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Black Beck Tramway in Scale7


MarcD
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Having got two unused base boards kicking around and two suitable locos for a Gunpowder Works tramway in the period 1914-1928 I have decided top go for broke and build a Scale7 layout based on the Black Beck Tramway that ran from the Furness Railway's Lakeside Branch at Dixon's sidings along the Russland valley to the Gunpowder mills at Black Beck near Bouth. 

 

The scenic section will be 6ft by 18inchs and will represent the level crossing and siding at the entrance to the main site. Most sources say that the line was only ever horse drawn but there is a reference to a locomotive in one, which makes things a little easier at moving horses are a bit tricky. Also it is not clear if the siding was anything to do with the works as it is on the other side of the road. I looks like it could have public access. Which again I'm going to run with.

 

I will post some photos once I get going but in the mean time if anyone has any info on the tramway please feel free to post.

 

Marc

  

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Hi Sam thanks for the tip I have a copy of the book. its the source for the loco reference in the 1880's Black beck was bought by Wakefield's  and the vans which they used are one of our 7mm kits and with our new axle box arrangements building them in S7 is only a case of changing the wheels. Additionally  POWSides do the transfers for the Wakefield vans. 

The plan is to use a MR battery electric loco and a GER tram loco as they were both used by the Ministry of munitions during WW1 and might have been used on the line.

 

Marc 

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Marc,

 

Sounds like a fascinating project and just my kind of thing. I must admit, I know nothing of the prototype so I look forward to learning about the line as your project develops. Can't wait to see how you progress. 

 

Thanks for sharing!

David

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Marc,

 

I really like the sound of this project, and will be following with interest :) 

 

You could also get away with utilising a standard gauge Simplex, as the first ones of these were built from 1919 onwards - think one of those would be ideal motive power post-war alongside the battery loco.

 

Look forward to seeing progress in due course.

 

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That reminds me I have a WD simplex converted to standard gauge half built some where as no-one will see the wheels I could re-gauge that as well. But a standard simplex sounds good. Where drawings to get the drawings is the next question.

 

Marc  

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Marc, there is a 3D printed Simplex available - I have one which I really must get round to actually doing something with: 

 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/SWP8T9CQ6/o-43-sg-simplex-loco-1?optionId=64450240&li=marketplace

 

A chassis kit for it is available from Marc Clarke of Locos n’ Stuff - think it cost me about £40 or thereabouts for it - have a look on his website under motor bogies. 

 

The converted WD Simplex would also be ideal - they were in use earlier than the ones actually built for SG I believe, so suitable for the early part of your time period. 

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1 hour ago, hartleymartin said:

I appreciate how these things can be printed as a one-piece body, but I sometimes wish that they would be done up as separate major body components to make painting a little easier. Also, I generally prefer to use third-party brass buffers and coupling hooks.

 

I agree Martin. The buffers I did note aren't correct on the 3D print for the Simplex, on mine I've cut them off and will replace with decent sprung ones. 

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A few years ago I did some 3D-CAD and was going to do an 11t Hibberd Planet kit, but the one test print I did of a very early basic prototype was so poor, I decided it would have been better to do a set of laser-cut styrene sheet parts as a scratch-aid. Ultimately I abandoned the project as it wasn't going to be viable with my time and resources, but I may do something about it again some time soon. The big idea was to create a very simple kit that would be cheap, no harder to build than a plastic wagon/van kit and give you a useful little shunter. Some day I'll do it.

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8 hours ago, Furness Wagon said:

Impetus used to do a couple kits simplex kits but i'm not sure if they still exist. If I can get a drawing I could build one or even a kit for one. 

Marc 

 

Marc, there are drawings of it in the following book:

 

 The Early Years of The Motor Rail and Tram Car Company 1911-1931, W J K Davies. 

