Tich's pedigree
- Many years ago, the magazine ' Model enginer ' published over a period of some years a series of articles by a writer using the pen name LBSC ( Taken from that of the London, Brigton and South Coast railway ! ) He described his writing as ' The words and music ' These articles and others, all of which have been published in plan and book form have introduced thousands of us to model locomotive construction. These books are readily available from...............................
Tich was one of dozens of designs by LBSC still being built in amateurs workshops worldwide.
LBSC was a quiet, lonely man who came from a poor family and who was thus used to improvisation, his articles included practical tips and advice such that the veriest beginner with a small lathe and some basic metalworking tools could complete a full working model steam locomotive !
As a concrete specialist, with a permanent workshop, a good quality lathe by Myford, a drill press and newly purchased milling machine, with experience gained building a number of stationary engines, Tich seemed to present a great project to get me in to locomotives.
' Twenty year refit ' under way
The construction process
A first reading of the book and some hours spent with the drawings set the scene for materials purchase and ensuring that I had the necessary small tools and light equipment.
I work slowly and intermittently and 400 hours of enjoyable workshop time some 20 years ago resulted in the emergence of my first real live steam locomotive. It ran fine on compressed air. As with all my models having once steamed them I clean and polish them for display. Tich remains unpainted as the brass and stainless steel looks well. One day he will have a coat of the varnish used by makers of musical instruments.
The results, a personal view
I have to admit that initially things were not easy ! There were new processes to be learned. Having constructed several stationary engines, the basics were there, but now silver soldering and brazing had to be added to the ' repertoire', also machining techniques which vary, from metal to metalsuch as cutter speeds and the like.
Some parts were made and remade ( There are still some pieces that I would re-remake if time were not now so valuable ) I learned a great deal from LBSC's writing and from the interest that developed in engineering practice.
The choice of project has to be be based upon the equipment available in the workshop. As work proceeds further tools, drills, taps, dies etc.,can be purchased as the work demands. Good tools are always a good investment and properly cared for their value will beat the inflated costs as the years go by.
* I still take pride in my early product but believe that, asked to advise a newcomer to the hobby on choice of model, I would suggest a scale model rather than the generic model of an early 0-4-0 that Tich really is. The same lessons willll be learned but they will finish up ( probably after many more hours workshop time ) with a more desirable end product.
Or..........
Last revised: March 31, 2008.
