Freelance tender engine for the Hornby 0-4-0 Holden chassis

[TangoOscarMike]

Dear All

 

Thank you all for the on-going feedback. I haven't been ignoring you - I'm on holiday and I've been away from the Internet.

 

This is a quick summary of the current status:

 

I'm working on a major overhaul of the design, based on the feedback here and some off-line correspondence with Gibbo. The key features are:

• Basic geometry: I think that I can bring the tender forward by moving the locomotive's rear coupling loop under the tender footplate. This will address the problem of the over-long firebox and cab, and the overhang at the back of the locomotive.
• Basic geometry: Higher boiler, thinner boiler. I am constrained here by the motor and its mount, but I think I was over-cautious so there's some room for improvement.
• Basic geometry: Taller cab.
• Most of the detail-adjustment discussed in this thread will be included.

To some specific points:

 

@Neil: The closer I get to that Furness Railway locomotive, the happier I'll be. In due course I will buy myself one of the inside cylinder 0-4-0 tank engines, and I will probably end up producing versions of the tender engine for both chassis types.

 

@DavidCBroad: You mention hand rails. I've deliberately excluded hand rails from my models in Shapeways' "White Strong and Flexible" plastic, because it can't support detail this fine. Hand rails would end up huge and lumpy (as moulded hand rails can be). I think that the addition of such fine detail is best left to the end-user (and I would love to see people taking my models and bringing them up to the standards that I see on this web site). I might revisit this decision. One possibility would be to produce a separate set of hand rails in a higher quality plastic. Another possibility would be to try harder with my chosen plastic.

 

@CrossEyedMary: I would certainly like to produce models for other chassis, besides the two Hornby 0-4-0s. I'm not aware of any other chassis that is quite so low-cost or readily available (I'm sure there are people on this web site who sometimes find Smokey Joes in their trouser turn-ups or down the back of the sofa). I'm definitely open to suggestions.

 

@LNWR18901910: When I posted the pictures I thought that the tender engine was more or less ready for production - I didn't think I could improve it much. Based on the feedback I've received I now have a mental picture of something much better, but regrettably it's going to be a bit of a slog before I can offer it for sale.

 

 

Cheers

Tom

 

[Gibbo675]

Dear All

 

Thank you all for the on-going feedback. I haven't been ignoring you - I'm on holiday and I've been away from the Internet.

 

@Neil: The closer I get to that Furness Railway locomotive, the happier I'll be. In due course I will buy myself one of the inside cylinder 0-4-0 tank engines, and I will probably end up producing versions of the tender engine for both chassis types.

 

Cheers

Tom

Hi Tom,

 

There is a book called Furness Railway Locomotives and Rolling Stock, by R W Rush that has a drawing of the Furness class A5 in it along wth all sorts of other old time locomotives and coaches.

 

Quite reasonably priced at £4.49 delivered !

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Furness-Railway-Locomotives-Rolling-Stock-by-R-W-Rush/223051878858?hash=item33eeed91ca%3Ag%3A9CMAAOSwBrlbNn8Q&_sacat=0&_nkw=furness+locomotives+and+rolling+stock&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

 

Gibbo.

[Edwardian]

Couple of excellent examples here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135666-peak-modelling/

[LNWR18901910]

On 27/06/2018 at 22:59, TangoOscarMike said:

 Dear All

 

Here is a prototype of my freelance tender engine design for the Hornby 0-4-0 Holden chassis. I would be very grateful for any comments you can offer, since I would like to make some improvements before I declare it finished and offer it for sale in my Shapeways shop ( https://www.shapeways.com/shops/toys-or-models ).

 

 

 

The attached pictures speak for themselves, but please bear in mind that I was very excited when I received the print (and it is only a prototype), so the paint job is a little slapdash. Please don't judge it by the wavy lining on the tender! On the whole I'm very happy with it - I was afraid that it would look silly next to a model of a real locomotive, but in fact I'm perfectly happy with how it looks next to my County class.

 

I am interested in any and all feedback, but I have a few remarks of my own, some of which are questions and some of which are responses to questions that I anticipate:

 

1) I'm going to add a whistle on the firebox or the front of the cab.

