Steady progress this week has seen more details added to the body.

The buffers all needed drilling out for the bolt heads – because I had them I used some of the rather nice Scale Hardware items

Connoisseur Models J79 – More Body details

I also added the front lamp irons (Laurie Griffin castings) and the bracket on the front buffer plank which is visible in the photos that I have and Yeadon speculates that it was used for shunting locos/tenders when separated from each other. This was made from scrap nickel etch soldered together with 295 degree solder so it stayed together when I used 145 to add it to the buffer plank. – again a few more Scale Hardware items to finish it. – The eagle eyed amongst you will note that one went missing while washing it too…

Connoisseur Models J79 – More Body details

The hand rail on the fireman’s side has a fitting that incorporates the support for the end of the handrail on the smokebox this was made up using some small bore tube, a disk of scrap etch and a 14BA nut. The tube sealed with the scrap etch was slid onto a stub of handrail protruding forward of the hand rail knob with the nut at the other side and all soldered in place. It’s not strictly accurate but it will pass muster once painted and is better than just a plain handrail knob.

Connoisseur Models J79 – More Body details

It was discretely pointed out that the coal rails were plated right to the bottom and it for me it was a wood and trees moment because all my photos show it but it hadn’t sunk in.

Remedying it involved taking the rails off again because try as I might I couldn’t get the extra strip to stay in place while I soldered it while it was in situ.

The same discussion concluded that being vacuum fitted it probably had an upper rear lamp iron too. Scrap etch to the rescue. This was the second attempt because having made a lovely job of the first which was made from conveniently shaped bit of etch I realised that I had the slope rising up above the horizontal rather than below it as it should be.