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Corus / Tata Steel 'Trojan' shunter - an N gauge scratch build


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I tried to think up a pun with a play on a Trojan horse but couldn't, so plain English will have to do here...anyway, to the model.

I've got various projects (for myself and others) awaiting airbrush time once we get a bit warmer, so the Christmas period in between work saw me get itchy fingers and commit knife to plastic. I turned my drawing from this thread into a set of templates:

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These were printed out, and 'Pritt Stick'ed onto some plasticard. The majority is 0.5mm, but the bufferbeams are 1mm thick.

Here's how the parts look once cut out

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All the parts are 1mm wider than my initial drawing, to take into account the width of the motor, though the overall proportions still look good. Other than this it's all pretty well gone to plan. Here's the chassis. The top and bottom pieces are cut from plastic, with 3mm-ish 'I-beam' used for the channel sides, though with one side removed to make a 'C-channel' shape. The motor sits in the cutout in the centre, and amazingly my attempt at copying the mounts from the cast metal chassis block seems to have worked. The steps and buffer beams will glue under the overhangs at each end, more of which later.

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Here's the fuel tank. The gauge is a sewing pin, the red cutout is to clear the motor, the blue will house a phosphor bronze strip for pickups, mimicking the setup on the donor LifeLike switcher that provided the motor and bogies

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Work on the steps has begun. The support is 3.2x2mm strip, with the steps being 0.5x1mm strip, cut to 3.2mm lengths. Once all the steps are added, the bufferbeam will be glued on. The whole unit can then be mounted under the overhangs at each end, hopefully fitting relatively square without adjustment due to the design.

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Here's a side shot showing progress so far, plus another to compare height with the UK loading gauge, they really are huge! The doors on the hood are printed directly onto 0.25mm plastic sheet, then varnished to seal the ink. This will be rubbed back further, with detail then added as a transfer after painting

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Finally, for now, here's a shot of the real one and the model from a similar angle. As for a layout to run it on...one day, one day...

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Another update soon!

 

jo

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That's looking bad, but good bad as the real things are ugly!

 

The shear size of them has been captured very nicely - the bogie frames are pretty close match too :)

 

PS Not forgotten the photos, just finished my last early shift (the tenth in a row - ready for a break!) so got a couple of days off now! :D

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Thanks for the comments guys.

Bob, yes it is a LifeLike switcher, I thought I'd put it right up near the beginning. I didn't - the joys of typing it up late at night!

Cheers James - no rush, I want to get this beast done before I start on the Janus - which do only work at Scunthorpe, but I'm using my modeller's license on that one.

To be honest Guy, I don't actually have all that much completed Mendip aggregate stock, but its a definite "for the future" project, especially if we get an RTR 59. I don't fancy the work involved in modelling all 14 by kitbash. There is a TPM tippler in my stock, though it's been rebuilt like some of the real things into a JSA steel carrier

Eastwestdivide, my plan is to model a small layout based on Margam / Port Talbot. Mini Margam has a definite ring to it, with the steelworks stuff coming out into the yard, various 60s along with the 66s, an 08 and even an excuse to do a 59/2. I'm going to use a bit of modeller's license too, and poach a bit of operation from East Usk yard in Newport, with a propelling move using a brake van

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jo

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Cheers James - no rush, I want to get this beast done before I start on the Janus - which do only work at Scunthorpe, but I'm using my modeller's license on that one.

Any steelworks which ended up as part of the BSC can justify a Janus loco as the YE Co was part of the same group of companies and were developed with such conditions in mind. They have worked at all sorts of different sites in their time, it's just the other works have gone now.

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Hi Jo

 

Great project! I spent a very happy couple of hours at Knuckle Yard in around 2009 but never saw this shunter - was it introduced later?

 

Also, which Lifelike switcher did you use? And a final request - any chance of posting a photo of your JSA conversion?

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

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I spent a very happy couple of hours at Knuckle Yard in around 2009 but never saw this shunter - was it introduced later?

 

I was working on P-Way at Scunthorpe mid 2009 to March 2010 and it was during this time they were under construction so I reckon an introduction of 2010 into service is a pretty safe bet.

