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Fowler 150 hp diesel shunter


Gordon A
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  • 1 month later...

Having just bought Mike's excellent kit, I would like to build it as LMR ED7. However, I don't seem to be able to find a photograph of it anywhere!

 

The other ED's and ex-Southern loco's seem well covered. So, does anyone have or know where I could get a photograph of ED7 from please?

 

Thanks 

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1 hour ago, Wagpnmaster said:

Having just bought Mike's excellent kit, I would like to build it as LMR ED7. However, I don't seem to be able to find a photograph of it anywhere!

 

The other ED's and ex-Southern loco's seem well covered. So, does anyone have or know where I could get a photograph of ED7 from please?

 

Try "A Pictorial Record of the Diesel Shunter" by Colin Marsden, pub. 1981 by OPC, SBN 86093 108 0, plate 212 !

 

Tony

Edited by Tony Teague
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There don't seem to be many photos of ED7, it was much the same as the kit but has extra boxes on the footplate behind the cab and some prominent pipework from the engine casing to one of them. I would like to know what these were, they do appear on other 150hp Fowlers - BR bought this one second hand.

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20 hours ago, Wagpnmaster said:

Having just bought Mike's excellent kit, I would like to build it as LMR ED7. However, I don't seem to be able to find a photograph of it anywhere!

 

The other ED's and ex-Southern loco's seem well covered. So, does anyone have or know where I could get a photograph of ED7 from please?

 

Thanks 

 

There is one on Ebay at present. Not exactly cheap though for a postcard-sized print.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PHOTO-SHUNTER-ED7-1955/192954044607?hash=item2cecf510bf:g:NkAAAOSwEMddB5w~

 

Edit - it looks as though it was fitted with some sort of flameproofing/exhaust quenching system, which might perhaps explain the boxes/pipework?

 

Andy (no connection to the ebay seller)

Edited by 2mm Andy
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Having purchased a kit from Mike at Scaleforum a few weeks ago, I thought it was time to start building it as it was raining.

Here is what you get for your money, etches and detailing parts.

424590563_P1070161Acopy.jpg.c639388b91f5379fd3c522917d799306.jpg

I also purchased wheels, gearbox and motor as recommended in the instructions. No wasted material in the etch.

I built the chassis in a simple construction jig.  The loco will be built to run on P4 track with rocking rear axle using Mikes swing arms. 

P1070166A.jpg.230257246e765b808ac005adc7ade0e3.jpg

 

And the chassis out of the jig.

2116072928_P1070163Acopy.jpg.2d060012136cecf39adb2a55619fe3a8.jpg

Can you spot the mistake?  The top left hand spacer and the lower middle spacer should swop places. I did not spot that until it was too late. It is also worth mentioning that there are a fair number of rivets to emboss on the frames before assembling.

 

Here are the two laminated buffer beams. I only used six laminations to give me nearly a 2mm thick buffer beam.

Why? Because wearing my Optivisor I had totally missed two more laminations at the top of the etch.

2080049836_P1070164Acopy.jpg.91168fd93d1a84ef69d98a5ad80e9914.jpg

 

That is as far as I have got today. hopefully further progress on Saturday.

 

 

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I had another session on the Fowler today.

Here is where I have got to:

1728363127_P1070169Bcopy.jpg.43ab27f777bef3ba9469fa8d9a30e131.jpg

 

I have followed Mikes instructions in assembling the running plate, after doing some riveting and the buffer beams into on piece.

The next job was to solder all the brass nuts into place. My method is after opening the holes out to be a good sliding fit for the screws is to pass a cocktail stick through a hole then wind a brass nut onto the cocktail stick so that it is firmly screwed onto the sheet material. Flood with flux then fix in place with the minimum of solder.

P1070168A.jpg.765a906627e9e1bc13038c77671bcf91.jpg

 

Here are the parts, chassis, running plate and buffer beams and the base for the superstructure.

 

1016683269_P1070169Bcopy.jpg.55bca93f96456204cb5281e2a7871e69.jpg

 

And assembled.

 

P1070173a.JPG.ce9f36bba1a734d7b99a5e2f9332fe3b.JPG

 

Next job is the cab

 

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On 04/10/2018 at 12:58, Gordon A said:

I am carrying out some research into the 150hp 0-4-0 Fowler diesel shunter.

