit more in the smokebox/front of boiler as well.


That old bogey ‘hindsight’ is coming to add its bit re the weight! 
The 2 8 6 will have some weight fitted before the lower firebox has been added – its made, and fitting will be done in sequence. The firebox is quite large – much more so than the 2 6 6.

Time to go to the garage and get some more of my old lead flashing from the store!


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

In the meantime, I wrote to Hartland and heard back from Phil Jensen, and separately from Becky Coates. Phil said that their 4-4-0 wieighs three pounds, and that would be about the right load for the gears. Becky said that their 4-4-0 with brass domes wieghs five pounds, and the Big John (two motors) wieighs eight pounds. At fourteen pounds, I assume the Accucraft has metal gears, but at that price, it had better have the best of everything. 

Thanks for your help.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 

The Accucraft will I think have a gearbox, but it is hidden inside the boiler: ther motor itself is the rear 1/3rd of the boiler, but the final drive to the bogie is by a toothed rubber belt, runningvertically! 

Yes, it suprised me as well. 

Thanks for the info. from Hartland.


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

OK, I weighed the locomotive, and it came to about 5.5 pounds. It was in a cardboard box, so your mileage may vary. But it looks like I don't need any weight at all. 

Also, I weighed the lead weights by the displacement method, and that came to ~3.6 pounds. That was for the largest possible weights in the rear boiler and firebox (~1.5 lbs each); and about 1/2 that in the front boiler. The portion of the boiler/firebox inside the cab is large enough for a weight about the same size as the rear boiler.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 



Its been quite a time since I said anything about #28 – other things have been getting in the way, demanding attention, and I have been waiting for some extra parts as well. 



But now the Walschaerts valve gear has been assembled on the chassis; clearances are, to say the least, tight in several places; I am glad I added 2mm to the width of the cylinders! I still needed to reduce the depth of the bolt head for the front axle to have some clearance there. 



Some parts had to be made, David Fletcher provided the drawings, and I had in stock some 1mm thick brass to cut them out from. I still had some difficulties – no doubt as a result of me making things slightly wrong somewhere along the building! 



Now some solder is needed to fix the nuts securely and then the excess can be rernoved from the bolts. Barry (of Barry’s Big Trains) kindly provided me with both some extra long bolts, and some of his custom made channel as well – the bolts were needed, and also Rich Schiffman and friends also sent me some – the size is not available here in the UK. The channel will also be needed to allow for the extra axle over the 2 6 6. 



The coupling rods are made from K&S brass tube and the rear portion, between axles 3 & 4 has a hinge; axle 4 also has some stiff wire springs for it.




























Everything moves, though some fine tuning is still needed, that requires some assembly of the boiler, running boards and cab - so that I can attach the vertical tubes to the cross shaft (across the top of the boiler) and the Johnson bar back to the cab. Most are made, assembly is the time consuming bit - after the valve gear! 

The final rod - from the curved link back to axle 3 looks to be sloping outwards - it isn't the one to the disc on the slider does slope slightly - I reduced that by thickening the rear of it. That kept the vale rod (at the back of it) straight.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Peter, 

Nice work on your bogie, that motor and gearbox should move it around just fine. your valve gear looks great. cant wait to see it all together. keep up the fine work. 

 chuckger


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,





At last my 2 8 6 has been put together; the valve gear was somewhat complicated to get working OK, I had to make some parts, which meant that the 1mm thick brass I bought a while ago came in very useful. There are a few bits still to add, and some bolts to be soldered tight and the unwanted bits then cut off. 





Other things have been getting in the way of loco building as well (including preserving fruit from the garden, which had a very good crop of apples this year). The freezers are now full, and the jam store is also full up!





Back to #28 - I have weighted it with lead with it being fitted inside the three parts of the firebox, inside the cab, below the cab, and at the back of the boiler, so the total weight is 8 pounds or so. The cab is fully fitted and taking a leaf from Jim Barron’s model I have left the cab roof loose so it can all be seen, a couple of photos included below.





David Fletcher will soon (he is rather busy, so his time is in short supply) work his magic with his CAD program and make the masters for the decals, which are to be for the last one of four that were built for the Denver, South Park & Pacific. RR - #28 ‘Denver’.





