March 13th 2003
Things are progressing quite quickly now!
The controller arrived from 4QD yesterday, so I spent the day fitting this. I had been working on a new 'dash board' or control panel, that would be easier to see through the rear cab window. This has been completed and installed .
There is also a 'top speed' regulator and battery isolator key switch fitted to the original control panel. The isolator switch may need to be raised up level with the new panel, I will see if it is a problem when I give the loco a test drive.
I have made four pins and fitted them to the footplate to locate the body. These were made from 25mm long 4mm bolts, the thread was filed off (bolt with a nut screwed up tight to the head was mounted in the chuck of my electric drill. Be careful when using files on rapidly moving objects! Always use a file fitted with a suitable handle) Holes were drilled and tapped in the footplate and the modified bolts were screwed in from underneath.
Controls are: from left to right, Battery condition meter, push button for horn (when fitted), switch for lights (when fitted) & bulgin connector for hand held controller.
I have painted the wood buffer blocks black, and I have painted and fixed the hand rails. Rubber trim has been added to the window, door and bottom edge of the body.
Things left to do:
Obtain the batteries.
TEST! (She has had a trip round the line to check clearences, being pushed by Alice!)
Fit cranks and coupling rods.
Obtain some suitable head lights.
Name & number plates.
Posed with cranks and side rods temporarily in place.
Posed with cranks and side rods temporarily in place.