 

post-7071-0-49141000-1538653777_thumb.jpg

 

The information I have is that 120 of these engines were built in the second world war for the government to move munitions.

After the war many were transferred to B.R. with some going to industrial use.

 

post-7071-0-43437400-1538653917_thumb.jpg

 

1) I am looking to identify as many build numbers and build years as possible ie: 22878/1939 the prototype engine in my picture.

Besides the afore mentioned loco I am aware of locos 22882/1939, 22888/1940, 22891/1940, 22896/1940, 22912/1940, and 22915/1940.

 

2) How many of these locomotives still survive today?

    I am aware of the engine at Erwood and one at the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway.

 

Many thanks

 

Gordon A

Is this one?

Diesel for the dustbin.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 25/10/2019 at 20:33, Gordon A said:

Hello RonnieS, yes that is one of the beasties.

Where was the picture taken and when?

 

Thank you for posting the photograph.

 

Gordon A

 

Taken in Arnott Young Scrapyard Bilston Central 1963/4 on my box brownie. I don't know any more.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have finally had some time to carry on with this project.

IMG_20191117_110230A.jpg.3798327175f063b2bfb980fd768a9cc1.jpg

 

I have assembled the cab onto the body base. I decided to reinforce the top of the sides with some scrap etch, as the top of the door frame is very thin and vulnerable to my fingers.

IMG_20191117_110247A.jpg.2a50b10f9d09205ca71b7613677e0f27.jpg

 

The rear bonnet. I decided to use the outer alternative outer end with out the headlight as an opposite end.

This meant filing 7.5 thou of each side and 22.5 thou off the bottom.

 

IMG_20191117_110257A.jpg.d2755454dcdf0cb9ad76e27d2e9bcf04.jpg

 

In the background I have fitted the handles on to the bonnet doors made from 0.33mm brass wire as per the instructions.

Rolling is something I do not have much experience of. I rolled the back bonnet with GW rollers which I put in too tight a curve. I eased the curve out using a 1.125" socket. Just about right.

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Some more progress has been made.

The first picture shows the later radiator shroud with the resin early radiator provided by ME in the kit filed down and fitted in the shroud. The whole lot is just put in place with no screws.

P1070181A.JPG.1d0f30b048c233061c188476159b3a24.JPG

 

There is quite a few bolt / rivet heads to punch out. The indentations are very fine. When doing the radiator I came up with the idea of initially pressing the indentations out with the point of a scribe before using a riveting tool.

In the cab ME has provided a full set of floor mounted driver's controls.

P1070185A.JPG.34c31dec88956fe0c695ffd1d7947394.JPG

 

The two levers are for Forward, Neutral and Reverse, the other leaver for gears 1, 2 and 3.  The two pedals operate the clutch for changing gear, and the wheel for disengaging the drive when the loco was being towed.

 

P1070189A.JPG.09ba79d8433a0ce9fdde559b5ce6c9d7.JPG

 

The floor placed in the cab.

 

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If anyone is interested in some 12" : 1ft scale modelling, Fowler diesel RT1 is currently for sale at the Foxfield Railway. This is the 6 wheeled version and has been cosmetically restored but needs work on the engine and mechanical bits to get it operational again and comes with a spare engine and radiator. If anyone wants to know more please PM,

 

75580309_10218179781197470_7826786325897412608_n.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

Further progress some what hampered by tracing an electrical fault on my old Land Rover caused by a previous owner trapping two wires for the brake light feed between the steering box bracket and the bulkhead. Result a 25 amp fuse blown, no brake lights or indicators and the alternator not charging. Fault now traced and repairs under way.

Back to the Fowler 150. Coupling rods, connecting rods and outside cranks assembled with no problems.

Next job to be tackled was the buffer beam gussets, parts 42.

Firstly there is no form of locating these items after being folded to shape.

D River's measurements posted on the 17th February 2019 show the distance between the top of the gusset and the underside of the foot plate as 23 inches.

Mike also suggests a choice of soldering the gusset to either the frame or the buffer beam. ASs the guide / information for these parts comes under the footplate heading I soldered mine to the footplate.

When folding the gussets for 00 frames, all you need to do is fold up the two faces with the rivet and bolt detail.

The fun starts if you are building the frames to EM or P4 standards. I am building mine to P4 standards.