When those are fitted I will add a final photo or two. Meanwhile, thanks are due to both Barrie of Barry’s Big Trains for the extra bolts and aluminum sections, and also to Allen at Missouri Locomotives Co., for some more bolts – the loco uses ‘4-40’ bolts - that is a size unknown over here in England. They have all been most useful.





David Fletcher, all that time ago (the drawing were made in 2002) must have wondered if it was worth making them after myself and other modelers of the Mason Bogie Masterclass badgered him for a set: they were (understandably) ) not as complete as the 2 6 6 versions, but there has been enough to work with – The outside Walschaerts valve gear is different and it did cause some head scratching, some of it will have been as a result of some minor errors that I think have crept in somewhere but they have been sorted out (I hope). 





Some years ago I laid in the extra bits, which have finally been used in this loco, and some more parts made by me at the same time, saving a lot of work. David gets a great BIG ‘Thank You’ for all the work he did on these Mason Bogies. This loco is I think, the only FN3 scale (it started out as G scale but things changed en route) model.





Here in the rainy Northwest of England we have had for the last 5 days or so a weather front off a Low Pressure area sat over us; that means rain; not heavy but persistent, and it really never stopped. Today it finally moved off a bit and we have had both dry weather and some sun; that was sufficient to get out the camera and take some photos of the loco on my track. 





Here they are: its time for me to save some words, though there are some extended captions - 










Running round the curve after the 90 degree crossing. The front handrail knobs are scratch built, having a piece of wire for the center, a piece of tube for the 1.5mm handrail, and the the wire bulked out with filler after gluing onto the wire a tiny piece of styrene card to accept a bit of tube for the flagstaff. The flagstaffs themselves which can also fit into the pilot deck locations for them are wire, plastic tube, and an old handkerchief for the flags; the edges of which have been turned over and glued down with clear glue.











A slightly higher view of the loco










Down on the ground for the poor photographer (me!) having laid down a large sheet of polythene against the wet lawn) with the loco on my trestle.




















Inside the cab, with twin pull cords for the bell, and a central cord with a 'canvas' (actually its some 'heat shrink' tubing for the crew to grab when the whistle is needed. I found that the straight rod(?) in the builders photo hit the rear sand dome(possibly as a result of me using the Hartland Loco Works Domes - which saved me some work; I think the new curved (wire) rod looks good anyway! It also allows the filler to be taken off the rear sand dome.


I added from fine square wood section the internal framing to the cab from what Jim Barron did with his Mason Bogie Cab: stained and varnished before fitting it in place. The coal load is removable with just the front bit being fixed.












Fireman's side of the loco













That photographer is back at ground level again, this time he has some dry paving flags to crouch on. I didn't realize that the boiler water feed pipe had a slope to it - I will have to see if I can 'fix it''.










Another ground level photo, just before my original 'Pony Truss' bridge. 











And finally both Mason bogies together - products of 'myLargescale.com' Master Classes, and the members of MLS assisting me when necessary.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Bravo Peter!! She really came out well! Wow, the _Denver_.... I think that means that, now, there is a representative model of _all_ the different Mason Bogie classes!


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Fantastic Peter. Another fine model. You should be proud to have attempted such a difficult project. Bravo!!!!

Doc


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

That sir, is one impressive bit of modeling. Congratulations on a job well done.


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## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

Congratulations! 
The pair look great. 

I hope David Fletcher enjoys them, too. 

I run a San Juan live steam and am THRILLED with it.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Peter,

A super job on the big Bogie, a great addition to your loco fleet. Hope it runs as good as it looks How many cars can it handle??

Chuck


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks fantastic Pete, 
I have the decoration drawn for this engine long ago, but I'll need to size it and set it up for the 2-8-6T. Will have to wait a few weeks I'm afraid. 

It'll look sensation with all the gilding. 
At least the 2-8-6T drawings didn't go to waste. I did cover the 2-8-6T loco components in all chapters, except the backhead, which would be done like the 2-6-6T. 

Many thanks, 
David.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Congratulations Peter! Fantastic job.It has been a while coming but well worth the effort. I will be looking forward to seeing the decorated final product.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,

David Fletcher had produced a 4 page PDF  set of decal masters for #28, and these were sent to Stan Cedarleaf for printing: both of them excelled themselves in their work ,and I had the complicated job of adding them to my model. The intention is to show the loco 'as delivered' from Wm. Mason's factory - thus it had the Eames vacuum brake system.


