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Very nice Captain. For all it's faults, I agree that the critique of this model ended up going too far. You have to look for the potential in a model, not just the errors. Did I understand your Black 5 test right? If a Dean Goods looks like a Black 5, then is must be a Dean Goods?

Well, conceptually it rather depends on whether the aesthetic continuity of the natural lines of the Black 5 can be morphed into an analytical resolution of the internal dynamic of it's free standing resonance.

Although I have a Dapol/Comet-chassis Dean Goods which I'm very happy with, I was more than pleased to acquire one of these Oxford DGs as a Christmas present a year or two ago. Unfortunately the running was atrocious, with a terrible tight-spot which no amount of running-in was going to fix. I took it back to the shop ( a general model shop rather than a railway-specialised one) and after some faffing about, a controller and length of track were set up on the counter. The loco was plonked on it, given full juice backwards and forwards, and off it shot. The bloke then looked at me with a "what's your problem, mate" type of expression. I realised then that there's a gulf of understanding between what passes as acceptable running to the likes of us, and those to whom any contact with model railways may have been confined to the train set on a table, where it's enough that a loco moves at all! Happily I did eventually get a replacement DG which is a much nicer performer than a first - although still not quite as good as it should be, I feel. Anyway, I look forward to attempting to emulate your good work here, Tim.

YEY ! A Dean Goods.....and why not ? No.2538 was allocated to Shrewsbury as at 31st December, 1922. At the end of 1955 Nos. 2516 & 2538 remained in service and were allocated to Oswestry. 2516 was to be part of the Condemed Programme but 2538 survived this and went on to Wolverhampton Works in January 1956 for heavy repairs and returned to duty on 18th February. In June 1956 she was noted to be engaged in shunting duties and occasional trip working to Gobowen. September 12th saw her on Moat Lane - Brecon goods / Oswestry and Whitchurch. She was called back to Swindon on 15th May 1957 and by 16th June her boiler was noted in the dismantling shed with the words " The Last Dean" chalked on the smokebox side. She was indeed a lucky and well used locomotive and you are paying her a well deserved tribute Tim. G

Chris, yes as Regularity says it's my 1854 ST, using a Bachmann 57xx chassis under a modified Finecast kit. Here it is in the Old Yard with a Buffalo class behind it.

I think that RCTS "Locos of the GWR, Part 5" gives the date of initial conversion from saddle to pannier tank and the date that an engine received a change of boiler class. The boilers are described in the appendix to the part and I recollect that one can determine round top or belpaire boiler from the data. Although more than 30 years ago I did go through the boiler records, at Kew, to see which boilers were used on the 2021s and I think that I got firebox details from the records.

Thanks, chaps - good to have the thumbs up from two GWR modellers I hold in such high esteem!

Given the anesthetic qualities of tablets and their catchers I would assume that a large net may be needed to catch a Black 5 for disection which would reveal the inner makings of a Dean Goods, obviously the parameters of a scalpel may hinder such matters. P.L.Aydooh

I completely agree. Am very envious! It's been informative to follow the build Al, thanks for documenting it so carefully. They were lucky at King's Hintock, with all that loco power

Bullfinch looks splendid and very much at home running through Kings Hintock

Thanks, Mikkel. Yeah, the world seemed a tad more saner and safe back then. We really do turn into our parents as we age don’t we? Always remember my Mom saying how daft the world had become to her. She used to reckon that it was the Space rockets that were making the weather do funny things. Also remember her asking why on earth anyone wanted to paint a train yellow and blue. Can’t quite believe that was all 50 years ago now!

Tell me about it, brother!

I think that is a very hurtful thing to say. You should not be judging a locomotive on whether it has aesthetic continuity. Ugly locomotives have rights too. Also, it is easy for someone like you to talk about 'free standing resonance', but not everone is free and not everyone has resonance.

I think you may well be right Russ! I guess it’s one less job to do and I do wonder just how many people in the world would know either way Isn't railway modelling entertaining, there can’t be many people discussing 120 year boiler design today!

These Gundams scale out close to English N, so I could have my own 'Yard Dinosaur.'

I'm clueless about the Gundam universe, but the creativity is great. Would be interesting to see a hairy stationmaster to go with your 009 stock Good luck with the contest.

Just guessing, but from the topics listed in the sidebar, I think you might be able to find out...

Either way I’m afraid number 2112 would only be happy on Knockley Gate Sherton Abbas could be described as “extra narrow gauge” at 31.5mm

41 comments...

Great stuff again Mike - very atmospheric photos. Colours and tones all working nicely together. Tricky what to do about the car as only thing that jumps out. Is it worth giving that a wash to tone it down a tad and represent the owner who is a bit lapse on his Sunday car washes?

Hi Al, I do indeed Not a Buffalo, but a 2021 class saddle tank. I built it with a rigid chassis, which in retrospect was a mistake. All my other locos have sprung compensation and run much more smoothly because of it. The plan is to fit some Slater's sprung hornblocks, but I need to source some split coupling rods from somewhere. Hopefully it'll be ready for Telford!

Again some nice pictures from your layout. Love the Hornby Class 20 combo hauls a short engineering train picture.