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Turning Back the Clock - 1


MikeOxon

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This blog aims to follow the conversion of my existing layout to an earlier time-frame. I hope that others will find it of interest and helpful, if they are also considering the Pre-Grouping era.

 

By way of background: I built a small layout about 30 years ago for my then-young son. It was based on old Hornby-Dublo (2-rail) track and I added an 009 narrow-gauge section for additional interest. More recently, I had another look at this old layout and thought it would be suitable for running the small locomotives and vehicles that were characteristic of the late 19th-century. So, I began to think about what was necessary to "turn back the clock".

 

I already had a few potentially suitable coaches, in the form of a rake of Ratio GWR 4-wheelers and a few locomotives that could be modified or used as they were. One of these was an old K's kit of the TVR 'S'-class Dock Tank, which I had never got to run smoothly. After stripping down the chassis and paying careful attention to the alignment of the wheels and coupling rods, I managed to transform it into a very sweet-running little engine. It seems that advancing age does bring advantages of care and patience when building models!

 

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The prototype of this locomotive was built by Hudswell Clark, around 1876, as one of their standard contractors' locomotives. I intend to use it for shunting on the exchange sidings with the 009 narrow gauge railway.

 

I also had a Hornby 57XX pannier tank - an early rather crude model - onto which I fitted a Wills 1854 saddle tank body.

 

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Repainted with Indian red frames, this is a very purposeful-looking engine, with excellent hauling powers, in view of its substantial weight.

 

Next, I had a K's 14XX autotank, originally intended to operate with an auto-traiIer. Like the Dock Tank it had never run well but it too responded to careful re-alignment of the chassis. I decided to try a simple conversion to a '517'-class, bearing in mind the variability of this class. I wanted one with inside bearings on the trailing wheels but keeping the Belpaire firebox of the original K's kit. Eventually, I found a photo of no.835, in Russell's 'Locomotives of the GWR', that seemed to fit the bill, so I based my model around that engine. The most difficult part of the conversion was cutting away the front toolboxes, which were cast integrally with the front splashers. After that, I cut away the cab and built a replacement out of plasticard, while retaining part of the original sides. I removed the (dummy) outside bearings and painted the wheels and underframe Indian red.

 

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I decided I would like to try to convert a Mainline Dean Goods into a 'Stella'-class 2-4-0, to head a train of the Ratio 4-wheelers. This proved fairly simple, provided one can accept the incorrect driving-wheel spacing (I'm not a hi-fi modeller .... yet!) I described the conversion in an article in the Railway Modeller, April 2013.

 

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That has provided me with a useful range of 19th-century locomotives, so I next have to consider all the other changes that are needed to revert to an earlier time-frame. I have thought of a few subjects, which I will tackle in future posts.

 

1. Liveries - often much more elaborate than later styles. Even on the GWR, which had more continuity than other railways, there were many differences between pre- and post-Grouping styles. The shade of green on the engines changes, coach ends were brown, rather than black, different lining and crests on engines and tenders, and so on. (not to mention the crimson lake period, up to the Grouping.). Also, there is the issue of red wagons, discussed elsewhere in these forums.

 

2. Road transport - all those buses and lorries have to go! Plenty of horses are needed and suitable carts at the station. Then the facilities to support them - farriers, stables, etc.

 

3. Lighting - no electricity! Oil lamps or gas in the more sophisticated places. No yellow arms or lights for distant signals and, before 1895, no green lights either - white for 'all clear'.

 

4. Details - differently-shaped milk churns, different dress-styles for passengers.

 

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There must be loads of details that I've not thought of yet - I can see a lifetime's work ahead! :)

 

Mike

Edited by MikeOxon
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Brilliant it great to see someone who looks outside of the BR era, and very brave to look at pre-grouping liveries, on day I may venture outside the LMS window and look at some original MR stocks

 

Cant wait to see your next posts

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Cant wait to see your next posts

Thanks for the comment,  I enjoy scratch building / modding, so it's nice to move away from the RTR coverage and make something different!  I've just moved a second post from its original place in the Pre-Grouping forum, so you've not had long to wait!

 

Mike

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