Jump to content
 

Another Beyer Garratt 0-4-4-0


Recommended Posts

Did the wiring but didn’t get around to testing it, as I need to check the programming track before powering it up for the first time.

 

the aforementioned list has been pruned a bit...

 

Smokebox door, 

Cab doorway vertical handrails 

Handrails on bunker & tank

Horizontal boiler handrails,

Safety valves,

Drill out & fit chimney

Fit dome

Fit radiused front to upper corners of firebox

Backhead & cab details, crew,

Sliding vent on cab roof

Whistles

Reverser & injectors

damper rods

steam pipes

brake linkages

lubricators & oil pipes,

screws to hold bunker & tanks to engines

paint

windows & window frames after paint.

decoder, KA, speaker & firebox lights “module”
sandboxes, sandpipes

guard irons

brake shoes, hangers and cross beams 

cylinder covers

slidebars, crossheads and connecting rods

valve 

 

Progress!

 

atb

Simon

 

Edited by Simond
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Very impressive, Simon. The video does give a sense of the size and complexity of the thing, and how much work it has involved. 

 

Still a bit of fun left in the to do list I see.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Mikkel,

 

Indeed, depending on your point of view, you either do, or don’t, get your money’s worth with this kit.

 

I’m sure that if I’d got my finger out, and knuckled down, I could have finished it years ago, but where’s the pleasure in that?  :)

 

atb

Simon

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
9 hours ago, Simond said:

Indeed, depending on your point of view, you either do, or don’t, get your money’s worth with this kit.

Interesting point of view: some kits are designed for the building, some for the final result, but having parts etched and cast accurately should be sine qua non for both.

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, it goes!

 

it’s running quite nicely, but I’ll have to have a look at the sound, with which I’m a little disappointed. It seems really quite quiet compared to other locos, but there are some harsh clicks and bangs which seems odd.  The whistle is ok, I think.  Certainly not a Stanier hooter!  There is no brake squeal, which will have to be addressed!
 

The sound is pretty much synch’ed, and it does appear that the sounds of the two engines change phase relative to one another, indeed, the coupling rods seem to do so too.  JLTRT!

 

sorry about the video, better to come!   Insufficient hands, or should have driven it with my toes!

 

I am going to have to wait for the end of lockdown to see what it’ll pull, but with ballraced 50:1 gearboxes, I imagine it’ll shift a decent train.  Might just see what I can fit on PD!
 

atb

Simon

 

 

 

 

  • Like 2
  • Craftsmanship/clever 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Lovely to see it move Simon! At the very least it must be reassuring!

 

I used a Loksound on mine, with a Pannier file,  with the double-heading option enabled. I didn't worry too much about it as not too many people will remember these particular locos in steam!

 

 

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

If I spent less time making lists, I’d make more progress, but I did have a look through the bits and pieces left in the box, and the heap is getting smaller...

 

 

Garratt

 

Bridge Upper

==========

Turned brass mudholes, - I don’t like the ones I’ve made so will make new, smaller ones.

Smokebox door dart - no provision in the kit, I don’t have one in my bits box, will make one

 

Cab

===

Cab doorway vertical handrails - can’t fit these until the cab and footplate permanently joined, but can drill the holes in the footplate.

Backhead & cab details,

   Regulator handle - replace WM casting with nickel

   Fire door - replace WM casting with open doors so light shines thru’

   Gauges & handwheels - some castings from kit, some brass tha5 I bought at a show (remember them?)

   Brake handle - very large & obvious and not in kit.  Make one

   Reverser - need a photo, but it should be small and on the right.

   Damper handles - kit bits

Sliding vent on cab roof - modify kit part to improve

Sliding shutters inside cab - none provided, needs runners fitting, shutters after paint 

 

 

Bridge Lower

==========

Reverser & linkages - kit bits plus brass angle

Stiffeners for footplate edge - kit bits

injectors - kit bits

damper rods - kit bits

steam pipes - kit bits

brake linkages - kit bits

 

Engines

======

lubricators & oil pipes - castings acquired

Handrails on bunker & tank - kit castings are WM, won’t last 5 minutes, turn from brass

Buffer plank steps - make

Lifting lugs on tank tops - make to replace WM 

screws to hold bunker & tanks to engines - need to think this one out

sandboxes, sandpipes - kit castings

brake shoes, hangers and cross beams - kit & scratchbuild, with Slaters shoes.

cylinder covers - kit & turned parts

slidebars, crossheads and connecting rods - kit & milled parts

valve gear - kit & scratch

 

Electrics

=======

Fire hole & bunker glow. 

