Barclay 0-6-0 Diesel Shunter

[5050]

As a bit of 'light' relief (ha!) during the current situation I have gone back to working on a loco that has a bit of 'history' to it.  It is a Wychbury kit of the Barclay 0-6-0 diesel shunter, later released in both 4mm and 7mm by Mercian models.  The origins of the loco can be seen in the first photo on Ruston's 'Charlie Strong Metals' thread where, in yellow and blue, it can be seen lurking by the fuelling tank.  This was acquired during a 'skills and parts' barter a couple of years ago and it didn't fit in with Ruston's current interests - but it does mine.   It was one of Ruston's early attempts at etched kit construction and dates back to the mid 80's I suppose.  His kit building ability has come on in leaps and bounds since then but I won't say (to much) more apart from the fact that not a lot was soldered but a lot was stuck together with superglue (and epoxy?).  Given its venerable age, when I started, the body parts virtually fell apart which was good - but the state they were in was the opposite.  A lot of cleaning of old glue and solder (where there was any!) was needed and some of the parts, when examined closely, demonstrated that they had been filed to within a few thou. of their life.  Most of the paint came off easily without the need for heavy stripping and eventually I got them in a suitable state to start building the body.  The cab had to be virtually rebuilt and still isn't perfect but i reckon a lot of that could be due to the design of the kit.  The short bonnet is a distorted lump of white metal that was a b*gg*r to get to the right shape (it still isn't right but if I'd filed it any more it would have disappeared).  It is attached to the cab with epoxy - lots of it to fill all the gaps!  The long bonnet is still a bit mishapen (don't look at the loco from the front....) and this too is attached to the cab with epoxy in the same way.  The cab and bonnets assembly is a complete unit attached to the footplate with self-tapping screws into the white metal bonnet ends.  Hopefully this should make painting easier - and also fitting out the cab interior.

 

The chassis was dismantled (it was soldered) over the gas ring and, as it was now to be P4, axle holes were cut out for hornblocks and new spacers fitted along with a compensation beam.  Wheels are from Alan Gibson and a Mashima 1220 motor with High Level gearbox obtained.  Coupling rods were retained and used for setting the hornblocks with axle jigs.  They work fine.

 

Here's some photos from when I started again with the build a couple of weeks ago.  I didn't take any prior to this I'm afraid.

 

The constituent parts prior to wheeling the chassis and attaching the long bonnet.  The piece of PCB soldered to the top of the footplate is the same size and shape as the inside of the cab and serves as a location guide.  It is a tight fit and served to hold the cab in the correct place when drilling holes and gluing bonnets etc.  Only one buffer can be seen.  That's all there was when I received the loco so I'll need to source some more in due course.  The buffer beams and steps were already assembled and didn't come adrift during dismantling - so they're going to stay!

 

 

Here the body parts have been put together (in a sort of Frankenstein'ish sort of way................)

 

 

The chassis with wheels fitted, rods in place with temporary crank 'nuts', gearbox awaiting motor and compensating beam showing between the front 2 pairs of wheels.  The piece of PCB across the frames will support the motor.

 

 

From the other side.  The frame spacers are some Perseverance Universal ones hence the multitude of holes.

 

 

Chassis from below showing the PCB plate for attaching the pickup wires.  This also acts as a keeper plate to secure the 2  non-driven axles.  The small projection alongside the screw head is a short length of brass wire soldered into the frame spacer below and is a close fit into a hole in the plate.  This locates the plate in the correct alignment and prevents it twisting in service.  The removable 'fixed' axle arrangement can be seen with the 3-sectioned brass tube across the bottom of a top-hat bush and a L-shape tight fitting piece of brass wire to retain them.

 

 

Pick-up plate with pick-up wires attached.  These are soldered into lengths of very small 'U' section brass which help to maintain rigidity and location.  The 2 long projecting ones provide clearance for the gearbox.  Wheel tyres and exposed axle ends have now been chemically blackened and the chassis painted in a dirty black shade.  Brakes are some nylon plastic ones fitting onto lengths of 0.7mm wire soldered into the side frames.  No danger of electrical shorts!

 

 

The pick-up plate removed from the chassis and now with motor leads attached.  It needed a good scrub to remove flux residue.

 

 

Cab fittings.  The floor is 'planked' and the 'desk' has a basic representation of the controls, still to be finally finished with control levers etc..  I managed to 'cab' the example of this loco at the Foxfield railway last year ('Clive') and took a couple of photos to assist me in the build.  It's not an exact replica but near enough for me!  It still needs painting.  Glazing has also been cut and is tucked away as one of the last items to be fitted.

