Hornby Dean Goods upgrade in oo

[Pierview]

Having completed the  LNER J52 loco recently described,I decided to tackle another long standing project, namely a GWR Dean Goods 0-6-0. This is another Hornby upgrade for which I have been slowly accumulating the parts over a period of time. I have always wanted a Dean Goods although I didn't see any in service as the class had become extinct  long before I started spotting. I did however see the preserved example 2516 in store at Swindon works awaiting restoration, so perhaps that counts !  Regarding the project, some years ago I was fortunate in being able to purchase at a very reasonable price loco and tender bodies on E-bay. Both items were in as new condition and would cost me considerably more these days. As this is a fairly common conversion I won't dwell too much on the construction details but the photos show progress to date. I am using Comet chassis kits for both loco and tender. The loco chassis is complete using Markits wheels (which I had in stock) a High Level Road Runner compact 60:1 ratio gearbox together with their 1015 motor. This is the second of the High Level "cost effective" motors that I have used and by mounting it vertically I have managed to fit it nicely in the firebox. I suspect haulage capability will be modest though.  As I model in OO I seldom bother with compensation, but decided on this occasion to do so just for the hell of it! I used the excellent High Level hornblocks .The tender chassis has been assembled but is awaiting brake gear.

 

Barry 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by Pierview
update

[melmerby]

Are you filling the boiler with anything?

The Hornby one (being tender drive) is virtually full with a lump of cast Mazak, including the firebox area.

[Brassey]

Very nice.  I've built a couple of these Comet chassis; one of them sprung the other compensated as yours.  I also use the same HL gearbox but found that by putting the motor at an angle you can get a bigger one in.  Mine are 1224.

 

Do you have the High Level tender chassis?

Edited January 19, 2022 by Brassey

[Barclay]

I used the High Level 1020 motor in a modified Bec J17 - like you, pushed for space. Even though the loco and tender are heavy cast white metal it still pulled 20 wagons quite happily so they must have a fair amount of power. The Dean Goods looks great, and I don't think you'll regret compensating it.

 

 

Edited December 8, 2022 by Barclay

[Pierview]

11 hours ago, melmerby said:

Are you filling the boiler with anything?

The Hornby one (being tender drive) is virtually full with a lump of cast Mazak, including the firebox area.

I removed the Hornby weight, sawed off the firebox portion and replaced the rest in the boiler. More lead to be added where I can squeeze it in!

 

4 hours ago, Brassey said:

Very nice.  I've built a couple of these Comet chassis; one of them sprung the other compensated as yours.  I also use the same HL gearbox but found that by putting the motor at an angle you can get a bigger one in.  Mine are 1224.

Thanks for that . It's a useful tip for the future.

 

2 hours ago, Barclay said:

used the High Level 1020 motor in a modified Bec J17 - like you, pushed for space. Even though the loco and tender are heavy cast white metal it still pulled 20 wagons quite happily so they must have a fair amount of power. The Dean Goods looks great, and I don't think you'll regret compensating it.

 

That's encouraging to hear! I believe Chris Gibbon went to a lot of effort in developing his new range of motors and I am impressed with the two that I have used to date. 

 

Barry

[Pierview]

4 hours ago, Brassey said:

Do you have the High Level tender chassis?

No, I was tempted but opted instead for a Comet internal frame set,

 

Barry

[5050]

I used a LoadHauler Compact with a larger Mashima sitting horizontally .  However, this was in P4 so I had a bit more room to play with.  I cut the cast weight about to get it to fit with the motor in place.  The tender is also used to collect current and its design adds weight to the rear of the loco for extra adhesion.  See here -

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/156836-doing-a-dean/#comment-4062027

 

[Captain Kernow]

This is very interesting and a great looking conversion.

 

I have an Oxford Rail Dean Goods (which I am keeping in OO), but which doesn't run as well as I'd like it, so it will receive a Comet chassis (already purchased) in due course.

 

[Pierview]

4 hours ago, 5050 said:

used a LoadHauler Compact with a larger Mashima sitting horizontally .  However, this was in P4 so I had a bit more room to play with.  I cut the cast weight about to get it to fit with the motor in place.  The tender is also used to collect current and its design adds weight to the rear of the loco for extra adhesion.  See here -

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/156836-doing-a-dean/#comment-4062027

 

Thanks 5050, your Dean is rather more sophisticated than my humble effort and lots of good tips there. I thought that there had been a previous thread but I couldn't locate it. 

