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Heljan Beyer garratt


Hugh Flynn
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Revolving bunker should not be too difficult, could also be part of a DCC function. About sound? Go into the Eureka site they used to do a taster of their factory fitted sound decoder on the AD60 it certainly was one of the best steam sounds I have heard.

I hope the flood gates open to many other steam commissions especially as the D/E prototype/one off etc. is rapidly drying up (couple of notable exceptions 18000,GT1), but if the Garratt is successful and I suspect the order books are rapidly filling it will open the door for others. Quality iconic locos will do well whatever the price, look at City of Truro, quite expensive but it sold well, at about 50 quid more the Garratt is a steal.

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Well done Hatton's and Heljan!

 

.... although I suspect it would never have come close to Bristol, this (like the Blue Pullman) is a must have loco.

 

Did the Garretts not provide a "thunderbird" service for the Blue Pullman on the Bristol route?? :drinks:

 

 

"getting coat"

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I suspect it would never have come close to Bristol.....

 

Actually they did. On freight turns to Westerleigh sidings from Birmingham. They would then roll on, light engine, to Barrow Road MPD for servicing. I have also heard of an anecdote from an ex-Barrow Road fitter that they once sent one over the roundhouse turntable with dire consequences. With all the other flights of fantasy bouncing around on this thread you'd be forgiven for thinking that this was a wind up too! But it's true.....Scout's honour!

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Oh dear, My credit card has just gone into hiding.... Don't think I will be able to resist the temptation of one of these, however.:yes:

 

Not forgetting the one that got converted to 5'3" gauge and operated on the Belfast - Dublin line. :laugh:

 

Maybe not as crazy as it sounds, Colin! The fabled Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway "seriously considered a Garratt type locomotive" before deciding instead to order its last two 0-6-4Ts (Lough Melvin and Lough Erne) from Beyer Peacock in 1949. (See N.W. Sprinks history of the line). These two survived the Sligo Leitrim closure in 1957, and were bought by the UTA in 1959, working initially from Adelaide shed, Belfast.

 

So if you really want justification to run an Irish Garratt, you just need to rewrite history very slightly............

 

Alan

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You can satisfy yourself on that point by a comparison of B-P's export product and the two UK main line railway Garratt designs they constructed . The detail design of characteristic items like boiler and smokebox fittings, cab outline and so on does reflect the purchasing railway's 'house style'. But the general layout is all B-P standard. There's a lot to be said for spreading the powered axles over the 8'+8'6" 'Derby standard' wheelbase: while it would be physically possible to more closely group the axles at diameter over flange plus three inches separation (since there are no inside cylinders and motion or firebox to accomodate) the more concentrated loading this produces probably would not have met with favour from the civil engineer. Substitute the Sligo Leitrim fittings detail on an outline drawing and assess the effect...

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The LMS insisted, despite Beyer Peacocks advice, on certain LMS design features including the coupled wheelbase, axle bearings which were too small and short travel valves and the locos were somewhat of a disappointment as a result. This despite the success of long travel valves and decent axle boxes on Fowlers 2-6-4T. BP, left to their own devices, would have built a thoroughly modern 2-6-2+2-6-2T.

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I have also heard of an anecdote from an ex-Barrow Road fitter that they once sent one over the roundhouse turntable with dire consequences.

That incident could be recreated with the Heljan turntable!!!

 

 

The fabled Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway "seriously considered a Garratt type locomotive" before deciding instead to order its last two 0-6-4Ts (Lough Melvin and Lough Erne) from Beyer Peacock in 1949.

So we could have had a Garrett at Whitehead instead of Lough Erne RPSI Lough Erne

 

In a similar vein, Northern Ireland Railways did consider second hand Deltics, but instead went for brand new General Motors locomotives in 1981.

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this sounds interesting as a member of Wingfield model railway group this loco would be at home on our Hasland loco shed

behind 60 16tone mineral wagonsbiggrin.gif.

I assume that's some sort of Freudian slip :unsure: . Most railways would put the loco at the front of the train.

 

p.s. In the Garratts' days, lots of wagons would still be wooden 13 Tonners.

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It's all a bit like buses ...

 

A 3F tender loco, Co-Bo, a certain Nanking blue and white diesel unit and now this Garratt due in the next 12 months or so ... it's never been so good for those modelling the Midland Main Line.

 

I owned a made up but damaged static Kitmaster model bought about 30 years ago ... the price?? 10p from a jumble sale (believe me I'm not kidding) got rid of it years ago, never motorised or repaired.