 

 

This morning I attached sandboxes to the underside of the footplate and gave the chassis a good 'running in' on the test track.  It worked almost perfectly first time and has needed very little fettling.  Quite amazing really.......................

 

BTW, message for Ruston.  Do you have any more photos of this loco in service on your layouts?

 

 

Edit - it would appear that several other photos attached themselves to the post when I submitted it!  they should be self explanetary but please ask questions if not!

Edited April 14, 2020 by 5050

[Down_Under]

5050, I really like that pick up plate, I will be replicating on my Janus. I was trying to work out how to stop the pick up wires dragging on wheels too much and you look to have solved it. 

 

Very nice rebuild! 

 

Do you have any closer up pictures of the 'removable' fixed axle? 

 

Cheers from down under!

 

J

[5050]

1 hour ago, Down_Under said:

Do you have any closer up pictures of the 'removable' fixed axle?

I'm sure I have somewhere but I'll need to search.  Basically it entails extending the fixed axle holes downwards to the bottom of the frame after fitting tophat bushes.  The bushes need to be a close fit in the holes and in the resulting slots.  With a spare axle through both bushes and the bushes pushed up against the top of the slot, solder a short length of small bore brass tube across the bottom of each bush and to the frame either side of the bush.  Cut each side of the bushes with a piercing or razor saw and check that the bushes still slide easily into the slots.  Bend an L shape length of wire to closely fit into the tubes to hold the bushes in place.  The 'fixed' axle - complete with gearbox eventually - can then be easily removed and replaced at will whilst building the chassis.

Edited April 14, 2020 by 5050

[Barclay]

It's looking great - those pick up supports are one of those brilliant ideas that you really wish you had thought of yourself. I'll definitely be trying those in the future.

[Ruston]

5050 -  What a transformation! It must be 30 years since I built that! The bits I did solder were done with electrical solder and what I couldn't solder I superglued together. I didn't fit any bearings into the frames as I had no idea how to open out the holes in the hard nickel silver but it ran well enough. The paint will have come off easily because I didn't use any sort of primer, let alone etch primer. I didn't know about such things then. I brought it to Wakefield club when I visited to see about joining (I couldn't afford to on my YTS wages at the time and still haven't got around to joining yet!) and I think that's when I first met you.

 

I'm afraid I don't have any other pics of it. They hadn't invented digital cameras back then and film was expensive, tha' nos!

[5050]

22 hours ago, 5050 said:

I'm sure I have somewhere but I'll need to search.  Basically it entails extending the fixed axle holes downwards to the bottom of the frame after fitting tophat bushes.  The bushes need to be a close fit in the holes and in the resulting slots.  With a spare axle through both bushes and the bushes pushed up against the top of the slot, solder a short length of small bore brass tube across the bottom of each bush and to the frame either side of the bush.  Cut each side of the bushes with a piercing or razor saw and check that the bushes still slide easily into the slots.  Bend an L shape length of wire to closely fit into the tubes to hold the bushes in place.  The 'fixed' axle - complete with gearbox eventually - can then be easily removed and replaced at will whilst building the chassis.

 

This may help.  It turns out I don't have any photos specifically of the method above but this does show the idea (I think!)

 

 

The tubes don't appear to be fully sawn across and there isn't an L shape bit of wire  but I'm sure the principle behind the method can be seen.

[5050]

A bit more work done.  I've fabricated another set of end handrails out of 0.5mm NS wire, using the etched set I had as a pattern.  I've also made an 'exhaust shroud' to fit up the front of the cab (still to be trimmed to size), cab roof rain strips, another short bonnet filler cab (head of small nail), cab handrails and a new 'dome shaped thing' that fits into the bonnet.  This is made from a dome head brass screw of suitable size with the slot filled with a piece of thick brass sheet soldered in place and filed to shape. There are also some thin plasticard 'access panels' on the sides and end of the short bonnet. Not long now!

 

 

 

 

Edited May 13, 2020 by 5050

[Michael Edge]

The "dome thing" looks like an air filter to me - but I've not built one of these Barclays.

[br2975]

Well I must say, you're having more luck than I had with mine.

.

I got this far, and left it !

.

.

.

.

.

AB 495/1964...Mountain Ash, March 1976

[5050]

Lot of work over the past week or so.  It's virtually complete now as the following photos show.