Sort out sounds

 

Paint & finish

==========

Cab doorway vertical handrails
Maker’s plates & name plates - order from Narrow Planet - thanks to Giles for the heads-up

Crew - Modelu

Windows & window frames - kit.

 

it’s a nice day today, so we’re going out for some exercise & I have to nip in to work, but th3 aim of the game is to sort out the mudholes and smokebox dart so one area is finished.

 

I’m going to try to do the bridge lower group this weekend too.  

atb

Simon

 

 

  • Like 2
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Today’s missions accomplished:  

 

the mudholes were easy, I made new ones, reduced the diameter to 6mm and the height to 2mm. They look much more like the photos now.  The castings of this kit are generally really good, crisp, and free from much flash, but these parts seemed distinctly undernourished, problem solved!

 

the smokebox dart handles are a trivial job, drill two holes through a bit of 1.6mm brass, angle doesn’t matter, space between set by eye, turn down a spigot to go in the door, crisp up the corner at the front, solder in two bits of wire and cut back to make the handles.  Stone off any sharp corners and install.  I made a b——x of the first one.  It’s certainly quicker making a second one.  I sincerely hope never to have to make a third...

 

7E594327-704C-4BAD-B80F-00BD5BE7DC64.jpeg.40e5ba47f75e054928f6eb444e67e199.jpeg

 

Let’s see what tomorrow brings!

atb

Simon

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

Douglas,

 

thank you very much!  These are outstanding images that I’d not seen before.  I’ll have to go looking down that rabbit hole.  I had in mind to paint my loco as somewhat rusted, not decrepit, but hard worked and little loved, but those photos suggest that an immaculate appearance might be desirable.  

You’ll be getting yourself a well-deserved reputation for finding gems!

 

thanks again

Simon

 

 

Edited by Simond
  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, sir douglas said:

Can I offer my thanks as well. The quality is superb.
I have a second unbuilt Garrett. These shots will be very useful.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Simon, don't shoot the messenger, but I've just noticed you've got your cab beading fitted the wrong way round - the handrails are in-board of the cab sides, not out board. I made the same mistake, due to incorrect kit information if I recall,  and had to un-solder them and refit them on the opposite sides......

 

So sorry!

Link to post
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Simond said:

 

... I had in mind to paint my loco as somewhat rusted, not decrepit, but hard worked and little loved, but those photos suggest that an immaculate appearance might be desirable. 

 

 

 

You are right, they are fantastic images, but I would suggest that these are 'promotional' images (possibly all taken on the same day), showing the loco 'as delivered' in fully-lined out livery.  Vivian & Sons Swansea, was a Copper smelters (or similar), so I can't imagine it would have stayed that way for long, in such a working environment.  Indeed, later photos of, say, 'N0.12' at GKN Cardiff Steelworks, show a much grimier engine, although the lining can still be made out.  Images of both the Baddersley and the Sneyd Collieries locos too, all seem to show them in less than pristine condition, once in 'proper' service.

 

Have also found an image of V&S No.10, in photographic grey livery, so I imagine these (then) new types of industrial locos were being heavily promoted by Beyer Peacock at the time, hence the 'photo-op' images at one of the first customer's premises.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, Giles said:

Simon, don't shoot the messenger, but I've just noticed you've got your cab beading fitted the wrong way round - the handrails are in-board of the cab sides, not out board. I made the same mistake, due to incorrect kit information if I recall,  and had to un-solder them and refit them on the opposite sides......

 

So sorry!


Giles, the messenger is safe, not so sure about the kit designer!   Thanks for the heads-up.
 

Douglas’ brilliant photo answers another question.  The curious valve and pipe on the rhs below the dome is almost certainly a displacement lubricator for the steam reverser.  I guess the logic is that if you turn it off in the cab, and then open the lubricator, someone else could turn it on with predictably unpleasant results.  If you turn it off locally, drain it, top up the oil and turn it back on, it’s one man one job.  Early H & S?
 

I shall now fit it...

 

cheers

Simon

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

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
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...