Tri-ang (Triang) Railways TT Directory
 

LBSC 3 1/2" Gauge Maisie - Smoke box

The following details the construction of the smoke box.

Late 2004 saw work start on the construction of the smoke box. The key castings a shown below. The smoke box ring and smoke box door are the key components. Other casting shown are the chimney, blast pipe, dome and safety valve dummy. A complete rolled brass smoke box wrapper was purchased from Blackgates Engineering. 
 

The smoke box ring was first turned and brazed onto the wrapper. Next the smoke box door was turned, sanded and drilled. I then set about making the hinges. These were made from solid 1/4 inch square bar. They were ground and bent to shape before being riveted to the smoke box door. The locking mechanism was then constructed. A brass locking bar was fabricated with a keyway cut in the centre. This is mounted inside the smoke box for the door locking mechanism to bolt to. The door lock is made from three components. The lock itself is turned from a solid steel bar and shaped to fit through the keyway. There are two door handles. One is square and is used to rotate the door lock once it is through the keyway. The other is used to tighten the door against the ring to form an air tight seal. The handles for the door locks are tapered steel brazed into place.

The completed smoke box door. Now for the chimney....