English Electric DE2, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe

[E3109]

Hello again

 

I'm only an occasional poster on RMweb but here is a loco I've been working on. It's S Scale i.e. 1:64.

 

As some of you will know, I'm currently constructing various locos, wagons and carriages based on South East Asian prototypes.  

However, as I love all things EE (especially class 40s!) I decided to build one of these beasties.

My friend visited Zimbabwe several years ago and he confirms that the locos sound exactly like a BR Class 40, indeed eight of the class were repowered with ex-BR class 40 power units when the 40s were being dismantled.

 

As it's Cape Gauge, which isn't much different to metre gauge, the temptation was too much in the end!

Will I build an African layout? Unlikely, I haven't even started with my Asian layout yet.

 

But Rule No 1 applies

 

The DE2 is absolutely massive compared to typical Asian locos but never mind, I'll just have to take that into account regarding clearances and so on.  

 

I had a rummage through the scrap box and found that a Mainline Peak body was near enough dimension-wise. The only issue was building the noses up, Peaks being rather 'snub' in this respect.

 

I've used an old Jouef 40 chassis, maybe I'll come to regret that but for the time being it'll suffice. Conveniently enough, the wheelbase for the OO class 40 matches the wheelbase for the DE2 in 1:64 within 1mm, apart from the pony wheels which will be 'fettled' appropriately.

 

Still some way to go, but thoroughly enjoying this little project.

 

 

[E3109]

Some pics of the class 45 butchery. Had to splice it down the roof centre and part way down the body, in order to get the right dimensions.  

Reminds me of some of the old-school modellers who did that with early Lima HO class 33s!

 

One of the pics shows the makings of a KTMB (Malaysia) EE 20 Class next to the DE2, these are actually the same scale, which goes to show how gargantuan the DE2s were.

 

 

[stadman]

Interesting, I knew RR/ NRZ had some class 47 variants, one of which is preserved in Bulawayo museum.

Still operational when I visited in 1991, don't think Is aw it.

Kev

[MGR Hooper!]

Nice work!

[jamie92208]

Interesting, I knew RR/ NRZ had some class 47 variants, one of which is preserved in Bulawayo museum.

Still operational when I visited in 1991, don't think Is aw it.

Kev

Weren't those some sort of sanction buster's or were those some that IIRC went to Cuba.

 

Jamie

[Ohmisterporter]

The sanction busters were built by Siemens and found their way to Rhodesia, as it then was, by a circuitous route. IIRC they became class DE5, and I am told that all traces of Siemens name on parts was removed. Zimbabwe went from being a  self reliant country running steam locomotives to one dependent on imported oil. I read somewhere that it was partly due to vested interests at the IMF who thought that a "modern" country should have diesel or electric trains and their loans were conditional on that happening. They had to go back to steam when foreign currency ran out.

The Brush locos were DE4. Class DE3 looks like a single ended version of DE2.

 

Looking forward to seeing this build unfold, I like those early British colonial diesels.

 

Edit to add class numbers.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Ohmisterporter

[EddieB]

A few notes/comments.

 

The German DE5 were the first of the "sanctions busters" (delivered as kits of parts in crates labelled "Tanganda Tea"), but by no means the only ones.  From Austria came the DH2 and DE7, from France the DE8 family and from Spain the DE9 family.

 

The DE4 body design was indeed similar to the Brush Type 4, and were delivered prior to UDI.

 

While the cab end of the DE3 was similar to the DE2, the DE2 had a full width carbody whereas the DE3 had a narrower "hood style" body.

 

Here is DE2 1214 at Lochinvar Diesel Depot in 1982.

 

Edited November 15, 2016 by EddieB

[Ohmisterporter]

Hello E3109, any progress with this build? I like the way you have gone about it so far.

[E3109]

Hello sir.

No, I've been abroad for the last few weeks, just got back, and still in UK adjustment mode!

I'll certainly continue to update progress via photos though.

 

Just as a quick edit. The small cantrail grilles that can be seen easily in EddieB's photo, the grilles included in the Dapol/Kitmaster prototype Deltic are ideal, and are what I will be using. 

Don't think I'm wasting an entire Deltic kit just for the grilles though!

The other bits have come in handy elsewhere...

Edited December 18, 2016 by E3109

[E3109]

An update, sadly not with the model (been busy with other non-railway stuff) but with loco 1207. 

This engine is preserved by the Sandstone Trust in South Africa, as is the doyen, 1200 at Bulawayo Railway Museum.

 

1207 was bought from a Zimbabwe scrapyard and it's the intent to restore it to working order, I assume there are only these two locos in existence now (unless anyone knows different?)

 

As I said earlier in the thread, they sound exactly like BR Class 40s, which isn't surprising. 

 

http://www.sandstone-estates.com/index.php/general-news/3071-sandstone-s-ex-rhodesia-railways-de-2-locomotive-for-possible-restoration

 

http://www.geoffs-trains.com/Museum/number1200.html

Edited May 7, 2017 by E3109

[jamie92208]

An update, sadly not with the model (been busy with other non-railway stuff) but with loco 1207. 

This engine is preserved by the Sandstone Trust in South Africa, as is the doyen, 1200 at Bulawayo Railway Museum.

 

1207 was bought from a Zimbabwe scrapyard and it's the intent to restore it to working order, I assume there are only these two locos in existence now (unless anyone knows different?)

 

As I said earlier in the thread, they sound exactly like BR Class 40s, which isn't surprising. 

 

http://www.sandstone-estates.com/index.php/general-news/3071-sandstone-s-ex-rhodesia-railways-de-2-locomotive-for-possible-restoration

 

http://www.geoffs-trains.com/Museum/number1200.html

 

That photo taken at Dick Kerr in Preston is great.  All those different classes of loco being built for at least three different railway systems and 2 gauges.

 

Jamie

[vulcanxm603]

Interesting, I knew RR/ NRZ had some class 47 variants, one of which is preserved in Bulawayo museum.

Still operational when I visited in 1991, don't think Is aw it.

Kev

The locos that look similar to the UK class 47's were called DE4's. They were made by Brush.

Edited August 25, 2017 by vulcanxm603

[daftbovine]

Here is a picture taken at Reefsteamers, I will see if I can find any more.

[daftbovine]

It seems to have fallen over.

[daftbovine]