After I had my previous work out of the way (the Hotel building) there was a large space cleared for the loco to receive the arguably the most 'important bits' to be added; the decals are certainly the bits that add the most as the decorate in red & gold the dark brown base color.

Having picked up my courage I started and several days later the job is virtually complete. Yesterday the weather was not very good - today, though still cold has had more sun, so it was time to get wrapped up and go outside with the camera, and loco to my photo spot - on the 'small' trestle.

Here are the results - the sun really was to low and a bit bright but I think they are the best I could have managed at this time of year - the sun was fat being lost tho the bulk of the house.












From the engineer's side tkane low down on the path 












A bit of a slope - sorry about that and the cut off pilot as well!" Decals everywwhere 












Engineer's side again but a 'low down' view - the little white line under the smokebox is a wayward bit of decal backing sheet - which has now been removed!e 




















A couple of views of the rear - Two plans of this loco showed a number panel here so I asked David if he could add one into the decal sheet - this is the result; the two fixing brackets on the rear of the tender/bunker wereremoved, the area re-apinted, and new slightly smaller brackets have been made - they still need adding, one of the small list of jobs to be done. 












A final slightly 'out of focus ' view - I have made a number of sets of fireman's tools for my locos - here is #28's they still need a clinkers breakwer to be added - sorry about the duff focusing, this hot was handheld. 




















Finally a couple of photos with the loco being the largest Mason Bogie design that the DSP&PRR had should have behind it one of the largest freight cars - the Charcoal cars - they were so big that later they were fitted with standard gauge trucks and disappeared from the Narrow Gauge.

A big Thank You to both David for the superb 'gilding of the lily' (though these were said to be 'Banking engines' for the passes), and equally to Stan for his superb work on the decals. 


Enjoy!


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter,

Another beautiful job. The decals are fantastic. You work is amazing as always.

Doc


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Peter,
Verry verry nice. You have done a remarkable job building #28. Another fine addition to your fleet. 

Chuck


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice work, Peter, as usual. 

Did you have plans/photos/drawings/??? for the inside of the cab? I don't see any place for the crew to sit down. Was there anyplace, or was sitting considered too effete in those days?


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter........ That's fantastic....









Proud to be part of the "team".


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## alecescolme (Dec 20, 2010)

Very nice and professional looking! 

What type of varnish do you use to seal the decals? 

Thanks, 
Alec


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By astrayelmgod on 17 Jan 2012 03:34 PM 
Very nice work, Peter, as usual. 

Did you have plans/photos/drawings/??? for the inside of the cab? I don't see any place for the crew to sit down. Was there anyplace, or was sitting considered too effete in those days? 


Hi, Thanks for the question - No I don't - I assume that the were by the front edge of the doors a pair of tip up seats, in the closed position lying against the inside of the cab wall below the 2nd window from the front - there is just about 12" clearance there. 

People were small (in 1880) and I think that they could fit there (just!), a quick check across my hips revealed a width of 15" so I could not fit, (mind you I was born 160 years + after that!!) - another detriment of narrow gauge perhaps? When I have them ready (and Bachmann are much too wide they will sit on a block of scrap, glued to the floor and painted a dark brown so they will disappear in the 'gloom'.


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

That was about what I measured as well, but I didn't know if I had overlooked something, or otherwise messed up. 

Thanks for the info.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By alecescolme on 17 Jan 2012 03:54 PM 
Very nice and professional looking! 

What type of varnish do you use to seal the decals? 

Thanks, 
Alec 

Hi Alec,

I use Johnson's 'Klear' BUT they have changed the formula now so you cannot now use it - alas! (for other members that is in the UK: I think that in the US the formula used is still the same but I could be wrong).The general opinion from other web groups is that 'Lakeland' make a hard floor polish that will replace it, or an acrylic varnish will seal them down.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

This was the 2002 Masterclass, if I remember correctly, so the _Denver _would be the 10th anniversary model!!


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Steve Stockham on 20 Jan 2012 07:28 AM 
This was the 2002 Masterclass, if I remember correctly, so the _Denver _would be the 10th anniversary model!!










Hi Steve, I hand't workled that one out - and it wasn't planned that way! I think that David & all the others would think its a good way to celebrate it!


Thanks for the thought! Glad to produce something to celebrate it







The whole Masterclass was very good, and from it I learnt a great deal and also how to build G scale (alright to be exact FN3 scale) locomotives.


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