 

2) I've already re-worked part of the tender frame, to make it match the engine's running plate a little better.

 

3) The boxes on the side are to conceal the motor mount (especially the loop at the end of the motor retension spring). I sized these boxes quite generously, and in the next version I will make them a little smaller. I'm considering replacing them with an elongated splasher, but I'm not sure how this will work out.

 

4) I'm not sure about the proportions of the dome and safety valve. Perhaps the safety valve should be bigger?

 

5) Looking at the side view, I think it would be better if I added a pair of wheels to make it an 0-4-2. Unfortunately, I can't see a way of doing this without breaking my golden rule - no modifications to the chassis. Perhaps in the future I can make two versions: an 0-4-2 with chassis alterations, and an 0-4-0 without.

 

6) I have deliberatly not included handrails on this (or my other two models). I think that (without moving to more expensive plastic) they would simply be too chunky and ugly. It's better for people to add them themselves, if they want.

 

7) Boiler bands. Do you think it would be a good idea to have raised boiler bands included in the 3D print? It would probably make it easier to paint them.

 

Right, that's more than enough words from me. Please let me know what you think.

 

 

Thanks

Tom

 

I think it's a fine model that certainly has come a long way.

[DanInHisDen]

On 27/06/2018 at 22:59, TangoOscarMike said:

 Dear All

 

Here is a prototype of my freelance tender engine design for the Hornby 0-4-0 Holden chassis. I would be very grateful for any comments you can offer, since I would like to make some improvements before I declare it finished and offer it for sale in my Shapeways shop ( https://www.shapeways.com/shops/toys-or-models ).

 

 

 

The attached pictures speak for themselves, but please bear in mind that I was very excited when I received the print (and it is only a prototype), so the paint job is a little slapdash. Please don't judge it by the wavy lining on the tender! On the whole I'm very happy with it - I was afraid that it would look silly next to a model of a real locomotive, but in fact I'm perfectly happy with how it looks next to my County class.

 

I am interested in any and all feedback, but I have a few remarks of my own, some of which are questions and some of which are responses to questions that I anticipate:

 

1) I'm going to add a whistle on the firebox or the front of the cab.

 

2) I've already re-worked part of the tender frame, to make it match the engine's running plate a little better.

 

3) The boxes on the side are to conceal the motor mount (especially the loop at the end of the motor retension spring). I sized these boxes quite generously, and in the next version I will make them a little smaller. I'm considering replacing them with an elongated splasher, but I'm not sure how this will work out.

 

4) I'm not sure about the proportions of the dome and safety valve. Perhaps the safety valve should be bigger?

 

5) Looking at the side view, I think it would be better if I added a pair of wheels to make it an 0-4-2. Unfortunately, I can't see a way of doing this without breaking my golden rule - no modifications to the chassis. Perhaps in the future I can make two versions: an 0-4-2 with chassis alterations, and an 0-4-0 without.

 

6) I have deliberatly not included handrails on this (or my other two models). I think that (without moving to more expensive plastic) they would simply be too chunky and ugly. It's better for people to add them themselves, if they want.

 

7) Boiler bands. Do you think it would be a good idea to have raised boiler bands included in the 3D print? It would probably make it easier to paint them.

 

Right, that's more than enough words from me. Please let me know what you think.

 

 

Thanks

Tom

 

Is the prototype still availible to be purchased?

[TangoOscarMike]

7 minutes ago, DanInHisDen said:

Is the prototype still availible to be purchased?

 

Hello Dan

 

No, in fact I never offered the prototype for sale, only the two final versions (inside and outside cylinders). I haven't yet got round to putting the streamliner up for sale - I really must get my act together.

 

Let me know if you'd really like it, I could make the prototype available from Shapeways with no markup (not that my markup is especially large). But for the reasons discussed in this thread I'd advise against it. In particular the long overhang at the back of the locomotive is unsatisfactory.

 

I sometimes think of making an "old fashioned" haycock firebox version, and it's possible that the lower boiler of the prototype would be appropriate for that. Otherwise, though, the prototype has served its purpose.