Instructions for the construction of BEMO Kit 1005 900
Translated from the German by Philip Knife

Narrow gauge tank locomotive No. 24 of the SWEG

The prototype:

In 1929 the prototype of our locomotive was delivered to the Jagsttalbahn by Henschel & Son of Kassel. The locomotive received the number 24 and was put into heavy goods train service. Up to 1959 the loco was regularly employed in service, then afterwards kept as reserve locomotive. At the end of 1965 it was sold out of service to the city of Krautheim. It was displayed at the railway station in Krautheim as a museum loco, where it remains the object of attraction for many railway enthusiasts to this day. More information about the prototype can be found in the book "The Rolling Stock of the Jagsttalbahn" from the publishers "Friends of the Jagsttalbahn", W-7119 Dörzbach.

The model:

With this kit you acquire the model equivalent of the prototype SWEG loco No. 24. Please read the following instructions carefully through before you start, and check the sealed bags against the enclosed parts list. We can only accept requests for replacement of missing or damaged parts by returning of the sealed bags.

To begin with, some comments on handling of the assembly:

The whitemetal-parts basically you glue together, ie. first of all with rapid glue to hold and subsequently with a two-part glue to join together solidly. Brass parts you can solder, but some experience with this operation would be advised. Take care when soldering because of the multiplicity of small brass parts, as components already soldered could become detached again because of the extra heat of soldering new components. Therefore it is important that the heat to each work piece is applied quickly.

1. Construction of the chassis:

The etched mainframe parts 1 and 2 should be cut out singly from the sheet with side cutters or saw blade and the etching cusps removed. The gearbox bearing bushes 3 should be inserted from inside into the required holes and glued or soldered in place. Both distance pieces 5 should be put into the frame side 1 in and riveted in place with the 1.4 mm riveting tool. Please take care that the rivet flange of the other end is not damaged, as the distance pieces can only be riveted, with the square at the top (put a hexagonal nut under the opposite rivet flange). As the overall plan shows, the frame angle spacer 4 is bent with flat-nosed pliers to about 90 degrees and placed in its intended slots, then the frame side 2 is put in place. When all etching cusps have been removed and all components lie parallel to it, the frame side 2 is riveted on a flat pad using the 1.4 mm riveting tool.

Subsequently frame head pieces 6 and 7 are added and soldered in place. The strengthening metal plates 13 are placed underneath the footplate and glued or soldered. Both coupler heads 12 and the buffer beams 10 and 11 are adjusted properly and subsequently glued or soldered together.

On the motion bracket 8 the tabs for the pinions must first be folded. The motion bracket 8 and the footplate 9 are glued or soldered together after first mounting the plastic supporting piece 17 (with wheel pickups 16).

Then attach securely the wide shunters steps 14 on both sides. Subsequently, as shown in the drawing, the little shunters steps 15 are bent twice about 90 degrees with flat-nosed pliers and also securely attached.

On part 32 the tabs are folded and it is fitted into the frames. In accordance with the overview drawing, the gear wheels 23, 24 and 25 with shafts 27 are installed now, so that the gear wheels run freely on the axles. Make sure shaft 27 at gear wheel 24 is protected on one side by fixing the bearing bush with glue.

On motor-mounting 26 the tabs are folded to 5mm length. The motor 22 (with flywheel and worm) is fitted, checking the play between worm and gear wheel 23.

The motor-mounting 70 is fitted and ensures that the motor is solidly seated. The motor-mounting should be fixed with paint, to prevent shifting of the plate.

Detach the wheel pickup-springs 16 carefully from the fret. As on the drawing the back tabs are bent up about 90 degrees, those to the right and to the left bent and glued under the plastic-supporting piece 17. For firmness the completed parts are clamped between the metal frames.

Turning again to the motor, the contact-springs 18 are placed on the electrical equipment board and folded. The electrical equipment board is placed on the frames 1 and 2.

The angled ends of the wheel pickups 16 are inserted from underneath onto the spigots of the electrical equipment board.

One end of each of the chokes 20 are attached to the angled tabs of the wheel pickups, the other end soldered to the contact-spring 18. The capacitor 21 is soldered over the motor 22 and the subsequent assembly bent over the motor. Pay attention that proper contact exists between contact-spring 18 and motor 22 and the motor runs in the right direction; if it runs in the wrong run direction, invert the motor.

Now the gear assembly 28 and 29 can be put in. Check carefully the horizontal placement of the footplate 9; adjusting as necessary (remove the etched cusps). The middle gear assembly must have a little height play.

