Converting a J94 to Hunslet 18" 0-6-0ST

[alexl102]

Does anyone know if there's a kit or relatively easy way to covert a Hornby J94 into a Hunslet 18" 0-6-0ST or similar? I'm not worried if things like the wheelbase/chassis aren't exactly prototypical length/size, just something that looks the part would be ace.

 

Thanks!

[rope runner]

I think you'll find they are one and the same... 

 

Do you mean one of the more minor Hunslet classes such as 50550 or 48150? 

 

Paul A. 

[doilum]

2 hours ago, 1whitemoor said:

I think you'll find they are one and the same... 

 

Do you mean one of the more minor Hunslet classes such as 50550 or 48150? 

 

Paul A. 

Minor???!! That's no way to talk about S112. By all accounts she could pull the wheels off an austerity. OK, so there were several hundred more of the WD design.

There is a thread somewhere about the conversion to a 50550 class, a 48150 is a more serious note of locomotive bashing.

[br2975]

4 hours ago, alexl102 said:

Does anyone know if there's a kit or relatively easy way to covert a Hornby J94 into a Hunslet 18" 0-6-0ST or similar? I'm not worried if things like the wheelbase/chassis aren't exactly prototypical length/size, just something that looks the part would be ace.

 

Thanks!

A J94 is a Hunslet 18” 0-6-0ST, albeit some were built by other builders. There were several minor differences, but it depends which individual 18” you want to model.

[alexl102]

Sorry, haven't been clear. The J94/Austerity tank is a development of the 50550, both of which had 18" cylinders and a tank that went all the way over the smokebox; I'd like to create a Hunslet 48150 similar to Jessie on the Pontypool & Blaenavon railway (albeit in a different livery).
Whilst the Austerity was the most numerous, describing the earlier classes as 'minor' isn't really accurate; they were the company's main designs and used widely all over the country.

 

Has anyone done this? Cheers!

[doilum]

Wheelbase and length is the same. The 48150 & 50550 had 4'0'' wheels as compared to the 4'3" of the austerities. The earlier classes also had deeper buffer beams and frames. The main challenge is to cut back the saddle tank and build an exposed smokebox for the 48150 class. I did it the other way round in 7mm rebuilding Jessie into S112 the 50550 from Ackton Hall colliery.

[rope runner]

14 hours ago, doilum said:

Minor???!! That's no way to talk about S112. By all accounts she could pull the wheels off an austerity.

Yes, the 50550 had a greater tractive effort owing to the smaller driving wheels, despite the austerity class actually being heavier. It must be remembered that this design was not a step backwards and the earlier classes had recurring difficulties with their backhead mounted injectors. The austerity class was capable of a greater turn of speed and increased range from the enlarged bunker, something which was a key consideration when it was believed that the majority would handle the first two years of secondary route traffic in post-war Western Europe. 

 

10 hours ago, alexl102 said:

describing the earlier classes as 'minor' isn't really accurate; they were the company's main designs and used widely all over the country.

I'm afraid that is not entirely accurate.

 

The Hunslet Engine Company had far more success with their excellent 15'' and 16'' inside cylinder designs which were produced in much greater numbers across several decades, the aforementioned 18'' design build numbers totaled 24 locos (8x50550, 16x48150). The use of the 48150 class was confined to steelworks only. The entirety of the 50550 class were originally ordered as trip working quarry railway locos and it was only owing to wartime and economic pressures that the order by Stewarts and LLoyds  was cancelled and the locos dispersed. 

 

Corbs has had a go at the 48150 class here:

 

There is also a kit available from Mercian models in 4mm and 7mm. 

 

Paul A. 

Edited April 10, 2020 by 1whitemoor

[Corbs]

10 minutes ago, 1whitemoor said:

It's worth noting that the bunker on preserved example "Jessie" is not original and it should have a sloping rear. 

 

Paul A. 

 

I was wrong about the bunker, Paul. There were several detail variations in the 48150 class and as it turns out 'Jessie' had circular windows and large bunker during its working life.

This photo I bought from RCTS shows it in 1959.

 

 

In the thread Paul linked to I've posted a bunch of RCTS photos to illustrate the different combinations of:

Bunker Angled or Large Straight Back

Front windows Circular or Shaped (like the WD)

Rods WD type or Gib and Cotter (like the 50550 but I've only seen one 48150 with them)

Bufferbeam Large (like 50550 type) or small (like WD) - think this also dictates the frames as to whether they are angled or straight.

 

 

[rope runner]

That was quick Corbs, I'd just gone to edit it after double checking!

 

Paul A. 

[Corbs]

Haha! Was in the zone I guess.

 

Alex - it should show all the steps required in my thread. It required careful carving of the tank front to be able to re-use it, and finding the correct size plastic tube to form the smokebox.

 

Hornby/Dapol Terrier wheels are the right size for the 48150 and 50550.

 

Please do the saddle tank mod and get rid of the awful mould line that goes down the sides  If you are retaining the original weight you need to glue it in BEFORE bonding the tank undersides to the upper part.

 

If you are making a 48150, the WD Hunslet is a better starting point than the J94 as it already has round rear windows. For (most of) the 50550s, the J94 is the easier starting point as S&L specified large square rear windows on their locos and they can be carved from the J94 'slots' that go either side of the hopper bunker.

[alexl102]

Thanks very much! How easy is it to swap the Austerity wheels for those of a terrier? Is it a straight swap?

[Corbs]

The geared axle is a straight swap. On the other two you need to take one wheel off each in order to slide the brass bearing collars from the WD over the axle, then re-assemble.

Edited April 14, 2020 by Corbs

[alexl102]

Thank you, that's helpful

[Corbs]

I'll probably do another 48150 and possibly another 50550 at some point, if I do, my aim is to film the conversions to show the steps.