SHAND MASON FIRE ENGINE IN 1:6 SCALE

Part 10 by GUENTER KALLIES

Fittings and accessories


The most exciting accessories are the brass front lamps. Various types of carriage lamp are shown in illustrations. In most cases these were oil lamps, although the type that used a spring-loaded candle was not uncommon. The lamp body (904) can best be made from a piece brass square tube, which is soldered to the base plate (903). The roof (907) is cut from a suitable brass tube and soldered in place. A flattened brass wire can be installed on the solder line during the soldering process. Soft solder is recommended for this operation.

The bracket (901) and the spring (902) are bent from sheet metal and fastened with small rivets to the back of the lamp body. The inspection windows on one or both sides of each lamp should be glazed with Perspex. The lamp ring (906) is turned from brass. The lamp glasses (905) are also made from Perspex but turned and polished on the lathe. Double-sided adhesive tape can be used to hold this flimsy part on a mandrel made from a piece of round metal.



The siphon box (909) is attached to the middle of the cylinder lagging plate by small screws, and the feed pipes are bent to fit in the oil holes of the three main bearings. The box and the lid are made by the same method as already described for the toolbox or the rear side tank (821). The parts should not be cut to finished size at first. A slight overlap at the sides and bottom will make jointing easier, and can be trimmed off flush afterwards. The wick tubes (912) and dummy unions are in one piece, turned down from hexagonal material and are soldered in the siphon box. The feed pipes are also soft soldered into the dummy unions and bent to fit in the oil holes of the three main bearings. Wicks may be made from soft cotton yarn or ‘candle wick’. Their ends should reach the bottom of the box.


The Lubricators installed on each of the cylinder heads are comprised of three parts: The hexagonal base (915), the main tube (914) and the cap (913). The very small 0.8 mm hole in the hexagonal base and the pulsating action and pressure changes in the cylinder will ensure steady delivery to the cylinder.

The blanking caps (916 and (917) are made just like the union cap (734) (735) and machined in one piece. The pump handrail (919) is made from a piece of round wood and clamped with two small brackets (918) to the upper cylinder covers.

The following parts are attached to the substructure front wall. The branch pipe is assembled from two parts the pipe (920), and the nozzle (921), which are screwed together. The branch pipes are accommodated in a vertical position in holders at the two sides of the front substructure panel.


The holder (922) should be machined from a piece of brass and fitted with a M3 stud for attachment to the panel. The branch pipe guide (923) is fabricated from a piece of brass tube soldered to another piece of brass. Again a M3 stud should be made separately.

On some of the original engines a gong or bell (924) has been fitted to the vertical front of the substructure between the footboard brackets (810). In the model version does not have to work, but a more skilled model engineer can design and build a suitable mechanism to install inside the substructure.


Two brass nameplates bearing the maker’s name are fitted to the full-scale prototype: The rectangular plate (927) on the superstructure front panel and the oval plate (926) fitted to the near side of the boiler. Both plates can be made by photo-etching. Suitable instructions and the necessary chemicals are available from trade suppliers.


Painting, final assembly and first operation

Before the final assembly can be carried out, some preparations are still necessary. All visible brass parts should be polished and afterwards degreased. To prevent the parts from fading, a protective lacquer coating is recommended. However, this protection should only be used for a show model and is not recommended on a regularly heated engine.

A primer must be applied to all components that will be painted. For brass components a special etching primer is necessary. Black gloss is specified for the chassis and the coal scuttle. The rear side tanks, the grid and some components from the superstructure are also black. Spray cans from the automobile business are suitable for this job. Heat-resistant black stove enamel should be used for the boiler.

The wheels, the seat box, the trough and the turntable should be painted fire engine red. A gloss varnish adds to the appearance. Good preparation with primer and filler is necessary to achieve a high quality finish.

The most difficult task will, of course, be the lining. This work requires a steady hand. Before starting on the model, some attempts on a waste piece should be undertaken. The paint for the plastic model construction, offered in small containers, is best suited for this kind of work.

There are several special lining tools on the market. But it was found that an old fashioned tool, which can be found in most drawing instrument boxes, is fine for this job. This is the fork-shaped device with the lateral set screw – the draftsman’s pen.  A drop of paint can be put in the gap between the arms and the width of the line can be varied by adjusting the set screw.

Rulers and low-cost stencils made from thick plastic sheet should be used to apply the straight and curved lines. If the paint does not flow properly, more thinner can be used. Mistakes or drops must be wiped with a cloth immediately.

Finally the lettering will be attached. Letters from the Letraset series are available not only in black colour but also in gold. A paper or plastic stencil temporarily fixed to the structure is helpful for precise positioning of the letters. A final protection with clear lacquer is recommended.

Great care should be taken when the engine is finally assembled. If components don’t fit precisely together, then rework with a small file or emery. Occasionally, functional tests should be carried out over and over again. Only be satisfied when all the parts move smoothly and without problems.

Now, if the boiler has been successfully tested, we are ready for the first trial. Small pieces charcoal soaked with a liquid barbecue lighter or methylated spirits are laid on the fire grate and lit. Bit by bit coal is added. After some minutes we will see the needle in the pressure gauge moving. The blower valve can be opened to accelerate the process. Occasionally, pull on the boiler safety valve to check the function. Take care this stage, all parts on the boiler and the engine itself can be very hot. So can the hand wheels! Wear gloves and goggles when handling on the boiler. If the working pressure of 3.5 bars is reached, the main steam valve can be opened. The engine should start moving. The garden can be watered if the suction tube is connected to a bucket of water.

Good luck!

part eight part nine part ten


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