 

Barry

[Pierview]

I now have the tender chassis completed as shown in the photos. The Hornby plastic underframe needed hacking around to make the Comet internal frames fit and I added a plasticard floor to enable me to attach the frames with a couple of self tapping screws. I also compensated the tender chassis as Comet made provision for it. I now have to sort out the loco body fixing and tender coupling before moving on to body detailing. I will have to do something about that monstrous coal heap in the tender!

Barry

  

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by Pierview
update

[Brassey]

Very neat conversion but not too sure the water scoop round the right way?

[Pierview]

13 minutes ago, Brassey said:

Very neat conversion but not too sure the water scoop round the right way?

 I worked from the drawing in Russell's GWR locomotives book as shown. It's a Branchlines casting which is described as a GWR scoop but is not an exact copy of the type shown in the drawing. Perhaps I need to turn it around.  What do you think?  

Barry

[melmerby]

7 minutes ago, Pierview said:

 I worked from the drawing in Russell's GWR locomotives book as shown. It's a Branchlines casting which is described as a GWR scoop but is not an exact copy of the type shown in the drawing. Perhaps I need to turn it around.  What do you think?  

Barry

 

In that picture, the hinge is at the back, just in front of the rear wheel, the front drops down into the trough.

[Miss Prism]

Yes, you need to turn it around.

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/tenders/tender-water-scoop.jpg

 

[melmerby]

This looks more like the correct style:

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/locomotive/mt337/

[Pierview]

Thanks folks, I will make the necessary correction. Just shows the value of this forum!

 

Barry 

[5050]

I haven't even got one on mine!  Mind you, it never goes far enough to need any water.........................

[Miss Prism]

29 minutes ago, 5050 said:

I haven't even got one on mine!

 

Most scoops on Dean 3000g tenders were removed in later years.

 

[5050]

3 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

 

Most scoops on Dean 3000g tenders were removed in later years.

 

Well, that's my excuse reason for not having one then!

[melmerby]

4 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

 

Most scoops on Dean 3000g tenders were removed in later years.

 

Why is that?

Couldn't the geriatric locos go fast enough to force the water into the tank?

[Miss Prism]

That's one way of putting it - I think the closer truth is that the average ancient goods loco never needed to go that fast, and a water column was usually not far off. But here's a sedate goods making a decent attempt on Rowington:

https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrrj1480.htm

 

 

[Pierview]

I have now finished detailing the Dean Goods apart from the smokebox door handle, which is on order. Replacement Dean buffers are fitted together with lamp irons, vacuum pipe and a reversing lever in the cab. So far as the tender is concerned I have corrected the water scoop, and fitted a buffer beam. The latter item was not present with the Hornby underframe and I suspect that it was an integral part of the original tender drive unit.  I thought that the original handrails on both loco and tender were far too chunky so I replaced them. The original boiler handrail knobs were countersunk and their removal exposed large holes which were much too big for fine scale  knobs. I therefore found it necessary to fill the holes with Milliput , sand down when dry, and re-drill for the smaller knobs. I fretted out the unrealistically large plastic coal heap (which was designed to hide the tender mechanism) and fitted a plasticard "floor" which I covered with black plasticine as a base for the crushed coal that will follow in due course. The final job is the repainting which I hope to do in the next week or so.

Barry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by Pierview
update

[Pierview]

I have the Dean Goods finished now apart from the tender works plate, which is on order. I made the rolled up storm sheet from thin foil from a wine bottle. I am not sure that I really like the early BR fashion for red backed number plates but as the prototype had them I thought that I had better follow suit. Ah well, the next project beckons....  

 

Barry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by Pierview

[melmerby]

40 minutes ago, Pierview said:

 I am not sure that I really like the early BR fashion for red backed number plates but as the prototype had them I thought that I had better follow suit.

 

Did that one have red backed plates?

Not may locos got them, mainly panniers and 4-6-0s

[Pierview]

Keith

 

Yes it did. I  did a web search and found a colour photo of 2538 at Welshpool. The plates are definitely red! 

Larger locos had red plates as well and there is a well known photograph of 2934 " Butleigh Court" at Swindon in lined black livery with red backed number and name plates. I did the same with my model version.

 

Barry