Jump to content
 
  • entries
    261
  • comments
    1,413
  • views
    143,210

My Bird Performs


Barry Ten

811 views

With apologies to XTC...

 

bird.jpg.692a9fb2b74d583c63e6b9110e276eb4.jpg

 

bulldog.jpg.37413cb0dc6189501c8327e85a0d12fa.jpg

 

On and off the workbench these last couple of weeks has been a new GWR outside-framed 4-4-0, following my earlier exploits with a City class.

 

I fancied building one of the Bulldog/Bird/Fllower types with smaller drivers, so an order was placed with Branchlines for their excellent mixed-media kit (also the basis of the City), only this time specifying the 5' 8" driving wheel options. All the other variations are already catered for by the very well designed etch, including deeper frames as needed for a Bird.

 

The chassis is nearly the same as the City, but the smaller drivers caused me to use a different motor/gearbox orientation, horizontal compared to the underslung installation on the City.  Pleasingly, there's a lot of room above this motor for weight in the firebox and boiler, so adhesion shouldn't be a problem. The City will pull six kitbuilt coaches, after a bit of prototypical wheel slip, but the Bird should be a real slogger - I hope!

 

The main work, as it was for the City, is on the plastic body, where at the very least handrails and moulded details need to be removed and then reinstated. On the Bird and Bulldogs, the boiler band and safety valve positions are different as well. Additional work is also needed to fill in the heavy cutaways under the boiler which suit the large splasher diameter of the City, but not the much smaller ones on the Bird.

 

All good fun, though - and very much in the comfort zone if you've done any military modelling, etc.

 

Names? I think it's going to be a toss-up between Bullfinch, Chaffinch and Kingfisher...

  • Like 15
  • Craftsmanship/clever 4
  • Friendly/supportive 1

15 Comments


Recommended Comments

  • RMweb Gold

Looking good Al! There’s something rather lovely about outside framed 4-4-0’s, particularly GWR ones!:D

  • Like 1
  • Agree 4
Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold

I would very much like one of the curved frame Bulldogs as they had such evocative names - Avalon, Lyonesse etc.

  • Like 1
  • Agree 2
Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold

Interesting project, I didn’t realise a city to bulldog conversion was possible (I thought they had different boilers)

 

you have me thinking about an unpowered conversion to use as an assisting engine

Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold

They do have different boilers but the Airfix one isn't super-accurate for a City either, I believe, being a bit short. I can live with that.

 

I was looking at the chassis etch for one of the "posh" etched kits for a Bird and although it looked absolutely superb, it wouldn't

have a hope in hell of getting around my curves!

Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold

Very nice Al.

 

"Kingfisher" reminds me of an A4. I vote for:

 

image.png.7e40b950fa075923ba930e895f40d897.png

  • Like 2
Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold
9 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

They do have different boilers but the Airfix one isn't super-accurate for a City either, I believe, being a bit short. I can live with that.

 

I was looking at the chassis etch for one of the "posh" etched kits for a Bird and although it looked absolutely superb, it wouldn't

have a hope in hell of getting around my curves!

 

Thanks

 

I think I will try and get hold of a kit to have a play with once I have finished a couple more projects, something which looks 80% of a bulldog would be useful for photos until I either get round to building the Finney kit or Bachmann get round to backdating the dukedog 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold
7 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Very nice Al.

 

"Kingfisher" reminds me of an A4. I vote for:

 

image.png.7e40b950fa075923ba930e895f40d897.png

 

Probably my favorite garden bird. I was in two minds about Kingfisher as I have a model of the so-named A4 already.

  • Agree 1
Link to comment

Saw the title in New Content and wondered about the XTC connection - well done that man!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold
4 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

 

Probably my favorite garden bird. I was in two minds about Kingfisher as I have a model of the so-named A4 already.

 

Of course the problem is that if you call it Bullfinch everyone will think it's a Bulldog!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
18 hours ago, 'CHARD said:

Saw the title in New Content and wondered about the XTC connection - well done that man!

I wondered about that too - but dismissed it, because I thought my senses were just working overtime.....
I'll get my coat!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold

I knew an XTC reference would bring John B around to the Meeting Place.

 

Actually I really fancy a Barnum and wondered if one could be easily kitbashed from the Branchlines parts and other donor bits. It'd look great pulling my Big Express but I'd have to keep an eye on the tender, as I wouldn't want to have a Train Running Low on Soul Coal, obviously. If it didn't work, though, I'd have no choice but to smash it to pieces under a Rein of Blows (although I'd have to go next door as there are No Thugs in Our House), and Wake Up and forget about it as yet another Redbrick Dream.

  • Like 1
  • Funny 1
Link to comment
  • RMweb Premium

Hi,

 

Just came across this.  Fantastic work that got me looking at the bits of my GWR loco history book that I don't usually look at!

 

Wondered if the twitcher/birder in the opening image needs a trip to 'Specsavers' (other opticians are available)?

 

One final question: can all this be done on a farmboy's wages?

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold

A farmboy's WAYYY-JEZZZZ!!!

 

Seriously, for a moment, it's quite a good option for getting a complete loco kit, for only a bit over 100 pounds. Other than substituting straight

Gibson handrail wire in place of the curled-up stuff supplied in the kit, and a few slivers of plastic card. filler and lead, I haven't had to dip into

the spares box either. Nearly everything you need is included.

 

I am very ignorant of these earlier GWR classes myself. To some extent building a kit is part of the education process.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...