 

The Control Desk now painted and with a 'driver' in situ.  He's from an Airfix set (Ground Crew?) converted to a Teddy Boy style with leather jacket and quiff.  His hands fit the controls almost exactly.

 

 

Another view.

 

 

And in position ready for fitting the cab.

 

 

Body and chassis combined. Painted in Corporate Blue, hand-done wasp stripes, exhaust shroud and horn fitted, Barclay plate fitted (courtesy of Mr Edge), sandpipes on the chassis and the cab glazed with window edges picked out in 'aluminium'.

 

 

The other short bonnet end with the angled handrails and the distinct lack of buffers!  I don't have any spare sets of 'industrial' style ones so we'll have to wait until 'Post Lockdown' to complete this element.

 

 

It runs very nicely and will probably spend an hour or two on the test/running in track.  Plenty of weight thanks to Ruston - and I had to remove some of the original.  Yet to see if it will get round the curves on Braynerts Sidings though!

 

Now the big question is - do I leave the cab handrails Blue or do I paint them - and the end ones - White?  I might also paint the side of the footplate valances in Blue as well.

 

And what will I start work on now?  A High Level Pannier Tank chassis (or two)?  Some wagons?  Yet another industrial loco?  The possibilities are (very) extensive..................

Edited May 13, 2020 by 5050
Spellering (again!)

[Barclay]

Looking great - what about yellow for the handrails? 

[Ruston]

Come on, you old miser. Surely you can afford a postage stamp to order some buffers from Gibson's?

[5050]

3 hours ago, Ruston said:

Come on, you old miser. Surely you can afford a postage stamp to order some buffers from Gibson's?

'ere - who are you calling old??  Yer young whippersnapper etc. etc...................

[newbryford]

I built 2 Mercian 4mm kits before succumbing to the 7mm version....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[5050]

Both nicely done - and with parts that mine didn't have!  The lifting brackets on the buffer beams for one and the side handrails - which weren't fitted to all versions so I left mine off.  Anyway, they weren't on the body when I got it from Ruston so I (as usual) took the easyway out and didn't fit them. 

 

It's now 'finished', just weathering etc. to do some time.  I decided to paint the handrails White and I reckon this 'lifts' the model a bit.  Looking at the photo ( which picks out all the little defects as usual) there may be a bit of touching up of White in odd places but after a session of touching up White, then Blue, then White again, then Black etc. etc. etc. I think I'll just weather it!

[newbryford]

5 minutes ago, 5050 said:

Both nicely done - and with parts that mine didn't have!  The lifting brackets on the buffer beams for one and the side handrails - which weren't fitted to all versions so I left mine off.  Anyway, they weren't on the body when I got it from Ruston so I (as usual) took the easyway out and didn't fit them. 

 

It's now 'finished', just weathering etc. to do some time.  I decided to paint the handrails White and I reckon this 'lifts' the model a bit.  Looking at the photo ( which picks out all the little defects as usual) there may be a bit of touching up of White in odd places but after a session of touching up White, then Blue, then White again, then Black etc. etc. etc. I think I'll just weather it!

 

 

And a dab of silver on the bonnet  door hatch handles

It's quite surprising how picking out a few details can bring a model "up"

[5050]

10 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

And a dab of silver on the bonnet  door hatch handles

It's quite surprising how picking out a few details can bring a model "up"

Ah, yes.  Forgot that!  And fitting a couple of cab door handles.  Poor sod inside will never get out if I don't.

[Michael Edge]

18 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

And a dab of silver on the bonnet  door hatch handles

It's quite surprising how picking out a few details can bring a model "up"

"silver" casing door handles on a Barclay? Rusty black bar would be nearer the mark, if not painted body colour. They didn't go in for much in the way of fancy finishing at Kilmarnock.

[Enterprisingwestern]

On 26/04/2020 at 22:40, newbryford said:

I built 2 Mercian 4mm kits before succumbing to the 7mm version....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can't be yours Mick, there's a red one!

 

Mike.

[newbryford]

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Can't be yours Mick, there's a red one!

 

Mike.

 

It was built in about 2002.

Well before my yellow leanings became apparent

[5050]

For some reason my Mum hated yellow. She always said it was an unlucky colour.  She was vindicated when, in my unsuspecting youth, I had a bike frame sprayed in a vivid yellow with bright green contrasts, I thought it was brill - and I crashed it in the first race I rode on it!  I still have the scar on my knee and it was in 1963!  I've always been a bit wary about the colour myself since then.