There are two half etched lines on the top of each gusset for folding the angle with the rivet / bolt detail. For the moment I ignored them. On the underside there are also two parallel half etched lines.

1182241197_P1070203ccopy.jpg.c122767c57329094dc00b04490e3c1cb.jpg

 

1047145257_P1070204ccopy.jpg.7ccb87be52a4db58e7c31090aeec996d.jpg

 

As the P4 frames are the widest, I cut through both of the half etched lines on the underside of the gusset.

For EM I would think you only need to cut the upper half etched line.

 

1646392893_P1070205ccopy.jpg.0f52fb8dcb0ffc44f22a53168a3d311b.jpg

 

My next step was to fold the rivetted / bolted flanges flange with the half etch on the inside of the flange as usual.

Then solder the detailed piece of angle to the larger section. Unfortunately the flange height is drawn for the 00 single fold. Using this method if you solder the flange underneath the detail will be too low or on top it will be too high. Take your pick.

Having done this I wonder as I type if the large section was soldered in the half etch fold line below the rivet / bolt heads if you would achieve the correct height??

556692471_P1070206ccopy.jpg.e32ad8b4f0d50e71de3389330af5a77b.jpg

 

Having built all for gussets the next job is to fit them.

If like me you have mounted the buffer beam onto the footplate I would fit the gussets on the back of the buffer beam. This is my preferred way of doing it because you can also fit the rod from the footplate to the gusset.

 

I next bolted the chassis to the foot plate to check the gussets were flush with the outer edge of the buffer beam.

 

My next job was to set the height of the gussets. After some head scratching I decided to use a piece of 6mm birch ply cut to a smidgin under 8mm. (I read D. Rivers dimension as 23.5")

I used two pieces of coffee stirrer to sit the footplate on because of brass nuts soldered on the top

P1070209a.JPG.9479060e83e2aab1ef3a5bb3e18d3a4a.JPG

 

Here you see tow pieces of 6mm x <8mm ply, a half a wooden clothes peg and a piece of straight wood.

You will note the upper piece of ply has various rebates cut into it by a sharp blade to accommodate various flanges.

 

P1070208a.JPG.edb81f598cde92d793af94c7f01d689d.JPG

 

Here you see the various pieces in position except for the half clothes peg which I use to sit on top of the gusset to hold it in place.

 

So far the kit has gone together well, following Mikes instructions. It is just these gussets that has caused me some head scratching and swearing when i mounted two gussets on the frames and realised that was not a good idea.

 

Time for lunch and as it is not raining do some more electrickery on Millie my Land rover.

 

Gordon

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  • 1 month later...

I have eventually managed to finish my version of Mike's Fowler 150hp kit in the form of ED7. This was greatly assisted by the help and photographs forthcoming on this forum, so thank you everyone for that.

 

 

My model has a DCC decoder installed between the frames and a working cab light, so you can see all that interior cab detail. The bonnets are full of lead to increase the weight. 

 

The works plate is a custom etch from Narrow Planet and features the correct works number.

 

The model is powered by a Mashima 1020 driving through a High Level gearbox. It runs very nicely and is a great addition to the fleet. I'll have a go at the Southern versions sometime and ED2 to ED6 if Mike produces the shorter wheelbase version.

ED7-2.gif

Edited by Wagonmaster
Reinstating photo
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  • 2 weeks later...

Due to the lack of social activities I am able to spend some time on the Fowler.

 

One thing I found that my method of embossing the rivets around the bonnet doors led to part of the raised rivet appeared in the half etched recess in which the bonnet doors sit.

P1070212a.JPG.7b3c2559a81a288a9a96b15eaa7eb2ac.JPG

 

This means that the doors will not sit flush in the recess.

I spent some time with the point of a triangular needle file removing the unwanted bruising in the recess.

P1070217a.JPG.803fb3c65f282bd16c8a3d1e8732a18d.JPG

 

Here is the current state of my model.

The builders plates are from Narrow Planet and the number 7 is from a set of 7mm Finney GWR numbers. Big enough to see without being overpowering.

Gordon A

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Any chance of a photo of the underneath, Gordon? I've started one of these and have the frames assembled and the running plate with the piece that takes the bodywork now has the nuts soldered to it but access to the screws that fit in this, between the frames, is very difficult. The small frame spacers near the ends are getting in the way. I'm wondering if I have done something wrong.

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