Since modifying the loco, new information has come to hand which suggests that BLR No.1 had the lower IOM style side tanks: there were other detail differences between Nos. 1 and 4, so I have decided that my model is a pastiche of the two. The important issue for me is that the finished article looks more like a BLR loco, rather than the IOM type.
In order to set the couplings at the correct height, the buffer beams were temporarily re-fitted, and using my home made gauge (a strip of 28mm wide perspex) the coupling height centre line was marked on both buffer beams.
There was just enough meat on the rear beam to allow me to drill a pair of mounting holes below the originals, using a pillar drill ensured that these holes were accurately drilled.
For the front beam, I cut a recess in the underside of the beam, I then drilled a hole in the centre of the recess and into a hole in the centre of the buffer beam. I had some surplus 15mm scale chopper couplings, left over from my T&D cattle wagon kits, and fitted one of these to the underside of the beam, fixing it in place with a 10BA screw which was secured by a nut in the centre hole of the buffer beam. The centre hole was then filled with Milliput.
The buffer beams were painted with acrylic matt black, with several coats of satin enamel Royal Mail red on their outward faces. An Accucraft chopper coupler was fitted to the rear buffer beam.
The strap linking the side tanks was drawn free hand by trial and error on to a piece of card and offered up to the loco and adjusted until it was right. The piece of card was then used as a template for a strap made from a piece of black Plastikard. After painting, the strap was glued in place and the boiler mounted hand rails were butted up against it and fixed with cyano adhesive. On the prototype, the handrails are held by one knob at the smokebox end and just pass through the strap at the other end; due to my handrail knobs being a little too long, the handrails are a bit high, so I have fitted an extra pair of handrail knobs at the strap end.
With the re-profiled dome in position. the DJB Salter safety valve springs and levers were offered up, and the levers carefully cut to the correct length. The dome and the springs/levers were fixed in place using silicone adhesive, I had pre drilled holes in the top of the boiler to accept the springs.
There was a crank on the left side of the loco, this was used to drive the lubricator on the IOM loco, the crank had to stay in place as a spacer; but finally, I removed the crank, cut the excess metal off with a hacksaw and filed the remains down to a circular shape: now it is just a spacer.
There we are, all done, finished; after a good oil round of all moving parts, the loco was given its first test run.
There was just enough meat on the rear beam to allow me to drill a pair of mounting holes below the originals, using a pillar drill ensured that these holes were accurately drilled.
For the front beam, I cut a recess in the underside of the beam, I then drilled a hole in the centre of the recess and into a hole in the centre of the buffer beam. I had some surplus 15mm scale chopper couplings, left over from my T&D cattle wagon kits, and fitted one of these to the underside of the beam, fixing it in place with a 10BA screw which was secured by a nut in the centre hole of the buffer beam. The centre hole was then filled with Milliput.
The buffer beams were painted with acrylic matt black, with several coats of satin enamel Royal Mail red on their outward faces. An Accucraft chopper coupler was fitted to the rear buffer beam.
The strap linking the side tanks was drawn free hand by trial and error on to a piece of card and offered up to the loco and adjusted until it was right. The piece of card was then used as a template for a strap made from a piece of black Plastikard. After painting, the strap was glued in place and the boiler mounted hand rails were butted up against it and fixed with cyano adhesive. On the prototype, the handrails are held by one knob at the smokebox end and just pass through the strap at the other end; due to my handrail knobs being a little too long, the handrails are a bit high, so I have fitted an extra pair of handrail knobs at the strap end.
With the re-profiled dome in position. the DJB Salter safety valve springs and levers were offered up, and the levers carefully cut to the correct length. The dome and the springs/levers were fixed in place using silicone adhesive, I had pre drilled holes in the top of the boiler to accept the springs.
There was a crank on the left side of the loco, this was used to drive the lubricator on the IOM loco, the crank had to stay in place as a spacer; but finally, I removed the crank, cut the excess metal off with a hacksaw and filed the remains down to a circular shape: now it is just a spacer.
There we are, all done, finished; after a good oil round of all moving parts, the loco was given its first test run.
 Modifying the buffer beams. |  Before |  After |
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