In the cover plate 30 the drill holes are countersunk, then the cover plate is screwed on with the countersunk head screws 31. The cover plate 30 may need to be slightly bent, so that the middle axle is allowed slight vertical movement.

Now glue the air tanks 39 and 40 underneath the electrical equipment board 19, likewise the tank 36 and the toolbox 71 onto the footplate 9.

The detailing set (bag 8) includes ready-made components which can be compared to drawing and glued in place. These components are marked in the drawing with "D". For the assembly of the brake cylinder D4 on the frame 2 the small indentations must be drilled through. The winding lever is glued to the footplate 9 after the paintwork is completed..

After completion of this work you can try the first test run!

2. Assembly of the locomotive body:

Before assembly remove flash from all cast parts, clean and polish them. Use a sharp knife and a small flat file.

First of all both weights 73 must be glued into the cab sides 41 and 44. Then the cab side parts 41 and 44, the cab-spectacle plate 43 and the cab-rear wall 42 are put in place and glued together. Now the roof 45 is fitted and glued in place also.

Now the number-plates 56 are inserted in the cab sides 41 and 44.

The steps 57 are glued below the entrance doors, the lamps 58 glued in place at the rear of the cab, the smoke box 47 fitted to the boiler 46 and glued in place together with the weight 72.

The boiler fittings 48-52 as well as the hand-wheel 55 are attached to the boiler, and the generator 74 inserted into the drill hole beside the feed pump (see drawing).

For the hand rail 54 the 0.4mm brass wire is measured to a length of 22mm, and attached to the boiler with split pins 53. The finished boiler 46 is fitted into the cab front 43, but do not glue together yet.

Place the locomotive body temporarily on the chassis, ie. Hold the body skewed toward the rear buffer beam 11 and place in it the hooks in frames 1 and 2. The cylinder-block 33 is fitted underneath the frame and with the screw 37 is fastened to the smoke box 47. Now you could try a longer test run! Before losing enthusiasm, dismantle the loco again and prepare it for painting. In order to rule out later mechanism problems, before painting remove the gear wheel from the chassis.

3. Assembly of the valve gear:

All holes of the valve gear components on the etched fret must be eased, so check carefully the exact drill sizes shown on the drawing underneath the body pipe layout plan. Then cut out all valve gear components from the fret, remove flash and clean up.

First of all rivet the connecting rod 60 to the cross head 59, then subsequently rivet the drive rod 61 to the cross head 59.

The drive rod 61 is riveted on behind the combination lever 64, and the radius rod 69 above to the combination lever 64.

The eccentric rod 66 is riveted to the expansion link 68; place the rivet and part into the riveting die, threaded into the components and spread the rivet with the 0.5mm riveting tool and a little hammer.

All riveted components after this process should move easily, to avoid tight spots in the valve gear.

The bolt 67 is glued into the eccentric rod 66, the slide bar 38 glued into the cylinder-block 33. Subsequently put the cross-heads 59 onto the slide bars 38; please be careful that the components run very easily (ie. the guideway in the cross head 59 works)!

The slide bars are placed in the motion bracket 8 and the expansion link 68 fastened to the motion bracket 8 (glue the rivet in place in expansion link 68 only, to prevent it from falling out).

The radius rod 69 is put through the slot in the motion bracket 8 into the cylinder-block.

Now the coupling rods are attached to the wheels with the crankpins (and don’t forget the washers).

Be very careful that the crankpins run easily in their linkages. This can be helped by drilling the front hole of the connecting rod 1.2mm and the rear hole 1.6mm. If operation of the chassis is jerky, the play between cross heads and slide bars can be too slight, and must be eased.

4. Paintwork:

The painting of your BEMO model can be by air brush or paint brush. An air brush achieves a better visual result, but requires some practice.

For our kit of loco No. 24 we recommend either of the following paint schemes:

SWEG original livery:

Chassis: carmine red RAL 3002

Cab and water tanks: green Mixture of 1:1 from RAL 6002 leaf green and RAL 6020 chrome oxide green

Cylinders and smoke box: flat black RAL 9005

Post war livery:

Chassis: carmine red RAL 3002

Cab and water tanks: flat black RAL 9005

Cylinders and smoke box: flat black RAL 9005

Always use undercoat, thinners and paint from the same manufacturer, because the different consistencies normally don’t usually work together.

Always before painting, provide all metalwork with an undercoat, because the paint adheres better on it.

Because of the multiplicity of paint manufacturers we have deliberately abstained from a product reference recommendation and have only specified the RAL colour specifications. For suitable paints refer to your BEMO stockist.

If you follow these assembly instructions carefully and take your time, you will produce a model that gives great pleasure. We wish you success.