88C's workbench

[Penrhos1920]

On 23/06/2020 at 21:50, 88C said:

Still making steady progress with the D, it might not look much but working out the best order to do things and searching through all the saved bits from etches does take its time. Please remember that this build will not be a super accurate model but, I hope, a reasonably good representation of a loco for which I do not have a lot of information. There are some drawings for the class which give the basic dimensions plus a Sharp Stewart blueprint from the NRM, however the details don't always agree. We are told by many modellers to use a dated photo for reference, fat chance! I have only been able to find 10 pictures of this class of four engines, only 3 with this style of cab. I have plates for number 35 and two photos, one dated 1906 and the other as GWR1387 after having a bit of a rebuild and that is dated 1927. My stock really fits the 1919 - 1921 period.

 

I’ve got 3 photos of 35 as GWR1387 and the 1906 photo.  The post grouping photos show the H class boiler/firebox/smokebox which was fitted in 1922 so are no help in that area.  But did 35 receive as convex smokebox door like 93 or keep its concave door?  Likewise for the chimney and dome.  Having done a little reading I now found out that I ought to be building 92 or 93 as they worked through Penrhos after 1910.

[88C]

Thanks for the reply @Penrhos1920. I am afraid that I cannot answer your questions accurately, as I have said before this model will only be the best I can do and as such I will be happy with it if it looks like a D. I can live with some detail errors. Over the years I have collected fittings which are pretty close and I know that I don’t have the skill to make my own.

 

By the way, chose 35 because I though that it was the easier cab to build.

 

Brian

[88C]

I have just started work on the tender weather shield only to realise there is more that I don't know. When I ordered the H chassis from Derek Harris at Redcraft he kindly sent me a drawing for 35/36 which show a door in the weather shield, the diagram in Russell doesn't show the shield at all. Needless to say photos do not show the engine from the rear so detail will be guess work. From what I can make out in the photos there  is either an open door or even no actual door at all, I won't commit myself just yet, anyway I will need to do the tender flares first. The more I think about it an opening would be more practical but who knows?

 

As for the smoke box door, it will be convex.

 

Isn't modelling fun and also frustrating at times.

 

Brian

[88C]

Slow but steady progress with the D. All major parts are now in place and I am working on the details. The tender flares were a bit of a challenge but have turned out OK.

To position them I clamped a piece of ply to the tender sides which made it easier to position the flare for soldering, I took the photo after I had done the job.

A shot with the model really starting to come together. The steps are from a Mainly Trains etch, modified to suit and the boiler fittings have not yet been fitted permanently. Still a lot to do, I have made the tender weather shield but haven't photographed it yet. The boiler is a lot heavier now thanks to some lead and I have worked out a way that I can paint it before final assembly, not like me to make things easier. Currently I am working on the splashers, so far two attempts have been rejected but the third looks promising, I'll let you know how I get on.

 

I know there are things which are not quite right but I am pleased with the overall appearance of the engine but I know it's the best I can do and there are not likely to be many 4mm Ds in existence.

 

The next up date shouldn't take so long.

 

Brian

[Guest Jack Benson]

Useless factoids,

only four of the 20 locos built for the Swedish & Norwegian Railway by Sharp Stewart, were sold to the Barry Railway as D class, another ten were sold to the Baden State Railway as VIIIb class. All were withdrawn from service after 1923. 
 

What happened to the other six?
 

Cheers and Stay Safe
 

 

[88C]

According to Richard Chown’s article in the WRRC journal The Welsh Railway Archive vol VI no. 3 the other six were sold to the German Palatine Railway.

 

Brian

[Guest Jack Benson]

1 hour ago, 88C said:

According to Richard Chown’s article in the WRRC journal The Welsh Railway Archive vol VI no. 3 the other six were sold to the German Palatine Railway.

 

Brian

Brian,

 

That rings a distant bell, presumably as the G3 class, lasting until 1924.
 

See below.

 

 

[Guest Jack Benson]

Brian,

 

If the illustration is indeed correct, was the dome reduced/modified by the Barry Railway? It is a rather magnificent appendage.

 

Cheers and Stay Safe
 

 

[88C]

I don’t know but I suspect that Sharp Stewart may have made some changes before delivery to Barry. One of the differences that I noticed in your picture is the cab window, was this modified in Germany. A photo of what became Barry number 92 whilst it was in Sweden shows a smokebox door with ‘normal’ handles which remained on the Barry locos, this is another difference in your picture.  I am sure that your picture is one of the Swedish locos but has had changes made to suit local preferences.

 

Another photo in Richard Chown’s article shows an earlier version built for Spain, again with a different cab.

 

All very interesting.

 

Brian

[Blandford1969]

The 0-8-0  is an interesting beast. The round window is really odd. Did they always stay like that, the reason for asking is I have a negative of one in GWR days, but with a different cab. 

[88C]

Of the four engines acquired by the Barry 35 and 36 retained the side window cabs, the other two, 92 and 93 had the cabs remodelled without any side windows. I chose to do 35 for the simple reason that I thought that it would be easier to make the cab.

 

Brian

[88C]

I have just realised as I sat here to give an progress report that I haven't taken any recent pictures. Anyway all the bits and pieces have been completed and the model is now in the paint shop. Next bulletin when it is finished.

 

Brian

[88C]

No matter how carefully I try to get chimneys to sit properly I always seem to fail, it must be gremlins moving them over night. After a coat of primer it was clear the chimney and dome were not right so off they came to try again. With my record I’m glad I don’t solder them on.
 

Brian

[88C]

Well it's finally done. Just needs a load of coal and a crew.

 

 

 

 

Brian

[Guest Jack Benson]

Brian,

 

How odd that the Pfalzbahn (Palatinate Railway) carried a similar livery before being absorbed into the KBayStsB in 1909

 

Stay Safe and Tuck in Your Vest

[88C]

They are certainly interesting locos and are actually smaller than you expect an 0-8-0 to be. I don’t know what the German engines were used for but I doubt if 35 was used for anything else but shunting in and around Barry docks.

 

 I have had chance to give the loco a bit of a test and after a bit of tweaking the pick ups it now seems to be running reliably. It took 22 wagons round my Llanforen layout, including a slight gradient on a 2’ curve, without any problems. Time didn’t allow for any more trials and now I need to remove a board to give access to the gas boiler so it can have its annual service.

 

Some more wagon kits to do next.

 

Brian