 

There are a couple of drawings in the book, the one built (though note that the roof as drawn is different from the profile as they were built), plus a proposed slightly larger machine with a longer 6’6” wheelbase. A quick photo of the drawing below for you:

 

A2FBB76A-6F50-408E-882D-8B4704D10017.jpeg.496dfe0545da8abf27e1c7f14a9c8b1f.jpeg

 

 

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Thank for the tip on the book I have just dipped my hand in my pocket and ordered a copy. The great thing I can see from the drawing is it's on wagon wheels which means that I don't have to start machining wheels.

marc

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1 hour ago, Furness Wagon said:

The great thing I can see from the drawing is it's on wagon wheels which means that I don't have to start machining wheels.

 

Yep - and a nice choice of spoked or 3-hole disc too!

 

Or if you fancy something really strange, the preserved example at the EARM (I think, will have to check) has one spoked and one 3-hole disc...

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20 hours ago, NeilHB said:

 

Yep - and a nice choice of spoked or 3-hole disc too!

 

Or if you fancy something really strange, the preserved example at the EARM (I think, will have to check) has one spoked and one 3-hole disc...

 

Early ones had split spokes and later 3-hole. And there are some images out there with one of each, presumably done by the user!

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The book on Simplex locos arrived at lunchtime had a quick glance at it. It looks like a well put together book. And there are good drawings in it.

Also managed to gets recky of the two potential sites. Both are going to pose challenges for developing scenic brakes.

Marc

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I managed to find a photo of Lo44, later 1065 which was a Simplex shunter used at a Wagon Works in Sydney. It has a completely different roof and a few detail differences (buffers and such) but I reckon I could turn out a reasonable model from the Shapeways body kit.

 

There was also one used in Byron Bay in conjunction with an old tramcar. The simplex is still in a shed in the area, though the tramcars went to museums many years ago. It is amazing where these things turn up!

8426?size=d

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Marc,

 

One photo of Burneside tramway attached, showing their lightweight (40lb rail), plus two of the timber tramway on Duddon Bridge which is Code 100 spiked to wooden sleepers:

 

539C4828-37A9-4594-BFAD-90426BC87E03.jpeg.c9093494f802a2d07e72028be843cadb.jpeg

 

6FCC986E-7719-478F-A367-F6C87D27469F.jpeg.c8bf31de74d3f5b66ef79d4788d4e4c0.jpeg

 

C0DB44A8-0C69-4F88-AFD8-B426F73C74C5.jpeg.6847298c335709c4d6b060c8bbbb4ffe.jpeg

 

We used Micro Engineering spikes available from EDM models - more details on the Duddon Bridge thread. 

 

I think the Code 100 will be fine for Black Beck - I doubt that the rail would have been anything but lightweight in nature, given that motive power was a haymotor...

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I have got a lot of code 100fb rail as it was going to be used on the eskdale green layout that was shelved. I will have to get some sleepers the right size to nail it down to.

Marc

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On 11/03/2019 at 13:56, Furness Wagon said:

I have got a lot of code 100fb rail as it was going to be used on the eskdale green layout that was shelved. I will have to get some sleepers the right size to nail it down to.

Marc

 

Marc, I measured the wooden sleepers on the lightweight section of track on Duddon Bridge today. They are 60mm long, 5mm wide and 3mm deep. 

 

Attached photo hopefully gives a better view of them than the ones I shared before:

 

14328F20-4724-4622-B73D-C0F1F89040D9.jpeg.47784169c4682db6b058442becea3768.jpeg

 

IIRC, Tim bought long strips of wood to cut the sleepers from - probably from Cornwall Model Boats as they stock a variety of sizes etc.

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  • 8 months later...

Now that Boggs and son is getting to the point that its adding the really detailed stuff I'm now turning my intentions back to the Tramway project. I'm looking at running different types of stock on it at different times. Starting with GER circ 1917-23 and there might be some stock from further a field making an appearance on some occasions. Some people on the forum might have a idea what that is but i'm staying tight lipped about that for the moment.

 

Marc

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