 

I bet there's fair number of us who secretly, really, fancied someone bringing out a model of this prototype who probably didn't vote for it in surveys, but who'll buy one just because of its impressiveness and size (BTW Dapol considered it way back in the 80s but never got off the ground)

 

Rather similar here, but I model the LMS Midland Division. I have to add the 00 Works 2F and the diesel twins too. Alas poor wallet.

:help:

 

 

Oh yes I've just started kitbashing a built (badly I hasten to add) Kitmaster Garratt.

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I'm not sue what motor is fitted, but it does have two motors, the link below takes you to the web site.

 

Australian Garratt

At one point I tried to order the NSWGR Garratt from Eureka to add to my collection of articulated steam power (US prototypes, also in H0). Unfortunately my compatriots in Victoria don't appear to be particularly well organized in the mail order deparment. (Eureka is a small operation.)

 

They took a deposit from me for a 3801 that hasn't materialized and my Garratt order disappeared into the void, but that's just me whinging and I haven't 'done' anything about it. Pictures of that Garratt look sensational.

 

I think I'll be able to resist the pull off the LMSR Garratt as much as I have avoided all those Princesses in Crimson Lake over the years. (At least for now. We'll see when preliminary images start to appear.)

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Not "silly". A Genuine response to the original question.

Indeed, my apologies re the Bristol reference, I clearly was thinking too frivolously, although I would imagine that many workings would have terminated at Westerleigh Yard. I wonder how often they appeared on Barrow Road shed?

 

As regards the Bath reference, I don't recall seeing any photographs showing a Garratt at Bath Midland Bridge Yard or on Bath shed. Should I start a trawl through my Ivo Peters volumes now?..... I might check the John Owen book, that may have reference to any Garratt visits....

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pedant mode/on

 

This item is exclusive to Hattons and will be a limited run quantity's of each is yet to be announced.

 

And someone at Hattons can't spell! The plural of quantity is quantities.

 

steve (pedant mode/off)

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I'm lucky enough to own a HO Eureka AD60 Garratt, that I bought in Oz. It is very cleverly engineered, and only has one motor. It is a superb machine - Heljan have some way to go to match it. More details at http://eurekamodels.com.au/Garratt.html

 

 

 

Why so? In principle it is no more demanding than an Co-Co diesel type, six axles driven in two independent bogies. Regular HO size motors power these perfectly adequately and will move a longer train than most layouts can accomodate. What made me think centre motor and shaft drive is the relatively low asking price for a two chassis steam model; using a single motor is one possible way to keep the price in bounds. (If there was a 'treat all this as just one person's speculation' emoticon I would insert it here.)

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A single motor will need a more complex gear chain, probably not much difference, the OEM cost of a motor will be under a fiver, neither here nor there in getting to the retail price.

and only has one motor
and how do you get the ends to slip independently with only one motor? Used to listen to that feature most everyday when I worked for Zambia railways with a 1:50 grade out of the station just a block away, usually lost their footing on the level crossing, first the front engine then the rear engine, then when that one came under control open her up to get the momentum back. Memories of the good times, got to have another look through my Garratt page.

keith

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I'm lucky enough to own a HO Eureka AD60 Garratt, that I bought in Oz. It is very cleverly engineered, and only has one motor. It is a superb machine - Heljan have some way to go to match it. More details at http://eurekamodels.com.au/Garratt.html

 

I should hope they have - comparing prices

 

845.00 AUD = 538.36 GBP

 

Hattons GBP 199

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I should hope they have - comparing prices

 

845.00 AUD = 538.36 GBP

 

Hattons GBP 199

 

If I recall correctly the Eureka one started off at around 500 $AU when it was first being advertised and deposits (with a guaranteed price) were being taken in September/October 2004 - a lot can change between what Hattons announce now and whatever currency variations and tax changes might bring (but it still sounds like a bargain).

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If I recall correctly the Eureka one started off at around 500 $AU when it was first being advertised and deposits (with a guaranteed price) were being taken in September/October 2004 - a lot can change between what Hattons announce now and whatever currency variations and tax changes might bring (but it still sounds like a bargain).

Yes, I remember that the original pricing for the Garratt was much less expensive.

 

Plus, Eureka had to change suppliers when Kanda San dropped them.* I suspect that transition factors into their new pricing along with what are probably relatively small volumes.

 

The Australian dollar continues to be strong. Today the AU$1.00 = US$1.02 = £0.62.

 

(*Mike I think you started a thread to that effect.)

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