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Industrial 3F in EM from the Bachmann model

clarkea1

Entry posted by clarkea1

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My interest in creating this model was first sparked by an entry in the "From Mainline to Industry" book (Published by Lightmoor Press) which mentioned that one BR 3F (Jinty) had been sold into industrial service in the coal industry. I thought nothing futher of it, until the release of the Bachmann model made modelling a 3F a significantly easier option! Although my industrial models usually centre around the steel industry, I really wanted to model this loco, so I set about finding prototype photos etc. Initially, all I could find was one tiny photo in a book, until I stumbled over Geoff Plumb's fotopic site, which had an album of industrial loco pics including some of this engine. See here for Geoff's site. The loco was operated by William Pepper at the Crigglestone (British Oak) disposal point near Wakefield.

 

So, I now went ahead and got hold of a suitable Bachmann model, and an Ultrascale drop in conversion kit to convert it to EM gauge for my industrial layout. This is such a straightforward way of getting up and running in EM (or P4 for that matter), and the whole thing took about 30 minutes to convert, including a slight cock-up where I accidentally adjusted the quartering of one of the wheelsets....... The completed chassis can be seen below:

 

gallery_6528_477_136808.jpg

 

Anyhow, the thing now ran on my track, and was found to be a good slow speed performer. I now set about making it look more like the real thing, which included removing things like the Dreadnought injector gear and various other bits which, according to Geoff's photos, appear to have been removed (or fell off) in industrial service. Also, I had bought (very cheaply) a 3F with plain tank sides, so I had to cut the keyholes in the tankside where the sandbox fillers lurk. I found the profile of the 3F's written by Graham Warburton in the late, lamented Modelling Railways Illustrated to be very useful for getting the size and position of these cutouts exactly right.

 

I also changed the handrails and knobs for finer versions using Gibson's knobs and 0.45mm brass wire. It was also off with the coal rails, and a few scraps of plastic card were pressed into service to represent an additional box (toolbox?) on the right hand side of the running boards next to the smokebox. The most interesting thing about this loco is its rather striking bright orange tanks and bunker! The photo below shows the loco body with basic painting completed - sorry for the pic quality but my SLR's batteries are flat so I had to use my phone camera.

 

gallery_6528_477_85108.jpg

 

I'm now waiting for some Fox Transfers to arrive so I can add the smokebox number plates and the electrification flashes which appear to be left over from the BR livery! Then, some fairly heavy duty weathering......

 

I'll post some progress updates as and when some more progress is made!

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clarkea1

Adam,

 

Thanks for the extra pics - always useful.

 

I wondered for a while as to the best way to do the patch on the back of the bunker. I tried small pieces of styrene, but even at 10thou thick (the thinnest I could lay my hands on) it looked like someone had patched it with offcuts from a ship! In reality, the plate on the bunker is probably 1/8" thick at most? I toyed with the idea of a small piece of tape, which when painted would be about right, but I'm not sure as to the longevity of that. I have decided to represent the panel just using paint effects - i.e. mark out the panel with a technical drawing pen, then brush in some of the rust surrounding it. Will let you know if it works or not!

 

Your comment on being based on a prototype is interesting - I think that if I ever exhibit the layout I'll have to print out some of the prototype photos (no-one would ever belive you'd paint a 3F that colour unless they'd seen the pics).

 

Right, off to finish the buffer beam paintwork and blacken the wheel rims...

 

Alastair

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Adam

5 thou would probably be ok. Evergreen stockists sell it in packs of three sheets. I have more than enough for a lifetime. PM me your address and I'll post you a bit. My other suggestion would be magic tape. Used as boiler bands it seems pretty stable under a coat or two of paint. I quite like the somewhat eccentric paint schemes occasionally used in industry in the '60s. I'm most of the way through building an Austerity which will be painted per these NCB examples from Talywain: http://industrialrailwaysofsouthwales.fotopic.net/p58584974.html

 

Dad and I have done a few of these. Here's one I made earlier:

 

sunnysentinel.jpg

 

Adam

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Sam Moss

Adam,

 

Thanks for the extra pics - always useful.

 

I wondered for a while as to the best way to do the patch on the back of the bunker. I tried small pieces of styrene, but even at 10thou thick (the thinnest I could lay my hands on) it looked like someone had patched it with offcuts from a ship! In reality, the plate on the bunker is probably 1/8" thick at most? I toyed with the idea of a small piece of tape, which when painted would be about right, but I'm not sure as to the longevity of that. I have decided to represent the panel just using paint effects - i.e. mark out the panel with a technical drawing pen, then brush in some of the rust surrounding it. Will let you know if it works or not!

 

Your comment on being based on a prototype is interesting - I think that if I ever exhibit the layout I'll have to print out some of the prototype photos (no-one would ever belive you'd paint a 3F that colour unless they'd seen the pics).

 

Right, off to finish the buffer beam paintwork and blacken the wheel rims...

 

Alastair

 

 

The patch on 47445 is about 2 or 3mm plate. Its about the only left of the original bunker.

 

Hopefully the real thing will be in traffic by 2015

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clarkea1

Sam, I hadn't realised this particular loco had been preserved! Please tell me it's going to be painted in the orange livery :D

 

Adam, thanks for the kind offer - I'll send you a PM.

 

Regards

 

Alastair

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mr miles 73129

Hi there Alastair

i have also modelled this loco in 00 ready for my next layout, a model of the coal drop into the canal boats at crigglestone you will find this in the layouts bit of the forum if interseted.

all i have done to mine to make it same as the pics is:

Removed all the vaccum system large ejector and vaccum pipes off either end

added water capacity plate on the bunker

added patch on bunker

removed coal rails

added sand box on the fron L/H side of the running board

added fire irons and tail lamp as per pictures

weathered it to suit pictures

and painted coupling rods red

 

ill post some pics shortly its not perfect but its not bad either

 

Yeah 47445 belongs to my local railway butterley its undergoing major overhall which includes alot of new frame parts as well as the boiler being well past it but i look forward to firing it when it comes back into traffic the blue 3fs abit boring now days :)

Thanks Adam

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