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There's a video here of the first one

In the description it says delivered 6th Oct 2009, so that'd tie up with what you saw James.

Ben, I'll sort a piccy of the JSA, it's still WIP, but will dig it out

 

jo

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Ok, so a two pronged attack of a post. First up, here's the current state of play. The first set of steps are built and fitted. They looked a tad wonky, but now they're fitted to the model they're looking alright. Certainly finishes the model off, it was looking rather lightweight without the front end assemblies. The fuel tank is full of lead shot, as will be the ends of both hoods. The fuel tank full of lead adds 5g, so that leaves me with another 7 grams minimum to get into the rest of the model to get the chassis to match the weight of the LifeLike metal block. Any more will be a bonus

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Here's some piccies of the JSA, apologies for the quality, it's not easy to photograph plain white plasticard. All that remains of the TPM tippler are the underframe spine, floor and bogies, the tippler bodywork being not too well made and painted, but a good find in the miscellaneous box in a model shop for a couple of quid. It still needs the hoods for the two taller sections to be added and then painting

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jo

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Any steelworks which ended up as part of the BSC can justify a Janus loco as the YE Co was part of the same group of companies and were developed with such conditions in mind. They have worked at all sorts of different sites in their time, it's just the other works have gone now.

 

Not quite - I think Yorkshire Engine Co were actually linked to the UES group (United Engineering Steels) whereas BSC was a result of the nationalisation / re-privatisation / re-nationalisation and then priviatisation of many different companies, such as GKIS / GKN (Guest Keen Iron & Steel / Guest Keen Nettlefolds) etc. who standardised on NBL products at their East Moors Works with Hudswell Clarke & Sentinel locos next door at Castle Works. Port Talbot (SCoW or Steel Company of Wales) had standardised with Alco and Brush-Bagnall diesels.

 

Yorkshire diesel locos (including some Janus class) were later purchased by GKN East Moors/Tremorfa in the early 1970s because they were available cheaply, second hand from the Port of London Authority.

 

They were a well built, reliable type of loco.

 

Brian R

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I was nearly there! But it's a pretty good rule of thumb for justifying a model of a Janus type! Though, as you mention, different works had different preferences. Scunny favours the Janus type despite having had a few other cascaded following closures.

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I was nearly there! But it's a pretty good rule of thumb for justifying a model of a Janus type! Though, as you mention, different works had different preferences. Scunny favours the Janus type despite having had a few other cascaded following closures.

 

Yep, and no doubting they were well designed and reliable locos.

 

Perhaps East Moors could have taken a leaf out of others book, as NBL (diesel) products weren't renowned for their reliability.

 

Didn't expect to see anyone model of the 'new' Margam locos.

 

Brian R

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Interesting stuff on the history of the companies, thanks guys. Certainly explains a lot in terms of why things happened over time.

Hi Jo,

 

An excellent thread in the making. Please keep sharing your work-in-progress shots - very inspirational!

 

Best of luck,

Steve

Cheers Steve, sorry I didn't notice your post before, looks like it appeared while I was typing!

Definitely helps seeing it with the fuel tanks and steps in position, it was looking a little naked at the bottom before! You can always use it to shunt Baby-Laira until Mini-Margam gets built, that's if it'll fit through the Laira shed doors! :D

 

Cheers,

 

Jack

I haven't tried it, but the mk3s are a tight fit so I think this one may be just a tad too high. I could always remodel the building using it in a Top Gear style...

It definitely completes the look fitting the 'undergubbins' to the loco, it sits right now

Didn't expect to see anyone model of the 'new' Margam locos.

Don't worry, the plan includes a Brush Bagnall or two as well!

 

jo

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Hi Brian,

I'd seen that on the tv, looking forward to catching that one! I wonder if there'll be any helpful shots of the cab interior... Thanks for link to Morfa Bank. I knew I'd seen a model somewhere of one, dead inspirational. I spent ages browsing the site after clicking your link, despite it not being my era or scale... :secret:

 

jo

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