As I'm going to convert this loco from 45mm gauge to 32mm, and as the chassis is quite mucky I decided to strip it completely apart.
The first step was to remove the rear buffer (drag) beam, held in place with two screws, followed by the central frame spacer;
The coupling rods are held in place with C clips, easily removed and then replaced on the crankpins so that I don't lose them.
Springing the frame sides together allowed me to remove the wheelsets;
The cylinders and forward/reverse valve could then be unscrewed;
Note the paxolin(?) spacers, used to set the cylinders further out to suit the wider gauge. Also note that one side has three spacers and the other 4. The joys of secondhand steam!
The mating faces between the cylinders and their port blocks look to be in good condition, so hopefully will need only minimal lapping;
And the same can be said for the forward/reverse valve block;
The loco has now been reduced to a kit of parts, helped by the fact that this model started out as a kit rather than a ready built loco. I can now sit back and assess what I need to do and what I want to upgrade. A new 32mm gauge wheelset will be needed, along with various seals and fittings. All of this might take a while to sort, but then, as I said at the start, this will most likely be a long term project so don't expect quick progress!
Paul.
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