"Thompson B3/3…tender finished, new chimney, on home straight"

I've been working on a model of Thompson's B3/3 since early 2012 by my reckoning. She gets pulled out of the sidings every so often for a little more work to be done on her, but things have suddenly shot forward in no small part thanks to the Great British Locomotives issue no.16 - Butler-Henderson.

As you can see from this comparison shot, the GBL Butler-Henderson has donated its chimney to the proceedings. Overlaying the Great Central type chimney from this model on my Isinglass B3/3 drawings showed them to be a much better match than the original B1 type chimney (as seen behind). The difference in the width and the curvature of the chimneys is apparent.

In order to fit it into the smokebox, a much larger hole had to be drilled - unlike the chimneys you can get after-market, normally in white metal or turned brass, the Great Central type chimney had to be counter sunk to fit properly into the smokebox.

Having done this, I applied some Humbrol plastic filler and after drying out and hardening, used a glass fibre brass to smooth it all done. For good measure, I removed the Peppercorn A2 number from the cabsides and filled in the nameplate holes from the B1 body shell's smokebox sides.

Couple this with the Great Central tender - now in plain black - and once all put together, the model is getting tantalisingly close to completion. Some soldering and wiring aside, I need to fit all of the splashers (now cut out and ready) and sort out a set for the inside of the cab to cover the rear driving wheels. Lamp irons and then painting…and weathering perhaps thereafter.

The chimney was the one part of the model which really did not look the part at all, and now with the Great Central replacement, I feel much happier with the model. In fact I'd challenge I've done pretty well given where I was when I started with this model.

That's it for the moment, I have a few things to attend to over the next few weeks but I hope to have more modelling updates some time soon.

Oh - but before I go - a hint of things to come:

Until next time.