Boulton's Number 11

[Ruston]

. You’ll find that the pull of the drawbar gives quite a lot of weight transference.

I hadn't thought about that before and so pickups on the rear axle are probably necessary in that case.

 

I have been having another play around with it and it is improving. I changed the arrangement of the pickups on the leading axle and I have added pickups to the rear axle. These only come into play when weight is transferred to that axle by changes in the track and should also work if weight transfer occurs, as Northroader has mentioned.

 

I don't know how that has done so but the derailing on facing points seems to have been cured. It is still derailing the rear wheels when running in reverse after going through a trailing point on the curve and approaching another curve on a trailing point. The rear wheels ( which I suppose are now the leading wheels when in reverse) seem to be coming off the rails and hitting the check rail.

 

Something that may be causing this is the fact that the flanges on the leading and trailing wheels are shallower than those on the drivers and are a much shallower than on RTR Bachmann wagons. All the wheels are from Alan Gibson and I'm wondering if I've been given P4 wheels by mistake, although they did come in the packet with OO and alternative EM axles.

Edited December 13, 2017 by Ruston

[Ruston]

It appears that they are P4 wheels, so I shall order replacements and hope I get OO wheels this time.

 

On thing I have been wondering about the prototype is where did they keep the coal and how did anyone get up that huge tank to fill it?

[Northroader]

I do love ultrafinescale wheels, I bought a second hand wagon once, and wondered why it kept falling off. Looking at the tank filler, you’re right, it does look awkward to get at, I’d be inclined to climb up from behind the tank, as there’s no handrail high up at the sides. The coal storage is most likely to be in a bunker behind the cab sidesheet on the fireman’s side, which would take a few hundredweight. The reversing lever is in the way on the drivers side.

[Ruston]

Whilst I am awaiting the new wheels, I have got on with the detailing.

 

The spring balances for the safety valves have been made from brass tube, wire and some spare parts from Dingham couplings. The copper pipes are made from various bits of copper wire, taken from offcuts, with the brass fittings, such as the clacks and water valves being made from brass tube, wire and various tiny BA nuts.

 

The brake gear has also been fitted and the chimney now has a copper cap.The crew are Andrew Stadden figures, from the Edwardian range. Victorian figures would be more suited to this loco but I have no Victorian layout to run it on. My next layout is to be set in the Edwardian era and so in my world No.11 survived up to the beginning of the Great War.

Edited December 15, 2017 by Ruston

[5050]

Dave came round this morning with the loco in virtually complete condition.  Mrs 5050 thought it was 'cute'. 

 

Praise indeed!

 

I thought it looked brilliant!

 

EDIT - just a quick thought Dave, if you widened the b-2-b on the front and rear wheelsets to 15mm, would it run any better?  Worth a try I reckon.

Edited December 16, 2017 by 5050

[Corbs]

It looks incredible. So detailed and fine, yet so antiquated and eccentric - reminds me of the 'Whimshire' series - but the fact it's a real prototype makes it all the better.

[decauville1126]

I think it is so nicely done that even Mike Sharman might think it has steamed off his layout! Lovely job.

[Ruston]

Thanks for the nice comments. My visit to 5050 towers was to collect some hooks to make safety chains - thanks, Paul.

 

We think the etches are for the hooks and turnbuckles to hold containers onto BR Conflat wagons. I used the hooks and some other things with an eye on one end. By God was it fiddly breaking and closing the chain links! Almost makes me want to go back to 7mm.

 

 

I'm thinking of doing No.9 Trent next...

[NeilHB]

What an absolutely cracking model! Well done to Ruston for bringing a curiosity from Boultons Sidng to life - I’ve long been a fan of Issac Boulton, really must get round to building one of his oddities at some point...

[5050]

I wonder if this is the first time this particular prototype has ever been modelled?

[ChrisN]

Dave,

I have not been able to add anything to the thread as it is way beyond my skill set, but it is a lovely little loco.  I do not see why, apart from that most stuff has to be scratch built, more do not model this era.  My layout I am afraid my layout is modern image, (in comparison), Cambrian 1895!

 

You may have seen the thread in this section devoted to Boulton's Sidings

[Ruston]

Thanks, Chris. I haven't seen it but I will go and seek it now.

[Ruston]

An update on this. I am still waiting for the new wheels, from Alan Gibsons. I found some disc wagon wheels of the same diameter in among my box of bits and so I fitted them to try it out.

 

It now stays on the track through points in both direction and has been tested hauling six 4-plank coal wagons, which is really about all I'll want it to do.

[Ruston]

This appeared on Facebook, today. From Railway Magazine in 1902.

I never thought I'd see a photo of that engine! I'll have to give the dome on my model a coat of green paint.

[HonestTom]

If I didn't know better, I'd think it was some Emett-esque flight of fancy. Great job!